Chapter 25.Preliminaries

The preliminary round started. A total of seven teams were selected. The Hokage and Shikaku were there to watch the fights. Saruto was standing beside the jonin leaders to avoid attention. Fugaku asked, "Seven teams? You didn't mention the seventh team Shikaku!"

"I thought it was obvious. Guy's team has the strongest genin after all"

The first match was announced on the screen. Haruno Sakura vs Kinuta Dosu, the match started as Sakura ran toward Dosu with a kunai. Dosu avoided her strikes. He waited for her to get tired. Sakura who didn't know any better offensive jutsus was failing to strike her enemy. Eventually, Dosu approached his hands near her ears. He emitted sound waves which started hurting her ears. She dropped to the ground. She was unable to withhold the pain and went unconscious. Naruko who was watching the match said, "She better learn some new jutsus, ya know!"

"Maybe Saruto-san can teach her some jutsus", said Naruto.

The match ended as Dosu was announced as the winner. He then went to join his team. Team Dosu's Jonin leader was standing there. He was wearing a mask that covered his mouth and nose and sunglasses. He was also wearing a hoodie. He patted Dosu's shoulder and said, "You did good Dosu!" Dosu replied with thanks. The next match was announced. This time it was Tsuchi Kin against Yamanaka Ino. Ino positioned herself to use the mind transfer jutsu but Kin was moving non-stop. "When I heard the Yamanaka name, I knew you would try to use this jutsu", Kin said as she was running around. She jumped in the air and threw some senbons at Ino. Ino used that opportunity to successfully transfer her mind but the damage was already done. The senbons that were already thrown hit Ino's body in multiple spots. Ino could feel the pain in her body so, she released her jutsu. Kin was announced as the winner.

Ino was disappointed with her loss. She gave everything she had but it wasn't enough. Kin approached her and lent her hand to Ino. Ino used it to get up. Kin spoke, "That's a nice jutsu but you need to work on it. I believe you can improve it" then she smiled and joined her teammates. Ino was in shock. A kunoichi from another village who just defeated her gave her advice to improve her skill. She wasn't the only one. Most of the shinobis at that place were also in shock by Kin's behaviour.

The third match started with Choji against Jirobo. Choji threw his chips packet away and,

Choji's body expanded and his limbs and head went inside his body.

His body started rolling like a ball and charged toward Jirobo. Jirobo quickly slammed his fists on the ground.

His strength made a wall that blocked Choji's human boulder.

Jirobo summoned his brute strength in his fist and punched Choji through his shield. Choji's expanded body protected him but he was still knocked out by the Jirobo's power. Jirobo was announced as the winner. He celebrated as he gazed at every other participant. He was smiling until his gaze turned to Naruko. Jirobo gulped as he returned to his place. Naruto spoke, "He's going to be scared of you for his life, ya know!"

"He shouldn't have insulted me back in the forest. He got what he deserved, ya know", Naruko's face formed a menacing creepy smile. Naruto's face turned to pale after seeing that expression of his sister.

The fourth match started between Naruto and Inazuka Kiba. Naruto beat Kiba using only his multi-shadow clone technique. Then Hyuga Hinata faced Hyuga Neji. Neji gravely injured Hinata and made Naruto mad. Naruto swore to avenge his friend. Aburame Shino faced Zaku. Shino won. Temari fought Tenten in the seventh match. Tenten's offence didn't work on Temari. Temari toyed with Tenten with her futon attacks. Temari beat Tenten. Then, Rock Lee faced Gaara, and Gaara won at the end of that masterpiece of a fight. Lee was taken to the hospital.

[Saruto, you could have helped him]

'And dishonour Lee's determination? Some events must be left to happen like it was supposed to. Lee must go through this to become stronger and Gaara must go through this for his redemption'

[Do you think everything will go as planned?]

'This Naruto is stronger than the version I know at this age. All I need to worry about is the shock wave from a battle between two jinchurikis that could destroy the village during the final stage'

"Next match will start soon. Nara Shikamaru vs Tayuya", said Hayate. Tayuya descended to the ground with a flute. She glared at Shikamaru who was yawning. She twitched her eyebrows as she was annoyed to fight a lazy guy. But Shikamaru was looking around his surrounding while yawning. Tayuya couldn't wait any longer put the flute in her mouth and started playing it. Shikamaru felt uneasy after hearing the sound. He dropped to the ground and struggled. 'What's this? Genjutsu?'

He was struggling to move his arms. He started quivering on the ground. Tayuya stopped to take a look for a moment. Shikamaru used that opportunity to slap his ears with force. Tayuya realised what he was doing. Before she could play the flute, her body stopped moving. Shikamaru successfully executed the Shadow Possession Jutsu. He used the same method from the Canon to defeat Tayuya.

The last match was a triple threat, Uzumaki Naruko vs Kidamaru vs Kankuro. The battle started as Kidamaru spit some web at Naruko and then at Kankuro. Kankuro threw the gear that he was carrying before he could be trapped in the webs. Naruko on the other hand broke through the webs and approached slowly Kidamaru. "Are you dumb? You're using the same trick, ya know"

Adamantine chains appeared from the ground and trapped him. A chain crawled on his throat. "Give up or you die!"

Kidamaru fought Naruko in the forest of death before. He knew what she could do so he gave up! Naruko then turned her gaze at Kankuro who was still trapped. Naruko asked, "Proctor they're both down, ya know! I am the winner, right?"

Hayate observed Kankuro's body and stayed still. Suddenly, Kankuro moved and grabbed onto Naruko. Naruko couldn't counter the surprise attack. It was revealed to be a puppet. The real Kankuro got up from the gear. He must have used substitution jutsu with his puppet before Kidamaru's attack. The puppet opened its mouth to reveal a needle with poison. Kankuro approached her with a smirk. "You're not giving, are you?"

"You see my Oni-chan over there? He taught me not to give up"

Once she finished saying that adamantine chains appeared out of her back, breaking Kankuro's puppet. Kankuro's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He started crying at his puppet. "Karasu!!"

Naruko placed a kunai near his throat. Hayate announced, "The winner is Uzumaki Naruko!"

After the end of the preliminaries, the participants walked up to the stage. In front of the Hokage, Hayate announced "Kinuta Dosu, Tsuchi Kin and Jirobo from Oto, Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuga Neji, Aburame Shino, Nara Shikamaru and Uzumaki Naruko from Konoha, Temari and Gaara from Suna, in three days, the ten of you will be fighting in one on one matches in the final stage. It will be in a tournament format. Chunin proctors will evaluate your performance during these fights and we will report to your respective villages. Then the Kages or leaders in your village will decide whether or not to promote you as a chunin. The final stage will be held in the grand arena in front of an audience"

Naruto on the ground thought, 'Wait for me Sasuke, I'll get you back but first I have to beat some sense into two idiots here!'

He glared at Gaara and Neji.

_________________

Meanwhile, outside the village, two men entered through a secret passage. One of them sneezed. "Ooh Sasuke-kun, you are not sick are you? You've been sneezing all day. Oh, maybe a cute girl is thinking about you!", said Tobi.

"Stop it, Tobi! If Orochimaru finds out that you're bringing me here behind his you will have to face his wrath!"

"Well, he should have told you when he was going to do the regeneration process. All we have to tell him is we weren't aware of it"

"Do you think he'd buy that excuse?"

"Who knows?"

They entered the village without anyone noticing.