AN: Howdy, here's the chapter as promised. Still not feeling all that talkative so we'll move on. Enjoy
PS - We own nothing. And we have a tumblr (see author's page).
PPS - Review list is below. We have a detailed seal list at the bottom so that's a thing.
Denshi jisho (review)
Gaki – brat
Kuso – curse word
Hitai-ate – forehead protector
Haori – traditional kimono jacket
Seal/Jutsu (review)
Kaiten – also known as the ultimate defense, is a Hyuuga technique of the Gentle Fist that creates 360 protection
Tenketsu – chakra points
Juukenpou –the art of Gentle Fist
Juuken – the Gentle Fist
Replacement roulette – uses the randomizer seal along with the mid-range replacement seal to create a randomized replacement
Fireworks seal, Explosive seals, Five Senses seal (new), Hearing seal (new), Touch seal (new), Gentle Fist seal, Randomizer seal
Arc – Chuunin Exams
Chapter Thirty – The Clash of Titans
Jiraiya watched the fight for a moment longer before slipping out the back of the stands. He nodded to one of the few noticeable guards, mostly Hyuuga decked in their familiar stiff looking uniforms standing vigilant. Jiraiya briefly wondered who they had to piss off to get stuck with guard duty on a day like this.
Shrugging, Jiraiya darted down the back stairwell, taking his time as he exited the stadium. The kid was starting out pretty strong. Better, in fact, than most had given him credit for that was for sure. But if the gaki's whole strategy was to get rid of the Koushi-sama's use of the Gentle Fist, then he hadn't learned nearly as much as he'd thought he had.
And sure, he'd heard about the match with that other Hyuuga. Like most he'd been surprised by the outcome. The blond brat was definitely a wildcard. Defying all expectations as he faced his opponent. But that didn't stop him from being a little afraid the gaki was just trying to recreate that fight here. Now that would be the biggest mistake the kid could make.
Of course, he could certainly see how the blond could think otherwise. After all, that Hyuuga kid was something of a prodigy. At least, that's what he'd heard. And most of the time when you fought and won against a kid like that, a challenge like that one, then clearly you'd done something right. Usually.
But Jiraiya had also heard enough about that match to realize that it sounded more like the Hyuuga kid had underestimated the gaki then anything else. And when you factored that in, it gave cause for question. Like if they had a rematch right now who would win? As much as Jiraiya liked the kid, he had a hard time trying to imagine that the fight would turn out in his favor a second time.
Sure, he knew the gaki had improved on his taijutsu. Improved leaps and bounds if he'd taken his training under Gai-sensei seriously, but it would just be wishful thinking if he thought that would be enough. Because no matter how good you thought you were, you just don't beat a Hyuuga in a straight taijutsu match. It wasn't personal. It was just facts. No one did.
Which meant that if Jiraiya had to bet on the fight, he wouldn't be putting his money on the kid winning this match against the Hyuuga heir. Hell, he was pretty sure he wouldn't put his money on the gaki winning a rematch against that Hyuuga kid. He just wouldn't risk it.
Hitting the bottom of the stairwell, Jiraiya turned down the entry tunnel as he continued to make his way out of the stadium. Sighing he paused to look back. He could hear the fight rage on even here. The clash of kunai echoing sharply off the walls. In all honesty it didn't matter how a rematch would have gone with that Hyuuga prodigy. Naruto was up against the heir, the Koushi-sama. Poor kid didn't stand a chance.
Of course the gaki was good. A true Uzumaki genius when it came to fuuinjutsu. Unfortunately that wouldn't be enough to win this time. Not by a long shot. Like from the kid's own rules, sometimes it took more than luck to win. What was that, rule number eight? Jiraiya nodded to himself as he continued forward.
So yeah, the kid was good, but it was going to take more than luck to win this one. Besides the kid had some major flaws. Namely his general lack of any type of attention span. A glaring flaw that made him rash and impatient. As far as Jiraiya could see, the blond couldn't really seem to keep focus long enough to come up with a decent plan. Going with his gut more often than not, which was normally a good thing. Tactually Some situations actually called for it. But for tThis particular situation, however, wasn't one of them. Here, gut reactions just weren't going to cut it.
No, if he wanted to win against the Hyuuga heir then the boy would need a plan. He couldn't just go with the flow of things and make it up on the fly. No, he was going to need a better than decent plan. Hell, he'd need the strategy of a century to come through on this one.
So Jiraiya was definitely standing by his decision not to place a bet on the gaki despite the odds being stacked so heavily in Koushi-sama's favor. He wasn't about to place any of his money on the kid for a chance at a big pay out. Who did he look like, Tsunade?
Summoning a toad, Jiraiya hopped on, his feet adhering to the slick surface with a reflexive push of chakra. As much as he wanted to stick around, see what the kid was truly capable of, he couldn't. He was needed at the gates. Security and all that. Those protection seals on the walls of Konoha really did need to be maintained. Perhaps he could teach the gaki to do it once he picked himself back up from his loss. It would certainly be one less thing he had to worry about.
He gave one last look at the arena as his summons hunched down, preparing to bound across the village in one giant leap. He shook his head as he turned back around, his toad already making its way through the air. It was sad, but the kid really didn't stand a chance. Rumor had it Tsunade had even made a bet on this match. One that had a lot of money riding on the gaki. And if Jiraiya was honest with himself that was probably the real reason he wasn't going to put any money on the kid, or the fight altogether.
While others had rushed to bet heavily against the blond at the rumor, Jiraiya couldn't find it in him to win anything at the expense of the gaki. Not with the way he'd talked about this fight with the Koushi-sama, his Princess of Konoha. It just wouldn't feel right. This just wasn't the gaki's lucky day, to have the legendary sucker betting on you. Jiraiya shook his head once more. Yeah, Naruto-kun didn't stand a chance.
The sharp cling of metal hitting metal rang clear in the air as Naruto blocked Hyuuga-hime's kunai with one of his own. Even with only the restricted use of her left hand, her non-dominate he assumed, she was a formidable force, pushing him and his four clones back with a whirl of one-handed blocks, razor sharp kunai jabs and quick side-steps.
How she managed to not only keep track of him and his clones but also successfully counter each of his attacks he didn't know, but that was okay. He'd been expecting this level of skill even against the randomness of his replacement roulette fighting style. Hyuuga-hime was good. That was no surprise.
