Chapter 21: Pedigree vs. Prodigy
The arena was hushed after the last battle and all the remaining genin were standing and waiting for the next rounds to be announced.
"We will start the next match now" Genma announces as the computer starts to flash names.
The names roll and roll and roll until the computer begins to slow down. The remaining genin stand anticipating what names will pop up next. Taiki looks towards his teammates and wonders if he might fight Hideo which brings a quick smirk to his face.
He then thinks of what might happen to his chakra points, which wipes the smirk off his face. Taiki turns toward Rei and wonders if he has to fight her. He can't bring himself to do it; she is his friend, and best friend at that.
Taiki wouldn't have a problem fighting Hideo, even if they were friends, more over they were rivals. This would have been the best thing to happen to him. To prove to everyone that he isn't a loser, but one of the best damn ninja out there. Shikamaru then turns towards Taiki and gives him a quick shove.
"What is it sensei?" asks Taiki with annoyance in his voice as his sensei broke him from his thoughts.
"Focus Taiki, maybe your luck won't be so bad and you might not get to fight one of your teammates" Shikamaru says with a smile on his face.
'Oh my God, did he just read my mind?' Taiki thinks to himself with shock on his face.
Shikamaru shot him a look and then turned towards his students.
'They are so young and strong, reminds me of my old friends' Shikamaru thinks as he looks towards his students he sees his old friends in them.
In Hideo he saw Neji's strength and talent on the field and his way of handling life's strange situations. In Rei he saw Sakura's and Ino's grace and chakra control. In Taiki he saw Sasuke's and Naruto's fighting determination and willingness to go beyond what people have set for them.
But he knows that these children are not the friends he grew up with, but people all there own. Here is where they would prove who they truly are.
In the arena below, that has already claimed the life of one unfortunate student Shikamaru looks towards the names and wishes that one of the next fighters is one of his students. This would show everyone that the leaf ninja are more than just talk.
His wish was about to come true. The names finally stop rolling and Shikamaru couldn't be happier for the choices that were made.
"The next fighters are Kin Kotone of the Sand Village and Taiki Uchiha of the Leaf Village" Genma announces as he looks towards the crowd.
"FINALLY!" Taiki screams running towards the arena.
Shikamaru shoots a look towards The Hokage. Naruto looks at the boy with a smile.
'Heh, he reminds me a lot of myself at that age' He thinks to himself.
Kin gives a glare towards Taiki as he was amping himself up.
"That kid is so stupid" Shakou says with laugher in his voice "Come on, make this fast Kin"
"You know I will Shakou" Kin replies with a smirk as she heads towards the arena floor.
"So how do you think this fight is going to go?" Iwa asks amused at the pairing that was made. "A Leaf vs. Sand fight"
Iwa then lets out a large laugh as he sees Taiki with a smile on his face.
"This one doesn't seem bright at all, and after hearing what happened from those other leaf ninja, this boy is going to get wrecked from our Kin" Shakou answers with confidence.
"So true Shakou, oh so true"
The Sand Genin look at Kin standing across from Taiki.
On the arena floor…
"Lets get this fight started" Taiki says as he starts jumping up and down. "I'm ready for this"
"Then let's start" Genma says "Go!"
Kin and Taiki start walking around in a circle, their hearts pumping, waiting for the other to strike first.
"Taiki, don't let this girl beat you" Rei screams from the stands.
Taiki hears this and looks at Rei with a big smile, but this was his first mistake as Kin throws a pair of Kunai at Taiki. One of the Kunai strikes Taiki in the shoulder and the other in his elbow. Taiki stands shocked as the pain radiates throughout his body and arm. He turns and stares at Kin as he rips the two kunai out of his left arm.
"That was your first mistake, you hyper active child" Kin explains as she pulls out another pair of kunai.
"That was the first and only mistake I will make" Taiki replies as he takes his headband off and uses it as a bandage. He quickly runs towards Kin and throws kunai of his own in an over active manner.
"What is he doing?" Hideo asks as he watches his teammate wasting his kunai.
Kin tries her best to avoid the flying ninja tools as they came at her. She couldn't see or sense the order or of her opponent's attack, but it was good enough for her to stay on the defensive. Taiki jumps in the air and takes out a large shuriken throwing it at Kin as he continues to throw the last of his kunai at her.
"Try dodging that" Taiki says as he lands on the ground.
Kin goes to lean back when she sees the shuriken, but didn't know that there was a second one being shadowed by the first.
"Oh shit!!" Kin yells as the second shuriken cuts the back of her legs "AHHHH!" she screamed as the blood fell from the back of her legs.
"That's my Kage Shuriken no Jutsu- Shadow Shuriken Technique" said Taiki with a smile on his face and ready to really fight.
"So you have some tricks up your sleeve" Kin says as she winces with pain from her leg.
