Perfect Black Rabbit

by Nasha Rei-Kun

Masanobu returned to his son, Iwasaki found a golden Brute, Taiga and Eruza found a friend and another person to admire, Kaori found a person to read with, and Ryouko found a steadfast bastard. Those of Yatsubishi Zaibatsu found many things, peoples, and concepts, in Obito Uchiha. Meanwhile, Obito found himself a family in Yatsubishi. As well as a lover in one Ui Inaba from Ishida.

2. Yatsubishi Zaibatsu

~NRK~

Taiga slammed his fist into his palm as he and the rest of the Yatsubishi Crew, as Eruza had started calling them, sat in his waiting area.

"Info on the guy I'm fighting?" Taiga asked, Kaori going through a notepad.

"Yeah, he's a skunk," she explained, the young tiger man raising a brow at that before wincing. "It's not going to be pretty if he gets his ass in the air, you know that."

"Once again, the CEO is an ass," Eruza said with a pout as Taiga closed his eyes in thought. "... Bro, if you come back here smellin' like a skunk, I'll never forgive you."

Taiga coughed as Obito shook his head.

"If I see things going that badly, I'll run a tomato soup bath," he explained with a chuckle. "I can just smash up a lot of the ones we have in storage."

"Thank you, Obito-senpai," Eruza said with a look of horror on her face. "Though the fact you're wasting all the tomatoes, how could you, senpai?"

"It takes the toughest wills to make the toughest of choices," Obito recited back at her, her love for movies becoming her kryptonite. "Would you rather skunk or tomatoes?"

Eruza choked as he hit her with a personal ultimate ultimatum.

"S-senpai, please! You can't have me choose between food and bro!"

"Wait, that's a decision?" Taiga asked in disbelief. "Obito, I think she's gotten to eat too much of your cooking. You've spoiled her."

"I-I am NOT!"

Kaori chuckled as she read over the rest of the notes. "Well, that's about the only interesting thing about skunks. This guy's speed might be higher, due to skunks being associated with cats on occasion, but that's about it. His claws are average, his bite even more so, and his power, unless trained like we, will be average if not wanting," she grinned. "You've got this."

Taiga nodded before Obito and he were standing eye to eye.

"Remember your training, I've watched almost every fight since I was thirteen. The issue with a lot of these people is that they let instinct triumph over everything else. If he's a skunk?"

"He's gonna try and use his only defense, that damn smell," Taiga said with a hiss. "Please tell me that poison training covers this."

"It doesn't."

"Fuck."

A horn sounded before the speakers in the waiting room came to life.

"Will Brute Tiger come into the arena?!"

"That's me," Taiga said as he closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, and slammed his fists together, air dispelling from the act. "Alright," his eyes snapped open, golden brown orbs only looking at one thing.

Victory.

"Take it easy, nii-san," Eruza said as he passed her, ruffling her head of hair. "Mou…" she pouted as he grinned, sharp teeth on display.

"We can watch from the doors," Obito said as all of them got up after Taiga, walking him to the entrance. "You know all that I've told you. Never forget, you're far stronger by being more than just a tiger."

Taiga's eyes narrowed in determination, he and Obito knocking fists before he headed out.

For these bouts, Taiga had been prepped with a 'wrestler's uniform', that's all he could see it as.

Wearing slightly baggy, tan, pants, an orange tank top, and a tiger-furred mantle around his waist, he only had one thing to say to it.

Was the mantle racist or…? Was this a speciesist thing? A 'you've desecrated my family' thing?

… Eh, he'd talk to Obito about that later.

Getting on stage, he looked around, now in the arena instead of the spectator's seat. This being his debut, he'd been put into a 1v1 and would join Kaori in a few matches.

For now? This was his Killing Bites.

He stood there as his opponent came into the ring and he observed him.

A man with black hair that covered one eye, tan skin, and a black and white suit that reminded Taiga of the American, Elvis Presley.

"You ready, punk?" he asked as he bounced back and forth. "I don't go easy on kids."

He transformed midway, now donning black fur along his shoulders, bulging out his suit, the paws, and a new, longer, hairdo that was black with a white stripe through it, he looked about as close to a skunk as he could get.

Taiga almost felt bad.

"Whatever you say, old man," he said, smirking at the guy's squawking. "Oh quiet down, come at me. I wonder if I'll even need to transform for this."

"Oh?! What's this?! Brute Tiger is implying that Brute Skunk is no challenge?!"

Taiga hated that announcer. Especially since it was his company's CEO.

"And this is Brute Tiger's debut match, could this young man be stronger than I expected?"

'Oh god, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up,' Taiga wasn't the smartest, no, he left that title to Obito and Kaori, respectively in that order.

No, he wasn't but he had great metaphorical instincts before this tiger mixing and he knew a hype-up man, for some other bastard, when he saw one.

Oh, he hated people like this.

The skunk Elvis Presley across from him looked angry and Taiga sighed, holding his fucking forehead.

Oh… One of these days…

"Now, I've held us up, long enough! Brutes! FIGHT!"

A gong was rung and Taiga got into a boxer's stance before inching forward.

---

"Huh?" Taiga raised a brow as Obito showed him his next form of training. "Boxing?"

"Yes," the Brute Rabbit said as he pushed off his back foot before sending out a combo of an overhead, cross, and a hook. "You know what a tiger's best traits are, right?"

"A little bit of everything."

"Yes but your shoulders, fists, hand width, powerful legs, and tongue are some of your most notable traits. Making good use of all those are gonna be the first things ever in your fights."

---

He transformed before kissing his teeth slightly and nodded when he felt his opponent's anger.

Using all his skills, he'd learned up to now, would let him know where he needed to improve.

The Brute Skunk ran at him, his thick tail flagging as he threw out an open-pawed hand.

Tiger blinked at the slow man, even in his human form, and stepped in his range before slamming an uppercut into his chin.

The man stumbled back, eyes dilating and undilating before he growled and ran at him once more.

'Come on,' Taiga thought as he stepped in once more, a body blow getting his opponent to fold over. 'Be some kind of fighter!' he thought once more before chopping his hand down on the hybrid's head.

The skunk man slammed into the floor as Taiga jumped back, his single-striped tail swiping at the younger, Taiga thinks this guy is older than him, male.

"Okay, come on, I hope this isn't the reason I got roped into this," he said to the guy with a smirk. "Let's go, old man."

"I'm not that old!"

Taiga's face shifted into one of confusion as the man ran at him, hands coming around to his tail before… Rubbing his limbs in it?

"Oh, this patented technique that's won Brute Skunk his fair share of fight?! Burning Fist?!"

Taiga dodged to the man's side, not impressed before he shivered from his head down to his toes.

Oh god, what the hell was that smell?! Burning Fist?! More like Burning Garbage Fist!

The man decked him and Taiga grimaced against the weak blow before his face scrunched up into disgust.

His counterattack was quick, slamming his knuckles into the man's chin… Wherever he thought it was.

They separated and Taiga wanted to gag as Brute Skunk's vision flashed before his eyes.

"In an astounding moment of true martial skill, Brute Tiger brings down the veteran Brute Skull! From boxing to taekwondo, he's got skills for his arms and legs!"

The young tiger decided to end things as is, knowing that he couldn't handle this smell for long.

So he switched things up, leg's loaded with technique as he ran at the skunk man who barely looked up in time to see Taiga's kick slam into his face.

"Guawah!" the man's head shot back before a kick to the side of it sent him to the floor.

---

From above, a tall man observed, his dark brown hair and amber eyes peering down at Taiga, a grin on his face.

---

Taiga took several large steps away from Brute Skunk, gagging off to the side before he ran back at his group.

They all took a large whiff before running from him.

"Wait, I think it's just that skunk!"

"Take a shower, first, bro!"

These days hadn't been so bad, Obito kind of enjoyed them. These guys were his precious people, alright.

… And then they gained a female flasher and the world turned on its head.

~NRK~

It'd been when they'd been walking around in a park, at night, to stretch their legs and just enjoyed the open air in comparison to the bottom of Yatsubushi Zaibatsu.

Obito had been reading on the bench that Taiga was leaning back against while Eruza was just climbing trees and feeling the air as Kaori laid down on the grass under a tree.

His father and mother were asleep or asleep, the second option something he simply didn't think too much on. So the only people with them were some men in suits… which was honestly odd when you considered how strong they'd gotten. Also, sadly, Yashin was just a bit away, minidng his own business… hopefully.

So, they were minding their own business, Taiga considering fighting techniques, Eruza feeling free, Kaori with the coolness of the grass at her back as she read, and Obito reading a sensory-related cooking technique from his book.

Out of the corner of Obito's eye, he noted a woman with what looked like pink hair coming towards him and Taiga, her body covered by a brown trenchcoat.

He raised a brow at this character before she was upon them.

She smiled at him and he was right, her hair was pink, it went well with her pink eyes and, currently, pink cheeks.

What was this about?

"E-Excuse me, sirs," she said softly to them as Eruza stopped in a tree above the odd woman and Kaori's eyes peeked out the corner of her book. "Do you think you could look at something for me?"

Obito raised a brow at the woman as he put his book down, Taiga's head coming up, eyes slightly foggy from his daydream.

The woman then ripped open her coat and the tiger was put right back to sleep.

"GUFAW?!" his head rocked back and Obito pinched the bridge of his nose even as he felt himself getting hard, glaring at his crotch.

Why? Why did he have to be mixed with the one animal with an 'any way any day' mentality when it came to sex?!

The woman grinned down at the two. "P-Please look!" she said more intently.

Obito's eyes flickered to the side of a pair of wide hips to see a handle poking out of the inner pocket of her coat.

He stood up, hands on her shoulders.

"H-Huh?" she stuttered a bit.

