Chapter 21: Preliminaries?
It had been a few days, and she felt better! Having slept for about a day, Yuri was ready. She had her chakra back and she was feeling more energetic than ever. A lot of teams had made it through the second exam, so much that she had to count everyone. The sand siblings, as Hinata had pointed out, their counter team, a hidden Grass team, A Hidden Mist, the Sound Team, Lee's team, Team 8, Team 9, Team 10 and another Leaf team she hadn't met yet. Though… one of the girls looked a lot like Kurenai sensi! She would have to look into that when she had the chance.
They are all ushered into a large room. Upon entering, there is a large handsign at the front of the room, and she has to wonder… How the hell did it get here? One Yuri didn't know existed here. She spots the sand ninja, both the teams she knows, a grass team and the team with the twins on it. Even snakeskin is here and the sound ninja. She is glad to see Sasukes team. She was afraid they weren't going to make it.
The hokage is in front of them, and all the sensis.
But one taste stands out to her. Reaching behind her, she grabs Isamu's hand. Trying to keep herself from panicking. Yuri can't show her panic here, no way was she going to do that. Not in front of a whole bunch of other ninja.
"First of all, congratulations on finishing the second exam."
"What?" Isamu asks.
"That taste is here…" Yuri tells him.
She looks at the Sound sensi, gulping as she moves her eyes forward. Needing to focus on anything else but that taste. It was going to cause her to panic, and it wasn't going to be good for her to panic like that.
She needs to think about something else.
Kiba had been hovering around her and wanting to ask questions. Thankfully, after she had woken up from her sleep, she can only guess Isamu was the one to keep everyone from walking her up. Shikamaru and Kenji were keeping him away.
She looks at Asami sensi and she needs to tell her. Yuri needs to tell her sensi, and explain to her what happened. But not with that taste… not when there are enemies all around that don't know about her.
They told a chunin who should have told others. But it seems they aren't doing anything now.
"Damn… we need to be careful. He might not do anything though now." Isamu whispers to her.
She slowly nods.
Kenji glances back, she knows he heard her. But she doesn't want to say anything else. Not with the genin from the Sound Village near. He doesn't want to start anything, and she knows that.
Yuri lets go of Isamu's hand and she and Shikamaru lock eyes, she gives him a nod and looks over to Sasuke. Seeing him glance at her. She would need to warn Sasuke as well. No matter what, Sasuke needed to be on guard.
"Alright now, pay attention! Lord Hokage is going to explain the third exam to you. You better listen carefully maggots."
While she hadn't talked to the Hokage himself, she still respected him. And he was so old… It was strange to her.
The Hokage steps forward. "First, before I tell you what the third exam entails. I want to explain something about the test itself. I have just one thing I want to tell everyone flat out. Listen carefully now, it's something you all need to understand. About the true purpose of these exams. Why do allied nations conduct the exams on a conjoint basis?" There is a pause. "Raising the levels of the Shinobi and friendship among allied nations. It won't do to have the wrong idea of the true meaning of that statement. These exams are so to speak… A microcosm of battle between allied nations."
Yuri raises an eyebrow. Friendship? There can be something like that. She glances over to Kitty boy, while she would love to be able to tease him all the time, she knows she won't be able to. They would meet on the battlefield one of these days.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Tenten asks.
"If we look back on history, the allied nations of today were once neighboring nations that continued the vile and battle for power. In order to avoid a futile crushing of each others' military strength, those nations mutually selected a place to battle. And that was how the Chunin Exams originally began."
She slowly nods along. She knows the second Hokage also pushed for all these things. She doesn't remember why though, but she knows that. The Chunin exams and the academy have been around forever, and it takes a while, but at least they aren't being thrown into battles right away.
Naruto speaks up. "Why do we have to do such a thing? We're not doing this to select Chunins?!"
"Well, there is no question that these exams are to select shinobi worthy of becoming Chunin. But on the other hand, these exams also provide a venue for shinobi who carry their nation's pride on their backs to fight for their lives! Many feudal lords and those of prominence from many nations who request shinobi for work are invited to this third exam as guests. And also possibly to seek shinobi to work for them. This exam could determine the course of your ninja work from here on out. And more importantly, those rulers will watch your battles, and take note of the strengths that each ninja and each nation is developing. If the gap in national power becomes unbridgeable, the strong nations are inundated with job requests. The requests of nations deemed weak, on the other hand, decline. Therefore, we can exert pressure upon neighboring nations. That is to say, just how much military strength our village is developing and has."