The familiar feel of the next switch pulled at his navel just as his knee raised in preparation of a swift side kick. In a flash he was behind Hyuuga-hime and closer to the ground, the pent-up energy of his kick transferred to a spin as he lunged forwards, ramming his fist into her unprotected right side. As if by some twist of fate, Hyuuga-hime's right arm shot up to block just in the nick of time, her ability to maneuver her right arm obviously having been regained only seconds prior.
Pushed back and away, Naruto was sure that under normal circumstances she would have followed through with a vicious attack to his newly exposed back. Fortunately enough for him this wasn't normal circumstances and the four clones he was currently fighting with held her at bay.
In a flash, Naruto switched with another clone just as he was regaining his feet. Quick to recover, he leant back away from the kunai swipe aimed at his chest noting the second kunai now held firmly within Hyuuga-hime's right hand. Strangely enough she didn't bother to switch her stance. Still leading with her left hand despite her regained ability to use the right.
Ducking to the side, an arm pushed forward hastily to block the sharp swipe that was likely to take his head off, Naruto wasn't entirely sure if he should be glad she hadn't switched or not. With blood dripping down from his newest cut, he decided it probably didn't matter. Hyuuga-hime was clearly deadly either way.
Shifting back to the fight at hand, Naruto pushed himself forward, kunai spinning as he blocked another series of blows. The next pull saw him in the air, falling down upon his opponent in a wild leap that he seriously doubted would land. What his clone had been thinking when it decided to leap into the air was beyond him, but he wouldn't let his action go to waste.
Screaming at the top of his lungs, he attempted to draw as much attention to himself as he could as he fell. Instead he got a rather causal side step as Hyuuga-hime focused more on redirecting the blows coming from his surrounding clones. Hitting the ground on all fours, Naruto rolled forward, twisting on his heels to face his opponent before pushing off on chakra enhanced legs. He flew through the air faster than he'd anticipated, excited about finally landing one solid hit on his opponent. He only needed the one for his plan to work.
Time seemed to slow as he sped through the air. Hyuuga-hime's long hair flicking backwards as she turned to him, her sightless gaze meeting his own in a second that seemed to last forever. It ended as his clones rushed her, her hands, kunai tight within her grip, moved in a blur as she countered.
If it wasn't for the sudden influx of memories, Naruto might have missed it. Missed the quick forward step followed by a swift jab to the clone on her right's chest. The fluid motion of the maneuver instantly connecting it with the next jab to the clone on her left. In the next moment she dispatched the last two clones together, sliding her foot back as she turn, stabbing both clones out of existence at once.
It was then that Naruto realized the predicament he was currently in. The previous encounter taking only a fraction of a second left him barreling towards her with nothing to keep her distracted. 'Kuso,' he cursed within his own thoughts. 'This isn't going to be pretty.'
True to his thoughts the next instant found his kunai blocked, his lunge redirected in one swift movement that left him disoriented but still on his feet. Spinning on his heels, he had just enough time to block the first blow which was unfortunate because there were fifteen more to follow.
From his observations he knew it was some kind of modified palm thingy, each stab of her kunai near the location of one of the many tenketsu he'd painstakingly studied. Blood danced across the field as she struck, her last blow sending him stumbling across the arena only to land in an undignified heap seconds later.
Naruto groaned as he pushed himself off the ground, glancing up at his opponent as she stood waiting for his next attack. That was the one thing he was exceedingly grateful about the Juukenpou. It was primarily reactionary, not defensive so much as it used their opponent's momentum against them. But all that meant was Hyuuga-hime wouldn't be chasing after him to finish the job. She'd give him time to breathe, regain the breath he'd lost fighting her. Which was what he'd been counting on.
Finally regaining his feet, Naruto reached into the pouch at his thigh, fishing a blood replenishing pill from the confines. He'd actually been counting on a lot of things, and this impending blood bath was one of them. Pill swallowed, Naruto moved to form one of his favorite hand signs, summoning a new batch of clones in the process. His clones might not last long, but they'd last long enough.
Cracking his knuckles, Naruto got ready to re-enter the fray as his clones finished applying the Randomizer seal to their backs, his replacement roulette ready and waiting. As one, they fished a pair of kunai from their packs, palming them as they moved to fan out. He was more than ready to go all-in. He could only hope that Hyuuga-hime was ready to counter his bet.
Naruto grimaced as he took another hit to the arm, the new cut layering over older ones that had yet to heal completely. He briefly wondered if he got enough of them, then would he finally have his first scar? Honestly, it wasn't the craziest idea. After all, Hyuuga-hime was super accurate with her strikes, managing to hit him in roughly the same place over and over again without fail. Really, he was just grateful that he could heal so quickly, as anything else would probably leave his body a hack job of its original form.
'A gift from my demon, I'm sure,' he thought bitterly before stamping the idea back down. He couldn't let his mind waver. Not now. Not in a fight like this one.
Pulling back, he summoned his third batch of clones as Hyuuga-hime had already hacked her way through both him and his second batch in the less than five minutes that they'd been fighting. So far he had more cuts on his arms then he was willing to stop and count. Which was saying a lot because he could count pretty high without too much thought.
His jacket was barely holding on, torn to shreds by Hyuuga-hime's brutal attacks. And what was left of his jacket was soaked with blood. With every movement he made more of the deep red droplets fell to the earth, staining the ground red.
The world spun dizzily as he raced forward, reminding him of his excessive blood loss. He was definitely going to have to pop another blood pill if he wanted to keep his feet on the ground and stay conscious. Ducking under a rapidly moving arm, Naruto avoided another strike to his chest as his left hand searched for another blood replenishing pill.
Ideally, he should have popped another one when he'd summoned the newest batch of clones, but with the current fast pace of this battle he had enough trouble remembering which direction he needed her to move for this thing to work. He couldn't really afford to pause long enough for the thought of another blood pill to cross his mind without a physical reminder.
Naruto tried not to wince as he rolled forward across the large gash on his shoulder. It was already halfway closed as it was, but clearly not healed nearly enough for him to make that maneuver unscathed. Popping back to his feet, he twisted with just enough time to block the kunai aimed at his chest. The sting of the metal vibrating though the air as he pushed Hyuuga-hime away from him.
The pull from another switch was almost expected. Landing in a crouch, Naruto kicked a foot out beneath him as he attempted to knock his opponent from her feet. Of course like every other similar attack, the leg sweep missed wide, his momentum continuing as he spun on his heels pushing chakra into his legs as he bound forward, ready to drive a knee into her gut.
