Temari sighed as she threw TenTen off her fan but Lee leapt up and caught her skilfully.
Temari smirked. "Nice catch," she said while Lee fumed.
"Why would you treat her like this if she gave it her all to fight you?!"
"Shut up. She's pathetic" said Temari coldly. "Take the loser and get out of here."
Lee trembled in rage. "Leaf whirlwind!"
But Lee's leg collided against Temari's fan.
Gaara sighed. "Get up here, Temari. You've been declared the winner. Stop wasting time with that pathetic guardian guy."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next match started. It was between Tsuchi Kin and Nara Shikamaru. Shikamaru sighed as he jumped down to the arena to battle. He had a huge disadvantage: Kin had already seen his jutsu and on top of that, he was fighting a woman but, he had to give it all he had.
"Shadow Imitation Jutsu!" shouted Shikamaru.
Kin laughed. "Pft, one-trick pony. As long as I watch your shadow, there's nothing to fear!"
Shikamaru chased Kin with his shadow but every time it was just centimetres away from her, she dodged it. After a minute or so, she decided to get serious.
Kin took out some senbons from her pocket and flung it onto the wall.
Shikamaru smirked. "Old trick, huh. Senbon with bells to trick me into dodging nothing by manipulating sound."
Kin just smirked. Shikamaru heard a clink and turned around. His eyes widened in surprise. String! Kin laughed and punched Shikamaru who fell back and landed on the floor.
"Now it's time to finish you."
She was about to move but she was immobilised: she got caught!
Shikamaru chuckled. "My shadow can be manipulated."
"Wha? No way! The strings shadow!" said Kin, realisation dawning on her.
Shikamaru smirked. "That's right."
Then he took out a shuriken from his holster. Kin's eyes widened in surprise as she did the same.
"Are you stupid? We both do the same thing. If you attack we both get..."
"I know that, but let's see the outcome."
Shikamaru threw his shuriken along with Kin, it flew past each other. Shikamaru dodged and Kin...SMACK!
Shikamaru smirked as he saw Kin bang her head against the wall behind her. "As a shinobi, we should use the surroundings to our advantage, shouldn't we?"
Team 10 cheered. Hayate announced the victor: "Winner, Nara Shikamaru! Now, the next match...Uzumaki Naruto VS Inuzuka Kiba!"
The two leapt down to the arena.
"Puh, easy! Akamaru, let's go. We can beat him with one punch!" boasted Kiba as Akamaru barked in agreement but Naruto ignored him and turned to Hayate.
"How's the cough?" he asked.
Hayate smiled. "Fine Naru, thanks to you."
Naruto smiled, and then he smirked. "So...how has it been going with...Yugao?"
Hayate flushed bright red. "Um, anyway...let the match begin!"
Kiba crouched down and sped through some hand seals. "Beast Mimicry: All-Fours Jutsu!"
Kiba charged at Naruto on all fours, smashing him to the wall. Kiba smirked and outwardly declared his victory while everyone who didn't know Naruto's true skill deadpanned: Naruto couldn't be that weak.
POOF! It was a shadow clone.
"Wha? Physical clone?!"
Naruto appeared right behind Kiba and laughed. "Shadow clone, you idiot. Don't underestimate me. The academy me is not who I am, Kiba."
Kiba growled in fury. "Just because you change your clothes and hair, doesn't mean you're any better. Clone or whatever, face me like a man!"
Naruto sighed. "I use my clones, you use Akamaru, it's fair. Now let the fight begin, for real."
Kiba fed Akamaru a soldier pill and Akamaru turned red and grew bigger. Together they charged at Naruto but Naruto would always dodge their attacks.
The disadvantage of the Inuzuka clan's Beast Mimicry was that it was a brash and impulsive jutsu used for heavy-hitting. It was futile to use it against Naruto as he was skilled at avoiding their attacks and Kiba and Akamaru couldn't stop in time to change direction.
They growled and bared their fangs and Naruto. "Stop dodging a face us like a man!"
Naruto smirked. "Realise that I haven't moved an inch since we started. You might want to up your game."
