A Painful Life

Author's POV

Yumi looked around nervously. Suddenly Sasuke clapped his hand over his mark painfully. Kimura gasped from beside her.

" You two've been acting strange ever since that snake guy attacked you," Sakura stated worriedly.

"That Mark still hurts,huh?" Yumi asked grimly.

"Mark? Eh?" Naruto said cluelessly.

"Sasuke....are you okay?" Kimura said.

He nodded weakly. Sakura held her hands tightly against her chest as if pleading. She sniffed loudly as a tear trickled down her cheek. " Sasuke-kun.Naruto-kun.Yumi-chan. Kimura. Please.....all of you quit. I'm scared."

"Sakura?" Naruto whispered. "It's okay.I'm fine."

"You are in NO CONDITION to fight right now!" she exclaimed.

"Shut....up," Sasuke demanded.

" I know it! All of you! You guys have been holding pain back this whole time! " she argued.

"I said,shut up."

" I don't care what you say,Sasuke! No matter what,I'm telling Kakashi-sensei about that mark. Yours,Kimura's,Yumi's!!! You can't stop me!"

Sasuke grabbed her wrist roughly and glared at Sakura's tear stained face."Keep your mouth shut. Why are you born so stubborn? I don't want to see you hurt anymore. To me....," he trailed off. "Just mind your own business."He let go harshly and looked at Kimura."I am an avenger,aren't I, Kimura? You know that. This isn't only a test for me. I need to know If I'm strong enough to kill our brother. But If you take that from me,Kimura.I wouldn't forgive even you,my blood sister."

Naruto snarled. "Sasuke! Stop talking to your sister like that. Stop acting all cool!"

"Naruto," Sasuke said." I want to fight you,too."

His face brightened with joy and shock. Sasuke groaned again and covered his neck.The hokage was watching with the procter.

"We should remove Sasuke from this exam," Ibiki said repectfully."And have the ANBU watch over him."

"It won't be that easy," Kakashi muttered."After all,he's an Uchiha. They don't say no or give up easily."

"We'll just force him out! He and his sister!" Anko yelled.

"I can't believe they're still standing. They should be dead. Sasuke looks beat. Kimura looks almost good as new. I don't understand.Barely a scratch?"

Hayate coughed. "Alright. Basically, there are no rules. The fight goes on until an opponent dies,is knocked out, or admits their defeat. I'll be jumping in and stop things when it gets out of hand. I know this is sudden but I'll give you the first two names of the first fight."

Everyone looked at the board hanging on the wall nervously.

Uchiha Sasuke
vs
Akado Yoroi

Yumi groaned."Why him? I knew it."

Kimura glanced at Sasuke nervously,then at Yumi. "This isn't good. Tell me."

"It's bad! The curse mark! Sasuke! He can't! He might die!"

"Ready,you two?" Hayate asked.

They nodded,glaring at each other with piercing eyes.

All I can do is watch. they thought weakly.

"Sasuke,you better not lose!" Naruto threatened under his breath.

"The fight will now begin. Will everyone else move to the upper level."

They did as told. Kimura glanced down nervously,ignoring Len,who was right beside her.

"Whatever you do,Sasuke. Do not use your Sharingan," Kakashi warned.

Good luck,Sasuke Kimura thought desperately.

"Begin now!"

Yoroi did a handsign and then threw out shurikens.Sasuke blocked them with his kunai. Yoroi was fast.He suddenly appeared beside Sasuke. Sasuke got him in a headlock. He broke free somehow and punched him.Yoroi grabbed the front of Sasuke's forehead. His face turned weak and tiring.

"My chakra." Sasuke said.

Yoroi chuckled."You noticed."

He started to take out Sasuke's chakra again.

"Oh no!" Kimura exclaimed.

"Damn...you!" Sasuke shouted kicking him back.

"Heh.You little guinea pig. You're lucky you still have chakra left."

"SASUKE,YOU BASTARD!!! IS THAT ALL YOU CAN DO!!?!? " Yumi yelled loudly so he could hear. " ARE YOU REALLY AN UCHIHA?! IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN DO? C'mon,I know you're better than that."

Sasuke looked up at Yumi and Kimura. Yoroi charged up at him with this aura around his hand. Sasuke kicked him under the chin into the air. He hit his pressure point and grinned."Take this."

Sasuke choked.Black markings seared all over his face. Yumi's fist clenched. The black markings disappeared. She sighed in relief." The curse mark's returning?"

Sasuke laughed softly and finished him with his Lion's Barriage.Hayate kneeleddown to check on Yoroi. He smiled."Sasuke has defeated Yoroi Akado!"

"Well....good job." Kakashi praised.

"Wow.Pfft.That was nothing," Kiba snorted.

Kimura nudged him."Don't say that. He did well."

She looked to her side at Len. He was looking at her. She looked away with no emotion or care.

Kakashi was talking to the Medical Ninja,assuring them that he would take care of Sasuke. He said something softly into Sasuke's ear.

"Kakashi's going to seal up Sasuke's mark," Yumi murmered.

"Oh," was all Kimura could say.

"LET'S SEE WHO'S NEXT!" Hayate shouted.