The quick step back was faster than Naruto could manage to react, sending him forward and past Hyuuga-hime in one swift motion, leaving his back open in the process. Naruto stepped forward, regaining his balance in an instant that had him leaping into the air, flipping backwards over his opponent to avoid the follow up move that had it occurred just one month prior he would have been completely helpless to defend against. Luckily that was not the case.
As his feet hit the ground the next pull found him to Hyuuga-hime's left already blocking the backwards elbow that he'd attempted to shove into her gut. For whatever reason his replacement roulette seemed to have absolutely no effect on Hyuuga-hime. No matter what he threw at her. No matter how randomly each replacement was. She always had a counter and he was certainly not prepared for that.
Of course he seemed to be rather unprepared for a lot of things where Hyuuga-hime was concerned. Namely, her juuken. Where the standard form was hard, unmoving almost, she was fluid. Escaping blow after blow by a simple twist of her body without physically taking a step back and out of the way of his attack. Put simply, he could not seem to force her to move anywhere. Luckily enough, he didn't really have to.
'At least it's all the same footwork,' he thought absentmindedly as he ducked under another strike. Arm raised as kunai clashed once more Naruto pushed back, lifting his left arm to counter her follow up blow. 'Kuso,' he thought as the strike cut through flesh. Clearly he hadn't moved fast enough.
Flipping backwards, Naruto created a moment of space between them. He needed a second to breathe and refocus he plan of attack. Wincing at the sting of his newest wound, Naruto thought it was a miracle he wasn't a lifeless heap on the ground already. Hyuuga-hime was just so fast. Really, his only saving grace seemed to be his training with Haku-chan. Learning to block the precision of his deadly senbon was a real life-saver when it came to avoiding the truly devastating attacks. Well, that and the fact that Hyuuga-hime didn't actually seem to be using any type of deadly force.
So far he'd only needed to avoid attacks that would leave him completely incapacitated. Those strikes that would leave him helpless on the floor as he bled out just slowly enough that he was pretty sure he wouldn't die. At least not with the quick action of the medic-nin on standby. It was almost nice, knowing that Hyuuga-hime didn't want to see his lifeless corpse sprawled out on the floor because clearly she valued their friendship enough not to just kill him.
Shifting on his heels Naruto raced back into the fray, switching almost immediately with the clone to her right. Kunai in hand, he struck, arm flying in a horizontal path as his fist flew from its place near his chest as he attempted to stab her with his kunai. Her block was immediate, almost jarring in the force she used to push him back before slashing down at him. The move caught him across the chest just as another pull forced him out of her reach.
In a puff, he was down one more clone. Glancing down Naruto noted the tattered remains of his jacket. While his clone had sacrificed his life to save him from a rather painful wound, he hadn't been quick enough to save his jacket. Which was a right shame because it was one of his favorites. Now hanging nearly completely of his body at his waist, the light orange sleeveless undershirt that Haku-chan and Inari-kun had made him was left on display.
Unlike the few remains of his jacket, his undershirt was only lightly spotted with blood. The light orange of the floating clouds and waves sown into the fabric belied the real utility of the garment. Underneath the rather innocence looking material, the Uzumaki Clan seal surrounded by a five person stick figure family etched onto the back, was the protection of an artfully woven light armor. Some new type of material that Naruto couldn't remember the name of but could vaguely remember the rather outrageous price. Under normal circumstance he wouldn't have let anyone spend that much on him, but Haku-chan had been oddly persuasive.
Currently, he was rather thankful that he'd let Haku-chan talk him into it. After all, the reinforced material of the shirt with the added protection of his short sleeved fishnet shirt underneath was probably the only reason he wasn't currently lying face down on the ground bleeding out faster than his blood pills could replenish.
Naruto cursed quietly at the itch of his wounds slowly healing. More than half of his body ached and most of that itched like crazy and they were barely just getting into this fight. Could he not catch a break?
Shaking off his irritation, Naruto flicked the excess blood on his arms to the ground, noting quickly the location of the seal Hyuuga-hime had activated earlier as it still glowed atop his body, the glow easier to see now that his jacket hung at his waist. He grinned as he faced his opponent. Hyuuga-hime was going to have to hit him a heck of a lot harder if she wanted to pierce through this shirt. It was the protection of his family and he sure as hell was going to use every ounce of safeguarding it gave him.
In one swift motion Naruto gripped the edges of his tattered jacket, ripping what was left of it off his body before throwing it at his opponent. As the shredded remains of his shirt traveled through the air, Naruto took that moment to summon more clones, refilling his missing ranks while adding to the few currently out of sight underground.
Hyuuga-hime side stepped the jacket easily keeping away from his initial traps while the tattered material flew past her before exploding in mid-air. Of course he'd expected nothing less. Actually, he'd expected a bit more. Like her stopping his host of underground clones from maneuvering so well beneath them. He'd assumed that she'd keep them well enough away from the newly added seals. Heck, he'd half expected her to stop their progress completely, planned for her interference even. But so far she'd done nothing.
Really, it was probably only a matter of time. After all, he'd only had his clones risk placing the easy pre-made seals beneath their feet. Nothing too damaging. Of course, there was always the possibility that she wasn't taking this fight seriously. He really doubted that was the case, but that didn't mean he wasn't planning to use the situation to his advantage. As master pranking rule number twenty-seven stated, never look a gift horse in the mouth which seemed to apply nicely to his current situation. After all, she wasn't exactly keeping their fight away from his newly applied seals.
Still, he wasn't going to let down his guard. She'd stop his underground activity eventually. And when she did, he'd be more than ready.
Popping another blood replenishing pill, Naruto briefly wondered if he'd even have to resort to using his incomplete seal as he gazed out at the blood splattered ground. It really was too dangerous to use against a friend. So if he didn't have to use it to win, then he didn't want to. He might not have the upper hand just yet, but she wasn't exactly making this as difficult as he'd assumed.
And really, this fight was taking much longer than he'd anticipated. Like, he'd vastly underestimated how long it would take to get the field the way he needed it. His gaze floated back to Hyuuga-hime in the next instant. There she stood, tall and rigid across from him. Nothing about her had changed in the short time they'd been fighting. No weakening to her stance. No drifting of her focus. It was certainly not the countenance of an overconfident opponent. She had a clear plan. Something he might not see yet, but there was a plan. She wasn't just letting him place his small seals as he wanted without cause. She wasn't underestimating him.
