Chapter 14
We watch as the Hokage stands up and begins to speak. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming to Konoha's Chuunin Selection Exam today. We will now begin the main matches with the ten that have passed the preliminaries. Please enjoy the matches." He announces.
The crowd began cheering and the proctor faces us. "There are some things I need to tell you before the matches." He says and reaches into his flak jacket and pulls out a piece of paper and shows it to us. "Look at this." I blink. It was all our names in what seemed to be a tournament set out. "There was a little change in the match ups. Check to see who you're going against again." He says. I read it carefully.
Uzumaki Naruto verses Hyuuga Neji, Gaara verses Uchiha Sasuke, Kankuro verses Aburame Shino, Temari verses Nara Shikamaru and Aburame Kin verses Kuromizu Setsuki.
"Hey. Hey." Naruto says, waving his arm around to get his attention.
"What?" The proctor groans putting the paper back in his jacket.
"Sasuke hasn't arrived yet." Naruto says. "What are we going to do?"
"If he doesn't come here by the time his match starts... he will lose by default."
Understanding this, Naruto looks behind us towards the doors.
"Listen up." The proctor says. "Although the landscape is different, the same rules apply as in the preliminaries; there are no rules. The match will only end when someone dies or gives up. But if I decide that the match it over, I will stop the match. Do not argue with me over it. Got it? The first match is.. Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Neji. The rest of you need to go back to the waiting room."
They start to walk to the stairs and I nudge Naruto's arm. "Good luck future Hokage." I say, giving him a reassuring smile. This seemed to have made his day, and he nods, getting a fist of courage. I then follow the others up the stairs.
I thought Naruto had lost, he lay there in that small hole in the ground. He didn't look like he could move at all. It had been a ruthless battle, Neji explained his entire past throughout the match too..
"Dropout boy, sorry, but this is reality." Neji says. "This is truly the end-" He was cut off by the ground below him cracking; Naruto burst up from the ground, punching Neji's chin, sending him upwards and spitting out blood. Naruto lands on his feet while Neji lands on his back. Naruto was panting heavily, and my eyes widen from the sudden attack.
I couldn't help but smile. Neji was motionless, and was cursing because he couldn't move. After a small chat, the proctor raises his arm. "Winner, Uzumaki Naruto."
The crowd went berserk, and Naruto grew a smile and ran around waving his arms happily. "Yeah! I won! I won! Believe it!" He began blowing kisses in every direction over and over, clearly enjoying himself.
"H-He won." Shikamaru says, holding onto the railing.
"Does that surprise you?" I ask.
"N.. Well.. I wasn't really expecting this outcome." He replies.
"Baka!" I gush and hit him over the back of the head.
"Ga-ow! What was that for?" Shikamaru questions.
"For doubting Naruto-kun." I say, grinning innocently. He grumbles and looks back at the stage.
"But I thought he was in the 'not-so-cool' group like me." Shikamaru asks.
"Not-so-cool group?" Shino asks, the three of us were standing together.
"He's getting all those cheers, which makes him a member of the 'cool group'." Shikamaru says.
"Cool group?" Shino says.
"Well obviously you and me are in the cool group Shino." I say. Shino tilts his head slightly at me.
"And me?" Shikamaru asks.
"You're in the not-so-cool group, like you said." I say, then laugh as he grumbles. Medical ninjas carry Neji away on a stretcher and Naruto was still running around claiming he's the best.
Naruto finally comes prancing up behind us with his hands behind his head and the cockiest smile in the world.
"I did it! I won! I proved you all wrong! Ha!" He chimes.
"Heh, good work Naruto." Shikamaru says. Naruto faces me.
"Ame-chan! Hug!" Naruto says grinning and spreading his arms out.
"How could I resist a hug from my bestie?" I ask, then hug him, but he bear hugs me, choking me. "T-too.. tight.." I gasp.
He chuckles and lets go. I gasp for air. "Who else wants a hug?" Naruto asks, offering his arms to Shikamaru and Shino. They both had the same '….' reaction.
"No." Shikamaru finally says. Naruto pouts and puts his hands back behind his head and faces the stage.
"So who's next? Who's next?" Naruto asks.
"Well, according to that sheet, Sasuke's match should be next." Shikamaru says.
The crowd became impatient and began booing the proctor, demanding the next match.
"What's that guy doing?" Shikamaru asks, referring to Sasuke's absence. "Is he planning to not come?"
"A wise man keeps away form danger." Shino says.
"He made a good decision." Shikamaru says. Me, Naruto and Shikamaru lean down on the railings lazily.
"What are you talking about?" Naruto asks. "He'll definitely come." He says, looking around then rests his chin on his arms. I look to my right, at Naruto, then Shikamaru who was looking back and forth between Naruto and Gaara. I blink. Naruto seemed to be glaring at Gaara.
"What are we going to do?" I over heard Kankuro muttering to his siblings. "If he doesn't come, our plan is going to..."
"Is this bad?" Temari asks him. Kankuro shrugs.
'Plan?' I blink a few times, but then shrug it off and face the stage again. Another Jonin was down there speaking to the proctor, then turns to smoke.
"Ladies and gentlemen.." The proctor says. "An examinee for the next match has not arrived just yet. Therefore this match will be delayed and we will begin the next match first."
I blink a few times. "Next match? Isn't everyone here psyched to watch Sasuke's match?" I ask.
