Author's note: This chapter will tell us about the aftermath of Minami and Nashiko's match while moving on to the match between Shikaien and Aoi. I do not own any of the characters. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. The original characters belong to me.

Chapter 43: Our Sons and Daughters

Inside a room, stadium, the Village Hidden in the Leaves

Minami slowly opened her eyes and she was wondering why she felt this feeling. It was shining bright and eventually, the young bluenette could find herself lying in a bed alongside Riko, who was already sleeping so peacefully. However, she then snapped, as she recalled that she had indeed lost the battle to Nashiko. Admitting this failure, coupled with the fact that she had failed the Chuunin Exams, left Minami angry and she lowered her head in shame.

"Damn it…is this how it ends? After all the hard training I went through?" she wondered while her head was filled with thoughts.

"You shouldn't be that ashamed of yourself. You were actually giving your best during that match" Minami raised her head in surprise, as she immediately recognized that voice, even though she hated it. Turning around, she could spot her parents and twin brother standing by the edge of the other side of the room, accompanied by Akamaru and Arata of course. In fact, Kiba was the one who had spoken to his daughter with a surprisingly sympathetic voice. "Hey, you made it to the finals of the Chuunin Exams! Doesn't that sound like a great accomplishment to ya? I think it does" the brown-haired man added.

Hinata immediately ran towards Minami and embraced her daughter in a tight hug. The young bluenette immediately returned the hug and her mother was on the verge of breaking into tears. However, it was Minami who did that first, as she felt actually happy to see her for a long time.

"Mom…..I'm sorry" that was the only words Minami could muster, as she felt Hinata comfort her warmly.

"It's okay, Minami" Hinata replied in motherly way. "No matter how dire the situation is, I am always here for you" she added and let go of her as she decided to let someone else talk to her, namely Takeda.

Takeda could see that his twin sister was not necessary pleased to see him, so he decided to make it quick. "Look, I used to believe that you were always such a stubborn and calculated girl who always desired to prove to whomever she despised deeply" he said and surprisingly bowed to her as a means of apologizing. "But I realize that I was not supportive of you as a sibling and for that, I'm sorry" the brown-haired boy said what he felt needed to come out, as he did not wanna waste Minami's time.

The young bluenette was however, stunned by Takeda's words. And while she was at it, she had begun to accept her twin brother's advice to not underestimate Nashiko. Her opponent turned out to be quite stronger than she had ever imagined, and Takeda felt the same way, based upon seeing Minami and Nashiko fight.

But things got a little more surprising, as Kiba suddenly moved close to Minami, catching her attention. She only glanced at him with confused eyes, while remaining distasteful of her father. The brown-haired man with goatee sighed deeply before opening his mouth to speak.

"Minami…you did great in the fight…and I really mean it. You were fighting with everything you had and lost. But to not see that as a negative impact" Kiba surprisingly praised Minami. His face also seemed filled with humility. "I know that you still resent me for all the things I've said to you, your mother and other family members. And guess what…I can't blame ya for feeling that way. You have a right to dislike me" he went on explaining, much to his daughter's surprise.

Was she dreaming? Did her father just admit to his own failed behavior and personality? She wanted to know more. "Why do I have a right to dislike you?" Minami suddenly asked lowly, and everyone could tell that this was not filled with disgust or hatred.

"Because…..I was never the perfect father to either you or Takeda….I was just an asshole still stuck in the past after losing the title of Hokage to Naruto, as well as envying him for how much stronger he was" he admitted with a touching voice. "And because of my negligence and alcoholic issues…..you and Takeda didn't have the luxury of having a father taking you to a playground….or even going on a walk with you…or even support you in dreadful times. How could I have been that stupid?" Kiba explained further while wondering with regret.

Hinata suddenly stood by her husband's side and faced their daughter with a similar glance. "We heard what you shouted during your battle against Nashiko. Hearing those words…made us as parents realize how both ignorant we were to this family's chaotic environment" the bluenette spoke up.

Kiba suddenly put his arms around her. "Hinata, please. I deserve most of the blame here. You were doing a good job in raising…" the brown-haired man was interrupted by his wife's voice.

"No, I too bear some reasonability for this dysfunction as well, Kiba. I do that as a mother and a wife. While there is some truth in your words, I admit that I never did the right choices, as a housewife" Hinata assured him. She then began facing her daughter with a slight smile. "Your father and I still have a long way to go before we can put those years behind us. But let us to this together…as a family!" she said with a hidden fire within those words.

Minami was surprised by hearing her mother's words. It was hard for her to believe it, but she wanted to believe it anyways. Her parents were now trying to fix the family, and they wanted both her and Takeshi onboard as well. For the first time, she had heard Hinata act with so much confidence in her abilities in motherhood.

