" Ok then," Hayate said as he walked into the middle of the room. " Let's move right on to the second match." They watched the screen run through names before landing on Zaku Abmuo and Shino Aburame. The two made their way down. " Step forward, please," Aceso recalled that she put Zaku's arms in a cast when he got to the tower, completely broken. " Very good. Now, if you've both ready, then we'll begin.

" Do you think Shino will be all right?" Hinata asked.

" He's ok," Kiba assured. " Don't you worry about him."

" Huh?" Hinata asked as she looked at him.

" He's the last person here I'd ever want to take on," Kiba admitted.

" Candidates ready?" Hayate asked as he backed up. " Begin."

" Should he be fighting with broken arms?" Lee asked.

" Not really," Aceso shook her head. " But he decided his fate when he stayed for the preliminaries."

" If you fight me, you won't be able to recover," Shino advised. " Aceso can try as much as she would like, but she even won't be able to recover you. Forfeit and withdraw."

" But what do you know, I've got a little movement in one of them," Zaku said he tried to move one and freed it. " One good arm is enough to beat you!" He charged at Shino, he swung an arm and Shino stopped it.

" You couldn't beat me using both your arms," Shino stated.

" Yeah, well I've got news for you!" Zaku shouted. " Try this! Clenching sound wave!" Aceso saw Shino rolling as Zaku smoked. Zaku closed his fist and put his arm down. " Alright fool. You had enough?" The smoke cleared and someone's figure stood. " Huh?" Shino was standing up. " He's--there's no way!" There were chittering sounds. " Hey? What?" Everyone had no clue where it was coming from, then many little bugs appeared on Shino and crawled all over him. They crawled out of the hole on Shino's face as well. " Great. Now that you've creeped us all out, what happens next?" He jumped when he turned to see over a million bugs crawling toward him. Zaku trembled at the sight and sounds of the crawling bugs.

" They're a rare species of parasitic beetle," Shino began as he held up his finger with one beetle on it. " That attack their prey in a swarm, eating its chakra. An army of this size will suck you dry in less than a minute. Your only intelligent option is to forfeit the match. You can't fight two opponents at once. If you use your good arm against me, my friends will swarm you from behind. Conversely, if you use your good arm to keep them at bay then you'll have me on your blind side. Either way, your defeat will be certain--and unpleasant. It's wise to always have an ace in the hole." He put his fingers up to his face as Zaku stood there trembling. He let out a roar and put one hand out toward Shino who lowered his hands. " Now you've done it. Now you've made me mad!" He whipped out his other arm and pointed to the bugs.

" His arms," Aceso breathed in horror as her eyes went wide.

" Heh," Zaku smirked as he struggled to open his other hand. " Like you said yourself, always have an ace in the hole. Right? I'll blow you away!"

" Huh?" Shino demanded.

" What the?" Kiba asked. " I thought his right arm was shot!"

" It still is shot," Aceso informed. " He's putting pain and strain on it as he moves it. He's fighting through everything to have it to be able to fight. " He let out a roar. In the middle of both his arms started to let out massive amounts of air, Zaku looked helpless, and everyone gasped.

"Aaahh!" Zaku cried out. " My arms! What's wrong with them?" His arms were limped in front of him. He turned them over. " Aah!" There were bugs crawling out the air holes on his hands. Wh-What?" Shino appeared right behind him.

" Earlier, while I was distracting you with my helpful advice, I was also sending of my little friends to plug up those bothersome wind holes in your hands. Both hands, just to be sure. You see, while an ace in the hole is good--two aces are better." Zaku went to go try and strike, but Shino struck first and sent him flying. Hayate went over and knelt down to take a look.

" I'd say this one has had it," Hayate confirmed." The winner is Shino Aburame. " Aceso quickly appeared by Zaku's side and began to take a look at his injuries, he had many holes in his arms. She put her hands on top of his chest and began to give him just enough chakra to keep him from dying. Other medics came over, together they were able to put him on a stretcher.

" Uh, all right, everyone," Hayate began as the two other medics took Zaku away. " Moving right on to the third match. " Aceso looked up to see that Kakashi and rejoined them, then looked back at the direction Zaku was being taken. Aceso looked up at the board to see that Misumi Tsurugi and Kankuro has been chosen to combat each other.

" Stay down here for this round Aceso," Kankuro advised as he walked over. " It'll be over quickly." She looked back at Hayate he nodded, and she stepped back beside Hayate, as the two components faced each other.

" I'm not like Yoroi," Misumi informed. " I don't get careless, not even against kids."

" Heh," Kankuro laughed in disbelief.

" A piece of advice," Misumi began to advise. " Once I go into my Jutsu, give up quick. If you do, I promise to make it short and painless."

" Funny, I was about to say the same thing," Kankuro admitted as he took the thing puppet off his back. " Though I can't promise it'll be painless.

" All right then," Hayate began. " If you're ready, let the third match begin.

" Let me do you a favor and end this battle quickly," Kankuro advised.