"Yeah.. I wonder what's going on. I thought they said they would disqualify him." Shikamaru says. "But..." He whines.
"What?" I ask.
"That means my match is coming up faster." He whines. I gasp.
"Then that means.. my match is coming up faster too!" I exclaim with a big smile.
"Heh." Kin scoffs, walking over to us with his hands in his pockets. "Someone is eager to lose in front of the entire village."
I stand up straight and turn to Kin, giving a confused smile. "Why are you eager to lose?" I ask.
His whole fired up expression dropped. Shino looks at him, like he's waiting for a come back.
"I meant you are." Kin grumbles.
"No I'm not, you silly.. weird guy, I'm eager to win! Which is exactly what I'll do! I need to prove to Gai-sensei and Komaru-sensei just how strong I've become!" I exclaim, getting fire in my eyes.
"Shh..!" Shikamaru gushes, as the proctor was about to speak again. I turn around and lazily lean on the railings again.
"Next match up, Kankuro and Aburame Shino. Come down." The proctor says. For some reason, Kankuro seems to be on edge about this. Shino put his hand on the railings, ready to go. Kankuro looks at Temari, she nods at him. I tilt my head.
"Kankuro-kun? Are you alright?" I ask.
"Huh? Oh, yeah fine." He replies, then clears his throat. "Examiner!" He calls out. "I'm giving up!"
"Whaaat?" I howl. "Whaddaya mean you're giving up?"
"I mean, I'm giving up! Go to the next match!" Kankuro calls out.
"Hm... Kankuro has given up, therefore Aburame Shino wins by default." The proctor says. The crowd became furious, even I had a disappointed look. I also wanted to watch Shino fight so I could pick up some strategies on beating Kin considering they seem the same.
Suddenly Temari pulled her fan out and swung it around, creating a powerful wind current in the room we're standing in. Next thing I know Temari was riding on her fan down to the arena. She landed by the proctor.
"You are..?" The proctor inquires.
"It's my turn, right?" Temari asks.
"Looks like you want to do this. Okay, we're going to start the next match. Hey! The other one! Get down here."
"Hey now," Shikamaru retorts. "why are you guys getting excited? Actually, why do I have to be the one who gets his match ups changed so frequently."
"Nara Shikamaru, it's you." The proctor says.
"Alright! Go get her Shikamaru!" Naruto shouts, patting him on the back, making him fall over the railings.
"Ahhhhh-" He landed face first on the ground.
"Woo! Go get 'em Shikamaru!" I cheer.
"Show 'er what us Leaf ninja are made of!" Naruto chimes. Shikamaru frowns at us before slowly standing up, the match then commenced.
After explaining his strategy, Naruto starts to growl and become furious with Shikamaru for giving up right when he had the match his way.
"Why did he give up?" Naruto questions. "What an idiot! Now I'm getting mad!" He gushes, hitting the railing. Naruto puts his foot on the railing and jumps off into the stage. "I'll go lecture him!" Naruto runs up to him and points to him. "You idiot!"
"Shut up, you super idiot!" Shikamaru gushes back.
"Why did you give up?"
"That's a matter of the past, now. It's all good now."
"No, it's not! You almost won that match! And you gave up right before you won.."
"Put that topic aside, and let's get ready to watch the next match."
"Totally unacceptable!" Naruto shouts over the top of him. "... Huh? Next?"
"That means my match is up next!" I exclaim, then face Kin. "I hope you're ready for this!"
"Hn.."
"Aburame Kin, Kuromizu Setsuki, come down." The proctor says. I grin and jump down over the railings and run to centre stage. Kin jumps down and walks over. The crowd roared up again as me and Kin face each other.
"Alright. Begin."
I get into stance now, my stance is similar to Lee's from what Gai-sensei taught me, and I watch him carefully. Kin closes his eyes and stood there.
After realizing he's waiting for me to make the first move, I run at him at incredible speed and kick him up into the air suddenly, and by the sound of his grunt, he wasn't expecting this. I kick him a few times to really get him up into the air before doing a backflip and landing back down on my feet, then quickly performing some hand signs.
"Suiton: Mizu Teppō!" I then shoot a powerful gush of water from my mouth directly at him while he's helplessly falling. It was a perfect hit and sent him directly into the wall with a loud 'thud'.
I get a smug grin, but then I feel something sharp and cold touch the side of my neck.
"Gonna have to do better than that.." Kin says behind me. My smug little grin remains.
'Mizu Kawarimi..'
The kunai held at my neck disappeared momentarily, then Kin went to stab my neck with it, however after using that technique, my body just turned to water straight away.
"What?"
I had to wait a few minutes for my body to reform, but when it did, I showed to intention of slowing down. Insects immediately came after me, so I draw my Katana and strike at them really fast, but it appeared to do nothing really.
I heard Kin sniggering, and it annoyed me. I quickly create a water clone and get out of there, leaving my clone to continue fighting. I saw Kin standing there with his hands in his pockets, it would seem his whole attention was on the insects attacking my clone. I run up behind him.
"Konoha Daisenpuu!" I manage to kick him, sending him flying. Only this time a look around making sure he wasn't a clone. But it seems he's the real one.
He gets up shocked. "H-how did..?"
"Don't underestimate me!" I call then run at him. His insects quickly abandon my clone to rush and protect him, they were also fast. He's defenseless without his insects, so I have to beat them to him if I want to finish him off with this last move. It's going to be close..