Hayate waited several seconds after announcing the beginning of the preliminary round before turning and motioning towards the large electronic board mounted high on the wall behind him.
"The board behind me will randomly select two names from the remaining candidates," Hayate explained before coughing several times into his fist. "Those two candidates will fight in single combat, with the winner advancing to the third stage."
Most of the genin immediately looked towards the board.
"A winner will be decided when one combatant is either knocked unconscious, killed, or surrenders," Hayate continued. "I encourage all of you to surrender if you believe you can no longer continue. These are real shinobi battles, and I will step in if I believe a match has already been decided or if continuing would only increase the body count."
A few of the genin looked slightly nervous after hearing that, though Naruto wasn't particularly surprised. They were shinobi, and death was always a possibility during a mission, especially once they became Chunin and started receiving more dangerous assignments.
Hayate turned towards the electronic board as it suddenly came to life.
"Let's begin."
The names of every remaining genin immediately began cycling across the screen too quickly for Naruto to follow. They continued spinning for several seconds before gradually slowing until two names finally remained.
Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akado
Naruto glanced towards Sasuke before turning his attention towards Yoroi. He recognized the older genin as one of Kabuto's teammates, though beyond that Naruto knew almost nothing about him.
"Sasuke Uchiha and Yoroi Akado, step forward," Hayate announced.
Sasuke immediately walked towards the center of the arena while Yoroi did the same from the opposite side of the group.
"Everyone else, move to the viewing galleries."
The gathered shinobi quickly began separating. All of the Leaf genin, along with their Jonin Sensei, moved towards the viewing gallery on the right side of the arena while the foreign genin and their sensei made their way towards the opposite gallery. Naruto followed Yamato upstairs and eventually found himself standing between his sensei and Kakashi near the railing with his arms folded across his chest.
Sakura immediately moved closer to Kakashi as she looked worriedly down at Sasuke.
"Do you think he'll be alright?" Sakura asked.
"He should be," Kakashi replied calmly.
Naruto glanced at Kakashi for a moment before looking back towards the arena. Sasuke had returned to the tower yesterday with the suppression seal Kakashi placed around Orochimaru's Curse Seal, and Kakashi seemed confident that the seal would keep Orochimaru's chakra under control as long as Sasuke didn't willingly try to use it.
Naruto still wasn't convinced.
"Begin," Hayate announced.
The two immediately rushed each other, and it didn't take long for Naruto to realize there was more to Yoroi than he originally thought. The older genin could absorb an opponent's physical and spiritual energy simply by touching them, allowing him to drain their chakra directly through physical contact. It made fighting him at close range dangerous, and Sasuke struggled during the early portion of the fight because he refused to activate his Sharingan.
Yoroi managed to get his hands on Sasuke several times, draining more of his chakra with each touch until Sasuke was visibly beginning to slow down. When Sasuke finally activated his Sharingan, the fight started shifting back in his favor. He could read Yoroi's movements much better and avoid most of his attempts to grab him, but using the Sharingan was also consuming chakra while Yoroi only needed to touch him once to drain even more.
"He's still losing chakra," Naruto commented. "The Sharingan is helping him avoid Yoroi, but it's draining him at the same time."
Kakashi nodded slightly before returning his attention to his student.
Sasuke became increasingly frustrated as the fight continued, especially when Yoroi managed to grab him again and drain another portion of his remaining energy. Naruto's eyes immediately narrowed when he suddenly felt Sasuke's chakra change, and black flame-like markings began spreading from beneath his shirt and across the side of his neck before continuing over his face and exposed skin.
Kakashi's eye narrowed beside him while Yamato's expression became serious. Several of the other Leaf Jonin immediately focused their attention on Sasuke as well.
"Sasuke..." Sakura whispered.
Naruto slowly turned his head towards Kakashi, who immediately noticed the look. Neither of them said anything. Kakashi had explained yesterday that the suppression seal depended heavily on Sasuke's own willpower. As long as Sasuke refused Orochimaru's power, the seal would help suppress it.
Sasuke had just willingly called on it because he was having trouble overpowering Yoroi.
Naruto returned his attention to the fight and watched as the additional power from the Curse Seal immediately changed everything. Sasuke's speed and strength increased enough that Yoroi could no longer keep up with him. After knocking the older genin into the air, Sasuke followed him and unleashed a newly devised taijutsu combination, the Lion Combo, that ended with Yoroi being driven violently into the arena floor.
"Yoroi Akado is unable to continue," Hayate announced after checking him. "Winner, Sasuke Uchiha."
"Yes! Sasuke!" Sakura shouted excitedly.
Medical ninja entered the arena to tend to Yoroi while Sasuke slowly made his way towards the stairs. The black markings had already disappeared by the time he reached the gallery, though he looked noticeably pleased with his victory.
"That was amazing, Sasuke!" Sakura said as she practically swooned over him. "That last combination was incredible!"
"Nice one, Sasuke!" Ino added from beside Team 10.
Sasuke gave a satisfied smirk after hearing the praise. Naruto couldn't help but shake his head before glancing towards Kakashi again, the look on his face making it clear what he was thinking. Kakashi released a quiet sigh while Sasuke frowned slightly at the exchange.
Before he could say anything, the electronic board came to life again, and the remaining names began spinning across the screen.
Zaku Abumi vs. Shino Aburame
Naruto glanced towards the opposite gallery and quickly found Zaku among the Sound team. He was the other male member and still looked injured from his encounter with Sasuke during the Forest of Death. Both of his arms were wrapped in bandages, though he still made his way towards the arena without hesitation.
"Good luck, Shino!" Kiba called out.
"Good luck," Hinata added with a small smile.
"I don't require luck," Shino replied as he adjusted his glasses.
"Just go fight," Kiba replied.
Shino calmly made his way downstairs.
The fight itself didn't last particularly long. Zaku attempted to overwhelm Shino with the powerful blasts of air produced by the tubes running through his arms, forcing Shino to spend most of the early match avoiding his attacks. While Zaku focused on keeping him at a distance, Shino's insects quietly spread across the arena until they eventually surrounded the Sound genin without him noticing.
