Welcome back! Someone finally brought up something I was afraid of when I created my OC, so here is the long and short of it: When I was brainstorming on the look of Zaiaku (Rouga Senmetsu) I had his clothing down in a heartbeat, however, I am absolutely atrocious at describing faces or even picturing them. I thought about it for a while, then I was watching an episode of bleach and a blinding light parted the heavens. There on my computer screen was Ukitake Juushirou, SO! To dispell any more doubts, NO, Zaiaku (Rouga Senmetsu) is not a sephiroth clone, he has a small base in bleach. I guess if you wanted to know what he looked like facially 13th squad captain Ukitake would be your reference point. Also to my Etched in Stone readers, I'm sorry for the delay in chapters but after that last drabble of dog crap I posted I am really working hard on the next one, dont lose hope! All that cleared up, Onward!

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-Chapter 9: Unmasked-

Rouga Senmetsu vs. Hasuka Jouichi

Zaiaku looked at the screen from the floor again in utter disgust. "I hate that name," he grunted. Reaching behind his neck he released the snaps that held his mask on, "Won't need this anymore."

As his mask was removed the white haired teens aristocratic features were revealed, "Ooooh great," huffed Kiba from the balcony, "another pretty boy."

Gaara snorted, while Naruto and Zabuza broke out into hysterics. "Oi!" yelled Zaiaku, "What's funny?" His three companions lazily waved off his question. Looking back down he eyed his opponent, 'medium height, no weapons pouch, single leg holster, and he doesn't look to be very fast.' Then he noticed Jouichi's bandaged leg, "Can you fight with that leg?"

"You should be more worried about yourself," replied the brunette as he flexed his fingers and crouched.

"Rouga Senmetsu vs. Hasuka Jouichi, Hajime!"

Jouichi moved his left hand slightly and a gust of wind grazed Zaiaku's cheek, immediately a small amount of blood ran from an almost invisible cut, reaching up he swiped the blood away, 'what was that?' Jouichi mimiced his previous movements again, this time Zaiaku dodge to his left and recieved a cut to his hand. The leaf gennin narrowed his eyes, 'I know he's attacking, but I can't see it.'

"Zaiaku is in a bad position," stated Gaara

Shikamaru cocked an eyebrow, "I thought his name was Senmetsu?"

Naruto let out a small laugh, "Call him Zaiaku if you like living."

'He's from wind country little one,' added Shiva. 'He fights with the wind."

'I know that...wait, maybe,' concentrating his vision he waited for Jouchi's next attack. Like clockwork the brunette flicked his wrist and another gust of wind came. "There!" cried Zaiaku as he saw a gleam of thin metal in the small wind storm, dodging to the left he fully avoided the attack. Jouichi wasn't detered and spun his body and brought his right hand straight up, again Zaiaku dodged it, letting the wire dig into the ground and wall. Landing on the railing in front of Naruto and Gaara he huffed, "How irritating."

"Stop messing around," scolded Zabuza.

Turning his head he glared at his sensei, "I wasn't messing around, I was analyzing," he grumbled. Leaping back to the floor he eyed Jouichi, "You seem to have problems defending against multiple targets," jumping into the air he began sealing, "Hyouton: Shigure no Jutsu!" (Ice Style: Winter Shower Technique) Raising his arms out to his side he began condensing the moisture in the air into senbon, after a moment he launched them at Jouichi.

On the balcony Kakashi looked on in slight awe, "It seems that Iruka-sensei was correct."

Sarutobi nodded, "To make ice out of the miniscule amount of water in the air, truely an amazing feat."

Meanwhile on the floor the sand gennin was doing his best to stop the falling needles and failing miserably. He finally faultered as two embedded into his left arm and one into his left hand. "Damnit," he grunted and fell to one knee.

Zaiaku landed and narrowed his eyes, "You're done, give up."

Jouichi glared, "Why don't you stop trying to be so damn cool and draw your sword?"

"Because I don't need to," replied the white haired teen.

"W-what?" stammered Sakura from above, "Why won't he use his sword?"

Naruto shrugged, "It's his odd little quirk, he won't pull that sword unless it's a mortal conflict."

"Quirk or not," added Gaara, "to this day it's held true, if Zaiaku draws his sword on you, be prepared to fight for your life."

"You're underestimating me!" cried Jouichi as he lashed out with his good hand, causing a small wind storm. "If you don't fight to kill me then I'LL kill YOU!"

