Shadow of Nara [93]

With the match underway and Kiba lying unconscious, Hayate Gekkō quickly stepped forward, halting Tenten from continuing the fight. He moved to examine Kiba's condition.

After a brief check, Hayate confirmed Kiba had fully lost consciousness. He then raised his voice:

"Winner of this round: Tenten!"

Immediately, the medical-nin came forward and lifted Kiba onto a stretcher, carrying him off for treatment.

Back in the stands, Ino Yamanaka looked toward the arena, her expression a mix of awe and uncertainty. Watching Tenten return to the seating area with a bright smile of victory, she muttered:

"That girl Tenten… she's really strong."

Standing beside her, Asuma Sarutobi chuckled lightly and gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder.

"You might want to stop worrying about others," he said with a smirk. "Take a look at the board—your match is next."

Ino Yamanaka vs. Sakura Haruno

Ino followed the direction of his finger and stared at the glowing names on the match board. Her lips parted slightly in surprise. Slowly, she turned to look across the platform—and there was Sakura, just as stunned, staring back at her.

Compared to how things unfolded in the original timeline, their friendship had improved. Back in the Academy, they'd bickered over Sasuke, often competing for his attention. But after graduation, Ino had gradually let go of her feelings for him. What remained clearest in her memories was not rivalry, but the laughter and warmth shared with a close friend.

Despite all the thoughts running through her mind, Ino didn't hesitate. She leapt down from the stands and landed in the arena with confident grace, not waiting for any encouragement from her teammates. She looked focused and determined.

"Sakura's her opponent…," Chōji mumbled from the stands, not sounding too pleased. "That's kind of a shame."

Asuma misunderstood his expression, thinking Chōji was worried for Ino.

"She'll be fine. Ino's no slouch—she should be able to win this."

"I'm not worried about Ino…" Chōji groaned and opened his palms dramatically. "There are only a few of us left now—me, Shikamaru, Neji, that red-haired guy from the Sand with the gourd, and that bowl-cut dude. None of them look easy to beat! I'm toast!"

"Hey now, don't give up so easily!" Asuma crouched beside him and clapped him on the back. "You've got your clan's secret techniques, don't you? You've still got a shot."

Seeing Chōji's expression hadn't brightened, Asuma hesitated before adding more incentive:

"Alright… If you make it through the prelims, I'll take you out for all-you-can-eat barbecue."

Chōji didn't react as expected. Instead of grinning with joy, he looked at Asuma suspiciously, narrowing his eyes.

"Didn't you already say you'd treat us if we did well in the exam? Are you saying we haven't done well enough yet?!"

Caught off guard, Asuma scratched his head, realizing he'd cornered himself. Slowly, he raised two fingers.

"Fine… Two dinners."

Immediately, Chōji perked up. His gloom evaporated, and his eyes gleamed with new fire as he scanned the remaining contestants.

"I'm in. You can count on me. I'm getting through this round no matter what!"

Meanwhile, back in the arena, Ino landed in the center and took her position. Across from her, Sakura was slowly making her way down the stairs, spurred on by Naruto's cheers.

Before the match began, Sakura pulled off her forehead protector from the back of her head and tied it firmly around her brow.

"Let's settle this, Ino!"

Ino had once been the girl Sakura admired, the one who pulled her out of her shell and helped her grow. To face her here wasn't just about proving her strength—it was about overcoming the version of herself that once stood in Ino's shadow.

"You're still not on my level, Sakura," Ino replied with a confident smile. She unhooked her own headband from her waist and tied it around her forehead. "Being on Sasuke's team probably made you more interested in impressing him than training."

"But I'm different," she added, proudly pointing to herself. "I've realized something important—if you really like someone, you don't just want them to notice you. You want to stand beside them as their equal. You want to grow strong enough to help them, not weigh them down."

Ino's smile faded slightly as her tone grew more serious.

"You never truly liked Sasuke. You just wanted to win against me by having him notice you."

Then she added softly, almost regretfully:

"But you'll be disappointed—I don't like Sasuke anymore. In fact, when I found out I wasn't on his team after we graduated... I was relieved."

Sakura flinched, reaching up toward the back of her head—only to remember that her once long hair was gone. She'd cut it herself during that fight against the Sound ninja, when everything was on the line.

"That's not true," Sakura said quietly but firmly.

She didn't love Sasuke out of rivalry or pride. She had stood between him and death without hesitation. When she'd drawn her kunai and cut away the long hair she once prized, it wasn't for show—it was a moment of clarity. A moment when her feelings became her own, free from anyone else's influence.

"Ugh, these girls talk too much," Gaara muttered from the stands, watching the two kunoichi still exchanging words even after the match had officially begun.

Only a handful of genin remained. The chances he'd be paired against Shikamaru soon were rising—and he was already growing impatient. All he wanted now was to fight… and kill.

But just as Gaara's tolerance was wearing thin, the match below finally shifted.

Ino and Sakura stopped talking.

They both moved at the same time.

The fight had finally begun.