Third Person POV
The tower in the middle of the Forest of Death was a huge wooden pagoda, exuding a very ominous aura to any ordinary person. But the genin who had made their way this far were anything but ordinary. Naruto and his team were among the first to arrive for the Chunin Exams. Apart from the Sand Team's new record of clearing the Forest of Death in under two hours, their time was one of the fastest. Clearing the Forest of Death within two days was no small feat, considering most genin teams took an average of four days, while some barely made it in time to pass the second round.
Now, the second round of the Chunin Exams had come to an end. Every team that cleared this round was currently gathered in the hall at the center of the tower. Some looked as if they had enough energy to continue competing, while others looked barely able to stand. Standing before them was a group of Chunin, including the proctors who had overseen the first and second rounds.
Facing the genin teams, the Third Hokage, still clad in his pristine white robes and Hokage hat, addressed them. He explained how the Chunin Exams were a replacement for war in times of peace — a way to monitor rivals and take note of any rising talents among neighboring villages.
As the Third Hokage reached the part most genin were waiting for — the third round of the Chunin Exams — a shinobi named Gekko Hayate requested permission to speak. Hiruzen nodded and gave him the go-ahead.
Rising to his feet and turning to the gathered genin, Hayate began to speak.
Antares/Naruto POV
"We were not expecting this many of you to pass the second round of the Chunin Exams. So, we will need to eliminate some of you," Hayate began. That's how he starts? Even I could tell these kids would be angry, Naruto thought, wondering what Hayate meant by "clearing some things."
As soon as the thought formed, the outrage was clear: some remained calm and asked what they needed to do, but most were screaming and complaining about their current state, insisting they needed rest and protesting the unfairness of the situation.
I scoffed. Life is never fair to anyone; some are born prey, while others are born predators. If you want to change your destiny or fate, you have to work for it. I hardly believed in that last line in my previous life, having never seen anyone alter their fate by sheer hard work and willpower. That was until I met the successor Ashborn chose. Yes, he had Ashborn's support and the chance to grow into his powers, but without the willpower that pushed him through his lowest moments, he would never have grown into Ashborn's might.
Ignoring the screams from the protesting genin, Hayate said, "If anyone thinks they would like to withdraw from here, you can step forward, say your name, and wait for a Chunin to escort you out of the forest along a safe path."
Ah, again with their second chances and scare tactics to reduce the number of participants. I mean, if any of them have come this far, then why—!
"I would like to withdraw. Name's Kabuto Yakushi. I am very tired and don't have much chakra left to continue further."
Oh, now that's a lie. I can sense his chakra, and it doesn't seem like he's out of chakra. On the contrary, his chakra reserves are about the level of Kakashi's. I wonder what his play is. Is he part of some scheme, or is he seriously just that big of a coward to give up before trying? Oh well, not like it matters to me. Apart from him, some other grunts also seemed to have quit.
After all those who quit were escorted out, it was revealed that the wall was a flip screen hidden as part of the wall. This screen was supposed to randomly draw the pairs who were to fight. Huh, interesting. I wonder which of them is unlucky enough to face me in a one-on-one duel.
[AN: I am not going to describe the whole fight scene for every match. It will just be what Antares thinks of the fights and his fight in detail. I will describe his fight with Kiba, as I don't think many changes need to be made to the matches that are drawn.]
The screen flickered, and the first names for the preliminary matches were declared:
Sasuke Uchiha vs Yoroi Akado
The match was nothing much if you ask me. Sasuke was his usual brooding self, as if this world owed him something, and his opponent was someone I did not expect much from, judging by the amount of chakra I sensed. It was nothing for someone like Sasuke, with his dōjutsu and clan-based techniques.
What surprised me was the fact that the other kid, Yoroi, was able to absorb chakra from Sasuke and use it as his own. That was a very neat little trick. Something I did not expect to see. After all, there was no creature in my old world capable of absorbing someone else's mana and using it as their own. Truly fascinating — and apparently possible with chakra.
But his chakra absorption was still of no use. Sasuke quickly figured out he was losing chakra, so he relied on the copied moves from the kid who challenged him before the exams started — Rock Lee. Copying his moves and making some improvisations, Sasuke let go of trying to control his chakra and used the technique with all his might.
It almost looked like he had trained his body to that extent, but anyone with some experience could tell his body was struggling to keep up with the burden he placed on himself. Still, that hardly mattered — he won the match.
After his match, Sasuke did not look like someone who had just won an important fight. He looked more frustrated — constipated, even? I… don't exactly know what that look was, but clearly he hadn't expected the match to take this long or be this difficult.
Second Match: Abumi Zaku vs Aburame Shino
Ah, Zaku. One of those who ambushed the team, the one whose arms Sasuke seemed to have broken. I wondered how he was going to fight. Answer: terribly bad.
At first, I thought he might manage against Shino. After all, Naruto had no memories of Shino displaying much battle capability. But what do you know — he fights with bugs. Huh. That does remind me of Qureshi: the Monarch of Plague, Queen of Insects. How very curious.
