Hi! I hope you all have been having an excellent Spring Break! Preferably, I'd rather be in Cancun checking out wet t-shirt contests...but I'm not cool enough. Oh, and I don't have the money.

Anyway, here's the next chapter. Before I go on, I should add one thing regarding the story: The Akatsuki leader is NOT the fourth. He's connected to him, but he's not him. No one in particular guessed that, but I thought I should get it out of the way, just in case.

Now in regards to reviews: Make no mistake, I'm grateful that so many of you are reading this story, and I truly appreciate the reviews I do get. However, if I get around 6 or 7 reviews most of the time, and then one chapter gets only 4, particularly when I expected more, I get a bit disappointed. So, I'm sorry if my attempts to be funny at requesting reviews made me look like a complete douche bag instead. I truly appreciate you all just reading my story, but I would like to hear from you how I'm doing and what I may need work on. So, if there are, say, 5 or less reviews for a chapter (the latest ones, don't worry about the ones in the past) then please leave a review (of course if there are 6 anyway, another is appreciated).

I should also add that I've been going back through the story and fine-tuning everything. Most is just modified dialouge. However, I have either added or changed a few scenes:

1) Some extra scenes with the cloud nins that were under Kenji's control, plus what happened right after the battle between Naruto and Kenji.

2) I changed how Sakura healed Kakashi after he was poisoned by Sasuke, because I misread how she healed Kankuro.

3) I changed how Sai saved Naruto from Amateratsu(I'm sorry for ignoring your comment like that Infernal Malestorm)

4) Itachi did not use Tsukiyomi on Iori when they first kidnapped her, he just hypnotized her. It contradicted how she responded later in the earlier version

5) Kuma, Jaa's opponent in the preliminaries, used explosive tags and not the fireball technique. Kuma was supposed to be a bully, not a prodigy. I thought having him learn the fireball technique was unrealistic for him when any genin able to do what Sasuke did was considered unrealistic.

Also, I changed any previous technique names to Japanese(they're probably very inaccurate though), and I've given a list of what means what.

Now HOLY SHIT!! TEN REVIEWS!? AWESOME!!

Wruth: I'm working on the descriptions part, and please, let me know how I'm doing! I can't tell you what I'm planning with Team Naruto, but don't worry, they won't blow everyone away..

JDay:...Japanese is the dumbest language ever, so sue me!(I'm kidding) Something SHOCKING will happen once I'm through with the chunin exams.

Mrfipp: Sorry dude. Next chapter. Anyway, I'll have some plans for Neji later. If you hate me for killing Tonton, you're really going to hate me later on for the other things I plan to do in this story (but with the exception of maybe two, each incident will have a happy ending.) Just remember: Kizu is not the fourth, and he sure as hell ain't any of those other characters you listed. I can't tell you what I plan with Hidan, but rest assured: Shikamaru's got nothing to worry about.

HawkofNavarre: You'll see soon enough. As for the length, I don't know why, but every time I put in just a FEW extra words in a chapter, the word count SKYROCKETS. I think should have focused more on that instead of what scene breaks we used (I feel sorry for those who've had much longer works than me).

Kyuubi93: Um, you do know I'm a greenbelt in karate? And done Muay Thai?

KingTW: Yes, I get annoyed when Naruto gets a trio of students who are gifted. I wanted them to be much more human and realistic. Like I've said in PM, them resembling Team 7 was intentional, although they will still have their differences from one another.

Pirogeth: Which guy? Illjwamh? Well, I guess he'll have to send me a polished draft of one of the chapters, but I'm glad you think my descriptions are good.

Doom187: Well, as the main character of The Kite Runner said: Cliches are right on. So, certain events and how they end may be a bit predictable, but it's the process that matters.

Now let's get on with the story!

Two Daimyos sat in the arena. One was from Tea Country, the other from Wind Country.

"Hmm…" the Tea Daimyo said. "His Genjutsu and Ninjutsu are pretty bad according to these stats, but his taijutsu is off the charts! He should be strong enough to beat that runt! I'll bet a thousand on him!"

The Wind Daimyo, seemingly uninterested, said "Very well. I shall bet on the Miyamoto boy."

"Oh, and why would you?"

"Let's just say…it's a hunch."

"I'll be honest. His stats are pretty bad! How about 10 to 1?"

The Wind Daimyo at first said nothing. Then finally, he breathed and said "If you must."

Yuji put his hands into his pockets as Jaa squared off against him. From the stands, Naruto sweated with anticipation.

"So," Kakashi began, "do you think he can win? Yuji, I mean?"

"I'm not sure." Naruto answered. "His taijutsu has improved, but not enough to beat this guy. Not alone. His other skills need work to…but they just might give him the edge he needs in this fight!"

Sakura peered through the window of the medical corps, thinking about Yuji and her past with his father. "Should I have taken responsibility before? Helped to take care of him? If so, how come his mother didn't come to me?" Once Naruto returned, she put it in the back of her mind and became obsessed with trying to help him and Sasuke anyway she could. As of now, her busy career made it nearly impossible to take an apprentice, or at least care for a child beyond work in the hospital. That was irrelevant right now. Yuji stood before a powerful opponent. He had one chance of winning…but as great as his potential was with Tsunade's strength, there was no telling how far he came with that one fluke during his training. And against a taijutsu specialist such as Jaa, if he missed, he lost. "All I can do is watch." Sakura thought. "No matter how badly either one of them are hurt, I'll do my job and make sure they are back on their feet in no time."

