Chapter 34

'Tenten VS Temari.' Was displayed in yellow kanji across a massive screen. 

"I believe!" Lee dramatically cheered. 

"This will actually be an interesting match." Neji admitted.

Ino and Sakura quietly laid beside each other, snoring. Tired from their match, they were sleeping next to each other.

"Begin." Hayate declared.

With incredible confidence, Temari didn't even advance, instead, she stood completely still. Temari held a condescending smirk on her face, she didn't care about what Tenten could bring to the table at all.

Using this moment to her advantage, Tenten leapt backward. Reaching into the satchel on her waist, she hurled a barrage of shuriken, swirling towards her opponent.

As these projectiles approached, Temari effortlessly dodged this attack at the last moment. Forcing currents of harsh air to surged past her face, her sandy hair wavered against the wind.

"Tenten's distance with the enemy is amazing..." Hiruzen remarked, pouring smoke from his nose.

"It's the perfect range... She can deal with both offense and defense..." Hiruzen complimented this young kunoichi.

Overwhelmed by an abrupt sensation of boredom, Temari unlatched the large fan on her back. Cracking the paper blade open, she revealed an ornate purple circle, painted across the page.

It looks like I can't hold back... Tenten concluded.

Reaching into her satchel for a second time, Tenten pulled a pair of green-tint scrolls. Crouching down, she placed this paper against the floor before clapping both hands into the ram seal.

"Ninja Art: Twin Rising Dragons!" Tenten's danced through an array of hand seals.

Abruptly veiled by puffs of smoke, a Chinese-styled dragon soared through the air. Accompanied by an identical beast, these twin behemoths were held together by smoke, fueled by fire.

Scoffing in response, Temari swung her fan open, revealing the second purple circle. Swiping this large fan out, she unleashed a swirling vortex of wind, dispersing Tenten's twin attack.

She's my perfect counter... Tenten gritted her teeth.

"Wind Style: Dust Wind Jutsu." Temari exclaimed, revealing the final circle on her fan.

Gripping her hilt with both hands, Temari swung her massive fan through the air. Creating a sand-filled gust, this relentless breeze surged across the floor, rushing towards Tenten.

Revealing another scroll, Tenten crouched down before dramatically unraveling this fabric. Spewing loose paper in all directions, she slammed her scroll against the rocky terrain.

"Ninja Art: Segmented Iron Dome!" Tenten screeched, erupting into a puff of smoke.

Bombarded by the thrashing gust from Temari's attack, this smoke was eventually blown away. Revealing an dense iron dome, this contraption completely shielded Tenten from harm.

She's covered the landscape with sand... Tenten noticed, unfolding her dome.

"You can do it, Tenten!" Naruto and Lee both shouted from the background.

Emboldened by this declaration, Tenten revealed a fourth scroll, unsealing it with ease. Layering the ground with swords, maces, axes and spears, she plucked a black blade from dense rock.

Charging with confidence, Tenten hurled a handful of shuriken with each step. Deflecting these blades, Temari wiped her fan like a spear, unleashing harsh currents of rapid wind.

"Too slow." Temari declared.

Bridging the gap between her opponent, Tenten slashed and swept at the air. Striking with a black bladed sword, a loose array of sparks were flung in all directions, obscuring the battle.

"Wind Style: Sand Cyclone." Smiling, Temari wiped her fan for a second time.

This action created a twirling funnel of air that surged across the ground. Absorbing stranded grains of sand, a funnel of dirt-filled chakra soared towards the ceiling.

Caught by this vortex, Tenten was disarmed and dislodged, cut several gashes over her body. Flung backwards, she collided against a stone wall before sliding to the floor, panting for breath.

Snapping her fan shut, Temari summoned one final gust of strengthened air. Raising Tenten towards the ceiling, this injured kunoichi fell atop Temari's fan, muffled by cracking bones.

Cruel... Naruto was disgusted by this act.

"Tenten..." Lee mumbled, almost speechless.

As these quiet words were spoken, Neji downcast his face before closing both eyes. Snarling with a victorious tone, Temari mocked her defeated opponent, questioning Konoha's skill.

"The shinobi of Suna something to be feared..." Hiruzen remarked.

"Winner by knockout, Temari." Hayate appeared, veiled by leaves.

Instead of respecting her enemy, Temari's face was possessed by a sadistic and twisted grin. Knocking Tenten from her fan, this limp kunoichi was tossed towards a bundle of shuriken below.

As their teammate approached these blades, Neji and Lee sundered the railing under feet. However, this Genin were completely blindsided by a yellow flash, emboldened by ripping wind.

Catching Tenten with cradled arms, Naruto's whiskers wavered in the aura of his own breeze. Shocked by this display, Temari's mouth fell open, spreading to Lee, Neji and Sasuke.

Not just the Genin, but glaring Jonin were enthralled by the speed of Naruto's quickening advance. Inhaling a stiff and slow drag from his pipe, Hiruzen exhaled a mouthful of smoke.

