Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto.
~Confronting the Shadow: Chapter Fourteen~
"The Final Exam: Part I"
Upon entering the arena for the first time, Sayuri was surprised by the intense atmosphere. She and Sakura made the journey together, intent on meeting with Naruto before the finals started. However, the tournament was about to begin in five minutes, and he still hadn't shown up. Coincidently, Naruto's opponent was also absent. Sayuri furrowed her brow at the possibility of their mutual tardiness being more than mere chance.
"He'll show up. He'd never miss something like this," Sayuri said out loud, earning a look from Sakura. However, whether her words were meant to comfort herself or her teammate was unclear.
As if on cue, a familiar head of blond hair passed through the entrance reserved for staff and participants only. Sayuri felt the tension in her chest vanish almost immediately when she laid eyes on Naruto's familiar features. And yet, his demeanor lacked the excitement that Sayuri had anticipated. It was strange. A tournament against such powerful opponents was like a wet dream for someone like Naruto. So why did he look so tense?
"You cut it pretty close, Naruto," Sakura chastised, though it was apparent that she was pleased to see him too.
Almost immediately, brightness returned to Naruto's face, "Sorry, I had a pervy old man to deal with," he greeted upon spotting them amidst the other participants. "It's good to see you guys. I think this is the longest we've been apart since becoming a team."
Seeing a smile on Naruto's face again was enough for Sayuri's worry to subside a bit, "Don't remind me," she joked with a smirk. "Six straight months with you is enough to drive anyone insane."
A month apart from Naruto felt much longer than Sayuri could have imagined. Since their mission in Wave Country, they had spent just about every day together — including days when Team 7 didn't meet. It didn't take very long for Naruto to become a regular fixture in Sayuri's life, providing a sense of comfort that she hadn't felt since the death of her family. Though, she doubted he was aware of his profound impact on her.
Soon the five minutes were up, and it was time for the Final Exam to begin. The new proctor, a man named Genma Shiranui, started counting heads and frowned upon realizing a participant was missing. Yet, the show still needed to go on, so he eventually turned to address the crowd. Meanwhile, Sayuri thought back to the only remaining member of the Hidden Sound Team and smirked. Looks like he chickened out of his fight with Naruto. He did come off as the smartest of the bunch.
But back to the exams, there was something about fighting for the entertainment of strangers that didn't sit right with Sayuri. While she would never turn down the opportunity to fight a strong opponent, it wasn't as if she was a gladiator. Shinobi fought in the shadows and were encouraged to keep their techniques and capabilities secret from the public. And yet, Sayuri and her peers were about to display all their skills before the world. And it would be foolish to assume that there weren't spies scattered throughout the audience.
Sayuri could already imagine what Naruto would say if he could hear her thoughts, 'Well if they're gonna be watching, you may as well put on a show.'
Following the initial explanation of how the tournament would work, Sakura's match was announced. She was slated to fight against that girl from the Hidden Stone team, Kurotsuchi. Sayuri could see her standing on the other end of the line with a smug look. It was obvious that Kurotsuchi thought that Sakura would be an easy victory.
"She and I have unfinished business," Sayuri muttered to Sakura. Memories of her and Kurotsuchi's near-fight at Ichiraku played through her mind.
A look of surprise flashed over Sakura's face, quickly replaced by one of determination, "Right."
The rest of the participants left the arena, leaving only Sakura, Kurotsuchi, and Genma. The crowd didn't seem excited about the match, but there was at least some intrigue in seeing a shinobi from the Hidden Stone fight. The Hidden Stone typically refused invitations to international events in the past, so this was a rare treat. Plus, there was also the classic Leaf versus Stone angle.
Now standing face-to-face with Kurotsuchi for the first time, Sakura felt a tinge of doubt creep in. While she had grown quite a bit over the past month and since her graduation, a part of her still wondered how much she'd really changed. Out of the Academy, Sakura hadn't been much of a fighter, and even after defeating Ino, shedding that stigma was easier said than done. It didn't help that Ino was one of the easier matchups in the exams up to that point — not that Sakura would ever tell her that.
"We've already been over the rules," Genma explained once the arena was clear. "Are you both ready?"
Kurotsuchi nodded without hesitation and smirked arrogantly. Not wanting to appear vulnerable, Sakura quickly followed with a glare of determination.
"Begin!"
As predicted, it was Kurotsuchi who acted first. She plunged her arms into the ground, and when she pulled them out, they were coated with a thick layer of rocky earth. Putting two and two together, Sakura immediately went on the defensive, as a single blow could threaten to put her out of commission.
Sakura managed to evade Kurotsuchi's attacks with relative ease. However, the price of increased punching power through a layer of stone came at the cost of speed. It also helped that Sakura had spent the last month sparring with Sayuri, whose taijutsu was among the best of anyone that remained in the exams.
