Preliminary Round (1)

Next morning, waking up he found his body surprisingly healed. By his bed Ibuki was standing and checking his vitals.

Ibuki: "You woke up! How are you feeling any discomfort?"

Saito slowly stood up and started moving his body and jumping for a bit.

Saito: "Everything is alright!"

Ibuki nodded.

Ibuki: "Good! I was informed that you should head directly towards the examination tower otherwise your team will be disqualified, the Hokage made an exception and didn't fail you, considering the situation."

Saito directly put on his cloths and jumped from the open window. Using the roof tops he headed towards the training ground.

As soon as he reached the tower he saw his teammates waiting for him. They were informed by the proctors to wait for him. After making sure that he was all right. They hurriedly opened the door tearing the seal on it.

Inside was a small room with a panel hanged on the wall. On it they read some kind of riddle, soon they gave up understanding it and opened the two scrolls. Inside of them was written the human character (The Japanese Kanji for human aka Hito). Saito recognized the seals written on the scrolls he hurriedly let the two scrolls fall to the ground and in a puff of white smoke a Ninja appeared. He was Chunin. After a few introductions he started explaining the meaning of the writings on the wall. Soon they were directed to a bigger hall. The Hokage and the previous exam's proctors were there, even the Jonin responsible for them were present. Saito saw that Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura where present, they were looking in his direction Saito nodded and returned his concentration the Hokage.

The Hokage revealed the nature of the exam as a pseudo war as well as a test. The third part of the exam was a combat exam. Just as the Hokage was about to continue talking a ninja jumped in front of the Hokage. He looked sickly and he soon started explaining how this part will work. Saito was surprised because as soon as the content was announced, Kabuto resigned from the exam. He seems to have become closer to Naruto. Saito was really suspicious of this guy and he believes that he must have something planned. After verifying that no one else wanted to quit. Soon a screen appeared from the wall, the combatants will be chosen randomly.

The first combat was Sasuke vs Yaroi. Saito remembers that Yaroi was one of Kabuto's teammates.

They were directed to a balcony in order to watch the fight. At first they fought using Taijutsu. But that Yaroi was using a chakra manipulation technique to make Sasuke lose control over his chakra. But as soon as he discovered that Sasuke switched to Ninjutsu. The following events where nothing special that Yaroi was specialized in CQC and the moment it turned into ranged combat he lost.

The proctor announced Sasuske's win. After joining his teammates the second combat was decided.

Shino Aburame vs Zaku Abumi.

Shino was part of clan that specialized in using bugs either for combat or intelligence gathering. From what Saito remembers Shino was a silent guy he rarely spoke, heck he never showed his face. Always wearing shades and a long coat. His opponent was part of the Sound Village. One of his hands was bandaged but he didn't seem that hurt he could still move his hand. After the combat started Saito was surprised by both contenders. Shino's use of his bugs was ingenious slowly cornering his opponent but his opponent wasn't an easy prey he modified his body. On both of his palms he had holes thought which he sends bursts of compressed air. But Shino managed to neutralize him by blocking the openings using his bugs. The result was disturbing both hands were mangled.

The following battle was Saito vs Misumi Tsurugi.

Saito jumped down ready to fight. His opponent was another one of Kabuto's teammates. Saito was prepared for a hard fight but he was surprised when his opponent used a technique similar to the one used by Orochimaru. It's just that the latter's technique was far more advanced. Because his opponent wasn't too strong he didn't use his chakra mode but instead used jutsus. Apparently Kabuto's team mates where too specialized in CQC, using both Rapid Thunder Whip and Water Bullet technique he destroyed his enemy, he employed the same tactic as Sasuke, simple but effective.

The following combat was Kankuro from the san village vs Akane.

Saito encouraged her and told her to be careful. Akane started directly using churikens to attack him and right after the starting signal. He dodged them and he started running towards her full speed. But Saito was really concerned by the package he held on his back.

Akane seen his approached started making hand signs as fast as she could. After she completed her jutsu she lunched a genjutsu attack. Kankuro's attack came to a halt she carefully started approaching him, and just as she came closer towards him ready to deliver the finishing blow. Kankuro's cloths were ripped apart as wooden hands lunched out from and directly bonded Akane. Her genjutsu didn't work because her target was a puppet. She could no longer move. Soon the package on the puppet's back opened revealing Kankuro who was using chakra to control the puppet remotely, using chakra treads. Akane was incapacitated and the proctor directly declared Kankuro the winner. Saito and Akira comforted Akane. Saito knew that Akane lost due to battle experience. Yamato also started to talk to her. Akane recovered when the next combat was just about to start.