{Land of Fire: Training ground 44: Forest of Death: The Tower's Arena}
July 12th
Line break.
Bitterness. That's all Kiba could feel. He'd been humiliated by the one he deemed inferior in front of everyone. This day would forever be etched into his mind, a day he'd wince at whenever the memory arose. His body ached, and he had wounds all over from how tight those chains squeezed, and he was suffering from mild chakra exhaustion. He wasn't sure what was broken, but he knew something was. It hurt to breathe.
He turned to Akamaru, who was being checked out by the medical staff. The poor pup was being given shots, something they both despised.
'That prick. I had him. I had him right where I wanted him, and he pulled some hax shit from right out of his ass. He got lucky!'
These were the only thoughts that were running through his mind as he waited for the exams to end. What else was there to do now? He lost. All that hard work in the forest was undone, and it was thanks to him underestimating Uzumaki Naruto. This is a lesson he wouldn't forget anytime soon. He'd have to train harder than ever if he ever wanted to get back at him.
"Hey, you ok?"
Kiba turned to see Hinata.
His eyes widened, and suddenly, his attitude and bitter mood changed. He forgot about the exam and was filled with a warm feeling. His heart was racing, and his cheeks warmed at seeing the girl he liked so much.
"O-oh! Hinata. I'm fine. I was just deep in thought, that's all," said Kiba.
She nodded and sat on the stool beside him, crossing her legs. "You did well against Naruto. Most of the other combatants I've seen thus far wouldn't have had an answer for those chains."
"Tch. He got lucky. It was a neat trick, but next time, I'll know how to respond," he said confidently.
Hinata looked at him with an unnoticeable side-eye before turning her attention to Akamaru.
"Kiba. In a real battle, you'd be dead."
Kiba winced at the bluntness of her statement.
"W-well. Yeah, but-"
"This was a combat test where the most important thing is survival. You'd be dead if this were a real battle," she repeated. "I gave you intel on Uzumaki Naruto. I warned you about his strength, but it seems my words of warning were meaningless in comparison to your giant ego."
"H-hey! I-..." Kiba choked on his words when she sent him a cold stare.
"I wanted you to win that match. I really did. Next time, quell that ego of yours and listen to your allies. Or else you might get killed in the field. When you let personal feelings or vendettas get in the way of proper judgment and conduct, that's when you get people killed. Remember that," she said softly, her expression softening.
She got up and ruffled his hair, making him bashful and look away. The tenderness came to a halt when she grabbed his ear, making him yelp. "Akamaru follows behind you too. From now on, think with your head."
"O-okay, okay! I promise!" he said, pained from the hold she had on him.
She huffed and let go. "Good. Now rest."
He watched her leave, and so many emotions were going through him right now. He rubbed his ear to ease the pain.
"I can't tell if she likes me or hates me," he mumbled to himself.
Line break.
Hinata walked out of the medical room, stopping just outside the door to see Kurenai waiting outside.
"How is he?" asked Kurenai.
"He's fine. He was bitter when I first came in, likely thinking about his defeat. I scolded him. I don't know if he understood the point I was trying to make. Hopefully, he did."
Kurenai sighed and crossed her arms. "I wish he'd be more... how do I put this?"
"Mindful? Judicious? Maybe a bit more wise in the head?"
Kurenai nodded. "Yes, that. I wanted you to talk to him because he'll listen to you. You've been friends for a long time, and I think he likes you."
Hinata sighed. "You overestimate me, Kurenai Sensei. He'll do whatever he can to make me happy, and if it means listening to me, then he'll do it. However, he's overly passionate. He'll get himself in trouble doing something he thinks will impress me and hurt himself again. The Cycle will continue. It's not his fault entirely considering the environment he's growing up in, where domineering and aggressive behavior is encouraged."
Kurenai nodded slowly, deep in thought. "Hm. I never thought of it that way. He is, as you say, passionate."
Hinata nodded. "That, and the Inuzuka Clan's culture happens to be vastly different from the Hyūga clan's. Him seeking affection in the way that he is... it's a waste of his energy for many reasons, unfortunately out of his control."
Kurenai nodded and ushered her along to see the rest of the fights, and Hinata followed behind her. The two walked silently the rest of the way.
When they arrived, they thought there would be an ongoing skirmish and a few reasons to ask some questions about how the fight escalated to where it is now and what led to it.
Instead, what greeted them was Misumi Tsurugi's body, at least what was left of it.
He was a literal paste of flesh mixed with sand. There was nothing left of him.
Hayate looked like he had moved to try and stop it, but it was evidently too late.
'What a mess.' Thought Kurenai.
"Well... I can safely say that you didn't miss anything worth seeing. It was barbaric," said Asuma.
Kurenai nodded, slowly making her way back to her spot next to him.
Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji looked distraught. Both Ino and Choji were somewhat glad they won't be participating in the finales, and Shikamaru wished he had simply forfeited his match with Kankuro.
Baki grit his teeth, his heart having jumped in his throat at such a display of brutality. This was not the first time he'd done something so reckless, but that was the work of a mindless killer. A ruthless one. One that kills without thinking. A true liability.