By the time Zaku realized what Shino had been doing, it was already too late. The insects blocked the openings in his arms, and when Zaku attempted to fire another blast, the pressure exploded inside them instead. Zaku collapsed to the floor with both arms badly damaged.
"Zaku Abumi is unable to continue. Winner, Shino Aburame," Hayate announced.
Naruto was impressed by how Shino had spent nearly the entire fight allowing Zaku to believe he was in control while his insects quietly moved into position.
"That's disgusting," Sakura said as she watched several insects disappear back underneath Shino's clothing.
"Effective, though," Naruto replied.
"I didn't say it wasn't effective."
"That was awesome!" Kiba shouted as Shino returned to the gallery. "You completely destroyed that guy!"
"You should not sound so surprised," Shino replied.
"I wasn't surprised."
"You sounded surprised."
"I was excited."
"Congratulations, Shino," Hinata said with a small smile.
"Thank you, Hinata."
"Nice work," Kurenai added.
"That was clever," Naruto said as he gave Shino a nod.
"Thank you," Shino replied simply.
Naruto smiled before turning back towards the electronic board as the next pair of names appeared.
Misumi Tsurugi vs. Kankuro
Misumi was Kabuto's remaining teammate, while Kankuro was the other male member of Gaara's team. Naruto had been curious about the large wrapped object Kankuro carried on his back since the beginning of the exams, and it appeared he was finally going to find out what it was.
Misumi rushed Kankuro almost immediately after Hayate started the match, only for his body to suddenly begin bending in ways Naruto hadn't expected. He could dislocate his joints and control his softened body with chakra, allowing him to stretch and twist his limbs at nearly any angle. Within a short time, Misumi had wrapped himself completely around Kankuro and threatened to break every bone in his body.
Then Kankuro's head twisted completely around.
"What the hell?" Kiba asked.
"That's not him," Naruto said as his eyes narrowed when the bandages around Kankuro began falling away.
A wooden puppet was revealed underneath the bandages, showing that Misumi had never actually caught Kankuro. The real Kankuro had hidden inside the wrapped object everyone assumed was his puppet and tricked Misumi into attacking the fake. Once the trick was revealed, Kankuro used chakra strings to control the puppet and trap Misumi inside its separated pieces before tightening them around his body until the Leaf genin was unable to continue.
"Winner, Kankuro," Hayate announced.
Kankuro released Misumi before returning his puppet to its wrapped form. Naruto watched the chakra strings disappear from his fingers. He had seen puppeteers before, but Kankuro's control was impressive for a genin, especially considering how easily he had manipulated several pieces of the puppet at once. Tricking Misumi into believing the puppet was actually him had been even better.
"Sand has produced some interesting genin this year," Kakashi commented.
"That's one way of putting it," Naruto replied as he glanced towards Gaara before looking back at Kankuro.
Kankuro returned to the opposite gallery with a satisfied expression on his face. Temari gave him a small smile while Gaara barely acknowledged his return.
The electronic board activated again, and Naruto watched the names cycle until they finally stopped.
Sakura Haruno vs. Ino Yamanaka
"Of course," Naruto said with a chuckle.
Ino stared at the board before slowly looking towards Sakura, who stared right back at her. Naruto had heard enough about their history over the last several months to know exactly where this was going.
"Good luck," Naruto said as he looked towards Ino with a smile.
"As if I'll need it," Ino replied as her expression immediately brightened.
"You'll need something if you keep standing here talking instead of going down there," Shikamaru muttered.
"Shut up, Shikamaru."
"Troublesome."
Ino and Sakura made their way down to the arena while Naruto moved closer to the railing. In all honesty, he expected Ino to win. Sakura had improved considerably since becoming a genin, but Ino had been receiving shinobi training since she was young as the heir of the Yamanaka clan. She had access to her clan's techniques and resources, along with years of training Sakura simply hadn't received before entering the Academy.
Naruto expected that difference to show.
It didn't.
The fight quickly turned into a close-range exchange with Sakura and Ino appearing almost perfectly evenly matched. Neither girl managed to gain much of an advantage as they traded punches and kicks around the arena, and Naruto's expression gradually became less impressed the longer it continued.
"Is this seriously how Leaf kunoichi fight?" Temari asked from the opposite gallery after watching for several minutes.
"They're both better than this," Tenten replied with a frown.
Kurenai remained silent as she watched the fight with her arms crossed, though the disappointed expression on her face made her opinion clear. Naruto didn't say anything as he continued watching.
Ino eventually changed her approach by cutting her hair and scattering it across the arena floor. Sakura initially believed it was nothing more than a meaningless gesture until she stepped into the circle created by the strands and Ino used chakra to trap her feet in place.
"Finally," Naruto muttered.
Ino used the opening to perform the Yamanaka clan's Mind Body Switch Technique and successfully took control of Sakura's body. For a moment, Naruto thought the match was over, only for Sakura to somehow begin resisting Ino's control from inside her own mind. The struggle eventually forced Ino back into her own body, leaving both girls exhausted.
From there, the fight returned to exactly what it had been before. Sakura and Ino eventually rushed each other one final time and landed punches against each other's faces at almost the exact same moment, causing both girls to collapse to the arena floor.
Hayate approached them and checked each one before standing.
"Neither combatant is able to continue," Hayate announced. "This match is a double knockout. Neither Sakura Haruno nor Ino Yamanaka will advance."
Naruto stared down at the two unconscious girls with a disappointed expression. He had expected Ino to win, but instead the two had managed to knock each other unconscious. A short time later, Ino slowly began regaining consciousness and looked towards the gallery. Her eyes first moved towards her teammates before eventually finding Naruto.
Naruto gave her a small smile.
Ino stared at him for several seconds before her expression fell slightly. Naruto tried not to let his disappointment show, but she knew him well enough by now to see it anyway. She bit her lip and looked away as tears began gathering in the corners of her eyes.
Asuma jumped down into the arena and walked over to her.
"Come on," Asuma said as he carefully picked her up. "Let's get you upstairs."
