AN: Wanted to say thanks to those who dropped some suggestions in the last chapter!

AN2: Also, I've already decided every single match up for these preliminaries and who'd be fighting who. Honestly I'm really eager to see y'all's reactions to some of the matchups and their results.

Trickshot

Chapter 25

-Naruto-

Ignoring the looks a few of the other competitors were giving him, Naruto kept his gaze focused forward. After the sound team had had surrendered their scroll the group of six had rushed to the tower. The extra scroll his apparent cousin still had on hand was the one his team needed while the one from the Sound Trio gave Sasuke's group the requirements to enter. With a couple days left on the time limit he'd decided not to be stingy and made an army of Shadow clones to forcibly clear a path to the tower, removing any obstacle in their way.

From the moment he got to the tower onward he'd been in meetings with the Hokage and various Jonin as he gave debriefings as to the incident with Orochimaru, his message in the Journey Book thankfully putting the village on high alert. He knew Sasuke was getting the Curse seal looked by Tenzo and Asuma. Then there was his cousin apparently having to have her death faked? It was a lot to take in and he'd definitely be trying to get more answers once this whole mess was over and done with.

"Congratulations, to all those assembled." The old man nodded to Naruto and the others who'd managed to get through the Forest of Death with their scrolls, "You have proven that you all are the best and brightest your villages have to offer. The third test of the Chuunin Exams will be a tournament held in one Month's Time. This is to provide time for the various dignitaries and visiting Kage's or their representatives being sent to arrive."

Naruto grinned, eager to show the world what he could do. Around him, he could hear a few of the other Genin who'd made it this far muttering similar thoughts.

"Unfortunately, your trials today are not quite over." Naruto gulped as Old Man Sarutobi gave a serious look as the air grew tense, "To put it simply, there are too many of you. The dignitaries coming include politicians and noblemen, those who won't want to see an excessive amount of fights. There are thirty-two of you here right now. This number is going to be cut in half through a preliminary round."

"Are you shitting me?!" a snarling shinobi from Mist glared angrily, "We made it through your stupid second test!"

"Yes, and now you will have to get through the preliminaries to make it to the final rounds." Old Man Sarutobi was unphased by the white haired genin's glare, "Your performances here in this preliminary will be taken into consideration for promotion but if you would prefer to simply quit then you may leave now and be escorted back to the village."

Nobody moved to quit.

"Good." Sarutobi pulled out a pipe "Then I shall allow the Third Exam Proctor, Hayate Gekko, to take over from here and explain the rules." As he spoke, a new man with dark eye bags stepped forward.

"I am Hayate." The identified Jonin declared, "And I'll keep this simple. The fighters of each match will be decided through random lot. For the fight itself the rules are simple. One, you do not attack or use any form of technique on anyone besides your opponent. Violate this and you will be stopped and then disqualified." Given the number of Jonin in the room it was easy to guess how the rule breaker would be stopped "Second, you do not leave the immediate area of the fighting ring. Leave it and you're disqualified. Third, the fight goes until surrender, until death, or until incapacitation. Finally, if I tell you to stop fighting and you don't then you will be stopped." The room was deadly silent as a screen blinked to life on the back wall, names flashing through it as the randomizer began.

It eventually stopped on the names Sasuke Uchiha and Kabuto Yakushi.

"Everyone but the chosen fighters head to the upper floor." Hayate ordered as Naruto sent his friend a look, Sasuke returning it with a nod. He'd shared his concerns about Kabuto with his friends when he had a free moment so Sasuke would take this seriously. Getting up to the upper balcony, Naruto stood beside Tenten, glad to have her presence reassuring him after the chaos of the forest.

"Fighters…begin!" Hayate ordered once everyone was in the proper spots. The instant the words left the man's mouth, Sasuke surged forward, blade lashing out at a wide eyed Kabuto.

"Whoa there!" the glasses wearing Genin looked surprised by Sasuke's speed.

"Take this seriously." Sasuke glared, the suppression seals around the mark left by Orochimaru shifting and moving as if alive. Just at a glance Naruto felt he could name a half dozen improvements that could be made to the whole array.

