Third Person's POV

"Huh?" Naruto said looking at the other team.

The examiners look at the two who is raising their hand.

"Well..." The Hokage said.

"Excuse me...We will both quit." Kabuto said, an arm wrapped around his shoulder, supporting his other teammate.

"K-kabuto-san?" Naruto said.

"Let's see..." Hayate said looking at his clipboard.

"Yakushi Kabuto, Akado Yoroi of Leaf Village, correct? Then you guys may step back." Hayate said.

"hai!" Kabuto said as he started to walk still supporting his teammate.

"Kabuto-san! Why're you quitting?! Tell me! Why-dattebayo?!" Naruto said.

Akira's brows knitted, confused by the concern in Naruto's vioce. Oh, she remembers it now, he is the one in the first Phase of Chunin exam. Tch... for his team to target her, wow. But, why does Naruto care so much about him though...

Kabuto stops and looks at Naruto. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun... But my body is worn out. Actually before the first exam... when I wrangled with the guys from Sound Village I had no hearing at all in my left ear. To fight right away...and to be told that my life would also be on the line, I can't go on." Kabuto explained, Naruto looks at the ground defeatedly, understanding.

They started to walk again but stop when they reach Akira. "I'm sorry for the damage my team causes you on the first day, Akira. I hope that we could be friends" Kabuto said with a really kind smile.

Akira looked at him and the other examiners. She scratches her head a little and puts on a smile. "There is no really need to, besides that's the point of the exam, Kabuto-san" She said laughing awkwardly.

"Then, we should go. I hope to see your team again" He said bowing slightly as he started to walk again.

Akira put on a poker face as she follows them with her eyes. These three. She has a nasty feeling about their team.

Kabuto fixes his glasses with a smirk making its way to his lips. Their job is done there. The old him might get stirred up if he chooses to stay.

The Hokage follows them until they got out of the room then his eyes averted to Akira. "Don't tell me she is the one to put that kind of damage to that guy." The Hokage whispered. Is it the curse mark?

"It seems like it." Anko said

"The curse mark..." The Hokage continued.

"I doubt it, we got the news about Orochimaru on the second day, and they encounter her on the first day. I don't think we have something to worry about" Kakashi said calmly.

The Hokage nodded and inhale from his pipe. But... to cause that damage. Did Akira's emotion got stirred up somehow in the chunin exam? He sighs and shakes his head. No, it's impossible...

"But that Kabuto...I've seen that face a few times. As I recall, I think he dropped out from the main battle before, as well. What in the world is he thinking?" The Hokage said instead.

"Anko" Ibiki said

Anko look at him and nodded "Uh...yes" She said flipping the page of the records of the examiners in the last years.

"Yakushi Kabuto. According to the data, he has failed six straight times." Anko said

"What about his background?" The Hokage asks with suspicion.

"According from his time from academy, he was a student who did not really stand out, and his grades were ordinary. He finally passes the graduation exam on his third try. After that, for the missions, he carried out, two C-ranks and Fourteen D-ranks. It's not a battle record to write home about. However..."

"However?" The Hokage asks

"It's about before the Academy." Anko continued

"Hmm?" The Hokage asks confused, raising his eyebrow.

"Do you remember the story...about the boy brought back from the Kikyo Pass Battle?"

"I remember. As I recall, I heard an enemy boy survivor..."

Akira sighs. Are they not going to start? What are they even talking about there?

Akira looks at the Hokage, the two proctors; Ibiki and Anko, and the Konoha Jonin Sensei's talking to each other. She looks at her teammates who are still arguing about the bruise. Yeah, right... they were arguing, she forgot about that, she thought sighing. They stop hearing a cough.

"Now then, there are no others who will quit?" Hayate asks

Sakura glanced at her teammates. This is the time. She must tell the teachers, about their bruises!