In addition to that, Sakura's training with Tsunade was also proving fruitful. One of the first lessons that Tsunade taught Sakura was that a medic could never afford to be gravely injured or killed in battle. Instead, it was their responsibility to ensure that their comrades remained unscathed. So, whenever Sakura wasn't sparring with Sayuri, she was training her evasion tactics with Tsunade — who, with a flick of her pinky finger, could do more damage than Kurotsuchi could ever dream of matching.
It was evident that with each missed strike, Kurotsuchi was growing more frustrated. Good, Sakura was counting on her being a hothead. During one particularly heated blow, Sakura used Kurotsuchi's momentum against her, resulting in the latter stumbling forward before regaining her footing.
A small chorus of laughs fluttered down from the audience, much to Kurotsuchi's blatant chagrin. What was supposed to be an easy first round for her was already proving quite a nuisance. Kurotsuchi spent the entire month hardening her genjutsu detection and defense skills, and Sakura had yet to attempt one genjutsu.
"Don't you know how to do anything other than run?" Kurotsuchi growled.
Sakura couldn't suppress her grin. In the past, fighting for her consisted of just doing enough to survive. Now Sakura was beginning to get a feel for how Naruto and Sayuri likely felt whenever they fought. The constant fear she had been burdened with was replaced by something unfamiliar.
Sakura was having fun.
Deciding to oblige Kurotsuchi just this once, Sakura waited patiently as the aggressive brawler lunged for her. This time, however, instead of simply dodging, she shifted her head off the center line and felt the attack slip over her shoulder. Then, Sakura delivered a counter-straight punch directly into Kurotsuchi's nose. A sickening crack reverberated through the arena, followed by the audible wincing of many spectators.
Visibly stunned, Kurotsuchi stumbled back and struggled to blink the wetness from her eyes. Then she noticed the blood pouring out of her nose and reached to discover that it was now broken.
"You broke my nose," Kurotsuchi muttered in shock before glaring harshly.
Sakura felt her confidence building faster than she ever could have anticipated, culminating in a cheeky reply. "Honestly, it's an improvement."
This time the laughter from the crowd was more pronounced. Kurotsuchi's face grew redder than the blood dripping down her face, to the point that Sakura began to ponder whether she would explode. Until, suddenly, the thick rock coating her hands crumbled to the ground. After visibly relaxing, Kurotsuchi snapped her nose back into place without hesitation, prompting many in the audience to visibly recoil.
Immediately, Sakura was on the alert as Kurotsuchi slammed her hands into the ground, creating a thick cloud of debris. Once the dust settled, she was surrounded by nearly a dozen clones, which Sakura deduced to be earth clones based on her opponent's repertoire. Sticking merely to evasion against superior numbers complicated things. Thankfully, months of observing Naruto indirectly conditioned Sakura to fight against clones. While at first glance, half a dozen foes made for an intimidating sight, knowing that it only took one strike to take them down was a significant comfort.
Despite the increase in numbers, Sakura's nimbly dodged all incoming attacks, occasionally countering with swift kunai strikes to render the clones piles of mud, one by one. However, as the numbers began to thin, she suddenly felt the texture of the ground change. At her feet, a strange gray substance was oozing out from a hole that, until now, hadn't been present. Sakura deduced that it had likely formed when Kurotsuchi slammed the ground. Then, without warning, Kurotsuchi's clones burst into water, revealing that she had hidden some water clones with the earth clones. When the water pooled over the gray substance, it hardened instantly like concrete, leaving Sakura trapped.
Meanwhile, the original Kurotsuchi rushed forward to land a crushing blow with a stone-encased fist. However, as the strike landed true, Kurotsuchi's eyes widened in horror as she watched her opponent dissolve into mud. It was clear that she had fallen victim to a substitution jutsu, likely aided by some form of subtle genjutsu on Sakura's part to mask the technique. Kurotsuchi would have fumed in humiliation if not for the intensity of the fight keeping her focused.
Guided by instinct, Kurotsuchi quickly turned around and raised her arm to block Sakura's counterattack. Yet, instead of the concussive force of a punch or kick, Kurotsuchi felt a sharp pain in her shoulder muscle, almost like a knife cut. As she felt her arm go limp, she was unable to avoid the follow-up attack on her right bicep. In the fray, Kurotsuchi saw that Sakura's hands were enveloped by visible chakra.
After landing the two rapid strikes, Sakura relented and allowed Kurotsuchi to gather herself. By this point, she couldn't move her arms and was quickly running out of options. However, as Kurotsuchi assessed the damage, she was baffled by the utter lack of blood. She'd been cut plenty of times and knew the feeling well, and her current injuries felt no different.
Sakura observed her hobbled opponent with well-concealed giddiness. It was the first time she had used the Chakra Scalpel jutsu in combat, and she was pleased with the results. It consisted of the user forming their chakra into blades that could deal internal damage without actually piercing the skin. The jutsu came from the scroll that Kabuto gifted Sakura during their final meeting, so it almost felt like she was honoring his memory by using it to win her match. With that in mind, she made a mental note to visit his grave once the exams were complete.
"Proctor, you should stop the match," Sakura recommended, much to the crowd's confusion. Without blood or visible wounds, they couldn't understand how Kurotsuchi had been injured. "I've severed the muscles in both her arms. She can't defend herself."
