Nothing Special

Chapter 13

Everyone listened closely to what Hayate had to say to all the candidates.

" Uh, we have to have a preliminary exam before we can move on to the real one," " Hayate revealed.

" Huh?" Naruto asked.

" A what?" Sakura asked.

" Preliminary?" Shikamaru exploded. " Just what do you mean by that?"

" I'm sorry," Sakura apologized. " Sensei, excuse me, but I really don't see the point. What's this preliminary all about? Why can't we just move on to the third exam?

" Well, you see, the first and second exams might have been too easy," Hayate suspected. " The fact is, we never expected so many of you to still be here." He looked over at Aceso. " Aceso, I am going to need you to stay for the preliminaries. We won't be taking you back to the hospital just yet."

" Understandable, sir," Aceso nodded as he looked back at the others.

" According to the rules of the Chunin Exams, a preliminary round can be held at any stage in order to reduce the number of candidates remaining," Hayate explained.

" But is that fair?" Sakura stammered.

" It's just that at this stage, we have to speed things up a bit," Hayate answered. " As Lord Hokage said, a lot of important guests will be watching. We can't afford to waste their time. They've come to see only the best. So if there any of you who feel you're not in top physical treatment condition, now's your chance to--" He started coughing. " Sorry about that. As I was saying, any of you who don't feel up to this now's the time for you to bow out. The preliminaries will be starting immediately."

" Come on, you mean right now?" Kiba shouted.

" We just finished barely surviving the last exam," Ino added. " Don't we get a break?"

" Man, what a drag," Shikamaru complained.

" When do we eat?" Choji asked.

" I got some treatment by Aceso, I am already!" Naruto shouted.

" Oh yeah, the winners will be determined by one-on-one combat, sudden death," Hataye recalled. " So like I said if there's anyone who doesn't feel up to it, now's the time to raise your hand."

" Not me!" Naruto laughed. " I still quite a lot of chakra left."

" We all do if we got helped by Aceso," Kida told him. " Doesn't mean all up us are to start combat right away."

" I am in!" Lee cheered. " I can show off my skill to the red rose! and Gai Sensei will be proud!"

" Red rose?" Anko asked leaning over to her.

" Not a clue," Aceso whispered. She then walked over to Lord Hokage, Aceso was now standing alone. Minutes later Kabuto raised his hand, just like he has been doing since Aceso first started with the Chunin Exams.

" What the?" Kiba asked.

" Ok, you got me, I'm out," Kabuto gave in.

" But Kabuto," Naruto began to protest.

" Kabuto Yakushi of the Leaf Village, right?" Hayate asked as he looked at his papers. " Ok. You can go on and step back."

" Gotcha," Kabuto understood, he turned and began to leave.

" Kabuto!" Naruto exclaimed. " Hold on a second! I don't get this. What's going on?" Everyone looked at Naruto and Kabuto as the two looked at each other.

" Oh, Naruto," Kabuto apologized. " I didn't go to Aceso to be treated...I'm sorry, but my body's just too beat up. I can't hack it. The fact is, ever since orientation and that dust-up with the sound village team, I've had no hearing at all in my left ear. And now to put my life on the line, to fight again right away without a break? I can't do it." Naruto looked down sadly.  Kabuto then walked away.