Okay heres chapter 6
Author notes,
Holy crap I am so sorry I haven't updated this sooner. I had already written the next two chapters and my computer crush. Yep, I lost about 32k words and I lost my draft ideas and everything on the document. So I had to write this trying to remember everything. So if it seems a bit short well I am sorry. I was sweating balls trying to write this. Well, I guess it's my fault for being dumb and I learned my lesson. I nearly quit writing this cause of it and I hit writer block trying to remember it.
Well I hope you like it.
Thanks once again for reading my story.
I don't Naruto. Because it's owned by Masashi Kishimoto.
I am not making any money by doing any of this.
If I owned Naruto I would've given Naruto a better haircut than what we got from Boruto.
It had been a whole month since the tumultuous end of the preliminary round in the Forest of Death, and today, the village of Konohagakure no Sato was bathed in sunlight, casting a serene glow over the bustling Chunin Exam Stadium.
The Third Hokage sat perched in his elevated seat, surveying the arena below where hundreds of spectators filled the stands. To any onlooker, his expression was one of contentment, the picture of a benevolent grandfather who cherished his village and harbored no ill will. However, beneath that placid exterior raged a storm of expletives and seething anger. 'Fuck, fuck, fuck, god fucking damn it. How could that little shit think he could screw me over and I'd just roll over and take it?' he fumed internally, his thoughts a whirlwind of rage directed at one individual in particular.
You might wonder who could elicit such a reaction from the venerable leader of Konoha. The source of his ire was none other than Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, the so-called "nine-tail brat" whose actions during the second stage of the Chunin exams had thrown the Third Hokage's plans into disarray.
Since the completion of the preliminary rounds, everything had spiraled downwards, turning what should have been a controlled examination into a catalyst for chaos.
Since discovering that Naruto was under the protection of the Fire Daimyo, the Third Hokage had been plagued by a persistent headache, a new and unwelcome constant in his life.
Flashback: Two days after the preliminary exam.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, strolled toward the Hokage Mansion, offering warm smiles and hellos to the early risers among the shopkeepers and a few ninjas who were still up, nursing hangovers from the previous night's revelries.
Though he maintained a genial facade, his internal monologue painted a starkly different picture. 'I swear, how pathetic can Sasuke get? He is so useless and weak. How could he, who was given everything after his clan died—the best weapons, teachers, food, and doctors—repay everyone by being so damn weak that a fangirl knocked him out with a single punch?' he fumed silently, nodding politely to the workers at the mansion.
He ascended the stairs to his office, pondering strategies. 'Now I have to concoct something to make it possible for that little shit Sasuke to fight in the Chunin Exam stadium. But how? Well, I still have something up my sleeve—' he thought as he entered his office and closed the door.
His internal rant was abruptly cut off when he noticed someone sitting in his chair, facing the window. The Third Hokage's façade of calm shattered. He unleashed his killer intent, filling the room with a palpable tension.
"Who… the… fuck do you think you are, sitting in my chair?" he demanded, struggling to keep his voice controlled. That chair, his chair, was a symbol of his authority, and he spent the majority of his days seated there. It was meant for him and him alone.
"Do you fucking know who I am? Or which chair you are sitting on?!" he growled, venom dripping from every word.
"I am the person above you, Hiruzen Sarutobi," the Fire Daimyo responded, turning slowly to face him with an emotionless stare, speaking in an eerily calm tone. The Third Hokage's face drained of color, going pale as the gravity of the situation set in.
"L-Lord Daimyo!" the Third Hokage stammered, his voice cracking awkwardly as if he were a boy in the throes of puberty. The sight of the Fire Daimyo casually fanning himself, regarding him as nothing more than an irritating insect, sent a wave of panic through him. 'Why is he here?' he wondered frantically.
With a sharp snap of his paper fan closing, the Fire Daimyo's next move was swift and decisive. The Third Hokage felt a sudden, powerful pressure strike the backs of his knees, forcing him down to the ground as if he were being compelled by an invisible force. His chakra levels plummeted from that of a Kage to what felt like that of a mere civilian, leaving him as weak and vulnerable as a newborn.
"It's been a while, Lord Third," said a man stepping forward, not bothering to wear a mask but dressed in the Fire Daimyo's ANBU uniform. The man had fair cream skin, a sharp, narrow face, brown eyes, and brown hair tied back in a ponytail, with two purple markings covering the traditional red fang marks of the Inuzuka clan.
"Yuta!" Hiruzen growled, recognizing the man as Tsume's ex-husband. Yuta bore a strong resemblance to his daughter, Hana, and notably lacked the more animalistic features typical of the Inuzuka clan. "You got me at once," Yuta said, his smile revealing fangs in a mocking grin directed at the beleaguered Hokage.
"Oi, Yuta-kun, stop playing with the old monkey. Lord Daimyo has important business with this shell of a man," interjected a woman with a calm, neutral voice. The Third Hokage's eyes widened as he recognized the speaker: Irma Yamanaka, a member of the Yamanaka clan and Inoichi's younger sister. She was strikingly beautiful, with pale skin, a heart-shaped face, green eyes, strawberry blonde hair that reached her shoulders, and dressed in the same Fire Daimyo ANBU uniform as Yuta.
"Irma," he growled, just as Irma placed a senbon against his spine, her gesture clear and threatening—any sudden move, and she would paralyze him.
At that moment, the Fire Daimyo snapped his fingers, drawing the Third Hokage's attention back to him.
"Now that you are here, Hiruzen, let's get to why I am here and why I've sealed your chakra," said the Fire Daimyo, causing the Third Hokage to look up in shock. He had been pondering why the Fire Daimyo would personally intervene.
"I am very—and I mean very—disappointed, Hiruzen. I had no idea you would allow the legacy of the village that the First and Second Hokages built to be tarnished like this. But since you reassumed your position, you've managed to degrade everything they stood for," the Fire Daimyo said, waving some paperwork for emphasis.
The Third Hokage's face aged visibly as the Fire Daimyo continued. "Not only did you allow the people of Konoha to mistreat the child of the Fourth Hokage, but you also erased significant histories of the Senju and Uzumaki clans, instead favoring your own clan and the Uchihas."
The weight of his actions seemed to settle on Hiruzen, who looked increasingly frail as his misdeeds were laid bare. "You lied to me on the day after the nine-tail attack. You told me that the child of Kushina and Minato had died. You looked me in the eye and claimed that the Fourth Hokage chose some random orphan to seal the nine-tails away. But you promised me that the boy would be treated as the hero Minato intended him to be. Instead, you spat in his face—and mine—by allowing the abuse to continue," the Fire Daimyo accused sharply.
His voice was laden with disappointment and betrayal as he considered the depths of the deceit. The room was tense, the air thick with the gravity of the confrontation.
Irma Yamanaka stood confidently behind the Third Hokage. Her presence was commanding, and her voice sliced through the thick atmosphere like a blade.
"You know it's pointless lying to our lord, right?" Irma mocked, her smirk widening as she locked eyes with the Third Hokage. "You do remember that I'm just as skilled as my older brother when it comes to delving into people's memories, don't you?"