"Sorry," Ino mumbled softly.
"We'll talk about it later," Asuma replied as he looked down at her. "For now, let's get you checked out."
Ino didn't respond.
Kakashi did the same for Sakura before both Jonin returned to the gallery with their students. Naruto moved aside as Asuma placed Ino down beside Choji. He was glad she wasn't seriously injured, but he was still disappointed. He had expected more from her, and judging by the way she had looked at him from the arena, she already knew that.
Naruto shook his head before turning his attention towards the electronic board. He could talk to her about it later.
The next two names appeared.
Tenten vs. Temari
Naruto looked towards the opposite gallery as the blonde Sand kunoichi calmly began making her way downstairs with the enormous fan strapped across her back. Tenten left the Leaf gallery at the same time while Lee and Guy immediately began shouting encouragement from behind her.
The fight was considerably more interesting than the previous one. Tenten immediately showed why she specialized in weapons, summoning dozens of kunai, shuriken and other weapons from the scrolls she carried and launching them towards Temari with impressive accuracy. She attacked from several different directions and continued increasing the number of weapons with each attempt, only for Temari to counter every attack with powerful gusts from her enormous fan.
Tenten eventually used two large scrolls to unleash an even larger barrage, filling the arena with weapons in an attempt to overwhelm Temari's defense. Temari responded by opening her fan completely and unleashing a powerful Wind Release technique that scattered the weapons throughout the arena before catching Tenten herself and lifting her high into the air.
Temari calmly closed her fan and positioned it beneath her as Tenten fell back towards the arena several seconds later and landed hard across the closed fan, the impact immediately knocking her unconscious.
Naruto raised an eyebrow as he looked down at the two kunoichi. Tenten had been impressive, especially with the number of weapons she could summon and accurately throw at the same time. Temari had simply been the worst possible opponent for her. No matter how many weapons Tenten threw, the Sand kunoichi's Wind Release prevented any of them from getting close.
Weapons and opened scrolls littered the arena floor as Temari stood with Tenten's unconscious body balanced across her closed fan.
"Tenten is unable to continue," Hayate announced. "Winner, Temari."
Temari smiled at the announcement before glancing down at the unconscious girl lying across her fan. Naruto initially thought she was simply waiting for the medical ninja to come collect her, but then he noticed a cruel smirk slowly appearing across Temari's face as her eyes moved towards the pile of kunai, shuriken, and other weapons scattered across the arena floor.
Naruto's eyes narrowed as Temari began to toss Tenten from her fan, only for a hand to suddenly close around her shoulder.
"That will not be necessary," Naruto said in a low, cold voice from directly behind her.
Temari froze. She hadn't seen him move, and judging by the surprised reactions around the arena, neither had most of the people watching. A shiver ran down her spine as she slowly turned her head and found Naruto standing directly behind her, cold blue eyes staring back at her.
Lee had already started moving from the gallery, while Hayate and several of the Jonin had also reacted when they realized what Temari was about to do. Naruto had simply reached her first.
Naruto released Temari's shoulder before gently lifting Tenten from the top of her fan and carrying her several steps towards the medical ninja entering the arena.
"Take care of her," Naruto said as he handed Tenten over.
"We've got her."
Naruto nodded before a powerful wave of killing intent suddenly washed across the arena, causing several of the genin to immediately freeze. He turned towards the opposite gallery and found Gaara standing near the railing, staring directly at him with a crazed smile spread across his face. Kankuro immediately tensed while Temari's expression changed the moment she realized where the killing intent was coming from.
Naruto stared back at Gaara for several seconds. The bloodlust rolling off the Sand genin was far stronger than anything Naruto had felt from the other participants, and somewhere deep inside him he could feel the Nine-Tails stir slightly in response to the presence of its sibling.
Gaara's smile widened.
Naruto simply placed his hands into his pockets and turned away before making his way back towards the Leaf gallery. Lee immediately moved towards the medical ninja carrying Tenten while Guy followed behind him. Naruto returned to his place beside Yamato without saying anything as Hayate coughed several times and walked back towards the center of the arena.
"Let's continue."
The electronic board began cycling again.
Shikamaru Nara vs. Kin Tsuchi
"Troublesome," Shikamaru complained with a loud sigh.
Ino, who had recovered enough to sit against the wall with Choji beside her, immediately looked towards her teammate.
"Would you stop complaining and go down there?"
"I didn't even want to take these exams," Shikamaru muttered.
"Too late now," Choji replied before eating another handful of chips.
Shikamaru sighed again before slowly making his way towards the stairs. His opponent was the lone kunoichi on the Sound team, and unlike Shikamaru, she looked considerably more interested in the upcoming fight.
Once Hayate started the match, Kin immediately attempted to control the fight using senbon with small bells attached to them. The sound of the bells eventually caught Shikamaru in a genjutsu that made it difficult for him to determine where the attacks were coming from, allowing several of her senbon to strike him.
"Come on, Shikamaru," Ino said as she leaned forward slightly.
"He'll figure something out," Choji replied as he continued eating his chips.
Naruto agreed. Shikamaru might complain about anything that required more effort than taking a nap, but Naruto had spent enough time around him to know he was easily one of the smartest genin in the village.
Sure enough, Shikamaru eventually caught Kin with his clan's Shadow Imitation Jutsu. Once their shadows were connected, he forced Kin to copy his movements before throwing a shuriken past her. Kin believed he had missed until Shikamaru leaned backward. The wall behind Kin prevented her from copying the movement completely, causing the back of her head to slam directly into it and knock her unconscious.
"Knew he'd win," Choji said with a smile.
"That's Shikamaru," Ino replied, looking considerably happier than she had a few minutes earlier.
"He used the wall?" Sakura asked as she stared down at Kin from beside Kakashi.
"Looks like it," Naruto replied.
"Kin Tsuchi is unable to continue," Hayate announced. "Winner, Shikamaru Nara."
Shikamaru released his technique and slowly made his way back towards the gallery, looking considerably more annoyed than someone who had just won a match probably should.
