AN : This chapter is m'y favorite, i laugh each Time i read it... Hope you enjoy 🤣🤣
Yay! I actually get to challenge Naruto!" Tenten cheered loudly and happily, causing the others to stare back at her.
"Is she serious?" Sasuke asked humorlessly, How many more people have taken an interest in Naruto or have been looking for the chance to challenge him beside those foreigners from Suna and Kirigakure!?
"I'm moved. I never thought I'd meet a girl that would be that enthusiastic about fighting me," Naruto remarked with a smile.
"Actually she wanted to go at it with you for a while now Naruto-kun," Hinata said.
"Is that right? Well then, if she's that excited about going at it with me, then I'll happily satisfy her in front of everyone," Naruto said with a lecherous tone as he made his way to the arena floor. Hinata shook her head sighed after hearing that, wondering what stunt Naruto was going to pull against Tenten. The rest of the Konoha ninja frowned at Naruto after hearing what he said. Though it was based on the match it still carried a sexual innuendo.
Tenten and Naruto soon stood face to face on the arena floor with Hayate standing in the center between them. Gai and Lee were cheering loudly for Tenten while shouting proverbs of flames and youth.
"Quite the cheerleaders you have Tenten," Naruto joked.
"I don't think they'll ever change. But never mind them," Tenten said.
"Whatever," Naruto shrugged.
"I heard many things about you Naruto. I've been looking forward to an event like this between us for a while now," Tenten said.
With a charismatic tone, Naruto replied, "It's clear that you've never been gratified and yearn for an experience that Neji's impotence was never able to fulfill. I'm honored that you feel that I have the capacity to satisfy you in ways no one else can, Tenten. I promise you, I'll make your time with me an experience you'll never forget."
Tenten blushed crimson and stuttered, being caught off guard by Naruto's words and not knowing in what way she was to take them.
Kurenai frowned deeply. She didn't like how Naruto would so brazenly flirt with another girl right in front of Hinata and everyone else so shamelessly. Hinata though knew Naruto wouldn't do something without a reason, thus she wondered what he was up to.
"How could he flirt with Tenten in front of you Hinata as the match is about to begin!?" Sakura said.
"By now Sakura, it shouldn't be a surprise to you anymore," Kakashi remarked dully, answering for Hinata.
"The eighth match will now begin!" Hayate said before he leaped away. Smiling, Naruto moved his jacket that was still tied around his waist, out of the way to reveal his katana that was hidden underneath it. Grabbing the hilt, he pulled out and unsheathed his katana with such grace for Tenten and others to see. When she saw it, her eyes widened.
"No way! It couldn't be! That blade is made out of chaka metal!" Tenten marveled with a mixture of shock and excitement, "How did you manage to attain such a magnificent blade!?"
Tenten had tried to acquire chakra metal for her weapons, before but its worth was far more than she was able to afford.
"Chakra metal," Chouji inquired, "I never heard of such a thing."
"It's a most expensive alloy fused with titanium, chakra and other expensive metals and minerals. Purchasing the needed amount to make one sword out of it is enough to leave you in a massive debt that would take a year to pay off," Asuma explained.
"Then how was Naruto able to afford such a katana?" Shikamaru asked.
"He didn't buy it; I gave it to him after I recently had it custom made," Hinata answered. Tenten and the rest of the Konoha group turned to Hinata incredulously.
"You had money to buy chakra metal and have it made into a katana for Naruto!?" Tenten asked.
"It was my gift to him. I was certain he'd make great use of it," Hinata said.
"Indeed I will Hinata-chan. It was exciting to knowing that you personally saw to it that I was properly endowed with such an instrument for all to behold and appreciate," Naruto said as he raised his right arm holding his katana and aimed it at Tenten, "And seeing Tenten's excitement over this gifted extension of myself, there's no doubt that she'll have her gratification in being on the receiving end of my sword. Are you ready to be penetrated, Tenten? It's OK to be nervous; after all you're a first timer who'll have her cherry popped."
Again Tenten blushed at how Naruto was talking to her even though he was clearly talking about his katana. While she was distracted, Naruto moved at eye-popping speed and suddenly reappeared behind her. She barely blocked the forward strike to her neck that appeared to look like it would have stabbed her straight through should that attack had made contact had it not been for her quick reflexes and one of her trusty kunai.
"I wasn't ready!" Tenten yelled while blocking and pushing against Naruto's katana.
With a sultry and husky tone, Naruto replied, "I'm sorry. I was so eager to penetrate you without giving regards to your feelings and the pain you'd have felt from my early entry into you. Let's try it again. I promise to make it as worthwhile as possible this time as I slide my sword into your warm body."
Tenten blushed a dark shade of red as her right eye was twitching at how Naruto was using sensuality and sexual innuendos to describe the methods his attacks. It was rather clear that she was inexperienced being flirted with and didn't quite know how to respond.
"This whole conversation between Naruto and Tenten sounds like something I'd read in one of my favorite sagas," Kakashi giggled lowly and blushed, finding the whole scene between his and Gai's students entertaining.
"That Naruto has no shame," Sakura mumbled.
"I don't intend to allow myself to be stabbed or penetrated in any way, Naruto," Tenten said as she pushed back against his kakana.
"That's understandable. My actions just moments ago would have turned this whole encounter into a six second quickie and leave you disappointed and unsatisfied in not being given more as you expected from me. Therefore, before I can enter and be allowed to fully penetrate you, I have to slow the pace down with foreplay and hit you in all the right places first," Naruto said.
Tenten was having difficulty staying focus while listening to Naruto use explicit innuendos to describe his methods of attacks. She quickly jumped away and made some distance between herself and Naruto. Sasuke looked on in boredom before backing away and leaning against the wall.
"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura called out.
"I already know who's going to come out the victor of this match, and that girl honestly doesn't have a fighting chance. And we both know that Naruto could have easily ended this fight just now if he really wanted to. It should be clear to everyone that he's toying with her. This matchup is so one-sided it's sad. Wake me after Naruto decides to win and end the match," Sasuke said, just as he leaned back and sat down on the ground against the wall and closed his eyes. The others just looked at Sasuke after hearing what he said and sadly enough, they knew he was right. Regardless they continued to watch to see what would happen next.
Tenten pulled out one of her scrolls and released the sword sealed inside of it. She held and swung the swords a couple of time to get a feel for it.
"As you can see Naruto, I'm skilled in the way of the sword also and I fully intend to show you first hand," Tenten said confidently.
Naruto took a kenjutsu fighting stance that neither Tenten nor the others were familiar with.
"What's that?" Tenten asked curiously.
"Don't worry; I'll show it to you," Naruto remarked.
"Ooh…," Tenten smirked as she took a fighting stance of her own. There was a tense moment between the two and before another word was uttered, both combatants raced at each other. Tenten, not allowing herself to be caught off guard quickly blocked a vertical slash that came her way. The two started their one-on-one sword battle, clashing their respective weapons of choice against each other. Tenten was being pushed hard as she had to calculate and maneuver herself fast around Naruto whose skills with the sword wasn't to be laughed at. Several times she had to back away from him and again from a combo slash-stab attack that would have clearly wounded her had she took one misstep in her battle.
Sakura, who had seen Naruto battle Orochimaru, saw that Naruto was clearly holding back when he could have long concluded the fight and his earlier stunt at the commencement of the match testified to that. Then again, Naruto had stated that he was going to slow things down and not hurry things up just so he could entertain Tenten while allowing him to gauge her abilities.
Tenten was sweating and catching her breath after a hard sword clash match with Naruto. Her hair was more of a mess and she sustained a few small cuts from Naruto's attacks but nothing serious. Naruto on the other hand didn't look the least bit tired or drained at all as he hadn't been hit once. The look on her face truly revealed her true feelings about her situation concerning her match.
I heard he was talented with the sword and that it could rival that of the Seven Swordsmen of Kirigakure, Tenten thought while taking deep breaths while trying to normalize her breathing, I know he's holding back and he even admitted that he would do so, right as this battle started . Well then, I'm going to have to turn things up a notch. But I heard that he's also skilled in wind manipulation and A-Class ninjutsu so I better watch out for those kinds of attacks.
"I would have never thought that Naruto would be this proficient with the sword," Asuma complimented, "I got to wonder what kind of practice sessions you gave him Kakashi."
