The Scorch of Lightning

Chapter 20: Part 3: the Preliminaries

In the Stadium under the Tower, the Hokage is standing in front of the Chunnin Hopefuls. He says, "Today we are doing a Preliminary Round. Too many people have passed. Anyone who doesn't feel like they can fight, can leave now. Just raise your hand."

The stadium has two raised platforms on the side of them, used as bleachers. A couple screens are in the wall, on the far side of the arena. In front of those screens a pair of hands doing a hand seal. While the Hokage, and Hayate are on a smaller raised platform that in an inch, or two off the floor.

Then a man says, "I shall explain to them the rules of the matches!" This man is Hayate Gekko, a tokubetsu Jounin (Special Jounin) of Konohagakure.

Hayate seemed to be a calm and composed individual. He was also described as being an individualist, and gentle person. He also had a great sense of duty to his village. Hayate cares deeply about his girlfriend Yūgao, displaying a light teasing mood when alone with her, and showed concern for her well-being, asking her to be careful on missions after her promotion to ANBU due to their increased difficulty.

Hayate had short brown hair, dark-coloured eyes 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 hitai-ate 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.

Hayate explains the rules. He says, "My word is law. Who ever forfeits loses. Killing is allowed, but it is frowned upon. The first match is Sasuke Uchiha versus Yoroi Akadō. Everyone else go to the bleachers."

Yoroi's appearance was greatly concealed by the mask he wore around his mouth that hung around his neck, sunglasses that obscured his eyes and hitai-ate which he wore like a bandanna. He also wore what appears to be the standard attire of his team consisting of a high-collared, sleeveless, purple shirt with a short-sleeved, white one underneath, a simple obi around his waist, purple pants, blue sandals and purple fingerless gloves. It was also revealed that he had black shoulder-length hair.

When everyone is one the bleachers, Hayate asks, "Are you two ready?" After seeing the nods from the Genin, he yells, "Hajime (Begin)!"

Yoroi hands glow blue with chakra, as he rushes at Sasuke. "Just one touch, and the Uchiha will lose," Yoroi thinks, but sadly for Yoroi, Sasuke already has activated his Sharingan, and dodging everything Yoroi does.

Sasuke kicks Yoroi into the air and follows close behind them. While in the air, Sasuke provokes him into attacking him, giving him the chance to counter them and, in turn, kick them higher into the air at increasingly greater speeds. The higher up they get and the faster they move, the more damage that will be caused to Yoroi when, as his finishing blow, Sasuke inevitably kicks them back to the ground. Knocking Yoroi out cold.

Hayate yells, "Sasuke Uchiha wins due to knockout! The next match is Choji Akimichi versus Shino Aburame!"

When the two Konoha shinobi get down to the arena floor, Hayate asks, "Are you two ready?" After he sees the nod, Hayate yells, "Hajime!"

Like other Akimichi, Chōji has a rotund build and markings on his cheeks in the form of swirls. He has spiky, brown hair that sticks upward.

Chōji donned a green, short-sleeved haori with a long, white scarf over a white shirt, with the kanji for "food" (食) on it. He also wore black shorts, hoop earrings, and bandages around his legs and forearms. His blue forehead protector was styled in a manner that allowed two tufts of hair to poke out at each side.