Feeling tears slowly dripping from her bright eyes, Minami hugged her mother once again and Hinata returned it lovingly. Kiba and Takeda could only stand and watch as Minami was seeking comfort in her mother's arms and this actually showed them that there still existed a girly side within the usual tomboyish bluenette.

But suddenly, Minami let go of Hinata and looked at her father, who was surprised by what he was seeing. The brown-haired man realized that he needed to show that he still cared about the young girl, so he walked over and embraced Manami in a tight hug. The bluenette only returned it, with tears steaming from her bright eyes.

As Kiba let go of his daughter, his wife faced her once again with a touching smile. "There is someone who would like to speak with you, Minami. He requested that he would do that with you alone. But we will be right outside. So just let us know when you will be needing us" she told her, and she along with Kiba, Takeda and the dogs exited the room.

Minami was wondering who it could be, but as the door quickly opened, she felt a chill in her spine by seeing her own grandfather entering the room. Hiashi was standing far feet away from her, but they could still have eye contact with one another. And now, they were alone in a room together.

But the young bluenette could not hide her open disgust for her grandfather, as she narrowed her bright eyes at him. "What do you want?" she asked him lowly, yet it didn't sound very pleasant. "If you came here just to mock my dignity…...well, here's your chance!" she added while sounding bitter.

Hiashi sighed deeply while closing his eyes. "I am too old for such immature behavior, Minami" he replied with a less strict tone, thus catching Minami's attention. He opened his bright eyes and gazed upon her with a glance of humility, similar to the once Kiba had showed just now. "It feels odd. I never thought that I would as an elderly man be standing before a Hyuuga and admit to my mistakes" he admitted with a hint of regret in his voice.

The young bluenette snapped in realization. "You have done this before? Who was the previous Hyuuga? Was it mom?" she asked while wanting to know the answer.

"I did reconsolidate with her, yes. But that was many years later" he replied and began recalling whom he had done this to. "The first one was to my nephew, as well as your mother's cousin: Neji Hyuuga. I had failed to make amends for his father, my twin brother's sacrifice to the Leaf Village's safety. However, this situation is different. And I will be willing to take in all criticism you have against me, without being defensive or deflective" he spoke with honesty in his voice.

As much as she was surprised by hearing this, Minami still felt little confidence in her grandfather. "What is there to talk about? You already know what I've said" she suddenly spoke up, causing Hiashi to stare at her in wonder. "Even though mom told me repeatedly that you were a changed man, I never believed her words. And I was right. You were stuck in the past, still not making amends for the harsh treatment you and the elders gave mom! And what's more, instead of trying to heal the damage in our family, you only ended up becoming a part of the damage with that arrogant attitude of yours" she spat out the sentences like a gunshot. Hiashi was not opening his mouth to protest, keeping his promise not to interrupt her. He could see the sadness enveloping upon Minami. "Like dad, you became a bad influence for mom, you even tried to kill me! Those are one of the many reasons why I said you were nothing like Hizashi! In my eyes, you're only a pathetic coward who tends to hide behind his group of elderly bastards instead of admitting to his mistakes!" she kept going, until she felt her voice drained because of her anger.

So far, Hiashi had only closed his eyes to take in all the frustration and anger from his granddaughter. Meanwhile, Hinata could hear everything and she felt ashamed of herself, only for Kiba to comfort her with a hug. Takeda however, was listening carefully with curiosity, as he had never heard his twin sister be that angry towards their maternal grandfather.

When Minami was drained, Hiashi felt like it was time for him to reply. "You say I am still stuck in the past?" he asked while crossing his arms. "I think you have misjudged my character. I have made amends to your mother…

"JUST CUT THE CRAP!" Minami suddenly shouted out in anger, thus zipping Hiashi completely. She faced him with a slight angered glance. "You're still in denial of everything! You have allowed other members of the Hyuuga clan to backtalk mom for her decisions. And because of you, she has lost her morale to succeed you as the clan head! You instead chose Hanabi, that vile bitch!" she added, this time a hint of sadness taking hold on her voice.

As Hiashi listened and his granddaughter began sobbing, the elderly man knew that he would have to tell her the truth. "Actually, your mother never had any intention on succeeding me" he told her lowly and the young girl faced him, trying to wipe off her tears. The elderly man nodded his head. "There was a time when I believed that Hinata would make an ideal clan head, considering her talents, but when I told her that…..she refused my offer" he told her as honest as he could.

Hearing this made Minami fill her eyes with anger. "You lie…" she said lowly.

"If I did lie, I would have not even come here to tell you this personally" Hiashi suddenly pointed out. "But as I just told you, Hinata felt the need to pass on the title to Hanabi for a very particular reason. She did it…" the elderly man sighed deeply, as he was about to answer what his eldest daughter had told him that day. "For the sake of spending more time with you…with her children…..with her family as a wife and mother" he finally answered.

