Third Person POV
Kakashi had defeated his opponent quickly, but made sure to show Seiji that wasn't everything he had to face him with, and that he'd save the rest for if anyone tried to hurt Amaya again, for whatever reason.
And Shisui's fight against Hiroshi also lasted just a few minutes. Although he was milder than the Hatake when fighting his opponent, the Uchiha still showed himself to be a strong fighter.
The crowd went wild with the victory of the two most anticipated genin in that exam.
With those two fights over, the new lineup for the second round was ready: Ichiro Uchiha vs. Amaya Uzumaki and Kakashi Hatake vs. Shisui Uchiha. All four genin were eager for their respective fights.
The sensor jounin announced the next match and Ichiro and Amaya headed to the arena's combat field. The crowd got excited again; an Uchiha and an Uzumaki were about to duel.
– You know the rules – the jounin told them when they were face to face – Any objections? – Both youngsters shook their heads – Then, if you're ready, begin the fight!
The jounin had barely finished announcing when Amaya was the first to leap back, gaining distance and attacking.
– Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!
Without wasting time, Ichiro quickly formed the same hand seals for the fire style. His jutsu clashed with Amaya's and both held it for a few moments.
Amaya had good mastery over the technique, and even though it wasn't as perfect as most Uchihas' yet, her large chakra reserve allowed her to maintain it for a long time.
Ichiro, on the other hand, mastered the technique almost as well as Shisui and also had a good chakra reserve, but less experience using it in combat than the Uzumaki.
Both understanding that continuing to use that jutsu would lead nowhere, they stopped spending their chakra on it and let the fire burn out on its own.
Taking advantage of that last bit of burning fire, Amaya joined her hands and quickly formed the seals for another jutsu.
– Water Style: Wild Water Wave!
Unlike when Akira had used it against her, the wall of water the redhead created was much weaker, as her goal wasn't to extinguish the fire, but to make a curtain of smoke take over the field where they fought.
Shisui, watching from the waiting area, recognized his sister's strategy and smiled. Like in the survival test we did with Shikaku-sensei..., he thought excitedly.
Ichiro's vision was obstructed by all that haze. Damn... I can barely see. If only I had the sharingan..., the boy complained to himself, but soon had to emerge from his thoughts.
He heard footsteps quickly approaching from where he was and soon took hold of some shuriken. Kunai emerged through the mist and he quickly obliterated them with the ninja weapons he had on him.
Just like the fire style, shurikenjutsu was a specialty of the Uchiha clan members. The boy then advanced towards where the attacks came from – he understood that if he didn't take the lead in this fight, he would lose soon.
In the stands, among the village residents and visitors from neighboring towns, was Kushina. Her hands clasped near her chest, consumed with apprehension.
The strong jutsus, the metallic sound of clashing ninja weapons, and the poor visibility of the fight were making the redhead worried about Amaya. She had confidence in the young redhead, but that didn't mean she didn't get nervous.
The Uzumaki's first fight had left her like this, when Akira struck the girl's leg, driving the kunai deep into her thigh. Kushina already knew about the redhead's high pain tolerance, however, it's not easy for a mother to see her daughter in that situation.
The blade of the wakizashi clashed against the two kunai Ichiro held in his hands above his head, trying to block Amaya's strike. It's too heavy..., the boy thought.
The smoke curtain generated by the jutsus had almost completely dissipated by that point. Amaya moved her wakizashi away from the Uchiha for a moment, preparing to strike him again.
Fearing he couldn't defend against more than one of those strikes, the boy received the second onslaught of the sword against him and in a quick movement kicked the girl in the stomach in front of him, making her lose her balance and step back.
Now!, he determined and advanced towards her to give her no chance to react. The Uzumaki tried to counterattack with her sword, but Ichiro kicked the blade away, knocking it out of the girl's hand.
Amaya could only raise her hands in front of her to defend herself when the Uchiha advanced towards her. The boy knocked her onto her back on the ground and pointed a kunai towards her neck.
