Chapter 137 Shikamaru vs. Neji

"That was a bit too harsh," Kakashi chided after Sakura's match, looking at Kai's mini version facing off against the unsettling little Sand Ninja in the arena.

Things didn't look good - Lee was talented, but he was also being outmaneuvered by his opponent, who had the added advantage of being a complete lunatic.

"What about Sasuke?" Sakura complained.

"Special circumstances."

"Hmph." Sasuke breathed out and leaned against Naruto.

Sakura was sorting out her equipment in front of them.

Naruto was so absorbed in studying a scroll that he was oblivious to his surroundings, his eyes scanning the symbols at an alarming rate.

"B+," Kakashi judged.

"Okay," Sakura replied with a smile. "Anyway, I still have other parts of the test to improve my score, right?"

Kakashi nodded, his eyes scanning the balconies surrounding the arena.

Classes 8 and 10 were still around, though the victorious contestants were milling about, either sleeping or talking in low voices.

Both Kiba and Ino had finished their matches, not only having dragged the fight beyond the time limit, ending in a draw, but also damaging the arena's floor so badly that they had to use Earth Release to repair it.

Kiba and Kankuro were talking in low voices, and Kakashi was familiar with that face because they had had some unpleasant conflicts.

After confirming that there was no danger, Kakashi turned around and sat down next to Sakura.

"That jammer is pretty clever. How did you come up with that?"

Sakura was all smiles, her pride evident in her words.

"Actually, my technique is based on Mr. Shiki's technique. Anti-resonance wave. I combined it with my best water jutsu. This way, he will be completely defenseless."

Kakashi snorted, resting his chin on a hand.

Kakashi turned to Sasuke. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small glass bottle that Ryouta had made for him.

"Here, drink it." He handed over the bottle, which was a transparent glass bottle filled with an equally clear liquid. Sasuke took it without hesitation and drank it all without even opening the cap.

He blinked and licked his teeth with his tongue, savoring the strange taste.

"This is not water."

Kakashi shook his head.

"It's a chakra recovery agent. It's easier for the human body to absorb than the soldiers' food pills. Take three sips every hour."

Sasuke nodded and took two more sips before replacing the cap on the bottle.

"Time's up! The winner is Gaara of Sand Falls!"

Kakashi glanced over the railing to see the results of the match.

Lee looked terrible, clutching an arm as if it were broken, but he was still standing, which was a consolation.

Tenten and Neji had to help him out of the arena, but despite this, Lee's young body was damaged.

The draw continued and the players for the next game were announced.

Akatsuki vs Uzumaki Naruto.

Naruto complained as he rolled up his scroll and nudged Sakura with his foot.

"Switch places."

Sakura nodded and took the scroll from him, moving to his seat and sitting back to back with Sasuke, she pulled out a whetstone and a few kunai and settled herself in. Sasuke leaned tiredly against Sakura's strong back and closed his eyes once again.

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"The winner is Uzumaki Naruto!"

Neji looked up in surprise. He knew the name, the student who had come in last in the academy's graduation exam, and one of the genin that Neji had always refused to allow a member of her family to train.

Neji had obviously missed some crucial information, because he saw Naruto standing unharmed in the middle of the arena, one hand casually shoved in his pocket and the other raised in front of him, forearm bent in a defensive position.

His opponent, on the other hand, lay unconscious on the floor in front of him.

Gaara. Neji remembered the name. Known for his ability to manipulate sand, able to absorb chakra through contact.

He opened his Byakugan and observed the body of the unconscious boy.

He noticed something strange - the boy seemed to have fallen into a coma due to several bursts of chakra vessels, or even the rupture of several nodes... Chakra overdose?

This hardly makes sense.

He saved this information for later, then scanned the arena again, searching for the only figure he hadn't seen during the battle.

If the ninth game is over, then by process of elimination, he knows who his opponent is.

As soon as Naruto left the arena, the staff carried his opponent off the ground and the drawing ceremony continued, with Neji squinting at the list of matches.

Neji Hyuga vs. Shikamaru Nara.

Neji admitted that he didn't know much about his rival other than that Shikamaru was a typical lazy Nara clan member.

Shikamaru stood up slowly, yawned, covered his mouth with his hand, tilted his head, and rolled the muscles in his shoulders.

He jumped over the railing and entered the arena, with Neji following closely behind him, also arriving on the field in an instant.

"I hope you understand that I will not show you mercy," Neji whispered, and the Nara clan member simply stretched lazily.

"Will you continue, Neji?" Shikamaru said slowly, "Our time is limited."

Neji was already enraged, and at his opponent's indifferent attitude, his rage burned fiercely, and the blood vessels around his byakugan throbbed at his temples.

"Okay." Neji said coldly. "Let's finish it quickly, how about that?" This sentence was full of sarcasm and harshness. This was his only warning to Shikamaru. Aoba announced the start of the match.

Neji rushed forward, attacking his opponent's head. He didn't expect to hit, just to force Shikamaru out of the corner.

However, he did neither.

Shikamaru dodged his attack by a hair's breadth.

Neji's fist hit the wall, his wrist nearly under Shikamaru's chin, plaster and rubble falling from Shikamaru's shoulder.

He remained expressionless, and when the dust cleared, Shikamaru opened one bright eye, not at all intimidated by the enemy so close.

This is not avoidance, this is provocation.

Neji was so shocked that he froze in place for a moment.

"Is it over?" Shikamaru said slowly, and then he suddenly melted into the shadow behind him, and darkness gathered behind him.

Neji turned around and pulled his fist out of the wall.

Shikamaru reappeared from the protection of the shadows, the pale gold of the earrings looking especially bright in contrast.

"Come on, Neji," Nara whispered, a firm gleam in his deep eyes. "You don't really think I'll go easy on you, do you?"