Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

"Feel like the rules are beneath you because you're an Uchiha?" Taro taunted. Mikoto glared at them, but Itachi took no notice of their jibes. Jun seemed oblivious to the insults being hurled at his fellow Konoha shinobi. In a bad mood, Mikoto stomped back to the stands with her teammates.

Chapter 15 – The Third Round

"Now that they've all arrived," Shino said with a disapproving glance at Itachi, "the next round of matches can commence." The four shinobi looked at each other, wondering who they would have to face.

"First up is Taro no Sunagakure against Uchiha Itachi no Konohagakure." Inwardly, Itachi groaned, but he kept his face expressionless. The puppet master looked pleased.

"Good. Now I can show you how your village is inferior to mine," he boasted. Like before, Itachi ignored him, choosing to vent his anger while he fought, not beforehand. Taro soon gave up, realising that his taunts were having no affect on his opponent. Meanwhile, Tadashi and Jun had made their way up to the viewing gallery to watch the fight from a (hopefully) safe distance.

"Begin!" Shino said, backing away from the two shinobi. In the blink of an eye, Taro had Karasu out and prepared to fight. Itachi calmly activated his kekkei genkai and waited for Taro to make the first move. He obliged, sending the dangerous puppet racing towards him at an incredible speed. But not fast enough. With a look of contempt, Itachi dodged the charging puppet. Taro grinned and flicked his fingers. Karasu flew through the air towards Itachi's back. Itachi sighed as he side stepped the puppet.

"Is that all you've got?" he asked scornfully. "A useless toy?"

Taro snarled.

"You won't think he's so useless when he kills you!" he spat back.

Itachi shrugged.

"To kill me, you'll have to hit me - which, so far, you're failing to do." He dodged as Karasu hurtled towards him again. "Pathetic."

"I was hoping to save this for the final match," Taro scowled. "But you've given me no choice, Uchiha!"

Itachi smirked.

"If you're resorting to your 'killer technique' already then you are nothing special."

Taro snarled, then grinned. There was an ominous 'click' behind Itachi, causing him to turn his head slightly. Another puppet was standing there, and its barrel-like body was opening. Before Itachi had time to react, Karasu jumped at him, forcing him to stumble into the container, which snapped shut around him.

What are those slits for? he wondered, seeing small beams of light. There was the sound of something being dismantled. Blades! he realised. He's going to plunge some blades through these. That means I have to get out of here. Stay calm. Focus. All my Chakra to my hand… NOW!

Taro grinned. He could hear the people who knew what was about to happen screaming or shouting. Save your breath – he's a gonna, he thought scornfully. Then… BANG! The puppet that contained Itachi creaked alarmingly. BANG! The wood gave out and the puppet broke, leaving Itachi standing there with a smirk on his face.

"You thought that would finish me?" he asked scornfully. "I'm not that weak." There were cheers as the audience worked out what had happened. Taro scowled.

"Mister popularity, eh?" he asked scornfully. "Pah. I'll give you credit – no-one's ever broken out of Kuroari before."

Itachi shrugged.

"Is it my turn yet?" he asked, almost bored. Taro shook his head patronisingly.

"That was your turn," he said. Karasu lunged again, to be easily avoided by the Uchiha. He made his clan's famed handsigns. Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu! A ball of fire roared towards the wooden puppet. Cursing, Taro moved the puppet so that it wasn't incinerated, but it still got slightly singed.

Damn you, Uchiha! You're not even using high level jutsu, he thought. Just how strong are you, that you can overpower Karasu and Kuroari without high level jutsus?

"Why are you playing around?" he asked the Uchiha. "If you're so good, why don't you use a powerful jutsu to take me down. Why play games?"

Itachi smirked.

"I'm not stupid. I'd rather keep my high level jutsu for when I need them, not just to show off. But if you insist… I'll use a slightly stronger technique." He disappeared. Taro looked round for him. Suddenly he got kicked from below and went flying into the air, pursued by Itachi.

"Kage Buyō…" the young Uchiha said. "Followed by…" he pummelled Taro down to earth, which knocked the Suna ninja out on impact. "Shishi Rendan!" He landed neatly and waited. Shino walked up to Taro and turned him over.

"The winner is… Uchiha Itachi no Konohagakure." The stadium erupted. Itachi chose to make his way back up to the viewing gallery to see who he would have to face in the final. "Would Kai Jun no Konohagakure and Tadashi no Amegakure please make their way down to the arena," Shino said. The other two shinobi walked down the steps to where Shino was waiting.

"Begin."

Kurosu no jutsu! Tadashi had performed the jutsu almost before Shino had finished speaking.

"Kuchiyose: Ishi Bashirisuku!" Jun said, once again summoning the anti-genjutsu beast. Tadashi laughed cruelly.

"You think that'll stop me beating you?" he inquired. His dark skinned opponent shrugged.

"Could do," the quiet boy said. Tadashi scowled at him.

I'd hoped that he'd be discouraged by my previous fights. But then again, he does know Uchiha Itachi, so perhaps he thinks I'm not as strong. Oh well. He'll have to learn the hard way. I want to fight Uchiha in the final match and no-one is going to stop me.

Jun looked at the Ame ninja calmly. The basilisk looked at him and he nodded. The mythological creature swiped at the young Ame ninja. Tadashi gasped as a deep cut formed across his arm. He then smirked in triumph as the basilisk howled in pain. It had also been wounded. It glared at Jun, thinking that it had been a trick and Jun had done it on purpose. But when it saw the puzzlement on the dark boy's face, it realised that he had not planned it.

"What is that jutsu of yours?" Jun asked Tadashi, who shrugged.

"It's my kekkei genkai – Kurosu. You don't stand a chance against it."

Jun glared at him.

"Whatever." Kuchiyose: Goburin Kaidame! A gang of green-skinned goblins appeared. Ishi Bashirisuku: Dispel! The basilisk disappeared. Jun stayed stock still. It had been a risk, summoning the goblin pack. They were allianced to no-one, so he was in as much danger as Tadashi. The Ame ninja laughed.

"Scared?" he asked. The goblins locked their gaze onto him and snarled. As one they rushed at him. Tadashi's eyes widened in shock.

Of course! He wasn't moving because they attack anything that moves. All I have to do is force him to move… and he'll be attacked by his own Kuchiyose! Kuchiyose: Joro Senbon! An umbrella appeared in the sky and pelted Jun with senbon. Instinctively, he raised his arms to protect his head before realising his mistake. The goblins nearest to him had seen the movement and were targeting him.

Damn that Ame ninja! Everything is going his way! Jun thought furiously. Goburin Kaidame: Dispel! The goblins disappeared – but not before one of the stronger ones had managed to carve a deep gash in Jun's chest. Similarly, Tadashi was also cut open by the goblins.

"Now it's about our stamina," they both thought. "Who passes out from blood loss first?" They both drew kunai and charged at each other (The Kurosu had dissipated). The knives clashed and both their arms started to shake as they lost blood rapidly. Faster than the eye could follow, Tadashi drew a second kunai and stabbed Jun in the side. The Konoha ninja collapsed.

Thanks for reading!

Tsari