Answers to Reviews:
Drizzzy: Thanks. I hope you enjoy this one!
RandomParadox: I promise I will try to improve the pacing!
Second Chapter! Please tell me how you like it! Enjoy!
Naruto and the genins arrived at training ground 44. Several genins shivered at the ominous forest.
"Alright, brats. The rules are simple: You will start with one scroll, a heaven or an earth one, and your goal is to get either one based on what you get. Once you have the scroll, get to the tower in the middle of the forest, and you pass. You have five days to get to the tower now. Please sign these waivers so I am not responsible for your untimely deaths!" Anko explained with a grin.
"5 Days!? How about food!?" Choji asked with horror.
"You gotta hunt for them, but beware, the animals in there are different…" Anko said with a laugh as Choji shivered.
"Heh, this will be easy!" Kiba said with a confident smirk, but it disappeared when a kunai grazed his cheek, drawing a bit of blood. Anko appeared behind him, licking the blood, much to Kiba's disgust and fear.
"Overconfidence will kill you and your team, brat." Anko said with a smirk as Kiba shivered. Suddenly, a disgustingly long tongue holding a kunai was put in front of Anko. The proctor jumped away from the Kusa genin behind her.
"Oh, don't be jumpy, Proctor-san. I'm only returning your kunai," the genin said, and Anko shook her head. "Nah, you can keep it," she said as she walked away, muttering about weird genins.
Naruto, seeing the interaction, narrowed his eyes. 'That genin reeks more of a snake than Kabuto. I gotta inform the Hokage about this.' he thought as he made a shadow clone, which transformed into a hawk and flew away toward the Hokage's office.
"Alright, brats. It's time to start getting your scrolls and wait at the gate assigned to you!" Anko announced as the genin moved to their gates after getting their scrolls.
"Remember, killing is allowed, and one advice: Don't Die!" Anko advised with a smirk.
"GO!" She shouted as the gates opened. Naruto immediately darted to the trees, deciding to get to the tower as soon as possible. He started hunting down the genin teams not from Konoha. 'This will be fun!' he thought with a smirk as he changed direction towards the nearest chakra signature that he knows is not from any Konoha team.
With the clone
The hawk tapped at the window at the Hokage office. The old man, recognizing the distinct Hawk with piercing blue eyes, opened it. The hawk went inside the office and ended the transformation.
"What can I do for you, Naruto? Shouldn't you be in the forest of death right now?" the Hokage asked. The clone nodded.
"Yeah, but I'm a clone. Look, I have encountered two genin that reek of snakes, and boss thought I should inform you," the clone said, and the Hokage's eyes narrowed.
"Who are these genins?" he asked seriously. "Yakushi Kabuto and a random kusa genin with a suspiciously long tongue. I didn't get her name, though." The clone explained the Hokage and thought for a moment before responding.
"Please follow the Kusa genin around while in the forest. I fear that it might be Orochimaru, and he might be planning something. If you can confirm it's him, please flare the Kyubi's chakra, and I will go there myself with a team of Anbu. Be careful, Naruto," Hiruzen said, and the clone nodded as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, sending the memories to the blond.
'What are you planning, Orochimaru?' the old man thought as his eyes narrowed
With Naruto
The blonde received the memories, and his eyes narrowed. 'Change of plans, I guess, but I need to get a scroll first,' he thought as he spied on a team from Kusa, waiting for an opportunity to strike. After a few minutes, the team decided to take a quick break. As they sat on the ground, seeing his moment to strike, naruto summoned two clones and, in a burst of speed, appeared behind the genins with a quick chop to the neck and knocked them out. After a quick search, he found an Earth scroll. 'Nice. Just what I need! Now then, to find that Kusa genin.' he thought as he expanded his sensory range.
'Found her, but why is she spying on Team 7?... Wait, don't tell me she's targeting Sasuke. Well, that is interesting, but I don't have enough proof yet. I'll wait first before doing something.' the blonde thought as he started to run towards the location of team 7.
After a few minutes, the blonde realized the team was getting attacked by their spy. The blonde clicked his tongue as he increased his speed.
Several minutes later, Naruto arrived only to see Sasuke getting bit by the genin on the neck. Sakura and Sai were knocked out on the ground a few meters behind Sasuke. 'Fuck! It is Orochimaru! And he marked Sasuke, so he is going for the sharingan, huh? Time to signal the Hokage.' He thought, flaring Kurama's chakra, gaining Orochimaru's attention.
"Oh? The kyubi Jinchuriki? Fine, I'll play with you for a moment. Sasuke-kun is incredibly weak, so I hope you can be more of a challenge," he chuckled with a smirk as the blonde's eyes narrowed at him.
"Be careful, Kit. Even with Infinity protecting you, Orochimaru is still powerful, and knowing the sneaky bastard, he will find a way to get past Infinity." Kurama cautioned, and Naruto took a deep breath. He launched himself forward, his fist aimed at the Sannin's face. Orochimaru sidestepped to the side. With a fluid motion, Orochimaru spun on his heel, lashing out with a kick aimed at Naruto's ribs.
But his leg froze mid-strike, an invisible force stopping it inches away. Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as he jumped back.
