Chapter 39
Few Weeks Later...
The participating Genin all looked around the stadium, their eyes taking in the vast space and the numerous rows of seats that were quickly filling. Already, thousands of people filled the stadium, a mix of Konoha, Iwagakure, and Suna all in one place to enjoy what this world deemed as 'entertainment'. Rears were in seats, snacks and drinks were bought, and the atmosphere was alive and excited, especially for those who had already placed bets on who they wanted to see win.
As for the participants, some were relaxed and ready for their fight, others were anxious and a bit worried, and the rest were eager and ready for either their promotion or the thrill of battle.
High above the stadium in a stone booth specifically designed for Kage's, the Hokage, Kazekage, and Tsuchikage sat, their greetings and pleasantries already out of the way. Their respective guards all did the same, none of them speaking unless told to do so. The silence was companionable, yet that did not mean for a second that either of the men present trusted the other.
The cold truth was that, allies or no, anything they said could potentially be used against them in the future, a fact each man knew intimately.
That did not, however, mean that they could not poke at the proverbial bear a little. Their Genin were competing after all, and sitting in silence for the next few hours wasn't appealing to either of them.
"I have to say, I wasn't expecting such a showout considering the arduous journey here." The Tsuchikage, an old drawf of a man, began, his tone conversational and not at all hostile.
"A chance to gamble and sell wares is an opportunity many will pass up—desert or no." Came Rasa's reply, his tone as dry as his lands.
"True, though I hear Suna in particular has more banking on this than just your brats' promotion." Onoki said pointedly, his gaze falling to the VIP seats equally high as their own booth across from them. Inside, a man of importance, specifically to Sunagakure as a whole.
The direction the Tsuchikage's question could potentially lead did not go unnoticed by the Kazekage.
"The Daimyo often attends these events to better acquaint himself with the Shinobi in his employ. It's his way of showing support." Rasa said, his words neutral yet firm.
"How admirable." Was all Onoki said in retort, seeking to drop the matter entirely at his failed attempt.
Thankfully, the Hokage had come to the rescue, his equally old yet still sharp eyes observing the arena below.
"Speaking of children, I hear you have a colorful bunch in this year's finals." Sarutobi spoke, his gaze moving towards the Tsuchikage.
"More like two hotheaded twerps mixed with a gentle giant. If not for their skills, I would have held 'em back another year. Unfortunately, my hands were tied."
"Must have some hold over you if they're capable of making you of all people bend."
Onoki huffed at that, his eyes squinted in distaste at a memory only he was privy to.
"I hear things about your own brats, Monkey." Onoki said pointedly, his attention falling on the Genin in the arena. "Heard they put my brats through hell in the first two phases."
Hiruzen laughed, "The team I sent this year are quite unique indeed. Have my own hands full whenever they appear in my office."
Onoki hummed, seemingly transfixed by the sight below.
"Uzumaki Naruto." He tested the name on his tongue. "He sure as hell doesn't look like any Uzumaki I've ever seen."
"It is a kid's way of showing homage to a Shinobi who once saved his life. Learned the origin of Uzushigakure and wished to revive his savior's legacy by taking their last name. It is honorable, and he lives up to that honor through his strength."
"More like bold. Extremely so." Was Onoki's reply, his mind swimming with more than one thought as he pondered his next question carefully.
"Who did you say his parents were again?"
Hiruzen smiled.
"I didn't."
Rasa let out an uncharacteristic huff of amusement while Onoki looked sour.
Nothing else was said between the three as a Suna Jonin appeared in the middle of the arena.
It seems the show was about to begin.
...
"Let's seeeeee, 1, 2, 4...damn. Honestly, I was hoping one or three of you kicked the bucket before the exams, but I guess you brats just have better guardian angels." Ryu sighed, his gaze falling on the 12 Genin in front of him, all with varying expressions.
"I'm surprised you're not hungover." Temari commented, her tone teasing.
