Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Village Hidden in the Waves ❯ Third Part Preliminaries: Water VS Insects! ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter Five

Third part Preliminaries

Water VS Insects!

 

The Chunin said he was chosen as a messenger to tell us about the third part of the exam. He also congratulated us on the completing the second part of the exam just in time. He then showed us into a room where everyone else was, and Sakura waved at us from in the crowd. We went in, standing with them. Sakura smiled at me and I smiled back.

We all listened to how we needed to have preliminary matches so we could take the third exam. Apparently, we were way too many for the main matches to continue. A screen appeared out of the wall, and we could then from that see who would go against whom. We were also told that the preliminaries would start immediately, and that we could drop out if we wanted to.

Just then, I heard Sakura talk to Sasuke.

“It's that mark, isn't it? You can't deny it, Sasuke... Please, Sasuke, quit now, before-... I don't know what... I'm scared... Come on, you know as well as I do you're in no condition to keep on fighting!”

“Shut up, Sakura!”

“You think I'm blind or something?”

“Will you please be quiet?”

“You think I don't see the suffering you're going through?”

“That's enough Sakura.”

“I'm sorry, I can't let you do it to yourself... I'm going to tell them about that mark, then maybe you'll-”

 

Suddenly, they stopped. Kabuto had put his hand up. Naruto argued over him staying, but failed. The black-haired man of the sound ninja left as well, along with one of Kabuto's teammates and Chouji.

Then, Sakura tried to put her hand up, but was stopped by Sasuke.

“Don't you even think about telling them about this mark.” He warned her threateningly.

Sakura shook her head as her eyes welled up with tears. “I don't know what you're trying to prove... Am I supposed to just stand by and let you tear yourself apart? I can't bear to watch it...”

“Then don't watch, but stay out of it!”

Sakura gasped.

 

“This has nothing to do with you.” He let go of her arm. “I told you before: What I am is an avenger. For me, this is far more than just an exam. Whether I become a Chunin or not means less than nothing to me. Am I as strong as I can be? All I want is the answer to that. I can only find out by fighting the strongest, the best. And the best of the best are all here. This is the path I walk. Not you or anyone can change that.”

“Oh, Sasuke...”

“Man, you don't know when to quit! What are you biting her head off for, you idiot? It's just `cause she cares about you!” Naruto started.

“Naruto, you're one of the ones I want to fight the most.”

I turned to Sakura, who was still holding back tears at how Sasuke was being. “Sakura.”

She looked to me with a blank, longing stare.

“I'll try to talk to Sasuke if I get the chance, but the fact remains that he has chosen this path. You can't change that, Sakura, I'm sorry.”

“Thanks for understanding, Kitsune... You know... you remind me a lot of Sasuke, but... somehow, even though you suffered the same fate as he did, you stick with your friends, and you don't just put yourself in danger for no reason...”

I nodded, and then looked to the third exam proctor, who told us about how the preliminaries would go. A screen popped out of the wall, and we were told that the first two opponents would come up on the screen.

Soon, the screen began randomizing names. The to names that appeared were Yoroi Akado and Sasuke Uchiha. I looked to Sakura. She was looking worried. But we simply listened to what the proctor said and went up to the second level to watch the fight.

I stood next to Sakura, holding her as we watched the fight go on. As soon as Yoroi was attacking Sasuke in such a way that it was sapping his strength, Sakura panicked.

“Sasuke, no!” she cried out, but I held her back.

“Just believe in him, Sakura. He's a strong kid, I know he'll make it.”

She nodded, and we watched on as Sasuke began avoiding strikes from Yoroi. Soon, he was staggering.

“Hey, Sasuke!” yelled Naruto. “Come on, man! What was that? And you call yourself an Uchiha? You're going to let this goon walk all over you! Come on, stop messing around and get it in gear!”

Yoroi then charged at him with another attack, but he dodged them, then briefly disappeared, and kicked him upwards, jumping into the air. He stayed up there a while, then began a combo, slamming him into the ground. Yoroi was unconscious. Sasuke rose up from the ground and won the match.

“Yeah! Go Sasuke!” I cried out. Sakura hugged me, and Kakashi-sensei went down to Sasuke. After a while, he left with Kakashi-sensei, and Sakura watched him leave.

“Don't worry about him, Sakura. Trust me, he'll be fine.”

Sakura nodded.

Soon, the screen began randomizing names again. It stopped on Kitsune Yamato and Shino Aburame. I widened my eyes. I was up against Shino? I looked across the stadium, and there he was, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses.

“Step forward, please,” Hayate coughed.

Tokeru put his hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him, and he nodded. I nodded back, letting go of Sakura as I headed for the arena. I looked to Shino, keeping my cool. Just thinking of what insect-based attack he would unleash on me gave me the creeps.

“Very good. Now if you're both ready, then we'll begin.”

I continued to stare at him, waiting for the proctor's signal.

“Candidates ready? Begin.” Hayate told us as he stepped back.

I lowered my hand to the slot where I held my kunai and took one in my hand, holding it at the ready while the other hand was ready to perform hand seals. I just had to keep my cool around this guy. He couldn't be that bad.

