End of the Second Stage

After the exams began, the Jonin of each village were told that if they would like, they could wait in the Star lounge, a popular spot in the city that had been rented out for the next few days, just for ninjas; they were also told that by staying at or near the lounge would allow them to get updates on the status of their teams. Eager to see their team progress, the Anko, Kakashi, Kruenai, Asuma, and Gai took up the offer and made their way to the lounge for the day.

The two-story building was grand and impressive. As they walked in, it offered a range of entertainment with its pool, darts, welcoming bar, and ambient piano music. The group of five went upstairs to see a smaller bar with an arrangement of seats. The ceiling of the bar was adorned with a large mural of stars. They took residence in a booth upstairs, which had a clear view of the whole lounge and was in close proximity to the bar.

During the day, everyone except Gai did some light drinking. Gai was enjoying his new homemade protein shake, which caused fewer stomach cramps.

They had been there all day, and the sun was beginning to set. The second exam was scheduled to continue until the morning of the third day. Since there was no live update system like in the previous exams, Jonin were encouraged to stay nearby to receive updates about their teams' disqualification status.

Asuma let out a big yawn and glanced at the clock on the wall. "What time should we start heading back? It's getting late,"

"We should probably stay for about another hour or so. You never know when something may happen," said Kakashi.

"I don't know; it's probably a good sign that we haven't heard anything yet. It means they're still in this thing," said Kurenai hopeful.

As if on cue, a man hurried up the stairs and quickly scanned the second floor. When he spotted their group, he hastened toward their table and came to a stop.

They held their breath, seeing this happen multiple times throughout the day. Once a team's disqualification was confirmed, the Jonin would be informed directly if they were in the lounge. They all waited in anticipation of their team's status.

The man spoke

"Excuse me, I'm looking for an Asuma Sarutobi."

"Damn," Asuma exclaimed as he handed a handful of Ryo to a smug Anko.

"It's alright, Asuma. I believe your students fought with all their youthful vigor," exclaimed Gai.

Asuma sighed and looked over at the man. "So they got eliminated. Where are they at? I'll probably take them out to eat. They can't cost me any more money today."

The man became visibly more nervous as his following words got caught in his throat. Sensing something wrong, Asuma immediately straightened his posture, and his casual tone disappeared.

"What happened?"

"We don't know all the details yet, but an unknown ninja of considerable strength infiltrated the exams and started to take out participants. We have confirmed that he killed six genin and two proctors. He had an encounter with your team but retreated shortly after. Two of your students were heavily injured; all three are at the hospital."

"Where is the hospital?" asked Asuma, his voice betraying his concern.

"It's not far from here. If you keep on going down this street, you'll see it. It's one of the largest buildings here."

Asuma stood and turned to the rest of the table. "Sorry, guys, but I have to go; you guys can stay if you want."

"No way, I'm coming with you," Kurenai declared, her determination clear in her voice.

"If they had a hard-fought battle, we should go and raise their spirits," said Gai.

Asuma then turned to Anko and Kakashi. "You guys coming too?"

"Of course," responded Kakashi.

"If it was one of ours, you would go," said Anko.

Asuma nodded and turned toward the man. "Thank you for telling me; I'll go see them immediately." The five of them exited and made their way to the hospital.

"They entered the hospital only a few minutes later. Asuma approached the front desk.

"Do you know where Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, and Choji Akimichi are located? They should have returned from the exams recently," Asuma asked.

"The receptionist had an immediate look of recognition on her face. "Yes, two of them needed to be operated on immediately; the other one only had a mild case of chakra exhaustion. He's in waiting room C. If you wait there with him, you all should get updates as soon as a doctor is able," she said in a professional tone.

"Thank you."

She then gave directions as the group reached the waiting room.

Upon entering the waiting room, they saw Shikamaru sitting in a chair. He was looking down at the floor, his chin resting on his hand, deep in thought.

Asuma whispered to the others, "I got this," as he walked over and sat next to Shikamaru.

