Notice: I do not own Naruto, and make no claims of copyright on the
characters who are not my property. Original characters, however, are mine.
Author's Notes: Ah, sweet glorious mission, freedom from writing within the stifling confines of Konoha. Nevertheless, there's not really any action in this chapter, but you get to see Xi and Neji work together a bit. I focused on examining Neji here, and tried to show more of Xi's skills as opposed to just his combat abilities, since there's more to being a ninja than simply combat. Major action to follow this chapter.
Dragons Beneath Spray
The Northeastern portion of the Fire country is a more rugged place than much of the land controlled by the Hidden Leaf. It is a place of shallow hills that roll and wind, covered with verdant vegetation. Directly to the north these hills become greater and sharper sets of ravines as the mighty outflow from the mountainous country of Earth flows down to the sea. It is that land of savage hills and ravines that holds the Waterfall country. Ninja have bred there, in the times since the ending of the great ninja world wars. The Village was young, having not existed longer than the lifetime of the 3rd Hokage, and having yet to produce a ninja who would rise to the Kage level. Yet Waterfall was not weak. The ninja bred in those costal hills were tough and innovative, combining the earth jutsus they had inherited from the original founders with their own new water techniques, to create the dangerous and creative waterfall style, a style that mixed two elements. They had sent twelve genin to the chuunin exam, and while none had passed the second stage, they had performed better than the Rain ninja who had come in greater numbers.
Xi had marked several of these genin as promising. Hidden Waterfall is growing stronger, even as Rain and Grass become stagnant, he knew. They have decided to challenge the Leaf now. That is very dangerous. Waterfall is closely aligned with Stone, who now hold the balance of power. Should those two villages join forces they could easily annex much of the Fire Country and the Leaf would not have the strength to oppose them. Xi had resolved that there would need to be violence. If we can force the Waterfall to retreat with wounds very well, especially if Neji can show his strength, but one of them will need to die, or the point will not be learned. It was a hard resolution, but Xi was certain it was necessary. He hoped to perform the mission quickly, get in, locate the enemy, engage them, and then leave. No reason to allow them to bring reinforcements. A single battle should be all that's required.
As they walked through Fire Country, approaching the site where the engagement had taken place; Xi took occasional glances at Neji. He still wondered whether the boy was ready for this mission. It was just important that he fight as Xi. Both for him, and for the Leaf. And there is this mission from that Wusashu; I wonder how that will become involved in this? It almost certainly will. The missions of dragons could not be idly ignored; fate would bring them to a dragon ninja. Usually at the most unpleasant of times too, Xi recalled sardonically.
They journeyed quietly for a day and a half, making camp with little discussion beyond the simple necessities of working together. Xi was not used to having companions and had little to say. Neji was similarly quiet, and mulling over things himself. He practiced his strangely modified version of rend that evening, with some of his chakra recovered after summoning Wusashu. It drained his energy greatly. Xi saw the move with amazement, to blow something to pieces with such an effect was astounding, and he had the feeling Neji was only scraping the surface of what he had discovered.
I'm not satisfied. Neji decided after he slumped over, the second log lying broken to shards beneath him. This move, I need to make it more efficient, it's using too much chakra. He didn't have the strength to do any more though, and Xi told him to stop.
"Store up your strength Neji." He advised. "We will need it in battle soon enough." The older ninja had done nothing but go through exercises to keep his muscles ready and did not tax his stamina.
He rarely did anything else, at least not where Neji could see. Does he practice his jutsus? Neji wondered, he never saw Xi doing so, not in all the two months they had trained together. The other ninja had practiced Taijutsu extensively, and had done exercises where he channeled chakra throughout his body, shaping and controlling it in strange fashions, but never a full jutsu. Of course, he only knows twenty-six jutsus; perhaps he has mastered them enough to not need practice with them.
They passed the night easily, camping in the open ground. The next day they departed the road and began to travel with some speed. "We will likely reach the initial battle site at the end of today if we push some. The incursion traveled some distance into the Fire country, farther than any normal probe, but Konoha cannot spare the ANBU to patrol anymore. They suffered the greatest casualties during the attack. I expect our opponents have fallen back toward the border since the engagement though."
"What are we facing?" Neji asked Xi, seeking for details that had been mostly withheld.
"Ah," Xi shook his head. "I probably should have told you earlier. As a spy I was not much for sharing information. Our opponents are a single team, apparently quite talented. Three are chuunin, and one a jounin. They will be skilled opponents, true chuunin, not like the Sound who attacked Konoha." Those Sound were weaklings, almost like genin in many ways, Xi remembered. These will be more dangerous. They will be my first skilled ninja opponents in some time. "The report says little about their techniques, since the ones used by Waterfall are little known by the Leaf. Still, it is possible that one of them, probably the Jounin, has a bloodline limit ability."
Neji took notice of that. I've never fought anyone with a bloodline limit. Still, it can't be more dangerous than those cursed seal powers? Can it? "What should I expect?" He asked Xi, seeking to pry more information.
"I can only speculate, I have not fought a Waterfall ninja in five years, and the lesser villages change rapidly." Xi replied carefully. "Have you fought Waterfall ninja, Neji?"
"No." Neji replied. "There were some during the chuunin exam." He confirmed. "I saw them from afar, but we took our scroll from a team of Grass ninja."
"Well then," Xi said. "I can tell you a little. Waterfall ninja use both earth element and water element jutsus, as well as techniques that combine the two. While still in Leaf territory they will likely stay away from Water jutsus, but don't be too sure. When battle comes I will fight the jounin, and as many others as necessary or close at hand. You will have to deal with a least one chuunin."