"Ma'am, I'd love to," Obito said straight up, locking eyes with the rosette. "Come, we can spare some time in a place a bit further in the park," he said as he pointed to an area further away.

J-Japanese men weren't this forward normally! W-What?! What kind of casanova had she picked tonight?!

"... S-Sure," she said with a blush and a smile.

Well, getting a guy like this wasn't so bad. Oooh! Guys like him made the best screams-

She dropped as Obito's hand came away from her neck, the dark brunette in the sea of bright-haired hybrids sighing even as his face barely went down in heat.

God, did he need to go and get laid? Was that it?

"Marvelous, Obito-kun," and could the CEO of Yatsubishi just die already? "Why, I'd wish your father told me you were studying pressure point training!" Yashin Iwasaki said as he strolled up to the downed woman, the others looking on in worry of some sort.

"It's the quickest way for me to protect someone," Obito said, flat-faced. "If she'd been an actual aggressive hybrid, it'd be a different story," he faux-admitted.

"Hm, hm, an aggressive hybrid, huh?"

"... Sir, you can't honestly be trying to tell me-"

"Bring her back! You don't think we came to this park by accident, did you?" Obito wished he could say otherwise. "No! I knew that there was a woman around flashing people, Ryouko Arashina, yes, pink hair and eyes!" Yashin said as he crouched down and opened the woman's eyelid. "Why, I'm thankful we could bring her in so easily! Thank you, Obito-kun!"

Was it wrong of Obito to wish she'd found Yashin alone in the park? No? Good, he wanted it to happen, so badly right now.

~NRK~

When Ryouko Arashina awoke seven hours later, she groaned before sitting up, sheets falling away to reveal her white sleeve shirt and shorts.

… Wait, clothes? Where the hell had the-

"And she's awake! Joyous day!" Came Kaori's call as Ryouko looked around, eyes clearing of their drowsiness, to see Eruza, Taiga, Kaori, and Obito sitting on beds around her. "Sup, Flash Queen. How was it to be put to sleep, inevitably?"

Ryouko took several seconds of thought before she jumped out of her bed.

"The fuc-W-Whoa?!" she fell over the edge of her bed and heard the clanking of metal and needles. "... H-Huh?" Ryouko made a confused sound as those around her grimaced.

"I'm starting to think that this has to be some kind of joke," Eruza said with a wince. "There's no way this wasn't on purpose! God, why?!"

"I blame Yashin, that typically works out," Kaori said as she nursed a sake bottle, cup forgotten as she sipped from the lip of the item in question. "Smck, damn, Obiboy, what'd you make this from?!"

"Plums, grapes, and coconuts. It's a bit sweet but it's also alcohol. It should be fine," Obito answered.

"Mmmmm."

"Eruza… Maybe a bit later," Taiga said as he, too, drank some Obito-made alcohol. "Mmmmm, alcohol."

"I seriously think you two are a bad influence on one another," Obito said as Eruza snickered.

Ryouko, completely ignored, sat up with some difficulty, the chest of her shirt bulging slightly as she saw black fur peek out of her sleeveless shirt holes.

"H-Huh?!" She took her shirt to check and she gaped at black fur around her bare chest. "What the hell is all this?!"

Taiga and Eruza choked while Kaori blinked at the woman with the ability to easily get naked.

Obito placed his hands around his nose in a temple, groaning into them as he realized how tedious being around this woman would be.

As of late, he'd taken to masturbating to keep himself under control and that helped but…

All these women around were not doing him any favors.

Ryouka let out a confused sound as she felt something shift behind her.

Looking cautiously, she saw long, slightly thick, needles coming out of her back.

"A… A-A…" she didn't have the words for this event before snapping her head in Obito's direction, face full of anger and confusion. "What the FUCK did you do to me?!"

"I didn't do anything," Obito said with a groan. "Ask our fucked-up CEO about this, we didn't decide what happened to you."

"H-Huh?"

"Yes, that would be my cue to enter, yes?" Came the voice of Yashin Iwasaki as he entered, Masanobu and Itomi behind him. "Hm, what do you think General Director Shinada?"

Itomi smiled nervously at Kaori who coughed away from her.

"... Uhhh, hey, chief?" Eruza said nervously as the man nodded to them all.

"Good morning, Eruza-chan," Iwasaki said before focusing on Ryouko. "Ryouko Arashina, I'll have you know that you would have been arrested for several cases of flashing and attempted homicide. With those kinds of crimes, you'd have been in jail for a while!"

"Who the hell are…" Ryouko's eyes widened. "A-Aren't you Y-Yashin Iwasaki? T-The CEO of Yatsubishi Zaibatsu?"

"Why, yes, I am!" he said proudly, the others grimacing at his behavior. "And, you, young miss, are under our company's employment for the foreseeable future."

"The fuck I am!" Ryouko got up with a growl. "You made me like this!"

"And you can still go back to normal, how have you not gotten a good deal out of this?"

Kaori's mouth set into a frown, Masanobu grimaced, and Itomi grit her teeth.

Eruza and Taiga's eyes narrowed and Obito… Obito's eyes burned bright red.

Yashin grinned as he felt ice on his back. MARVELOUS!

"W-What?" Ryouko's eyes widened as her mouth dropped. "W-What… Are you insane?! What part of this is me going back to normal?!"

"Well, most of those around you are hybrids like yourself," she looked shocked, eyes turned around the room before landing on Obito. "Why, he's the first of our newest generation, though he doesn't fight."

"Fight?"

"Why, yes, that will be your occupation from now on."

"N-No it isn't!" she shouted back. "You took me off the street and are trapping me?!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Yashin chuckled as he cupped his chin in fake thought. "You're right, I should leave you back on the street to continue your life of flashing and attempted murder! You'd certainly be better off out there to live your life and kill people."

She paled, mouth closing in the presence of the president of the Yatsubishi's words.

"But, please, tell me, should I release you back out there?" he smiled wide and brightly, a sickening thing to witness within… well, almost any occasion. "Ryouko Arashina."

The flasher swallowed, eyes wide, and mouth shut.

"... See, we can come to a peaceful solution!" BULLSHIT. "Then, you'll know, you still get to live a life, however long it is, while here. You'll need to learn to control your transformations for now. Your fellow hybrids should be able to teach you."

"... What's stopping me from killing you, huh?" She said with venom in her voice, bright pink eyes burning with fury as she locked eyes with the president. "It sounds an awful lot like you put us all in this situation to control us but what's stopping us from just killing you and taking over, huh?"

Yashin's grin grew three, horrible, sizes that day.

"Because then there'd be no one to protect you all from the other monsters in this game of ours," Ryouko stared. "Why, sure, you kill me and gain control of the company for… Say, a week? A month at best?" Yashin chuckled. "And then the others would know what's up and then rush in. Think about it, all those other hybrids, some with animals that'd murder you without hesitation. Tell me, Ryouko, would you be able to handle that?"

Silence reigned as even the others grimaced at this new information.

Well, not so much new as it was now confirmed that they were stuck in this situation unless something changed.

Obito's eyes narrowed as he locked onto the back of the president of Yatsubishi.

… He formulated plans and the like. If this man thought he couldn't try and usurp his control over this company… Well, he'd be proving him wrong.

---

Five hours later, Obito found himself in the company's kitchen, his fellow hybrids around a table, including Ryouko whose head was on the table, muttering nonsense that none of the others wanted to listen to.

"You going to class today, as well, senpai?" Eruza asked as Obito served her a Madame Croque, her mouth salivating. "Thank you!" she said eagerly, knife and fork cutting into her food in seconds.

Taiga and Kaori nodded as Obito placed their food in front of them, the former picking up in an instant while the latter did as Eruza did, using a knife and fork to cut into her food.

"Mm."

"Thanks, Obiboya," Kaori said as she placed a bit into her mouth, smiling as she ate. "So, the plan for you hasn't changed, right?"

"Not so far," Obito said as he tapped Ryouko on the head, the woman shooting him with a glower before hot food was placed in front of her nose. "The restaurant's construction is already coming along. If Yashin's good for one thing, it's keeping his part of a deal. Once again, thanks, Eruza," the Brute Rabbit said to the cheetah who blushed a bit before nodding her head, food being chewed.

"What are ya gonna call it?" Taiga asked as he finished his sandwich already, another on his plate in seconds. "Thanks."

"I was between the names 'Tobi', 'Akatsuki', or 'Naruto'," he told them with a chuckle.

Oh, those names would forever be a part of his history, no matter what.

He'd have also offered 'Kisame' but that might mislead people. Sorry, Kisame.

"Hmmm, 'to fly', 'red clouds', and 'Fish Cake', senpai?"

"Those aren't exactly normal names," Kaori said as she finished half her food, Ryouko eating with a huff in front of the civet at the table. "Goodness, sit up, that posture will kill you in a few years."

Ryouko looked at her oddly, swallowing before she spoke. "What is up with all of you?" the revealed Brute Porcupine said with a frown even as she licked her lips. "I don't get it! How are you fine with all this?!"

"We're not, though?" Eruza said, tilting her head with a frown. "But, we're doing the best we can. It's kinda hard when one of the four big corporations are the ones holding onto you."

Ryouko grimaced at that reminder. "So you're just gonna take it?"

"No one said that," Kaori said. "But be reasonable. What are you going to do? For now, trying to live normal lives is kind of necessary with all the craziness we're dealing with. No one would imagine all this was going on underneath the public's noses."

"Hmph," Taiga swallowed, halfway done with his third sandwich. "Besides, Eruza and me didn't really have much to go back to. Just school and trying to live on. As much as it sucks, this is probably one of the best things to have happened to us."

Ryouko frowned at that. ".,.?" She turned to Obito. "What about you? Not gonna throw some philosophy, wise words, your origin, at me?"