"Nice job!" Choji said when he returned.
"Yeah, yeah."
"You actually looked like a shinobi for a few minutes," Ino said with a small smile.
"Thanks."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I know."
"Good work," Asuma said as he gave Shikamaru a small pat on the back.
"Can I go back to sleep now?"
Ino slapped him across the back of the head.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"For being you."
"Troublesome woman."
Ino raised her hand again, causing Shikamaru to immediately move to the other side of Choji.
Naruto chuckled before turning his attention back towards the electronic board. There weren't many names remaining now, and he watched as the screen came to life once again. The remaining names rapidly cycled across it before gradually slowing until two names finally remained.
Naruto Senju vs. Dosu Kinuta
"Looks like I'm up," Naruto said with a smile.
He pushed himself away from the wall and looked towards the opposite gallery. Dosu stood alone where the Sound team had been gathered earlier. Zaku was still being treated by the medical ninja while Kin had just been carried away. The bandaged Sound genin stared back at Naruto for several seconds before pushing himself away from the railing and beginning to make his way towards the stairs.
"Good luck," Yamato said.
"Thanks," Naruto replied as he glanced towards his sensei.
Naruto slipped his hands into his pockets and started towards the stairs as several of the Leaf genin turned to watch him. Across the arena, Dosu stepped onto the floor while Naruto's smile widened slightly as he made his way down to meet him.
Hayate stepped between the two genin and glanced at each of them before raising one hand.
"Begin."
As soon as the word left his mouth, Dosu immediately leaped backward, putting some distance between himself and Naruto.
Naruto raised an eyebrow at the reaction before a small smile appeared on his face. Out of the three Sound genin, Dosu had always struck him as the most calculating. Zaku had been arrogant and quick to anger while Kin hadn't particularly stood out to him, but Dosu seemed far more likely to watch his opponent and think before acting. Naruto was also interested in the strange gauntlet covering his forearm and its ability to generate powerful sound waves. He had already seen what it could do before the first stage when Dosu attacked Kabuto, and he had been curious about the weapon ever since.
Around the arena, more attention was being paid to this match than any of the previous fights. Sasuke stood near the railing with his Sharingan already activated, his red eyes fixed on Naruto. The Leaf Jonin had also turned their attention towards the arena while Hiruzen watched from his position near one of the massive stone hands. Despite everything they had heard about Naruto since his return to Konoha, very few of them had actually gotten the chance to watch the Senju heir fight up close.
Naruto flicked his wrist and activated the storage seal around it. A puff of smoke appeared before his six-foot black chakra-metal staff dropped into one hand while a storage scroll appeared in the other.
"You should probably move," Naruto said as he glanced towards Hayate.
Hayate raised an eyebrow.
Dosu didn't wait for him to respond. The Sound genin rushed forward in a burst of speed and swung his gauntleted arm directly towards Naruto's head. Naruto saw him coming from the corner of his eye, but he didn't appear concerned. Compared to the people Naruto normally trained against, Dosu was much too slow, and Naruto already knew what he was trying to do.
Before Dosu could get close enough to use his attack, Naruto disappeared. To nearly every genin watching from the galleries, the blonde simply vanished from where he had been standing and reappeared on top of one of the massive stone hands on the opposite side of the arena. Sasuke's Sharingan allowed him to follow the movement, though his eyes narrowed when he saw just how fast Naruto had moved. There had been no technique behind it. Naruto had simply leaped backward faster than most of the genin could follow, causing Sasuke's hand to tighten against the railing.
Dosu's gauntlet released a high-pitched sound through the area Naruto had occupied moments earlier, causing Hayate to wince as he quickly moved away. Several people in the galleries reacted as well, but Akamaru had the strongest reaction as the small dog immediately began whining and buried his head inside Kiba's jacket.
"What the hell is that sound?" Kiba complained as he covered one of his ears.
"How insulting," Naruto said lowly as he stared down at Dosu from his position on top of the stone hand, the smile disappearing from his face. "You already showed me that attack once. Did you really think I would let myself get hit by it?"
Dosu's visible eye narrowed.
Naruto flashed Hayate a quick glance before tossing the storage scroll high into the air above the arena. He raised one hand into a half Ram seal and sent chakra into the scroll, causing a large puff of smoke to surround it before gallons of water suddenly began pouring onto the arena floor.
Hayate immediately leaped towards the gallery and landed on the railing while Dosu retreated to the massive stone hand on the opposite side of the arena. Water continued pouring down until the entire arena floor was covered beneath roughly two inches of it, and when the scroll finally emptied, it dropped towards the water below.
Several of the genin stared down at the flooded arena in confusion.
"What is he doing?" Sakura asked.
"Changing the battlefield," Kurenai replied as she studied the water below. "Clever."
"Especially for someone who uses Water Release," Asuma added.
Kakashi nodded while Yamato remained silent, simply watching his student to see what he had planned.
Dosu stared across the arena in frustration. He knew defeating the Senju heir would be difficult after seeing how easily Naruto had handled Sasuke in the Forest of Death when his own team couldn't even scratch the Uchiha. His best chance had been catching Naruto off guard with the Melody Arm and using the opening to gain an advantage, but Naruto had avoided the attack like it was nothing. Dosu gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. Zaku and Kin had already been defeated. He would not be the third.
"You really think you can look down on us like this?" Dosu shouted as he jumped from the stone hand and landed on top of the water with chakra concentrated beneath his feet.
Naruto jumped down from the opposite statue and landed atop the water. He quickly formed two hand seals, finishing with the Dog seal, before gripping his staff with both hands and channeling chakra through the weapon.
"Water Style: Water Whip," Naruto muttered as water gathered around one end of his staff before extending outward into a long, flexible stream.
Naruto rushed forward while dragging the water whip behind him. Dosu swung his gauntlet as soon as Naruto entered range and sent another burst of sound towards him, but Naruto changed direction and swung his staff, causing the stream of water attached to the end to whip across the arena towards Dosu. The Sound genin ducked beneath it, only for the water whip to change direction and snap back towards him. Dosu barely managed to jump away before it struck the spot where he had been standing and sent water exploding into the air.