He knew as surely as he knew himself that if he attempted something bigger, she'd put a stop to it. And he would need to be careful about which small seals he used because of it. Slipping back into his stance, his clones falling into position beside him, they moved as one, rushing to attack once more.
The switch pulled him just as they reached Hyuuga-hime, shifting his position just off center and to the left of her as his clones moved. The two situated just behind her and to her right moved first, one sweeping low while the other drove a knee up into her right side. Naruto grinned as the combined maneuver finally forced her to physically move her body instead of just twisting out of the way.
Now directly in front of her, her position having shifted to the left, Naruto moved in tandem with the two clones beside him. In a flashed, they switched, the driving uppercut now being delivered by the clone to his left, kunai pointed outwards as he slashed up while the violent downward slash of the clone to his right barreled down on Hyuuga-hime. Winding back, Naruto stepped forward with his right foot as his left fist, kunai in hand, swung wide, the sharp end of his kunai aiming straight for her exposed throat. Hyuuga-hime may be holding herself back from using deadly force, but he certainly couldn't afford to do the same.
All at once, Hyuuga-hime moved with the same fluid grace she'd displayed throughout the whole match. Her left hand shooting up as she deflected the downward slash with a powerful upwards push. The sting of the metal connecting echoing in the air as she used her right hand to push down on the uppercut, applying another force to send his clone's head down and into her waiting knee. As she moved, her kunai deflecting his clones' attacks, she leant backwards, the edge of Naruto's kunai passing through only air as she simultaneously avoided his attack as well.
Undeterred by the maneuver, Naruto was however left completely stunned by the following move that send him flying a short distance across the arena. Landing in a crouch, he rubbed at his aching chin as he stared up at the Hyuuga across from him. She'd kicked him. The same knee she'd used to nearly break his clone's nose having extended fully to connect with his chin in a rather powerful kick. A kick that certainly wasn't a part of the regular Hyuuga fighting style.
Naruto grinned as he rose to his feet, his clones having never stopped their assault on their opponent. Her kick hadn't taken her out of the traditional Juukenpou footwork. More importantly, the deviation meant that he'd rattled her. He was definitely making headway.
The random pull of the seal found him across the field, the clone he'd switched with had obviously experienced a similar blow as he wasn't anywhere near Hyuuga-hime. That was fine because he had the perfect plan to finally get the upper hand in this match.
Briefly checking the placement of the nearest newest seals, Naruto nodded. 'I can do this,' he thought as he rushed in, running full tilt towards Hyuuga-hime. Less than a meter away, he slid to his knees, the dust lifting as he slid by the right side of his opponent. Counting briefly in his head, he pulled his right leg up, pushing hard into the dirt as he twisted his upper body attempting to slam the kunai still within his left hand into his opponent's hip. The attack missed by centimeters, but Naruto was not deterred, allowing his momentum to carry him as he spun on his left knee, extending his right hand out to the fringe ends of her haori.
He could feel the next pull shift him away just as the smooth silk fabric touched his fingertips. Now nearly a meter back and to the left of Hyuuga-hime, he hoped it had been enough.
For a second all was still, nothing but the sound of the dust settling filling the air as Naruto finally glanced around to see that sometime in the last few seconds she'd destroyed the rest of his clones. Then, as if by magic, the warm red glow of an activated seal began to burn at the edges of her haori. Naruto grinned. He had her.
Without further thought, Hyuuga-hime was in motion again, twisting as she pulled her haori off, throwing it away from her as she jumped back in the process. Naruto nearly frowned as he noticed her trajectory. At this rate, she wasn't going to land far enough back.
Thinking quickly, be pulled a kunai from the pouch on his leg, the explosive seal activating as he flung it at her jacket.
BOOM! BOOM!
The two explosions happened almost simultaneous, the combined concussive force sending ripples through the air that forced him back nearly half a meter due to his close proximity. Glancing up at Hyuuga-hime's still falling frame, Naruto grinned. "Gotcha!"
BOOM!
In the next moment, Hyuuga-hime's foot touched down igniting the seal immediately. The explosive lights and violent sound of his modified Fireworks seal filled the air, forcing Naruto to turn away just as a wave of chakra whirled to life in the spot where his opponent should have been.
It took another moment for the dust to settle, but when it did, he glanced back over, his gaze falling on the shallow circular crater that Hyuuga-hime was now standing within. Naruto took in her bare shoulders, the black arm wraps reaching past her elbows as her sleeveless all black top hugged her frame loosely enough to give the impression that it was perhaps backless. Her black pants hung loosely as well, taped at her ankles and tucked into black ninja sandals. The only item that wasn't black was the silk of her hitai-ate and the sash wrapped around her waist, which were as white as snow.
Naruto grinned wider as he spotted the still glowing seal just below her elbow on her right arm, the red glow bright enough to see through the black arm wraps. "You're going to have to take this more seriously, Hyuuga-hime." He paused to spit, blood dripping from his lips as he wiped the rest away. "Or this is going to be too easy," he finished, taking in her countenance once more. Her jaw tightened, the edges of her mouth straightening as she stood rigid across from him. Clearly, she had no plans to take him lightly.
Naruto nodded in response. "Good," he replied simply before summoning another batch of clones, running head first into another attack.
The wind of another explosion, this one nowhere near Yotsugi-dono, blew back the long loose ends of Tsuyoki's hair as he watched rampantly the battle below. Pushing back the ends of his long black hair once more, Tsuyoki trained his gaze to the movement below. As this was the third time his hair had blown into his face, he really should have bound the whole lot of it like the honorable Yotsugi-dono instead of letting so much of it hang loose. However, that was all inconsequential. Even with that small distraction, he was in awe of the battle before him. This fuuinjutsu user was everything he aspired to be and more. And he was currently creating quite the challenge for the Yotsugi-dono.
'Who are you, Uzumaki-san?' he thought as his gaze traced the back and forth playing out below him. 'How are you so strong?'
Tsuyoki struggled to connect what the steady gaze of his pale moon eyes saw with what he knew to be true. The Yotsugi-dono was powerful. Unwavering in all aspects as she stood alone against powerful forces. The cold chill of her Hyuuga demeanor meant that she used intimidation better than most other Hyuuga. And yet here was Uzumaki-san standing unfazed against her, displaying a skill that should have meant that his name was well known.