The proctor seemed to seriously consider Sakura's suggestion, much to Kurotsuchi's visible fury. The whole point of her team attending the Chūnin Exams was to demonstrate the strength of the Hidden Stone Village. Yet, to this point, Akatsuchi had been effortlessly defeated in the preliminaries by Sayuri Uchiha, and it looked like Kurotsuchi was about to be next. At least the big oaf had the luxury of not having thousands of spectators watching him when he got his ass kicked.
Nevertheless, Kurotsuchi clearly wasn't about to let a proctor decide the outcome of a fight for her. Against all reason, she charged forward with a wrathful roar, her arms dragging limply behind her as she took her final stand. Before the proctor could intervene, Sakura slipped Kurotsuchi's kick before countering with a clean punch to the jaw. The whiplash from the punch immediately put Kurotsuchi's lights out, resulting in her falling flat onto her face into unconsciousness.
There was a moment of silence before the crowd erupted in thunderous applause. Sakura panned over the crowd as she finally basked in what, to this point, had to be her most outstanding achievement to date.
"The winner is Sakura Haruno," the proctor announced, evidently impressed by Sakura's performance.
While the crowd's admiration was a welcome sight, Sakura's eyes immediately gravitated to the contestant's viewing box. Even from her position in the arena, she could see the look of awe on Naruto's face and the satisfied smirk on Sayuri's. Realizing that her teammates were impressed with her victory was almost as tremendous as the win itself. And while Sakura wasn't sure exactly where Kakashi was sitting, she was confident that he was filled with pride. The only thing that would have made today better was if Tsunade had been able to attend.
(Meanwhile)
A young girl sat alone in the stands, watching the opening match. Despite her age, she appeared keenly interested in how the fight progressed and maintained an even expression throughout. However, it was evident that she was pulling for the genin from the Hidden Leaf Village, Sakura Haruno, along with most of the hometown crowd.
Suddenly, a brunette woman drew attention from some of the other spectators as she hurried down the stairs with a miniature pig nestled in her arms. The woman appeared less interested in the match and headed straight toward the young girl, who smirked at the older woman's hectic demeanor.
"Lady Tsunade!" the woman hissed after sitting down at her side. "I've been worried sick, and this is where you've been?"
The young girl, now revealed to be Tsunade using the transformation jutsu, waved off the woman's concern, "Relax, Shizune. I said I'd reach out after I sorted through my business, and I did."
"Only after weeks of me frantically searching for you!" Shizune countered. "You said it would just be a couple of days."
When Tsunade failed to respond and returned to watching the match, Shizune followed her line of sight and watched as a pinked-haired genin practically made a fool out of her opponent from the Hidden Stone. While by no means a staunch nationalist, even she could get some satisfaction watching the Hidden Leaf stick it to the Hidden Stone. The cuts from the previous war sliced deep, and scars remained.
"So, this is the girl you wrote to me about?" Shizune asked, though she already knew the answer. The girl's evasive tactics were reminiscent of Tsunade's style; she even appeared capable of using the chakra scalpel with deadly proficiency.
Tsunade smiled with a genuineness that practically melted through her transformation. Such a sight was more shocking to Shizune than the girl's performance, or the fact that her master had seemingly taken up a new disciple. Not that she was jealous. Tsunade had an incredible wealth of knowledge that had been wasted for too long. Too many people were being taught to kill and maim, with fewer people to heal the wounded and save the dying.
"Yep," Tsunade responded simply. "She's a sweet little thing, too. Just like you. I'm sure you'll get along."
Shortly after, Sakura's hand was raised in victory to thunderous applause. While not uproarious, Tsunade smirked at her new protégé's victory. It was as close to a perfect performance as one could achieve. The lopsidedness of the match was made even more impressive by the fact that Sakura was a colossal betting underdog. In fact, the odds were so attractive that Tsunade couldn't help herself and put down a substantial sum on Sakura's victory.
A mischievous glint flashed in Tsunade's eyes as she practically counted the money she'd be raking in from her successful bet. It would be enough to pay off her current debts and then some. The look seemed to catch Shizune's eye, who visibly recoiled at the familiar expression.
"Lady Tsunade, did you bet on the match?"
Although caught red-handed, Tsunade waved off the accusation with no shame, "Of course not, Shizune. Who do you take me for?"
Back in the contestant box, Naruto and Sayuri awaited Sakura's return. The proctor was already preparing for the next match between Shikamaru and Temari, the kunoichi from the Hidden Sand team. Sayuri wasn't entirely sure who she felt had the edge. She's missed both their performances in the preliminaries, and while Sakura's recap had been helpful, it wasn't the same as a live viewing. Apparently, Temari employed powerful wind-style ninjutsu, and Shikamaru relied on ploys and strategies using his Shadow Possession jutsu.
"Who do you got?" Naruto asked as he leaned against the railing.
Sayuri shrugged, "I'm not sure," she admitted.
