Chunin preliminary exams

3 days later the last qualifying team have arrived, being the ino-shika-cho trio, kabuto's team and team 8.

All the qualified teams are standing in front of the Hokage, their teachers and the instructors.

"Alright listen up, 22 of you have made it to the next part of the competition. Before we explain what the next part of the exam is, Lord Hokage is going to address you." Anko announces, standing next to the elderly village leader.

The Hokage then explains to the Genins that the Chunin exam started as a way to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, with villages sending promising ninjas to see where their battle capabilities lie. This is in current days important when it comes to alliances, conflicts and influence of the villages. Many of the contestants aren't fully understanding it when the Hokage calls the tournament something which is supposed to let them learn from another and keep the peace.

Jiang listens to the speech interested, since he isn't part of the contesting villages and comes from a different culture.

"My best of luck to all of you, we can now continue with the competition." The Hokage announces.

A new instructor then introduces himself as Hayate Gekko and informs them that they are going to continue with an additional examination stage in a matter of moments.

"Why is there another stage and why do we have to continue right away? Some of us just barely got here?" Shikamaru asks in his usual annoyed tone.

"We are free to add an additional exam after every step. This is to decrease the contestant's number further and since the current contestant number of 22 is too high we are adding an extra exam in this stage." Hayate informs them.

"But before we get to the details of the next exam, you have a chance to drop out right here if you feel unfit to continue right away." Hayate tells them.

Sakura then tries to convince Sasuke to drop out, but he refuses, saying he can handle the stress the curse mark is putting on him.

The only contestant dropping out is Kabuto, an older contestant, who dropped out during his past 6 exams as well, catching the Hokage's attention.

The Hokage and Anko also quickly ponder if they should make Sasuke drop out, but decide against it. Intending to interfere if he uses the mark and loses control.

"Fine, the rest of you apparently want to continue. Well here is how this exam will go, there will be 1o1 fights with the contestants being shown on the screen." Hayate says while a wall slides up, revealing a large screen.

"But we are an uneven number, does someone have to fight twice?" Tenten asks.

"I volunteer to fight against the last two people as a team. Even if they win, 11 contestants should be manageable right?" Jiang suggests.

The instructor looks at the Hokage and Anko, who both nod in approval.

"So be it, the last two contestants have the advantage of fighting as a team." Hayate agrees.

"The rules of these fights are as following, the fight is over if I deem a contestant unfit to continue or if a party surrenders." The instructor tells them.

"Now, everyone whose name isn't on the screen please go to the railing on the sides." Hayate says with the first fight being Sasuke vs Yoroi.

(AN: other than the last fight, the fights are as in canon)

While the first fight is starting Jiang goes to the railing where the Hokage newcomers are standing, taking the spot next to the blonde he saved the other day.

"Hey, how's it going?" He asks casually, seeing her look aimed at her former classmate standing in the middle of the arena.

"Do you mean me?" Ino asks, before turning to him, recognizing him.

"Oh, you're the nin who saved me." Ino says gratefully.

"Don't mention it, but how are you doing?" Jiang says, nodding down to Sasuke.

"I... don't know. I hope all of it was just fault of this seal Sakura talked about, but the more I think about it and replay it, Sasuke apparently always hated me. Enough to want to kill me." Ino says solemnly.

"The seal, as far as I can tell removes your inhibitions and erases your consciousness." Jiang tells her.

"So he does hate me." Ino says.

"Probably, but does that matter?" Jiang asks her.

"It's Sasuke. I've chased him for years." Ino says upset.

"Why? What makes him different from other guys? His bloodline? Because something tells me you don't have to or would stoop so low as to be a gold digger." Jiang says.

"Different? He's distant, cold, hard to get." Ino says thoughtfully.

"Hmm OK, now try to think back before you got this crush on Sasuke, are those the qualities your dream man has?" Jiang asks, before leaving her to her thoughts, sitting down against a wall, only partially paying attention to the matches while scribbling theories about the curse mark in a book.

When he Suna nin with the gourd on his back however gets called to the stage Jiang goes to the other railings, striking up a conversation with the redhead's sister.

"Hi." He greets her.

"Oh, you. Uhm what is it?" Temari asks.

"I'm Jiang Wei, what is your name?" He introduces himself.

"Temari." She answers, before looking back down to her brother.

"So, he's your brother?" Jiang asks.

"Yeah, my youngest brother, Kankuro is the middle child." Temari informs him, pointing at the teen wearing purple makeup.

"What was that scene the other day then about? You looked genuinely scared for your life, which is why I wanted to check in on you." He tells her.

"My brother is special. Look you look like you're a nice enough guy and pretty strong, but don't mess with him, he will kill you." Temari warns him.

"It's foolish to underestimate people. Well either way, if you need someone to talk to, you can come to me." Jiang offers.

"What village are you from?" Temari asks when he turns to leave.

"None you know about. I'm just someone traveling the countries. This is my second stop actually. I was in Kumogakure until recently." Jiang answers.

