Inheritance

Crucible

5.

The competitors box was more of a balcony really, sandy stone jutting out above the battlefield, giving those waiting to fight a closer view of the action than was strictly comfortable. It was a design choice made in a time where these exams had considerably more bloodshed, and foreign villages would refuse to send their stronger candidates. It gave Konoha a chance to demonstrate their dominance and intimidate their rival villages in close quarters. This mindset of course had become less prominent among the villages after the horrors of the previous war.

Now, the Chunin Exams were an experiment in peace - or at the very least a way of deterring others from waging war against you. Naruto very nearly snorted. It was a nice idea that typically, other villages had quickly found a way to exploit in order to wage war against Konoha.

He glanced around the box, competitors huddled together in village groups and realised that he wasn't the only one who felt tense. You could cut the atmosphere in the room, dense and thick, with a kunai. Temari and Gaara stood in one corner, everybody else stood as far away from the pair as they could possibly manage. Temari was trying to maintain the cocky smirk that had never really left her face since the start of the exams but Naruto had seen her hands shaking earlier, and she had kept them tightly folded for most of their time in the box. Gaara had alternated between staring hungrily at Naruto, as well as Sasuke, his next opponent.

The rest of the box was Konoha shinobi. If he didn't know full well what Gaara was capable of, he might have suggested an ambush then and there. That approach might work, but it'd probably get everyone in their box that wasn't carrying a tailed beast inside them killed. Hana was leant against the wall beside him, also trying to act as though she were relaxed. She might have fooled the others but Naruto knew her well enough to know better, especially having spent a month training with her - she was as terrified as he was. Ino for her part, also hung close, although she hadn't said much of anything.

If Naruto wasn't certain that she hadn't been told, he would honestly have guessed that she knew what was coming.

Sasuke and Sai stood together, yet apart at the same time. Sasuke looked quiet and focused, if not sullen, but had been shooting him the occasional glance that Naruto couldn't quite read. However, he couldn't find the usual venom or disdain that the Uchiha seemed to reserve just for him. Technically that was an improvement, but clearly something between them had changed, he just couldn't work out exactly what. Sai on the other hand, stood out like a sore thumb. He had come dressed in all black, wearing a grey vest that was a little like a cross between a Chunin vest and ANBU armour. His whole body seemed taut and ready to move in an instant but his face wore that eerie, permanent smile that it always seemed to.

He shuddered and turned towards the final member of their group. Hyuuga Neji was no different to how he was a month ago, arms crossed and an arrogant, furious glare carved his face into hard lines. It's focus hadn't left Naruto since he'd arrived. He still wasn't sure how he felt about the Hyuuga. He was still furious with the boy for what Naruto truly believed to be an attack intended to kill Hinata; but he also pitied Neji immensely for his situation and the things the Branch Family's brightest talent had been through. Add to that the fact that they were being forced to fight immediately prior to their village being invaded and you had a striking emotional cocktail.

"Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Neji, please report to the battlefield.'" The tannoy blared around the stadium, silencing the crowd to an uncomfortable degree. Neji gave him one last baleful look before stalking to the balcony railing and leaping to the stadium floor. His arrival was greeted by a muted round of applause before it quickly fell to silence once more.

He had a feeling he knew why.

Naruto made to move and follow his opponent, but Hana placed a hand on shoulder just as he did.