Shikamaru's POV (Courtyard of Iron Arena - Land of Iron
Shikamaru wasn't the type to do things out of anger. He figured it was simply his "intelligence" breaking down emotions too efficiently before they could settle. But he had always been protective, as lazy as he was. While it would've been much more accessible to allow the victim, Choji or Naruto, to be alone when he was a child, Shikamaru had done so. Easy as it would've been to avoid becoming a shinobi, he had felt the need to lead the clan as expected.
Perhaps that explained the rare surge of anger that shot through the Nara. It made him turn and march before his mind could decide the best response. When he chose the wise thing to do, which would be to ignore the apparent bait, he realized he had walked over and dropped into a combat stance before Sasuke. His anger buzzed as his mind criticized this decision, but the Nara inwardly shrugged. He may be absurdly intelligent, but he always struggled to make the smart choice when his people got involved. So, despite the fear and dread that filled him, Shikamaru settled into the plan he had kicked around for a while for Sasuke. It was a loose one, but Shikamaru had the supplies and besides. Shikamaru protected his friends… though the first step would be the scariest, great…
Shikamaru gritted his teeth and prepared himself. "Rich coming from the fallen clan member himself." He said with mock mockery.
Sasuke's Sharingan seemed to be activated instinctively to the insult. "Excuse me?" He asked, his voice the definition of calm before the storm.
"Just that, a clan as low as the Uchiha should know not to mouth off to their superiors." Shikamaru continued with a broad smile that looked alien on the Nara. Sasuke didn't seem to notice, having already buried his fist into Shikamaru's stomach. This plan was a painful drag…
Tenten's POV (Audience Section of Iron Arena - Land of Iron)
"I'm confused, Tenten," Sai started as he scratched his head. "Shikamaru must know that he cannot hope to best the Uchiha. So why not only face but motivate them heavily? If he's trying to bait him into anger, I believe it's backfired."
"I can't be certain… but I think Sasuke said something that upset him? He doesn't care too much for insults against himself… did Sasuke say something about us or Naruto? Normally, he has some sort of plan, but.." Tenten winced as Sasuke kicked Shikamaru away, only to arrive where he flew and kicked him again. Sasuke seemed determined to beat the Nara alone with his Ash Step. And Shikamaru seemed utterly hopeless to retaliate. "Yet I doubt he did so with nothing; he wanted him mad to throw him off his game. Somehow, he has to find a way to deal with his absurd speed…
"Oh, that is why he asked for those!" Sai exclaimed.
Tenten raised an eyebrow as she remembered Shikamaru had asked her for some seal; it was standard for Root members to learn the basics. "I did so as well. So he's plotting something… come on, Shikamaru. You may seem like a bum, but there's a reason Sai and I acknowledge ypu as our leader."
"It's odd, Tenten," Sai remarked. "I know full well the odds are unlikely that he can win. Yet I feel an odd confidence in Shikamaru."
"That," Tenten said with a wide grin. Giddy Shikamaru had felt the need to fight for them. Even when he knew it would likely be for naught. Better yet, Sai seemed to be healing from the emotional damage Danzo had done to them. "It's because we're Team Eight."
Shikamaru's POV (Courtyard of Iron Arena - Land of Iron)
Shikamaru spat out blood as he was launched back after a harrowing taijutsu barrage from Sasuke. The ability to teleport at a whim was difficult to counter. You could react with pure speed if you trained yourself to absurd levels like some of these monsters. Shikamaru had no such ability nor will to gain such. Hell, Neji and, to a lesser extent, Fuu had shown this was countable. Mercifully, perhaps the Uchiha had hurt his fist, punching him, and the beating stopped.
"It's time for you to take back what you said and surrender," Sasuke spoke now, somewhat more in control. "I've proven my point."
"I certainly feel inclined to agree. Unfortunately, I gotta stand my ground." Shikamaru said as he climbed to his feet. "I can turn things around with only a couple of moves."
"Already falling back onto manipulation tactics that is a new low even-" Sasuke stopped as Shikamaru whipped a hand-sized orb at him. With impressive reflexes, Sasuke drew and sliced with his kunai in one motion. It split the orb in two and sent both halves on either side of him. Both halves suddenly exploded with smoke as Sasuke was shrouded in a thick cloud. He coughed slightly before activating his Ash Step to allow him to escape the smoke instantly. Sharingan spun and saw a smoke trail quickly heading toward the forest. 'Using smoke to counteract my Sharingan allows him to safely retreat to more favorable ground. Unfortunately, I can use my superior speed to fish you out!' Sasuke Ash Stepped several times in quick succession to close the distance. He activated Besmirched Flambe as he flew through one cloud in a fury of steps.
Shikamaru flinched as Sasuke flew through the smoke with his blade of flames and nearly landed a blind strike. Shikamaru winced further when he ducked and luckily managed to dodge another. Unseen and therefore unburdened with the audience. Shikamaru dropped to the ground and crawled as Sasuke continued to zip through the clouds of smoke, slashing blindly. Shikamaru sighed as he used another smoke to continue to hide himself. Tenten would surely be furious he was being so wasteful. But if Shikamaru fought the Uchiha head, it would likely only last seconds. He needed more obstacles between them, and the forest was the perfect location.
