Chapter 26: The Start of the Semi-Finals
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
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Naruto groggily up in his assigned hospital room, basking in the light that flowed through the window. He stopped as he noticed Sasuke standing by the door out.
"Hey Sasuke, what're you doing in here?" Naruto asked, confused.
"I got bored watching your team fight matches you've not been in. Hell, you've even bored Itachi and Gaara to the point where they wanted to return to Konaha."
"Wait a minute; you said that I've missed matches. What's gone on?" Naruto, now fully awake leaped out of bed.
"Your team just made it to the semi-finals, without your help. As a matter of fact, they are scheduled to fight in three hours. Maybe, just maybe, you could go join them and prove your worth," Sasuke finished and tossed Naruto his clothes and walked out.
Hurriedly, Naruto threw on his clothes and left the hospital, angry at himself and his meager powers.
'Kyuubi, if firing a shot like that can take that much out of me, is it even worth being here?' Naruto asked his inner demon.
"Yes, I must admit, you beat yourself up with that attack, but as you've been asleep, I've been straining your body to it's maximum point to increase your spiritual power and overall strength."
Naruto stopped walking as he heard the news. 'Are you serious? You've put the rest of my teammates in jeopardy just to increase my strength? Why'
"It was all for the right cause. Go, for now you must join your companions, it is with them that what I have done will show that it was for the best."
Unable to get through to Kyuubi any longer, Naruto began to walk again until Sasuke leaped in front of him, a piece of paper in hand. "You might want to try going in the opposite direction. They've got a new stadium over there just for the semi-finals."
"Damn, well, I'll see you later then," Naruto said quickly before leaping into the trees and hopping branches towards the new stadium.
Naruto leaped through the woods at an incredibly fast rate, better than he had ever done anywhere else, causing him to wonder what Kyuubi had exactly done to him. Though, he shrugged it off and entered the much larger stadium slowly, taking his time to look around and see if he could spot his competition. Eventually he passed through the team member entry, entering the team lounge, finding his entire opposition and three of his own teammates.
"Wow, it took you that long to decide to help us again? How oh so very kind of you," Kuwabara spat at Naruto, making it clear to everybody in the room that he was obviously pissed off.
"I'm sorry Kuwabara. My tactics were horrible and they bested me, sending me out of commission for these past battles," Naruto attempted to apologize.
"I can see that you're lying to us, Naruto. Though, I can speak for all of us when we I say that we just need your help," Kurama conveyed to his teammate, his eyes closed.
Before Naruto could even respond, both teams were called to the arena. Naruto followed his team slowly, heading up the back, a smug grimace covering the majority of his face. He slumped against the wall sourly as he noticed Hiei taking a stand in the arena to further inflate his already enormous ego. Tired, Naruto sat down on the ground and observed Hiei's matches, surprised at some of the talent the other team had. Before he knew it, Kurama had transformed into a demon fox.
"Holy shinobi," Naruto said, stunned as Kurama let off astonishing amounts of spiritual energy, vaporizing half of the crowd in the east wing.
"I've been wondering when Kurama would ever become what he once was, again. This is a sight to behold," Hiei quietly uttered, directing his words to the now un-sour Naruto.
"I can relate," Naruto said, not thinking before saying.
"What did you say?" Hiei turned his attention to Naruto, suddenly interested at what he had just said.
"It's nothing, Hiei, just my experiences in my home village," Naruto menally crossed his fingers, hoping that would do it for Hiei for an explanation.
"Whatever, I have better things to do than question you," Hiei finished by turning away and walking towards Kurama.
Now interested in watching the battles, Naruto fumed as Kuwabara took the stage to try and make himself seem like the macho man…again. Holding back a chuckle, Naruto watched as Kuwabara humiliated himself by being sent into the Cape of no Return belonging to the Team Uraotogi leader Shishiwakamaru. Wanting to try his hand at fighting without injury, Naruto leaped onto the arena floor and he listened to the various comments around him.
"I remember seeing you blow through a man's stomach in one shot days ago. This might be interesting," Shishi briefly spoke, his sly, yet egotistical, grin stretch on his face.
"Boo, throw the kid out. He has no business here!" various audience members shouted.
"Alright, let's do this," Naruto said while cracking his knuckles.
Right away, Shishi used the cape to try and engulf Naruto, though Naruto dodged and started accumulating demon energy in his right hand, launching it as Shishi landed after his attack. The attack made contact to the arena floor, tearing a chunk off. Shishi began a charge at Naruto, intent on killing him. Feeling his attacks were meaningless, Naruto took a deep breath and opened his eyes to find everything around him the decorations of a sewer tunnel.
'You need something, Kyuubi? I was in the middle of a fight.'
"I understand you, kit, but there is a power that I feel I should reveal to you right now. It is risky though I feel you're ready for it."
'You know I hate anything risky, Kyuubi. The last time I tried "risky" I got the shit beat out of me.'
Without an answer, Naruto felt an electric shock tear down his spine as time returned to normal. Shishi leaped and sent his cape down, hitting Naruto, but just as he made contact, red energy flung him back in a massive wave.
End of Chapter
A/N: Here's your first chapter in three months. Don't know why I delayed, but at least I brought it back. If you'd like to see what Naruto's transformation looks like, check out my profile.