Naruto jumped back into the competitor's area; Sakura immediately rushed over to him.
"Is Hinata okay?"
"Yeah, I talked to her; I think she should be good."
Sakura sighed in relief,
"Good, thank you for going down Naruto"
"No problem. I couldn't just watch and do nothing."
The loudspeaker interrupted their conversation.
"Now it is time for the next match. Would Yoro and Sakura come down to the field?"
"Looks like I'm up."
"Good luck." Sasuke was restless; he was eager to fight, wishing deep down that he hadn't gotten a bye for the first round.
Anko put a hand on Sakura's shoulder, "Be sure to make us look good."
Sakura nodded and made her way down.
Both competitors got in position, neither eager to exchange any words before the fight.
The proctor sliced their hand downward.
"Begin!"
Yoro raced through hand signs.
Water Release: Gunshot
The jet of water ripped toward Sakura and passed straight through her as the illusion flickered before dissolving.
Genjutsu, but when? Yoro's eyes darted around; the crowd began to murmur as he spun, looking for the real Sakura. He then felt a tremor at his feet as he leaped sideways, firing another Water Release: Gunshot at the around. It splashed against the ground, soaking into the dirt.
The crowd's confusion grew as looks of bewilderment took over the audience.
Yoro felt another tremor, backflipping away her hurled shuriken as they stuck harmlessly into the dirt.
Fed up, a voice from the stands yelled," She's behind you, you idiot!"
"What?" Yoro whirled around.
THWACK
A swift chop to his neck sent him into unconsciousness.
The arena was in total silence.
"Um, winner, Sakura Haruno?"
Boos rang out from the crowd, disappointed with the lackluster match.
To everyone but Yoro, it seemed as if he was randomly throwing jutsu around while Sakura casually walked around the arena. But those with a trained eye gave an impressed nod at Sakura's impressive display of genjutsu, including Kurenai, who was reveling in the dominance displayed by her practice.
"A little lesson in perception."
As Sakura made her way back up, Naruto spoke.
"Dang, Sakura, you didn't have to embarrass him like that."
"I didn't mean to; I only layered my illusions twice; I thought he would dispel them after a few seconds."
"Man, it seems only like yesterday that I made you faint with genjutsu half as strong."
"Don't worry, sensei, I haven't forgotten, and I'll make sure I'll get you back for it…. Someday."
Kakashi began to feel slightly nervous at her threat.
The next match was announced.
"Would Rock Lee and Kankuro please proceed into the arena?"
"Yosh," Lee turned and saluted Gai, "I swear to you, Gai sensei, I will make sure your teachings will be shown through my youthful spirit."
Gai chuckled
"Lee, no matter the outcome of this battle, I know that you will display the flames of youth for the world to see."
"I'm glad to see everything is still the same." TenTen walked forward, freshly returning from getting her wounds tended to.
"Ah, TenTen, how are your wounds?"
"Fine, just still a little disappointed in myself for losing."
"Do not fret, TenTen, for I will be relying on your support in my battle."
Lee leaped high off the railing and landed in a squat in his starting position.
Kankaruo casually walked to his spot.
"Let us have a youthful and exciting battle."
"Freak," Kankuro mumbled under his breath.
"Begin"
Kanakuro smirked, his fingers twitching; from all the info he gathered, this guy was a taijutsu-only fighter; as long as Kankuro was able to keep his distance, the rest should be a simple affair.
Kankuro immediately rolled a summon scroll on the ground, summoning his crow puppet. Hidden compartments began to open up all around Crow's body. They began to fire various senbon and kunai. Lee dodged and weaved through them, even managing to catch one of the senbon between his fingers. He noticed a violet substance dripping from the end of the needle.
"Hmm, poison, I'd better be careful."
Kankruo deftly manipulated Crow forward. As Crow's wrist flips in on themselves, revealing wrist blades. Crow swung at Lee, who dodged the first flurry, but suddenly, Crow's chest split open as a scythe came out and swung at Lee. Lee jumped down, landing on the blade and backflipping away. When he landed, he leaned his head around the approaching crow, a confused look on his face.
"Are you not going to fight me yourself?"
"No, you fool, I'm a puppeteer, one of the most sacred arts in Suna; I don't need to lay a finger on you to beat you."
Lee slammed his fist into his palm, "Oh, I get it; I thought this fine fellow in front of me was a strange summon, but if you're controlling him, then all I have to do is beat you."
Kankaru scoffed. Did this guy not research him at all? No matter, the kid made it sound like it was an easy feat to get to him; all he needed was for Crow to land on hit, and the round would be over; he had spent all month working on the paralytic he was using, it was powerful enough to put down anybody in mere seconds, just from scratch.
Suddenly, Lee dashed forward and landed a kick at a speed he couldn't see at Crow, breaking him apart. "What the?"
