The air in the tower's main hall was thick with tension, the weight of survival still pressing down on the genin who had made it this far. Bruised and exhausted from the second phase of the Chunin Exams, they stood in silence as the Third Hokage stepped forward, his aged eyes surveying the room. The proctors flanked him, their expressions impassive. The sense of relief that many had felt upon arriving was quickly shattered as the Hokage spoke. "You have done well to make it this far, but the exams are far from over. Too many of you remain."
A ripple of unease spread through the gathered genin. Naruto crossed his arms, frowning. "Wait, what? You mean we're not in the finals yet?"
The Hokage nodded. "Before the third phase of the Chunin Exams can begin, we must narrow the field. The final tournament must consist of only the strongest candidates. As such, we will now hold preliminary elimination matches."
The murmurs started immediately. Some genin stiffened in place, already calculating their odds. Others, like Gaara, remained utterly still, their confidence unshaken.
Sakura turned to Raven. "Did you expect this?"
Raven smirked. "Of course. The fun's just getting started."
Hayate Gekko, the proctor for the preliminaries, stepped forward, suppressing a cough before addressing the room. "The rules are simple. These will be one-on-one battles. No time limit. The match ends when one fighter is incapacitated, surrenders, or if I decide they are unable to continue. Fight with everything you have."
The large screen at the front of the hall flickered to life. The names began shuffling. One by one, the tension mounted as the first match was about to be revealed. The flickering slowed.
Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akado.
Sasuke's body tensed. He had barely recovered from the Curse Mark's suppression, and now he was being thrown straight into battle.
Kakashi stepped beside him, his lone visible eye serious. "You know what's at stake. Do not push yourself beyond what's necessary."
Sasuke clenched his fists. He couldn't afford to show weakness. "I'll handle it."
The rest of the genin cleared the area, moving to the balcony above as the first match began.
Yoroi smirked as he stepped onto the battlefield. "Unfortunate for you, Uchiha. You don't look so good."
Sasuke didn't respond. He was focusing, assessing his opponent's stance. He had seen this man fight in the Forest of Death—he specialized in chakra absorption. That meant prolonged combat was dangerous. He had to end this quickly.
Hayate raised his hand. "Begin!"
Yoroi lunged immediately, fingers glowing with chakra as he aimed for Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke barely evaded, but his movements weren't as sharp as usual. His chakra was still sluggish from the Curse Mark's suppression.
Yoroi grinned. "Slower than I expected." He pressed forward, forcing Sasuke to stay on the defensive.
Up on the balcony, Naruto leaned against the railing, eyes narrowed. "Sasuke's not moving like he usually does."
"He's still recovering," Raven noted, her arms crossed. "He'll either adjust… or lose."
Sasuke exhaled sharply. If his body wasn't at full strength, then he'd have to rely on technique. Yoroi lunged again, fingers outstretched. Sasuke sidestepped at the last second, then dropped low, sweeping his leg in a move he had copied from Rock Lee. Yoroi's footing was lost for a fraction of a second, but that was all Sasuke needed. He pivoted, delivering a sharp kick to Yoroi's chest, sending him skidding backward.
Lee's eyes widened from the balcony. "That movement… he's using my taijutsu!"
Guy, standing beside him, nodded approvingly. "Impressive. He has a sharp eye for imitation."
Yoroi growled, pushing himself up. "You think a few kicks will stop me?" He charged again, and Sasuke's muscles tensed. He only had a small window before his stamina ran out.
He ducked beneath Yoroi's strike and drove his elbow into the man's stomach, sending him reeling. Then, without hesitation, he spun—mimicking Lee's movements perfectly—and launched himself into the air, delivering a brutal Lion Barrage.
The impact slammed Yoroi into the ground, leaving him unconscious.
Hayate coughed before raising his hand. "Winner: Sasuke Uchiha."
Sasuke exhaled, trying not to let his exhaustion show as he walked off the battlefield. Kakashi was waiting for him. Without a word, Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come with me. We need to reinforce your seal."
Sasuke didn't argue. He hated being escorted away like this, but he knew it was necessary.
As the screen shuffled again, Naruto watched Sasuke disappear through the exit. He clenched his fists. The gap between them was growing, and he wasn't going to be left behind.
The screen stopped.
Shino Aburame vs. Zaku Abumi.
The next match began without hesitation. Zaku, still bandaged from his earlier injuries, smirked despite his clear disadvantage. "You think some bugs are gonna stop me?"
Shino remained silent, adjusting his glasses. "You'll see soon enough."
Zaku lunged forward, unleashing a compressed sound blast from his remaining functional arm. The force sent a shockwave through the battlefield, but Shino was already moving.
His insects swarmed forward, spreading rapidly toward Zaku's position. Zaku scoffed, swinging his arm again to blow them away, but Shino had already anticipated it.
A second wave of insects burst from behind him, wrapping around his arm. Zaku's eyes widened. "What—?!"
"You rely too much on one trick," Shino stated coolly. "And now… you've lost it."
Zaku's movements became sluggish as his chakra was completely drained by the insects. His knees buckled, and he collapsed.
Hayate nodded. "Winner: Shino Aburame."
Zaku's body twitched slightly, barely conscious. Shino turned without another word, walking back to the balcony.
Naruto grinned. "Man, that guy's scary."
Hinata, standing beside Raven, glanced at Naruto before returning her gaze to Raven. "Shino… always plans ahead."
The screen flickered again. The next match appeared.
Ino Yamanaka vs. Sakura Haruno.
Ino smirked, rolling her shoulders. "Finally. Time to settle this."
Sakura inhaled sharply, stepping forward. This was her chance to prove how far she had come.
But Ino had no intention of losing.
As both girls took their positions, Naruto and the others leaned forward, anticipation building.
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