Before Naruto could respond, Sakura returned to the contestant box, the pride from her victory evident on her face. Naruto and Sayuri quickly acknowledged her return, with Naruto patting her on the back with enough force to nearly send her tumbling forward. Meanwhile, the remaining competition in the box acted like she wasn't even there.
"Are you gonna even get touched in any of these matches?" Naruto asked with his fingers locked behind his head. "It's kinda unfair."
While Sakura blushed at the praise, Sayuri added some of her own, "You fought well," she stated simply. Though coming from Sayuri, the congratulations carried quite a bit of weight.
"It all came down to my training this month," Sakura humbly replied. "I wouldn't have been able to win without everyone's help."
Naruto rolled his eyes and slung his arm over Sakura's shoulders to pull her toward the railings to watch the next match, "Yeah, yeah. Save your victory speech for when you win the whole thing," he joked with a sly grin. "You still gotta get through Sayuri and me, ya know?"
At this point, Sakura's face was beet red, and she stumbled over her words. She clearly wasn't used to the amount of praise that she was finally receiving. But the congratulations were well-deserved. Sakura's progress since graduating from the Academy was by far the most impressive of anyone from Team 7. She went from a virtual non-factor in combat to someone able to defeat an elite genin from another village in a one-sided match.
"Leave her alone, moron," Sayuri ordered as she delivered a swift punch to Naruto's shoulder, forcing him to release Sakura.
"I was just messing around," Naruto complained as he rubbed his shoulder in pain. "Same old Sayuri. Can't keep your hands off me, can you?"
Thankfully, Sakura stood between her two teammates and prevented the bickering from escalating any further. While most in her position would probably get annoyed by the constant battles between Naruto and Sayuri, she'd grown comfortable with the behavior. Seeing the two polar opposites go at it had long since become a part of Sakura's daily routine.
After a few moments passed, Naruto asked Sakura for her prediction, "Anyway, you're the brainiac, Sakura. Who do you think's gonna win?"
With the excitement from her own victory still lingering in the back of her mind, Sakura watched as Shikamaru and Temari both made their way down to the arena for their match — with the former appearing far less enthusiastic than the latter. Admittedly, she wasn't intimately familiar with either of the combat styles. However, Sakura had seen enough from each of them to make a prediction.
"I think they're both tacticians that will push each other to the limit," Sakura explained. "But if this becomes a chess match, Shikamaru will be steps ahead of her at every turn. So I think it's his match to lose. My only question would be whether he even cares about winning to begin with."
Naruto nodded at the analysis and returned to leaning against the railing as the match finally kicked off. Meanwhile, Sayuri and Sakura both shared a subtle look. It was their first time reuniting with their teammate since the preliminary matches had concluded. In the days that followed, they had several conversations about the strange chakra Naruto exhibited during his preliminary match with Lee. It was definitely something they'd need to discuss with him once the exam had concluded.
The match between Shikamaru and Temari ultimately ended in mild controversy. Despite catching Temari in his Shadow Possession jutsu and appearing to have the upper hand, Shikamaru forfeited the match to thunderous outrage from the crowd. His reasoning was chalked up to insufficient chakra to finish the match. Nevertheless, Sakura felt it was the right decision from a tactical perspective. Despite the anticlimactic result, it would put him in serious contention for promotion when coupled with his excellent performance.
"Meh, our smart person is better," Naruto remarked, comparing Sakura to Shikamaru. "Ours uses cool strategies AND wins her fights."
While Sakura was rendered a blushing, stuttering mess due to Naruto's praise, Sayuri shifted her attention to the other side of the contestant booth. Upon doing so, she was immediately met by the stare of Neji Hyūga, who apparently had the same idea that she did. Based on how he dealt with Naruto before the written exam and thoroughly dismantled Hinata, he was clearly an opponent to be taken seriously.
Naruto stopped teasing Sakura when he followed Sayuri's line of sight. His expression was immediately replaced with a scowl, matched by a haughty sneer from Neji in return. The interaction between the two boys harkened back to their near rematch in the Forest of Death. While the fighting never actually kicked off, Sayuri's instincts told her that the fight likely would have gone very differently than their initial encounter.
"Wipe that smug look off his stupid face, Sayuri," Naruto grumbled before finally relenting and leaning back against the rails. "And rub some dirt in his weirdo eyes while you're at it."
Having finally composed herself, Sakura finally chimed in, "He has the same eyes as Hinata. You know that, right?" she inquired with a quirked brow. Clearly, Naruto hadn't thoroughly thought that one through.
Naruto's eyes widened at the realization, "Well, hers are different!" he stubbornly assured.
By that point, Sayuri was barely even listening to the conversation. Before her clan was wholly annihilated, their primary rivals in the village after the Senju were the Hyūga. There was no doubt in Sayuri's mind that if her family were still alive, there'd be serious pressure on her shoulders for bragging rights.
