Forest of Death Tower....
After the end of the second round, many genins were eliminated from the chunin exam. The teams who passed were Team 7, team 8, team 10, team Gai, Sand siblings, and Kabuto's team. Out of 26 teams, only 6 teams passed the exam. Sakura informed Kakashi about the curse mark of Sasuke.
But Sasuke didn't want to be unconscious for a few days so he insisted that after the preliminary he would seal the curse mark. Kakashi wanted to seal the curse mark but he didn't want to keep Sasuke away from chunin exams, so he agreed with Sasuke for the timing.
Today all the participants are gathered in the main hall of the tower. Hokage has come to congratulate them for coming so far in the exam.
"You have done a great job this far. In ancient times war was the only way to show military strength but now in peace times, we show our strength through the chunin exams. Chunin exams are a time when the younger generation shows the power of their ninja village in competition and attracts more missions for their village," Hiruzen explained about the chunin exams to the competitors.
"Excuse me Hokage sama, can I explain the rest," Hayate Gekko said to Third Hokage. In response, Hokage nodded to him.
"As you know we didn't expect this many participants so we have a preliminary before the *cough* finals which is going to start in a few minutes. We cannot waste the time of respected guests during finals. So *cough* we will show them the best among you. I am the proctor of the third round Hayate Gekko. If someone wants to leave because of some reason he can quit now," Hayate said to them. He explained the rules to the participants. Kabuto raised his hand.
"I want to quit, my body is not in a condition where it can cope with the battle right now," Kabuto said to Hayate.
"O. k then you can leave. An anbu *cough* will show you the way out of the forest," Hayate said to him. He was surprised that he quit after coming here. Nobody quits without a solid reason.
There was a giant screen from which the two people would be selected randomly as opponents. The first name was Sasuke vs Yoroi. Yoroi is the teammate of Kabuto. Sasuke was excited to test an older genin.
"Good luck Sasuke," Kakashi wished him luck for his match.
"You can do it Sasuke kun," Sakura encouraged Sasuke like always. Naruto remained silent. Sasuke went downside in the arena. Sasuke and Yoroi looked at each other.
"Begin" Hayate signaled the start of the battle.
Sasuke went on an assault mode from the beginning. Yoroi waited for him to come closer as an experienced shinobi. He avoided the punches and kicks of Sasuke. when Sasuke came very close to hitting him. He didn't avoid the attack but he grabbed Sasuke's head.
As soon as he grabbed the head of Sasuke. Sasuke started feeling as if his chakra was leaving him.
"ahhhhhhhhh, whatttts happeninggg to meeee," Sasuke questioned unintentionally to him. He was in deep pain.
"It's my specialty, I can absorb chakra by touching anyone and recover my chakra," Yoroi said to Sasuke with a smirk. He is told by Kabuto not to go easy on Sasuke and push him to the extreme limit.
Sasuke was feeling helpless and then somehow he maintained his distance between them in a desperate effort. Then he started to throw shurikens to distract him. When Yoroi was distracted enough he used one of Lee's moves on him.
He came before him and bent his body and hit him with his leg uppercut on his chin. Yoroi's body flashed in the air. Sasuke came below him in the air. His curse mark got activated but he controlled it.
"Lion's barrage," Sasuke said and delivered a kick upside down from his angle and Yoroi fell to the ground. He became unconscious. Hayate checked him if he was unconscious.
" Winner: Sasuke uchiha," Hayate said after confirming it.
After the Sasuke match finished. Kakashi didn't want to take another chance and he took him to seal his curse mark for the preventive measure.
On-screen, another name popped up by the time the Sasuke match finished. It's Shikamaru vs Kin from Sound Village. Shikamaru looked at his opponent and his mood changed.
"Why do I have to face a girl, it's troublesome," Shikamaru said to Asuma. But after looking at Ino's angry face he went to the arena.
Kin thought it was an easy victory but Shikamaru trapped her in her own game. Kin used sound genjutsu from bells but Shikamaru trapped her in a shadow possession jutsu and made her unconscious and won the ticket for the final.
After that Ino battled with Sakura. They started with battling with kunai and shuriken. Later Sakura used clone jutsu to confuse Ino which she survived. Ino then used mind transfer jutsu which was countered by Sakura's inner personality. At least both knocked out each other with a quick punch.
Kankuro replaced himself with his puppet before the match with Masumi one of Kabuto's teammates. Masumi used chakra to soften his bones and hold down the Kankuro puppet. Kabkuro later revealed himself and captured Masumi inside the puppet and won the match.
Shino won his match against Zaku by blocking his sound pipes and eating his chakra with the help of his insects and won the match.
Chouji lost his match against Dosu from the sound village who used his sound pressure to block off Chouji's attacks and redirected them to walls.
Tenten lost to Temari who blocked all her attacks and attacked her with wind jutsu from her fan.
In the big screen names of the next participants appeared. It's Naruto vs Kiba. Kiba knew Naruto was dangerous from the day when he saw him beating that boy in the academy. It's gonna a tough match for him.
Naruto jumped from the balcony to the arena and waited for Kiba in the arena.
"Sorry Kiba but it is my day, you can try another time," Naruto said to Kiba with a smile.
"I am not afraid of you Naruto, let's see who is the alpha in the rookies," Kiba calmed himself for the battle. Even Kurenai is worried about Kiba. She heard from kakashi how ruthless Naruto can become during battle. Hinata doesn't know whom to cheer.