Naruto continued advancing while keeping several meters between them. Every time Dosu attempted to close the distance, the water whip forced him back.
"Stay still!" Dosu shouted as he released another sound attack.
Naruto moved away from the worst of it, but the sound still reached him. A sharp ringing exploded through his ears, and his vision blurred for a moment as his balance shifted beneath him. Dosu immediately charged, forcing Naruto to raise his staff to block the gauntlet coming towards his face. Another burst of sound traveled through the weapon and into his arms, briefly numbing them and causing him to stumble backward.
Dosu pressed forward and swung again, but Naruto ducked beneath the strike and swept his staff across the water. The whip wrapped around Dosu's ankle before Naruto pulled hard, ripping the Sound genin from his feet and throwing him several meters across the arena. Dosu crashed onto his back and slid across the water before quickly rolling back onto his feet.
"Not bad," Naruto muttered as the ringing in his ears began fading.
Dosu rushed him again and released several bursts of sound while trying to close the distance. Naruto avoided most of them while continuing to use the water whip to keep him away. Each swing forced Dosu to dodge or retreat, and whenever he tried moving around it, Naruto simply changed the direction of the whip.
Sasuke's Sharingan followed every movement from the gallery. Naruto kept Dosu outside the range of his gauntlet while forcing him to react to the water whip whenever he tried getting closer.
"He's controlling the entire fight," Kakashi commented.
Sasuke's jaw tightened at his sensei's words, but he remained silent.
Dosu finally managed to catch Naruto with another sound wave when the blonde moved slightly too close. Naruto's eyes briefly lost focus, and Dosu drove his fist into his stomach before following with another strike towards his head. Naruto twisted away from the second attack, and the disorientation lasted only a few seconds before his staff slammed into Dosu's ribs and sent him stumbling sideways.
The water whip wrapped around Dosu's gauntleted arm before Naruto twisted his body and pulled with both hands, ripping Dosu through the air. Naruto released the technique before Dosu hit the ground, allowing the stream of water to collapse back into the flooded arena. Dosu managed to recover in midair and landed on his feet, only to look up and find Naruto already in front of him.
Naruto drove his knee into Dosu's stomach before slamming an elbow across his jaw and following with a kick into his side that nearly knocked him off his feet. Dosu desperately swung his gauntlet towards Naruto's head, but Naruto caught his wrist with one hand and drove his other fist into his face. Dosu stumbled backward as Naruto followed with a punch to his stomach and another across his jaw. Naruto ducked beneath another swing from the Melody Arm, stepped around him, and delivered a powerful backhand fist directly into the back of Dosu's head.
Dosu crashed face-first into the water.
Sasuke continued staring through his Sharingan with a growing scowl on his face. He could follow Naruto's movements, but that did little to improve his mood. If anything, being able to see exactly what Naruto was doing only made the difference between them harder to ignore.
"It's over," Naruto said as he looked up towards Hayate before turning and starting to walk away.
"Yes!" Ino shouted from the gallery. "That's what I'm talking about!"
Choji smiled while Shikamaru simply shook his head beside her. Hayate jumped from the railing and landed on top of the water before approaching Dosu. He looked down at the unmoving Sound genin before raising one hand.
"Winner, Naru..."
"I'm not done."
Hayate stopped, causing Naruto to do the same.
"I'm not done yet," Dosu repeated as he slowly lifted his head from the water, blood running heavily from the side of his face and mixing with the water beneath him.
Naruto turned and looked back at him.
Dosu struggled onto one knee before eventually forcing himself to his feet. His entire body wobbled as he stood, and Hayate looked ready to end the match regardless of what the Sound genin wanted.
"I can't be done," Dosu said through clenched teeth. "Zaku lost. Kin lost. I have to avenge them."
Naruto turned around completely as Dosu raised his gauntleted arm.
"I have to keep going," Dosu continued as his breathing grew heavier. "I cannot fail Lord Orochimaru."
Silence filled the arena.
Every Leaf Jonin immediately focused on Dosu. Kakashi's visible eye narrowed while Kurenai and Asuma exchanged quick looks. Anko's expression darkened at the mention of her former teacher, and Hiruzen stared down at the Sound genin with narrowed eyes.
Yamato said nothing.
"You should have kept that to yourself," Naruto said in an icy voice as he faced Dosu fully.
Dosu barely had time to react before Naruto disappeared from where he was standing and appeared crouched directly in front of him. Naruto drove his foot upward into Dosu's stomach and launched him high into the air before bending his knees and shooting upward after him.
Naruto passed Dosu and appeared above him with his fist pulled back as chakra gathered around it. Several of the Leaf Jonin immediately recognized what Naruto was doing.
"That's..." Asuma muttered.
Naruto's chakra-infused fist slammed directly into Dosu and sent the Sound genin rocketing towards the arena floor. Dosu struck the ground with tremendous force, causing the water covering the arena to explode outward as the stone floor shattered beneath him. A crater formed beneath his body while the metal gauntlet around his arm broke apart from the impact.
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly before narrowing again. His Sharingan had seen the chakra gather around Naruto's fist just before the strike, and his hand slowly curled into a fist at his side.
Naruto wasn't finished.
He flipped in midair and extended one leg as chakra surged into it before descending rapidly towards Dosu. Hayate's eyes widened when he realized what Naruto was preparing to do. His instincts told him to step in and stop the match, but Naruto was already descending too quickly for him to safely place himself between the two.
Naruto's heel slammed directly into Dosu's chest with enough force to shake the entire tower.
A deafening crash echoed through the arena as the crater beneath Dosu expanded and cracks spread through the surrounding stone. Water was thrown away from the impact before rushing back towards the crater, while several genin grabbed the railing when the floor beneath them shook.
"What the hell?" Kiba shouted.
Sakura stared down at the arena with wide eyes while Ino had stopped cheering and was now staring at Naruto in shock. The Jonin were considerably quieter. Most of them had heard stories about Tsunade's monstrous strength.
They had just watched her grandson use it.