Up in the stands, Kakashi watched the matches with veiled pride. While on the outside, he appeared as laidback and carefree as ever, inside, he was practically beaming. To say that Sakura's performance in the opening match was impressive would be the understatement of the century. It was immaculate. And now he would get to watch Sayuri faceoff against Neji, a match they had so meticulously prepared for that he was utterly confident in the result.
Suddenly, the empty seat at Kakashi's side wasn't so empty anymore. His nose alerted him to the fact that it was Guy right away, as his old rival somehow managed to reek of enthusiasm and machismo. When Kakashi finally turned to face him, he was practically blinded as his grin reflected all the light in the arena.
"Kakashi!" Guy greeted with his tremendous trademarked enthusiasm. "A fine day for competition, is it not? I hope that your precious disciple is prepared. You'll find that Neji has very little in common with the average genin. In fact, he reminds me of you during your younger years, Kakashi."
Despite hearing Guy loud and clear, Kakashi lazily tilted his head and said, "Hmm, did you say something?"
"Gah! Curse your hip attitude, Kakashi!"
The air around the upcoming match between Sayuri and Neji was clearly different than anything prior. It was no surprise since many of the attendants had traveled to witness the sole survivor of the famed Uchiha clan in battle. Better yet, she would be facing off against a prodigy of the Hyūga clan. It was safe to say that there was quite a bit of money moving hands behind the scenes.
Sayuri stood face-to-face with Neji for what felt like the first time. They had crossed paths several times since the exams started but had never been the sole focus of each other's attention. Aside from Naruto, Neji was the matchup that intrigued Sayuri the most in the tournament. He fought with an elegance that greatly surpassed the competition. And while he hadn't displayed the raw power that Naruto, Han, or Gaara had in their preliminary matches, he was clearly on the same level through skill alone.
"It was only a matter of time before we faced each other," Neji remarked as the crowd clamored in anticipation. "First, it was the Uchiha and the Senju, and now it's the Uchiha and the Hyūga."
The frown on Sayuri's face deepened slightly at Neji's words.
"But the outcome won't be decided today," Neji continued. "The winner will be the clan remembered a thousand years from now. You and I are just the latest entry in a tale as old as time."
"My tale is my own," Sayuri retorted.
Neji smiled, though the expression was more hateful than it had any business being, "That's what we all believe—at least when we're still naive children ," he said. "But you, of all people, should know how cruel fate can be."
Before Sayuri could respond, the proctor announced the commencement of the match. Neji immediately shifted into a fighting stance, effectively ending any further conversation.
The instant the proctor dropped his hand, they were at each other's throats. Despite knowing the danger of the Gentle Fist, Sayuri wouldn't shy away from any taijutsu exchanges. Her Sharingan allowed her to avoid or parry any impending blows, as even a single direct hit could spell the end of the match. However, avoiding getting hit was one thing, but landing a blow was another thing entirely. Neji's evasion proved to be just as lightning-quick as his offense.
After getting a feel for Neji's style, Sayuri pivoted to avoid a palm strike to the chest and jumped into the air. She weaved through a familiar string of hand seals before expelling a massive ball of fire out of her mouth. However, Sayuri had no delusions that the attack would be successful. Instead, the fireball was a diversion to allow her to demonstrate one of the new skills she had acquired during her month of training.
As expected, Neji deftly avoided the fireball and advanced forward. However, upon doing so, he was surprised to see four identical copies of Sayuri. By this point, he determined that it was necessary to activate his Byakugan. This decision revealed that it was impossible to distinguish Sayuri from the other three clones based on chakra alone. Before Neji could question whether the clones were solid, he was attacked from multiple sides at once, effectively answering his question.
Sayuri suppressed a smirk as she imagined Naruto's reaction to her learning one of his signature techniques. No doubt he was complaining about the unfairness of the Sharingan. Yet, all jokes aside, learning the Shadow Clone jutsu raised Sayuri's respect for Naruto even more. Her limit at the end of the month had been four clones, yet she'd witnessed him create hundreds of clones with no issue.
With the assistance of three clones— each still possessing the Sharingan — Sayuri was able to bridge the gap in taijutsu skill. However, with the aid of the Byakugan, despite the number advantage, Neji still didn't have any blind spots. He was entirely on the defensive, avoiding strikes by mere centimeters and hardly looking worried.
Everything seemed to be going according to plan for Sayuri. However, that changed when Neji stopped on a dime. With the Sharingan, Sayuri could see him release chakra from his body all at once before rotating at blinding speed. The result was a spinning dome of chakra that instantly destroyed her clones and knocked her back a considerable distance.
In the stands, Kakashi internally cursed at the display. While the possibility was something that they had considered and prepared for, he was hoping that Neji wasn't advanced enough to learn the Hyūga's famed 8 Trigrams: Rotation. The jutsu was reserved for the clan's Main Branch, so the only way Neji would learn it was through self-instruction. The boy's genius was indeed something to behold. Nevertheless, Kakashi knew that Sayuri was just as exceptional — arguably more so.