In another part of the stands, Team Gai, along with Hiashi and Hinata, sat together. Neji was curious to see Lee's two pupils fight, but at the same time, he was obligated to be there to observe Hanabi's match.

"So, Lee…" Neji asked. "…how good is Jaa?"

Lee shot up from his seat and clenched his fist."Jaa-kun is one of the most gifted taijutsu specialist EVER!! THE POWER OF Y-"

"Okay, okay, I get!" the Hyuga yelled. He then sighed in annoyance. "Some things will never change." Neji then focused his attention on the other boy."What about the other one? I heard he was Naruto's student."

Lee kept himself silent for a minute. "Miyamoto has…unusual tactics."

"Define unusual."Lee tapped his finger nervously, and whispered into Neji's ear. His passive look turned into one of shock. "I'm sorry I asked." Neji turned back to Jaa. "Even so, the odds look in Jaa's favor. Then again, when I fought Naruto, it was the same situation."

Yuji took his hands out his pockets and threw some shuriken. It was probably the most predictable trick in the book, but it was a good way to start things off. Jaa blocked them all with his muay kaad chuek, where the weapons became stuck. Jaa ran forward and performed a simultaneious elbow and knee attack, but Yuji leapt to the side. "I can't beat him in close range!" Yuji thought. The young genin shot a wire and wrapped it around Jaa's leg, and pulled. However, instead of falling over, Jaa launched off with his free leg using the force of his opponent's pull and aimed a round kick to his kidney. Yuji barely managed to block with both of his palms, but the force of the kick sent him flying. Yuji jumped back up, paying no heed to his hands; the palms were already bruised. Jaa was upon him in an instant, and despite the initial shock, Yuji tried to jump away. Jaa, however, landed some solid punches to his solar plexus.

Holding his stomach, Yuji tried to back away again, but a long knee sent him flying. "Zou Seppun!" Yuji rolled on the ground at an incredible speed.

The student of Konoha's hyperactive ninja panted heavily, staring at the sky. "He's far above me…I don't have his training…there's no way I can…" His thoughts of despair stopped there. He clenched the dirt and struggled back up. "No…There may still be a way…I still have lots of tricks up my sleeve that I haven't tried…" He faced Jaa, and reached back into his pockets once more…

Iori gripped the rails nervously. "He's good…" The red-head then felt a hand on her shoulder. "Shiguri?"

Shiguri didn't look at her, but stared straight ahead in the arena. He then said "I'm not counting him out just yet. Yuji's been waiting for a chance just like this. As a little kid, he was hoping his dad would watch him when his time would come. However, now that his dad's not with him, he's driven more than ever to win. There's no one back at home telling him it's okay he lost. Not even Naruto-sensei can fill that void. So, to prove to his father he's become strong, he's determined to win this battle by himself. This is the only way he can prove to his deceased father that he is strong. And to himself that he's worth something."

Iori didn't respond, even though she heard every word he said. She only continued to look on…

Yuji showed his hands again, but this time did not throw shuriken. No, he brandished a new set of weapons. His dad's spider gauntlets, customized to fit him. "I haven't had much practice with these. But there's no time like now to see how they will work out." Yuji crossed his arms over his face and smirked. "Now the real fun begins."

Yuji rushed forward, and Jaa came straight at him. "Hanuman Ukagu Lanka!" Jaa leapt into the air, anticipating that his enemy would do the same. However, he guessed wrong. Though Yuji made it seem like he would jump, at the last second he shot his leg out and slid on the ground. He aimed his gauntlet, and fired. The wire hit Jaa right in his calf muscle. When Jaa cried out in pain, Yuji pulled his wire and slammed him to the ground. His control would not last, as Jaa pulled it out and was back on his feet.

Jaa then leapt into the air, preparing a double elbow strike. "Aikyou no Kamigami!" His elbows caused the ground beneath him to shatter…but it counted for nothing. Yuji used his spider gauntlets to pull himself away, and onto the arena wall.

Once he stabilized himself on the wall, looked at his gauntlets with awe. "These work better than I ever imagined they could have!" Yuji formed another cocky grin on his mouth and fired another wire. Though he was eager to use them some more, he knew by now there had to be more innovative ways to use them. "This calls for a diversion. I've brought a few spare wires on me."

Yuji threw more shuriken, most of which Jaa easily dodged. However, what he didn't know was that the shuriken was attached by wires. Controlling them like a wire, Yuji dragged them around the ground and caused the dust to rise. Yuji then aimed the gauntlet. Though he couldn't be seen, Yuji couldn't see Jaa either. Tapping on the button several consecutive times, wires from each hole at the edge shot out towards the dust cloud. Though most indeed did miss, he heard a satisfying yell. About three wires had pierced Jaa: One in the shoulder, another in the foot, and another in the leg. However, instead of agonizing in pain, Jaa pulled the wires. Yuji couldn't resist Jaa's strength, and was not only pulled off; his wrist nearly broke as well. Yuji slammed his palm onto the other side, and the wires released him. Before he hit the ground, he shot his weapon at the arena wall, and brought himself back up to the wall. Yuji clutched his wrist in pain. "I can't let him get hold of ANY part of me!!"