He clenched his fists in anger. 'That moron. I hate being this monster's sensei. How do I explain this away?!' thought Baki in rage.
After disappearing in a small sandstorm and reappearing next to his teammates, Hayate was able to get a good look at the mess created by Gaara and was disgusted by the sight. 'How horrible. He didn't even give the kid a chance to surrender or even a chance to speak. He just ended his life.' thought Hayate. 'I suppose this means cleaning this up. It could be worse... I think.'
Line break.
{Spectator box}
After cleaning up the mess, the match between Temari and Kin commenced, and the spectators were given a much more tame spectacle.
Hiruzen, however, was not interested in the match between the two kunoichi. No. He was infuriated with the Kazekage right now.
He didn't want to see the opponent tortured, and he didn't care for such mindless and aimless behavior. Out of curiosity, he ordered a file on the boy be brought up, and at first, there was no reason to be worried. That was until Ibiki came in with follow-up intel, which was delivered to him directly from their intelligence department.
He sat back, deep in thought. He hadn't expected this. He had no idea that the Kazekage would allow such a monster to exist within his village. This was something that would need to be addressed.
'What in the hell is he thinking, letting an unstable weapon into my village like this? Has that boy lost his mind?!' Thought an irritated Hiruzen.
The more he read, the less he trusted this character to walk around without supervision. He grew angrier and angrier, and by the time he was done reading the file, the proctor was announcing Temari as the victor of her match.
Hiruzen didn't see a second of it and didn't care.
"I want a few Anbu on the boy at all times from the moment he leaves the forest of death. I don't want him near my civilians," said Hiruzen with a serious expression.
"Understood, sir," said Ibiki with a bow before disappearing.
Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe and exhaled slowly. 'Gaara of the Desert. The son of Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, and the holder of the One Tail: Shukaku. This isn't good.'
Line break.
{The arena}
Lee watched the screen, crossing his fingers with his eyes focused, trying to will the names together.
But alas, it didn't do as he mentally commanded, and it left him throwing his arms around comically. "Forget it! It seems I will be fighting last!"
Naruto chuckled, feeling sorry for Lee. "Oh, relax, Bushy brows. Haven't you heard the term saving the best for last?"
Lee nodded and smiled. "Yes, I have heard that! But that term doesn't apply to me since I won't be fighting you. Nor will I fight Neji, Hinata, or even Sasuke! I got the short end of the stick."
Naruto couldn't argue there. Kiba was strong, but he wanted to keep an illusion so as to not alarm anyone of his other abilities. Showing the chains was a mistake.
[Neji vs Choji]
Choji's jaw hit the floor at the sight. Of all the opponents, why did it have to be Neji?
Shikamaru looked up at the screen with as much disbelief as his friend before shaking his head. 'What a drag. Choji got a terrible draw here. If Neji is anything like Hinata, it's gonna be a tough battle for him. The chances of beating him are slim.' thought Shikamaru.
Choji took a breath before receiving a pat on the back from Asuma.
"You got this, Choji. Just keep calm."
Choji nodded, his brow furrowed.
On the other side, Neji stared at the screen and scoffed. 'Me against the Akamichi? What a joke.'
Neji ignored the cheering of his team and calmly walked down the stairs. He knew Choji didn't stand a chance. He would win this in an instant. There would be no playing around.
Both boys met in the middle of the damaged arena, Hayate looking between them to see if either was ready for the match to be called.
Neji gave Choji an indifferent stare as they both bowed before the referee, and Choji knew he was in for it, having planted himself a few inches away from the Hyūga than allowed.
Hayate cleared his throat to speak, "The seventh match of the Chuunin Exams..."
Choji tuned his instructor's voice out, not needing to hear what would come after, and instead stared directly at his opponent.
"BEGIN!"
In the blink of an eye, Neji had already shot forward. Choji darted away as fast as he could in that instant, trying to clasp his hands together to perform his super-expansion jutsu. Still, Neji swiped his hand between the attempted gesture, slapping Choji's hands apart.
Choji's eyes widened with panic as he saw the follow-up, and he knew he was screwed.
Neji slammed his other palm into Choji's torso and sent him sliding on his back.
Choji rolled to get up, thankful he could still mold chakra, but the Hyūga was not going to let up.
He narrowly rolled away from a jyuken strike aimed at the ground, and the crowd watched as Choji comically rolled away like a ball from his opponent's repeated attacks.
'Shit, shit, shit, SHIT!' screamed Choji in his mind, getting frustrated with his inability to even stand, let alone counterattack.
"Sit still!' demanded Neji.
"No!" yelled Choji.
'gosh, this is embarrassing,' Ino thought to herself. But the laughter from the spectators made her break out into a giggling fit. As much as she didn't want to laugh, this was a funny sight.
Neji was more than a little annoyed and jumped at where Choji was rolling. 'I've had enough of this clown,' he thought frustratedly.
"Ninja art: Expansion Jutsu!" yelled Choji in a dazed manner. Surprisingly, Choji's belly knocked Neji away, The boy bouncing Neji off his suddenly expanded belly, causing Neji to roll back.