Before Kakaruo could comprehend what had happened to his puppet, he felt a fist in his gut and then another across his cheek as he was sent flying backward. Still reeling from the two-strike, Kankuro quickly coughed, tasting blood. Seeing Lee try to dash toward him, his fingers twitched, and the wreckage of Crow's head fired a volley of senbon; Lee dodged most of them, but one left a small scratch on his leg.
Lee's leg buckled as his vision began to blur.
"Got him," Kankruo grinned.
Lee fell to one knee, shaking profusely,
Kanakuro stood and waited for the proctor to call the match.
Lee tightened his fists; he tensed his jaw as he spoke through his teeth, "I… will not... Fall here!"
Kankaruo's smile faded; he should have collapsed seconds ago.
Lee put a firm hand on his knee as he struggled to his feet standing, putting an arm forward and another behind his back; he stood strong. "Let's continue our fight."
Kankaruo desperately reached into his cloak and unfurled a scroll," Dammit," He didn't want to use more than one puppet, this fight,
POOF! A massive segmented puppet appeared. Kankuro deftly maneuvered his fingers as oil began to shoot onto the ground between him and Lee.
Lee's muscles screamed in agony as the poison continued to attack his system.
Kanakruo fingers jerked. "Burn!"
Salamander spewed a torrent of flame, igniting the oil-slicked ground. Lee leaped GATE OF LIMITS OPEN!
The flames exploded outward as it hit the oil; Kanakuro panted; there was no way he dodged, and he could barely move.
Kankaruo then felt a foot connect with his jaw, sending him airborne and crashing near the arena's edge.
Lee landed, his body trembling, the poison and exhaustion dragging him down. "I…win."
Then his legs gave out.
Silence as both fighters lay on the ground; the proctor hesitated for a moment, and just as he was about to call a draw, Lee slowly began to push himself off the ground, getting to his feet and putting a fist into the air.
"Winner Rock Lee"
The crowd roared.
Lee immediately crashed to the ground in a heap.
Med nins quickly entered the arena and took both ninjas to get their wounds tended to.
"Would Suzumebachi and Shino come to take their spots in the arena?"
Kurotsuchi looked wearily at Suzumebachi, "You know you can't afford to lose."
"I know that more than you would ever know; this is my chance to pave a path toward the future for my clan."
Kurotsuchi eyed Suzumebachi's unusual attire, unlike her standard Iwa ninja armor; she was wearing a cape, a high-cut sleeveless top, with bandages wrapped around both her arms, and a strange pair of ninja sandals. "Are you sure you want to fight in that?"
Suzumebachi grinned, "Trust me, once you see what I have done this past month, it will not only raise the status of the Kamezuri clan but of Iwa as well."
Kurotsuchi was skeptical of such a claim but was ready to see what she had in store
."We'll see."
Kiba was giving Shino a pep talk. "Okay, man, the most important thing is not to be nervous."
"I'm not nervous."
Kiba continued, "You know I was terrified before I stepped foot in the ring with Ibuki, but I pushed all of that stuff down and kicked his ass."
Kurenai grabbed Kiba's shirt, pulling him away.
"Don't listen to him, Shino, just be yourself, and you'll have no problem."
Shino performed a slight bow
"Thank you, sensei."
As Shino walked away, Kiba complained, "Just be yourself. What does that even mean?"
"It means you're not your wise and beautiful sensei; if you paid more attention, then maybe you would know."
Kiba crossed his arms
"Whatever"
When both fighters arrived, Suzumebachi gestured to the proctor.
"Proctor, may we decide when the match starts"
"Um, I'm not sure."
"Please, I assure you that this will give the audience the drama they so desire. This fight goes deeper than being a chunin; it's about the honor of my clan." Suzumebachi was yelling at this point, engaging the crowd; the proctor looked around for guidance from his colleagues and was met with shrugs.
In the stands, Kurotsuchi scoffed.
"What is she doing grandstanding? Just fight."
"Aburame, I'm sure you're well aware of the long-standing feud between our clans."
Shino adjusted his glasses.
"I am; along with us being from rival villages, we are two of the only clans that specialize in insect-based jutsu in the world; along with the Aburame's deep philosophical disagreement with the way the Kamezuri treat their insect companions, we have never been on good terms."
"Than you very well know how much yours has scorned mine. How many of us fell during the third war, fellow clansmen, I never got to know."
Shino's voice held a tint of remorse, "While I do not speak for all my clansmen, I regret that my clan has caused her so much grief."
Suzumebachi, slightly shocked at the apparent empathy, continued.
"The Aburame always had the advantage." Her finger twitched toward the bandages on her arms. "Our mistake was carrying our insects in scrolls while yours lived inside you."
A hush fell over the crowd.
"But I assure you, Aburame…"
With a sharp jerk, Suzumebachi tore off her cape and undid the bandages on her arms.