Akira stares at Sakura as she slowly raises her hand again. Saying it now will probably be no use. Besides she herself knows that she still can fight, and she doubts that Sasuke will also let Sakura say it. Akira put her hand on Sakura's shoulder. "Wait"

"Huh" Sakura said when Sasuke grab her hand stopping it.

"Be quiet about this bruise." Sasuke said. Akira sighs and lets her hand fall on her side. She knew it.

Sakura looked at Sasuke, a tear forming in her eyes again. "Why're you acting so tough like that?! I don't want to watch my teammates suffer all the time anymore!"

"This has nothing to do with you! It's none of your business." Sasuke said, Sakura look at him shocked. Hand tightening on her wrist.

Akira's shoulder drops. That's- Mo, everything is fine before the chunin exam, and now... what the hell even happened?

Naruto looked at his teammates, shocked. He locks eyes with Akira, raising his eyebrow, asking. Akira just looks at him and shrugs.

"I said it once before...I'm an avenger. This is not a mere exam for me. The Chunin business has nothing to do with me. 'Am I strong?' All I want is the answer to that. By fighting with those who are strong. And..." Sasuke said.

Sasuke looked at Akira, remembering what that Orochimaru said "And they're here!" Sasuke said averting his eyes to the other examiners.

Akira will tell it to Naruto, or maybe he will know it on his own. But this is not the time for any of that.

She sat on the ground again, Indian sit. Resting her cheek on the palm of her right hand. Akira lock eyes with Sasuke, she can feel the tension between them. Tch...Nothing's good now.

"I will not allow anyone..." Sasuke said averting his eyes to Akira, then looking at Sakura again

"Even you, to take my path away from me!"

"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura said, hurt by Sasuke's words.

"You! What're you doing putting up a front, you idiot-dattebayo?!" Naruto said noticing that Sasuke was giving that eye to his teammates.

"Here Sakura is this worried about you...!" Naruto said clenching his fist in front of him.

"Naruto! I want to fight you, too." Sasuke said with a smirk.

"Huh?!" Naruto said in shock.

"Then-" Sasuke said looking at Akira again.

Akira stands up, avoiding Sasuke's stare. This argument should stop now. "You guys, don't you want to stop now? This should be enough for now. I don't know if you guys forgot but we're supposed to be a team" Akira whispered to her team brow twitching, having enough of all of this. And they are attracting attention.

The Hokage looks at the team. The annoyance, confusion, and sadness in the team's eyes are very clear. Especially that tension in those onyx and purple eyes. He sighs and looks at Hayate.

"I will let those two to continue the exam and let's see how things go" He said exhaling smoke from his mouth.

"Hokage-sama!" Anko protest

"However, if the curse mark opens and the power gets even a little bit out of control, get in there and stop it." The Hokage finishes.

"Hai." Ibiki said.

"I understand." Anko said defeatedly.

A coughing sound makes all the examiners look in front again from staring at the team arguing. Akira sighs, thankful. Kami, what's the next problem they have to solve? Well, this one is still not solved, though.

"Now then, we will begin the preliminaries. The preliminaries to come will be one on one individual battles. In other words, actual battle format. There are now exactly twenty people so we will conduct ten battles. The winners will be able to advance to the third exam. There are no rules at all. You will fight until someone dies, collapses...or admits defeat. And...please admit defeat right away if you don't want to die." Hayate explained.

Akira looked at the ceiling and close her eyes. What if she wants to die now... She tilts her head, her brow starts to twitch. What kind of thought is that Akira? She opens her eyes again when the judge starts to talk again.

"However, in a case, I judge that a match is over...err...I don't want to needlessly increase dead bodies, so I will intervene and stop the match or something to that effect. What holds the key to your destinies is..." Hayate stops and looks behind. Anko nodded to him.

"Open it." Anko said as the cover lift up revealing an electronic signboard.

"This. The names of two foes will be randomly selected and displayed on this electronic signboard." Hayate explained looking at the signboard, then he avert his eyes to the examiners. He coughs again before speaking.