"Hmm… Something's preventing me from touching you," he murmured, "Fascinating."
Naruto smirked. "It's nothing you need to worry about."
Orochimaru chuckled, his lips curling into a wide grin. "Oh, but I do worry, Naruto-kun. Such interesting ability… I'll enjoy studying your corpse once I'm done with you."
He reached into his mouth, pulling free the Sword of Kusanagi. Naruto wrinkled his nose in disgust but held his ground as Orochimaru lunged at him, the blade carving through the air. Naruto sidestepped the strike. Orochimaru followed up with a diagonal slash, but Naruto's form flickered—an afterimage? Orochimaru's eyes darted around just in time to sense Naruto reappear behind him. Spinning swiftly, he aimed a backhanded strike with the hilt of the sword, only for it to halt abruptly, inches away from Naruto's head.
"Infinity." Naruto said quietly, his voice calm yet sharp.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as he pulled his blade back, testing the strange force that kept his strike at bay. "Infinity, you say? What kind of technique is this?" he hissed, his curiosity piqued.
Naruto smirked, his eyes glowing faintly. "Infinity is exactly what it sounds like. The space between you and me is infinite. Every time you try to reach me, the distance divides endlessly, over and over, until you can never actually touch me."
Orochimaru paused, his blade still hovering just out of reach, as if testing the explanation. "Dividing endlessly... a fascinating concept," he murmured. The sannin's brows furrowed as he tested the strange barrier, his blade meeting an invisible wall that repelled him no matter how much force he applied. "A troublesome ability." he muttered somewhere else in the forest. Shikamaru sneezed. 'Troublesome.' he thought with a yawn.
Taking advantage of the Sannin's moment of distraction, Naruto ducked low and swept Orochimaru's legs. Orochimaru leaped high into the air, summoning a snake from his sleeve. The serpent shot toward Naruto like an arrow, fangs bared and dripping with venom. But, just like Orochimaru's blade, the snake froze mid-lunge, unable to hit the blonde. Naruto grabbed the immobilized snake by its head and yanked Orochimaru forward with immense strength. The Sannin's eyes widened as Naruto launched a barrage of precise, bone-shattering strikes into his torso. Each palm strike sent shockwaves rippling through the air and, with a kick, sent Orochimaru flying backward, blood spraying from his lips.
Naruto clapped his hands together, vanishing in a blur of speed. Before Orochimaru could recover, the blonde reappeared behind him, his palm glowing with a red orb of condensed energy.
"Aka" Naruto announced.
The crimson sphere rocketed toward Orochimaru, who could do nothing but watch as it made contact. The explosion lit up the battlefield, the sheer force blasting Orochimaru into the ground. Smoke rose from the crater left behind.
Orochimaru staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his mouth as his wounds began to knit themselves together.
"Such an interesting technique," he rasped.
Naruto frowned, his eyes narrowing as he observed the rapid regeneration. 'He heals fast.' he thought with a click of his tongue.
Raising his hand, Naruto formed a glowing blue orb. "Ao"
The sphere pulsed with gravitational force, its pull drawing Orochimaru toward him against his will. Orochimaru's smirk faltered as he struggled to resist, planting his feet firmly on the ground. The effort was futile.
"What are you, boy?" Orochimaru muttered, his tone a mix of fascination and frustration.
Naruto didn't respond. As Orochimaru was dragged closer, Naruto unleashed a relentless flurry of strikes. Each blow cracked ribs and sent ripples of pain through the Sannin's body. Orochimaru raised the Sword of Kusanagi to block, but the gravitational force rendered his movements sluggish. He could do nothing as Naruto's final right hook slammed into his jaw, sending him crashing into a tree.
Orochimaru groaned as he slumped to the ground, a twisted grin stretched across his face. "Impressive, Naruto-kun," he rasped, his voice filled with both pain and delight. "These abilities of yours… they're special more so than the Sharingan! I must have them!"
With a sudden burst of movement, Orochimaru's neck extended unnaturally, his head darting toward Naruto like a striking viper, fangs bared. He aimed for the blonde's neck, intending to brand him with the Curse Mark. But, as always, his attack came to an abrupt halt, stopped mere inches away by the invisible barrier of Infinity.
Orochimaru's grin faltered, his elongated neck retracting as frustration flashed across his face. 'Damn it! This barrier protecting the brat makes it impossible to land a single blow!' he thought, his sharp mind already racing for solutions. 'I'll need to find a weakness… perhaps a seal to counteract this technique?'
He chuckled softly, his serpentine eyes narrowing as he stared at Naruto. "You're proving to be quite the enigma, Naruto-kun. But even the strongest defenses have their cracks. I'll uncover yours soon enough." He announced just as the Hokage and a team of Anbu appeared.
"You're late, Old man." Naruto said as the Hokage and the Anbu team surrounded the missing-nin.
"Apologies, Naruto, but no matter, we are here now. I will deal with you, Orochimaru, as I should have done years ago!" The hokage announced as he and his team prepared to kill the sannin, who merely chuckled.
"Not today, Sensei, not today," He said as he turned to stone.