Despite Asuma's presence, Shikamaru showed no sign of acknowledgment. The others watched the strange display with interest, but they respected Asuma's words and stayed back on the other side of the waiting room.

After several minutes of silence, Shikamaru spoke without looking up: "I failed them. I mean, come on, they're fighting for their lives while I'm just a little tired, all because they followed my lead."

"What happened? Tell me everything you can remember."

Shikamaru then recounted their encounter with Hidan, leaving out no details. The recounting of Hidan's strange ability took all the Jonin by surprise, as did the interference by the cloud team.

"All I can say, kid, is that you did a good job," Asuma said. Shikamaru looked up from the ground for the first time and gave him a puzzled look.

"What do you mean they're hurt because of me?"

"Based on what you described, you faced off against an A-rank, possibly S-rank enemy in a completely unexpected situation. Not only did you keep your teammates alive, but you also managed to prevent the enemy from harming any more people," Asuma explained, providing an objective assessment of the situation.

As Shikamaru replayed the scene of being bound and helpless in his mind, tears of frustration began to well up in the corners of his eyes.

"I didn't do shit if Samui and her team hadn't shown up."

"But they did, and you are alive because of it; you encountered a ninja that would give all of us in this room a hell of a lot of trouble, and your quick thinking put you in a position to be saved,"

Asuma put a firm hand on Shikamaru's shoulder.

"Listen, I can't make you feel less guilty, but I promise you that as soon as those two wake up and make it out of this, they won't be anything but thank you and smiles; they're alive, Shikamaru. Don't grieve something that didn't happen."

"But I wasn't strong enough. I couldn't keep them safe, no matter what plan I had. It didn't matter because I couldn't do anything when it came down to it."

"The last time I checked, you weren't done growing. None of you are. This is just as much on me as it is on you. I could've prepared you all better, but that doesn't matter now. As soon as you three are out of the hospital, I'm going to make sure the next time something like this happens, you three will be ready."

Shikamaru nodded solemnly.

"Okay."

A few moments later, a doctor entered the waiting room, and his gaze immediately fixated on Asuma and Shikamaru

"Are you the sense and teammate of Ino and Choji"

Asuma nodded

"Yes, we are."

"Okay, if you would follow me, I can give you details on their condition."

Asuma waved his hand.

"No need. Everyone here is a friend and of the leaf,"

"Very well"

The doctor then closed the door to the waiting room to avoid any nearby eavesdroppers and then began.

"Choji's treatment was really simple. He had a deep stab wound that luckily didn't pierce any organs. Additionally, he had multiple bruises around his body, and many of his ribs were broken or fractured as well. Thanks to the first aid he received before he got here, he didn't lose a significant amount of blood; we sealed up the wound with medical ninjutsu, and most of the bruises were already beginning to fade as well. As for his ribs, we began a healing process to start repairing them; as long as he receives regular treatment and limits his movement, he should be close to fully healthy in a few weeks."

A feeling of relief filled the room as they heard about Choji's condition.

"What about Ino," asked Asuma

The doctor's face tensed slightly before he spoke.

"Mrs. Yamanaka's status is a lot more severe. Her condition has improved, but she's not out of the fire yet; she arrived with a severe concussion and a broken arm, though her worst injuries were to her legs. Her right leg was nearly bisected, and her left took significant damage as well. It was initially thought that she would need to amputate her right leg, but we thankfully avoided that outcome. She's stabilized, but she will be monitored closely over the course of the next few days.

The mood of the room dampened at hearing Ino's state

"Sorry, I could not deliver better news."

"No, it's okay. Can we visit them now" asked Asuma, his tone somber.

"Sadly no, the treatment for broken bones is a long and delicate process for medical ninjutsu, and both of them are still in amidst it, Though I can tell you we will most likely have them both in assigned rooms by the morning."

"I understand. Thank you for your time."

"No problem." The doctor then opened the door and made his leave.

As he did, Anko's thoughts went toward her students; despite how capable she knew they were, she could only hope for their safety.