"There's nothing I can say, insofar as my position in all this is considered, I'm just the Brute Rabbit son of Masanobu Shinada. I hold no power in this company and Eruza's the only reason I could even get a restaurant this early in my life as is. Trust me when I say this, I have little power here."

"Besides, I'm shocked you cared," Kaori added, getting a frown from the Brute Porcupine as the civet frowned. "Are you honestly that broken up about this with your… background?"

She'd not lie to you, Kaori had grown fond of these kids in their time together.

Working, training, learning, eating, relaxing, all of that together would make you grow closer. So, when she remembered that this bitch tried to kill her… comrades is what Obito liked calling them... Comrades, she could be forgiven for being a little crossed with her.

Ryouko scoffed as she ate. "... I… I could do without being chained to someone."

"But you'd go out and try and kill men," Eruza said. "You may love your freedom a lot but so did they."

Trying to seduce her brother and senpai was one thing, learning of Ryouko's history didn't endear the woman to the teen at all.

She honestly wished that this woman hadn't lived past that night and that was saying something.

Taiga leaned back in his seat, full and satisfied.

"I don't get how they could even choose you, honestly," Taiga said as Ryouko cursed under her breath. "No, while I'm still annoyed by what you did, that's not what I mean."

"You mean that fact that she's a criminal, right?" Obito asked, getting a nod from the Brute Tiger. "It is worrying. Actually," he sighed. "Do you all remember your most recent fights? The Brutes you all fought?"

"Yeah," Eruza grimaced as she rubbed her arm. "That Brute Kangaroo Mouse chick did not play."

"Which one, the Brute Seal or the Brute Anaconda from Sumitomo?" Kaori asked with a shiver. "Those fucks are disgusting people. Seriously, what the hell?"

"That's what I'm talking about," Obito explained. "The people that are being turned into Brutes… I don't think they're just pulling in people who have nothing else. They are literally bringing in criminals."

The group's eyes widened.

"Think about it, Ryouko's probably not the lightest offender nor the worst," The said woman kissed her teeth. "Oh hush, the point is, you might end up facing people with a lot fewer morals and reservations in their animal states," Obito frowned before turning to their female members. "I'm not saying something will happen but you all need to be on guard. At this point, if anything of the sort like assault starts happening-"

"You fucking kill them," Taiga said, eyes narrow and full of fury at the very thought of that happening to Eruza. "At that point, that tells you they're not going to stop. And, while I said that, I don't mean accidental touches, I'm talking intent to get intimate."

"We get that," Kaori nodded with a frown of disgust. "And, yeah, I've been noticing more than just Sumitomo. All the other fights we've seen and not been in, they're getting rough. These Brutes aren't just people who've learned to deal with it. Some of them are out for the kill and it's concerning."

Ryouko paled more the further the conversation went on. "A-And I'm supposed to go in there and fight?!"

"I don't know if your 'flashing' is a habit or not but you'd best stop doing it," Obito said. "Not only will you be enticing the wrong kind of people but you might also very well be giving the upper brass horrid ideas. Control yourself."

Having been sitting backwards in her seat, just in case of an accidental transformation, Ryouko grimaced.

"Never mind that I don't know about what would happen if Yashin saw us lose," Obito said, getting a blink from the group. "We haven't lost and have been raking in a reputation. Remember, the Destroyer Royale is coming up and you all are the top contenders."

"Well… That's 'cause ya trained us, Obito-senpai," Eruza said with a thoughtful look and then a grin. "If you hadn't, I don't think we'd be nearly as good on our own."

Taiga grinned. "Yeah, doing weight training might have been an idea I'd have had down the line and not before. I'm way stronger than ever."

"We're going to need to do that for you, too," Kaori said to Ryouko who leaned back in confusion. "You can't just rely on your animal traits to fight, ya know. That's how most of our opponents lost to us. They might have known little martial art but they basically traded all their fighting power for animal instincts."

"... What is this, some kind of manga?!" the Brute Porcupine balked. "You're basically saying it's training or die!" What the hell was wrong with these people?

"... Aren't you being a bit overdramatic?" Kaori asked. "What's the problem? Do you have any hobbies or somethin' besides tryin' ta flash people? You don't go to school, do you? Because Yashin can make that happen."

"You act like I have no other options."

"That's because you don't. Just like Kaori-nee-chan said, you're in this for the long hall," Eruza explained as she licked her lips. "What, did you think that we'd just laze around until our next fight? If we don't train, we're in for a world of hurt."

"..." Ryouko grimaced before slumping. "Fine… Fine… It's obvious you've all been at this way longer than I have. What kind of training?"

---

This was torture!

"Keep your back straight," Obito said as he sat on her back. "Remember, try to keep just your arms transformed along with your chest. This training is meant to build those muscles and your ability to focus on your transformations."

She grimaced as she came up again, reluctantly noting that, yeah, she was strong enough to lift his weight on her back like this.

But this fucker took it WAY too far! 100 of these?!

"Stop complaining…!" Taiga said as he did his own push-ups except he was fully transformed, a weight belt around his abdomen, thighs, calves, and upper chest. "Mmm!" he pushed up. "That's 156!" he went back down.

Eruza was busy running on a large hamster wheel/treadmill. The faster she ran, the more power it got, and the higher she'd try to place the setting. Around the girl's abdomen was a weighted belt along with the biceps on her arms.

Looking to the left of the room, Ryouko saw Kaori walking upside down with two large blocks of steel on the bottom of her feet. Around her thighs were another set of weighted belts.

'What the hell is this?!' the Brute Porcupine thought as she went down and back up again. 'W-Why?! I get that our lives might be on the line but why listen to him?' the thought confused her.

Obito, out of the lot, openly admitted to not fighting in these things, so why listen to someone who knows nothing about these fights up-close?

"Alright and done," he told her, confusing her as he got off her back. "You did well, it took you about ten eight minutes to do the whole set and I was on your back. Come on," he pulled her to her feet and the former flasher spasmed from head to toe. "Just breathe in and out, work on relaxing your body as we walk."

She begrudgingly did as he said, slowly breathing out as she tried to make her body relax.

"Over time, as you train more, you're going to be more in-tune with your body," Obito said with a nod and a hand rubbing a sore spot on the middle of her upper back. "Focus on all the muscles you know to feel for and just kind of let go."

Breathing out, she let her shoulders drop, the metaphorical weight on her form making her wince.

"Come on, treadmill time."

Going through this bastard's idea of what a workout was did nothing but tear her down. By the end of it all, she felt like one big bruise.

"Alright!" Obito called out to the others, his mother coming into the room with refreshments. "We're done for today, come and relax!"

Ryouko moaned from her place on the floor before Obito took a water bottle full of Gatorade and placed it against the Brute Porcupine's cheek, causing her to moan further but in relief.

Placing the bottle down, the others came and took their places next to the two of them.s

"Phew…" Taiga nodded as he blew out a breath, receiving Itomi's offered bottle. "Thanks," he chugged it in an instant.

Eruza did the same as her brother while Kaori took controlled sips.

"I've looked into the next Killing Bites," Obito said, gaining their attention. "... It has Brute Lion, Leo, or his normal name is Tani Yugo, from Mitsukaido Zaibatsu in it."

The others winced while Taiga grinned ferociously. Seeing this disparity in emotions, Ryouko had to ask.

"What, this guy a big shot?" she asked, sitting up with a wince. "Super-Lion or something?"

"No, he's just that good," Taiga said with a grin. "We've seen him fight and he rules with overwhelming power but he's not stupid. He also knows that you can't just fight with instinct and is good at positioning himself in an area. I want to try my Tiger Cannon on him!"

"Brute Lion is noted as being one of the strongest in the Killing Bites," Kaori said as Eruza nodded.

"Yup, like neechan said, he's a real brute. He's won over 100 Killing Bites in his name and only, like, five losses, in the past when he was still new. That's not someone you just fight."

"So he's like a super legend?"

"Basically," Eruza said with a frown. "Obito-senpai, what's the fight looking like? Maybe we can-"

"He called for this match purposely," Obito said with a frown. "He wants the group against him and one other man. I think Yashin informed the others because he said, he wants all five of us."

"You, too?" Taiga raised a brow in confusion. "Wait, why the hell does he care about you, now, all of a sudden?"

"What'd ya mean, even if he's not fighting, he's just like us, yeah?" Ryouko said. "He's just someone who wants as many to add to his body count, yeah?"

"... No, that's not how that works… Not with Leo," Taiga said with a frown. "He only wants to fight strong people. Like Obito said earlier, we've been gaining a reputation, he probably wants a piece of that action."

"But why Obito, though?"

"... Because he smells strong," Taiga said with a nod and closed eyes as Ryouko leaned back in confusion. "Obito's animal doesn't tell you just how strong he is. Me and him spar, like, every other day, transformed. And, even then, he's still giving me tips during the fight. He's not to be underestimated."

"... Brute Rabbit, though?"

"Last I checked, you didn't choose to be Brute Porcupine."

"... Touche."

"Hm, hm, hm," Itomi giggled nervously at those words.

Loose lips and all that.

~NRK~

The latest Killing Bites came and Obito sighed as he sat there in a recreated version of his Uchiha clan adornments.

If he was gonna be involved in this shit, he'd be damned if he let anyone else make his own clothes.

And, well, the others had noticed and Obito soon found himself with custom orders.

"These are so easy to move in, senpai!" Eruza said as she stretched.

Wearing a pair of pants he'd designed after a shinobi's lower ware, she had them tied at her ankles. Around her waist was a cloth mantle that went around her hips and didn't connect at the front, allowing her legs some extra protection seeing as he'd weaved wire mesh into it.

