Chapter 40: Chunin Exams (12): Return of the Crimson Hair.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto. Naruto is the work of Masashi Kishimoto.
"BEGIN!"
'Tsk. Benjiro is proficient with wind style, but his main affinity is water nature. That's totally not suspicious.'
FOOSH—THUMP.
"Shikamaru-san, why are you moving away?" Benjiro raised his left eyebrow before narrowing his eyes. He seemed to be lost in thought.
"None of your business," I said and watched Benjiro shrug his shoulders. "It is. You're my opponent, after all," Benjiro said.
"Well, you shouldn't put too much effort," I suggested and the other boy laughed. "Please don't joke around, Shikamaru-san," Benjiro said and jumped back.
SWIIISH…
"Damn," I cursed and stopped pouring my chakra into my shadow.
"Did you really think that would work?" Benjiro asked and looked at the pitch-black shadow moving like a snake on the ground. It retracted and crawled around before slowly returning to Shikamaru.
SWOOSH!
"No," Shikamaru said and threw a kunai wrapped in a red piece of paper.
Benjiro shook his head and jumped further away. He owned hundreds of those red tags. He even owned some of its enhanced versions, so he can recognize them at a glance.
BOOM!
Just as the kunai reached where Benjiro was, it exploded and upturned the soil below.
"What a waste of kunai," Benjiro clicked his tongue. "Oh well, Wind Style: Vacuum Blades!"
ZUIIIIII—
'Vacuum Blades?'
SWOOSH! SHRIKKK—
I narrowed my eyes, watching as the blades slice through the hem of my shirt. 'As expected, they're fast.'
"Aren't you afraid of running out of chakra?"
It was well-known in our class that Benjiro had a small chakra reserve.
"I have a plan," Benjiro laughed. "Well, I hope your plan is worth the risk," I smirk and Benjiro narrowed his eyes. Then, he crouched and stared at me with his full attention.
ZIIP! In a flash, Benjiro took out four kunai from his ninja pouch and threw them at me. Seeing the rapidly approaching kunai, I take out a kunai to parry the one that was aimed at my head. CLANG!
"Wind Style: Air Blast!" As soon as the fourth kunai was deflected, I saw Benjiro throwing eight kunai with both hands, followed by Benjiro yelling out a ninjutsu.
"Tsk."
'There's no way to block those.'
Left with no choice, I jumped sideways only to see another eight kunai hurling toward me.
"Damn!"
I bent backward, my body becoming parallel with the ground as I watch the kunai pass me by an inch.
'Too close,' I thought while rolling backward. Looking back at Benjiro, my eyes twitched.
'Damn it, just how many kunai does he plan to…?'
"Ninjutsu: Shadow Shuriken Jutsu!"
POOF—POOF—POOF!
"Oh for—"
Seeing eight shuriken turn into sixteen and then into thirty-two and spread out to the entire arena, I cursed while weaving hand seals.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
THUD—THUD—THUD—
'I hope it lasts…'
The earth wall in front of me shook every half a second as another shuriken was embedded inside it. Since I didn't practice much in Ninjutsu, the earth wall was weak and flimsy, but strong enough to last the shuriken barrage.
'It's just that…'
"Ninjutsu: Multiple Shadow Shuriken and Kunai Jutsu"
'Ha… I was hoping he would stop the barrage right then,' I cursed while adding more chakra into the earth wall.
'Thankfully, I have a little more chakra than him.'
SWOOSH—SWOOSH—SWOOSH—SWOOSH…
CLANG!
After the longest thirty seconds of my life, the last kunai fell to the ground, and the arena was freed from the constant rain of throwing weapons.
'It looks like he ran out.'
If he didn't run out after throwing about hundreds of both kunai and shuriken, then I'd give up on the spot.
'I don't have much more chakra.'
CRACK—
Right on cue, the earth wall in front of me began cracking and after another second, it fell to the ground.
CLANG!
The kunai and shuriken embedded inside it fell to the ground as well, making me glance downward.
"WHAT?!"
Startled, I looked at Benjiro who was within range. He smirked.
"I hope you enjoy fireworks, Shikamaru-san," Benjiro said and weaved a single hand seal, POOF—followed by him vanishing in a puff of smoke.
'He still has chakra?! Well—of course he does!'
Although I'm sure that Benjiro spent his entire chakra reserve after launching so many Ninjutsu, he wouldn't be so stupid to not reserve a bit of chakra for his plan.
"ACTIVATE!" Benjiro's voice echoed out throughout the entire arena even though he was nowhere to be seen.