"None of my training included kenjutsu. If it did, I'd have inquired of Hayate for assistance since he's more adept in kenjutsu than I am," Kakashi stated.
"Then how do you explain Naruto's caliber with the use of his katana my youthful rival? I heard about his encounter with Zabuza in Nami no Kuni and from what I was told from Hiashi-san it was truly astonishing," Gai interjected.
"There's much about Naruto that I don't know. He has an excellent way to keeping his skills and true character under low radar from me and others and it's rather clear that he taught that same skill to his girlfriend seeing that her clan is just as unaware of Hinata's true caliber. It brings back to mind a particular conversation we had at the bar a little more than a year ago after I failed my last Genin team as Gai was shouting about having his own Genin team," Kakashi said.
"What conversation would that be?" Kurenai asked.
"Let me refresh your memories Kurenai: You were talking about trying to get Hinata as your disciple more than anything else," Kakashi reminded, "You stated how her clan viewed her as a burden for her inability to learn their clan's fighting style. Despite what the clan believed of her or were led to believe by her, you knew Hinata had potential to rise above her difficulties and prove wrong all those who thought little of her. But at the same time, I pointed things out to you that you were inattentive to at the time."
Kurenai was quiet as she continued hearing Kakashi out.
Kakashi continued, "I remember telling you back then how I heard from others how Hinata was a mostly shy and timid girl. And then I told you how I had often questioned Hinata's shyness and timid nature because of her fondness and close bond with Naruto and how she has been seen with Naruto almost everywhere he goes, regardless of what most of the villagers said or how she was viewed by them for doing so over the years. I stated how Hinata's courage to openly stand up against the villagers' senseless discrimination and prejudice toward Naruto was a most admirable trait that led me to see that there was something underneath her shy and timid character that she kept under a low profile.
"But in spite of what I told you, you made it very clear that Hinata had potential and that you were hoping to be given the chance to bring them out. Even though your time training Hinata isn't as long as Naruto's, her use in genjutsu to temporarily thwart the Byakugan, her clan's prized dojĹŤtsu, demonstrated that you indeed helped bring out the potential you saw in Hinata seeing how you saw her capacity to learn genjutsu. Naruto taught Hinata well in hiding and masking things from the Byakugan, but you Kurenai, helped Hinata to not only upgrade that but to also manipulate the Byakugan through your teachings in genjutsu. That's quite a feat you accomplished if you ask me, considering that Naruto is not adept in genjutsu.
"You may be upset that Hinata hid things from you, but remember that as ninja, we don't always reveal and share everything about ourselves with everyone, even with those we're dearly fond of and close to. And with regards to myself and Naruto, my situation is far unlike yours because there isn't a thing I can rightfully say I taught Naruto in."
The Konoha group and others listening to Kakashi's speech were surprised by what he admitted at the end of his speech. Kurenai started feeling better about herself after listening to Kakashi's words, especially after watching Hinata's performance against Neji. The female Jounin felt so sadden and angry with herself and Hinata, believing that as a sensei, and in some ways a mother figure, she failed to teach Hinata anything and that Naruto was the better teacher. Though Kurenai was made to acknowledge that Naruto taught and trained Hinata for a longer period of time, listening to Kakashi's speech helped soothe the negative emotions Kurenai was feeling towards herself and Hinata since Kakashi's plight as a sensei was far worse in that the Jounin openly admitted to not being able to claim credit in teaching Naruto anything.
"Thank you," Kurenai said with an appreciative tone, "I really mean that; thank you."
Kakashi gave Kurenai an eye smile and nodded to her. Kurenai then turned to Hinata and said, "But don't think that lets you off the hook young lady. We're still going to have that little chat after the preliminaries like you promised."
"I haven't forgotten Kurenai-sensei," Hinata replied, not sensing the anger and sadness in her sensei's demeanor anymore. Hinata was happy that Kakashi helped build a foundation for her and Kurenai to start mending things on with each other. Things between her and Kurenai were not irreversibly damaged.
"But Kakashi-sensei, didn't you teach Sasuke-kun, Naruto and me tree walking?" Sakura asked.
"Honestly, I'm pretty sure Naruto already knew that technique long before I taught it to both you and Sasuke," Kakashi revealed, "If anything, Naruto just played the part that he didn't know anything about tree walking."
"Regardless of your circumstances concerning Naruto my youthful rival, I'm sure that'll be something you can possibly pass down to Naruto," Gai encouraged.
"Oh, I'm sorry did you say something Gai?" Kakashi asked in a mock tone of obliviousness.
"Argh! Curse you and your hip attitude my eternal rival!" Gai retorted. Everyone sighed and turned back to watching the match between Naruto and Tenten.
"Tenten," Naruto said soothingly with passionate tone as he held and aimed his shining katana at her, "I know you're still in need of being made physically ready before I can penetrate and completely enter you thus consummating this union I'm seeking to have with you. And I have yet to strike you in all the right places."
"You're twisted Naruto!" Tenten replied, "How could you use such an illicit overtone to describe your mannerism of sword fighting!?"
"Illicit? Tenten nothing I do is illicit so long it's within the boundaries of foreplay," Naruto said, "And seeing your emotions getting all riled up means that I'm getting clone to finding all of the right buttons and hitting all the right places."
Tenten took a moment to calm down and think things over.
It's just as Sasuke said. Naruto is toying with me and using innuendos and flirtatious statements to throw me off. More than once he showed that he could have ended this fight if he wanted to, Tenten thought as she put on a neutral facial expression.
"I truly believe that it's time you stop with this foreplay crap and flirting nonsense Naruto since it's getting old and tiring fast! And your use of innuendos has proven to be more than annoying by now," Tenten stated as she held her arm out her sword aimed at him.
"Hm," Naruto muttered as he tilted his head to the side.
"I would like for you to fight me the way I heard about, without your infamous perverted behavior and speech," Tenten added. There was a brief silence as everyone waited to see what was going to happen next. Soon the silence was broken.
"Very well then; many are already on to me as it is in light of recent events that's unfolded in the past few weeks," Naruto conceded and then he closed his eyes and lowered his head. Tenten and the others wondered what he was up to as he stood there quietly. A moment later, Naruto raised his head and opened his eyes, revealing his true fierce battled hardened blue eyes. Tenten couldn't help but look at Naruto in shock as a small gasp escaped her mouth, especially after seeing that the aura around Naruto's character changed entirely.
Gaara's eyes narrowed as he felt a totally different atmosphere surrounding Naruto's change. Temari for her part took a close and careful examination of Naruto's change of character. She was in deep thought as she analyzed him.
Those are not the same eyes as before. That isn't the same goofy teenage boy I met when I first stepped foot here in Konoha, the one that praised and admired my beauty and mannerism as a ninja. No; this Naruto is entirely different. This is his true face, his true personage, the one I wanted to see, Temari thought.
"One must always learn to look underneath the underneath; things aren't always what they appear to be on the surface."
Those were Naruto's words to me a couple of days ago, Temari recalled, And I told him that his proverb aptly applied to him also and that it was something we have in common. I wonder what more there is to him.
The other Konoha ninja looked Naruto's change in demeanor and saw a Genin they never met before with the exception of just a few.
"Looks like Naruto-kun decided to show everyone his true self," Hinata said.
"His "true" self?" Ino asked.
"You'll see what I mean," Hinata replied.
"This is going to be a troublesome situation I'm sure. It makes me feel that we never knew Naruto at all," Shikamaru remarked.
"You didn't, none of you did even while attending the ninja academy," Hinata replied.
"And what about you?" Ino indicted.
"Like I told Sasuke, I'm the only one that truly knows Naruto-kun. You and everyone else knew only what he wanted you all to," Hinata said.
"In light of recent events, the same can be said of you too Hinata since we don't know you as well as we thought," Shino remarked.
"Shino-kun, I'm sure there are things about yourself that you don't openly share with everyone for reasons of your own, yes?" Hinata replied. Shino quietly nodded and said nothing further on the topic.
With a more serious tone Naruto stated, "I think I played around enough and I see that you're truly fired up in wanting a more thought-provoking encounter."
Naruto reached for his head protector and moved it down over his eyes, covering them completely.
"What are you doing?" Tenten asked while looking at him quizzically.