"Ohh Akamaru will battle with you I guess. Then let's make it 2 vs 2, Summoning jutsu" Naruto said and tried to summon his eevee 'max'. But from it comes out an Umbreon. All those who are watching are surprised together with Naruto.
'I never thought that Max would evolve so soon,' Naruto thought after looking at Max.
"What kind of animal is that, I thought you would bring your Eevee for the match," Kiba asked Naruto. Naruto smiled at him and petted Max on his head.
"His name is Max, he is an Eevee but has recently grown into Umbreon. Even I am amazed, " Naruto said to Kiba. Max is looking at Naruto.
"Begin," Hayate said to Naruto and Kiba. Kiba didn't waste any time and gave a red pill to Akamaru. Akamaru becomes red.
"Let's go Akamaru, Beast human mimicry, Fang over Fang," Kiba wasted no time in thinking and directly went for an attack. Akamaru transformed into Kiba and they went together to attack them.
Max didn't like that some came charging toward him and Naruto to attack. It dashed forward at a very quick speed and interrupted them from charging. Kiba couldn't believe what he just saw his fang over fang with Akamaru stopped by Naruto's pet alone.
Max growled loudly towards Kiba and Akamaru. Growl not only affected them but the audience too.
"Why I am feeling fear towards Eevee while standing in the audience," Asuma asked Kakashi. In response, Kakashi just sighed like he felt the same thing.
"What kind of summoning is that, I've never seen something like that," Orochimaru in disguise asked Baki. He is a curious guy.
"I heard about it in my last visit here a couple of 6 months back, but never seen it. But it looks quite different from what it was described. Maybe it looks different when it is small," Baki heard about Eevee when he came to give a mission scroll in Hokage tower last time.
"Hinata its eyes look quite like Eevee but why it looks different," Kurenai asked Hinata. Hinata just shook her head. She has not seen Eevee for a long time.
Kiba and Akamaru dashed again towards Naruto but this time Max got even more angry. Max doesn't know it is a match. He got summoned and they got attacked and he had never seen Kiba before.
Max eyes glowed for a while. Kiba and Akamaru stopped in the air and they were thrown into the wall by an unknown force. They both fell unconscious because of this unknown attack. Max was about to continue the attack.
"That's enough Max, they are unconscious," Naruto said to Max. It came closer to Naruto and tried to cuddle his thigh with its head. Naruto in response pet max head. Hayate checked on Kiba.
"Winner: Naruto Uzumaki," Hayate announced the result.
"I thought it was Max's match for a few seconds," Naruto said to Hayate. Hayate looked at him for a few seconds with a blank face. Naruto left the arena before he could say anything. Max followed him to the balcony.
"It was a quick one Naruto, I never thought you could win the match by only summoning Eevee," Kakashi said to Naruto. Naruto didn't reply to him back. Hinata came and congratulated him.
On the screen, another name appeared it was Hinata Hyuga and Neji Hyuga. Hinata gets tensed after looking at the name. They both arrive at the arena.
" You should give up Hinata sama, fate has already decided me the winner," Neji said to Hinata. Before Hinata could say anything naruto's voice was heard.
" Hey Hinata you never told me your cousin is an oracle grandma," Naruto asked Hinata from the balcony. Kakashi from his side sighed. He understood that during this match he would hear a lot of taunting from Naruto.
Neji didn't react to Naruto but he was angry. Hayate began the match. Neji and Hinata fought a technical battle of gentle fists. Naruto encouraged her. But Hinata is losing to Neji. Hinata lashes some words on fate to Neji which he doesn't like. He went for a finishing blow which was stopped by jonins. Hinata was about to collapse on the floor from cardiac arrest. Naruto jumps from the balcony to the arena before she can hit the ground and looks at Neji. Doctors come and take Hinata for treatment.
" You have just sealed your fate, you Hyuga branch servant. You couldn't accept your fate but always keep talking about fate," Naruto directly said to Neji. Neji got very angry with Naruto.
" You don't know anything Uzumaki, you should pray that we do not meet in the chunin exam finals. You will regret it, " Neji is still angry at Naruto's comment.
" So a rebel servant who just attacked his master says I will regret it. Dream on, you fate shit. First thing you don't know anything about fate in the first place. You tell what you see from your eyes. You cannot even count the exact number of stars with those eyes," Naruto said to him and left the arena. Neji is angry but can't do anything. Naruto then sends a shadow demon secretly to protect Hinata.
On the screen, the next name appeared. It's Rock lee vs gaara. Rock Lee fought brilliantly but his attack was stopped by Gaara's sand. Gaara wanted to crush him but Lee avoided it and removed his weight which earned a lot of reactions from the present audience. Lee bashed Gaara with his speed and delivered primary lotus. Gaara counters it in the last moment by substitution jutsu.
Lee is forced to open his chakra gates, he then beats Gaara black and blue in the air. He delivers the primary lotus but Gaara's sand gourd turns into the sand cushion and saves him from defeat. Gaara uses his sand and crushes one hand and leg of Lee.
Gai intervenes before anything happens to Lee. Lee is taken to hospital.
Hokage congratulated everyone who advanced to the next round.
"You have one month to prepare for your finals and against your next opponent, so best of luck," Hiruzen said to the remaining participants.
They drew the lots and Naruto had to face Neji for the next round after one month.