Kiba speaks up. "Even so, why is it necessary for us to fight for our lives?"
A good question.
Why risk their lives? Why even bother fighting?
"The nation's strength is the village's strength. The village's strength is the shinobi's strength. And the true strength of the shinobi is created only in a fight for one's life! This exam is a place to see the strength of the home country shinobi, and a place to display this as well. It is because it's an exam where you truly fight for your life that this has meaning. It's for this very reason that your forerunners fough in this exam, a dream worth striving for."
"Then why use the expression friendship?" Tenten seems upset by it.
"I said it at the start, didn't I? That it won't do for you to have the wrong idea of the meaning! It's a custom where balance is preserved by fighting and removing life. This is the friendship of the shinobi world. This is a fight for life with the pride of the village and one's own dream on the line."
There is a moment of silence as Yuri thinks it over. And she understands it. They were born into a world where they were going to fight everyday. And while there is no war going on, people fight about land and the power of others all the time. That Gaara kid speaks up. Saying to tell them about the exam and to get on with it.
"Now then, this is where I'd like to explain the third exam." He coughs and someone new comes in.
"Lord Hokage, please allow me, Hayate Gekko, who was given the task of judge to speak first."
He just intruded on the Hokage. But the Hokage doesn't seem to mind. This is their judge of the final stage. He is kind of cute, but looks sickly…
"I leave it to you."
"Nice to meet you, everyone." He coughs. "There's something I'd like you all to do. Before the third exam." He goes into a coughing fit.
Yuri narrows her eyes and looks over to Sasuke. There is something going on. And she doesn't like it, but she looks back to the front. Needing to see what is going on, suppressing the feelings that come with all the tastes around her.
"And that is a preliminary to the third exam, With participation in the main battle on the line."
Something shocks Yuri, Shikamaru explodes. "Preliminary? What do you mean Preliminary?!"
She looks over to where Shikamaru is standing, he is always so calm and doesn't seem like the one to explode. She wonders what he pieced together. She can understand it, there are SO many teams here, and while the test has been hard, even she doesn't get how many passed the second exam.
"Sensi, I don't understand the point of that preliminary. What can't we just move on to the third exam with the remaining test-takers?" Sakura speaks up.
"This is going to be dumb." Kenji mumbles.
She can't help but agree. This is going to be awful.
"This time around, perhaps because the first and second exams were easy, there are a few too many people left, you see. In accordance with the rules of the Chunin Exams, a preliminary will be held in order to reduce the number advancing."
"Is… is that fair?" Sakura asks.
"As Lord Hokage said before, many guests will be coming to the third exam. So we can't have long pointless matches, and our time is limited as well. Therefore, those of you not in top physical condition, now is your chance to–" He begins coughing. "Excuse me. Those of you who wish to drop out, please speak up now. The preliminary will begin immediately."
Yuri's eyes widened. They will start right away? At least they didn't show up last, and her team had some time to rest and recover. She doesn't know about some of the other teams… but she knows it's going to be hard.
"Immediately, you say?!" Kiba shouts.
"But we finally made it through the second exam." Ino exclaims.
Causing her whole team to complain. Causing Yuri to roll her eyes. There are so many people left. Of course they need to thin out the competition. It makes sense to Yuri.
Isamu taps her shoulder. "You think it's wise to stay Yuri?"
She has to think about it. So long as she sticks to general justus she should be fine. She doesn't know what this preliminary test is going to entail. They need to be ready for anything, and that means Yuri being careful with her fighting.
Not using the sharingan, Byakugan or anything else.
"Yes. I doubt Kenji is going to back down either." She smiles slightly.
Kenji glances back and smirks. She knows this is going to be their choice. They worked so well together that if one quit now? It was going to be rough on all of them. They needed each other, and it was easy to tell them.
"And, oh… I forgot to mention this, but it will be individual battles from now on. It is your decision, so feel free to raise your hands and drop out."
Yuri's eyes widened. She will have to be extra careful with fighting. She won't give up though. She has to keep moving forward, even with this bump, she can get through. She wasn't going to be left behind.
Even with the extra limitations on her, she sees Asami sensi smile. She knows her team will move through, and knows there is a lot at stake. What's the point in quitting? Why come all this way to leave? It would be dumb to give up.
And she doubts her friends would quit.
"No quitting… right?" Kenji mutters.
Yuri puts a hand on Kenji's shoulder. No point in leaving now.
