Natsumi and Ahmya looked at each other from across the field as Hasu stood back with Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon.
"Before we begin, do we want to establish limitations or match style?" Ahmya tilted her head slightly and closed her eyes as she flashed Natsumi a small smile. "First blood?"
The kids' eyes widened. "W-What? F-First b-blood?"
"First blood?" Natsumi laughed, then crossed her arms. "How about Prone?"
"Prone?" Ahmya giggled. "That's right; you train with Aito primarily, don't you?" She paused, then nodded. "Alright. But don't expect me to go easy on you just because you're showing off for some kids."
Natsumi stretched and then cracked her hands, subconsciously copying Aito's habits. "I never want training to be easy."
"I wouldn't get too full of yourself." Ahmya smiled again. "I am being promoted to Jonin next month, after all."
"I've beaten Chunin before." Natusmi made a face and muttered. "I'm not weak, ya know..."
"Does this not seem too intense already to be just a match for show?" Hasu leaned closer to Konohamaru, whispering. "Do they really intend to draw blood?"
"I dunno." Konohamaru scratched his head as he whispered back. "I've never seen Neechan in a fight before."
"If that's what you want." Ahmya nodded slightly. "Don't say that you weren't warned."
The Kunoichi both looked at the kids, and Konohamaru blinked quickly.
"H-Huh? Oh... okay." He grinned, understanding their expressions. "Go!"
Natsumi quickly ran at Ahmya with a Kunai drawn, who smirked faintly and grounded her stance and Natsumi's eyes widened slightly.
She's not arming herself or trying to dodge?
Ahmya turned slightly at the last second to avoid the Kunai, then, in the blink of an eye, gripped Natsumi's wrist and landed a solid kick to Natsumi's side with her shin.
She's even faster than Kiri!
The strike knocked the Kunai from her hand and Natsumi gasped slightly. Ahmya tugged on her arm, holding it tightly with her own to grab Natsumi's opposite shoulder, She twisted slightly and threw Natsumi to the ground, pinning her and grasping onto her arm.
"Woah!" The kid's eyes widened.
"W-What happened?" Konohamaru blinked
"That was so fast that I couldn't see anything." Moegi stared as Natsumi caught her breath.
"So this is the gap between us students and full-fledged Ninja..." Udon adjusted his glasses.
Natsumi gritted her teeth as Ahmya twisted her arm again, then she blinked and shifted to smoke. Ahmya's eyes widened at the markings that appeared around her eyes. Her hands passed through Natsumi's arm, and Natsumi rolled out of the way and resolidified.
I didn't expect a Medical Ninja to be so fast. That grip strength of hers is incredible... I have to find ways to avoid her hands.
Natsumi rushed at her again, barely dodging a quick jab to deliver one if her own. She placed a tag as the strike landed before turning to smoke as Ahmya hit her again.
I can only get a single hit in. How is she so fast?!
Ahmya closed the distance between them and they exchanged several blows before Natsumi was knocked back again.
It's hard to even see her movements before it's too late.
Natsumi narrowly missed another jab, leaning to prepare for a kick. Her eyes widened as Ahmya shifted to mimic a half-cartwheel and turned to knock away Natsumi's leg and hook her foot on the back of her neck. In. a single flourish of a spin, Natsumi hit the ground again and she was trapped in a firm grapple between Ahmya legs.
What the?! Did she just... breakdance me into a grapple?!
Natsumi shifted to smoke and narrowed her eyes once she was a safe distance away.
Not only her speed, but her fluidity and flexibility, too... they all exceed mine.
Ahmya advanced, using a combination of spins and jumps to deliver strong kicks, one-after-the-other. Natsumi gritted her teeth and she was pushed backward, defending with her arms crossed in an x.
She's not even giving me a single chance to make a move, and she's figuring out the timing of the smoke form. I can't keep relying on it anymore now that she's figured it out.
Natsumi sucked in a quick breath, then formed a series of hand signs.
Earth Style: Underground Projection Fish Technique.
Natsumi disappeared belowground.
Think, Natsumi. You're smart. How do we win against someone faster than us?
Smiling slightly, she formed another hand sign and a dozen Shadow Clones leapt out of the ground at once, advancing on Ahmya.
Ahmya fluidly defeated them all with a flourish and Natsumi made a face underground.
Even against greater numbers, her speed is too significant. I'll have to try a bigger, more direct attack.
Natsumi focused her Chakra to her sword and slipped aboveground as Ahmya defeated another pair of Clones. Natsumi curved her sword and swung in a wide arc to launch enormous gusts of wind at her. Ahmya's eyes widened at the size of the attack and she narrowly dodging with the blade of wind cutting off a piece of her hair.
