Chapter 149: Preliminaries Ended

"You both can fight," Naruto said, casually brushing imaginary dust off his shoulder. "Then I'll take on the winner. I can heal you both afterward, so whichever one wins, you'll be back at full strength. Better than getting all three of us tangled up, yeah?"

Choji blinked. "You'd really do that?"

Naruto nodded. "Of course. Fair's fair."

Kin folded her arms, eyes sharp as kunai. "I don't believe you. You'll just wait until we're distracted and pounce."

Naruto sighed dramatically, lifting his hand. "I swear on my chakra and my forehead protector—these people are all witnesses. Even the Hokage's watching!"

Hiruzen gave a slow nod from above, puffing his pipe. "I will personally ensure that Naruto does not interfere."

Kin narrowed her eyes, scanned Naruto, then glanced at the Hokage. Finally, she gave a curt nod. "Fine. I accept."

Choji rolled his shoulders, stretching. Kin drew a few senbons from her pouch.

Naruto? Still sitting like a wise sage on a rock. Calm. Still. Eyes sharp.

Then—tink tink tink. Kin threw the senbons. As they spun through the air, the faint ringing of a bell echoed—just enough to catch Choji off guard.

Bing...

Choji flinched. He still raised his arm, blocking—but the real attack had already slipped past his defenses.

Thk!

Several senbons dug into his side. He winced, and blood trickled.

"What...?" he muttered. His eyes glazed briefly, then cleared. "A Genjutsu...? But how? Just from that sound?"

Kin smirked, "It's not all brawn, big guy."

But Choji's eyes narrowed. He wasn't about to be outsmarted and outdone.

"Why think so much?!" he shouted, revving up like an engine. "Nikudan Sensha!"

His body ballooned in a puff of smoke, then spun like a cannonball on wheels—a whirling wrecking ball of chakra and mass—barreling straight toward Kin.

Kin's smirk dropped. "What?!"

She barely had time to jump aside before the ground where she stood exploded into a crater of dust and rock.

Naruto, from his sitting spot, tilted his head and muttered, "Oof. That would've hurt."

The crowd was on edge now.

The fight was no longer a game.

It had begun.

Kin knew one thing—if that rolling wrecking ball hit her head-on, she wouldn't just lose the match. She'd be eating hospital food for a month.

I can't take a direct hit... not even one!

But her arsenal was thin. She specialized in genjutsu—illusions, disorientation, and misdirection. Against a human bulldozer like Choji? That was like throwing snowballs at a freight train.

Choji roared forward, bouncing and crashing with brute strength. He wasn't just spinning aimlessly—he was tracking her. Every time she landed, he adjusted. Boom. Boom. BOOM. Each missed attack tore through the arena floor, sending chunks of rock flying.

Kin dashed, leaped, somersaulted, but she couldn't stop to breathe, let alone counter.

She tried her Oto Genjutsu, activating her bells and senbon with a precise flick. The high-pitched ring echoed—but Choji's spinning was too fast, too loud, too unstable. The sound couldn't reach his ears properly. The vibrations were scattered, disrupted by the chakra-induced spin.

It's not working. Of course it's not working! Kin gritted her teeth. I can't pin down a target that's basically a chakra blender!

Then her misstep came.

She landed just a second too slow.

Choji adjusted mid-spin—his massive frame clipped her with a side-swipe.

BOOM!

Kin was launched like a ragdoll. She hit the ground with a harsh tumble, dust kicking up as she rolled across the arena floor and came to a hard stop near the edge of the wall.

The arena was silent for a beat.

Then Choji slowed, spinning to a stop, breathing heavy but still standing tall.

From the ground, Kin groaned.

The tables had turned.

She staggered to her feet, her legs trembling like bamboo in a storm. Every breath was a struggle, but she clenched her jaw and glared at Choji.

"What the hell do these people eat?" she muttered, dragging one foot forward. "How are they built like this?"

Choji, panting from his last attack, wasn't pressing forward. He stood in place, catching his breath, ever the kind-hearted warrior who wouldn't attack unless provoked.

Kin's eyes narrowed. This is my only chance.

The wind picked up slightly, brushing dust through the battle-scarred arena. The audience leaned in. Every eye was on her.

She tried forming a hand sign, fingers twitching. Her chakra was flickering—erratic, faint. Like a candle in a typhoon. Still, she pushed through.

One last genjutsu… it just needs to distract him for a second. Just one second...

But her body wouldn't budge.

Her legs gave way. Her chakra fizzled.

She collapsed to her knees, breath shaky. Defeated not by strength, but by exhaustion.

Choji took a step forward.

But she lifted a hand—not to attack, but in surrender.

"I'm done," she said with a faint smirk, "I'm not suicidal."

She plopped down cross-legged, waving weakly. "I'll pass. You people are monsters."

The crowd murmured in surprise—some chuckled, others applauded the guts it took to even stand up after a beating like that.

Naruto, still seated nearby, gave her a small, respectful nod. "Smart call," he said with a grin.

Hayate cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Kin Tsuchi is unable to continue. The match is now between Choji Akimichi and Naruto Uzumaki."

The stadium shook again—not from an attack, but from the roaring energy of the crowd.

Naruto stood up slowly, that ever-so-cocky grin tugging at his lips.

