TimeShifter: It was, indeed, a typo. Thank you, and it has been fixed. I also noticed another typo. I meant Greens not Grass, mission with Hinata and Chouji. Daikichi can't mold chakra. As Naruto and other ninja-based anime/manga have shown, all living things (flaura and fauna) create chakra to some extent. He'll explain further, and on Saiga's 'condition' too. Basuto is not a husband... As his siblings, his eyes are dulled ashen. I just wanted to explain that before skipping a few questions... Star is Gayt's partner. Further than that, she'll be explained later. I'm glad for the questions, though. They remind me where I'm not transparent enough or when things went off perfectly.

samueltm2: It's true that I could potentially update whenever I want, but I have my bachelor's degree to earn and a full-time job. Hopefully my readers can understand that this is a distant fifth or sixth on my priority list. Hehehe...


Chapter 8:
The Mind's Eye

Hinata blinked as she watched the scene play out before her. She was lying on her chest, and she was pinned by Rikka who had her arm twisted back. The short spar had been pitiful, but she stood no chance without access to her chakra. However, she wasn't surprised by any of what transpired with her. No, she was surprised at what she was allowed to see going on around Naruto.

Rikka brought her mouth to her captive's ear. "You see…" She cooed. "…his life is so miserable in Konoha." She looked up for a second as if thinking. Her eyes glazed slightly as she received some information, and she clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Oh, how romantic. Too bad, though. He turned her down."

"Wh-What are you doing to him?!" Hinata tried her best to struggle, but she couldn't loosen her arm from her captor's grip. She recognized the people surrounding Naruto. They were from Greens. The woman standing beside him was the princess they rescued. "She even, she even…"

Rikka smirked and continued her thoughts. "…proposed to him." She laughed at the baleful glare she received. "Oh, don't give me that look. Your surface thoughts are as plain as day." She released the captive arm and sat on her thighs instead. It would still be clumsily difficult to get up.

Hinata really didn't feel like struggling as she returned her gaze to watch her crush. With his fist raised and flailing at just the right intervals, it looked like he was, once again, fighting the mental barrage. "You don't know anything about him. He's strong, and he'll do anything for his friends…for Konoha."

Rikka scoffed. "Oh, I have no doubt of that. He's as dense as they come, and trying to break him's a bear." She sighed and wondered how her family was doing. Her thoughts wandered to her mother. "If an alliance that Naruto helped forge was actually accepted by the village, is it possible more people accept him than he realizes?"

"You're wrong!" She blinked as she looked at the suddenly boisterous Hinata. "He's not dense or stupid or…" She sighed as she realized she couldn't actually avoid the truth. After all, he hadn't noticed her hints after all those years, and it seemed her 'secret crush' wasn't so much a secret to anybody but him. "Maybe he is, but he's kind, and he's sweet, and he's the most honest, hard-working person I know! He already knows there are a lot of people elsewhere who accept him!"

Rikka sighed. "Delusional, why are they always so delusional?" She rolled her eyes and leaned back against her hands. "Even if he realizes it, this is probably the first time he's been confronted by it. I could show him Snow or Waves or any number of places passing through his thoughts now."

Hinata lost a little light from her eyes. "You're wrong; you know." She found her strength and determination as she watched him. "Naruto-kun is strong. He has people who believe in him, who would fight and die for him. We are his nakama, and we won't let you hurt him!"

Rikka was only slightly surprised by the shy girl's outburst. She could see the care and affection she held close to her heart for the brash blond. She had a feeling, however, it might be easier to break the shy Hyuuga out of her shell than to make said blond betray Konoha.


"I'm going to become Hokage! Then they'll recognize me for who I am!" Naruto was adamant in his claim. He knew he was fully capable of fulfilling his dream. He even had Kakashi on his side, encouraging him. He wasn't about to let some snot-nosed brat tell him otherwise.

Rikka didn't transmit her sigh. They tried the torture and torment. They tried a form of shock therapy of introducing the drastic differences between Konoha and elsewhere. "They'll never let you be Hokage."

Naruto crossed his arms defiantly as he looked down his nose at her. "They can fight it all they want; I'll overcome anything to be Hokage!" He rubbed his nose confidently. "Neji couldn't beat me with his fate. Do you think I'll let some old geezers keep me from where I belong?"

"What about all the others?" Rikka tapped her foot somewhat impatiently when he gave her a confused look. She swept her arm to indicate the phantoms of Greens. "All these people! Don't their opinions matter?"

He chuckled, kicked the ground, and put his hands behind his head. "Of course they do! A good Hokage makes lots of friends and allies." He was quite proud of how many people he knew and had formed fast friendships with.

She narrowed her eyes as she contemplated. He really was rather difficult. "Why bother with Konoha? If you accept okaa-sama's offer, you'll be surrounded by lots of people who recognize you." She frowned slightly when she heard his answer in stereo, his mind nearly yelling it slightly different.

His face fell, and his expression was a sad smile. "The people of Konoha know more about me than most of those people you showed me. When I become Hokage, people will see the real me. They'll be in awe of the real me. I'm sure it was my own conceit I'd have left long ago, but I understand how they feel. You know?"

She looked at him carefully. "No…" He chuckled, confusing her further. "He is baffling. His mind is a rather easy target, but his will is strong." She quickly glanced over to Hinata. "Besides that, she's drawing strength and encouragement from just watching him. Did we miscalculate? Okaa-sama, hurry back with otou-san to help me!"