Hearing these words left Minami stunned. She was actually starting to understand something in her head. She lowered her head and began to recall some of the conversations she had with Hinata over the years, including around the build-up for the Chuunin Exams. Was it true? Minami was still unsure about whether to believe in her grandfather's words, or not.

"I only wanted to do what was best for mom. I wanted to help her amidst her troubled marriage to dad, something you never did!" the young bluenette continued slamming Hiashi, who was still calm while hearing this. "All you and that uncaring bitch Hanabi did was to destroy my mom's desires, not help her repair them!" she added with hateful words.

"You know, I think it is sad that you take great pride in saying such nasty things, like calling your aunt a bitch. Things like that are unnecessary" Hiashi remarked.

This made Minami face him with open anger. "I'll tell you what is unnecessary! Calling your grandchildren misfits, badmouthing your own daughter behind her back and almost trying to kill your son-in-law and granddaughter!" she yelled out, but she snapped once she saw something she previously never hoped to see.

Her grandfather was bowing his head to before her in shame. This was an indication that he was admitting his mistakes, as well as being willing to show humility to someone. Hiashi had experience of showing it before. Minami's tears dried, as she was treated to this view.

"I humbly apologize for my horrible action against you, Minami. Deep down inside, I can still not forgive myself for behaving this reckless and cold towards you and the rest of my grandchildren" the elderly man said, eventually lifting up his head, revealing a very regretful expression. Even his bright eyes showed hints of regret. "From the day that my wife, your grandmother passed away, I always knew that my position as clan head would be tested. As I raised Hinata and Hanabi to be strong fighters, my arrogance and pride caused me to reject and forget the love that their mother was known for. I was completely blind to the harshness and it's effects" Hiashi spoke up, his voice filled with honesty.

Minami was awed by what she heard. Truth be told, she had never had a conversation like this with her grandfather, considering his strictness.

"I always used to believe that I lead the Hyuuga clan as a good leader…...but I was wrong. Over the decades, the clan lost many great members, among them my twin brother Hizashi and my nephew Neji. But even after the previous world war, I was still stuck in the past, leading me to be less involved in Hinata's life, as she was dealing with depression. That spot was left open to your father, and he was able to make her smile again, when I could not" Hiashi revealed, trying his best to hold back his tears.

The young girl wanted to make sure that he was willing to make amends. "Are you asking for my forgiveness?" she asked him lowly.

The elderly man only nodded slightly. "I would not just call it forgiveness, Minami. I would just want you to accept my apology and confession. That is all I ask of you" he said lowly, but to his surprise, Minami was suddenly smiling lightly at him, something which was rarely for her to do.

"I…..I accept your apology….grandfather" she said slowly while nodding her head.

Feeling very happy to hear those words, Hiashi went over to the young bluenette and to Manami's surprise, embraced her in a tight hug. This caught the bluenette by surprise, yet she returned the hug.

Letting go of Minami, Hiashi faced her one last time before exiting the room, trying his best to wipe off his tears. "Thank you for your compassion, Minami Hyuuga" he said, much to his granddaughter's surprise. "Yes, if you want it, we can change your last name from Inuzuka to Hyuuga. But that decision will be yours to make. Nevertheless, I actually consider you a Hyuuga right now, along with your twin brother" the elderly added before turning around and exiting the room, where he immediately embraced Hinata in a tight hug.

Hinata could see what was happening inside, and she cried with joy. Kiba could see his wife's tears and comforted her as best as he could. Takeshi was only leaning against the wall, smiling at his parents.

"Hey" they all turned around to see Hanabi and her children standing in the doorway. As a matter of fact, Hanabi was now smiling lightly to seeing her older sister and brother-in-law standing together as husband and wife. "I take it that father is inside" she asked Hinata, who wiped off the tears and nodded her head as a yes.

Kiba was glancing at Hanabi normally, although it was not out of disrespect and hostility. It was apparent that if he would need to repair his already damaged relationship with his sister-in-law, as well as his father-in-law. But for now, repairing his own family with Hinata and their children.

Inside a locker room

Nashiko was warmly met with a hug from both her mother and younger brother. They were both proud to have been seen there and watch her win. However, the young pinkette still had many injuries on her body, as her victory against Minami was costly. Thus, Sakura had decided to heal her own daughter, feeling that asking for a medic was not necessary when she herself was one.

"I was really worried during that match, Nashiko" Sakura admitted while healing Nashiko's shoulder. "You were bleeding so much…..until this chakra cloak came" the pink-haired woman noted, as she had been very curious about what kind of chakra Nashiko was using.

"Yeah, what was that, big sis?" Haruto asked, the young boy just as curious as his mother.

The young pinkette began wondering, hoping to find some answers to what they were asking. "I don't know for sure. But it just came when my determination was all fired up, and I wanted so badly to make Minami realize her mistake" she answered while facing them both. This caused her to snap in realization. "Speaking of which, do you think Minami has awoken now?" Nashiko asked her mother.