Neji landed on his feet gracefully and witnessed Choji revving up for an attack.
Choji's body started spinning. His limbs and head had retreated into his sleeves, and chakra was pouring from the openings of his sleeves to propel him forward.
"Here goes nothin'! Human boulder!" yelled Choji, and he rolled at Neji like a wheel, racing toward the Hyūga.
'You've got to be kidding me. Something as mundane as this could never work on me.' thought Neji.
The Hyūga sidestepped Choji's attacks, purposefully leading him towards the wall, and with no way to see, Choji smashed into it, embedding himself.
Neji shook his head, and with a few well-aimed Jyuken strikes, Choji's form reverted, and he fell on his face.
Choji's groaned, feeling his chakra network in disarray. "C-crap." Groaned Choji.
He looked up to see Neji staring down at him, arms crossed. "Do you yield?"
Choji sighed. 'I guess I have no choice,'
"I yield," muttered Choji.
Hayate spoke up. "And the winner of the match is...Neji Hyūga. He will advance to the finales."
There was some polite clapping, and Choji felt humiliated.
Neji sighed and turned around, walking away.
Choji had a disappointed frown and didn't move from his spot, prompting Shikamaru to jump down and check on his friend.
"Hey. You ok buddy? That was pretty intense. It's nothing to be embarrassed about." Comforted Shikamaru.
Choji groaned and didn't look his friend in the eye. "Yeah, sure. I didn't last a minute."
Shikamaru rolled his eyes and smiled. 'he didn't stand a chance against that guy. Even so, he stood his ground. That's more than I would have done.' Thought the genius. "Don't beat yourself over this. There's always next year."
In the stands, Lee watched the match unfold with a thoughtful look. 'Neji got an easy opponent. It seems all the challenges I wanted to face had already been overcome. This leaves that red-haired guy, His blonde female partner, the two sound shinobi, and maybe that odd fellow that was with Kabuto-san.'
He looked up at the screen and frowned. 'Please let me be next. I've waited for as long as I could!'
Naruto was looking at Lee as he seemed to stress over whether he was to fight next. He noticed how anxious he was for a good fight, especially with how hard he was gripping the rail.
[Lee vs Dosu]
Lee's eyes widened, and he jumped for joy, Gai chuckling behind him at his sudden burst of enthusiasm. "Yes! Finally! Oh, how I've waited! Thank goodness! Now I can show them the power of Rock Lee!"
"Go get 'em, tiger!" yelled Gai as Lee jumped over the rail and was already at the starting position well before Dosu had pondered his match-up.
Sakura blinked at the outburst, and Kakashi sighed.
"I see he takes after you in terms of attitude," said Kakashi.
Gai smirked. "Indeed. But that's not all. You're about to see my prized student in action, so pay attention, Kakashi."
Kakashi leaned against the wall and watched with interest.
Dosu made it to the center, where Lee was waiting for him.
Dosu's one eye narrowed as he looked at his opponent up and down. 'Let's see what eyebrows here can do,' he thought to himself. His arm twitched.
Lee noticed this and felt a discomfort hit him. 'shoot. That's right. This is a sound ninja. I saw what he did to that Kabuto guy. What do I do about that? His attack can't be dodged or blocked. This will be difficult. I will need to get in close and deal damage and slip out in that very instant, but I can't with the weights on.'
They both bowed at the referee, and Lee waited for the call of the proctor.
"BEGIN!" shouted Hayate, and Dosu brought his hand up, only for Lee to grab it and slam a fist into his face, starting the match off with a bang.
"He's fast!" grunted Dosu as he slid on his back, Lee rushing for a follow-up.
'I cannot Give him any time to breathe. I must attack him with all my might!' thought Lee.
Dosu crossed his arms to block a kick, but Lee's foot forced his arms down, and Lee flipped to use his other foot, kicking Dosu in the jaw and sending him skidding further away.
Dosu looked up, blood on his chin. 'Shit, shit. Get your barrings, Dosu!' Dosu thought in a slight panic.
Dosu steadied his feet and ducked a spinning kick aimed at his neck.
'Gotcha,' thought Lee, and he swerved a triple kick. "Leaf hurricane!" yelled Lee.
Dosu brought his foot up to avoid the second kick, preventing the sweep attack. But the third hit him in the gut, making him double over.
'Damn it!' thought Dosu frustrated.
Lee wasn't giving him a chance. The boy quickly sent a series of punches his way, putting Dosu on the defensive.
"This is amazing," muttered Shino.
"Lee's not even giving him a chance to fight back, " commented Kiba, impressed with the display of taijutsu. " I mean, just look at him. He's knocking the dude around like a ragdoll,"
Hinata nodded. "He doesn't have a choice. If Dosu uses his arm even once, it's game over for Lee."
"Huh? What do you-... Oh! Right! His sound jutsu. I almost forgot." said Kiba.
Dosu felt sweat drip from his face as Lee attacked him like a beast. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out against him; every attempt to block was expertly swept away. Lee's constant and overwhelming force thwarted Dosu's use of his gauntlet.