Kiba, Akamaru, and Lee charged Masato knowing too much light meant another powerful attack. His lips curved into a pompous smirk as they closed in. "Too slow!" He swept his arms outward, and the light seemed to shape into needles as it exploded outwards. However, the charging youths were widely missed.

Surprised gasps erupted from the brush as the Bushin simply dissipated. Lee was the first to stumble out of the bushes. His wide eyes watched Masato. He chuckled and responded. Of course, his lips still weren't moving. His words simply popped into their heads. "Ah, you're surprised. You're diversion, while masterfully planned, was not enough to trick me."

"Then let's level the playing field!" Kiba announced as he leapt out of the bushes. Akamaru leapt from his hiding spot growling and still maintaining his lookalike form. As they were running, they twisted their bodies to prepare for the next attack. "Gatsuuga!" The corkscrew attack trained on its target as it hurtled through the air.

Masato smirked as he activated the time-space attack to alternate the pressure around him. He blinked when he heard another attack called from behind him in the same boisterous voice. "Dynamic Marking!" Akamaru, the giant, white dog, jumped overhead and sprayed urine directly overhead. The alternating pressure ensured he was evenly coated in the acidic liquid.

The Gatsuuga impacted a moment later, but the attackers were merely thrown back. The Kiba in the pair that showered Masato sniggered at his twitching eyebrow and ready-to-explode vein. "Hey, look't that. It worked. Juujin Bushin!" The Akamaru who sprayed their victim once more took on his master's form. They both wore wide grins as they watched their opponent look between their Tsuchi Bushin and them.

Masato closed his eyes as the yellow substance showered on him. It reeked of ammonia, and he was none too fond of the trick. "Why you underhanded Konoha shinobi…!" In a true act of restraint, he kept his thoughts to himself. "I heard their plan, so why's it so different? They were going to hide in the bushes with the normal Bushin distracting me. When that didn't work, they switched to a head on attack for distraction followed by the green one."

He slowly eyed each 'person' in front of him. They each, all five, had individual thoughts. There was a single Lee, and he seemed as incapable of performing ninjutsu as ever. Nothing about him changed. The problem was the presence of two Kiba and two Akamaru minds. He scanned their surface thoughts as best as he could. "These ants! How are they doing this?"

He blinked when he noticed movement out of his peripheral vision. He eyed Kiba as he ran through hand signs to Akamaru and Lee. He turned his head to face each in turn. They replied with their own hand signs. "That's interesting. Even if they're using hand signs, they still have to think about what they're saying." He paused and chuckled. "Oh, that's it. I hear them now. Clever ants."

Kiba noticed their adversary smirk as if he realized something. He was already running through the hand seals necessary for his next tactic, and his substantial Tsuchi Bushin were preparing another Gatsuuga as they twisted their bodies. "We've taken care of whatever genjutsu you were using to make us miss your defenses. Gotta hand it to Kurenai-sensei to keep us prepared for anything."


"Okay, it's time for that lecture I promised you." Kurenai rolled her eyes when she heard Kiba groan. Hinata and Shino, at least, she could rely on not to grouse when it was time to learn useful things besides the more 'exciting' taijutsu and ninjutsu. "Don't give me that, Kiba."

He grumbled but sat down anyway. Akamaru, the small pup, curled up on his lap. Hinata neatly sat by him, but Shino preferred to lean against the tree behind them. With a nod to acknowledge their attention, Kurenai began her lesson. "In the world of shinobi, there is far more than taijutsu and ninjutsu. That's just the flashy stuff everybody sees on the battlefield."

Kiba scoffed. "Yeah, it's what being a ninja's all about! That 'flashy stuff' wins wars and completes missions." He confidently smiled and scratched Akamaru behind his ear when the small, white pup yipped his agreement. He grew concerned as he watched his sensei's expression.

Kurenai smiled wickedly. "You're partly right, but no ninja worth his or her salt has ever survived on flash alone. Even Konoha no Kiiroi Senkou, our very own Fourth, knew that the art of the shinobi was the art of deception. Therefore, a shinobi should know genjutsu, or at least how to disrupt it."

Again, Kiba scoffed. "Yeah right, like any genjutsu can get past us. We got Hinata's eyes, Shino's kikaichu, and my nose and ears. What can possibly stop us?" Akamaru whined, wondering if his master should be so confident. He was starting to wonder, himself.

Kurenai waited to see if Hinata or Shino would comment. While Shino remained difficult to read, Hinata was uncomfortable. Obviously, the young kunoichi understood the dangers of underestimating a good genjutsu or its masters. "You think too highly of yourself, and that's your downfall. Tell me, how can you escape a genjutsu if caught in one?"

Kiba grinned widely and confidently. "That's easy! Any first year academy student knows that! You either mold your chakra or inflict pain to disrupt the hold." Akamaru growled and yipped to remind his master of something they saw on a mission. "Oh yeah, that doesn't explain how you were able to cut that one guy you captured in your genjutsu…"

While he was thinking, Hinata chimed in. "U-Uh Kiba-kun, ge-genjutsu is about m-more than simple tricks. Y-You can a-attack any of the se-senses, or e-even the m-mind. Some are v-very hard t-t-to disrupt." She closed her eyes, hoping he wouldn't be mad about being talked back to.

