The silence in the arena was almost oppressive. Genma Shiranui, the examiner, glanced at the body being carried away by the medical ninjas and let out a heavy sigh before trying to regain control of the room.
"Next fight!" he announced, his voice projected firmly to break the mournful atmosphere. "Shino Aburame versus Kankurō of the Sand Village!"
For a moment, the crowd cheered—a new confrontation, a chance for distraction. But before the noise could even grow, a calm, dry voice echoed from the line of competitors.
"I give up."
Kankurō raised his hand, his face completely impassive.
The silence that followed was almost as heavy as the one before, and then a wave of boos erupted from the stands.
"Are you kidding?!"
"Coward!"
"It hasn't even started!"
Genma blinked in surprise, but didn't argue. He simply nodded, registering the result.
"Shino Aburame wins by forfeit."
Shino said nothing. He simply adjusted the high collar of his coat and returned to his seat, oblivious to the audience's reaction.
Across the arena, Li Shang watched silently. His blue eyes reflected the sunlight, as an uneasy feeling washed over him.
'Something big is going to happen.'
He cast another discreet glance up at the wall. The Kazekage, still motionless beside the Hokage, seemed to be watching him directly. His eyes were impossible to read from beneath them, but Li Shang felt his presence.
Genma's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Next fight! Shikamaru Nara vs. Temari of the Sand Village!"
The audience reacted enthusiastically. Everyone knew the young blonde was one of the strongest among the remaining candidates, and the name Nara, while respected, didn't inspire confidence as Shikamaru himself yawned and scratched his head in boredom.
"Oh, what a problem..." he muttered, slowly descending the stairs.
Naruto, on the other hand, pushed him from behind, visibly irritated.
"Go ahead, Shikamaru! Don't embarrass me in front of everyone!"
"Hey, calm down! I didn't even want to be here!" he retorted, but Naruto had already pushed him straight into the arena.
The audience laughed, and even Genma had to hide a smile. The contrast between Naruto's agitation and Shikamaru's laziness gave the beginning of the fight an almost comical air.
Temari twirled her large iron fan, a confident smile framing her face.
"I hope you at least try to fight, or you'll regret coming down."
Shikamaru sighed, raising his hands in a surrendered gesture.
"Okay, okay. Let's get this over with quickly."
The signal was given.
A biting wind rose as Temari swung her fan, creating blades of air that exploded across the ground. Shikamaru ran, dodging with surprising agility, but without attacking—he simply watched, gauging the range of the blows.
'The distance is too great. She controls the field easily... but she's under the sun.'
His shadow lengthened discreetly, stretching across the uneven terrain until it almost touched Temari's without her noticing.
As the fan was raised again, Shikamaru's voice echoed, calm and triumphant.
"I got you."
Temari's body reacted quickly. She jumped away until she noticed the shadow had reached its maximum limit.
'This is the shadow technique… impressive control.' thought Li Shang, watching the fight.
The tension grew. The two's strategic battle, though tedious, sparked the interest of many in the stands and among the examiners.
"Enough of this. I give up." Shikamaru had just fixed his technique.
The sentence fell like a bomb.
The entire audience erupted in confusion—screams, insults, and incredulous laughter. Genma had to nod twice before raising his hand.
"Temari's victory... by forfeit."
Temari, still stunned, widened her eyes.
"Are you... kidding me? I was trapped! Why...?"
Shikamaru scratched the back of his neck.
"Not enough chakra to continue. Besides, the sun is too hot. How lazy..."
He walked away slowly, indifferent to the audience's reaction.
Even Genma was speechless.
'A true lazy genius…' thought Li Shang, halfway between amusement and surprise.
But soon his attention was diverted by the examiner's voice.
"Next fight! Ino Yamanaka vs. Naruto Uzumaki!"
The noise in the stands grew louder again. Naruto waved confidently to the crowd, while Ino maintained a focused posture.
The start was explosive—Naruto flooded the field with dozens of clones, surrounding Ino on all sides. She dodged and countered with quick strikes, but fatigue soon took its toll.
'Her chakra control is refined, but the amount is limited,' Li Shang assessed.
Suddenly, Ino clasped her hands together, closing her eyes. A faint glow filled the air.
"Shintenshin no Jutsu!"
His body fell to the ground unconscious—and Naruto stopped moving.
Silence fell over the arena for a moment. Naruto's body slowly rose, his gaze blank, until a twisted smile formed on his face.
But seconds later, the smile disappeared.
Naruto's eyes widened, and with a sudden scream, Ino woke up and writhed on the ground.
"Aaaaaah! Demon!"
She recoiled in terror, her body trembling, before passing out.
Genma ran to her, confused.
"She... fainted?"
Naruto scratched his head, equally lost.
"What just happened?"
Li Shang watched intently, his eyes shining with interest.
'What an interesting technique... it projects your soul into the enemy's body. Unfortunately, you must have encountered the fox.'
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
'Even sealed, her presence is overwhelming. Ino was lucky she didn't lose her mind.'
When he opened his eyes again, he noticed something—the Kazekage was still watching him.
The gaze met his for an instant, and Li Shang was certain.
'There's no doubt anymore. Orochimaru is up to something.'
Li Shang kept his gaze fixed on the distant wall, where the Kazekage stood motionless. Even with all the noise, his mind was silent.
'I think this guy better not involve me in his plans. My life in Konoha is great.'
A faint smile curved his lips. Training in peace, perfecting his body, studying the seals, and cultivating freely—for Li Shang, that balance was too rare to be wasted on power intrigues. The village might be chaotic, but it was stable. And stability, for someone who had spent his life on the run, was the greatest luxury.
As he watched the clouds move over the top of the arena, Genma's voice cut through his thoughts.
"Sasuke Uchiha, report immediately!"
The crowd murmured impatiently. In the center of the field,Gaara of the SandHe was already positioned, arms crossed, his gaze cold and distant. The chakra around him wavered restlessly, like a trapped beast waiting for an opening to escape.
Genma looked around, sighing.
"If you don't show up now, you'll be considered defeated by forfeit..."
The sound of dry thunder echoed.
"BOOM!"
A thick cloud of smoke filled the center of the arena, causing the audience to lean forward in anticipation. As the smoke began to clear, two figures emerged:Sasuke Uchihastanding, his dark cloak fluttering in the wind, andKakashi Hatakeat his side, with one hand raised in casual greeting.
"I hope we're not late," Kakashi said, scratching his face with a wry smile.
[Author's Note:This story was originally written in Portuguese, so there may be some translation errors. If you notice any, please let me know so I can fix them. Thank you for reading!]