Before Shikamaru could continue his crawl to safety, his entire body ached as he was suddenly launched through the smoke. His rib ached as he flew through the air. 'Bastard found me. Part two then!'
Shikamaru crawled to his feet again and faced Sasuke. He forced his expression to look frustrated and desperate. Even faked a stumble as Sasuke marched out of the smoke cloud.
"Found you," Sasuke said simply.
"D-damn bastard!" Shikamaru said. "Let's see you deal with getting blown up!" He said as he made a show of drawing a kunai and attaching an explosive tag.
"As if that would ever hit me." Sasuke taunted as Shikamaru threw the kunai. He blurred forward as soon as it left Nara's hand.
Shikamaru merely smirked as the tag suddenly shined brightly. "Let's see you dodge light." He countered as he covered his eyes. Sasuke could do no such thing as he rapidly zoomed in using Ash Step. But it was no mere explosive tag Shikamaru threw. It was a light grenade one. The light brilliantly shined, causing Sasuke to scream in pain and the audience to gasp. Sasuke, now blind and disoriented, missed his attempted attack on Shikamaru and instead smashed into a tree bodily. The stunned Uchiha stumbled back, heedless of the approaching Nara.
Shikamaru was never much of a taijutsu guy, but… he swept Sasuke's legs and viciously followed it by smashing the down Uchiha with a dropping punch. Not worried about style but beating the Uchiha unconscious, the Nara didn't bother with technique. No, as he mounted the downed Sasuke. Instead, he launched a sloppy but powerful ground and pound, landing three whole blows before Sasuke recovered.
Said recovery was Sasuke activating Ash Step. This typically propelled him at massive speeds, letting him virtually teleport. But with him being mounted, it sent the two violently careening towards the forest instead. Sasuke smashed into a tree in a collision that nearly knocked him out. Shikamaru was sent skidding across the ground, landing a short distance away. Sasuke Ash Stepped to close the distance and noticed Shikamaru attempting to pull another tag. Sasuke zoomed in and snatched it from his slow hands. "No more flashes!"
"That isn't a flash. Just needed a second." Shikamaru said with a voice full of pain. He was on edge; he had taken much punishment and landed a minor offense. Yet Shikamaru smiled happily. "Thanks for falling for that bluff; look up if you wouldn't mind."
Sasuke did so cautiously, noticing several floating kunai in the sky; each was carried by what appeared to be a small parachute. "Cute craft's project. Any point Nara?"
Shikamaru offered no response as the kunai in the sky were dropped as the parachutes suddenly freed themselves. They revealed each to be much larger than they seemed and momentarily coated the arena in shadows. Sasuke, wisely knowing such would be less than ideal against a Nara, managed to fire off a fireball to destroy such. But Shikamaru didn't care. "Checkmate. Shadow Possession Successful." He informed Sasuke.
"The shadow was up for a mere second." Sasuke stopped as Shikamaru raised his hand, and he followed suit. His expression grew more bewildered when the two crouched in sync. "How?"
"I can't keep up with you, monster, in this exam. But if I can catch you? Well, it becomes my kind of fight. See, the smokes and flashbangs were merely red herrings. Something for you to fixate on until you give me the chance to set it up. Making you angry only ensured you wouldn't catch onto it." Shikamaru explained. "The kunai parachutes I used are perfected and suited to create a moment. I rigged them to explode the cloth outwards, blocking out the sun for an instant."
"Y-you surely can't possess my shadow that quickly," Sasuke remarked.
"No," Shikamaru said with a shrug. "I didn't have to. Our shadows merged when the sun was blocked. It allowed near instantaneous possession. You're undoubtedly the better man, but I win."
"N-no," Sasuke said as he strained against it.
Shikamaru went to counter such before he realized something shocking. Sasuke Uchiha was twitching. Shikamaru sighed as he focused more of his chakra on it. Only for Sasuke to groan in pain as he somehow managed to twitch. "H-how the hell are you doing this? Even with chakra enhancing yourself, forcing your way out should be nearly impossible!"
"I-I've trained every day for y-years, forgone a social life, dealt with the hatred towards the Uchiha, I-I'm used to struggling with all I have. I-it's all I have. I'm willing to die for this! ARE YOU?!" As Sasuke finished his decree, he flexed his chakra and muscles and managed to break the possession in an impressive display of force. Causing Shikamaru to fall to one knee and both to pant heavily.
"No, I'm not." Shikamaru panted out earnestly. "Can't believe you escaped that, poured all my chakra into it. You damn Uchiha are something else!" He complained. Sasuke chortled at such. "Anyway, I'm out of chakra and have no interest in any more pain. I surrender." Sasuke nodded at such, showing both forgiveness and respect.
Shikamaru would've responded or cheered but was too busy relaxing on the ground. Unlike last time, Kakashi did not remove them; instead, medical personnel came and loaded him on a gurney.
Kakashi announced Sasuke as the winner, but Shikamaru had no complaints. At least he could rest now.