In the woods outside the Central Arena, Shikamaru and his two teammates crouched behind a rock, counting their Scoreboards.
With his mouth full of potato chips, Choji mumbled, "We already have eleven. Shikamaru said two more would guarantee us a spot in the top four. We won't have to fight those maniacs head-on."
Ino wiped the sweat from her forehead and glanced toward the distant Arena. "I just wonder how Sasuke and Naruto are doing. I thought I heard an explosion over there earlier."
Shikamaru stood with a blade of grass between his lips and tapped his temple. "Don't worry about them. Those two are stronger than us. As for Hinata's team, that distress flare drew quite a few teams over. They're probably already waiting at the Arena. We'll take a detour and enter from the west. That side has the fewest guards."
Just as the three were about to leave, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded in the distance. Shikamaru immediately pulled the other two back behind the rock. Three teams came sprinting toward the Arena. One consisted of accomplices of the trackers whose limbs Hinata had broken earlier. They held Scoreboards in their hands, their faces full of urgency.
"Looks like they're after the final qualifying spots at the Arena." Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. "Choji, once they pass, use the Partial Multi-Size Technique to stop the person at the very back. Grab his Scoreboard and run. Don't get drawn into a fight."
Choji nodded and patted his belly. "Don't worry. I'll get it done."
"Partial Multi-Size Technique!"
Once the three teams had passed, Choji suddenly leaped up. His arm enlarged in an instant, and he grabbed the last ninja by the shoulder, snatched the Scoreboard from his waist, then turned and ran.
The ninja recovered and roared, ready to give