Chapter 10 The end

Sakura felt as if she was in a dream come true, Naruto had several cuts in his body due to Kiba constantly hitting him with fang over fang, so she offered to rubbed the injuries with a cream, Naruto took the offer, the next thing he did would've made Sakura faint. Naruto took off his jacket and shirt, leaving himself completely shirtless in front of Sakura, being sweaty and having somewhat big muscle but not too big, Sakura was currently rubbing his back.

Haku grumbled in annoyance. 'Why does she get to rub Naruto-kun?' she thought. Hinata was thinking the same thing.

'This is the best thing ever to happen to me!' Sakura thought as she looked at Naruto's back as her eyes turned to hearts.

Naruto suddenly turned. "Ok, you think you can rub my front?" Naruto asked.

Sakura, completely taking the term 'my front' the wrong way, had a massive nosebleed that basically would've shot her to the wall hasn't been for Naruto catching her.

"Sakura-Chan! Sakura-Chan!" Naruto said worriedly.

"Hot… body…" Sakura muttered with swirly eyes.

"Hot body? Well it is hot in here, and I have a body, I guess I do have a hot body." Naruto said.

"Dumbass, dumbass, dumbass, dumbass, dumbass…" Sasuke and Kakashi chanted while hitting their forehead on the railing.

Haku sighed dreamily. 'You got to love his cluelessness.' she thought.

After shaking her for a while, Sakura finally woke up and the first thing she saw was Naruto's chest, she quickly looks away to avoid having another nosebleed.

"Sakura-Chan, are you ok?" Naruto asked.

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, I'll survive." she said, she then got confused when Naruto got an apologetic look.

"Look, Sakura-Chan, about our last fight…" Naruto started, Sakura instantly got what he was going to say. "I'm…"

"Stop…" Sakura said, Naruto stared at Sakura. "You don't need to apologize; I'm the one who should be sorry, I acted like a spoiled brat." Sakura said.

"Yeah but Sakura-Chan…"

"No, not another word." Sakura said. "Don't worry about it, let bygones be bygones." Sakura said with a secured smile.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah…"he said.

"Now for the next match." Hayate said.

Naruto's, Hinata's and Kurenai's eyes widen.

"I have to fight…"Hinata turned and looked at Neji who was frowning at her, she turned away. 'Come on Hinata, don't chicken out… remember what Naruto-kun said…'

(Flashback)

Naruto and Hinata were standing next to each other, watching the fight of Sakura and Ino.

"Wow, they can stay at it for a while huh?" Naruto said with a bored expression.

"I guess, I wouldn't be able to fight at my fullest if… I was paired against you." Hinata whispered the last part but Naruto still heard her.

Naruto's eyes widen. "If that happens… then I'll kick your ass!" Naruto said with a grin.

"That doesn't make me feel better, Naruto-kun." Hinata said with a sweat dropped.

"Relax, there's a huge chance that we won't be paired against each other." Naruto said. "You would probably be paired against Temari… or Bushy brow… or Neji." Naruto said.

Hinata's eyes widen at the last one mentioned. "I…"she quivered, Naruto tilted his head confusingly. "I won't be able to beat Neji or the other two…" she said.

"Why not?" Naruto asked.

"Because, Lee is trained in taijutsu and is incredibly fast, I don't know about Temari but Neji… he's my cousin." she said.

"Oh, I see, you can't bring yourself to hurt your cousin." Naruto said. "Don't worry, Neji is a cold-hearted bastard, he won't hold back." Naruto said.

"Naruto! Don't say that about Neji!" Hinata scolded.

"Sorry." Naruto said quickly before he offended the heiress even more.

Hinata sighed. "Even if neither of us holds back, I still don't thing I'll be able to beat him." she said.

"You'll beat him no problem."

"No, you don't understand, Neji, he worked hard, I'm too weak, I couldn't even beat my younger sister no matter what I do, I even lost my heiress position to her, I can't beat him, he's too…"

"Enough!" Naruto yelled, Hinata jumped. "I don't care what you say Hinata, you'll beat him!" he said.