He didn't notice as he looked up to the sky and slammed one fist into an open palm. He tightened his face as he noticed her flinch. "Note to self, you gotta be careful around Hinata." His grin widened as he reassured her. "You're right! I totally forgot! Thanks Hinata!"

Kurenai shook her head when she saw her blush at the compliment before continuing her lecture. "That's right. A simple genjutsu targets one of the five senses. The easiest and most common target the visual, aural, or olfactory centers. Less commonly, a more skilled genjutsu master can target taste or sensation. The most difficult and least commonly used genjutsu target a user's nervous system and mind."

Kiba scratched his chin. He never thought it was so complicated. He knew few shinobi claimed to be genjutsu specialists, and fewer could claim to be masters of Kurenai's caliber. "Man, they didn't tell us any of that in the academy. We were just taught how to disrupt the flow of chakra to avoid having to hurt ourselves. Nee-chan never really went over that stuff with me, either."

Kurenai was about to speak up when she was interrupted by Hinata. She was surprised, so she decided to listen until the end without interjecting. "Th-That's because most n-new genin won't n-n-need to worry about anything too b-bad until m-much later. Be-Besides, it's v-very h-hard for even m-most chunin to b-break mental ge-genjutsu."

Satisfied the pause was long enough, Kurenai stepped in to finish. "Among jutsu a shinobi can learn, genjutsu is the least flashy and most deceptive. You've also got to catch your opponent off guard, so it becomes the most difficult to use. Some of our basic jutsu, such as Kawarimi, use an element of genjutsu."

She took a breath as she thought for a moment. "It's not all about how powerful you are. In our line of work, it's sometimes more about the mission and how well it was completed. An enemy with a clever genjutsu is just as dangerous as an enemy with an overwhelming ninjutsu." She looked up when she noticed slight movement. "You have a question, Shino?"

He tilted his head slightly as he set his eyes on Kurenai. He thought for a moment before answering. "It's nothing important, Kurenai-sense. I was just wondering if this lecture might include ways to deal with such genjutsu."

She nodded. She always liked how straight to the point Aburame were. "I wanted to introduce the types a bit more, but I think I might have an interesting idea. I'll explain the ways to combat a genjutsu, and then I'll quiz you on what types match up to which defense methods." She had to admit; it was fun watching the faces of her students fall.

"As your academy teachers taught you, you can disrupt the flow of chakra in your body or cause yourself pain. There are other methods which cause less harm to your fighting capabilities. You can overpower the genjutsu user's chakra. It doesn't work so well if your opponent has more chakra than you."

"You can also find and concentrate on an abnormality. These are usually hard to spot, but it really helps conserve chakra and stamina. You can cause your opponent enough damage. Of course, it might be difficult under the circumstances. Finally, you can do something which takes years of practice to truly master. You can 'layer' your thoughts, so you have multiple trains of thought."


Masato clapped his hands, confusing Kiba, Akamaru, and Lee. "I've really got to hand it to you. I didn't think you ants could figure out something so interesting." However, he had noticed Lee wasn't very good at it. He also didn't understand Akamaru's thoughts, so it seemed rather pointless for the canine to be multitasking his thoughts. It just meant he had to be more careful.

The Tsuchi Bushin rushed their target when the light in the area intensified again. Unlike the past two times, the light continued to grow brighter to blinding. "Gatsuuga!" The Tsuchi Bushin Kiba called out, and he and the Tsuchi Bushin Akamaru charged in a swirling vortex of fangs and claws. They impacted the seemingly solid mass of pressure. It was strong enough to disrupt their forms, but they served their purpose.

With the distraction, the real Kiba and Akamaru finished their powerful technique. "Inuzuka Ryuu Chinjuu Konbi Henge: Soutou Rou!" Masato watched as a huge, snarling, and dual-headed wolf emerged where the Inuzuka and his dog once stood. It violently growled before taking a swipe at him.

His eyes widened as he activated his defense. He was half-expecting the giant beast's sensitive eyes to be blinded by the intense light. As the giant paw impacted his defense and sent him flying, he remembered the shower of urine he received earlier in the fight. "Of course, the mutt 'marked his territory'!" He kept changing pressure to correct his trajectory and land safely.

He landed just in time to feel a fist impact his jaw and send him flying upward. His face clenched as he realized he had just been punched for the first time in over a decade. He then heard a terrifying phrase that sent shivers down his spine. "Garouga!" Despite using the varying pressure, he felt a sharp pain as the super-sized Gatsuuga impacted his lower back. He was sent into an uncontrolled spin as he hurtled to the ground and landed with a sickening thud.

The dual-headed wolf landed, panting. After a moment, it separated into Kiba and Akamaru. They both reverted back to normal. While Akamaru collapsed to the ground, Kiba had one hand on his knee as he sent Lee a thumbs-up. He was glad their plan worked because he wasn't sure what he'd have to do if Lee's uppercut hadn't connected.

Masato lay face down in the dirt as he thought over what just happened. The light in the area died down some when he was sent into the uncontrollable flight, but it was spiking once again. He felt and heard his bones creak as he forced himself up. Slowly, he first came to a foot, a knee, and a hand. He smirked at the dumbfounded expressions on his opponents' faces.

