Chương 88

Guy's eyes immediately lit up with enough enthusiasm to power half of Konoha.

"Taijutsu? My youthful student, those are wonderful words!" Guy declared while giving Rei a thumbs up so bright that it almost reflected sunlight.

"The Springtime of Youth welcomes all who wish to challenge their limits! If you truly wish to learn, then I shall personally teach you the glorious path of taijutsu." Rei suddenly felt that he might have made a mistake.

"However," Guy continued while striking a dramatic pose, "be warned! My training is not for the faint of heart. There will be sweat, tears, determination, more sweat, and perhaps even tears caused by the sweat!" Kakashi sighed. He knew that Rei was morally very strict and wouldn't want any signatures that he didn't believe he deserved but Guy was one of those guy where Kakashi hoped that he would get one and be done with it.

If Rei ever became someone like Guy, he might just quit teaching students and live a lonely life. One enthusiastic man in his life was more than enough. The arena itself was slowly filling up by now. Citizens, merchants, shinobi and nobles from different small nations occupied the stands while conversations echoed throughout the massive structure. Then the atmosphere suddenly shifted. The Third Hokage entered alongside the Kazekage. The crowd immediately rose to their feet.

Cheers erupted from every direction as Hiruzen waved calmly toward the people. Beside him, the Kazekage walked with the same composed dignity expected of a village leader. Nobody noticed the faint amusement hidden beneath the disguise. Rei's eyes lingered on the Kazekage for a second longer before he looked away. Soon both Kage took their seats and the proctor stepped forward. The Chunin Exam Finals had officially begun.

"First match!" The arena quieted instantly.

"Naruto Uzumaki versus Neji Hyuga!" Naruto immediately jumped over the railing.

"Finally!" And thus the first fight happened. Daichi and Hana seemed like proud parents of Rei who had the same team mate as him. They were bragging about how Rei had actually won his qualifications here but gave up the spot as he saved another guy from Konoha. If Rei was around them, Rei would have asked them to stop this boasting because it didn't help him in keeping himself low, but once in a while his parents wanted to brag about how great Rei was, while also being under strict contract rules.

Rei could see that the contract rule of not speaking of what they knew would sometimes make them uncomfortable but he was sure that one day they would thank him. Neji vs Naruto was as thrilling as Rei expected. This Naruto was much better than the original canon and though he hasn't any significant setbacks like he had in the canon, Rei had made it sure that these two were motivated enough.

Naruto had seen how Sasuke fought against Thor, had seen how big the universe was and came to know of so many things that now both Sasuke and Naruto were just pushing each other and getting stronger regardless. The fight ended up with long lecture to each other and Neji finally lost to Naruto at the end. Hinata too was in the arena crowd and felt guilty for praying for Naruto, especially after what she came to know about Neji. She could understand his anger and frustration with the clan.

The next fight was between Shikamaru and Temari. And that fight also followed the canon with Shikamaru finally giving up at the end, which made everyone's jaws drop as Shikamaru was doing such a great job. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"Your son thinks exactly like you." Choza gave his friend an elbow hit as he said that.

"You are the one to talk." Shikaku replied after touching the small dull pain that his good friend Choza had just delivered.

"Don't talk about him. He is far too naive and empathetic to even stand as the same ground as me." Choza was frustrated with his son and he didn't know what to do with him.

"I'm sure he would find his way out Choza." Shikaku said. And after that the most anticipated fight started. By this time Rei had already noticed the small movements of the other ninjas around. He couldn't help but smile. It was finally starting.

"Sasuke Uchiha versus Gaara of the Sand." The announcement alone was enough to make the arena erupt into cheers. Unlike before, this fight carried a completely different level of anticipation. One was the last Uchiha of Konoha. The other was the terrifying weapon of the Sand who had crushed almost everyone placed before him. Well almost everyone, as he had tried to do so with Lee but failed, thanks to Rei. The match began. Almost immediately it followed the path everyone expected. Gaara's sand surged forward.

Sasuke vanished. Gasps erupted throughout the audience. His speed was faster than what he had demonstrated during the preliminary rounds. Before Gaara could properly react, Sasuke appeared beside him and delivered a brutal kick that sent him skidding backwards. Then Sasuke introduced something entirely new. His hair suddenly extended outward. The black strands moved like living weapons as they wrapped around incoming sand attacks before hardening into defensive barriers.

At one point the hair expanded into a shield large enough to block an entire wave of sand.

"What kind of technique is that?" Genma muttered. Meanwhile beneath the Kazekage disguise, Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.

"So you took my prize and started teaching him yourself." His fingers tightened slightly beneath his robes. The fight below continued. Fireballs erupted from Sasuke's mouth only for Gaara's sand to block them, and Sasuke tried everything in his arsenal except for Chidori to hurt Gaara but nothing worked. Then came the moment everyone remembered. Sasuke's hand lit up. CHIIIIIIIIIIII. Lightning screamed throughout the arena. And Sasuke struck the giant sand structure that Gaara had encased himself in.

What came out of the sand wasn't Gaara, but what looked like a claw of some sand monster. Rei had always been very practical person and always believed that his chakra was huge. But what he sensed from the Shukaku after it showed it's tail/hand, he came to realize that he was naive. These tailed beasts were really in a league of their own. Rei from his Mind's eye Kagura could feel the huge amount of chakra that the body of Shukaku contained and wondered how big the chakra of full Kurama was.

It was almost unimaginable for Rei at this point. But it also made him excited. Rei had failed to get an animal under his contract, but what about tailed beasts. Could they be contracted? Even half was fine for Rei. But that could wait later as suddenly the atmosphere around changed. He didn't even bother to pretend that he was under genjutsu and just looked at the several enemy shinobis of both sand and sound hiding among the general crowd.

Kakashi and Guy who were in the same stands as Rei and his parents instantly became alert. Kakashi moved his head and looked at Rei and they both acknowledged that both were fine. Kakashi also saw that a conflict had occurred between Hokage and Kazekage. Since he wasn't affected by the genjutsu, Rei could see the entire operation unfolding in real time. Chunin disguised as ordinary spectators suddenly revealed themselves and began moving through the crowd.

Some leapt toward the VIP sections while others rushed to secure exits and create chaos among the civilians. Unfortunately for them, Rei was in a very bad mood. The first Sound shinobi never even realized he had been spotted. A shuriken flew from Rei's hand and buried itself directly into the man's shoulder before he could complete his hand signs. The second received a kick to the chest that launched him several rows backwards and crashed him into a wall.

"Protect the civilians!" Kakashi barked while immediately moving into action. Guy had already vanished. Rei meanwhile moved through the stands like a ghost. Every chunin that attempted to approach his section was instantly put down. One received a punch. Another got thrown over a railing. A third found himself wrapped in his own weapon wires before being knocked unconscious. Kakashi seeing this nodded at Rei, indicating him that he could do whatever he wanted. Rei gave a smile at this.

Meanwhile Temari and Kankuro landed on the arena while Gaara was struggling with himself after the attack which he received from Sasuke. By the time Rei landed beside Sasuke and Genma, Baki too had landed across them. The Sand jonin immediately looked toward Gaara, Temari and Kankuro.

"Leave. Now." Gaara was already losing control and that took priority over everything else.

"Oh! You are one to talk." Rei said. CLANG! CLANG! Kunai collided in the center of the arena. Baki's expression shifted slightly as Rei matched him blow for blow. Their weapons flashed repeatedly while sparks erupted with the collision. Meanwhile the three sand genins knew that they should escape now, and that they did without much hesitation now.