Chapter 19: Preliminaries.

                                    

                                          
Only half of the teams who entered made it to the tower in time. But even with the numbers shortened so much, there was still too many people to continue in the final rounds. So, they started a Premilitary round. The board above us started randomizing the names for the first fighters. This was going to be a long day. 
Yoroi vs Sasuke- Sasuke won. 
I was glad to see Sasuke was moving on in the rounds, but I couldn't be happy yet. He was badly injured even though he won. 
Shino vs Zaku- Shino won. 
I had no doubt that my teammate would win. Watching the battle only reminded me of what he can do. 
Kankuro vs Tsurugi- Kankuro won. 
The techniques he used were so... different. So interesting and complicated. I could remember reading about puppets, but seeing one in action was so interesting. So different from what I imagined. 
Suddenly my name appeared. 
Sakura vs Ino- battle ongoing. 
We have to fight Ino!? No way! 
Welp. Even if she is our friend we need to give our all! I'm all ready for any type of mind transfer jutsu she may pull!
Right! 
I jumped down and met Ino at the fighting circle. I pulled my head protector over my forehead and she did the same. Putting my game face on, I got into my fighting stance. She did the same. 
"Ready? *Cough* Go." 
We both threw kunai, they met each other and collided. Next, we ran at each other. She tried to punch me, but I dodged and managed to punch her square in the face. She stammered back, before getting back into her stance. 
"You think your better then me? With your short hair? Well I don't care about mine either!" She took a kunai and copped her hair off in a clean cut. I didn't even flinch. I ignored the gasps from the audience. She was planning something. The hair.. she hasn't even tried her jutsu.. even though I could easily dodge it. She started to charge at me again. 
Its gotta be something with her hair. 
Maybe its like a trap?
I dodged to the side, and threw a kunai at her. 
like she will infuse it with chakra! That's it! 
CHA! WERE GONNA WIN! 
Suddenly she called out her jutsu' s name. 
"Mind Transfer Jutsu!" I wasn't that dumb. Her chakra never left her body. She faked it. I was careful to step forward to not step on her hair without her suspecting I knew her plan. Suddenly she threw a Kunai making me loose balance. Now trapped, she called it again. 
"Mind transfer Jutsu!" 
The crowd gasped. 
"Is that Ino?"
"Is that Sakura?"
"Kakashi Sensei.. can that be Sakura..?"
"Naruto.. there is no way she could have dodged that.." 
Now inner!
CHAAAAA!!!!
What the!? 
Sorry Ino, but I got a battle to win! Inner kicked out Ino to the side as her body fell to the ground. I had only seconds before Ino returned and I had to be quick. I looked over at the instructor. Waited for only one second then talked. 
"She obviously cant fight anymore." He glanced at me before walking over to Ino's limp body. I heard gasps from the crowd. 
"Sakura!?" 
"No way! She overpowered Ino!" 
"How!?"
I watched the instructor impatiently.
C'mon.. C'mon...
"Ino cannot fight anymore. Sakura wins." Two medics quickly picked up Ino's body and carried her away. Just in time. A grin spread across my face as I walked up the stairs and into a bone crushing hug from Naruto. 
---- 
Sakura vs Ino- Sakura wins.
Ten ten vs Temari- Temari wins. 
Shikamaru vs Kin- Shikamaru wins.
Naruto vs Kiba- Naruto wins. 
Hinata vs Neji- Neji wins. 
Gaara vs Rock Lee- Gaara wins.
Choji vs Dosu- Dosu wins. 
------
"You have all finished the first part of the exam. However, the last part will be finished after a month. You will use this month to train for your next and final fight to becoming a Chunin. Draw a number from this bowl, that will determine who you will fight. 
Everyone picked a number. 
I got 8? Who am I against?
Our names were drawn onto a board showing who we were facing. 
Oh. 
So... we better start training eh?
No kidding. 
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Naruto vs Neji
Sasuke vs Gaara
Temari vs Shikamaru
Kankuro vs Shino
Sakura vs Dosu
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