Desert Flower - [Rewrite]

Chapter 17

Sunagakure no sato

Suna Stadium

Wind rustled the dust in the tension filled field of the stage all set for the chunin exams. The highly buffy Raikage threw his hat to the side while rolling his shoulders to work out the kinks all the while keeping his narrow eyes fixed on the blonde shinobi in front of him. Naruto stood calmly as if there wasn't a Kage who had challenged him and had such a short fuse that he could blow up any minute.

"Raikage-sama..." he spoke calmly with all the eyes and ears around the stadium now fixated on the words of the soft spoken blonde standing in the middle.

"This is not the place or the time for a battle of the caliber you are looking for. I expect you to realize the damages it would cause to the stadium and no doubt disrupt the event that is about to take place." he spoke in his calm melodic voice making the Raikage ponder at his words for a moment before smirking.

"Why your father was never scared of a battle? You really his son?" he taunted the blonde who narrowed his eyes at the Raikage as he started to raise his chakra levels, causing the ground around him to crack and the whole audience felt the pressure of the man's presence.

"I say it again Raikage-sama there is no need for any unnecessary violence..." he trailed off when he saw lightning cover the man completely and he let his arms fall to his sides and prepare himself for it.

"Very well then if you wish it so much then I'll finish it as quickly as possible and then get on with the exams." he spoke calmly making the muscled man growl.

"You have got some nerve to say that you could take me down. But I appreciate a man who isn't afraid of his own death standing in front of him." he spoke smugly getting no retort from the blonde in front of him making him clench his teeth and the lightning sparkled and his hair stood from the powerful chakra he was exuding.

"Raiton no Yoroi! Full power!" he exclaimed making Naruto raise an eyebrow at the incredulous amounts of power the man was exuding. A moment later in the blink of an eye he was surrounded by Suna ANBU from all sides with wind chakra laced swords pointed at many of the man's vital points. The Raikage however was still glaring down at the blonde in front of him.

"ANBU stand down" he spoke calmly making them stiffen and retract their blades hesitantly, quite unsure of the order and nodded while bowing to their commander before vanishing into thin air. He took out two three pronged kunais from his hip pouch in both of his hands with a mere flick of his wrists making the Raikage narrow his eyes at the infamous kunais before smirking smugly.

"Yes that's it now you are taking me seriously so called son of Namikaze. Let's see if you really are anything like the man who you claim to be your father." he said and crouched down before taking off in a blur of blue, cracking the ground behind him and leaving a trail of dust. He was in Naruto's face in an instant with his arm cocked back in his signature move to cleave the blonde's head off. He smirked when he saw the same calm expression of the blonde, not noticing when Naruto flicked up one of the kunais in the air slowly when his elbow reached the blonde's neck and he met his black eyes with blonde's baby blue in a moment of recognition.

"LARIAT!" he exclaimed making a crater where he landed and the whole audience was shell shocked at the turn of events. The spot where the two facing shinobi were, covered in a cloud of dust and debris from the Lightning shadow's last attack who stood up and smiled happily.

Meanwhile...

The whole crowd was on it's feet with baited breaths as they watched the scene unfolding in front of them. The Suna half of the audience were worried for their beloved leader and commander while the rest of the crowd was wishing that the Raikage really had completed his claim and rid the world of the second coming of the Flash. The entire Kages contingent was clutching the railing with enough force to make it squeak and squirm under pressure while Gaara and Tsunade were leaking humongous amounts of killing intents.