"Kumo huh? I always wanted to go there." Temari says.

"It's a bit far... but if you want I could take you." Jiang offers.

"Why? We don't know each other." Temari says.

"Well a few days of traveling together would change that." Jiang tells her chuckling, waving as he walks away, sitting down against a wall on the walkway.

Two matches later Jiang gets called to the stage. Facing off against an overweight boy, Choji and the Dosu, the wrapping covered sound nin.

Jiang stands opposite of the two, waiting patiently, before the instructor starts the match.

Dosu, pulls back the sleeve over his gauntlet and gets into a sprinting position, before he can take a step however Dosu is falling out of a crater in the wall behind him, with Jiang standing in his place with an outstretched palm, his double sided trident stabbed in the ground on the other side of the stage. The sound nin being knocked out before he hits the ground.

"Gai, how fast was that?" Kakashi asks shocked.

"I think about as fast as me with two gates." The teacher says impressed.

"Poor Choji." Azuma says, seeing the speed and strength of his students opponent.

"You can do it fatass!" Ino yells from the railing, making Choji fall into a rage. The teen uses his family jutsu and turns into a massive ball, trying to crush Jiang underneath himself by rolling towards him.

The soldier however holds out his palm, stopping Choji, until he isn't spinning anymore.

When the teen is stopped in front of himself, Jiang kicks him against a wall, making him bounce around the arena, until he comes to a a stop, with Choji dropping the jutsu, lying on the floor dizzy and unable to get up.

"The winner is Jiang Wei." Hayate announces.

Jiang slings Choji over his shoulder and brings the overweight teen to his sensei.

"With this we have finished this part of the Chunin exam. The winners, please come down to the arena." Hayate says and the group assembles in a line, with only Sasuke missing, having been brought to a hospital after passing out from Kakashi using a sealing jutsu to hold back the curse mark.

"Alright everyone. The exam continues in exactly one month, giving you time to train and develop strategies against your opponents." The hokage announces.

"A whole month?" Naruto shouts in disbelieve.

"Yes, up till now you fought against unknown enemies. This time you will know who your opponents are, giving you the opportunity to prepare yourself against them." The leader says.

"Everyone, take one piece of paper from this box." Anko instructs them, holding a small box and walks down the line, with everyone taking a piece of paper from her. When Anko is standing in front of Jiang, she gives him a wink while he draws his paper.

"Please say which number you drew." Hayate tells the contestants, writing down their respective number, filling in a tournament plan.

"This is the tournament plan for the next Chunin exam matches." Hayate says, showing them their matchups.

"In this there will be only one tournament winner. Does that mean only one of us can become Chunin?" Shikamaru asks.

"Good question Shikamaru, but no. There will be a jury judging you based on various aspects, so even if you lose in the first round, you can still become a Chunin." The Hokage answers.

"Uhm what about me? My number 7 is placed only in the second round." Jiang says, nodding at the matches.

"Yes, you will have one match less than the others." The Hokage tells him.

"Bummer." Jiang frowns, making Anko snicker out loud.

"If there are no more questions you all are dismissed. See you in a month." The Hokage tells them, making the teens rejoin with their teammates and leave, except for Jiang, who remains behind.

"Jiang Wei, is there something else?" The Hokage asks, seeing him wait in front of the group of instructors while everyone else has left.

"I thought you may want to talk to me about Orochimaru, now that the other villages team leaders are gone." Jiang says.

"Why? Do you have any knowledge about him?" The Hokage asks intrigued.

"Not much more than what Anko-sensei probably told you already. But one thing caught my attention. He said that he has a team competing in the exam, probably the sound team and their instructor was wearing a Genjutsu, so it might've been him." Jiang says.

"Thank you for your openness. Now is there something else?" The Hokage asks.

"Well to be honest. I was wondering why he became a missing nin? Did he commit any crimes in Konoha?" Jiang asks.

"That's privileged information boy." An instructor says, annoyed at Jiang casually talking with the Hokage.

"It's fine. Yes, he was experimenting on people. That's how he invented the curse mark." The Hokage tells him.

"I see. Well, I will take my leave then and Anko, I'm still waiting for an answer." Jiang says, winking at her before he disappears with a crackle of lightning.

"Anko?" The Hokage asks slightly amused.

"He asked me on a date alright?" Anko tells him, making the instructors around her snicker.

"If you do go out with him, please don't leave him like that noble who hit on you once. We should try to stay on his countries good side." The Hokage advises.

"Why, what do you know about it?" Ibiki questions.

"Not much, but he told me he's only a general and that they have a handful of them. Plus he's only 16 and already stronger than everyone in this room." The hokage says.

"Exept you, you mean lord Hokage." Ibiki says, having realized some of the teens true power.

"No, I meant what I said. I am not in my prime anymore after all." The hokage replies laughing lightly, leaving his stunned instructors behind while he leaves the tower.