I'm so sorry for the long delay. This chapter, the way I wanted to do it, would have been too big for one chapter. The next two chapters after this were originally going to be one large chapter, but I decided to split them into two. The chapter after this one will be dedicated to Naruto and Hanabi's fights. It will not take long to get them out—two weeks minimum for each of them.
Sasuke noticed his name alongside his opponent's as they stepped forward. "Will the combatants step forward," Hayate ordered. Sasuke and his opponent advanced towards the center of the room. Sasuke was aware that his opponent was one of Kabuto's teammates, and he was unsure of the direction the battle could take as he had no idea about his opponent's abilities. Hinata had warned him not to use the curse mark, as doing so would result in instant disqualification. He had to stay in control of himself. Sasuke was hopeful that the fight wouldn't last long enough for him to become distressed to the point where the curse mark would become a problem. Hinata had advised him to undergo training in order to maintain control.
He had to end this fight quickly, but he also couldn't overextend himself, or the curse mark would take hold. Sasuke told him to adopt his stance; he would end this fight quickly. He wouldn't let the curse mark control him if he had anything to say about it.
Everyone took their positions to watch the match. "May the match begin," the examiner said. Sasuke didn't waste any time. He didn't want this fight to drag on, so he jumped above his opponent and kicked him in the face. Yoroi didn't seem fazed by it; in fact, it didn't really do anything.
Sasuke saw a blue aura engulf his left hand. He knew that getting too close would be bad since he had no familiarity with the technique. Sasuke backflipped to get as far away as he could and put distance between him and his opponent. Despite Sasuke's attempt to create distance, his opponent was faster and almost caught up to him instantly. Sasuke then ducked and kicked his opponent in the knee, passing him in order to avoid the attack on his left hand. Yoroi continued to catch up to him and was only inches from touching Sasuke. To maintain distance, Sasuke kicked him in the stomach. He realized he had to come up with a plan quickly, as the longer he kept this up, the more he would exhaust himself.
He could use the fireball jutsu, but that would take too much time. His opponent would not give him enough time to use it, and it's a small area. No matter what, Sasuke was left at a disadvantage. With the curse mark on his neck, a technique that he wasn't familiar with, Sasuke had to come up with a way to end the fight quickly. He couldn't think for too long; if he did, he would lose. Then he remembered Rock Lee's technique. If he could knock him in the air and use his own variation of it, it would definitely end the fight.
But he would have to find an opening. He had to create one, but how? There was no time to think; he had to do it quickly. Right when Sasuke was about to make his move, Yoroi grabbed Sasuke by the head and slammed him to the ground. The blow left him disoriented. What made it worse was he felt weak, as if something was draining him, and then he realized that was what the technique was.
It drains chakra. If he didn't end the fight soon, he would have his chakra drained like a vampire drains blood from its victims. Sasuke knew he was short on time and had to act quickly. He kicked his opponent in the chin to get him off, which gave Sasuke enough time to get up.
He felt the curse mark. The seal wouldn't help if he didn't defeat his opponent. The curse mark would take over, and he would be disqualified. The seal may have helped reduce the effects of the curse mark, but it didn't suppress it entirely. It had to be him who did it.
He wasted no time; he went right behind his opponent and kicked him multiple times.
"lion's barrage!" Sasuke yelled. His opponent fell hard to the ground. If that didn't do him in, Sasuke would not be able to continue the fight. He waited. His opponent did not get back up. He lay still. He wasn't dead, as Sasuke could tell, but he was severely injured and would need medical treatment.
"Winner, Sasuke Uchiha," Hayate declared. Sasuke didn't really care; it was over. He noticed that the instructor was checking his pulse and instructing medics to haul his body out. He jumped over the balcony and was greeted by his teammates.
"That was awesome, Sasuke," Naruto said excitedly. "You were lucky to have fought him, or anybody else might have been in trouble," Kagome chimed in. He looked at his sensei, wondering what she was thinking. "It's a good thing that you didn't use the curse mark or give in to it. I'm proud of you, Sasuke, for having the strength to resist," Hinata said, glad that he didn't use the curse mark.
"Is it possible to know what the next match will be?" Naruto asked out loud. "We'll know soon enough. Be prepared. Any match could be your match, Naruto, and Kagome. Do not underestimate your opponent under any circumstances, no matter who they are. Even a weaker opponent can still beat you if you let your guard down. Remember that," Sasuke couldn't help but think about the fight that he had with his own opponent. Had he not ended the fight as quickly as he did, he would have lost despite being stronger.
He waited for the next match, but he couldn't help but think, would it hurt to use the power that he had to get his vengeance? His Sensei didn't approve, but he couldn't help but think how much better it would be if he could just simply use it once to kill his brother to avenge his clan. He couldn't help but think about that in the back of his mind as the next match was about to be announced.
He was disappointed that Sasuke did not use the curse mark; he would have to push a lot harder for it to work. The curse mark was the key to getting his pawn to get his future body and to get the power he had sought for many years—the Sharingan. With that power, he could learn every jutsu in the world. Sasuke was the key to this, the key to his success.
He would have to resort to other methods to groom Sasuke. He looked at Hinata; he could do whatever he wanted with her; he could kill her by using the seal if he wanted to, but he had no need for that. The curse mark on her neck was something special. He licked his lips in anticipation, waiting for the next match, waiting for all the matches to come; none of them particularly interested him. The next match was about to begin in a few moments.