Jaa dropped the discarded wires and ran forward. "I've got to fight up close! That's his weakness!" Halfway to the wall, he leapt into the air. "Konoha Su-pa Gufuu Isshuu!" Another wire was fired directly at him, but it missed the foreigner by a hair. However, due to his twisting motion, he couldn't see what was coming next; the wire was snagged by another, which happened to pass over him parallel to the previous wire. Yuji then pulled the two wires and caught the older boy, immediately ruining his technique. "What the-?" Yuji launched himself off the wall and planted a double kick into Jaa's face. Jaa fell face first onto the arena floor, whereas Yuji landed on his feet right ahead of him.

Naruto grinned with excitement. "Where did he come up with those!?"

"His father, probably." Kakashi replied. "I worked with his father a couple of times. And as I'm sure you know, the comrade on his final mission was Sakura." Naruto looked at the copy ninja, and nodded solemnly. "Those weapons are his father's. But if you didn't teach him how to use them during your training period, it means one thing."

"What?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi looked at him, closing his one eye indicating he was smiling. "You've got a genius in the making."

Jaa ran forward, charging. He dodged more wires, and took special care to look out for any surprises from behind. Yuji kept firing and retracting the wires. He didn't get another hit in, but so far, he was keeping the powerhouse at bay. When Jaa was nearly upon him, he shot a wire to the left and avoided having his stomach impounded by a push kick. Before he had time to counterattack, something moved at him with great speed. He blocked with his guanlet…and realized his mistake too late. Jaa threw one of his bones at him instead of a fist. It landed with such great force, and shattered the metal contraption, spraining his wrist even more as well. "Shit!"

Yuji was on the other side of the arena by now, but Jaa wouldn't let him escape. "Prepare yourself!" he yelled. He brought his remaining bone down on the ground, Yuji dodging only by a hair. Yuji shot a wire from the gauntlet once more….but Jaa was one step ahead of him and flipped over. He landed behind Yuji and swung a backfist. Instinctively, Yuji blocked it. "Hebi Dappi Gaihi!" Jaa thrust his other fist across Yuji's side. The muay kaad chuek cut through the skin and caused Yuji severe pain. Though he only let out a gasp, he still faltered back and turned his back on him. Jaa leapt into the air, and aimed for the one remaining gauntlet. "Hisan Musutangu!" His foot, with precise accuracy, landed on the remaining spider gauntlet and shattered it…

"Hahaha!" The Daimyo of Tea country laughed. "I can't believe how easily I'm going to win this!! You've seen the stats themselves…why didn't you bet on him first?"

The Daimyo of Wind Country replied "I've checked who their teachers are…the Kazekage held Miyamoto's instructor with the utmost respect. So, naturally I trust him."

"Well, maybe it's time to invest in another village! I was the one who should have made you bet 10 to 1! But with the sum of money we betted, I suppose I can be perfectly happy with that!"

Yuji tried all the standard blocks he could, but against Jaa's roundkicks, they only served to damage his arms. Yuji tried some counterattacks with some basic punches, but Jaa blocked them all with his elbows. Jaa countered with elbows, but Yuji was able to get away in time. However, he didn't see Jaa slip his hands behind his neck and grab him. Jaa clenched Yuji and sent a knee to his stomach. If he had eaten a more filling breakfast, Yuji would have lost it by now. He was thrown back tumbling. Yuji got up, holding his stomach, but Jaa showed him no mercy. A push kick to the face, and a left hook to the jaw later, Yuji was spinning out of control. Somehow, he managed to stabilize himself and put up a proper guard. Jaa's look changed from one of killer intent…to one of concern. Yuji noticed this too, even though he was seeing double.

Jaa got out of his stance, put his hands together in praying fashion, and bowed, never taking his eye off Yuji. "Please, accept your defeat. You have fought bravely, and I do not wish to cause further harm to a comrade. You cannot win."

Yuji looked at the boy in shock. What kind of shock, no one could really tell. Then, his eyes narrowed dangerously. He wiped the blood of his cheek and thrust his fist forward. "You insult me. I've been told to give up all my life, and everyone who told me so did it with my safety in mind. But the fact is, I'm sick of that attitude. I've made my choice the day I graduated from the academy. And I'm going to accept everything that comes with it! If you are really concerned with showing me respect, then come at me with everything you've got! I promise I'll be the one to make you give up!"

Jaa actually kind of liked this guy. He understood where he was coming from, and regretted suggesting he forfeit. Not because he was afraid, but Yuji did make a point: many people took that as an insult. Jaa got into his trade-mark fighting stance and smiled. Not a cocky smile, but a genuine one of admiration. "Very well. I apologize. I felt I had to offer."