"But…"

"Stop!" Naruto said forcibly, Hinata said nothing. "Hinata, I may have not seen you in action, but you're a Hyuuga, so is Neji but you're the heiress, they gave you special training, am I wrong?" Naruto asked, Hinata shook her head. "Then come on, you're just saying that because you don't have enough confident in yourself, you got to believe you can beat him and give it your all…" Naruto said, Hinata blushed. "I know this, because I will because hokage, how will I become one if I don't work hard and give it my all… I believe in you" he said.

Hinata pretty much felt like fainting but to keep up her image, she didn't and settled to making her face resemble a tomato.

Naruto turned to see Sakura's and Ino's fight… they were still going at it.

(Flashback Over!)

Hinata sighed at the fond memories. 'Naruto-kun trust me, I can't let him down.' Hinata thought as she jumped down with new confident, well… with slight confident now.

"Hinata-sama…" Neji said with distaste.

"Cousin…" Hinata said.

Naruto had a stern look in his eyes. 'Be careful… Hinata.' Naruto said.

They both continue to stare at each other. "Hinata-sama, I highly recommend you to forfeit the match." Neji said.

Hinata wasn't even shock; she expected this from her cousin. "No, I won't forfeit." she said.

"You won't defeat me, why would you go and fight a meaningless fight, you're too nice for your own good." Neji said.

"Doesn't matter, my decision still stands." she said.

Neji frowned. "And why is that?" Neji asked.

Hinata looked at Naruto who gave her a smile… before receiving a smack on the back on the head by Sakura. Sakura then sent a glare Hinata's way.

Hinata flinched slightly. "I have people who believe in me." Hinata started and turned back to Neji. "They actually think I can make a ninja out of myself, if I let them down, then I'll just create more people disappointed in me…" Hinata said. "I don't want to make any more mistakes; I want to make someone proud of me, that's why…" her byakugan blazed. "I won't run away, never again!" she said with more confident in her voice.

Naruto was smirking the whole time.

Hinata got to a fighting stance. "Come… cousin." she said.

Neji was shock. One because Hinata ACTUALLY dared him to fight her, even though they both knew she was going to lose, two because Hinata didn't even stutter at all in her statement, three… well Hayate never said 'begin'.

"BEGIN!" Hayate said.

"Byakugan!" Neji activated his doujutsu. "I won't go easy on your, Hinata-sama." Neji said as they both charged at each other, throwing palm strikes at each other while redirecting it and blocking.

Neji watched as Hinata dodged his entire hit and then…

'There!' Hinata thought as she swings her arm at Neji's chest, he moved back but she barely touched him. 'Darn, missed.' Hinata thought as Neji, did a two finger strike at Hinata's shoulder and hit her chest, they both stood there before Hinata cough a mouth full of blood.

"Hinata!" Naruto yelled.

Hinata staggered back, coughing violently.

"Give up Hinata-sama, you can't win." Neji said.

Hinata glared at Neji. "I… won't… lose." she said, getting back to her stance. She charged at Neji again, throwing gentle fist strike at Neji, even though her chakra reserves have being closed.

"Come on Hinata; show that two-faced bastard what you're made of." Naruto said.

Neji once again hit Hinata chest, the same place as before. Hinata fell to the floor; she struggled to stand up as she coughs blood again.

'The hell is wrong with him? He's pretty much killing his cousin.' Sasuke thought.

Hinata tried to stand.

"Stay done Hinata-sama, it's over." he said.

"I won't… quit." Hinata said.

Neji sighed. "Your hopeless, I'll finish this quickly." Neji said as he charged at Hinata who just stood there.

Hinata looked at Neji with her byakugan blaring.'You won't get me!' she thought as she just barely able to dodge Neji's strike and counter with her own, although her strike was weaken due to her state as Neji barely staggered back.

"You blow was weak Hinata-sama." Neji spat at the word 'Hinata-sama'.

Hinata still held her ground… until she coughs blood again, although not as much as usual.

'Hinata-hime, if she keep this up… she might die.'Naruto thought worriedly.

"Give up now or this match will end in an unpleasant way." Neji said at an attempt to threaten Hinata.

But Hinata stood her ground. "I already told you Neji, I won't give up, no matter what happens." she said.

