Another path

The preliminary exams - part 1

< Thank you for the 500 views ! I'm just so happy about this ! I'm glad you like the fic, I hope I don't make too much grammatical mistakes so don't hesitate to warn me about those. Anyway, I do not own Naruto and that doesn't seem about to change (too bad...) >

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All the surviving teams were standing in front of the Hokage. He was currently explaining how the third part of exams would go : exceptionally, there would be a preliminary tournament to cut out some of them as there were much more teams than expected.

A boy named Kabuto that team 7 had met before the first exam, dropped out, pretending his chakra reserves were low. Naru frowned. Any good sensor could tell he hadn't used a tenth of his reserves. It confirmed her bad feelings about him.

Sasuke eyed Naru. He would never admit it out loud, but he looked forward fighting her. He deemed her a worthy opponent. Maybe something more...

Sakura noticed the way her Sasuke-kun gazed at Naru and she felt anger rising in her. That low-life would dare try and seduce her Sasuke-kun ?! If she thought so, then she had another coming !

Naru was looking around her. She did recognize quite some people there : team 8, 9 and 10 were here. The sand one too. She could use a good challenge so she was quite pleased with this turn of events.

A man who looked like he had tuberculosis said he would be the referee during the matches.

All the genin were asked to get up on the balcony before the first match. Their sensei were already there.

Names started scrolling at high speed on a black screen. Suddenly, two names appeared :

Tenten vs Sakura

" - ... Oh Kami, is this really happening ?

- Onee-san, please don't kill my teammate, I know she's annoying but you wouldn't want her mother's Herculean lungs to tear apart your eardrums.

- Yeah, I get it. I'll just show her how it's done."

With that said, the weapon master jumped down in the arena, soon followed by the pinkette.

" - Alright, are you both ready ?

Sakura got into a stance while Tenten simply put a hand down her right hip.

- Then begin !"

Sakura charged forwards, hoping to throw off her opponent. Unfortunately for her, it didn't work as Tenten merely sidestepped to avoid her punch and put her hand on her shoulder. Sakura immediately recoiled at the foreign touch.

" - Ho, what is it that makes you so nervous ? Do you have bad memories about your shoulder being injured ? Or maybe you already are...

- T-that's none of your business !

- Actually, that's quite the opposite.

In a flash, three kunai embedded themselves in Sakura's shoulder. The fangirl cried out in pain and tumbled backwards.

Tenten placed her scroll back into her pocket and walked up to Sakura.

" - W-what are y-you doing ? I'm your fellow k-kunoichi, you w-would-wouldn't hurt me, would you ?

- Were you not paying attention ? You are not my friend nor my comrade here. It is only out of mercy that I haven't killed you yet.

- That's barbaric !! Why would you go that far-

- Because I'm a kunoichi."

The finality of her tone rendered Sakura speechless. Tenten got closer and grabbed her by the collar of her dress. The pinkette started thrashing around, trying to land a hit on her adversary but to no avail. Tenten then grabbed her by both shoulders and rammed her knee in her stomach. Sakura gapped, all the air knocked out of her lungs because of the pain and the shock. She fell miserably on the ground.