"My becoming more serious than before gives me an added unfair advantage on top of what I already was able to do regardless of the limits I gave myself. Therefore, I decided to give myself this self-imposed handicap, the loss of physical sight," Naruto explained. Tenten didn't know whether to believe Naruto be full of himself or foolish to attempt a battle with her while fighting blind. At the same time though…
I read about blind taijutsu and kenjutsu fighters during my private studies and from what I understood they weren't to be underestimated at any time since they had pertinently trained and strengthened their other senses, Tenten considered cautiously, But to develop such a skill takes a long time, perhaps years and without the right teacher and guidance, it's practically impossible to pull off. Plus, I never came across any ninja in Konoha who trained anyone blind or that they themselves were blind ninja. For the Hyuuga and Uchiha Clan, loss of sight is the worst curse and damnation for them because of their dōjutsu. But Naruto has no such worries. Still, I'll have to watch both his and my movements carefully.
Tenten braced herself with her sword ready to fight; as did Naruto.
This ought to be interesting, Hiruzen thought, I wonder what trick Naruto has up his sleeves while bearing this self-imposed blindness.
"Naruto is seriously going to fight Tenten blind? Is he insane?" Ino asked incredulously.
"I don't think we'll ever grasp the depths of how Naruto's mind works," Shikamaru commented.
Sasuke stood back up and walked over to see what was going on. He saw the position Naruto put himself in. Upon hearing what Naruto was going to do, he had to see it for himself.
Without warning Naruto charged at Tenten and commenced clashing swords with her again, only this time he wasn't going easy on her as he now became more fierce and faster than before. Tenten was struggling trying to keep up with him as he wasn't giving her time to rebound for every cut wound he gave her through her pants and pink shirt, which were now stained in her blood. Her injuries slowed her down a bit but Naruto had no intentions this time to let her catch her breath as he came at her harder now.
Adding to his cutthroat tactics was that he added wind chakra to his blade, sharpening and extending the potency of his deadly weapon. This was made clear when the blade of Tenten's sword shattered to pieces after he clashed his katana against it again, purposely destroying her sword.
"My sword!" Tenten gasped upon seeing what happened to her sword. Naruto then held his left hand forward, half a foot away from her and said, "FĹ«jin Bakuhatsu (Wind God Explosion)!"
Tenten was blasted off her feet and far away from him and into the hand statue. She yelped in pain as blood coughed from out her mouth upon impact into the status before crashing down to the floor with a thud facedown. She was still conscious but in a world of pain.
"Are my methods getting old and tiring now, Tenten?" Naruto asked coolly. The kunoichi grunted in agony from the impact and the cut wounds he made around her body. Everyone now saw the sight of Tenten's disheveled appearance as her clothes now were ragged and slashed up in multiple areas with her blood staining the areas the slashes and tears on her clothes were made. She was panting and sweating hard and her hair was a complete mess.
While waiting for Tenten to gather herself together, Naruto quietly recalled training himself with the use of blindfolds during his time at the academy. During those times he practiced with his clones and Hinata while having her use her Juuken and Byakugan against him. Thankfully Naruto was smart in having his blindfolded clones practice and spar against Hinata because from all the experiences that fused with him, were he to directly challenge Hinata while having loss of sight, in every match it would have resulted in him having shut off chakra points and a series of serious internal injuries later. This pattern continued for a for a few weeks as Naruto studied the experiences he gained from his clones and learned where his weaknesses were.
Alongside this, Naruto went and picked up books from the shinobi library and read up on methods of developing his other senses if he were to lose the ability of sight. He had his clones study those books several times and practicing what they read from them while he himself started developing another form of sight to use when he wasn't using his literal eyes. It wasn't easy and it took a great deal of effort and time even with kage bunshin.
But after a period of a several months with hundreds of kage bunshin practicing every day for long hours in the training grounds while he himself was at the academy, fruitage of his hard work started paying off. But it wasn't until a week before his first mission to Nami no Kuni when Naruto finally mastered his new training. And when he sparred blindfolded against Hinata, she wasn't able to easily land blows on him as easily as she did his clones in the past.
In fact, it was one of his clones that gave him an idea about mixing his wind element with his training in fighting without literal sight nearly two months before he mastered his new training. This served to help amplify his sense of hearing and touch through sound in the wind and air molecules. The trick to it was that Naruto had to "coat" is entire body with wind chakra and use it to send out pulses of air molecules that would bounce off the surrounding objects. The sound resulting from the collisions of the particles against objects and people that Naruto would hear through the air with concentrated wind chakra surrounding his ears helped him to pinpoint locations of objects, animals, insects and people and their movements. In effect he was able to navigate himself around them. Therefore, when Hinata challenged Naruto again, she was totally winded as she couldn't land a single hit on him in the end. She was happy and proud of his accomplishments though she herself stuck with the use of sight since her Juuken relied heavily on the Byakugan.
"Naruto-kun is an amazing fighter! I mean; to be able to fight blind like that!" Lee admired.
"My question is when did he train to fight with self-imposed blindness and who taught him how to do so," Kurenai interjected.
"He learned while attending the academy," Hinata said.
"But we didn't have any teachers there that specialized in that kind of combat skill," Chouji stated.
"No we didn't," Hinata agreed and continued, "In secret, Naruto put himself through intense training and practice over the months to get this far. I don't know the details behind how he did it, but even I wasn't able to beat him in a fight while he fought blind."
"I respect Naruto for developing such a skill. He proved that physical disability doesn't always hinder someone from excelling or becoming the best they can be," Lee said, while thinking of his own inability to use ninjutsu.
"Indeed he has," Gai agreed.
"And clearly from the looks of things, Tenten bit off more than she could chew," Chouji remarked.
"She asked for it," Shino reminded.
"Still, I hope Naruto-kun doesn't take things too far," Lee said.
"After seeing what Naruto personally did to GatĹŤ and his men in Nami no Kuni, anything Naruto does that's short of that would be considered an act of mercy," Kakashi remarked.
After a few minutes, Tenten managed to stand back up and walked towards Naruto, who stood there and waited for her next move. She was holding her right side to soothe the pain she was feeling from the injury to her ribs. She stood twelve feet from him. She looked down at the sword he destroyed with his and looked back at him.
"That was my favorite sword you destroyed just so you know," Tenten said, "It was my first sword though it wasn't made out of chakra metal like yours."
"My apologies, but events like these are to be expected in the battlefield, just so you know," Naruto replied.
"I suppose it couldn't be helped," Tenten said. Meanwhile…
"Tenten talked about wanting to challenge Naruto to a match and now she's testing the extent of her burning flames and seeing how far her youth has taken her," Gai commented.
"But she's having a difficult time trying to keep up and match Naruto," Kurenai noted.
"Matching Naruto at the level he's at won't be possible for Tenten to do," Kakashi said, "He's in his own class."
"Though that is true however, the expression on her face isn't one of frustration or anger," Gai commented, "Rather, it's one of excitement and exceeded expectations."
"You mean to tell us that she's actually enjoying this match despite how things currently aren't in her favor?" Asuma asked skeptically.
"She's facing an opponent of her age group who can test and challenge her skills in kenjutsu. She's trying to see how her skills measures up to that of Naruto's, especially after his recent sword battle with Orochimaru we were also informed of. I say her burning enthusiasm is justified as she'll come out learning a lot more than she had before," Gai replied.
"How insightful of you Gai, as the same could likewise be applied to Naruto after his encounter with Orochimaru. From what I was told, Naruto beat and came close to killing Orochimaru twice in one sword fight earlier today," Kakashi mentioned.
"He came close to actually killing one of the Sannin!?" Chouji asked in disbelief.
"I'm still finding that hard to believe," Anko said as she appeared alongside them, "I heard the brief report from that gaki's clone but it's a hard pill to swallow."
"True, Naruto is strong but to be able to battle a Sannin singlehandedly and nearly kill him, twice in one day in fact!?" Asuma commented.
"A battle with a Sannin, let alone surviving one is no easy feat, even with whatever arsenal that was at Naruto's disposal," Shikamaru spoke up.
"It wasn't," Sakura agreed, "It was a most fierce and deadly battle. Both Naruto and Orochimaru were fighting on equal grounds. But in the end, Naruto out-powered and outsmarted Orochimaru and defeated him though the Sannin escaped from Naruto's last attack."
