Monsters are made (Not Born) (Aot x Naruto) by hatredwithpassion

Chapter 18: Fractures

Summary:

Team 7 falls apart. Naruto packs his bags to leave for good. Neji faces his clan head.
___________________________________

The genin contesters followed the exam proctors to the next phase of the Chuunin Exams. The rounds began immediately and the injured and exhausted genin despaired silently at the arrangement.

The arena was filled with teams who made it through the Forest of Death. Naruto recognized a few of members of Rookie Nine who made it through. The blond counted the number of teams silently. Team 8 was missing.

Naruto turned away in disinterest and gazed down at his hands idly as the Hokage stepped forward to deliver his inspirational speech.

The Sandaime droned on and on about the Will of Fire and the pride in serving the village of the Leaf. Naruto wiggled his aching fingers in boredom and examined his cuticles in disinterest.

He sighed and picked his fingernails idly. The rest of the assembled genin stood tall listening in rapt attention, their gaze locked on the wizened leader of Konohakagure.

The monotonous speech concluded and the contesters turned their attention to the large screen. The names of the contesters raced ahead on the screen and the screen paused in bolded red. Naruto's gaze turned to the large screen, peering curiously at the names of the next match up.

Naruto blinked up at the screen tiredly and his lips parted in shock. He stared at the screen in disbelief and the murmurs ran through the assembled genin. Naruto released a resigned sigh and turned on his heel sharply.

He made his way to the centre of the arena and he ignored the whispers that spread around him. The students began making their way up the stairs to watch the upcoming match. Naruto clenched his fists angrily as the arena cleared up.

Uzumaki Naruto vs Uchiha Sasuke.

The village had matched him up in a way that would ensure his failure. The Hokage had claimed that the matches were randomized but he did not believe his false claims. The match selections were deliberate. He looked ahead at his pale teammate who gazed back at him with a hard determined gaze.

"I'm an avenger. This is not just a mere exam for me Uzumaki." Uchiha spoke in a low tone. "I will defeat you and move on to the next round."

Naruto turned his speculative gaze to the spectators in the stands. He eyed the Hokage and the wizened man stared back at him with an indifferent gaze. He took long inhales from his pipe and watched the one-sided verbal exchange with little interest.

Naruto grit his teeth angrily and he tore his gaze away from the leader of the village. If he had been a normal genin with no battle preparation and fighting expertise, he would have been at a huge disadvantage. Uchiha Sasuke was a trained clan nin and The Number One Rookie. If Naruto had been a normal genin, he would have been decimated in the match.

The village did not want him to pass. They had deliberately pinned him up against a powerful opponent. They pinned him up against his own teammate who would be privy to his strengths and weaknesses. They pinned him up against a dōjutsu user, a well-known prodigy.