Yuji got into his own fighting stance as well. The two stood still for a good minute. Yuji was expressionless, but the sweat trickling down his brow was a good indicator he was nervous. "I don't have enough wires on me. And my taijutsu can't…" Yuji's eyes widened in a sudden realization. "THEIR taijutsu can't beat this guy. But what about yours…father?" Yuji then put his hands into a rake-like shape…

Naruto stood up from his seat. "What is it?" Kakashi asked, not taking his eye off the two combatants.

"Eight Extreme Fists." Naruto mumbled. "He's going to try it."

Kakashi looked at Yuji down in the arena. "Eight Extreme Fists…yeah, I remember Ryu-san practicing it. Efficient, but difficult to master. Did he-?"

Naruto shook his head. "He's learning the basics. But he's far from mastering it. I don't think it will be enough, especially against a taijutsu specialist."Naruto relaxed somewhat, and sat back down. "Besides, a lot of this he seems to be doing more for becoming like his father than a chunin in general. That's what worries me."

Kakashi smiled underneath his mask. "True. But I can tell from up here his guard for that style is perfect. You never know…"

Jaa took note of the change in guard. It was unusual…but definitely not for show. Jaa yelled, and charged. Just as he was practically on top of Yuji, Jaa used his back leg to deliver a fearsome, super-powered round kick. However, Yuji saw it coming. He ducked, grabbed the leg at the ankle, pulled it in…and slammed his elbow forward into Jaa's groin. The tan boy didn't cry out in pain; more like sputtered as he was flown back. Everyone in the stadium stood up in shock. Most of them couldn't see it, but the execution wasn't flawless; a new bruise began to form on Yuji's side. "As soon as I let go, he was able to follow through and catch me there." Yuji was careful not to clutch his side. He could not afford to give any weakness. "This style is softer then his. I've got to remember that."

Eventually, Jaa was up. Though he was still in pain, he ignored it and ran forward. He threw various kicks, punches, knees and elbows…but Yuji made sure to back away. "Okay. I need to find openings…" He saw Jaa come in with a right hook…"There!" Yuji stepped forward and struck the attacking arm's joint. Though its force still sent a shockwave through Yuji's arm, he ignored it and sent an elbow to his opponent's sternum. Jaa doubled back, his breath cut off by only a second. Jaa went got into the position for another round kick and fired. Yuji dodged it, but Jaa twisted and leapt into a flying knee to Yuji's left shoulder. It made Yuji loose feeling in his arm, but had he not jumped back in time, it would have been dislocated completely.

Yuji threw a smoke bomb to buy himself a second, and moved his arm to get it working again. He barely saw Jaa jump through the smoke in time to duck. Jaa touched down, and turned around to face Yuji.

"That's an unusual style. What do you call it?" Jaa asked.

Yuji adjusted his glasses and breathed. "Eight Extreme Fists. I'm still learning it."

Jaa then replied. "Interesting. Mine is called the Science of Eight Limbs."

They began sizing each other up, and then a multitude of blows followed. Jaa blocked all of Yuji's blows with his elbows and knees. He countered with his hard strikes, and though it still caused some damage to Yuji, he parried each of Jaa's blows. Jaa attempted another push kick, but Yuji dodged. It still managed to cut open his shirt and give him a few good scratches over his abdomen. But Yuji pushed on and grabbed the leg. Yuji put his leg behind Jaa's, positioned his head against the foreigner's body, and used it and a foot sweep to throw Jaa headfirst into the ground. Yuji stumbled backwards a couple of steps, slightly shocked at what he had just accomplished. His sparring sessions with Naruto helped tremendously. That being said, he didn't have the conditioning Jaa did. The few blows that Jaa landed on him did incredible damage, and Yuji did everything he could to ignore the pain and keep up with Jaa's pace. He was exhausted by now; he wasn't sure if he could afford to fight any longer. "I really hope that did it…"

"Here, Korn!" an eight year old Jaa called. "Here boy!" The elephant, while a juvenile, was still very big, over 2 meters in height. Korn walked through the mud and wrapped its trunk around Jaa,. It still had some of its nose free, and used it to noggie the little boy. "HAHAHA! Korn! Stop it!" The boy was about to hug the big animal's giant leg until they heard a scream. Instinctively, the elephant grabbed its young master and threw him on his back. The elephant ran through the battlefield of exploding kunai. Jaa, realizing the danger, lay down on the creature's back. He heard that flytrap ninja were planning to attack them, but why now? Jaa glanced a look to his left where he saw a farm worker drop dead from a kunai to the back of his head. The rice paddies had weapons sticking out instead of reeds. The thing that got to Jaa the most was that the water was beginning to turn red. Jaa closed his eyes, trying to block out the horrifying images. Korn got hit by some kunai, but he was strong and thick-skinned enough to stand it. "Mom! Dad!" Jaa cried, afraid to look. But he knew to find them, he would have to.

Soon, he saw his parents, grabbing what little belongings they could "Tiger! Thanks goodness you're safe!" his father shouted. They brought with them Korn's parents, who circled around the calf. Jaa, despite the carnage surrounding them, smiled as he saw the two elephants touch and reassure their offspring. "Our soldiers are not prepared!" Jaa's father shouted. "This battle will go to Panther country. We must leave." The man said with a tone of sadness…

"For the last time, you cannot bring those animals in here, sir!"