"Damn it! It's a clone. Look for him. He couldn't have gotten too far!" The Hokage ordered his Anbu, "Hai!" the team disappeared in a shunshin to look for the Sannin.
The hokage turned to Naruto. "How are you, Naruto? Are you alright?" The Hokage asked in concern. The blonde nodded. Yeah, just fine, old man. He didn't hit me once because of infinity, but what you should be worried about is Sasuke. He got the curse mark." Naruto explained. Examining the seal on Uchiha's neck, the Hokage frowned.
"I will have Kakashi seal it as soon as possible. Join him and his team for now," The Hokage said, and the blonde nodded. The old man disappeared just as Sakura and Sai woke up.
"W-what happened?... Sasuke-Kun!" Sakura shouted in worry at the unconscious Uchiha while Sai asked Naruto what happened.
"Orochimaru attacked you because he wants Sasuke's sharingan. Now I'll be staying with you guys until you get to the tower," Naruto explained, and Sai nodded.
"You two rest for now. I'll keep watch. We will move in 5 hours," the two genin from team 7 nodded as they set up their tents to rest.
5 hours later
Naruto woke up the two genins so they could finally look for a heaven scroll. Sasuke has still not woken up. With his eyes, Naruto could clearly see the dark purple chakra merging with Sasuke's. His eyes narrowed. 'He will get more unstable with that seal.,' he thought, clicking his tongue.
"Alright, guys, I sense another team from suna. I will deal with them. Sai, you will carry Sasuke while Sakura provides support with Genjutsu if we are attacked," Naruto explained as they left the clearing.
After a few minutes, they found their target. The team was sleeping, unaware that they were about to lose their scroll. Naruto quietly rummaged through their bags, eventually finding a heaven scroll. He sent a thumbs-up to his temporary teammates.
"Alright, we're done. Let's head to the tower," he said as they left, trying to get to the tower as soon as possible.
"Naruto-san, why are you trying to help us?" Sai asked the blonde on their way there.
"Well, the Hokage ordered me to, just in case Orochimaru attacked you guys again." the blonde explained, and Sai nodded. Suddenly, a burst of chakra was felt, and Sai immediately dropped Sasuke as the Uchiha woke up.
"What is this power?" he whispered as he stood up, the curse marks markings snaking their way around him. "I feel absolutely powerful, and with this power, I will kill Itachi!" he exclaimed with glee as he laughed, making Sakura uncomfortable.
"Calm down, Sasuke. That seal is not something you should use; it will consume you," Naruto explained, but Sasuke didn't listen to him.
"Fight me!" he yelled, charging at the blonde.
Naruto easily sidestepped the strike and kicked the Uchiha on the back, sending him to the ground. The boy tried to stand up but was stopped by a foot planting itself on his back.
"Stand down, Sasuke, or I'll knock you out," Naruto said, but the Uchiha only growled, trying to wiggle free.
"Don't hurt Sasuke-Kun!" Sakura exclaimed as she tried to hit Naruto but was stopped by Sai.
"Don't interfere. Ugly, let Naruto-San deal with Ducky." he said with a fake smile, making Sakura frown.
"You leave me no choice," Naruto said and, with a swift strike, knocked out Sasuke.
"We better hurry up. We are nearing the tower." Naruto said, handing the unconscious Uchiha to Sai.
A Few Hours Later
"Finally!" Naruto said as they entered the tower. They looked around the empty room.
"I think we need to open the scrolls," Sakura said, and the two conscious boys nodded. Opening the scroll, smoke suddenly started to appear.
"Toss it to the ground. It's a summoning scroll," Naruto said as he tossed the scroll to his scrolls to the ground. Sai did the same with his.
The smoke exploded outwards and, a few seconds later, cleared, revealing Iruka and Kakashi.
"Congrats on passing. You guys are one of the first ones here." Iruka said with a smile, making Naruto grin while Kakashi looked at Sasuke.
"What happened to him?" he asked, and Naruto looked at him with a serious expression.
"Orochimaru attacked him and branded him with a curse mark." the blonde explained, and the Jonin and Chunin's eyes widened.
"Orochimaru is here!? Did the Hokage know about this?" Kakashi asked seriously, and Naruto nodded.
"Yeah, he knows. He told me to tell you to seal it as soon as possible." the blonde said, and Kakashi nodded.
"I will. After we finish this part of the exams, you all get some rest. You all deserve it," he said and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"I'll see you later, Naruto. I might treat you to ramen after this," Iruka said as he also disappeared.
"I'll see you guys later," Naruto said as he went towards the door that revealed itself. While they were talking, the two genins nodded as he left.
A Few Days Later
Naruto woke up to a knock on his door. "Just a sec!" he yelled as he got up, stretching and groaning in satisfaction as his back popped. Getting up, he opened the door to reveal Iruka.
"Morning Naruto. The preliminary matches are starting in a few minutes. Are you ready?" he asked, and the blonde nodded.
"Yeah, not like I need to prepare much. Let's go." Iruka nodded as he guided Naruto toward the mini arena inside the tower.
"First, I must congratulate you all for passing the second round of the chunin exams," the Hokage said. "Now the " the man was cut off by a cough.