Kiba seethed and charged at Naruto again along with Akamaru.
"Beast Ultimate Taijutsu: Fang Passing Fang!"
Naruto dodged once more, jumped into the air and threw two senbons; one pierced Kiba and one pierced Akamaru. They fell onto the ground, unconscious.
"Winner, Uzumaki Naruto!" said Hayate as Naruto pulled the senbons out of Akamaru and Kiba and snapped them out of their unconsciousness.
The board flickered through the remaining names and stopped...Hyuga Neji Vs Hyuga Hinata.
Hinata paled as Neji smirked. This was going to be a very interesting match indeed.
The two leapt down into the arena and Neji taunted Hinata. "I never thought I would be facing you, Hinata-sama. You don't make a good shinobi Hinata-sama, forfeit now! You're too kind. You wish for harmony and avoid conflict. You have no confidence and you feel inferior. The only reason you participated in this match was for the sake of your teammates. That is the reality."
"N-No...I just wanted...I just wanted to change myself..." murmured Hinata, looking down as she remembered the shame she had brought unto the Hyuga's main family.
Neji seethed. "Hinata-sama, you're a spoilt brat of the main house. People cannot change themselves! Losers are losers; their personality and strength will not change. I see through many things with my Byakugan so I know, deep inside, you just want to run away from here."
"N-No, really I—"
But she was interrupted as Neji activated his Byakugan.
"I see what through you, Hinata-sama. Raising your arm in front of your body shows you want to create a wall between me and you. Touching your lip is to relieve your nervousness. Have you realised, Hinata-sama? You are weak! You cannot change your desti—"
"Neji, it's not wise to decide things about people," interrupted Naruto. "Besides, Hinata is stronger than you. At least she doesn't hang around in the past. At least she has forged her path while you still choose to be immature and follow what the branch wants you to do. Anyway, fight for yourself Hinata!"
Neji eye-rolled but even he could see the newfound determination in Hinata's eyes.
"I no longer...I no longer want to run away. Thank you Naruto-kun! Byakugan! Brother Neji, let's fight!'
Both of them got into the Hyuga stance and they charged. Palms out, Neji and Hinata threw blows at each other but none could land a blow. Hinata blocked Neji's strike with her palm and Neji blocked her's with his palm.
Neji struck again but this time, Hinata was too slow and Neji slightly grazed her arm. They retreated then ran at each other again. Hinata and Neji were caught in a tangle of palms. Every so often, Hinata landed a strike but Neji was faster and deadlier. The battle went to his side.
Neji landed a hit on Hinata's chest and she coughed up blood, but she wasn't done yet. She landed a blow on Neji's neck but Neji poked one of Hinata's opening points on her arm . She screamed and fell back. It was over.
"Hinata-sama, there is a difference between you and I and that is the difference between an elite and a loser. This reality cannot be changed. Forfeit."
Hinata coughed up more blood, nevertheless, she stood up, staggering.
"I don't go back on my words...because that is also my ninja way," smiled Hinata while Naruto's eyes widened as he realised that Hinata was referring to his nindo that he always said when he failed something back at the academy.
"Then come!" ordered Neji.
Hinata was about to charge but a gush of blood came out of her mouth and she doubled over, clutching her stomach and moaning in pain.
"Do it for yourself, Hinata!" encouraged Naruto, smiling gently at her.
Strength came back to her eyes and she charged at Neji, newfound courage entering her body. However, Neji still had the upper hand. He grabbed Hinata's arm and flung her back but Hinata charged again. This time, Neji pressed a chakra point on her stomach, Hinata fell onto the ground.
Everyone felt pity as they knew the outcome of the match, but Naruto's faith in Hinata was strong: "Don't stop, Hinata! Prove yourself! Prove how much you are! Prove your worth!'
Much to everyone's surprise, Hinata stood shakily up. Neji growled in frustration: "Why do you stand? If you keep pushing yourself, you will die. Just give up! You can barely stand. Stop acting tough. You have always hated yourself for your weakness but people cannot change, that is destiny."
"That's not true, Brother Neji. it's not me at all. The person lost and suffering within the destiny of the main and branch houses is you..."