The Hatake, just like Shisui beside him, was focused on the intense fight unfolding in the arena field below them.
When Ichiro knocked the redhead down, the haze had already dissipated, giving a complete view to all the spectators of the battlefield. Kakashi couldn't help but give a soft laugh. This fight is over...
– Sorry, but this is the end – the Uchiha announced to the Uzumaki beneath him on the ground.
– Really? – the girl questioned calmly.
At that same instant, her body disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving only the boy in that spot. Shadow Clone?!, he was surprised.
Without having time to get up, a kunai hit the ground to his right and the boy saw a small light bomb attached to it. Damn!, was all he could think, as he had no time to try to protect himself.
A strong flash appeared as quickly as the weapon arrived next to the Uchiha and soon ceased. Ichiro got to his feet, even though he couldn't see anything. He tried to stay alert to the sounds around him, but couldn't notice any. Is she standing still?, he wondered. No, she probably isn't. But why can't I hear her?
Although he couldn't see or hear her, the Uchiha could feel when the girl was near him. He tried to strike her blindly with the kunai he still had in his hand, but the redhead disarmed him effortlessly.
Ichiro tried to force his vision to see something and all he could perceive were blurs and incessant points of light.
Once again the girl vanished from near him and the boy tried to find her with his now blurry vision. However, when he found the figure with red hair again, she quickly appeared in front of him, making him look directly into her eyes.
The next moment Ichiro felt a tremendous pain in his legs, making him fall to the ground. His vision was still compromised, but he could notice the injuries he had.
Burns all along his legs, the flesh raw. The boy screamed in pain and held his legs at the height of his thighs, trying to endure the pain he felt. It was horrible.
How...?, he questioned with difficulty. What did she do?
Ichiro noticed, even with difficulty seeing, the Uzumaki standing still near him with an impassive expression. The girl started to slowly approach the Uchiha and he instinctively tried to move back.
But he couldn't.
Blood trickled from his injuries and the slightest attempt to move made it feel like his skin would tear. He was sweating and his breathing, as well as his heartbeat, were accelerated.
The Uzumaki stopped in front of Ichiro, crouched down, and showed the Uchiha a kunai.
– This fight ends here – She announced with a voice so calm it bordered on morbidity given the situation they were in.
The Uzumaki raised her arm holding the weapon and quickly lowered it towards Ichiro, to strike him in his chest.
– Stop! – Was the last thing he managed to say before closing his eyes and waiting for the final blow.
But the pain didn't come.
And the one he had been feeling in his legs disappeared.
All he perceived was a soft, warm touch near his chest. He quickly opened his eyes and saw the figure with red hair in front of him, with one of her hands raised forming a half-ram seal. Her other hand was against his chest.
– What...? – He asked confused, but as soon as he glimpsed Amaya's eyes, he understood.
It's the sharingan, he thought. And that seal is to release a person from... A genjutsu. She put me in a genjutsu using her sharingan!
– The winner is Amaya Uzumaki! – The sensor jounin announced and the voices of the audience echoed through the arena.
– Sorry – the redhead said and Ichiro stared at her, seeing her eyes return to their normal green hue – Maybe I went too hard... – She extended her hand towards him to help him up.
Incredible..., the boy thought. That strength, skill, intelligence, and still calm to act... I can't believe someone like that exists, at least not so young. He swallowed dryly. And to think she could have done this at any moment against me or even Seiji and Hiroshi when we used to bully her...
He gave a weak smile and held her hand, accepting the help to get to his feet.
– Don't apologize, we were fighting and anything was valid – the Uchiha said next – Besides, I really could understand you better with this fight – Amaya looked at him – Thank you for that.
Among the spectators of that final stage of the Chunnin Exam was Shikaku. He was watching the unfolding of his students' fights alongside some fellow jounin senseis. And he was liking what each of them was doing.
An interesting strategy, Amaya, he praised her to himself at the end of the Uzumaki's fight. She used the smoke curtain to her advantage, created a Shadow Clone, had that clone act in her place, and waited until she had her opportunity to defeat the opponent cleanly...