SIZZLEEE…
'Not good, what should I do?'
Watching as the red paper wrapped on every kunai on the ground glow a brilliant orange, I used my head to make as many plans as possible.
'Is this it?'
I sighed when the sizzling stopped for a moment.
BOOOOOOM! SHAKE…
Following the explosion, the arena shook as if an earthquake had been unleashed. Inside the waiting area, Hiroko touched his chin, and at the same time, Danzo narrowed his eyes, while the Kazekage looked at Hiroko through the Kage Box.
'This reminds me of…' Hiroko thought.
'Damn that bastard,' Danzo cursed.
'It seems similar,' the Kazekage pondered and shook his head.
Few explosions would be similar to the one that Hiroko unleashed when blowing up ROOT's hideout.
Because when Hiroko blew up ROOT's base, the entirety of Konoha shook in fear.
As Benjiro looked around the arena, he smirked. Seeing the scorched crater that covered the middle of the arena, he relaxed his body in victory.
"I win…"
Then, his eyes widened. "O-oh no! Shikamaru-san!" When seeing that not even the boy's blood remained, Benjiro showed a panicked expression.
"Don't worry, I'm right here."
Suddenly, Benjiro felt a cold, sharp object touch his neck. The sharp blade prickled his skin, making him not dare to move.
"Was it fun getting tricked by a simple Clone Jutsu?"
Shikamaru chuckled from behind him. I tried to open my mouth but found it impossible.
"When did I swap with a clone?" Shikamaru asked the question he'd been most curious about. "I don't feel like telling you."
My eyes twitched after hearing this lazy guy's nonchalant voice.
"I give up."
"Huh?"
DRIP… DRIP…
When Shikamaru gave up on the exams, I was dumbfounded and spoke, letting the blade cut the upper layer of my skin and draw a bit of blood.
Seeing the deep-red blood, Shikamaru sheathed his kunai into his ninja pouch and waved his hands while going to the stairs.
"I don't have any more chakra, I'm tired, and the next opponents are too strong. Good luck, Benjiro," Benjiro said and disappeared into the flight of stairs, much to the crowd's disappointment.
"Everyone! We will have a thirty-minute intermission. In the meantime, you can enjoy…"
While Genma was advertising the tourist spots for Konoha, the powerhouses in the Kage Observation Box were chatting.
"Is Benjiro qualified?" Hiruzen asked and glanced at Danzo. "Yes, Benjiro is qualified to become Chunin," Danzo said.
"Hold on," the Kazekage chimed in. "I doubt that Benjiro is ready to become Chunin."
"Oh?" Hiruzen raised his eyebrow. "Why do you think so, Kazekage?" Danzo asked with narrowed eyes.
"It's simple. He's too reckless. In a real battlefield, who would be sane enough to explode the entire arena when there are many better options?" The Kazekage asked.
"Exploding the battlefield has its benefits," Danzo said, "It can disrupt the enemy's rhythm."
"It might," the Kazekage nodded, "But it will also endanger and delay yourself and your allies."
"I agree with Kazekage-dono," Hiruzen nodded his head as Danzo glared at him. "Unless we have a bomb squad like Iwagakure, reckless actions such as bombing the battlefield is akin to mutual destruction."
". . . Hiruzen, you—" Danzo gritted his teeth. "Lord Hokage, do you really think so?" Danzo asked as he closed his eyes.
Hiruzen smiled and said, "I do."
The Kazekage butted in as soon as Hiruzen said so. "Then it's decided. Benjiro is not ready to become Chunin."
"What about Shikamaru Nara?" Hiruzen asked and this time, Danzo didn't speak.
"I think he's qualified, although you should work on his… err, energy," the Kazekage suggested.
"I agree. Shikamaru Nara will be promoted to Chunin. Tell Genma to announce the next matches," Hiruzen said to Jiraiya and the latter nodded while summoning a toad.
"The thirty-minute intermission is over, we will now announce the next matches!" Genma said and cleared his throat, while the crowd hurriedly returned to their seats.
"Gaara of the Sand VS Temari of the Sand!"
"Benjiro Suzuki of the Leaf VS Hiroko Uchiyama of Hot Waters!"
"I forfeit!" Temari yelled and the cheering crowd went silent.
"Me too," Benjiro yelled out, and finally, the crowd burst into complaints and murmurs. Seeing this, Genma didn't waste another breath and yelled out the final matches,
"The Finals shall begin! Whoever wins will be the Chunin Exam's champion. Please come to the arena, Gaara of the Sand and Hiroko Uchiyama of Hot Waters!"