Only Yamato appeared unsurprised.
Sasuke's Sharingan remained fixed on Naruto as his jaw tightened. He already knew Naruto was strong after what happened in the Forest of Death, but seeing him fight like this only made him angrier. Naruto had barely needed to try against Dosu, and Sasuke was beginning to realize just how much the blonde had been holding back when the two of them fought.
His fist tightened further.
Naruto slowly removed his foot from Dosu's chest. Blood covered the back of his heel as he stepped away from the broken Sound genin. Dosu's chest had collapsed beneath the force of the strike, and he lay completely motionless at the bottom of the crater while water steadily poured in around him.
Naruto didn't spare him another glance as he turned and began walking towards the stairs.
Hayate stared after Naruto for several seconds before looking back down at Dosu. He crouched beside the Sound genin long enough to confirm what everyone watching already knew before slowly standing again.
"Dosu Kinuta is dead," Hayate announced. "Winner, Naruto Senju." Naruto continued walking without looking back.
Everyone in the gallery stared at Naruto as he made his way back up the stairs. Most of the genin had already known he was strong after everything they had seen and heard since the exams began, but very few of them had ever witnessed him fight seriously. The calm way he had handled Dosu for most of the match had been impressive enough, but the brutal way he ended the fight after the Sound genin mentioned Orochimaru had shown them a completely different side of the blonde. Even some of the Leaf Jonin were still watching him carefully as he returned to Yamato's side.
Hiruzen was among those surprised by what he had seen. Since Naruto returned to the Leaf, the boy had almost always carried a smile on his face. He joked with the other genin, spent time around the village, and had quickly become popular among civilians and shinobi alike. Hiruzen knew Naruto could become serious when the situation called for it, and in that regard he had always reminded him of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage. However, the cold and brutal way Naruto had just dealt with Dosu reminded Hiruzen far more of his sensei, Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage.
Hiruzen's eyes moved away from Naruto and returned to the arena floor. Several medical ninja had surrounded Dosu's body inside the crater, though there was little for them to do beyond confirming his death and preparing to remove him. Orochimaru had already infiltrated the Forest of Death, attacked Naruto and Sasuke, and placed the cursed seal on the Uchiha. Now one of the Sound genin had openly declared his loyalty to him. The Sound Village had only appeared within the last year, and the Leaf knew very little about it, but Hiruzen was beginning to suspect that Orochimaru had something to do with the new village.
Without saying a word, Hiruzen lifted one hand slightly and made a small gesture towards the shadows behind him. One of the ANBU stationed nearby immediately disappeared. There were still two surviving members of the Sound team inside the tower. Zaku Abumi was being treated for his injuries while Kin Tsuchi had been taken to the medical ward after losing to Shikamaru. Until Hiruzen knew more, neither of them would be leaving the Leaf without being watched.
Down in the arena, Dosu's body was finally removed. Several Leaf shinobi stepped forward afterward and began repairing the damaged floor with Earth Release, filling in the crater Naruto had created and smoothing the broken stone while another shinobi drained most of the remaining water from the arena.
"Nice work," Yamato said as Naruto finally returned to his side.
"Thanks," Naruto replied as he resealed his staff into the storage seal around his wrist.
"That was insane," Kiba said with a wide grin. "I knew you were strong, but I didn't think you were going to turn the guy into part of the floor."
"Kiba," Kurenai warned.
"What? I'm just saying."
"Congratulations," Hinata said quietly with a small smile.
"Thanks, Hinata," Naruto replied.
"That Water Style technique was pretty clever," Shino commented.
"Glad you noticed."
"Of course I noticed."
Naruto chuckled while Choji congratulated him as well. Shikamaru gave him a lazy nod from where he was leaning against the railing, while Ino looked at Naruto for several seconds before stepping closer.
"You could have warned me you were going to do that," Ino said.
"Do what?"
"Shake the entire tower."
"I didn't think it would shake that much."
"Right."
Naruto smiled at her before turning towards the others. Most of the Jonin senseis offered brief congratulations of their own, though Kakashi's attention kept drifting between Naruto and Sasuke. Sakura congratulated Naruto as well, but she kept glancing towards Sasuke as if trying to judge his reaction. Sasuke said nothing. He simply stood near the railing with his arms folded and glared at Naruto from the corner of his eye. Neji didn't offer any congratulations either, though Naruto didn't particularly care.
A few moments later, Hayate returned to the center of the arena and coughed several times into one hand before looking up towards the electronic board.
"Next match."
The names began rapidly changing across the screen before slowing to a stop.
Hinata Hyuga vs. Neji Hyuga
Naruto's eyebrows rose slightly as he looked between the two Hyuga. Hinata froze for a moment after seeing her name on the board before slowly taking a breath and walking towards the stairs. Neji's expression barely changed as he followed from the opposite side.
"Good luck," Naruto said as Hinata walked past him.
"Thank you," Hinata replied softly before continuing down.
Naruto leaned against the railing and watched the two cousins step into the arena. He had noticed the hostile looks Neji sometimes gave Hinata throughout the exams, but he still didn't understand where they came from. Both belonged to the Hyuga Clan, though Naruto knew Neji was part of the Branch Family while Hinata belonged to the Main Family. Considering what little he knew about how the Hyuga Clan operated, Naruto suspected that had something to do with it.
Hayate began the match, and Neji immediately tried convincing Hinata to surrender. He told her that he knew exactly what kind of person she was and that someone like her could never change. Naruto had noticed Neji's hostility towards Hinata throughout the exams, but he hadn't realized just how deep it went.
Hinata refused to surrender, and the two Hyuga engaged in the Gentle Fist. Neji quickly proved himself to be the superior fighter, using his Byakugan to target Hinata's chakra points while avoiding most of her attacks. Hinata managed to fight back at first, but it wasn't long before Neji began overwhelming her. What impressed Naruto was that she refused to stay down. No matter how many times Neji knocked her back or told her that she couldn't change her fate, Hinata continued forcing herself onto her feet. Kiba and Kurenai became increasingly worried as the fight continued, while Naruto found himself gaining more respect for the normally quiet girl.