The Nara gave a weak smile. She's fighting like a true strategist. I can't wait to see how she'll do in our next shogi games.
A jounin appeared near Shikaku and the Nara turned his attention to him. One of the Sandaime's security..., he recognized the man.
Amaya Uzumaki POV
Before we left the arena field, one of the jounin responsible for the Sandaime's security came over to the sensor jounin of the fights. They spoke briefly and soon the security guy vanished once more.
– We'll have a short intermission! – The sensor jounin announced to the public.
Intermission? Strange... There's no reason for an intermission now. The only reason for that would be for the participants to recover for the next fight, but Kakashi and Shisui are already rested.
So what's happening?
Ichiro and I returned to the waiting area. Unlike the Uchiha, who was exhausted, mainly mentally, I wasn't very tired. I had held back for a good part of the fight, since my mind reminded me to worry about the next fight I would have. Against Kakashi or Shisui, I thought. Fighting either of them is going to be tough...
Fighting an opponent you don't know has the downside of not knowing their fighting style, what they master, and how strong they can be. But it also gives you the advantage that they won't know the same things about you.
However, fighting someone you know changes everything, especially teammates. They already know you, know how you fight, your little tricks, and often your flaws and weak points. In my view, that's the most difficult type of fight.
As soon as I finished climbing the stairs leading to the arena's waiting area, I just saw someone quickly approaching me, wrapping their arms around my waist and lifting me off the ground.
I recognized the messy dark hair as Shisui's, lifting me off the ground and spinning me around with him. I couldn't help but laugh. This is my brother..., I thought. Always acting cheerfully.
– Hey, weasel-face, you're gonna make her dizzy! She just got out of a fight! – Kakashi scolded him and I gave a weak laugh.
And this is Kakashi... Acting serious and keeping his thoughts to himself.
– You were amazing! – Shisui said when he stopped spinning and put me down – Of course, I expected something like that from you, but that... – Shisui smiled – Was too much! – He looked at Kakashi – Isn't it?
– Yeah, you did alright... – The Hatake said without looking at me and I gave a weak laugh.
As I thought earlier, keeping his true thoughts to himself...
Ichiro watched us for a moment while Shisui and Kakashi argued about the Hatake always acting indifferent to everything. I gave a weak smile to the Uchiha and he did the same before going over to his friends and teammates.
– It was a good fight, Amaya – I heard the familiar lazy voice speak near me and I turned, seeing Shikaku-sensei there.
– Thank you – I thanked him with a weak smile.
– And they're arguing again? – He asked and we looked over at Kakashi and Shisui.
– Yeah... – I said calmly – Reason number two.
Since it was common for the Hatake and the Uchiha to be arguing over the same things every time, sensei and I ended up numbering the arguments so that when one of us arrived in the middle of the conversation, we could quickly understand the reason for everything.
– Kakashi's indifference then, mendokuse... – The Nara complained and sighed heavily – Hey, you pests! – He raised his voice a little to get Kakashi and Shisui's attention.
– Sensei...? – Both finally turned their attention to us.
At that same instant, Shisui and Kakashi dropped their argument and approached.
– I'd give you a lecture right now, you two – He pointed at my brother and the Hatake – But I came here for another reason. I was summoned a little while ago by the Sandaime and he asked me to talk to you about your participation in this Exam – He looked at us – He wants to know if you intend to continue with the fight rounds or prefer to end it now.
– What?! – The three of us asked in unison, confused.
– Look... – Shikaku promptly proceeded to explain and brought his gaze to me – The moment you won your fight against Ichiro, you three became the finalists – He looked at us – And thinking from the perspective that you're all from the same team, the Sandaime decided to make an exception, if you want, for the three of you to hold the title of winners of the final stage of the Chunnin Exam – The sensei crossed his arms – You three have already shown what was needed to be recommended for chunnin, so more fights for that are unnecessary – I looked at Kakashi and Shisui – So, what do you want to do?