"YEEEAAAH!"
As the crowd burst into a thundering cheer, Gaara and Hiroko slowly walked toward the center of the arena. When they were about ten meters away, they stopped and looked at each other.
"BEGIN!"
"Sand Waves," Gaara muttered and all the sand in his gourd poured out like a tsunami and charged toward Hiroko.
"Hmph. Water Style: Water Tsunami," When Hiroko's words fell, a tsunami formed out of a scroll that Hiroko opened and clashed with Gaara's sand.
BANG!
After a minute, Gaara's sand fell to the ground and moved like a slug. Seeing this, Gaara used chakra to make his sand hydrophobic and after doing so, he felt the heavy sand returning to normal.
"Tsk," Hiroko scowled and started weaving hand seals. "Water Style: Water Bullet!"
SWIIISH—
"Sand Bullet."
In the middle of the arena, a massive water bullet and sand bullet collided and dispersed like fireworks.
"They canceled each other…" Hiroko muttered.
'As expected of a jinchuriki. Without your chakra, I can only rival the one-tail's jinchuriki,' Hiroko thought and heard a chuckle inside his mind. 'It's your problem for not wanting to blend our chakra.'
Hiroko shook his head and launched more Water Style Ninjutsu, while Gaara did the same using his sand.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
"Sand Dragon."
Once again, the two jutsus burst in the middle of the arena like a firework show, making the crowd cheer harder. It's not every day they get to see ninjutsu attacks like the one in the arena.
"Damn it," Hiroko cursed and poured chakra into his legs.
BANG!
"Unseal."
POOF!
In a puff of smoke, a sword appeared in Hiroko's hand as he neared Gaara. Gaara remained impassive and used his sand to fend off Hiroko.
SMIRK—
"Wind Style…"
SZHIIIIIING—
"Wind Sword."
SLASH!
Bringing down the sword horizontally from right to left at Gaara's waist, blood flew out like a flower exploding and petals spreading out like pollen.
"GAH!"
Gaara's eyes widened when he saw the scarlet rain blooming out from his waist, and he gritted his pain after feeling as if a rusty metal pipe covered in thorns was grinding his abdomen.
"ARGHH—GRRR! SAND SHIELD!"
Gaara waved his arms and as he willed, a thick sand shield got in the way between him and his opponent.
Hiroko smiled and jumped back, watching on with a chilly stare as Gaara clutch his waist with his right hand and his head with his left.
"HA… HA-HA! HA-HA-HA!"
A demonic laughter echoed out in the arena as Gaara bellowed like a man with a few loose screws in his head.
"I… I'll… I WILL KILL YOU, UCHIYAMA!"
Gaara raised his head and showed golden eyes with a star-like iris in the middle. Half of his body was covered in sand that had blue symbols similar to Fuinjutsu, and his left hand that was clutching his head turned into a claw made of sand.
"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL RIP YOU APART!"
Gaara yelled as he breathed out, saliva flowing out of his mouth as his teeth started growing sharper and thicker like a wolf's.
"I'LL KILL YOU AND PROVE MYSELF. NO ONE CAN HURT ME!"
Gaara declared and far from him, Hiroko laughed.
"Kill me? You?" Hiroko let out a mocking smirk. "You're too weak. Fuinjutsu: Deactivate."
SHHHHH…
White smoke started rising from Hiroko's body, and his loose clothing suddenly became fitter as he grew taller and his facial structure became sharper and pronounced, like a hardened veteran who fought in countless wars and tasted the muddy line separating life and death.
His brown hair started falling off, leaving behind crimson hair with streaks of golden yellow, his eyes turning into a gem-like lavender, and on his cheek were whiskers that made him look like a cat.
GRIN.
His teeth were perfectly white and he had prominent fangs that looked sharp enough to pierce steel.
"How can you kill Hiroko when he's just a fake? If you're going to prove yourself by killing a ghost, then you might as well jump into the river of death," the crimson-haired boy spoke and suddenly, his expression turned maniacal while white feathers began falling from the sky.
"Because I'll make you feel what it's like to have your guts flowing out of your body, Gaara of the Sand."
The boy said as the white feathers seemingly form a pair of angelic wings behind him, yet his tone sounded like rusty metal grinding against each other instead of an angel's holy music.
Truth be told, he didn't hate Gaara. He just wanted an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
End Banner has something to say: This chapter is a bit tricky to write. Anyway, Chunin Exams Arc is over! What do you think?
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