She pointed at herself, her voice dripping with contempt. "I was the one Lord Daimyo asked to look into Naruto-kun's memories from his childhood—how the villagers and ninjas attacked him, right up to the moment they returned to Konoha during the first and second Chunin exams."
The Third Hokage's face turned ashen, his eyes widening in panic. "You don't mean… you know?" he stuttered, his voice faltering as sweat began to bead on his forehead. Inside, he was a maelstrom of fear and desperation: 'Holy shit! I'm fucked. I am so fucked… Wait, it wasn't just me who screwed over Naruto, even though I admittedly didn't give a shit,' he thought frantically.
"I wasn't the only one, Lord Daimyo!" he blurted out, his voice rising in a desperate plea. But before he could continue, Yuta's clawed hand clamped down on his head, forcing him to look directly at the Fire Daimyo. The Third Hokage growled internally, seething that this outcast from the Inuzuka clan dared to manhandle him like this.
"Oh, I know it wasn't just you, Hiruzen," the Fire Daimyo responded coolly, pulling a scroll from his robes. The sight of it made the Third Hokage's face drain of color even more.
'I fucking told Danzo, that dumbass, to burn that shit… Wait, did that mummified piece of shit do that on purpose? Just wait until I get my hands on you,' Hiruzen fumed silently, recognizing the scroll that detailed the mission to capture Naruto and replace him with a fake body in the Forest of Death.
"At first, I couldn't believe this scroll was real. I thought, surely, the man known as 'the Professor' wouldn't be foolish enough to go against my orders," the Fire Daimyo said, waving the scroll mockingly before hurling it at the Third Hokage's face, striking him squarely in the left eye. The impact made the Third Hokage wince, certain he'd sport a black eye if he lived through this ordeal.
"How dare you go against my orders! Do you realize what you've done could tarnish my reputation among the other daimyos!" the Fire Daimyo shouted, his voice booming with anger.
With deliberate, menacing steps, the Fire Daimyo approached the Third Hokage, who knelt, defeated and tense. Suddenly, the Daimyo delivered a vicious knee to the Hokage's face. The impact sent the Third Hokage sprawling backward onto the cold, hard floor. Towering over him, the Daimyo swiftly pulled on a pair of brass knuckles, glinting ominously in the dim light.
A heavy punch landed on the Third Hokage's jaw, a spurt of blood jetting from his mouth as a sickening crunch filled the room. The Daimyo's fists were relentless, each strike to the nose accompanied by the grotesque sound of cracking bones. Blood pooled beneath the Third Hokage's head, his face becoming a mask of red.
Punch after punch, the room was filled with the sounds of the Third Hokage's bones snapping and his flesh tearing. He could feel his teeth loosening, the taste of iron flooding his mouth. As the Daimyo's fists grew sore, he finally ceased his assault, stepping back and shaking the pain from his hands.
Lying battered on the ground, the Third Hokage's nose was clearly broken, his face a brutal canvas of his failure.
The Fire Daimyo, looming over him with cold fury, said, "I should just have you executed right here, for all to see." He signaled to Yuta, who grabbed the Third Hokage's hair, forcing the broken man to look up into his eyes.
Choking on his own blood, the Third Hokage gasped for air. Sweat mixed with blood, streaming down his face. not merely from the pain but also from the dread of his grandson Konohamaru witnessing his disgrace. He lamented internally, reflecting on his family: his son Asuma, who he viewed as a disappointment, and his beloved daughter, Konohamaru's mother, whose untimely death he irrationally blamed on Naruto, just as he did the death of his wife.
"Please, Lord Daimyo! Don't do that!" he pleaded, but Irma swiftly silenced him by stomping on his leg, forcing him back into subdued agony.
"I said, I should, but I will give you one last chance, Hiruzen. You should be grateful that your son was one of my best guards in the Fire Capital, and that your grandfather and wife had good relations with my family. Any more fuck-ups, and I'll have you killed," he paused, watching as Hiruzen gasped in relief, only to stiffen at the Daimyo's concluding conditions. "But for your punishment, by the end of the Chunin Exam, you will no longer be the Hokage. Furthermore, you will lose your seat on the council. You are to call a council meeting within an hour, and you are not to disclose the reason for the meeting or what's going on. Just ensure they are there in an hour," he commanded, stepping back.
The Third Hokage was released, and Yuta and Irma returned to the Fire Daimyo's side. "The seal canceling your chakra will fade away in ten to fifteen minutes," Irma informed him, her voice tinged with a soft, mocking enjoyment as she savored the sight of the Third Hokage's disheveled appearance. Both Irma and Yuta harbored a deep disdain for the Third Hokage and the current administration in Konoha, stemming from their friendship with Minato and Kushina—this was their own form of retribution.
As they walked away, leaving the Third Hokage to contemplate his imminent downfall. He was pissed off and he blamed Naruto once again for all this. 'This is all Naruto's fucking fault!' he growled in his head glaring at the direction of Naruto home.
Flashing back to the present, the Third Hokage looked down into the stadium, his gaze hardening as he spotted the fighters gathering for the final exam. His attention was particularly drawn to Naruto, who suddenly appeared in the center of the arena with a Shunshin. Naruto was clad in an outfit that bore a striking resemblance to what Minato had worn during his own Chunin exam days: a gray tracksuit with three stripes on the sleeves, mesh under-armor, black pants, and sandals. Notably, he wore a black forehead protector emblazoned with the whirlpool symbol of his mother, Kushina.
'That little shit is dressed like Minato,' the Third Hokage seethed internally, his mood darkening further. He rubbed his nose, the memory of the Fire Daimyo breaking it fresh in his mind, and recalled the disastrous council meeting that had followed, worsening his already throbbing headache.
Flashback to the council meeting:
With a bandaged nose and a swelling left eye, the Third Hokage sat uncomfortably at the Sarutobi clan head seat in the council chamber. He had opted against going to the hospital to avoid showing his weakened state and was now waiting for the other clan heads to arrive. The civilian members were already seated, occasionally casting curious glances his way.
Minutes later, the clan heads of the Nara, Aburame, Akimichi, Hyuga, Yamanaka, and Inuzuka families entered and took their places. Tsume, still visibly mourning the loss of her youngest with dark circles under her eyes and a distant stare, was among them.
Homura, Koharu, and Danzo were the last to arrive, looking perplexedly at their teammate and friend who appeared as if he'd been through a severe beating.
"Lord Third Hokage, why aren't you in the Hokage's chair?" Shikaku Nara, the Jonin Commander, asked pointedly, the attention of the room turning towards the Third Hokage. Silence fell as he hesitated, not answering, but instead waiting for the arrival of the Fire Daimyo to address the assembly.
"The reason Hiruzen isn't in the Hokage chair is that he will no longer be the Hokage," announced the Fire Daimyo, emerging from the shadows with Irma and Yuta flanking him.
At the sight of Yuta, Tsume's temper flared. "What the hell do you think you're doing here!" she exclaimed, rising to her feet with a glare directed at her ex-husband and the father of her child.