"Oh yea I do Miss Kin"
"But so do I" Kin replies as she takes out a small harp from what looks to be a tool bag at her side.
Kin smiles as she lets out a small cord of sound that rings through the whole arena. Taiki just stands there entranced by the sound that was emitted.
"That was nice, but what was t…." Taiki begins to say but stops suddenly when he looks around to see the ground around him was on fire. "What the hell is going on?!"
In the rafters…
"Why did Taiki stop Sensei?" Rei asks.
"Taiki is trapped in a genjutsu" Shikamaru answers with concern present on his face
"But he could get out of it right?" Rei asks not sure.
"I wouldn't count on it" Kankurou says as he overheard their conversation.
Hideo, Rei and Shikamaru turn to Kankurou waiting to hear a reason.
"Out of all the graduates of the Sand Village ninja academy, Kin had the highest grades in genjutsu" Kankurou began to explain "Afterward she graduated she trained exclusively with the legendary genjutsu master in our village, Mira-Ju"
"That doesn't mean anything…" Rei says becoming upset
"And that harp that she possesses is one of unknown legend given to her by Mira-Ju" Kankurou continues ignoring Rei's comment "Her genjutsu skills are so advanced that even though we all can hear the harp she can manipulate it so that only her target is affected"
Rei quickly becomes worried and turns away from the sand jounin.
'How is Taiki supposed to defeat someone like that?' Hideo thinks to himself
Back on the arena floor…
"See I have my own tricks" Kin snaps as she starts to play more notes on her harp.
Taiki starts to walk around inside the circle of fire that surrounded him.
'How can fire just sprout out of nothing?' Taiki thinks to himself 'All she did was flick a few strings on her harp'
The flames become more intense as it starts to converge on him.
"Ok, I'll beat fire with fire" Taiki says as he starts to form hand signs "This better work, Karyuu Endan-Fire Dragon Flame Projectile"
A beam of fire comes out of Taiki's mouth as he blindly shoots it toward the wall of flames in front of him. Kin turns with a shocked look on her face as the fire heads towards her. She quickly moves to the left, causing her to stop playing her harp. The fire around Taiki dies down and finally disappears.
'Did he realize that he was in a genjutsu?' Kin asks herself as she gets back on her feet.
"Hey Kin" Taiki calls out causing Kin to turn towards him "That's some ninjutsu you have there, man you didn't even need to perform any hand signs"
All of the spectators fall down as they can't believe what Taiki just said.
"Is he serious?" Takeo asks sarcastically.
"I'm ashamed to say he's from the same village as me" Sora states trying to hide her Leaf village headband.
"Well…maybe the genjutsu messed his head up" Rei says trying to defend her teammate
"Or maybe he's just ass retarded" Hideo adds.
'Maybe I shouldn't have been so excited to see Taiki fight after all' Shikamaru thinks to himself as he lets out a sigh.
Iwa and Shakou are laughing hysterically.
"Man, Kin please take this idiot out" Iwa says trying to hold back tears.
"What? What did I say?" Taiki asks the spectators as he notices them laughing.
"Uchiha you are something else, it's too bad that I have to finish this now" Kin says as she lifts her harp.
Taiki quickly turns to his opponent and sees that she is about to play.
"Oh no you don't." Taiki says as he charges the Sand kunoichi.
As soon as Taiki was close enough to land a hit Kin flicks a string on her harp causing large amounts of sound waves begin to emit. The sound waves strike Taiki, causing him to fly backwards. When Taiki finally hits the floor he rolls until he comes to a stop.
"AHHHHH!!" Taiki screams as the sound was pulsing in his head beating harder and harder.
Taiki puts his hands to his ears trying to block the sound but it was not enough. Blood spews out of Taiki's nose and ears.
"Taiki, come on!" Rei screams from the rafters, but her voice was nullified by the sound waves that were deafening him.
"HAHA, I thought I'd get a better fight from you Uchiha" Kin exclaims as she plays her harp
Taiki continues to scream from the pain that was racing throughout his body. His head is pounding almost as if it was going to explode.
'I have to get out of this' He thinks to himself as he takes his hands away from his ears and with blood dropping from them forms hand signs.
Taiki takes a deep breath and lets out a large fire blast in the shape of a dragon. "Karyu Endan- Fire Dragon Flame Projectile"
The fire pushes through the sound waves and towards Kin. She notices this and jumps into the air pulling out a set of kunai to throw at Taiki. Kin's eyes open as she sees the fire was bigger than she first thought. She quickly throws the kunai at Taiki and makes a last second spin in mid-air to avoid the jutsu. This maneuver causes her to miss her target and the kunai fly right above Taiki's head.
