Canon Fodder

CHAPTER 43 BETS

The participants arrived around dawn. The fights started around 9AM, and they wanted to get the fight order out so that people could start placing bets and increase the hype of the fights. I planned to place my own bets. I needed ryo for some scrolls. 

On the Konoha side there was me, Neji Hyuga, Shikamaru, and Naruto Uzumaki. From the sand there were the siblings Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro. There had been a sound ninja, but he wasn’t there and I was pretty sure he died after the preliminary match. Orochimaru killed him or something. Sasuke Uchiha was on our side as well, but he wasn’t waiting. I knew he wouldn’t show up until later anyway. 

In the waiting area of the fighting ring people nervously stood around. Keeping to themselves we would have to fight one another, and no one wanted to act like friends. At least everyone but Naruto. The blonde energetic ninja talked a mile a minute. I pulled up my status screen as he did. 

Name	Weston Watanabe
Current Quest:	Chunin Exam
World 1:	High School of the Dead
World 1 Quest:	Save Takagi
World 2:	Gantz
World 2 Quest:	Bring Kei to Life
World 3:	Naruto
World 3 Quest:	Chunin Exam
World 4:	One Piece
World 4 Quest:	Kuja Pirates
Passive Skills:	Memory Meld
	World Lasting Physique +
	Protagonist Path
Usable Abilities:	Status Screen
	World Escape
	Chakra
	Chikyugi
	World Store	Shop
Bonuses	Increased Intellect
Items	Chikyugi Necklace	Stored
	Seastone Jitte	Stored
Currency:	Berrie	20,200,000
	Yen	60,854
	Ryo	200,000

I had received the Increased Intellect Bonus after surviving 24 hours in High School of the Dead. I didn’t feel any different. And wasn’t sure why it was there and not in my passives, but I guessed it was a minor bonus. Either way everything helped. Nothing else had really changed. 

“Are you listening?” Naruto asked. 

“Yep,” I said. “You were talking about Gaara.” 

“He’s so weird,” Naruto said. “You think one of us will fight him?” 

“Of course,” I said. Noticing Anko walking in the tall dark haired woman smiled widely at us. I stood up at attention as she locked eyes with me. 

“Glad you all could make it,” Anko said. “Let’s make this nice and painless.” A ninja walked up behind her carrying a box. He walked it to us one at a time. “You will be taking a number. That is the order of the fights.” Pointing behind her she motioned to a tournament bracket. “There are 8 of you, though it looks like the Uchiha is late. Whatever number is left he can have. 4 fights to start, we will take a break, do the semifinals, take another break then do the final fight. We all clear? Good. Say your number when I call your name.” 

In the end I was surprised again. Naruto was put up against Kankuro, he was supposed to go up against Neji. Shikamaru was after that and was fighting Temari like he was supposed to. Then it was me and Neji fighting. The gray eyed man looked at me angrily. I guessed he knew about my supposed engagement with Hinata. That or he knew I was part of a main house. He hated them with a passion. 

The last fight was between Gaara and Sasuke. I walked out without another word. “Weston, where are you going?” Naruto asked. 

“Gonna find a bookie,” I said. “I plan to make some money on these fights.”

“We’re too young for that,” he said, but followed anyway. “What do you think will happen?”

“Hmm fighting.”

“Come on, you have a feeling about this stuff. You think I can beat that Kankuro guy?”

“Of course. Just never give up. Don’t let the puppets get close. And remember to use that Jinchuriki power,” I said.  

“About that. How do you know all that stuff?” Naruto asked nervously. “That Gaara guy really have one of those Jinchurikis?” After the confrontation with Gaara I had explained the premise of the tailed beasts and by the end Naruto walked away in a bewildered daze. 

“I ask questions,” I said. “Remember how badly a lot of people treated you?” He nodded. Not ashamed of the fact he had been able to move past it. “You know the attack that killed the 4th Hokage? That was the 9 tailed Jinchuriki attacking the village. And when it did a lot of people died. Well it happened to happen the day you were born. And they were only able to seal the beast by putting it in you.”

“Why?” He asked angrily. “That’s dumb.”

“Which part?” I asked as we moved out of the arena area. 

“All of it!” He yelled. 

“Well they had to seal it in a kid. But not just anyone. They had to have a strong bloodline. Like you,” I admitted. 

“I do?” He asked. 

“Yep.” I debated telling him who his parents were. “Before you ask, I do know who your parents are. But I’m not telling you.”

“What?! Why?!” He asked angrily. 

“Because we got a lot of shit to do today,” I spat back. “I don’t want you distracted. I’ll make a deal with you. If you can win every fight today. I’ll tell you.”

“You promise? Even if I have to fight you?”

“Especially if you fight me,” I said. I was curious myself if things would change from canon. If the whole tournament would take place. And I really did want to know how strong Naruto actually was. If I did fight him I didn’t plan on using Genjutsu. 