"I'm sure Naruto was injured in some form or shape as a battle like that should have left him exhausted and completely drained," Kurenai observed.
"It did," Lee confirmed, "My team and I were there when we saw Naruto-kun and his team right after their battle with Orochimaru. Naruto-kun was really worn out and near emptied of strength and chakra. However, Tenten noticed after our arrival here that Naruto-kun was completely restored back to full strength and health with no sign of fatigue or injury."
"Do you suppose his tenant had something to do with his uncanny recovery speed?" Shino inquired.
"There's that possibility but the speed of his recovery without the amount of rest needed after his extreme battle with Orochimaru was way too fast even for a Jinchuuriki," Kakashi stated, "I honestly can't explain how Naruto recovered that fast…Then again, I underestimated his abilities more than once before, and during the bell test I gave him and the rest of my team, Naruto demonstrated firsthand that he had it within his power to put to death before the end of that bell test if he had chosen to. I wouldn't standing here now if he took my words serious about coming at me with the intent to kill."
This was news to Sasuke and Sakura as they were unaware of this when they took the bell test with Naruto. Though Sasuke was looking like he was sleeping while sitting on the floor against the wall, he was actually listening to their conversation.
"Naruto actually beat you and could have killed you even then!? But how?" Sakura implored.
Kakashi answered, "Honestly, I've been trying to figure out how he pulled it off as he purposely left out information in how he set me up with one of his disguised bombs he somehow managed to plant on me."
"I don't understand or find logical how someone with such talents and intelligence still graduate as our class's dead last," Shino expressed.
"He chose to," Shikamaru stated, causing Sakura and Kakashi to look straight at him. Hinata looked at her fellow Genin also seeing how Shikamaru figured it out.
"I've been observant of Naruto for some time now even long before our graduation from the academy. Like the rest of you I found that aspects of his character and skills didn't add up, and that there was more to him than he let on. His performance during the Genin Exams and everything else he did aside intentionally cutting class for reasons unknown and choosing to fail Iruka's exams only proves that Naruto could have become our class' Rookie of the Year if he wanted to, but he didn't and he evidently allowed Sasuke to fill in that role in his place," Shikamaru explained, and then turned to Hinata, "After seeing your battle with Neji, it's clear that you were our class' top kunoichi, not Sakura. But like Naruto, you chose to stay in the background and be unnoticed."
Hinata gave no argument to his words and confessed, "What you say is true. We could have done all those things, but Naruto-kun and I chose not to."
Sakura felt bad that Hinata, like how Naruto did with Sasuke, allowed her to become their class' top kunoichi when she, Hinata, was truly the top kunoichi. It only brought back to mind what Naruto told her in the forest and how at one point in time she could have been the one in Hinata's place had she, Sakura, treated him right back then. But when she remembered what she was told by Naruto in the forest, Sakura then realized that if Hinata indeed became their class' top kunoichi, then Hinata would have been placed on Team 7 and not her. And that would have gone against Naruto's intentions in keeping Hinata away from Sasuke who was still trying to pursue a relationship with her and get her to dump Naruto. There would have been fierce fights between Naruto and Sasuke until it boiled down to Naruto wounding, perhaps permanently making Sasuke disabled. Sakura realized this after she recalled when Naruto explained to her how he punished Sasuke recently for crossing a line with Hinata.
Hinata saw the expression on Sakura's face and said, "I'm sure you're shocked and angry at me for this deception Sakura. But please understand that as a ninja, it was something I had to do."
"There's no need to apologize Hinata. I know you have your reasons and I don't hate you for them. If anything, I'm sure Naruto had your best interest in mind," Sakura assured.
"Thank you," Hinata said, relieved and appreciative that Sakura didn't carry a hateful grudge against her.
"It just means that our records from the academy makes me smarter than you," Sakura joked. Hinata chuckled a little.
"So why did both you and Naruto choose not to become our class' top ninja?" Chouji inquired.
"Does it really matter that much to you guys?" Sasuke interjected while still sitting on the floor up against the wall with his eyes still closed, "It's their business what they chose to do. And if they wanted really to they'd have already shared their reasons as to why things happened the way they did. But clearly they haven't so therefore let's drop the topic please."
It was clear that Sasuke wanted the conversation regarding Naruto and Hinata's true academic status not to be talked about, especially after Naruto personally told him, Sakura and Karin why he chose to become the dead last few hours earlier. Shikamaru eyed Sasuke who sat there on the floor against the wall with his eyes still closed and his arms crossed over his chest.
They know something and obviously they don't want us to know about it. It's quite clear that whatever it is, Sasuke isn't happy about it while Sakura completely accepts it, Shikamaru contemplated. Hearing Shikamaru words and Hinata herself confirming them only added more questions for Kurenai to ask with answers she wanted from Hinata.
"Hey the match isn't over yet!" Lee said, "Let's watch as our youthful comrades continue demonstrating the extent they flames have reached!"
Deciding the drop the topic, the group decided to return their attention back to the fight. Naruto sensed Tenten's location and the distance she placed between herself and him.
Tenten's distance from me is neither too far nor too close, Naruto noted, This way she can deal with defense and offense without much problem. Clever…
Naruto grinned towards Tenten, who got slightly uneasy because of that grin.
"I have to say Naruto that you're everything they said you are and more," Tenten complimented as she took out two scrolls, "But this time, you'll take me serious as I'll come at you with everything I got now!"
Tenten threw her two scrolls into the air before leaping with them into the air.
"Kuchiyose No Jutsu, Sōshōryū (Summoning Technique Twin Rising Dragons)," Tenten yelled before she unrolled the scrolls and started spinning at a fast speed. Picking up speed she became a blur. Naruto, through wind pulses and air particle vibrations, sense her location and realized what she was doing while spinning fast in the air. Tenten rapidly summoned dozens and dozens of weapons so that she could throw them at him in quick succession. Weapons, lots and lots of weapons of various sorts started flying out of the spinning blur that Tenten became.
Acknowledging the situation he was in, Naruto resorted to using his wind speed force and ran around the arena floor to dodge and evade the thrown weapons fired at him. From katana, kunai, shuriken, senbon needles, throwing knives, spiked balls, chain balls, darts, they were hurled at him nonstop. However, Naruto, in a black and orange blur, evaded every last one of them just as fast as they were coming as he raced all around the floor at a speed the rest of the onlookers had a real hard time keeping up with.
"When did Naruto learn to move that fast, especially without knowing where he's running?!" Chouji asked in amazement.
"My question is how is he avoiding all of Tenten's weapons at that speed without sight no less," Shino spoke in.
"My shadow binding couldn't move that fast even at my best," Shikamaru noted, "So seeing him move like this while evading all of Tenten's thrown weapons without the use of his eyes on top of that is a major surprise."
"So far everything we're seeing about Naruto is a surprise!" Ino remarked.
"That's what makes my Naruto-kun the number one most surprising ninja," Hinata commented with a smile.
"Touché," Ino replied as she and everyone else continued watching. Soon, Tenten's assault halted. Naruto stopped running and stood in the midst of all of Tenten's scattered arsenals. Tenten landed and smirked at Naruto, her scrolls floating down beside her with all of her weapons littered all over the arena floor.
"Tenten, I'm waiting for you to stop trying to fight me and actually fight me," Naruto remarked.
"Don't mock me!" Tenten retorted and then leaped high into the air again before her weapons were tied to her fingers with thin, nearly-invisible strings, allowing her to raise them off the ground and aimed them all at Naruto.
"Try running from this Naruto!" Tenten yelled with her sight locked on Naruto. The Jinchuuriki was silent as he used his wind element to calculate the situation he was in. He sensed lots and lots of various kinds of weapons hovering over him and aimed to be thrown at him again.
"This doesn't look good for Naruto," Ino said with concern.
"Don't count him out yet," Hinata advised, "Knowing him, he has something planned already."
"You sound sure of yourself," Ino replied.
"That's because Naruto-kun never gave me a reason to ever doubt him," Hinata stated
Tenten, while air-borne, threw her weapons at him again, this time all at once. Naruto stood there as all of the weapons were sent flying at him at the same time. Tenten was sure she had him, but her confident smile however started fading as she notice that all of her weapons started slowing down after they started reaching him. They all sudden came to a complete stop while inches away from Naruto's body and face and hovering in the air.