Around her chest was a tank top and on her feet were a set of bandages to finish off the look, the entire outfit being cheetah print certainly didn't stop the girl from enjoying it.

"Hmph," Kaori chuckled a bit as she tapped her bare feet against the floor. "It is good work, Obiboy."

Wearing a long-sleeved top that had slightly baggy sleeves and a slight v-neck, she'd been given a pair of pants that were fitting around the thighs but looser around the knee down… So basically bell-bottom jeans without the 'jeans'. Her feet, like Eruza's, were covered in bandages.

With her entire outfit being a deep violet, the only thing that stood out was her fedora that was black with a white feather on it.

Tipping her hat, she grinned.

"Well, at a minimum, we're gonna look good going out there, Eruza-chan."

"Got that right, neechan!"

Ryouko grimaced as she looked down at her outfit. "I feel more naked than I've ever been."

"Are you being serious?" Kaori asked in disbelief.

Wearing a pair of black yoga pants, a pink crop top, and some bandages around her feet like Eruza, Ryouko sighed.

"You're more clothed than ever."

"Bite me, cat woman."

"Goodness," Kaori turned to her side. "Taiga, please tell me I'm not the idiot here."

"You were the idiot?"

"Thank you, Taiga."

The young man hadn't really changed his outfit but Obito had remade it with his own techniques.

The only thing that had changed was that Taiga was wearing an orange muscle shirt and his pants were black in color. His mantle bringing together the rest of his tiger motif in its patterns. He, like his fellow hybrids, wore tape around his feet but also had some on his wrists.

Obito got up, rabbit ears on his head hearing the soft thump of someone's finger on a microphone.

"We're here, everyone!" Came Yashin's voice out of the speaker in the back area of the truck they were in. "Everyone prepared?"

"..." Collective silence was their answer.

"Good!" The sounds of the locks on the back door opened. "Come on out!"

Obito sighed before leading the way, opening the doors to a large open area surrounded by large walls of stone and slight vegetation.

"What the… Are we in a canyon?" Taiga asked in confusion, rubbing the back of his head in confusion. "I mean… It's Leo so maybe they want it to be more special?"

"Correct, Taiga!" came Yashin Iwasaki's voice, getting the group to jump as they turned to see the man coming out of the front of the truck alone. "Why, it's not just him! This is Obito-kun's first-ever Killing Bites! Why we'd have to make it special!"

"... Ya know, I don't think being normal is so bad," Ryouko said with a flat tone.

"Haaa, your words have never been wiser, Ryouko," Obito shot back with a sigh.

"... Hold on, what?!"

"You're a bit slow, Ryouko," Eruza said as she folded her arms behind her head. "Come on, keep up!"

The Brute Porcupine's eyebrows twitched as Kaori chuckled.

"I see, so this is the so-called Brute Yugo was calling out?" Came the words of an old man walking over with a triplet of people around him. "Hmph, Yashin, isn't this that young man's son? What was his name again?"

"It was Masanobu, grandfather."

"Thank you, Yoko."

What stood before Obito would only call a slightly deranged old man and his uptight granddaughter.

The old man was slightly tall for his age but hunched over a cane. He had olive skin, thick eyebrows, and sharp purple eyes. He dressed rather formally, and feudally, in a pair of black hakama, a light blue shitagi, and a dark blue haori over his shoulders.

Next to him was his granddaughter.

A young, slender-figured, woman with clear porcelain skin, indigo eyes, and indigo hair that was long and in a hime-cut. She wore a white dress that came down to her thighs and had a small white mantle over her shoulders. Atop her head was a white beret and down below she wore thigh-high socks and black flats.

Youzan Mitsukaido and Youko Mitsukaido, the president and overseer of Mitsukado Zaibatsu, respectively.

"Hmph," the granddaughter walked up to him and Obito sighed as she observed his outfit. "I was of the opinion you were just another bystander, Shinada-san."

"Don't call me that," Obito said. "No offense to my father but I'd prefer 'Uchiha' if you will. And, I was until your bodyguard decided he wanted to call me out."

The tall man by the president of Mitsukado Zaibatsu came forward, amber eyes locking onto Obito as his slightly long dark brown hair shifted with each step he took.

Coming to stand in front of the Yatsubishi group, Brute Leo grinned in his white shirt and tan slacks, his feet bare not unlike Obito's group's own.

"Man, you all came prepared," he said, eyes only on Obito. "You ready to fight in that get-up?"

"I will," Obito said, eyes never swaying from the Brute Lion of Mitsukado. "..." Obito looked around the man's side to peer at the sole person left by the CEO of the opposing company. "That your last member?"

"Her? I wish," Yugo Tani shrugged. "No, he's just resting in the trailer back there. He'll be ready when it's time to fight, trust me."

"... I'm curious why you waited this long to try and call me out."

"That so?" the Brute Lion grinned. "It's 'cause I was interested in you and your squad. They're really raking in the wins and, I hear, they get training from a certain member in their company."

"Fucking hell, Yashin!" Obito shouted at the completely not-innocent man. "What, did you tell him my sock sizes?!"

"You'd be surprised what kind of info he parts with," Youko said with a hand flicking back a part of her hair. "You need to reign in your CEO."

"We know," came the collective call of Obito's group, confusing Youko while Yugo cackled. "Trust us, we know."

"I-I see!" she stammered a bit. "Ahem, that is, he's explained that you have the highest dan in Taekwondo and Muay Thai? Interesting. Have you imparted such knowledge on your team?"

"I won't tell you what kind, though I question if you don't know already," she smiled at his words. "But, yes, they're fast learners as soon as I find the right method."

"Hm," Taiga took a step forward as he sized up Leo, the lion grinning as he did the same.

"Strong bastard, Leo/Taiga."

"Oh god, they're almost the same people," Ryouko said with a twitch in her cheek. "No, seriously, why?!"

"That's not a loaded question or anything," Kaori said with a shake of the head.

"Let me cope!"

~NRK~

She raised a brow at the new Brute… Or, really, the newly-revealed Brute.

"Ma'am, didn't a Brute Rabbit already exist?" Came the voice of a large, rotund, man at her side. "He's not them, right, Son-san?"

"He's not her, Okajima," Son-san said. "I want to check, I could have sworn..."

Son or, her full name, Seira Son, the wife of Seigi Son, the man who was president of Ishida Zaibatsu.

She was a delicate-looking woman with peach skin, yellow eyes, and black hair done up in a regal bun while her bang covered her forehead slightly.

Wearing a pristine white kimono, geta sandals, and bearing a golden hand fan with her company's insignia on it, she was the epitome of a beautiful woman, a true Yamato Nadeshiko.

To her right, kneeling against the floor, was one of their company's brutes. Okajima Ichinosuke.

He took to mostly wearing sweatpants and a tank-top that allowed his muscular arms and chest to show being a bulky man.

His skin was tan and his eyes brown. His black hair was slightly short but made up for it by coming around to frame his face with his sideburns.

Watching the live feed of this Killing Bites, Seira raised a brow in slight realization.

"Okajima, I believe that Brute is none other than Obito Shinada."

"H-Hm?" Okajima blinked before the cameras changed to catch a side of Obito's face. "I-It is! H-Has the son of the General Director been a Brute this whole time?!"

"It seems so," she said with a tilt of the head at his outfit. "I question if he had those personally made for him or not?"

"?"

~NRK~

She blinked at the screen, an interested look on her white face as her crimson red eyes glowed in excitement.

"T-This is going to be fun!" she said as she bared her sharp teeth and her white head of hair shifted as she chuckled menacingly. "S-Shidou-san. W-When will it be my turn?! You've got the Brute Lion and the Ace Yatsubishi about to go at it!"

Wearing a schoolgirl's uniform, this young woman crossed her legs and watched the large screen in front of her with anticipation.

The man standing next to her seated form huffed a bit as he looked at the image of Obito talking to Mitsukado Youko, eyes narrowed.

Wearing a clean black suit and brown dress shoes, he cupped his chin, his slightly wrinkled tan skin, a small head of black hair, and dark green eyes behind a pair of glasses.

"... Your time will come, Hitomi," Reichii Shidou said to the young teen at his side. "For now, focus on the fights. Killing Bites, as of late, has had the Yatsubishi dominating with their well-trained members."

"Hmph, that's nice and all," Hitomi began before grinning. "But it's nothing about all that! Whoever bears the greater fangs wins."

Shidou peered down at the entranced hybrid out the corner of his eyes.

'Perhaps but it's more than just having a stronger presence,' he thought before his eyes went back to the screen. 'The question remains… Is this man the one who's been training them?'

The group, on average, have spoken about being trained by their senior member. Shidou hadn't known that Obito was a hybrid, so did that make him their trainer?

~NRK~

Obito watched as a large man came up to the group from out of the trailer across the field.

"... Wait," Obito raised a brow once the guy got to them. "Aren't you Jerome Hongou?"

The tall, muscular, man locked eyes with Obito, the slightly shorter Brute's red eyes locking with his black ones. His long black hair shifting in his confused tilt of the head.

"... Wait," the man raised a brow at Obito, his tan skin wrinkling at his forehead in surprise. "You're that kid from the Shinjuku Taekwondo tournament."

"Ho~?" Leo looked fascinated like Obito's group. "You knew of him before all this?"

"Yes," Hongou said with a hand cupping his chin, his sumo's kimono shifting as he did. "At the event, he was initially considered as disgracing the tournament for wearing limiters."

"Hm, that makes sense," Taiga said as Eruza and Kaori nodded. "Obito was a Brute already. Doing anything, even in human form, wouldn't be fair."

"Exactly. At first, many were confused and irritated before he beat the first four brackets, it was a rather big tournament," Jerome grinned. "After that, many had already given up on winning and, instead, tried to see who could get him to release his limiters in the first place. No one did."

