Chapter 21
Kankuro could not help but sigh and annoyance as he stood with a Kunai held tightly against his neck. Not only had Tenten's entire battle style had changed when she brought out the scroll. But she had done something he had not thought possible, and beat him in an all out long range weapons battle.
Tenten had kept him dodge so much, that for the first few moments he could not even begin to try and move his puppet let alone actually use it in battle. Then when he had finally been able find an opening and escaped the hail storm of kunai and throwing stars Kankuro set about to try and turn the match back in his favor. He rapidly connected his charka strings to his puppet only to find as he pulled them to move it they were cut by Tenten's kunai. Not giving up he tried a few more time sending his strings in different directions before connecting in order to control his puppet. But like the first time they were cut before he could make any use of his puppet.
It was by the fifth try he realized what was happening when he tried a different plan. When he tried to catch her one weapons with them his charka strings to use them against her he notice the strings seemed to bounce off before dissipating. This made him realize that Tenten was lacing her weapons with a layer of her acid nature charka. He was now in a tight spot, with his major skills as a puppet user basically useless he had almost nothing to fall back on.
Tenten had already noticed that Kankuro was out of option and was just biding her time for a few moments as she got ready to attack and finish this match. She knew she could not let Kankuro have too much time though or he might think of a way out of his tight spot. Then noticing Kankuro stumble on a rock she made her move. She closed the distance in a second and then disappeared from view. He moved to turn towards where she would have gone only to have his arm pinned and a kunai placed against his neck.
The Jonin reappeared at this point and called the match in Tenten's favor. It did not take long before Dosu and Haku were down on the field ready to face each other. Neither was feeling this battle would go overly well. Dosu like Haku did not have a good idea of the skills the other truly held only a bare basic based on their teammates. Though Dosu had a slight advantage as he had actually seen Haku battle and had seen some of her skills.
All either one of them truly knew for sure, was that Haku had acid like Charka, and could use wind charka. While Dosu only likely known skills were use of sound. But as they were giving the signal to begin these ideas were quiet in their mind as Haku made the first move. With a quick movement she sent 6 Senbon at him.
Dosu though smirked, "really is that is how you are going to start this?" He said bring up his right arm. The Senbon hit it but then bounced off it without anything happening, or at least till Haku gasped and stumbled nearly falling holding her ears.
It took a few moments for her to stand up straight again. Dosu smirked more at this as Haku looked and glared at him. She then sighed and shook her head. "You are going to pay for that one sound boy."
"Really I am?" Dosu asked smirking as he moved his arms and pulled back the cloth covering his right arm revealing a metal gauntlet around his forearm. He then flicked it lightly with his left hand causing a small sound to be heard by Haku who again clutched her ears in pain. "I have you under my control. It I wished I could finish you off right here!"
Haku growled, "Prove it."
"As you wish, die!" Dosu yelled as he flicked his gauntlet again but this time it was different.
The sound wave was almost visible as it distorted the air as it moved outwards directed toward and around Haku forcing her to take the full blunt of the attack. Her body seemed to freeze for a second as the sound wave hit it. But for those that could see her well enough they would have noticed that her body seemed to distort as the sound wave caused the pressure around it to change constantly. Then as the sound wave finally disappeared Haku fell over as if dead.
Dosu laughed loudly seeing this, "You fool. To think I could not actually kill you!"
But then in front of him the body of Haku broke apart becoming nothing but chunks of ice with huge cracks cover the surface like a spider's web. He blinked then froze as he felt a metal blade against his neck. "How?" he asked not willing to test his luck yet.
"That would be telling. Now surrender," Haku said coldly.
"How about no," Dosu said moving to hit his gauntlet again.
Haku, though, was not about to let this happen as she with her other hand drove two Senbon straight into Dosu's neck. The affect was instantaneous causing his body to freeze up for a second before falling over. Haku smirked as she walked away after checking to make sure she got him. "It seems I was right to worry about your skills."
With this the Jonin appeared and called the match in Haku's favor to the surprise of some as it was very rare for a full team to make it this far into the Chuunin exams and still have all its members remaining. Though to others this was no surprise at all as they had known the training each of the team members had gone through. And soon Dosu was off the field at this point a break was set up for everyone to stretch and talk before the next set of matches.
Down in the contestant's box this break was not wanted as it gave them or at least Naruto's team a chance to worry about the next match. While Naruto was facing down Lee, a daunting task unto itself. Both for Haku and Tenten were face each other and they mental bond was going to make it very hard. It was hard for them to spar holding back let alone fight fully. As for Lee he seemed unconcerned about his next fight as he rested in one of the few chairs.