"Oh, believe me, I tried, but I'm apparently too good of a drunk to let myself be wasted...that, and I don't know what I'd do if I missed the chance to see you brats tear each other apart for the entertainment of thousands of shitty adults!" Though his tone was jubilant, the sarcasm was not lost on any of them.
"Can we skip the formalities and get on with this? The sooner I get out of this dusty old shithole, the better." Came Katsuo's expected impatience.
"Yeah, yeah, Rock-Skipper. Forgive me for trying to put a smile on faces before you kick the bucket." With that said, he turned with a huff. "Now look presentable, brats. The Kazekage is about to speak."
At once, all heads turned to the Kage booth. As stated, Rasa rose, his eyes falling on the Genin before looking out to the crowd.
"Honored guess and Shinobi," he began, his voice carrying across the arena. "I would like to welcome you all to the final round of this period's Chunin Exams. The 12 Genin standing before you have proven to have the skill, intelligence, and perseverance necessary to obtain the rank of Chunin. From now on, I expect everyone to give these individuals the respect they deserve and refrain from leaving until the exams have concluded. Competitors, good luck, and may you be victorious on this day."
A polite applause rang throughout the stands as Rasa took his seat. At the same time, Ryu spun back around to the Genin, his smile wide as he did what he was paid for.
"Whelp, that's my cue! How about we get things started? You lot know the rules, don't you? These are one-on-one bouts until only one of you stands at the top of the bracket. There are only a few very memorable rules that I expect you all to follow. First and foremost, treat this as a fight to the death. I highly recommend you aim to kill, because most will do the same. However, if your opponent surrenders or falls unconscious, the match will be stopped and the winner will move onto the next round. I also hold the right to step in whenever I please, and interfering in each other's matches will result in an immediate disqualification. I'm talking to you, tree-huggers."
He ended in a whisper, loud enough for said Genin to hear but not everyone else in the stadium. All Team 8 could do was roll their eyes as the man continued.
"Unfortunately, I have bad news. There are just too many of you. To fix this dilemma, we have decided to put a time limit on your matches. You have 30 minutes each. If the fight carries pass the allotted time, then both contestants will be disqualified regardless of your performance."
"Bummer~." Katsuo sang, the smirk on his face widening as he looked to his soon-to-be opponent. "So that just means I can't play with you for too long. Shame really. Thought I'd have more time rearranging that pretty face of yours."
"...You have no idea how much I'm looking forward to making you shut up." Temari retorted, her eyes narrowed and her fist clenched.
"Ooh~, kinky. Too bad I don't make it a habit of playing around with desert rats."
"Oi oi, leave that flirting for the battlefield, kids." Ryu interrupted with a cough, getting attention back on him before he continued his speech.
"The matches will go from right to left, meaning our love birds will be up first. Everyone else will move to the waiting area until your match is called. No questions? Good. Temari, Katsuo, if you would please take your places on either side of me. The rest of you, scram until it's your turn."
The Genin did as they were told, Temari and Katsuo taking their places while the other Genin retreated towards the only opening in the arena.
...
The waiting area stood as high as the Kage booth. It gave a perfect view of the arena below, yet also gave those inside enough distance from the arena to potentially prevent any stray attacks from reaching them.
Down below, Naruto observed his competition carefully. He knew nothing about the two Genin other than Temari being the brother of his newest friend and Katsuo being a dick. Going from the giant war fan on Temari's back, she was a wind user, but that was all he could gather from a glance.
As for Katsuo, there was nothing about him that he could gather other than the fact he was likely a hand-to-hand combatant. Unlike most Shinobi, he didn't wear a weapons pouch, which could mean a lot of things. It could mean that he was just that confident in his skills and has yet to meet anyone capable of challenging and changing his mindset, or it could also mean he had a Kekkai Genkai that acted as his range option as well as his close-range. It could also mean that he was just a cocky idiot, a possibility that Naruto couldn't completely throw out the window.
Regardless, this was his first time seeing either of them in action, so he had to keep an eye on their movements and habits to face either of them in the next round.