"I am not sure to be honest. But she has been treated for her injuries and is lying in one of this stadium's recuperation rooms" Sakura replied as honest as she could. "But I was told by Menma that her family wanted to speak with her alone first, before she could see her teammates. Both her parents, twin brother, aunt and grandfather are over there as we speak" she added with a smile directed at Nashiko.

The young girl thought about it, and she then nodded to her mother. "Yeah. I think it would be best if we let them be alone for now. Somehow, I also hope that when this is all over, Minami and I can still be friends" she hoped while feeling uncertain.

"Of course she will, Nashiko!" the young pinkette snapped by hearing her younger brother face her with a determined glance. "You two have been friends since you started at the Academy, just as I have been friends with Daichi since we started at the Academy. I think she still considers you to be her friend" the blonde-haired boy added while flashing an encouraging smile at his older sister.

At first, Nashiko was surprised. But she soon formed a touching smile and hugged him tightly. "Thanks a lot for saying that, Haruto. It really helped" she thanked him while Haruto happily returned the hug.

Sakura smiled while seeing her children do that. "Your father is unable to come here and congratulate, but he will once the finals are over" she told her daughter, as she listened. Sakura then made a strong-willed gesture, similar to what Nashiko usually did. "We will celebrate your victory when this is all over, that I assure you" Sakura declared.

Nashiko felt herself smile gleefully in return, True, she had won and she looked forward to celebrate. But the young pinkette still thought about Shunsuke and Inojin and wondered if either of them would win. But first, she had to see if Itachi would win against Kotone. But if he managed to do that, he would then have to fight Shunsuke and it made her slightly worried. Nashiko had not forgotton how the Uchiha-Yamanaka twins almost clashed on the Train Mountains.

At the upper tribunals

"Are you sure she will be okay?" that voice came from Kazue, as she was asking Tsunade about her student's current condition. She was now accompanied by both Ochinko and Saburou. Team Kazue had been curious about Manami's whereabouts since she was taken away from the battleground.

Tsunade faced the white-haired woman with a reassuring smile. "I am confident that she will, Kazue. Furthermore, her family will be there to make sure that she is safe. So for now, it will be best if let them have some time alone before you and her teammates go visit her" the Hokage responded while coming up with a suggestion.

Kazue nodded her head in respect towards the blonde-haired woman, as she knew the Hokage spoke the truth. "Yes. Thank you so much…Lady Tsunade" she thanked her. "Shall I return to my seat?" she suddenly asked out of confusion, as all this stress had taken an effect on her mind.

"Why don't you and your students stay up here and watch the next battle with us" the voice came from Naruto, as he was followed by Sai. Kazue only stared at him with confusion. "Come on, you deserve some rest after all this pressure you've had to endure. And besides, Ochinko would not mind being here with his dad" he went on explaining, causing Sai to even chuckle lightly.

Feeling very grateful for Naruto's kindness, she bowed her head towards him with respect. "Thank you, Naruto-sensei. We would be honored to join you" she said and suddenly realized that she had forgotten something. "Oh, and by the way, congratulations on your daughter's win. She really impressed us" Kazue added while commending Naruto's own girl.

The blonde-haired man only chuckled while scratching behind his neck. "Well, knowing her, she always figures out a way to handle things, even though she can be stressed sometimes" Naruto replied and then thought about something. "Nashiko's probably in the locker room right now, but I'll congratulate her when the entire program is over" he thought about how to congratulate his daughter's win. "Sakura and Haruto must already be there as we speak" he noted in his thoughts while musing to himself.

But right now, both him and Sai could notice how Shikamaru was leaning across the edge to get a better view of what was happening down on the battleground. He had a reason for doing so. His own son was going to fight in the next round, this time, with the Fifth Mizukage's nephew. The man with ponytail seemed very eager to know whether Shikio was ready or not.

"Ummmm….are you doing okay, Shikamaru?" Naruto quizzed him.

Feeling slightly annoyed by that question, Shikamaru looked over his shoulder to see him. "What does it look like I'm doing, Captain Obvious? I'm just making sure that my dear, but sometimes punkish son is ready" he answered while sounding a little stressed, causing Naruto to only sigh in return.

Kankuro could see this and chuckled lightly while eyeing Gaara. "Uh-oh. Looks like Shikamaru's getting uncomfortable" he said while he could not stop laughing. "I wonder if Temari feels the same way" the man with purple paintings added while continuing his behavior.

Gaara only shook his head as a no to his brother's behavior. In fact, he turned to face Mei and she happily rewarded him with a gentle smile. "I heard that this Aoi is your nephew, am I right?" she asked her gently, causing Mei to nod her head as a yes. This made Gaara fix a smile of his own. "How interesting. You see, Shikaien is actually a nephew of mine, as he's my sister Temari's son. She is also married to Shikamaru Nara, the one who stands over there" he said and pointed his finger at the man with ponytail.