At Team 7's camp, Chino had fallen asleep, exhausted from the day's emotional strain. Sasuke had just given a brief summary of the day's events, including finding Chino and assisting the other Konoha teams in repelling En.

Karin adjusted her glasses.

"While it may not be my place, it would have been the best course of action to come and get Naruto, considering he is most likely among the strongest in your village."

Sasuke eyebrows rose

Sakura groaned audibly

"Please, Karin, don't take everything Naruto says at face value."

Sakura turned to Sasuke, "Naruto likes to exaggerate, right, Sasuke? Back me up."

"Naruto is strong, but he's probably overstating his accomplishments," Sasuke replied.

Naruto stopped eating a ration and said, "Don't listen to them. They're just jealous of my awesomeness."

Karin nodded in agreement, "That makes sense. My mother told me that others were often jealous of the success of Uzumakis."

"Ain't that right,"

Naruto said as he held out his hand for a fist bump.

Karin obliged as they bumped fists and smiled.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, and Sakura sighed deeply.

Sakura then asked a question on her mind, "So, Karin, are you sure you are okay? I mean, a lot happened today."

Karin's mood visibly flattened.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I still feel terrible we didn't arrive in time to save your friends," Sakura apologized.

Karin shook her head. "Don't worry. I understand, and I still feel terrible about my teammates. But if I'm being honest, these last few hours since you rescued me have been the happiest I've been in years."

Her statement shocked the three of them.

Karin continued

"My team was mean to me, yelling a lot and never taking me seriously. They only kept me around because of my abilities."

"Abilities?" Naruto questioned

Karin nodded

"I was born with the innate ability to sense chakra."

"Like a dojutsu?" questioned Sasuke

"No, its like, if I close my eyes and focus, it like I can see the world in a different view, I can feel people's emotions, and can see their chakra, "

Naruto closed his eyes and began humming.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to do the eye thingie."

"It's not something you can turn off; I have just always been able to do it."

Naruto opened his eyes and pouted.

"That's lame."

"Trust me, it's not as cool as it sounds; I try not to use it a lot, especially around a lot of people; it's so easy to get overwhelmed, especially if you're surrounded by negativity."

"What's your other ability," asked Sakura

"People of Uzumaki descent have very strong life forces; we rarely get sick, and we age slower as a result. There's a rare trait that my mother passed down to me, whereby consuming our blood rapidly heals wounds, even lethal ones."

"Whoa, could I do that"

"I doubt it; my mother told me it was an exceedingly rare trait amoung the clan"

Naruto crossed his arms.

"Dang, how come I didn't get any cool clan abilities."

"It's more of a curse to me; I wish I didn't have it."

Karin pulled up her right sleeve, revealing bite marks up the length of her arm.

Naruto's eyes widened, and Sakura gasped.

"The transfer of life force can only happen if someone consumes my blood; if it's only done once or twice a day, then there aren't any adverse effects, but constant use and draining can shorten your lifespan drastically."

Karin's voice grew more heavy.

"My father passed away when I was a baby, and my mother had nowhere to go; she sought refuge in the Village Hidden in the Grass and offered her healing ability as payment for us staying there."

"My mother, over the years, got weaker and weaker from overuse of her ability to where she eventually passed away when I was seven. After she passed, I was deemed too valuable just to heal thanks to my sensory ability, so they would often send me out on missions when I was young for recon and healing."

Tears began to run down Karin's face.

"For years, I was just a tool. I thought that when I became a ninja, I would matter; they would care about me and not just what I could do. But all I ever was was a first aid kit or a pair of binoculars, just another tool in the pouch. It didn't matter if I was hurt, or felt bad, or didn't want to; I "had to save lives," stop others from being in pain, and clear up fucking colds. I would just heal right up like it never happened."

Karin was embraced by Naruto, tears still streaming down her face.

"I promise I won't let anyone hurt you again."

Karin returned the hug and began sobbing into Naruto's shoulder.

