Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
"Begin!" Hayate Gekko shouted
Naruto charged Kankuro who went to take a swipe at him. Naruto dodged it easily and grabbed him by the arm and judo tossed him to the ground, this also knocked the bundle the Suna Nin wore off of his back. Naruto brought his foot up and went to slam it against his face but Kankuro rolled out of the way. The black wearing ninja got up and threw kunai at him which Naruto easily dodged, Naruto threw kunai at his own and his opponent covered up and cuts where made on his outfit. Naruto then charged him and leaping up dropkicked him right in the chest sending him sprawling to the floor. Landing on his feet Naruto casually brought his arms across his chest in a bored manner.
"Your Taijutsu's worse than a infant's." He taunted Kankuro who glared at him. "Nice makeup your wearing, did you borrow it from your sister?" He added taunting his face paint.
"Why you…" Kankuro growled under his breath at his taunts.
Kakashi looking on knew Naruto was deliberately getting under his skin.
"If your opponent is short tempered, seek to anger him." He muttered as that was one of the many lessons found in Sun Tzu's The Art of War, which Naruto had been reading. He looked and saw that Sakura was hastily making her way up, the poison out of her system now. The pink haired girl stopped beside him and looked on at the fight that was going on. The two watching as the fight commenced.
Naruto charged Kankuro and attacked him, overwhelming him as Kankuro was no match for him in hand to hand combat.
Naruto dodged a poorly aimed kick and slugged him in the stomach and nailed him in the head with a spin kick. Kankuro rolled across the ground and picked himself up wiping his face.
"Ready to give up?" Naruto said to him.
"Tch, you're really pushing it punk." He said to him. His bundle he had carried that was knocked off him was across the room. Naruto stood in his path keeping him from getting to it. "You'll be lucky to have a pulse after I'm done with you." He said glaring at Naruto.
Naruto charged him and doing hand symbols created a bushin and the two charged him, Kankuro swiped at the one he thought was real on the left but missed and Naruto took that opening and slammed his elbow into him and then leapt up and kicked him across the face again sending Kankuro down. Kankuro tried to get up but Naruto was behind him in an instant and applied a chokehold from behind and wrapped his legs around his lower body keeping him from moving.
"Most superb!" Might Gai applauded from the stands watching on. "Lee, took a good look at this young man, he maybe a rival for you one day soon." He said to his student and Rock Lee nodded.
Kankuro grunted as he tried to fight Naruto off. "Give up, don't make me cut off all your oxygen." Naruto said to him.
"You think I'm gonna lose to something like this?" Kankuro said to him in between grunts. "I don't think so…"
Suddenly his face cracked apart surprising Naruto. "If you're done fooling around, I'll finish this!" He shouted and suddenly roped appeared from him and ensnared Naruto around his stomach binding him and trapping. The Suna Nin's features cracked and broke apart to turn into a scarecrow like object made of wood that stared Naruto in the face.
From the bundle a hand stuck out and pulling the wrap unwrapped itself to be Kankuro who was hiding under there the entire time and had chakra wires coming from his hands controlling the.
"A puppet user!" Sakura exclaimed as she had heard about these type of Ninjas. They were very rare as puppetry was a difficult skill to master but they where extremely dangerous from what she had read.
"How stupid could you get?" Kankuro taunted smugly as his puppet squeezed Naruto. "All this time you didn't think I had something planned, I fought idiots like yourself plenty of times before and the look on their faces when I reveal Karasu I always enjoy." He said as he added more pressure and his puppet squeezed Naruto's ribcage.
Naruto grunted in pain as he struggled to break free. "How about I have him crush all the bones in your body and break you in half?" The Suna Ninja said taunting him.
Naruto suddenly chuckled unexpectedly surprising him.
"Not bad, but I already knew you was a Puppet user after I saw you the first time." He said to them all. "I could tell by looking at your hands and the bundle on your back you was no ordinary ninja. However neither am I."
Kankuro stared at him confused not understanding.
"Now if you excuse me, it's time I break free and get serious."
Suddenly to the shock of all watching, three bone like swords sprouted out of both his left and right arms and cut threw the ropes binding him.
"What the?" Kankuro shouted turning around in shock as Naruto broke free of Karasu.
Stunned looks appeared on many of the faces of the Genins and the Jonins watching on at what just happened as they saw Naruto's bones sticking out of his body. The bones went back inside his body and except for two and Naruto pulled them out and connected them both at the hilt and twirled them.
"What? How could, what's going on?" Kankuro shouted at him never seeing anything like this before.
Naruto looked at him and saw that all attetnion was on him, he only smiled and answered.
"Shikotsumyaku, bloodline and Kekkai Genkai of the Uzumaki Clan."
"Kekkai Genkai?" Kakashi exclaimed in shock and suddenly remembered Orochimaru's last words. "Dead Bone Pulse…Shikotsumyaku." He muttered to himself. "But how? Only the now extinct Kaguya clan could pull that off, unless…" His voice trailed off as he thought of a red headed woman who was the Fourth's wife.