Hearing this caused Mei to form a slight smirk with her mouth. "I see. What a coincidence. Who would've thought that both of our nephews would have to face one another in combat?" she remarked ad fixed her eyes upon Shikamaru. "So your sister married into the Nara clan? Quite remarkable. I have heard how talented they are in terms of strategy" she added.

Shikamaru could hear what his brother-in-law and the Mizukage were talking about, and it made him slightly worried about his son's way of thinking. "Alright Shikaien…..please don't use whatever kind of fucked up strategy. Don't screw this up" he thought as he still recalled what he had done in the third phase.

Meanwhile, the Sand Scorpions were having their own opinions on the next match, but they were still not coming over the match between Nashiko and Manami.

"I must say, that Nashiko Uzumaki really impressed me on the battleground!" Haruka said and focused her gaze down below. "I wonder if your cousin will do something similar" she asked both Tsubasa and Atsushi, as they were in fact Shikaien's cousins.

Atsushi only rested his hands behind his neck. "Well, knowing that Shikaien's such a smartass, he'll figure something out…...I hope" the boy with the weird hat said, while not being completely sure whether Shikaien would succeed or not.

But while they were talking about the upcoming match, Tsubasa was having his eyes focused on every tribunal he could set his eyes on, scanning them for any suspicious people. So far, he could not spot Chiasa, but she was after all working undercover.

"Only one match has passed, yet I still doubt that we should celebrate just yet" the reddish brown-haired boy noted in his thoughts.

Gaara could also notice his son's perceptiveness and it made him think about the same thing. But for now, the Kazekage didn't want to stress over potential assassins, as he had after all put Chiasa in charge of being his eyes and ears among the tribunals.

"Lady Mizukage" Mei faced Karin, who bowed formally to her while carrying a concerned glance on her face. "Where is Suigetsu and Kaito? Are they also working undercover?" she questioned her.

The middle-aged woman only smirked in return. "Don't worry about them, Karin. They will make sure that no harm comes to your daughter. She will be safe. I am certain of it" Mei eased the four-eyed woman's worries, who felt like she could trust the Mizukage's judgement.

Nodding to her formally, Karin felt herself smile. "I see. Thank you, my lady" she said in return.

Down on the battleground, Aoi and Shikio were facing one another, both genins looking as bored and annoyed by all this noise coming from the cheers and praises by the spectators. In fact, Shikio was so lazy that he actually had put his hands in his pockets. This caused even Aoi to raise an eyebrow at his opponent.

"Hey. Aren't you gonna take your hands out of your pockets? It does seem kind of lazy and unenthusiastic to my standards" the long-haired boy with azure eyes called to him.

Shikaien only scratched the area around his spikey ponytail, pretending that he was not listening. However, he did respond to Aoi's statement. "Tch, as if I'm gonna listen to some lame-ass genin like you. You're not my mom or anything" he said.

Aoi was not amused by Shikaien's answer. However, he decided to have a few taunts with his opponent. "Gee, do you seriously kiss your mom with that mouth?" he asked him, causing Shikaien to raise an eyebrow at him in return.

"What in the hell are you rambling about?" the dark blonde-haired boy asked lowly, as he didn't get what Aoi's deal was. In fact, he began facing Lee. "Excuse me, Guy's dad. Can you just start this match? I'm kinda anxious to act" he requested him, much to his opponent's surprise.

Even Lee was stunned by seeing this at first, but he eventually formed his mouth it into a bright smile, knowing that the boys were ready to fight. "Very well…" he said while raising an arm in the air. "Begin!" he then declared, swinging his arm in the process. The match between Shikaien and Aoi had now commenced.

Shikaien decided to make his move first, by throwing some shuriken at his opponent. He did that rather fast, but Aoi had quickly caught wind of it and performed a hand seal to unleash a jutsu.

"Water Clone Jutsu" Aoi called out and a watery figure stood before him. This was a water clone, and it began taking the shuriken, thereby acting as a shield for Aoi. The long-haired boy only smirked by seeing this. "Heh, try again!" he taunted his opponent.

Shikaien only grinned cockily in return. "You asked for it" he said as he threw a lone kunai at the water clone. And of course, the water clone took it. But Aoi snapped, as he could see that it was actually a kunai bomb. An explosion erupted and a chunk of smoke made it difficult for the spectators to get a good look.

However, they were in for a surprise, as they could see Aoi emerge from the smoke, coughing in the process. "Just what the hell was that about!?" the long-haired boy asked while fixing his azure eyes on Shikaien. But he suddenly felt himself paralyzed and could not move his body. When he looked down, he could see his shadow being controlled by Shikio. "Damn it! You tricked me!" he cursed while noticing that he had been caught in a trap.

