This is my first story. Don't hate for no reason. Will take fair criticism though.

I do not own Naruto or anything related. That goes to Masashi Kishimoto


CHAPTER 26


All contestants had already arrived in the arena. The proctor was simply just waiting for the stadium to fill up a bit more as this was a public event. However, the contestants separated themselves into groups. Team 8 was close to the middle conversing slightly about their training, while not revealing too much about what they've learned. Neji was close to the wall and remained silent despite being annoyed by Lee who was trying to gain his attention. But Gaara was on the other side of the Arena holding his head muttering to himself with Temari nervous just a few feet away. And finally Shikamaru was just laying in the shade of a tree, asleep and unbothered.

Finally after around 30 minutes of waiting a voice boomed over the loud crowd, "Welcome to Chunin Exams!"

Using chakra to augment his voice the Hokage continued, "Today we have gathered here to see eight Chunin hopefuls fight in the Final Stage of these exams for a chance at a promotion. Thank you for coming and enjoy the fights."

As Hiruzen sat back down a man appeared in the center of the arena. The proctor was the man that Naruto met at the library. He had the same nonchalant look with a senbonHe shouted, "My name is Shiranui Genma and I am the proctor. As you already know these fights will be one on one battles, tournament style. Anything goes, but when I say the battle is over, the battle is over, no questions asked. Do you understand?"

To that most of the genin responded, with a, "Yes!" Though Gaara just grunted.

"Alright then Nara Shikamaru and Sabaku no Temari front and center. Everyone else, exit the arena."

As everyone walked out of the arena the two fighters walked towards the middle to meet the proctor. The blond stared down Shikamaru while he yawned. But the proctor just explained the rules, "Anything goes, except lethal force. Everything else is accepted, however when I say the fight is over, you stop immediately, do you understand?"

With two nods the proctor shouted, "Hajime!"

Immediately Shikamaru made a hand sign and a shadow shot out from under him straight towards Temari. Reacting quickly she immediately began to backpedal until the shadow stopped. Taking the metal bar off her back she quickly drew a line in the dirt.

"So that's as far as it can go?" She asked.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru groaned, "I thought I could end it quickly if I just caught you at the beginning."

"You're going to have to work a little harder than that!" She shouted as she began to spread open the metal bar, revealing it to be a fan with one purple dot right in the center. Raising it high above her head she shouted, "When you see three of these you're done!"

Then swung it down producing gale force winds shouting, "Kamaitachi!" (Wind Scythe Jutsu)

Shikamaru was forced to dodge and immediately ran into the group of trees inside the arena.

Hiding in the shadows Shikamaru once more sent a tendril of darkness in an attempt to attach it to Temari but she saw it coming and backpedaled out of range. She was about to send another gust of wind but when she saw another tendril attacking from her side forcing her to dodge left. When she was able to regain her footing she looked around to see three different tendrils of shadow.

'He is trying to corner me,' she thought, 'But I won't let that happen!'

When Temari saw the shadows begin to move she started to run in and out of their reach attempting to dodge them all. Eventually she could see the shadows struggling to go any further so once more she dug another line in the first with her fan. Then opening her fan further revealing a second dot she shouted, "Kamaitachi!"

An even large gust of wind surged forward and when it collided with the mini forest it immediately stripped all of the trees of their leaves. Shikamaru attempted to dodge it but because of its range it was blasted to the wall that was thankfully cushioned with the leaves. As Shikamaru stood up he saw Temari ready to blast him once more so he quickly hid behind a tree as the wind passed by.

Hiding behind the trees he sat down and thought about what he could do. Luckily the trees were able to withstand the constant blow as he tried to figure out a plan. Watching Temari, he noticed two things. First, that it was taking longer and longer for her to use her jutsu, which he attributed to her slowly getting tired. But the second was that he saw that there was always a second where she couldn't see him as she raised the fan above her head. With these two observations he had come up with a plan, but the first part was simply a waiting game.

Everytime Temari sent a gust of wind she expected Shikamaru to retaliate, and so did the audience, leaving the crowd confused and Temari incredibly angry. Soon enough Temari screamed in anger, "That's it! If you aren't going to do anything then I. Will. Finish. You!"

Opening her fan further to reveal the third and final dot she raised it high above her head and she swung it down she shouted, "Kamaitachi!"

These winds were so strong that when they collided with the forest it knocked down a few trees.

'Troublesome,' Shikamaru thought, 'I can't stay here for much longer'

Taking off his shirt and headband Shikamaru began tying it around a kunai into a makeshift parachute. The next time Temari sent another gust of wind, which felled a few more trees, he waited for the moment she covered her own eyes and threw the kunai and cloth into the air, making sure she didn't notice. Then when she used her jutsu one more time he let it knock over the last few trees then charged.

'Finally!' Temari thought as she was about to swing her fan but just as she tried to raise it above her head, Shikamaru threw a few kunai. Realizing she wouldn't have enough time to use a jutsu she used the fan as a shield but when she heard he opponent shout, "Kagemane no Jutsu!" Temari moved the fan to make sure that she was still out of his range and backed up slightly when it got too close for comfort. But when the shadow stopped progressing she grinned, "It's over for you!"