"What is this?!" Tenten asked aloud in confusion while everyone else looked on wondering what caused her weapons to suddenly stop and float in the positions they stopped at. A few seconds later, a powerful wind sphere erupted out of Naruto and blasted all of Tenten's weapons away from him. Tenten herself was knocked off balance by the spherical wind burst and was thrown to the ground on her back.
"What the hell was that!?" Sakura asked with a shock tone.
"I now understand what it is Naruto is doing," Asuma said as he admired Naruto's ingenuity in his use of wind chakra, "Not only did he use his wind element as a force field, but his using his wind element as his pair of eyes."
Everyone turned to Asuma upon hearing that.
"Is that even possible?" Kurenai asked.
"Naruto is demonstrating that even now. He's using the air all around him to sense and hear what's going on and who's doing what while measuring the distances that the actions are taking place. It gives him a complete 360 degree "sight" through sound and air movement. But that and what Naruto did just moments ago against Tenten weapons are very advanced levels of wind manipulation!"
"Want to give us the details?" Shikamaru implored.
Asuma explained, "Naruto was able to use air molecules in the air around him to slow down all of Tenten's weapons and then have them come to a complete stop, while keeping all of them in midair mind you! Feats like those along with how he's using his wind element as his pair of eyes takes a long time to accomplish. Even an experienced Jounin like me have never reached such a mastery level as that but Naruto did it!"
Temari was listening to their conversation and needless to say, hearing what she heard after seeing what Naruto did had truly astounded her. As it did Baki and KankurĹŤ. Gaara though saw Naruto as a promising challenge to prove once and for all his existence.
Tenten, shaking the dizziness out of her head, got up off the ground with Naruto facing her.
"I've seen and countered an attack similar to yours before, only it was far more advanced since it was a kunoichi's element bloodline limit and it came at me in a complete 360 degree aim," Naruto explained, "Your attack however came at me at a mere 45 degree angle, which means it was completely in my "sight" and range and easy to avoid. In all, your attacks and weapons are ineffective and useless against wind elemental fighters."
Tenten snarled and gritted her teeth at how Naruto dissected her attacks and criticized her ineffective performance. But what add salt and butter to the burn was that he was doing all this with his self-imposed blindness. Before another word was said, Naruto moved in a blink of an eye and reappeared in front of her. Snapping out of her shock, she jumped out of the way fast enough to avoid a wind infused slash attack that split the ground in front her open like a large flesh wound.
Tenten's paled she saw what would have happened to her if she took a direct hit from that attack. Naruto stood in front of the large opening he made as Tenten made some distance between them. All the while her mind was racing fast, trying to come up with a plan of action against Naruto. While doing so, Naruto "looked" around at all of her weapons scattered all over the arena floor. As he did so, a plan was starting to formulate in his mind.
None of my attacks worked and Naruto is clearly skilled as both a close melee and long range fighter! And his wind element makes him more deadly! Even his defense is stronger than I thought and none of my weapons will work against it, Tenen contemplated.
"Enough deliberations," Naruto said before he rushed at her. She ducked from his horizontal slash and leaped to the side in the effort to grab one of her weapons. As she was about to grab one of her swords, Naruto suddenly appeared in front of her and stabbed his katana down. Tenten retracted her right hand away quickly before it was stabbed through. She then rolled out of the way as he performed a vertical slash with his katana down at her, slicing through the floor again.
Naruto turned and looked ready to come at her again. Tenten backed away from him until she was in the center of the arena. Detecting where she was, he sheathed his katana and gave her a sinister smile, which left Tenten rather nervous for whatever it was Naruto had planned for her.
"What was the name of that attack of yours…Oh yes, I believe it was…," Naruto said and then clasped his hands together in prayer form and continued, "Kuchiyose No Jutsu, Sōshōryū!"
Naruto started concentrating large amounts of wind chakra and after a short moment he formed two growing cyclones that started sucking all of Tenten's weapons into themselves. Tenten looked at what was happening but soon found that the two twisters had completely surrounded her as they were spinning in circles around her. She was trapped between the two shredder tornadoes that were made up of all of her weapons and the wind itself was a danger if she got pulled into it with all of her spinning weapons that would shred and slice her apart until she was a gory heap.
Her fear was only heightened when she saw that the rotating cyclones were slowly narrowing and closing in on her as they continued circling around her. The two opposing wind forces pressing against her made it impossible for her to attempt to run for it. The loud howling of the winds drowned out whatever shouts or yells Tenten gave.
"Tenten!" Lee yelled out to her but his yells were also drowned out by the blasting howls of the twin cyclones. Sasuke and the others saw the position Naruto put Tenten in and it was most dire, for her that was. But what shocked everyone was the fact that Naruto was even able to create and control two tornadoes at the same time. Meanwhile…
I can use Tessenjutsu, which makes me a specialist in being able to use any fan as a weapon. I can only use wind jutsu and create cyclones like that through the use of my fan and it has to bear three stars on it in order for me to create cycles like that, Temari thought as she looked on in amazement and admiration, Yet Naruto executed wind attacks and managed to create two tornadoes of equal strength like my fan with three stars through the use of his own affinity and without the aid of any fan to help amplify his affinity! And he's controlling them equally with no difficulty! And using wind as "eyes"!? It's completely unheard of and innovative! In Suna, Naruto would have been revered as one of the most exceptional geniuses and rear prodigy for such talents in wind manipulation.
Naruto and I have so much in common: we're both wind specialists, children of our respective villages' Yondaime, coming from families possessing a bijuu and living hard lives because of that, very few saw us for more than what and who we are. We work and train hard to prove that we're more than others believe us to be. And that look on his face, his true face…there's so much more about him I need and want to find out about…
Baki turned and saw the look on Temari's face. Being one who was also adept in wind jutsu, the Suna Jounin understood what was going through the Suna kunoichi's mind. He also knew that he assigned Temari to spy and find out as much as she could about Konoha's Jinchuuriki. But the look in her eyes told him a different story and judging from her early reaction from KankurĹŤ's statement about how he caught her staring at Naruto, it was very clear to Baki that Temari had developed a certain attraction and romantic interest in Konoha's Jinchuuriki. He suspected it but now he was sure of it. He made a mental note to keep an eye on her future actions as a result.
I don't know what kind of elemental training that gaki put himself through but whatever it was I might consider asking him for pointers, Asuma considered while grinning and looking on admiration at Naruto's incredible control of his wind element.
I'll die if I don't get out of this! And by my own weapons! Tenten panicked.
"Life is filled with irony's cruel humor, wouldn't you say?" Naruto asked before he interlocked his fingers together, triggering a chain reaction within the cyclone to occur.
Tenten screamed and braced herself for the worst when she saw her weapons being fired at her all at once at blurring speed from the twin tornadoes in what looked like flying exchanges of weapons between the tornadoes with Tenten in the center. From katana, swords, kunai, shuriken, naginata, darts, senbon needles, knives, kodachi, they were all thrown her way tearing at her.
"Tenten!" Lee scream out worriedly after seeing what Naruto did.
"Did Naruto actually…!?" Sakura asked, not wanting to finish the question. Hiruzen, Kakashi and the other Jounin saw that through the attack, there was no blood being poured and spewed from Naruto's attack despite the large number of weapons that were thrown back and forth between the twisters at blurring eye-popping speed.
A minute later, the weapon throwing stopped and Naruto moved the two twisters away and dispelled them, causing Tenten's weapons to drop to the ground in two separate piles. The current sight of the Genin weapon mistress after that deadly onslaught was most unexpected, leaving all of the male Genin blushing hotly with Shino having both of his eyebrows raised with a small blush. Hiruzen groaned with his right palm smacked onto his face at Naruto's latest stunt. Gai, Kurenai, Ino and Sakura didn't look amused at all while Hinata shook her head at the stunt Naruto just pulled in front of everyone. Asuma nervously had to hold back his laughter after seeing the sharp narrow glare Kurenai shot at him. Kakashi looked on at the sight Naruto put Tenten in with no readable expression.
KankurĹŤ was blushing and giggling while Gaara had a slightly raised eyebrow. Temari looked on in disbelief at what Naruto just did while Baki was trying to believe that Naruto just did what he actually did.