Yuta returned her look with disinterest. "Tsume, Shut it" he commanded coolly, his respect for the Daimyo tempering his tone.
"Lady Inuzuka, I would heed my Anbu's advice if I were you, as I'm not known for my patience," the Fire Daimyo added sternly, prompting everyone to sit back down, their attention snapping forward as he took his place where the Hokage usually sat.
Irma and Yuta stood on either side of him, their expressions neutral, embodying the impassive demeanor typical of Anbu.
"Now that you are all here, I am announcing that by the end of the Chunin exam, Hiruzen Sarutobi will no longer be Hokage, and he will choose a successor," the Fire Daimyo continued, noting the shocked expressions around the room—except for Danzo, whose face remained impassive though his eyes gleamed with anticipation.
"However, no one over sixty years old, no cripples, and only the strongest in the village may be considered," he declared, watching Danzo's fleeting expression of disappointment.
"Why those conditions, Lord Daimyo?" Koharu asked respectfully, raising her hand.
"Because I am aware that upon hearing of Hiruzen's removal, Danzo Shimura would attempt anything to become the next Hokage," the Fire Daimyo explained, his gaze turning sharp as he glanced at Danzo, who was now the focus of everyone's attention.
"Flames, Flash," commanded the Daimyo. In an instant, Kushina and Minato appeared, each wearing a mask of the Fire Daimyo's Anbu, holding the heads of five deceased Root Anbu members.
"These five are dead," declared Kushina coldly, while Minato placed a sealing tag on Danzo's back, freezing him in place.
"Flash, bring me Danzo, please," the Daimyo requested. Minato grabbed Danzo by the hair and dragged him forward as if he were nothing more than a sack of potatoes, a task he found particularly satisfying remembering the Root Anbu's assaults on Naruto.
Danzo was forced to kneel, visibly shocked and panicking as he was immobilized. The Fire Daimyo then produced a small wooden bat and without hesitation, struck Danzo's jaw with a resounding crack! The room gasped as the Daimyo continued to strike Danzo's face, chest, and even his stomach. With a grim finality, he delivered a punishing blow to Danzo's groin, eliciting winces from every male present.
The beating ceased, and Minato cast Danzo aside like discarded trash. The Fire Daimyo then delivered a final kick to Danzo's chest, leaving him gasping for air. He forced Danzo to meet his gaze, ensuring the disgraced shinobi understood the gravity of his situation.
"I should just kill you right here because I know you're plotting revenge. I know it was you who killed my father," the Fire Daimyo said, observing Danzo's shocked expression. "But you're still breathing because your clan has ties in the capital, and some are on my council. Just remember, if you try anything, I will kill you," he spat on Danzo's face, and Minato forcefully returned him to his chair.
"For those unaware of why I did this, these two fools," he gestured towards Danzo and Hiruzen, "defied my explicit orders not to capture the heir of the Uzumaki clan and the Fourth Hokage. It should have been clear he was under my protection. Yet, it seems he didn't even need it, considering he killed three teams of Root members in the Forest of Death. I've dealt with them accordingly. Let this be a lesson—if you cross him while he's under my protection, you'll answer to me," the Fire Daimyo declared sternly.
Danzo and Hiruzen exchanged glances with Koharu and Homura, who tried to mask their discomfort knowing they were part of the plan. The council members, still reeling from the revelations, realized any plans against Naruto would have to wait until he was no longer under the Daimyo's protection.
"Additionally, I'm aware of what Genin Kakashi Hatake did during the second stage of the Chunin exam," the Fire Daimyo continued, snapping his fingers. Minato produced a scroll, releasing a battered Kakashi who lay on the ground, his gaze vacant, clearly suffering from his injuries and missing his Sharingan eye.
"I discovered through Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze that he impersonated the second exam's proctor, Anko Mitarashi," he explained. Inoichi interrupted, raising his hand, "Not to contradict you, Lord Daimyo, but we saw both Kakashi and Anko in the same room during the preliminaries, and we're certain of it."
"Yuta, what does Kakashi Hatake normally smell like with your enhanced senses?" the Daimyo inquired. "Old books, dogs, and dried sperm," Yuta responded flatly. The room turned to Tsume Inuzuka, who reluctantly confirmed, "Yes, that's how Kakashi normally smells."
The Daimyo then revealed, "Imagine my surprise when Naruto told me the same. Irma Yamanaka showed me his memories, and I also saw things from Kakashi's perspective." He then struck Kakashi's chest with the bat, eliciting a crack and a painful cough from the injured Genin.
"He didn't just request Anko to switch out; he gave Team Seven two different scrolls for the Heaven and Earth when they entered the Forest of Death. Now, council members of Konoha, consider what the other villages would do if they discovered Konoha cheated in the Chunin exam. What do you think?" he challenged, watching as the room filled with uneasy silence and fearful glances, the gravity of potential international implications weighing heavily on everyone.
"The only reason Kakashi Hatake is still breathing is out of respect for his father, whom I esteemed greatly. But his son is a disgrace to both his father, Sakumo, and his sensei, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. As of now, Kakashi is demoted to Genin status and barred from promotion for the next three years. He will never rise above Chunin, nor will he be permitted to rejoin the Anbu. Flash, get this trash out of my sight and take him to the hospital," commanded the Fire Daimyo. With a swift Shunshin, Minato vanished, leaving the room engulfed in heavy silence.
"I will not inform the other countries, as it would tarnish my reputation. I do not— and I mean, do not—want to appear incompetent in front of the other Daimyos. If the Hokage won't handle his shit, I will! Any more questions?" he challenged.
A civilian member tentatively raised their hand. "Yes? Civilian-san?" the Daimyo prompted.
"Is the snake bitch— I mean, Anko Mitarashi not going to be punished for going along with Kakashi's plan?" the civilian asked cautiously.
"She will not be punished, as she was coerced by Hiruzen. In fact, Anko isn't even officially a ninja of Konoha anymore. I'm taking her into my own service," he declared, smirking at the council's stunned faces. "Anything else?"
When no further questions came, he concluded, "Leave. And Hiruzen, you have until the end of the Chunin exam to choose your successor. If you fail to do so, I will make the selection myself." With that, he watched as everyone swiftly exited the room.
Flashback over, back to the present.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, rubbed the bridge of his nose where it had once been broken, a smirk playing across his lips despite the circumstances.
'But none of that matters. As soon as that brat steps out of Konoha, my Anbu will capture him. I'll make sure the nine-tails brat is nothing more than a tool under my control. I may not be Hokage after today, but that doesn't mean I can't manipulate Jiraiya to do my bidding,' he plotted darkly, his mind already turning over the possibilities of how he could regain some semblance of power through covert machinations.
Down in the arena, Naruto surveyed his fellow finalists for the Chunin exams, noting a few changes among the competitors.
He first noticed Ino Yamanaka, who looked slightly different than he remembered. Her ponytail was cut shorter and she appeared more toned, dressed in the standard Chunin attire—a navy blue long-sleeve shirt paired with navy pants, and a black vest jacket loaded with scrolls. As their eyes met, Ino shot him a glare, which Naruto returned with a smirk, flashing her an unsettling smile that made her quickly divert her gaze.