"Now then, let's get right down to it and announce the two names for the first battle." He finishes as the signboard lights up and names start to show up.

The examiners look at the signboard intensively. Naruto gulps, feeling excited and nervous at the same time. Who could it be?

Akira's heartbeat quickened. Her guts were telling her something...Err, she had the impression that something unfavorable was about to occur. She feels really nervous for some reason contrast to her really confident feeling earlier.

The examiners stare at the names as it fastly keeps changing, waiting for it to stop. The signboard stops as it beeps. They blink and look at the two names on the signboard.

The Hokage exhales smoke from his mouth. To think that those two is the first one to fight.

"Kakashi, what an unfortunate fate" Gai said nudging Kakashi.

Kakashi averts his eyes to the two. The two genin are looking at each other with tension, which is most likely coming from that onyx eyes.

"Well, isn't this interesting..." Asuma said with a smirk, a cigarette between his finger.

"Teammates fighting each other, and on top of that, the two top rookies this year. This is exciting." Kurenai said, teasing Kakashi.

Sasuke smirks. To think it'd be so soon...?! Just when he thought of it...

"Ehh! Is that even allowed-dattebayo?" Naruto protested looking at the proctor.

"Yes, like I told you this battle will be individual now. Even they were in the same team." Hayate finishes as he coughs again.

Akira looks at the onyx eyes looking at her. Wow... so unlucky. She sighs and looks at the proctor.

Sakura looked at her teammates. No way. Why does it have to be them?

"Now then, the two displayed on the signboard, come forward." Hayate said. Akira sighs while Sasuke has a smirk on his lips. They both step forward and look at each other. Even the other people in the room can see the tension between the two.

Humph! They look like they aren't teammates at all. Well, he could say the same to him. His lavender eyes are looking at the person with the same eyes as him. He can see her tense and become restless in her spot.

"For the 1st battle, Uchiha Sasuke and Akira have been selected. No objection right?" Hayate said.

I have, Akira thought. This is just unfair...

"Hai!" They both said looking at each other.

A Jonin sensei looked at the two, a smirk on his lips. Now then, Sasuke, Akira what will the both of you do? To think he will see the both of them fight this soon. He licks his lips in anticipation.

Sakura looked at Akira and Sasuke, worriedly. All she can do now is watch...Akira, Sasuke-kun.

Naruto looked at the two. Sasuke, Akira... He looks into their eyes. Something is changed. Sasuke's eyes, something is changed in the way he looks at her.

Akira looks at Sasuke. He is acting strange... She saw that look before... Sasuke, why?

Akira's eyes showed a flick of worry when Sasuke's face turns into pain again as he look at his shoulder.

"Now then, we will begin the first battle," Hayate said coughing again.

"Everyone other than the two foes, please move to the upper area." He said gesturing to the area. The examiners followed immediately, as team 7 remain in their position. The Jonin then followed, Kakashi is the last one. Kakashi stops once he reaches the two, gesturing for Akira to come closer.

"Hey! Kakashi Sensei!" Naruto shouts excitedly as he waves his hand in the air.

The two looked up at him "As exciting as possible this fight could be, please don't kill each other...And Sasuke, don't use the Sharingan." Kakashi said.

Sasuke smirks. "So you knew?" He can't promise it. Sasuke looks at Akira, who is now just a few steps away from him.

"If that curse mark on both of your necks gets out of control, it could both endanger your life." Kakashi warned, sending them a look.

Sasuke keeps his look on Akira, and Akira does the same. So she really has it, huh? "I believe it." He said.

Kakashi looks at Akira, waiting. "right..." She said with a sigh.

"Well, the match will be called off at that time. I'll be coming in to stop it, so good luck." Kakashi said calmly, as he start to walk away.

"Goodluck-dattebayo!" Naruto said following their Sensei.

