Chapter 18: Puppeteer Vs. Puppeteer
The moment Genma yelled begin, the three separated themselves from each other.
Bugs started gathering around Shino before heading straight towards Sakura knowing she's a more of a threat than kankurō.
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu" a continuous flame-thrower expelled from Sakura's mouth towards shino's insect burning them in the process.
Shino's eyes widen behind his glasses, kankurō's puppet zoom past him.
Sakura black flip three times to avoid the puppet, she narrow her eyes before smirking, "Hn... Karasu"
"Wipe that smirk off your face" kankurō yelled glaring at her and moving his fingers.
Smoke bombs launches in Karasu's arms heading straight towards Sakura.
A puff of smoke appear and when it clears a puppet that resemble a human appear except both its arms and legs were made out of thick blue blade because of the immense chakra flowing in it.
Kankurō's eyes widen as he stare at Sakura's puppet, "what kind of a puppet is that?"
"Meet Aoihane... My most prize puppet... Well the second actually..." Sakura said smirking at kankurō's awe expression.
Sakura's right hand fingers move, Aoihane started spinning cartwheel at a ferocious speed heading straight towards Karasu.
Kankurō move his finger in order for Karasu to avoid the spinning puppet but alas Aoihane was too fast, so Karasu ended being smashed into pieces.
"Hn..." Sakura said shaking her head.
Shino summon more bugs all of them heading towards Sakura.
Sakura back flip in order to avoid his bugs.
Kankurō smirk moving his finger, Karasu's hand shot towards Sakura with a hidden wrist knives filled with poison.
Sakura back flip only to be trap inside of Kuroari's torso.
"No way" Shikamaru said his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Sakura-chan was captured?" Naruto said shock.
"Looks like I overestimated her..." Temari thought rolling her eyes.
Karasu's already smashed body separates into eight components, The torso is left behind while the arms, legs, and head are positioned around Kuroari, each with a sharp blade, Kankurō guides the separate pieces into slits in Kuroari's torso, impaling Sakura inside.
"One down one more to go" kankurō said smirking.
"It's not over yet... Katsu" Sakura said muttering the last part while standing a couple of feet behind kankurō with a smirk on her face.
"How did you...?" Kankurō said his eyes widening before he could say anything else Kuroari exploded destroying it.
"Hn... You didn't even realize you both were fighting an explosive puppet from the very beginning... The moment Genma yelled begin I used a replacement Jutsu to switch place with a puppet... A puppet that looks exactly like me except an explosive one" Sakura said raising an eye brow, "Arigatō... Dei for lending me your explosive clay..."
Kankurō swallow hard blue veins started appearing on both his wrist and his face before feeling his body go numb, he drop on his knee and his body fall "I... Can't... Feel... My... Body..."
"That's because of the poison Aoihane was releasing while he spins..." Sakura said smirking at his fallen form.
"Kankurō is unable to battle" Genma yelled before making sure kankurō was still alive.
"Don't touch him unless you want his body turning ash" Sakura warn before Genma could touch kankurō before looking at Shino.
Shino narrow his eyes behind his glasses before he could do anything, Sakura appear beside him hitting his pressure point.
"Shino is unable to battle, the winner is Haruno Sakura" Genma yelled.
The crowd roar.
"As expected from someone who was from the Haruno clan" the 'fourth' kazekage said, "and from someone who was trained by each and every member of the Akatsuki..."
"Hai..." The hokage agree nodding his head.
"Way to go Sakura-chan" Naruto yelled on top of his lungs.
Shikamaru smirk lazily.
Sakura walk towards kankurō's fallen body before kneeling in front of him, she pulled a shot with a green liquid inside from her boots, her hand glow blue before she grab his wrist injecting the shot on the pulse of his wrist.
"Arck!" Kankurō wince at the sudden contact before he started felling his body again.
Sakura stood up before disappearing and appearing beside Shikamaru.
"Congrats..." Shikamaru said smiling lazily at her.
