Chapter 80 - Cap 73: Houston, we have an idiot...

"A pity for the young Tenten," said Hiruzen as he shook his head, "She could have done more if only she had had an enemy that wasn't such a Counter for her"

"Luck also counts as strength, Hiruzen-sama" - said Anbu Karasu in a neutral voice. He had been assigned as the bodyguard of the Hokage along with his senpai, Anbu Neko - "Tenten had the bad luck to meet an enemy who counteracted all her abilities... something rare but still happens".

"I know..." - nodded old Sandaime - "By the way... what do you think about the information concerning Sabaku no Gaara?"

"I'm going to reserve my comment because we don't have the necessary information," said Anbu Karasu as he shook his head.

"What do you think, Neko?" - Hiruzen asked as he looked at his other Anbu.

"I think we'd better keep an eye on them," said Anbu Neko seriously. "Having an unstable Jinchuriki in the village is not something we sincerely need"

"Hmm..." - Hiruzen again looked at the red-haired boy from Suna as he shook his head - "We'd better have a meeting to think about what to do next"

* * * * *

"Poor girl" - denied Kushina when she saw how Tenten had been defeated so unilaterally.

"She was unlucky," denied Mikoto. "Perhaps with another opponent, she could have done something."

"Luck is also important for our job" - said Tsume seriously - "One small change can cause the whole mission to go to shit"

"Although you have to recognize that the girl from Suna is also talented," said Choza as he watched the silhouette of the blonde girl walk in the direction of her instructor and brothers.

"Hey, guys~!" - said a happy black-haired woman.

"You finally came out of hiding, you troublesome woman," said Shikaku when he saw the newcomer.

"Did you say something, Shi-ka-ku-kun~?" - asked the woman with a frightening aura.

"That you are a troublesome woman," replied Commander Jonin as he shook his head. "I suppose you came to see the battle of Shikamaru"

"Yes..." - Yoshino nodded - "I'm making sure he doesn't do anything stupid... like giving up before fighting just because he finds it troublesome..."

"Sounds like something I would do," nodded Shikaku.

"Hmph! That's exactly why I had to come!" - Yoshino exclaimed as she looked annoyed at her husband - "If I didn't come, Shikamaru would have quit!"

"I think you'd better stop" - said Kushina as she looked at her old friend - "Your son is about to fight"

"GOOD LUCK SHIKA-CHAN!" - shouted Yoshino - "IF YOU DON'T FIGHT WITH EVERYTHING, I SWEAR YOU WON'T SEE THE CLOUDS FOR THE LEFT OF THE YEAR!"

* * * * *

Shikamaru almost stumbled when he heard this, so he could only mutter "troublesome woman" as he walked to his assigned spot.

"Are you ready to fight, Shika-chan?" - Misumi asked mockingly.

"Let's get this over with quickly..." - Shikamaru said as his eyebrow trembled slightly.

"Fifth match, Misumi Tsurugi of Konoha vs. Shikamaru Nara of Konoha!" Hayate exclaimed as he looked at the two Genin.

"It's time for me to prove what my partner couldn't!" - exclaimed Misumi.

"The power of extras?" - Shikamaru asked neutrally.

"Yes! Wait, that's not it!" - Misumi exclaimed angrily - "That we Genin who were not born in the shinobi clans also have the potential to be equal or better than the Genin of the shinobi clans!"

Misumi slowly pulled out a kunai and stood on guard but after a few seconds, he felt something strange was happening - "Why can't I move?!"

". . ." - those present just looked at the Genin as if he was some kind of buffoon.

" Are you serious?" - Shikamaru only held his forehead while looking at his opponent with a scowl - "Are you an idiot or something?"

"Why are you calling me that!?" - exclaimed the civilian Genin.

"Don't you know which clan I come from?" - Shikamaru asked as he looked at the clown in front of him - "Let me remind you, I am a member of the Nara clan"

Misumi slowly looked down and noticed how a large shadow had connected with his - "I..."

"You are the biggest fool, the biggest idiot in the village" - Shikamaru snorted - "What kind of shinobi, doesn't know about our specific Jutsu and doesn't prepare for a possible ambush? I'm sure even Suna's team would not have fallen as easily as you..."

"You'd be treating us like idiots if you thought that" - snorted Kankuro as he looked down on the civilian Genin who was fighting.