"That'd been a big turnaround," Obito said with crossed arms and a tilted head. "After that point, I stopped going to tournaments because people started getting a little too interested. I'm thankful things turned down a bit."

"Hm, senpai, you've gotta deal with that eventually," Eruza said with a sagely nod. "You're also the son of the General Director of one of the four biggest companies. Surely you've had to have dealt with this before."

"That's the thing, people know me as Obito Uchiha and not 'Shinada'. Trust me, that was on purpose," Obito said, looking at a pouty Youko. "And I'd like to keep it that way."

"Hmph, very well, Uchiha-kun."

"That was a change," Obito said with a raised brow as the Mitsukado president laughed. "Very well, Youko-san."

"That is proper," she said with her hands on her hips as she looked over the assembled group before blinking at Ryouko. "She's the newest, right?"

"Yes, that is Ryouko," Kaori said with a smile and a nod. "So, this is also her debut."

"... Brute Civet, yes?" Kaori nodded. "Your last match was interesting when you were against Brute Stoat."

"Why thank you."

Obito nodded before locking eyes with Jerome as Leo and Taiga nodded to one another.

"Hm, hm, it'll be interesting seeing you fight, young man," Youzan said as Obito nodded. "Brute Flemish Rabbit. I know we don't usually consider the different kinds of species unless it's a big difference."

"Well, being fair," Obito closed one eye. "From what I've been told, it was between either the Flemish Rabbit or a Dire Wolf."

"And you didn't choose the wolf?" Leo asked as he and Taiga turned to him in disbelief. "That's… Certainly a choice."

"I wasn't awake for the choice, I was kind of dying," Obito said shrug as Kaori and Eruza balked. "It was a choice that had to be made. In the end, I work with what I'm given and I didn't allow any of this animal's abilities to go to waste."

Hongou and Leo's eyes narrowed in excitement as Taiga grinned.

"Hmph, we'll see then, won't we?" Youko said with a smile. "The fight begins after all the cameras are set up. That should only be ten minutes from now."

They separated like that, Obito turning back to his group.

"So, game plan, I'm going after Hongou first," he said immediately, getting blinks from all around. "When it comes to him, I know his efforts and styles. Out of the five of us, myself and Taiga are simply the best suited but Taiga needs to focus on Yugo. Any questions?"

"Yeah, besides the fact that you also almost died when you became a Brute, senpai," Eruza began as Obito shrugged. "Who else is going to fight him with you?"

"No one, I'm handling him myself," Obito said, shocking the group.

"Senpai!"

"First off, don't be like that. I already told you, I'm the most knowledgeable about him. I need this fight to be 1 on 1."

"... Alright, he's not wrong," Kaori said with a hand adjusting her fedora. "That said, are you going to distract him or fight him? Remember, if he's a hybrid, that must mean he got an animal that matches him. So, when it comes to sumo, that can't be that many animals."

"It's either gorilla, bear, or an orangutan, I'd assume," Obito said. "And, I get the feeling it's the second one."

"A bear, huh?" Taiga said. "That sounds rough. The bare minimum any normal person would know about 'em is that their paws are no joke. Just like a tiger's but worse."

"Y-You guys!" Eruza looked alarmed at her teammates. "That's MORE reason to not let him do this!"

"Eruza, that's enough," Taiga said to his horrified sibling. "Do you think so little of Obito?"

"That's not what I said and you know it!"

"Exactly, I know you," he said, getting a flinch from Eruza. "So you should also know that Obito doesn't take stupid gambles. You know how his training is and how skilled he is, Obito probably has his own plan figured out."

"..." Eruza grimaced before Obito patted her shoulder.

"I know what I'm doing, trust me. What you all need to be focusing on is dealing with Brute Lion. You know the plan, right?"

"Make an opening for Ryouko," Kaori recited with a nod as the Brute Porcupine grimaced. "We have to take his greatest weapons from him, his claws and arms."

"Hmph, I still not the most in favor of the idea but if he harms Eruza too much, I'm going for his throat," Came Taiga's comments, eyes narrowed. "And, yeah, I'm to make first contact with Ryouko… Though," he turned to see Leo talking with Jerome. "... Am I the only one noticing that he's bulkier than usual?"

The group looked on as Yugo removed his top to reveal a defined back and thick arms with scars across both.

"... Wait, did he train like we did?" Eruza asked.

"It seems so," Obito said with a frown. "... He's been watching all your fights, we know that. If we assume he's trained with Jerome to fight our group specifically…"

"So we should focus on our parts but be more cautious, yeah?" Ryouko said with a sigh. "Of course, this wouldn't be that easy."

"It doesn't really change what your jobs are," Obito said with closed eyes. 'No… Since when did he have those scars? Every fight, even the ones before him getting used to all this, he's never been so wounded like that. Especially not in his last match a month ago.'

Something… He'd done something to himself, likely through training, to come at their group with such confidence.

"... We need to be careful," Eruza said. "That also means you, senpai."

"I know. That said, I think that Brute Lion's defenses are going to be higher," Obito explained. "He's never had scars like those. This means it came from the past month, which means he's had someone attack him repeatedly and I'm assuming it's Hongou."

"So I'll need to hit harder?" Taiga asked with a smirk and a look of challenge. "Sounds right to me."

"God, are you always like this?" Ryouko asked as Taiga huffed. "Seriously, he might literally kill us in an unprepared blow and you're trying to box with him?!"

"For what it's worth, you've all trained hard and your muscles should be tough enough to withstand a few blows," Obito added. "Ryouko's likely the safest while Kaori could only take a few hits. Eruza… I'd say, you'd best never get hit, if not more than once while Taiga is probably the best bet to get into an up-close brawl with Leo."

"..." Eruza grimaced before slumping. "Alright, alright, I get it. Just… Just come back alive, senpai."

"That's both the plan and I doubt Hongou is actually going to try and kill me," Obito said. "If he gets, say, two hits in, I'm done. That's not up for debate and he's skilled enough to know that, we're not martial artists for nothing."

---

"So, thoughts?" Leo asked his comrade he got ready, shedding his top clothes. "Think you could handle most of those across the way?"

"The women, yes," Jerome said with a considerate hand cupping his chin. "They're not strong enough to do enough damage to me in the time it'd take me to eventually catch them. Brute Civet's pressure point techniques don't have enough strength behind them to bring me down if we get in close. Brute Cheetah can't truly do enough damage with her speed alone. We don't know anything about Brute Porcupine, yes?"

"We don't," Youko said. "She's the newest addition but we know how Porcupines work. If she's showing her back to you, you need to fake around and get her underside. Besides, how trained can she actually be in under a month?"

"That's dangerous thinking, Youko," Youzan said. "We've observed their group and even young Eruza could handle her fair share of bigger opponents."

"Yes but that only came to be after a year," Youko reasoned. "This woman hasn't had half the training Brute Cheetah does."

"While that's true," Leo spoke as he and Jerome stretched. "That doesn't mean she has no idea how to use giant needles. If that hits me in the neck fast and hard enough, it won't matter."

"That's why you've been training with Jerome to up your defenses," she said. "Even if you can't naturally raise it that much, all those blows, the repeated healings, and continuous blows should have strengthened your body somewhat."

"That's not untrue, Leo," Hongou said with a nod. "You've become rather resilient, it will honestly be interesting to spar with you once again after this."

"Same," Yugo Tani said with a nod. "Though, we've gone off-topic, what of the males?"

"Taiga is trained and has taken harder hits for longer than you have, he'll be harder to put down. Especially since he's fast," Jerome explained. "That said, hitting the right spot and I'll put him down… Obito Uchiha is similar manner to the females in durability. I'd say… maybe two hits, though."

"That's high praise," Youzan said. "That's two hits from an experience sumo wrestler in bear form. That's not to be taken lightly."

"Correct and, if his rabbit traits are factored in, he'll be the most difficult to put down next to Porcupine."

"How so?" Youko asked. "You said it before, you'd catch the Brute Cheetah in time. How is Uchiha-kun different?"

"Because, if I'm right, he's been training with them. He's likely fought each and every one of them as their trainer, even if it was just to block and take blows," Jerome shook his head. "And even before that, he was a master martial artist, like me in Sumo, in Taekwondo and Muay Thai. If he's able to utilize a rabbit's impressive leg strength, he'll be a terror to fight."

Leo grinned as, even as Jerome said all this, the bear looked more excited as he spoke.

"He'll be a grand challenge."

---

The time came as a digital gong rang in the area.

Obito and the others got up from their stretches before lining up by their side of the arena, Yugo, and Jerome over forty meters away doing the same.

"Is everyone ready?!" Came the call of Youzan, acting as the referee for this match. "This is just like any other Killing Bites match! Either you kill your opponent or they can't move!"

It should be noted that all non-combatants were above the group on several uplifted rock faces and caves to stay out of trouble.

"All hybrids are in the ring!" Youko announced as well. "Let the Killing Bites match between Yatsubishi and Mitsukado Zaibatsu begin!"

The air grew tense as both sides looked at one another before Obito leaned down.

"Hmph," Taiga grinned as he became his friend's starting gun. "... GO!"

What happened couldn't be called 'speed' as Obito vanished in a spiral of dirt and air, a crater of earth, and, most importantly…

The crash and disappearance of Jerome Hongou into the cliff wall.

The sound was loud and sharp, the rabbit hybrid standing in front of a small rockslide where the bear hybrid supposedly was.

~NRK~

"..." Seira Son stared in confusion. "What? Where did this speed come from?"

Okajima nodded as he, too, was confused by the rabbit's velocity to drag Brute Bear into the cliff wall.