The other contestant that had failed in continuing to the next match had not returned to the box. Kiba had gone to sit with his teammates looking like he had been put through the wash mentally. Of Gaara there was no sign though if this was a good or bad thing no one knew. Kankuro was now up in the stands sitting in a box with his sister that was made for honored guest or kids of the current Kages that had come to see their Genin compete.
Up in the Kage's box though, things could be considered more than a little. The Kazekage was getting ready for a battle and not one he was personally looking forward to. The Hokage on the other hand during the match could sense his fellow Kage's tension and building somewhat through the matches. Even has the man worked to keep it under control making him ask, "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing really," the Kazekage said looking back at the old man though he could tell that he was not convinced.
"Come now I know you better than that. Tell me what is wrong?" the Hokage asked again seeming more like a grandfather then the Hokage currently.
"Again there is nothing wrong," The Kazekage said heatedly but the way he said it made the Hokage continue on.
"Is it about the battle to come?" The Hokage asked trying a different approach.
The Kazekage nearly reacted and almost stopped breathing, as he noticed that the Hokage used battle and not match or fight. He took a few seconds to bring his emotions and thoughts back under control before he spoke again, "What battle would you be talking about?"
"You know very well what I am talking about. Now why are you going into battle soon?" The Hokage asked lightly as if he was asking about the weather.
"Because my village's needs it to show off our strength before it dies out. Without it our Daimio will not pay us any attention and we will be doomed to a slow death. You know as well as I do that the Daimio of my country is sending more and more business your way. Instead of sending them to us like he should be doing." The Kazekage said looking out over the Leaf village. "We cannot survive like you can on just the business in the village alone.
"I can always fix that you know," the Hokage said drawing the attention of the Kazekage.
"And why would you do that when you know that I might not be able to stop my own forces till it is too late?" The Kazekage asked confused.
"Would you rather that I let this battle take place and risk your village being wiped out when the other village realized how much power you have lost. Or would you rather risk losing favor with your Daimio, or even worse possibly risk the next Great Ninja war?" The Hokage said looking at the Kazekage closely.
"Well…" The Kazekage looked out down at into the battle arena.
"If you don't I cannot help what will happen to your village or your children. When this village demands payment for the damages done." The Hokage said, "Or if war should break out."
The Kazekage almost flinched at the thought of losing one of his kids. Even if he did not admit how much he did worry about them greatly. He sighed and looked up at the Hokage, "Fine I shall do what I can."
The Kazekage then called over one of his body guards and whispered something to him. The guard gave him a weird look before nodding and disappeared and small dust devil of sand. The Kazekage looked over at the Hokage and nodded, "It is done, though I am not sure if all the troops will be able to be alerted in time."
"I understand, but by doing this we will be able to play up your help as a carefully made plan to help save your Allies." The Hokage said getting a smile from the Kazekage.
"You play the political game well," the Kazekage said looking out at the field.
"Yes I know. After the battle is over you can pay me back for saving your village." The Hokage said causing the Kazekage to stiffen a little bit.
"In what way," he said almost worried.
"I need some help with training some of the Ninja. The three remaining females in the Chuunin Exams Naruto, Tenten, and Haku all have skills with wind nature Charka. If you could I would like someone semi well versed in Wind charka and Justu to teach them." The Hokage said.
The Kazekage sighed in slight relief at this small request, "I can do that, but why not have Danzo or you son do this? I know they both have skills in wind based Justu."
"Danzo like Asuma have things they must be doing, or else I would have them doing this. And unfortunately no one else has the skills we need for training them fully," The Hokage said.
"While I don't full believe you on that last part, I will see what I can do." The Kazekage said with a slight smile.
"Good because I think it is time for the next set of fights to start," The Hokage said looking down into the arena.
"Yes and almost time for the battle, I would alert your troops while you still had a chance." The Kazekage said.
"They are already ready. I have known about this battle since the beginning of the month after all and am more than ready for it," The Hokage replied back with a slight edge to his voice that almost scared the Kazekage, and made him realize he was lucky that he did not have to fight the old man beside him. The Hokage it seemed to know a great deal more than he ever let on.
The Kazekage glanced out over the village again before looking down into the Arena. He might as well enjoy the little time he had left before he would have to stop his son. After all if he did not work to control the demon, he knew that this change in plans would not work out at all. And he would still have to deal with the leaf village demanding something as payment. He shifted a little bit in his chair noticing the two contestants, Lee and Naruto, were now on the field and ready to begin.