As the evening progressed, the atmosphere changed. The honest conversation had brought the members of Team 7 and Karin closer. They decided on the schedule for night watches among Team 7 as the group drifted off to sleep, ready for the next day.

Hiruzen groaned as he shuffled through the halls of the Daimyo's manor. He had been awakened from one of his rare naps to be informed that the leaders of each village needed to have an emergency meeting.

As he entered the Daimyo's office, he was escorted by five-leaf Anbu. The space was very large, with multiple couches and other seating areas. He spotted the Kage, noting he was the last to arrive.

A lying down on his side on an oversized couch spoke as Hiruzen entered

"Looks like old age is finally catching up with you; late to an emergency meeting."

"Perhaps it is, but I'm personally under the philosophy that one is never too young or old to nap, especially with how busy our positions are."

I also don't like what you're applying. Are you saying age has something to do with tardiness?

The Daimyo spoke

"Sorry to interrupt, but now that you're here, we have some disturbing news about the exams."

"Speak"

Rasa said, his iron-cold tone sending chills down the man's spine.

"Well, according to reports, outside ninjas apparently infiltrated the exam area and began slaughtering teams."

"How the hell did this happen," A shouted, sitting upright from his casual position.

"Konoha was supposed to ensure the exam was safe. I hope this isn't a ploy or a scheme," Onoki said as he narrowed his eyes toward Hiruzen.

"While we had our ninjas proctoring the exam, we left the scouting to the former ninja of Yugakure, who knew the area well. They did several checks and reported back that nothing was wrong," responded Hiruzen as he turned his gaze to the Daimyo

Over the next few hours, the village leaders discussed En's and Hidan's encounters and the implications for the exams.

"Should we end the second stage early"

"There should be no need. It should end by mid-afternoon tomorrow. " explained the Daimyo

"Very well, but we will continue to have further discussion, especially if the Chinoke clan is involved," voiced A

Thank you all for your time; I'm again extremely sorry for the inconvenience." said the Daimyo as he dismissed the meeting

After a chaotic first day, Team 7 found the start of the second day of the exam very uneventful. Even with the addition of Karin and Chino, there was no threat of them getting caught in the crossfire as there were significantly fewer squads. Many teams were eliminated on the first day due to the overcrowding of the exam area, combined with the massive skill disparity, with the top teams easily eliminating dozens of teams by themselves.

Just as Team 7 was settling down to rest and strategize, a shrill alarm pierced the air, shattering the tranquility of the forest. The unexpected interruption left the group on edge, their plans abruptly put on hold.

Naruto was the first to speak.

"What's that noise?"

"I have no idea," replied Sakura

The sound of movement put everyone on edge as they prepared to fight, but their guards went down as soon as a proctor came into view as they landed on a branch nearby.

The proctor addressed them.

"An order has come down, and the second stage will end earlier due to outside interference. Please report back to the hilltop so the top seven teams can be decided. Do not engage with opposing squads on your way back, or you will be disqualified. "

The proctor then noticed that Team 7 had two extra people with them.

"Can I ask why you have an opponent and a child with you"

Sakura quickly spoke up.

"This is Karin. We saved her from another team after her squadmates were killed."

Sasuke then gestured to Chino, who was on his back.

"I found her alone in the woods; she was with a ninja who attacked some of the other teams from Konoha."

"Interesting. I will escort you all back personally. However, I will need to take the girl back to Center Spring as soon as we arrive. Her testimony will be important for us in determining what happened here. "

The proctor then looked towards Karin.

"Once you arrive, you'll be taken to your Jonin sensei to report the deaths of your squadmates. I'm sorry for your loss."

Karin gave a regretful look to the ground. "Thank you."

They followed the proctor back to the starting area. Upon arrival, the only team of note they noticed was absent was Team 10.

The proctor turned toward Sasuke and Chino,

"If you don't mind, I must take her away now."

Sasuke obliged and let Chino off of his back.

Not resisting, Chino walked over to the proctor, but as she almost reached them, she turned around and looked at Sasuke.