'Still freaks her out, huh?' Naruto mused internally, his attention then shifting to an unexpected participant.
Sasuke Uchiha stood out in his modified attire—a black, one-piece version of his usual outfit, embellished with numerous small belts on his left arm and bands around both legs. He wore a blue-clothed forehead protector. Naruto understood why Sasuke was present; the Fire Daimyo had arranged an exhibition match between him, the last loyal Uchiha, and Naruto, the Uzumaki heir. The Daimyo had specifically requested Naruto not to kill Sasuke in the duel, emphasizing the need for Sasuke to continue the Uchiha lineage. This meant Naruto was free only to humiliate him in combat.
Sasuke, meanwhile, glared at Ino, who simply rolled her eyes at him, still irked that she had knocked him out with a single hit in their previous encounter.
Around them, the other finalists like Shino, Temari, Kankuro, Gaara, and Hinata were preparing themselves. Hinata, in particular, caught his eye as she licked her lips while staring at him, which he found slightly unnerving. Beside Sasuke stood Yoroi, seeming somewhat out of place next to the brooding Uchiha.
As Naruto made his appearance in the arena, Sasuke noticed him and couldn't help but comment with a sneer, "Are you ready to get your ass kicked demon?"
Naruto flashed a confident smile. "If Ino knocked you out with a single punch, what makes you think you stand a chance against me?" he taunted, causing Sasuke to flash his newly evolved two-tomoe Sharingan in anger.
"It was that damn snake Sannin's curse mark that weakened me. If that fucker hadn't bitten me, I would've crushed that stupid fangirl. After I finish you off today, I'll prove just how much of an elite Uchiha I am, and the future Hokage of this village," Sasuke boasted arrogantly, his ego fully inflated.
"Hokage, huh? Good luck with that, Sasuke-chan. I'm pretty sure no one wants a weakling like you as their leader," Naruto retorted, further inciting Sasuke's rage.
Before Sasuke could react further, the Third Hokage's voice boomed across the arena, capturing the attention of the gathered crowd. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests. Thank you for joining us here in Konohagakure no Sato for the Chunin selection examination! We now begin the matches of the final round, featuring the eight candidates who advanced from the preliminaries," he announced, pausing as cheers erupted from the audience.
He continued, "As you can see, our last loyal Uchiha is here. You might wonder why, since he was defeated in the preliminary exam by Ino Yamanaka," he said, pausing again as the crowd reacted with a mix of cheers and boos. Sasuke shot a glare at Ino, who simply rolled her eyes, tired of dealing with Sasuke's antics over the past few weeks.
"Our Daimyo has sanctioned an exhibition match between Sasuke Uchiha and the heir of the Uzumaki clan, the child of the Fourth Hokage—Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze. Naruto-san has graciously agreed to this match before his bout against the Hyuga heiress. So, please give a round of applause for both contenders as they prepare for this exhibition match," the Third Hokage concluded, smirking as the crowd's reaction shifted to boos directed at Naruto, with shouts encouraging Sasuke to "kill" Naruto.
"As the matches are set to begin," the Third Hokage announced, a puff of smoke suddenly filled the arena as the proctor for the matches appeared, utilizing what seemed to be a Shunshin technique. The smoke slowly dissipated to reveal a man with dark, spiky hair and distinctive red-framed sunglasses that obscured his eyes. He was dressed in the standard Konoha shinobi outfit, complete with a flak jacket and a forehead protector skewed slightly to the left.
"Greetings, I'm Aoba Yamashiro," he introduced himself to the crowd. "The format for today's matches will be the same as you witnessed at the end of the preliminary rounds. Could Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze please remain in the arena, while the rest of the Genin proceed to the waiting room?" he directed, prompting the other competitors to exit the field, leaving Naruto and Sasuke alone.
As Hinata passed by Naruto, she whispered provocatively, "Don't die out there, my slave, because I'm looking forward to having a taste of you later," and boldly licked his earlobe. Naruto recoiled, shooting her a glare as she smirked back at him silently mouthing, 'You'll be mine soon,' before sauntering off. Naruto shook his head, thinking, 'This girl really has issues.'
Turning his attention back to the field, he faced Sasuke, who wore a smug smirk. "Ready, loser? I hope your Hyuga 'slut' is ready to watch you get destroyed," Sasuke taunted.
Naruto regarded him with an uninterested look, his calm demeanor contrasting sharply with Sasuke's aggressive posture.
"Ready?" Aoba asked, glancing between Sasuke and Naruto, the tension palpable in the arena.
"Just start the damn match, loser," Sasuke sneered, dismissing Aoba with a wave of his hand. Aoba, unphased by the disrespect, simply rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses and turned to Naruto, who gave a quick nod and settled into a Hitman-style boxing stance.
"Boxing? Really?" Sasuke mocked, his smirk widening in derision.
"Begin!" Aoba commanded, his voice echoing throughout the stadium.
Instantly, Sasuke vanished from view, leveraging his speed to outmaneuver the average eye. He reappeared swinging a roundhouse kick towards Naruto, who expertly ducked under the attack. Naruto responded with a swift uppercut aimed at Sasuke's jaw. Sasuke managed to block the punch by crossing his arms, but the force knocked him back, forcing him to stabilize and shake off the pain in his arms.
"Hurts?" Naruto taunted with a smirk as Sasuke reassessed his stance.
Ignoring the jibe, Sasuke vanished again, this time unleashing a flurry of punches towards Naruto. Naruto, with remarkable agility, dodged most of the blows, only returning a counterpunch for every ten attempts Sasuke made. With a precise movement, Naruto landed a solid punch on Sasuke's side, eliciting a wince from the Uchiha as the impact felt like a metal bat.
'Fuck! No wonder that stupid pink-haired bitch was knocked out with one hit,' Sasuke thought grimly.
Not missing a beat, Naruto followed up with a knee aimed at Sasuke's chin. However, just as his knee connected, Sasuke utilized the substitution jutsu, replacing himself with a log at the last second. The log exploded upon impact, scattering wooden fragments across the field.
The crowd roared in excitement, witnessing the high-stakes dance of attack and counterattack, while Aoba kept a keen eye on the fighters, ready to intervene if necessary.
Sasuke growled in frustration, flinging ten shurikens into the air. He quickly formed hand seals, smirking confidently. "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he exclaimed, multiplying the ten shurikens into a hundred that whizzed towards Naruto.
Observing the incoming barrage, Naruto hastily conjured a few hand seals of his own. Sasuke's smirk faded when he realized he couldn't copy Naruto's technique due to an inability to see his chakra flow. Cursing under his breath—'Damn it!'—he watched as Naruto unleashed a powerful technique.
"Wind Style: Tornado Fang!" Naruto declared, creating a massive horizontal tornado that drilled through the swarm of shurikens, obliterating them and chasing down Sasuke, who once again substituted himself with a log. The ferocious wind jutsu smashed into the arena wall, causing a part of it to crumble.
From a tree branch, Sasuke retaliated. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" he bellowed, launching a massive fireball at Naruto.
