Naruto and Azuko met up with Akari shortly after she'd taken her place on the balcony. She nodded as they walked closer to her but said nothing. It didn't seem like words were appropriate now.
Azuko just went back to looking out over the railing while Naruto stood next to Akari. Just by looking at her, the young Jonin knew that she had used up most of her chakra on those displays. Not a wise move, but a powerful one. All it meant was that she'd have to win by grit alone. Something he knew she'd be capable of.
All the same he smiled as he put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm proud of you." He said softly. "The way you stepped in to save Taki. You've come a long way from the girl I first met."
Akari smiled weakly. Despite how much she wanted to keep the façade of strength up she found herself trembling slightly. If her match was soon she'd be done for.
Naruto stood there for a moment, almost as if he was lost in his own little world, but after receiving the 'okay' he gave some of his chakra to Akari.
To say the change was noticeable would be laughably inadequate.
The shaking stopped and the colour was back in her face.
"Thanks." She breathed.
Naruto smiled. "No problem."
Shikamaru looked up at Naruto and Akari before smiling to himself. "She's just as rash and impulsive as he is." There was a faint 'ding' behind him and he looked up at the screen to see the names for the next fight.
"Would Heruto Makabi and Senu Kutsiguchi please step forward for the next match."
From the railing Makabi smiled to himself. "Well guys wish me luck."
Yin and Hina nodded as they held out their fists to him.
"Show him whose boss." Hina said with a smile.
On the floor Makabi stood off against the Iwa Nin.
"You two ready?" Shikamaru asked.
"Yea," The two Genin replied.
"Then begin."
The Iwa Nin acted first. He flicked his arm out revealing a sizable combat blade. As he closed in Makabi drew his own blade and parried the blow, sending a kick at the Iwa Nin as he did so.
The Nin spun around the kick and struck out with his other arm, a second combat blade at the ready. Makabi ducked under the swing and sent a fist into the Nin's jaw. He rocked back from the blow but used it to his advantage. As he flipped back he brought his legs up. Flicking out yet another set of blades conceal under his clothes. Makabi tried to avoid the kicks but they were to close. Both blades cut into his skin, and Makabi staggered back as blood ran down his sides.
He looked down at his cuts then to the Iwa Nin some ten feet away.
"Christ those are sharp, what the hell are they?" He asked.
"They're Chakra blades." He replied. "Armour isn't very effective against these blades."
Makabi nodded. "I see, with that in mind, continuing a close quarter's fight with you would be suicide."
The Iwa nin simply nodded before charging.
Makabi smiled as he ran through the hand signs.
"Yami: Hai no honō no jutsu!" He moved exactly as if he was about to cast a fire ball jutsu, and at such close range the effects would have been devastating. However instead of bright red flames the boy exhaled shadowy black flames.
They struck the Iwa nin square in the chest, and the Nin screamed in shock as the jutsu hit. But he passed through the flames unscathed. He stood there for a moment confused before he tried to attack again. The attack was slow and sluggish; nothing like the graceful strikes the Nin had used before.
Before the blow connected Makabi sent a kick into the Iwa Nin's head, sending him sprawling.
He didn't get back up.
Shikamaru sighed his usual sigh as he walked over to the unconscious Iwa Nin. He checked his pulse.
"He's unconscious." Shikamaru announced as the medic unit made their way over to him. "The winner is Heruto Makabi."
From the balcony above Azuko and Taki looked on in disbelief.
"Wait, that was it?" Akari asked somewhat hesitantly.
Naruto nodded. "Seems like."
"But how, that Jutsu did nothing to him."
From the railing Azuko sighed, "God you're dense." He mumbled. Akari glared at him but before she could say anything he went on. "It's the same gekkei genkai that that Isalla guy used in the Land of Planes. It didn't burn him, it burnt his Chakra, after that all he needed was one solid blow to end the match."
An ever so faint 'oh' escaped Akari's lips as she let the boy's previous comment slide.
The 'ding' of the screen announced the candidate of the next match. Shikamaru put out his cigarette and looked at the names on the screen.
"Would Rie Taibu and Yo Merika, please step forward for the next match."
The assembled Genin looked on in interest as the last remaining Suna Nin took to the floor with an Iwa Nin.
Shikamaru went through the standard 'ready' sequence and once both Shinobi were ready the match began.
The Iwa Nin wasted no time in diving into close combat, much like his team mate in the last match. He sent a steady volley of punches and kicks at the Suna kunoichi making sure she didn't have the space to use her bow. Though to her credit the kunoichi held her own almost easily as she used the wooden bow in her hand for defence just as easily as attack.
The fighting went on for minutes as the two traded blow for blow. But eventually the Suna kunoichi gained the upper hand. She swatted the Iwa boy across the side of his head, staggering him. In that one fleeting moment she sent a heavy kick into the boys chest. The force of the kick lifted him up and back like he weighed nothing. Without missing a second the kunoichi drew aimed and fired three shots in rapid succession.