Ibiki had no reaction while Anko smirked and chuckled, "I got to say that orange clad gaki has style!"
Tenten removed her arms from her face and opened her eyes to see what Anko was talking about and what she saw shocked and horrified her.
"My clothes!" Tenten screamed in panic and blushed a dark shade of red as she vainly tried to cover herself when she saw that Naruto used her weapons to tear off a majority of the fabric of her clothes leaving her with what little was left of her pants and shirt. Her pink shirt was reduced to resemble a stomach-less tank top with her pink bra straps showing from both sides of her shoulders with parts of the bottom section of her bra showing underneath what little was left of her shirt. Her pants were made to look like very short hot pants that reveal small part of her butt and pink and white underwear. Her sandals however were still intact. But through it all, not one of her weapons struck her directly.
"My own weapons…!" Tenten exclaimed with the same blush on her face before looking at Naruto angrily, "You used all of my weapons to tear off my clothes and what makes this more insulting is that you used the name of my attack to do so!"
"While still blind mind you," Naruto added with a grin, "I told you from the outset that I would be true to my word regarding my foreplay and I kept my promise. I struck you in all the right places that didn't entail attacking your vitals which I intentionally missed," Naruto remarked as he reached into is jacket and pulled out a water flask. Opening it, he poured all of the water out and formed a water ball with it using his wind manipulation to shape and hold the water up in the air. Without warning, he aimed and launched the water ball at Tenten. She yelped when she was hit with the water ball striking her pants, soaking the front half of her pants and underwear with the rest of the water dripping down her legs.
"My foreplay and masterful use of my hands now have you wet and dripping with excitement and anticipation," Naruto said with a sly grin. Tenten blushed even darker at the sexual implication Naruto's words and actions. The male and female Genin were all blushing also while Kakashi was blushing and giggling, recalling a similar of scene of his favorite book. Gaara though was looking in confusion, wondering what Naruto was doing. Asuma was still trying to keep his laughter was breaking out while Gai and Kurenai didn't looked amused. Anko was chuckling and waiting to see what was going to happen next.
Naruto placed his flask away and unsheathed his katana again before aiming it at Tenten.
"Your condition now made me completely hard and erect. I want my blade to be in you now!" Naruto said huskily before he dashed and blasted Tenten with a burst of wind, knocking her off her feet and down on her back with his weapon aimed directly at her crotch. Tenten then saw Naruto standing between her legs with his katana stabbed partly through her pants.
"Now I have you on your back with me between your legs having entered and penetrated you. At last, our union is fully consummated," Naruto remarked with sultry and charisma, "I told you that I would make your time with me an experience you'll never forget."
The dam broke. Asuma, KankurĹŤ, Shikamaru, Chouji and Anko burst out into a loud fit of laughter. Temari and the rest of the girls were blushing hotly at the implications of Naruto's stunt. Even Tenten was speechless and blushing at the stunt Naruto just pulled on her. Kakashi was still blushing and now laughing at the scene. Kurenai however closed her eyes while frowning deeply and shaking her head in strong disapproval. Gai simply couldn't believe the unyouthful stunt Naruto pulled off.
"Idiot," Sasuke mumbled after seeing the perverted stunt Naruto shamelessly pulled in front of everybody.
"That Naruto; even when he's serious he's still a pervert," Hiruzen groaned.
Naruto pulled his katana away and sheathed it back under his jacket that was still tied around his waist. He then removed his head protector from off his eyes and placed it back over his forehead. He looked Tenten directly in the eyes and saw the expression on her face and in her eyes. As a weapon specialist, Tenten's pride was deeply wounded if not broken as her plan to show Naruto her dexterity and skills in the use of all sorts of weapons backfired, literally in this case also. Tenten looked up at him while in the position she was in. Part of her honestly wanted to hate him, but she saw that wouldn't be fair on her part since she told him to battle her in the manner she heard about and from the outset of their match it was made clear that she wasn't at his level.
Beaten and at his mercy with none of her weapons at her disposal, Tenten moved herself until she was kneeling on her knees facing Naruto with her head lowered. With no other choice, Tenten admitted defeat, "I lose."
A moment later…
"Man, Naruto really did a number on Tenten that time," Ino commented.
"Tenten is deeply grieved but not because she lost. Though she was aware that Naruto was stronger than her, she's saddened by the method of how she was beaten," Gai enlightened.
"What girl wouldn't be? I mean, look what he did," Kurenai said indignantly.
Gai explained, "There's more to this than her current appearance. As weapon mistress, Tenten prided herself in her ability to use all sort of weapons and arsenals with cutting edge accuracy and precision. She trained and worked herself hard into the ground everyday with sweat and blood trying to become the very best, always wanting to surpass whatever peaks she reached. But her battle with Naruto negated that. All of her own weapons that she trained hard with were used against her by her opponent and she was brought to the position she's in now. For Tenten, she could feel no greater hurt to her pride and esteem, but that doesn't mean she won't grow and work harder to learn from this experience."
"Much like how Neji's pride was broken after losing to Hinata," Sasuke remarked.
"Far from it!" Gai reprimanded, "The manner of Neji's defeat is incomparable to Tenten's. Neji was harsh and presumptuous and sought unyouthful methods to belittle Hinata-san openly. He believed he was superior to Hinata-san in every way, while harboring animosity and hatred towards her and the Main House of their clan. As a result, his defeat only brought for him unyouthful dishonor and shame, and unlike Tenten, he refused to acknowledge when he was beaten and outmatched which added to his humiliation. Neji lacked both youth and humility, which led to his downfall."
Kakashi, Kurenai and Asuma nodded their heads in respects to Gai for his in-depth analysis of the match involving his students. They saw that in spite of his flamboyant character, he was still a Jounin sensei who knew his students better than anyone else.
Hayate went over to the center of the arena.
"This match is over! Winner, Uzumaki Naruto!" Hayate declared.
Naruto stood in front of Tenten who was still in the same position she was in. With her head still facing the floor, Tenten stood back up and said with a low tone, "I'll remember this, Naruto! You said that my attacks and weapons are ineffective and useless against wind elemental fighters, right?" Tenten's voice gradually rose as she continued, "Well, I'll show you! Don't think for a moment that I'll remain stagnant because of this temporary setback! I'll practice and train harder every day and night! I'll work twice as hard to become stronger and faster! I'll do whatever it takes! I can't believe I'm taking a page out of Gai-sensei's book but…"
Tenten looked up and looked Naruto straight in the eyes with a determined expression on her face and exclaimed, "AFTER TODAY, CONSIDER ME YOUR ETERNAL RIVAL!"
"SUCH YOUTHNESS!" Gai screamed proudly with clenched fists and tears of running down his face, "TENTEN'S DEFEAT HASN'T DAMPEN HER FLAMES AT ALL! RATHER IT INTENSIFIED THEM AND FINALLY SHE FOUND A WORTHY OPPONENT TO CONSIDER AS AN ETERNAL RIVAL TO BRIGHTEN HER YOUTHFUL FLAMES FURTHER! I'VE NEVER BEEN PROUDER!"
"GAI-SENSEI! TENTEN'S BURNING YOUTH HAS GREATLY INSPIRED ME TO SEEK OUT AN ETERNAL RIVAL OF MY OWN! IF I FAIL TO DO THAT, I'LL RUN 300 LAPS AROUND KONOHA ON MY HANDS AND 400 ONE-ARM PUSH UPS WITH MY RIGHT ARM AND ANOTHER 400 WITH ONLY MY LEFT ARM!" Lee shouted loudly with tears of his own.
"LEE!"
"GAI-SENSEI!"
"LEE!"
"GAI-SENSEI!"
"LEE!"
"GAI-SENSEI!"
"LEE!"
"GAI-SENSEI!"
The two of them then engaged in a hug with tears still flowing down their faces and, logic be damned, a genjutsu with a sunset at the beach with crashing waves on the shores appeared in the background. The scene was rather disturbing and the four ninja from Suna and the Konoha Genin were disgusted by it since they were seeing it for the first time.
"That's just sickening," Temari remarked at the sight.
Dosu and his Jounin-sensei simply ignored them while staying quiet the entire time.
"Kurenai-sensei, how did that genjutsu appear?" Hinata asked with a confusion expression.