"Well, kid, had a good break?" Naruto turned to the voice, not surprised to find Kankuro now standing next to him with that smile that said he knew more than he led on.
"It was eventful," was the answer Naruto decided to go with, giving little if anything for the Suna-nin to go off of.
"I'll bet. Guess it's not easy to get bored when you got so many characters on one team." Kankuro joked before joining the blonde in peering over the railing and into the arena. "That guy is toast."
Naruto gave Kankuro a questioning glance.
"You've seen him fight before?"
"Nah, just had the displeasure of hearing his voice. He thinks this is gonna be easy cause Temari's a girl. Unfortunately for him," his smirk widened as the proctor's arm fell, signaling the start of the match. "Temari ain't no pushover."
...
Temari jumped back, her hands already on her fan and removing it from over her shoulder, the massive weapon opened fully behind her. Winds immediately picked up as she pushed chakra into the object. Her eyes narrowed, focused, before a single swing was sent towards her unmoved opponent.
Dirt and debris kicked up almost immediately, blanketing the arena in a thick cloud while the pressure from the wind reached guests, competitors, and Hokage alike as they all made their own effort in keeping their feet or rears nailed to the ground.
When the winds calmed, the debris settled, and the air was clear, all eyes able to see again as they all focused on the two figures standing at the center of the arena. Temari stood tall and proud, her war fan open and ready to be used again if her opponent had somehow survived.
Slowly, the smile on her face dropped, her expression soon turning into disbelief as the dust cleared her opponent. He was standing tall, one hand in his pocket and the other on his hip—exactly how he had been before her attack.
Not a scratch could be seen, and if possible, that punchable smirk seemed to grow even wider.
"Oh, was that it? Was that your best shot?" Katsuo sang, his tone teasing as his opponent's grip on her weapon tightened. "What? You think some wind and a giant fan would give you an advantage? Word of advice: bigger is not always better, rat."
"Tch," Temari's face twisted into one of annoyance as she clicked her tongue. "Don't cry when I cut you to RIBBONS!" Saying that, Temari swung once more, a repeat of the same technique displacing the dirt beneath them.
Much like last time, a wall of dirt blocked everyone's view, and the crowd waited eagerly for the results. Fortunately for them, and unfortunately for Temari, they would not have to wait for the dust to clear completely.
Katsuo exploded from the dust before it could even settle, surprising Temari and not giving her enough time to even dodge. A fist rocketed into her face, snapping her head to the side and making her see stars.
Before she could even process what had just rocked her silly, another fist came, this time for her gut—knocking the wind out of her and making her drop to her knees. Her breathing came out in wheezes as her lungs were compressed, making it impossible to take in the oxygen she desperately needed.
Her vision was blurry, the ringing in her ears drowning out all sounds, but she could make out the form of her opponent leaning down and grabbing a fist full of her hair, pulling her head back to look at his cocky face.
"What happened? I thought you were gonna shut me up!" Katsuo's final remark was followed by another punch to her face, knocking her on her side.
Her body felt as if it had been trampled by a stampede of wild boars. Her head was still spinning, the ringing having yet to subside and she could barely make out the world around her, much less defend herself.
It was a fact made all the more evident as she felt someone mount. A second later, a fist smashed into her face, a third following another soon after. More fists followed, her face becoming a bloody pulp, but her opponent didn't stop. Even when her world went black, the blows kept coming—fracturing her jaw, nose, cheekbones, and everything in between.
"ENOUGH!"
Katsuo stopped, a small frown making its way on his face as his head slowly turned to the proctor holding his arm.
"The fuck you doin'? She ain't dead." Katsuo spat, his annoyance clearly heard.
"She's unconscious, which means the fight is over."
"And? Who says I'm done?"
"I say."
The Genin and Jonin held each other's gaze, one annoyed and the other firm.
In the end, it was the Genin who broke first with a click of his tongue as he removed himself from his opponent. Ryu announced him as the winner, but Katsuo did not stop in his trek out of the arena, nor did he care for the weak applause by the crowd.
