Disclaimer: I don't own the Naruto or Naruto Shippuden Anime/ Manga. This is purely for fan based reasons.
Chapter 13:
Eleventh Challenge:
Battle Royale
The next morning the remaining players meet up with Guy for their next challenge. He had left them all a note of where he'd be. Now that the island has expanded it was harder to find him. Luckily Kiba and Akamaru were around to help remedy the situation. "Sakura, I can't believe you." Ino scolded her. "You handed your immunity over to Guy sensei already."
"It was a tracking challenge," Sakura whispered. "I'm no good at tracking and I didn't know Lee and Tai would well, you know."
"Yeah, I still can't believe he got a girlfriend. I thought Lee was going to be doomed to live out the remainder of his days a single man; especially after Tenten chose Neji at the hot spring."
Sai overheard their little conversation feeling much better now that he wasn't the only one without immunity. It had been on his mind all night long. The thought of the next challenge being all or nothing for him was too much to handle. He did not want to lose out to Ino after what she did to Kankuro. Now it was between him and Sakura. Now he just had to beat her and he would live to see another day. Of course with her being allied with Sasuke and Ino who would both do anything to keep her in the game. There was only one thing he could to ensure his safety. "Naruto," He tapped on his friends shoulder.
"What's up Sai?" He asked.
"I just overheard Ino and Sakura talking it appears Sakura used up her immunity in the last challenge." He informed them knowing Naruto would tell Kiba and they would target Sakura. It was only way they could break up the trio.
"No that can't be, Lee was sent home right away." Naruto explained.
"See for yourself," Sai pointed at Sakura's neck, "Something is missing."
"Wait a minute," Naruto looked at Sakura realizing after a few seconds she didn't have on her immunity necklace. "You're right." Naruto agreed running up to Kiba who was closing in on Guy's scent. "Kiba, Kiba, Kiba," Naruto began shaking him frantically.
"Naruto, take your hands off me." He pushed him off. "Great I lost it." Kiba began sniffing the air trying pick up the scent's trail. "It's gone." Kiba let out a sigh. "What is it Naruto? Whatever it is it better be important,"
"Look," Naruto pointed at Sakura's neck. "She isn't wearing the necklace."
"Maybe she forgot it." Kiba explained. "Look if you are trying to say she used it. There's no way Sakura would do something like that at least not yet anyway. She wouldn't put herself at risk like that and besides Lee went straight home there wasn't even a vote."
"Is that what you interrupted Kiba's tracking for?" Sakura glared at Naruto. "We are lost in the forest and you're worried about my necklace Naruto." Ino gasped.
"They know," She glared at Sai knowing he must have said something; Naruto and Kiba were too dense to figure that out on their own.
"I just thought maybe you lost it." Naruto replied.
"I used it," She explained. "Now can we please just move on."
"I got the scent," Kiba began following it. "It's not much further."
"Finally," Ino let out a sigh of relief. The last she wanted to do was to be lost in the forest it was bad enough being confined to an island.
The moment they arrived at the scent's source; they were surrounded in an open field. "There you are." Guy smirked. "Did you enjoy your trip through the woods?"
"I would have enjoyed it more if you would have let Sai fly us there." Ino sat on the ground resting after the long walk.
"Yes but if I did that then it would hardly be considered warm up." Guy explained. "Anyway I think it is time to begin the next challenge." They groaned.
"Can't we rest a bit more?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah, I'm pretty beat." Kiba agreed.
"You just had us walk from one end of the island to the other end. Do you have any idea how many miles that was? My feet are killing me." Ino complained.
"It's about five miles." He answered. "Now everyone get on your feet and let's begin." The players regrettably got on their feet gathering in front of Guy sensei. "The rules of this challenge are very simple all six of you will go against each other in an all out ninja Battle Royale. The last player standing wins and as a reward will be given,"
"Immunity," Ino finished intending to get Sakura that reward. "We know the drill Guy."
"Wrong," Guy cleared his throat. "There will no longer be anymore Immunity handed out. From here on your skills will carry you throughout the competition. Instead the winner will be given,"
"An item from home," Sakura guessed. "We have heard that before too."
"Will you let me finish," Guy screamed. "The winner will be given the opportunity to force a player to use their immunity."