Jaa's family had travelled for over a year, and finally made it to Konohagakure. While no ninja village was entirely safe, it was said to be the most powerful and the kindest of all the main villages among the five great nations. Jaa's family needed that protection.

Jaa stood behind the elephants while his parents bowed down to the ground. "We're begging you sir." his father said. "Our home was destroyed, and we have no place else to go. These elephants are family to us. We can't abandon them."

"Get o-"

"What is the meaning of this!?" a new voice bellowed. It wasn't particularly intimidating. In fact, it was a woman's voice. A tall, beautiful blond woman.

The guard ran over and bowed to her. "Hokage-sama! I apologize for the commotion!" Jaa's eyes widened. THIS was the famous Hokage? "The papers are all clear Hokage-sama." the guard continued. "But they refuse to leave behind these animals. I told them to turn them loose, but-"

The Hokage at this point wasn't listening. She instead walked over to the animals. Jaa couldn't tell directly, but the small growls his elephants made indicated that this woman was a force to be reckoned with. However, cautious though they may be, his elephants were very good with people unless provoked. The Hokage came up and petted one on the trunk. The elephant in turn touched her with his trunk, gently of course. "Are they good with people?" she asked.

Jaa's father bowed and said "Yes!"

"How much do they have to eat?"

"Lots, but we'll work very hard to keep them healthy!"

Tsunade sighed. "Even if you were to start some kind of business involving these three, you'd barely get by." Tsunade then noticed Jaa next to Korn. She turned around to face his parents. "Tell me, do you intend to sign up your son for the academy?" Jaa's parents struggled to find the right words. "I can tell you all come from a war-torn nation. I understand the concern you have for your son. But right now, the best chance you have of living happily is for him to become a ninja. Don't worry; it will be a while before he truly gets thrown into the battle field. And he will not be a tool for conquest as long as I'm around. You have my word on that." Tsunade then turned around and headed for the gates. "Give me one day. I need to make some land for your pets." She turned to the guard. "Ichikata! Make a tent for them until tomorrow!"

The guard was stunned at first, but bowed hastily. "Y-Yes Hokage-sama! But I'll need help!"

"I'm looking for some chunin right now to help you with that."

"Thank you! Stop by again sometime soon!" Jaa's family used the elephants to make a good business; riding, tug-of-war, water fighting…in terms of gross margin, they were doing great. Net profit, not so much. Their elephants required a lot of food, and most of the money they made went into that. It was hard for them. But it was better than the condition their home-country was in. At least here, they were safe, and getting some meals in was better than none.

Soon, Jaa came into view. His father smiled and was about to say hi, until he noticed his son's melancholy look. He walked over and placed his hands on Jaa's shoulders. "What's wrong, son?" Jaa was crying, and he suddenly ran away and threw something onto the ground. The crouched and picked it up. It was his son's report card. And the only subject he got a passing grade in was Taijutsu…

Jaa spent his day off kicking a giant log. His shin was getting battered and bruised, but he paid the pain no heed. It was standard training where he came from. Besides, it was a good way to blow off some steam. "I signed up for ninja training to help my family! But I'm not good at anything! How-"

"Jaa!" Jaa stopped what he was doing and looked at his father. "Ah, you've been practicing some boxing. That's good, that's good." Jaa's father walked right up to him and gave him a pat on the back. "Listen. I know you've been having trouble back at the academy. So, I went to the Hokage to ask if there's anything she could recommend. When I explained what you were having trouble with, she came up with a plan that will allow you to graduate." Jaa's face lit up almost immediately. "First, pass your academics, obviously. Then, you need to get A's in teamwork, shurikenjutsu, and taijutsu. If you can do that, she says she'll give you an instructor who will be perfect for you."

From that day on, Jaa went back to the academy with a new sense of hope. He accepted his faults, and would put everything into the subjects he could do…

After about three years, Jaa had finally graduated. He felt both proud and ashamed. It was only because the Hokage dismissed genjutsu and ninjutsu from his curriculum that he passed. "Will it really help in the long-run? Genjutsu and ninjutsu are essential skills. How can I hope to help the others?" He was in a room with one boy and one girl, both a part of his new team. He was still shy and withdrawn, so he hadn't really talked to them…

"Welcome, my new pupils!!" The three genin turned in shock to see a young man with the most bizarre green outfit they have ever seen. "Today is the beginning of Team Lee!"

Jaa's eyes shot open. "I cannot loose here! Everything I ever fought for is right there! I must take it!" Jaa shot back to his feet like a rocket and stared Yuji down. "I can't loose here!" Jaa ran forward, and cocked his fist back. Yuji stepped in to prepare to block the fist, but he miscalculated: it wasn't a fist Jaa would attack with, but his elbow. The elbow grazed across Yuji's ribs, causing him to twist around. When Yuji managed to use the momentum to face Jaa again, his jaw instead met with his Hanuman technique and was sent flying into the ground.

