69 Resolve!

"Daishi-Kassei!"

Shira's face and muscles were covered in protruding veins, as the immediate area around him got devastated.

The sheer pressure and energy stunned every single person present.

Hiding in between the public, the few ANBU that were there for security measures all paled.

If Shira went on any further, they feared that even they wouldn't be able to take him on single-handedly.

Once Shira activated the fourth opening, he pressed his foot on the ground, destroying the earth.

He then disappeared, only to reappear behind an unsuspecting Lee.

"Crap!"

Lee turned around and tried to block the incoming kick but it was useless. He was immediately sent flying, heading in the wall's direction.

"Not yet!"

Shira flickered once again, reappearing behind Lee like before.

He kept hitting him in midair, making Lee ricochet through the battlefield.

Lee's mind was going blank, unable to take the beating for any longer.

Shira threw one last hit, landing a direct punch on Lee's cheek.

With everyone watching, the Leaf Genin was sent flying and hit the wall once again.

Silence filled the arena, as Shira turned off his breathing method. He fell to one knee, supporting himself with a fist on the ground.

Panting, he looked up and saw an unconscious Lee. He had won the fight.

Gemma recovered from his shock and went up to Lee, confirming the win. Raising his hand, he broke the silence in the arena.

"The winner is Shira!"

Realizing what happened, the arena was once again sent into a frenzy. Cheers came from left, right, and center… Making Shira scratch the back of his head in embarrassment.

Lee was placed on a stretcher and brought to the first-aid unit. His condition was not horrible, but he did break a lot of his bones.

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(AN: Back to first-person POV.)

I silently watched as Shira walked back to the stands. He looked tired, but the activation did not last long enough to cause serious damage.

For Shira to have reached this far in such little time... Although I wasn't happy for him, I felt like he earned a little more of my respect.

He'll be a great pawn once I become the Kazekage. I'll make sure to treat him a little better from now on.

Once he arrived, Kiyo jumped to his arms out of reflex, surprising the young ninja. Realizing what she had done, Kiyo blushed and immediately released him.

Shira blushed, and the situation became a little awkward. Since it made me cringe a little, I changed the subject.

"Shira, you did well there. I'd like to fight you..."

Hearing this, Shira turned towards me with a surprised expression. What... Was it so weird for me to praise somebody?

Shira looked like he was about to shed a tear, making me uncomfortable.

"You could have done better though. If you had blocked his Tenketsu from the beginning, instead of sparring so much... You would've won in no time. There's still room to improve."

"Hai! I'll strive to get better!"

Shira seemed to have regained all his energy but was interrupted by Genma's shout.

"Uchiha Sasuke vs Temari!"

It seems like the time has finally come... huh? I wonder is Sasuke will make it in time for the fight.

As I asked myself this, Temari jumped down the stands and opened her fan, slowly gliding to the arena. Once there, her opponent was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, the wind started converging in the middle of the field, gathering a bunch of leaves.

Out of it, two ninja appeared. One grey hair and a face mask, while the other was wearing pitch-black clothes and a bunch of bandages.

They were none other than Kakashi and Sasuke.

"Sasuke!"

Seeing them arrive, Naruto jumped off the stands and ran up to his teammate with a grin plastered on his face.

"How late can you be! I was thinking you weren't showing up 'cuz you were afraid to fight me!"

Hearing Naruto's obnoxious words, Sasuke smiled.

"Heh... Don't get too worked up, you absolute moron."

Cutting off the reunion, Kakashi scratched his head and spoke to the proctor.

"We showed up, but did we make it in time?"

Genma smiled, biting his toothpick.

"Well, he could've been disqualified..."

"But he made it just in time for his fight. It's ok."

Hearing this, Kakashi sighed in relief. He then flickered away, landing next to Sakura in the public. Ignoring them, I focused on Sasuke.

I could feel his chakra... It was way stronger than in the first round; He must've learned the Chidori... Heh. I hope he can put up a fight.

Once Naruto got back to the stands, Sasuke and Temari made eye-contact.

"So you're Sasuke Uchiha... You're the one that threw a rock at Kankurō."

"So what?"

Sasuke smirked.

"Heh. Nothing. I just tend to be a little over-protective when it comes to my family..."

"Begin!"

With Genma's shout, Temari immediately spread her fan to the maximum, revealing three circles.

"Fūton: Daikamaitachi no jutsu!" (Wind-style: Great Sickle Weasel Technique!)

Temari used her fan to make many currents of wind collide with each other, creating vacuum pockets. Leaving a trail of destruction, the concentrated wind currents flew towards Sasuke at high speed.

Sasuke immediately activated his Sharingan and flickered out of the way, reappearing behind the unsuspecting Temari.

"You! How are you this fast!"

Sasuke did not respond, throwing a direct kick towards her back and sending her flying. He also grabbed her fan.

"Impossible!"

Temari landed on the ground, still in disbelief. She hadn't seen Sasuke move at all, and in the blink of an eye, he took her fan and kicked her away.

Without her fan, there wasn't much that she could do.

"Checkmate."

Sasuke smiled, forming hand seals in rapid succession.

Right before using the jutsu, he flickered once again and reappeared behind Temari, just like before.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no jutsu!" (Fire-Style: Great fireball Technique!)

Temari could not react as the fire engulfed her, taking her out immediately.

Because she had a protective layer of chakra, her skin didn't burn but the heat was enough to knock her unconscious.

Genma flickered next to her and raised his arm once again.

"The winner is Sasuke Uchiha!"

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(AN: There are currently THREE advanced chapters available!

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