"You haven't seen Sasuke-teme and Sensei yet?" the blonde asked as he joined his pink-haired teammate. She nodded sadly. "It's time for his match yet he isn't here yet. What if he gets disqualified?" she said, her voice hinting arising panic. "C'mon, Sakura-chan. It's the teme we're talking about after all. He loves to show off. They'll make it in time, dattebayo," he replied reassuringly. She nodded. "Congratulations on winning your fight with Neji. You really outdid yourself and proved him wrong," the girl said as she smiled beautifully. Naruto scratched the back of his neck as he grinned. "It was nothing," he replied cheekily. "And I'm sure Hinata was really impressed," she added slyly. His face turned beet red such that it rivaled Hinata and she had to laugh. "W-What are you talking about?!" the blonde said rather loudly as he refused to meet her eyes. "Don't worry Naruto. It's nothing," she waved as she had collected her bearings after laughing. "Why don't go and sit with Hinata for the last matches? I'm sure she wants to talk to you," the kunoichi said as she pointed to the Hyuuga heiress who was sitting on the benches. Next to her was her younger sister Hanabi. The two seemed to be chatting animatedly as the younger of the two made wild gestures. Naruto stared at the timid girl longingly with a warm smile plastered on his face. Realizing that he appeared kinda stupid ogling at Hinata, he quickly turned back to his teammate who was looking at him with amusement. "What about you?" he asked, not wanting to leave her alone before her big match. "I'll be fine," she said as she smiled good-naturedly. The blonde gave her a quick hug before jumping to the benches.

She turned back to the arena where the exam proctor was talking to some other jounin. She had recently heard that one of the jounin, Hayate, had been murdered and thus Genma had been placed as the new proctor. She wondered who had killed Hayate and why. But then again she wasn't really surprised. History had already told of the bad blood between the Five Great Nations. It wouldn't seem out of the blue if one of the nations turned against each other. She just hoped that one of her friends wouldn't get caught up in the crossfire of the political feud. All her friends were prodigies with kekkei genkai except her. 'No one will ever notice me. I'm just a civilian,' she thought with a sad smile.

"Since Sasuke Uchiha is not present, we have postponed his match and we move on to the next match between Shino Aburame and Kankurou no Saba-" Genma stopped mid sentence as a Sand min, she guessed by his dressing, made his way towards the jounin and began talking to him. After a few moments, the Sand min made his way back to the balcony. "Kankurou no Sabaku has forfeited the match therefore Sakura Haruno will face Shino Aburame by default," the man said, senbon in mouth and all. Sakura felt her eyes widen marginally. That didn't make any sense. She looked over to the puppet user who looked albeit unhappy, as though he'd been forced to forfeit. He also looked anxious, as though he was expecting something to snap any moment. His eyes were darting everywhere, mostly at their younger sibling Gaara. She had seen the redhead beat the living daylights out of Lee. This sent her brain into her analytical mode.

What would make such a strong ninja forfeit? He definitely appeared to be forced. His skills surpassed that of Shino as he was more older and experienced. Plus what was making him anxious and look at Gaara expectantly? Did they know something that the rest of them didn't? Was it a coup or something? One couldn't say that the nations were united so it wouldn't be a surprise if it happened. She looked back at Kankurou who was being scolded by Temari and their jounin sensei. Again, the puppet in glanced timidly at Gaara before looking away. She narrowed her eyes skeptically? What were they hiding?

"-kura-chan! Sakura-chan!"

She snapped out of her reverie and turned to face the blonde who was standing behind her. "What's wrong? Is something the matter?" she asked innocently. "The proctor has been calling you to come for your match but you weren't answering. He thought you got scared and was about to announce Shino the winner. Told him to stop though, dattebayo," the jinchuriki explained, puffing his cheeks out at the last part. "Oh," she said as she smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. Guess I got carried away," she said with a cheeky grin. "That big of yours already working how to beat the bug-freak? You can do it Sakura-chan, dattebayo!" he said as he gave her a thumbs up and a million watt smile. She nodded before jumping down to the arena. "You okay, little girlie?" Genma asked as he eyed the scrawny kunoichi. "I'm fine, thank you," she snapped heatedly as she glared at the man. "Why that punk calling us girlie and doubting our skills? He deserves a beating, shannaro!" Innner Sakura complained loudly as a vein ticked on her forehead. The man muttered something about "... Kakashi's devil brats" before proceeding to start the match. "Begin!" he said and the two ninja jumped away from each other.


