(A/N) And here's the end of the third round! Next chapter I just gotta deal with the invasion! ...It might be five chapters long.
Alright, this chapter does need warnings! So, uh, mind them. While last chapter's fights were a bit more light-hearted, at least one of these won't be. Heavy warnings for blood and amputation. Gaara, am I right?
Miyo had seen the fight between Shino and Chojuro, and had to admit that while the sword was very fancy, and looked like something Fuji would want, she wasn't inordinately impressed. He wasn't a terrible fighter, and knew a few water jutsu, but Miyo had been training with Eidoko the entire month, and knew how to cut through mists and fight with water. The only question was if she could wear him down, separate him from the sword, and then take him down.
She figured she wouldn't have too much difficulty with it, she did know a sticking seal, and she loved using it to stick her teammates to things. So she could apply it at a touch by necessity. It was always hilarious when they bumped into her, then were stuck to the next thing they touched for an hour.
It was even funnier when she stuck two enemies together, and got to watch them try and either fight together, or unstick themselves.
Unfortunately she couldn't do that this time, although it might be a good idea to try sticking the sword itself to her opponent. That might help handicap him. Otherwise, whipping up a flood might work to slow him down a bit too, although he was from mist, so the chakra laced mist might not work well, plus this was meant to be a show. She didn't want to block the view too much.
"Begin," the proctor called, leaping out of the arena.
Neither Miyo nor her opponent rushed forward, not willing to give up a single advantage.
Chojuro broke first, chucking a kunai at her. She dodged it easily, taking a step to the side.
"You're going to have to do better than that," Miyo taunted him.
He took the bait, rushing forward with his sword ready to try and slice Miyo open. He was kind of slow, so Miyo took the chance to make an out of sight water clone and substitute with it. The sword tore through the water clone, and Chojuro looked almost confused as he watched the water fall.
Miyo watched him look around for a moment, making a shadow clone to sneak around, then took pity and stepped out of the forest and shot a couple water blades at him.
He dodged, and sliced through the last one with his sword, the thing humming with chakra Miyo could sense even though she wasn't a sensor.
"Could use some aiming help," he mocked, holding his sword at ready.
Her shadow clone snuck up behind him, reappearing from the random mist bank that had appeared, and knocked him out with a nicely timed blow to the neck.
"You could use some situational awareness help," Miyo informed his unconscious body.
Jinbei was admittedly terrified. Their opponent was definitely a long to mid range specialist, and had a lot of area effect jutsu with the massive fan of hers.
Naruto had helped some with coming up with strategies to try and take her down, although Jinbei wasn't exactly optimistic about their chances. They were a sensor, and while they knew some seals, most of them weren't exactly battle oriented.
They had to fight though, had to at least try. They couldn't back down or they would have to wait until next year to go through the chuunin exams. Or whenever there was another Uzushio could go to without fear of being attacked or something. Konoha exam was really the only option, as the others almost all had their own issues with Uzushio they wouldn't hesitate to take out on defenseless genin that came to the exam. Well, defenseless was wrong, but close enough!
"Begin!" The proctor called, and Jinbei had to face their fate.
Temari didn't waste any time, spreading her fan out, showing three purple circles. Jinbei was doomed and they knew it.
"Wind cutting scythes jutsu!" Temari shouted, swinging her fan with both hands.
(I'm sorry, I'm really really tired, just...imagine the scene at the end of Tenten's canon fight and you got it.)
Tamako was kind of grateful her match was the last one, it let her try and strategize further to fight her opponent, who they were now aware held the one tailed Biju Shukaku. While it had been an accident that Jinbei walked in on the Suna team boys in the baths and spotted the seal, Tamako was glad it had happened. Her previous plan was still in effect, she just had a bit more to watch out for.
The strategy was simple, more wriggle room in case of errors or mistakes. Weigh down the sand with water, make it slower and slower, then strike with her glitch ability. Strike, then get out as fast as she could, or ideally, glitch in, strike with some of her momentum, then use the remainder to glitch away. With any luck, she wouldn't get hurt, and would be able to wear down Gaara's defenses until she knocked him out.
They faced each other, and Tamako dropped into a ready position. She'd have to run fast. She had to be light on her feet to not get caught and killed.
The fight started, and Tamako spun on her heel and raced for the wall, turning slightly to make an arc around Gaara to build up some speed. She had to be faster than the sand, and she had to be pretty fast for that.
Once she figured she had enough speed, and was dodging sand with enough routine she got a feel for it, she turned and lunged for Gaara, glitching past the wave of sand that immediately sprung up to block her, managed to kick him in the face, and glitched out again.
There were cracks in his cheek, and he looked surprised.
Tamako took that as a chance to glitch in again and punch his stomach before disappearing. Any distraction had to be capitalized on.
He doubled over, probably wheezing slightly, so she readied herself to glitch in again, only to be stopped in place. She looked down, freezing when she saw the sand wrapped around her right leg. She tugged on it, trying to get it out of the sand before Gaara did anything and she lost her leg and possibly her life.
Gaara straightened, holding out his hand.
Tamako tugged on her right foot more frantically, desperate to get it out.
Gaara's hand closed into a fist.
Tamako screamed.
(A/N) ...I have nothing to say for myself about that. For those that are interested in further expansion of Tamako and the whole mess there, and what'll happen with her and all that, I'm gonna post a fic (this will be only on Ao3, sorry people) basically about her struggle with that, and how she deals with it. Don't have to read if you don't want to, it doesn't really impact this story in any meaningful way, but it'll expand a bit on Uzushio and the prosthetics. Called Life Without a Leg. It'll be posted soon after this chapter is up, so give it a moment to appear. Uh, I am really sorry for not posting here last night. It completely slipped my mind. At least it's up now haha.