Ino heard her name being called and saw the opponent she should be fighting against, Kin, the same girl she had fought against in the forest of death. It would be payback for what she did to Kagome. Both combatants walked towards the middle. The girl looked at her with amusement.
"Oh, I'm fighting you, that technique you used on me won't work this time," she said with a smile.
"I have other things in my arsenal besides my mind transfer jutsu. Don't underestimate me; it will be a huge mistake," the girl laughed, finding it amusing, as if what she said was stupid.
"On a one-on-one fight, you can't defeat me; your skills are pitiful. You may be efficient when working with a team, but not against me one-on-one; opponents are another matter entirely. You could save yourself a lot of pain and withdraw from the match." The nerve of this girl, Ino thought.
Ino got into her fighting stance. "I'm not some delicate flower," she said. "You will regret your words." Kin did the same. "May the match begin," Hayate said, giving the okay, and the match officially started.
Karin was surprised she was being allowed to observe the matches, despite the fact that she wasn't allowed to advance because her team was eliminated. She didn't know who was going to win because she had never seen the blonde-haired girl everyone called Ino fight before, but she knew her opponent was no joke. Kin got into her fighting stance and smiled.
This is not bold unless the girl could counter her genjutsu; there is no way Ino could win, especially with Kin's sound-based genjutsu. All of them had sound-based genjutsu. She could help, but since there was sinister chakra in the room, it had been bothering her since she arrived. Someone in the room was watching the match who had extremely dark chakra. She had no idea who it was, but it made her feel like she was drowning.
She wanted to run out of the room, but she couldn't; her legs wouldn't move. She saw the girl smile at her as if he knew what she was thinking. It also didn't help matters that one of the people responsible for the death of her friends was fighting in the match right now, the girl who killed Conjo. The memory of that day was something she could never forget.
Flashback at the start of the second exam
Karin couldn't move. Tashima's body was still on the forest floor. Kin was laughing after she ended his life. "So pathetic. Is this the best we can expect from the village hidden in the grass?" Kin said mockingly.
Conjo tried to get up; he tossed the scroll to Karin. "Run; it isn't worth dying for this," he said to her. She couldn't move; she was scared. She had no ability to fight; she had no ability to do anything. Her ability mainly was sensory; what good was it when she couldn't even defend herself?
"What a joke, don't waste your time. I will take care of him personally." Kin smiled sadistically as she took out her Senbons with her right hand. Conjo tried to defend himself from them, but it was no use; he couldn't see her, and he didn't know what she was about to do. It was too late.
Conjo, despite his best efforts, was not able to defend himself from her assault. She couldn't see how he saw the battle because she could only see things from her angle. She saw him get hit all over his body. The girl was fast, far faster than anyone she had seen. Then she saw more senbons appear on her left. It was a horrific nightmare. Kin was everywhere and nowhere at once. Her eyes couldn't keep up. The scene in front of her showed her teammate being cut all over his body. Blood stained the senbons. She wanted to scream. This wasn't real. It couldn't be real. It felt like a nightmare.
Her teammate fell face to the ground. She didn't have to see him to know he was dead. She could recognize him; his face was cut all over. It looked like mincemeat. That's what his body looked like. She just couldn't believe it—the cruelty of it. It would be one thing to simply defeat him, but to go out this way—to mutilate his body like this—it was too much. She wanted to throw up at seeing this.
She had to run; if she didn't, she'd be killed. She took a smoke bomb out of her pouch and threw it, then ran as fast as her legs would take her. She felt shame, but she didn't want to die like that. She wanted to avenge her comrades, but how? She would survive and figure it out later.
She vowed to avenge her friends for being murdered by this girl. Whatever it took, she would avenge them. Karin would make sure of that; she would never be weak again. Her cowardice had cost her friends everything.
She hoped for Ino's sake that the examiner would end the match before it reached the point where she would be killed by the sadistic girl from The Sound Village.
Ino could not let her guard down when it came to this girl. She was a lot stronger than she appeared. She couldn't use her mind transfer jutsu; that would be dangerous. Her trump card was useless in a one-on-one fight. Other things she could use, though; she had other skills and decided she would put them to good use. She took a kunai from her pouch. She didn't want to do this, but it would be a useful weapon at the right time.
She vowed to avenge her friends for being murdered by this girl. Whatever it took, she would avenge them. Karin would make sure of that; she would never be weak again. Her cowardice had cost her friends everything.
"So, you're going to use flowers against me? Oh, you're going to make this so painful for yourself; you should have quit when you had the chance." She got into her stance. Ino was about to do another one until she felt her senses were being messed with. She saw not one, not two, not three, not four, but six Kin's. Was this Genjutsu? She was taught by her Sensei how to counter the effects of a Genjutsu. When she was done, she used her training to attempt to dispel the jutsu, but it didn't work.
She heard laughter as if her confusion was amusing. "You are under my genjutsu as soon as the match started. Do you remember hearing sounds when I took out my Senbons?" She recalled the sound of clinging against metal when she was rubbing her Senbons against each other. She thought it was just her imagination, but she was under its influence the whole time. How?
A basic sound is difficult to counter if you're unfamiliar with it. You should have withdrawn from the match because now I will put you through pain." Kin finished, but she had to find out where she came from. Where was she? She looked to her left, and she looked to her right. She felt the Senbons cut at her right side, then it cut on her right knee, then her left, then her forearm, then her abdomen, in her back. It was everywhere. She was like everywhere at once, and then she was close to her throat.