Temari lifted her fan, ready to swing it, when suddenly she froze in place as Shikamaru said, "Success."

"What!?!" Temari screamed, "How?"

Shikamaru looked up, forcing Temari to mimic his movements, and said, "That's how."

It was the makeshift parachute that Shikamaru had made earlier. Walking closer, and forcing Temari to, Shikamaru explained, "That created an extra shadow for me to connect to and extend my shadow. Lucky for me you didn't notice."

'Well damn,' Temari thought, 'I thought I had him.'

Temari was about to raise her hand and forfeit when Shikamaru suddenly said, "I, Nara Shikamaru, forfeit!"

"What!" Temari shouted, "Why?"

Releasing his jutsu Shikamaru explains, "Because it's too troublesome to continue. I know that I won't win the next fight, so might as well give you a shot. Also I want to go to sleep already."

"Sabaku no Temari wins by forfeit!" The proctor shouted and immediately the entire crowd booed in displeasure. Many were left dissatisfied with how the fight ended. The proctor continued regardless, "May Hyuga Hinata and Hyuga Neji please enter the arena."

After a minute both Hyuga walked out towards the center of the arena, meeting in the middle with the proctor.

Once again the proctor explained the rules, "Now remember anything goes, except lethal force. Everything else is accepted, however when I say the fight is over, you stop immediately, do you understand?"

They both nodded.

"Hajime!" The proctor shunshined away. The fight was supposed to start but Neji only spoke, "You are a weakling, and only fate has brought you this far. But now, fate will stop you here. I would tell you to forfeit but we have a show to put on."

Hinata sighed, "Fate is only an excuse for weak-minded people to avoid their problems instead of dealing with them."

"What did you say?" Neji seethed.

"I said that you… are… weak."

Enraged, Neji shouted, "I will make you eat those words." And with that he activated his Byakugan and charged. Similarly Hinata also activated her dojutsu but moved to a defensive stance. Neji immediately began to try to shut down her chakra network, starting with her arms. But every strike was easily parried or dodged. Annoyed, he shouted, "Hakke Jurokusho! (Eight Trigrams: 16 palms)

Neji thought that at least one of his strikes would have landed but still Hinata fluidly dodged each strike. But just as he threw his last jab she quickly parried it and landed a strike of her own on Neji's shoulder sending him tumbling backwards.

Neji's face contorted into a furious glare, "That is not the Jyuken!"

Hinata shakes her head, "It is not."

"Why should any Hyuga use anything but the Jyuken when it is always superior?"

"Because it isn't. The jyuken has its flaws, just as the clan's traditions do."

"The Hyuga have no flaws!" Angered, Neji charges once more with vigor, but with the same passion Hinata parried each strike and landed one of her own. Unfortunately for her Neji countered each hit with a short chakra pulse to keep his chakra points unsealed.

"We have many." Hinata charged this time, taking the offensive.

"We refuse to use ninjutsu or genjutsu and only use taijutsu." She begins, as she sends a flurry of punches that Neji blocks.

"We only use one form of taijutsu claiming it is superior, making us extremely predictable in battle," Hinata continues as she sends another wave of strikes and jabs, some of which begin to break through Neji's defense.

"And to top it all off we divide our clan into two groups, one of which are slaves for the other!" Hinata stops her attack ready charging up one final blow but just as it was about to land Neji shouts, "Kaiten!" (Eight Trigrams: Rotation) Spinning on his heels Neji exerts chakra, creating a spinning protective dome that sends Hinata flying backwards.

"Enough! Your argument is invalid! The Hyuga are a prestigious clan of Konoha because of our great capabilities in battle."

Standing up Hinata spits out some blood but speaks once more, "You claim to believe in fate, yet you broke free of it by learning the Kaiten, despite it being restricted to the Main House. If you can break such a 'sacred' clan tradition, why can't I, why can't we all?"

Neji enraged, charged once more and shouted, "Hakke Rokujuyonsho!" (Eight Trigrams: 64 palms)

But almost synchronously Hinata shouted, "Shugohakke Rokujuyonsho!" (Protective Eight Trigrams: 64 palms)

Each strike that Neji attempted to land was immediately repelled by a protective wall created by Hinata's. Every time he felt his hands being pushed back by Hinata's defense he tried harder to penetrate it the next strike but it never worked. When his attack finally ended Hinata immediately turned her defense into an offense. The attacks that were being used to block Neji's strikes were now being used to seal as many of Neji's chakra points as possible. With a final strike to the stomach Hinata sent him tumbling back.

Coming to a stop on his stomach Neji spit out some spit and blood as he arduously tried to stand. But just as he was upright Hinata attacked him once more. And with a few critical strikes, shutting down the right chakra points, Neji crumpled to the floor, though still conscious.

Kneeling down near an unmoving Neji, Hinata whispers so only he can hear, "I love you Nii-san(brother), and I love the clan too. That is why I am trying to change it, won't you help me?"