“You mean it?” He asked more seriously. “You actually know?”

“I do. I wouldn’t lie, Naruto. I’m surprised the 4th Hokage hasn’t told you himself. Or anyone really. It doesn’t make sense. But fight. Give it your all. And I’ll tell you.”

“Deal,” he said excitedly. We arrived at a small pawn shop. The place was busy. Busier than a pawn shop should have been so early in the morning. 

There were long strips of paper near the weapons. I grabbed one and Naruto did the same. “Thought you said we were too young.”

“I might have been hasty,” he said nervously. “How do I do this?”

“Okay, these numbers are the orders of the fights. These columns are the possible outcomes. W for win. L for lose. T for tie. F for forfeit. Mark who you think will do what.”

“Why are the forfeit odds so high?” He asked. 

“Because it’s rare. There are a lot of people brought in for this. Would be stupid for someone to forfeit before giving all these people a show.”

“Oh,” Naruto said. He began marking his betting sheet. Of course he marked he was going to win them all. “Think you can win against your foe?”

“I do,” I admitted. I’d trained an extra few weeks in preparation. I didn’t have to rely on Genjutsu anymore.

“Why are you betting Kankuro will forfeit?” He asked. 

“A hunch,” I said. He changed his to reflect mine. I put down Kankuro would forfeit like he did in the manga. He was supposed to go against Shino but didn’t want to waste his strength.That was when he wasn’t fighting Naruto. The sand might change their plan to wear down the Jinchuriki. Temari would win of course since Shikamaru didn’t have much chakra. And I did plan to win my fight. I wasn’t sure what to bet on for Sasuke and Gaara. I decided on tie. 

We submitted the sheets. If all went to plan I’d only triple my money. But it was better than nothing. We were out the door and happened to run into Sakura. 

“Sakura, how’s it going?” Naruto asked excitedly. He was still naive enough to have a crush on the pink haired team member. 

“Hey, Naruto,” she said sadly. 

“What’s wrong?” I asked. 

“I just heard Sasuke wasn’t there for the drawing,” she whined. “What will happen if he doesn’t show up?”

“Weston says he will,” Naruto said confidently. “He was right about the Chunin exam. I’m sure he will be right about this.”

“You really think he will make it in time?” Sakura asked. A little hope in her voice. 

“Yeah,” I said. “He’s learning a new chakra element. That takes time. He’s training with Kakashi. Is your trainer known for getting places on time?”

“No, that guy is always showing up late to meetings,” Naruto grumbled. 

“Exactly. Sasuke will show up at the last minute.” We began walking back to the arena. 

“I guess,” she said. 

“What’s the matter?” I asked. 

“Nothing,” she said quickly. 

“What?” I asked, more sternly. 

“Nothing…it’s just he hasn’t been himself since the Chunin exam,” she admitted. Practically in tears. 

“Don’t worry about it. He’s working through some stuff,” I said. “He is on a path of vengeance. Try not to take it to heart. In fact, I’d let him do his own thing for a while.”

“What do you know about it?!” She asked angrily. 

I gave her an annoyed look. Not responding to the anger. “A hell of a lot more than you,” I said. She ground her teeth as we locked eyes. 

We were quiet for a time as we walked. Naruto trying to calm her down. I walked leisurely beside them. Looking for my own team members. 

“Weston, I’m sorry,” Sakura eventually said. 

“It’s alright,” I said, making sure to keep a bored expression on. I knew she had anger issues. 

“Can you tell me? What he’s going through?” She asked slowly. 

“What do you know?”

“I know his clan was killed by his brother,” she said. 

“That’s about all there is to it,” I said. She gave me another angry glare. “What? He’s basically Batman, alright? His parents were killed in front of him. And his only focus has been on getting revenge since then. But imagine that your family was killed by the Hokage.” That quieted them. “Not just the Hokage. The Hokage is the strongest in the village. His foe is one of the strongest ninjas in history. I doubt Sarutobi could hold much of a candle to Itachi Uchiha.”

“No way. That strong?” Naruto asked. 

“Stronger,” I admitted. “And Sasuke got his butt kicked in the Chunin exam by that Orochimaru guy during the exam, didn't he? His brother is stronger than that guy. So if he wants to get revenge. He will have to become way stronger. Stronger than he could through conventional methods.”

“What does that mean?” Sakura asked. 

“It means, don’t hold your breath on him reciprocating your feelings until he has his own revenge,” I said. 

Sakura blushed. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Whatever,” I said, rolling my eyes. 

The 2 were quiet as we walked into the arena. I noticed my team ahead. “Have fun. Do your best Naruto. Cus I’m kicking your ass when we fight.”

“Good luck with that,” Naruto said. Sakura didn’t appear to notice me leaving. Lost in her own thoughts I wondered if there was a way to knock her out of her obsession, but I doubted it. Right then I didn’t care. I had fights to win.