Chapter 4: Embarrassing Defeat
One Week Later
This time, Shoryu wouldn't need the ladders. The boy flipped from the edge of his small encampment and skidded feet first down the near-vertical rock face before tactfully grabbing hold of a fixed stone and swinging himself around as he hopped from one foothold to another. After less than a minute he'd reached the bottom without a scratch, and in looking back up at the forty foot wall he'd descended Shoryu smiled to himself in satisfaction and set off towards the academy.
As the boy walked leisurely through the maze-like walkways of the village he enjoyed the freedom of the cool breeze blowing through his hair and ruffling it into an even bigger mess. He'd always hated having it on display since it separated him from the other members of his clan, but with the confidence that came with becoming a Genin and the self-esteem he'd earned from Reizo, he now displayed it with pride.
He whistled a merry tune as he strolled; despite Shoryu working himself harder than ever, he'd enjoyed this week more than he had any in his life. The happiness from the acceptance of just one person aside from his mother still hadn't worn off, and he'd used it to fuel his training to push himself far beyond his regular limits. Of course, he knew that with his distinctly average natural talent as a ninja he'd be at a huge loss when compared to the 'most promising shinobi' Reizo said would be joining them, so he'd worked extra hard to try and catch up within the week.
Shoryu had received a summons two days after receiving his headband that had told him to come one of the rooms on the second floor of the academy fifteen minutes from now. Sure enough, he'd been assigned to squad thirteen led by Reizo Yukizawa, and his partners consisted of two names he didn't recognise. If only to boost his confidence further he'd been surprised to learn that of the twenty four candidates for this term's exam, only nine people had actually passed the test. Originally eleven had made the cut, but since the students were divided into three-man squads the weakest two had been dropped in order to round down to the nearest multiple of three.
After the calming stroll Shoryu eventually found himself under the shadow of the colossal academy and entering the front doors into the classroom he'd always hated. As he made through the room he passed three other people – a team of newly announced Genin who'd been told to meet here by their own squad leader. As he passed, the boy noticed the glaring eyes of one of the two clan members from his old class. Evidently, the other one hadn't passed. Despite himself Shoryu couldn't help but flash the brat a taunting smirk before continuing into the next room and ascending the spiral staircase.
Once there, Shoryu found himself in a similar looking room than the last, filled with only two people around his age.
The first was a rather beautiful girl of a lean frame and a pleasant smile upon seeing their third member. She was clad rather plainly in the standard kunoichi uniform of the Village Hidden in the Clouds, dyed yellow with a blue trim out of her own preference. He recognised her instantly as the girl with the bright green hair that had asked Zakari about the maximum number of points on the day of the exam. Funnily enough though, her hair today was red and was arrayed in a simple ponytail instead of cascading down to her shoulders as it had been previously. Shoryu shook his head and told himself he must've just been imagining it.
"You're Shoryu right?" She said, smiling sweetly and extending her hand. "I'm Ayako Tsuji."
Shoryu smiled sheepishly and accepted the shake, noticing that whilst his hands were rough and leathery from all his training, hers were still softer than an infant's. "It's a pleasure." He replied. Shoryu noted that at least one of his teammates was friendly, though in turning to the other he realised that she'd probably be the only one.
The second member of the team sat by himself, coolly absorbed in thought atop one of the many identical tables laid out neatly across the room. Flowing white hair contrasted against the darkest violet of his tightly cut attire - an outfit that bore no skin and managed to look imposing and regal whilst still being suitable for fighting in. He carried some odd kind of weapon laid across the table behind him, sheathed at both sides to conceal its blades with a long handle at the centre.
"Hey." Said Shoryu, with his voice forcing the boy to open his eyes and snap him out of what appeared to be meditation. "I'm Shoryu."
The boy only turned his head in silence, completely blanking his gracious new partner.
"You know when someone introduces themselves you're supposed to do the same back right?" Shoryu took a moment to bite his tongue and cringe in awkwardness before continuing – He still didn't reply. "I'm Shoryu Aizawa, what's your name?" He reiterated.
With a slight breath of interest the boy turned back to Shoryu and raised his eyebrows in intrigue. "Aizawa? That means you're from this village's clan right?"