"Arigatō..." Sakura said giving him a small smile.
"And now the next match Temari and Nara Shikamaru please come down" Genma yelled.
Temari open her giant fan swinging it in the air before jumping on it using it as a plane, she landed on the ground with a smirk on her face.
"Looks like you're eager, Shikamaru get down here" Genma yelled looking at Shikamaru.
"Alright Shikamaru go for it!" Naruto said smiling before pushing Shikamaru off the balcony falling down the arena.
Before Shikamaru could hit the ground Sakura used chakra threads to catch him and place him on the ground.
Shikamaru look up "Arigatō... Sakura"
Sakura nodded.
"HEY HURRY UP AND FIGHT!" Someone from the crowd yelled impatient.
"Sigh... Everyone wants to see Sasuke's fight... They're probably angry because after all this waiting they have to watch this pathetic excuse of a match between two side acts... Since nobody cares about this fight... There isn't really any point to doing it" Shikamaru thought sighing with a bored look on his face.
"What are you going to give up too?" Temari ask smirking at him.
"Aww man it's a girl again..." Shikamaru thought sighing again.
"Sigh... Well it's not like he was motivated to begin with..." Asuma thought.
"SHIKAMARU! GOOD-LUCK" Naruto yelled from the waiting area.
"If you won't come then I will" Temari said running towards him her fan ready.
"Oi! I didn't start the match yet!" Genma said.
"Oh man that girl is really revved up" Shikamaru said his eyes slightly widening.
Before Temari's fan could hit him he jump out of the way.
"Ya know I don't really want to fight... And I don't care whether I become a Chūnin or not... But I'm not going to lose to a girl" Shikamaru said smirking, "can't have a guy losing to a girl, well I guess I'll do it."
Temari smirk swinging her fan towards him.
BOOM!
"But even so... I guy just can't go around hitting women so..." Shikamaru thought hiding behind a tree on the corner of the battlefield.
"BUST HER UP! SHIKAMARU GET HER WITH A 16 HIT COMBO!" Ino yelled punching her fist in the air.
"Is it ok if I sit here?" Chōji ask eating his chip.
"What's with you? You're stomach's alright already?" Ino ask looking at her teammate.
"Lets see his a ninja that uses shadows... So he's probably trying to lure me into the trees where there'll be lots of cover... But no way I'm going to fall for that" Temari thought her giant fan open in front of her.
"Oh man... Why do I always end up fighting women? Shit" Shikamaru thought.
"Huh? Wasn't it suppose to be Sasuke's match next?" Chōji ask confuse.
"He's not here yet" Ino said looking down.
"Hmmm... But for Shikamaru to be in the finals... It seems really out of place, doesn't it?" Chōji ask continuing on eating his chips.
"GO SHIKAMARU!" Ino yelled.
"This is such a drag" Shikamaru thought looking at the cloud as if envying them, "oh man... Those clouds are so lucky... So free... More to the point, I didn't feel like doing this at all to begin with... And... I'm only a ninja because I thought it would be more interesting as one..."
"What is he doing with that dumb look on his face? Is he making fun of me?" Temari thought narrowing her eyes.
"Kamaitachi no Jutsu" Temari said swinging her fan.
Sakura cross her arms on her chest watching the match with mild interest, "Hn... Wonder what Shikamaru will do... In the end he's probably going to give up...", She raise an eye brow when she saw Shikamaru's eyes close his fingers together creating a circle he looks like his in deep thoughts.
"What is that... That seal?" Kurenai ask confuse.
"That's no seal..." Asuma said smirking.
"Huh?" Kurenai ask raising an eye brow.
"It's a habit of his..." Asuma answer.
"Habit?
"He knows how to slowly take his time... He actually enjoys it like one of those old geezers... That's why he likes things like shōgi and go... I've been playing against him a lot recently and... When he's backed into a corner he always does that... It's a sign that he's working on something... As a result... I've never won a game against him... Not even once" Asuma said explain.