Shikaien only chuckled, as he had managed to catch Aoi with his Shadow Possession Jutsu. "Heh, looks like I caught a fish out of water" he jokingly said while taunting Aoi. But for some reason, Aoi began laughing and it made Shikaien wonder why. "Hey, what's so funny about being at my mercy?" he asked while demanding an answer.

"Why are you talking to my water clone?" Shikaien suddenly snapped in shock and quickly turned around to see Aoi standing there with a smug look. "I've been standing here, you know" he added.

Shikaien gritted his teeth in frustration and could see that the one he thought was Aoi, was actually a water clone. The water clone quickly disintegrated and Shikaien found himself realizing that Aoi had outsmarted him. "He used my jutsu to his advantage!? Damn!" the punkish boy cursed.

But Aoi was now jumping in the air while doing some hand seals before loading chakra within his stomach. "Water Style: Water Trumpet!" he said, and blew out a large jet of water through his mouth. The jet of water was big and Shikaien was too late to avoid it, thus being engulfed by the water.

"Damn it, son" Shikamaru cursed lowly while watching the match. "He tried to outsmart Aoi, but Aoi outsmarted him" he noted while watching.

Chouta was feeling worried about what she was seeing. "I always knew that this Aoi-kid would be a challenge to Shikaien" the chubby girl noted while seeing this. "But I hope that he survived that attack, it was a lot of water in it" she added while watching the fight.

Ayumu was having similar thoughts, as he was now standing beside Chouta. "That girl is right" Ayumu thought while observing. "There is no doubt in my mind that Aoi is a master at water-based jutsus. And coupled with the fact that he also knows other types of jutsus, as well as his smart tactics. He will without a doubt be the toughest opponent Shikaien has faced" he then spoke out his mind ti Cheika, who listened while following the fight.

Temari sat with her arms crossed at her seat. "Shikaien…..remember to not only rely on techniques you learned from your father. Considering Aoi's talent in water-based jutsus, catching him with the Shadow Possession Jutsu seems inevitable, and I believe that you know it already" the dark blonde-haired woman noted in her thoughts while seeing the match.

Shikaien was now lying on the ground soaking wet. He was breathing for air, considering that Aoi had dropped a large jet of water at him. Despite having his clothes all wet, he slowly rose up to his feet.

"God, this must be the worst shower I've ever had" he noted while standing on his feet. His black sweater and pants were not the only ones that had been wet. Even his hair was still filled with water, and Shikaien grabbed a handful of it, hoping to push out the wetness that remained in it. He sighed in annoyance while facing his opponent, who seemed to take pleasure in performing this on him. "Hey butthole! Those were my favorite clothes you just wetted!" he told him.

Aoi only crossed his arms with displeasure. "You manage to survive my water trumpet, yet you complain about your clothes getting wet? You're really pathetic, you know" he admitted while expressing his opinions about Shikaien.

Shikaien did not take kindly to those words, so he actually flipped his middle finger at his opponent. "I'll tell you something: you're pathetic! I mean, who in the right mind would dress up like some Sound ninja?" he suddenly tried to taunt him.

Aoi only widened his eyes in shock, before narrowing them with anger. "So you tend to lean on insults and rude language to boost your morale? Man, what an ego" he remarked and then stood in his fighting stance. "Now do me a favor and be a real challenge. Surprise me!" he then said, feeling kind of tired of hearing Shikio not taking this match seriously.

"Surprise you, huh?" Shikaien asked lowly before forming a smirk on his face. He then began forming a hand seal and faced his opponent with a slight determined glance. "Suck on this! Wind Style: Air Current Dance!" he said and air currents came out from his hand palms.

Aoi could see that the air currents were heading straight at him, but he only mused to himself and did a hand seals of his own. "I guess I'll have to thank you later for teaching me this, Auntie Mei. It will help me for sure" he thought while doing the hand seals. "Lava Style: Melting Jutsu!" he said and blew out acid fluid that completely swatted away the air currents. The fluid then proceeded to head straight towards Shikaien, who was already in deep shock.

"What the…!" Shikaien said and then dived to the left side to avoid the fluid. However, Aoi was still spitting out the fluid and only moved his head to Shikaien's location. The dark blonde-haired boy snapped by seeing this. "Holy asscrackers!" he shouted and then began rolling on the ground, waiting until Aoi ceased with his attack.

Many spectators laughed by seeing this, as Shikaien kept rolling on the dirt, doing it fast in order for him to avoid being poured by the fluid. Eventually, Aoi stopped and Shikaien was still lying on the ground, his head spinning around in circles.

"Aww…my head…it feels like I'm about to…." Shikaien sat on his behind, but his cheeks suddenly bloated and he threw up on the ground, much to everyone's disgust, including Aoi. "Ugh…there goes my breakfast" he said, and then threw up once again.