The boy's first words struck a nerve with Shoryu; he tried hard to contain his anger, but his clear resentment could be felt as he continued. "So you'll talk to me now that you know that? Does that make me worthy or something? You know I really don't think it makes a difference whether I'm from the clan or not. What, do you think that it just automatically makes me a better person?"
The white-haired boy let his eyes roll up to his head as he considered, and after a few moments he shrugged. "Never really thought about it." He admitted smugly.
Just as Shoryu's mouth formed into an irritated growl the sound of footsteps coming up the spiral staircase signified the appearance of the group's Jonin leader.
"Alright alright, we don't need you two fighting each other just yet – save it until later." Came Reizo's voice.
"Hey Reizo-sensei!" cried Shoryu.
"Hey kid. You look a lot healthier than the last time I saw you."
Shoryu grinned in triumph; his training had paid off not just in his jutsu, but in his physical appearance too. He was far more moderately proportioned as opposed the skinny runt he used to be and packed far more power behind his strikes.
Reizo calmly pulled up a chair from the tables and sat himself down before finally addressing the others. "Looks like everyone's here." He figured. "Alright, why don't you start by introducing yourselves, just so you know one another. You'll be working as a team from now on, so good communication is vital."
Shoryu and Ayako each nodded as the boy at the back merely sighed, as if just speaking was such a chore for him.
"What do we say though?" asked Ayako.
"You know: what you like, what you hate, personal goals, your background – all that stuff. Why don't we start with Shoryu?"
"Me?" Shoryu bashfully put a hand to his head as he struggled for an answer. "Alright." He said at last. "I'm Shoryu Aizawa, and I come from right here in the Village Hidden in the Clouds. I like. . ." the boy let his eyes wander upwards, contemplating on what exactly he enjoyed. "Walking. . . Getting stronger. . . And I guess my mom's cooking. I hate loud noises, especially in the morning, and judgemental people. My dream is to save up enough money so that I can travel the world; you know – go wherever the wind takes me for awhile and be free from any responsibilities."
Whilst Ayako smiled again, the boy at the back made a snort of disapproval and turned his head once again.
"Oh right, I suppose you have a problem with that do you?" Figured Shoryu, trying to remain as sarcastically witty as possible.
"Shoryu settle down." The sensei's firm request cut off any potential retort the boy at the back might've had, and with his most respected idol giving him an order Shoryu reluctantly turned back to the front. Reizo continued, looking to Ayako for the next speech. "Alright, how about you?"
"Uh, okay." Ayako blushed; it was easy to recite such easy questions, but talking in front of other people about herself made her uncomfortable. "I'm Ayako Tsuji, and I'm also from the Village. I like reading, changing my hair and shading. I hate being bored, I hate vegetables. . . Oh and I also really hate perverts."
Shoryu gulped and reminded himself to keep his eyes on her face at all times as Reizo quizzed her further. "And what's your dream?" He asked.
"Oh yeah, to be the Raikage of course!"
Three sets of eyebrows were suddenly raised upon hearing the young girl's big ambitions for the future. To Shoryu, she didn't look threatening or even capable of fighting at all, but she had to be on this team for a reason; Reizo had told him that he'd be recruiting only the most excellent shinobi after all.
"That's quite a goal." Said Reizo. "It looks like we share the same dream."
"Just one question. What do you mean by shading?" Shoryu asked.
Ayako seemed about to answer him before Reizo swiftly cut her off. "I've a feeling you'll see soon enough Shoryu. Anyway how about you?"
Shoryu and Ayako both turned to the back as Reizo probed the mysterious white haired boy for answers. Once again he sighed.
"I'm Kazuya Takashi." He said, barely loud enough for any to hear him. "And don't take it personally, but I'd rather not discuss myself any further."
"I'm afraid it's all part of being on a team Kazuya. If you can't be open then how are your teammates supposed to rely on you?"
"Argh, fine." Kazuya exhaled again. "I'm from the Takashi clan of the Village Hidden in the Glacier in the southlands. I like learning new things and training. I hate dishonourable people, lazy people and cowards. My father disappeared back when I was five, and I've been searching for him ever since, but my real goal is to provide for my village; training as a ninja has provided me with the skills and should bring me the income I need to do both."
