Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Laying down on the bed with an oxygen mask covering his face Kimimaro breathed in the fresh air as it entered his weakened lungs. The Kaguya let out a weak cough as he stared mindlessly up at the ceiling of the room.
Looking on from the doorway unseen by him was Tayuya, the redhead shook her head as she watched what was happening and the machines he was strapped to, giving him medicine to keep him alive.
"A regular slob would've given up and died long ago," She mused thinking about his state. "This guy's still alive and operating under his own strength. As if he's refusing to die." She said to herself as she watched him remove the mask from his face.
"Why though? He's got nothing to live for. Orochimaru-sama is planning on using that Sasuke punk as his next body from what I've heard him say. Kimimaro's not much use to him now, yet still he keeps going. Damn stubborn idiot…" She muttered to herself thinking he was refusing to die even though he had nothing to live for. His will to live had to be admired though. Right now she'd guess he was only at about twenty five percent of his full strength, but that was probably still strong enough to kill her and very many other people before he succumbed. She remembered the scene at Wave when she came across him with dozens of dead bodies around him
The redhead exited the room, right now Orochimaru had to have planted the cursed seal on Sasuke Uchiha by now during the exams taking place in Konoha which they where due to attack in time. She knew he had sent the Sound Trio, basically as nothing more than guinea pigs that would get slaughtered. Although she followed her master loyally and without question, she didn't exactly approve of throwing away lives.
Orochimaru had spent countless hours telling her and the others how much he desired to create the ultimate body, to create the a body that would have no fear of death or any weaknesses. With Kimimaro incapacitated he now set his eyes on Sasuke and The Sharingan.
"If our deal with those Sand bastards works, Konoha should be destroyed in a month's time." She muttered walking through the empty hallway. "Those Kurosuki thugs should be working with us as well, that Raiga guy makes Sakon look sane." She said to herself and she looked outside the window at the scenery. Otogakure wasn't exactly the kind of place you'd take a person for a date that was for certain, then again the reason Orochimaru managed to become its ruler, the former land of Rice, was that he had duped the people here into believing he would improve their lives.
(What was with that blonde kid though? Back in Wave he seemed to be talking with that idiot the most it seemed like, I knew I shouldn't have spoken up back there.) She thought remembering the blonde, she couldn't recall his name, though Kimimaro seemed to have an interest in him. She didn't know what it was and she was curious as to why he had a interest in a boy from the Leaf Village. She guessed that's where he was heading to whenever he went off. A small part of her believed he was out scouting the village looking for weak points in it but she doubted he would bother himself with something like that.
Plus he seemed hesitant and reluctant to take part in the attack, though she doubted he'd take part in it at his current condition. He was suppose to lead the attack whilst Orochimaru-sama killed the old man. Just what was it with him and Konoha?
(Hmph, maybe I should look at the Leaf village and spy on that kid myself before we attack it.) She thought to herself.
She looked out the window and saw that their new allies, the Kurosuki Family lead by Raiga had arrived.
Back at the exams…
"The winner is, TenTen!" The Proctor Hayate announced giving the victory to the bun haired girl.
"Yatai!" TenTen shouted thrusting her fist up in the air in excitement over her advancing and her sensei and Rock Lee cheered her on.
That was the end of the fourth match so far and TenTen had defeated Kabuto's other partner Misumi. Using her weapons to keep out of his grip and taking him down with them.
In the second match Gaara's sister and comrade Temari had went up against Kiba Inuzuka. Temari had won using her fan to create gusts of wind and used them to slam both Kiba and his dog Akamaru into the wall knocking them out. The third match was between Dosu Kinuta and Choji Akimichi, Dosu had won that bout easily, trapping Choji in his Meat Tank form in the wall and then using his Melody Arm to take him out.
TenTen headed back up into the stands as Misumi was carted out, feeling good about herself with her win. After that humiliating defeat at the hands of that white haired ninja, she had been embarrassed that she had been defeated so easily by him and needed a strong showing in the exams to redeem herself and her reputation.
Watching on from the stands Naruto looked on with his arms crossed across his chest as he was scanning the opposition he would potentially have to face in the preliminaries; There was the Hyuga cousins, Rock Lee, Kin and Zaku The two remaining Sound Nins. Sakura, Shikamaru and Ino, Shino, and of course the Sand group including Gaara.
The next fight was then selected.
Sakura Haruno vs. Kin Tsuchi
"Well, it's my turn." Sakura said a bit nervous. Taking a few deep breaths she steadied herself and made her way down to the arena.
