The arena filled with spectators. The iron-link fence reined in the edges of the arena. The sandy floor shone, sections of the silver shining in the deeps of the squares and coils of the sandy floor. White sand covered the ground.

The referee lifted his arm. "Match start!"

"Wait a minute." Sasuke raised her finger. "Before we go on, there's something I'd like to ask."

"Denied!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

Kōju drew out the tantō. Her hands shook slightly.

Naruto glanced from side to side.

The three figures emerged from the mist. One, a dark-haired girl, chuckled coldly as she regarded the team before her. Another, a long-haired boy, scowled as he regarded the pair.

"Heh. Forgive us, but we'll be starting this early." A masked figure covered in a robe stepped forward. His long white hair ran down his back.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "That's fine by me." Sanzengan! The crimson eyes flashed.

Naruto clapped his hands together. Shadow Clone Technique! Clones formed across the field.

Flash Technique! The white light flashed across the field. Kōju rushed forward.

"You shouldn't reveal your technique so lightly," the masked figure remarked.

Naruto's eyes widened. "Huh?"

"Simply put, I've now understood your strongest techniques."

Kōju pressed the blade against the ninja's neck. "That isn't going to matter. You've already said you intend to play for keeps. So you must understand we won't go lightly against you." She gritted her teeth, her face stern as she looked forward, her green eyes serious.

"You say that, but you look terrified. Your sword is shaking."

Kōju swallowed.

Sasuke lifted her arm. She drew out the scroll rapidly.

"You don't have enough time!" A sound echoed through the arena.

Kōju's eyes widened.

Shadow Senbon is perfect for you…

Kōju's shoulders shook.

Multiple senbon shot through the air.

"Don't try fighting alone!" Sasuke's hands laced together swiftly. Her cheeks puffed up. "Flame Style: Molting Blossom Technique!"

The air filled with flames.

The dark-haired girl smirked. She blurred sideways, her body vanishing.

An impact blasted into Sasuke's arms. The flames fell backward.

Sasuke gasped.

Naruto's clones leapt forward, aiming to punch the long-haired man.

The man spun sideways, his fist driving downward.

A punch hammered into Naruto's face.

Naruto swallowed. Suddenly, nausea overcame Naruto. Naruto bent over, vomiting onto the ground.

Eh? Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed.

It's the same as that time. Naruto's mind flashed back to the original part of the exams, in which the boy had been knocked over by a punch.

"We're the strongest team in this competition."

"We work together well."

"And you'll all be dead soon!"

The kunai shot toward Naruto's neck. Naruto gasped.

Kōju's body blurred forward. The tantō blocked the kunai. Kōju swallowed. "Get back. I can't hold it much longer!"

Darkness filled the air. Naruto spun sideways. His kunai stabbed into the girl's leg.

"Ow! I mean! OW!"

"Looks like we got lucky." The masked figure grinned.

"You guys aren't the best team on the chopping block, either."

"You guys probably don't know the right end of a kunai!"

"Judging from the kunai sticking into your leg, I disagree," Sasuke commented dryly.

The girl howled. She pulled out the kunai, running forward.

"Wait… Kin-san."

Kin's eyes narrowed. She glared at Sasuke. "Nice try. I'm not so easily manipulated."

"You live in a world of concepts. It's stupid. You think good always wins." The masked leader sighed.

"Right, Dosu-san!" the third shouted loudly, his large hair running down his back.

"Retreat, guys. We need to think of a strategy!" Kōju gritted her teeth.

"We're just getting in each other's way…" Sasuke muttered, growling.

"Yeah. You can't work together as a team." Dosu smirked lightly. "That's a problem."

The smug long-haired Sound genin shot a shuriken outward.

Blood poured downward.

Kōju gasped in shock, her body shaking.

Sasuke's eyes widened.

The shuriken tore through Kōju's side.

Ink rushed through Sasuke's veins. You did that to protect me...

An orange halo of energy surrounded Naruto. I'm not going to let you get hurt again.

Eh? This chakra is shaking the earth…

Naruto glanced back at Kōju.

Sasuke tightened her grip on her chain.

What happened to these guys? "Get back, Zaku-san!" Dosu shouted, clenching his fist.

"You said that we can't work as a team…" Sasuke glanced at Naruto. "You are wrong."

Naruto clenched his fist.

A miasma of power surrounded Sasuke.

The halo glistened brightly around Naruto.

"Wrap up your wound… Kōju-san."

Kōju blinked.

"You're stronger than either of us…"

"No! I'm not! I just got in your way and—"

"Shut up a second." Sasuke glared at the group of Sound ninja. "You are strong. You didn't have to call on something else for power. You used your own power. Not someone else's."

Kōju blinked away tears. "Guys."

"Seriously, wrap up the wound. We'll take down these freaks together." The tattoo shone on Sasuke's face. "You're wrong, Dosu-san."

The arena air grew heavy.

The spectators fell silent, a hushed breath awaiting the words.

"The world of the mundane is boring. It's the idea of no future world. It's the idea of the now…" Sasuke's fist clenched. "And the world of the now is boring."

"Yeah!" Naruto agreed, clenching his fist.

The desert floor shifted. Pieces of the ground cracked under the impact of the power.

These guys aren't more powerful with this.

Kōju wrapped up her wound. Her eyes grew firm.

"Attack, Naruto!" Sasuke shouted.

Naruto spun sideways. His knee slammed into Zaku's face.

Zaku's eyes widened. Huh?

Sasuke blurred sideways, her foot slamming into Kin's face.

Zaku gasped. He spun sideways. A tooth fell onto the ground.

"Don't think we're the same as before!"

"We fight for that world of dreams…"

Kin flew backward through the air.

"We're not the same as people like you!"