Shoryu contemplated making a wisecrack about the boy's daddy issues, but in the end he let it slide in light of his own and could only sit in embarrassment about how his own goals seemed insignificant to that of the others. Raikage? Providing for an entire village? They were leagues ahead of his own aspirations. At least Ayako didn't seem to mind his longing for freedom, but Kazuya on the other hand seemed to completely resent everything Shoryu had confessed about his own way of life.
"My knowledge of the Takashi clan is admittedly limited." Acknowledged Reizo. "But I do know about the Kekkei Genkai of the Ice Style and a little of its background. The Village Hidden in the Glacier - it's a small village is it not? Just on the borders to the Land of Frost. I'm led to believe that its members are divided into simple farmers and chakra wielding fighters, but they aren't ninja are they?"
Kazuya shook his head as Shoryu looked on in curiosity. He had no idea of any clan who weren't ninja and yet could manipulate chakra, though Kazuya answered his question before he could give it much thought. "They're samurai." He answered.
"I see, so they're ideology is quite different from our own then?" Reizo replied.
Kazuya nodded solemnly. "We of the Takashi clan are strict upholders of Bushido. I know certain codes of honour exist among shinobi, but don't ask me to sneak up on anyone or strike them from behind. I need my foe to see my face before they die; that is the way of my clan."
"Your life as a ninja could be a short one indeed if you aren't prepared to use deception to your advantage. We can't afford the arrogance of thinking we can take on an immeasurable amount of enemies by ourselves."
"I know that, and like I said, I'll give a certain amount of leeway, but I won't do anything that'll stain my pride as a warrior. Cheap tactics aren't my thing."
Several prolonged moments of awkward silence were allowed to spread around the room as Reizo seemed to debate with himself whether or not to argue further. This boy was technically now a shinobi, but he did not adhere to their ways. At the same time however, he simply couldn't afford to let such a promising student go; his strength should've more than made up for his unwillingness to fight with underhand tactics.
"At any rate, it's not important right now." Decided Reizo. "You're at the Genin level so you won't be asked to kill anyone or enter a difficult combat situation – those are B ranks missions or higher. If you still feel that way when you eventually make Chunin then I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, but for now it's irrelevant."
Shoryu noticed Kazuya breathe a small sigh of relief as Ayako raised her hand in eagerness.
"You don't have to stick your hand up; you're not in training anymore." Reizo laughed.
"Oh uh – right. But Reizo sensei I was just wondering, you said we would have a pair of 'preliminary missions' today in your letter. What exactly did you mean by that?"
The Jonin stood and beckoned for the others to follow him, explaining the situation as he led them down the spiral staircase he'd fought upon the previous week. "By that I meant we'd have two exercises to see whether or not the three of you are capable of carrying out missions. If I deem you incapable I have the power to send you back to the academy, but the fact that you passed such a rigorous final exam means that such an event is unlikely. All the same, you should treat this with all the dedication and focus that you would a real mission."
"So uh, where exactly are we going to carry out this mission?" Asked Shoryu, noticing that the four of them had walked right out of the academy and started along one of the walkways of the village he'd never crossed before.
"To the surface – it's got all the space we need. Why? Does that bother you?"
"No no! Of course not! It's just. . ." Shoryu trailed off in awkward embarrassment. "I've never been down to the surface before."
"What?" Came the inevitable two voices; even the sombre looking, silent Kazuya appeared shocked by this revelation.
The Village Hidden in the Clouds was a mountain range comprised of numerous spires towering up into the sky, thousands of feet above the surface of the world and so high amidst a complex series of mountains that a fifteen minute shuttle ride was required to reach the ground safely. In all his life Shoryu had never taken one, and so had never actually seen the surface with his own eyes.
"Yeah. . ." Shoryu added. "Never been down; guess it's just always been on my to-do list."
"Well," Figured Reizo. "I guess there's a first time for everything, come on."