However, this, this very moment as the first match of the Chuunin Selection Exam Finals was the very first time Tsuyoki had even heard his name. Vaguely he remembered that this was the same boy who'd defeated Neji-sama in the single combat matches held following the completion of the Second Exam, yet that did not explain what he was seeing now.
Sitting back, ever mindful of his posture and poise while he sat so close to the First Family, Tsuyoki turned slightly to gaze upon the boy in question. Neji-sama sat regally beside Hizashi-dono and Hanabi-sama. He looked on without worry, without concern, his belief that this Uzumaki-san was but a small road block to the Yotsugi-dono's success clear to see. He maintained the rigid poise so embodied by the Hyuuga Clan with ease. His face cloaked in a mask of indifference as if he'd been born with the expression etched into his features.
Tsuyoki tried not to shift in his seat as he looked away almost ashamed. Neji-sama's ability to maintain such a regal baring had always impressed him. A near mirrored likeness to the Yotsugi-dono's cold indifferent gaze. Yet it reminded him of his deficiencies.
For all his work and desire to maintain such an outward expression, he had yet to master it. And the shame came in knowing that he should be able to emulate it. He was the heir and head of the noble Tsuyo Family, his position clear in his seating arrangements within the stands today. He'd gotten the second best seats that the Hyuuga Clan had been offered, second only to the First Family and their honorable retainers, Tatsuki-sama and Genshirou-sama practically beside him.
And with only one hundred and fifty seats available to the clan as a whole, he'd been more than grateful for his noble position. But that didn't change the fact that in times like this one, he didn't feel as if he deserved his honor. What had he done to warrant his seat beside the First Family? Been born to an outdated family who'd been elevated to the status of nobility well after the establishment of the core noble families only by the graciousness of the honorable Hanza-dono? Wasn't his seat nothing more than an added perk that honorable Hanza-dono had seen fit to give his newest noble family so that they might fit better among the well-established families?
While it kept him from having to watch this historic match on one of the three projectors about the village, or the much smaller projector within the Hyuuga Compound walls, constructed for the sole purpose of displaying this and the subsequent matches of the Chuunin Exam Finals, he just didn't feel as if he deserved this honor. He was a 'nobody'. An orphan whose distant relatives didn't even want to be seen with him. Despite having two more tickets allotted to his small family, to include the limited number of branch family offshoots, no one had wanted to attend the event with him. Sitting here, the only representative of his family, he'd never felt more alone.
Turning back to the fight, Tsuyoki forced his mind off his pathetic plight. His gaze once again floated to Uzumaki-san. Strangely enough, he felt some kind of kinship with the boy. Until this moment, he'd been a 'nobody'. At least, Tsuyoki assumed that to be the case. It was the only explanation for why he'd never heard of him. Why he hadn't known about what was likely the only true fuuinjutsu user within the walls of Konoha.
And it was strange watching him fight. Watching him as he used seals in a way Tsuyoki had never thought possible. Fuuinjutsu was an art that supported, defended even. It was not supposed to be offensive. And yet here Uzumaki-san was, incorporating fuuinjutsu into his very taijutsu style. How was that even possible?
Of course he had no real proof that Uzumaki-san's fighting technique used fuuinjutsu, but what else would explain the sheer randomness of each switch? He was the embodiment of unpredictability, each substitution happening seamlessly at random intervals. Tsuyoki had to admit that he was a little impressed. After all, it had to be that randomness, that seamless ability to switch moves and tactics practically on the fly that allowed Uzumaki-san to present such a strong showing against the Yotsugi-dono. A strong enough showing that was starting to worry Tsuyoki if he was being completely honest with himself.
Where everyone had thought he would flounder, Uzumaki-san had stood strong, starting this match with the first powerful move despite the fact that Yotsugi-dono had drawn first blood. Actually, as Tsuyoki gazed down upon the arena, he realized that Uzumaki-san had yet to draw blood, or bruise, or really land any type of physical hit on his opponent. Which was why watching this match was so confusing.
How was it that this unknown could stand against the Yotsugi-dono no less and still remain? How was it that Uzumaki-san could make absolutely no gains, and yet still manage to look as if he could turn the tide of this battle any second now? Tsuyoki straightened his back, stiffening his posture as he attempted to channel every ounce of Hyuuga indifference as he could. Despite the fact that Uzumaki-san was bleeding profusely across the arena, this fight was not going the way he'd thought it ought to.
And it didn't matter that Uzumaki-san had defeated Neji-sama in his last match. It didn't matter because where Neji-sama was arrogant, filled with an overconfidence that came with having never experienced a real challenge in his entire life, the Yotsugi-dono was reserved. Unpretentious in her actions as she treated everyone the same. And while bias was impossible to escape, Tsuyoki liked to think that Yotsugi-dono did her best to avoid it.
It was times like this that he thought of some of the few occasions he'd been allowed to observe her fight. She'd faced each opponent with the same poise, the same drive, the same energy no matter what rank or status. He'd had the pleasure of seeing her face top tier cadets from the Hyuuga Police Academy, some of the top students of the Hyuuga Academy, and even some of the Instructors. And while she hadn't always won, there was always this poise, this grace that she faced each opponent.
A demeanor that greatly contrasted to what he'd seen of Neji-sama. When faced with the same obstacles his great skill was hindered by his even greater ego. Neji-sama was a prodigy. As such, he rarely expected a challenge until he'd already lost. Put simply, he was nothing like the Yotsugi-dono. His idol that trained every single day for the sole purpose of becoming stronger than the person she'd been the day before.
So where Tsuyoki was sure Neji-sama had underestimated Uzumaki-san and lost because of it, he also knew that Yotsugi-dono would never befall the same mistake. Tsuyoki schooled his features, ever aware of Tatsuki-sama's presence not far away. He could not appear weak, untrained, here. Not in her presence. Not if he ever wanted to achieve his dream.
However, his calm features belied the worry that was starting to eat at him. Why was Uzumaki-san still standing? Why did it seem that Uzumaki-san could go on forever like this? Taking one hit after the next while slowly chipping away at the Yotsugi-dono's defenses. Even if he never landed a solid hit, Tsuyoki got the feeling that if the Yotsugi-dono didn't end this, then Uzumaki-san would simply outlast her. He'd obviously come prepared.
Tsuyoki assumed those pills he consumed were some kind of blood replenishing pills. Who was to say that Uzumaki-san didn't also have some kind of chakra replenishing pills at the ready as well?