"As people like you. Huh?" Dosu's eyes narrowed. "You shouldn't make such stupid mistakes. You completely ignored me!"

"You guys only fight together because you're afraid!" Naruto declared. "Afraid of your village's leader!"

Dosu's vein throbbed. "Afraid, huh?"

"Naruto is right, for once." Sasuke's hand tightened on her chain. "It's not the same as our bond." The chain tightened around the fist. Though I often say stupid things and fight with those guys, I really do love them. I wouldn't let them come to harm in any way. Sasuke tightened her grip on the chain. She tugged firmly.

Zaku rose to his feet. His arm extended.

Roughly, Kin hurled her senbon, her body disrupted by the chain.

It's not enough. Naruto frowned.

A tear ran down Kōju's cheek.

We need to keep pressing her upward. She still doubts herself. Maybe this will do. Sasuke tugged sharply on the chain.

Naruto shoved Zaku's arm downward.

The sound cannon shot through the air. The senbon needles pierced the rough skin.

Zaku gasped. The needles dotted the flesh.

Kin fell backward. One of her arms hung useless.

"You bitch! You're trying to earn Orochimaru's favor?"

Orochimaru?! Sasuke's eyes widened. These guys? No, that's a question I can answer later!

"You're the one who hit me, dumbass!" Kin roared.

Kōju stared at the pair.

"Do you understand?"

Kōju's eyes widened.

"We exist in bonds of friendship. These guys existed only in bonds of necessity."

"When you injured me a little, earlier." Sasuke touched her side, pointing out the faint wound. "I wasn't angry. I didn't shout at you."

Kōju's eyes grew hard. "You're right. Looking at that team, I understand the true difference between us now."

"Say farewell." Zaku lifted his hand, swaying from side to side. "That trick won't get you far against us!"

Dosu smirked.

Kin wobbled slightly.

The curse mark faded from Sasuke's skin. "Ugh."

"A bunch of separate branches break easily. But branches together won't break." Naruto's shoulders tensed. I can't keep up this form for long without losing control.

"Amusing." Dosu smirked. "With enough force, any number of branches breaks!"

Kōju drew back her arm. "You believe so." Kōju gripped her sword tightly. "It's been a while." She gripped the tantō tightly. "Flash Technique!"

"I've already seen that technique!" Dosu extended his fist, punching through the air. She has to attack from the front. The same pattern exactly, to the letter. The body stopped in midair.

"Kōju-san!" Naruto shouted nervously.

"It's not the same!" Kōju smirked as she appeared behind Dosu.

A log fell on the ground.

Dosu's eyes widened. It was Substitution Technique! The blade shot through Dosu's kneecap. Bone shards shot into the floor. Dosu screamed. "Ugh!"

"What did you do?!" Sasuke demanded, her eyes wide.

"I incapacitated him quickly and efficiently. It's better than killing him, right?" Kōju responded calmly.

I won't forgive you. Zaku's hand lifted in the air. The air glowed. Wind blew into the hand.

Kōju gasped.

Sasuke blurred forward, catching Kōju in her arms. Stay safe and sound here.

The cannon slammed into the wall.

"Shame that takes so long to recharge, isn't it?" Naruto questioned, his eyes narrowing. He lifted his fist, grinning.

Zaku's eyes widened.

Naruto punched Zaku in the face. Blood poured downward.

Zaku swallowed blood. He started upward, his eyes narrowing.

Naruto gulped. Um. That wasn't cool at all. Let's see. His hands clapped together rapidly. "Shadow Clone Technique!" Naruto's clones piled on top of the figure.

Zaku swallowed.

The body fell motionless under the weight.

Sasuke blurred chain wrapped around Kin's legs. Sasuke tugged rapidly.

Kin fell to the ground.

"Surrender."

Kin gasped in shock. "Oh, hell!"

"Also, watch your manners." Sasuke's hands tightened on the chain, now pressed against Kin's neck.

"Examiner?" Kōju wiped off the blood from the tantō with a white cloth.

"…Win, Team Heretic Priest."

"Eh?"

"That's you guys."

The arena doors opened.

Sasuke smirked. "Good."

"Now…"

Kōju rose to her feet.

"A few matches are still going on. So vacate the floor for now. Both of you." The examiner glared at the Sound team.

Kin growled.

The trio hurried into the bleachers.

"Either of you want a drink or some udon, while I'm up?" Sasuke questioned casually. She stood up.

"Ooh! Tell me if they have any ramen!"

You know, the only reason you haven't hit puberty yet is because you keep eating only that. A drop of sweat ran down Sasuke's forehead.

Kōju sighed. "Er, don't worry about me for now." Her stomach growled.

"Ice cream, right?" Sasuke questioned.

"Ice cream," Kōju agreed, her face turning slightly crimson.

Sasuke sighed. Honestly, you two. Rising to her feet, she walked over to the stand. Midway over, she bumped into a tall man, falling over backward.

The man offered his long-fingered hand.

Sasuke accepted the hand. Her eyebrows furrowed. "My deepest apologies," she stated, bowing her head.

The man smiled. His violet eyes flickered. "Not your fault." He reached into his pocket, drawing out a group of ryō.

Sasuke's eyebrows rose. "I couldn't possibly."

"Take it." The man grinned. "You did pretty damn well out there. Not many people can turn around a loss like that."

Sasuke sighed. "With due respect, it was thanks to teamwork and alliance. We couldn't have won so easily otherwise."

"With due respect, that's not what I'm referring to." The man's grin broadened. "I'm talking about Zabuza."

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"Take care. You're pretty interesting people, you know." The man waved, turning away.

Who the hell is this guy? Sasuke's body shook slightly. She walked over to the stall, ordering the requested dishes as well as some ayu. Turning back, she walked over to the pair and sat down.

"Looks like it's getting started now." Naruto grinned.