When he finally, wobbly stood, the light in the area was already greater than it had been. It was almost blinding, even to him. He managed to keep his aging blue eyes on Kiba and Akamaru as he gathered light in his hands. "That was an interesting trick you pulled, but I'm willing to bet it used a whole lot of chakra. You probably used it in desperation, hoping you and your green friend could finish me off."

Kiba chuckled. "I can't fault your logic there." Inwardly, he kicked himself. He didn't think the old man would be able to get up after such a barrage. He worked out a far more extensive plan than he usually did, and it still wasn't enough. He knew he was almost out of chakra, but Akamaru was even more drained. "I shouldn't have tried the Tsuchi Bushin when my elemental training isn't complete…"

He reached into his tool pouch and rolled a soldier pill between his thumb and forefinger. He carefully watched their opponent, but knew he had to get his stamina and chakra back. He rolled another into his hand and pulled both out. With a quick motion, he tossed one to Akamaru and popped on in his own mouth. That out of the way, he signaled Lee.

Masato chuckled. They weren't playing that 'mind trick' they were playing before. "You need a few minutes; do you?" He watched the teenager's wide-eyed expression with a wide smirk as he forced back laughter. "That was an impressive attack. I'll have to take you our before you regroup." He didn't care if he sounded scared. "That ant… If I didn't use Mikadzuki to alter the pressure when I did, I really would have been finished."

Kiba narrowed his eyes as the elder shinobi started on a long string of hand seals. "Either this guy knows Konoha sign language or he can read minds. I can't take any chances. I'll just go back to using Kurenai-sensei's training for mind and nervous system based genjutsu. It seemed to surprise him before." He signed Lee and took note of Masato's disgruntled look. "Bingo!"

Masato finished his string of hand seals and targeted Kiba and Akamaru. "Now die. Ninpo: Hikari Renda!" The light in the area actually appeared to solidify around the chakra gathered in his hands as he thrust them forward. The area dimmed as if it were the twilight hours, but two globs of light headed each towards Kiba and Akamaru.

Masato noticed and turned to Lee just in time to hear his thought. His eyes widened in surprise as he noticed two things. One, there were large indentations in the ground centered around…weights. Two, the green one wasn't there! "Impossible! Who would teach such a foolish technique to someone so young?" He didn't have time to ponder his own question as he felt something impact and deflect his powerful technique.

In a flash of realization, he altered the pressure around himself just in time. He felt a fist barely graze his shoulder, but the force was enough to send him spinning and nearly dislocate it. He grasped the shoulder as he watched the owner of the fist, Lee, stare at him for only a moment and disappear in a burst of pure speed.

Lee ran at full speed. He knew he could penetrate the defense of altering pressure. He surmised it was something of gravity control, and there was a time delay in using it. It was also random, explaining why it could deflect a solid object even while a liquid completely soaked him. Also, the elder shinobi was no where near as fast as Neji, his rival.

He cocked a fist as he threw a kick. The pressure activated, but he threw and uppercut before he could be blown away. The fist veered wide, and he landed several feet back. As he came to a temporary stop, he checked his progress. Masato was still grasping his shoulder, obviously in pain. Along with the nearly dislocated shoulder, he also sported a large bruise and shallow gash along his cheek.

Lee contemplated his progress as he ran circles around his opponent. It would be difficult to perform ninjutsu with an arm in such shape, but kekkei genkai rarely relied on much more than thought. The cheek injury only served as a distraction. He needed to do more damage. He rushed in again with a low leg sweep. When pressure deflected that, he turned the change in momentum into another attack.

Masato was in trouble, and he knew it. Under normal circumstances, speed and strength were of no asset to him. He was able to deflect one attack only for another to come. He watched as the green one turned a failed sweep into a full body flip and twist. His opponent actually used the reversed momentum to lower his upper body to the ground and twist his legs in the air. He recognized it as an advanced taijutsu technique, specifically of the goken family.

He skidded back several feet. Along with nursing an injured arm, his cheek was cut and lip split. He smelled and tasted blood, and he was sure his face was a mess. He spun as he felt a presence behind him, but he was far to low on chakra to defend as a giant, white dog clamped his maw over his good shoulder. He gritted his teeth to attempt to bear the pain.

"Ha, hold 'im right there Akamaru!" The dog familiar growled his compliance. Kiba wore a wide smirk as he twisted his body. He called out his technique as he leapt at their opponent. "Tsuuga!" He was proud of his partner for holding the elder shinobi down as he was. He increased the speed of his spin and used the scent of Akamaru's urine to lead him to his target.

He impacted squarely in Masato's chest, and he heard his canine companion jump back at the last second to avoid being caught up. Hearing bones snapping, he relented on his assault and pulled back. As he landed, he watched the old man's head fall back as he collapsed to his knees. "Don't go underestimating your opponents!"

Masato fell face first into the dirt. Seeing the task complete, Lee returned to normal. His skin no longer held the unnatural near purple color as his legs gave out. He was panting on all fours to collect himself. The battle was hard fought, and he was sure it was a victory. He wore a big grin as he recollected Kiba's plan. They had to go all out, but they managed to surprise Masato and catch him off guard by using anti-genjutsu techniques.

Kiba and Akamaru barely had any chakra left, and they maintained themselves thanks to soldier pills alone. They wobbled slightly before sitting down like their comrade. Also like him, they were smiling in their own ways, nearly laughing. "I guess we showed him! It was a lot of hard work, but it showed our years of training have paid off!"