"…For the life of me, I was never able to figure that out, even now," Kurenai sighed while being incensed by what she and the others were seeing.
The medics came and treated Tenten's injuries. After treating and bandaging her earlier wounds, she was then placed on the carrying cot and lifted up to be taken to the hospital for further medical treatment. Before she was carried off, she looked back at Naruto and said, "I will become stronger and challenge you every chance I get no matter what difficulties come my way! Remember my words, Uzumaki Naruto, we're eternal rivals now!"
Naruto shot her a grin and replied, "I look forward to seeing where your future improvements take you, Tenten."
With that said, she was carried off to the hospital. Naruto shunshin'd back to the spectator balcony next to Hinata in a quick gust of wind. Hiruzen looked at both Naruto and Hinata carefully while keeping his thoughts to himself.
"Nicely done Naruto; now we share a common bond in that a sensei and his apprentice from the same team declared us as their eternal rivals," Kakashi joked. Naruto thought about what Kakashi said and looked over at Gai. Remembering what Tenten declared to him, he suddenly visualized Tenten in a ready-to-fight position while wearing skin tight body hugging green spandex and orange leg warmers and blue sandals with two sai in her hands. He pictured her curvy figure and breasts being displayed through the green spandex. Smiling and blushing at the possibilities, Naruto muttered, "Having Tenten as my eternal rival won't be so bad after all."
"I heard that," Hinata snorted.
"What? It was Tenten who went and proclaimed herself openly and zealously as my eternal rival. In all honestly, that was an outcome I didn't expect after our match," Naruto said.
"This bring memories about how Gai proclaimed himself as my eternal rival after I beat him during the Chuunin Exams years ago," Kakashi said, "I honestly expected this outcome from Lee. But clearly irony had other plans for you Naruto," Kakashi smiled with his right closed, "It'll be entertaining watching Tenten seeking you out for eternity wanting to challenge you in practically everything."
"Kakashi-sensei, I heartedly welcome the challenge of hot competent kunoichi eternally wanting a piece me, never getting enough of me," Naruto replied with a grin and blush.
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata chided.
"I have to say Naruto, that was some mastery demonstration of wind manipulation!"Asuma praised, "Care to share with me some of your secrets?"
"Lots of practice, lots of it. That's all there is to it," Naruto answered. Asuma grunted, "I should have known you'd be stingy."
"Tenten really gave it her all against you Naruto-kun. At first, I thought you broke her through how you defeated her though she knew you were holding back the entire time. But instead the opposite happened and now she sees you as challenge she has to surpass," Lee commented.
"I doubt that'll be possible since I always practice and work to improve myself," Naruto replied.
"Thus the reason why she proclaimed herself as your eternal rival," Lee emphasized. Oddly enough, Naruto couldn't argue with that logic, "I see your point."
"Naruto, you posed as the dead last of our class, yet all of your skills go beyond anything we learned while at the academy. By what means did you learn all that you know," Shikamaru inquired.
"Cloud watching. I saw visions beyond the skies besides what I see in bathhouses," Naruto answered jestingly.
"Enough jokes Naruto," Sakura chided.
Shrugging, Naruto turned to Hinata and said, "By the way, I later have to introduce Karin to the rest of you guys."
"Who's Karin?" Hinata asked.
"Another distant Uzumaki cousin I found earlier today," Naruto said.
"Another what?!" Ino asked in disbelief as the other Genin and their Jounin sensei turned their attention to Naruto.
"She's a Genin of our age group from Kusagakure. Naruto saved her from a giant bear after her team was killed by it. Presently she's with Honoka," Sakura explained.
"That's great! In such a short time you found two surviving members of your clan Naruto-kun!" Hinata cheered.
"Two surviving orphans really," Naruto remarked and then grinned, "But regardless of that, there's three Uzumaki in Konoha now, which means that we can actually claim clan status and I can hold a seat on the Shinobi Council as the Uzumaki Clan leader."
Everyone looked at Naruto who verbally took major steps in his ambitions and goals.
"Aren't you getting ahead of yourself Naruto?" Shikamaru figured, "Besides Karin happens to be a Genin from Kusagakure."
"Not for long. I'm going to have Karin become a Konoha Genin after suitable compensations to Kusagakure and the required paperwork for it have been completed and made official. She's an Uzumaki by blood and no village can argue against it since my clansmen were scattered all over the shinobi world. Kusa will have to have Karin returned to her clan without incident."
"You act like you have this whole thing figured out Naruto or if it'll be that easy," Shikamari snorted.
"I deceived an entire village for years in hiding my true skills and intelligence? Are you seriously going to started doubting my abilities now?" Naruto questioned.
"No, that would be too troublesome at this point," Shikamaru said.
"According to shinobi laws, Naruto, you have to at least be a Chuunin to be on the Shinobi Council and stand as a clan leader," Kakashi said.
"That's true," Naruto agreed but then included, "However that's not the only way. I don't need to be a Chuunin to be a clan leader and Shinobi Council member since there's another way it can be done, Kakashi-sensei."
"What other way is there?" Chouji asked.
"Would you care to enlighten us?" Ino asked with honest interest.
Naruto explained, "According Article 4, Section 8 Paragraph 2 of the Laws of Konohagakure established by this village's Shodai, a sole heir or heiress, even as a Genin, of a shinobi clan can claim clan leader status if he or she is both of age or married if the previous clan leader is deceased. And according to Article 4, Section 8 Paragraph 3, the married Genin can be present at shinobi council meetings except he or she will require a Chuunin or Jounin of their clan to represent him or her as their spokesperson," Naruto turned to Hinata, "Am I correct?"
Hinata nodded her head in agreement, "Yes. Father informed me and my sister of these laws. He believed this was important for us to know in the event of his untimely death."
"We weren't taught this at the academy," Sakura acknowledged.
"I wasn't aware of those laws either," Shikamaru admitted.
"And people say I never did my homework and research while at the academy," Naruto remarked cynically.
"So you intend to resort to those laws in the event you don't make it to Chuunin?" Shino asked. Everyone saw the implications of Shino's question and Sasuke wasn't happy at all about what it entailed since it meant Naruto marrying Hinata, and with Honoka an Uzumaki and Chuunin, she could stand as Naruto's spokesperson and representative in the Shinobi Council. Sasuke was about to reply when…
"I never said I would never make to Chuunin by the end of these exams," Naruto answered, "I was simply stating that there are other means any of us can become clan leaders and council members depending on circumstances. I will become a Chuunin by the end of these Chuunin Exams and become the Uzumaki Clan leader and a Shinobi Council member. I will not allow anyone to deny me my birthright or what I rightfully earned."
"Ambitious, aren't you?" Asuma smirked.
"Why shouldn't I be considering the damage Konoha's hierarchy already did concerning my upbringing and clan legacy which they now have to fix," Naruto shot back. Hiruzen sighed lowly but said nothing on the subject. Asuma decided to hold his tongue knowing that he would be treading on delicate grounds if he said anything further on that sensitive topic.
"This matter can be discussed at a later time. But for now the Preliminaries are still in progress," Hiruzen reminded. Soon the large screen started flashing names again and a moment later two names appeared on the screen.
"Ninth match: Rock Lee vs. Sabaku no Gaara," Hayate announced. Lee and Gaara made their way to the arena floor. Naruto though was weary of Gaara's possible intentions. He knew Lee was a very strong taijutsu fighter, but even still, from what his spy clones observed in the Forest of Death, Naruto knew Gaara was ruthless and capable of killing anyone without hesitation.
Before long the match commenced. In the beginning, none of Lee's taijutsu attacks managed to penetrate or bypass Gaara's Shield of Sand. Seeing the problem, Lee removed the weights he was wearing on his legs and dropped them to the ground with a huge ground shaking quake and shock wave the shook and cratered the ground they fell on. This shocked all but Gai who was smiling confidently. The boost of speed from the weight release was such that Gaara's sand couldn't follow Lee's movements, and Gaara was hit for the first time in his life. Lee then used his Front Lotus on Gaara, but in the end it was revealed that it had been a sand clone.