As expected, his reappearance in the competitor booth was anything but welcoming. The Rain-nin, bun-haired tree-huggers, and Kurotsuchi only gave him a passing glance, while Akatsuchi was the only one actively avoiding his gaze. The Hyuga and the little brother of the girl he'd just pounded into the ground ignored him all together.
The same could not be said for the blonde Konoha-nin and the eldest brother.
The blonde seemed to be observing him, yet not even he could tell his true intentions behind that apathetic expression.
However, Kankuro was different. His anger was more than obvious, his glare hard, and his fists clenched. He knew this not only because he saw, but because he was not subtle. In fact, he was in his face, looking down on him as if he were the street rat.
"You're not leaving this village alive. Just thought you should know that." Was all the puppeteer said, the words sounding calm yet promising.
"Big words from a small man." Katsuo retorted, his confidence evident as his smirk grew once more. "If you think I can't handle some desert rat, then you're more brain-dead than that sister of yours... Oops, sorry. No pun intended."
Though he couldn't see it, he felt the shift in the puppeteer's killing intent. It was almost amusing, the fact that the sand-nin believed himself capable of touching a hair on his head. He almost wished he would do something.
Scratch that, he hoped he did. It would give him an excuse to take him out before he even got his turn. If the tree-huggers joined in, all the better.
"Enough."
The low, gravelly tone got both boys attention, one more so than the other. The puppeteer seemed to go stiff while Katsuo simply looked to his left at the one who had spoken.
Gaara wasn't looking their way, but that did not mean his words were directed elsewhere.
"Kankuro, you will not embarrass our village any further with your behavior. Stay silent, or I'll kill you myself."
The words actually caused even Katsuo pause. The boy did not sound as if he were joking. In fact, he sounded serious. Dead serious.
"And you," the redhead suddenly turned his attention to Katsuo. "You will be silent. Open your mouth again, and I will kill you."
Most would have taken the threat for what it was. Most would have understood the warning and the danger that this Genin in particular posed.
But Katsuo was no such person. His smile grew, his confidence skyrocketing as a vein popped on his forehead.
"You little-"
"Katsuo!"
His mouth shut up on hearing his name. Redirecting its attention once again, he found Kurotsuchi looking at him over her shoulder, her gaze blank, yet the warning in her eyes clear.
"For all of our sake, keep your mouth shut. I will not allow your antics to ruin our reputation any more than it already has, nor will I tolerate you putting our chances at Chunin in jeopardy."
Katsuo looked ready to argue, but the words died in his throat. With a huff, he took his place against the wall, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed.
Silence reigned soon after, not being renewed until minutes later when the next two competitors were called.
"The next fight will be Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha versus Kurotsuchi of Iwagakure! Will both contestants please make their way to the arena!"
The moment the words were uttered, Kurotsuchi was already jumping over the railing. Naruto watched her fall and land gracefully in the arena.
"Good luck, kid." Came Kankuro's encouragement, his tone noticably less enthusiastic than it had been earlier.
Next to him, Tenten gave an encouraging thumbs up while Neji showed his encouragement with a nod.
With that, Naruto took a running start and jumped, his body flipping midair as he landed across from his opponent in the arena.
"Geez, show off some more while you're at it." Came Ryu's retort as the blonde landed in the arena. Luckily, Naruto paid him no mind, his attention glued to his opponent. "Alright brats, you know the rules. Aim to kill, but I reserve the right to stop the fight at anytime. Got it?"
Naruto nodded, but Kurotsuchi turned to the man with a comment at the edge of her tongue, "What's the point of telling us to kill each other if you're gonna stop the fight?"
"There's a difference between going for a kill and beating a dead horse, kid. In case you forgot my rules, when your opponent falls unconscious, the fight is over. If you don't have enough control for that, then you shouldn't even be here."