Within ten minutes of walking through a part of the Village Shoryu knew only barely, squad thirteen came to a series of ten wooden lifts, lined up in an orderly fashion within the core of a mountain. The shuttles were powered by hydraulics at several intersections along its course, hooked to a pair of wires that it would trail along smoothly until it finally reached its destination. It was a complex system at the peak of its time's technology back in the day, and it remained a convenient method of travel between the surface and the village. Hesitantly Shoryu stepped into the claustrophobic chute designed for a maximum of five people and took a seat before Reizo jerked a hanging piece of rope to slam the doors shut.
Suddenly the cart began to move and before Shoryu could ask what had happened the carriage began to descend at a rather brisk pace. Outside, the window of the closed door displayed only darkness as the four plummeted through the heart of the mountain. Reizo's eyebrows shot up in pleasant surprise upon noticing that Shoryu was holding together well; first time riders of the shuttle often freaked out or clung to others in fear, yet after a few deep breaths Shoryu merely withdrew a small object from his belt next to his small pouch of ninja tools.
It was the wooden flute he kept with him constantly; just over a foot in length with ten holes carved into its surface along the shaft and a mouthpiece at one end. Shoryu noticed Kazuya flash him a look of obvious resentment, though the moment the instrument touched his lips that look faded completely. With eyes calmly shut, Shoryu breathed a sweet, high pitched melody into the shuttle to drown out the monotonous churn of the cabin's exterior and immerse himself in the relaxing sensation of his own music. After three bars of playing Shoryu's heart rate and breathing began to return to normal, and he deemed it safe to open his eyes again to a view of Ayako looking on in wonder, Reizo smiling to himself and Kazuya back in that suspended state of meditation he'd been in before.
"That's beautiful." Ayako spoke in a tone of wonder and admiration. "I've never even heard such a sound. When did you learn to play that?"
Shoryu's index finger rapidly tapped up and down for a wavering note finish before he pocketed the instrument again. "Hmm. Probably just over five years ago now. Apparently my dad used to play all these different kinds of flute, so my mom gave me a few as inheritance for my eighth birthday since she could never play them."
"Inheritance? You mean. ."
"He's dead, yeah." Shoryu finished for her, noticing that whilst her head sank Kazuya's eyes flashed open to attention. "Ah, don't look so glum." He told her. "I never knew the guy – he died before I was born. All I know is that my mom said he was a great shinobi."
Ayako smiled again as Shoryu took her silence as a cue for him to keep playing. The charming tune of the flute filled the shuttle once again, this time taking a much softer and slower tempo thanks to Shoryu's calmer state. Still Kazuya stared at the object through inquisitive hazel eyes, and after awkwardly meeting them a few times with his own of a turtle green Shoryu kept his gaze focused on the window looking out onto the core of the mountain rolling by.
Despite few words being exchanged, it seemed like no time at all had passed to Shoryu before he felt the descent of the shuttle begin to slow to an eventual stop. Once again light suddenly poured in through the open window, prompting Reizo to stand and open the door, leading them out onto a wide and sloping path at the foot of the mountain they'd descended. Way up high Shoryu could see where the mountains sprouted the thin spires, and even higher still he saw the Village literally hidden amongst the clouds. If he didn't know where to look Shoryu was certain that he would've completely missed it.
"Alright, you see those fields over there?" Asked Reizo, pointing to a spot just over a mile down the barren, rocky hillside where the land smoothed out into fresh grass the likes of which Shoryu had never seen in such mass. "That's our destination."
Along a leisurely walk of about twenty five minutes Shoryu looked around in wonder and confusion at the completely different landscape. He was so used to walking on suspended bridges and mountainside paths that the concept of a straight road was hard to grasp for the first few minutes. It was only then that he begun to notice the finer differences.
"Sensei?" He asked.
"Hmm?" Reizo looked his way.
"I don't know if this is normal or anything, but I don't know how to describe it – it's like I've got more air or something, like my lungs are more open. I don't know if that makes sense."
"You're right, it doesn't make any sense." Chided Kazuya.
Shoryu was moments away from a smart retort before Reizo began after a few moments to think.
"You're saying it's easier to breathe? Is that what you mean?"
Shoryu nodded; he hadn't thought of it like that since he couldn't understand that concept of his breathing being somehow restricted, but Reizo's description fitted it perfectly. "Yeah, that's right." He said.