"Ugh! What the hell are you doing!? That is SO nasty!" Aoi exclaimed out in disbelief and disgust.

The audience could not believe what they were seeing and many began laughing their butts off. Shikamaru, Ayumu, Chouta and Temari literally wanted to die when they saw what the punkish boy was actually doing on the battleground.

Shikamaru was facepalming while shaking his head in disbelief, feeling very embarrassed by this. "Fuck me…" he thought. From behind, he could hear both Kankuro and Atsushi laugh out loud, as they found this to be hilarious. But Gaara, Tsubasa, Naruto and the others did not join them.

"Man, this fight's so awesome! We get to see both action and entertainment at the same time!" Kankuro exclaimed while continuing laughing.

"Yeah, dad! Poor cuz, puking on his big day!" Atsushi agreed and both father and son continued laughing.

Temari could not afford to see her son doing something as stupid as that, she covered her face with her hand. "Shikaien…...you are SO grounded when you get back!" she thought, wondering if this would make both her and Shikamaru look bad as parents.

Shikaien coughed loudly, but little did the young boy know that the battleground was suddenly beginning to look foggy. "What the hell?" he wondered as he slowly got up on his feet. All that he could see was the ground, as the entire area was filled with a thick mist. Shikaien snapped in outrage, as he knew what kind of technique that was. "That sneaky bastard! He performed the Hidden Mist Jutsu while I was vomiting!" he angrily exclaimed, not knowing that he was saying it out loud.

"You know that I can hear what you're saying, right?" the voice of Aoi came to him through the thick mist, causing Shikaien to stand his ground warily. "But it is as you say, this is the Hidden Mist Jutsu. I performed it for a very good reason. The spectators do not deserve to be treated to witnessing your disgusting actions!" his voice added, while explaining the reasons.

Shikaien angrily grumbled by hearing the long-haired boy's words. "Tch, asshole" he thought while warily eyeing both sides. He could not see anything, yet he still could see himself and the ground. But it became apparent that Aoi was intending on using it, as a means to prevent him from performing the Shadow Possession Jutsu. "Come on, I know you're out here somewhere!" he then challenged Aoi to come forth and reveal himself.

But he could suddenly hear the sound of kunai heading to him from behind, and he immediately dived to the ground, thus avoiding the kunai. His reflexes had increased since his battle with Yuudai Akado on the Train Mountains. However, this was different, as this was not smoke, but thick mist.

"Quit while you can, punk. You have no hope of escaping my mist" Aoi's voice called out to him. "Even now, I can sense your weak points" he added with a taunt.

Shikaien was finding this taunt very irritating, and he proceeded to run towards the direction the kunai came from. While he had hoped that he would find him, he also doubted that he would, considering that Aoi would just move to another location. Before even thinking, the young boy quickly turned around and ran towards the left direction.

"Now I got you!" Shikaien said while forming a smirk with his mouth. But the young boy was in shock by what he witnessed. All that he could see was a kunai stuck on the ground, while at the same time, a smile made by dirt. "You gotta be kidding me!" he said out loud.

"Water Style: Water Shuriken!" the voice of Aoi could be heard once more, and as Shikaien quickly looked to both sides, he saw nothing, neither did he hear anything.

But he suddenly felt himself cut by water shuriken, as they had not managed to sound loud. Therefore, he felt both his arms and legs cut and the water shuriken left him some ugly marks. Shikaien winced in pain.

"Water shuriken…he made them because they did not make much noise as real shuriken does" Shikaien thought and quickly regaining composure, standing on guard for any future attacks. "I better be careful now" he added to his thoughts.

But for some reason, Shikaien noticed how cold and chilly it felt in the mist and even now, he was freezing as well. It was so cold for him, all thanks to the fact that he was soaking wet. The dark blonde-haired boy shivered as a result.

"Damn it's so cold here!" Shikaien said, even feeling his hair and spikey ponytail freezing as well. "When did it get so cold in this mist?" he wondered, but suddenly noticed that the ground beneath him was freezing. He could also see that some of the mist were gradually disappearing.

Eventually, the young boy got a glimpse of Aoi, who was now standing across him while holding a hand seal. While the entire mist had not disappeared, Shikaien could see more clearly now than before, yet he froze, with heat puffing out from his mouth.

Aoi only mused to himself by seeing Shikaien shiver. "Heh, feeling a bit chilly, I see. Well that is because I'm currently using the Hidden Frost Jutsu. This enables the area to freeze, while the thickest of the mist disappears. However, the one who performs it does not have to worry about freezing" the azure-eyed both said with a smug look.

"The Hidden Frost Jutsu!?" Shikaien exclaimed, still shivering, as the cold had only gotten worse due to his wet clothes. "Shit! My while body feels so numb!" he thought while feeling his toes and sandals getting cold as well.

