There was something off about Sasuke. Naruto might not have been the most observant of ninja out there, but something like this was just too obvious. After fighting that snake freak, Sasuke had been in constant pain, clutching at his neck, and Naruto wasn't even sure when he'd gotten there, but something was wrong—all kinds of wrong.
The second stage proctors were asking if everyone felt safe to continue. Naruto couldn't even say he felt strong enough to continue; there was something strange going on in his chakra ever since that freak hit him in the stomach.
"Sasuke, are you sure you can keep going? I'm going to forfeit for you... After what he did, I don't think you can keep going." Sakura's voice trembled, anguish lacing each word. It made Naruto's gut twist. The pieces were all falling into place, but something felt like it was still missing.
"Sakura, you better not! I can keep going. I will never forgive you. I must get stronger to kill that man," Sasuke spat out, voice low and seething with anger.
Before Naruto could process what had just been said, Kabuto's voice broke through from a few rows down. "I forfeit. My chakra levels are too low to continue."
His team was visibly upset with him for taking this route, but the proctor quickly recognized Kabuto's forfeit and sent him and his team away.
Could Kabuto really have been so heartless? Naruto wondered. Was he willing to take away his teammates' chance for promotion just to save himself? All he had to do was stay in the prelims and forfeit later, but instead... Naruto felt a pang of frustration. Kabuto's selfishness made him think about his own team.
Everything they'd been through so far—the battles, the injuries, the pain—Naruto had never been one to wallow in misfortune, but now, looking at Sasuke, and feeling his own chakra off since waking up from the fight with that snake chick, Naruto wondered if they could even continue. Could his team go on like this? He wasn't sure he could keep fighting in this state, either.
Sakura had taken care of them both when they were unconscious, staying up for countless hours, doing everything she could. She fought those Sound Genin, exhausted and still pushing herself. Sasuke was clearly suffering, yet every time he reached for his neck, his hands trembled, and he refused to admit how much pain he was in.
The proctor spoke up again, his voice cool and indifferent, a senbon between his teeth. "Would anyone else like to forfeit the exams?"
Naruto felt a sudden wave of unease ripple through him. His chakra flared up again, buzzing beneath his skin, like it was trying to escape him. He could feel it—his body trembling in response to the pressure, torn between two directions. His dream, his vow to become Hokage... everything he worked for was at stake. But something else weighed heavily in his chest—the people he cared about.
For as long as Naruto could remember, he'd wanted to win the village's recognition. The Hokage was the strongest, the person everyone adored. He wanted that for himself. But now, as the pain in his chest flared and his chakra rushed through him, a different thought gnawed at him—Haku's words. He thought of the way Haku had chosen to die to protect his master. "Real strength comes from being able to protect your precious people," Haku had said.
Naruto closed his eyes, clenching his fists, his heart thundering in his chest. Was being Hokage just about being the strongest? Was it about winning the title and the respect? No… His mind flared with the memory of Haku's words. It's about protecting those who are important to you. It's about their lives. Sasuke, Sakura… I can't let them suffer because of pride.
Another painful wave of chakra rippled through his body, making his head spin. But this time, it wasn't from anger or frustration. It was a realization—he couldn't let this go on. Sasuke was too bullheaded to admit when he couldn't go on, and Sakura... Sakura would follow whatever Sasuke wanted. She wouldn't stand up to him.
But Naruto was his first friend—he couldn't let Sasuke suffer because of his own pride.
"I… I can't do it," Naruto barely managed to get the words out, his throat tight with emotion. He opened his mouth to speak again, but his body felt frozen.
Say it! Please, let them hear you!
He tried again, but his words seemed stuck, heavy in his chest.
Sakura turned back to look at him, eyes wide, tears brimming. She didn't speak at first, and there was something in her expression that Naruto couldn't quite place. Normally, she would be angry, upset with him for making a choice like this, for trying to forfeit the match and lose his chance at becoming Hokage. But now, there was something... different.
Sakura's lip quivered as she fought the tears, her eyes locking with his. Her expression was a mix of understanding and uncertainty. She didn't say anything, but Naruto saw it clearly: She heard him, and she understood.
As Naruto tried to make himself heard, the proctor's indifferent voice sliced through the air once again. "Very well, the preliminaries will now begin!"
Naruto's heart sank like a stone in his chest. He was too late. The words, the decision—everything he'd tried to do, all of it had been swallowed up by the moment. His chance to protect his team was gone.