Lee nodded. "I cannot agree more. You put on a most youthful performance. I could feel your flames of youth, and we defeated a most unyouthful foe. Though we should respect our elders, let us not follow in his example of underestimating our adversaries and treat them with respect as we go all out. I must say, Kiba, your display of Doton was an inspiration."

"Yeah…" Kiba scratched the back of his head, and Akamaru slightly shook uncomfortably. Though they managed to get along with him as one of their peers, they never got used to his Gai-like speeches. "It's not my specialty, but Tsuchi Bushin are real easy to use." He hated to admit it was pretty much all he could do after a week of training from Kakashi and years from Kurenai.

"Tsk…" Their eyes widened in surprise, and they whipped their heads around so fast they thought their necks would snap. Masato barely managed to push himself into a seated position after clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "To think such ants could do this much to me…"

He gasped in pain. His injured shoulder was definitely dislocated. He had bruised, cracked, and broken ribs and a punctured lung. His jaw was definitely broken. The combination of attacks from the taijutsu expert and the Inuzuka and his dog had broken his body. "I'm in no shape to fight on, but I'll certainly take you with me." He smirked, knowing they couldn't escape.

Kiba, Akamaru, and Lee could only watch as Masato gathered his chakra into his center. The light in the area dimmed further than before, becoming too dark for any of them to see anything. They did hear the mad laughter from the dying elder shinobi. "You will know pain, ants. Ninpo: Gisei no Fuki Hikari!"

With his final breath, Masato generated a massive explosion of chakra and light. He mixed in his own mental powers as a member of the Kagennotsuki clan. Unbeknownst to his targets, they were awash with the deadly chakra poisoning afflicting all of his clan. As they slipped into unconsciousness barely surviving the fatal attack, they were unaware of what condition they were really in.


Shino was obviously panting as he watched more Kazangan Bushin took shape. His shoulders rose and fell, but he shifted his gaze to their opponent. He was laughing at the scene, too caught up in thoughts of his own victory. Considering the circumstances, he might have had the right to. Odds were stacked in his favor, but he miscalculated a factor.

The clever bug user tapped his foot near Ino. Imperceptibly, she nodded before leaping to her feat. Her hands at the ready, she called out her attack. "Ninpo: Shintenshin no Jutsu!" Basuto went stiff as she slumped. Shino barely had enough time to catch her, and he laid her down gently.

As he stood, he watched their opponent for any signs of movement. He also watched the Kazangan Bushin for any proof that their master had changed. He raised a brow when he saw the almost eerie expression as his ashen red eyes fell on Ino's still figure. Shino did not have a good feeling. His suspicions were nearly confirmed when he had to spin kick a bandit away.

Basuto laughed as he shook his head. "Oh, I almost didn't see that coming! I may not be spry compared to you youths, but I've had plenty of experience in the ninja world." He didn't want to admit how much experience, but he was proud to be the eldest of Yumiko's living children. "You're quite skilled to come up with a plan like that on the fly."

Shino kicked a bandit in the gut to send him back into another before throwing a kunai with explosive note attached. It exploded sending molten rock spraying against the wall and, fortunately, away from Ino and himself. He eyed the Kazaton user carefully. "Thank you; however, you seem to still hold the advantage." He didn't like the situation. He was forced to hold out by himself until Ino could recover.

Basuto watched from the sidelines as he thought. "The Aburame is clever, and the Yamanaka was a good enough actor to deceive me. She's out for a few minutes at least. I should wear out the boy and his bugs, so she won't even be a challenge." He was only really concerned with the kikaichu, so he kept them away with heat held close to himself.

Shino evaluated the situation as he fought. The bandits weren't a big deal. Though Kazangan Bushin created by the Kazaton user, they maintained their skills from before being melted. He was mainly tired from how many he's had to fight. "This situation is quite dire. I'm alone, and my kikaichu are afraid. It'll take a while longer for the most heat resistant ones to be of any use." It was unfortunate, but he was alone for the moment.

He ducked under a poor hook only to barely catch a knee thrust. As he pushed off, he flipped back to avoid an overextended kick. As he landed, he caught a jab and twisted the body in midair. He took advantage of the off center opponent and tossed a shuriken through his body.

From the chest cavity of the skewered bandit came an explosion of shuriken and kunai. Basuto was impressed. Shino pulled off an impressive trap. The ninja death tools were attached to wire and held the punctured bandit in place as more bandits were skewered only to have an explosion of ninja death tools burst through their chest cavities.

Soon, the room was a web of bandit bodies and wire leaving barely enough room for the combatants to stand, or lay in Ino's case, where they were before the elaborate trap. Basuto applauded. "That was most impressive, but it served no purpose." His expression turned to one of confusion as he noticed just how separate from the blond mind expert the dark-haired bug user was.

Shino raised a brow again as he listened to and watched the Kazaton user. He noticed, just barely, movement from his partner when he flipped back to avoid an attack. The time elapsed was too short, so he figured something else was going on. Still, he set up the trap just in case. Besides, it bought time for his kikaichu just in case. "Nothing in the shinobi world is done without purpose."

Basuto barely had time to contemplate the words as he caught movement out of his peripheral vision. "Ninpo: Shintenshin no Jutsu!" His eyes went wide as his body tensed. Ino, on her knees, slumped once more.