"What," Ino replied not liking that twist one bit. She wanted to keep her immunity for the entire game. It was the only way to ensure her victory. "Don't you think that's a bit unfair?" She asked. "I worked really hard to get this necklace and you're telling me if I don't win. Someone can just remove it at will. What if they just want to do it out of spite? I mean there is no justification in that. What about those necklaces you had Moegi make were those just for show?"
"Partly," He answered. "They also make good bookmarks." He pointed at Kakashi who using one of them as his book mark. "That and Yumi picked them up this morning. She is putting on a festival in town to raise money for our village and those necklaces are one of the prizes." Guy explained. "Let's begin the challenge."
The remaining six gathered in the vast field prepared to face each other. "I'm sure this will clear up any questions you may have about this challenge." Guy held up six pairs of bells. The moment the players saw them they knew exactly what their objective was. "Each of you will be given a set of bells." Kakashi began handing out the bells. "Your goal is keep the other players from taking your bells if they are taken you are out. The last person standing wins."
"So basically our goal is to take the bells from the other players while protecting our own. Simple enough," Ino glanced over at Naruto and Sasuke. "I should be okay as long as I steer clear of those two. Something tells me this is going to get really ugly really fast."
"Now this is a challenge," Kiba smirked ready and eager to show his stuff. He tossed his bells into air and caught them. He wasn't about to lose out to Naruto and Sasuke anymore this time he was going to prove he's just as strong as they are. "You ready Akamaru?" Akamaru barked just itching to show what he's made of.
"Okay," Sakura took a deep breath. "Naruto and Sasuke are probably going to end up fighting. After all Sasuke likes a challenge and Naruto never backs down from a challenge especially when it involves Sasuke. Normally I would try to stop them from fighting seeing as it's only for bells. I'll just stay out of the way and focus on at least getting Sai's bells. If I can get his then I might be able to stay in. Besides Sasuke and Ino won't let me lose." She slipped on her gloves preparing for the fight ahead. Sai noticed Sakura's eyes shifting towards him.
"She's aiming for me," Sai pulled out a blank scroll. "That's good; it saves me the trouble of having to look for her."
"I hope you're ready Sasuke." Naruto pointed at him activating the nine tails cloak. "Those bells are as good as mine."
"Like I would ever hand them over to you," Sasuke countered, "Loser." Naruto glared at him eager to make him eat his words.
"Kakashi, are you sure this challenge is safe?" Kurenai asked knowing how Naruto and Sasuke get whenever they fight.
"It should be fine," Kakashi replied. "If things do get too out of hand Sakura will break it up. Neither of them wants to hurt her so if she steps in odds are they'll both stop. As for the others they know how those two get and will probably stay out of the way and let them fight it out."
"Begin," The second those words left Guy's mouth. A giant Rasenshuriken was hurled Sasuke's way. Not wanting to be pulled in by Naruto's jutsu, Ino jumped out of the way and hid letting them fight it out. Kiba evaded the jutsu eating a food pill waiting for the opportune moment to join Naruto and Sasuke's fight. Sai took the skies using super beast scroll to attack Sakura from above. She punched the beasts trying to get close to him before he got too high up.
"Fire style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu." Sasuke avoided the shuriken hitting Naruto with his jutsu only to notice they were shadow clones.
"Gotcha," Naruto appeared above him with a Rasengan only to be shocked after defeating Sasuke's lightning style clone. "Damn it." Sasuke used Amataratsu while Naruto was confined by the lightning. "Summoning Jutsu," Naruto summoned Chief Toad causing him to land directly on top of Sasuke who dodged. Naruto charged at Sasuke engaging him in close quarters seeing as it was the only either of them were going to get each other's bell.
"This is it," Kiba got on all fours charged into fray. "Fang over Fang," Kiba and Akamaru went to hit Sasuke from both sides with a massive Fang over Fang hoping to take him out in one swoop.
"Kiba," Kurenai yelled not understanding why he would enter a fight of this caliber. It was suicide.
"I guess not all of them are that smart." Kakashi let out sigh. "It's okay; Kiba's already lost."
"What are you talking about?"
"Chidori Stream," Sasuke unleashed a massive amount of electrical energy from his body shocking all three of them. "I'll be taking those." He captured Kiba's bells now that he was unable to move.
"Damn it," Kiba bit his lip so sure he had him. Guy collected him taking him to watch with the judges. Kurenai collected Akamaru setting him next to his master to rest. "I was so sure I had those bells. How did he know I was coming for him?" Kakashi went to respond but Kiba let out sigh. "Sharringan," He nodded.
