Chapter 75 - Ch-75 Shikamaru gives up.
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The match between Neji and Naruto had been nothing short of intense. Neji dominated in the early stages, his precise strikes and Byakugan giving him a clear advantage. However, in a stunning turn of events, Naruto tapped into the chakra of the Nine-Tails, overpowering Neji and securing a dramatic victory.
The crowd erupted in cheers, so stunned by the unexpected outco, while others marveled at Naruto's resilience.
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As the dust settled, the next match was announced: Gaara vs. Sasuke Uchiha.
But as the monts ticked by, Sasuke was nowhere to be seen in the Chunin Exam venue. The spectators began murmuring, their excitent turning to confusion.
On the platform overlooking the arena, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression grew stern. After waiting longer than he deed appropriate, the Hokage turned to his attendants and made his decision. "Sasuke has not arrived. As I stated earlier, he will be disqualified."
Just as he was about to issue the order, the Kazekage raised a hand, stopping him.
"Why do you care so much about Sasuke's match?" Hiruzen asked, his sharp gaze fixed on the Kazekage.
The Kazekage's tone was calm, though it carried a hint of intrigue. "He is the last surviving Uchiha. I wish to see him in action."
Hiruzen studied the Kazekage for a mont, then nodded slowly. Turning to the Jonin beside him, he gave a new instruction. "Inform the proctor that this match is to be postponed as a special case."
The Jonin nodded and imdiately disappeared using the Body Flicker Technique. In a blur, he appeared beside Genma, who was standing in the arena.
"The Hokage has decided to postpone this match," the Jonin inford Genma.
Genma narrowed his eyes briefly but nodded in acknowledgnt. The Jonin vanished once again, returning to his post.
Genma turned to address the audience and contestants. "Attention, everyone," he announced. "The match between Gaara and Sasuke Uchiha has been postponed. The following matches will be moved up accordingly. The next match is Kankuro vs. Shino Abura."
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In the waiting room, Shino clenched his fists, his excitent carefully hidden behind his usual stoic deanor. However, before he could step into the arena, Kankuro's voice rang out.
"Proctor," Kankuro called, raising a hand casually, "I forfeit."
The announcent hung in the air, drawing surprised reactions from the spectators.
Genma frowned, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Are you sure?" he asked, his tone firm.
Kankuro nodded without hesitation. "Yes. I forfeit."
Genma, unfazed by Kankuro's forfeit, simply nodded and addressed the crowd. "As Kankuro has forfeited, Shino Abura is the winner by default."
The announcent was t with loud boos and groans from the spectators. Already disappointed by the postponent of Sasuke's match, the crowd's frustration grew as they were denied yet another fight.
Genma, however, remained composed, ignoring the crowd's displeasure. He glanced at the list and continued, "Next match: Shikamaru Nara vs. Temari."
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In the waiting room, Shikamaru sighed deeply, scratching his head. What a drag. I should just give up and save myself the trouble, he thought, already weighing his options.
Before he could act on his plan, Naruto gave him a hearty slap on the back, the force of it catching Shikamaru completely off guard.
"Go, Shikamaru! You've got this—you'll definitely win!" Naruto exclaid, his enthusiasm brimming over.
The slap was so hard that Shikamaru, standing near the edge of the railing, stumbled and toppled into the arena below.
Inoiki, who had been seated nearby, couldn't help but laugh. "Haha! Perfect landing, Shikamaru!" he called out, his amusent evident.
Shikamaru groaned from the ground, muttering, "Idiot Naruto. What a pain..." as he slowly stood up and dusted himself off.
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The match began, and it was clear from the start that Shikamaru's intellect was his greatest weapon. Temari's wind-based attacks and tactical prowess were formidable, but Shikamaru countered each move with a brilliant combination of strategy and patience.
For much of the fight, the audience watched in awe as Shikamaru manipulated Temari's movents with his shadow techniques, forcing her into increasingly difficult positions. His calm deanour contrasted sharply with her focused intensity, creating a captivating dynamic.
But just when it seed like Shikamaru had the upper hand, when he used the Shadow Imitation Technique to bind Temari in one place and could win easily, he surprised everyone by raising his hand in surrender.
"I give up because I'm low on chakra, and I can't win this match," Shikamaru announced calmly, his voice carrying across the arena.