"That was impressive!" Ahmya grinned. "I've never seen a Wind Blade that huge before. Unfortunately for you, it uses up a lot of Chakra, though."
Natsumi focused her Chakra again and raised her Ninjato.
Unfortunately for you, I have a ton of Chakra.
Natsumi sliced through the air, sending gust after gust at Ahmya. She dodged and tried to advance but was kept back with each blast of wind.
I can attack and defend like this, but my attacks aren't fast enough to actually knock her down.
Natsumi forced another gale at Ahmya and, as she dodged, Natsumi threw a handful of Kunai. Ahmya dodged them with a short laugh, then her eyes widened as she saw the papers attached to them spark.
Natsumi blinked as Ahmya suddenly jumped into the air to avoid the explosions and landed backwards gracefully on the surface of the water.
What's she going to do now? She's a close-range fighter, though, isn't she? Why does she look so confident?
Ahmya closed her eyes, exhaling as she formed a series of hand seals and Natsumi held her Ninjato up defensively.
"Water Style: Secret Technique- Water Nymph Transformation."
Natsumi's eyes widened and the water beneath Ahmya swelled and enveloped her body, swirling until it calmed a moment later and her appearance changed.
Ahmya's entire body seemed to be made of translucent water, and where her hair had been, a cascading waterfall poured from her head and into the river below. Her clothes had been replaced with a gown of algae and where her eyes had been, luminescent pearls sat fixed in her head.
"W-Woah..." Natsumi looked her over and lowered her sword. "You look amazing..."
"You shouldn't have allowed me to come into the water." Ahmya's voice echoed in a gargled way and she smiled. "You can't beat me this way."
She does have the obvious advantage here. She knows my techniques and what my strengths and weaknesses are, and I had no idea about her skills or Jutsu at all... but that doesn't mean that I don't stand a chance of winning, either.
Ahmya brought her hands together again and formed another series of signs.
"Water Style: Secret Technique- Dance of the Water Nymph."
The river swelled again and rose to form a large tentacled creature. She floated in its core and an opalescent ribbon appeared in each of her hands. Natsumi's eyes widened and she quickly leapt out of the way as Ahmya twirled the ribbon in her direction and the tentacles converged on Natsumi.
She controls it by dancing!
Natsumi dodged and the water struck the ground, shaking it and tearing up grass as it left deep indents in the earth.
Those are seriously strong! One good hit and I'd be unconscious.
Natsumi rolled to avoid another attack, the water only narrowly missing her face. Several droplets splashed her cheeks and she exhaled sharply.
That was too close.
She dodged again and channeled her Chakra until it thinly cloaked her entire body.
Wind Nature will increase my speed, but I can't keep this up for very long. I have to make every second count.
Natsumi jumped to evade a tentacle and looked at Ahmya as she danced in the core of the mass of water and swung her blade, sending a large Wind Blade at the form. A tentacle form to guard Ahmya and was blasted away by the gust. It quickly reformed and Natsumi touched down on the river and balanced on its surface.
I expected that it could reform, but that's just too quick. For her Chakra to respond that quickly, she must have done extensive special training. Her talents are wasted on Medical Ninjutsu. She's a beast.
The tentacles went after her again and Natsumi gritted her teeth and ran on the surface of the water to evade them.
I can't defeat this creature unless I attack her directly. But how do I get close enough to her to do that?
A tentacle grasped her firmly around her waist and lifted her into the air. She grunted and twisted as she slashed at it with her sword. The severed section splashed and returned to the river and Natsumi leapt out of reach of another arm.
I have one idea... but it'd really drain my Chakra and leave me completely vulnerable if it failed...
She sucked in a breath and her eyes widened suddenly as her heart pounded. She staggered back several steps on the water and moved one hand to clutch her at her stomach. Heat spread from her core, sending am intense prickling over her entire body.
W-What's this feeling? It's like I'm on fire!
Natsumi growled low in her throat and her eyes stung. She glanced down at her shaking hands and her breath caught in her throat as her nails elongated to points.
What's going on? This feeling... it's like I'm going to explode from the Chakra. Where did it come from?
Another low growl escaped her lips and she gripped her Ninjato tightly. Her body moved on its own and dodged the tentacled strikes by leaping high into the air and seemed to almost hover there.
Ahmya's pearlescent eyes widened and she looked around, her dancing coming to a halt. "Where did she go? I couldn't see her movements at all. How did she become so fast?" She turned around in the water, then looked up. "Up there?!"