Zaiaku dodged the enraged attacks with ease, and landed a good distance away, "Gomen," he replied. "From here on I will fight you seriously," forming the ram seal his eyes began to glow, "please be prepared." As he channeled his chakra a cold wind began to sweep across the room, causing the breath of everyone present to freeze as they exhaled. Ceasing his channeling he drew Shimotsuki and pointed at the brunette, "Come."

"Gai-sensei!" cried Lee, "This cold is chilling my flames of youth!"

Kurenai was rubbing her arms, "It's nearly eighty degrees outside, but he's brought the temperature in here to thirty at the most, what the hell is he?"

Naruto went wide-eyed, "What is he doing?" he whispered to Gaara, "That's way too much for this fight."

'It seems that the human is insulted that Zaiaku didn't take him seriously,' replied Kyuubi, 'Maybe he's being gracious.'

Temari grimaced, "Jouichi's gotten his feelings hurt again."

"He's jumped in over his head though," added Kankuro. "That Zaiaku guy will kill him, if he-"

"BASTARD," cried Jouichi as he charged and launched his wires with his good hand.

Zaiaku raised his sword and cut the attacking wiring in one swing. As the sand gennin readied a kunai, he continued his blind charge. The white haired teen sheathed Shimotsuki and stepped into his iaijutsu stance, prepared to draw.

'He's really going to kill him.' thought Gaara, "This is not going to turn out well."

Shukaku sighed wistfully, 'I always liked that kid.'

Naruto winced and cast a glance to Temari and Kankuro, "You're about to be a teammate down permanently."

At the last moment Zaiaku reached down and secured the safety catch on his sword and drew, with the catch locked he brought the scabbard with the blade and crushed it into the side of Jouichi's head. The blow sent the sand gennin spinning into the wall, and also unconciousness. "I believe," he said as he slid Shimotsuki back into his sash, "that the match is over."

Hayate stepped up and raised his hand, "Winner Rouga Sen-" he was cut off by Zaiaku whispering something to him, after a moment he shook his head, "Winner, Rouga Senmetsu."

Zaiaku pouted and grumbled all the way up the stairs, "Stupid examiner."

Zabuza eyed him, "I knew that Zaiaku wasn't your name."

Sarutobi made his way to him, "I assume," he took a puff of his pipe, "That means you are the missing son of the Hyoukage, Rouga Nadare."

Zaiaku slowly nodded, "I hate that man more than I can express."

The third nodded, "He is quite...ambitious."

"He tries to make weapons out of living people," he muttered shamefully, "He...he's a goddamn monster."

Everyone within earshot was shocked, this boy was the son of a shinobi village ruler. "Well," replied Sarutobi looking deep in thought, "Unfortunately for the Hyoukage, Rouga Senmetsu was granted asylem in Konoha."

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow, "Hokage-sama?"

Sarutobi placed a hand on the shoulder of Zaiaku, "You are a shinobi of Konoha now, but please Rouga-san, no more deception."

Zaiaku bowed deeply, "A small request Hokage-sama," the third nodded for him to continue, "Zaiaku is the only name I've known."

The Sandaime smiled and nodded in agreement, "Hai, Zaiaku-san."

"Well that went better than expected," sighed the teen.

"Hokage-sama is very generous," replied Kakashi, "in truth we've been waiting on an attack from snow country since Rouga became the leader there." Then he eyed Zaiaku, "Keeping you here is more than just being nice, you have information that no one else has about Nadare."

Sakura walked up to Zaiaku and stared at the gash on his face, "What?" he questioned nervously.

Reaching down into her pouch she pulled out a small bandage, "That's pretty deep," reaching up she covered the cut with it, "There, you should put some antiseptic on it as well, to stop infection."

'Sakura-hime is as kind as ever,' cooed Shiva

"T-thanks," he stammered as his face heated up. Looking over he saw Gaara and Zabuza with a raised brow and Naruto was rolling on the ground, "I'm going to kill all three of you," he mumbled.

Collecting himself Naruto pointed to the board, "The next match is about to show." After a moment the board revealed the next fighters

Hyuuga Hinata vs. Ryo

Naruto, Zaiaku, and Gaara were floored by the next words uttered from Hyuuga Neji, "Do your best Hinata-sama."

Hinata smiled nervously, "I w-will Neji-nii-san."

Gaara and Naruto eyed each other, "Your sister?" questioned Gaara trying to prod Neji.

"No, she is the daughter of my father's brother," he replied. "She is a main house member and I am a branch house member."

'His father is alive?' Naruto took the bait, "That doesn't piss you off?"

