Frozen Crown

Chapter 20

Naruto stood with the rest of the passing genin all of twenty four of them. They all stood in a large open room at the bottom of the tower within the forest of death.

"Alright everyone, I would like to congratulate every one of you for passing the fourth stage of the chunin exams. However I must disappoint you all by informing you that there are still far too many of you in the competition," declared Hiruzen.

"Please *cough cough* Hokage-sama allow me," asked a sickly looking jonin appealing next to the aged Kage, getting a nod from the man.

"Hello everyone I am *cough cough* Hayate Gekko the proctor for the final stage *cough cough* of the exams, and as Hokage-sama *cough cough cough* said there is still too many of you *cough cough cough cough* here. So we must have a preliminary round *cough cough* so if any of you feel you cannot continue please *cough* say so now, and keep in mind that from here * cough cough* on these exams are no longer a team effort," declared now identified Hayate.

"I don't think I can go on anymore," spoke a white haired Konoha nin raising his hand, Hayate noted the name down before nodding to the boy who turned around and left. Naruto glared at Kabuto as he walked away before looking to the Hokage and flipped through ANBU hand seals.

"Anyone *cough cough* else?" asked Hayate, when no other hands were raised the man turned around and a panel rose upwards revealing a giant screen.

"This screen will display the random *cough cough* matchups that these preliminaries will *cough* consist of, the match ups could be one v *cough cough* one, or two v two *cough cough cough* you may be paired up with your best friend your *cough* greatest enemy or someone you may not know," declared Hayate before names flashed on screen quickly.

An instant later four names flashed up onto the screen. "Could all bar Naruto Uzumaki, *cough cough* Dosu Kinta, Yoroi Akado, and Misumi Tsurugi *cough* please head up to the balconies above?" asked Hayate before everyone but those mentioned walked up the stairs.

"Well this is interesting," said Misumi smirking beneath his mask.

"This'll be an easy win," declared Yoroi, Dosu glared at the man and was about to rush him when a hand landed on his shoulder.

"He's baiting you, don't fall for it," said Naruto, Dosu turned his head so he was looking at Naruto out of the corner of his eye before nodding.

"Well this should be fun, it has been a while since we fought side by side, hey Naruto," spoke Dosu turning fully to face the blond who responded by smirking. Naruto's left hand became covered by an icy mist just as Dosu's right hand began to hum. Everyone else in the room had wide eyes from Dosu's comment excluding Kin, Zaku, their sensei and Hiruzen.

"Well it looks like *cough cough* both parties are ready," stated Hayate recovering from his shock. "Begin" called the jonin jumping away.

Naruto drew his blade from his back with free hand, just as Yoroi began running at him and Dosu with Misumi following closely behind his teammate.

"Onpa nami (Sonic Wave)," called Dosu channelling chakra through his arm unleashing it in a straight line at his two opponents both of whom jumped out of the path of the wave Yoroi jumping left Misumi jumping right.

As Yoroi landed he was immediately sliced in two by Naruto and his huge blade, however to no-ones shock Yoroi exploded into smoke revealing instead a roughly sliced log, jagged edges all along the cut. The second the Kawarimi (Substitution) was revealed Naruto turned, flipping through one handed hand signs.

"Hyoton Kōri suraisā No jutsu (Ice Release Ice Slicer Jutsu)," called Naruto as the water in the air around him froze into discs that instantly flew at Yoroi.