Neji looked at her with an emotionless face. "Very well, if that what you wish!" Neji charged at Hinata as he and Hinata prepared a strike.

They both hit each other.

Everyone watched in suspense to see who would go down first.

Suddenly, Hinata once again, cough blood as she started to lean forward.

"Hinata!" Kiba and Naruto yelled as Hinata collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.

"Neji wins!" Hayate said.

Naruto and Kiba ran down.

Naruto picked up Hinata. "Hinata, come on you got to get up." Naruto said.

"Yeah, come on, open your eyes." Kiba said.

Kurenai looked at Hinata worriedly.

They both stayed watching Hinata who slowly opens her eyes.

"Hinata!" Kiba and Naruto said in relief.

Hinata turned her head to look at Naruto. "Naruto-kun, I'm sorry, I wasn't able to win, I disappointed…"

"Hinata, save your strength, you're in no position to apologize for something you didn't do." Naruto said.

Hinata said nothing as she closed her eyes.

Neji turned. "As expected, fate had it for Hinata to lose and she did, just like fate has it that she remain a failure." Neji said coldly.

Naruto glared at Neji. "How dare you hurt one of my friends! Especially your cousin!"

"This has nothing to do you." Neji said.

"Maybe so, but it doesn't mean you had to try and kill her!" Naruto said.

"What I do is my business; you have no right to pry yourself into it." Neji said.

Naruto was fuming as he took a step forward but someone put their hand on his shoulder, Naruto looked up to see Kakashi.

"Let it go Naruto, you can't fight against him, and besides, Hinata will be alright, the medic will not allow her to die." Kakashi said.

"Yeah but…"

"I know you don't want to see your friends to get hurt, but sometimes you can't protect everyone at the same time, keep that in mind." Kakashi said.

Naruto said nothing as he watched the medics take Hinata away.

Naruto glared at Neji. "You better hope that we don't end up in the same match…" Naruto said.

"Please, you're the one who should pray for that not to happen." Neji said as he walked away.

Naruto started to walk up the step.

"Hey!" Naruto turned to see Kankuro. "I like you, you're a pretty funny guy." he said.

"No offense, but I don't like you. Now why don't you play with make-up or something." Naruto said.

'This bastard is so dead.' Kankuro thought, trying to control his anger.

"Oh, and those puppet thing you used is creepy, you should find a new hobby." Naruto continued.

'Go ahead, say something else, I dare you!' Kankuro thought.

"And…" Naruto trailed off. "I guess that's all the things about you that creeps me out." Naruto said as he shrugged his shoulder. "Now on to personality!" Naruto said.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Kankuro said. "I get the point." he said.

"Alright!" Naruto said, pumping a fist in the air.

"What's so good about getting a point?" Kankuro asked with a sweat dropped.

Sasuke counted everyone that was left… Choji, Dosu, Garra, and Rock lee.

I don't know about you guys but the chunin exam are getting more and more exciting." Sasuke said when Naruto got back.

"Heh, I agree, although…" Naruto trailed off.

Sasuke, knowing what Naruto was thinking, sighed. "Hinata will be fine, don't worry, you should have more confident in her will power." Sasuke said.

"I do!" Naruto yelled.

"Oh?" Sasuke asked with a knowing smirk.

Naruto said nothing after that.

What Naruto missed is Sakura fuming at this. 'I know Hinata is closed to death but why is he acting as if he is in love with her!' Sakura asked herself before a thought popped in her mind. "What if… he does love her?" she whispered, though Naruto still heard her.

"What was that Sakura-Chan?" Naruto asked.

"Huh?" Sasuke, Kakashi and Sakura asked.

"Come on… I heard you say something, you actually whispered it, saying something about a guy loving a girl." Naruto said in a thoughtful face.

Sakura's face got extremely red. 'H-he heard! How!'

Kakashi and Sasuke turned to her.

Sakura, pulling a Hinata, turned while fidgeting. "I didn't… I didn't say that." she said.

'What is wrong with her?' Kakashi and Sasuke thought.

"Yes you did, come one, just tell me, what are you so afraid of?" Naruto asked.

