Below The Beneath

Chapter 13: True Swordsman, A New Blade

"... AND WELCOME TO THE THIRD ROUND OF THE CHUNIN EXAMS!" exclaimed Anko with her usual crazy voice. All the while eyeing up Zabuza, who was doing the same to her.

"Thank you Anko, and I would also like to congratulate you all on surviving this far. But on to the third part of this exam, it will be one on one matchups from here on out, so if there's anyone unfit to fight, just raise your hand and we will mark you out. If you decide to call it quits you may stay to watch your team or you can leave to get medical attention. Now all that wish to be excluded from these proceedings, raise your hand" asked the aged Kage

2 hands went up from the Iwa team, one sporting large gash down his right arm that was wrapped in bandages, the other seemed to have a severe concussion.

"Mark them down, Gekko" asked the 3rd Hokage. The coughing swordsman did as told and marked down the people leaving.

"Ok, my name is Gekko Hayate and I'm (cough) going to be your sensei for this portion of the third exam. These are the (cough) preliminaries to see who will fight in the finals about a month from now. (cough) Two names will appear on the board behind me and those two will fight till one is dead, I declare a (cough) winner, you're knocked out or you forfeit."

Just then a fox masked ANBU shunshined next the the aged Kage and started to whisper in his ear, the old man went wide eyed, then called the Procter over, the 3 men talked for about 3 minutes. Then the ANBU disappeared and the Procter motion for Anko to start the screen.

"Would Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka please stay here, everyone else, if you would please, move up to the balconies with your teams and your senseis, we'll start the match." called out Hayate, surprisingly without coughing.

Everyone but the two girls moved to the balconies, much to everyone's shock, both Naruto and Sasuke shunshined to their spots.

Kakashi was next to Naruto in an instant. "What was that about? What was the need to use your 'status' as a cover?" asked Kakashi in a rather relaxed tone, he learned long ago to never underestimate him, and he usually had a good reason for doing anything.

"The swordsman from Kiri is high chunin, low jonin in level, I made sure I him and... Well you'll just have to see when it happens"

Back in the arena, both girls were staring at each other intently. Ino knew Sakura was much better than in the Academy, her whole team was way better than in the academy. Sakura knew to not take Ino lightly. The girl was excelled in Taijutsu and knew several jutsu that were not taught in the academy.

"Are both fighters ready?" asked Gekko, both Nodded, "Fight!"

Sakura took off, aiming a huge left hook at her opponent. Ino put an arm up to block and started a counter, but never got that far, the punch had been a fake, at the last moment she switched to a side kick, sending Ino flying from the huge kick Sakura had somehow generated.

"What the hell? You're not that strong!" declared Ino as she now charged Sakura. Sakura fell back and took up a guard, the Yamanaka went for a kick of her own, only for it to be caught in the palm of Sakura. Ino went wide eyes as Sakura threw a fully wound up punch into the Yamanakas face, once again sending her backwards.

"I am that strong, you don't just sit back and relax when the two strongest Genin in Konoha are on your team. I trained too, and now, you're going to see first hand just how much stronger I've gotten" declared Sakura as she started building up chakra in her legs and her right arm. Everyone who knew her was surprised, they could all feel the amount of chakra coming off the girl, which was Surprising, since she was just a genin. After a moment Ino got back up and took a defensive stance, she didn't know what was going on, but she would be ready for it. In a blur of speed Sakura disappeared, moving at high chunin speeds. "Uzumaki style! Speed rush!" cried out Sakura as her fist connected with Inos gut, sending the poor girl flying, she hit the wall, Hard, leaving large cracks. Ino fell to the ground with a thump, knocked out cold.