"Fine." Kabuto's eyes were on the new seal as well, "Let's see if I can get rid of that booster of yours!" Kabuto unsealed a brush, already ready with Ink, from his gear as he moved to mark Sasuke's neck, affecting the still fresh suppression array. Sasuke looked stunned at the move, the last Uchiha of Konoha having probably expected a jutsu or a kunai, not ink. That shock gave Kabuto the time he needed to mark over the array, ruining the not yet fully bound suppressor.

"No." Naruto grit out, squeezing the railing, Tenten noting his reaction and putting a hand on his shoulder. Thankfully breaking out of his shock, Sasuke lashed out with his twin blades, Kabuto having to leap back quickly to avoid getting cut.

"Sucker." Sasuke smirked, moving rapidly as he tossed his torso down, shooting his foot up to connect with the jaw of the airborne Kabuto who seemingly couldn't avoid it mid-air, a second spun kick catching the Glasses wearing shinobi in the side of the head, knocking him out.

"Kabuto is Unconscious." Hayate declared after giving Kabuto a chance to get up or show if it was him 'playing possum', "Sasuke Uchiha will proceed to the Final Rounds." Giving a gesture, a couple medic nin came to carry off the unconscious Kabuto, "Kabuto Yakushi will be taken back to the village to be treated as needed."

"That…that was too easy." Naruto frowned, keeping his voice low even as Sasuke was escorted out by his sensei and Tenzo. Most likely to reapply the suppressor seal.

"It was almost like he wanted to lose." Tenten nodded, the bun haired beauty sharing Naruto's opinion of Kabuto as a potential spy.

"The next fight will be Temari Ishida against Tenten Higurashi." Hayate announced as Naruto's attention refocused on the randomizer screen, seeing his girlfriend's name was indeed up there.

"Good luck Tenten." Haku gave a respectful nod to the weapon's mistress.

"Kick her ass Ten." Naruto pulled his girlfriend into a hug, smiling as she squeezed him back tight before heading down to fight the blond from Gaara's team. The sand user was smirking smugly as she leaned on a massive closed fan, meaning she was no doubt a wind user, something that would have a distinct advantage against someone who only used projectiles.

As Tenten moved to get into her spot, Naruto noted that the Sensei for the sound team was nowhere to be seen.

-Tenzo-

"Seal!" Tenzo's voice was firm as he imbued the re-applied ink with his chakra.

"Hnnn!" Sasuke grit his teeth at the painful sensation of the Curse Seal being imprisoned once more, "Is…is that it?"

"Yes, that should hold so long as nobody sabotages the array again." Tenzo nodded, helping the young Uchiha back to his feet, "It should take a couple days to stabilize. This 'Curse Seal' is as powerful as it is strange."

"So glad to see you appreciate my work dear little Yamato." The sickening voice of the monster who haunted his nightmares came from the shadows as he and Asuma drew their weapons, "Now, now, I'm not here to fight. I just thought I'd check up on what was mine." As he spoke, the smirking Snake Sanin stepped into the light, seemingly unconcerned about the odds.

"Yours?" Asuma scoffed, the heir to the Sarutobi clan glared hatefully at the man many had stated the Hokage had once cared for above all others, "Didn't realize you were that delusional."

"Be quite Asuma, the adults are talking here." Orochimaru crooned as he moved to take a step closer to Sasuke who was glaring, Sharingan out.

"I hardly think a traitorous pedophile counts as an 'adult'." Asuma flared his chakra, wind whipping around the small room they were in, "But try it if you fucking dare. Me and Tenzo are more than ready to make you choke on your own fucking intestines."

"Like I said, I'm not here to fight." Orochimaru chuckled, seemingly unphased by the insults "I'd rather not have to deal with the hindrance of your father and the other Jonin coming to annoy me after I finish killing the two of you." And Tenzo could tell the traitor was fully confident in that being the result, "I just thought I'd give you a little message to take to dear old Hiruzen."

"Why not tell him yourself." Tenzo spoke up, "I'm sure he'd be more than willing to come visit your cell in prison."

"Cute." Orochimaru sneered, "But I don't think I will." The man was calm as could be and Tenzo hated that he had every reason to be. In an enclosed area like this he was sure he and Asuma stood a decent chance of taking down Orochimaru. But only if they worked together, avoided getting in one another's way, and even then, they wouldn't be able to protect Sasuke at the same time.