"You now have the opportunity to use the Shadow Possession Jutsu on me" Aoi suddenly pointed out. "But you will have to catch me in the cold, as I will avoid you" he added tauntingly.

Shikaien suddenly got a realization. "So that's what his plan was, huh? He wetted me with his water trumpet, trapped me into this hidden mist, and now, he tries to make me submit defeat with this hidden frost of his! He really knows how to force his opponents to admit defeat, that I'm sure of. And he is right about right thing, the Shadow Possession Jutsu will be useless, when it is obvious that he has the advantage in this….freezing hell" the young boy begin thinking about how Aoi had managed to outsmart him.

"How about I make you submit defeat?" Aoi suggested and then performed a few hand seals, facing his opponent. "Water Style: Ice Darts Jutsu!" he said and he suddenly blew out large jets of water from his mouth and they looked like frozen daggers. Considering that the entire area was now frozen, so had the water inside those large jets and they were now ice jets.

Shikaien quickly jumped sideways, but he managed to get cut by some of the fastest jets, particular his face. Luckily, they did not cut his eyes though. The young boy landed on frozen ground, and it was both slippery and hard. He thus slammed himself, while gliding away from his opponent. It felt painful for Shikaien to feel.

"So cold and so painful!" Shikaien exclaimed with frustration in his voice. But he quickly got up on his feet, which was surprising, as he was still shivering immensely. He faced Aoi with an angered glance. "I've had enough of freezing myself to death. It's time to change the weather!" he declared and did a few hand seals.

Aoi only raised an eyebrow by seeing this, as he was wondering what his opponent was trying to do. "He must be joking. He's barley managed to regain his composure" the azure-eyed both noted in his thoughts while seeing Shikio ready himself.

"Wind Style: Supreme Typhoon!" Shikaien exclaimed and then blew out a gust of wind that was so powerful that it actually blew away the mist. The typhoon was strong and the sun could be seen once again, while at the same time, the ice on the ground had melted.

Even Aoi had been taken by the typhoon and he was sent flying against the wall. Still being stuck there as the typhoon went on. "That little punk…he blew away my mist!" Aoi noted while gritting his teeth in frustration.

As soon as the battleground was clear, the audience shouted with cheers once again, as they could finally see what was going on. Shikaien took his time to gaze up at the sun, as it warmed his cold body.

Temari smirked at what she was seeing. Her son had managed to free himself from this trap "You used the supreme typhoon to blow away the thick mist. I knew that you would have to rely on wind-based jutsus at some time" the dark blonde-haired woman remarked smugly.

Shikamaru could face down to his wife, forcing a smirk with his mouth. "Heh, now this is a good sight to behold, isn't it Temari?" he wondered while watching Temari at her seat. The man with goatee then looked over to Shikaien, who was now standing. "Alright Shikio, remember not to fall for one of his traps again

Even Gaara was impressed by his nephew's actions. "I know you would make it, Shikaien. I am proud of you, my dear nephew" he remarked.

"I must say" Gaara could hear Mei speak to him, so he looked at her. "Your nephew is quite extraordinary, despite his punkish appearance" the middle-aged brunette remarked while commending Shikaien.

Gaara only smiled at her in return. "I can say the same thing about yours as well" the red-haired man noted before refocusing his attention on the battleground.

Shikaien was facing his opponent, who had gotten up after being blown away against the wall by the typhoon. He faced him smugly. "Looks like I won't be submitting defeat to you now, Mr. Know-It-All" he taunted him while feeling confident about his abilities.

Aoi spit out a drop of blood and faced the punkish boy with a smirk of his own. "Don't count me as out of the game yet, pal. I still got a few tricks up my sleeves, and I'm more than happy to demonstrate them for you" he said while readying his fighting stance.

The dark blonde-haired boy did the same thing, feeling somewhat happy to be able to fight an opponent like him. "I'm going to enjoy this" he remarked.

Kaito, who was currently going undercover, was facing the battleground from his seat and he only smirked by seeing how it had gone so far. "That Shikaien Nara really is a handful. But he would be wise not to underestimate Aoi, considering that he almost had him at his mercy. But yet, Aoi should not take lightly to Shikaien either. He still remembers what happened in the third phase" the bandaged man remarked while seeing the fight.

"Way to go, Shikaien. You really impressed me with that typhoon of yours" Ayumu noted in his thoughts while smiling by seeing the dark blonde-haired boy getting ready. "If you keep this up, you may win. But try not to take a risky tactic again. In my opinion, it's better than having you lose than having you die" the red-eyed man added to his thoughts, still remembering what he had told Shikaien. He was also certain that the boy's father had done the same thing.

To be continued…

Author's note: That was chapter 43. We have now witnessed the first hours of the match between Shikaien and Aoi. What will be the outcome? Next chapter will serve as the conclusion to that match, as well as moving on to the next one. Stay tuned!