"Do you mind *Cough* if I continue this *Cough* Hokage-sama?" a man with short brown hair and dark markings under his eyes. Even though he was a young man, he had pronounced lines under his eyes as well as an unexplained chronic cough that plagued him. He wore the standard Konoha shinobi outfit, complete with a forehead protector that he wore as a bandanna, flak jacket, and regular shinobi sandals. He also carried a katana with a rectangular hand guard strapped over his back.
"My name is Gekko Hayate, and *Cough* I'm the proctor of this part of chunnin exams," the man said.
"But first, we will have a preliminary match." Hayate announced, and several genin shouted in outrage.
"What do you mean we need to have preliminary matches!?" Kiba yelled
"We didn't expect this many people to pass the exam, so we had to thin out the contestants. During the third phase of the exam, many nobles will assist the matches, and their time is precious not to be unnecessarily wasted." Hayate explained, and a few were against it.
"Why should we risk our lives for this?" A random genin yelled.
"I think you misunderstood the meaning of the chunin exams." the Hokage said, and everyone turned to face him.
"The chunnin exams are used to promote promising gennins to chunnin; however, there is somewhat of an underlying objective. The chunnin exams are a substitute for war and to prove that the country that is competing is strong. The strength of a village is the strength of their shinobi, and the strength of their shinobi only flourishes in life-and-death battles." the Hokage explained.
"By having shinobi compete in the chunin exams, the country can prove their strength, which will award them a higher number of missions, bringing more wealth to the village." the Hokage concluded.
"Before we begin, is there anyone who wishes to forfeit?" Hayate asked, and Kabuto and Sai stepped forward, much to his teammates' shock.
"Sai, you too?" Sakura asked in surprise, and the pale boy nodded.
"I feel dizzy. I apologize. Ugly, Ducky," Sai said with a fake smile
"I wish to forfeit. I spent way too much Chakra." he explained, and Hayate nodded. The Hokage's eyes narrowed at the silver-haired genin. "Follow that, Genin, after the matches." he said to Anbu by his side. The boar-masked Anbu nodded.
"Anyone else?" Hayate asked. No one stepped forward. He nodded.
"Very well, we shall begin now. The match ends by either knockout, death, or impairment. If I declare the winner, will the match end immediately? Do you understand? " Hayate said, eyeing them seriously, and everyone nodded.
"The names will appear on that electric board randomly." Hayate explained as the board started shuffling through names.
"Will Sasuke Uchiha and Akado Yoroi stay in the arena? The rest of you, please go up to the stands." Hayate announced, and everyone except the two genin on the board left
The two genin stood silently across from each other in the arena. "Begin!" Hayate Gekko called, leaping back to give them space.
Akado Yoroi smirked under his mask. "Let's see if you live up to the hype, Uchiha." he teased. Sliding his left hand into his kunai pouch and raising his glowing right hand in front of him, Yoroi moved confidently. Without hesitation, he flung several shurikens toward Sasuke.
Sasuke quickly drew his kunai, slashing the shuriken out of the air with practiced precision. But as he stepped forward to counter, his legs buckled unexpectedly. A flash of inexplicable weakness surged through his body, forcing him to one knee.
Yoroi seized the opportunity and darted forward. Sasuke barely rolled out of the way in time, watching as Yoroi's hand slammed into the tile floor, shattering it. Using his kunai as an anchor, Sasuke spun low and swept Yoroi's legs out from under him, sending the older genin crashing to the ground. With fluid precision, Sasuke locked Yoroi's arm in a painful submission hold, twisting it mercilessly.
"Not bad," Yoroi grunted, his hand shooting out to grab the front of Sasuke's shirt. The moment they made contact, Sasuke's body froze, his strength rapidly draining.
'What is this?!' Sasuke thought, his eyes widening as the Chakra seemed to flow directly out of him.
Yoroi twisted free of the hold with unnatural ease and drove his glowing hand hard into Sasuke's chest. The impact sent Sasuke reeling, and before he could recover, Yoroi's hand latched onto the side of his head.
"You're… stealing my chakra," Sasuke gasped. Yoroi's grin widened. "So, you finally figured it out." he taunted.
With a surge of willpower, Sasuke kicked Yoroi away, sending the older genin stumbling backward. Panting heavily, Sasuke forced himself to his feet, his scowl deepening as he tried to analyze the situation.
'This weakness… Is it him? Or is it the Curse Mark acting up?' he thought, his hand unconsciously brushing his neck. He didn't have time to dwell on the thought as Yoroi rushed him again, chakra blazing in his hands.
Sasuke gritted his teeth. 'I'll have to end this quickly!'
As Yoroi lunged forward, Sasuke ducked under his attack and countered with a sharp kick to the chin, launching his opponent into the air. Without hesitation, Sasuke followed, his body moving with the grace and speed of a true Uchiha.
Mid-air, Sasuke appeared behind Yoroi, his smirk sharp and confident. "This is over," he muttered.