The crowd erupted in confusion and disbelief. Even Temari stared at him in shock.
In the waiting room, Inoiki narrowed his eyes. Typical Shikamaru, he thought. Always taking the easiest route.
But as a sensory ninja, Inoiki could sense the truth—Shikamaru's chakra reserves were indeed low. He's not lying, Inoiki concluded. He's genuinely low on chakra... though not so low that he couldn't win if he wanted to. He gave up deliberately.
Temari shook her head, frustrated as she walked back to the waiting room, the match officially hers.
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Shikamaru, anwhile, stayed in the arena, stretching his arms and muttering sothing about how troubleso everything was.
From above, Naruto, clearly furious, jumped into the arena. He landed with a loud thud and stomped over to Shikamaru.
"What was that?!" Naruto shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "You were about to win! Why did you give up?"
Shikamaru sighed, glancing lazily at Naruto. "Look, I was out of chakra. What do you want
to do, drop dead trying to win?"
Naruto wasn't convinced. "You weren't that out of chakra! You're just being lazy!"
Shikamaru shrugged, clearly uninterested in defending himself further. "Think whatever you want. It's over now."
Inoiki, still seated in the waiting room, shook his head with a smile. Classic Shikamaru. Always doing things his way.
Genma glanced toward the Hokage, awaiting further instructions, as Sasuke had still not arrived.
Hiruzen sighed, the weight of his decision evident in his expression. "Alas... it seems inevitable..." But before he could finish, the Kazekage's voice interrupted him.
"Let's wait ten more minutes," the Kazekage suggested smoothly. "Temari will need ti to rest before her next fight against Inoiki. Waiting will allow her to recover properly, and if Sasuke still hasn't arrived by then, he can be disqualified without controversy."
Hiruzen considered the Kazekage's words carefully before nodding. "Very well. Ten more minutes."
The Hokage signaled to his attendant Jonin, who swiftly conveyed the decision to Genma. The proctor, upon receiving the instructions, gave a single nod, not questioning the delay.
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As the minutes ticked by, the crowd's excitent turned into restless murmurs. Tension grew in the stands as people began to believe Sasuke would not make it. Just as the last few seconds of the additional ti approached, a swirl of leaves suddenly appeared in the arena.
The swirling tornado of leaves caught everyone's attention, and when it dissipated, Kakashi and Sasuke stood in the center of the arena. Their entrance was both dramatic and tily, silencing the anxious buzz of the spectators.
Kakashi stepped forward and addressed Genma directly. "Is Sasuke disqualified?"
Genma shook his head, his expression calm. "No, he's still eligible."
Relief washed over Kakashi's face. He gave Sasuke a reassuring pat on the shoulder before making his way to the stands, joining Guy and Lee, who were already watching intently.
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As Gaara saw Sasuke's arrival, his usual blank expression twisted into sothing far more sinister. Without a word, he began descending the stairs from the waiting room to the arena, his movents deliberate and predatory.
Inoiki, seated above, sharpened his focus on Gaara, extending his senses outward. He had anticipated this mont and knew what was about to happen.
Inoiki recalled from the original tiline that Gaara would kill the Kusagakure ninjas who approached him, attempting to bribe or coerce him into fixing the match. This brutal act would be witnessed by Shikamaru and Naruto, leaving them deeply shaken.
True to the prediction, the Kusagakure ninjas t the sa grueso fate. Gaara's rciless nature remained unchanged; the ninjas now lay lifeless in his wake, their blood staining the floor of the hall.
Naruto and Shikamaru froze as the horrifying scene unfolded before them. Their faces turned pale, and cold sweat trickled down their foreheads. For the first ti, they witnessed such ruthless cruelty, and the brutality left them montarily paralyzed.
Gaara, however, did not spare them even a glance. He continued his descent toward the arena, his focus fixed entirely on his upcoming match with Sasuke.
Inoiki, maintaining a careful watch through his sensory abilities, felt a flicker of relief as Gaara passed by Naruto and Shikamaru without attacking them. If Gaara had made a move against them, Inoiki would not have hesitated to intervene.
Naruto and Shikamaru remained seated on the stairs, struggling to process the carnage they had just witnessed. For them, the harsh and unforgiving reality of the shinobi world had never been so vividly displayed.
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