Naruto sighed in disappointment. He wasn't angry at Yuji. On the contrary, he did much better then he could have hoped. But after seeing him on a winning streak and then back to square one, he felt kind of bummed out.

"Anything else he's got?" Kakashi asked.

"Well…not that I can think of."

"What about the super-strength?"

Naruto's eyes widened at the thought, then he shook his head. "That was a fluke. He wasn't properly trained in it. Sakura-chan agreed that maybe someday either she or Ba-chan may train him, but it would have been a waste of time to focus on that at the last minute."

Kakashi looked away, smiling. "If only he knew…" He saw the young genin train at night. He practiced the super strength for hours until he was almost out of chakra. "It's still unlikely he can win, but he grasped the basics...you still got a chance, kid."

Another knee met Yuji's stomach, who was struggling to stand up. Yuji pulled out a kunai in an attempt to slash at Jaa. Jaa ducked out of the way, twisted three times and landed an elbow on Yuji's side. "Demukaeru Chijin!"

The impact threw Yuji right into the tree, causing the bark to crack and peel. "Oh man. This isn't looking so good for me." Yuji thought. Despite the incredible pain, he managed to stand. Jaa ran forward again. "I don't know if I can win…if…."

Jaa was running at an incredibly fast speed this time around, faster than before. The weights behind him showed why. He was almost upon Yuji, and prepared a devastating knee…which Yuji placed his hand on. Yuji used the momentum to launch himself up and delivered a double kick to Jaa's face once more. When they both landed, one on his feet, the other on his back, Yuji yelled "Why'd you do that!? Why did you stop your attack!? If you're that hesitant to hurt me, you might as well forfeit right now!!"

Jaa hoisted himself back up. "What is he talking about? He shouldn't have been able to see it coming, not in his state! Could it be…could it be for him, that time had stopped?" Jaa got into another fighting stance, his knee raised high, ready to leg-check. He threw a volley of punches, all of which Yuji dodged easily. Yuji shot back some quick jabs. Though they made Jaa stagger, they weren't enough to do any real damage.

Jaa continued his barrage, but Yuji dodged each strike and countered. Yuji slammed his opened hand against Jaa's fist, pulling it down. Then he sent an eye rake against Jaa's eyes, blinding him. Before he had a chance to clutch them, Yuji sent a spear-hand into his throat. The red-scarf protected him from being knocked unconscious, but it still hurt like hell, and it left him open for more attacks…

Sakura looked from the windows in awe. "What was that? He shouldn't…" Then it occurred to her. "That's what Ryu-sensei had back in the day! That was the possible Kekkei Genkai he was talking about!" Sakura couldn't help but smile…

Yuji's mother did not take a seat in the arena. She was too nervous as it was. She had to stand. She chewed at her fingertips, her mind not focused on the battle. "How could I? How could I let him convince me to allow Yuji to be a ninja!?" She was, of course, referring to Naruto. She didn't know why, but something about the way he spoke got to her. Something in the back of her head told them to give them both another chance. Another chance despite the fact her only child came so close to death. Another chance despite the fact she hoped Yuji would take a non-violent job. But then, she actually shot a glance at the battle and looked. She couldn't believe it! Yuji was winning! He dodged every blow that just a minute ago he couldn't hope to avoid. And he was doing some damage to his opponent as well. Mrs. Miyamoto couldn't comprehend it…

Jaa was thrown back into the wall. He was much faster without his weights on, and he landed many solid blows on his opponent before with them. Why was he failing to connect now? Yuji came forward with a side kick, but Jaa rolled away in time. He then flipped over Yuji and landed behind him. He cocked his fist, and let a spinning backfist fly. However, even with his back turned, Yuji ducked at the right second and leg sweeped Jaa. The taijutsu specialist landed on his back again, but rolled and put some distance between them.

Jaa panted, and looked around. "I can't hit him. There must be someway to numb his senses. But what?" Jaa shot a glance to his discarded elephant bones. "That's it!" Jaa dashed for it, Yuji following him closely. Jaa retrieved it and leapt out of the way just as a kunai came sailing past. He tucked it in behind his back. "Maybe he can see attacks coming, but I doubt he knows what I'm getting ready for." He threw some kind of oil on it. "Now for the next one!" He ran, easily dodging the shuriken coming his way. Once he reached his second bone, he repeated the same process. "All right!" He picked up the bones as though they were swords, and got into a fighting position. "Let's do this!"

Jaa charged, swinging his bones wildly. Yuji still dodged easily. He jumped onto one of the bones and prepared to attack. However, grinded the two together, causing some kind of smell to invade his nostrils. Yuji jumped back, hacking for a few minutes.

Yuji wrinkled his nose before he turned to fight again. "Whoa, those things reek!" he thought. As he closed in, he realized that he was beginning to feel weak in the joints. His kunai felt like a huge grocery bag, and he was having trouble standing straight. Jaa swung again. Yuji ducked, and shot an uppercut. Jaa blocked with another bone, and Yuji backed away before the horizontal swing could get him. And it did. His glasses at least. This sent a shock through the crowd. After having perfectly dodged everything, Jaa had scored a small hit on Yuji.

