93 The Pink Demon

Gaara stared at Temari who walked up the staircase with blood coming out of her ears.

"It's good that you went all out…" Gaara said in a low voice.

"Mm!" Temari agreed.

"Temari!" Kankurō called out.

"Mm?" Temari looked at Kankurō…

"Hurry over; it's your next opponent's match!" Kankurō said.

Temari also walked towards the balcony of the waiting room to see the match.

….

In the seating area of Column B…

"I see…" Zabuza said as he looked towards Kakashi.

"Kakashi-san!"

"We owe your team a lot!"

"We'll support you in this upcoming battle in any way we can!" Haku said.

"Hajime is right!" Zabuza said.

"Mm!" Kakashi nodded.

"Hmm?" Kakashi sensed an ominous feeling.

"Kakashi…" Kakashi heard a voice call out to him, nearby…

….

(Whoosh!)

An ANBU agent landed beside Hiruzen.

"He's here!" The man said.

("Orochimaru!") Hiruzen looked towards a man who was standing amongst the audience in a hidden sound jounin outfit (grey flak jacket with a black body suit).

Orochimaru appeared in the exam as a jounin that overlooked his team just like the way he had looked in the first part of the chuunin exams.

"Hokage-dono!" Rasa looked towards Hiruzen.

"Mm!" Hiruzen nodded following which he turned towards the ANBU agent.

"Inform the jounins and other ANBUs, not to make a move until Orochimaru does."

"Also warn the Medics on standby to be alert for quick actions!" Hiruzen said.

"Yes!" The agent vanished from the spot to spread the message.

"Raidō" Hiruzen called out.

"Yes!" Raidō stepped out.

"Tell Jiraiya to come here" Hiruzen ordered.

"Understood!" Raidō said as he vanished.

Soon the jounins and ANBU agents across the different columns were notified including Baki.

("Hmph!")

("That damn backstabber!") Baki thought.

Meanwhile, Asuma looked towards Hiruzen.

("This time our defense is more than enough to deal with any unexpected problems,")

("I only hope that Dad does not hesitate in the last minute.") Asuma thought.

("Hmph!")

("Who am I kidding, Dad will not hesitate this time!")

("Orochimaru, let's see what you will do…") Asuma thought as he looked towards the direction where Orochimaru was standing at…

Only to be stunned.

….

"Kakashi…" Orochimaru called out as he approached Kakashi.

"Orochimaru!" Kakashi reacted like a cat that had been stepped on its tail.

"Looks like those two haven't made it here yet…" Orochimaru murmured as he took his place beside Kakashi.

Kakashi looked towards the side to see Zabuza reach into his pocket as he looked back at Kakashi.

His expression seemed to say, should I make a move?

"Hmm?" Orochimaru found Kakashi's expression weird.

"Those two will appear when the time is right!" Kakashi said.

"When the time is right, that is the time for a ninja to strike…"

"Interesting…" Orochimaru snickered.

"You will not be able to escape this time!" Kakashi said.

"You think four jounins and Eight ANBU white ops are enough?" Orochimaru asked.

("Heh!")

("You really are doomed…") Kakashi's expressions relaxed a bit.

"You think the Kazekage and my teacher can defeat me?" Orochimaru asked.

"Yes!" Kakashi said.

"Kakashi…"

"I can't help but think that you are just a frog in a well…" Orochimaru shook his head.

"You consider yourself a hawk?" Kakashi asked following which he placed his hand over his head to move his headband…

"Nope!"

"I am just a snake looking for its prey…" Orochimaru laughed.

Kakashi stopped, he then relaxed his posture.

("I'll save my Sharingan for later…") Kakashi thought.

("This is the famed Orochimaru of the legendary sannin…") Haku and Zabuza thought.

The jounins and ANBU stared at Orochimaru from the other seating areas, especially Gai who was worried.

("Gai-sensei!") Lee noticed the worried look on his face.

Karin also sensed the sudden intense atmosphere, she scanned around, only to find out a man standing next to Naruto's sensei was the one who stood at the center of all the commotion.

("Who is that man…?") she wondered following which she turned to face the battlefield where Sakura was facing Shikamaru…

>>>>BEGIN<<<<

Genma announced, following which Sakura jumped away from Shikamaru.

("He uses shadow to manipulate.")

("Best to stay away from his range…") Sakura thought.

("A defensive maneuver, huh…") Shikamaru sighed on the inside.

Sakura reached into her weapons such and drew out three kunais.

(Whoosh!)

