CH 33

Kurenai was gnashing her teeth after watching Naruto's fight with Hinata. He tore her down, goaded her into a fight and then dissected her and kept a straight face about it the whole time, "I'm going to kill that brat when this is over."

Tsunade glared back at her, "Be quiet Kurenai and be professional. It was a fight. Mind games are supposed to be just another tool that shinobi use. This isn't a primary school where everyone is everyone's friend and you can hold her hand the entire time. You were the ones that were so sure he wouldn't get this far. Not bad for a 'dead-last' huh?"

Asuma looked at Tsunade, "You sure must like that kid huh Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade smirked at him, "Why wouldn't I? That's one tough brat down there. Unlike the majority of your kids he has the right idea on what a shinobi is supposed to do. He's loyal, and he's actually pretty pleasant if you didn't piss him off at you. Oh wait, none of you know anyone that ever tried talking to him seriously before."

Tsunade laughed slightly, "I have half a mind to promote him to jounin after this. He's already got chunin."

Gai walked up, "Tsunade-sama, I admit, Naruto-kun's flames of youth burn brighter than previously advertised, but are you sure? Jounin is a whole other league, especially for a child."

Tsunade looked at Gai with a smirk, "Well, he's still got three fights left. He'll show you just what league he's in. I think I'll give him some time as a chunin first, he won't get anything less than that though. I don't think any of the remaining genin can even touch him."

Kakashi chimed in, "He still hasn't fought Sasuke yet Tsunade-sama. Things can change in the blink of an eye you know."

Tsunade got a predatory look in her eye, "So Kakashi, sounds like you still don't think much about our little blonde gaki out there. How about a little wager?"

Kakashi eye-smiled, "Name your terms."

Tsunade's grin got wider, "Oh this one might entertain you quite a bit… and I wouldn't really call it a wager, more of a request of sorts."

XxX

In the crowd the recently released sand siblings were in attendance, stopping off to watch the event going on in the stadium before returning to their home, their time as P.O.W.s now over. Taking their seats they were curious as to what was going on. Kankuro noticed Gaara watching down on the field intently. Looking down there himself he saw Naruto standing alone with Anko down in the center, "Isn't that the kid that caught us?"

Temari squinted before widening her eyes in surprise, "It is. What is he doing here? Is this all about him?"

A disgruntled fan snorted, "That demon brat is taking on a bunch of the prominent genin in this village. The poor kids… That demon is slaughtering them out there."

Gaara blinked and locked eyes with the man, "So Uzumaki is killing his genin opponents in the ring?"

The man flinched at Gaara's gaze and monotone speaking voice, "No, not really. But he's running right through them all. I knew he was hiding something for all these years."

Temari and Kankuro looked confused, Temari voiced their question, "Why does this place despise the kid so much?"

Gaara simply looked at her and back out into the arena, "He is like me."

Both Temari and Kankuro was shocked. Like Gaara? He has a demon in him too? Why hasn't he ended up the same way that Gaara did then. These people hate him, not fear him so he couldn't be killing them.

XxX

Naruto yawned loudly back in the stadium. He had been here for over four hours and had not been even close to pushed yet, this was more of a light spar to him than anything else all things considered, hell it wasn't even a spar; during a spar you actually get hit.

Naruto shut his mouth from his massive yawn and smacked his lips, "I'm bored Anko-san, this is boring. I'm tired of beating up on these kids already. Do you think I got my point across yet?"

Anko smirked at him, "Now, now gaki, you still have three fights left so make them entertaining okay? And what did I tell you to call me again?"

Naruto rolled his eyes and spoke in monotone, "Anko-chan."

"Or…?"

Naruto sighed tiredly, "Anko-sama."

Anko smiled sweetly at him, "Good boy, I knew you could do it! Look alive kid, next victim up."

At Anko's behest Naruto found Neji making his way into the arena with his usual gait. Naruto and Neji faced each other down and stared at each other intensely. Neji smirked at the blonde, "One more time?"

Naruto chuckled, "One more time…"

Anko licked her lips in anticipation of the coming battle, "The eighth match! Naruto Uzumaki vs. Neji Hyuuga! Hajime!"

Neji activated his Byakugan and sprung at him suddenly, beginning striking at Naruto rapidly. Naruto didn't feel like risking his chakra by blocking this time so he opted to simply dodge and put some distance between himself and the Hyuuga prodigy. This was easier said than done however as Neji was dogged in his pursuit, and any attempts to move without properly breaking Neji's chain of combinations could result in some painful Hyuuga jabs in his near future.

Naruto shot out a punch at the same time Neji went for a finger jab. Neji diverted his strike over Naruto's fist and dipped it in time to hit him in the wrist. Naruto saw this as his opportunity to move and jumped back, shaking his wrist out to get the feeling back into it.

Neji kept his focus solely on Naruto, and easily realizing the threat that any time Naruto could have to think and plan was bad, rushed back in. Naruto formed a Kage Bunshin and Kawarimied with it in time for Neji to hit a palm strike to the bunshin's chest, destroying it and allowing Naruto ample breathing room to back away.

Neji set himself in his ready stance and let out a breath, "I will defeat you this time Naruto. I am not taking you lightly this time around, you have my full attention."

Naruto pulled the sword from his back, "That's nice, but you can pay me all the attention that you want. You still won't beat me. I'm not the same one-dimensional guy that I was at the chunin exams." He set himself down and ran at Neji.

Neji began ducking and dodging Naruto's slashes. Naruto sheathed his sword suddenly following one of his slashes and grabbed Neji by his ponytail that was flailing about in the melee. With a malicious smirk on his face he jerked around and tossed Neji over his shoulder, slamming him hard to the ground by his hair.

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