Meanwhile, Naruto audibly clicked his teeth at the unexpected technique. By all accounts, Sayuri had discovered the perfect strategy to overwhelm Neji's superior taijutsu skill. But now he'd unveiled a trump card that proved effective against both short- and long-range attacks. It was evident that Sakura had reached a similar conclusion based on the visible worry on her face.
'So, stealing my cool moves didn't work? What's your backup plan then, Sayuri?' Naruto pondered, knowing that his teammate would never bank her victory on a single strategy.
Back in the arena, Sayuri quickly recovered to her feet. The sheer force and friction of the Rotation had left visible burns on her forearms — the pain of which was thankfully dulled by adrenaline. Kakashi had mentioned that the Hyūga were capable of such a defense, but they could only speculate on the extent of Neji's toolbox.
"An interesting trick, but useless," Neji remarked with a smirk.
Were it not for the countless hours of Naruto grating on her nerves, Sayuri may have cracked at the arrogant comment. Instead, she took a single steady breath to steady her resolve. Coming into the match, she knew that Neji was a game opponent. Neither of them was going to walk away from this fight unscathed.
This time it was Neji on the offensive. Almost as soon as Sayuri stood, he was on her again. Somehow, each successive strike was faster — more precise. Even Sayuri's Sharingan was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the onslaught. This culminated in a palm strike to the torso that took the breath out of her lungs and sent her reeling. Neji ruthlessly followed up with a leg sweep that toppled Sayuri over.
For a moment, Neji stood over Sayuri, the sun at his back. When she glared up at him, her heart froze in her chest when instead, she saw the far more intimidating form of Itachi's looming over her. He didn't speak, but his expression said more than any string of words could ever hope to. Sayuri felt a familiar rage bubble up in her chest, the likes of which she hadn't felt since she was a small child.
Meanwhile, Neji stood confident. While clearly a stellar fighter, Sayuri was simply overmatched. Her taijutsu was advanced but not compared to a Hyūga. And while she still had ninjutsu to turn the tide, his Rotation also negated that advantage. In a match where his opponent was forced to rely solely on taijutsu, there was no way Neji could lose.
Suddenly, Sayuri sprung to her feet. Neji reeled in shock, having thought that the match was over. He'd intentionally avoided landing a lethal blow, but a Gentle Fist strike to the chest should make breathing painful, let alone fighting. However, despite all logic, Sayuri stood. Annoyed by the sheer determination of his opponent, Neji lowered himself into an all-familiar stance. Those among the audience aware of the Hyūga clan's advanced techniques lurched in surprise.
"Eight Trigrams…" Neji muttered before lunging forward. "…Sixty-Four Palms!"
With staggering speed, Neji planned to deliver what would be the first of sixty-four strikes to Sayuri's chakra points. However, to his astonishment, she deftly avoided the first blow. Pure luck, surely. Undeterred, Neji followed up with a second strike. Again, missed. This continued roughly a dozen times before Neji finally noticed the change.
Sayuri's Sharingan tracked Neji's movements dutifully with a newly formed third tomoe. Her perception was now so heightened that she could anticipate all his moves. By that point, the tides had clearly turned. Neji could no longer overwhelm Sayuri with his speed and was placed on the back foot. This culminated in a strike that landed squarely on his jaw, sending him reeling back from the sheer force of the blow.
Refusing to relent for even a moment, Sayuri spewed a large mass of flames from her mouth. The jutsu appeared to connect, and some spectators averted their gaze to avoid seeing the gruesome aftermath. However, when the fire dissipated, Neji stood unharmed. At his feet was a spherical indentation carved into the earth, evidence that he'd used his Rotation defense once more.
"I have to admit, I've never been hit by an outsider before," Neji complimented, ignoring the slight swelling in his jaw. "I can see now why the Uchiha clan was respected."
However, Sayuri was hardly paying Neji's words any mind. With the new evolution of her Sharingan, she was seeing the world in an entirely different way. The base Sharingan granted exception perception vastly beyond that of a human. Yet, the gap in perception between that and the third tomoe was arguably even more staggering. The world almost seemed to move in slow motion. Sayuri had only experienced it for a mere moment and already couldn't imagine fighting any other way.
Despite closing the gap in taijutsu by unlocking the final stage of the Sharingan, it still appeared that Sayuri had yet to identify a clear path to victory. Neji's defense was too strong to be overcome by an ordinary jutsu. Plus, now that he wasn't caught off guard, it wasn't likely that she'd be able to land such a clean blow again without putting herself at serious risk. As if to remind her of the danger, Sayuri took in a breath, and her chest contracted in pain. The injury wasn't debilitating but would likely worsen as the match went on.
Nevertheless, Sayuri had an ace in the hole. It was a jutsu she planned on saving until later in the tournament. However, it was the only thing in her arsenal that had any chance of penetrating Neji's Rotation. That type of power came at an extreme chakra cost. Couple that with Sayuri's injured chest, and it was likely this was her last real shot to win the match.
Deciding that it was now or never, Sayuri created a single shadow clone and sent it charging for Neji. Meanwhile, she created distance before weaving through several hand signs before clutching her left wrist. And not a moment too soon, as Neji managed to land a blow that rendered her clone a puff of smoke. However, at that moment, he and everyone else in the crowd were left in awe.
