Chōji crouched nervously, arms around his legs, sweat beading on his forehead. He glanced down, then up at the menacing figure of Dosu already standing center stage, his metal gauntlet glinting under the hall lights.
"I… I forfeit," Chōji muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Asuma Sarutobi knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Really? You're gonna give up now?"
His tone was soft, but there was a teasing and goading edge to it.
Chōji frowned.
Asuma smirked and leaned in close. "You sure? If you forfeit… no more all-you-can-eat barbecue."
The reaction was immediate.
Chōji's head snapped toward his sensei, eyes wide. "W-What?!"
"Yeah. Prime beef tongue. Short ribs. Even that triple-stacked pork platter from Yakiniku Q." Asuma grinned. "All of it. Off the table."
A visible shiver ran through Chōji's body. Images of sizzling meats danced in his mind. Juicy cuts, marinated in sauce. Tender slices practically falling off the bone.
A second later, flames seemed to erupt behind him as he rose to his feet, fire blazing in his pupils.
"ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT!!!" He screamed. "I'M GOING IN!!"
He stomped toward the arena with surprising determination, every step powered not by fury but by hunger.
In the center of the arena, Dosu merely narrowed his eyes as Chōji approached.
'Akimichi clan… They're deceptively dangerous. I'll have to finish this quickly.'
The wind stilled as Hayate raised his hand.
"Contestants ready?"
Chōji cracked his knuckles. "Let's get this over with."
Dosu flexed his arm, his amplifier trembling faintly.
"Then let the tenth round begin!"
Chōji immediately dropped into a stance, chakra flaring around him.
'If I can just land one good hit… That BBQ's as good as mine!'
Dosu, on the other hand, lowered his stance slightly, hand already raising his gauntlet.
'Just one strike… is all I need.'
From above, Naruto leaned forward slightly. His eyes sharpened.
'Dosu's weapon… It's not just sound. It's chakra manipulation through vibration. If Chōji isn't careful, he's going to get caught in a disorienting field.'
Beside him, Shikamaru sighed. "This is such a drag…"
Ino, however, smiled softly. "Still, I'm kind of impressed. Chōji's never been this fired up before."
"Yeah," Naruto chuckled. "That's the power of hunger."
------
A few minutes after the tenth match began, it ended just as quickly.
With a spectacularly ungraceful thud, Chōji landed flat on his back, arms and legs splayed, spirals twirling lazily in his dazed eyes.
Cough! Cough!
"The winner is… Kinuta Dosu." Hayate's voice, hoarse yet firm, rang out across the still hall.
A pair of medics arrived promptly and knelt beside Chōji.
"I-I want… meat…" The Akimichi mumbled pitifully, as if whispering a dying wish.
Shikamaru sighed and rubbed his temple. "Oh man…"
"The sound guy even went easy on him," He muttered under his breath, more disappointed than surprised.
Asuma chuckled and gave Shikamaru a light slap on the back. "It's alright. Although he lost, we can at least keep our promise. Let's take him for some all-you-can-eat BBQ. He earned it in spirit if not in skill."
Chōji let out a weak 'Yesss…' before slipping into unconscious bliss.
Cough! Cough!
Hayate stepped forward again, this time with a rare look of relief on his weary face.
"It's finally over…" He muttered before raising his voice. "All ten Genin who passed the second stage assemble here on the battle floor!"
One by one, the survivors stepped down. Some walked with pride, others with limps. Some held expressions of quiet triumph, while others had their eyes cast low, already burning with the need to grow stronger.
The tension among them was a different flavor now—no longer that of enemies clashing, but warriors preparing.
"With this," Hayate continued, "the preliminaries for the third exam are officially complete."
"To everyone who has advanced to the final round… Congratulations."
He stepped aside, and the majestic, commanding figure of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, descended into view.
'At long last… the final round,' Hiruzen mused silently as he observed the ten shinobi standing below. His gaze drifted across each one—Naruto, Sasuke, Neji, Gaara, Temari… and lingered for just a moment longer on Naruto Uzumaki.
'Naruto will win easily. He's already operating at Jonin level… But the others… There are still some surprises to come, I suspect.'
Sasuke, standing nearby, looked over at Naruto with clenched fists. His brows furrowed deeply.
'He's stronger than before. Much stronger. I can't ignore that anymore… I have to train. No, I must surpass him.'
Hiruzen stepped forward, his voice carrying over the silence.
"The final round is where you'll each be given the opportunity to demonstrate your battle prowess, not just before your peers, but in front of leaders and nobles of every land. These matches will determine your futures. Consider this your true debut as shinobi of your respective nations."
"Accordingly, the final round will commence one month from now. This preparation period is not only for physical training… but also to allow the necessary arrangements for guests, including feudal lords, daimyo, and ninja leaders who must be summoned to observe."
Kankuro scratched his head. "Tch… I don't quite get what you're trying to say."
"In other words," Hiruzen said, unbothered, "to face your adversary and prepare adequately, time is necessary. These matches will no longer be unknown scenarios like before. You've seen your opponents' strengths and weaknesses. Now it is up to you to evolve beyond what you've already shown."
"A month," Sasuke whispered, already planning his next move. 'Perfect. Gaara… You'll be the perfect benchmark for what I become.'
"This is a gift of fairness and equality," Hiruzen continued. "Some of you revealed everything in these battles… Some still have hidden cards. In this coming month, use the time wisely. Advance your skills, sharpen your instincts. The final stage is not only a battle… It is your evaluation."
The Genin murmured amongst themselves.
Naruto narrowed his eyes, listening.
'So they want a show… Hmph. We're just entertainment for their politics...'
"Now then," Hiruzen added, "before we adjourn, one final formality remains."
As if on cue, Anko stepped forward with a wooden box cradled in her hands.
"This box contains numbered slips," She said. "Each of you will draw one. This will determine the match pairings for the final round."
She moved down the line. One by one, the Genin reached in and pulled their fate from within.
Soon after, Hiruzen called out, "Let's hear them, left to right. Tell us your numbers."
"I'm eight," Dosu said with his usual cold tone.
"I'm One," Naruto responded calmly.
"Four," said Sasuke, folding his arms.
"Ten," Sakura announced.
"Seven," Temari added.
"Five," Kankuro muttered.
"Three," Gaara said, his voice unnervingly quiet.
"Nine," Shikamaru yawned.
"Two," Neji replied with his eyes fixed on Naruto.
"Six," Shino said simply.
Ibiki stepped forward and unfurled a scroll that revealed the matchups.
Final Round Pairings are...
1st Match – Naruto vs. Neji
2nd Match – Sasuke vs. Gaara
3rd Match – Kankuro vs. Shino
4th Match – Temari vs. Dosu
5th Match – Shikamaru vs. Sakura
"The winners of these matches will move on. In the case that five contenders remain, a second lottery will be held. One of you will fight a second match to balance the tournament."
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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