He'd waited too long.
Naruto felt a wave of fear. He wasn't sure what had just happened—he had been moments away from giving up when the opportunity was taken from him. Even with his chakra broken, he was ready to fight, but his concern for Sasuke overshadowed everything else. He wouldn't forfeit, no matter the opponent or how he felt.
The Genin headed to the stands overlooking the makeshift arena, waiting for the electronic display to call the next match. Naruto vaguely recalled Iruka's lesson on how the village's televisions ran on a weakened form of lightning-natured chakra. The details had never really interested him. He had always felt that it all boiled down to chakra.
The Old Man began his usual speech about the Chunin Exams—a battle of power without bloodshed. A display of each village's might. Naruto tried to focus, but the words felt strangely hollow today, like he was speaking more to calm his audience than to explain the true purpose of the tests. Something in the way he spoke gave Naruto an uncomfortable feeling, as though the outcome was already decided. The Hokage's eyes scanned the room slowly, lingering just a moment longer on Naruto before moving on to the next part of his speech.
Naruto tried to focus on the matches, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Sakura and Sasuke. He had barely registered the results of the other fights. He knew Hinata had fought Neji and had been completely overwhelmed. Naruto had wanted to shout at her to fight back, but his voice had failed him.
"WINNER: NEJI HYUGA!" The proctor's voice rang out.
Then came the next announcement: "For the 4th match of the prelims, it's Haruno Sakura versus Yamanaka Ino!"
Naruto's heart sank. His legs felt weak. How could Sakura possibly beat Ino? Ino looked fresh, her hair styled neatly in a ponytail. It was clear that Ino had barely struggled in the exams—until she stepped in to help Sakura.
Lost in his thoughts, Sakura caught a glimpse of Naruto. The disappointment in his face stung. She had always relied on Naruto's unwavering faith in her, but now he seemed to doubt her. He probably thought she couldn't keep going. That she might forfeit. Well, she would show him. She was going to prove everyone wrong.
The proctor's voice echoed. "BEGIN!"
Ino smirked, hands on her hips. "Sakura, are you sure you want to do this? You've never beaten me at anything—not even when we were kids."
Sakura didn't respond. She dropped into a fighting stance, her emerald eyes focused and her fists steady.
Ino's grin widened. "Oh, come on, forehead. Don't tell me you're still chasing after Sasuke. You know he doesn't—"
Before Ino could finish her taunt, Sakura shot out a fist with speed and force, forcing Ino to jump back. The punch missed, but the shockwave from it kicked up a cloud of dust at their feet.
"No words? Fine, let's see how long you last," Ino taunted, but her smirk faltered as Sakura pressed the attack. Ino deflected a roundhouse kick, but Sakura was relentless, landing a grazing punch to her opponent's shoulder.
The crowd murmured in surprise at Sakura's aggression. Ino's eyes narrowed, her composure slipping as she leapt backward to gain distance.
"Fine, if you're not going to talk, I'll make you listen," Ino snapped, forming hand seals. "Mind Transfer Jutsu!"
Sakura's heart pounded. She planted her feet firmly, eyes closing as she steadied her breath. Naruto's voice echoed in her mind: "You never back down, Sakura! You're stronger than anyone knows!"
Ino's chakra surged toward her, but Sakura forced her own chakra outward, sending a burst of energy that disrupted the technique. Ino staggered, clutching her head as the connection snapped.
"What?" Ino growled, her confidence visibly shaken.
Sakura didn't hesitate. She lunged, her fist crashing into the ground near Ino's feet. The shockwave sent Ino stumbling again.
"Still think this is a joke?" Ino shouted, but her bravado was fading. Sakura's focus remained razor-sharp.
Sakura's heart pounded as she lunged at Ino, but her thoughts couldn't shake the nagging feeling that she shouldn't be winning this easily. Ino had seemed so confident earlier, but now, her moves were sluggish. Was it the stress of the fight? Or… was something else at play? As Sakura landed a hit that sent Ino stumbling, she caught a brief glimpse of the proctor's eyes scanning the room, almost too calmly. For a moment, he looked directly at her, but there was no sign of surprise. Almost as if he expected it.
With no response, Sakura darted forward again, faster this time. Ino attempted to dodge, but Sakura's movements were too swift. A clean strike to Ino's abdomen sent her to her knees, gasping for breath.