~NRK~

"... I didn't…" Hitomi frowned as she leaned forward. "I-I didn't even catch that!"

What the hell?! She knew he was a rabbit but that kind of speed was ridiculous!

Shidou frowned as he, too, nodded. "That speed is concerning."

"Wasn't he some pencil pusher's son? He's never been in a fight before, yeah?"

"No, that isn't correct. Obito Uchiha has been in numerous official matches over the years in Taekwondo tournaments," he explained with a frown. "He knows his way around a fight."

~NRK~

Youko balked as her prediction for how the fight would start turned on its head.

"H-He's faster than Cheetah?!" she shrieked in disbelief as her father grinned.

"Oh ho! The young man seems far more powerful than we expected!"

---

Leo blinked at the back of Obito's, the rodent hybrid only turning his head back to lock eyes.

Red met amber before Obito spread his legs, resting his weight against his back foot.

"I know you're stronger than this, Hongou!" he called out.

The rocks exploded as an unfazed, towering, bear man came out of them, a grin on his face.

"Just processing your speed."

The sumo crouched and raised his arms, back to the cliff face.

Obito was already in front of him, slamming his leg into the bear's forehead before grabbing one of his arms, pulling himself out of the way of the other's strike.

He flipped off it as he and bear hybrid's eyes locked.

Hongou rushed him.

---

Ryouko gawked before hearing Eruza's call.

"Ryouko!" The Brute Porcupine grimaced before running forward with the others.

When they reached halfway across the field, the fully transformed Brute Lion greeted them, already rushing down to meet their charge.

Ryouko jumped up, transforming entirely, before turning her back to him.

Yugo had been prepared for the crashing attack… Not the fact that her quills shot out of her back!

His eyes balked as he jumped back, dodging a rapid-fire set of quills destroying the area where he'd just been.

'That wasn't in the information?!'

---

"T-That's a myth!"

Even Youzan was surprised by this ability. "... Does this mean that even myths could be considered part of a Brute's abilities?"

The question got a confused frown out of Youko, this information already getting an odd worry to form in her mind.

---

Obito nodded as he greeted the sumo wrestler's charge, appearing within his personal bubble.

Hongou proved he was a good fighter when he already slammed a hand down, the earth beneath the swift palm strike cratering the floor beneath.

Obito, having jumped in the air before the tall hybrid's face, twisted before slamming his shin into the side of his head.

The bear hybrid stumbled before feeling another set of kicks from the rabbit hybrid before a blow at his thighs almost brought him to his knees.

… Almost. His eyes snapped open and Obito crossed his arms before being sent flying across the distance of one wall to another.

The Brute Rabbit glared before turning his impromptu flight into a landing, allowing his legs to touch the cliff wall first and spread out the force.

The area beneath him cratered well and Obito smirked.

He vanished from his spot.

Jerome crossed his arms over his chin, a harsh blow to his block sending him skidding into the cliff wall.

His ears flickered and he swung an arm back at his right, cratering it as a spinning Obito landed on the limb, red eyes locked onto Jerome's surprised face.

A large crack echoed out as the bear was sent flying backward before he used a claw against the cliff face to slow him down enough to stop entirely.

Looking up where Obito had originally been, he didn't see any further as his head was sent plunging with a kick from the Brute Rabbit.

He stumbled before seeing a crouching Obito beneath him.

~NRK~

"I didn't think a rabbit hybrid could be this powerful," Seira said with interest. "Okajima, the one under our employ, the courier. What was her name again?"

"I believe it was Ui Inaba, yes?" the large man offered in thought. "Though, I question if these two aren't different kinds."

"Perhaps but maybe this man could give her some training tips?"

"Would an opposing company allow one of their Brutes to do that?"

"Not if they knew," Seira said with a smile. "Crazy thing, the young man in there is opening a restaurant."

"?"

~NRK~

She fidgeted in her spot, watching this Obito guy move sent a thrill through her body.

She wanted to fight him. Oh, she did. She knew she could react better than that stupid bear!

Shidou observed the Brute out of the corner of his eyes.

… Hadn't this man decide to open a restaurant if Yashin's words were right?

~NRK~

Taiga slipped past the Brute Lion before swinging on his back.

The blow landed but Taiga's eyes widened as he jumped back to avoid a shrill shriek in the air that announced Leo's claws.

Yugo grinned before dodging to the side to allow a rain of quills to crush his previous location only to find five slashes across his chest as Eruza passed by.

She touched the ground the same moment he did before he crossed his arms to block her next slashes, the girl grimacing before jumping up and over the other feline hybrid.

'They're there but they're too shallow!'

There'd been no blood. He must have worked on his chest along with his back.

She approached from his side, slowly.

Yugo made the mistake of focusing on her solely, never seeing the deep violet blur entering from the side of his vision before he stumbled as someone slammed into his knee.

Kaori grinned ferociously before sending a long leg out and slamming it in between Brute Lion's neck and shoulder.

Yugo grunted but felt little damage, claw already raised to bring down upon her chest only for a cheetah-themed blur to bring Brute Civet out of his range.

"Thank you, Eruza-chan," the woman said as she was let down out of the girl's arms.

"No problem, nee-chan," Eruza said as they focused back on Yugo. "But, I don't think I can do any damage here. His skin is thicker than I remember it being."

Kaori considered Leo as he lunged at them, soon to be in between the two in less than three seconds.

He was forced to stop, though, when a hail of quills cut off his path… If he hadn't jumped over it!

Both females jumped apart as the lion hybrid crushed the area where they'd just been.

Leo grinned. Over the past half-year, he'd taken to actually training for these fights.

These fights weren't boring anymore. They'd require his actual effort to win~!

He chuckled before using one of his greatest weapons. He reared his head back, breathing in while puffing out his chest.

Before he let out a large supreme roar that was befitting the King of the Beasts.

'Roaring Leo!'

The roar distorted all of their vision, leaving them to stumble.

Amber eyes narrowed in satisfaction before he slammed his palm into Kaori's body.

She spat out blood before being sent into the cliff face, cratering the area where she'd been slammed into.

"Puahwa!" Kaori choked as she fell to the floor, body spasming.

W-What the hell was that strength?! S-She was sure he'd broken a few of her ribs.

Eruza's eyes widened at Kaori's state before growling as her body came back under her control, lunging at Brute Lion who grinned as he sent a perfect palm strike at the younger feline hybrid.

Eruza's eyes narrowed as she jumped onto his arm before sending a harsh claw swipe at the larger feline's face, finally drawing blood… And, yet, not yell?

She barely jumped away, Leo's claw swiping past her position.

"That hurt," he said as his tongue flicked out to catch the blood falling down his face. "But nothing near as close as getting pummeled by Hongou."

There was a large crack before a black blur flew past his location, the lion man grinning as Obito's body came out of a crater against the same cliff face that Kaori hit.

"SSsss-sssss," the rabbit man grimaced as he shakily got to his feet.

"Mmmmm," Leo growled as he crouched low before he lunged at the injured hybrid.

His charge was halted as he was tackled to the side by Taiga, the enraged tiger hybrid's fists slamming into the sides of his face, repeatedly.

~NRK~

"Tsk, Brute Lion's greatest technique, Roaring Leo," Okajima said with a grimace. "Even when just watching, that move will still make us all freeze."

Seira nodded, a frown on her face covered by her fan. "Yes and it seems that even young Obito was caught unawares by it."

The larger person nodded with a grimace. "With that in Leo's possession, they'd have to get through it without getting hit by either of their opponents.

~NRK~

"Huh?" Hitomi blinked before tilting her head. "Why'd they freeze?"

"Leo has the ability to use a menacing roar," Shidou explained. "His ability allows him to, essentially, pull up all of their animalistic fear. It even works on normal humans. There's a reason he's been so undefeated over the years."

"Fear?" Hitomi looked confused. "That's stupid, he's roaring at them. He's not doing anything threatening… Not that I can think of it. He's not even all that scary!"

'To you, perhaps,' Shidou thought. 'She has no fear but that's not all that beneficial.'

~NRK~

She let out a sigh of relief even as her body finally came under her control. "H-Hm, y-yes, Leo can't lose like this! They're already down a member!"

Youzan nodded, watching as Leo threw off Taiga. "Yes, his training has made him a force to be reckoned with… But I want to see what our newest Brutes have to combat him."

---

Obito grimaced as he locked eyes with the sumo wrestler who swung out at a dodging Eruza.

Taiga was thrown aside and Obito grimaced before grabbing Kaori and jumping up onto the wall before pushing off as Brute Lion's claw swung around and then up, tearing up the wall.

"COME, UCHIHA!" He roared at Obito's back. "I've known you were strong for a while so don't fear me!" Leo said with a smug grin as Obito set down Kaori near Ryouko and Taiga.

Obito's eyes narrowed before Leo found his head knocked up and beat to the sides as Obito unleashed a trio of roundhouse kicks at the lion's chest, sending him shooting back.

Digging up troughs into the floor with his feet, Leo grinned as he came to a stop before looking up to see Taiga's paw slamming into his vision, sending his head up before Obito leaped off his friend's back to slam his foot into the notorious Brute's neck.

A bit away, Hongou let out a yell as needles found their way into his back courtesy of Ryouko.

Eruza took advantage of the opportunity and slashed at the bear's thick belly, leaving nothing but marks but she climbed his body before slamming her foot into his forehead.

It would do far less damage than her senpai's but it didn't need to do damage. She saw the bear stumble back against the wall, screaming once more as the needles in his back stabbed in some more.

Brute Cheetah and Porcupine grinned.

---

"H-Huh?" Youko stared as Taiga and Obito went at Leo in team attacks.

Eruza and Ryouko's teamwork wasn't that bad either. Hadn't that Brute only been trained, and a Brute, for a month?!