"You should have spent more time training instead of trying to look beautiful." She would make her regret getting closer to her; it would hurt her. Using this technique would cause pain, but as long as it hurt her enemy as much as it hurt her, it would be worth it. She cut her hair and then did the hand signs required, turning her cut hair into cutting blades that hit her and her opponent. When the dust settled, she saw her opponent was harmed, but not as much as she was.
"Damn it, my trump card," she said. In frustration, she had no other options. She cursed her lack of experience. Unlike Shikamaru and Choji, who were far more skilled than her in combat, her skills were more suited for support. She cursed not training in Taijutsu, which might have helped during this situation. In vain, she tried to fight Kin in hand-to-hand combat. It was no use; she blocked every blow as if she anticipated everything that she was throwing at her. She cut her again at her side and then again at her back. She fell face down.
"INO!" screamed Kagome. She couldn't get up; she had never been this badly beaten in any fight she'd ever had. She was bleeding all over. If she didn't get treatment soon, she could die of an infection. She didn't want to admit it, but she couldn't win. This girl was just far stronger than her. She wasn't equipped to deal with her abilities, her sound-based jutsu, and sound-based Genjutsu.
Kin charged straight at her when she was about to do it, the killing blow. She saw her sensei hold her in place with his right hand. "That's enough. You have won. If you want to continue this fight, you will have to deal with me." Asuma said threateningly. She was grateful; had he been a few seconds slower, she would be dead. She never felt such fear in her life. The girl took pleasure in killing her opponents. "Winner: Kin," declared Hayate.
A medical ninja appeared, and she was carried on a stretcher. She looked at her teammates, who were worried about her but relieved to know that she would at least survive. Her friend had a look of rage.
Kagome stared up at Kin; she enjoyed torturing Ino. She had a smug smile because she had won. If Kagome had fought her, she would not be smiling; she would be on the ground, crawling, begging for mercy. When the next match was announced, she saw her name along with Tenten's. She jumped off the balcony, and Tenten did the same.
Before the fight would begin, she looked at the balcony where Kin was and then spoke to the girl directly. "I vow that I will defeat you," the girl laughed. The idea of Kagome defeating her was ridiculous, of course, she thought it was ridiculous because of what happened in the Forest of Death, but that was a different situation. If it was a situation where they were both fresh, she is confident that she would win. "Big talk for a girl who hasn't even won your match yet. Say that nonsense after you've won, not before." She said dismissively. Yeah, she would win the fight. She would not lose. She would avenge Ino.
Hinata_secs was baffled by the brutality that she had just witnessed. What kind of person takes pleasure in doing what she did? This exam, this practice of having teenagers essentially fight death matches, is something Hinata thought was barbaric. Another thing she would change when she becomes Hokage is abolishing this barbarism. There's nothing to gain by allowing it.
Her colleague Asuma had a look of worry on his face over what happened. She didn't know what to do or what to say to comfort her friend. "She'll pull through. She's stronger than you know," Hinata said to try to comfort him. "That girl, such cruelty. I never thought I would see it in my lifetime. If I hadn't intervened..." She understood exactly what he meant. That girl had a look of bloodlust. How many people had she murdered? "This is a waste. There are far more effective ways we can test our students' skills than having them kill each other." "Surely there are more effective ways we could test our students' skills and have them in matches where kids don't potentially kill each other." She's been making her disagreements known more lately. Naruto has definitely helped. It was usually only in private that she voiced these disagreements. "It's been that way since the founding of the village. You know this, Hinata. You know this better than anyone." Asuma said, not necessarily disagreeing with her but not wanting her to discuss it openly.
"He's right, and even if you do become Hokage, things are not going to change overnight. It will take time," Guy chimed in. Hinata responded, "I know that you think I don't know how long it would take to change the system. I know it's going to take time to change it, but I'm looking at it now. How many potential Shinobi are we throwing away in a pointless contest like this? Ino is talented. Had you not intervened, Asuma, she would have been killed. This contest literally allows some of the worst kinds of people possible to enact their psychotic urges. How many psychopaths have passed through these exams?"
Her colleagues couldn't provide an answer; they knew she was right. The next match was about to begin. "Your student better not underestimate Tenten. She is a lot stronger than she looks. I hope for her sake you've trained her well," Guy said with a smile, despite the earlier conversation they had.
"She better not underestimate my student either. Kagome is much stronger than she looks. Don't forget she wasn't just trained by me but also your rival Kakashi," Hinata reminded him. "True, but your student is not familiar with Tenten's style of fighting," he replied.
Hin had full confidence that Kagome would win. There was no way she could lose. She didn't think this because she was biased, as she's her student; she strongly believed in.
"May the match begin," Hayate motioned his hand, signaling for the start of the match.
Kagome had no familiarity with Tenten's fighting style, so she could not underestimate her due to her lack of knowledge about her style. Team Guy was a mystery, with the exception of Rock Lee. Not much was known about how they fought or what their skills were. There was one thing Tenten had over Kagome: one year of experience. She had more experience in battle and training. Kagome had to approach her opponent carefully. One wrong move, and she could lose the match. She could not lose; she had to defeat that Sound Ninja, Kin. She couldn't bear the thought of Ino not being avenged.