The proctor stepped forward, raising his hand. "Winner: Haruno Sakura!"
Sakura stood still, her chest heaving, eyes locked on Ino. She didn't gloat, didn't look to the crowd. Her gaze found Naruto in the stands.
Naruto's jaw dropped in surprise. He hadn't expected it, but his expression softened, replaced by a proud smile. He gave her a thumbs-up. For once, there was no doubt in his gaze—only admiration.
Sakura allowed herself a small smile. She had won—not for Sasuke, not for Naruto—but for herself.
Exhausted, she made her way to the spectator stands, leaning against the wall as she collapsed from sheer exhaustion. Naruto smiled to himself, glad that at least one of his friends had made it through the prelims.
Naruto focused his attention back on the television, determined to understand more about the display system. Iruka had mentioned that it could reveal more than just images. As he watched, he noticed something odd: Gaara's name appeared more frequently than anyone else's. Shouldn't the names be rotating more equally?
"Next match: Gaara vs. Lee!" the proctor announced, just as the two competitors descended the stairs.
Feeling energized by Sakura's victory, Naruto turned to Sasuke. "Hey, did you see that? Sakura completely kicked Ino's ass."
Sasuke glanced at him, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Of course, idiot. She's a member of Team 7 for a reason."
Naruto hesitated for a moment, then decided it was the right time. "Sasuke, are you sure you can make it to your fight? Don't throw away your chance at promotion by dying in a battle you can't win."
Sasuke glanced at Naruto; his expression neutral but his eyes sharp. "I'm not here to lose, Naruto. I'll make it through, just like always. You should worry about your own fight instead."
They decided to leave it at that as the fight with Lee and Gaara was heating up. Gaara had put Lee in a sand coffin and was about to kill him. Naruto felt a sudden pull on his chakra like live wire was going off under his skin and there, was something more to it something that seemed vile but it felt far away like if it were held back by something. Suddenly the Jonin came out and told that Gaara kid to stop. He was decleared the winner and Lee was sent urgently to the hospital.
The last Uchiha went up next to fight some leaf genin called Yoroi and his whole deal was that he could absorb chakra. Naruto felt relief flow, in a match of hand-to-hand sasuke would surely have the upper hand. Sure, as rain Sasuke uses Lee's taijutsu style and decimates Yoroi.
For the final match we have "Naruto Uzumaki vs. Kiba Inuzuka." Naruto paid close attention to the proctor when he announced that, and he swore he seemed almost sure of the result by the way he glanced dismissively at Naruto. It wasn't just a casual look—it was almost as if the proctor knew how this fight was supposed to go. Naruto shook his head, trying to push the thought aside, but there was something in the air that made his skin crawl.
Naruto was feeling better about this whole thing, both of his friends were able to pass the rounds and move on to the finals, it was just up to him to join them. His chakra was still buzzing in his skin and he left like he might be able to draw some more power from his core before he would completely tap out.
he proctor's voice echoed through the arena: "Next match: Naruto Uzumaki vs. Kiba Inuzuka!"
Naruto stood, trying to ignore the tingling sensation in his skin. His chakra reserves were lower than he'd ever felt before, the aftereffects of whatever that woman did to him still a constant presence in the back of his mind. Every step he took felt heavier, his limbs sluggish. The strain of the previous battles lingered, and the image of Lee's crumpled body after his fight with Gaara haunted his thoughts. Lee, always so determined and confident, had been crushed in seconds by Gaara's monstrous power. If Lee couldn't make it through, what did that mean for him?
Kiba jogged to the center of the arena, grinning widely, a stark contrast to Naruto's silent unease. "Ready for a fight, Naruto?" Kiba taunted, his dog Akamaru perched on his shoulder. "You've seen how tough I can be, right?"
Naruto flashed him a tight smile. "Don't get too cocky, Kiba. You're in for a surprise."
Kiba didn't respond. Instead, he crouched, flexing his fingers as his chakra flared. The air seemed to thicken, the tension in the arena rising as both competitors sized each other up.
"BEGIN!" The proctor's shout rang out.
Kiba lunged first, his speed unexpected. Naruto barely had time to react before Kiba was in his face, throwing a swift punch. Naruto stumbled back, feeling the impact all the way through his already exhausted body. He gritted his teeth, his legs shaking with the effort to stay upright. He couldn't afford to be distracted, not after Lee's fight, not with his chakra reserves already running low.