"Well I guess it's no wonder then. It happens to many village members. For regular people, the higher up they go in altitude, the harder it is to breathe. In your case, since you've lived up in the Village your entire life and you've never seen the surface, the higher altitude has become not just your norm, but your only way of life."
"So is that bad?" Shoryu asked.
Reizo shook his head. "No, in fact it'll work to your advantage. Many village members find that they have a little more stamina than before – being able to run farther and train for longer. In your case it'll be even greater since your whole body has actually matured up there without knowing anything else. Don't expect anything drastic; you've probably got an extra fifteen percent more endurance than usual, twenty at best. Then again every advantage counts when you're a shinobi, so consider yourself lucky."
Shoryu understood, noting that the lightness of his breath would be advantage, but not something to rely on. Any extra power he could get would help; now that he was in a squad he had to show he could hack it – he refused to be sent back to the academy. Whatever this test entailed he would ace it no matter what. Reizo had said he'd be hiring only the most elite shinobi, and from the mystique of his teammate Kazuya he wondered exactly how much power the guy was packing. Ayako didn't seem like much on the surface; she was a spunky yet mildly shy girl with an optimistic outlook, but if he remembered one thing from lessons it was that underestimating a fellow ninja was a bad idea.
Squad thirteen carried on walking for another five minutes until the earthy gravel beneath them begun to shift into a plane of soft grass. Within a hundred metres the squad found themselves amidst the field Reizo had pointed out long ago, and with his sudden stoppage the group knew they'd reached their destination.
"Here we are." He mused absently, and then turned to address the group, falling back into a stoic and commanding persona. "Alright, your first exercise is simple."
Ayako and Shoryu leaned forwards in anticipation for the announcement.
"You will each face off against one another in a mock-battle. Provided they are sealed first, you may use any weapons you like – I don't want you killing each other."
"What?" came the startled cry of the two. Ayako in particular looked especially confused.
"Sensei, aren't we supposed to be a team now? How come we're fighting each other?"
"Simple." Said Reizo. "I need to test your skills in battle. The graduation test was thorough but there were many aspects of combat that it simply couldn't cover. This way you won't be forced to conform to academy norms and you'll be able to use your own styles in conjunction with one another rather than at separate intervals. On top of that you're new and influential Genin, so you'll go all out unless you want to look bad in front of your teammates. No one likes being the weak link now do they?"
Shoryu wasn't quite sure what to make of this new revelation; a chance to prove his skills was exactly what he'd been waiting for and he wanted to show that Kazuya guy what he could do more than anyone. Nothing would give him greater pleasure than smacking him right in his smug, self righteous face. But even so, he felt uneasy about going up against that strange boy, especially after noticing that he had a contented gleam in his eye after Reizo's announcement.
Alright Shoryu just focus – you can do this if you keep it together.
"The first battle will be Shoryu against Kazuya."
Shoryu felt a lurch in his throat as he immediately locked eyes with his brand new rival in a brief staredown of mutual anticipation. Even Ayako could see the pair seemed to have something to prove to both themselves and one another, and there was no better way to get it out of their system by pitting them against one another right off the bat.
"Fair enough." Said Shoryu. "This should be interesting. I actually can't wait."
"Uh, Shoryu, before you go shooting your mouth I think it's only fair to warn you:" Added Reizo. "Kazuya was the only person in the graduation test to get a perfect score – he got the bonus point for every single round, giving him a total of fifteen to end on."
"Fifteen?" Cried Shoryu in dismay. "He got fifteen? No way! How is that even possible?"
"Why? What did you get?" Inquired Ayako.
"Uhh," Shoryu twiddled his fingers before scratching his head awkwardly. He knew that his test score had no doubt been upped from a meagre five to allow him to pass, but by how much exactly?
"He got a six." Stated Reizo.
Of course, Shoryu suspected as much: they didn't want to kick up too much of a fuss about his situation, so giving him a minimum pass was the easiest possible way.
"So you only just passed? And you think you can beat me? I thought you said I'd be on a team with the best Reizo-sensei; this guy's a joke." Said Kazuya.
After flashing Kazuya a look of irritancy and handing his blades over to Reizo for the imprisoning jutsu Shoryu turned to his other teammate. "What did you get Ayako?" he asked innocently. Despite immediately getting along with the girl Shoryu couldn't help but silently hope she scored another low mark.