"You speak of strategies... This is a real fight not a game, sheesh" Kurenai said narrowing her eyes.
"But it is said that those games originally had their roots as a device for tacticians to plot their wars with... So i guess you could say that Shikamaru's a shrewd tactician..." Asuma said shrugging.
"Shrewd? Hold on a minute I've see his grades when they were deciding the Genin squad assignments... He was supposed to be at the same level as that Naruto..." Kurenai said in disbelief.
"He always claimed it was too much hassle to even move the pencil for the academy written exams... It seems that he would always sleep through his tests... Once... It struck me as strange that he could be so strong at strategic games despite his grades... So I had him take a IQ test disguise as a game... I wasn't really taking it seriously at that time" Asuma said.
"So... How was it?..." Kurenai ask raising an eye brow.
Asuma smirk "he sure was a diamond in the rough... He is a super genius with an IQ over 200."
"2-200...?" Kurenai thought her eyes widening in shock.
"His done planning... It'll begin now" Asuma thought smirking.
"Looks like you're finally going to be a little serious" Temari said smirking.
"Kamaitachi no Jutsu" Temari yelled swinging her giant fan creating a strong gust of wind towards Shikamaru.
Shikamaru was hiding behind a tree to avoid the wind, he pulled out a kunai and remove his jacket.
"Does he really have some sort of strategy?" Kurenai ask raising an eye brow.
"P-Probably... He's suppose to..." Asuma said.
"There's no way he'll get close with that.." Ino said shaking her head.
"What are you planning?..." Sakura thought narrowing her eyes.
"How long are you going to keep running? Give up already" Temari yelled swinging her fan again.
Temari's eyes widen as she swing her close fan to deflect the kunai Shikamaru threw at the same time jumping behind the line she drew where Shikamaru's shadow won't hit her.
"Ha! It's no use as long as I'm on this side of the line there is no way... No... Hold on... Shit this is bad..." Temari thought jumping in a nick of time to avoid the shadow that pass through her line.
"Very good you saw right through that..." Shikamaru said impress.
"I see you were willing away the time... Waiting for the sun to drop lower..." Temari said smugly, "so that the shadow of the wall and yourself would grow larger... The closer to sunset the longer the shadow grow..."
"So close Shikamaru..." Ino said snapping her finger.
"But hey... How can Shikamaru use his shadow when he's in the area of shadow?" Chōji ask eating his chips.
"As long as there is light, there will be a shadow even within the shadow, you're his teammate and you don't know a thing about Shikamaru" Ino scolded.
Sakura look up and smirk noticing something "he's good..."
Shikamaru narrow his eyes.
"TEMARI FROM ABOVE!" Kankurō yelled when he saw something.
Temari's eyes widen.
"I see..." Shino thought.
"Nani?" Temari thought confuse.
A small circle shadow appear a feet in front of her.
"Oh no!" Temari said backing away in a nick of time.
Floating above was Shikamaru's jacket attach with a kunai and his forehead protector looking like a parachute.
Temari keep on avoiding the shadow.
"You won't escape" Shikamaru said gritting his teeth.
"Shikamaru is so going to win..." Naruto said grinning.
Sakura look at him amuse, "he won't... He's probably going to forfeit..." She said shrugging.
"Why would you say that?" Naruto ask confuse.
Sakura shrug again "just watch..."
Despite the 'parachute' Temari was still able to avoid the shadow at the same time thinking of a strategy.
"He's plan wasn't good enough..." Kurenai said.
"Hai... His opponent is pretty bright herself... She thinks ahead..." Asuma said.
"I'll end it here... I'll use all my chakra and create the strongest wind and rip him apart... Right now his shadow is... Good... Begin the plan... Bunshin no..." Her thought was cut off, he eyes widen "im-impossible..."
The audience look confuse except for Sakura who was smirking.
"No way... My body..." Temari thought shock.
"Heh... Finally... Kagemane no Jutsu complete" Shikamaru said smirking.
Sakura's smirk grew as she realize what she thought was right.