She notices the sensi's arguing. Tilting her head, Yuri narrows her eyes, motioning her head to the sensi's allowing Kenji and Isamu to look as well. She needs to focus on it, even with team 7 arguing next to her. She catches the mention of a mark and Sasuke. They don't know… they think he has something…
But she sees Kabato raising his hand.
"Snake…" She mumbles out.
Isamu steps closer to her. "No wonder he has failed seven times…"
"No way. He's quitting… it doesn't sit right with me. Why?" Yuri shakes her head.
Kenji shakes his head. "I don't know. I don't like it."
Yuri narrows her eyes and she notices Asami sensi looking at her. Yuri realizes… there is a lot that they need to tell Asami sensi. With everything that happened and their new friend in the room, she knows Asami sensi would do something about it. She shakes her head and knows there is a lot to tell Asami sensi when they have a chance.
She doesn't know when that will be.
"Quitting right before the last stage." Isamu lets out a sigh.
"It doesn't make sense, even with the sound ninja attacking him… Lee seems to be fine." Kenji mutters.
She sneaks a glance at Lee. She doesn't know if he is… but he seems to be just fine. And strong, and Kabato's chakra is WAY stronger than Lee's. She wonders what it's all about.
Yuri shakes her head. "Keep him on your radar, no one quits this exam seven times and makes a weak excuse like that."
"Agreed. We can discuss this later though." Kenji says.
They need to end the conversation. Especially as Kabato walks away, Yuri watches him. Not liking this at all. Kabato quitting isn't something she wants to think about. He is strong, she can tell, and him walking away is more than him being beaten and tired. All of them are, and it doesn't help anyone in this situation.
She looks at Hinata and shakes her head. She hadn't been able to mention anything to Hinata, and she felt like she should.
A cough brings her attention back to the front. "Now then, there are no others who will quit?"
No one else raises their hand. If Sasuke had been bitten, she would force Sasuke to quit. But it is all good, they are fine. She knows Kenji and Isamu would prefer Yuri to leave, but she doesn't. There is no way she would leave this!
Plus, Shikamaru would be killed if he quit. And he knew it.
"Now then, we will begin the preliminaries. The preliminaries to come will be one-on-one individual battles. In other words, actual battle format. There are now 35 people, we will have 17 matches, one person will automatically move on. The winners will be able to advance to the third exam. There are no rules at all. You will fight until someone dies, collapes or admits defeat. And… please admit defeat right away if you don't want to die. However, in case I judge that a match is over. I don't want to needlessly increase dead bodies, so I will intervene and stop the match or something to that effect. What holds the key to your destinies is fate."
There is a pause as a panel is open, revealing a screen.
Giving Yuri a moment to think. One person will be moving on without fighting. That is an advantage, since no one would know what they can do. Everyone else would be displaying their strength and showing off, meanwhile, one person won't be showing anything. Yuri would love that, to keep her wildcard status. It would help her.
Sadly, she doubts that it will be her luck. She doesn't want to fight so of course, she would end up fighting someone. And she doesn't think she will be able to pull her punches.
"The names of two foes will be randomly selected and displayed on the electric signboard. If you are not picked, congratulations, you move on without fighting. Now then, let's get right down to it and announce the two names for the first battle."
The first match is Sasuke against a guy named Akado. She looks at Sasuke and the guy he's fighting against. Sizing him up, while she might struggle, she can't see Sasuke struggling. He is smart, and will get himself out of anything thrown at him. But this guy is unknown.
Her money is on Sasuke.
"Now then, the two displayed on the signboard, come forward. For the 1st battle, Yoroi Akado and Sasuke Uchiha have been selected. No objections, right?" No one objects.
She smiles softly, it's going to be a fun time watching. She would make notes of the winners to ensure that she was prepared for whoever she ended up going against in the finals. Since she was going to make it to the finals. And she was going to show all the boys up.
She sounded like Naruto.
Attempting not to chuckle, Yuri glances around at everyone. She was curious about the two redheads from the hidden Mist. She doesn't know who she would want to fight against, but she would love to put Kitty boy in his place.
"Now then, we will begin the first battle. Everyone other than the two foes, please move to the upper area."
They are dismissed and given time to go up. Her eyes lock with Kitty boy and she smiles. She would love to fight him. Might get him to wipe that smug smirk off his face. And since everyone assumed she was the weakest on her team, it was going to be fun shattering everyone's expectations.
Which reminds her… she needed to place a bet.
Yuri walks by Shikamaru. "Bets on who's going to win each match?"
