Previously on Konoha no Yoko: Chuunin Exams, Team 7, with Kabuto by their side, survived the Forest of Death. It was assumed that the three young Shinobi had secured their positions in the third and final phase of the Chuunin Exams. However, they quickly discovered that their positions were not secured, and now, they must fight in a series of preliminary matches in order to advance into the third and final round of the Exams. Sasuke defeated his opponent but nearly succumbed to the malevolent influences of the Curse Mark if were not for a long forgotten lullaby that drew him away from the darkness and the madness. Now sealed, Sasuke was left to recover from his ordeal and await news of his teammates. Will Sakura and Naruto defeat their own opponents or will they face a setback that threatens their chances of fulfilling their hopes and dreams?

~Scroll 32~

The names, Tsunegi Misumi and Kankuro, displayed vibrantly on the message board as the remaining Chuunin applicants looked around to see who were Tsurugi Misumi and Kankuro.

Naruto just blinked as he remembered Kankuro's name. Glancing toward the Nin from the Village Hidden in the Sand, the petite blonde noted that the Noh-faced Shinobi looking rather smug while the Suna Jounin looked a bit disappointed in the Noh-faced youth's behavior, and the redhead just looked angry.

"All right…" Hayate murmured once the next opponents were present in the arena, "then… you may begin."

Misumi sneered beneath his bandana at the sight of his opponent.

"Even though you're a little brat…" The Konoha ninja began, "I'm not letting my guard down like Yoroi did. In fact, let me make one thing perfectly clear… You'd be better off forfeiting the match before you get hurt. This won't take long at all."

"I agree…" Kankuro replied as he slipped his baggage from his shoulders, "I'll be finished with you in no time."

Misumi felt himself twitch at his opponent's haughty tone as the Suna Nin propped his strange cargo up. Wanting to teach the foreign Genin a lesson, Misumi leapt into a charge with every intent to finish this match in one strike.

His left arm pulled back for a hard back-hand strike.

Kankuro blocked with his own left hand.

Misumi chuckled, confusing the Suna Genin.

Suddenly the Konoha's arm wrapped itself around the Noh-faced teen's arm.

"WHAT?!" The entrapped teen yelped in shock and shudder as he felt his opponent's body wrap around his own, like how a rattlesnake native to the teen's desert home would wrap itself around a prey.

Kankuro's cargo was dropped to the ground as the youth attempted to free himself from the Konoha's grip.

"In order to gather intelligence," Misumi commented, "I've had my body altered so that it can infiltrate even the smallest space. I can dislocate every joint and manipulate my limp body by the power of chakra alone!

"And with this same power, I can keep squeezing and constricting until your bones crack! The longer you wait to surrender, the tighter I'll squeeze!"

To emphasize his point, Misumi squeezed, causing Kankuro to groan as well as a few of the teen's joints to pop in attempts to relieve some of the pressure being compressed against the youth's body.

"I don't know what your own ninja art may be…" Misumi continued, "But once your body is helpless in my hands, it doesn't even matter. And if you give the smallest hint of trying anything clever in order to avert defeat… then I'll snap your neck like a twig!

"You're running out of time…"

A silence wrapped around the pair when it was suddenly broken by a humorless laugh.

"No way…" Kankuro answered as he renewed his struggles against the Konoha Nin.

"Do you want to be the one WHO DIES…?!" Misumi exclaimed in surprise at the youth's apparent death wish.

"Do you?" The Noh-faced Suna countered, "You're about to get your wish!"

Misumi tightened his hold while Hayate looked on mildly, not even flinching when the arena echoed with a thunderous SNAP!

Kankuro's body become limp in Misumi's hold.

While up in the balcony, Naruto tilted his head to the side in confusion, missing Rock Lee's whimper.

"He broke his neck!" The green-clad teen whispered, but Naruto frowned for he can still hear with clarity the Noh-faced teen's Heart Song.

Hayate just sighed at the sight before him.

"Hah!" Misumi crowed, "The fool! He just wouldn't give up… so I killed him."

The Konoha Nin slowly began to release his hold when suddenly the teen's head turned a complete 180 with a parody of a grin.

"And now I can return the favor!" The Suna creature cackled as the Noh-face chipped away to reveal a strange mechanical face.

"Wh-what?!" Misumi exclaimed in horror as the thing suddenly turned the tables on him and wrapped its mechanical limbs around the Konoha Nin.

It was then that Misumi understood what he was dealing with… a Puppet Master! From the corner of the Leaf Shinobi's eye, he saw his true opponent unravel from a cocoon at his feet.

Kankuro laced his marionette's strings with more of his chakra, strengthening his doll's grip on the extremely flexible Genin.

"Think how much more flexible you'll be…" The Sand Nin taunted, "With all those bones of yours broken to bits."

"G-give… up…" Misumi managed to squeak out before letting loose an agonizing scream.

"But…" The Noh-faced teen said over his opponent's scream, "I'll leave your neck intact."

Hayate smiled as he tried to suppress his coughing. Pleased with himself for not calling the match when it was believed that his fellow Shinobi had killed his opponent.

"Due to Misumi's inability to fight back…" The proctor called, "the winner of the match is Kankuro!"

Up on the balcony, the remaining members of Team 7 watched the match's calling, causing confusion in the two Genin.

"Two of them against one guy…" Sakura commented then turned to her sensei, "Isn't that against the rules?"

"Not in this case." Kakashi explained as he subconsciously leaned into Naruto, "The 'other guy' is just some kind of golem…"

Sakura's eyes grew wide in understanding as she turned back to the arena. The Suna Genin had used the Art of the Puppet-Master, enabling the Noh-faced teen to manipulate his lifeless doll through the power of his chakra. Therefore, in this instance, the golem was a weapon, just like her set of shuriken throwing stars.

"In any event…" Hayate's voice broke through the pinkette's musing, "it's time for the fourth match."

Naruto suddenly let out a sharp gasp, causing Sakura to turn around to check on her little brother. A frown marred her face when she was the petite blonde looking worried and her sensei looking somber.

"What is it?" She asked.

Kakashi then pointed toward the message board and uttered one word.

"Look."

Turning around, she did as she was told. Her eyes grew impossibly wide at what she saw. Now, she understood why Naruto had looked so troubled… she was in the next match… against her one time best friend, Yamanaka Ino… steeling herself for what could possibly be her toughest fight, Sakura began to make her way down to the arena when she felt a gentle warmth, much like a mother's hug, engulf her. She looked down at Naruto's hand around her own before looking into his expressive oceanic blue orbs.

"Be careful, 'nee-chan." He whispered then leaned in close, "Don't forget… who you are… 'kay?"

The pinkette smiled at her little brother's advice, finding strength and resolve in his simple words.

Win or lose, she was going to give it her all…

Here, I come, Ino… are you ready? She mentally asked, because I am… I am Haruno Sakura of Team 7! And I am not going to back down!