Konoha's Chef (Gaara Love Story)

15: The Preliminaries

Author's POV

(Team Gaara actually only took one hour and thirty-seven minutes to complete the exam. However, to work out the meetings between Akimi and Gaara, I lengthened their time.)

Team Three arrived at the tower late morning of the fourth day. They had crossed paths with several other teams, and after giving them their extra heaven scroll to one, they fled from the others and hurried towards the tower at full speed. Daikoku Funeno Sensei was there to greet and congratulate them, and for the remaining time left before the five days were over, Team Three trained themselves individually behind closed doors.

Team three had passed the first two tests as a team, but how will they fair in the third part of the Chunin exams without each other? Shigekazu even had calculated the probability of each team member winning. If they were paired against a close-range opponent, Akimi had a 80% chance of winning, Sora 56%, and Shigekazu 47%. If they were up against a long distance opponent, Akimi: 74%, Sora: 62%, and Shigekazu: 78%. Needless to say, all Team Three wasn't created for strong defense, as they are now. To overcome this weakness, they must find strength and willpower to survive, to fight. Could they prove this?

After introductions were done, and instructions were given, everyone gathered up in the balconies to clear the arena

"Is it possible for a someone to paired up against one of their teammates?" Akimi asked Daikoku Funeno Sensei as the large match screens began to randomly choose two people for the first round.

"Nah," he replied, leaning against the rail. "Fighting someone you know too well isn't fun. You see, the preliminaries teach you guys to analyze your opponent right on the spot. When you get harder missions and have to fight against other ninjas, you have to figure out the best way to fight them."

"Oh." She turned back to look at the screen and was surprised to see two names, one of them belonging to her classmate.

Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akadō

"GO SASUKE!" Everyone turns to look at Sasuke's teammates yelling and cheering frantically. Even the girls from other teams cheer for him.

"You better win, Teme!" Naruto screams at his rival. The Uchiha boy smirks and faces his opponent.

"Ready, begin!"

The match ends with Sasuke's victory.

After the first round, the next opponents go down.

Zaku Abumi vs. Shino Aburame. Shino won.

Sakura Haruno vs. Ino Yamanaka. Both girls were disqualified after simultaneously hitting each other.

Tenten vs. Temari. Akimi watched in horror as Temari beats Tenten, to the point that Temari intended her to die. Temari wins.

As the arena was clearing Tenten's weapons off the ground, the next two names show up: Akimi vs. Gennai.

"You're caught," Akimi said immediately to Gennai.

"What?" But she does not elaborate.

"Ready, begin!" Akimi instantly goes dashes forward and swings her leg towards his torso. At the last second, Gennai crosses his arms to block her attack, earning a heavy bruise on his arm.

"You're caught."

"Again, what's with that?" He grabs his injured arm, but Akimi doesn't stop and starts a barrage of endless punches at him. Gennai escapes her radius and throws kunais and shurikens at her desperately. He does well, keeping the distance between them long, but Akimi has other ideas.

She withdraws a single kunai to defend herself. As she continually dodges the shurikens and kunais, Akimi edges forwards, pushing Gennai towards a wall. Akimi gets close enough and attaches herself to the wall right above him.

"You're caught."

"Gahhh!" Gennai looked freaked out. He's down to a few tools left, but he does have a trick up his sleeve.....

"You're caught," Akimi says, a queer smile on her face. It's neither malicious nor kind.

"I don't think so." Glaring, he makes a few hand signs and prepares to use his trick, Fire Release. However, Akimi escapes and punches his gut, cutting his concentration and the jutsu.

"You're caught," Akimi repeats. Gennai can't move, trapped between the wall and Akimi's strong arm in his stomach. Breathing is difficult, but he can't look away from her predatory eyes.

"You're caught."

"You're caught."

Each time Akimi says this, she gets closer to him, smashing his control and sanity.

"You're caught."

Am I really fighting against an opponent? Gennai wonders as a terrified scream erupts from him.

"You're caught."

This isn't a one-on-one battle, Gennai realizes, blacking out.

"You're caught."

She's the predator.

"You're caught."

And I'm the prey.