Chapter Thirteen

Hinata's Challenge, Part Two

Gentle Step; Twin Lion Fists!

The twin lion heads around each of Hinata's heads had disappeared. The young female's Byakugan had not retracted however, and her intentions were as clear as the sky over the entire village. Hinata was not going to give up. Kazu was incapacitated and laid in a heap on the floor, and Hinata had only two beings standing between her and advancing.

Misura was staring at her in pure shock, and after seeing what Hinata was truly capable of, had second thoughts about rushing her head on. Had Hinata shown that power earlier in the match, Misura's strategies of pure Taijutsu would have been drastically different.

"Chojuro!" Misura snapped. "Are you ready yet!?"

Chojuro looked up unsurely. "I don't think so. At least not for an attack like the last one. I overdid it a little."

Misura scoffed. "Dammit. I need you to stop resting and put more of a conscious effort into focusing some chakra. We'll need a high level attack to get rid of her."

Chojuro looked at his comrade. "Are you sure, Misura?

Misura scowled. She balled her fists up and prepared to attack. "We don't have a choice. Gather yourself!"

Chojuro was spooked. "Yes, Misura!" He said. He folded his legs and placed his hands together in a manner synonymous to praying. Chojuro began to focus and gather chakra. He wanted to close his eyes to help focus more, but he refused to miss a second of the fight.

Misura turned her attention to Hinata. "I'm going to finish you off for sure this time."

Hinata's look of determination remained. Her mouth however, had not moved.

Hinata's silence irritated Misura. "You're going to just stand there and look cool!?" Hinata's silence answered that question for her. "How dare you!"

Misura gripped a kunai and charged for her opponent and the battle resumed.

The two Kunoichi further impressed the selection committee based upon their performance. The display of Taijutsu was phenomenal. Their motions, forms and attacks were perfect. Misura made two swipes at Hinata's midsection with her Kunai. Hinata avoided each of these attacks and responded with a roundhouse kick as a counter-attack. Misura avoided the attack and fell to the ground. She made an attempt two sweep Hinata's other leg off balance, but Hinata leapt to avoid this. Hinata attacked with two quick aerial kicks to Misura's face, but each of these were blocked as Misura leapt as far away from Hinata as possible.

Misura growled. "Dammit, her eyes are too good for me to end this with just my Taijutsu."

Hinata's breathing was equally as heavy. "If this goes on any longer, I won't be able to keep using my Byakugan effectively. I have one choice now; I have to use the scroll Kakashi Sensei gave me!"

…..

The two teams received the signal to enter the stadium from Karui. To no surprise, Kiba was first out the door. "Alright you guys! Here we begin becoming Chunin! Let's go Akamaru!"

Akamaru barked and followed. While he was less excited than his owner, he still appeared to be expecting and looking forward to this latest challenge.

Shino, on the other hand, let out a hefty sigh. "His energy is impossible." Shino rose to his feet, and placed his hands in his pockets and began walking.

Hinata stood up, and before she could set off in the same direction as her other two teammates, she was stopped by Kakashi Hatake. As she turned in one direction, he held a scroll at her eye level.

"A scroll?" she asked.

Kakashi nodded. "A scroll."

It didn't look anything different from the other scrolls that normal Leaf Jonin were used to carrying. It was about the size of Hinata's hand. "Take it."

Hinata took it into her hands, albeit unsurely. She placed her thumb on a corner in attempts to unpeel it to see what it is. When she began to unroll it, Kakashi placed his hand on hers, stopping her progress.

Hinata looked at him with a look of surprise. "What is it?"

Kakashi smiled. "It's the exact same scroll I used when you and Sakura and I were on that mission just a few months ago."

Searching her mind for this memory, she then realized its purpose. Hinata's eyes widened. "It is!? But that's a-"

Kakashi held his hand up to silence her. "Use it only when you have no other options. It will only work once."