Basuto suddenly jumped and pumped his fist in the air. "Yes! Shintenshin is a success!" As she landed, she grabbed her side in pain and nearly screamed. "This guy is old! That little jump sent pain jarring through his body." She was still rubbing her side when a cough caught her attention.

Shino cleared his throat, and it had the desired effect. With the mind expert looking at him, he asked the question that was on his mind. "You risked our lives by not following my plan. It was a potentially costly gamble." He did not enjoy being second guessed let alone outright ignored. He wanted her to capture their opponent on the second try.

"Oh, lighten up. It worked, right?" She didn't miss the skeptical look. He was difficult to read, but she had some practice in that department. "I'm in control of him now only because I noticed something earlier. He was genuinely surprised by our ingenuity, but he managed to move just enough to evade me if I tried it right then. I couldn't have…" Basuto's eyes widened as his head lurched forward.

Shino was concerned as he watched flames cover Basuto's hands and feet. It made his old body look demonic as he screamed in pain before crossing his hands and muttering something. Shino looked to Ino as she coughed and shook her head with a moan. She screamed before grasping her hands together and rubbing them furiously like she was trying to put out a fire.

He creased his brow as he returned his attention to their opponent. He knew the Yamanaka mind techniques couldn't utilize the victim's ninjutsu, taijutsu, or genjutsu, but there should have been no way to attack his own body and throw her our. However, the evidence suggested otherwise. The 'pain transfer' caused her to feel like her own body had burned.

Basuto's extremities were burning as he turned his attention fully to Ino. "You…!" He was fuming, and the flames overtook his body. He looked terrifying as he was engulfed in flames, and his remaining bandits caught on fire and melted. The room was quickly becoming a furnace. "Little girls should stay out of places they don't belong."

Shino brow further furrowed as he watched the Kazaton user stalk forward. As he came in contact with a wire, it glowed orange with heat before falling to either side to allow him to pass. He was on a beeline towards a terrified and helpless Ino. He held out a hand to reach for her, ready to squeeze her neck to both choke and burn her.

Shino wasn't about to let that happen to an ally and peer. He held out his arms and flicked his hands. On his command, hundreds of insects exited his body and flew out his sleeves. They wouldn't get close enough to directly draw chakra off Basuto, but they were close enough to suck chakra off the flames. They were still afraid of Kazaton, but they felt the desire to protect part of the Konoha colony.

Basuto grinned widely. "Too little too late!" He reached out and grabbed…thin air. He blinked as he grasped for her neck again. Again and again, he felt no resistance as his hand simply passed through her like she wasn't there. He looked closely. She had a shadow, and the light reflected off her like it… "No way…"

Shino kept his eyes on Basuto as he spun around once the illusion of Ino disappeared. He was obviously furious as he looked at the hunched form of the real blond. "You managed a genjutsu in that condition?" She was practically gasping for air, obviously short on chakra. "I barely even noticed until I took a close enough look to notice the lighting was wrong."

Shino addressed Ino even as his eyes were locked on Basuto. "It's good to see you can at least layer your strategies, but you're worn out. Are you okay?" She nodded, not quite able to speak. He barely saw her at the edge of his vision, but he was glad she wasn't seriously hurt. He took note of where each of his insects was. He was pleased to notice some of his heat-resistant kikaichu had surrounded their target.

Basuto looked at the insects staying just outside the range of his flaming body. They were sucking chakra from him through the heat and flames. They weren't close enough to be a threat, but they were causing him to burn through his chakra just a notch above controlled. Slowly, he kneeled down and scooped his hand into the ground. "Kazaton: Kazaken."

Shino watched as Basuto tightly gripped something under the earth just before it became molten. As he retracted his hand, a long sword made of molten rock was extracted. Curious, he raised a brow. He could feel the sense of dread running through his colony, and he allowed the most fearful to return before they retreated.

Basuto smirked as he stalked towards them. "I wouldn't let this touch you." He swung the blade and sliced through the wire as easily as a hot knife would through butter. "It might sting a little." He swung again, and more wires fell to the wayside. "Forget sting; it might kill you."

Shino didn't doubt it. He knew he couldn't combat a weapon like the Kazaken. It was made of molten earth, and Kazaton ensured it remained in that state. He knew he could only combat it with an equally powerful kekkei genkai of mixed elements. Then Basuto stopped in his tracks with a confused, pained expression. "Wh-What did you do to me?" His grip loosened on the sword, and it fell apart in cool pieces.

Shino almost let out a sigh of relief. Basuto's body was no longer covered in flames, and that deadly Kazaken was disrupted. Shino calmly explained. "While Ino served as a distraction, I was able to move specially bred kikaichu to intercept you. They were mainly bred to help my clan deal with Katon users, but they have exceeded expectations."

Basuto looked at shaky hands and noticed all the kikaichu. They were literally feeding on his flames before they released from his body, and they allowed other insects to land on him and feed on his chakra directly. He was already feeling too tired to produce even weak, Katon only flames. He fell to his knees, tried to reach out to necks which appeared closer than they were, and passed out before achieving his goal.

Shino recalled his insects once he was certain their opponent was sufficiently drained. As they flew back into their hive his body, he carefully looked to Ino. "Can you continue?"