Shoving his hands in his pocket he acts like he doesn't hear her for a second but then smiles. And she knows this is going to be the best way to pass the time. She notices Kakashi talking to Sasuke.
Shikamaru scoffs. "We both know Sasuke this time, so no point."
"How about who gets the most overall? And we cannot bet on each other?" Placing her hands behind her back, she walks innocently next to him.
She wants to win. She hadn't won a bet in a while, and she was determined to win against Shikamaru. It was going to go fine and she was better at telling who would win.
"Fine. Will Hinata keep track?"
She looks at Hinata who nods. Glad Hinata was on the same page, while she never participated in the bets, she always kept track. And it worked well. She would sometimes call who was going to win before they finished.
"It's on. I win… you gotta train with Lee and his sensi for a week." Yuri smiles.
Lee and his sensi would wear Shikamaru out so much. And it would be good for him, while he trained, this was going to be good for him. He needed to be faster than everyone else and his taijustu was lacking. Since he was the one who had to protect Ino, he needed to be fast.
"Ugh… What a drag." Shikamaru shakes his head. "I win, you have to let Ino win in your next spar."
Yuri groans. He knows she doesn't want Ino to win. She doesn't want to have to listen to Ino for a whole month, that would be a drag. And more importantly, she would be pulled away from her work. They were supposed to spar again soon. And she wasn't excited about it. She was going to be tired and…
Seeing their sensi's coming with them Yuri hangs back to catch Kenji and Isamu. Realizing she dropped her conversation with Shikamaru, she had something more important to talk about. Noticing Kakashi walking over to them as well, they needed to talk to their own sensi first. Quickly Asami sensi catches up to them.
"Anything you guys want to tell me about?" Asami keeps her eyes forward.
They walk up the stairs in silence at first. All the teams and their sensi's are around and they wanted to keep this between the 4 of them. Of course… The other genin knew, but not all the information Kenji, Yuri and Isamu knew. And they wanted to let Asami know everything, even about the information from today.
"We had… an experience in the forest sensi. One you should know about." Yuri finally says.
Kenji goes into what happened and Yuri and Isamu chim in every now and then. From the beginning of the second stage, Yuri sensed Orochimaru, though they never named him, and the strange fight they had. One that nearly killed Yuri and Sasuke. Along with the weird thing that happened with Naruto.
Isamu and Kenji have to tell her about the fight wth the sound ninja, something that Yuri doesn't know a lot about until she told Kiba finally. And how Kiba was staring at her now, but she didn't even look at him. She knows better than to invite that mess right now. They even mentioned team 8's run in with the sand siblings, and how that might come to bite them.
"I see… everyone seems to think Sasuke has the mark." Asami muses after everything has been said.
Yuri shakes her head. "No. We stopped that."
Asami seems to think for a moment.
It's a lot of information to take in. But she was training them to get all the information that they could get their hands on. It was one of her favorite things to do on their small missions. How much can they remember and how often do they see their sensi or anything strange. She even made up situations in training.
Asami worked them hard, especially after their first C-Ranked mission. She was trying to get them above everyone else. Even her training had become secret from the other teams. They would use the whole training field and until they got one thing correct, Asami would drill them over and over again.
It was proving to be useful now though.
Finally, Asami speaks. "We need to talk about this more, later though. No use in doing that now."
"There is one more thing." Isamu says.
Yuri closes her eyes. They need to tell her the last thing. There was still a lot to discuss… but they didn't know how to begin with it. Not to mention everything she thought about Kabato. But they had to take it slow.
"Right…" Kenji turns to Asami sensi, lowering his voice. "Orochimaru is here. Yuri can taste him, and the taste freaks her out. Like Akumaru with that weird sand guy."
"Yuri? Is this true?"
Slowly, Yuri nods. "It is… I've been uneasy since coming here and might be holding onto others throughout the matches."
She needs to comfort others. She needs it. She had to switch between people. She was social enough it wasn't strange, and anyone who didn't know just thinks she is friendly. Asami knew though it helped her remain focused.
Asami looks right ahead. "You can't tell who it is?"
"I can't yet. I just know he is in this room. Might be one of the sensi's." With a shake of her head, she makes eye contact with Kitty boy.
"Fine. Enjoy the fights though. Gather information."
Yuri hadn't noticed the fights had begun. She leans over and watches.
Note: I will not be writing the canon fights, as… we all know how they end! I want to focus on the new characters and establish them a little more. Enjoy these new fights and how they play out. Leave a comment and follow the story if you are enjoying it!