Sakura secretly placed a genjutsu in their surrounding area, making her appear to be facing Shino when she was actually a few metres away from her imaginary self. She decided to test the ninja first before coming up with a plan. She watched as the genjutsu self was attacked by a swarm of bees. She was unable to dodge and her real self flinched, watching in horror as the killer bees devoured her. She felt a shift in the air and jumped up, looking down to see three kunai embedded where she'd just been. She turned her head up to see Shino's shin coming down at her. She formed an X with her forearms, hoping to reduce the force of the blow. However, she was surprised when she was sent careening to the ground. She crashed into the ground, creating a small dent. She was quick to get on her feet.

She pulled out several shuriken and flung them with deadly accuracy towards the dark-haired boy. The boy dodged them all with a few managing to nick his shoulders and cheeks. She pulled out a kunai and sped towards him. He took out a kunai of his own and the two met, metal flashing against metal. The arena was deathly silent except for two familiar loudmouths cheering for their teammates. The two loudmouths being Naruto and Kiba who seemed to have a yelling contest between themselves. Sakura flung her kunai again and the bug user deflected it by throwing his own. She didn't allow him to catch his breath as she was already aiming a well-deserved punch towards him. He was a split second too late to dodge and the flying fist connected with his nose. He flew back, landing a few metres away from her. He tasted blood in his mouth. How she'd been able to move so quickly amazed him. For a ninja from a civilian family, a girl nonetheless, to show such great skill impressed him. She had a few bruises of her own but didn't seemed affected by them. "Doton: Earth Wall!" she yelled as she slammed her hands on the ground. He felt the ground underneath him shift and he suddenly found himself spinning in the air. Sakura threw a kunai at him and he evaded it smoothly. Then she disappeared from her spot below and was behind him in an instant. She swiped a leg towards him and he ducked before landing on the ground. This girl was a bit too quick on her toes.

He thought he was going to fight another weak little female oppenent. She did look weak though, judging by her small and petite frame. However, she proved to be more than just a weak little civilian girl. She was actually showing how to be a true ninja. He remembered her from his Academy days as a loud and annoying rabid fangirl of the Uchiha who was seemed to be annoyed by the very existence of Naruto. He partially hated her for liking the Uchiha and not the Uzumaki but what could he do? But now, she seemed to have changed, to have matured from being a useless fangirl to being a true kunoichi. He smirked underneath his hood. She just got interesting.

She sensed the abrupt change in atmosphere. Oh boy, she was going to get her ass handed to her. At least her defeat would be an honorable one. She would go down with a fight. She braced herself as bugs slowing crept from the boy's body and began to group behind him. Something prompted her to look behind and she turned around to see Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei standing on the balcony staring down at her. Kakashi's eyes seemed to be smiling as they were crinkling up. She moved her gaze to the gebij beside him and her breathing hitched. He still looked as handsome and daring as ever with his arrogant Uchiha smirk in place and arms crossed over his chest. He was dressed in a black training jumpsuit with arm gaurds and several bandages. But this time it wasn't about his beauty, she had felt a change in their relationship. It was an understanding, to be by each other's side as teammates, to support each other through out the whole way. By the way they held each other's gazes, it she felt as though Sasuke had acknowledged her presence in his life, as a true comrade he can rely on. Her heart fluttered.