Dosu went for a low kick, trying to keep him at bay, but Lee stepped on the foot and slammed his own into Dosu's face, his bandages now bloody where his nose was.
Dosu growled in pain and rolled away.
"Agh! You brat!" yelled Dosu, feeling the heat emitting from his face.
Lee rushed in to try and end things, but Dosu purposefully slammed his arm into the ground, creating a ringing noise from his gauntlet.
Both combatants froze the gauntlet's effects not under Dosu's control.
Lee held his ears in pain and jumped back, and the Jonin in the room leaned forward. This was the first time seeing this strange jutsu in action.
Lee frowned in frustration. 'No! I couldn't capitalize. Now, the gauntlet is activated. Curses. I should have used the hidden lotus,' thought Lee, who hopped further back.
Dosu ended the vibration of his gauntlet and brought it under control, finding it unpleasant.
'This wouldn't have had any effect on me, but... Ever since hitting the barrier in the forest, my ears have been... sensitive.' Thought Dosu while glaring up at a lounging Naruto.
Lee took his hands away from his ears and glared at Dosu. 'I must be careful. He has his bearings now.'
Dosu stood up and wiped the blood from his face. 'I'm getting tired of this, and my arm is sore now. I'll finish him now.'
Dosu looked up to see Lee rushing at him.
The boy tried to get into his personal space again, but Dosu knew he could not allow it.
He swung his arm at him, and Lee dodged, but that was a mistake.
Lee was fast enough to slam his fist into Dosu's cheek, but the delay of Dosu's gauntlet sent Lee to his knee, holding his ears.
Gai leaned against the rail, confused. 'what's happening? Why is Lee affected? He dodged the attack, didn't he?'
"I see," said Kakashi lazily.
"What? What is it, Kakashi?" asked Gai.
"It's sound. It's emanating from the gauntlet in such a way that dodging is a problem for someone who isn't fast enough to outrun it. A neat little trick for you and me, but for a genin... It's unbeatable."
Gai shook his head. "I see. Well, I won't have Lee dealing with such a conundrum without going all out."
Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto looked at Gai in surprise. 'What does he mean by that?' they all thought to themselves.
Lee tried to focus his vision, but it was getting dizzy. He knew what was happening to him.
'I'm getting dizzy. My ears are ringing, and I'm feeling nauseous. I'm starting to feel weak. I can't keep this up. My equilibreum is off!' thought Lee.
Lee jumped back away from Dosu, who gave chase.
'If I can just hold out long enough for the effects of the sound to wear off... No, It's taking too long,' though Lee, hoping to just last long enough to counterattack.
Dosu swung his arm, and Lee ducked under the swing and dashed into him, slamming his elbow into Dosu and sending the man tumbling away.
Dosu's rolling came to a halt as he slid face-first, holding his stomach. "He hits so hard for someone who looks so weak." he wheezed.
He looked up to see Lee on the ground as well, the boy in a fetal position, holding his ears.
Asuma sighed, not liking what he saw. 'This isn't good for Lee. He's a sitting duck. He can't block or dodge whatever Dosu is throwing at him. This could be it for him,' he thought.
Dosu let out a sigh of relief. 'Just one more hit,' thought Dosu.
He slowly got up, his body shaking. "You're finished, Lee," Dosu muttered under his breath.
Lee shook his head, unfocused and in pain. He forced his eyes to look at Dosu's approaching form and groaned. 'I.. have to move!' he yelled in his head.
"Lee! Take them off! Do it now!" yelled Gai, startling Sakura and confusing Naruto and Kakashi.
Lee's eyes widened, and he rolled to his hands and knees, trying to get his bearings.
Dosu had just reached Lee, raising his gauntlet to slam into Lee, when the boy kicked his feet up and grappled onto his own leg with his own, forcing him down.
He used his other to kick Dosu in the face, kicking off of him, and he jumped to his feet, backing away as much as possible.
Lee pulled his leg up and tore off the bandages, the weights falling to the ground with a heavy clang, and he let out a sigh of relief.
He didn't question Gai on his decision. To him, this was everything.
"Were those... training weights?" asked Hinata silently.
Kurenai, who was standing above her, nodded. "I think so. But I don't understand why he was wearing them, nor why them being on would make a difference."
Temari and Kankuro chuckled. "Man, this kid is weird." laughed Kankuro.
"no kidding," agreed Temari.
Lee let out a breath, his vision still blurry and his balance still off. 'Let's do this! Lee yelled in his head.'
In a burst of speed that far surpassed anything seen in the prelimenaries so far, Lee rushed past Dosu, having accidentally missed his attack from being so dizzy.
Dosu stood shock, and turned around, only for his head to snap back twice, the sound-nin hit twice in the span of a moment beforee being kicked in the side of his ribs.
There was no time to even block Lee, grabbing him by the gauntlet before he could get sent flying to deliver an extra punch in the face, sending Dosu tumbling across the arena.
Everyone that was lounging suddenly stood up, shock written on their faces.
"Holy shit!" yelled a bandaged Kiba. "I thought I was fast! That's nuts!"
Shino nodded, just as surprised, while Hinata watched with a bit more interest than before.
