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Chapter 18 – Preliminary matches –

The remaining teams arrived at the tower where they had a couple days to rest and recuperate. Both team 7 and 8 gave reported on what happened during the survival exam and about meeting the strange grass shinobi that seems to be strong beyond any of the genins. They also told Kakashi about the curse seal on Sasuke's neck, that's when Kakashi took Sasuke aside for extra precautions and put another seal on it so that it wouldn't be able to activate if it decides to take control of Sasuke's body. Sasuke was limited to not using chakra or his sharingan for at least a week. After the fifth day all those who had completed the second exam were brought into an underground arena where there was a statue on the north wall with a couple monitors on both sides of the statue and platforms with stairs on either side of the arena.

The Hokage proceed to inform the final contestants of the reasons for the exam. It was for preserving the balance of power between the nations and to avert war by limiting the armies of each village and also by fighting with the contestants as proxy for the villages. The next proctor Hayate Gecko, a very sickly man who was always coughing, explained that there were still too many contestants and that they needed a preliminary round to reduce the numbers so that they could showcase the best talent for the visiting dignitaries. Kabuto immediately backed down from participating, as he felt that he was too hurt to continue. This left twenty people to participate in the preliminaries.

As the names roll across the screen everyone waited for two names to appear on the board. Those names were Yoroi Akadou and Sasuke Uchiha, the first names that appeared on the board. Yoroi chuckles and smirks, "Perfect, I will be able to draw out the curse seal."

"Will Yoroi Akadou and Sasuke Uchiha please remain while the other contestants please move to the upper catwalks on either side?" Hayate exclaimed. "Now the rules are very clear, you can either kill or knock out your opponent and if I call the match you will stop immediately. Anything goes. Any questions?" Both shook their heads. "Okay, you may begin!" With that statement Hayate jumped back.

Yoroi made some hand signs and his right hand started to glow blue with chakra. Yoroi started with punches aimed at the Uchiha, but Sasuke was able to dodge all of the blows for a while. Fatigue was starting to set in, with Sasuke becoming light-headed, Yoroi was able to give Sasuke a glancing blow with his right hand off Sasuke's right shoulder. Sasuke suddenly felt weak as if his strength was being sucked out of him. With this lapse of attention, Sasuke was caught by Yoroi right hand on his forehead. Sasuke felt his chakra being leached from him. "Ha, bad luck getting me. I can steal your chakra boy. You might as well give up now because you're going to lose."

Orochimaru disguised as the sound ninja jonin was thinking 'Sasuke, Yoroi will drain you of your chakra and then you will have to rely on the seal that I gave you.'

Sasuke finally kicked Yoroi in the chest breaking his hold on him as he lay in pain. He then kicked him off of him. 'I hope this works.' Sasuke thought. Yoroi started to advance towards Sasuke again to steal more chakra.

"I have you now you little punk." Yoroi exclaimed. Just then Sasuke disappeared. "Where did he go?" Suddenly Sasuke was beneath Yoroi, and kicked up sending Yoroi into the air, Sasuke jumped up behind him. As they reached the apex of the kick. "Dancing leaf shadow, how do you know that maneuver?"

Sasuke was now behind Yoroi, pressing his fingers into his back. "Up until this point, I have borrowed the maneuver. But it is all original from here." He attempts a kick to his right side which is promptly blocked. He then spins and hits Yoroi's left side, "Lion's Barrage" sending him crashing into the ground. Both are lying on the ground. Sasuke slowly gets up to a shaky standing position. Yoroi is not moving and Hayate calls the match in Sasuke's favor, making Sasuke the winner of the first round. Sasuke falls to the ground, but is caught by Kakashi's knee. "Up until the last part, I could have sworn that was Gai's taijutsu. Good job, Sasuke for winning the first match. Now let's get you to the infirmary, and no arguments."

Medics came out and took Yoroi out of the hall on a stretcher. One came over to Sasuke. "Does he need attention?"

"Yeah, take him to a nice, warm bed so that he can rest." Kakashi replied as they took Sasuke away.

Names started to scroll across the electronic screen. It eventually stopped on Shino Aburame and Abumi Zaku. "Both contestants please come down to the floor please." Hayate requested. Shino walked down, while Zaku walked down with both his arms in slings.

"You should withdraw as you do not have any arms to fight with." Shino stated.

Zaku wiggled his right hand and arm. "Look I have some movement in this arm. Guess I can attack!" Zaku stated as he swung a lazy punch at Shino, who blocked it to the side of his head. He opened his palm revealing a tube exiting his palm. "I win!" Large bursts of air and chakra exited his hand, covering the arena in dust.

"Shino!" Naruto yelled as Shino rolled away from the attack. Naruto knew what was coming next. Shino's face was pot marked and bugs were exiting the holes in the skin of his face.

"What kind of monster are you?" Zaku cried, pointing his good arm at Shino.

"One who is going to win! Now you can either fire your wind tunnel at me or you can fire them at my insects that are behind you. " Zaku turns to see a mass of beetles marching directly towards him from behind. "You should always have an ace up your sleeve."

Zaku continues to point his arm at Shino but pulled his other arm out from its sling. "Like you said you should always have an ace in hole. Wind hurricane." Zaku's arms swelled up then it suddenly sprung holes and blew air all over the area but none hit either Shino or his insects. Zaku fell, shock written on his face, whispering, "How?"

"Having one ace in the hole is good but having two is better. When you hit me earlier with your wind tunnel, I ordered some of my bugs to plug that bothersome hole of yours. And I also ordered them plug up the other one just in case and my instincts were right."

"The winner is Shino Aburame." Hayate exclaimed. Names started scrolling on the electronic board ending on Kankurou and Tsrurugu Misumi as contestants for the next match. "Will the next combatants please come down to the floor?"

Kankurou was not in the mood for banter. Tsrurugu immediately attacked Kankurou, dislocating his joints and using his chakra to wrap his body around Kankurou. This would have worked if Kankurou had not substituted himself with his puppet. The match was over quickly when the puppet wrapped its arms around Tsrurugu's body and broke all the bones in his body. The next match was now being decided as Naruto and Hinata were congratulating Shino for his victory.

Kurenai cleared her throat and pointed at the electronic board. "Should you be celebrating now?" It displayed Naruto Uzumaki vs. Ino Yaminaka.

Naruto looked at Ino and a sad look crossed his face. They quietly went down to the arena. "I am sorry Ino. I did not want to fight you."

Ino smiles "I know Naruto, but if I get you in my jutsu, I guarantee that you'll lose and I win the match."

"Well go ahead, this ought to be fun." He said just standing there.

"Begin!" Hayate cried as he jumped back.

"You mean you are just going to stand there and let me use my jutsu?" Ino was a bit flabbergasted.

"Ladies first." Naruto replied coyly.

Ino smiled 'What luck. This will be over quickly.' She proceeded to go through several hand signs. "Ninja art: Mind body transfer." Ino kneeled down nearly collapsing as Naruto looked like he was visibly hit.

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A/N Hoped you liked this chapter. I know a shorter one but have to find a good cliffhanger right?

Thanks again to Mrs. Utachi Uchiha for her beta work. Great job.

Oh and yes the female sound nin's name is Kin. Rin was Kakashi's teammate along with Orbito.

What will happen when Ino trys to take over Naruto? Will it be a quick match or not? Enjoy...