Naruto, unfazed, pulled out the handle of a kunai without a blade. "Wind Style: Slicing Wind Emperor," he murmured, and the handle emitted a wind blade as large as a broadsword. With a precise swing, he split the fireball in two, the flames dispersing harmlessly around a path he had cleared for himself.
"God damn you! You're only that strong because of the Nine-Tails!" Sasuke accused, glaring down from his perch.
"Your clan was only ever powerful because they were born with eyes that copy abilities they never earned," Naruto retorted, highlighting the hypocrisy in Sasuke's accusation.
Visibly enraged, veins throbbing on his forehead, Sasuke began a series of rapid hand seals. "Lightning Style: Lightning Rat Violent Quake!" he roared, sending out several homing discs of electric energy towards Naruto. Without missing a beat, he followed up with another jutsu, "Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!" launching a volley of small fireballs into the air, which burst into numerous flames.
Naruto, already preparing his counter, formed hand seals. "Wind Style: Gale White Bow!" he executed, sending wind arrows that intercepted and neutralized the lightning discs. He continued, "Water Style: Tainted Culvert Wyrm," conjuring a massive serpentine dragon from water that surged forward, smashing into the fireballs and extinguishing them. The water dragon then crashed into Sasuke, slamming him against the stadium's stone walls.
Soaked and stunned, Sasuke collapsed to the ground, coughing and gasping for air, as the crowd watched in a mix of awe and shock.
Sasuke struggled to his feet, panting heavily and soaked in sweat. "Aw, looks like the last loyal Uchiha ran out of gas," Naruto taunted, advancing towards Sasuke with a relaxed stride, showing no signs of fatigue.
"Fuck you!" Sasuke yelled back, his glare intensifying.
"Sorry, but I don't swing that way. I'm into women," Naruto retorted with a smirk, provoking Sasuke further.
In a burst of rage, Sasuke's demeanor shifted as his curse mark activated, his skin glowing with a sinister purple hue and flame-like markings spreading across his body. "Give me the Nine-Tails! It belongs to the Uchiha clan!" he demanded, his voice echoing with a newfound power. Laughing maniacally, he charged at Naruto at full speed, attempting to drive a kunai into Naruto's throat.
Naruto effortlessly deflected Sasuke's hand, countering with a forceful palm strike to Sasuke's chest that sent him tumbling back. "Close combat is useless since you're too slow, Sasuke-chan," Naruto mocked, watching as Sasuke's Sharingan spun wildly, attempting to trap him in a Genjutsu.
"Really? A Genjutsu? That didn't work," Naruto stated nonchalantly, breaking the illusion with ease as Sasuke, undeterred, formed more hand seals.
"Fire Style: Fire Stream!" Sasuke bellowed, unleashing a torrent of flames from his mouth directly at Naruto.
Naruto quickly countered, "Water Style: Sea Dragon's Nest," placing both hands near the ground to manifest a dome composed of swirling whirlpools. The fire assault continued, but the protective water barrier held firm without any issue. Not stopping there, Naruto prepared his next move, "Water Style: Cascade Destroyer," and formed five balls of water above them. These spheres then unleashed high-pressure streams of water at Sasuke, who managed to dodge three but was hit squarely by the remaining two, sending him crashing into the arena's wall with a thud.
The crowd was on the edge of their seats, witnessing the intense display of elemental ninjutsu and the sheer power being thrown back and forth between the two shinobi."Get up, Sasuke-sama!" someone from the crowd yelled urgently.
"Don't let that demon defeat you! Kill him!" another spectator screamed, venom in their voice.
"He's cheating! He's using the demon's chakra!" another falsely accused, assuming Naruto was tapping into the Nine-Tails' power, though in reality, he still needed more practice to control it fully.
Irritated and zealous, several people from Konoha began hurling soda cans and trash at Naruto, aiming to distract him or buy Sasuke enough time to regain his footing.
From the VIP balcony, where the Daimyos of Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning, and Fire were seated, the tension was palpable. The other Daimyos observed the scene with varying degrees of disapproval and concern.
"It seems your people have quite the disdain for the Uzumaki heir," the Earth Daimyo remarked, noting the volume of trash being thrown at Naruto, who deftly dodged the debris without much effort.
"I see my land's Jinchuriki isn't the only one hated," the Wind Daimyo chimed in, understanding too well how the Hidden Sand viewed Gaara but also knowing they wouldn't dare attack him openly.
"In my village, we honor our Jinchuriki. They wouldn't dream of committing such disrespect," the Lightning Daimyo added, sipping his sake with a shake of his head.
"This is because Hiruzen never informed them properly. It's a good thing Naruto-kun won't be in Konoha much longer," the Fire Daimyo interjected, capturing the attention of his counterparts.
"Really? So, is he going to live in the Fire Capital as one of your ninjas?" inquired the Water Daimyo, intrigued by the plan.
"No, I've decided to allow the boy to travel the world. He's been confined to the Hidden Leaf for far too long and deserves some freedom for a change. Plus, he's only loyal to me and my family, so I have no concerns about his allegiance," explained the Fire Daimyo, raising his sake cup in a subtle toast to Naruto's future freedoms.
Back on the field, Sasuke struggled to his feet, his eyes blazing with anger. He executed a Shunshin, reappearing by the stadium wall and quickly forming hand seals.
Naruto, recognizing the imminent Chidori, sighed and glanced toward the stands, pinpointing Sasuke's location by scent amid the other Jonin and Genin.
In the stands, the tension was palpable:
Asuma Sarutobi seethed with resentment, his expression dark. "That damn demon," he muttered under his breath. The recent upheaval—his father's impending removal from the Hokage position due to Naruto—had only deepened his disdain for the young Uzumaki.
"Come on, Sasuke-kun! Take that piece of shit out! Get revenge for me!" Sakura Haruno yelled from her wheelchair, her voice tinged with bitterness. Paralyzed from the hips down after her encounter with Naruto, her dreams of becoming a shinobi shattered. Rejected by Sasuke and burdened with the prospect of a future she hadn't chosen, her frustration and anger were directed squarely at Naruto. 'How I wish someone would just kill that demon,' she thought venomously, veins throbbing in her forehead.
Kakashi Hatake, recently demoted to Genin, stood with his arms crossed, smugly confident in the lethal technique he had taught Sasuke. To him, Naruto was nothing more than a mistake, a blot on his illustrious career. 'Fuck that. Naruto was a mistake that should have been corrected long ago,' he thought bitterly, resenting the chaos Naruto had brought to his life. In his eyes, Naruto was to blame for every misfortune, including the deaths of Rin and Obito—events that predated Naruto's birth but were irrationally attributed to him due to Kakashi's skewed perspective.
In the stands, the tension was palpable as the combatants prepared for their clash. Choji, sitting beside Shikamaru, turned to Asuma with a puzzled look. "What's that jutsu Sasuke's charging up?"
"That's Chidori," Kurenai interjected with a cold smile. She harbored deep resentment towards Naruto, blaming him for Kiba's death and Anko's departure from Konoha. She felt Naruto had indirectly caused strife within her circle of friends, particularly with Hana Inuzuka, who was furious with Kurenai for misjudging Naruto's threat. 'Why is Hana angry at me instead of that demon? It wasn't me who split Kiba in half,' Kurenai seethed internally.