Of course Tsuyoki thought that there was probably some limit on how many pills Uzumaki-san could take, but he wasn't familiar enough with the either pill to know what that would be. Maybe it wasn't as low as he thought it was. Maybe Uzumaki-san really could go on forever like this. He'd already done enough damage as it was.
Disabling Yotsugi-dono's dominate hand and limiting her use of the Gentle Fist was a solid strategy. It would have been devastating on a lesser opponent. Unfortunately for Uzumaki-san, Yotsugi-dono was not one of those lesser opponents. He'd seen her fight with only the use of her non-dominate hand. He'd seen the level at which she moved even with that particular handicap. And he knew that Uzumaki-san would not gain an advantage because of it.
He was just slowing the inevitable. Even with his limited knowledge on fuuinjutsu, Tsuyoki knew that Uzumaki-san could not possibly seal every inch of his body with this perversion of the Gentle Fist. No, he would have had to pick places, certain areas that he thought important, and because of that there would be holes. Holes that Yotsugi-dono would find and exploit when the time was right. As such, it would not truly give the blond the advantage.
Even landing that explosion seal onto Yotsugi-dono's haori and pushing her into one of his traps amounted to nothing more than show. It was unlikely that Uzumaki-san would be able to catch her in another one of his traps. Even more unlikely that he'd land another such seal. Still, Tsuyoki had to give Uzumaki-san credit. He'd lasted this long. Each move, each hit, filled with purpose. Clearly, he had some plan.
Briefly Tsuyoki wondered if this was what a seal master could do with the art. Combined with intricate plans and unusual tactics it was impressive, but not impressive enough to win. No, Uzumaki-san had yet to present a move that Yotsugi-dono could not counter. Really, he shouldn't have been so worried. Not when the evidence was clear.
Standing in front of him were two people. Both standing strong, but only one nearly completely unscathed. Uzumaki-san might have been a master of his craft, but fuuinjutsu alone would not win him this match. Not against the Yotsugi-dono. In the end, he stood no chance.
Tsuyoki nodded internally to himself, ever conscious of the countenance he must maintain given his position. Yotsugi-dono would win. He had faith in her. No matter what Uzumaki-san managed to throw at her, she would overcome. She was the strength of the Clan, filled with a cold serenity as she stood tall, the lone representative of their entire family. She was beyond awe, inspiring in her every action. She would win, even if Uzumaki-san didn't make it easy for her. And Tsuyoki had no doubt that, whoever this guy was, he wasn't going be taken down easily. But he was a 'nobody' and there was only so much a person like him could do.
The sharp sting of metal filled the air as kunai clashed, the blades of his clones being easily deflected along with his own as they pressed Hyuuga-hime. Leaping back as memories floated his mind, two of his clones having popped from existence, Naruto stared her down. Blood dripping from his arms, the shallow cuts evidence of his opponent's lethality. He had no doubt that Hyuuga-hime could pinpoint his exact location despite the few number of duplicates still littering the field.
The memories from his destroyed clones, glimpses of simple kunai strikes aimed to disrupt chakra flow completely different from the numerous hits he'd endured. He probably hadn't fooled her from the start of this match, but that was fine. He'd known going into this fight that he'd have that particular disadvantage. It certainly wouldn't affect his working strategy.
Summoning three more clones to fill out his ranks, Naruto caught his breath glancing worriedly at his opponent. Hyuuga-hime didn't seem to be breathing anywhere near as heavily as him, the slow up and down motion of her chest telling him that while he had stamina for days, his opponent might actually outlast him at this rate. She fought too much like Haku-chan in that way. Precise in a way that wasted neither movement nor chakra.
It meant that while she blocked more often than not, every offensive slash she did take always seemed to find the holes in his or his clones' taijutsu. It meant that every hit she made resulted in more blood on the ground or the resounding puff of a clone as it was snuffed out of existence. Hyuuga-hime was truly an expert with those kunai of hers.
However, that seemed to be the extent of her power, or at least the extent to which she wanted to expend. After all, she might have effectively shut down his ability to actually get close enough to land anything at all on her, but she wasn't doing anything to stop his underground placement of seals. And that's what she really should have been worried about.
So while he was definitely getting the raw end of the deal here, he was also getting dangerously close to figuring out how to maneuver her back into one of his newest seals. Of course, he thought he might get more than one shot. It wasn't like she was actively steering clear of his newly placed seals. But he didn't want her to figure out what he was trying to do either.
She was good. Really good in fact. And he wasn't entirely sure she wouldn't find a way to avoid moving about the field entirely. As it was, she'd been able to read most of his movements with ease. He just couldn't risk her figuring out the bigger picture and remaining very nearly in the same spot for the rest of the match. He'd never be able to get his plan to work if that happened. Any of his plans.
So he wasn't going to risk this on something too small. No Explosive seals or modified Firework seals. With her ultimate defense, those would just be a complete waste of time. No, it would definitely need to be something bigger, grander. A complete game changer. Something instant. Something she couldn't avoid. And based on what she'd already let him place underground, completely undisturbed, he was starting to think he'd have free range to actually do something like that, something just a bit bigger.
Naruto frowned as he thought of the perfect seal, his latest monstrous creation. Well, at least the one that was actually perfected. Summoning one more clone to the battlefield, Naruto prepared himself to unleash his newest creation upon his opponent, his Five Senses seal. The clone popped out of existence in an instant, delivering the new plan to his still remaining clones on the field. Now everyone knew what he wanted to do.
Of course it wasn't really a surprise to his clones on the field. He had planned to try one of the smaller versions of the seal before the fight had even begun. Something like the Hearing seal or the Touch seal. Hitting her with either one of those seals would have surely done wonders to the fight if he'd actually managed to get her to land in it. And before the start of this fight, he'd been sure he couldn't. Now, however, he wasn't so sure.
If he was being completely honest, he actually thought he could get her in the slightly bigger seal and hit all five senses. Not that he really needed to hinder her sight but he'd have only the one chance to get it right. He couldn't just hit her with the four other seals when the one, though easier to detect, would do it better.
No, this was definitely the best plan. With Hyuuga-hime letting him do anything he wanted underground, he was sure he'd have enough time to set up the larger seal. As it was, his clones had the time and space to go all out. And she was definitely going to regret giving it to them.
Hyuuga-hime rushed him, clearly no longer willing to allow him to continue recovering. Dodging backwards, Naruto grinned. She was giving him exactly what he wanted. Two more steps backwards and a roll to the left had Naruto dodging a series of attacks. His clones filling the space he'd just left immediately as he sprung back to his feet.