Hinata was unconvinced. "But Kakashi-Sensei! I can't-"

Kakashi cut her off. "You can't stay here. Or would you rather have your teammates leave you behind?"

Hinata turned around to see Kiba and Shino already leaving her behind. Quickly thanking Kakashi, she took off for them and their long awaited hurdle to becoming Chunin.

….

Hinata focused her eyes on Misura. The Byakugan was still effective, at the moment, it didn't seem to hurt her eyes as she used it, but she could feel it slowly eat at her chakra. Hinata didn't have any time to waste.

"Akamaru!" she summoned the ninja hound of her knocked-out comrade to her side. Akamaru rushed to her side, eager to punish the Mist ninja for harming his partner Kiba. "We will only have a small opening to knock her out, keep her busy for me. I have a plan, I swear."

Akamaru growled and barked at Misura. It appeared that the ninja hound had put all of his faith into Hinata and her plan. With Akamaru's faith in her hands, Hinata pulled two shuriken from her ninja tools bag and threw them at Misura. Misura saw through this ruse and avoided the two with ease. As she then looked up, she saw the grey spiral of the ninja hound that she saw earlier.

"Again with this!?"

Misura leapt in the air as high as she could to avoid the attack. She did so successfully, but she was met with another attack. Hinata had already beaten Misura to the air, and with an air palm, sent Misura crashing back into the ground.

Misura quickly got back to her feet. "I hate you!" she screamed.

Misura readied herself to go back into attack mode, but was then tackled to the ground by a feisty Akamaru. Akamaru was on top of Misura's body, biting her in every place his teeth could reach, and Misura was punching and kicking the white hound in every possible place she could reach.

Hinata landed to the ground, and she saw the only opportunity she had. "Now is my chance!" she proclaimed.

Taking the scroll out of her ninja tools bag, she placed it in her mouth and made the necessary hand seals. She got down to one knee and removed the scroll from her mouth and slammed it onto the ground with both hands.

"Earth Style! Fanged Pursuit Jutsu!"

The entire crowd was silenced. They saw the ground upturn, summoning seals expose themselves on the ground, and before anyone could truly comprehend what was happening, six ninja hounds raced for the downed and struggling Misura.

"NO!" Misura screamed.

With a hard kick, she removed Akamaru from her body. Propelled by fear, she made an effort to sprint away. She did not get far. Hounds from every angle of various breeds, shapes and colors bit at her limbs and completely stopped her movement. One massive one had her right leg, another was on her hip, her left leg and her left arm all had hounds on them, their teeth closed painfully on all of her limbs. The more she struggled, the more blood she lost.

Misura freed her right arm. "Get off of me!" She raised her fist to punch one of the hounds off, but Akamaru had quickly enclosed her forearm in his mouth.

With this part of the plan set, Hinata took a deep breath. Roughly with her chakra level and how much she used in the jutsu, she had less than twenty seconds to finish Misura off. Kakashi's ninja hounds had her in perfect place. Hinata was almost stunned the plan had worked so well, after all, working with Kiba and Shino, plans almost never go accordingly. She felt as if she owed Kakashi more than just the mandatory thank you.

….

Fire was visible in Guy's eyeball sockets. "Kakashi! Is this your idea of a joke!?"

Kakashi sighed. "The scroll is just a ninja tool. Nothing more, nothing less."

Guy was unsatisfied. "We aren't supposed to give our Genin those types of unfair advantages!"

"Well, you might have a point with that one." Kakashi sighed and folded his arms.

Guy was fed up that not only was Kakashi conveniently bending the rules; he was acting so smug and nonchalant about it. "Kakashi!"

Then, with a white cloud preceding his arrival, Kakashi's ever faithful ninja hound Pakkun appeared on the top of Kakashi's snowy white hair. "Hiya."

Kakashi greeted the floppy eared brown dog. "Hello, Pakkun."

"Well, Hinata is low on chakra so we'll have to make this quick. We only have about twelve more seconds." Pakkuin explained.