'He's right, what am I so afraid of? This is Naruto, there's no way he actually love her!' Sakura thought as she turned to Naruto… only to turn back with an even redder face. 'Why can't I say it! Is it his face? Is it his eyes? Is it his body?' she asked herself.

'Wow, Sakura-Chan is sure acting weird these past few days, wonder what happened to her… I know, maybe she has a secret crush on me… nah, that's way off, maybe…' Naruto thought.

"Don't worry Sakura-Chan; I only like Hinata as a friend…" Naruto said.

Hearing this, Sakura's eyes widen. 'Did he find out? Will he reject me for hiding my feeling by pummeling him? What will he do?' Sakura thought as she turned to Naruto with a worried glance.

"You do?" Sakura asked.

"Of course and beside…" Naruto began.

'Here it is, he's decision…' Sakura thought.

Sasuke and Kakashi were holding their breath… while the latter was writing everything in a notebook.

"I would never abandon my teammates." Naruto said.

Sasuke and Kakashi slap their forehead before they heard a thud.

They looked up to see Naruto on the floor with swirly eyes.

"Baka!" Sakura yelled.

"Ow… what did I do?" Naruto asked.

Sakura growled inwardly then turned her back on him. "Nothing, just forget about it." she said.

Naruto sighed. 'She is so complicated, I tried to make her feel better by telling her that I will never abandon my team, so why is she mad?' Naruto thought.

'That baka! When will he get the picture that I have a crush on him, I even stop pretending to like Sasuke so he'll at least have more hope for us to be together!'Sakura thought, red with anger.

"The next match…" Hayate started. They all turned to him to see who the next two people were. "Rock Lee and Garra!" he said.

Lee made a high kick in the air. "Yosh! It is my time to show that my flame of youth shine brightly!" Lee said with flame in his eyes.

"Oh brother." Sasuke said with a sweat dropped.

(Somewhere)

Itachi sneezed loudly.

"Geez, what's wrong?" Kisame asked.

"Nothing, probably just some dust or something." Itachi said.

(Back with them)

Lee jumped down as soon as Garra appeared there.

"Let us do our very best!" Lee said.

"He doesn't want that." Temari said.

"Match begin!" Hayate said then jumped back.

As soon as he said that, Lee dashed towards Garra, throwing a kick, only for Garra to block it with his sand.

Lee jumped back before the sand wrap around his leg and ran around Garra, throwing punch at Garra only to have it blocked again by the sand.

Lee kept running around Garra, looking for an opening and then taking it, only for Garra to block it with his sand, not even moving a muscle.

"How is he doing that?" Naruto asked.

Lee jumped back as soon as Garra threw some sand shuriken at him.

"That was close." Lee said as he faced Garra from the statue. "You are a most formidable foe." Lee said, he turned to Gai. "Gai-sensei! May I take the weights off?" he asked.

Gai seemed slightly shock by Lee's request, but quickly came to a conclusion. "No!"

'Cold.' Tenten thought with a sweat dropped.

Lee cried comical tears for a while, before dodging more sand shuriken.

"Alright Lee, now is the perfect time to take them off!" Gai said with the nice guy pose and a twinkle in his toothy smile.

"What's the difference between now and before!" Tenten asked.

"Yosh!" Lee said as he jumped and reached for his legs warmers, pulling them down to reveal weight.

Everyone watched as leg took them off. "They're off Gai-sensei!" Lee.

"Great! Now show them the power of youth!" Gai yelled.

"Yosh!" Lee said as he dropped them, as soon as he let go, they rocketed down and hit the ground with a loud thud with smoke rising up.

"WHAT THE HELL!" team ten asked as they looked at Gai like he's a madman.

Kakashi had a dead-panned expression. 'That's a little over the top Gai.' he thought, looking at the goofy smiling adult.

Lee jumped down onto the ground. "Now you will see my flame of youth!" Lee said as he suddenly vanished.

Garra still had a calm expression before he suddenly felt sand being push behind his head, he looked back to see no one before he felt the same.

He kept looking around and tried to find the spandex wearing speed demon.