She wasted no time. She took her sword from its scabbard. After what she had been doing for the past few days—disgracing her father by freezing in fear at the presence of Orochimaru and not protecting her comrades, and her inability to defend her cell for her comrades—she was going to prove to herself and to everyone that she is not weak. That she deserves to be here, that she didn't just luck out.
Things were tense; neither opponent made their move. Tenten had her hands on one of her scrolls. "It's unfortunate for you that you're up against a weapons master. I could summon many different kinds of weapons for close-range combat and even wield them with proficiency. That little toy you have in your hand is not going to help you in this fight." The arrogance, Kagome thought.
She summoned Kusari-fundo. The length of the weapon was enough for her to keep her distance from Kagome. She swung the chain towards her sword. Kagome blocked it, and it went back towards Tenten. Impressively, she did not lose sight of her weapon. She took out another scroll, and what came out of that one was a Bo staff.
She ran towards Kagome, who blocked the weapon. When she tried to strike at her side, she struck to her left, and she blocked it. She tried to strike to her right, and she blocked it again. She had been on the defensive up until now in the fight. She had to figure out what this girl's abilities were. But then, what baffled her was that the girl kicked her, knocking her off balance, and she summoned another weapon.
Two dual-blade katanas, the way she wielded the weapons was as if she were a master of them, but that was not possible, she thought. She was barely able to keep up; it was no joke. The girl wasn't just boasting about her skills; she actually possessed them. Out of all the opponents she had to face, it had to be someone who was a skilled weapons master. No, she would not think that way; that is the thinking of a sore loser and a coward. Her reasoning for entering the exams was so she could be promoted to Chunin, which would allow her to provide for her mother.
The girl was like in many places at once; it was impossible for her eyes to keep up. She recalls one of the lessons Kakashi taught her in the two months that he was her sensei, prior to her transferring to Hinata's team.
1 month before transferring to team 7
It was frustrating; it felt like Kakashi was everywhere and nowhere at once. They had done this for almost a week, and it felt like there was no progress. What was the point of this exercise? She thought she was fighting blindfolded. She was not able to see how she was supposed to fight. "Kakashi sensei, what is the point in this?" she asked in frustration. "To train you how to use your other senses. It is something that all of us are required to do, especially if you have any desire to become a member of the Abu Black ops."
She had no desire to become part of the Abu. All she wanted was enough money to provide for her mother. She had no interest in such a position. "I have no interest in being part of the Abu Black ops. It's like I'm blind; I can't see what I'm doing. How am I supposed to fight?" she asked her sensei.
"What happens when you get into a situation where you lose your eyesight? Anything can happen on a mission. We have to be adaptable to any situation, and that is a huge possibility. You may think this is tedious now, but when the time comes, you will need this training that I'm giving you, and you will thank me," Kakashi answered.
She did as she was instructed. She held her father's sword. She took a deep breath, trying to sense her opponent.
"Rely on your other senses. The eyes can only do so much, Kagome. There are situations that you will encounter where you will fight an opponent that is faster than you, and it will feel like you're fighting an army. To overcome this, focusing on the sound of their movements is important. You must understand this; otherwise, you will never become a Chunin," said Kakashi.
She focused hard, trying to sense the sound of her opponent's movements. At first, nothing happened. She was almost on the verge of giving up this exercise altogether until she noticed something—a faint sound. She heard it, turned her sword in the direction of the sound, and struck. Her opponent dodged, so she focused again on that same sound. She struck to her left and hit her opponent. Then, she heard another sound from behind her. She kicked her partner in the chest, knocking him down.
She removed her blindfold and saw Kakashi lying on the ground. From what she could see of his mask, he was smiling proudly, pleased that she had grasped the teachings he had given her. "You can do it, too," he said. "As you know, if you rely too much on sound, you could run into a situation where you may lose your hearing. There are other senses as well, such as touch and feeling the vibrations on the ground. Remember this lesson—it could save your life someday."
"Thank you, Sensei. I will take this to heart. I will not forget the lesson you have given me today." Kagome bowed respectfully.
She closed her eyes and put her sword in a guard position. She was patient. When she heard a sound of metal, she was about to strike. Kagome struck at her opponent using her right hand, knocking her down. "You're going to have to do better than that," Kagome said, not really impressed by her skills.
"Don't get cocky!" Tenten took two scrolls and jumped in the air. Was she really going to do what she thought she was going to do? The two scrolls hit the floor, and Tenten used her jitsu, "twin rising dragons." It was almost as if there was a storm, with hundreds of kunai and other weapons launching straight at her. She ran as fast as her legs would take her. Damn, she thought, this girl has a lot up her sleeve.
She would have to end this fight quickly, but she did not want to use that jutsu. Not here, not where everyone could be exposed to its secret. Not now. There has to be a way to win without using it, but she couldn't think of a strategy. Not while she was dodging hundreds of Kanai. She barely dodged them; she couldn't do it forever. Then, she saw something even worse. The girl threw strings all over the room, and the weapons came back to her like a boomerang. Like a puppet master, she threw them again.