"Will we see each other again"

Sasuke hesitated; truthfully, he had no idea if he would. Depending on the situation, they might never see each other again. Still, despite that, Sasuke could not help but try to reassure Chino, who was looking noticeably anxious as she walked away.

"Yeah, sure," Sasuke said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Chino smiled lightly, grabbed the proctor's hand, and began their way back to the city.

Karin, upon seeing Chino depart, knew it was time to take her leave as well,

She sighed

"Well, I guess I better go find my sensei, but don't worry—I'm going to make sure I see you guys again."

"Really, what are you going to do."

Karin gave a cheeky smile.

"Oh, don't worry. You'll find out soon."

She then embraced Naruto tightly.

"Thank you again, all of you; I promise I'll make it up to you someday."

"Anytime, cousin"

Karin let go of the hug and started to walk away, waving back at Team 7 as she left.

"Don't worry, we'll meet up again," Naruto yelled after her.

"Definitely. Stay safe, Naruto."

Seeing that most teams had arrived, Genma began to yell instructions at the participants.

"Okay, everyone. In front of the small office, there will be several tables. One member of each team should approach one of these tables and hand the proctor your coins so we can decide on the finalists. "

The atmosphere in the clearing was tense as the proctors collected the coins from each team, meticulously counting them individually. The team members observed in silence, their expressions betraying a mix of anxiety and anticipation. The clinking sound of the coins being stacked echoed through the clearing.

As the last coins were counted, each of the proctors grabbed their sheets and delivered them to the small office, where the results would be tallied.

After several minutes, Genma emerged from the office, ready to announce the seven squads that would participate in the final round. Genin exchanged nervous glances; their hopes hinged on the outcome.

"I will announce the teams from first to seventh, starting with

First Place from Suna, Gaara, Kankuro and Teamari."

"Second place from the cloud, Samui, Omoi, and Karui"

"Third Place coming from Konoha Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto."

"Fourth place from Iwa, Kurotsuchi, Suzemebachi, and Ibuki"

"Fifth Place from Konoha Neji, TenTen, Rock Lee"

"Sixth Place from Takigakure Fuu. Kegon and Yoro"

"And finally, in Seventh Place, from Konoha Hinata, Kiba, and Shino."

"If the finalists follow me, I will escort you back to the square to announce the final stage."

The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as Genma led the top seven teams back to the square. The square was filled with media, photographers, and ninjas, all eager to witness the matchups for the final exam. The reporters jostled for position, their cameras clicking and flashing as they captured the arrival of the top competitors.

They arrived back at the same square where the exams were first announced. The same line-up of all the village leaders was on stage, with the Daimyo in front mic ready in hand. The only major difference was that there was now a large screen above that had three empty brackets yet to be filled.

The seven teams stood in the square that once housed hundreds of genin just a day earlier.

The Daimyo stepped up and spoke.

Congratulations to all of you for making it to the third and final stage of the chunin exams; you should all be proud of this achievement."

Cheers rang out after the Daimyo's words. After the Daimyo continued

"As is tradition, the final round will be a tournament style free for all, but due to the large number of participants, we have decided to break the final round into three brackets. One member of each team will be put in each bracket."

Additionally, one person from the top three teams from the second stage will get a bye in the first round of their bracket. Now, without further ado, let's reveal the brackets for the final round."

The screen above flashed, and suddenly, all three brackets became filled.

Bracket 1

Ibuki V.s Kiba

TenTen vs. Omio

Fuu vs Naruto

Gaara First Round Bye

Bracket 2

Kegon vs. Kurotsuchi

Neji vs Temari

Hinata vs. Karui

Sasuke First Round Bye

Bracket 3

Yoro Vs Sakura

Kankuro Vs Rock Lee

Suzumebachi vs. Shino

Samui First Round Bye

"Now, you all have a month to prepare, and I have no doubt that by the time the month passes, all of you will be known for participating in the great Chunin exams in history."