Taiki releases the jutsu and the fire stops. Kin lands on her feet and races towards Taiki. Still in a daze from the ninjutus that Kin has preformed he sees doubles and falls to his knees. Taiki quickly looks around the arena and sees Rei cheering him on but he can't hear anything, the sound waves have caused him to hear only ringing.
Genma walks over to Taiki, but Taiki sensing his presence turns towards him making sure he doesn't stop the fight. He slowly stands up and runs towards Kin.
Kin and Taiki trade blows with each other, their legs and hands colliding with intensity. Taiki blocks and dodges on muscle memory only.
'This guy, even after everything he can still fight like this' Kin thinks to herself as she looks at Taiki
'I will beat this girl no matter what' Taiki thinks as he looks at Kin
Kin lifts her leg to give him a direct blow to the head but Taiki ducks avoiding the contact, but during this time Kin quickly drops an elbow right to the back of his head. Taiki's face hits the ground with such force that his nose breaks and blood pours from it.
In the rafters Rei and Hideo stand looking at their teammate.
"Oh my God, Taiki!!" Rei yells with her hands over her mouth as she can't bear to see her teammate being hurt so badly.
"Come on Taiki, how do you expect to defeat me if you can't even beat this girl?" Hideo says trying to motivate his teammate.
On the arena floor Taiki is struggling to pick himself up when Kin kicks him across the face sending him flying and rolling on the ground. When Taiki stops rolling he begins to hear sounds. His eyes open as he realizes that he can hear again.
"Oh man, I was hoping I wasn't going to mess up that cute face of yours" Kin says as she walks towards him smiling "But you brought it upon yourse-"
"Come on, is that all you got" Taiki says in between breaths interrupting Kin as he looks towards her.
"You must be a glutton for punishment" Kin says as she takes her harp and places her fingers on it "Don't worry I'll end this quick"
She flicks a combination of strings on her harp causing sound to fill the air seeming to mark the end of Taiki.
'This is the end of me isn't it' Taiki thinks as he looks at his shaking hands.
In the rafters the sand ninja look on as their teammate is about to win her match.
"Well boy, your done" Iwa says from the rafters
"Didn't I tell you Leaf ninja, talent is something you don't have" Shakou says.
Shakou then stares at Kin and recognizes what she is playing on her harp. "This will finish the match"
Back on the arena floor Kin continues to play more and more notes on her harp.
The music filled Taiki's head bringing him to a boiling point. Taiki looks at his hands as his skin starts to peel back. Taiki lets out a gruesome scream.
"This is my, Magen ● Sukin Gyakuten no Jutsu- Demonic Illusion, Skin reversal technique." Kin informs as she continues to play her song.
Taiki screams as more of his skin begins to come off his body, his arms and legs were down to its muscles as the pain was indescribable. The pain surging throughout his body causes him to go blind. His head continues to pound and his heart starts to race.
'This is what death must feel like' Taiki thinks as he falls out on the floor passed out.
Elsewhere Taiki woke up in a place of darkness.
"Hey where is everyone, did I die?" Taiki asks as he walks around the darkness.
"Are you giving in?" a mysterious voice asks.
"Who is there?" Taiki asks as he looks for the person with the voice.
"Come on, you can't be that much of a slacker" the voice replies.
"Who the hell are you?!" Taiki screams becoming frustrated.
The figure walks out from the darkness and stands in front of Taiki. The mysterious figure stood there with a white tunic and a black pair of pants. He had a long sword and the symbol of the Uchiha clan on the back of it.
"You shouldn't talk to your father like that" Sasuke says
"DAD!?" Taiki screams as he can't believe what he is seeing. "DAD!!" he runs up and gives him a hug.
"Its ok son, I'm here to help you"
"But you're dead, how can you help me?"
"By the bloodline that lives within you" Sasuke says as his eyes transform into the sharingan. "You are a part of a long line of proud Uchihas, now live up to your bloodline….WIN!!"
"This is it" Kin says as she stops playing her instrument and walks up to the fallen Uchiha.
"TAIKI!!" Rei screams as her eyes begin to glisten from tears forming.
"I suggest you stop this fight proctor" Kin explains pulling out a kunai as she turns to Genma "If you don't I'll be forced to-."
Kin's eyes open suddenly as something has interrupted her. The spectators and proctors look on in amazement as they see Taiki's fist in Kin's stomach. Kin coughs up blood as Taiki's punch has made her lose her breath.
"What? You have nothing to say now Kin" Taiki says with a smile as Kin turns to the Uchiha confused.
Taiki quickly pulls his fist out of her stomach and quickly kicks her straight in the chest causing Kin to slide backwards. Kin's feet drag but she gains control and stops herself.
"This… is…impossible" Kin says trying to catch her breath.
Taiki is looking straight down as his eyes are hidden from view.
"My name is Taiki of the Uchiha clan and losing is NOT AN OPTION!!" Taiki says as he glares at her with red eyes, the two tomes of the sharingan are present in each one.