Yuji was, needless to say, surprised. The fact he lost his glasses didn't scare him; he could see well enough without them. But there was no way Jaa could have gotten faster. "How did he manage?" Yuji ignored the trail of blood that was pouring down his forehead, a flesh wound.

Jaa charged again, once more trying to pound his enemy. Yuji continued to evade the attacks, but it was getting harder and harder, and he was starting to feel weaker as well for a few seconds. However, as it went on, he felt his strength return. Yuji didn't know how long he had if his temporary sickness would return.There was no longer any opportunity to counter-attack, so Yuji decided that it was time to resort to old tricks. He hadn't used it on this guy before, so tactically it was quite sound. Yuji fired his wires the way he normally did before. They hit something, but not Jaa. Where Jaa should have been, his bones were instead. "Wha-?"

That tingling sensation went off, but not in time. He looked up to the sky, and saw his opponent too late. "Gekigen no Ono!!" The tip of Jaa's elbow landed square on Yuji's skull. Yuji stumbled again, blood pouring down his head. His world was both spinning and duplicating itself several times over. He couldn't react in time to prevent himself from getting clenched.

"Kakekomi no Yagyuu!!" At lightning speed, several knees landed right in Yuji's sternum, and there was nothing he could do about it. Jaa delayed the last knee, cocked it back, and in a shot more powerful than the rest, sending Yuji shooting up like a rocket.

Yuji coughed blood in midair, struggling to get a hold of his surroundings. "There….must be…something…" Yuji fired his wires to break his fall, but his failing senses wouldn't allow him to grab hold, and he fell to the ground. He somehow managed to land right, otherwise he would have broken a leg. Yuji panted again, and looked to the sky. "I've got nothing. My gauntlets are destroyed. His taijutsu is better then mine, and whatever was happening to me a few minutes ago wore off. Dad…what else can I do? I've struggled for so long…I can't just give up like this! I've waited too long. There has to be a way! There…" He didn't know why, but somehow his vision focused long enough to look at the window above the waiting room where the other contestants were. He saw a pink dot. "That's Sakura!" Despite the pain his skull was in, the wheels in his head began to turn. "I've got a plan." Yuji struggled to rise….

"What happened?" Naruto asked. "He was doing great there!"

Kakashi looked forward, his face as placid as ever. "I think Ryu-san was right on the money that he was the first in his generation to generate a new Kekkei Genkai."

Naruto looked back at him. "Yeah. Sakura-chan told me about her mission with Yuji's dad, and it did have something to do with him being able to dodge like crazy. But if he did inherit it, why did it stop working?"

"I noticed Lee's student had poured some kind of oil on the bones. It's hard to tell from up here, but I smelled some kind of poison that I'm familiar with. It doesn't kill; it just makes you feel ill for just a little bit. I'd imagine that is exactly what happened to Yuji. Even if it wore off by now, that ability of his is no longer present. I remember Ryu stating that if he took a major hit to the head, his sixth sense didn't work."

Naruto clenched his fists under his chin. "He did great." Naruto commented. "He held his own against an opponent who was far above him and returned some damage. What do you think?"

Kakashi smiled. "I don't think he's ready. But with some training, I'd imagine that in less than a year, he will be."

Naruto smiled back.

Yuji was back on his feet, but he was staggering. He couldn't keep his balance. "Oh no. It won't work. I've only got one shot. He'll dodge it. It's over…" His eyes, though unfocused turned to the ground. Then, another idea.

"I promise I'll make you say 'I give up!'"

Yuji had to smile. "I said that. Didn't I? Well, I guess it's time to fulfill that promise!" Yuji concentrated the best he could. Despite the fact that he couldn't focus like he did when he was in goo condition, he could feel the chakra gathering up in his hands. "I managed to get some of it down pat. Not as good as Sakura's, but it should do." Yuji smashed his fists right through the ground. Then, he acted like he was trying to lift something. "It's still so heavy…but….!"

Suddenly, the ground cracked. Jaa stumbled backwards, wondering what was going on. He jumped again when he felt something from underneath. The ground was moving up! The stretch of ground that separated him and Yuji by twenty meters was no longer part of the earth…and Yuji was holding that piece with his bare hands. "How!? If he was that strong, his blows would have ended the fight from the get go! Even kill me! Was he…was he holding back this entire time?" Yuji's hold on the slab of land did not waver. Jaa tried to think of a way to end this, his resolve shaken. Nothing. "Mom…Dad…Lee-sensei…I'm sorry. I can't win. But someday, I promise you, I will make it!" Jaa held his hand up. "I give up!"

Everyone was in shock. "The winner!" Gendou yelled. "Miyamoto Yuji!!" Gendou just grinned. "Hmph. This just keeps getting more and more interesting."

Yuji smiled, his eyes glazed over. "You…fell for it." Yuji let go of the slab, and fell over.

Jaa jumped off and landed beside the crumbling piece of debris. "He…he was bluffing!?" At first, Jaa was furious…then, a smile formed on his lips.

"There is more to becoming a chunin then winning."

He remembered Lee's words as he got them ready to sign up for the exam. Jaa put his hands into prayer position again, and bowed. "You were a worthy opponent. My congratulations to you. I think you have rightfully earned it."