The fact that chakra allows him to control insects by forming a symbiotic bond, while Qureshi commanded insects because she was an insect who overcame all toxins and poisons of her kind… it makes me wonder. What else can this chakra do?
The knowledge carried by the kama mark on my soul from Shibia's genetics makes me feel chakra is wasted potential, but that's his perspective. I wonder what else it can allow a wielder to do. Mana was never this versatile — it allowed manipulation of elements and healing, yes, but never bonds with others. Or… perhaps I simply never explored that side of mana.
Third Match: Tsurugi Misumi vs Kankuro
This match went in a very unexpected direction. When Kankuro removed the object on his back, Misumi attacked quickly, hoping to stop him before he could use it. His joint-manipulation technique allowed him to wrap around Kankuro and attempt to choke him to death. Most genin thought he had the match won.
Oh, how wrong they were.
What they thought was Kankuro was in fact his puppet. The real Kankuro had disguised himself as the puppet's bundle. Using the puppet's hidden weapons, he broke every joint in Misumi's body. The screams were horrifying to most genin, while the jōnin barely reacted. The proctor declared Kankuro the winner.
If you ask me, this was the trick of someone weak, and the folly of someone weaker to fall for it. I understand manipulating others into their own demise. I understand using weapons in a fight. But this — using puppets when you have a body capable of battle — I cannot respect. If he were crippled and fought through puppets, I could respect that willpower. But this…
Before I lost my temper, the proctor announced Kankuro the winner.
Fourth Match: Sakura vs Ino
This fight was an insult, a mockery of what battle should be. These two pathetic excuses for kunoichi were nothing more than children throwing tantrums. Fighting for Sasuke? Do they really think he cares?
The fight was so embarrassing that even the other kunoichi could barely hide their disgust. If this is the Sakura Naruto liked, then it's good she never returned his feelings. Because if she had, and I witnessed this pathetic display, I would have killed her myself.
Ino eventually used her clan's mind-transfer jutsu to take over Sakura and make her surrender. At last, that pathetic farce ended.
Fifth Match: Temari vs Tenten
When I saw another fight between two girls, I lowered my expectations so much that I swore if they still failed to meet it, I would slaughter everyone here.
But what do you know — this fight was not bad. Temari proved herself capable of a proper battle.
While Tenten displayed her arsenal of sealed weapons, Temari calmly used her fan to amplify her wind jutsu, deflecting them with ease. When she reached the third moon mark on her fan, she went on the offensive — swift, efficient, deadly. She ruthlessly defeated Tenten in seconds.
Sixth Match: Naruto vs Kiba
Ah, finally. My turn. The mutt-boy is my opponent. Oh well.
"Hey Kiba, I'll give you a chance. Forfeit the match and you can walk away in one piece. I can't guarantee what will happen otherwise."
Silence for a moment, then the stands erupted in laughter. Everyone who knew Naruto before my rebirth laughed so hard they almost fell. Looking around, I noticed some who weren't laughing — Shikamaru's team, Team Guy, and… Hinata. She's supposed to be Kiba's teammate, but from the look in her eyes, she knew I wasn't joking. She believed I could actually do what I said.
"Hah, you really think you can defeat me? Dream on, idiot. You're the dead last of the academy. You can barely use ninjutsu, your taijutsu is sloppy at best, and let's not even talk about genjutsu. And you think you can defeat me?" Kiba laughed, as if my words were a joke. Oh well. He's digging his own grave.
The proctor asked if we were ready. I nodded, hands behind me, gaze fixed on Kiba. His mockery grated on me, and the small part of Naruto within me shouted to humble him. But I waited for his move.
His first move was to drop on all fours, mimicking an animal. Seriously? Does he not know how to fight, or is he mocking me? The answer came when he announced his technique: Beast Mimicry Jutsu. Ah, so he fights like an animal. Then why does he have his mutt with him? To learn how to be one?
Using the technique, Kiba rushed at me. Fast, yes, for most people. But to me, his every possible move was obvious. Then he shifted, using Fang Over Fang — spinning with his dog at high speed. Smart enough to use smoke bombs to obscure vision, but useless against my sixth sense.
As he came near, I amplified my arm with chakra, forming an energy gauntlet, and stopped his attack mid-spin. The shock on his face was priceless. "You didn't expect that, did you?" Using his arm as a handle, I slammed him into the ground hard enough to knock him unconscious and clear the smoke.
'Huh. He'd make a good smoke cleaner,' I thought. Naruto's lingering humor inside me. Perhaps a small part of mortality I'll need, if I want to understand their desperate will to live and leave a legacy.
The room fell silent. No one except those who knew of my recent changes expected this outcome, let alone this quickly. Genma announced me the victor.
As soon as I returned to my team, Kakashi told me to come with him — the Hokage wanted to talk to me.
Huh. I wonder what the Hokage wants from me.