Akira then steps away from Sasuke, thoughts running through her exhausted mind.

Sasuke holds onto his curse mark. It seems that the curse mark thing is responding to his chakra. If he carelessly builds up Chakra, it would extract his spirit energy and bring out the Chakra inside his body to no end. In other words, in this match, he can hardly use even his regular Jutsu, not to mention the Sharingan! Now then...let's see what will happen...

Once all the shinobi are on the upper area, Hayate looks at the two genin. "Now then, please begin." He gestures to the two.

"Yeah" Sasuke said positioning. Akira readied herself. They look at each other before they run forward. Sasuke throws a kick and Akira also throws a kick blocking each other attack.

Akira spins and crouches, hand on the ground to balance herself as she tries to kick Sasuke's thigh, but stops noticing Sasuke holding on to his left shoulder, balancing himself.

Sasuke notices it and quickly tried to kick her in the face. Akira blocks the kick with her arms, as the force pushes her away from Sasuke.

Naruto frown. Tch...This is kind of unfair.

Sakura just looks down with worry.

Akira stands up. Her brows knitted. This weird feeling again...Kuso. Her hand twitches wanting to hold on to her right shoulder.

Sasuke looks at Akira arrogantly. "Humph, don't hold back on me. You should know that, Akira" He said with a smirk.

Akira stands straight as she ready herself again. "Right" She said reaching for her pouch. She grabs a shuriken and adds a little lighting Chakra to it. She quickly throws it to Sasuke.

Sasuke looks at it. Knowing the added chakra to it. He didn't block it instead he jump to the side to avoid it. The shuriken pierces the wall.

Akira runs toward Sasuke, throwing a punch. Sasuke barely avoided it as he grabs Akiras arm and throws her to the ground. Sasuke throws a punch but Akira rolled away from it.

"Akira..." Naruto whispered shouts. He didn't know who to cheer, it was frustrating him. He wanted both of them to win.

Akira catches her breath as she holds onto her right shoulder. She looked at the ground. Kuso...she's feeling okay earlier, why now? She really can't use chakra.

She looks up to see Sasuke standing a few feet away from her, also catching his breath.

Akira, Sasuke, is this all you've got? But he'd have to say it's really strange seeing Akira be like this...The sound jonin sensei thought.

Akira wipes the blood from her mouth and shakily stands up.

Sasuke looks at her. Tch...he needs to win this fight. A thought crossed his mind. He needed to pass this...to reach that man...

Akira's brows knitted. That gloomy look again. Sasuke...what happened in that chunin exam... Akira didn't notice that Sasuke run toward her, she barely dodges the punch Sasuke throws at her, she just kept dodging as Sasuke continually throws punches at her.

Sasuke... would he still say the same thing, if she didn't get there on time in the second phase? Would he still say that it's okay if she didn't get any scrolls, and caused their team to fail? Or...

Sasuke notices the distraught look in Akira's eyes. It's like she's not even there at all... Is she mocking him or something? Tch... there's no time to get distracted Akira! He throws a kick but an arm stops it.

Akira blocks Sasuke's kick with her arm. She feels really upset...Then, she doesn't have any choice. She kicks Sasuke in the stomach with more force this time. Sasuke's back collides with a wall.

"Ahh!" Sasuke holds onto his stomach puking blood. He chuckles and stands up. His body is feeling a little light now. He feels annoyed, how cannot he defeat Akira so easily? He has a goal...and he means it now, no one, even Akira! Will take that path away from him!

Sasuke lock eyes with Akira, wiping the blood. "Getting serious now, Akira" He said with a smirk.

Akira looked at him, and tilt her head, her eyes turning colder than her usual look. Sasuke's look became more gloomy by the second passing.

Team 7 watches in worry. While the others watch anxiously.

Kakashi looked at the two, concern flooding his mind. These two, what are you guys will do? They are both not thinking of killing each other, right?

