The morning was brisk, the dew still on the leaves and gra.s.s. The wind gently blew a frosty air with the dawn. I woke up early and started my usual training and meditation. After a harty breakfast and a clensing shower, I dressed in my black pants, white unders.h.i.+rt, gray long sleeve s.h.i.+rt and black boots, I then made my way to the arena where the finals will be held. In the seat of honor sits the Yondaime, the Sandaime Hokage and the Yondaime Kazekage. The stands fill up with friends, family, acquaintances, gamblers, citizens and ninjas. I find a nice spot on top of the roof where the fight with Orochimaru and the previous Hokages will take place. I flicker home for a beach umbrella, a cus.h.i.+on and snacks. Genma stepped out onto the fighting stage and began his introductions.

Genma: All right! The first 2 contestants up to the stage. Yamanaka Ino and Dosu Kinuta!

Genma saw that only Ino was on the stage. He called out to Dosu again but got no response for 5 minutes.

Genma: Winner of the first round by default is Yamanaka Ino.

Ino shrugged her shoulders and went back to the contestant balcony to wait for the next bracket on the roster.

Genma: Ok then, moving on, Hyuuga Neji and Uzumaki Naruto, step up to the stage!

Naruto and Neji both stepped on the stage at the same time. Everyone knew that death is the consequence of those that lose but still refuse to concede. Major injuries are the norm.

Naruto: I forgot to reserve a hospital bed for you so try not to bleed all over the place.

Neji: Even if you are the Hokages son, the result will be the same.

Genma: All right, BEGIN!

Genma chopped the air with his left arm in between the both of them and in that moment the two collided with kunai. Then they stepped back from each other. Naruto struck first.

Naruto: Wind Release: Great Breakthrough! (Fuuton: Daitoppa)

After using the technique, I spotted Naruto making extra hand seals. Using a huge technique to hide shadow clones in the dust as rocks and branches. Clever. Neji used his Kaiten and blocked the technique but found that he was cut and bleeding on his palms. Naruto used wind nature chakra with the attack to raise up its destructive power. Neji looked at his hands and frowned. He then went into his side bag and took out shuriken. Naruto was already making hand seals for his next move. I thought to myself, when did he learn Uchiha s.h.i.+sui's technique? I guess he made great strides in his wind nature techniques. Neji didn't give Naruto time and threw the shuriken, but only to hit an afterimage made of wind nature chakra. The next scene was surprising to everyone, Naruto reappeared behind Neji's only blind spot and was able to strike with a kunai. Neji looked to be in a panic as he couldn't figure out how Naruto slipped out of his Byakugan. Naruto confused Neji's Byakugan by leaving the afterimage from the body flicker infused with wind nature chakra. As far as I know the Byakugan gives a near 360 degree diameter field of vision, so the margin for error is minimal. The fact that Naruto was able to perceive where the blind spot was and attack with no error, shocked even the Hokages and the "fake" Kazekage. Naruto didn't want to paralyze Neji so Naruto deviated away from the spine, enough to wound and slow down Neji. Neji jumped away from Naruto but only to have a rock turned shadow clone jump out from Neji's blind spot then grab him with a kunai to his throat and the original Naruto about to execute his next move.

Naruto: Wind Release: Wind Dragon! (Fuuton: Furyuu no Jutsu!)

The technique was about to hit Neji with full force until Genma stepped in with an Earth Release: Rock s.h.i.+eld (Doton: Doroku Gaes.h.i.+), blocking the wind dragon but barely. When the attack finished Naruto undid his shadow clones and started to walk back to the contestant balcony.

Genma: Winner, Uzumaki Naruto! (Talking to himself) If I wasn't able to stop it I would also have suffered.

Cheers roared throughout the arena. Naruto was the son of the Yondaime, there was no convincing that he was a demon child, no minds to persuade that he wasn't a loser, the only thought in many peoples' minds were, genius. Not knowing that it was pure effort, drive, ambition, blood, sweat and tears that propelled him to where he is now. Holding his right arm up, Naruto reached the balcony and took his seat and waited like Ino for the next set of rounds. The next round was Sasuke and Gaara, but the antic.i.p.ation for their fight was not as hyped up like in the original. The heavy gamblers didn't influence the fight so if Sasuke came late it would be seen as a forfeit.

Genma: Next match, Uchiha Sasuke and Gaara! Step into the stage!

Gaara quickly stepped onto the stage and was anxious to defeat Sasuke so he could get to fight Naruto. After watching Naruto's fight, Gaara was excited and let out a bloodthirsty aura. Temari and Kankuro knew to be scared of Gaara because he was Shukaku's jinchuuriki. Like in the original Kakas.h.i.+ and Sasuke were training but when they finally made it to the arena Sasuke was already disqualified. Since no one paid much attention to Sasuke from the start the antic.i.p.ation wasn't there so the order the matches took place were not influenced. When Sasuke saw that he had failed even though he was given more than 10 minutes to show up, he walked back to the balcony with a nasty scowl and his head down. When Sasuke reached the balcony Naruto called out to him.

Naruto: Baka! (Stupid), don't you have a sense of time? I know Kakas.h.i.+-sensei has a tendency to be late a lot but that doesn't mean you can't keep track.

Sasuke: Shut the h.e.l.l up! Kakas.h.i.+ was teaching me his original jutsu that took a while to master.

Naruto: Yeah, so what? It's not like you will show it off anyway. Guess you will have better luck next time when the exam comes around again. Hey, where did that mark you had on your shoulder go to?

Sasuke: Oh that? The Yondaime was able to get rid of it. Ever since I showed him, he studied it and was able to get rid of it.

Naruto: (Talking to himself) I guess mom must've helped dad remove the seal.

The next fight proceeded as the original, Kankuro forfeits and s.h.i.+kamaru admits defeat after displaying his strategic cunning. After that Ino forfeited, s.h.i.+no knew he was no match for Temari and admitted defeat. Finally Naruto was going to face off against Gaara. The tension was building and that became the most antic.i.p.ated match. Naruto displayed his speed and power. Gaara's sand couldn't keep up with Narutos' multiple a.s.saults with the shadow clones using different wind techniques and was forced to partially turn into Shukaku. The crowd was surprised but to the Sunagakure ninja hidden among the stands, this was the signal to begin the attack on Konoha.