Well he didn't have to look for long as he receives a punch to the face.

Everyone was shock, especially Temari and Kankuro.

"Garra got hurt…" Kankuro said.

"Impossible…" Temari said, looking at Lee carefully.

Lee got back to his stance as Garra got up; Garra looked at Lee… if he could because Lee vanished again.

Lee ran around in circles around Garra, throwing more punches and kicks, trying to reach Garra while Garra tried to see Lee's invisible attacks.

Suddenly he felt a kick to the chin.

Garra looked down at Lee, barely flying due to the sand on his back.

Lee, predicting this would happen, jumped and continuously kicked Garra before wrapping his bandages around Garra before plummeting down.

"PRIMARY LOTUS!" Lee yelled, crashing the ground as Lee jumped back, exhausted.

Sasuke was in shock. 'Impossible, if he's that strong, then our match… he was holding back.' Sasuke thought.

Lee waited for the smoke to clear and when it did, it showed Garra.

Everyone was shock to see Garra standing, nobody though it would be possible. They were even more surprised with Garra's face; Garra had a face of a crazed person, a man obsessed to kill.

The sand slowly went to his face until it completely covered it, forming his calm face. "Is that it?" Garra asked, ignoring the look of shock from everyone else.

Lee was exhausted from primary lotus; his muscle was aching due to the pain.

Garra took the opportunity to torture Lee and unleash several sands attack, sand tsunami, sand shuriken, and the likes.

Lee was struggling to get up. 'I'm sorry Gai-sensei, but it seems, I have to use that.' Lee thought as he finally stood up and crossed his arms.

Everyone wondered what he was doing until they suddenly felt a huge spike in chakra from Lee.

'First gate open.' Lee thought. He unleashed more chakra. 'Second gate, open!' His skin turned red as his hair stood up. 'Third gate, open!' He slammed his hand down with waves of chakra cruising through Garra and everyone.

'The hell! Gai actually taught Lee how to opens the gates.' Kakashi thought as he looked at Gai who had a worried look in his face.

Lee stood there, looking at Garra who didn't even move a muscle at all.

Lee suddenly vanished, Garra stayed still, expecting Lee to do the same as before, boy was he wrong.

Garra suddenly felt a kick to the chin again, thinking it was the same thing, he sent his sand towards Lee only to hit the ground. He was confuse until Lee punched his face throwing him higher before kicking him repeatedly while throwing him to random direction, making it seem as if Garra was ricocheting off the walls, only they knew he wasn't and not being able to see Lee at all, not even a single trance of him… they were all surprised, fully surprised that a speed like this exist (Apparently they haven't meet Sonic).

Lee, after hitting Garra like, 300 times, punched him down only for his bandage to wrap around Garra and pulled him back up.

Lee's eyes flamed with extreme youth as he punched and kicked Garra at the same time. "HIDDEN LOTUS!" he yelled, making Garra hit the ground in a speed equivalent to a rocket.

Lee landing and turned to normal but he seemed horribly exhausted.

Hayate looked between Lee and the cloud of smoke, thinking that no one would be able to survive that, he raised his arm. "The match is over, Lee…" he was saying before sand shot out of the smoke and wrap around Lee's arm and legs.

They were all surprised, but they were even more surprised to see Garra standing, with no injuries whatsoever.

"Is that all you got?" Garra asked. That single sentence made everyone scared for their lives, even the stoic Neji Hyuuga was slightly scared of Garra.

Lee tried to get away from Garra's sand but it was futile as they sand would not get away from him.

Garra raised his hand then clenched it shut. "SAND COFFIN!" he yelled. Lee screamed in pain as his arm and leg got crushed by the sand.

Hayate was shock to say the least, to prevent any bloody mess… "The winner is Garra!" he said but Garra didn't stop as the sand crawled over to Lee's unconscious body. "Wait, what are you doing! You win! You can stop!" Hayate said.

Garra didn't stop as Lee was completely covered except his head and lifted him off.

"Now… to finish this nuisance." Garra said as he started to close his hand.

"LEE!" Tenten yelled before Garra closed his hand, crushing Lee.

Everyone watched in horror as Lee was killed.

