Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akadō
'Impressive,' Hinata thought, watching Sasuke's fight with her bloodline active, from the perspective Mika taught her. To look at things medically, clinically. Piece by piece. 'Sasuke was clearly in bad shape and something was altering his chakra considerably. He was clearly in a ton of pain and managed to overcome it to lead a decisive victory. Hmm... I also got to see the chakra flow of the chakra siphoning trick that Yoroi figure managed. Mika is going to love that, I know he is working on chakra transferring, this should be similar enough for him to steal it.'
Zaku Abumi vs. Shino Aburame
She almost laughed at Shino's decisive victory, it was fun to watch him dominate his enemy. She may not care much for her team, but she did respect their powers. Shino was a brilliant beetle user, and hard for most to fight. Mika could best him, and she had bested him several times. Kiba as well.
Misumi Tsurugi vs. Kankurō
'How anyone could NOT notice the puppet, I'll never know. It was so obvious, was literally on his back and gave off no chakra or warmth. That idiot Misumi, what a joke of a ninja.' She almost laughed. 'Sweet Kami, I really have lost my old self in this version of me, haven't I? Oddly, I can't seem to have an issue with it.'
Sakura Haruno vs. Ino Yamanaka
"What a joke." She muttered, startling Kakashi Hatake. Mika had told her what a joke of a mentor he was. "Sakura had potential, pity you never bothered to train her." The man actually recoiled at that. "That fight was pathetic, a civilian brawl has more grace and effort than that."
Across the room near the Hokage, she saw Mika masking a smirk at that. She blamed him for making her like that.
Kakashi sighed, then gave her a false smile. "Making light of your teammates successes is not a great way to make allies."
She sneered. "I would be safer with a drunken monkey at my side."
Tenten vs. Temari
Pointing at the powerful kunoichi, Hinata called out. "That is a powerful kunoichi, one that earned her spot here. I like her." Temari actually heard this, smirking back at Hinata whereas her fellow Leaf Ninja glared at her.
Kurenai actually recoiled. "Maybe mocking your fellow Leaf ninja... is not so wise?"
She just shrugged. "I can't see any value in them, so not really. My father used to call me worthless, he was wrong... but if he saw them, he would have praised me for months for not being like them."
Her once beloved friend and Guard looked at her in horror. "What changed in your heart, to make you like this?" she whispered.
"I grew up, and saw the world for what it really is." Oddly, she did not care for the disappointment in Kurenai's eyes, she did relish in the joy in Mika's.
Shikamaru Nara vs. Kin Tsuchi
This fight just bored her, plain and simple. Kin's genjutsu was interesting, Mika's face made that clear to her. However, other than that it was a joke. Girl was cocky, Boy was smarter, boy won. Simple.
Naruto Uzumaki vs. Kiba Inuzuka
'Why did I like him? Oh that's right, he was nice once and I never interacted with him again and was so desperate for love that I obsessed over him. He is a pathetic fighter, worse than Sakura, all he has going for him is stamina and healing. He is a joke really. I should just move on, hell I sort of already have. Kiba should have won that fight, he really deserved it more than Naruto did, by miles at that.'
Looking up, she saw a sign that only the cruel gods ( Or her Grandfather) could have come up with...
Hinata Hyūga vs. Neji Hyūga.
Her laughter startled everyone, bar Mika. "Finally, sweet Kami, it is time to make a point." She leapt down, all falsehoods of grace and poise gone. Neji took his time walking down the steps, sneering at her. "Come, my brother, and see all you dream of being. Better than those around you."
Her cousin found his position in front of her. The instant they were given the go, he started on his bullshit. "You may well give up, fate has alre-AH!" He choked out as she slammed her fist into his face, sending him crashing into the wall behind him.
Many gasped, but Hinata cared for none of it, her killer intent filling the air with malice, hate and a bloodlust unmatched. "I have wanted to do that for years, you arrogant prick. Get up, and show me what you can do. Show me your dreams so I can tear them away."
Neji struggled to stand. "You know nothing of my dreams!" He shot at her, palm at the ready, only she was prepared and rolled around him before slamming her palm into his lower back. He gasped, eyes wide and in anguish before she slammed her left foot in a hard swing to his side sending him crashing into the handsign statue.
"I know all of your dreams, but you are not the only one to suffer, you pathetic wretch." She moved once more, pulling out senbon, and in the instant her cousin threw himself upright she pegged in with three senbon, each one peppering his right thigh, forcing him to his knee just in time to attempt to block the harsh right hook to his jaw.
He coughed up blood, swaying before collapsing. "How?"
"You posture too much, maybe fight instead of running your mouth." She kneeled to him. "I will save you from your seal, one day, but until then,... stay down."
He passed out then, leaving her entirely and completely the victor.
No one applauded, bar Mika, but Hinata did not care. Only his approval mattered to her... they were all stepping stones to her dream, and frankly... they could go away. Even Kurenai. As kind as she was to her, her old friend had only just existed in her life, coddling her and never actually helping her change. It was to Mika she owed it all, and to Mika she felt herself loyal...
No one else had that honor.
She marched over to the Hokage and Mika.
"Very good, Hinata." Mika muttered, smiling. "That was a killer attack, seriously, you've improved so much... I cannot wait to see where you go from here."
She turned to the Hokage. "May I stay here?"
"I cannot see why not, he is your sensei after all."
Gaara vs. Rock Lee
Hinata shared a look with Mika after that horrible scene, both of them hoping down to save Lee after Guy intervened and saved him from Gaara's attempted murder. She used her eyes to bark out what she saw. " Fragments of bones are moving to his spine, his chakra coils are torn, his body is in shambles. He may not survive."
Mika nodded. "Slow his chakra flow around his spine, arm and leg. We can slow the damage done and allow him to get into surgery!" Mika turned. "Lord Hokage, he may lose his ability to even be a ninja or survive at all if we both don't go with the medics to surgery."
Hiruzen nodded, eyes serious. "Go!"
And they were off standing by as Lee was carted off to the nearest medical center to get into immediate surgery. Turned out there was a fully prepared surgeons office in the building, all ready for Lee. She gave all of her examinations to the nearest medic and was let go after resealing his chakra points, just to help slow the damage from his use of the Gates and Gaara's attack.
She came back just in time for the Hokage to call her over, her and Mika. "Pick a card from the Box, my dear."
She obeyed and soon he declared. "You will be fighting Naruto Uzumaki in the Third Exam."
The Old Hinata would have fainted, but his Hinata... she was ready, to kick ass and put him down if only to make her dream come true.
Mika, her beloved Mika, walked her out of the Forest of Death. "We need to prepare most of all for Gaara and Sasuke. If Kakashi actually trains him, he could be a hard fight, and Gaara... he could kill even me. I am fast enough to get through his sand shield, and my blade could get through the armor. Your taijutsu won't succeed, it's too tied to internal attacks... we will need to figure something else out. Water jutsu are your best bet..."
She nodded. "I agree... we have too much riding on us to fail now."
And that was the truth, if nothing else was.
"I plan on seeing if I can summon anything, or rather if I can reverse summon... I'd love the extra fire power."
That made her smile. "Fitting for the next Sanin."
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was a joy to write.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.