In the rafters, the people were shocked.
"Taiki has the sharingan!" Rei screams in excitement as she hugs Hideo
"Finally, it shows itself" Hideo says as Rei continues to squeeze him.
"Sharingan?" Iwa says confused
"It's an extremely powerful bloodline limit that only the Uchiha possess" Kankurou informs his team.
"What a lucky punk" Shakou says with an angry look.
On the arena floor Kin gains her composure and smirks.
"It doesn't matter what power you have" Kin states with confidence as she plays a song on her harp "You cannot escape my genjutsu!!"
On the arena floor Kin continues to play a song on her harp. Taiki closes his eyes and quickly opens them releasing the genjutsu.
"No…this can't be" Kin says as her lips start quivering.
"This is it Kin" Taiki says as he pulls out another large shuriken and throws it at her.
He runs with the shuriken as it split in two.
"Kage Shuriken no Jutsu - Shadow Shuriken Technique"Taiki says as the shuriken speed toward the sand ninja.
Kin learning from the same attack earlier in the fight, barely avoids the shuriken. The shuriken slice her sides but nothing too serious. She holds her sides while she takes out a tag paper bomb and looks at the charging Taiki.
"You think this is over" Kin says as she stands up and runs towards him.
"Yea I do"
As Taiki goes to punch Kin, she attaches the tag to his shirt.
"Good-bye Uchiha!!"
"I don't think so" Taiki says as he rips his shirt and throws it at Kin.
Taiki's split thinking catches Kin off guard. She doesn't have time or the energy to avoid it. The shirt explodes right in front of her.
"My EYES!!" Kin screams as the light from the explosion blinds her
"Goukakyuu no Jutsu - Great Fireball Technique" Taiki yells
All of a sudden a giant fireball rips through the explosion and connects with Kin causing her to fly until she hits the wall. The impact knocks Kin out as her singed body lies helpless on the floor.
"I…can't believe it" Iwa says shocked.
Shakou doesn't say anything, but disbelief and frustration is apparent in his face. Taiki is seen standing there breathing heavy.
"WOOOOO go Taiki, I knew you could do it" Rei cheers happily as she continues to squeeze Hideo.
Taiki looks up at Rei and smiles, then to Hideo. Hideo nods his head with a small smirk. Taiki nods his head in return and turns to see the smoldering Kin who is still breathing very softly. He quickly runs over to help Kin wincing as his cuts and bruises hurt him with every step.
"What is he doing?" Yabun asks confused.
Taiki slowly kneels down and carries Kin over to Genma, She was badly burned from the jutsu and scratches and blood were all over her body.
"That Yabun is called compassion, something maybe you should learn to show" Sora says turning to her comrade.
"Compassion?" Yabun replies as he turns away from her "More like weakness if you ask me"
Med-ninja enter the arena and take Kin from Taiki and place her on a stretcher. Kin opens her eyes a little, enough to see Taiki looking over her.
"You'll be ok Kin, these doctors promised me you'll be up and running in no time" Taiki says with a smile.
The medical ninja pick the stretcher up and leave the arena. A smirk is seen on the face of Kin as she leaves.
Genma raises his arm and says "Taiki Uchiha is the winner"
Taiki lets out a breath of relief before passing out due to all the wasted Chakra he used in the fight. As he began to fall Shikamaru appears in front of him and catches him.
"Way to go Taiki" Shikamaru says with a smile.
More medical ninja appear to take Taiki away. Shikamaru places his student on the stretcher and watches the ninja take him away. The jounin turns towards his other two student up on the rafters and calls them down. Hideo and Rei quickly jump off the side bars and land in front of their sensei.
"What is it sensei?" Hideo asks.
"I'm going to go to the hospital with Taiki to make sure everything's ok" Shikamaru informs "You two will be alright without me right?"
Rei and Hideo look at each other then turn to Shikamaru with a nod.
"Good, now Hideo I don't want you to underestimate your opponent nor your own abilites" Shikamaru says as Hideo nods in agreement "and Rei, don't be afraid you have just as much power if not more than your teammates, I know you can do it"
Rei smiles as Shikamaru begins to leave the arena. Before he goes he turns to the hokage who in turn turns to him. They both nod simultaneously as Shikamaru disappears from sight.
"Ok everyone back on the rafters so we can prepare for the next fight" Genma orders as Rei and Hideo walk up the stairs and back with the other genin.
The giant computer begins to roll the names of the remaining shinobi.
'Hmmm so we have an Uchiha in our midst' Bouton says through the electric link created by Kishu.
'Yes, but he just developed his sharingan so it shouldn't give us any problems' Kishu explains
'But first we need to win our matches' Bouton exclaims with an evil smile
'That shouldn't be a problem for us' Kishu says looking at the remaining combatants 'no problem at all'