Naruto was just as stunned. 'Well, now. That is an unexpected surprise."
Dosu stood up shakily and looked around. ''I can't take much more-'
Those thoughts were cut off with a punch to the side of the head, Lee kicking off the wall moments after and slamming his two feet into Dosu's back, sending Dosu sliding across the floor all the way to the other wall.
Dosu's face had dragged against the concrete enough to tear away his bandaged face. He was done.
Lee slowly approached him, a smile on his face.
"Do you yield?" asked Lee.
Dosu looked up at him, blood running down his nose and lip. 'This guy... He's insane! How can someone like him be a genin?'
He sighed in defeat. "I...Yield..."
Hayate came up to Dosu and helped him to his feet. "And the winner of this match is... Rock Lee!"
The crowd clapped as Lee gave them a thumbs up. "Thank you, everyone! Agh!"
Lee held his ear and felt blood coming from it. He was still dizzy.
Gai landed by Lee and bent down to check on him.
"Take a Knee, Lee. I think your ears have been ruptured. You'll need to get it checked out ASAP."
"We'll take it from here, " said one of the medical units, walking over to check on the boy.
It wasn't an extended interaction. Lee was escorted to the infirmary for immediate care, and the same was being done for Dosu.
Line break.
Thirty minutes later, after the injured victors were given a chance to heal any injuries they had, the genin were lined up on the arena floor to listen to what the Hokage had to say.
"Alright. Now that that's done, I'd like to let you all take your leave. But first, for the finale round, there is one more important matter to take care of." said Hiruzen.
The genin all looked up at him, waiting to hear what was said.
"In an orderly fashion, I want you to take a slip of paper from the raffle box here in Ibiki's hand."
"I'll come to you, so don't move," said Ibiki, walking to Naruto first and holding out the box.
Naruto rummaged into the box and pulled out a random folded piece of paper.
One by one, all the genin took their piece of paper, and Ibiki returned to his spot by the Hokage.
"Now. Let's see who will be facing who. Open your papers, and from left to right, I want you to read the numbers aloud."
"I'm Number One, of course," smirked Naruto.
"Four," said Temari.
"Ten," Said Gaara.
"Number Two," said Lee.
"I have Six," said Shino.
"Eight," said Hinata.
"Five," said a reserved Shikamaru.
" I've got Three," said Sakura.
"Seven," said Neji.
"Then Sasuke will be nine," said Ibiki, writing something down on his checkboard.
"Ok, good," said Hiruzen. "Now I'm going to explain how the finale selection is going to work."
Shikamaru frowned. "Is that what these drawing lots were for?"
Hiruzen smirked. "Ibiki. You may reveal which ninjas have been paired up."
Ibiki nodded and showed off the checkboard.
[Uzumaki Naruto VS Rock Lee]
[Haruno Sakura VS Sabaku no Temari]
[Shikamaru Nara VS Shino Aburame]
[Hyūga Hinata VS Hyūga Neji]
[Sabaku no Gaara VS Uchiha Sasuke]
Temari raised a brow. 'Is that all the finale rounds are? A tournament?'
Shikamaru sighed. 'I'm on the same half of the draw as Gaara and Sasuke. what a drag.' Thought the Nara.
Lee simply gave Naruto a challenging and excited stare, and Naruto returned it with a smirk.
'This is going to be fun,' thought Naruto, a smirk on his face.
'I get to fight Uzumaki Naruto. He may be my greatest obstacle. But I'm not going to lose. Not after all the training I've put myself through!' thought Lee, feeling determination fill him.
Neji looked at Hinata and caught her gaze. This is what they had been waiting for.
'I have waited for this day for so long. Now I get to end this nightmare of mine. I will be the one to destroy her confidence and to prove to the main family to fear the caged bird.' thought Neji with a glare.
'It seems fate has brought us together, Cousin.' Thought Hinata.
Gaara's eyes narrowed with delight when seeing his match-up. 'Sasuke Uchiha. Excellent.'
Sakura sighed as she saw her opponent. 'Calm down, Sakura. You have one month to catch up,' she thought to herself.
"May I ask you a question?" asked Shikamaru to Hiruzen, and the old man nodded.
"You may."
"Ok. If this is going to be a tournament, does that mean there's only going to be one winner? That only one of us will get to be promoted?" asked Shikamaru.
"Quite the contrary," said Hiruzen. "There are going to be several judges for the finale round. This will include me, the shinobi leaders, and the Kazekage. Most of them are the lords from the various countries that will ultimately be assigning your missions to you. Through this tournament, these judges will be able to make a thorough evaluation of your abilities. They will then decide whether any or all of you possess the qualities to become a chunin."
"So even if you lose, you'll still be eligible?" asked Hinata.
Hiruzen nodded. "Indeed. Even if someone loses even their first round, they could still become a chunin."
Hinata closed her eyes and crossed her arms. 'So surely, just as there's a chance everyone could become chunin, none could possess the qualities. It makes one wonder what it means to be fit to be a shinobi. I think that's what all this is about. This would also mean that winning is the better option to be given multiple chances to show off one's qualities to the judges,' She thought to herself.