But Kiba wasn't letting up. With a snarl, Kiba dropped into a low stance and released Akamaru, who transformed into a larger version of himself, his fur bristling. The two of them were a blur of motion as they charged forward, combining their attacks with vicious precision.
Naruto barely managed to dodge, but the weight of his own chakra—or lack of it—was becoming painfully obvious. His movements were slow, his body heavy with fatigue. He could feel the drain on his reserves, the constant tug of his chakra. His heart pounded, and his mind raced to keep up with the fight, but his body refused to cooperate.
Kiba's smirk grew wider as he saw Naruto's faltering. "What's the matter, Naruto? You look like you're running on empty.".
Kiba took another swing, this one landing solidly against Naruto's side. The force sent him stumbling back, and the crowd gasped as he hit the ground. Kiba didn't let him recover. He pounced, Akamaru right behind him, teeth bared.
The pain was unbearable. Naruto's body screamed in protest as he forced himself to stand, but it was clear that Kiba's relentless assault was taking its toll. With every blow, he felt his chakra slip further away, his movements slower, his resolve crumbling.
Kiba stood over him now, grinning down at him with that cocky smile. "You're nothing but a joke, Naruto," Kiba sneered. "I'm not even breaking a sweat!"
Naruto's vision blurred for a moment, the weight of his fatigue clouding his thoughts. His body trembled, but deep within him, something flickered. No, I won't give up.
Suddenly, a strange surge of heat rushed through his body, an unfamiliar power coursing through his veins. His eyes widened as a rush of energy filled him, coming from somewhere deep inside, somewhere he could not control. His chakra flared violently darker, more potent. He didn't understand what was happening, but he couldn't stop it.
"What the hell…?" Kiba muttered, stepping back in confusion as the air around Naruto grew heavy with raw energy.
Naruto gritted his teeth, his heart pounding in his chest. His hand shot forward, faster than he had expected, and Kiba barely managed to dodge. A small scratch appeared across his cheek, a mark of the sudden, unexpected speed. Naruto could feel it now—he wasn't in control of this power, but it was there, just beneath the surface, urging him to unleash it.
Naruto's body moved of its own accord, his instincts guiding him. The overwhelming surge of chakra seemed to drown out his thoughts, his body propelled forward with an intensity he hadn't felt before. His fist collided with Kiba's chest with a sickening thud, knocking the wind out of him. The crowd gasped as Kiba staggered back, caught off guard by the unexpected blow.
"What the hell was that?" Kiba coughed, but Naruto wasn't listening. His body, no longer burdened by fatigue, moved faster, sharper.
Kiba tried to regain his footing, but Naruto was relentless now. His speed was overwhelming, his movements instinctual, fueled by the strange surge of chakra coursing through him. Kiba swung at him again, but Naruto ducked, using the opening to land a solid punch to Kiba's gut. The force of the hit sent Kiba reeling, and Akamaru barked anxiously, sensing his partner's distress.
Naruto didn't stop. His fist connected with Kiba's jaw, sending him crashing to the ground. Kiba groaned, barely able to stay conscious, as he lay sprawled on the floor.
"WINNER: NARUTO UZUMAKI!" the proctor announced, his voice barely audible over the stunned silence of the crowd.
Naruto stood, chest heaving, his mind swirling with confusion. The surge of chakra had felt wrong alien, even. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He looked down at his hands, still trembling from the energy that had just coursed through him. His chakra… that wasn't normal. It wasn't his own.
He tried to shake the feeling off, but deep down, he knew what had happened. The Nine-Tails' chakra had surfaced again, unbidden, forcing him into a momentary frenzy. He hadn't meant to use it—had not even been aware of it—but somehow, it had helped him win the fight.
Naruto looked toward the stands, his gaze locking with Sasuke's briefly. There was something unreadable in Sasuke's eyes, something sharp and knowing. It unsettled Naruto, but he couldn't dwell on it now. He had won.
They gathered them up, all the winners that is an annouced the new bracket for the tornament coming up in a month.
1st MATCH: Naruto Vs Kankuro
2nd Match: Shikamaru vs Temari
3rd Match Shino vs. Sasuke
4th Match Gaara vs. Sakura
The winner of round 3 fights Neji Hyuuga.
Naruto felt dread as he glanced at Sakura. He knew she would not survive that fight, not now and not even with a month of training...