" You can't it first," Mismui said as he charged. " First strike!" He swung his arm and Kankuro caught it. Misumi smirked and his arms and leg became very stretchy and wrapped all around Kankuro, he seemed taken by surprise. One arm wrapped around Kankuro's neck choking him. His thing fell to the ground. Misumi was on Kankuro, all wrapped around his limps and neck.

" Whoa!" Naruto exclaimed. " What's up with that guy's body? That's freaky! I wish I could do that!"

" I dislocate every one of my joints, softening my body," Misumi explained. " Then with my chakra, I can control it perfectly. The more you struggle, the tighter I'll squeeze. I don't know what you're carrying in there, but as long as I have ahold of you, it makes no difference. I could break your neck right now if I wanted to. And I will unless you give in."

" Heh?" Kankuro smirked. " You wanna bet?"

" You wanna die?" Misumi threatened as he tightened his arms.

" You fool, you're the one who's gonna die here," Kankuro mocked. There was a snap and Kankuro's head fell forward, Aceso's eyes went wide as her mouth fell open a little.

" I think he broke his neck," Lee suspected, Aceso pulled out a bunch of supplies from her pockets, healing ointment, and a neck brace if Kankuro manages to survive.

" What's the big deal?" Gaara asked lowly. The Kankuro started to move, and pieces of him fell off. His neck turned completely around, and parts of Kankuro were missing, but something was underneath.

" Now it's my turn, so say goodbye," Kankuro advised. Arms ripped through the shirt and wrapped all around Misumi, Aceso was a bit confused. The head lifted up, it was no longer Kankuro, it was a puppet, with three eyes. Suddenly the wrapped object was set free, revealing the real Kankuro. Chakra was seen from his around, with a bunch of chakra strings, controlling his puppet. The puppet tightened its grip, bones were starting to crack, and Misumi was gasping for air.

" Enough!" Misumi cried out. " I give! Aaah!"

" But if your bones are crushed, just think how much more flexible you'll be." Hayate let out a cough.

" Uhhh," Misumi breathed out as he fell over onto his back.

" Because his opponent is unable to continue, the winner is Kankuro," Hayate announced.

" Two against one is hitting below the belt, isn't it?" Naruto asked as Aceso went over to Hayate. " I mean, is that even fair, Kakashi-sensei?"

" It's not really two against one," Kakashi explained as Kankuro took back his puppet, Aceso carefully laid Misumi out straight and began to address surface treatment. " It's a puppet, not another ninja."

" Yeah, it's just a Puppet Master Jutsu," Sakura stated. " He's controlling the puppet chakra. It's a ninja tool, like a shuriken." A couple of medics came over.

" Do you have a name for your puppet?" Aceso asked as Kankuro wrapped it up and Aceso wiped chakra ointment on Misumi.

" Crow," Kankuro answered. " Pretty handsome isn't he?"

" Probably has tons of other puppets falling for him," Aceso commented as Misumi was put on a stretcher and taken away.

" Can Crow get some ointment?" Kankuro asked as he shoved the wrapped puppet towards ger, the forehead only sticking out.

" Yes, only because I made a ton," Aceso said as she wiped some on his forhead.

" Thanks," Kankuro smiled more as he finished wrapping it and headed back up. Suddenly the doors opened and one of the giant centipedes crawled in, and it was heading straight towards Aceso, Kankuro gasped and started to unwrap Crow again.

" Red Rose!" Lee gasped as he jumped down along with Naruto. Aceso did a Jutsu and the ropes detached themselves from her body and wrapped around the centipede and held it up in the air suspended. She made a hand sign and blades popped out, she made another hand sign and the ropes went right through the centipede, its guts spraying everywhere. She then released her Jutsu and the chopped-up centipede fell to the ground with her ropes.

" So you can handle yourself," Kankuro noted as he wiped bug guts off his face.

" Sorry about that," Aceso apologized as she looked at him sheepishly. " I'm just surprised I didn't freeze." Other jonin came down and cleaned up the place a little for the next match to begin.

" You're a ninja," Kankuro pointed out.

" Well yeah, but everyone has their greatest fear and mine just so happened to be centipedes," Aceso smiled, Kankuro laughed.

" Aceso," Lord Hokage said, she turned her head to look at him. " I see you have decided to change your mind and keep your status as a ninja." He looked down at her. " I knew you would."

" You were going to give up on being a ninja!?" Naruto shouted as he grabbed her. " Not on my watch! Believe it!" He was laughing, and Aceso smiled. " That was awesome!"

" We should move, so the next match can start," Aceso said.

" You're coming up with us," Lee declared as he pointed to the stairs. " They started to make their way to their side.

" Your ropes," a ninja said she appeared, dropped the ropes in her arms, and disappeared.

" Tie me up next," Lee requested as his eyes sparkled. " I want to challenge myself to get free!"

" Not right now," Aceso denied as she looked up at him. He was much taller than her and Naruto.

" I'll take these," Lee said as he grabbed the ropes as if it was nothing.

" And so will I," Naruto insisted as grabbed half of them.