"Does that answer your question, Shikamaru?" asked Hiruzen.
Shikamaru nodded, a scowl gracing his features. 'This is just about the biggest pain in the ass. Tournaments? one on one combat? Ugh. Not my style.'
"I thank you all for your patience. Now let us adjourn until next month." said the Hokage, dismissing them all.
With that, the genin left to do as they pleased alongside their sensei.
Line break.
Four hours later.
{Land of Fire: Konohagakure: Konoha hospital}
Sakura and Naruto had left the forest of death with no problem whatsoever, and the first place they went to was to see their Teammate.
"Excuse me," said Naruto to the front desk ladies.
They looked to be in their early twenties, so they were a bit lenient towards the blonde boy.
"Can you tell me where Uchiha Sasuke's room is? I need to see him."
The woman on the right pointed down the hall.
Naruto nodded, and Sakura gave a respectful bow.
They walked down the hall, and Sakura immediately started up a conversation.
"You gonna tell him he's fighting the psychopath?" asked Sakura.
Naruto shrugged. "He's with Kakashi, so he probably already knows."
He noticed her silence and could tell she was uncomfortable. "What is it?"
"you saw what he did that genin. There was nothing left of him but sand. And then the way he just... stared at you after the match..." She trailed off, shuddering.
Naruto nodded, understanding what she was feeling. "He's trying to single out the biggest threat in the room. I think he's gunning for me. Too bad he's gonna have to get past Sasuke first."
Sakura scowled. "You are obviously not getting it. He's a killer. What if Sasuke is a step too slow and ends up-"
"That won't happen." Said Naruto in a serious tone. "His strength is an illusion, so don't buy into it. Understood?"
"B-but, He-"
"Butts are for sitting," said Naruto, and Sakura glared at the blonde and hit him on the shoulder.
Naruto rubbed his arm. "Chill out, will ya? We're here. You can talk to sensei about your concerns."
Sakura kept her annoyed glare up and opened the door to the room to see Kakashi lounging and reading a book while Sasuke lay sprawled out, obviously ready to be discharged.
"Ah. Speak of the devil. They're here," said Kakashi.
Sasuke flipped onto his feet and crossed his arms. "Tell me."
Naruto smirked. "You drew Gaara, the sand guy."
"Sand guy?" asked Sasuke.
Sakura sighed and went to take a sit at a nearby table. "Let's talk.
Line break.
An hour later.
The team went on to discuss a wide range of topics, ranging from the match-ups to the threat Gaara poses and their plans for training.
"Umm. So how are we doing this?" asked Sakura
Kakashi glanced at Sakura and gave her a confused look. "I actually intend for you to train with me and Sasuke since you aren't in the same bracket as him. While he's working on the project I have planned for him, I'll be doing some one-on-one with you."
Sakura looked surprised. "You mean... you're gonna train me? Me?!"
"Mhm. I don't know why you're so surprised. I've done so to this point anyway, and again, separate bracket," said Kakashi.
"Well, I already have someone to train with, so I think we're good on that," said Naruto, getting up from his chair. "And speak of the devil, here he comes."
Upon those words, Jiraiya opened the door to the room and walked in with a smirk on his face.
"Hey there, kid. Good to see you all in good health," said Jiraiya, standing at the door with his arms crossed.
"Sup." greeted Naruto.
"Jiraiya-sama! It's nice to see you," said Sakura, standing up with a smile.
Jiraiya waved, a smirk growing at the respect shown.
"And you as well," said Jiraiya before turning to Kakashi. "I'll be taking this one if you don't mind."
Kakashi nodded. "Just give them time to rest and wish each other luck. They've had a long day."
"I know. I saw."
Jiraiya walked out of the room, and Naruto turned back to his two teammates. "Well. I expect both of you to catch up to me by the time we meet again. I want a challenge."
"Tch. Don't get the big head," said Sasuke.
Naruto chuckled and looked at Sakura. "Keep a close eye on him and make sure he doesn't hurt himself. He's not as tough as he thinks he is."
Sasuke scowled and flipped Naruto off as he left the room.
Naruto smiled and gave his teammates a wave as he left the room.
As soon as the door shut behind him, Kakashi spoke up.
"Well. It's just us now,"
Sakura turned to Kakashi and bit her lip. "What are we going to be doing?"
"Resting. We'll wait until a few days before heading out. After all, you guys just returned from some taxing events. You need to relax. We can begin when you've recuperated."
Sakura nodded.
"For now, let's wait for Sasuke to be discharged and head home. Sound good?"
Both genin nodded.
Line break.
Asuma sat outside the hall where his team was being evaluated by the medical ninja, waiting for them to be released.
It was here that he saw Jiraiya just strolling through the hall, Naruto in tow.
The man did a doubletake, thinking his eyes were deceiving him, but upon a closer look, he realized it was indeed Jiraiya, and the old man was with Naruto.
"Um... Master Jiraiya?"
Jiraiya stopped, turned around to see his sensei's son, and smirked. "Ah, Gaki. Long time no see."
"Yeah. What brings you here?"
Jiraiya waved him off and put his hands behind his head. "Just taking my student out to train. Why?"