Naruto and Sakura look at their teammates and gulp. Sasuke, Akira...What's this tension between the two of them? What's with the looks they're giving each other...

The Hokage watches the two. "Hokage-sama, what do you think, should we stop them?" Anko said

"No, just let them be. The curse mark is still stable. We will just intervene if it gets out of control." The Hokage said smoking from his pipe. He is now confused. What's with that look Akira, she is not like that. She never looks someone like that before especially someone she treasures.

The Sound Jonin Sensei looks at the two who are now exchanging punches and kicks with each other but this time there's something in it. Something heavy in it. The clashing of metals can be heard in the room. Now, this is getting interesting...

Akira blocks Sasuke's kunai with her kunai. "You change" Akira whispered

Sasuke looks at her annoyed, a smirk making its way to his lips "I've never changed Akira, this is how I am" Sasuke whispered and tries to kick her on the feet. He feels bitter. Maybe, after all, he still didn't accept that fact. The fact that Akira, is way more different than him and he hated it. How can he let it happen?

Sasuke blocks Akira's kunai when she attempts to stab him-no scratch him. She is still holding back. He really hates her.

He looks at Akira, his left shoulder becoming heavy again. Not now... He notices that posture changes in Akira in her right shoulder. And she has it...Why? What is so special about her...

What that Orochimaru said in his sleep before he rages in the second phase kept popping into his mind.

'Sasuke... Akira will be one of your weaknesses. You know why... because you care for her, even if you don't show it. I knew it, I see it.'

'Akira is really special... Maybe that's why after all, I will take her. That is also why she will be always above you...Sasuke. You need power, right? You watch your family die because you don't have power. You can't do anything, Sasuke. Power is what you needed, Sasuke. You will get that power from me. Follow me, Sasuke.'

He grabs another kunai and kicks her in the stomach. She avoided it and leap away from him. Tch...

Sasuke throws the two kunai in her direction, ignoring the pain in his shoulder. As long as he didn't use too much chakra, he should be okay.

Akira's vision spins. Kuso, her right shoulder. It's hurting more and more. She felt the kunai pierce her right thigh and left shoulder.

"Akira!" Naruto shouts when Akira kneels on the ground.

Kakashi wanted to stop the fight but he can't, it is still not the time. He looks at Sasuke with a frown. Sasuke...

Hayate look at the match. Is this where it ends...

Akira sighs and stands up, holding onto her right shoulder. She removed the Kunai pierced in her skin with her right hand, shakily.

Gai looks at the scene, and his student with confusion. Akira, what happened? You're far from this.

Sasuke clenches his fist. Why won't she give up already?

A smirk on his lips. Now, he knows what to do.

As soon as Akira's vision clears. A person appears in front of her trying to kick her in the chin. She leaps away from it bearly avoiding it.

Sasuke smirks and disappears again. Akira turns around. Hmm...This is it!

Akira grimaces. Her right shoulder is really hurting, she can barely focus on Sasuke. A kick on her chin send her flying into the air. This is...so Sasuke copied it huh.

Gai and Lee exchange glances as Sasuke also jump into the air positioning behind Akira.

Kakashi looks at the scene in shock. It's no doubt, he must have copied it from Lee when he encountered him. To think he'd develop the true power of the Sharingan in a situation like this...

Lee looks at Akira. Akira, what will you do?

Akira's brows knitted. Kuso, such bad timing for her. She really can't move her body anymore, she feels exhausted.

"But then...from here on is my original. It's over..." Sasuke said. Akira waited for it.

"Sasuke..." Akira said feeling the presence behind her.

"Dang it...! It's responding every time..." She heard Sasuke say.

"Sasuke!" Akira said. If she can just move. But Sasuke really gave her chin a good kick and this damn curse also doing its thing in her body, damn it. Don't tell her, this shit responding to Sasuke, kuso.

This thing doesn't seem like it's trying to poison her body… but more like it's changing something inside her… It feels so heavy.