"If you guys are done having eye-sex, could you please continue with the match?!" Naruto shouted loudly from the spectators' area. Sakura turned away quickly, her face dark red as everyone around them burst into laughter. Hand it to Naruto to embarrass you in front of everyone. She was sure she heard Sasuke grunt in annoyance. She looked at Shino who was looking at her amusedly. Or was it the trick of the light? She didn't know as his face was covered by his hood. With a new profound determination, she resolved to defeat Shino. She wondered if the arrival of Sasuke had pushed her. Going through a set of handseals, she disappeared in a flurry of cherry blossoms which began circling around Shino. The boy narrowed his eyes behind his glasses as he tried to determine her location. He closed his eyes and he concentrated on picking up her chakra signature. The bug he had placed on her at the beginning of the match flared its chakra and he found her location. He moved quickly and he punched her in the stomach as she appeared in between a flurry of petals. The petals around them disappeared as she thrashed out her foot, aiming a kick towards his direction. He jumped back and threw three kunai in the process. She dodged two and caught the third one before flinging it back to him.

She created a clone using the Haze Clone technique which rushed towards Shino as she created distance between the two of them. Concentrating her chakra, she quickly performed the Suikisaru no Jutsu, quickly dismissing her clone as the water chains wrapped around Shino's wrists and ankles. She threw a marked kunai at him, replacing herself with the kunai through Kawarimi and using the last ounce of her chakra. Immobile as he was, he turned into a swarm of bugs as Sakura's punch connected with him. 'Ew,' she though as the bugs swam away from her. The water chains disappeared immediate and she was left standing on open ground. She felt cool metal press against her jugular and immediately knew she had been defeated. "Give up," the boy said quietly in her ear. Sighing heavily in defeat, she surrendered.

"Winner of the match is Shino Aburame."

Everyone clapped hands as the two created distance between them. "Thank you for the match, Shino-san," Sakura said as she bowed respectfully. "No need to thank me. Why you ask? Because you proved to be quite a challenge more than other females your age and that was refreshing so thank you," the bug user said as he bowed respectfully. Her face turned red at the appraisal. "Y-You're welcome Shino-san," the girl sputtered embarrassedly. "No need for the formalities. Why you ask? Because you have already gained my respect. Shino is fine enough," he replied. She smiled good naturedly. "Thank you Shino," she said.


"Wow! Sakura-chan, you were soon awesome!" Naruto said as he received Sakura who had just arrived at the balcony. "Even though you didn't win, but you sure whooped Shino's butt, dattebayo!" he exclaimed loudly, earning a half-heated glare from Sasuke. "Thanks Naruto," she smiled. She turned to Sasuke who was surprisingly smiling at her. "Good job Sakura," he said with a hint of pride. "Thanks," she replied honestly with a healthy blush to her cheeks. "Aww my cute little students have already grown up," Kakashi gushed in the background.

They finished watching Shikamaru and Temari's match, with the Nara heir being the winner then forfeiting the match. "Why that lazy ass," Sakura commented as she face-palmed. Shikamaru made his way to the balcony, passing Team 7 as he walked over to his sensei. "Way to go being lazy" Naruto snickered, his eyes full of mirth. "Troublesome," the boy all but said. "Time for your match Sasuke-teme," the blonde said as he grinned foxily. "Hn," he replied as he jumped down to the arena. He eyed the jinchuriki whose bloodlust was already radiating off of him. He smirked wickedly.

This time he wasn't weak. And he was going to beat the living daylights out of him for what had happened in his previous timeline. "Begin!" the proctor shouted and he made his move.


Halfway through the fight, after receiving a wicked Chidori through his sand barrier, Gaara transformed his Shukaku and roared before charging at the Uchiha. Sasuke felt the genjutsu being cast on everyone as the whole stadium fell asleep. As soon as that had happened, Sakura broke the genjutsu, prompting the enemy ninja to make themselves known and charging towards her. She threw her kunai with deadly accuracy and they hit the targets. Soon enough, more Sand and Sound ninja began to come out and chaos was already in the village.

'Let the Konoha Crush begin,' Sasuke thought grimly.


Done with this chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Konoha Crush had begun! Read and review. Also, I'm writing another fanfic called Hajimeru. Be sure to read it and review.

Tozoonana

AfricanFire