The answer seemed to placate the girl as she turned back towards her opponent, her arms falling to her sides and her posture loose. She had little knowledge of what her opponent was capable of, but she knew his skills were not to be underestimated—especially if he was the one producing those clones in the second phase.
Nevertheless, she had full confidence in her victory. So much so that she decided it was best to attempt persuasion in hopes of saving stamina and her skills for harder fights later on.
"This is your one and only chance to surrender, tree-hugger." Kurotsuchi warned, her tone firm and leaving no room for anything other than absolute surrender.
For Naruto's part, he simply tilted his head to the side, understanding the words, but not understanding why she thought he was that stupid, or spineless.
"Um, thanks, but no thanks. Didn't come this far to give up. Plus, the Hokage is watching. Would be pretty embarrassing if I just gave up without a fight." He responded, much to Kurotsuchi's disappointment.
"Then I'll make sure you're an embarrassment. On that, you have my word."
"...Just for that, I'm gonna make this quick. Then we'll see who's embarrassed."
Ryu rolled his eyes at the banter, "Well, since you're both ready, how about we get this party started?" Neither Genin responded verbally, one simply getting into a stance while the other stood tall with his hands in his pocket. "On my mark, 3. 2. 1. Haji-"
*BOOM*
*CRACK*
Kurotsuchi couldn't exactly explain clearly what had happened in the time it took for the Jonin's hand to come down and the moment her body was suddenly propelled back into the arena wall. Her mind was trying, and Kami, did it try. Problem was, over the pain in her stomach, followed closely by her back and head, it was hard to even think straight, let alone try and process what exactly had happened to her in that split second.
One thing was certain, though: the blonde tree-hugger had hit her. She hadn't seen him move, hell, she had only noticed the change in his posture, a small shift of his left foot, then...
Was she...kicked? Punched? Hell, what was the proper terminology for her current predicament?
For the rest of the spectators, they were equally awed at the display of speed performed. One moment, the two Genin were standing, waiting for the proctor's signal, the next, the girl had rocketed across the arena and into the wall, creating a web of cracks and a smokescreen of dust. Ryu, though he had been standing right in front of them, barely saw the blur of the blonde before the Iwa-nin was sent flying. So shocked he was, in fact, that he hadn't even jumped clear of the fight yet.
"D...Damn, kid." Left his mouth instinctively. Only when he turned did he realize the blonde was looking at him expectantly. "R-right. Ehen! Th-the winner is-"
Once again, he was interrupted.
This time, instead of by a speeding blur, it was instead countless rock spikes erupting from the ground, threatened to skewer both him and the Konoha Genin alike. He immediately jumped out of dodge, taking his rightful place at the side and away from the fight.
Naruto also jumped back, though only enough to avoid the rocks that were aimed to kill. The moment he landed, the ground beneath him crumbled, a fist jetting out from the ground and towards his face. He moved his head to the right, avoiding the strike and the second fist that tried to follow it. Mid-air, Kurotsuchi spun, seeking to take his head off with a spinning kick but was caught by his right hand, his grip tight and unmoving.
She didn't have long to question his strength before her back was forced to meet the ground. Her head bounced off the dirt, her vision turning blurry before she was lifted once more to be thrown. Once again, her back crashed into something, this time being her own construct before she was laying prone once again.
Pushing herself from the ground, she found the task to be much harder than it should have been, the action causing her head to throb and her body to protest.
"I honestly thought that would knock you out. The fact that you're still conscious is impressive." The voice of her opponent made her recover quicker than her body was ready for. Now on one knee, she glared daggers at her opponent yards away, his look of placid stoicism still annoyingly present. "I would ask you to give up, but something tells me-"
In a blur, Naruto was in front of his her once more, his foot smashing into her side in a soccer kick to send her flying across the field once more and stopping her from completing whatever Jutsu her hands had been trying to perform.
In a show of dexterity, Kurotsuchi regained her composure midflight, landing on her feet and sliding to a stop on her knees before she inhaled. It would seem that despite his interruption, she was still able to mold her chakra. Not a moment later, she spat at him, multiple globs of white flying his way.