With Naruto's announcement of his Bloodline all onlookers from Konoha to Oto from Suna, had shocked looks on their faces except for Gaara, The red haired boy in fact was now looking on with interest for the very first time since the exams began
Kankuro regained his composure. "I don't know what this Shiko whatever is nor do I care. I'll still break you in half!" He shouted and using his chakra stings fired a dart at Naruto filled with poison, Naruto deflected the aerial weapon with his swords.
"Dance of Spikes!" He shouted and spinning around fired a series of bones from his arms which hit Karasu and stuck themselves in there.
"How's he doing it?" Lee asked looking on with TenTen and turned to Neji. "See how he's doing it!" He said to him, if anyone could see how it would be him with the Hyuga Eyes.
"Right," Neji responded and activated his Byakugan. What he saw surprised even him. "His bones, they are regenerating, as if self healing. When he pulls one out another grows itself in his body. I've…I've never seen anything like this, not even from the Aburame Ninja." He said as he was stunned by what he saw. His words shocked his team and Sensei as it was rare to find him unnerved.
"So…he had something hidden this entire time." Dosu Kinuta commented looking on with Kin at his side.
Kankuro fired multiple darts from Karasu at Naruto who spun his weapon and deflected them, not a one hitting his body.
"Using his bones as weapons?" Ino Yamanaka said looking on. "That's just creepy!"
Naruto evaded the attacks and pulled down his shirt. "Dance of The Carmelita!" He shouted and bones shot out of his chest and back and he began spinning, a buzz saw of death and slashed at Karasu knocking off one of the multiple weapons he had. He stopped and the bones returned to his body and he pulled his shirt back on.
(Damn it!) Kankuro said in his thoughts. (Who would've thought this idiot would've had a secret bloodline and one that can neutralize most of Karasu's attacks? I don't wanna use everything, I wanna save it for later in the exams without anyone knowing what they are! But unless I get a lucky shot in, I'll have to use his more dangerous attacks!) Using his chakra strings he then fired a set of spinning blades from his puppet's chest at Naruto who dodged them.
"I think it's time I finish this." Naruto said and pulled out a scroll, doing a jutsu a small jar appeared in his hands. He then charged and threw it at Kankuro who quickly had Karasu move in front of him and take the hit. The Jar shattered on impact spraying its contents all over the puppet.
"What the? That was your finishing move?" Kankuro said in disbelief as he thought it was nothing but then smelled something in the air.
His eyes widened as he recognized the smell. "Oil?" He said and looked and saw that Karasu had it all over it.
He then looked ahead and he looked on in horror at what Naruto was holding. In his hands drawn back and ready to fire was a bow and arrow, the same one he had gotten the other day.
And the arrow was lit and on fire…
(SHIT!)
Naruto fired the arrow and it hit Karasu in the chest. Mixing in with the oil the Puppet was set ablaze being covered in flames around it's body and burning it to cinders. Kankuro watched on it horror at what was happening to his creation.
"Fire burns wood." Naruto said to him matter of factly.
"No! This can't be happening!" Kankuro shouted and quickly using his chakra strings activated one last move before it would be destroyed.
In a secret compartment in it, Water was let out and it doused the flames on its body, soaking them as eventually the fire was put out but with Karasu damaged severely.
Kankuro breathed hard as that was a close one. But he had forgotten about his opponent…
Naruto appeared in front of him with great speed and dropping low kicked Kankuro hard right in the Jaw sending him up into the air. Naruto then leapt up after him and placed his hands on his shoulders and performed a hand stand on top of him.
"Your dream of becoming Chunin ends here," He said to him. "Dance of the Falling Star!"
He slammed his knees into Kankuro's skull and knocked him down to the ground crashing on the floor and sending dust up in the air.
Naruto landed on the ground and waited for the dust to clear.
When it did, it revealed Kankuro unconscious and defeated.
"The winner is, Naruto Uzumaki!" Hayate announced giving the match to him.
Naruto smiled but noticed the looks he was being given from the others. Looks of shock and disbelief where being aimed at him, some of mistrust as well.
He shrugged his shoulders and went to go up to the stands.
Let them look…
Elsewhere… a pale skinned man wearing a jonin vest and Sound Hitai-ate leaned against the wall looking at the scenery with a amused look on his face. With him was a young man kneeling before him.
"The birds, they are singing, harkening the arrival of the next stage of the Chunin Exams." He said with a grin as he listened.
"Yes, the following month should be most interesting Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto Yakushi said to him.
Orochimaru grinned even more revealing his teeth. "What a day that shall be, the day I crush the Leaf once and for all."
"With our alliance with Suna and your new allies with Raiga Kurosuki we should have enough manpower to destroy Konoha." Kabuto said to him.
"KuKuKu, yes indeed we should. But there is something of utmost importance I must deal with. It involves one brat by name of Naruto Uzumaki."
"Him? Hatake Kakashi's other student? He's of no threat." Kabuto said not understanding.
"He appears to be but don't let that fool's look deceive you, he has Shikotsumyaku." Orochimaru said with a hiss.