She would lose in a war of attrition if she did not figure out how to counter this. She was definitely at a huge disadvantage. This was not a matchup she was ready for. There was one technique that could possibly counter it, but it was risky. She had used it against Sasuke before, when they sparred for the first time when she joined their team. The tip of her blade faced the ground. She did the hand signs for the jitsu. There was a gust of wind engulfing her and the weapons that were being thrown at her. They couldn't get past her. It was almost like a shield, but there was a price for using this. It used a lot of chakra. If she missed, she would lose.
"Wind style wind typhoon," she launched her attack. It knocked all of the opponents' weapons. The contestants had to move because the weapons went all over the room. Her opponent was about to be hit by her own weapon. Kagome jumped to her opponent and was able to get Tenten out of the way. It was done. The match was over. She held her blade towards Tenten's throat. Even if she saved her life, Kagome wasn't going to hand the victory to her.
"I hate to admit this, but I lost this one," Tenten conceded. She put her opponent down. Kagome looked at Tenten with nothing but respect. She was a worthy opponent, someone who pushed her; she was nothing like the others she had fought at this point. She shook the girl's hand, and the girl did the same.
"Winner, Kagome," Hayate announced. She looked at Kin, but couldn't tell what she was thinking. Yeah, she would make her pay if she had anything to say about it. Her teammates were cheering for her, and in a way, she felt like she had redeemed herself somewhat. However, she still felt like a disgrace because of the way she acted in the Forest of Death. She couldn't overlook what happened and knew she needed to train to overcome her fear so that she would never be powerless again against anyone.
"Your student is a one-of-a-kind, though it kind of put us all in danger with that technique of hers," Guy commented. Another thing she thought was problematic was the lack of protection. Thankfully, everyone had fast reflexes, but there was still a chance, even if unlikely, that one of those could have seriously injured someone, if not outright killed them. It was reckless, but considering the circumstances, there was no way she could have won.
"I wonder how Naruto will do in the exams?" asked Kurenai. Hinata had full faith that Naruto would win. She wasn't concerned at all; she trained him well, and she was confident that he would succeed. "Naruto will win. I believe in him," Hinata replied.
She saw the next names for the next round, and it was one of Kurenai's students. "I almost feel sorry for the poor bastard that's up against Shino," Kurenai said, smiling.
"May the match begin" Hayate said to initiate the start of the match.
Shino walked to the center of the room, facing his opponent Zaku. He had a cocky grin on his face thinking that hhe wasgoing to win this match the arrogance Shino thought. The thing that was ingrained toinim by his father as a tradition of his clan as a whole is to never hold back no matter how strong and weak your opponent is.
Underestimating your opponent was dangerous; even a weaker adversary can defeat a stronger one; history has proven this. It isn't the strongest Shinobi that wins; it's the smartest and the most clever. Though, from what he could tell about this opponent by the way he carried himself, he was overconfident and thought very highly of his abilities—too highly. He would likely overestimate himself and underestimate Shino; it was a foregone conclusion.
The Aburame clan infuses special breeds of insects at birth in order to develop abilities the Kikaichū haven't used for generations. He doesn't know the origin of what had caused his clan to start using them, nor did it concern him; it had always been part of him. There were a lot of misconceptions about his clan, such as the belief that they were insects and not human beings, but that wasn't the case. They actually had a symbiotic relationship with the Kikaichū.
His opponent looked bored the match had started and he had not made a move yet." it isn't the freak I'll squash you like a bug you're pathetic jutsus that you have at your disposal are nothing." I would advise you forfeit this match. I am the worst kind of opponent for you to go up against." Zaku thought it was ridiculous.
"You think that's going to scare me? You freak!" He lifted up his hands and fired air out of them, which was as fast as sound. Shino easily dodged his attacks. This was not the kind of opponent he would struggle with; his abilities were poorly suited to deal with someone from the Aburame clan.
He tried again and again to hit him, but it wouldn't work. Shino calmly dodged. Every single time he fired, the power of the air that came out of his hands got weaker and weaker the insects have entered tube if he was paying attention he would know that the amount of air that was coming out was lower and lower and eventually it would be clogged.
"I'm giving you one final chance to forfeit the match, or you will be permanently disabled," Shino said threateningly. He didn't take his threat seriously, a big mistake. He didn't bother moving anymore; the match would end in a few seconds. Zaku noticed nothing was coming out. He looked angry and frustrated. "What the hell's going on? My jitsu is unbeatable; no one can beat me." Such arrogance, he thought.
1 2 3 Zakus' attack that was directed at Shino now backfired on him his arms exploded blood was gushing everywhere he turned his back on his defeated foe it wasn't even that much of a battle then ag; then wasn't a surprise. He turned his back on his broken foe and didn't payignoredncer announcing his victory.
"Pathetic failure," Orochimaru said contemptuously. The boy was useless; he couldn't even be a good guinea pig for Sasuke to test his power on. She would make him pay for his foolishness. He had a Pacific fate in mind, oh yes, he would use him as a sacrifice when the time came. Looking at Hinata across from him, he couldn't help but relish in her discomfort at the scene in front of her.
Sasuke was the only one who did anything impressive so far. Everyone of these so-called pathetic Konoha Shinobi were weak and not worth his time, except for this one girl, the black-haired one called Kagome. He looked into her eyes, the girl's face. He could not help but see her father in her. "Interesting, so you're her father, aren't you?" referring to one of his old classmates. He recognized her mother's eyes as well. Was it a coincidence?