"Oh me? I got thirteen."
"Oh uh, wow – that's great!" Shoryu smiled nervously and forced a laugh. Thirteen? He thought to himself. You mean I'm on a team with members who scored thirteen and fifteen? Reizo-sensei said he reckoned my real score would be around nine or ten, but that's still nothing compared to their scores! I know he said I was supposed to be on a team with only the best, but Kazuya's right! I'm in way over my head here!
"Ninja Art: Imprisonment Jutsu!" Ordered Reizo.
Shoryu was promptly handed back his two blades and three windmill shuriken to complete his roster of weapons. Since last week he'd upped the amount of windmill shuriken he carried from two to three. In reality he could conveniently fit four, but being a large instrument, windmill shuriken were heavy. With the increase in strength he'd gained over the week he could now carry three without them weighing him down so much, but four still caused a slight strain and hindered his speed.
The boy was surprised to see that Kazuya carried no shuriken or senbon or kunai knives, but instead carried nothing but his unique sword, edged at both ends with its handle at the centre. Shoryu had to once again remind himself that despite being a Genin, wearing a headband and currently living in the village, Kazuya didn't consider himself to be a ninja. Shoryu took note of it to use as a potential advantage, for he'd need all the help he could get to take on perfect score boy.
"Alright, I want each of you to stand at the centre of the field and take twenty paces away from one another." Reizo instructed.
Noticing a wry grin from Kazuya, Shoryu immediately switched into his game-face as he followed the white haired samurai and did as instructed. Within thirty seconds he found himself standing opposite the boy, who was stood casually and out of stance as if Shoryu was nothing more than a minor inconvenience to him. Though Shoryu knew better; he knew that this was just a mind game – a facade by the boy to taunt him into attacking recklessly.
"When you're ready. . ." Announced Reizo, savouring the drawn out silence as Shoryu took his stance. "Begin!"
Instantly Kazuya fell into a pattern of difficult and unconventional hand signs as Shoryu let a hand hover behind his belt for easy access to his shuriken. Neither moved from their spot, though whilst Kazuya executed hand signs Shoryu only stood in anticipation. He wanted to see exactly what his opponent could do first before adapting his style to suit the fight.
I'll let him make the first move. He figured.
Ten long and excruciating seconds passed with Kazuya keeping a steady eye fixed upon his opponent in case Shoryu decided to attack. He never did, resulting in a growing smirk from the conceited samurai. After executing more than twenty hand signs in rapid succession Shoryu finally gave in and retrieved the first windmill shuriken. With a swift jerk of his wrist the curved blade fanned open to its full size, though by the time he pitched into a throw Kazuya's hands snapped into the final hand sign. His eyes blinked from their regular hazel to a black and white spiral pattern, signifying the initiation of his technique. Just like the Zawa and Raikyogan, this guy had a dojutsu of his own.
"Vortex Shift: Time Slow Jutsu!"
Before Shoryu could even consider the implications of such a powerful sounding technique Kazuya seemed to disappear into a blurry afterimage, racing at a hundred miles an hour across the short flat of land that separated the two and stopping a fraction of a second later. Shoryu barely had time to even blink; the boy had covered ground so fast that his guard hadn't even been brought half up before the blocked edge of Kazuya's staff-sword had been pressed to his neck, submitting him on the first move.
"Well that was short." Mused Reizo. "Winner: Kazuya."
"Poor Shoryu. That was embarrassing."Ayako pitied, loud enough so that only the Jonin could hear.
What? What the hell was that? Wondered a dumbfounded Shoryu as Kazuya removed the yielding weapon and sheathed it again, muttering something that sounded like 'joke'. How did he-
"You took too much time Shoryu." Reizo tutored him in his answer. "You can't afford the luxury of offering your opponent the first move – if you see someone executing that many hand signs then you have to interrupt the jutsu before they can pull it off."
Shoryu growled in frustration, curling his fists into air-tight balls. Damn it! How the hell didn't I see that? That was pitiful! I should've acted sooner – I practically offered him that match on a silver platter! But what was that jutsu? I know Reizo said he possessed a Kekkei Genkai, but something on that level is insane!