Speaking of Obito and Taiga's teamwork, though, tiger would follow up the opening blows of the rabbit before Obito would send in another harsh blow.

"Hmm, that's some coordination!" Came the excited exclamation from her grandfather, getting a wince from Youko. "Why, he must have hammered in cooperation even if they don't fight together often!"

~NRK~

She smiled as she watched them work together.

"They're very disciplined," Seira said with a nod at Obito and Taiga's teamwork, specifically. "If they work that well in the upcoming Destroyer Royale…" she considered the efforts on screen.

"Hm, you're correct," Okajima said. "Never mind that Leo is stated to not enter this one… And they're basically set to win if their training is this good."

"For now, the only Brutes in our employ are yourself and Ui, yes?"

"Yes, ma'am," Okajima frowned. "Your husband has been rather insistent on very carefully picking new ones."

"As much as that pains me, it makes sense. With how Shidou has loosened the rules, we need to choose well," she said with a sigh. "Oh, what I'd do for a chance at grabbing this one."

"Well, I don't think he wishes to even be in these fights," Okajima began. "The only reason he is right now is that Yashin may have forced his hand. He's spoken to us numerous times."

"He has."

~NRK~

Obito knew that Leo was preparing to use his technique again, it was only a matter of time.

It seemed that he couldn't abuse it, thankfully, and so it needed preparation.

He considered how he'd done it before.

Leo hadn't been attacked that much at that moment, standing still for a few seconds before using it.

So he had to be still!

Obito slipped past Taiga.

"Don't stop!" he said before slamming his leg into Yugo's forearms and then pushing towards the ground as the lion spread his arms out! "?!"

The clawed limbs were coming around at Taiga.

Obito's eyes narrowed as he pushed up with his arms before his legs slammed into the biceps of Leo's arms, stopping them completely.

Taiga lunged over Obito before slamming a cross into the Brute Lion's face.

Leo skidded back and Obito did the only thing he could think of as his mouth opened.

He jumped.

---

Youko blinked as the Brute Rabbit appeared, upside-down, in the air by them, Leo's Roaring Leo reaching them.

Obito's eyes fogged over only slightly as he fell, much to her shock.

W-Wait, he couldn't have-?!

~NRK~

"He's incredible," Shidou said as Obito was already up in the air. "He realized that the roar must also be weaker from far away!"

Hitomi's eyes narrowed at her guardian's words, a slight snarl on her lips as Obito fell.

~NRK~

Focus… Focus!

His mind slowly returned to him as he was midway from his jump, his theory had been proven right. Distance was also a part of this equation!

Obito could see Leo looking around before his eyes snapped up to see him.

He rotated before bringing his leg down on his face.

~NRK~

Seira and Okajima stared at the explosion of dust, a large crater forming over Obito's drop point.

"... Hm, hm, hm, hmhmhmhm!" Seira giggled as Okajima sported a nervous smile. "Oh, what a magnificent young man!"

~NRK~

Eruza had frozen from that damn roar again as her opponent recovered faster than them all.

He'd been prepared to attack when he, too, saw Obito's fall.

She'd been without an opponent in under a second and a loud explosion had followed this fact.

As she recovered somewhat, she'd been able to turn her head to see the four in the cloud of smoke.

It cleared to reveal Brute Lion on the floor a bit away in shock as Obito's leg laid upon a knocked out Brute Bear, Taiga a bit away on the floor, looking up to see it as well.

Obito stared at the amazing sumo before grimacing and jumping away to land by Taiga… only to stumble into a roll by his teammate.

"Obito?!" the tiger hybrid shouted as he saw him. "... Fuck," Taiga cursed, seeing the damage.

Obito grimaced as he pushed up from his downed position only to hiss as he looked down at his bleeding leg.

---

He couldn't stop as the claws bit into his leg!

---

"... Ha… Ha…" Obito looked at the downed sumo wrestler. "Haa… You're amazing," he said as he winced.

The unconscious man didn't hear him, slowly returning to his human form.

"Bro! Senpai!" Eruza blurred over to her brother before looking at Obito and grimacing at his leg. "Oh no…"

Obito had been their sole weapon to keep things going. Now, his leg was horribly wounded!

Leo stared at his teammate's downed form before letting out a sigh and getting up.

As he did before watching, the three froze as he picked up Hongou and brought him out of the ring, taking out the quills in his back as he did.

Obito sighed as Taiga got up and then, with his sister, helped the rabbit hybrid up.

"What can we do?" Eruza asked. "Senpai, you looked like you were able to move during his roar technique!"

"Leo needs to be able to stand still while he uses it," Obito said, a nearby mic picking up his words. "And, remember, it's a sound. The less you hear it, presumably, I don't know if it also works with vibrations, the less effective it is. Also, adding on, he can't do it consecutively. These factors will decide our win. If we can't deal with that, we're done for."

---

Youko stared in disbelief at just how observant Obito was.

'H-He's amazing…' the fact donned on her as Obito explained how to break through Leo's notable technique. 'T-To have realized all that while they fought?' Youko hadn't even known that in the time that Leo was under their employ!

A-And he'd figured all this out and the distance in a matter of seconds?!

Youzan's eyes couldn't have been wider before he laughed long and hard.

"HE'S AMAZING!"

~NRK~

Okajima swallowed. "He's incredible."

"... Yes, he is," Seira said. "Never before had I realized just how advantageous Leo has had it in the enclosed arenas. And, even then, the fact that he could act on such information in such a short amount of time is…"

Outstanding!

~NRK~

Hitomi frowned, tilting her head to the side. "... Is he right?" she asked Shidou before staring in horror at the man's look of amazement. "... S-Shidou?" Hitomi asked nervously.

What? J-Just because he was a little smart didn't mean anything!

… Right? Shidou wouldn't abandon her for this… Right?

~NRK~

Taiga's eyes widened as Eruza took Obito.

"S-Senpai, you need to at least rest for now," she told him as she carried him away. "... You're so amazing, senpai… None of us could figure that out, not on our own. So we need you to try and heal up as much as you can before facing off against Leo."

Obito nodded. "You all aren't any less impressive… Especially you, Eruza," the young woman looked conflicted about that. "Your speed is just as great as mine and you only trained a quarter as much as I have in that regard. You just need to apply it a bit better."

"How?"

"Well, why are you trying to attack his face and chest?" She looked confused. "Eruza, don't try to end your opponent, cripple them."

Her eyes widened as she set him down near Ryouko.

"What happened?!" the porcupine shouted as she saw Obito's leg. "W-What are we going to do?!"

"... We fight, Ryouko," Eruza said as she looked at the downed Kaori. "... And… A-And I think I have a plan," the cheetah said as she looked to the side where a bunch of quills sat in an upheaval of dirt.

Back with Taiga, he got into stance.

'Your efforts won't be in vain,' he thought as he growled. "We won't lose!" Taiga shouted to Leo's returning form.

The Brute Lion's eyes gleamed with respect for each and every member of their team.

Yes… This is what Killing Bites was! The adrenaline, the power, the respect he'd gained for these sons of bitches!

Leo roared a non-technique-affiliated roar, Taiga growling before doing the same.

And so they charged one another.

When they met, their paws lashed out.

Taiga ducked before sending an uppercut to Leo's chin but the lion brought his head down to slam into the tiger's, the two of them backing off for only a second before slamming their fists together.

Taiga sent out a jab before leaning back as Leo swung diagonally, coming up to bite down on his fellow hybrid's bicep.

"AARRGGGGG!" Leo slammed his fist into Taiga's side, removing his hold on his bicep before bringing down his right claw, cutting a red line down Taiga's chest.

Taiga stumbled before doing a small jump and sending a kick into the side of Leo's head.

They fought back and forth, both fighters using their best to take the other down but the result had already been decided when Leo sent Taiga into the ground, holding both his arms down.

"NO!"

His Roaring Leo was done right in his face, the tiger's body spasming as it endured the very loud roar that cowed his instincts.

When his roar finished, Leo released the tiger hybrid's arms, standing to his full height as he looked down at the downed fighter.

"Nnnn…" Yugo Tani breathed out his nose, body decorated in cuts and bruises as his throat began going raw. "Nnnn… You fought just as well as your leader over there," he said to the unhearing body. "Haaa, time to end this…"

His body was screaming in happiness as he moved, his form flaring with battle lust as he moved towards Obito. If he didn't deal with him now, he could feel that the man would be his down- "AAAAHHHHH!" he screamed as something slammed into his thigh.

His eyes snapped shut before feeling a foot slam into his closed eyes. The move didn't move him, he wouldn't allow it, but Leo backhanded whatever it wa- "AHHHHH!" he screamed once more, eyes snapping open to see his opponent rolling away before coming out of her spiky ball state with a stumble.

"G-God, your fucking backhand hurts like shit!" Ryouko said, a bunch of blood on her quills.

'Wait, where's-' Yugo Tani made to comment before a large thwack came from the back of his head as something heavy hit it.

Eruza Nakanishi flipped into view, eyes narrowed as she stayed low to the ground.

"We will win!" she roared at him before disappearing from view. "Keep up!"

He grimaced as he removed the large quill from his thigh, standing tall as much as he could.

Small punches slammed into his side and he swung out with his left arm only to hit nothing, a kick to his other side gaining his attention before a pair of feet slammed into his jaw.

He stumbled ever so slightly before grabbing Eruza's legs and throwing her at the cliff face.

"Oof!" she grunted as she bounced off the natural walls of nature. "Haa… H-Haaa…" Keep fighting!

He was on his last legs! Don't disappoint your team!

She stood up before Ryouko sent a storm of quills at Leo but with far less in number.

The Brute Porcupine was breathing badly, blood running down her back.