* * * * *

"I'm ashamed to be from the same village as that guy..." - murmured Ino as she shook her head.

"I know I'm not the sharpest kunai in the armory... but I know I wouldn't fall for something so stupid..." - said Kiba as he shook his head.

"I agree with Kiba" - Sakura nodded - "He may be an idiot but he is not as much of an idiot as that guy"

"Houston, we have an idiot..." - murmured Kurama as he looked at his friend's enemy.

"Shika-chan! Put him out of his misery!" - shouted Yoshino in the distance.

Kurama noticed how not only the Jonin but all the people wanted this awkward situation to end.

* * * * *

"I... I surrender..." - said Misumi as he bowed his head. He understood that after this, he could no longer face the shinobi circle.

"Winner... Shikamaru..." - said Hayate discouragingly - "Seeing that this match was not the longest... how about going straight to the next one?"

The Genin nodded when they heard except for Sakura who started to speak - "It will not be necessary"

"What are you trying to say, Sakura?!" - Ino exclaimed in surprise.

"I... give up..." - said the pink-haired girl.

"Why?!" - shouted Ino as he grabbed his friend's shoulders - "Don't you want to be a Chunin?!"

"I wish..." - said Sakura as she shook her head - "But I understand my situation... I know I am not ready to be a Chunin, not after discovering how weak I am..."

"In the forest of death I couldn't do anything when my companions were in danger" - continued the Genin of team 7 - "They always do all the work while I... I only help from time to time..."

Those present were silent as they watched the girl say everything she felt.

"With all that said... I don't think I have the right to promote..." - Sakura sighed while looking at Ino - "That's why I decided not to continue and to wait for the next exam to prove myself..."

"You have changed, Sakura" - said Ino while she hugged her friend.

"Impossible not to do it after passing through the infernal training of Kushina sensei" - Sakura murmured but she had a chill when she felt as the mentioned one was looking at her with seriousness - "I am sorry, Kushina sensei!

"You have grown, Sakura" - said Kakashi while smiling with his visible eye - "Although only mentally"

". . ." - the pink-haired girl's fist trembled when she saw her instructor say this while looking at her c.h.e.s.t.

"I think that's considered s.e.x.u.a.l harassment..." - said Anko as she looked at her colleague.

"That's why he can't get a girlfriend," said Kurenai as she snorted in annoyance. She, as a woman, understood that there were things she never had to say to someone of her gender, such as insulting her body.

". . ." - Kakashi only backed off when he noticed how all the women were looking at him - "Did I say that out loud?"

"Ahem! I think we'd better move on to the next fight," said Hayate as he tried to help his friend out of trouble. Kakashi only gave the sick Jonin a grateful look but his expression did not change from one of terror because he could still feel Kushina's cold stare.

"I give up..." - said Shino in a monotonous voice.

"*Sigh* Motive..." - sighed Hayate as he looked at the Aburame.

"I am at a total disadvantage against Choji..." - Shino said with neutrality - "My bugs won't be able to do anything to him if he spins at high speed..."

Those present nodded when they heard this.

"That leaves us with the last fight..." - said Hayate as he began to spit blood - ". . ."

"Can I give up?" - Kiba asked in fear because he still remembered what had happened before.

"Get your a.s.s to the center of the arena or I swear I'll take you to the vet!" - Tsume shouted from the Clan Head section.

"Ok..:" - muttered the Inuzuka boy.

"I'm sorry to tell you that I'm going to finish this quickly..." - said Kurama as he shook his head - "No offense"

"Last Combat, Kiba Inuzuka of Konoha vs Kurama Uzumaki of Uzu!" - exclaimed the sick Jonin as he looked at the two fighters - "Hajime!"

". . ." - Kiba threw himself at Kurama almost immediately but just as he was about to reach the location of the redhead, he felt as if he was slowly losing consciousness.

"I'm sorry about that, pal" - said Kurama as he appeared behind the young Inuzuka - "But I want to end all this... I've been away from home for a long time"

"Winner by K.O. Kurama Uzumaki!" - Hayate exclaimed as the others shook their heads. They knew that Kurama was strong but never thought the difference would be so vast, though if they knew that he had seriously injured Orochimaru, they would understand that this fight would be meaningless.

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Chapter 93 available in Pa treon