He decided to watch the matches for a little while longer to see if there's anybody of interest, though he highly doubts that only Sasuke and Kagome have caught his eye. He is drawn to Sasuke because of his Sharingan and to Kagome because of who her parents are.
The next match was announced.
"Looks like our students are fighting in the next round. No hard feelings, but Shikamaru is going to win," Asuma said to his girlfriend with a cocky smile. "I wouldn't write Kiba off; do not underestimate my student," Kurenai replied in friendly banter. "I have to agree with Asuma. I think Shikamaru is going to win, Kurenai-san. Kiba underestimates many of the opponents he's fought against. This will be a learning experience for him—not to let his guard down against opponents, regardless of how strong or weak they are," Hinata chimed in.
The sensei's watched as the fight began.
"This is such a drag," Shikamaru said as he got in the fighting arena. He didn't want to fight; he just wanted to relax. Out of all the things he did not want to do, he was confident he could beat Kiba; he just didn't want to do this stupid exercise. "You could give up now if you want. It could save you a lot of pain," Kiba said with an arrogant grin. He sighed.
"If I do that, I'll just piss off my team and my sensei. It's not worth it. Let's just get this over with," he said in a bored expression.
The match began.
Kiba charges straight at Shikamaru? Out of all the things? He thought he learned he tried to attack him by using his dog companion, Akamaru. He easily dodged, like it was nothing. He tried to attack him again, attempting to hit him with his claw-like hands, but Shikamaru dodged once more. Shikamaru didn't think this was worth extending effort. Why did he even have to bother with this?
He tried in vain to attack Shikamaru again, but every time he attempted to land a blow, Shikamaru dodged. People underestimated Shikamaru because he wasn't the greatest of fighters. That's the thing about his clan, baby: they focus on brains, not brawn. He was playing the long game; he couldn't physically beat Kiba in a fight, but he could outlast him. When he got in the right position in the room, he could use the Shadow Possession Jutsu without being vulnerable.
His opponent continued to attack in frustration. "Do something, coward," Kiba said in frustration. Nothing is worse for an enemy than them losing control. Just a little bit more, and this thought in this boring match can finally be over, and you could go back to relaxing. He continued to attack. "Screw this, I'm going to end this fight." Kiba did his hand signs, and just like Shikimaru predicted, he was going to use his technique on him. "Fang over fang!" Kiba, along with Akamar, sped fast towards him. Shikimaru smirked.
"Unfortunately for you, you fell for my trap," he said, looking around. He was close to the wall. "You know what my jitsu can do. I can manipulate all your movements, though I can't hold it for long due to me not being a master yet." He demonstrated his point by moving his body right, and Kiba did the same. "Damn you," Kiba said, disgusted that he had fallen for such an obvious trick.
Shikamaru put his right hand in his pouch and copied his movement. Kiba grabbed a kunai just like Shikamaru did. There was nothing he could do to stop the outcome of the match. He threw the weapon and ducked backward. He undid the Shadow Possession Jutsu, and Kiba's head hit the wall.
Everyone who was watching was shocked, with the exception of his teacher. Of course, his Sensei saw this outcome coming a mile away. He didn't care; he just wanted to relax.
"Winner Shikamaru"
Kurenai had a look of disappointment on her face at how easily Kiba was defeated by Shikamaru. Hinata knew from the start that Kiba would lose due to him being cocky and how he tends to underestimate his opponents. This would be a hard lesson for him to learn, but it was necessary. He had the advantage when it came to strength, but he was proof that a weaker opponent could overcome a stronger one with enough cunning. After all, the exams tested all aspects of a Shinobi: the body and the mind, and Shikamaru had both down.
"I am sorry that my student might have went a little overboard." Asuma Said apologetically to his girlfriend.
"I keep telling Kiba not to underestimate his opponents. I hope this is a lesson for him not to repeat this mistake. Again if ,this wereIn any other environment he would have been killed with his reckless behavior. " Kurenai SiSigned. Theext match was about to be again and it it would one of the Sand ninja. Hinata And her colleagues were going to pay close attention in this match because there's a good chance their students may go against him in the finals.
Kankuro saw his name and the opponent that he was going to go up against. He was not impressed. This would barely qualify as a warm-up. He wouldn't even need to use his best techniques. He could read him like a book. He would be able to make his opponent fall for the most obvious trick; after all, none of these so-called ninja that he surrounded himself with impressed him. This fool that he was up against—he didn't even bother remembering his name because by the time this match was over, it would leave his mind completely. He was glad to have a distraction for the time being. After what nearly happened with his brother, Gaara, it was relieving to be away from him, even if it was briefly.
He got to the center of the ring. His opponent. Not looking impressed by his stature. Oh, he would love to wipe that smirk from his face. Aldi's fools are the same.
"May the match begin," Hayate said with a hand motion, signaling for the match to begin.
His opponent wasted no time. He went straight at him, expecting a quick end to this fight. How foolish! He couldn't help but think to himself. When his opponent was about to wrap his arms around him and stretch them out, he switched positions with his puppet. It was brief. If his opponent had not been so focused on trying to snap his body in half, she would have known that the body she was crushing was not even his own. It was a puppet. She was falling right into his trap.
"Not so tough, are you?" Misumi said with arrogance. Kankuro smiled. Such a fool! He will not realize that he had fallen into his trap until it was too late. This was like taking candy from a baby, that's how easy this battle was, in fact. He felt sorry for his opponent. He might have had a chance if it was against anybody but him or his siblings. But destiny was cruel.