Asuma blinked and looked at Naruto. 'Wait a minute. The chains... The hair. Holy shit,' Thought Asuma, putting two and two together. 'Kushina and Minato's... how-'
"Uh... Earth to Asuma." Naruto said, waving a hand in front of his face, snapping him out of his thoughts. "You ok?"
A wave of nostalgia hit him when he suddenly saw Kushina's playful look and Minato's eyes. "Yeah... I'm good. Sorry for disturbing you."
The man bowed in respect, and Naruto raised a brow in confusion while Jiraiya understood what had just happened.
"Come on, Gaki. Let's get going. You have some packing to do." Said Jiraiya.
Asuma stared at them as they left, his mouth ajar. 'This explains so much. I feel so dumb right now.'
"Asuma-sensei? What's with that look?"
"Huh?" asked Asuma, his voice cracking.
Ino laughed at him while Shikamaru and Choji came out of the room with new bandages. "Wipe that weird look off your face before Kurenai sees it. You'll look so stupid."
"Shut up," grumbled Asuma as he stood up, shaking his head.
"C'mon, let's go for some Barbeque! We need to celebrate Shikamaru's victory!" yelled Choji.
Shikamaru's brow twitched at that. 'Of course, he'll use this as an excuse to go out to eat.'
Line break.
Meanwhile, Kiba was getting a visit from his team.
Akamaru, having received less damage than him, was pacing around, eager to get out of there, when Kurenai and Shino walked through the door.
"Hey there, guys," said Kiba groggily.
Akamaru hopped on the bed and barked.
Kurenai smiled and went to take a seat. "How are you feeling, Kiba?"
Kiba chuckled. "I feel fine. I have a few fractured bones, but I'll recover just fine. So, where's Hinata?"
"She had to report home," said Kiba as he sat down next to his bed. "Kiba, listen-"
"Don't start. Hinata gave me the talk, and she got through to me. I'll start using my head more, I promise. You guys were trying to warn me, and because I didn't take it to heart, I ended up like this."
Shino nodded. "I'm glad she got through to you. Let this be the one and only time you allow yourself to be led by your emotions. It could have been worse for you, Kiba."
Kiba sighed. "Ok, geez, I get it. I-... Is that chicken?"
Shino looked down at the bag and nodded, handing it to him. "yeah. We figured you were tired of hospital food, so we went ahead and got you and Akamaru a little something."
Kiba smirked and patted Shino on the shoulder. "You know what. Even though you can be a pain from time to time, you know how to help a brother out. Thanks."
"No problem, Kiba," Shino said, brushing the hand aside to lean back in his chair more. Kiba's inability to smell the chicken showed how out of it he was.
"So. Who are you and Hinata fighting?" asked Kiba.
"I'm fighting Shikamaru, and she's fighting her cousin, Neji Hyūga."
Kiba nodded. He obviously wanted her here, yet, like usual, she had urgent matters to deal with.
'Man. I can't wait for the day she drops her duties to come and see me. But I guess that's wishful thinking.' thought Kiba with a sigh.
Line break.
{Land of Fire: Koohagakura: The Hyuuga compound}
Both Hinata and Neji bowed before the elders, as well as Hiashi while reporting their success.
Hiashi smiled proudly. "Well done, my daughter. I am pleased to see you are advancing to the next stage."
Hinata nodded. "Thank you, father. I will do my best to represent our family."
Hiashi looked at His father, Hiroshi, and noticed the calculating gaze.
"And you, Neji. Your skills have improved immensely. I am sure you will do us proud." said Hiroshi.
Neji bowed again. "Thank you. I will not disappoint you."
The elder didn't give the boy a second glance. He waved him off, and Neji took his leave, relieved to be out of there.
The elders then turned their attention to Hinata.
"Take a seat, Hinata. We have a few things we must discuss now that you're on your way to becoming chunin." said Hiashi, and Hinata was instantly on edge.
She took a seat and waited patiently for them to speak.
"This exam is going to be the biggest it's been in five years since all the clan heirs will be involved in one way or another. Government officials from within and without Konoha's walls will be in attendance, so we expect the best of you," said Hiashi.
Hinata nodded. "Understood."
"As your father, I want you to succeed. However, as clan leader, I need to make sure that we maintain our prestige among the other clans. And most importantly, for you to know that we are negotiating with the Lord of Fire for what would be the biggest alliance between our family and any other." said Hiashi.
Hinata knew where this was going. "Am I to marry?" she asked slowly.
Hiashi nodded. "Indeed. We initially tried to pair Hanabi with his second son, but it seems he brought the promise of a matrilineal bond to the table, and so a new discussion is to be had the day of the Finales."
Hinata felt her stomach drop. "If I may, what happened to Hanabi's match to the Sakaguchi house?"
Hiroshi almost scoffed. "There was a bit of a mishap in the capital. They are no longer viable candidates, as the house has lost its political sway. There's no need to fear, though. We have plans for your sister."
Hinata remained calm and decided to dwell on this later.
Hiashi spoke up. " The Daimyo has a second son, Masuda Koneko. He's not much older than you, and the marriage will be matrilineal in nature."