The audience gasped in shock and amazement. On her back was a sprawling, bioluminescent hive tattoo. The hexagon chambers pulsed like a heartbeat as golden veins throbbed beneath her skin. At the center, a single, massive hexagon dominated the design, its edge lined with thorns like a crown. The design didn't stop at her back; it clawed up her shoulders and went down her arms in streaks. When she flexed her fingers, the golden veins flared brighter, and a low hum filled the air.
"The advantage you had before?"
She scratched her wrist, drawing blood; the tattoo glowed before bees erupted from her skin, swirling around her like a hurricane of needles.
"It's gone."
"So you keep them sealed… like tools."
She scoffed. "Tools? No. They're my fangs."
With a wave of her hand, the barrage of bees charged. First, Shino maneuvered his Kikachu to intercept, but the bees scattered as they began to nose-dive into the ground, all over the arena. As they impacted, they exploded into honey. In seconds, the battlefield was coated in a thick layer of honey.
Shino's voice was firm; for an Aburame, he might as well have been yelling.
"You commanded them to die for this?"
Suzembachi smirked, "They died for a good cause," she dug her nails into her shoulders as more bees poured out of her, these noticeably bigger. Then she stepped onto the honey, Shino noticing that her sandals had been modified as she began to glide across it.
The enhanced bees began firing coordinated volleys of stingers as Suzumebachi used her mobility to reposition, launching shuriken between barrages.
Shino reacted with precision, his kikaichū forming floating platforms to navigate the honey while others assembled defensive shields. Unnoticed in the chaos, a small detachment of beetles latched onto Suzumebachi's sandals, beginning their silent chakra drain.
Undeterred, Suzumebachi summoned another wave of worker bees that attacked from all angles. Though most were intercepted, several broke through, one exploding against Shino's torso in a honey-coated impact. At the same time, another breached his defenses, allowing a cluster of venomous stingers to find their mark.
Suzumebachi smirked as she saw the needles pierce Shino, but her face turned to shock as he disappeared into a swarm of beetles.
"What the. Where is he?""
As she was skating around the edge of the arena, she passed a large pile of honey. As she went by, a hand reached out and grabbed her arm, and she suddenly felt hundreds of Kikachu crawl onto her instantly.
"NO!"
She squirmed away from Shino's grip as she frantically attempted to get the beetles off of her. In her panic, she ended up losing her footing and slipping into the honey. She yelled in frustration as she got up, "You parasites!" her breathing was ragged, and the golden veins of her tattoo pulsed erratically.
She needed to do it now while she had the chakra. Taking the blood from her various self-inflicted wounds, she put it on her hands and went through hand signs,
Summoning: Queen Bee
Her tattoo glowed brightly as out of the middle hexagon, a massive Bee appeared, her wings humming with visible sound waves, as her stinger dripped honey.
"Kill him," she commanded weakly.
The Queen charged at a terrifying speed, and Shino barely had time to dodge out of the way, But she still managed to drive her stinger into his shoulder, stabbing straight through. Shino grunted, managing to pull away. The Queen then used her wings to create winds, sending him back and hurling into the wall.
Suzumebachi began to laugh as the Queen went to finish off Shino. "How does it feel, Aburame, to be embarrassed and totally outmatched?" Then she noticed he hadn't used his beetles to protect himself.
Shino spoke
"The difference between you and me is that I'm willing to be the sacrifice."
The honey beneath Suzemebachi began to bubble as all of Shino' Kikachu entrapped her, draining her chakra; she started screaming and swatting, trying to get the beetles off her, causing her to fall again and roll around in the honey desperately. The Queen continued to charge its stinger aimed at Shino's chest, but dissipated into honey before it reached him. Shino recalled his Kikachu as he leaned against the wall and got up. Holding his wounded shoulder, he walked over and stood over Suzumebachi, who was on the edge of consciousness from chakra exhaustion.
"The Aburame doesn't just use insects. We understand them. That's why you have been defeated in the past and the reason I defeated you today."
Suzumebacih leaned forward, whispering, "This isn't over." she then fell back, going unconscious.
"The Winner is Shino"
In the sky box, the Tsuikage had his glass back in his hand as a small crack began to form slowly across it. His son spoke, " it is certainly disappointing that Suzumebachi couldn't win, but Kurotsuchi is slated to face the Uchiha soon. When she defeats him, the other two losses will be an afterthought."
Onoki put down his cup once again, "I would say that's too much pressure to put on one girl; but she puts more on herself than we ever could.
Kurotsuchi stared down impassively at Suzumebachi as she was put on a stretcher and taken away, she turned her nose up "Well, it seems that I alone must represent Iwa." She looked across at her, locking eyes with Sasuke, and smiled as she carressed her scabbard. Soon, everyone would know just how strong Iwa was.
"What an excellent first round of fights. Now let's look at the fights upcoming in the semi-finals."
The boards around the arena came to life as they flashed the upcoming fight.s
Kiba vs. Garra
Kurotsuchi vs. Sasuke
Samui vs. Sakura
Rock Lee vs Shino
"Without any delay, let's begin!"