Kakashi nodded.

"We restrained the target, just as you asked us to, so the rest is up to her. But why did she have us go after the girl and not the boy you described?"

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. "At the moment, that girl appears to be the bigger threat. Chojuro, the blade holder, still has problems with the necessary chakra control needed to master his blade entirely."

"Kakashi!" Guy roared, clearly upset with Kakashi's ethics. "You told Pakkun you had a plan ahead of time!?"

Kakashi sighed. "I don't think I can confirm or deny the statement in question, Guy."

"Kakashi!"

….

I have to finish her off as quickly as possible! Hinata thought. So that means I have to use the Twin Lion Fists!

Hinata readied her stance in trademark Hyuga style. "Here I come!" she screamed and charged at her opponent with her Byakugan fully activated.

The crowd roared and cheered her on. Hinata raced forward with the killer instinct that she was thought to never possess, and she was prepared to take Misura completely out of the match.

Misura saw this look in her eyes, and immediately became fearful. Hinata's eyes didn't appear as they were before.

"Chojuro!" Misura cried in help.

Chojuro was already a step ahead. Chojuro moved in front of Misura and charged at Hinata. He drew his blade and tried to take Hinata out of the match. "This is as far as you go! Hiramekarei Release!"

The blade in Chojuro's hands turned into an even bigger and sharper blade. With all of his might, Chojuro swung it at Hinata with a clear intent to kill.

He missed.

Hinata leapt into the air, and onto Chojuro's shoulders. With a leap as powerful as that of a ninja toad, she leapt forward to Misura with her hands as blue as ocean water. Her chakra was so powerful it was clearly visible, and the chaka shaped into the head of lion drove fear into Misura's soul. The young Mist Kunoichi tried with all her might to free herself, but to no avail. Hinata had taken her out of the match.

"Gentle Step! TWIN LION FISTS!"

With Hinata's right hand coming in contact with Misura's neck and her left hand hitting Misura's chest, Hinata knocked the Omigaya clan member across the entirety of the arena. With a scream that could be heard for miles, Misura cried in pain as she was thrown across the arena and crashed into the opposite wall.

Misura was no more.

….

Hanabi had to pick her jaw up from the floor. "I was unaware she could to that technique two separate times in one match, father."

To tell the truth, Hiashi had not mastered that technique at her age. It took him another two years of training. Yet his daughter, the same one that he had lost interest in, and the same one he said would never become heir to the main branch of the family, had just eliminated two opponents after she was nearly knocked out of consciousness! Especially after he had no idea she could do it even at all! Neji Hyuga had to have been teaching her. There was no doubt about it in Hiashi's mind.

….

White clouds took over the center of the arena, signaling the disappearance of the ninja hounds. Falling to her knees, the young Hyuga was painfully forcing oxygen into her lugs, and while she was in quite a bit of pain, she forced herself to keep going. Her chakra level was low enough to cause major concern, and her Byakugan began to place strain on her eyes. Even if she had the opening to finish off Chojuro, how could she muster the strength to do so? She had come too far to let herself faint now.

Chojuro spoke to her. "How are you doing this!?"

Hinata turned her head to him, unable to rise to her feet. She kept gasping for air, and was unable to speak to answer his question. The white clouds had not dissipated entirely, so she was unable to truly see him. Chojuro was an elite ninja, whether he feels like it or not. So he was sure he would be the first to be attacked, however he was not. He was the last one standing.

"You should be out of chakra by now." He said. "So I'll finish you off for Misura and Kazu!"

Hinata remained silent, with the exception of her breathing.

Chojuro was losing his composure. "Say something!"

Hinata rose to her feet, although it was not without struggle and a considerable amount of effort. Hinata brushed her hair out of her face. The white clouds left behind by the ninja hounds had lessened, and created a dramatic viewing of her opponent.

"I will defeat you, and I never go back on my word. That is my also ninja way."