Having no other way to end the match, and with Gai's permission, Lee then opened five of the inner chakra gates, the result being that Lee's strength was multiplied immensely for a short time. Kakashi scolded Gai for teaching that kinjutsu knowing what would happen to Lee's body, as the extreme physical strain placed Lee's body would also severely injure him after the technique wear off. While the technique was in effect, Lee then proceeded to continuously beat Gaara with his Reverse Lotus. However, as Gaara fell to the ground, he dispersed his sand gourd as a cushion to break his fall. Gaara then used his Sand Binding Coffin to crush Lee's left arm and leg. Before Gaara could finish the job, Gai jumped down to prevent Gaara from killing Lee.
The two medical ninja came and examined Lee and after Gai learned from the medical ninja that Lee could no longer be a ninja due to his intense injuries, Gai wept and had heavy regrets that he taught Lee how to open the inner gates. After Hayate declared Gaara the winner of the match, Kakashi consoled and apologized to Gai for his earlier criticism and self-righteousness. But on top of this, not one of Gai's students made won their matches.
"Tenth match: Akimichi Chouji vs. Kinuta Dosu," Hayate announced.
Chouji was reluctant to battle, instead wanting to forfeit, but tried after being promised food by his sensei, Asuma, if he won. Chouji entered the battle with prior knowledge of Dosu's sound-based attacks, and quickly used Human Bullet Tank to plug his ears from the Oto ninja's attacks. However, Dosu overcame this by transmitting his sound through the water in Chouji's body, thus defeating him. It was the shortest and quickest match in the preliminaries.
The preliminaries were over and the winners of the matches soon assembled on the arena floor. The winners, being Naruto, Hinata, Temari, Sasuke, KankurĹŤ, Shikamaru, Shino, Gaara and Dosu.
"Congratulations on passing the preliminaries. (Cough) Now all of you come and draw a number from this box. Do not read or look at the number until you've been instructed to do so," Hayate said and indicated to a box Anko was holding. Each of the nine Genin went one at a time and drew a card having a number on it from the box. Shikamaru went and drew the first number, followed by KankurĹŤ, Naruto, Gaara, Sasuke, Dosu, Temari, Shino, and finally Hinata. After the nine finalists had drawn their numbers, Ibiki stepped forward and instructed, "Those with the even numbers, read out your number."
Gaara said, "Eight."
KankurĹŤ said, "Four."
Naruto said, "Two."
Shikamaru said, "Six."
Ibiki then wrote their names and their numbers down on a note of paper. When he was finished, he instructed, "To the remaining five, read out your corresponding odd numbers. By this, you'll be paired with the Genin you are to battle against in the Finals."
Dosu said, "Nine."
Sasuke said, "One."
Temari said, "Five."
Shino said, "Three."
"…Seven," Hinata utterly in disbelief and shock. When Hinata read her number last, Naruto and all of the other Genin and Jounin were shocked when they realized with whom she was paired against for the Chuunin Finals. Hiruzen himself didn't expect that outcome for Hinata. And speaking of Hinata, time momentarily froze; she couldn't believe how things have turned out for her.
"No way," Sakura muttered lowly with denial.
"Hinata," Kurenai said with sheer disbelief and total concern. Asuma had look dire look at the he saw took place.
"Are you serious?" Ino asked not believing what she was seeing. Naruto too couldn't believe what just happened.
"How troubling," Shino said stoically, but just as shocked. Gai's expression was grim on seeing what happened.
"Gaara? She's been matched up to fight Gaara!?" Naruto said with a tone that revealed his shock. This was most unforeseen! This was not the way I was hoping for our matchups would turn out! Naruto thought somberly though he kept his concerns under control.
Of all the Genin, what were the odds of Gaara and Hinata being paired against each other? Kakashi thought.
I had no idea this was going to happen. I can't believe I've been paired against Gaara, Hinata thought with deep worry which showed more on her face than Naruto's. Gaara gave a small but dark smile of approval in seeing who he was paired against.
"She may not be Naruto, but she's still a worthy ninja I'll use to prove my existence," Gaara said coldly. No one but the Suna ninja understood Gaara's words and his intentions towards Hinata. Temari gave a glance at Gaara and then looked at Hinata. The fan mistress saw the look on Hinata's face and found that it revealed worry and fear, a stark contrast to what she saw in Hinata's battle against Neji. Truthfully, Temari herself didn't expect Hinata to be matched up against Gaara and she knew off the back that Gaara fully intends to brutally kill Hinata in the Chuunin Finals. Many thoughts about this unexpected development, including Naruto's possible reactions to Hinata's probable death, started racing through Temari's mind. And with her feelings for Naruto in the mix, Temari didn't know what to think.
Ibiki wrote their corresponding numbers down on the same note of paper and showed it to the nine finalists.
"This is the matchup of the main matches for the Chuunin Finals, which will be a tournament," Ibiki said, "Take a good look at the line up and memorize it. Dosu will fight the one of the remaining four finalists after their match."
The nine finalists saw the note of paper which confirmed with whom they were paired again.
"You have a month to train before the main matches," Hiruzen said, "I suggest you use that time well."
"Why a month?" Shikamaru asked.
"Because we have to send out invitations for everyone who has to be here to witness the Chuunin Finals," Hiruzen replied, "The judges will decide who will become Chuunin and who doesn't."
"Judges?" Shino implored.
"In this exam," Hiruzen explained, "The ones who get promoted to Chuunin are those that show the judges that they have the qualities of a Chuunin. A ninja's true strength can only be measured in combat, and that's the purpose of the main matches. Judges are made up of important people from the villages, including the daimyĹŤ of the different countries."
"The second exam is done!" Anko barked, "Meet in the main arena in a month! Dismissed!"
All of the Genin made their way to their respective Jounin sensei. Sasuke turned to Naruto who didn't looked back at him.
My first match in the Finals is against Naruto, Sasuke considered, I'm going to need very intense training from Kakashi to in order to battle against Naruto.
Sasuke then thought about the ninja Hinata had to go up against during the Chuunin Finals. He didn't know how Hinata was going to battle Gaara, especially after seeing what happened to Lee even after that beat down he inflicted on Gaara. Sasuke wished there was something he could do for Hinata but he knew there wasn't anything that he could do that wasn't short of Hinata forfeiting her match in Finals.
As for Naruto himself, he was thinking about Hinata who presently was walking beside him. She looked back at him and saw the mixed serious and concerned expression on his face. After seeing her matchup she knew it was more than understandable.
Meanwhile Sakura was following beside Sasuke when…
"Sakura!" Hiruzen summoned. The pink haired Genin turned to the Hokage who gestured for her to come over to him. Standing beside him were Anko and Ikibi. Sakura did as instructed and went over to him.
"Yes, Sandaime-sama?" Sakura asked politely as she stood before him.
"Come with us please," Hiruzen said authoritatively as he turned and gestured for Sakura and the two Special Jounin to follow him out of the building. Nervously, Sakura complied while wondering what she was in for or what trouble she was in. Naruto and the others saw this also and wondered what it was that Sakura was called away for, with Ibiki and Anko following them from no less.
"Why do you suppose Sandaime-sama summoned Sakura away? Do you suppose she's in trouble or something?" Ino asked curiously.
"Beats me. If anything this entire day has been a most troublesome event," Shikamaru shrugged.
Deciding to worry about Sakura's predicament later, Naruto returned his attention back to the more serious matter at hand.
"The way the match ups have been arranged is not the way I was hoping it would turn out," Naruto said humorlessly.
"I know," Hinata said lowly, "I have the fourth match in the Finals against Gaara. It's amazing that the very two ninja Kiba-kun wanted me to avoid at all cost are the same two I've been paired to battle against."
"Such irony; my own statement to Tenten earlier today is now coming back to haunt me," Naruto remarked. Hinata knew what Naruto was talking about, considering that she had to fight Gaara in the Chuunin Finals. So true Naruto's words are: Life is filled with "Irony's Cruel Humor."
The Preliminaries are over and in a month's time are the Chuunin Finals. As Temari's attraction and interest in Naruto's heightens as a result of his displays against Tenten, other important matters have arisen and one of which is the unexpected fourth matchup: Hyuuga Hinata vs. Sabaku no Gaara! Will Hinata become another casualty in her battle with this merciless Jinchuuriki during the Chuunin Finals? What will Naruto do seeing that the match ups didn't go as he had hoped? What kind of training will Sasuke receive for his battle against Naruto? And why was Sakura summoned and called away by Hiruzen with Ibiki and Anko following close by? Find out next time.