She smiled and reached into her tool case. It only took a second to find what she was looking for. She pulled out a soldier pill and quickly consumed it. Feeling her strength returning, she stood and nodded. "Let's go!"

Not wanting to take any chances, Shino pulled out some sealing scrolls and attached them to Basuto. With the task complete, they hurried deeper into the cave. They had no idea what to expect, and they wanted to help their friends. They also needed to assess the situation to determine the best course of action to take.


Saiga pulled his arm back and covered his finger tips in sharpened ice. Taking aim at Tenten's head, he thrust his arm forward and let the ice fly. She sidestepped and started an intricate dance. One step, full-body twist, she sent one end of the quarter staff crashing into his jaw line. Back a step; she avoided his leg sweep counter.

He was growing more and more frustrated. He rushed her again, and she twisted elegantly to bring a diagonal crushing blow on his clavicle. His vision swam as he attempted to grip the quarterstaff. She countered by twisting the other way and powerfully sweeping his legs out from under him. As he fell to his back, he wondered if a Byakugan user was simply an easier target.

Neji was satisfied watching from the sidelines. Though it seemed hopeless for his juuken or her ranged attacks, Tenten seemed more at home closing the gap with her opponent. He noted with chagrin that Saiga was actually slower and less accurate then his own movements. He was truly proud of his teammate, and he found himself enjoying the grace with which she moved.

Saiga was frustrated as he staggered to his feet. He concentrated on each spot Tenten hit and covered them in a thin sheet of ice. He needed to keep the swelling and bruising down and heal it at the same time. He held his hands to his side, and thick layers of ice formed around them to create large claws. "Hyouton: Hyoutsume."

Tenten pulled the quarterstaff back and thrust it forward. He simply backhanded it with his new Hyoutsume. She turned with the momentum to arch it over her head and bring a powerful, downward strike to his skull. He caught it with both hands, and she was temporarily stunned by the sudden loss of momentum. He smirked as he tightened his grip and shattered the quarterstaff beyond usefulness.

Neji narrowed his eyes. He needed to recover his chakra, so he didn't activate his Byakugan. However, he could tell the Hyoutsume were laced with enough chakra to withstand even a punch from Gai with a gate or two open. Though his movements were still sluggish, Neji could tell he was still more than ready to continue. However, Saiga's movements and the earlier moments of the fight where Tenten had the advantage gave him an idea.


No one of Teams Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma, or Gai participated in what would have been their second chunin exam. It took place in Kumo, and they refused to go in respect for the Hyuuga among their peers. However, they didn't have the same scruples come a year after their first chunin exam when it was held in Suna.

Neji made it all the way to the finals of the third round. He was faced against, ironically enough, his cousin Hinata. It was a respectable and hard-fought battle. It was also the first time Shugo Hakke Rokujuuyonshou was publicly unveiled, and the Hyuuga watching the match were stunned.

It was an even match. Neji couldn't get close enough to close Hinata's tenketsu because of her defense and agility. She couldn't penetrate his defense because of his speed and offense. In the year since their last chunin exam, both had grown exponentially. However, Neji held the advantage of stamina. He outlasted her, and she was soon left unable to retaliate. In his opinion, it was a proud loss.


Neji was sure he could outlast Saiga, and he was even more certain Tenten could help in that endeavor. He tested molding chakra, activating his Byakugan. He was satisfied when he felt no pain. He had recovered enough to at least closely observe the skirmish. He was not left unimpressed.

Saiga was obviously worn. His chakra activity was decreasing, but the same could be said of Tenten. She summoned another weapon, but she was mainly relying on taijutsu. Her next choice was unorthodox and didn't seem to allow the same flexibility and grace as her previous weapon. Neji knew Saiga would make that foolish assumption.

It was a flail. The ball had heavy, blunt ends jutting out and a heavy chain attached it to a metal shaft. She held the ball in one hand and tightly gripped the shaft in the other. With a slight grunt, she hefted the ball straight for him. He smirked and held a clawed hand up to intercept it.

Tenten wasn't impressed in the least. She pumped chakra into the shaft. The chain wriggled, and the ball veered off trajectory. Saiga's eyes went wide as he couldn't respond in time, and the substantial object crashed into his gut. His breath whistled out as the wind was knocked out of him, and he flew backwards into a waiting wall.

He came to his feet. His ashen green eyes were tinged red with rage. The air grew considerably colder as thick layers of ice began to cover his entire body. "Hyouton: Hyougusoku." He walked forward with much more confidence in his step, and he didn't appear as pressed to walk due to his injuries. A thick coating of armor made of ice covered his body.

Neji noticed how Saiga's chakra spiked. The technique was extremely draining, and it was almost blinding to look at. With his Byakugan active, he could see the staggering amount of chakra being poured into the armor. "What an interesting defense…I'm sure only Naruto could sustain it, though." He watched as Tenten gripped the shaft of her weapon in both hands and smirked. He'd see what the armor could take.

She heavily swung at his head. Saiga didn't even try to intercept, so she didn't alter the trajectory. It came to an immediate halt when it impacted between his head and shoulder, and her eyes went wide. He should have at least reacted with a jerk, but he looked completely unfazed. She tried to recall the ball, but he sent his Hyoutsume through the nearest chains, shattering them. She almost fell back at the sudden loss of resistance.

