The second round of the Chūnin Exam proceeded swiftly.
First up: Nara Shikamaru vs. Temari.
At Shiranui Genma's signal, the match began.
Shikamaru's raw power was clearly inferior to Temari's. His shuriken and kunai barely fazed her—each one either deflected by her iron fan or blown away effortlessly. She remained unscathed, while Shikamaru steadily lost ground under her relentless attacks.
Wounds formed across his body. His chakra and stamina were being depleted at an alarming rate.
Yet, he refused to give up.
His Shadow Imitation Technique crept across the battlefield, forcing Temari to stay on the move. Every ninja tool he threw wasn't meant to injure her—but to push her into a more vulnerable position.
As Temari continued retreating, unknowingly stepping into his trap, the moment finally came.
Using the sunlight and his own shadow's positioning, Shikamaru extended his jutsu from behind her—and caught her.
Temari's eyes widened.
"Gotcha."
But it was too late. His chakra reserves had hit rock bottom. Though he had successfully caught her in his shadow technique, he had no energy left to control her movements or force a surrender.
With no other choice, he sighed and raised his hand.
"I forfeit."
"Winner—Temari!" Genma announced.
"Oi, Shikamaru!" Naruto called from the stands, clearly frustrated. "You almost won! What, can't fight properly against a girl?"
Shikamaru groaned, rubbing his sore neck. "Tch... troublesome. No matter how good a plan is, you can't win without enough chakra."
Despite his loss, Konoha's higher-ups were deeply impressed by his tactical mind.
"He's lacking in brute strength, but his strategic thinking and battlefield control more than compensate. His overall qualities are sufficient for a Chūnin."
Even the Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, silently acknowledged his potential.
Match Three: Kankuro vs. Aburame Shino
Kankuro stiffened. Too soon.
He hadn't wanted to reveal his puppet's full capabilities yet. Turning to Temari, he muttered, "Didn't I just tell you to hold out longer?"
She scoffed. "Hmph, that weakling gave up. What do you expect me to do?"
Kankuro clicked his tongue in frustration. He considered forfeiting...
Until he felt it.
A chilling, murderous aura.
Slowly, he turned—and met Gaara's piercing gaze.
"Kankuro," Gaara's voice was cold and steady. "Uchiha Sasuke isn't here yet. It's your turn. You will fight."
Sweat formed on Kankuro's brow. "O-of course, Gaara. Y-you misunderstood."
Gaara said nothing, but his stare lingered.
Kankuro swallowed hard. There was no escape now.
Resigned, he leaped into the arena.
"Damn it, just my luck. Guess I'll have to stall for time..."
His opponent, Aburame Shino, silently entered the battlefield.
"Your mind seems... elsewhere," Shino noted calmly. "You're not planning something, are you?"
Kankuro nearly flinched. How did he pick up on that so quickly?!
But he forced himself to remain composed. "Tch. Conspiracy? Don't flatter yourself!"
With that, he unwrapped the bandages from his back.
"Kakaka!"
His puppet, Crow, emerged—its joints creaking ominously as it lunged forward.
Shino remained unfazed. "Puppetry? I wonder how it fares against my insects."
With a wave of his hand, a flood of kikaichū beetles swarmed out.
Kankuro smirked, swiftly activating Crow's hidden blade mechanism. The poisoned weapon shot forward—piercing through Shino's chest.
For a moment, Kankuro grinned.
Until Shino's body crumbled into a mass of insects.
"An insect clone?!"
A shadow loomed behind him.
BAM!
Shino's punch landed hard, forcing Kankuro to stagger backward.
"Damn! When did he get behind me?!"
Still, he had no intention of going down easily. Manipulating his chakra threads, he commanded Crow to unleash a barrage of poisoned kunai.
Shino dodged effortlessly.
"Tch. So he figured out all my weapons are coated in poison..."
Kankuro sneered. "One scratch is all it takes, y'know. That's the power of a puppet master."
"Really?" Shino glanced at the kunai that had hit the ground, watching as the soil blackened from the toxin.
Then, he disappeared.
"Shit, where is he?!"
"Trying to keep your distance?"
Kankuro's eyes darted to the side—just as Shino closed in.
"Don't even think about it!" Kankuro panicked, pulling Crow back as a shield. Puppet masters were weak in close combat.
He had to force Shino away.
The puppet lashed out, blades flashing—only for Shino to parry smoothly with his kunai.
Suddenly—
Crow's head flicked forward, revealing a hidden stinger aimed straight at Shino's chest!
Kankuro smirked. "This is checkmate."
But then—Crow's head stopped moving.
"Huh?!"
Before he could react, his fingers twitched unnaturally.
Black beetles crawled across his hands, severing his chakra threads.
Shino stepped forward and tapped the puppet's shoulder. A swarm of insects burst from inside it, flooding its joints.
Kankuro paled. "No way… When did you—?"
Then, it hit him.
That punch.
"He planted the kikaichū on me back then...!"
Shino remained expressionless. "Now, this match is decided."
Kankuro grit his teeth. His puppet was rendered useless. There was no way out.
"...I forfeit."
"Winner—Aburame Shino!" Genma declared.
Kankuro followed Shino's gaze toward the stands.
Uchiha Sasuke had finally arrived.
"Gaara, it's your turn!"
Kankuro retrieved Crow and stepped back. His mission was complete.
"Tch. There's no point fighting seriously here anyway. The real action is coming soon."
Looking toward Gaara, Kankuro smirked.
"Uchiha Sasuke, huh? What a shame. You're about to face a monster."
Match Four: Uchiha Sasuke vs. Gaara
Sasuke's arrival sent a wave of excitement through the crowd.
"Sasuke, you almost got disqualified, you know!" Naruto yelled, running over.
Sasuke barely glanced at him. "Naruto. You won your match?"
"Of course! Next time, I'm gonna crush that bushy-browed freak!" Naruto huffed, crossing his arms. He then turned to Gaara, narrowing his eyes. "But first, looks like you've got a fight on your hands."
Sasuke stepped into the arena.
Across from him, Gaara stared with eerie intensity.
Uchiha Sasuke vs. Gaara.
The anticipation in the air was palpable.
"This is it... Sasuke, the last Uchiha genius!"
"He's our village's pride! He has to win!"
"But Gaara… he's the Sand Village's trump card. Can Sasuke even stand a chance?"
Among the spectators, Orochimaru licked his lips in anticipation.
"Perfect. Gaara will push Sasuke to his limit. And when that moment comes… he'll have no choice but to rely on my power."
Sarutobi Hiruzen, meanwhile, watched with growing unease.
"Sasuke… once he learns the truth about the Uchiha massacre… will he still stand with us?"
Gaara's bloodthirsty gaze locked onto Sasuke.
"I can't wait to spill your blood."
Sasuke smirked. "Oh? You think you can?"
"Match—begin!"
The battle was on.