Just like before... Sasuke analyzed the speed of his friend.

"She is nothing but trash." Temari scoffed.

Overwhelmed by an unseen force, Temari was robbed of her favored weapon. Drifting through the air, this fan was caught by Naruto, promptly plunged into the earth.

"People like you..." Scoffing with hatred, Naruto raised one knee to his chest.

"Disgust me." Breaking Temari's fan under his feet, chunks of debris littered the flor.

Relasing the broken top of Temari's fan, scraping metal grinded against dry rock. Abruptly dampened by charging feet, this advance kunoichi was stopped at the last moment by her proctor.

"Your match is over." Hayate spoke with a cough.

Leaping to the tattered landscape, Lee quickly accompanied his wounded teammate. At the same time, Temari carried the scattered remnants of her fan, returning to the left catwalk.

If I didn't know any better... Hiruzen instantly identified Naruto's technique.

That kid, he's driving Gaara crazy... Kankuro feared his brothers rage.

As Tenten was carried off on a stretcher, Naruto and Lee retreat to their spots. Triggered by an empty field, the screen behind Hiruzen shuffled through dozens of remaining names.

"ME NEXT, PLEASE!" Lee cheered, wishing for glory.

"Give me something worth watching, would you?" Sasuke nudged his blond friend.

'Shikamaru Nara VS Kin Tsuchi' became bold and radiant, capturing everyone's attention. Once she noticed her name, Kin jumped over an iron failing, causing he elongated hair to rustle.

"What a drag." Shikamaru sighed, struggling to raise his head.

Praised and encouraged by Naruto, this lazily shinobi slowly descended the stone staircase. Taking several moments to approach Kin, he used one finger to clean the wax from his ears.

As Kin and Shikamaru stood 10ft from each other, Hayate glanced between them. Noting the dirt and scratches that covered their attire, their teams both troubled inside the Forest Of Death.

Allowing previous weapons and seared stone to litter the ground, it replicated a real battlefield. Encouraging his students to begin, the sixth match was started by flashing senbon.

Shikamaru's eyes widened as he crouched down, causing Kin's senbon to soar overhead. Startled by a pair of jingling bells, these angelic orbs were attached to her sharpened needles.

Deducing Kin's plan in mere seconds, Shikamaru stroked his hair before sighing. First, she would throw two senbon, each with a bell, to easily identify their approach and location.

Next, she would throw another bundle of senbon, one with a bell and one without. If her opponent reacted purely by sound, the imbalance of noise would lower their guard, allowing them to be struck.

"Shikamaru is prodigy... Once in a generation..." Asuma exclaimed, smoking a cigarette.

Gritting her teeth in frustration, Kin surged forward, revealed a twin handful of senbon. Holding a single needle between each finger, she slashed at her opponent, met by a yawn.

"Ninja Art: Shadow Possession." Shikamaru strained to weave through hand seals.

Created an estranged shadow to stretched from his core, this darkened cloak swelled. Zooming out with the strength of chakra, this technique was an iconic hallmark of the Nara clan.

Caught off guard by this rushing veil, Kin was ensnared by Shikamaru's shadow. Forcing Kin to undertake the same posture and position as himself, Shikamaru took control of her body.

"What's happening!?" Kin panicked.

The shadow, it's infused with chakra. Naruto noted, fueled by his Rinnegan gaze.

How does he expect to win like this? Neji's Byakugan studied the battle.

Raising one hand to his face too yawn, Shikamaru forced Kin to mimic his action. Ignoring her protests, Shikamaru reached into his oddly placed satchel, tired to his lower left leg.

Blindly scratching her own leg, Kin watched with horror as Shikamaru revealed three shuriken. Raising these enhanced blades without any care, he glanced at Hayate with bordem.

"Do I have to throw these?" Shikamaru yawned.

"That just seems so...troublesome.." Sliding to his backside, he rubbed one eye.

"I've seen enough. Winner by proctor, Shikamaru Nara." Hayate coughed.

So I'm the only one left... Dosu became the sole representative of Oto.

Shikamaru then released his possession before spinning in clock-wise circle. At the same time, Kin reluctantly returned to her sensei's side, met with a scolding scowl of disappointment.

"If we can just keep moving along." Hayate's voice was quickly muffled.

"ME NEXT - ME NEXT - ME NEXT!" Lee screamed, causing Naruto to smile.

"I want to go up!" Kiba said with confidence.

I have several chances again the Rookiee's this year... Neji noted, observing Naruto's violet chakra network.

Suddenly, the yellow Kanji on the screen froze, revealing two names for the upcoming match. Scribbled in radiant writing, 'Naruto Uzumaki VS Kiba Inuzuka' was displayed, causing Dosu's sensei to groan.

"DEAD LAST! HERE I COME!" Kiba yelled out at the top of his lungs.