Asuma, overhearing the conversation, nodded in agreement with Kurenai. "With that technique, Sasuke's going to end that monster," he said, the bitterness evident in his voice.
Shikamaru, however, remained skeptical, noting Naruto's calm demeanor. The air crackled with electricity as the sound of a thousand birds chirping filled the stadium, signaling Sasuke's attack was at its peak.
"Let's do this," Kakashi called out, observing from the sidelines.
On the field, Naruto watched Sasuke charging down the wall, the Chidori illuminating the area with violent streaks of blue. Raising his hand, Naruto's palm glowed with a swirling mass of chakra. "Time to show why your jutsu isn't finished," Naruto declared. A dense sphere formed, infused with a subtle hint of wind chakra. "Rasengan!" he announced, as those familiar with the technique recognized it as one of the Fourth Hokage's legendary creations.
Sasuke hit the ground, his Chidori roaring as he surged forward. "Chidori!" he yelled, thrusting his electrified hand towards Naruto.
Kushina and Minato, standing beside the Fire Daimyo, exchanged knowing looks behind their masks. They were confident in Naruto's victory; the Rasengan was fundamentally more potent than the Chidori.
As the two forces collided, Naruto and Sasuke locked eyes—Sasuke's filled with fury, Naruto's with disinterest. "I'm going to win this!" Sasuke thought desperately, pumping more chakra into his faltering Chidori.
"I won this," Naruto stated calmly, injecting a surge of wind chakra into his Rasengan, overpowering the Chidori and pushing it back. The Rasengan slammed into Sasuke's stomach, sending him hurtling back. He crashed into the wall, spinning uncontrollably.
The stadium fell silent as Naruto walked off, nonchalant. Aoba quickly checked on Sasuke before calling out, "Winner of the match, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze! Sasuke Uchiha is alright. Medic!" A team of medical nin swiftly moved to attend to Sasuke.
Naruto, walking down the tunnel, suddenly found himself immobilized as shadows crept up his body towards his neck. He detected the scent of three individuals nearby.
"You're quite the nuisance," came a deep voice, evidently annoyed.
"This demon is draining too much of my chakra," another voice chimed in, the tone lethargic, likely a Nara clan member.
"But my uncle promised us a hefty sum to finish you off," added a third Nara, stepping forward from the shadows and tossing a kunai at Naruto.
Catching the kunai between his teeth, Naruto raised an eyebrow and casually spat it out. "Really? My sensei has thrown worse at me," he remarked, recalling how Kushina had once lobbed a massive shuriken at him—a move so extreme that even Minato had been taken aback.
As the shadow jutsu tightened around his neck, attempting to twist his head, Naruto suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke, revealing he was just a shadow clone. "Not the brightest move. I thought the Nara were supposed to be smart," Naruto's voice echoed from behind the furthest Nara, who collapsed with blood pouring from a fatal throat wound.
The remaining Nara tried to trap him with their shadow jutsu, but Naruto swiftly tagged them with flash bombs. Shielding their eyes too late, they were incapacitated, each with a kunai embedded in their foreheads. Naruto stamped the ground, causing the earth to swallow the bodies, erasing any trace of the altercation.
"Looks like Shikaku sent his clan members to their deaths," Naruto mused aloud as he walked back towards the arena. He was called back to the field by Aoba, along with Hinata, whose scent he found particularly unsettling. He couldn't help but feel sympathy for her younger sister, now burdened with the cursed seal of the branch family, treated like a servant.
Naruto emerged from the tunnel, his gaze landing on Hinata, who smirked confidently, as if she had already secured her victory.
"Begin!" Aoba's voice cut through the tense air.
As Aoba's shout to begin echoed across the arena, Hinata burst into motion, her face set with a confident, almost mocking smirk. Her fingertips glowed an ethereal blue, the trademark of the Gentle Fist technique ready to strike. She lashed out swiftly, aiming a blow at Naruto's arm, but he parried, deflecting her palm with a forceful slap.
Unperturbed, Hinata redirected her assault, her left hand thrusting towards Naruto's chest. He sidestepped, narrowly avoiding her touch. The duel continued, a rapid exchange of blows and blocks. Hinata relentlessly attacked while Naruto, seizing an opportunity, grasped her right wrist and executed a swift judo throw. However, Hinata was quick to recover, landing agilely on her feet.
As Naruto created distance between them, Hinata tried to trip him, but he dodged, leaping back with agility. She narrowed her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips.
"You are within my range," she declared, her inner voice whispering, Hakke Rokujūyon Shō.
With a burst of speed, she charged. "Two palms!" she exclaimed, striking Naruto once.
"Four palms!" The strikes doubled in speed.
"Eight, sixteen, thirty-two, sixty-four palms!" Her hands became blurs, movements so fast they were nearly invisible. "Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!" she yelled, delivering a powerful palm strike to Naruto's chest that sent him spinning to the ground.
The crowd around the Chunin exam arena erupted into cheers, feeding off the intensity of the match. Hinata stood over him, smirking triumphantly.
"I told you, you're nothing compared to me. So I win, and now you'll be my slave," she declared, her cheeks tinting an a perverted shade of red as she reveled in her victory, her voice laced with a teasing edge.
A taunting voice echoed through the Chunin exam stadium, resonating from the shadows of the dense trees that encircled the field. "Wow, it looks like the Hyuga clan's all-seeing eyes have a blind spot," Naruto called out, his tone dripping with mischief.
Hinata's head snapped towards the source of the voice as a puff of smoke revealed that the Naruto she had just pummeled was nothing but a shadow clone. A low growl of frustration escaped her lips. Her gaze fixed on the real Naruto, who was partially obscured by a cleverly placed seal, rendering him almost invisible even to her advanced Hyuga eyesight.
"I should have known you'd fight me like a coward," she taunted, hoping to provoke him, to make him predictable.
"Coward? I don't think so," Naruto retorted, unfazed. "It's not my fault your clan doesn't utilize more diverse Jutsu. Spoiled princess," he quipped, forming the bird seal with his hands.
In his mind, Naruto whispered the incantation, "Wind Style: Wind Blade Shower." Instantly, dozens of blades made of compressed, solid wind materialized, slicing through the air towards Hinata. She dodged skillfully, weaving through the deadly barrage, but one blade grazed her cheek, drawing blood. As the warm blood trickled down her face, she couldn't suppress a twisted smile, the sharp sting igniting a thrill within her. "Please cut me more, Naruto-kun~," she thought, her smile growing more perverse with the rush of adrenaline.
Naruto, slightly unnerved, raised an eyebrow at Hinata's unsettling moan. "Are you getting turned on?" he asked, his voice betraying a hint of disturbance.
With a defiant smirk, Hinata swiftly threw three kunai knives, each tagged with explosive seals. Naruto stood his ground as the seals activated. "Boom! Boom! Boom!" echoed through the stadium, followed by raucous cheers from the crowd.