He began delivering a series of strikes to Yoroi's back and torso. Each blow landed with devastating force. Twisting mid-air, Sasuke delivered a spinning kick to his opponent's chest, sending him hurtling toward the ground. With one final burst of momentum, Sasuke came down with a crushing kick, slamming Yoroi into the arena floor with an audible crack.
"Shishi Rendan!" Sasuke announced, landing lightly beside his unconscious opponent.
The arena was silent for a moment before Hayate stepped forward to inspect Yoroi. Confirming his condition, he raised his hand. "Akado Yoroi is unable to continue. The winner: Uchiha Sasuke!"
The genin erupted into cheers, mainly from Sakura and Ino, as Sasuke stood, his breathing heavy but his smirk unyielding. "No one can stand against a Uchiha elite." he muttered, turning to leave.
"Hm, not bad." Naruto said to himself with a smirk as he stood next to Shikamaru, "Who do you think you will fight?" he asked the lazy genin.
"I just hope it's no one troublesome," he answered with a yawn, and Naruto chuckled.
Kakashi appeared at Sasuke's side and took him somewhere else. Meanwhile, Yoroi was carried off by medics as the screen lit up with the names of the next combatants: "Zaku Abumi vs. Aburame Shino."
The match unfolded with Zaku's powerful Zankuuha blasts clashing against Shino's calm, methodical tactics. Despite taking a hit early on, Shino's strategy prevailed as his bugs swarmed Zaku, rendering his arms unusable.
"Winner: Aburame Shino!" Hayate declared as Zaku was carried away.
"Damn, Shino is pretty brutal. The guy's arms exploded," Naruto commented. Kiba nodded. "Yeah, he sometimes can be pretty brutal," the genin said, and Akamaru barked in agreement.
The next match was quick and brutal: "Tsurugi Misumi vs. Kankuro." Tsurugi attempted to crush Kankuro with his body-wrapping technique, only to discover he'd been attacking Kankuro's puppet all along. With a crushing counterattack, Kankuro secured an easy victory.
"Hmm, a puppeteer, he will be interesting to fight." Naruto said to himself, and Shikamaru shook his head. "Troublesome, why do you always like to fight? It's too much energy for me." he said, and Naruto chuckled. "Well, you are lazy, and you would know why I always like to fight." he said, cracking his knuckles with a smirk causing Shikamaru to shake his head with a sigh.
"Winner: Kankuro!"
(Skipping Ino vs. Sakura, you already know how it ended)
The screen lit up for the fifth match, displaying: "Temari vs. Tenten."
This was an unfortunate matchup for Tenten. The weapons expert's arsenal of projectiles proved utterly useless against Temari's massive battle fan, which deflected every attack with ease. No matter how many weapons Tenten unleashed, Temari remained unfazed, countering effortlessly.
The fight reached a brutal conclusion when Temari caught Tenten mid-air, slamming her onto the surface of her fan. Tenten's back arched at an unnatural angle as she cried out in pain before collapsing to the ground.
As the medics carried Tenten off the field "Too easy." she said with a smirk.
"She's pretty brutal, damn!" Naruto commented with wide eyes, "But poor Tenten, she got the worst match. She's a range specialist with her kunai, and Temari is a wind-style user, the perfect counter to her." He said as he shook his head
The next match appeared on the screen: "Nara Shikamaru vs. Kin Tsuchi."
"Troublesome, I gotta fight a girl. Well, wish me luck." Shikamaru drawled as he bumped fists with Naruto. "Good luck, shika!" the blonde said as the lazy Nara walked towards the arena.
Shikamaru walked into the arena, his hands shoved into his pockets, wearing his trademark bored expression. "This is going to be such a drag…"
Kin's expression hardened at his dismissive tone. The match began, and she quickly tried to overwhelm Shikamaru with her sound-based attacks. She used her wires and bells to confuse him, her illusionary tactics seemingly leaving Shikamaru disoriented and vulnerable.
For a few moments, it appeared as though Kin had the upper hand. However, a small smirk tugged at Shikamaru's lips as he suddenly stood upright.
"You're caught," he said calmly, raising one hand as his shadow stretched across the floor, connecting to Kin's.
Kin's eyes widened in horror. "No way—!"
Shikamaru forced her to mimic his movements, guiding her into slamming her own head into the arena wall with a loud crack. The impact left her unconscious, and her body slumped to the floor.
Hayate stepped forward, glancing at Kin briefly before raising his hand. "Kin Tsuchi is unable to continue. Winner: Nara Shikamaru!"
Shikamaru sighed again, scratching the back of his head as he walked back toward the waiting area. "What a pain." he muttered, though there was a faint trace of satisfaction in his voice.
"Nice match, Shika!" Naruto said, bumping fist with the Nara, who yawned with a nod in thanks.
After Kin was carried away on a stretcher, the screen flashed again, revealing the combatants of the next fight.
"Uzumaki Naruto vs Inuzuka Kiba".
Naruto grinned. "Well, this is gonna be fun!" he said with a smirk as he appeared in the arena with a body flicker.
Kiba smirked confidently as he stepped into the arena, Akamaru growling at his side. "Alright, Naruto, let's see if that Infinity of yours can keep up with me and Akamaru!"