Everyone look confuse.
"What happen?" Kankurō ask confuse.
"That child... How many moves ahead was he thinking?" Kurenai ask in disbelief.
"That's Shikamaru's ability" Asuma said with a hint of pride.
"Why?... Won't my body move?... The shadow couldn't possibly reach this far... Besides..." Temari thought.
"I'll show you what's behind you" Shikamaru said turning his head with Temari copying his movements.
Temari's eyes widen "this hole..."
"You've notice it haven't you? The hole Naruto dug and ambush with in the previous battle... It's connected to the large hole in front of you" Shikamaru explain.
"No way... The shadow inside the tunnel..." Temari said in disbelief.
"Exactly..." Shikamaru said nodding his head.
"Hn... Using the shirt as a diversion to move her on that very spot... Smart move Shikamaru" Sakura said crossing her arm on her chest with a smirk on her face.
Shikamaru started to walk towards her, Temari copying his movement, he stop the two of them facing each other only in arms length.
"HAI... DO IT!" Naruto yelled punching his fist on the air.
"He won't do it..." Sakura said smirking confidently.
Shikamaru slowly raise his hand, Temari copying him a bit nervous.
"That's it... I give up" Shikamaru said boredly.
Naruto and ino's eyes were as wide as dinner plates, the audience were shock and confuse, while Sakura and Chōji was smirking.
"Told you he won't win... Being a Chūnin is probably way too troublesome for him besides I don't think he have enough chakra to fight if there's still a round after all the matches" Sakura said smirking smugly at Naruto.
"I told you he'll give up... You're the one who doesn't know anything about him" Chōji said smugly at Ino.
"Na-Nani...?" Temari ask shock and confuse.
"I give up... The continuous use of my Kagemane no Jutsu used up all of my chakra... I can barely bind you for 10 seconds... I'm getting tired of this troublesome match... One match is enough for me" Shikamaru said shrugging lazily.
"WINNER TEMARI" Genma yelled.
"Man I'm tired..." Shikamaru said rolling his shoulder while cracking his neck.
"Ahhh! What a waste it was his chance to be a Chūnin" Ino said her hand twitching.
"That's just who he is..." Chōji said shrugging.
"Geez... Is he motivated or not?' Kurenai ask raising an eye brow.
"I don't really know either..." Asuma said sheepishly.
"Hmmm... I think he has a better chance on becoming a Chūnin along with that Haruno girl... Although Hyūga and Naruto's match was good... But I don't think Naruto knows what it takes to be a Chūnin" Izumo said.
"Hai..." Kotetsu said agreeing with him.
"He's an idiot! This pissed me off I'm gonna give him a lecture..." Naruto said jumping off the rail.
Sakura shook her head following her idiot of a teammate to make sure he won't do anything more stupider.
"BAKA!" Naruto yelled pointing a finger at Shikamaru.
"Shut up you super idiot" Shikamaru said in a lazy tone.
"Congrats by the way" Sakura said half smirking, half smiling at him.
"Why are you congratulating him? He freaking lost..." Naruto demanded.
"Trust me he has a better chance on becoming a Chūnin than all of us who won" Sakura said shrugging before narrowing her eyes and smirking, "about time..."
"What are you..." Before Naruto could ask what she meant a strong tornado-like appear on the arena, when it was gone Sasuke who was wearing a different outfit appear back to back with kakashi.
Naruto started to grin, while Sakura raise an eye brow at her sensei and boyfriend's entrance.
"Sorry we're late" kakashi said sheepishly.
"Oh please... You just want to make an entrance" Sakura said raising an eye brow at her sensei.
Kakashi smile sheepishly behind his mask.
"Your name?" Genma ask smirking.
"Uchiha Sasuke..." Sasuke said in a monotone.
Enjoy...
Karasu - Crow
Aoihane - Blue Blade
Kuroari - Black Ant
Kamaitachi no Jutsu - Sickle Weasel Technique
Please review... :)
-xoxo-