"Yes! Finally, the demon's dead!" a civilian yelled from the stands, a cruel cheer for what they thought was Naruto's demise.
"That's for Sasuke-sama. You demon!" another voice joined in, filled with misplaced vengeance.
But the scene quickly shifted. The sound of chains clinking filled the air as the smoke cleared, revealing Naruto unharmed, surrounded by golden chakra chains that retracted into his body. The crowd's cheers turned into groans of disappointment.
"Coward!" Hinata accused sharply, her eyes blazing with combativeness.
Naruto responded by forming rapid, one-handed seals. "Earth Style: Earth and Stone Dragon!" he declared, followed by, "Wind Style: Piercing Tornado Needle!" From beneath the earth, a formidable dragon made of rock burst forth, roaring mightily as it emerged, while Naruto simultaneously conjured a swirling vortex of wind that sharpened into needle-shaped spears.
Hinata's eyes widened as the dual assault approached. Quickly, she began spinning, "Eight Trigrams: Palms Revolving Heaven!" she shouted, creating a protective sphere of chakra that spun rapidly around her. The earth dragon and the wind spears crashed against it, the force shaking but not breaking her defense.
As Hinata ceased spinning, she was visibly exhausted, breathing heavily from the effort. Naruto watched, a wry smirk forming on his lips.
"So that makes you waste a lot of chakra," he taunted, noting the significant drain on her reserves. He pondered the fact that a slightly different application of his chakra might have shattered her defense completely but shrugged off the thought.
Hinata's laugh pierced the tense air, unsettling yet charged with a wild intensity. Her smirk widened as she faced Naruto, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Oh? I am?" she taunted, her tongue darting out to lick her lips suggestively. Forming the ram seal, she began to radiate a light blue glow of chakra.
Naruto felt a strange sensation, as if the chakra was being drawn out from him, particularly from where Hinata's tongue had grazed his earlobe before his exhibition match with Sasuke. "Oh, you finally figured that out, Naruto-kun~" Hinata mocked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
She's siphoning my chakra… Damn you, Jiraiya, Naruto thought, as he narrowly avoided her barrage of Gentle Fist strikes. Hinata's movements were unnaturally swift, her speed eclipsing that of a typical Chunin. Despite this, Naruto, relying solely on his mid-Jonin level agility and without the aid of his nine-tails chakra, managed to keep up.
In a swift exchange, Hinata managed to land a hit on Naruto's shoulder during her ten-strike combo. Naruto, quick to respond, unleashed a flurry of ten punishing hits of his own, each one landing with precision and force. Hinata grimaced under the impact, a strange gleam of enjoyment flickering across her features. Damn, he hits hard… but somehow, I like it, she mused internally, her pain mingling with a twisted sort of pleasure.
Naruto then created space between them and quickly formed hand seals. "Wind-style: Wind Blades Shower!" he declared, sending a barrage of razor-sharp wind blades her way. Hinata responded with "Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven," her rotation deflecting the wind blades effortlessly.
"You'll never break through the Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven. It's the Hyuga clan's strongest defense," Hinata boasted, stopping her rotation with a self-assured smirk.
"Really? Huh. Maybe I should start trying then," Naruto said casually, forming more hand seals. Then two giant water dragons came out of Naruto's mouth and they shot towards Hinata. She spun again, attempting to deflect them, but the chakra drain from her earlier attack was taking its toll.
Naruto noted the increased drain on his chakra. '*If she keeps sucking it out, she'll end up poisoning herself with the tailed beast chakra*' he mused internally, somewhat indifferent to her fate given her choice of tactics.
Suddenly, as Naruto's chakra was being drained, he felt a surge within him, his eyes shifting to the crimson and slitted form typical of a tailed beast transformation. An aura of orange chakra enveloped him, mirroring the effect unexpectedly on Hinata, causing her intense pain.
"Ahhh! My body!" Hinata screamed, collapsing to the ground in agony as the unintended consequences of her seal became apparent.
Naruto stood over Hinata, who was writhing in pain on the ground. "So, Hinata, who told you to place this type of seal onto me?" he asked, already knowing it was Jiraiya. Hinata, grappling with the agony, managed to gasp out, "Ahhh! Why does it hurt?!"
"Because you were siphoning off my natural chakra, but you overlooked a crucial fact. You're not accustomed to tailed beast chakra, as I've been a Jinchuriki," Naruto explained, removing the seal from his ear. The aggressive orange chakra surrounding Hinata faded, leaving her sprawled on the ground, gasping for breath.
'I-I can't move,' she thought desperately, feeling the painful backlash in her chakra pathways.
Did she really lose? And why didn't he understand that she had transformed herself into this ruthless person just for him? She had become callous and manipulative to have him all to herself. 'Damn it! I won't lose. He is mine! Only mine,' she internally raged, envisioning Naruto as her possession, a tool to ascend her clan, eliminate any obstacles, and eventually father her children.
She caught a glimpse of Naruto walking away, not even looking back, as Aoba came to check on her. 'You will be mine, Naruto-kun. No one else can have you. I'll keep you caged like a bird, to kill or pleasure me as needed,' she plotted maniacally in her mind, slipping further into her delusion.
Her mind unhinged, Hinata began to chant a twisted nursery rhyme, envisioning a future with Naruto by her side: "Naruto and Hinata sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, Then comes marriage, Then comes a baby in a baby carriage." She repeated the lines obsessively until she lost consciousness from her injuries, her mind a whirl of possessive and disturbed thoughts.
Naruto made his way up to the waiting room, where the other finalists had gathered, finding himself a quiet spot to rest. The atmosphere was tense; Temari and Kankuro instinctively gave Gaara, who was staring at Naruto with an unsettling smile, a wide berth. Ino stood close to Shino, both occasionally casting wary glances at Naruto. Meanwhile, Yoroi kept his eyes on the Hokage's balcony, where the Third Hokage and the Kazekage were seated. 'Yoroi reeks of snakes, just like Kabuto. Must be another of Orochimaru's lackeys,' Naruto thought, piecing together his alliances.
Down in the arena, Aoba called out, "Can I have Dosu and Gaara for the next match?" Both competitors used their respective village's Shunshin techniques to appear in the arena, ready for combat.
Back in the waiting room, Naruto sensed a familiar presence behind him—a presence he'd only encountered when tapping into his tailed beast chakra. He turned to see a small shadow on the wall, which materialized into a fox. The creature was a vibrant red-orange kitsune with stark black fur around its piercing red eyes, and it sported a single, sweeping tail.
As Naruto allowed the fox to touch his back, he heard its voice in his head, "Saw your match. Why didn't you kill the Uchiha or that Hyuga girl who's trying to rape you?"
Naruto mentally replied, "The Fire Daimyo's orders. They need Sasuke for… future Uchiha, unfortunately. As for Hinata, killing her would bring too much trouble from her clan, plus I promised Lady Irene I'd bring Hinata's sister and her old caretaker. To spring country just like Ayame and her father'
"Hm, are you planning to make the Hyuga caretaker your mate?" the fox teased with a perverse grin.