Neji shrugged, "Sometimes it annoys me, but I know that it is my duty to protect Hinata-sama." Then he narrowed his eyes, "Why do you care so much?" Both boys only shrugged.

On the floor Ryo was doing his best Sasuke-esque glare

"Do your best Ryo-san," said Hinata as she went into her jyuuken stance.

"Hyuuga Hinata vs Ryo, Hajime!"

Ryo quickly pulled out an exploding tag and launched it at Hinata, who leaped to the side before it went off. Spinning he launched two more simultainiously. The first was too far away but the second was too close to avoid, throwing her hands up she attempted to block as the tag went off.

"Exploding tags?" questioned Gaara, "He's making up for his lack of accuracy."

Kakashi shrugged, "As you can see, it's still pretty effective."

On the floor Hinata was recovering from the explosion as Ryo launched three tagged kunai, "You lose Hinata."

As the knives neared their intended target, Hinata reactivated her bloodlimit. With the speed that comes from years of training in the Jyuuken style and the inhuman sight granted by the byakugan, she deftly grabbed each kunai from the air and redirected them back to Ryo. The boy had no time to dodge and was blasted backwards.

"Wow," muttered Naruto, "She's pretty fast."

Neji smirked, "She is not as strong in the Jyuuken style as Otousan, Hiashi-sama, or myself, but she is faster than all three of us combined."

On the floor Ryo was staggering to his feet, "I'll show her," he mumbled. Pulling out his remaining six exploding tags he secured them to a kunai. While the smoke was still blurring the sight of her Byakugan he launched the dagger.

"SIX TAGS?" cried Kiba, "Is he insane? That'll kill her."

As the kunai neared it's target Gaara was sending his sand through the cracks in the floor, then he felt an arm on his shoulder, "Wait," was all that Naruto said. Reluctantly complying he waited.

Turning her head the Hyuuga hieress spotted the kunai. Before all the dust from the previous explosion cleared another rocked the entire tower.

Gaara's eyes were flashing from green to yellow, "I'll kill him," he hissed.

As the dust finally settled it revealed Hinata standing in a small crater with the tile around her blown away, she smiled and vanished, reappearing in front of Ryo and slammed her palm into his gut. The boy doubled over and fell to the ground unconcious.

Sasuke eyed the situation, "How the hell did she stop that explosion?"

Neji was visibly swelling with pride, "Kaiten," he replied, "She'd only learned it a month ago, apparently she's already begun to master it."

"Winner, Hyuuga Hinata."

Zaiaku leaned over to Gaara, "She's a lot stronger."

The redhead only nodded, then looked to the board, "Secrets out, Aka," said Gaara pointing to the board.

Uzumaki Naruto vs. Inuzuka Kiba

Naruto looked up and grinned, "Ah well." Reaching up he unclasped his mask and let it drop to the ground, revealing his whisker-like birth marks and elongated canines. He had long since lost his baby fat leaving a lean and well defined face, framed by his shoulder length messy blonde hair, "Well, wish me luck!" he jibed and lept over the railing.

Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi were stunned, "That's Naruto?" gasped the pink haired kunoichi. Then she remembered the red masked gennin that stopped the giant snake, 'That was Naruto?' she questioned herself

Sarutobi smiled, "Good to see you've returned from your leave of absence Naruto-kun."

The blonde smiled and waved, "Thanks, Oji-san!"

Nobody noticed that Kiba was as white as a sheet, "This..." he stammered, "is not good, Akamaru." The puppy only wimpered, "Come on it's only Naruto," he tried to reassure the puppy as well as himself.

On the ground Naruto unclasped Kubikiri Houcho. Raising it high into the air over his head he then inverted it and slammed it into the ground, sending a small quake around the arena. "Oi! Kiba! Akamaru! Let's go!" he yelled.

Shakily the dog boy jumped over the railing and landed on the floor, still quite pale.

Up on the balcony everyone was still in shock, "Well," said Kakashi lazily, "He's gotten taller."

On the floor Naruto had his eyes closed, 'just one should be more than enough Kyuu.'

'You're no fun at all kit.' replied Kyuubi as he released the chakra from one of his tails.

A hard pulse of chakra came off the blonde and winded those who weren't used to such a quick release of energy. Opening his crimson eyes he smiled like a predator. Crouching low he placed one clawed hand on the ground while the other was held infront of his face, "Let's go, Kiba."

"Uzumaki Naruto vs Inuzuka Kiba, Hajime!"

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End Chapter 9

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