Glaring at her from across was the Sound Kunoichi making her way down, The two stopped at the middle as they prepared to fight.
Elsewhere…
"Cursed Sealing!" Kakashi shouted and finishing doing hand symbols planted his hand down on a shirtless Sasuke near the cursed seal. Sasuke let out a scream of pain as the markings Kakashi had drawn across the room went up across his body and into the seal. The Uchiha continued to yell.
"This will suppress the Seal on your body and prevent it from taking hold of you." Kakashi explained. "So that you can remain control of yourself and not let it take a hold of you. However, the temptation to use the Cursed Seal will be strong and if you falter even for a second, it will consume you." He said to him as it went on. Soon the Jutsu was finished and Sasuke collapsed.
Kakashi let out a sigh of relief over that, thankfully Sasuke won't be tempted to use it. "Out cold eh? I guess even you have your limits." He said as he looked down at Sasuke's body.
"Then you must unlock their greater limits if previous limits have been reached." A voice said and Kakashi's eye widened and he slowly turned around as he saw the outline of a figure.
"You…" Kakashi said as he glared at the man who came into view. The man wore a Sound hitai-ate and a Jonin vest and had an amused smile on his face as he stepped forward.
"Orochimaru…" Kakashi said and the Snake Sannin smiled revealing his snake like fangs.
"It's been a long time hasn't it, Copy Nin Kakashi?"
Kin and Sakura where fighting and thus far The Sound Nin was winning, Sakura dodged her attacks the best she could as she avoided her shuriken and kunai.
Sakura threw Kunai at her but Kin cancelled them out with her Senbon. She threw more at her and hit her in the arm and grinned and reveled hidden wires
"What the?" Sakura said feeling a ringing in her head and she looked and saw bells on the senbon. The continued to ring and she felt a painful throb enter her head. She looked around and saw to her shock that dozens of Kin had appeared in front of her.
"With this, I can use my Genjutsu enabling me to create multiple copies of myself," Kin said as all of them spoke at once. Don't you know and have figured out what bells can do to a person who hears them for too long? They can rapture and destroy the ear drum and cause internal bleeding, even death if too much damage is done."
Sakura heard another ring from it and another throb of pain as she held her head feeling the pain.
"What is your game? Why are you here?" Kakashi asked Orochimaru as he stood in front of a defensive stance in front of Sasuke.
"You see this Sound Village that caught everyone's attention at the beginning of the exams?" Orochimaru responded with a chuckle. "It happens to belong to me, I created it by becoming the new ruler of Rice." He explained with a smile surprising Kakashi. "As for why I'm here, you know what I want…" He said and looked past him.
Kakashi eye narrowed and he got into a defensive stance. "I don't care that you're a Sannin Orochimaru, if you even think about taking Sasuke, I'll end your life this day." He warned and Orochimaru looked at him amused at his threat.
"Why afraid I'd take the Sharingan? I must admit I have a weakness for rare bloodlines to have as my own." He said with a chuckle. "You have it yourself, I'm jealous that you was able to get it when your friend sacrificed himself."
Kakashi glared at him and reached towards his covered eye.
Back at the fight Sakura feel to one knee feeling another throb of pain.
"You should've spent more time improving yourself than combing your hair!" Kin taunted her mockingly. "If you had you wouldn't be in this position!" She said to her.
Sakura felt another loud ring and for a moment thought she felt blood start to seep out of her ear. She was ready to give up…
But then, a loud voice shouted in her mind.
"FIGHT!"
The voice shouted at her. Hearing it and knowing she couldn't give up, not now she stood up and grasped the Senbon stuck in her arm. With a loud cry she ripped it out surprising everyone as the Genjutsu Kin casted went away no longer having effect.
Sakura then charged her and slugged her in the stomach knocking the wind out of her. She kicked her in the stomach and punched her across the face knocking her to the ground.
Kin leapt up and threw Senbon at her but Sakura dodged them. Kin did hand symbols and prepared a Jutsu.
"Sound Bullets No Jutsu!" She shouted and fired the attack at her, Sakura dodged it by doing the Kawarami. Sakura charged her by Kin countered by doing a kawarami of her own.
Kin glared at her and decided it was time to finish this.
"I'm surprised you're here protecting Sasuke," Orochimaru said to him. "You know under my tutelage he could in fact achieve his goal than he would under you."
Kakashi didn't say anything in response as he glared at him.
"I have big plans, involving both Sasuke and Konoha." He said with a smirk.