All three struck the Iwa Nin square in the chest before passing strait thorough him.
Most of the Genin present cringed as the three arrows tore their way through the boy so quickly he didn't even have time to scream.
All save his team.
As the arrows sailed through the air and buried themselves to the fletching into the stone wall.
"I say, that really is a nice bow you have their." The Iwa Nin said from behind the Kunoichi. The room froze as the Iwa Nin rose up out of the ground behind her.
His doppelganger turned grey and hit the floor with a heavy 'thud' before breaking.
He sent a fist into the Kunoichi's jaw and the entire room heard the distinctive 'crack' as her bones broke under the blow.
She flew through the air as the Iwa Nin made a hand sign.
"Doton: Gōremu ude no jutsu!" He knelt down and punched his arm into the ground burying it to his elbow. When he pulled it out it was encased in stone. He charged at the Kunoichi fist at the ready; even though she was air born the Suna Nin responded by readying her bow.
The Iwa Nin won out as his fist deflected the arrow with ease, carrying on through the bow heading straight for the Suna kunoichi's chest.
And barely a millimetre from impact the Iwa Nin froze. The Suna Kunoichi landed awkwardly, the remains of the bow scattered about her. Shikamaru let the shadow possession go and the Iwa Nin stood there staring at him.
"As Procter I'm declaring a winner before someone dies, the winner is Rei Taibu."
The decision was met with little argument, had Shikamaru not intervened when he did The Suna Nin would be dead or very close to it.
The medics came in to treat and move Merika's body while Taibu bowed and joined his squad on the balconies.
There was a few seconds of waiting as the computer generated the next match before the 'ding' announced the next pair.
"Kyobu Hina and Faitu Gee, please step forward to begin the next match.
Akari, Azuko, Yin and Makabi watched with interest as Hina headed down to the floor with the Kumo Nin with the arm guards, walking shoulder to shoulder the match up hardly seemed fair. Hina wasn't exactly tall at barely five foot, and she was rather slender. Meanwhile The Kumo Nin was huge, easily six foot or more with shoulder span to match.
"Nice to meet you." Gee said politely as the two of them walked to the floor to start their match.
"You're awfully polite for an opponent." Hina said in a slightly teasing tone.
Gee shrugged. "Well I don't believe in being disrespectful to my opponents, just because we're up against each other doesn't mean we have to be rude to one another. And besides, you made it this far, so it's not like you're a push over."
Hina nodded in agreement as the two faced off against each other.
"Still doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you." She told him.
Gee nodded as he took his fighting stance. "Like wise."
"You know it almost looks like they're flirting." Yin said as a side note.
Makabi looked at him in bewilderment. "What?"
Yin shrugged. "Well I mean they're about to beat the ever living crap out of each other and yet they're all nice and polite to each other, like they're friends about to spar rather than opponents about to fight."
Makabi went to say something but Ikino butted in. "You know how Hina is, while she doesn't shy away from the fight she doesn't actively seek it out either, that Kumo Nin is the same as her."
"How can you tell?" Yin asked as he looked at the two of them.
Ikino shrugged. "I just can. After a while you develop an instinct for who you can and can't trust."
As Shikamaru began the match the two Ninja blurred into action. As everyone thought Gee was a close combat type Shinobi leaping into the fray with an impressive display of taijutsu skill. Hina, knowing she could expect such a tactic had drawn her combat blade and the two stood there for a few minutes going toe to toe with each other. Though it was clear that the Kumo Nin would win out if they left it solely to taijutsu, neither opponent pulled their punches. They danced around each other in an intricate display of skill and determination and Hina's blade cut flesh and Gee's knuckles drew blood.
Eventually Hina found an out and broke away from Gee. "Katon: Ryū no hook!" She took a deep breath and let out a torrent of fire. Gee jumped back away from the flames as he prepared his own jutsu.
"Raiton: Chikyō o sandāsusandā!" Lighting crackled up and down his arms as he took a knee and punched the ground. The floor cracked as electrical energy ripped it apart, teaing a path of destruction towards Hina. She dodged right and Gee sent out another one. She dodged again and had to move immediately as he sent out another.
"He's got her on the ropes now." Ikino said as he and the others watched from above.
As Hina dodged the sixth one she sent out a volley of shuriken at him but he countered it with another use of the jutsu, forcing Hina to make another rapid dodge. The rubble tiles made it hard for her to move correctly and the rock gave way under her foot. The jutsu hit her dead on and she let out a scream of pain as the electricity coursed over her body. She fell to her knees smoking from the jutsu.
Down but not out. She sent another volley of shuriken as she fought her way to her feet, blade in hand ready to charge.