Neji growled and charged at Hinata, hatred evident in his eyes. Hayate saw and interrupted: "Neji-kun, this match is over!"
In a second, Hayate stood in front of Hinata to protect her, Neji was restrained by Gai and Kakashi, Kurenai knelt beside Hinata and Naruto helped Hinata to stand.
"Give it a rest, Neji. you promised that you wouldn't lose your head over the main family and all," scolded Gai.
Neji scoffed in annoyance. "Why do you jump in...oh, more special treatment for the main family, pathetic."
Hinata eyes widened and then she doubled over and started throwing up.
"Gah, ga...urgh, ugh..."
Naruto carried Hinata bridal style and placed her gently on the floor. Then he started healing her with his medical ninjutsu while everyone watched in surprise. Hinata coughed out more blood and her heart pumped blood erratically.
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise: cardiac arrest! He started performing CPR but it was futile. Hinata had pushed herself more than it was needed. Quickly, he flickered away, holding Hinata while at it. Kurenai glared at Neji then stared at the spot Hinata previously laid in despair. However, she did not doubt that Naruto could heal her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Before the match started, Naruto had come back.
"Alright, now for the next match between...Gaara and Rock Lee!" announced Hayate.
Lee and Gaara jumped into the arena.
"To be able to face you this early, I couldn't be happier," said Lee, smirking.
Lee charged, screaming, "Leaf Whirlwind!"
But Lee's kick was intercepted by sand coming out of Gaara's gourd and he was blasted back. Lee rushed at Gaara again, this time throwing a punch but Gaara's sand blocked again. Again and again, Lee attacked but it was blocked every time.
That was when Gai had enough. "Lee, take them off!"
Lee's eyes widened in surprise. "B-But, Gai-sensei! That's only for a time—"
"It's alright, I allow it!" grinned Gai.
Lee grinned back at him and took off some leg weights. Temari inwardly scoffed: "Taking off some weights, pft, you can't keep up with Gaara's sand."
Lee charged, kicking up dust. Gaara's sand blocked the front of him but that wasn't where Lee was heading. The target was Gaara's back.
BAM! Lee threw a punch successfully to Gaara's face. BAM! Lee kicked Gaara's head. BAM! Lee punched Gaara to the ground. Chips of sand fell off Gaara's face. Lee paled: Gaara was unscathed: he had been covered in an armour of sand!
But Lee was not defeated, yet. He started unravelling his bandages and he charged. BAM! Lee kicked Gaara's chin repeatedly, then started wrapping him in his bandages.
"Initial Lotus!"
Gaara plummeted down, head buried into the ground. But...no one was in the sand armour.
"Hehe..." laughed a maniacal voice behind Gaara.
Gaara did a hand seal and spikes of hardened sand pierced Lee to the wall. But Lee wasn't ready to give up: he had something to prove—shinobi could be great without the use of nin and genjustu.
"Third Gate open! Life Gate! Fourth Gate open. Harm Gate!"
Lee kicked Gaara into the air and punched him over and over again. Gaara's 'perfect' defence broke; his sand couldn't keep up.
"This is the end! Fifth Gate open! Limit Gate!"
Lee punched Gaara to the wall and rushed at him again, screaming, "Extreme Lotus!"
BOOM!
Gaara was injured and tired but it was time for the finishing move.
"Desert Coffin!"
Sand wrapped around Lee's arm and started crushing it. Lee screamed in agony and was thrown against the floor. Sand was about to wrap around Lee's body and kill him but...
Gai and Naruto had intervened.
"Why...Why did you save him?" said Gaara, clutching his head in a craze.
"Because he is my precious comrade!" said Gai resolutely as Naruto started healing Lee and flickered away with him to the hospital, again.
"Winner, Gaara!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hey reader-chans! Sorry for the really late and inconsistent updates but I'll make it up to you and post two chapters today!
Get hyped! It's nearly time for the actual battles of the chunin exam! Neji is going down! I hope you enjoyed Naruto's badass fight against Kiba.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please keep on reading! Thank you so much! Bye!