Genin Takedown - 14

"The final match will be between Morimoto Chiko and Uchiha Sasuke." Hayate announced, glad that the preliminary rounds were about to end.

"Good luck." Kakashi smiled beneath his mask as Sasuke gave him an annoyed look, not pleased that his match would be the last one. He went down to the main level, stone-faced, knowing that he had to earn a win for his team.

His opponent, much like the other Cloud ninja he had been watching, was tall and broad. Unlike his teammate Chiko was dark-skinned with light, sharp eyes and what seemed to be a bad attitude.

"Sasuke's match..." Naruto muttered to himself, not noticing how Gaara's expression darkened as he stood beside him to watch.

"So I get the Uchiha, eh?" The Kumo nin's voice was a low growl, "This won't take long then."

"Don't fool yourself." Sasuke didn't care how badly he would beat the Cloud shinobi, not after seeing how both Kiba and Sakura hadn't even come close to winning their own fights.

"You may begin when ready." Hayate stepped away to let the match commence.

The Uchiha disappeared after hurling a mass of kunai and shuriken, and the Kumo ninja dodged left also, refusing to lose track of his foe. With a clamor the projectiles impacted the opposite wall, skimming past Chiko as he took a familiar offensive stance.

'Looks like he'll be using taijutsu like the last one did.' Sasuke observed, preparing to counter as the Cloud ninja sprang, and then vanished from sight, 'He's fast!'

"Lightning Palm Barrage!" He was hit side-on by a number of powerful, accurate blows. The areas where Chiko had struck him with an open hand had left him completely numb and slowed down his reaction time.

'I can't counter him if I can't feel my body moving!' The Uchiha prodigy evaded another round of electrically charged slaps, finding his hand-eye coordination quickly dissipating, 'I have to use my Sharingan!'

As he feared, the curse mark on his neck began to react as it had the last time he had activated his bloodline limit. His eyes flickered red while he stumbled in pain.

Kakashi's visible eye widened, 'Not Sasuke too. I had thought only Haku had been branded with that mark...but it appears I've been wrong.'

'I won't let this thing control me...' Sasuke managed a sweep kick to trip up and slow the charging Kumo nin as he forced the mark back under his control, the black tomoe receding further down his pale neck.

His red eyes narrowed as they locked on to the off-balanced Cloud ninja, watching carefully as he prepared to attack again. As Chiko launched another round of painful slaps, Sasuke countered with little effort, seeing his movements nearly before they happened.

'How is he blocking me? I can't get to any of his vital points!' Chiko's shock escalated when Sasuke had maneuvered around his defense with surprising speed and mimicked the painful, static-jabs to the Cloud nin's vulnerable points

"Alright!" Naruto and Sato were the only two ninja lively enough to be cheering on their fellow Leaf genin. Gaara's sour mood only seemed to worsen at the sight of Sasuke doing well in his match.

A swift uppercut knocked the stunned Kumo ninja into the air, where Sasuke leapt above him and finished with a powerful, electrical kick in the gut. There was a sharp crack when Chiko hit the floor, moaning in pain and he was unable to move after being paralyzed by his own jutsu.

Dizzy, the Uchiha prodigy regained his footing, pleased he had learned a new technique during his match.

Hayate looked down to Chiko, knowing he wasn't about to get up anytime soon, "The winner is Uchiha Sasuke," The cheers that followed were cut off as he continued, "This concludes the preliminary round. All remaining genin may come down to the main floor now."

Perplexed, Naruto looked to Gaara, not expecting it to be over so abruptly, "What about Haku-kun? You don't think he'll be back soon?"

"I doubt it." Gaara answered dryly, following the blonde nin down like those remaining.

Troubled, Naruto said nothing more on the matter and looked at the final group of passing genin that were assembled on the floor.

Sato, Shikamaru and Sasuke had made it, unlike the rest of their teammates; where in contrast the entirety of both Team 13 and Team 2 had all passed. One Sound nin and two of the Sand shinobi also remained, something else Naruto hadn't expected to happen, 'I really thought it was mostly gonna be Leaf ninja...'

The Hokage also descended and behind him Hayate had set up a chart labeled with lines and numbers. Sarutobi spoke slowly, observing the last of the genin, "Well done, all of you. You will all proceed to the final stage of the Chunin Selection Exam, which is to say, quite different from all the other stages."

The genin were silent, listening intently.

"The finalists participating in the Third portion of the exam will be taking part in a tournament. The general public and nobles of many countries are eager to watch this competition," The Sandaime explained, "Unlike the other stages, these fights will not be randomly chosen and you will by now have a fair knowledge of the opponent you will be facing."

"A tournament?" Shikamaru didn't like the sound of it, "So only one of us here can get the chance to become a chunin is what you're saying?"

"No. Actually you all have an equal opportunity to be selected to become chunin during this portion of the exam, whether you win or lose your final match." Sarutobi smirked at their surprised faces.

"So there's a chance that we all become chunin..." Temari pointed out, hopeful.

"And there is just as much of a chance that none of you will become chunin," The Hokage reminded, "However, before the last part of the exam may begin you must first draw a number from this box to determine which opponent you will be facing."

That was when they noticed Hayate going down the row holding a box from which each ninja drew a piece of paper. It went quickly, and when each had gotten their own number, they read it aloud, as to be written in the proper place on the chart.

Naruto stole a glance at the chart, eager to see his own match, 'Whoa, right off the bat I'm in the first fight!' His eyes narrowed dangerously when he noted that he had been pitted against Neji. His luck could not have been any better, 'I'm gonna teach him not to mess with Hinata-chan!'

Shikamaru sighed, upset he had been placed in the second match, "And I'm against another girl too..." He frowned as he looked over to Tenten who stood beside Lee, also observing the chart.

Gaara observed all of the matches. The fourth, much to his delight, would be between Lee and Sasuke, something he didn't want to miss. The fifth...between his brother and the last Sound ninja.

'So that leaves my match against...' It felt like he had been clubbed over the head with a very heavy rock when he noticed that he would be facing Sato, one of the last people he had expected to fight. In all honesty he couldn't say how he'd imagined that fight to work.

"And that leaves Haku, who isn't present, to be in the third match against Temari," Hayate finished examining the chart, not noticing the horrified look on Gaara's face, "Is there anything you would like to add, Hokage-sama?"

The Sandaime nodded, "You all have one month to train and prepare before the beginning of the final stage. I strongly suggest you all use your time wisely."

The tension in the air seemed to melt away after the Hokage had dismissed them, and Naruto turned to his red haired friend, psyched, "Yes! I'm up against Neji! I'm gonna school him once my match comes, just you see!"

Gaara nodded absently to him in response, giving a concerned glance to his older sister, wondering what ill fate had placed her against one of his best friends.

Kakashi nudged Sasuke in the back while reading his naughty book, "Congratulations on winning your match, Sasuke. Now I feel it would be a good time to inspect that mark on your neck before we go check up on your teammates."

The Uchiha nodded and followed after him, not so much thrilled with his future match as Lee was, who wooted and hollered across the room at his exhausted teammates.

As they exited the tower, Naruto looked to Gaara, aware of his troubled expression, "Hey, are you alright Gaara? You should cheer up! We did awesome just like I said we would!"

"It's about Haku-kun's match."

"Hm?" The blonde boy blinked at him, "Against that girl? Don't worry! He'll totally kick her butt, you'll see!"

The red haired boy sighed, torn, "Go find Jiraiya-sensei and Haku-kun. I'll catch up with you later."

Naruto frowned, knowing something was off, "Why? What's up?"

"There's someone I have to talk to." Gaara answered simply and said nothing else before walking away.