The blonde dodged with almost expert ease, the projectiles splashing onto the walls behind him. He did not have a chance to see the outcome, though, as another glob was spat his way, putting him on the defensive as he jumped away.
Somehow during her assault, Kurotsuchi had molded her chakra towards her feet, lifting the dirt beneath her into a pillar of earth that gave her the high ground. The moment the rock stopped, she began weaving through even more hand-signs, an action Naruto did not miss. Immediately, a hand went into his weapon pouch, producing a kunai with a tag before throwing it with pinpoint accuracy at the center of the pillar.
An explosion rocked the arena moments later, sending rocks flying and forcing spectators to cover their eyes. At the same time of the explosion, Kurotsuchi jumped from her perch, her fingers laced together with both index and middle fingers pointed towards the sky as she breathed in deep.
When her mouth opened, a stream left her lips.
A stream of molten rock and fire, combining to create a deadly Jutsu, no Genin had any right learning.
The heat from the attack reached even those in the spectator booths, not enough to burn, but enough to make them feel discomfort. Meanwhile, Kurotsuchi continued her assault, her stream of lava chasing the blonde down till he had no where left to run.
Upon meeting her Jutsu on the other side, Naruto was forced to come to a halt, less he ran right into another stream seeking to erase him completely. Unfortunately, that did not make the stream behind him stop, and to the eye of everyone, he was ingulfed completely.
The aftermath of the attack was worse than one could generally imagine.
Ryu was forced to vacate the arena completely less he be charged black. The entire area below had nearly been filled with lava, only a few parts of dirt uncovered while the rest was buried in the sea of magma.
As for the competitors, Kurotsuchi landed on a nearby spike she had created earlier, her head turning left and right in hopes of finding her opponent's corpse. She didn't think there was anywhere for the Konoha-nin to hide or escape her Jutsu regardless of how fast he was, but she wouldn't completely throw out the possibility either.
Thankfully, after nearly a minute, she found nothing.
The relief made her want to relax, but she knew better than to do so until the proctor called it. Said proctor cautiously hung from the arena wall, his eyes searching much like hers.
She should have known better than to take her eyes off of the field.
A second.
She had only turned her head for a second to observe the proctor.
And yet, that second was all her opponent needed to appear in front of her and deliver a punch to her stomach that lifted her off her feet and made her momentarily black out. Once again, she found herself prostrated, her hands on her stomach and her opponent standing over her. Shakily, her head came up, only able to see up to his torso, yet knowing she had somehow, someway, missed her attack.
"H-how?" She choked out, not able to understand how he had survived. Unless he went underground or left the arena completely, there was literally nowhere for him to go, so how?
"If I told you that, I wouldn't be a good Shinobi." He said, not answering anything but building her fury. "Now, surrender or-"
Suddenly, Kurotsuchi's head shot up, her cheeks puffed and a Jutsu at the edge of her throat. It was a risk to use her Lava release this close, but she was sure she could hit even him from this distance.
A plan that was thwarted in a way not even she was expecting.
A hand clamped over her mouth, preventing her from releasing the Jutsu. That same hand then dragged her from the ground and dangled her over the edge of the rock they were on. The heat of the magma below made her all too aware of just how hot her Jutsu was, while the chakra burning in her throat without release nailed that reminder in tenfold.
Forget the fact that he somehow caught wind of what she was doing, or how he had the reaction speed of a God. Forget the fact that he was somehow holding her over her own lava pit by her face likely using chakra to stick to her skin. What terrified her, more than falling into the lava pit, was the heartbreaking realization that she somehow couldn't send her chakra back down her throat no matter how hard she tried. Her throat was growing unbearably hot, and despite her struggling, she could not remove the hand from her face.
What made it so much worse were the orbs of green peering into her pink, his eyes showing the same lack of care or interest.
"I'm sure you know this by now, but when releasing chakra, specifically from your mouth, there are only two ways for it to flow. One through your mouth, and the other back into your body. However, if it is to go back in, then it must be done carefully and manually—something you're currently finding out you can't exactly do at the moment."
