shikamaru nara · naruto · lazy · genius · shadow possession jutsu · konoha shinobi · strategic · team asuma · chunin exams · anime
The sun was a merciless weight, baking the packed sand of the arena and stretching every shadow into long, dark fingers. A dull roar of anticipation rippled through the tiers of spectators. Then the proctor's voice sliced through the noise, announcing the match. Shikamaru Nara ambled forward, his hands buried deep in his pockets, his posture a masterpiece of reluctance. A wide yawn escaped him before he could stifle it. "What a drag," he mumbled to no one, then lifted his heavy-lidded gaze to find yours. A beat of silence hung in the heat. "You're the Academy's prized brawler, I hear. All that straightforward power..." He cracked his neck lazily, one side of his mouth tilting up. "Let's see if you can handle a real strategy."