"Understand that nothing has been guaranteed yet, but with how things are panning, we believe you should be privy to this information." said one of the elders.
It seems Hinata understood this and nodded. "Our family will have ties to the Daimyo, something that hasn't happened before. Our political capital will be at an all-time high, and if I can manipulate my future spouse into granting us even more favor with his father, we'll be untouchable. The Daimyo's position is unstable, so he needs us. Am I right?"
The elders all hummed in delight at her assessment of the situation.
"Very good. I see Hiashi has been training you well in the ways of politics," said one of them.
Hiashi nodded, pride written on his features. "Indeed. I have taught her well. Now. With that out of the way, we'll need to mix your schedule up a bit. Preparing for the exams is as important as presenting yourself as a proper lady. I'll grant you access to our advanced techniques, and I will also grant you access to the family archives. The council is unanimous on this decision."
All the elders bowed their heads in respect to Hinata, and Hiashi stood up.
"Now, I think that's enough for today. You've had a long day and need rest. Your lessons begin tomorrow. I will send word to the staff to get everything ready for you."
Hinata bowed respectfully and took her leave.
Hiashi sat back down and took a sip of his tea as he watched the sliding door close behind his heir.
The man glanced at his father, looking for any scrutiny, and found none. "Tell me. What's on your mind, father?"
"We should be wary of her... intellect, lest we lose control of her. She shows no emotion even when prompted into doing so. This is making her harder to read." said Hiroshi.
Hiashi took another sip of his own tea, pondering on that. 'Isn't that what you wanted though? I broke her down specifically because of your desire to raise a strong heir. And here she is, exceeding all expectations. I don't understand the paranoia... Unless you're afraid she's becoming more like you than like me.' thought Hiashi.
"I'll be sure to keep an eye on her." said Hiashi.
Hiroshi nodded. "You should. Aside from that though, she shows promise. Let us retire."
The men agreed, and one by one, they filed out of the room, allowing the servants to clean up after them.
Line break.
{Konoha hotsprings}
Naruto spent a few hours packing his things. The sun was starting to dip slightly, and while the sky was still blue, an ambient tinge of orange was starting to settle in.
The boy felt bad that he wouldn't be able to greet Konohamaru as promised, but bigger things were going on right now.
Leaving his apartment, Naruto left to seek out Jiraiya, the man who had disappeared from their meetup point. He tracked him to the hot springs.
Naruto landed on a tree branch that oversaw the area, and he could tell the man was meditating.
Jiraiya was deep in thought, his body language calm and relaxed.
'What the-? That's new. I've only seen him do this in Mount Myoboku. Wonder what's up with him.' Thought the blonde.
He stealthily landed nearby and sat next to Jiraiya, taking the same position as him.
"So. why are we here?" asked Naruto
"I wanted to do some research, but the women's side is empty."
Naruto chuckled. "So you're waiting for a bunch of girls to show up so you can peep."
Jiraiya smirked. "I prefer to call it reconnaissance."
Naruto shook his head with a chuckle. "You are such a degenerate. What was the point of me packing?"
"For a little trip into the country. We're going to be training outside of the village, but before we do, there's someone we're supposed to meet, and they're late," said Jiraiya, his eyes opening when he heard the doors to the women's side opening.
'Finally,' thought Jiraiya.
Naruto looked up and watched as the man walked over to his spot and started his peeping routine.
Jiraiya looked through the gap, licking his lips and giggling silently, when instead of seeing boobs and ass, he saw a mask staring back at him.
"YAAK!" yelled Jiraiya, falling on his ass.
Yugao jumped onto the fence he was peeping through and landed behind him.
"Hello, Lord Jiraiya." greeted Yugao with an annoyed edge in her voice.
Naruto burst out laughing, holding his stomach as Jiraiya tried to compose himself.
Jiraiya cleared his throat and stood up, trying his best to play it off. "Ah. Ahem! Anbu-san. How can I assist you?"
"You can start by not peeping. It's indecent," said Yugao with a glare.
"Yeah, yeah. What do you want?" asked Jiraiya.
Yugao crossed her arms. "As requested by the Third Hokage, I sought out Murata Soshu. He'll be able to sort out Your Student's unique situation. As it turns out, he's here in the village staying at Golden Lantern Lodge."
Jiraiya nodded. "Is that all?"
Yugao looked at Naruto, staring for a while, before nodding. "It is."
She disappeared in a blur, leaving an annoyed Jiraiya.
"I thought I would be given more time, but I guess this is it. We'd better get this out of the way before anything else."
Naruto crossed his arms, looking confused. "what's going on?"
Jiraiya looked at Naruto and smirked. "We're making our move. It's time to press your claims before your heritage gets leaked. This guy is going to make it diffucult for anyone to react and adjust to your ascension as... You know who," Said Jiraiya, being careful of his wording in public. "We'll be claiming your full heritage."
Naruto's eyes widened before a serious look came over his face.
"It's about time."
Line break.
End chapter.
{A/N}
Sorry for being late with this chapter. I've had a busy week.
Another chapter will follow within the next few days to make up for it, so stay tuned,