"She's stubborn," Naruto commented with a small smile.
"More than people realize," Kurenai replied without taking her eyes off her student.
Eventually, the damage became too much. Neji struck several of Hinata's chakra points and sent her collapsing to the ground, leaving her barely able to move. Hayate moved to end the match, but Hinata once again tried forcing herself back onto her feet. Naruto's smile disappeared when Neji suddenly lunged towards Hinata with a killing strike.
Several Jonin moved at once. Guy grabbed Neji from behind while Asuma seized one of his arms and Hayate restrained the other. Kakashi appeared between Neji and Hinata while Kurenai rushed forward and pulled the badly injured girl into her arms. Naruto stared coldly down at Neji as the Hyuga struggled against the adults holding him while glaring towards Hinata.
Naruto formed a hand seal.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Two clones appeared beside him and immediately jumped from the gallery. They landed near Kurenai and Hinata before dropping to their knees.
"Let them help," Naruto said from above.
Kurenai instinctively tightened her hold on Hinata for a split second before recognizing what Naruto intended. She looked towards the clones and quickly nodded before carefully lowering Hinata enough for them to begin working. Green medical chakra surrounded both clones' hands as they examined the damage.
"Her chakra network took a lot of hits," one clone said.
"Internal bleeding too," the other replied. "We can stabilize her, but she needs the medical ward."
"Do it," Kurenai said.
Neji's eyes shifted towards Naruto's clones before moving up to the real Naruto.
"Mind your own business," Neji snapped.
"You're the one who tried to kill your own clansman after the fight was already over," Naruto replied as he folded his arms.
"Everyone always protects her," Neji replied bitterly. "No matter how weak she is, someone always steps in to save her."
"You can make whatever excuses you want," Naruto said coldly. "You still tried to kill your own clansman and another Leaf shinobi after the match was already decided."
Neji glared up at him.
"If you're unlucky enough to meet me in the next stage, I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget."
The arena fell quiet for a moment as Neji's glare intensified, but Guy tightened his hold on his student before the Hyuga could respond.
"That's enough, Neji," Guy said sternly.
Naruto held Neji's gaze for another second before looking back towards his clones. The medical ninja arrived moments later, and Naruto's clones helped them carefully move Hinata onto a stretcher. Kurenai immediately followed as they carried her towards the tower's medical ward.
Hayate finally announced Neji as the winner.
Neji returned to the gallery with Guy close behind him while Asuma and Kakashi followed a short distance away. Naruto could hear Guy speaking to his student almost immediately.
"I warned you before the exams began not to take things too far with Hinata."
Neji looked away.
"You lost control."
Naruto stopped listening and turned his attention back towards the electronic board as it began cycling through the remaining names before eventually stopping.
Gaara vs. Rock Lee
"YES!" Lee shouted.
The bowl-cut genin jumped over the railing without hesitation and landed in the arena below, while Guy's expression immediately brightened despite what had just happened. Gaara disappeared from the opposite gallery in a swirl of sand before reappearing on the arena floor.
"This should be interesting," Naruto said as he walked closer and leaned against the railing.
Hayate began the match, and Lee immediately rushed Gaara, only for sand from the gourd on the Sand genin's back to move on its own and block every attack. Gaara barely moved while Lee attacked from different directions, quickly catching Naruto's interest.
"The sand is moving on its own," Naruto commented.
"It would seem so," Yamato replied.
Lee eventually received permission from Guy to remove the weights around his ankles. When they struck the arena floor hard enough to crack the stone, nearly every genin stared in disbelief. Once the weights were off, Lee's speed increased dramatically. Gaara's sand struggled to keep up with him, and after several rapid attacks, Lee finally slipped past the automatic defense and landed a clean hit across Gaara's face.
"Now that's speed," Naruto said with an impressed smile.
Sasuke immediately activated his Sharingan and followed Lee's movements, his expression growing darker as he watched another genin display a level of ability he hadn't expected.
The fight continued with Lee using the Front Lotus, though Gaara escaped by replacing himself with sand. It was then that Guy revealed Lee couldn't use ninjutsu or genjutsu and had dedicated himself entirely to taijutsu.
"Seriously?" Naruto asked as he looked towards Guy.
"That's right," Guy replied proudly. "Lee has devoted himself entirely to taijutsu."
Naruto looked back towards the arena with a new respect for Lee.
Lee eventually took things even further by opening several of the Eight Inner Gates. Naruto immediately recognized what he was doing and watched with growing interest as Lee's speed and strength increased again. Using the Reverse Lotus, Lee battered Gaara around the arena faster than most of the genin could follow and slammed him violently into the ground. Even Naruto thought the fight might be over, only for Gaara to survive and retaliate.
His sand caught Lee's injured arm and leg before crushing them, causing several people in the gallery to wince at the sound. Gaara prepared to finish Lee, but Guy appeared in front of his student and swept the sand away before Hayate declared Gaara the winner.
Naruto immediately formed a hand seal.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Two clones appeared and jumped into the arena before rushing towards Lee. Guy glanced at them before moving aside enough for the clones to kneel beside his student.
"His arm and leg are badly damaged," one clone said after examining him.
"The Gates did damage too," the other added. "We'll help stabilize him before they move him."
"Thank you," Guy replied with a nod.
The medical ninja joined Naruto's clones before carefully lifting Lee onto a stretcher. Naruto remained at the railing while Gaara stared towards Guy. The Sand genin seemed confused by what had happened, almost as if he couldn't understand why Guy had stepped in to protect Lee after he had already lost.
Growing up, Naruto had learned plenty about Jinchuriki from his grandmother and godfather. He knew how most villages treated them and that it was one of the reasons Tsunade had taken him away from the Leaf. Looking at Gaara now, Naruto couldn't help but wonder what his own life would have been like if she hadn't.
Maybe he could have ended up just like him.
Naruto watched Gaara return towards the gallery before the electronic board lit up again and pulled his attention away. The final two names appeared.