The shrill cackling of lightning reverberated through the arena, akin to a thousand birds chirping simultaneously. Sayuri held lightning in her hand, raw and chaotic. The chakra was so fierce that it looked as primed to destroy her as it did Neji. Not one to bask in an audience's amazement, Sayuri charged forward, leaving a shallow trench carved into the ground in her wake.
In response, Neji began to spin rapidly, his arms blurring in a whirlwind of motion as he immediately immitted chakra from his entire body. Seeing this, Sayuri accelerated, hoping to catch him before his Rotation reached peak strength. The moment felt like an eternity, with her Sharingan painfully taking in every minute detail. But Sayuri was not deterred as she finally thrust her Chidori toward the spinning shield.
"Chidori!"
Sayuri's lightning spear clashed with Neji's so-called impenetrable defense in a display of power against power. The electricity crackled and sparked against the barrier, but Sayuri pressed on, her determination unyielding. Neji's Rotation held firm against the Chidori's onslaught, but Sayuri refused to give up. She poured more and more chakra into the technique, increasing its power until it finally broke through Neji's defense.
The result of the exchange was marred by an explosion that inhibited all view. For painful moments the spectators were forced to wait until the cloud of dust finally dissipated. Naruto was practically falling over the railing, trying to get a better look, while Sakura appeared as if she was about to chew her nails off in worry. Kakashi, however, smiled knowingly.
The ground was torn asunder, and at the center was Neji lying on his back. The wraps around his arms were torn to shreds, and his skin was visibly burned in several areas. With a grunt of visible effort, he attempted to stand back up, but his body refused him. Despite barely faring any better, Sayuri somehow managed to stand on wobbly legs.
The proctor assessed the outcome of the match for a moment before announcing, "The winner is Sayuri Uchiha!"
Silence reigned for a fraction of a moment before the area erupted in the loudest applause that anyone could imagine. Sayuri cringed as the sound penetrated her already ringing ears. With the match over, the adrenaline that had been keeping her up suddenly vanished as she collapsed onto her back. The proctor ordered into his microphone for two stretchers to be brought out.
Sayuri turned her head to see Neji glaring hatefully at the sky. She followed his gaze and saw a lone bird circling the air above as if mocking those below who would never know the wonders of flight.
"Another day, and it might have been your win," Sayuri admitted plainly. It was the truth. Had her attack landed even a fraction late, Neji's Rotation would have built up enough momentum to possibly deflect her Chidori. Not to mention the fact that his gentle fist strike to her chest could have just as easily landed on a more vital organ.
Neji scoffed, "There is no other day," he muttered bitterly. "Just today."
It was clear that Neji's words carried more weight than the mere outcome of the match. However, before Sayuri could respond, the medics arrived and carted the two chūnin hopefuls to the medical wing. As she was carried away, she couldn't help but acknowledge the truth in Neji's words, as pessimistic as they were. It just so happened that today was her day.
It didn't take long for the excitement swelling around Sayuri's victory to be replaced by anticipation for the next match. The Hidden Leaf Village's top rookie, Naruto Uzumaki, was slated to fight against the only member of the newly founded Hidden Sound Village still in the exam. Yet, at this point, Dosu still hadn't arrived. After a few more minutes passed, the crowd began to stir in a mixture of confusion and frustration, with some urging the proctor to continue with the festivities.
Wise to the rising tension, the proctor spoke into his microphone, "Due to an unforeseen delay, there will be a momentary intermission," he announced, much to the crowd's displeasure. Meanwhile, several other exam staff members gathered with the proctor to decide how they would proceed.
As Naruto waited for the proctor to make his decision, Sakura observed him with a careful eye. She didn't believe he was the type to take out the competition before the tournament started. However, after what Sakura had seen, heard, and learned about him recently, she wasn't so sure anymore. She knew that Naruto had a strange hatred for Han of the Hidden Stone team and that getting Dosu out of the picture would be the quickest route to the fight he'd been waiting for.
'He's never been much of the patient type,' Sakura joked internally as if to alleviate the tension in her own mind. After that failed, she reminded herself that no matter what may have changed, Naruto was still her teammate and a good person at heart. He'd never stoop that low.
Suddenly, the door to the contestant booth opened, with many assuming that it was Dosu making his belated appearance. However, much to Sakura's surprise, it was Sayuri. Without paying anyone else any mind, Sayuri returned to her team's side. Despite just being in a rough battle, she appeared no worse for wear.
"That was an excellent match, Sayuri," Sakura complimented. No matter how many times she saw Sayuri and Kakashi use the Chidori during their month of training together, it never failed to fill her with awe.
Sayuri nodded in appreciation before crossing her arms and turning to Naruto in silent expectation. He acknowledged her with a grin and a thumbs up, clearly approving of her performance. Sakura noticed a slight tension leave Sayuri's face at Naruto's recognition, which she attempted to play off with her typical stoic demeanor. Nevertheless, it was clear that his opinion meant a great deal to her, despite what she would likely claim.