"Hyuga Hinata moves on to the next round!" The proctor shouted and immediately the crowd roared in applause. The entire audience clapped and cheered as Hinata proudly walked out of the arena and Neji was carried out, except for a group of piercing glares coming from the traditional Hyuga in the crowd and a single sigh from her father, already feeling the headache that the Hyuga elders would give him over Hinata's controversy.

But letting the cheers subside the proctor shouted once more, "Will Aburame Shino and Rock Lee please come to the arena."

A loud shout echoed throughout the stadium, "YYOOOSSHHHH!!!"

Rock Lee jumped into the arena excited for his fight. Waiting for his opponent Lee couldn't keep still from pure excitement, but eventually Shino did appear in the arena and met Lee and the Proctor in the middle.

For the third time the proctor recited the rules, "Remember everything but lethal force is accepted, however when I say the fight is over, you stop immediately, do you understand?"

Shino simply nodded while Lee shouted, "Yosh!"

The proctor shouts, "Hajime."

Both fighters got into their battle stances as Lee smiled, "Gai-sensei allowed me to remove my weights so let us have the most youthful of match Shino-san."

Without letting Shino react he immediately charged with impressive speed giving Shino very little time to reach with a kick to the side. But Shino did manage to get out of the way, while releasing a few bugs as well. Lee quickly backflipped away before any of them could attach, but Shino used the time to create a horde of clones saying, "Doton: Tsuchi Bunshin (Earth Release: Rock Clone)" and "Mushi Bunshin no Jutsu (Insect Clone)"

Five perfect copies of Shino rose from the ground and five more clones formed out of bugs that emerged from Shinos body. As the clones began intermingling and jumping around Lee was forced to destroy them one by one. Rushing the first "Shino" he gave it a kick to the side, but it dispersed into bugs some of which quickly attached to Lee. Regardless of his quickly depleting chakra Lee continued to destroy the clones. (A/N: I figure if Lee can't use his chakra, then he has a civilian amount. Which is REALLY easy to drain because your chakra amount only grows if you use it.)

When he was down to the last two clones he was exhausted. He knew that some of his opponent's kikaichu were draining his chakra, but he didn't think it would be this fast. He charged once more and dispersed both clones with a spin kick, but after he just stood there panting, too tired to move any further. Suddenly he heard a voice, "Doton: Shinju Zanshu," and just as suddenly he felt a grip on his ankles and was pulled into the ground up to his neck.

As Shino rose from the ground he took back all of the Kikaichu attached to Lee. But Lee was lost in his thoughts, 'I barely gave Shino a fight! How can I make Gai-sensei proud if I was defeated by 10 clones and 1 jutsu. I'm sorry Gai-sensei but I must keep going!'

Looking down at an immobile Lee, the proctor was about to call the match when he heard Lee shout, "This youthful match is not over yet! Kaimon: Kai! (Gate of Opening: Open)"

In a great show of strength Lee burst from the ground with renewed energy. Shino saw this and immediately made more earth clones, but Lee destroyed them faster than before. Not giving Shino a chance to react Lee charged him kicking Shino upwards high into the air. Jumping into the air Lee began unwrapping the bandages around his arms. Once he met Shino in the air Lee began to wrap Shino in the bandages, and as they began to fall Lee began to spin them. The faster they fell, the faster Lee made them spin, but just before they hit the ground Shino suddenly dispersed into a swarm, forcing Lee to release the bandages and jump away. Unfortunately a few bugs did manage to attach themselves.

'Learning to perform the Kawarimi sealless was very helpful,' Shino thought from safely on the ground. Releasing a ton of kikaichu,Shino formed a few bug clones before running through hand signs and saying, "Doton: Shinju Zanshu."

Sinking into the ground Shino let the clones fight for him, but a few seconds later he could sense his bugs dispersing. Still underground Shino wove hand signs, above ground multiple clones of Shino began to rise from the earth. But just as quickly as Shino had formed them Lee kicked them back to dust.

Knowing he couldn't stay underground for long Shino located Lee, rose up, and once again grabbed his ankles. But the second Lee felt Shino grip, he bent down grabbed Shino by the wrist and pulled him out of the ground. Shocked Shino couldn't react as Lee punched him in the gut, sending him flying across the arena and crashing into the wall. Shino tried to get out of the hole in the wall but Lee had already closed the distance and landed one more strong flying kick to the stomach, knocking him out.

Lee stood in front of Shino and cocked his arm back, ready to strike him once more if necessary but the proctor held him back and announced, "Rock Lee wins by knockout and moves on to the next round!"

Two loud shouts of, "YYYYOOOOOSSSSHHHHHHH," echoed throughout the arena, louder than any of the clapping and cheers from the audience. Maito Gai, Lee's sensei, jumped down into the arena and ran towards his student, tears in his eyes, and his arms open ready for a hug. Lee was about to run to return the hug, but the proctor quickly stood between them and said, "Not here! And not now! Now get out of the arena."

"But our flames of youth!" Lee and Gai cried.

"Out! Now!" The proctor shouted as he pointed to an arena exit.

Waiting until the two men dressed in green spandex to exit the arena, the proctor then shouted, "May Sabaku no Gaara and Uzumaki Naruto please make their way to the arena!"

To be continued...


Sorry for the late post. I will post every one to two weeks. Thank you for reading.