Naruto grinned, rolling his shoulders. His eyes glimmered faintly as he replied, "Careful what you wish for, Kiba. Infinity doesn't play favorites."
"Begin!" Hayate announced, leaping back.
Kiba darted forward toward Naruto. "I know I can't hit you directly, but I don't need to!" he shouted, throwing a handful of smoke bombs. The arena filled with a thick cloud, masking his movements.
Naruto didn't move. "You're fast, Kiba, but hiding won't help you."
From within the smoke, Kiba shouted, "You sure about that? Akamaru, now!"
Akamaru, transformed into Kiba's doppelgänger, launched from the smoke with Fang Over Fang, spinning violently toward Naruto. The attack spiraled closer and closer, but as always, it stopped just shy of Naruto's body, redirected by Infinity.
"Still can't touch me." Naruto said, stepping out of the smoke.
Kiba reappeared behind him, grinning. "I know that, idiot!" He threw a flashbang, momentarily blinding the audience. When the light faded, Kiba was above Naruto, aiming a kick at his head.
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Creative, but it's still not enough."
Kiba's kick froze mid-air, inches from Naruto's face. Growling in frustration, Kiba flipped back, landing next to Akamaru. "Fine, let's turn it up!"
Kiba and Akamaru charged again, spinning even faster in unison. "Fang Over Fang!"
Naruto's eyes glimmered as he tracked their movements. "You know how this ends," he said, raising his hand. "Ao."
A blue glow enveloped Kiba and Akamaru, halting their attacks mid-spin and pulling them straight toward Naruto. Despite their best efforts, they couldn't resist the force.
As Kiba was dragged in, Naruto stepped forward and delivered a spinning kick to his gut, sending him flying across the arena. Akamaru was pulled in next, gently redirected to land beside his partner.
Kiba groaned, sitting up slowly as Akamaru barked beside him. "Damn it… That Infinity of yours is impossible to beat," he muttered, rubbing his stomach.
Naruto walked over, extending a hand. "Maybe, but you've gotten stronger, Kiba. You actually made me try a little this time."
Kiba took the hand with a grin, pulling himself up. "Don't think this is over, Naruto. Next time, I'll figure out a way past that stupid barrier of yours."
Naruto laughed, patting him on the shoulder. "I'll be waiting. You're one of the few who actually keeps it interesting."
Hayate stepped forward. "Winner: Naruto Uzumaki!"
"Nice match, Naruto." Shikamaru said as Naruto approached him. "Yep, fighting Kiba is always fun." he commented with a laugh.
The display displayed the next match, Hinata vs Neji.
"You're gonna be ok, Hinata, just stay focused," Naruto said to Hinata as she passed by him. She nodded shyly.
"Hinata-sama," Neji said, his tone sharp and unforgiving. "You should forfeit. You're unfit to be here, much less to bear the name of the Hyuga Clan."
Hinata flinched at his words, her fingers trembling. She glanced at Naruto in the stands, his determined eyes meeting hers. He nodded at her with a smile. She straightened her back, steeling her resolve. "I won't run away," she said softly but firmly. "Not this time."
Neji's eyes narrowed. "So be it. But don't expect mercy."
"Begin!" Hayate announced, stepping back.
Neji darted forward, his Byakugan active. He struck at Hinata with a swift palm thrust, aiming directly for her chest. Hinata barely managed to sidestep, her reflexes sharper than expected.
She countered with her own Gentle Fist strike, aiming for Neji's side, but he deflected it effortlessly. "Your strikes lack intent," Neji said coldly. "You hesitate, just like always."
Hinata pressed forward, unleashing a flurry of palm strikes. Neji weaved through them easily, his movements fluid and calculated. Each time Hinata struck, Neji's counter was a fraction faster, his strikes landing against her arms and torso with pinpoint accuracy.
"You're trying, I'll give you that," Neji said, his tone icy. "But talent isn't something that can be gained by effort alone. Fate has already decided the outcome of this match."
Hinata stumbled back, clutching her side. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, but she didn't stop. "I… I believe people can change their fate," she said, her voice trembling but resolute.
Neji's expression darkened. "Naïve."
He charged again, this time faster and more aggressive. His palm struck Hinata's shoulder, sending a jolt through her chakra points, weakening her arm. He followed with a strike to her abdomen, cutting off more of her chakra flow.
Hinata staggered but didn't fall. She brought her arms up, activating her Byakugan fully, and adjusted her stance. Naruto's cheers echoed from the stands.
"Get him, Hinata! Don't give up!"
Neji sneered. "Cheering won't save you. You lack strength, Hinata-sama. Yield before I make this worse for you."
"I won't," Hinata said, stepping forward. Her movements grew sharper, and her strikes became more focused. She managed to graze Neji's arm, disrupting his chakra flow for a brief moment.
Neji's eyes widened slightly before his calm demeanor returned. "A lucky hit. But it changes nothing."
The two clashed again, their Gentle Fist techniques colliding in a blur of strikes. Neji's superior speed and precision began to overwhelm Hinata, and her movements slowed as her chakra points were gradually sealed.
Finally, Neji struck her in the chest, sending her crashing to the ground. She coughed violently, blood staining her lips.