"So." Offered Reizo as Kazuya returned to the ringside. "It really is true. You have two Kekkei Genkai after all."
"Wait, two?" Quizzed Shoryu. He couldn't believe his ears; this kid had been blessed with a pair of Kekkei Genkai when he'd been denied even one. At least now he knew why Reizo-sensei had chosen to put the two of them on the same team.
"Yes. Kazuya here not only possesses the Ice Style jutsu of the Takashi clan, but he also has another – an undocumented dojutsu that allows him to manipulate the speed of time surrounding him - the move that you were unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of. There are no other known users aside from the one, and I'm presuming he inherited it from his father; a man that went missing years ago. Isn't that right Kazuya?"
The boy cracked a smile. "Very perceptive Reizo-sensei. I see that the Jonin rank isn't just for show after all."
Reizo nodded and continued hypothesising. "If I had to guess, I'd say it's not even a combination of elements – it's a unique ability. Furthermore, the amount you can slow down time is determined by the amount of hand signs you can put out, going in multiples of five. After ten hand signs you checked to see if Shoryu was still unresponsive, and then again at fifteen and twenty you hesitated, contemplating on whether or not to go further before stopping at twenty five, which I'm guessing is the technique's maximum."
"I'm impressed you could deduce so much from only seeing it once Reizo-sensei, but if I didn't know any better I'd say you were exposing the workings behind my power on purpose to even the odds in my fight with Ayako."
Reizo cheerily laughed and put a hand to his head. "Guilty." He admitted. "But something tells me you'll be able to see much of Ayako's power in the next match anyway – as a samurai you're into fairness right? Since Shoryu used up no chakra or stamina in the last match he'll be the one facing Ayako next. I'm sure that dojutsu uses up far more chakra than you let on, so we'll give you a rest."
Shoryu still hadn't moved from his spot where Kazuya had submitted him when Ayako walked into the field and assumed her position forty paces away. He bit his tongue awkwardly at the idea of fighting such a nice girl so soon. In fact he debated holding back before almost physically slapping himself – he should've been doing the opposite. With thirteen points to pass the exam with, Ayako couldn't possibly have been weak; he'd have to pull out all the stops if he wanted to beat her and rid himself of the shame of the pathetic excuse for a battle he'd just lost.
"Don't hold back Ayako." Instructed Reizo. "You can't afford to underestimate Shoryu even despite that last fight. Just be careful with those blues okay?"
"Right!" Ayako nodded, smiling sweetly and dropping into stance.
Before Shoryu even had time to ask what the hell a 'blue' was Reizo announced the match, demanding his full attention back on the battlefield.
"Begin!"
.
Author's Notes: Yeah, I'm a sucker for little cliffhangers. But it's not all bad news: I know that fight was pathetically short (that was kinda the point of it), but the next two are going to be considerably longer - chapters 5 and 6 will cover the battles of Shoryu VS Ayako and Ayako VS Kazuya respectively, but making you guys wait a whole month for two brawls with no meaty plot and just character development seems cruel, so I'll knuckle down and post them both at the same time, two weeks from now. Also I'll make sure to get a picture of Shoryu up on my profile before that time.
So be honest, how do you like the new characters? I was really worried about distinguishing Kazuya from Sasuke, so I made him a samurai (If you haven't seen all of Shippuden - yes they do exist in the world of Naruto) which as such makes him a bit more polite. Not to Shoryu - he hates the poor bastard (For reasons not yet explained), but for example he addresses Reizo as 'Reizo-sensei' when talking to him, whereas Sasuke didn't show the same respect towards Kakashi.
Ayako hasn't had much development yet and to be honest she's the one I'm struggling with the most: Her signature jutsu (which you'll see in the next chapter) is probably the best I've made, but her character is just a little hard to nail down, so I gave her very high ambitions (Like being the Raikage.)
And I held off mentioning this until now, but each of the three main cast has a first name that means something. Here are the translations:
Kazuya - 'Calm Peace'
Ayako - 'Colour Child' (I'm British and we spell words like 'colour/color' differently - it's not a typo :P)
Shoryu - 'Soaring Dragon'
Make of them what you will, they may be significant or not. You'll just have to wait and see :P