Choji Akimichi vs. Kiba Inuzuka
"Finally!" Kiba shouted as he jumped over the railing with Akamaru following close behind.
"Why did it have to be Kiba?" Choji complained as he stared at the board.
"You'll be fine," Ino said.
"Easy for you to say."
"Good luck," Naruto added.
"Thanks," Choji replied with a sigh.
"Don't lose," Shikamaru said lazily.
"That's your advice?"
"Pretty much."
Asuma chuckled before Choji reluctantly headed down the stairs. Kurenai returned to the gallery just as Choji was making his way towards the arena, having stayed long enough to make sure Hinata was being properly treated in the medical ward.
"How is she?" Kiba immediately asked.
"She'll be alright," Kurenai replied. "The medical team is treating her now."
Kiba visibly relaxed at the answer before turning his attention back towards Choji.
Hayate started the final preliminary match, and Kiba immediately went on the offensive with Akamaru. The two used their speed and teamwork to pressure Choji from multiple directions, forcing the Akimichi to spend most of the opening exchanges defending himself.
"He's doing better than I thought," Naruto commented as Choji managed to block another attack.
"Choji's stronger than people give him credit for," Shikamaru replied.
Kiba eventually landed a kick that sent Choji rolling across the arena.
"Come on, fatty!" Kiba shouted with a grin. "You're making this too easy!"
Shikamaru closed his eyes while Ino winced and Asuma sighed.
"Was that a mistake?" Naruto asked.
"A big one," Ino replied.
"What did you call me?" Choji asked as he slowly climbed back to his feet.
Kiba's grin disappeared.
The fight changed immediately. An enraged Choji began using his clan techniques far more aggressively, forcing Kiba and Akamaru onto the defensive. Kiba attempted to overpower him with Fang Over Fang, but Choji met the attack with his expanded body and sent both of them flying apart. Kiba recovered and tried attacking again, but Choji caught him with an enlarged arm and slammed him into the wall. Akamaru attempted to help, only for Choji to knock him aside before charging Kiba and hitting him hard enough to send the Inuzuka skidding across the arena.
Kiba managed to get onto one knee before collapsing.
"Kiba Inuzuka is unable to continue," Hayate announced. "Winner, Choji Akimichi."
"You said you'd buy barbecue if I won, right, Asuma?" Choji immediately asked as he looked towards the gallery.
Naruto couldn't help but chuckle while Ino and Shikamaru both sighed.
"That's what you're thinking about?" Ino asked.
"I won."
"You nearly got flattened."
"But I won."
"Nice job, Choji!" Ino finally shouted with a smile.
"Yeah, I said I'd buy," Asuma replied with a chuckle.
Choji immediately brightened.
"He has plenty to learn," Kurenai said as she watched the medical ninja check on Kiba and Akamaru.
"Calling Choji fat was an unnecessary tactical error," Shino commented as he adjusted his glasses.
"That's one way of putting it," Naruto replied with a chuckle.
Once Kiba and Akamaru were helped from the arena, Hayate returned to the center and coughed several times before addressing everyone.
"The preliminary round is now complete. All participants who advanced will report to the arena floor."
"Finally," Naruto said as he pushed away from the railing.
The nine remaining genin made their way down and formed a line in front of Hiruzen. Naruto stood beside Neji while Gaara remained several places away, silent as usual. Sasuke stood with his arms folded, his expression still irritated from everything he had witnessed throughout the preliminaries.
"Congratulations to all of you for advancing to the final stage of the Chunin Exams," Hiruzen said as he stepped forward.
The genin quieted.
"The final stage will not take place immediately. You will be given one month to recover from any injuries sustained during the previous stages and prepare for your next opponents. This period also allows word of the finals to spread throughout the participating nations and gives invited guests enough time to travel to the Leaf."
Naruto listened quietly as Hiruzen explained that the final stage would consist of one-on-one tournament battles and that their performances would be watched by him, visiting feudal lords, and the shinobi leadership of the villages attending the finals.
Anko then stepped forward carrying a small box.
"Each of you will draw one piece of paper from this box," Hiruzen explained. "The number you receive will determine your place in the tournament bracket."
One by one, the remaining genin reached into the box and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Naruto unfolded his and found the number one written inside. Once everyone had drawn, they called out their numbers while Ibiki recorded them before displaying the completed tournament bracket.
1st Fight: Naruto Senju vs. Neji Hyuga
Naruto slowly turned his head towards Neji.
Neji did the same.
"Looks like you're unlucky," Naruto said with a small smile.
Neji's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.
2nd Fight: Gaara vs. Sasuke Uchiha
Sasuke's eyes immediately shifted towards Gaara, who stared back at him without saying anything.
3rd Fight: Kankuro vs. Shino Aburame
Shino adjusted his glasses while Kankuro studied him from across the arena.
4th Fight: Temari vs. Shikamaru Nara
"You've got to be kidding me," Shikamaru complained as he stared at the bracket.
Temari smirked at him from across the group.
Choji Akimichi vs. Winner of the 4th Fight
"You better win," Choji said as he looked towards Shikamaru.
"Why?"
"I'd rather fight you than her."
Temari's smirk widened.
"There is something all of you need to understand," Hiruzen said as he raised one hand and got everyone's attention again. "Winning this tournament does not automatically make you a Chunin, and losing does not automatically prevent you from becoming one."
Several of the genin looked surprised.
"You will be judged on your performance, judgment, ability to lead, decision-making under pressure, and whether you demonstrate the qualities expected of a Chunin. It is entirely possible for someone who loses their first match to be promoted while the tournament winner is not."
Naruto nodded slightly. That made considerably more sense than simply promoting whoever won.
"You now have one month to prepare," Hiruzen finished. "Use it wisely."
He looked across the remaining genin.
"You are dismissed."
Naruto let out a small sigh as the group began to separate. After the written exam, five days in the Forest of Death, and the preliminary matches, this part of the Chunin Exams was finally over. Now he had an entire month before he got to fight Neji.
Naruto glanced towards the Hyuga one more time before a small smile returned to his face.
This was going to be an interesting month.
**Chapter End**
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