-In the final battle, each of you will put your skills on the line.- Hiruzen continued. -You will demonstrate the power and control you have gained in your respective disciplines.
He paused slightly, his expression unchanged, before continuing. -Therefore, the final battles will begin in a month.
-What? We're not going to fight here now?- Naruto asked, confused.
Hiruzen didn't mind Naruto's interruption, he was very tolerant of the boy, feeling he owed him a great deal. -It's so you have adequate preparation time.
-What do you mean?- Neji asked.
-To summarize, besides announcing the results of the preliminaries to the leaders of each village, we need time to prepare and distribute the summons for the final exam.- he explained, closing his eyes slightly. -Besides, you'll need time to prepare for a test of this importance.
Kankuro, looking frustrated with all these words, asked with evident impatience. -So, I don't understand where this is going, what's the point of this?
-To know your opponents and prepare for them, you need time.- Hiruzen said, taking his pipe and bringing it to his mouth, taking a drag.
-Besides, at this level, all battles are real, as you must know.- Hiruzen raised his gaze slightly as he continued. -The previous battles were conducted under the premise that you faced unknown enemies, but that will no longer be the case, since you now know each other.
-So, in order to have fair finals, we'll give you all a month to train hard and learn new tricks, because everyone here now knows your techniques, and using the same skills is a surefire way to lose the finals.- Hiruzen continued. -And remember to rest too.
Jugo was getting tired of all this chatter, as was the group around him. This group of young people really doesn't have the patience to listen to the old man with the tobacco smoke talk.
-Hey, we haven't seen what the gourd guy can do.- Naruto pointed at Gaara, causing Kankuro to tremble and curse Naruto mentally.
Everyone turned to Naruto, then to Gaara, who remained silent and didn't even look at Naruto.
Hiruzen sighed mentally and continued, ignoring Naruto this time. -After what we've been through, I wanted to consider this all over, but before that, there's a matter of utmost importance to be resolved regarding the final battles.
-Let's go! How long do I have to wait before I can start training?- Naruto shouted unhappily.
This time, even the surrounding group didn't find him annoying, he said exactly what they wanted to say. Kankuro even thought the old man was just bored and wanted to talk.
-Calmly and in an orderly manner, everyone will take a piece of paper from the box Anko is holding.- Hiruzen ignored Naruto again. Jugo thought the man was doing it on purpose to irritate them.
-Stay in your places, I'll come to you.- Anko said as she approached the left end of the semicircle.
At the end, Dosu was there.
-Take just one.- Anko said and Dosu lifted his sleeve and calmly placed his hand in the box.
Soon after, it was Kin's turn, then Jugo himself. There was a number 6 on the paper.
Ibiki shouted, holding a clipboard. -Okay, from left to right, shout out the numbers you received.
Dosu went first. He didn't shout, just spoke normally. - 4.
Kin followed right after. -1.
Jugo - 6.
Naruto - 3.
Kankuro - 5.
Gaara - 7.
Shikamaru - 2.
Neji - 8.
Ibiki quickly wrote it down, and finally, he spoke. -That means Sasuke is 9.
Hiruzen spoke as Ibiki formed the chart. -Now I'll tell you how the final exam selection will be determined.
-Eeeeeh?- Naruto shouted in surprise, but this time Hiruzen didn't wait for him to speak.
-Show me, Ibiki.- he said.
Ibiki turned the clipboard he was writing on.
1 - Tsuchi Kin vs. 2 - Nara Shikamaru
3 - Uzumaki Naruto vs. 4 - Kinuta Dosu
5 - Kankuro vs. 6 - Jugo
7 - Gaara vs. // (Will fight the winner of the fifth match.)
8 - Hyuga Neji vs. 9 - Uchiha Sasuke
Neji and Sasuke had to play a second match and the match is still against Gaara.
Jugo watched and realized that this time it was truly random.
But he still glanced at Shikamaru, who had to face Kin.
Is this also a kind of luck?
Shikamaru's lips trembled, facing a woman again...
Naruto vs. Dosu... well, it would be an interesting fight. With Naruto's progress, as long as he had enough luck, which he had plenty of, he had a chance, especially with the Nine-Tail's chakra.
Jugo thought for a moment and decided to help the pair improve, at the very least, to avoid becoming sacrifices for Orochimaru to play Lich.
The third fight is his. Jugo looked at Kankuro, who trembled slightly, then looked away. The only thing he can imagine affecting him is poison, but most poisons aren't strong enough to be a problem and he has enough control over his body to expel it. Besides, he'll probably be a werewolf next month, at that point, his regeneration will be greatly enhanced.
Of course, following the script and on top of that with Jugo clearly stronger than Shino, the chance of this guy giving up is not low.
Sasuke and Neji's fourth fight will be really interesting and he can predict it will be a big hit.
Hyuga vs. Uchiha, a fight that will truly attract big bets.
If Jugo had money, he'd really like to bet. Should he get some from Orochimaru? He helped him so much with his research, why didn't he receive any payment? Does he treat him like a free laborer? Well, he was more like a contented prisoner.
Orochimaru really is very lucky...
To be honest, the man has died and revived several times and was alive even in Boruto.
Shrugging, he ignored it. The fight between Gaara and Sasuke would probably be the last one before everything went downhill.
At that point, the invasion would begin.
If not, the winner of either Gaara and Sasuke or Gaara and Neji would fight him.
Sasuke and Neji were truly unlucky. Not only were they grouped together, their strength being very similar, but the winner would also face the jinchūriki first, if by some miracle they managed to win, they would face him.
With Kankuro likely giving up and Gaara's fight being the start of the invasion, the chance of Jugo not even needing to fight was pretty high.
On the other grid, Kin and Shikamaru were the weakest, but Shikamaru had a good head on his shoulders. Kin would have to be lucky and depending on how much she improved this month, the winner would face Naruto or Dosu. It also depended on how much Dosu could grow. In the end, the victorious of the four would face Jugo.
As for whether Jugo would win? Heh...
Unfortunately, Jugo probably wouldn't get that far, the fact was, the sand raccoon would probably go mad sooner and the plan would begin sooner.
Perhaps if he suggests Sasuke focus on genjutsu against Gaara, there might be a chance.
A Sharingan's genjutsu is amplified, even if it's only two tomoe. Even if it wasn't enough to control Shukaku, it should be enough to control young Gaara. But Sasuke would spend his time learning Lee's taijutsu and Kakashi's Chidori, there wasn't time for that.
Sasuke seems to have never really focused on genjutsu, he probably doesn't like it much, perhaps because that's what Itachi was known for, who knows.
There's a theory that the Mangekyo is a mirror of the soul, the ability you manifest depends on your personal inner desire.
Sasuke essentially awakened Amaterasu, with his other eye helping to control it.
If this reveals Sasuke's inner self, it's clear that there's only a deep desire for destruction and there is little subtlety left to learn genjutsu.
Of course, this could also be a genetic factor, after all, Itachi also awakened Amaterasu.
Who knows, in any case, Jugo doesn't mind.
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--x--
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+18 chapters of Jugo - Father of Devils on P_treon.
+29 chapters of The Legendary Mechanic - Triple Six on P_treon.
+11 chapters of Hunger Games - I Choose to be a Tribute on P_treon.(Read the first 10 chapters for free on P_treon.)
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