Sasuke eyes trailed the forest knowing the Naruto clone he had targeted was yet another attempt to fake him out. He continued searching the forest for Naruto who was hiding trying to think of a strategy to capture the Uchiha's bells.
"You might as well give up Sakura," Sai pointed out. He was now way to high up in the air for her to reach him. She was at a complete disadvantage and was wasting her time and her chakra trying to reach him. "You have no chance at beating me." He sent more beasts at her this time combining to snakes to restrain her.
"Don't underestimate me," Sakura hit the ground obliterating the beasts before they touched her. "Summoning Jutsu," She summoned Lady Katsuyu standing on top of the slug then jumping off it. Sai went to dodge but was snared into a trap.
"Mind Destruction Jutsu," Ino smirked prohibiting Sai's movement. "Finish it Sakura." Sakura hit Sai knocking him out and stealing his bells. "That takes care of him."
"I guess it does." Sakura looked over at her as Guy carried Sai away. "You don't think we should," She asked wondering if Ino intended on fighting her.
"I hadn't planned on it," She answered. "You agree not get rid of my immunity and I'll agree not to send you home. As long as we agree on that what happens here doesn't matter." She held out her bells for Sakura to take. "Just promise me that Naruto won't win." The moment she said that a shadow clone grabbed both Sakura and her bells. "Hey,"
"Thanks," The clone ran towards the original. Sasuke chased after the clone.
"Sasuke, you better beat Naruto." Ino yelled. "Don't let him get away with this."
"Let's go ladies," Guy guided Ino and Sakura to the judge table to watch.
Sakura glanced over at Ino knowing what she was planning if Naruto hadn't done what did. She wanted Sakura to break up Naruto and Sasuke's fight then turn on Naruto immediately after. It was brilliant but cruel. She couldn't believe that Ino would rely on methods like that in order to win.
"What's the matter Ino?" Sai smirked noticing her sitting at the table pouting. "Did your plan backfire?" She ignored him knowing he was only teasing her as way to get back at her for what she did to Kankuro.
"Those bells are mine Sasuke," Naruto jumped out of the tree in Sage mode two clones were preparing a Giant Rasengan for him. He stopped noticing bells placed at his feet. "What?" He went to pick them up then remembered the survival exercise with Kakashi. "Nice try Sasuke but that won't work me anymore." Naruto sent a clone to pick it up instead.
"It's no trick," Sasuke spoke landing in front of him. "I have no reason to fight you at least not at the moment. If you win Ino loses her immunity that's it. If I were to win Kiba would lose his but that's going to happen anyway. Either way I'm not affected so why should I care?"
"I don't get it," Naruto took the bells from the clone. "I thought you three were teamed up."
"The only team I'm on is my own." Sasuke explained; Guy appeared next to him escorting him back.
"What?" Ino stood up realizing Sasuke's bells were gone. "I thought I told you to beat him."
"He got me," Sasuke replied. "There was nothing I could do."
"We have a winner," Guy walked out of the forest with Naruto, "Naruto, who have you chosen to surrender their immunity?"
"Do you even have to ask?" Naruto smirked. "I'm pretty sure she already knows who I've decided." Ino ripped off her necklace handing it to Guy. "That was for Hinata."
"Yeah well, this is far from over." Ino glared at him. "You haven't beaten me just yet." She crossed her arms standing next to Sakura.
The remaining six gathered at the elimination where another player was to be booted off the island. "Alright," Guy looked at the votes made by the players counting to see who had the most. Kiba had cashed in his immunity knowing him being the first out in the challenge was going to leave him with a lot of votes since both Sai and Sakura played by the challenges. Ino was always going to pick him until he was gone. Same applies to Sasuke. Which left all but Naruto who knew was going to pick Sai because he couldn't pick Ino. "The person with the most votes is," He cleared his throat. "Sai," He finished. "I'm sorry Sai but it's time for you to leave the competition."
"I understand," Sai rose to his feet and walked off the island with Kazekage. He knew in terms of votes he couldn't compare with Sakura not with both Naruto and Sasuke looking out for her. Anyone else would have just cashed in before being kicked. "I must admit even I didn't think I was going to make it this far." He smiled.
"Say hi to Kankuro for us." Naruto waved at him. "I'm sure he can't wait to see you." Sai nodded and was taken off the island by the Kazekage.