"What the hell?" Misumi said. He was no longer confident like he had been earlier. The face on his doppelganger, which was his puppet, collapsed. He didn't have a chance to scream as he heard his back snap. Things were silent until his opponent fell face down. Assuming he survived, he would be crippled for life—he might as well be dead. Misumi might have gone a little overboard, but he didn't care. This small fry wasn't worth his time. He had to end the match quickly without anyone knowing the full extent of his abilities. The last thing the village needed to know, especially for the operation, was about his secret weapon. The less people knew, the better. He was announced the winner and went back to where his team was, waiting to see what the next match would be. The person he saw was his sister, who had a bored look on her face because of the opponent she was about to fight.
Choji did not want to fight another girl, nor did he want to disappoint his sensei. When he saw his name pop up, he went to the arena immediately. The girl did not look at him as if she were taking him seriously; she appeared disappointed. Whatever that fan was on her back, he knew he'd have to be extremely careful. If he let his guard down even for a second, he would lose.
"I'm willing to go easy on you. I don't find it fun beating up on fat people." Temari said mockingly, which caused him to get angry.
"I'm not fat, you bitch, I'm big boned," he said as he was about to lunge at her, not giving a damn about the rules. But he remembered his sensei's words about letting people's insults control him. No, he had to stay calm; he couldn't lose the fight before it began.
Things were silent for a few seconds until the instructor, with a downward motion, signaled for the match to begin.
He wasn't sure about this woman's abilities. One thing he did know is that her team managed to clear the second exam in 40 minutes. He couldn't take her lightly. Though there was a lot he didn't want to reveal because he didn't want to reveal any techniques his opponents could use against him in the finals. No, he would not resort to his clan's secret techniques, not yet, especially to a Shinobi from a nation that isn't necessarily on the most friendly terms with Konoha.
He would end this fight with one blow. He did the hand signs for the technique that he believed would have ended the match.
He enlarged his body and went straight at Temari. She had a calm look on her face as he went straight at her. She didn't move. He was wondering why she wasn't even trying to dodge his technique. Before he could realize it, she moved slightly to the left of him and with her fan hit him hard. This caused his body to hit the wall. Before he lost consciousness, he felt like he disappointed his sensei for falling for such an obvious trap.
"That was bad luck," said Kurenai, looking at how Choji was defeated. The match didn't even last a minute. Hinata wasn't surprised by the outcome because of the way the girl presented herself. She was not an inexperienced shinobi at all. She took advantage of Choji's impulsiveness and used it to her advantage. Luckily, he had minimal injuries."
"His biggest mistake was holding back. He could have won if he wasn't afraid to use more of his clan's techniques," Asuma said, disappointed that his student lost if he fully had confidence in himself hecould have won that fight. Hinata didn't think it was that simple, considering the older girl was far more experienced than Choji, not to mention her team cleared the exams in 40 minutes.
Brute strength would not obtain victory against an opponent like that. Someone with cunning and knowing how to use their opponent's strengths against them would be the kind of person who could defeat someone like Temari.
One thing for sure, I'm glad none of our students are going to face that kid. " Said Kurenai, referring to the redheaded boy, Gaara. Something about him made Hinata feel uneasy. She hopes Naruto doesn't face him, at least not yet. She doesn't think Naruto, even with his training that she had been giving him since he became her student, could defeat him. He was too strong for Naruto as he is now.
Hinata looked at the next names that were appearing with her ability that she still cannot explain. She saw a glimpse into the future; it was only briefly, but she knew Gaara would be the next person to fight. However, who would be the second person? She hoped it wasn't Naruto—he wasn't ready. As if the gods answered her prayers, Naruto's name did not appear; instead, it was Dosu, who had a scared look on his face.
Seeing this fight firsthand would be a good way for her to learn how to teach countermeasures if Naruto were ever to face him in the finals. She looked at Kakashi. She had a strong feeling that Sasuke would be under his tutelage in the month leading up to the exams, so she had nothing to worry about when it came to Sasuke's training.
She stood there in silence, about to watch one of the last matches of the primary rounds.
Dosu was scared shitless of having to face Gaara of all opponents. He understood the redhead's reputation. He heard how he completed the exams in 40 minutes and how he ruthlessly dispatched his enemies. Dosu had to go all out; he could not afford to hold back. He wanted to get back at Sasuke; he wanted to get back at Orochimaru for using his team as guinea pigs for the Uchiha. Dosu was not going to lose to this twerp. He was going to get past this round, get into the finals, and kill Sasuke Uchiha. Dosu was not going to die in a place like this; he would get his revenge on Orochimaru by depriving him of this prize.
The two combatants got into the arena. Gaara looked bored of having to face someone like him. He would make that kid regret underestimating him.
He wasted no time as the man signaled for the match to begin. It was going to be a very hard fight. He knew it would be difficult to win, but he believed he could. He refused to believe this kid was as powerful as the rumors said he was. He was going to get out of this fight alive and get his revenge on Orochimaru. He would not let fear control him.
Without hesitation, he used his sound vibration technique on Gaara. He went straight at the kid's face, but Gaara looked unfazed. It shocked him: "No, it couldn't be?" He didn't even use a stronger version, which amplified the sound so loud that everyone in the room, including the instructors, plugged their ears. He was going to blow this kid's ear drums out if he had to. He was going to win by any means necessary, but the boy still wasn't phased.