"You should've forfeited," Neji said, walking toward her. "You've only proven what I already knew: the branch family is superior to the main family."
But even as she lay on the ground, Hinata struggled to stand. Her legs trembled, and her vision blurred, but she forced herself upright.
"Why… Why do you hate me so much, Neji?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Neji froze for a moment, his expression tightening. "Because you are a symbol of everything wrong with our clan. You, who have never suffered, dare to act as though you understand the burden of destiny."
Hinata shook her head weakly. "You're wrong… I may not understand your pain, but… I want to. I want to change the way things are… for all of us."
Neji scowled, preparing to finish the match. "Foolishness."
Before he could strike, Hayate stepped in. "Enough! Winner: Hyuga Neji!"
Hinata collapsed as medics rushed to her side. Naruto's voice rang out, "You're wrong, Neji! She's not weak, and she'll prove it someday! You'll see!"
Neji glanced up at Naruto, his face unreadable, before turning and walking away.
As Hinata was carried off, her lips curved into a faint smile. Despite the pain, she had stood her ground and refused to give up.
Naruto glared at Neji as he walked past him. "You'll lose when I fight you, Neji, I swear it," he said to the Hyuga prodigy, who just smirked at him.
"No matter, fate has already decreed me as the winner," he said arrogantly as he walked away, completely ignoring the piercing glare Naruto sent his way.
"Sabaku no Gaara Vs Lee" the screen displayed the next match.
"Yosh! I shall show the power of my youth!" Lee announced as Guy patted him on the back. "Good luck, Lee! Show him what it is like to be a genius of hard work!" Guy said with a thumbs up and a grin as Lee jumped down to the arena with a grin Gaara silently appeared with a shunshin as Hayate stood between them.
"Hajime!" he announced, leaping back.
Lee wasted no time. In a burst of speed, he closed the gap between them, launching a flurry of punches and kicks at Gaara. However, his strikes were effortlessly deflected by the swirling sand that moved on its own, forming an impenetrable barrier around Gaara.
"His sand reacts automatically, just like my infinity." Naruto observed from the stands. "Lee's speed isn't enough to break through it."
"Then he'll just have to get faster," Guy said, his voice brimming with confidence in his pupil.
Below, Lee darted around Gaara, testing the limits of the sand's defense with his relentless assault. Every punch, every kick was blocked, "Your attacks are pointless," Gaara said coldly, his arms still crossed. "You cannot touch me."
Lee gritted his teeth, leaping back to reassess. His eyes darted to Guy in the stands. "Guy-sensei! May I?"
Guy's grin widened, his teeth gleaming as he gave Lee a thumbs-up. "Go ahead, Lee! Show them the power of hard work!"
Lee crouched down, unfastening the weights strapped to his ankles. The Genin murmured in confusion, some even laughing at what seemed to be a meaningless gesture.
"What's he doing?" Kankuro muttered, frowning.
"Removing weights during a match? Is he underestimating Gaara?" Temari scoffed.
But when Lee dropped the weights, they hit the ground with an earth-shaking boom. Dust and debris flew into the air as the impact left small craters in the tiles. The laughter in the arena was replaced by stunned silence.
"What the?!" Kiba exclaimed, his eyes wide.
"He's been training with those weights this whole time?" Tenten said, her voice filled with awe.
Before anyone could process what had happened, Lee disappeared. He reappeared in front of Gaara in an instant, delivering a kick that cracked the sand barrier protecting him. Gaara's eyes widened slightly—the first sign of surprise from the stoic sand ninja.
"He's faster than the sand can react!" Sakura exclaimed.
Neji watched intently, his Byakugan activated. "He's opened up his speed completely. This is what he's been holding back all this time."
Lee capitalized on his speed, appearing behind Gaara and striking his side, then above him to deliver a downward kick. Gaara's sand barely managed to keep up, forming thin layers of armor on his body.
"His sand armor…" Kakashi observed having just returned but without Sasuke. "It's the only thing stopping Lee's strikes from reaching him directly."
Gaara's calm began to falter as Lee's relentless speed and precision chipped away at his defenses. With a quick leap, Lee distanced himself and assumed a new stance, his chakra flaring.
"Lee," Guy said solemnly from the stands, his voice firm. "You have my permission to open the gates."
Lee's expression turned serious. "Yes, Guy-sensei!"
"What's he talking about?" Ino asked, frowning.
"Gates?" Shikamaru muttered, raising an eyebrow.
Lee clenched his fists, his body tensing as veins bulged from his skin. The ground beneath him cracked as his chakra exploded outward. One by one, he unlocked the Eight Inner Gates, his body glowing with an intense, almost unbearable heat.
"The Eight Gates…" Kakashi said, his voice heavy with concern. He looked at Guy. "So you really are serious about turning him into your clone?" the jonin shook his head, and Guy nodded with a grin.
Lee vanished again, moving at speeds that left afterimages in his wake. He struck Gaara with a series of blindingly fast punches and kicks, each one shattering more of the sand armor.
"This is insane!" Kiba shouted, gripping the railing of the stands.
