As Kanon arrived at the arena, an unsettling sensation washed over her, a feeling of being watched. It was the same prickle she'd felt yesterday, but even stronger now. She scanned the surrounding stands but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
"Kanon, what are you looking at? We're going to be late!"
"Coming!" Kanon called out, following Naruto into the venue.
Stepping inside was a shock to the system. The Chūnin Exams arena was a sea of people; the sheer number of spectators made both Naruto and Kanon catch their breath. The stands were packed to capacity with onlookers from all over. High above on the VIP balcony sat the Third Hokage and the Kazekage.
Down in the arena, Gaara stood with an expression that looked like he wanted nothing more than to kill the Kazekage. Seven genin who had survived the preliminaries stood in a line. After Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, finished his opening remarks, the crowd erupted into a deafening roar.
"There were eight of them... it seems one is missing," the Kazekage noted dryly.
Hiruzen remained silent, gazing down at the seven genin with a neutral expression. Temari, Gaara, Neji Hyuga, Naruto Uzumaki, Kanon Uchiha, Shikamaru Nara, and Shino Aburame. Dosu Kinuta had already met his end a month ago while attempting to assassinate Gaara.
Genma Shiranui, acting as the proctor in place of the late Hayate Gekko, stepped forward.
"I have a few words before we begin." He produced a tournament bracket for everyone to see. "There has been a slight change to the match pairings. Please confirm your opponents once more."
"I get a bye to the next round?" Shino Aburame muttered, surprised. With Dosu gone, Shino had been moved up to keep the schedule balanced.
Kanon didn't care about the brackets; she was busy craning her neck, looking for her brother. She had heard Kakashi took him away for special training, but he still hadn't shown up.
"Where is onii-chan?!" Kanon frowned.
"I bet Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke are running late again!" Naruto grumbled.
"That actually sounds exactly like them..." Kanon sighed. It was true; Kakashi always had an excuse for being late.
Meanwhile, the other genin who had been eliminated earlier gathered in the stands to watch. Today was the climax of the Chūnin Exams, and with so many of their friends competing, there was no way they would miss it.
The other Jōnin and the spectators looked down at Naruto, whispering.
"I can't believe that kid actually made it this far."
"Yeah, he probably relied on luck. This is where his journey ends..."
"That kid Naruto..."
"It can't be helped. His opponent is last year's number one rookie, a genius on par with Sasuke and Kanon Uchiha. He's up against a Hyuga; there's no way he wins."
Hinata, sitting nearby, felt a pang of hurt hearing them, but Kiba remained confident. He knew better than anyone that Naruto was not to be underestimated. Beside him, Akamaru whimpered, alerting Kiba to the presence of Anbu.
Why are there so many Anbu here? Kiba wondered, growing cautious.
"First match: Neji Hyuga vs. Naruto Uzumaki. Kanon Uchiha and Shikamaru Nara, please head to the waiting rooms to prepare."
"Ugh! I wanted to watch this one!" Kanon groaned. But she knew she had to prepare; it was only respectful to Shikamaru to take their match seriously.
Shikamaru, on the other hand, was already mentally exhausted. Kanon Uchiha... The girl was a certifiable genius who had toyed with Kankuro of the Sand. She had mastered both the Rasengan and Chidori. He had racked his brain all night trying to find a way to beat her, but every scenario ended in defeat. Trying to lure a tactical fighter like her into a trap was nearly impossible.
Even if he somehow got lucky and beat Kanon, he'd still have to face Temari... and then Shino.
"What a drag," Shikamaru muttered, his lip curling in a characteristic pout.
As they headed toward their separate waiting rooms, Kanon flashed him a smile. "Shikamaru, let's give it everything we've got."
"So troublesome," Shikamaru sighed, waving a hand dismissively.
"Don't worry. Our battle won't be painful. I'll make sure it's over in a flash," Kanon teased, giggling as she entered her room.
"You... you're definitely a handful!" Shikamaru complained to the empty hallway.
…
In the arena, Neji smirked at Naruto. "I assume you have something to say."
Naruto tightened his fists, his eyes sharp and focused. "I told you before! I swore to Kanon and Hinata that I'd beat you right here! Neji Hyuga! I'm going to win!"
Neji activated his Byakugan, staring down the boy. He noticed that Naruto's eyes were filled with genuine confidence, not just bravado.
"Heh. At least this makes things interesting. I want to see the look of despair on your face when you finally face reality."
"Shut up and let's go!" Naruto roared.
The powerful aura between them drew the attention of everyone in the stadium.
"First match... begin!"
At Genma's signal, the battle commenced.
…
I wonder how Naruto is doing out there? I'm so worried! Kanon paced in the waiting room, her blue windbreaker fluttering with her movements.
"And onii-chan! Why isn't he here yet? No one is making this easy for me!" Kanon felt a strange sense of irritation mixed with a growing, inexplicable unease.
Suddenly, the door opened and someone walked in.
"Kabuto-senpai?!"
"You seem to be in good spirits," Kabuto Yakushi noted with a nod.
"Kabuto-senpai, it's been twenty minutes. What's happening out there?"
Kabuto adjusted his glasses and spoke softly. "Naruto is doing quite well. He's actually giving the Hyuga genius a run for his money. It's not over yet, but it should be soon."
"Really?!" Kanon breathed a sigh of relief. "So, why are you here?"
"I just wanted to see you one last time. Well, now that I've seen you, I'll be going." Kabuto turned and left as quickly as he had arrived.
Kanon stared at the door, confused. One last time? What was that supposed to mean?
Her confusion was interrupted by a staff member who called out to her. "Kanon Uchiha, your prep time is up. The match outside is reaching its conclusion. Please head to the entrance."
"Hooray!" Kanon shouted, shaking off her doubts and running toward the arena tunnel.
As she emerged, she witnessed a scene she would never forget.
Naruto's kunai and Neji's Rotation collided with a violent force that shook the entire stadium. A massive explosion of dust and smoke sent both boys flying in opposite directions, leaving two deep craters in the earth.
Naruto lay unconscious, his face covered in blood. He had clearly endured a brutal struggle. But in the other crater, Neji was the first to crawl out. He could no longer maintain his Byakugan, but he didn't think he needed it anymore. He looked at the motionless Naruto with cold calm.
Kanon, watching from the tunnel entrance, smirked. She didn't believe for a second that Naruto was done.
"Failure, I'm sorry, but this is reality. Now you are—" Neji panted heavily, unable to finish his sentence as Naruto suddenly erupted from the ground beneath his feet.
Kanon seized the moment and screamed with pure excitement:
"GO FOR IT!!!"
BAM!
With a sickening thud, Naruto's uppercut connected squarely with Neji's jaw.
"GO FOR IT!!!" Naruto roared, his voice echoing Kanon's.
When the dust settled, Naruto was the only one left standing. Neji lay flat on his back, the sheer force of that final blow ensuring he wouldn't be getting up again. Blood dripped from Naruto's knuckles, but he stood tall.
Even though it was a gamble, your battle IQ is second to none, Naruto! Kanon thought, her heart swelling with pride for her friend.
Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine again. That feeling of being watched was back.
"I really hate this..." Kanon muttered.
"Winner of the first match: Naruto Uzumaki!"
As Genma made the official announcement, the crowd went wild.
"Next match: Kanon Uchiha vs. Shikamaru Nara!"