That surprised the spy and his eyes widened. "Shikotsumyaku? Kimimaro's bloodline?"
"Yes, that's the one. That boy, of all people he possesses it. How could I have been so foolish to forget about his clan's ability. They where related to the Kaguya clan the Uzumaki was and some of them could use it. He and Kimimaro are the last two users."
"If not for the Kyuubi within him he could be your next vessel since Kimimaro is ill."
Orochimaru let out a low growl. "Yes, an unfortunate case, " He muttered. "But no matter, I won't have him getting involved with my plans, he may prove even more dangerous and powerful than Kimimaro if given the opportunity."
"Shall I deal with him?" Kabuto asked him.
"No…I have a different task for you." Orochimaru said to him and he listened up.
"Sasuke Uchiha is currently being tended to at the hospital. He is under guard by ANBU no doubt, but if a person is skillful and careful enough I suppose he could sneak in to his room and take him away. Perhaps even kill him…"
"I see, I shall go there soon enough." Kabuto said and stood up and turned and left.
Orochimaru only watched him leave and let out a low chuckle as if finding the entire thing an amusing joke.
Back at the preliminaries, the final fight had ended and Gaara of the Sand had emerged victorious, defeating Rock Lee in Brutal Fashion. The student of Might Gai used every technique he had and opened his inner gates, but in the end it was not enough as he could not get past Gaara's impenetrable defense that he used with his sand. Lee was laid on the stretcher badly injured with a weeping Gai by his side, quit possibly never able to walk again. But even then, Gaara himself appeared exhausted as if driven beyond his limit
Those who had won earlier in the preliminaries where announced to come down.
"First of all, congrats to all who passed this round." Hayate started to say to them. "You have made it to the third round of the Chunin Exams. In one month's time you shall fight again. During that time period you must train and perfect new techniques as you will each fight a adversary." He said to them and let out a cough. "Now then each of you shall come up and select a number and be paired against another person who you will fight in that time period.
One by one, the group came up and each selected a number, since Sasuke wasn't there, Kakashi picked for him.
After all ten had done so the matches where as followed.
Kin Tsuchi vs. TenTen
Shikamaru Nara vs. Temari
Naruto Uzumaki vs. Neji Hyuga
Dosu Kinuta vs. Shino Aburame
And Sasuke Uchiha vs. Gaara
" You shall all meet in one month. Good luck to you all." Hayate said to them.
Naruto sensed a pair of eyes watching him and he turned his head and saw Neji walk towards him.
"I don't know what it is or how exactly you use this Shikotsumyaku but it won't aid you." He said to him. "Your fate will be the same as Hinata's, defeated at my hands. Nothing can stop Fate. Nothing can stand against my Juken."
"If I listened to what others said to me I never would've made it this far." Naruto replied in return. "Your talk of fate is getting old."
Neji glared at him and left and Naruto watched his next opponent leave. He let out a sigh in the back of his head wondering what'd he'd have to look forward to in the upcoming month.
Thirty minutes later Kakashi was walking through the hospital heading towards Sasuke's room, looking to check in on him to make sure if the others could see him. The boy was being given the best care by the hospital staff.
He reached the door that lead to the room and went to open it and stopped.
Something didn't feel right. As if there was something amiss here, he couldn't help but feel as if there was a danger coming from the room.
He quickly flung the door open and entered the room.
In front of him on the ground laid several ANBU unconscious and not breathing. These where some of the elite and each had been taken out.
He looked on and saw standing by Sasuke's bed Kabuto Yakushi leaning over the unconscious Uchiha.
And in his hand was a scalpel near his throat.
"Kabuto? What are you doing?"
Kabuto snapped his head up and seeing him smiled, he threw the scalpel at him narrowly missing him and used that opportunity to escape through the window throwing a smoke bomb down to aid his retreat.
Kakashi coughed and made his way to the window and tried to find him but he was gone…
Meanwhile…
"No, No. Too much on the hips and thighs. You gotta have a proper mixture of soap both on the top and bottom. There we go, that's a good girl."
At the hot springs a man clad in red with a Hitai-ate with the Kanji for Oil on it peeped through a hole on the woman's side a grin on his perverted face.
He was currently…"Studying" the females in the spring watching them bath.
So intent and focused on his research he was unaware of the frog he had setup croaking or of a person walking towards his hiding spot.
"Ahem…"
"Beat it! Find your own peephole!" He said not tearing away from his spot.
"Is that anyway to talk to your sensei Jiriaya?" The older man asked.
Jiriaya's eyes widened and he looked away from the hole and stared at the man before him.
"Sarutobi? Old man!" He said and grasped his long time sensei in a hug which the Hokage returned, the first time they had seen each other in over a decade.
"You never have changed Jiriaya." Sarutobi said to him and the two pulled away.
"It's been what? Eleven years?" Jiriaya, The Toad Sannin and legendary Super Pervert and author of Icha Icha Paradise said to him. Eleven long years since he had left Konoha to do his work
"Indeed, come there is much we can talk about." Sarutobi said to him as there was much for them to catch up on.