Naruto shot back dryly, "Kurama, not everyone's are as big a pervert as you. They've suffered enough under Hinata's ambition for power, manipulated by her and the elders."
Kurama, ever the libertine, shrugged off the comment. In his freedom from the Jinchuriki seal, he had embraced his true nature, relishing the creation of his own clan and the exploration of his new desires. "Hey, can you blame me? I've had to watch Mito and Kushina having sex through the seal and I wondered about their actions. Now, I'm making the most of my freedom to do as I please, including starting my own fox clan. And I already have ten mates."
Naruto, used to Kurama's antics, simply focused on the task at hand, preparing mentally for whatever the Chunin Exams.
As Gaara's victory was announced, Kurama's voice echoed in Naruto's mind. "Looks like my younger brother Jinchuriki took out his opponent," Kurama noted. The arena resonated with the announcement: "Winner of the second match, Gaara from Suna!" shouted Aoba. Kurama added, "I'm heading out. I'll catch up with you after the match between Leaf, Suna, and Sound," before fading into the shadows.
Gaara then approached Naruto, his expression unsettlingly serene. "Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto," he said, his voice carrying a chilling undertone.
Naruto, masking his concern with indifference, responded, "Yes?"
"Mother desires your blood," Gaara stated flatly.
Naruto quirked an eyebrow, bemused. "Uh, I'm pretty sure Shukaku isn't female," he replied, causing Temari and Kankuro to exchange shocked looks, while Gaara's smile somehow stretched wider, his demeanor growing increasingly unhinged.
At that moment, Aoba interrupted, "Can Kankuro from Suna and Shino from Konoha come down to the arena?"
Before the match could commence, Kankuro called out, "I forfeit!" His declaration caught everyone off guard, and Aoba, a bit puzzled, quickly moved on to the next match. "Can I have Ino Yamanaka versus Temari of Suna!" he announced.
Ino energetically jumped down to the arena, her resolve clear. Temari descended more gracefully, aided by her large war fan. Naruto, curious about the outcome, made his way to a better vantage point, pondering Kankuro's sudden withdrawal and the underlying strategy it implied.
"Ready to go down, Fangirl?" Temari taunted, positioning her giant fan defensively, her stance aggressive and poised.
Ino scoffed, her expression defiant. "I'm no fangirl, Tubby," she retorted sharply, causing Kankuro's eyebrows to shoot up in surprise—nobody dared call Temari fat.
Temari's smile then stretched across her face, not one of amusement but of simmering anger. "I… am… fat, huh?" she hissed, veins throbbing at her temple.
"Yep, and it looks like you've been packing it on the thighs lately," Ino continued boldly, her smirk widening.
Aoba, sensing the rising tension, quickly interjected, "Begin!"
Instantly, Temari unleashed a violent gust with a swing of her fan, sending Ino hurtling towards the stone walls. In a split second, Ino whipped out a kunai tied with ninja wire, anchoring it to a nearby tree to halt her backward momentum.
"I'm gonna enjoy kicking your skinny ass, you bitch!" Temari yelled, slicing through several trees with another powerful wind jutsu.
Bracing herself against a tree trunk, Ino began forming hand seals. "Earth Style: Hiding Like a Mole Technique," she murmured, disappearing into the ground. She tunneled rapidly towards Temari, popping up momentarily to execute "Earth Style: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique," seizing Temari's ankle and yanking her down into the earth.
Temari reacted swiftly, standing against the arena walls, and flung shuriken at Ino, who had just resurfaced. Ino deflected them with her small tanto and dove back into her tunnel as Temari prepared her next attack.
"Wind Style: Sickle Weasel Technique!" Temari shouted, spinning her fan furiously. But Ino, anticipating the attack, had already taken cover underground.
As Temari prepared another swing, she didn't notice Ino's cleverly placed explosive tags integrating into her fan. "Boom!" thought Ino, forming the ram seal. The explosion rocked the arena, and a scream of pain echoed—Temari was caught off guard by the sudden blast.
"Temari!" Kankuro yelled anxiously as he watched his sister stagger slightly from the blast. Smoke curled off her clothing where the explosion tags had singed fabric and skin. She grimaced, patting out small fires on her attire. 'Damn, let her get inside my head,' she thought, chastising herself for losing focus.
Taking a deep breath to regain her composure, Temari's gaze hardened. She knew she needed to end this quickly. With calculated precision, she aimed her fan at the tunnel openings Ino had used, suspecting the kunoichi might try to use them again.
"Fire Style: Ember Infusion," Temari murmured, releasing a stream of sparks into the nearest hole. With a swift, powerful swing of her giant fan, the harmless sparks transformed into roaring flames that surged through the tunnel network.
From one of the holes, Ino emerged, screaming as her clothes caught fire. "It burns!" she cried out, dropping and rolling on the ground in an attempt to smother the flames.
Frantically forming hand seals, Ino managed to summon a moderate stream of water. "Water Style: Soothing Bowl!" she shouted, dousing herself and snuffing out the flames. But her relief was short-lived. As she caught her breath, Temari seized the moment.
With a forceful swing, Temari brought her fan crashing down onto Ino's head. The impact was blunt and decisive, knocking Ino unconscious instantly. The arena fell silent for a moment, punctuated only by Temari's heavy breathing as she stood over her fallen opponent, her energy visibly depleted from the intense expenditure of chakra.
As the medic team rushed in to tend to Ino, Temari stepped back, her chest heaving with exertion. 'Never let your guard down, even when victory seems certain,' she reminded herself, knowing every battle was a lesson. The crowd, initially stunned, erupted into cheers and applause for the dramatic conclusion of the match."Temari of Suna is the winner," announced Aoba, noting Ino being carried away. Despite her modest skills, Ino had exceeded expectations. Officially, she was ranked low-chunin level, yet she managed to challenge Temari, who possessed the stamina and chakra levels of a mid to high chunin. Ino had initially caught Temari off guard, capitalizing on her opponent's underestimation, but it hadn't been enough.
"Due to an uneven number of competitors, Yoroi Akadō will advance to the next round by default. We will give the fighters five minutes to rest so please do use the restroom and get your sneaks and drinks," Aoba continued. The crowd murmured, some disappointed by the lack of a fight.
Yoroi, uninterested in the accolades, had other concerns. Lord Orochimaru's plan will change everything soon, he mused silently, his thoughts on the impending invasion that was set to coincide with Naruto's upcoming bout against Gaara.
Author notes
Sorry if this isn't what you guys thought. I had a lot more written and I lost it after my computer crashed. I nearly stopped since I lost 2 chapters that equal 32k words. But I guess that's life.
Next chapter should come out an a week or two since I am fixing the next chapter.
Well, next chapter will be more information on what Naruto did during the month to get ready for the final of the Chunin exam.
Yeah Kurama isn't dead and I well explain on the next chapter how that happened more.
If you have any more questions. Just let me know in the comments since I do read them.
Thanks for the support and I really appreciate it.
Still, give me some suggestions on who Naruto should add to his harem for later in the story.
Guess I'll see you in the next chapter, well I hope you have an amazing day you sexy people.