Kurotsuchi's grip on his arm grew tighter, not wanting to release the chakra to save her life, but at the same time not wanting to be cooked from within.
"It must be really painful, right? Being cooked from inside out? You could definitely force it through your lips, but then I'd drop you, and it would be pretty embarrassing to die to your own Jutsu, wouldn't it?" Naruto said nonchalantly before his grip on her face suddenly tightened, making the Iwa Genin's eyes bulge as she desperately tried to keep herself from screaming. "Right now, you only have two options. Raise your arm and surrender, or die—painfully. The choice is yours."
Kurotsuchi's face was a picture of agony. The burning in her throat had become unbearable, the heat spreading throughout her body at an alarming rate. She knew her time was up, and if he didn't release her from whatever he was doing to her chakra stream, she really would boil alive.
She didn't want to surrender, especially to no tree-hugging Konoha-nin who should not even have been her match.
But...she also didn't want to die.
Her mind was trapped.
Trapped between her own pride and the desperate need to survive and stop the pain.
Slowly, her arm rose, her hand balled into a fist as it shook uncontrollably.
In the end, one need vastly overrode the other.
"That's enough!"
The moment the words echoed across the field, Naruto brought the Iwa Genin back to safety—dropping her onto their rock and allowing her to release the supercharged chakra in her throat over the edge.
"Winner of this match: Uzumaki Naruto!"
It was blatantly obvious that Onoki was pulling every ounce of restraint he had to hold down his temper. Though he did remarkably well at wearing the mask of indifference, the way he sat stiff as a board while in his hand were the pulverized remains of his armchair was a clear giveaway to his current inner demons.
The target for his ire was currently walking up the wall back into their waiting area while Kurotsuchi was busy being checked on by a medical specialist.
"You've sent...quite the little demon this year, Monkey." Onoki tried coming off as composed, but even a toddler could have noticed the undertone of barely restrained rage.
"As I've said before, Naruto-kun is talented." Hiruzen responded calmly, his eyes focused on the boy while his thoughts were elsewhere.
"Any boy capable of utilizing the 8th Gates without side effects is more than just 'talented'—not to even mention his age. Makes me question whether or not his claims of being an orphan are true, or a fabrication." Onoki finished, not outright calling Hiruzen a liar, but hinting at it well enough to get his message across.
"Whether or not he is blood related does not matter, as he is and will forever be an Uzumaki. What is important is that he is an asset to the Leaf, much like your own Genin to Iwagakure."
The deflection was not lost on the Tsuchikage, but it seemed to do little to dissuade him from the path of distrust, nor his own rumbling thoughts concerning the blonde.
A feeling of familiarity kept popping up, his mind going towards an impossibility despite the hair and eyes.
Getting into an altercation so soon after his victory wasn't something Naruto had planned, nor was he entirely expecting considering what his aggressor had done barely 15 minutes prior.
The moment his feet touched the floor of the booth, there was a rush of air and a hand grabbing his shirt and pushing his back against the railing. In the same instance, he pulled a kunai, the blade aimed in-between his attacker's eyes.
The kunai wasn't the only thing currently threatening his attacker's life, however. A sickle was also aimed at his eye socket on his left, while on his right were the pointed edges of a Hyuga's chakra-enhanced finger aimed at the other side of his head. Behind him, the large form of his attacker's teammate held him in a full nelson, one arm around his neck while the other under the arm reeled back to strike. To the side, even Kankuro looked ready to attack, the object previously on his back now in his hands while the lid to Gaara's gourd suddenly popped off, allowing the sand within to trickle out.
And yet, despite death coming in from every perceptible angle, the rage stretching every inch of Katsuo's face did not waver.
"I would choose your next course of action very carefully. The moment you try anything, you won't live long enough to regret it." Neji spoke in the silence, his tone calm yet still very threatening.
