Hatake Kakashi X OC

Chapter 32

Shikamaru was lying on the ground, seemingly refusing to get up. The crowd threw all sorts of rubbish at him.

He doesn't look motivated at all... Michiko sweat dropped.

"What's this? You're going to give up as well?" Temari teased.

Naruto stomped his foot. "What is he doing? Hey, Shikamaru! Stop fooling around!" Naruto yelled.

"If you're not going to attack, I will!" Temari changed to a serious expression and charged towards Shikamaru.

"Hey, we haven't begun the match yet!" Genma said.

"Ayyy, she seems really excited about this." Shikamaru muttered as he took out two kunai. Temari pulled her tessen back and swing it towards Shikamaru. A loud thud was heard, and dust flew everywhere.

However, as the dust cleared, Shikamaru, with both hands in his pockets, stood on the two kunai which were stuck onto the wall. "I don't care if I can't become a Chuunin... But a man can't lose to a woman. Mah, I guess I'll fight."

Temari opened her tessen and swing it once more, creating strong gust of wind. But Shikamaru disappeared. He was hiding behind the trees.

Neither of them made a move.

"Shikamaru! Beat her up with your 16-hit combo!" Ino exclaimed.

"Can I sit next to you?"

Ino turned to the source of the voice and smiled. "What? Your stomach is okay already?"

"Yeah." Chouji put a bag of snacks next to Ino before sitting down himself, while munching a bag of chips away. "Huh? Wasn't the next match Sasuke's?"

Ino tensed up and shush Chouji immediately. Sakura turned gloomy at the mention of Sasuke.

"Everything's fine right, Sakura? We're talking about Sasuke-kun here."

"Hmmm... Shikamaru being in the main tournament... It seems awfully out of place, isn't it?" Chouji asked.

"Don't say that. It might be true that he doesn't have any strong moves... But Shikamaru's quite good at devising strategies. That's why I think we were able to last to the preliminary matches."

"Yeah, true."

"He jumped into the arena himself just a while ago. I think he's full of determination, unlike usual. He lets his passion drive him sometimes. GO GET HER, SHIKAMARU!"

"Damn it, get moving, Shikamaru!" Naruto yelled again.

"Ninpou: Kamaitachi! (Ninja Art: Wind Scythe/Sickle Weasel)"

Slicing whirlwinds were created and were heading right for Shikamaru. His arms and body received several cuts and the trees near him were not spared. However, before the dust could clear this time, Shikamaru uses his Kagemane no Jutsu (Shadow Imitation Technique). Temari retreated far back enough for Shikamaru to not reach her. She then used her tessen to draw a line, marking how far Shikamaru can go.

"Kagemane no Jutsu... I've figured out its nature. Looks like there's a limit to how you can stretch, shrink and transform your shadow. No matter how much you transform or stretch your shadow... You can only stretch it as much as its surface area. Isn't that right?"

"Correct." Shikamaru smirked.

Temari was calculating the distance that Shikamaru's shadow can reach in her head while Shikamaru simply gaze up at the sky. The next moment, he closed his eyes and cupped his fingers.