Chojuro focused his chakra, his blade turned into another large weapon. This time, it appeared to be more of a broadswoard as opposed to the blade and the hammer he used earlier. "Here I come!"

Hinata activated her Byakugan once more. Her hands each possessed an aura of blue chakra and she shaped it as shes done twice before. She forced everything she had into this last attack; she had to consider this her last stand.

She ran head on to meet and prevail over Chojuro's attack.

Kakashi had to remove the headband covering his Sharingan. "She's going to do it again!"

Hiashi activated his Byakugan to get a better look. "Three times in one match?"

Hanabi followed her father's lead. "There is no way she'll be able to match that blade!"

Chojuro's chakra overflowed through his legendary blade and he moved faster. "Here goes! HIRAMEKAREI RELASE!"

Hinata poured what felt like as the pure essence of her being into her hands. "TWIN LION FISTS!"

The two attacks collided and wind and sparks of electricity were sent throughout the stadium.

…

Kakashi had to close both of his eyes because the light from their contact was so blinding. "Hinata, what were you thinking?"

Hanabi was concerned for her elder sister. "Hinata!"

Hiashi was still stunned that Hinata was capable of possessing such power. "Hi.. Hinata?"

Tsunade, Ohnoki and A had not closed their eyes, nor did they flinch.

"Well, looks like the Hidden Leaf has no shortage of feisty Kunoichi, eh Princess Tsunade?"

Tsunade kept her eyes focused on the match. "Looks like it."

…

The light cleared, the silence of the arena was ever prevalent, and the two ninja were standing in the center of the arena with their backs to each other. Hinata stood facing the eastern side. In perfect stance for the Gentle Fist style, she stood there breathing heavily. There was no blue chakra around her hands, just steam arising from her palms.

Chojuro was facing the western side of the arena. He was panting heavily as well, only a mere three meters away from Hinata. As his back was to her, he was in perfect form of a swordsman, his body frozen as he was in the "follow through" stance. White steam was arising from his blade.

Karui walked slowly over to the Genin, unsure what was to happen next.

Suddenly, Hinata coughed blood and fell to the ground. Her left arm was floating between clutching her right arm and the right side of her ribcage, and she was writhing in pain. Her entire right side felt as if every cell was on fire, like every bone was broken. She felt like removing it all from the rest of her body, it was so painful to her. She screamed in agony, and it appeared that Chojuro had won.

"My arm…" Hinata mumbled, tears in her eyes. "It's broken. My ribs too…"

Karui walked over to Chojuro. "Then the winner is."

Chojuro's entire body tightened and he dropped his blade and fell to his knees. "Dammit. She got a few of my… chakra points." He coughed blood onto the ground. "Dammit…"

The crowd gasped so hard and collectively, and it felt as if all of the air was removed from the entirety of the Hidden Cloud village.

Karui had no idea what was even happening at this point. With a massive struggle, Chojuro got to his feet. "I might not have the chakra to finish her with the Hiramekarei, but I will finish her with this!" he pulled a Kunai knife from his left leg holster.

Hinata Hyuga's will was equally as strong.

"Don't stop the match." She sobbed.

With a mix of streaming tears and blood in her eyes, Hinata was slowly rising to her feet, broken right arm, broken ribs and all. "I said… I would never give up." Her Byakugan activated once more, and another trail of blood left her right eye.

Karui wasn't in a position to stop the match, because technically, Hinata could still continue.

Kakashi Hatake had other plans.

The young Hyuga stumbled backwards in trying to maintain her stability. She was caught promptly by Kakashi's left arm.

"But… sensei." Hinata stammered. Kakashi being here means she lost the match.

Kakashi smiled. "Hinata, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You fought admirably."

Karui looked to Kakashi, and Kakashi nodded. This was a nonverbal confirmation of saying "I know what I'm doing. You can stop the match."

Hinata fell into the solace of unconsciousness as she saw Karui mouth off the words "And the victors are Team Taoza of the Hidden Mist!"