For Katsuo, the threat went into one ear and out the other. His hatred, his absolute distain, was focused solely on the blonde boy in front of him, it growing the longer he stared at that face. His limbs began to shake, desperately wishing to do something but not able to break his teammate's grip over his arm. No other thoughts other than murder were on his mind, damn the consequences.
"H-hey, Katsuo, I know you're upset, but you're gonna fight the next round. Please, leave it till then." Akatsuchi reasoned behind him, clearing the fog in his mind slightly, but not quelling the unyielding rage.
"I'd listen to your friend if I were you. Would be a shame to die here." The bun-haired tree-hugger spoke next, her tone more firm than his teammate's.
Gritting his teeth to the point they threatened to shatter, Katsuo did as instructed.
He took a deep breath.
Then another.
And a third.
When he exhaled the final time, the wrinkles on his face lessened significantly, and his rage was back in the box he kept it in. His hand loosened from the blonde's shirt and he allowed his teammate to pull him back.
However, he was not yet done with the matter.
"I'll kill you." His voice came out in a whisper, wanting to make sure the boy knew what was coming to him. "For Iwagakure's sake, I'll kill you." His voice grew more passionate by the second, his face morphing to match his tone. "Even if it kills me, I'll make sure you leave here in a bodybag. You hear me? You're not leaving this village alive, monster!"
His words weren't meant to instill fear. Even if they were, he doubted this monster even knew what fear truly was. It was meant as a promise, a statement, a fact. He would not leave here alive, and for Iwa's sake, he would make sure of it.
"Next match: Hyuga Neji versus Tsuyomi Akatsuchi! Will you both please make your way to the arena!"
The voice of the proctor called, quelling the tension and forcing everyone to relax.
The Hyuga gave one parting warning with his eyes towards Katsuo before jumping over the railing. Behind him, Katsuo could feel his teammate's hesitance, which nearly refueled his anger.
"Don't you dare think about forfeiting." He spat with a growl, his teammate's hesitance only pissing him off more.
"But, sensei said-" Akatsuchi tried.
"Fuck what Sensei said!" Katsuo snapped. "They put us all in the same bracket for a fucking reason! Either you fight, or you embarrass all of us! I ain't havin' that shit! Now get your fat ass in there and FIGHT!"
Though his words were harsh and thoughtless, they seemed to do the trick as his teammate's hesitation lessened; however slightly it may have been. Soon after, Akatsuchi gave him and the Konoha-nin one last glance before jumping over the railing, joining his opponent in the arena.
In the booth, weapons were all sheathed, yet their guards never let up despite most turning their backs to the only remaining Iwagakure Shinobi.
As for the boy himself, he didn't even both watching the match. His back met the wall, his arms crossed as he continued to glare bloody murder at the back of his head.
That boy, that monster, would die by his hand.
He swore it.
A/N: I know I promised a longer chapter, but where I wanted to end it just didn't seem right. The perspective changed completely and I really didn't feel the "umph" they are as I did here. In fact, Kurotsuchi was originally One-shottes, but I decided not to disrespect her character like that seeing as (in this story) she is 2 years old and a genius in her own right.
Fighting scenes aren't my strong suit, but I will try my best as always. I wanted this to all conclude in 2 chapters before the time skip, but it looks like it'll be going on for another 4 at the very least. Sorry!
Also, I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THIS STORY'S ANNIVERSARY! BUY A MONTH EVEN! Thank you everybody who has stuck around for this long and I appreciate every single one of you for giving the story a chance! Literally only about 20, to 25 chapters left with this story and my hope is that I finish it before February of 2025. Already have a story that I want to focus on next, which is an elden ring x DXD fic. It's a comedy, so won't get your hopes up too much if you're expecting me to write smut lol.
Lastly, the poll is CLOSED!
Got a few more votes that ultimately sealed the deal for who she (or they) may be. It fit really well with the story and I'm sure people won't be disappointed with who it is.
As always, thanks for the favs, follows, reviews, and have a DAMN good day!