Gee battered the Shuriken away for the most part but a few made solid hits. He ignored the pain as he went to meet Hina's charge dead on
Lighting charged Chakra crackled down his arms as he swung for her. She Smiled and dropped to her knees sliding along the ground, bringing her blade across his side.
Gee's armoured vest protected him for the most part. The blade still cut him rather deeply, but had it not been for the vest he would have lost a kidney rather than just some blood. But the blow did little to hinder him as he brought his elbow down on Hina's shoulder. There sharp electrical discharge as the blow connected and Hina staggered under the blow, but rolled to her feet all the same. Wasting no time Gee spun on his heal and set off after her, ready for another devastating blow.
Hina stumbled at the leas minute and knew she was done for.
"I yield!" She shouted as she braced for the impact. When nothing happened she opened her eyes. Gee's lightning charged knuckles were barely three centimetres from her face, he had stopped himself at the last possible moment.
He relaxed his stance and the lighting dissipated.
"Hina has withdrawn from the match, the winner is Gee." Shikamaru declared. Gee took a sept back and pulled out the few shuriken that had lodged fast into his arms and legs before he offered Hina a helping hand.
"Good fight." He said with a smile.
Hina smiled weakly back at him as she took the offered hand. "You weren't so bad yourself." She said as she got to her feet shakily.
Using his arm as a brace Hina half walked half hopped to the end of the room with Gee as the medics met them half way.
"Okay for the next match would Rikuto Sakura and Toru Juno please step forward." Shikamaru said loudly. Akari and Azuko watched in with interest as the Tall Kiri Kunoichi and another Kumo Nin stepped down.
As Akari watched Sakura walk down the stairs she found herself mesmerised by the elegance and grace that the girl portrayed. The Kimono she wore flowed and rippled like it was caught in a stream.
Her hair tastefully decorated with gems and pins sat like a crown fit for a goddess on her head. She continued to watch this girl utterly captivated by her every movement before she felt an uneasy tug inside of herself, like someone or something was pulling at her soul.
She focused on that part of her, that feeling of unease inside of her, and then like a broken mirror this image of utter perfection this girl had placed over her was gone.
She frowned slightly and looked at Naruto. He seemed unaffected but nodded all the same; he had felt the same alluring sensation.
Azuko brought his hands together in the text book sign to release a Genjutsu, as had most of the other Shinobi in the room.
As the two stood ready in front of each other Shikamaru began the match.
As the Kumo Nin made to attack Sakura spread her arms wide and stepped back, almost like she was dancing. The folds of her kimono flapped and rippled in the invisible water and the next thing Akari knew the girl was armed with a pair of kodachi blades.
The Kumo Nin hesitated as Sakura struck a pose, one arm raised the other kept low, knees bent, body leaning forward.
She seemed to glow as she stood there ready for battle. The Kumo Nin did nothing and Sakura moved in for a killing strike, bringing one of her blades for his neck.
And all the while the Kumo Nin stood there stock still.
Shikamaru grabbed the blade before it killed the defenceless Nin.
"The Winner is Rikuto Sakura." Shikamaru announced. The Kumo Nin suddenly snapped out of his day dream and made to move before he realised that were it not for Shikamaru's casually extended arm, he'd be without a head. Realising he'd already lost he bowed respectfully and walked back to his squad.
Shikamaru kept Sakura there.
"You really should at last try to supress that ability." He told her. "I let it slide because it seems to be a completely reflexive technique that you didn't willingly activate, but Kekkei genkai such as yours can become a bigger problem than they're worth if you can't control them." He told her as he let her blade go.
"Just some friendly advice." He told her.
The Kunoichi nodded and bowed to him. "I'll put it to good use." She said as she walked off.
Shikamaru sighed to himself. The preliminaries looked like they'd go smoothly but the real tournament was going to be one hell of a meat grinder. He looked up at the remaining six contestants.
"How troublesome." He mumbled to himself as he lit another cigarette, the tell tail 'ding' of the monitors speakers letting him know the next match had been declared.
Sup Friendlies?
Okay I'm going to stop trying to math out how many more chapters this story has it's just wrong each and every time. But yea, that was most of the preliminaries done.
The Next three fights will be much better and more fun.
Also just so you know I'm not actually going to go into detail about the month they have to train, that will all be covered in the appropriate FLASHBACK NO JUTSU! At the appropriate time.
Other than that I'll try to have the next chapter up ASAP.
Jutsu used in order of appearance were;
"Darkness: Flames of Ash!"
"Earth Style: Arm of the Golem!"
"Fire style: Dragons Roar!"
"Lightning style: Thunder that sunders the earth!"
Hope you enjoyed this latest chapter.
Until next time I wish you all the best.
Yours truly.
Nicolai Grey.