She glanced up at the stadium above and around her. She took a slow, deep breath.
Then another.
Stage fright sucked. That was official.
It was like that at the Capital, it was like that here.
Why are there so many people here? Is this some kind of spectator sport?
"That's it," the proctor eased. "Big smiles at the audience."
I guess it is.
"Welcome," the Raikage's voice boomed. "To the sixtieth Chunin Selection Exams!" A roar of applause and clapping.
"Today, we shall test the mettle of shinobi from four of the Great Five Nations! Konoha! Suna! Kumo! Iwa!
We will now begin the final round for the Chunin Selection Examinations! Enjoy!"
Cheers erupted from the audience.
"Alright, you kids know the drill. No rules, if you forfeit and the opponent tries to kill you, I'll stop them, you can lose by surrender, death, and or being judged unfit for battle.
Round one. Kurotsuchi and Naruto. Rest of you, go to the waiting room. Let's make this showy."
Kurotsuchi stood across from Naruto. With her sharingan, she was able to read their lips.
"I don't have a grudge against you," she said. "But I will not fail."
"The last time someone said that to me, they got my fist through their chest."
"Whatever. I don't have a big philosophy to talk about with you. Good luck," she said, before falling into a stance.
"Good luck," Naruto echoed. He drew his sword. "And may the best of us win."
"Well then. May the first match of the Chunin Exam Finals... Begin!"
Naruto screamed and Sayuri instantly dispelled the genjutsu on herself, as did many of the spectating shinobi.
Kurotsuchi didn't.
Kurotsuchi formed hand seals.
Tiger- Hare- Boar- Dog- Ox- Snake.
Naruto cut through the wall that pierced from the ground and the rubble stilled in the air.
Bird.
The rubble shifted in the air before it sailed towards Kurotsuchi.
She ran, jumped, ducked under the rocks. Close.
Naruto wove more seals.
Dog- Horse- Ram- Hare- Bird- Dog.
Water condensed in Naruto's palm and propelled itself towards Kurotsuchi.
The Tsuchikage's grand-daughter raised an earth wall, which cracked under the force of the bullet.
She wove seals.
Tiger- Horse- Boar- Ram- Snake- Dog- Tiger.
She spat out a large ball of lava, which met the ever-growing wave of water.
The two clashed, sending a wave of steam with heat comparable to an open oven washing over the audience members.
"That's cute," Naruto commented. When the smokescreen cleared, he was gone. A quick glance with her sharingan uncovered his position. Underground.
Kurotsuchi's head snapped up in epiphany before she began weaving seals.
Rabbit- Boar- Rat- Horse- Tiger- Snake.
YOU ARE READING
Sage's Resurrection
Fanfiction"I have found you to be worthy of being my successor." Naruto Uzumaki was a boy who was snubbed and looked down upon for his entire life. For him to be acknowledged by someone like the Sage... "You will be strong enough to achieve world peace..." ...