"Is that all you have?" he asked coldly. Sand came out from his gourd. He quickly backed away, using the power of his sound techniques to give distance between him and his opponent. There was a look of a killer on his face. Dosu did everything in his willpower to suppress the fear he was facing with this monster in front of him.
Gaara can he possibly be human. There's just no way the look on his face as the sand moved on command with his right hand, as if he was controlling the sand like it was a part of his limbs, went straight at Dosu. He ran as fast as his legs would take him, using another sound technique that increased his speed, but it was useless. It was as if his opponent was able to read everything he was able to do. He was going faster and faster. He had to get out of this alive; he wasn't going to die in a place like this.
He would have to resort to his ultimate technique. There was no way he could get out of this alive otherwise, not with his bloodthirsty psycho in front of him.
He stopped and, with both hands, he started the incantation for the technique he had taught himself. In a situation where he needed a technique to instantly win a fight, this pure sound technique could be crucial. If it worked, it would shatter Gaara's veins, destroying everything in its path. The sound would be so powerful that it would work like needles.
As if everybody knew what he was going to do, a sound seal was placed in the surrounding areas to protect everyone's eardrums. This was it; he would destroy this kid. A sound wave came out of his metal arm and went straight at Gaara, who had an expression that was difficult to read. It shot directly at him. A sand shield surrounded Gaara; there was no way even that could stop this ultimate technique, he thought. Even that barrier was destroyed, knocking Gaara hard against the wall. He had a satisfied look on his face—he did it; he defeated this twerp. But when he looked at him, Gaara had that same expression. There was no shock, there was nothing.
"Is this the extent of your abilities? What a waste of time begone" Gaara said as a tidal wave of sand surrounded Dosu he tried to move but it was impossible because the sand below him grabbed his legs and crushed it he sc; heed in pain . He felt his entire body being engulfed his ar,ms were being crushed and the last thing he saw before his life ended was a bloodthirsty redhead boy as he crushed him whole by the time anyone would recover his remains there was nothing left.
"Orochimaru thought, such a disappointment, but not unexpected. The useless Dosu and Zaku served their purpose; they couldn't do anything to further his goals. Tools that had no further use to Orochimaru were disregarded without a second thought. He thought the last two matches would be interesting. He knew the sister of Hinata would fight, and so would Naruto, but who would their opponents be? A clash of destiny."
The son of Kushina had potential that Orochimaru couldn't ignore. Naruto, despite not being as interesting to him as Sasuke, possessed the power of the nine-tailed fox, which could potentially give him the strongest body possible. Being a jinchuuriki of the nine-tailed fox would make Naruto's body incredibly powerful, but this didn't interest Orochimaru. The Sharingan, however, did. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a contingency.
The boy's feelings for Hinata Hyuga, through his spies, had found something interesting. He would use that to his advantage if his plans with Sasuke failed. Orochimaru, after all, was always steps ahead of his enemies. It's how he got as far as he has. Danzo would be dealt with in due course.
He was extremely interested in the next two matches, the matches of destiny. How ironic, he smiled.
Naruto was highly nervous and excited he would be able to prove himself to everyone, but most importantly of all he would be able to show his Sensei how far he has come. There's techniques that Hinata doesn't even know about he wants make her proud.
He didn't know why, but he had a feeling the next match he would be fighting against someone, and he thought there were only three possible opponents: Hanabi, Hinata's sister; Neji, her cousin; and Rock Lee, the boy that humiliated Sasuke a few days prior.
Any one of those three would be his opponent. As if on cue, Naruto's name showed up. Everyone around him was wondering who Naruto would fight against. It is more accurate to say that he would lose against anyone because nobody except his team and his Sensei believe in him.
When he saw the name of his opponent, he was excited he wanted to fight him when he first met him and now he has a chance.
Before he eagerly went into the arena, Hinata put her hand on his shoulder, and he looked at her.
"I'll make you proud sensei I promise to win."Naruto said with his smile.
"Naruto, don't underestimate Lee. He's strong, much stronger than he appears. Just because he can only use taijutsu doesn't mean he's not a capable ninja. He's one of the strongest people here. I have faith in you. I know you can win," Hinata said with her reassuring smile, which caused Naruto to blush. Just seeing her smile, the smile that he had grown to love, he knew he had to bury that thought. He couldn't focus on that; he had to focus on the battle that was ahead.
He couldn't disgrace his sensei in front of everyone. He wasn't fighting just for his sake, but for Hinata's as well.
Kanna saw Naruto walk to his portion of the arena. The boy reminded her of someone she had once known in a different lifetime. He didn't look like the man she had forgotten because of the pain of her curse, but Naruto, the boy, his spirit reminded her of the man who was once dear to her.
"I want to change this world, Kanna-chan, so our children can live in peace without fear of war. That's my dream," said a voice that has long been dead. She buried that memory; she couldn't think of him now. She had to focus on the present. She had to see for herself this Naruto Uzumaki, the child that could potentially change the world—the child of prophecy that had been foretold a thousand years ago.
She eagerly awaited the first match of destiny. She wanted to see this boy's resolve. What did her descendant Hinata see in him? That's what she wanted to know. That's what she was curious about. Could Naruto be someone who could be convinced to join her cause? That's what she was interested in seeing in this upcoming fight.