"My message is this. To thank him for preparing such a delectable piece for me in young Sasuke." Orochimaru's long sinewy tongue flicked out like a snake to lick his lips, "A heart like that? One so desperate for revenge? He will come to me all on his own after a mere taste of the power I can offer. And I cannot wait to see his reaction to it all." The comment turned into a laugh that faded as Orochimaru Shunshined away, his cackle echoing in the dark room.

"That guy…" Sasuke finally spoke up, having kept quiet during the standoff, "loves the sound of his own voice way too much." Asuma's laugh at that statement drowning out Orochimaru's fading echo was greatly appreciated.

-Tenten-

The second the fight was permitted to begin Tenten was moving, hurling a handful of Kunai to test the defenses of her opponent who yawned, swinging her fan lazily. The created gust of wind sent her Kunai scattering to the ground.

"Seriously?" Temari sighed, "Is that the best you Konoha Shinobi can do?" not bothering to respond to the taunt, Tenten charged forward, unsealing a Kanabo from her glove as Temari had to rapidly dodge. A quality war fan would likely be durable enough to take a hit from a regular sword if hit while closed but from a club? The blunt force had a much higher chance of ruining the fan.

"Kick her ass Tenten!" Naruto cheered her from the second floor as Tenten couldn't help the big grin that split her face.

Temari noticed it as well and huffed, "Oh? Just wanting to put on a little show for your boytoy huh? I guess I can show him what a real woman can do after this is over." Tenten felt her eye twitch, knowing damn well that the sand kunoichi was just trying to piss her off. That said, just because she was pissed doesn't mean she'd give Temari the openings she wanted.

"Hah, my boyfriend would break you like a little twig bitch." Temari smirked as Naruto cheered louder.

"…Guy Sensei, was Temari's response Youthful or unyouthful, I am confused?!" Lee shouted at his usual volume, Neji face palming beside him loudly.

"All you've done is swing a club like a caveman and throw a couple little knives." Temari spat, sneering down at Tenten even as the fan opened wide "Are you sure you're even a Kunoichi?"

"You want me to show what I can do?" Tenten huffed, annoyed that she had to bring out one of her better tricks now but knowing she didn't really have much choice. She knew thanks to training against Naruto, as well as from the stories from more experienced Jonin, that wind users were a pain to fight. She wasn't strong enough to power through the wind to hit Temari with a physical strike yet and her regular thrown weapons would just get blown aside.

Luckily, she still had the new trick she'd developed with Naruto.

Leaping up high, showing off the powerful legs she knew Naruto enjoyed, Tenten unsealed eight of the extra thick chakra paper cards, hurling them as they curved in the air, each with a different trajectory letting them spread out while still being aimed at Temari.

"Explosive seals? How pedestrian." Temari gave an exaggerated sigh of disappointment.

"Explosive? No." Temari smirked as she flared her chakra, the seals on each card coming to life, "Seals, yes!" as she spoke the eight pieces of paper each became a Fire Dragon Jutsu.

The seals were the best thing she and Naruto had designed to date. The exact 'breakdown' of a jutsu, seals absorbing ambient chakra into the air and molding it into the proper shape to become the desired Jutsu. The only downside was how much of a pain it was to make, as those eight were the only ones she had. Temari didn't to know that though.

The Sand Kunoichi looked on horrified at the massive fire Jutsu, her wind being something that would only make the flames stronger if she tried to counter it. Still, Tenten was careful where she aimed and made sure that Temari would still have room to dodge even if it would leave the blonde girl backed into a corner. She didn't want to deal with the drama of killing an allied kunoichi in these exams, especially the daughter of the Kazekage…even if the girl was a bitch.

"So, had enough?" Tenten smirked, unsealing more of the thick cards and readying them to throw, even if these ones hadn't gotten the seal treatment yet.

"I surrender!" Temari shouted hastily, the girl's mind likely reeling after having gone from what seemed like an impossible to stop hard counter to Tenten's style to being countered herself.

"Winner by Surrender is Tenten Higurashi!" Hayate nodded as Tenten grinned, hearing Naruto cheer the loudest. As she blew her boyfriend a kiss, she saw the wheel start to spin to choose the next fighters and saw the first name selected.

Naruto Uzumaki.

AN: Yep, that's the trick she and Naruto thought up before the exams. It'll be improved and expanded on as she trains in the story of course. I thought it fit with her marksmanship skill while still being something distinctly new and unique.