Not This Time | NARUTO|

Pre-lims [18]

Her opponent^

Recap:
Tenshi runs into the snake pedo and saves her team by staying back.

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"Uhh *cough* we have to have a preliminary exam before we move on to the real *cough* one."

"Preliminary!!?" Hearing shikamaru yell out in protest.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me old man!?" I bark.

"Um excuse me sensei but wouldn't that be pointless, why can't we just move on to the third exam?" Sakura askes confused. Damn straight it's pointless. Deflating at the thought of more physical activity.

"Ah you see we thought the first and second exams exams were to easy. We never thought so many of you to still be *cough* here. According to the rules the preliminary exam can be held at any stage in order to reduce the number of participants."

"Uh is that fair!?" Sakura exclaims in shock at such a rule.

"It's just to speed things up alittle bit."

Oh please they just wanna weed is out. I thought in annoyance. Balling my fist for a moment I sigh inwardly. Oh well. Times like this I wish I could speed up time.

"So if there's any of you not in top conditi-" He cuts his own self of with a fit of coughs making me deadpan. Geez we're gonna be here all day at this rate. I scowl impatiently. He had the nerve to talk about being in top condition when he  looks as if he just ran a marathon from Suna. "Sorry about that, as I was saying if you're not up for it now is the time to back out, the preliminaries will be starting right away ."

Immediately, protests broke out at how the 2nd exam was tiring enough, which I can't help but agree with. However, unlike them I had an extra 2 days of relaxation at the tower. Enough to gain my chakra back. My wounds still healing though. I was forced to do my own stiches and I feared my wound reopening during a fight. Damn it, why can't I have regenerative abilities like the jinchuriki, does this damn freeloader insider of me care at all. I mentally whine.

"Uh yeah the winners will be decided upon one on one battles, sudden death. Nows the time to raise your hand. " Hearing a grunt of pain, I whip my head around towards the source.

Sasuke was grasping where the weird mark on his neck was gritting his teeth. "Sasuke-kun!" Sakura whispers loudly catching Narutos attention. "Sasuke listen to me, you have got to quit!" Sakura says worriedly. I click my tongue in annoyance at her statement. Despite my unadmitted worry for the uchiha, even I wouldn't be able to stop him from doing these prelims, He's to stubborn for that. Threatening to tell the old man about Sasukes mark, Sakura raises her hand shakily. I wouldn't do that if I were you...

"Ok you've got me, I'm out!" Kabuto raises his hand in defeat. Guys barely even got a scratch. I thought suspiciously. After giving some knock off excuse to Naruto about being 'drained,' kabuto left leaving a sketchy feeling in me. He looked in tiptop shape and it was obvious he was lying. Thinking about it now, I've never seen Kabuto a day in my life? Who the hell even is that guy? Well it's not my problem. I shrug.

Focusing my attention back on my squad I  catch Sasuke snap at Sakura, snatching her hand down with a glare. "Don't you even think of telling them about this mark." Sakura on the verge of tears shakes her head, trying to understand what Sasuke was trying to prove. Of course she wouldn't understand.

Unlike the rest of us Sakura was practically the only normal one on the squad. Granted she was bullied when she was younger but that's mediocre compared to anything Sasuke went through. She had a family, a place to return to. Sasuke had all of that taken away from him. Progressing forward as a ninja put him one step closer to his goal. I tune out of their little conversation, discretely massaging the wound on my abdomen. Hopefully it doesn't reopen.