"Is this all just a game to you?" Kakashi asked him who cackled.
"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. A pawn like yourself of the Leaf is no use to me, but then again I suppose even pawns like the ones I have in the exams have their use but even then only a limited use. Sacrifices are afterall essential in this game!" He said with an evil look in his eyes.
Sakura charged Kin who disappeared and reaching into her pocket threw Senbon at her from behind in her unprotected legs pierching her skin. Sakura flinched and reached down and pulled them out before she could try activating her Genjutsu again. To her surprsie they didn't have bells on them and they felt different.
Suddenly she felt her strength sapping away and she cried out. "W-What's going on?" She said feeling herself weakening.
Kin smirked at her, her hand on her waist and brought up more Senbon and threw them and hit her in the arm and Sakura felt her lose even more strength.
"A ninja, especially a Kunoichi, should always know the benefits of Poison." She said to her and brought up more Senbon. "I've laced some of my Senbon with them, anything they hit they will sap the strength out of until they are temporary paralyzed, perfect for interrogation and capturing. A very effective type of poison that only grows off of plants found in Otogakure." She said and threw more hitting her in the other arm. Sakura tried to throw a punch at her but found herself unable to do even that.
"Damn it," Sakura said as Kin casually walked towards her a arrogant smirk on her face. Sakura tried to stand and face her, trying to gather her last amounts of strength but there was none left. She should've known to expect poison in the exams.
"Now to finish this." Kin said and Sakura braced herself finding herself losing consciousness. Kin leaned forward and taking a deep breath blew on her forehead, the force of it knocking the staggering girl down to the ground, the ultimate insult to her more than anything. "Try and improve yourself, then maybe you might actually be worth my time." She said as Sakura glared at her from the ground no longer able to move.
"The winner is Kin Tsuchi," Hayate announced as Sakura could no longer continue the fight. A group of men came to Sakura and put her on the stretcher telling her that they would administer the antidote and get it out of her system.
"Hmmm, so guess that's it." Naruto mused as he was now by himself as she was taken out of the arena. "Well soon it'll be my turn, no more secrets now." He said to himself. It was time to reveal it to everyone.
"By the way Kakashi," Orochimaru said to him in a light tone of voice as if finding their conflict uninteresting. "What do you think of the Vessel?"
Kakashi looked at him confused but then realized what he was talking about. "Naruto? What, do you have him in your wretched sights as well."
Orochimaru chuckled amused. "You're even more blind than I thought fool! But then again I myself was caught off a bit when I saw him." He said with a smirk. "The boy, he intrigues me, though I doubt I could get him to come over to my side. But nonetheless he's been hiding something from you all, something I'm sure that war hawk Danzo would be pleased to know."
"What are you talking about?" Kakashi asked him not understanding. Secret? What was he talking about.
"I shouldn't waste my words on a fool, after all I am a genius and a cut above the rest of you." Orochimaru said smugly. "I just found it interesting that if you, Sarutobi, and the rest of those Council fools knew what he possessed, well let's say Konoha would have a lot of women lined up to bear his children and be able create a small army in ten years. Then again maybe not, after all not all Uzumaki's had it." He said with a shrug and turned to leave.
"Wait! What are you saying? Answer me!" Kakashi demanded.
Orochimaru only turned his head and uttered three words.
"Dead Bone Pulse." He said and vanished into shadows leaving the confused Jonin there.
Later as the fights went on, Naruto looked on as Zaku Abumi was carted out having been defeated by Shikamaru Nara. Shino Aburame and Neji Hyuga had advanced having defeated Ino Yamanaka, Ino forfeiting the moment she saw Shino's insects and causing her squad mates to face fault and Hinata Hyuga, in Neji's case nearly brutalizing his cousin. It was down to the last four. Whoever wasn't selected would fight in the final round.
The screen flashed through names again and then stopped at two names.
Kankuro vs. Naruto Uzumaki.
(It's about time.) Naruto thought to himself and leaped over the rail and landed on the floor. He looked up and saw that Kakashi had appeared as well. He was about to say something to him but stopped as Naruto made his way forward.
"Have I got a bone to pick with you." Kankuro said to him as each made it to the center. "I remember that stunt you pulled before the exams."
"No kids around this time for you to pick on," Naruto said to him and noticed the bundle on his back. "Let's see you fight someone who's not intimidated by a piece of trash such as yourself."
"You're going to be dead after I'm done with you." Kankuro said snarling at him.
"Bring it…" Naruto responded as they prepared to do battle.