"He's forcing Gaara back," Tenten said, unable to hide her amazement. "No one's ever done that before!"
Gaara's sand lashed out in desperation, but Lee was too fast, weaving through the attacks with impossible agility. Finally, Lee grabbed Gaara mid-air, wrapping his arms around him.
"This is my strongest technique!" Lee shouted, spinning violently as they plummeted toward the ground. "Primary Lotus!"
The impact created a massive crater, the shockwave shaking the entire arena. Dust and debris filled the air as the audience held their breath. When the dust settled, Gaara's body crumbled—it was a sand clone.
"The real one's over there!" Neji said, spotting Gaara unharmed a short distance away.
Lee landed on unsteady feet, his breathing ragged. The strain of opening the gates was beginning to take its toll.
"You're finished," Gaara said, his voice icy as his sand wrapped around Lee's arm and leg. "Sand Coffin."
The sound of Lee's bones breaking echoed through the arena as the sand crushed his arm and leg. Lee screamed in agony, collapsing to the ground.
"Lee!" Tenten shouted, gripping the railing.
"He's done…" Kankuro said, shaking his head.
But then, to everyone's shock, Lee began to rise. His body trembled, his broken arm hanging limply at his side, yet he stood. His eyes were closed, his consciousness long gone, but his spirit refused to give up.
"He's unconscious…" Kakashi said, his voice filled with disbelief. "But his body… it's still standing."
"Lee…" Guy whispered, his fists clenched tightly.
Gaara's sand prepared to strike again, but before the blow could land, Guy appeared in a blur, intercepting the attack and pulling Lee out of harm's way.
"That's enough," Guy said, his voice firm as he glared at Gaara.
Hayate stepped forward, raising his hand. "The winner is Gaara of the Sand!"
Guy cradled Lee in his arms, his face a mix of pride and sorrow. "You did well, Lee," he said softly, his voice heavy with emotion.
"Gaara's pretty brutal," Naruto commented as he shook his head.
"Yeah, that idiot is always bloodthirsty and loves to make his vessel insane by not letting sleep," Kurama explained 'That explains it then' Naruto nodded as he watched Gaara reappear next to his team, a sinister smirk on his face as the screen displayed the next match.
"Akimichi Chouji vs. Dosu Kinuta".
Chouji lost pretty quickly. He simply couldn't win against Dosu's sound techniques. Even with his "Baika no Jutsu" and his "Meat Tank," he wasn't able to win against the Oto-nin.
"Now then," Sandaime stood in front of the remaining examinees. Each of you will draw a piece of paper from the box Anko-san is holding. This will decide who faces whom in the finals."
Naruto: 1
Kakashi drew for Sasuke: 4
Dosu: 9
Shikamaru: 8
Temari: 7
Kankuro: 5
Gaara: 3
Neji: 2
Shino: 6
Ibiki showed them a chart. It depicted the opponents for the Finals.
Match One: Uzumaki Naruto vs. Hyuga Neji
Match Two: Sabaku no Gaara vs. Uchiha Sasuke
Match Three: Kankuro vs. Aburame Shino
Match Four: Shikamaru vs. Temari
Match Five: Match Four victor vs. Kinuta Dosu
"The matches will be in a month. Spend it training and learning new moves to surprise your opponent. Good Luck!" the Hokage announced as he vanished along with his anbu guards.
"Well then, I'll see you guys in a month. Good luck with Sasuke Kakashi. He'll need all his help if he is fighting Gaara." Naruto said to Kakashi as he vanished in a swirl of leaves.
The jonin shook his head with a sigh. 'I'll definitely need to train him to the ground if he ever hopes to survive,' he thought as he also vanished.
With Naruto
The Genin appeared in his apartment. He sighed tiredly as he lay down on the couch. He closed his eyes but opened them again after a few minutes as a knock interrupted his nap. Sighing as he stood up, he opened the door to reveal a Neko-masked Anbu.
"The Hokage wishes to see you," the Anbu said before vanishing.
"Hm, what does the old man want now?" Naruto wondered as he also vanished.
Hokage Office
"What do you want, Old man?" Naruto asked as he appeared inside the office. The Hokage smiled.
"Ah, naruto, someone has just arrived this afternoon, and I think you would like to see him again," He said as a white-haired man appeared sitting on a large toad. Naruto's eyes lit up.
"Eroo-Sennin is back from your mission, I see! How was it?" he asked as the sannin's eyes twitched.
"I told you to stop calling me that brat! But anyways, the mission was a success, but I have grave news," he said as he looked at the Hokage with a frown. Seeing this, Hiruzen called off all the Anbu in the room and activated the privacy seal.
"What have you found out?" he asked seriously as Naruto lay down on the couch but still listened to Jiraiya and his report.
"My spies have confirmed it. Orochimaru is the leader of the Sound village, and he has plans to attack the village."
And that is it! Sorry if I took too long. The fight scenes are what took up most of the time, so I apologize, but I think I will try to target a minimum of 5k words a chapter or more, seeing as this is about 7k already.
Tell me how I did, and as always, criticism is welcomed as I strive to make the story better the more chapters I make! See ya later!