Arc IV Chapter 12
<strong><b>IV</b></strong>
<hr>
<strong><b>━━━━━━┓</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>┏━━━━━━</b></strong>
<hr>
<strong><b>Arc IV Chapter </b></strong><strong><b>12</b></strong>
<hr>
<strong><b>━━━━━━┛</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>┗━━━━━━</b></strong>
<hr>
The preliminaries ended. All genin were gathering in the middle of the arena, before them the Hokage and the various examiners.
Anko stood there, gesticting and shouting orders, “Come on, hurry up,ds! Get your sorry arses over here! Pronto! We don''t have all day!You too, little princess. Time is precious.” Theimpatient stare directed at herdidn''t escape her.Anko didn''t bother to hideher irritation.
Asamiretort. “Patience, Anko, patience. No need to hurl insults. I am alreadying.”
Anko grinned. “Ah, so our little princess knows how to talk back? Interesting. Didn''t your parents teach you<strong></strong>to respect your betters?”
“...” Asami gritted her teeth. The woman had the nerve to talk about betters.This was an open deration of war, a deration she couldnotignore.Vindictiveas she was, it was time to strike back.“You are talking about respecting your elders, Anko, but you seem to forgetthatrespect is normally earned,and not given.”
Anko fumed, her eyebrows twitching. “You, you rascal! Wait until I shove a kunai up your arse! Then you will see what is earned!.”
Asami smirkedand beckoned with her hand. “You are all bark and no bite.Bring it on, Anko! I am waiting.” Tensionrose between the two bellicose<strong><b></b></strong>kunoichi. One more stubborn than the other.Anko’s handslowly wandered towards her holster, searching for a kunai. So did hers.
Hiruzen, meanwhile,retained his calm,observing the events from a safe distance.Bickering ninja were amon urrence. Animosities, n rivalries, eternal grudges for petty reasons, Hiruzen had seen it all. They were always squabblinglike children. Probably because many of them wereindeed still children, only barely adults.
“...” A sigh escaped his lips. Minatodied too early.He was too old for thisstuff, but he was prepared to suffer for the sake of the vige.It was time to intervene. Hiruzen stepped in with an amicableugh.“Asami, Anko, I am delighted to see that the Will of Fire burns so brightly in you two.I am d the vige can rely on you, butI think that there arebetterces to solve your little dispute.If you would be so kind as to put your differences aside.” The message was clear, stop causing a scene! Both of you!
<strong><b></b></strong>
Nieither Anko, nor Asami weed his intervention, but they both obeyed and stood down.
<hr>
<strong><b>━━━━━━┛</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>┗━━━━━━</b></strong>
<hr>
Hiruzen cleared his throat. “I must congratte you all on passing the second portion of the chunin exams. You did well. Those who passed will now proceed to the third andfinal part of the chunin exams.
The final exam will consist of anothertournament. The tournament will be held in the vige arena before arge audience. Many people wille, soI want you to demonstrate your abilities to the fullest as representativesof your respective viges.
The tournamentwill take ce in one month. You will have thus one month of time to prepare yourself.Use the time well. Because manyof you might have already revealedmany of your most powerful techniques.In the spirit of fairness and equality,the month will give you therefore the opportunity to hone your skillsfor the final battle.
Increase your strength. Increase yourknowledge. Unlike previously, youwill know youropponentthis time.Use thatinformation to your advantage and you will seed.”
“...” Asami raisedaneyebrow. Spirit of fairness and equality? Wasn’t that a bit riching from the person who sent her, an ANBU,to the chunin exams?As if you could get stronger in a mere month. Strength was a matter of years of training, hard work, experience, and intellect. What was one month?One month was nothing.
“...” Hiruzen allowed his words to sink in. “You cantake your leavenow, but we need to take care of something else first.I want you to draw lots. Drawa slip of paperfrom the boxAnko is holdingin her hands and tell us yournumber. We need them to determine the matches.”
Asami was thest one to draw. Her hand reached inside the box.Sowho hadthe honour to serve as her next victim?She drew the number 10.
Hiruzen spoke up, “Ibiki, can you please announcethe arranged matches.”
“Yes, Hokage-sama.” Ibiki presentedthe results.“Thefirst roundconsists of four matches in total.The first match is Uzumaki Naruto against Hyuaga Neji.The second match, Uchiha Sasuke against Gaara.The third match, Kankuro against Aburame Shino.And the fourth match, Temari against unknown. Her opponent will be determined by two additional preliminary matches between Nara Shikamaru and the winner of Dosu Kinuta against Minami Asami.”
<hr>
<strong><b>━━━━━━┛</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>┗━━━━━━</b></strong>
<hr>
Everyone dispersed, and Asami was about to enjoy her freemonth. She deservedsome rest after all this chunin exams nonsense.
Her heart might embrace fighting. Itindulged in it. The euphoriashe experienced was priceless.Aninsatiable yearning engulfed her very being. Herbody trembled in anticipation, driven by her instincts.All of her senses sharpened as the surrounding world faded into obscurity.There was only sheand the enemy. Everything could be lost,everything gainedwithin a single moment.Her heartcraved this glorious,fleeting moment. The momentwhen destiny culminated, the moment when fate manifested.Butpared to her, all these genin were just little children. They were too weak to provide a serious challenge.
“...” Asami sighed in disappointment. At least, she received one month worth of free time. She already had a few ideas how to use her time. It was time to train and experiment. It was unfortunate, but her susanoo didn’t satisfy her yet despite its immense capabilities. It didn''t offer the degree of protection she wished for. Without a doubt, her susanoo was a powerful weapon, but considering its massive chakra consumption, she had expected more. Ultimately, her susanoo was a defective, an imperfect product. A product with so much wasted potential. There was room for improvement. Her n was to strengthen its armour to increase its defensive capabilities substantially ...
A handgrabbed her shoulderwith force.It was an actionthat some people might considerrude. Her included.
Asami turned around. It was Anko once again. “How can I help you, Anko?”
Ankoignored her question.“Listen, girl, Youe with me. The Hokage wants to see you. Immediately.” Her voice was stern.
“...” Asami gave Anko a disapproving look. She misheard, didn''t she? There were few people in this vige who dared to speak to her with such audacity. “Oh, really, does he?”
“Yes.”Anko didn''t look pleased. The dislike was reciprocal.
“Whyexactly? Why does the Hokage wish to see me?”Asami explored.
Anko crossed her arms. “I have no idea,and to be honest, I don’t care. Ask the Hokage.But more important, get moving. Because my patience is limited, and the Hokage is waiting.”
“...” Asami rolled her eyes, in part amused. As if her tough woman act had any effect on her at all. Nevertheless, and despite initial differences, she had to give Anko credit where credit was due. Anko had character. The woman had backbone, which was a fact she approved of. “Sure ... Please, lead the way then, Anko.”
“...” Anko took the lead as requestedafter grumbling something about her being a pompous arsehole, but she.
Asami followed her without further discussions. After all, she didn’t have the intention to getlost again.The tower was evil and its endless corridors treacherous. She knew from experience.
<hr>
<strong><b>━━━━━━┛</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>?</b></strong><strong><b>┗━━━━━━</b></strong>
<hr>
<strong><b></b></strong>