13

                                    

                                          
= Preliminaries! =
                          
Soon, 19 genin gathered inside the tower, having passed the Second Stage. The Yondaime Hokage, Minato Namikaze, stood in the arena with his two former teammates and bodyguards, Shiboi Akimichi and Hihari Uha.
                          
'Welcome to the Konoha Chunin Exams, where genin prove their strength!' Minato announced. 'Now now, 3 amazing ninja were stopped from entering the first stage by other genin, who I have a gut feeling about. They will be joining us in the finals!'
                          
Light jeering could be heard from the ninja and genin but it died down.
                          
'Anyway, we need to have a preliminary stage because we have too many competitors! The one on one matches are randomly selected. You may forfeit, as from this stage on, you'll be on your own.'
                          
At this point, Kabuto Yakushi raised his hand.
                          
'I wish to forfeit.' Kabuto said.
                          
'Very well, Yakushi Kabuto. You may go now.' Minato said. 'Everyone else, please go onto the stands.'
                          
The genin walked up the stairs into the small sized stands, ready to observe the battles.
                          
'First match: Uchiha Sasuke against Akado Yoroi! Please come down to the stadium!' Minato said, as his guards Shunshinned up.
                          
Sasuke leaped down as Yoroi entered the fighting area. Yoroi and Sasuke jumped back, ready to fight.
                          
'Kumo (spider)-sama wants your Sharingan...' Yoroi trailed off, as he prepared to fight Sasuke.
                          
'Fire Release: Phoenix Flower!' Sasuke exclaimed, as he fired multiple fireballs from his mouth.
                          
'Chakra Absorbtion.' Yoroi charged in, dodging the fireballs, his hands glowing blue with chakra.
                          
Sasuke dodged Yoroi's jabs, then smiled.
                          
'I'm having fun toying with you.' He whispered into Yoroi's ear, as he backflipped behind Yoroi. 'Nintaijutsu: Dragon Shot.'
                          
Sasuke coated his fists with chakra as he punched Yoroi twice, chakra dragons flying out and swirling around Yoroi before returning and attacking the Konoha traitor.
                          
'Uchiha Sasuke wins.' Minato said. 'Akado Yoroi is knocked out. The next match will be...'
                          
Names flickered on the green coloured screen as the spinning wheel slowed down. An Otogakure ninja (under the command of Kabuto, the Otokage) grinned.
                          
'Abumi Zaku against Aburame Shino! Please step down onto the field!' Minato announced, as the ninja prepared to battle.
                          
'This is going to be easy.' The Oto-nin, Zaku, said, grinning wildly. 'For Kabuto-sama's sake!'
                          
The battle began, and the genin started to battle. Shino sent out his bugs, but Zaku started blowing them away. Shino's bugs went wave after wave, until Zaku rushed in, preparing a punch.
                          
'SHINEEEEE!!! (DIE)' Zaku screamed, as he prepared a sound wave amplified strike.
                          
Shino quickly sidestepped, and Zaku's smile faltered. His arm was blown off. Shino had won.
                          
'Winner: Aburame Shino!' Minato said, as the next match started. 'Next, we have Sabaku Kankuro versus Tsurugi Misumi!'
                          
Misumi started to twist his body around Kankuro, squeezing his neck. Suddenly, the bandages broke open, revealing Kankuro! The Kankuro Misumi had attacked's skin peeled off, revealing wood.
                          
'You've fallen into my trap.' Kankuro said, as he unsealed another puppet. 'Black Secret Technique: Snare Dance.'
                          
The other puppet fired out traps at Misumi as knives emerged from the fake Kankuro. Misumi quickly was stabbed and captured, as Kankuro smiled.
                          
'An easy win for me and a new toy.' Kankuro said, as he sealed Misumi's body inside a scroll. (Kankuro makes human puppets and is a lot more sadistic)
                          
'The winner is Kankuro! The next match will be Yamanaka Ino against Haruno Sakura!' Minato spit Sakura's name with venom, before Sakura raised her hand.
                          
'I would like to forfeit. I don't want to fight Ino.' She said.
                          
'I would also like to forfeit.' Ino said.
                          
Minato smirked. 'Very well. Double knockout. Next we have Sabaku Temari against Tenten of Konoha!'
                          
'Twin Rising Dragons!' Tenten said, as she unsealed multiple weapons. 'Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!'
                          
The wind increased the speed of the weapons, but Temari smiled.
                          
'You're dead. You never stood a chance.' Temari said, as she opened up her fan.
                          
Temari's winds were stronger, and blew the weapons back. Temari was right. Tenten never stood a chance.
                          
'Winner: Temari! Next match: Nara Shikamaru against Akimichi Choji!' Minato said.
                          
'Ummm...' Choji said. 'I don't want to fight my friend.'
                          
'You want to forfeit?' Minato asked, an evil grin forming on his face.
                          
Choji nodded.
                          
'Ok. Nara Shikamaru wins.' Minato said. 'The next competitors please step into the stadium.'
                          
Naruto smiled. Kiba patted Akamaru. A fierce battle was about to begin.
                          
===
                          
Notes: In this story, Zaku was the only survivor of his team but he passed the Second Stage.
                          
Who is Kumo-sama?
                          
Will Naruto win Kiba?
                          
Did you enjoy the chapter?