Tsunade shot up from her seat, still holding on to it. "Impossible…" She turned towards Shizune, who looked as surprised as she was. "Shizune, do you know anything about this!?"

Shizune shook her head "No, Tsunade-sama! It's inconceivable that anyone other than Sakura could have obtained your strength!"

Tsunade sighed and sat down. "I see…"

"Yuji!!" Iori jumped off the railing, Shiguri following after her. Iori ran towards Yuji, hoping he was okay. Finally, she knelt down and cradled Yuji's head. Shiguri went over to his side.

"I-Iori? S-Shiguri? Is that you?"

Iori delicately brushed her hand across his head, staying mindful of the injuries he sustained. "Yes, it's us. Come on, let's get you to-"

Yuji planted a hand on the ground, attempting to stand again. "No…I'm okay."

Shiguri sighed and held two fingers in front of his friend's face. "Yuji…how many fingers am I holding up?"

Yuji had trouble focusing. "Uhh….seventeen?"

"MEDIC!"

Sakura got to work on Yuji immediately. "He's a stubborn kid….a very bad concussion, several broken ribs, and he looks as beaten as a slab of meat at a butcher shop…don't worry, nothing I can't handle." Sakura poured her chakra into Yuji's wounds. Since she and the others were expected to care for other injuries, including ones more life-threatening than this, she was only doing the bare minimum to put him in stable condition. "There. Now sleep it off." Sakura commanded Yuji.

"No way!" the genin responded, and struggled to sit up. "I need to watch the other matches and plan my counterattacks, or else…!"

Soon, Naruto stepped in. "That's not your concern anymore."

Yuji looked at him curiously, then his eyes widened in horror. "You mean-?"

Naruto nodded his head. "Yuji…you won the fight, but Sakura has ruled you unfit to continue." Yuji started to form tears in his eyes. Then, he leapt off from the bed and started to run. Naruto and Sakura shouted simultaneously "Hey!! Get back here!!"

Either one of them could have easily stopped him before he reached the door. However, Iori appeared and beat them both to it. Before Yuji could respond, Iori punched him and knocked him to the floor. "OW!! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?"

Iori simply grabbed him off the collar and brought him to a face that looked like it could kill. "You imposter!! The Yuji I know would never do anything incredibly stupid!!" Yuji's eyes widened again. "Don't you realize it yourself!? You've been battered and bruised beyond anything you've experienced before, and you won only because you tricked that other guy into giving up!! If you could fight more, it's more likely that he would be the one in here!!" Iori set her friend on his feet and turned her back to him. "Besides…didn't the Hokage say that they'd determine if we become chunin not by winning, but by the skills and wits we have displayed?"

Yuji didn't know what to say: He was so focused on winning he completely forgot about that. He turned his head away, not saying anything for a full minute. He then looked up to face Naruto and Sakura. He bowed, ableit slowly. "I apologize. I know you were only looking after my well-being. It was selfish of me to behave the way I did." Yuji then managed to stand up straight. "But…I can't sleep just yet. I have to cheer my friends on…so please. I promise I'll take care of myself once this is all over."

Naruto and Sakura looked at each other, a smile forming on both of their lips. Sakura looked at him. "All right…I give you permission to watch from the sidelines. After the tournament is over, it's strict bed rest for you."

Yuji bowed again. "Thank you so much!" Yuji turned back to Iori. "Thanks…for setting me straight." Iori smiled slightly, and nodded. "Hey, it's your turn now, isn't it?"

Iori blushed slightly, and said "Well…"

"Let's go!! You wait for me any longer, you'll forfeit the match! Hurry!" Iori did as she was told and ran outside. Yuji was about to do the same, but nearly fell over.

Naruto ran to grab him, but Shiguri walked up and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. "Don't worry, I've got it taken care of." Shiguri said.

As soon as they left, the two jonin sat down. "He's good." Sakura sighed. "He's lucky to have a teacher like you."

"Yeah. But it was because of you he will become a chunin."

Sakura smiled sadly, averted her eyes for a minute, and just barely looked back at him. "Naruto…do you really think he's ready?"

"I think so. I know he has the brains to lead, and this match proved that he won't use brute force to defeat his enemy. He just might trick them into forcing them into a corner. But I know that's not what's bothering you." Sakura looked straight at him, shocked that he got it. "Just tell him what happened between you and his father. He's a good kid, and I just know he won't blame you. He really admires you."

Sakura slightly nodded. "When I'm ready." She then said "Another student of yours is going to fight! You better get back in the stands and watch it!!"

Zou Seppun-Elephant Ki

Aikyou no Kamigami-Love of the God

Konoha Su-pa Gufuu IsshuuKonoha Super Hurricane Kick

Hebi Dappi Gaihi-Snake Shedding Skin

Hisan Musutangu-Flying Mustang

Demukaeru Chijin-Meeting a Friend

Gekigen no Ono-Dropping the Axe

Kakekomi no Yagyuu-Buffalo Stampede

Next Time: Iori vs. Hanabi. Quite frankly, I'm surprised that you wanted that one rather than the one this chapter.