"Wanna heal you?" he asked, brushing dust off his pants as he turned toward Choji.

Choji gave a slight nod, still catching his breath. "Only if you're offering snacks too."

Naruto laughed softly. "No snacks, just chakra."

He reached out and placed a glowing hand on Choji's shoulder. Warm energy pulsed through, healing bruises and stabilizing his chakra network. The damage faded, but exhaustion was a different beast.

Choji gave a thumbs-up and sat down cross-legged, pulling out a fresh bag of chips like it was a strategy scroll.

"I'll fight after these," he mumbled between bites.

Naruto snorted. "Classic."

Then he turned, eyes glinting as he walked toward Kin.

She looked up at him warily. "What now? Gonna mock me?"

"I thought you were some tough lady," Naruto teased, crouching beside her. "But you surrendered so quickly."

Kin rolled her eyes. "What did you want me to do? Get steamrolled? Nah. I like breathing, thanks."

Naruto chuckled as he placed his hand gently on her arm, chakra flowing out and mending her injuries.

"Yeah, yeah," he said with a grin. "Still… gotta admit, you lasted longer than I expected."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

Naruto just winked. "Take it however you want, princess."

Kin scoffed and looked away—but her smirk betrayed her. "Flirt."

"Guilty," he said, standing up and brushing off his palms. "Next time, try not to lose before our date."

She didn't respond—but the blush was answer enough.

From the stands, Temari narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, muttering, "Tch. Idiot."

Back in the center, Choji stood up and cracked his neck. His chip bag was empty.

"All right," he said, walking toward Naruto. "I'm full. Let's do this."

Naruto grinned, that fox-like glint in his eyes brighter than ever. "Finally."

Choji knew it from the start—there was no winning this with half-measures.

So he didn't hold back.

"Baika no Jutsu!"

In a flash, his body expanded, towering like a mini-giant. His massive frame loomed over the arena, shadow falling over Naruto like a dark cloud.

With a deep roar, Choji launched a punch that could flatten a wall.

The ground cracked under the force.

Naruto, seemingly dwarfed in comparison, didn't even flinch.

He caught the punch.

One hand.

Gasps echoed across the stadium.

"You'll have to try harder, Choji," Naruto said calmly, before casually tossing him aside like a sack of rice.

Choji skidded across the ground but landed on his feet. He winced but smiled.

"Okay, then…"

"Nikudan Sensha!"

His body curled into a spinning cannonball of doom. He rocketed toward Naruto with terrifying speed, turning the arena into a blur.

Dust flew. Tiles cracked.

Naruto dodged.

Once.

Twice.

A dozen times.

Each dodge smooth as wind, sharp as a blade. Not a single counterattack—just watching, waiting, learning.

The crowd watched with bated breath.

Then Naruto stopped.

He turned toward the incoming blur of motion and stood his ground.

Waited.

Waited…

Then—bam!

With perfect timing, he thrust a single fist forward.

Impact.

The spin halted in an instant.

The shockwave blew dust into the air.

And Choji?

He was airborne.

The impact sent him flying across the battlefield before crashing to a stop.

Silence fell.

Choji lay still—unconscious.

Hayate stepped forward, raising a hand. "Choji Akimichi is unable to fight. Naruto Uzumaki advances to the next round."

Cheers erupted across the stands. Ino and Sakura clapped. Karin smirked. Hinata gave a proud nod. Even Temari… looked mildly impressed.

Naruto cracked his neck, then walked over to Choji.

He knelt down, placed a hand on his friend, and softly said, "Sorry, bro. I had to win."

Chakra flowed again—gentle, healing.

Because that's who Naruto was.

Powerful. Kind. Unstoppable.

And now?

Choji slowly opened his eyes, the world still spinning a bit from that punch. But what he saw first was Naruto—standing tall, hand extended, a grin on his face.

"C'mon, bro. Let's go."

Choji chuckled weakly, reached up, and clasped Naruto's hand. With one strong pull, Naruto hoisted him to his feet.

They didn't say much. They didn't need to.

The crowd watched the two walk off together—one victor, one fallen—but both smiling like brothers who'd just had the best spar of their lives.

From the stands, Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward, his presence alone quieting the arena.

All the Genin—bruised, battered, but far from broken—gathered below.

"The final round," Hiruzen announced, his voice steady and strong, "will be held next week. It will take place before the eyes of all the people… and the Kazekage of Sunagakure himself."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"Those who passed, use this time to recover and prepare. The finals… are not just a test. They're a stage."

He gave a warm, grandfatherly smile. "You've all come far. Now prove to the world who you truly are."

After him, Hayate stepped up, still a little raspy but firm.

"You may now return to your quarters. Before that, the matchups for the final round will be displayed. Feel free to take a look—if you're curious, who you'll be facing."

Some Genin rushed over to see the matchups with wide-eyed curiosity. Others, more drained, simply turned and left—quietly contemplating the battles to come.

Choji plopped down beside Shikamaru, already halfway through another bag of chips like nothing had happened.

"Man," Shikamaru muttered, "you fight like a beast and still have time to snack... troublesome."

Choji shrugged, mouth full. "Training food."

And just like that, the prelims were done.

Bruised egos, forged friendships, and rising legends—

The real battle was just beginning.