AN: Gotta say, this chapter was annoying to write. I've already been having to fight through a bad case of writer's block recently, but this chapter was ABRUSRDLY stubborn and just did not want to come out. I wanted to make a post weeks ago but stubborn writer's block gonna stubborn.

Trickshot

Chapter 28

-Haku-

Standing with a blank face, Haku stared down at his Sharklike opponent, Mako Hoshigake who was sneering. The blue skinned man had a large iron Zanbato resting over his shoulder, a Bloody Mist headband standing out. All around them, the field was still stained red from the last match, Sai having used his Ink creations to swarm Ittan of Iwa the second the fight began, having the stone village Genin torn to shreds before Hayate could stop the match. It could only be referred to as 'brutally efficient'.

"I'm going to have fun with this." Mako licked his lips with a wicked gleam in his eyes, "I've heard you were Momochi's little boytoy." Mako's tone had Haku narrow his eyes coldly, "Didn't realize he was into little fags either. Still, crossdressin won't make you a fighter runt." Haku said nothing, preparing his Chakra to be ready the moment the signal was given to begin.

Up in the balcony, he could hear those who knew him best muttering, Naruto's declaration of "This Mako idiot is going to get his ass beat." Did make Haku smile underneath the mask.

"I doubt you're as impressive as the Demon of the Bloody Mist, but hopefully you'll do well enough as a steppingstone for me. Do at least try not to die too quickly." Mako continued onward, seemingly oblivious to the hole he was just digging deeper.

"Is everyone from Mist this pathetic?" Haku scoffed, ice dripping from his tone, "The Temuri prick, Suigetsu, and now you. Is everyone from the Mist going to 'declare vengeance' or whatever asinine drivel you just spat out?" Haku glanced up at the other Mist genin standing at the balcony, "It's not going to look too good for any of you wanting to advance if you keep making promises you can't keep."

"Begin!" Hayate called out before any more trash talking could occur, the shark like Mako charged forward, swinging the heavy iron blade with a roar.

"Frigid Mist." Haku hissed, ice cold mist shooting out from the gaps in his armor. He was the apprentice of Zabuza Momochi, the man who had mastered the Hidden Mist Jutsu beyond anyone else alive. It would be an insult to his mentor's memory if Haku couldn't use that Jutsu.

Or at least his own version anyway.

"Argh!" Mako snarled, the mist cold enough to sting the bones of anyone without the Hyoton. In point of fact, Haku could see frost starting to form on the metal that his opponent was wearing.

"Struggling already, little minnow?" Haku had planned to end this fight simply before. But after how Mako had disrespected Zabuza, he planned to make it hurt, "How…disappointing."

"You little bitch!" Mako snarled, the relative of the dreaded 'Tailed Beast without a Tail' failing to live up to the bar set by said nuke-nin.

"Water bullets!" Mako shot the liquid jutsu towards where Haku's voice had come from, the wind current from the attack dispelling some of the mist before the frigid air settled back into place.

"I'd say you were close, but that would be a lie." Haku chuckled ominously, letting his voice echo throughout the mist as his water clones, formed from the frigid mist itself, moved through it unnoticed.

"Stop hiding you damned coward!" Mako snarled, wrenching his blade free from the ground as the several Haku's laughed coldly.

"But it's so much fun watching you flounder." Haku dashed in, pushing the Iron Zanbato away, his touch coating the weapon in a layer of frost as he struck Mako, icing the bastard's clothing as well before he slipped back into the Mist. Still, he didn't want to keep this up too long. Zabuza had always said that playing with your enemy to a degree was smart. Psychological warfare was often more effective than any blade or jutsu and if you got into your enemy's head it was a clear advantage in battle. But playing with them too much just risked your enemy figuring out what was going on and turning the tables.

"I'll…kill you!" Mako roared, going easily berserk as he swung his sword with rage and bloodlust. Haku had hoped Zabuza had been exaggerating about how easy it would be to enrage most Bloody Mist Shinobi, now this fight wouldn't even feel like a victory worth being proud over.

"No." Haku shook his head as his water clones finally made their move, the mist fading away as he cut power to the jutsu his armor helped him prepare "You won't." as the mist vanished, he dispelled his clones before anyone up above could see them. With the clones going, so did the senbon they'd thrown into Mako, piercing his pressure points and leaving him immobile on the ground, albeit clearly alive given his angry cursing.

"Mako Hoshigake is unable to keep fighting, Haku Yuki will advance!"

-Naruto-

Naruto grimaced as the sound Genin, Zaku, was hauled away thrashing and screaming, his arms a shredded mess of gore. The cocky shinobi had underestimated Shino and suffered for it. The silent Aburame had been able to slip his bugs into Zaku's arms, or more specifically the holes in them. With those plugged, even if it was just by beetles, the backup caused an air explosion within whatever it was that allowed Zaku to use his 'decapitating airwave' Jutsu.

"Shino Aburame advances." Hayate nodded as Kiba's teammate nodded and returned to the balcony. Glancing up at the screen, he saw the names already spinning to determine the next combatants.

Kurotsuchi Takeda against Karui Komatsu.

The two serious faced Kunoichi nodded as they went down to the arena, Tenten returning as they took their places.

"Hey, what I miss?" Tenten asked as she reached his side, noting the current matchup.

"Kabuto's teammate got handsy with her in his fight." Naruto nodded to the blonde Kumo kunoichi, "Got electrocuted and knocked out for it. Kiba took down your opponent's brother, the one wearing makeup."

"IT'S WARPAINT!"

Ignoring the angry protest, Naruto continued counting off the missed matches on his fingers "Sai used his ink creatures to kill Ittan of Iwa, Haku took down the Hoshigake, and Shino just blew the arms off that prick from Sound, Zaku."

"Bloody matches." Tenten grimaced, "Who's your money on?"

"I don't know much about the Kumo girl." He nodded at the redhead "But the one from Iwa is the daughter of the current Kage and related to their first Kage."

"Meaning plenty of useful family techniques she might have. Think she has the power to back it up?" Tenten nodded at his statement as the fight began, Kurotsuchi opening by spitting lava.

"…Yes."

Next chapter will wrap up the prelims so we can get to longer chapters and more fun stuff.