Neji saw a whole different story. Saiga didn't ignore the attack. He sent much of the Hyougusoku chakra into the impact zone. It made the area temporarily blinding to watch, but it absorbed the all momentum and stopped any chance of injury. He smirked realizing an interesting weakness in the inventive absolute defense. He wasn't quite ready to join in the fray, but Tenten wasn't finished yet.

She summoned a far more agile weapon. It was a spear with a unique design. It could be split into three with a short length of chain connecting the pieces. He knew the weapon well, and she was as skilled with it as any other of her weapons. Like the flail, she could also pump chakra through the agile spear. She charged forward with the spear in its original state.

Saiga grinned wildly as he swung his Hyoutsume to intercept. She swept the spearhead under his attack and countered by sweeping his knees. She knew the weak point of any armor was the joints. She was satisfied when his knee buckled, and she was able to step back to avoid his counter.

She masterfully disconnected the joints of her spear before her next attack. He was taken aback when a sharp edge was on course for his chest while a blunt end arched up and under his shoulder. He swiped the blade away as he tried to concentrate on the weak joint. Without enough armor there, he felt the harsh impact.

He tried to step back, but she didn't let him escape. He was soon bombarded by consecutive attacks. When he dodged one to the right, another immediately followed on the left. His eyes went wide when he felt a presence behind him, and two attacks were suddenly in concert.

Neji saw his opportunity and took it. He carefully maneuvered his way behind Saiga while making sure Tenten saw him. When she barely acknowledged him, he knew they formulated their silent plan. Being on a team for so long, they were used to each other and their signals. In position behind their opponent, he extended his vision for his most powerful attack. "Hakke Hyakunijuuhachishou!"

Caught in the middle of a pincer attack, he lost any ability to dodge or block. His body was jarred back and forth between Neji's powerful juuken technique and Tenten's weapon assault. He didn't even have time to transfer chakra to the right area to defend it best. He heard his Hyougusoku cracking, not a good sign. Desperate and low on chakra, he gathered what he could to his center.

Neji noticed, and his eyes widened. Not knowing what to expect, he called out to Tenten. "Get back!" They jumped back at the same instant, and Saiga's Hyougusoku exploded outwards. As he fell to his knees, ice shrapnel intercepted and pierced the retreating Konoha shinobi. They, like their opponent, fell to their knees.

Neji, Tenten, and Saiga were panting, out of stamina and chakra. Saiga's vision was swimming. "How did they do that?! They shouldn't have been able to penetrate my ultimate defense! They shouldn't have even driven me to it!" He looked haggard as ice flaked from him and water dripped.


... Wow, Kakashi, just...wow! The Raikage Bushin was awesome, and he really showed his strategic mind off. Let's just hope he doesn't die.

I hope the fight scenes were a better read this time around.

As always, reviews are appreciated, and flames outright ignored.

Story Word Count: 8,030
Story Page Count: 16

Terms and Jutsu:

Juujin Bushin - Beast-Man Clone: An Inuzuka clan technique, Kiba and Akamaru take on more beastly and human apperances, respectively.

Gatsuuga - Dual Piercing Fang: An Inuzuka clan technique, Kiba and Akamaru attack in a swiftly moving vortex of claws and fangs.

Konoha no Kiiroi Senkou - Yellow Flash of Konoha: Namikaze Minato was known also known as Konoha no Kiiroi Senkou and the Fourth Hokage.

Inuzuka Ryuu Chinjuu Konbi Henge: Soutou Rou - Inuzuka Style Rare Beast Transformation: Double-Headed Wolf: An Inuzuka clan technique, Kiba and Akamaru 'merge' into a single, giant beast wolf with two heads.

Garouga - Double Wolf Fang: An Inuzuka clan technique, Kiba and Akamaru attack in a deadly vortex of claws and fangs after performing Soutou Rou.

Ninpo: Hikari Renda - Ninja Art: Light Barrage: A technique exclusive to the Kagennotsuki clan, the user gathers all the light in the area into a solid attack capable of crumbling rock and breaking bones.

Tsuuga - Piercing Fang: An Inuzuka clan technique, Kiba or Akamaru attack in a swift vortex of claws and fangs.

Ninpo: Gisei no Fuki Hikari - Ninja Art: Sacrifice of Light to Rise no More: A technique exclusive to the Kagennotsuki clan, the user gathers all light in the area and his/her mental energy for a final attack. It creates an explosion of chakra, and deadly chakra poisoning is passed to the victims if they survive.

Kazaton: Kazaken - Lava Release: Lava Sword: A Yamamichi clan technique, the user merges earth and fire to create a molten sword.

Hyouton: Hyoutsume - Ice Release: Ice Claws: Unable to form more advanced techniques like Makyou Hyoushou, Saiga instead concentrated on creating weapons. Hyoutsume are his most powerful.

Hyouton: Makyou Hyoushou - Ice Release: Demon Ice Mirrors: Haku used this technique in waves against Naruto and Sasuke.

Shugo Hakke Rokujuuyonshou - Guardian Eight Divination Signs, Sixty-Four Palms of the Hand: A technique invented by Hyuuga Hinata, Shugo Hakke Rokujuuyounshou is a powerful defense utilizing fine agility and even finer chakra control.

Hyouton: Hyougusoku - Ice Release: Ice Armor: Used in desperation, Saiga covers himself in hightly resiliant armor which eats through chakra.