A loud roar ripped from one of his clone's throats as he lunged forward, Naruto spinning on his heels reorienting himself to face his opponent as he watched Hyuuga-hime easily deflect his clone's attack. An exploding kunai in hand, Naruto tossed the weapon forward, aimed a little high and to the left as Hyuuga-hime stepped under it, shifting towards him in the process. Moving in the direction counter to what his thrown exploding kunai should has facilitated in the process, however, Naruto anticipated the dodge, grinning softly to himself as he sprung backwards.
BOOM!
His kunai exploded in a surge of chakra, igniting the chain of seals buried underground.
BANG! BANG! BANG! POP! POP! POP!
Two Firework seals, more sound than light, exploded behind them just as the familiar pull switched Naruto with the clone flanking Hyuuga-hime's left side. Despite the loud sudden noise, she didn't flinch, instead turning to face him as she deflected an elbow aimed at her left kidney while simultaneously shifting out of the way of a three clone combo attack, loud screams and kunai flailing at they attempted to catch her off guard.
Naruto almost frowned at the excess noise, ducking backwards before rolling further to the left, his clones once again filling the space he'd vacated. His clones were being far louder than was necessary, roaring with a fury that divulged their combined frustration of which he could understand. They were angry. Hell, he was angry. Upset that it seemed that Hyuuga-hime wasn't bothering to take them, to take him, seriously. But their anger was almost getting in the way of the plan.
Switching once more with another one of his clones, Naruto leaned back, avoiding the kunai swipe to his chest before completing the motion of his body with a backwards flip. Kicking out at his opponent as he complete the rotation, he missed wide. Landing on his feet only to summon three more clones, two of which fled to the outskirts of the arena while one moved to replace the screaming clone he'd just lost.
This time he did frown. His anger had made him sloppy. Ducking under the next charge, Naruto rolled forward, moving under and to the right of Hyuuga-hime's next strike before popping back up to his feet.
It shouldn't have mattered what they felt. Shouldn't have mattered that he'd thought that at least she would have known better than to allow him to complete any kind of large seal on the battlefield after his fight with Neji. She was supposed to be better than that, but it shouldn't have mattered. They had a match to win and letting their anger overcome them wasn't helping the situation.
Arm raised in a hurry to block the strike to his throat, Naruto felt the sharp metal pierce his skin. He hissed in pain before stepping back, his arms already back up to defend against another blow, flinging the thick red liquid about them in the process.
He was unworried. The cut wasn't nearly deep enough for him to bleed out before he could pop another blood replenishing pill. None of them were actually. Even now he could feel the majority of them scabbing over, the itch almost as much of a nuisance as the throbbing pain coursing through him as he shifted back on his feet. Two steps backwards and one to the left he moved to dodge her next assault.
Not quick enough, Hyuuga-hime knocked him back several meters with a well-placed strike, the resounding ring of the metal connecting filling the air. His own kunai flew out of his hand as he slid across the ground, memories of his clones' destruction filling his head as he raced to get back to his feet.
He was too far away. Down to just the two clones standing on the outskirts of the field, waiting for the signal to attack, he eyed the new distance between them from his place on the ground. Frowning. Their little dance would never work the way he wanted it to if she didn't come at him, something she wouldn't do with this much space between them. Naruto nearly cursed as he finally found his feet, judging the distance once more as he pulled an exploding kunai from his pouch. There she stood, her focus entirely on him and the few clones he had littering the surface instead of the ones beneath their feet.
He wanted to scream, yell, and holler just as his clones had. Just to make her fight him with everything she had. 'Take me seriously!' The plea roared inside of him as he stared at her, willing her to realize the mistake she was making before it went any further because this was not the fight he'd wanted. He wanted fair. He wanted fierce. He wanted everything. But she could hardly hear his internal screaming.
Shaking himself from his thoughts, Naruto focused back on to the current plan. Nodding once as he flung his kunai towards her left side. The weapon raced through the air finding purchase beside her as she moved to spin out of the way only to run into two giant stone pillars.
BOOM!
The weapon exploded just as the pillars swept forward, racing behind her and to her right as they forced her to move forward and closer to him. Another kunai filled his fingers almost as soon as the last one left it. With a flick of his wrist he tossed the weapon at her, aiming low and to the left in order to get her into the air.
With fluid steps, she spun around the kunai, the loud boom filling the air behind her as she kept to the ground even as two more pillars sped past her. Clearly, she would not be forced into the air and risk landing herself into a similar situation that Neji once had.
Undeterred, Naruto pulled out two more, throwing them together in one violent swing. With deft movements, she weaved around the blasts, side stepping each rock pillar as they maneuvered around her as she rapidly approached his position.
He grinned as the memory of his completed seal filled his mind, taking one quick step backwards as she finally moved close enough to strike. Two steps back and one to the left. He took one strike to the chest, jerking up his left arm to block against another blow even as he slid a short distance across the field.
If he'd timed it just right.
Naruto stepped back once more, sliding one more step to the left as Hyuuga-hime pressed him. Dropping down to the floor, hands slamming to the ground as he swept his right leg out hoping she'd dodge it the way he wanted her to. Stepping inward and to the right to avoid the move, she did.
Naruto frowned, his hands already at the edge of the seal she'd stepped into. She should have been able to avoid this. Should have seen it coming, seen its creation from the start, but instead she'd fallen right into his trap. "Kai!" he yelled, releasing the seal just as her left leg came back to settle under her properly.
The ground glowed beneath her, the red flashing upwards even as she began to spin, the familiar pattern of her ultimate defense easy to spot. But it would do her no good. The red flash simply an after effect of the Five Senses seal activating, sinking into her skin as it moved to take effect. This seal could not be avoided. At least not with that move.
Unfortunately for him, he wasn't so lucky. Less than a half a meter from his Princess, he was far too close to her kaiten to remain unaffected.
'Kuso!' he cursed as he felt himself being pulled underground by one of his still hidden clones. Officially out of harms' way, he switched places with one of the two clones hugging the outskirts of the arena floor.
Now, back on the surface, a frown lined his features as his gaze fell upon the state of the field. At this point of the fight, he'd expected it to be covered in his own blood, soaked with the red liquid. However, that was currently not the case. Even now, despite having fought for such an extended period of time, large sections remained untouched.