"I'm surprised you look so refreshed," Sakura observed. "You really got your money's worth from the medical staff."
Due to the breakneck nature of the tournament, it was crucial to have an elite medical staff always standing by. Not only was this to prevent life-altering injuries or death, but also to ensure that those who won their matches could advance to the next round refreshed and ready for action. Though, a part of Sakura felt that the medical staff's involvement wasn't entirely fair. After working so hard to defeat Kurotsuchi without suffering any injuries, it would have been nice for that caution to be rewarded with an advantage in the matches that followed.
"I was hardly hurt to begin with," Sayuri downplayed, to no one's surprise. She could lose an arm and would try to play it off as a mere scratch.
Naruto suddenly leaned forward until he and Sayuri were face to face, "Yeah, yeah. Don't think I'm just going to gloss over the fact that you stole my jutsu," he accused before grinning cheekily. "I guess you decided since you couldn't beat me, the next best option was to try to be me, eh?"
For a moment, Sayuri appeared stunned by the proximity before composing herself with her signature scowl, "It's not your jutsu, moron," she retorted. "I learned it from Kakashi, same as you."
"Ah, I get it. Makes sense," Naruto said with fake sincerity. "Then I guess you wouldn't mind if I asked Kakashi-sensei to teach me the Chidori too? You know, since it's not your jutsu either."
Unsurprisingly, Sayuri didn't take too kindly to Naruto's words, and the two began to bicker in their usual way. However, they were soon interrupted as the proctor announced that he had reached a decision on how the exam would proceed due to Dosu's unexpected absence.
"Due to failing to appear for his match, Dosu Kinuta has hereby forfeited. As a result, Naruto Uzumaki advances to the next round," the proctor declared once the deliberation concluded. The crowd booed and jeered at Dosu's apparent cowardice as if he was hiding somewhere in the arena and could hear their displeasure.
Conversely, Naruto merely shrugged, "Wasn't like he had a chance anyway," he declared with a smirk.
The proctor waited a few moments for the crowd to settle down, "According to the tournament bracket, the next match would be between Sakura Haruno of the Leaf and Kankurō of the Sand."
Sakura visibly tensed. In the commotion about Naruto's opponent failing to show, she hadn't considered that her second match would take place sooner as a result. Looking over to the other side of the contestant booth, Sakura saw that Kankurō was already smiling at her as if assured of his victory. She made sure to return the look with a glare.
"However," the proctor interjected. "Since the match between Dosu Kinuta and Naruto Uzumaki ended in a forfeit, and the winner was slated to face Han of the Stone in the second round, we felt it logical to begin the second round with that match instead."
The air seemed to grow unnaturally heavy as Naruto and Han turned to face one another. Both had shown themselves insurmountable monsters during the preliminary matches, so a fight between them would be like watching two trains slam into each other. Watching the two glaring holes through each other's heads made Sakura wonder if they even had the patience to go to the arena first before coming to blows.
"Therefore, the next match will be between Naruto Uzumaki of the Leaf and Han of the Stone."
Without hesitation, Naruto vanished into thin air and appeared at the center of the arena in a visible swirl of wind. The crowd erupted in applause at the entertaining display, with all their frustration regarding the delay and cancellation of the previous match seemingly forgotten. Naruto absorbed the adulation of the crowd and practically bowed like a showman, prompting Sayuri to sigh in embarrassment.
In contrast, Han grunted deeply before leaving the contestant booth to begin his slow descent to the battlegrounds. Yet, despite his seemingly indifferent attitude, Sakura noticed an almost rhythmic twitch of his right hand. For a split second, an image of Naruto's skull being crushed by that very same hand flashed through her mind before she banished it instantly with a shake of the head.
Sakura turned back to Sayuri and saw she hadn't taken her eyes off Naruto for even a moment. There was nothing in her demeanor that indicated she was worried about the outcome of the match at all. Sayuri always had the greatest admiration for Naruto's abilities, despite sometimes seeming like his greatest critic. It made Sakura guilty that she couldn't share the same confidence.
As Han arrived in the arena, he and Naruto finally stood face-to-face for their long-awaited showdown. It was the first match in the exams where the combatants had a clear hatred for one another. Even the typically laidback proctor had become far more serious, as if realizing that Naruto and Han could actually kill each other if he wasn't careful.
"We've already been over the rules," Genma said before hardening his tone. "You two will follow my instructions at all times, or the match will be ended immediately. Do you understand?"
Naruto clicked his tongue in acknowledgment while Han stared back and impatiently dug one of his heels into the dirt. Realizing that was the best response he would get, the proctor sighed and raised his arm to signal the beginning of the match. All at once, everyone in the stadium seemed to lean forward in anticipation, as if the weight of the match was pushing them out of their seats. And finally, the proctor dropped his hand, and his voice reverberated through the arena.
"Begin!"
~End~
Sorry for the long hiatus. Hope to be back to a more consistent update schedule now.