She hurled them towards Shikamaru.

("Damn it!") Shikamaru cursed as he evaded all three kunais.

("He's good at running!") Sakura noted.

< Clone Jutsu! >

(Poof!) (Poof!) (Poof!)

Sakura sent three clones after Shikamaru.

("As if one was not enough, now she has tippled my headache!") Shikamaru cursed once again, following which he sent three kunais against the clones.

(Poof!) (Poof!) (Poof!)

The three clones disappeared at once, releasing a small cloud of smoke.

("Now!") Sakura brought her palms together.

< Genjutsu - Eternal Thousand Miles of Peach Blossom! >

Shikamaru was suddenly transported into a world where there were only peach blossom trees as long as the eyes could see…

("A genjutsu huh?") Shikamaru looked around…

"Release!" Shikamaru shouted.

(Whoosh!)

The scenery changed back to the battlefield.

"Shit!" Shikamaru immediately raised his hands to form a seal in defense against the incoming Sakura who was just a meter away from him.

("IMPOSSIBLE")

("How did he get rid of my illusions?") Sakura thought as she continued to head towards him…

< Hidden Jutsu - Yin Release - Shadow Possession Jutsu! >

*Shadow shrieks*

*Shua!*

Shikamaru managed to stop Sakura.

"You…" Sakura was stunned.

"Give up!" Shikamaru calmly declared.

("Sorry Tsunade-sama…") Sakura sighed…

Genma took notice of Sakura's expression.

"Are you giving up?" Genma asked.

"Mm!" Sakura managed to utter.

"WINNER OF THE THIRD MATCH…"

"NARA SHIKAMARU!" Genma announced.

"HE DID IT!!!!!" Ino screamed, following which the crowd cheered as well.

num

num num num

Choji continued to eat his chips.

"Frankly, I am surprised…" Choji uttered.

"Hah?" Ino stared at him.

…

Genma looked towards Shikamaru,

"Do you want to continue the next match right now?" Genma asked.

"I'll need to take a ten-minute rest before the next one," Shikamaru said.

"All right!" Genma nodded following which Shikamaru walked to the waiting room.

Meanwhile, Sakura cried a bit on the staircase that led to the waiting room.

("What was all my training for?")

("All this time, I worked really hard to overcome my disadvantages…")

("I trained in Genjutsu under Kurenai sensei…")

("I trained in medical ninjutsu…")

("But they turned out to be useless in the real battle…")

("Is this the limit?") Sakura thought.

Shikamaru at this time approached the staircase where Sakura was sitting on one of the steps.

"Sakura!" Shikamaru stared at her.

"Looks like you caught me in my bad time, huh?" Sakura said as she cleaned her tears away…

("I can't tell her, that I did not want to battle.")

("That will destroy the meaning of the hard work she put behind facing the battle today…") Shikamaru thought.

"Sakura!"

"You did all right!" Shikamaru complimented.

"It's okay Shikamaru!"

"I understand my weakness better than anyone else!" Sakura said as she walked away…

("It must be hard for her to face Naruto and Sasuke who are way stronger than her…")

("Especially Naruto…") Shikamaru thought back to the time Naruto revealed his past.

"Sakura!"

"Maybe not now."

"But I am sure you will see the results of your hard work someday…" Shikamaru said.

"Mm!" Sakura nodded, following which her facial expression returned to normal.

"Aren't you supposed to be out for your next match?" Sakura asked.

"They gave me ten minutes to recover," Shikamaru said.

"I see…" Sakura said.

"Let's go up!" Shikamaru said following which the duo went to the waiting room.

Soon ten minutes passed by…

"I'm ready!" Temari said.

"Good luck!" Kankurō wished.

(Whoosh!) Temari sent a massive gust of wind.

She then used her fan to ride on the wind and landed next to Genma.

"It seems that you are really fired up about the next match!" Genma said.

"Hey, the last one, come down!" Genma said.

"Ten minutes are already over," Genma warned.

("Why me…?") Shikamaru thought.

"Huh?" Shikamaru felt a hand on his back.

"Sakura?" Shikamaru called out upon seeing Sakura's face next to his shoulder.

"SHI-KA-MA-RU!" Sakura uttered these words one by one.

"What…is…it…?" Shikamaru asked.

"Fight ON!" Sakura said as she pushed Shikamaru off the balcony with a smile on her face.

"AAAHHHHH!!!!!!!" Shikamaru screamed as he descended.

(Bang!) Shikamaru fell on his back, on the field.