"That's enough!" someone yelled, Garra turned to see Gai with Lee in his arm. "Lee lost, you can go now." Gai said.

All the sands returned to Garra gourd. "Whatever." Garra said as he walked back.

The medics took Lee away while Gai looked at him with a worried expression, so did Tenten.

Naruto clenched his fist, so did Sasuke.

'Damn it, why did bushy-brow have to lose, that guy is creepy!' Naruto though.

That guy… Lee… he held back during our fight, and he gave it his all against Garra… yet he still loses…'Sasuke looked at Garra. 'What is he?' he thought.

"Sasuke, Naruto!" they both turned to Kakashi. "Relax; chances are that you both won't be fighting Garra, no need to worry about that." Kakashi said.

Choji was against Dosu, long story short, Dosu beat Choji by blasting him with air on a wall (Sorry, didn't remember the fight that much).

"Ok!" Hayate said as all the genins came down. "That's the end of the preliminaries… now, you will all…" Hayate started coughing. "You will all grabbed a piece of paper with a number on it and tell me which one it is so I can mark it down." he said as Anko came towards Naruto.

Naruto carefully picked up a paper. "Three."

Temari grabbed hers. "Six."

Sasuke grabbed his. "Seven."

Shikamaru grabbed his. "Nine."

Shino grabbed his. "Five." he said.

Temari smirked. "Looks like I'm against you." she said but Shino ignored her, which annoyed her.

Neji grabbed his and stared at it, Naruto was hoping that Neji say four. "One." he said.

Naruto's eyes widen. 'Then… who am I…' Naruto thought as he watched Haku grabbed one, when she looked at it, she gasped.

"What is it?" Hayate asked.

Haku showed her number. "Four." she said, Naruto's eyes widen.

Kankuro grabbed his. "Two…" he turned to Neji. "Looks like I'm fighting against the prodigy of 'the strongest clan of the hidden leaf'." Kankuro said in a mocking voice.

"Ok…" Hayate said as he marked it down. "Here is the match-up.

Neji vs. Kankuro

Naruto vs. Haku

Shino vs. Temari

Sasuke vs. Garra

"The winner of the fourth match will go against Shikamaru. "Hayate said.

Naruto was stunned beyond words; he had to go fight, all-out against Haku, his good friend.

Sasuke looked at Garra, trying to stay calm, hoping that if he did lose, he won't be in that much of a bad shape.

"The real second exam will begin in a month, use that time to train." Hayate said. "You're dismissed. "He finished then turned and vanished, along with the over jonin, the genin started to walk away except Naruto and Haku.

They both looked at each other, Naruto laughed nervously.

'What do you say to the girl you'll have to fight in one month?' Naruto thought. "Uh… can you forfeit the match for me?" 'Smooth!'

Haku shocked her head. "I can't do that Naruto-kun and you know it." she said.

Naruto sighed. "Then… we'll just have to give it our all." Naruto said.

Haku nodded. "Yeah…" she said.

Zabuza suddenly appeared. "Hey Haku." he greeted.

"Zabuza-sama, why are you hear?" Haku asked.

"I'm here to see you kick some of this people ass." Zabuza said.

"Zabuza-sama, the preliminary is over." she said.

"Good god!" Zabuza said in surprised. "I missed the whole damn thing!" he asked, Naruto and Haku nodded. "Oh well, nothing I can do, bye." he said in a non-caring tone and disappeared in white mist.

Naruto sweat dropped while Haku laughed nervously. "That's Zabuza-sama for ya." she told Naruto, she turned to him. "I guess we can't see each other for a whole month, taken that we are opponents and I wouldn't want to reveal what I'll be training in." she said.

"Yeah." Naruto said in a sad tone.

"Naruto-kun…" Haku hugged Naruto. "Don't worry, one month will be over before you know it." she said as she started to crystalize.

Naruto nodded his head as Haku finished and broke. Naruto watched as Haku broke apart and fell to the ground.

"Naruto!" Naruto turned to Sakura, Sasuke and Kakashi who were at the door. "Come on, we're leaving!" Sakura said as they started to walk ahead.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Naruto said as he ran towards them.