Natsumi held her Ninjato above her head as she descended, letting out half shout-half growl as she focused her Chakra. It swelled all around her body in a faint violet glow and gathered on the blade of her weapon. The Chakra cloaked the sword, growing and collecting until it formed an enormous violet blade.
"That Chakra!" Ahmya watched the Chakra continue to gather and Natsumi's violet form blocked the sunlight. "I've never seen so much of it! If she attacks me with that...!"
Natsumi's reddened eyes narrowed and she exhaled. "I win."
She swung her blade down, launching the enormous, purple blast of wind down at her opponent with a loud clap like thunder.
Ahmya's mouth gaped at the size of the attack and she quickly tried to manipulate the tentacles to block. "It's too fast! I don't think I'll be able to—!"
The gale struck the water creature with the force of a hurricane, creating a large splash akin to explosion. The creature dispersed and water rained down as the river spilled over the bank and the nearby trees were cracked and swayed from the impact.
Natsumi fell into the river, her body heavy and Hasu and the children's eyes widened and they rushed over from their spots to the riverbank as they looked around.
"N-No way!" Konohamaru looked into the water and stepped closer to it. "W-Was that Neechan's real strength?!"
"W-Where did they go?!" Moegi held her hand close to her mouth and scanned the river.
Hasu turned to look at the trees, all of which were leaning slightly away from the point of impact, dripping wet as some of their branches had been snapped off and leaves scattered around. "That enormous power..." He muttered under his breath. "...I saw it with my own eyes, but I still don't believe it..."
"Look there!" Udon sniffed and pointed downriver to the opposite bank.
Ahmya clambered out of the river, her appearance returned to normal, and she coughed out small amounts of water and gasped for air.
Natsumi stepped out of the water, the violet glow gone but the red still in her eyes. She strode slowly over to where Ahmya lay on her belly as she caught her breath, then pointed the tip of her Ninjato to the back of her neck.
"Prone."
Ahmya glanced up and met her eyes, and they widened slightly. "Natsumi..."
Natsumi's eyes faded to their usual color and she wobbled slightly, her eyes fluttering closed before she fell to the ground.
"Natsumi!" Ahmya sat up quickly to catch her, then she moved the hair from the girl's face. "Natsumi!"
"Neechan!" The students called out in unison and Moegi hugged her arms close.
Natsumi's eyes opened again after a moment and Ahmya let out a sigh. "Are you alright?"
Natsumi blinked and she sat up slowly. "Ahmya? What happened?"
Ahmya frowned slightly and Natsumi looked down at her hands.
It felt strange, almost like a dream, and yet... it really happened, didn't it? What exactly happened, though? That almost felt like...
Her eyes widened and she looked at Ahmya quickly. "A-Are you alright?! Did I hurt you?"
Ahmya shook her head and smiled faintly as she pointed to herself. "I'm fine. I'm just wet, is all."
Natsumi's frown deepened and she looked back down at her hands.
That was the same feeling I had when I was fighting that assassin with the whip sword... it wasn't as bad, but I at least can recognize it... Why does that happen to me? What is it? And why didn't I lose control like before?
She touched her stomach where the power had first come from and furrowed her brows.
Why do I have such an ominous feeling right now? Is Naruto in trouble again?
"Well, you beat me fair and square." Ahmya stood and helped her up, then smoothed her hair. "I've never had anyone counter my secret technique like that before. It was impressive."
Natsumi bit her lip and hugged her arms close as she muttered. "I'm sorry... I don't know what that was... I didn't mean to..."
"Natsumi..." She touched her shoulder and bent slightly to meet her eyes. "I'm fine. And, everything's okay. You don't have to apologize."
"I could've hurt you." Natsumi averted her eyes again.
"You didn't." Ahmya patted her head. "Being able to wield that much Chakra, much less control it... that was incredible."
It didn't really feel like I was in control... at least not completely.
"Now that we're completely soaked like this and we used up all our Chakra, what do you say we go get cleaned up?" Ahmya stretched with her arms above her head, then grinned at Natsumi. "How does that sound?"
Natsumi blinked and looked between her and Ahmya, then scratched her head and laughed quietly. "Y-Yeah. It's probably not a good idea to walk around soaking wet like this."
"Hey!" Ahmya turned waved toward Hasu on the other bank. "Do you want to grab something to eat?"
"Huh?" Hasu blinked, and Konohamaru cheered.
"Yeah! Food!"
"I am pretty hungry." Moegi giggled and patted her stomach.
"Not you three!" Ahmya crossed her arms. "You're going back to school!"
"Aw man..." They crossed their arms and groaned.