He sighed in frustration, shaking his head as he turned to face his opponent. At this rate, he'd have to go a completely different approach. Hyuuga-hime clearly wasn't taking him seriously. A true travesty in and of itself.
And he'd thought they were friends. He scoffed at the idea as he started forward, aware that it would take another moment for his seal to come completely into effect.
Foolishly he'd thought that they would fight each other with respect. Fight as equals. "I guess I was wrong," Naruto sighed once more, speaking only loud enough for Hyuuga-hime to hear him. For however long that would last.
Hyuuga-hime stood across from him still in the shallow hole created by her ultimate defense. Her body glowing briefly as the seal finally took effect. She remained unmoving, a slight frown coloring her lips as he watched the red light dance across her body, highlighting the seals effect.
"Ears, sealed. Nose, useless. Taste, gone. Touch, completely numbed. And finally eyes…" Naruto spoke aloud sighing with pure frustration as he named each of the senses he'd sealed away. "But I guess those were already useless, huh," he continued to speak aloud knowing that although Hyuuga-hime would be unable to hear, or see him for that matter, she'd be able to read his lips with her Byakugan. He'd met several Hyuuga Policemen who could do the same, so he was confident that she could follow him just fine. "This is my Five Senses seal!"
A low murmur rose within the crowd as the audience took in what had just occurred. Hyuuga-hime had let him seal her. She'd practically walked right into it. "I thought you would take me seriously. I thought this meant enough to you that you'd give me this one courtesy. But I see now I was wrong about you, Princess of Konoha. Clearly, I don't know you at all," he spoke coldly, voice completely void of emotion. He was more than upset. More than just a little angry. He was devastated. This was not the fight he'd wanted. "Let's see how you do with just your Byakugan to help you," he finished, momentarily ripping his gaze away from his Princess.
They should have never ended up here, yet here they stood. 'Well fine. If you won't take me seriously, then I'm going to make you regret it. I'm going to end this farce of a fight now,' he thought heatedly.
He wouldn't even need to use his incomplete seal, but that was probably for the best. Hyuuga-hime was clearly not on the level needed to not get killed by it. At least, she wasn't fighting him like she could. Which was fine. He'd get her in his full body Gentle Fist seal instead. Deprived of all her senses and her Byakugan, she'd be helpless. Not to mention her taijutsu would already be off. Naruto had enough practice on Gai-sensei and Sakura to know that to be true.
Naruto cracked his neck as he moved forward, ready to summon another batch of clones. 'Maybe next time you'll take me seriously,' he thought as he summon them underground. Not even bothering to pretend that wasn't what he was doing. It wasn't like she'd moved to stop him before. 'If there ever is a next time,' he finished, turning his full attention to his opponent standing across from him. He was going to make her regret her decision to let him have full range underground.
He expected her to rush him again. Properly angry for the first time he'd ever seen her. But instead she just stood across from him, unmoving. Her face the same cold, calculating stony visage he was used to. His frown deepened even further as he watched her. If she was just going to stand there and make it easier for him, he wasn't going to stop her. If she didn't want to fight him, then fine. Clearly he'd been right. He didn't really know Hyuuga-hime at all.
Without forewarning, her hands moved. A slow, steady pace as they tracked upwards, landing softly at the edges of her hitai-ate. Surprise filled Naruto as he watched her untie the white cloth, revealing the thick black blindfold that lay underneath. With deft hands, she re-tied her hitai-ate around the base of her neck, her hands moving back up to trace the edges of her blindfold. Ghosting over the material without actually touching.
Naruto watched mesmerized as the material fell away. The black fabric floating to the ground to reveal the pale lavender pools beneath. Transfixed, Naruto stared into her eyes. He'd been wrong before. The moon paled in comparison.
"Kai!" The soft sound of her voice snapped him out of his momentary daze. Her hands moving in a fury of motion as chakra enhanced projectiles sped into the ground. In a flash, the memories of every last clone hidden beneath the earth flooded his mind, bombarding him with detail after detail causing his head to ache.
It was then that true realization hit him. Looking into the deep pools of her eyes, now he knew why she hadn't attacked his clones moving beneath them. Until this very moment, she'd not been able to see them.
Naruto stared at the thick veins that had only just appeared at her temples. This whole time he'd been fighting Hyuuga-hime, she'd been completely blind. He'd been winning against Hyuuga-hime only because she'd been fighting without her doujutsu.
"Kuso," Naruto whispered in wonder. Now the fight truly had begun.
おまけ(Omake)
Sasuke scowled as he glared at his Sensei. He was going to kill the man. Really, he was. After all, it didn't take a genius to realize he'd be late to the Finals. And because his Sensei thought he needed a little extra motivation.
Sasuke cringed as the man forced his voice into a falsetto, the high pitch grating on his ears. It didn't even resemble a woman's voice.
"Now Sasuke-kun," Kakashi-sensei paused, sensing his growing ire. "Every young boy needs to learn the joys of Icha Icha," he continued. "Just think of how much better you'll fight with this kind of motivation."
Sasuke bit back a reply. Knowing from experience that it would only encourage the man further. He wished he'd been able to destroy more than one copy of that trash, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He needed his Sensei to finish his porn as soon as possible so he could make it to the arena.
'If I'm disqualified from the Finals because of you,' Sasuke seethed internally. 'You're going to wish you'd never laid eyes on that filth,' he finished, resigned to his fate. At least they were nearing the end.
KJ's Corner or it would be if I had something to discuss. Go on now with your bad self.
Seal List (the ones in this chapter)
Randomizer seal – a seal that runs a randomized algorithm to activate an attached seal
Fireworks seal – At its bases it is a seal that houses fireworks similar to an explosion seal. However, it can be modified to be louder, flashier, color control (all orange or spectrum of colors), or to have more explosiveon power
Explosive seals – a standard seal that explodes often with a set time
Five Senses seal (new) – completely disrupts all five senses making them useless. This is a combination of the five smaller senses seals that (as of this chapter) can only be used as one (five senses seal) or five (individual seals).
Hearing seal (new) – completely disrupts hearing making it impossible to hear (no ambient noise). One of the five senses seals
Touch seal (new) – completely disrupts the sense of touch/ the ability to feel (not even the wind – creating a complete numbness of the body). One of the five senses seals. Side effect, can feel no pain while seal is in effect.
Gentle Fist seal – completely blocks the use of chakra; mimics juuken
Replacement roulette – uses the randomizer seal along with the mid-range replacement seal to create a randomized replacement