'?!' What? Had Ryouko been hit that much?

… No… She was reaching her limits. Eruza hadn't been thinking about it but there was probably no way for the woman to keep on shooting material out of her back forever.

Leo stumbled to the side, dodging that sad volley before going down on one knee.

… But he was weak! They could do this!

Eruza touched her lower back, hissing at the sting that hit her when she did.

I-If she took another hit…

Far away, Obito grimaced as he used the cliff face to stand as best he could.

They'd lose if this kept up. Eruza couldn't land the blow necessary to take down Leo… Not like this. Not without prep time.

He breathed out a hiss, looking down at his leg, the bleeding had stopped but he knew it'd start again if he put too much pressure on it.

Obito began thinking, looking around for something to…?

Back with Eruza, she began to walk towards Brute Lion, knowing that she had to end it now before she…

There was a wet smack as something landed near her, Eruza blinked as she looked to see Obito standing there. His skin dripped with sweat as he kept up his combat mode.

His leg let out some blood but wasn't leaking like she'd last seen it.

"S-Senpai?!" Eruza gasped. "Y-You can't fight! Your leg!"

"You're right, I can't fight," he said as he turned his head to lock eyes with a now-standing Leo. "But I can buy some seconds. Eruza, you need to start running."

The cheetah made to gasp in self-deprecation when Obito's hand rested on her shoulder.

"Faster," he said. "Faster than you've ever run before and use every ounce of your strength to end this."

"H-Huh?"

"You know, you've done it a few times already," Obito smirked. "You just have to do it faster. Harder than anything we've done to him."

Eruza saw Obito hobble off towards their opponent, his back bearing the responsibility of buying her time.

Faster? Hit him with everything?

Ryouko gasped before falling on her rear, turning off her transformation to look at Eruza.

"You heard him… haaa… Hit him hard."

Eruza closed her eyes before she breathed in.

No hesitation. Pain? What pain?

She had people to make proud!

Brown eyes snapped open before their owner vanished from sight.

---

Obito stood across from Yugo, their eyes locked as their wounded bodies were held up only by their pride and strength.

"Hm," the transformed lion chuckled. "I knew you'd be a part of the last chance to take me down…" Yugo said as his leg flared. "It was bound to be one of you two."

Obito closed his eyes before opening them with a determined glare, the wind around the two picking up.

Leo's eyebrows furrowed as he looked aro-

Obito lunged before slamming the quill into the side of the lion hybrid's head, knocking him off balance.

"All eyes on me!" He shouted his challenge at Yugo whose head snapped in his direction.

He stepped forward before swinging out his left hand, Obito flowing under the limb before twisting painfully and slamming his 'staff' into the side of Brute Lion.

---

Youko swallowed as the battle's conclusion started being enacted.

She knew Leo would win… Surely, even like this, he'd win, right?

Then Obito went off to face her company's Brute while Eruza Takanishi disappeared from sight.

Ryouko's words sending her off.

W-What was this feeling of dread in her stomach as her grandfather laughed?

"Yes… YES!" He cheered. "DO IT! End this game!"

"G-Grandpa?!"

~NRK~

"Hmm… I see," Seira nodded as she closed her fan. "This fight won't end until Brute Cheetah does it."

"Yes… That's how it seems," Okajima said, body focused on the conclusion. "It all depends on Eruza Nakanishi."

~NRK~

"STAB HIM, YOU IDIOT!" Hitomi shouted at the screen as Obito slammed his very sharp weapon into Leo's side, not stabbing but slamming.

Shidou put his hands in his pockets, letting out a long, hot, sigh as Hitomi flinched.

"S-Shidou?"

"The fight has already concluded," he said, eyes set on the currently invisible conclusion. "All that matters is that she comes through."

~NRK~

Eruza ran for everything.

Her pride. Her love. Her happiness.

Her family. Her team. Her senpai's trust.

She pushed every part of her body to the limit as she circled the arena at top speeds.

How many times had it been? Five? Ten? Twenty?

On her fiftieth lap, she knew this was it. She had as much speed as she could handle.

Her back was killing her. Her feet burned. And her throat felt dry while her body felt completely soaked by sweat.

Eruza Nakanishi turned all of that, her pain, her hope, and her talent on him.

All of it was heading for Yugo Tani.

---

Obito saw the fist coming from the lion's right hand.

It'd knock him out outright… And, if that happened, Eruza might lose focus in that precious moment.

He leaned forward and saw Leo's fist adjust.

He knew as well, that this might break Eruza's concentration and was aiming for it.

Obito's leg was killing him as he made to tilt, Leo following.

All their efforts would be for naught if the lion man fully fell.

Leo grinned as he almost reached until his bicep locked up, the arm coming around at an unnatural angle that missed Obito. His hand burned hard and caused him to wince as his stabbed leg buckled all at that moment as a sting in his left shoulder slammed into his sense.

Red eyes locked onto shocked ambers before the owner of the former grinned.

Obito put all his will into bringing his body back… And his foot up into Yugo's chin.

"Puwah!" the hybrid's head rocked up along with his upper body.

Obito felt the wind touch his cheek before Brute Lion was immediately taken off his feet and into the cliff face.

Obito's back hit the ground before the noise reached him. Crumbling rock, branches, and dirt fell in a loud symphony over Brute Lion's crater in the wall, Eruza's body barely making it out of the landslide before rolling into Obito's.

He caught her the best he could, the two of them rolling for a bit before coming to a stop.

The rockslide did as well as they did.

Silence reigned as the pile of nature didn't move for a good ten seconds.

Obito spoke up. "If he's knocked out, you need to get him out!"

~NRK~

"Mmmm," Shidou let out a breath before sighing some more. "That was a close conclusion."

"..." Hitomi hated how much she'd agreed, actually rooting for that rabbit hybrid. "... Why does he care?" she asked when she heard Obito's words. "You can either be knocked out or die. While I'd have let him live, that's nature, why would he?"

"... Likely because he's different from your fellow Brute," Shidou said, ruffling her hair before walking out of the observation room. "I'll speak to you later, Hitomi."

"Y-Yes, Shidou!"

Watching him leave, Hitomi swallowed as she turned back to the monitors to see all the non-combatants coming down before Obito Uchiha and Eruza Nakanishi crawled over to begin digging.

… What a weird animal.

~NRK~

She leaned back in her seat as it came to an end, Okajima letting out a breath as he felt relieved.

"Ugh, I'm used to only getting this way with Rugby championships," he said, sweat marking his form. "That's got to have been one of the best… No, the best Killing Bites fight outside of one or two of the Destroyer Royales."

Seira nodded, watching Obito Uchiha and Eruza Nakanishi begin digging for the Brute Lion.

"Yes, it was," she said slowly. 'And he seems to carry the same ideals I do…'

All life was precious, no matter what. Watching him begin digging Yugo Tani out made her smile.

"... Okajima, come," she said as she got up, walking up to the door out of the public 'Killing Bites' observation room. "I have some paperwork that needs to be done but, once I'm finished, I'll be setting up a meeting with the Yatsubishi Zaibatsu's Brutes."

Okajima smiled as he got up, following after his employer. "Yes, ma'am…. Should we bring Ui?"

Seira considered. "... Yes, I think we should."

~NRK~

They'd lost… Mitsukaido Zaibatsu's Great Leo, Yuga Tani, had been defeated by the Yatsubishi Zaibatsu team.

As they were driven down to the arena, she heard Yashin Iwasaki chuckle.

"Yes, he is an amazing Brute, isn't he?" he asked her, a grin on his face.

She didn't want to reply just out of pettiness… But he was right.

"He is… All of them are," she admitted, thinking about each member. "Even if Brute Civet hadn't done much, we already knew how skilled she was as is. They have a teamwork that they don't allow to fail."

"Oh ho?" Iwasaki grinned. "And why do you think that?"

"Because they know their fellow Brute will cover for them."

---

Obito sighed. "I'm sorry, Eruza. For helping me with this, that is."

"Mm," Eruza let out a pained sigh as she moved another rock. "It's alright, Obito-senpai. It's only because of you we won. Had you not kept him in the same place, I'd have missed even if I came up with the idea on my own."

"How are your legs?" Obito asked with a frown as he saw the blood coming out of the side of her left shin. "Tsk… In a way, it shows you just how far we have to go," he said with some thought as Eruza giggled.

"I know," she said, grabbing the next 'rock' only to blink as something squishy greeted her. "?"

Looking at the 'rock', both laughed or chuckled nervously.

"F-Found him!"

~NRK~

All around those viewing the Killing Bites match, many found a single name coming off their lips.

Obito Uchiha.

Also, a question.

Wasn't he opening up a restaurant soon?

~NRK~

That finishes these beginning chapters. My god, I've been writing this on and off for the past week.

Yeah, the Yatsubishi team is more of a family now due to Obito being there. Because he's the first, his example is followed even if it's just him branching out to each member and offering them training.

He cooks for them, teaches them, relaxes with them, they're a unit. Each and every unit even if Ryouko's still on some rocky ground.

And, yeah, even Leo is inspired, albeit indirectly, by Obito to train. It's something I noticed and am still annoyed by.

Why is it that Hongou, a trained professional SUMO, who's become a BEAR, gets ONE SHOT by Hitomi?! Look, I don't hate her, never did, but after some thought, she nears Sue-levels of power when it comes to how easily she beats some people.

Some only really being 'two' but my point stands. She should have had to learn how to work with both her instinct and mind to win. It becomes an odd scaling issue when it makes no sense that she can't beat some people and yet can beat others.

Just saying, she's not going to have it that easy in this fic but she IS still an 'Main Character' in everything but POV in this story. Don't misunderstand.

Hope ya'll like this.

Ciao.

Words: 23.5k+

~NRK Out~