187. A worthy opponent! Our battle will be legendary!!


    <span style="font-weight:400">When the old man finally shut up some events went as usual. First Kabuto gave up… and that was it. six-teen fights would take ce to reduce the remaining twenty six participants down to ten. Soon enough the big screen announced who would be participating in the first fight.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well, I would like to im that I had a hand in this but I didn’t.” Tomoka couldn’t help butment with mirth in her voice. The first fight was Naruko Uzumaki versus Neji Hyuga. A fight that should have taken ce in the actual third exam was about to begin.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What do you mean?” Hinata asked while walking towards the spectators area. She wanted to take this opportunity to watch Neji since something was telling her she would be fighting him in the exam proper.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Oh nothing. It’s just that originally you would be fighting against Neji in the prelims. You would lose miserably while Naruto would be rooting for you…” Tomoka continued to exin what should have happened to her girls.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I see. For what it’s worth, I am d you are here to change things. I am much stronger than what I should have been and in a lovely rtionship with the one I love.” Once Hinata finished speaking Nozomi gave an amused snort.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, well if Tomoka hadn’t been here I would be six feet under so I am very much d that things are different.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Alright, shush you two, the match is about to start.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">What followed was nothing short of a nasty beat down. Naruko, unlike her cannon counterpart, didn''t have the drive to prove Neji wrong at all costs. Not only that but much of the time she would have spent training she had to use instead getting used to the nuances of being a girl. Overall the match barelysted ten minutes and that was because Naruko is one tough punching bag.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well that was… something.” Nozomi couldn’t help butment with a bit of pity. After all, though they never were the best of friends, team Yamato and team Kakashi were still friends.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“She should have given up after the first beat down. No point in continuing after having all your chakra locked up. Not like she uses it for much anyway, only shadow clones.” Hinata gave her honest opinion.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Soon enough the next match came and it came to be Satsuki against that one random shinobi Tomoka didn’t even bother learning the name of, the same one he fought in cannon. The match went about the same as in canon as well except Satsuki’s new gender gave her a little extra trouble here and there. Overall, a boring match.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I guess the sneko somehow set this one up both here and in canon.” Tomokamented under her breath while she waited for the next match to start.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Next was Ouka versus Ino, another match that didn’t seem to change from cannon except for one crucial factor. In the world of ninja’s there aren’t all that many differences between male and female ninja, chakra makes sure of that. However, once a ninja runs out of chakra they are left with nothing more than their physical body.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The match between Ouka and Ino went just like in canon with both of them running out of chakra after a boring match. What changed is that Ouka won due to his stronger body when they devolved into a slug fest.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well, that was that. He won’t be winning any matches after this one.” Both Tomoka and Nozomi nodded hearing Hinata’s words. This match could be resumed into a single word: sad.


    <span style="font-weight:400">After a moment the next match was called. One participant, once seeing the names on the screen, couldn''t help but sweat while the other had a grin so wide it looked like the skin of her cheeks would tear up.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“LEE! A worthy opponent! Our battle will be legendary!” Tomoka shouted at the top of her lungs, glee visible on her face. The next moment she jumped from the waiting areanding with a loud thud on the hard stone.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Tomoka! I shall show you the fruits of my effort! I shall show you my youth!” Lee shouted with equal vigor. He couldn’t have asked for a better match.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Tell you what. Let''s make this a pure taijutsu match.” Hearing her proposal Lee couldn’t help but have the fires of his youth stoked. If she were to use her full arsenal he is sure he won’t make it. BUT! If she uses only taijutsu he is sure he can win.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“May our youth burn bright!” With that Lee took his fighting stance. Tomoka followed suit and so the only thing left was the go ahead.