“I heard bugs aren't very good swimmers... If that's the case, you're in hot water, bug boy.” I told him. I received no answer, so I just threw the kunai, which he dodged with very little effort. Then, I performed hand seals and called out, “Water Clone Jutsu!”

Instantaneously, clones of myself appeared next to me, and surrounded Shino. I then told him using my clones to divide up the fractions of speech.

“I wouldn't want to get too cocky-”

“But...”

“If you hold your life dear-”

“Then take my advice:”

“Forfeit the match!”

“NOW!” we all said in chorus.

 

Shino remained silent, and I decided it was time to close in. “I warned you!” All my clones charged at him with their kunai, and Shino parried all the attacks. My clones disappeared while I flew backwards.

I got back up, clenching my fists as I told him, “I'm not done yet!” Suddenly, I felt a tingling feeling up my legs. I looked down and saw that bugs had begun crawling up.

“You should pay more attention to your surroundings.” He told me.

I growled and splashed bottled water on my legs to wash them away. I then activated my Suisogan. Using its power, I un-soaked my clothes and used the water to wash away the insects with one hand while keeping an eye on Shino. “Like I said, your buddies are no match for the power of my Suisogan.” Shino took a step back, seeing all the bugs getting thrown around like that.

“Enough chit-chat!” I yelled at him, leaving the bugs to soak in the water. “Let's finish this!” I began a series of several rapid hand seals this time.

“O-ushi, Saru, Usagi, Nezumi, Ousa-buta, Tori, O-ushi, Uma, Tori, Tora, Inu, Tora, Hebi, O-ushi, O-hitsuji, Hebi, Ousa-buta, O-hitsuji, O-ushi, Saru, Tori, Ryu, O-ushi, Uma, O-hitsuji, Tora, Hebi, Nezumi, O-ushi, Saru, Tori, Nezumi, Ousa-buta, Saru, Ryu, Tori, O-ushi, Uma, O-hitsuji, Tora, Hebi, Nezumi, Saru, Usagi, Ousa-buta, Ryu, O-ushi, Nezumi, O-ushi, Saru, Tori, Nezumi, Ousa-buta, Tori!” I held the last seal in front of me.

“Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!!”

An immense water dragon rose from the mess of water behind me.

“It's over!!”

It then came crashing down on Shino. When the water cleared, Shino was lying on his back, out cold.

Hayate bent over him, checking his pulse. He then stood.

“I'd say this one has had it... The winner of the second match is Kitsune Yamato.”

“All right, Kitsune!”

“YEAH!!”

I could hear Sakura and Naruto cheering for me all the way up there. I walked back up to the second level, where both Suki and Sakura hugged me. I felt as if I was being suffocated by all the affection, and then they let go.

“Kitsune, that was amazing!!” Sakura exclaimed at me. “How did you manage to pull off a Water Dragon Jutsu With just that much water?”

“That's what I'd like to know myself.” Said a voice behind me.

I looked back, seeing that Kakashi-sensei had returned from the infirmary.

“Did you see, Kakashi-sensei? Did you see how I beat him?”

Kakashi-sensei shook his head.

“Sorry, Kitsune, I was busy tending to Sasuke. But from what I hear, you were able to pull off a Water Dragon Jutsu her“That's true, Kakashi-sensei, I did.”

“Impossible... the Water Dragon Jutsu has to be performed near large bodies of water… I suppose this is one of the abilities of your Suisogan, then?”

“Don't ask me, sensei, I'm still practicing with its ability.” I smiled.

Then, the screen began to randomize names again. This time, it stopped on Suki Yashi and Kankuro.

“Yeah!” she cried out. “It's finally my turn!”

I smiled and put my hand on her shoulder. “Make us proud, Suki.” She nodded.

“You know I will, Kit.”

With that, they met at the arena, waiting for Hayate's signal for them to begin.

Suki smirked, then grabbed eight shuriken between her fingers, throwing them at Kankuro but making it seem like she was throwing thousands. Kankuro was too amazed by this to think straight, and was hit by all eight before he could do anything. Suki then watched him wince with a triumphant smile, but her expression changed when he laughed.

“Funny, is it?” she asked him. “Well, let's see how you deal with this!” She performed a few hand seals, creating multiple clones of herself. Some of her clones attacked from above, others from the side, some head on and a few from behind. Kankuro swept them away with them away with the bandaged object on his back, and Suki went into the smoke and got Kankuro into a hold, putting a kunai to his throat.

“I've got you, now, so give up!”

“I would... if I were Kankuro.”

 

Suki widened her eyes at this, and `Kankuro' turned his head around 180 degrees so he was looking at Suki, and revealed himself to be only a puppet, which Kankuro was controlling. It grabbed Suki suddenly, causing her to cry out in pain.

“Suki!” I yelled out.

The puppet squeezed her tighter and tighter, until she lost consciousness, and Kankuro came out of the bandages. Hayate went to check on Suki, and then got up. “Since Suki is no longer able to fight, the winner of the third match is Kankuro.”