"I will do that." Neji said, not worried about it. I am strong enough to fight against anyone, I may not be as strong as I thought, but I did beat Kidomaru, and I have heard how powerful he was. His mouth set grim. "I can do whatever is necessary."
"Certainly." Xi betrayed no lack of confidence in Neji. "But realize that these are battle tested ninja, possibly ANBU acting unofficially, they will not have the power to match Kidomaru, but they will have much greater battle skill and tactics. That is your weakest area Neji." Xi said frankly, wanting to make sure his words were heard. "As the fight prolongs the likelihood of you being tricked increases. Experience will change that, but for now, remember that you are a dragon ninja, strike quickly and to kill. I am certain you will likely overpower your opponents."
Tactics my weakest area? Neji did not like to hear those words. They rang true with a sharpness he found biting at the back of his mind. He had gone over the fight with Naruto endless times in his mind, tracing what had happened again and again. I had been so confident I could see everything, that I knew what would happen before it would begin. That got me. It had been true against Kidomaru as well, though Neji had adapted better and managed to trick his opponent in the end. But if not for that trick, he would have picked apart my defense and outwitted me. Even doing that, I would have died if Xi had not saved me. In all the long hours in the hospital Neji had considered what he might do to change the fortunes of such battles.
It had been hard. He had fought few fights with those who equaled him. Only Naruto and Kidomaru were opponents that had matched him. Even Lee, for all his attempted attacks, had never had the power to seriously threaten Neji. Neji had always thought that was because Lee was a dropout, relying only on Taijutsu. Now, having been beaten by Xi with similar methods, he saw that it had mostly been the moves Lee used. The Jyouken style was derived from the Gouten, which was therefore the absolutely weakest way to fight against it. Lee was severely handicapped even using that method of Taijutsu. Xi's Jinnen fighting style was more dangerous; its ultra-rapid attacks more likely to chance upon a way to overwhelm his vision and react faster than the Byakugan. Neji had been taught that lesson by Xi, and he had to acknowledge that Taijutsu, even if unlikely, could threaten him. Neji had gone over the battles with Naruto and Kidomaru hundreds of times; trying to find ways they could have been changed. He had determined many things of importance.
I underestimated Naruto. That had been the chief lesson of that battle, not to underestimate an opponent. Neji had taken that to heart, had realized that maybe he couldn't see everything, that there wasn't an ultimate fate behind it all. That was essential for me to defeat Kidomaru, to keep fighting against him. There had been other lessons from that fight as well. Neji had recognized something else about that battle, though it had been almost the last thing he saw. Something so simple, and yet he had ignored it for so long. I hit every one of Naruto's tenkentsu, he knew. But after that I simply told him to give up. It had taken him long hours of going over that incident while staring at the white walls to recognize a simple fact. If I had walked over while he was lying on the ground and put a kunai to his throat I would have won. Instead, I gave him every possible chance to alter the outcome. He had looked back at other fights and discovered he did the same thing, against Hinata, against Lee so many times, against even Tenten. I would always allow my opponents every chance, to make their defeat greater and to drive in the difference. It had taken Neji forever to see that, because he had deceived himself so completely, and because the Hyuuga in him refused to believe it, thought it shouldn't matter. People determine fights, their fates, not circumstances. It had been terribly hard to learn differently. Thankfully, Kidomaru and Xi had taught him the other half of the lesson. The victor is determined only by defeating the enemy. All his talking and demonstrations proved nothing, and were a waste. It was a terribly sobering thing to learn, and even harder to apply, but Neji resolved he would not forget that.
Strike quickly and to kill, Xi had told him. Ah, Neji decided. That's right, I'll remember to do that. If you kill them, they can't come back to strike at you.
The long day of walking passed in silence, as the two dragon ninja covered many miles to traveling northwest. They passed through many of the lush forests of the leaf, and also passed by many villages, towns, and the other outposts of the leaf country, though they instinctively avoided them. The country gradually grew more rugged and hilly as they went. Villages became less common. Xi remarked on this, in a rare moment of speech. "Supposedly all portions of a Shinobi country are equally safe, but the truth is revealed in how people cluster in the central areas, as near to the hidden villages as possible. Hmph." He grunted. "In a border area like this there won't be many people, and those who do live here will switch their loyalties quickly."
"Do the boundaries change that often?" Neji asked. He had rarely gone far from Konoha while fulfilling his teams C and D rank missions, and so knew little of the greater world.
"Ah." Xi said quietly. "Often enough. You are young, a child of the age of peace. War is still common. There was war between Stone and Grass only seven years ago. A quiet war, but shinobi from both countries tried to infiltrate across Leaf land. The Leaf village was strong then, so they rarely succeeded." Xi hesitated for a moment, and then continued in a much lower and quieter voice. "Listen well Neji. The peace of the past ten years is only partly due to Konoha's influence and treaties. There has been peace because the greatest ninja of the land have decided to stand aside. The mightiest s-level criminals, each capable of making the Kage level, have stood aside from starting wars to pursue some other plan. That is really what has held the peace, and now, they may be trying to break it. Think on that."
Another long period of silence followed those remarks, and they traveled without further discussion late into the day.
As the sun set over the mountains of Stone Country in the west Xi seemed to look about, and he indicated a change in direction. Neji didn't know what had indicated to the ninja which way to go, he hadn't consulted a map or any other reference. Landmarks perhaps, he decided, but can he know this land so well? It was a frightening thought. For his part, Neji had settled for determining landmarks throughout the day, and ingrained tactic, one of the few aspects of Gai's training that had stuck with him. In case everything breaks apart, I will recognize the way back.
As the last glimmers of sunset fainted over the horizon, in the twilight between day and night, Xi took to the trees. Neji follow the sudden motion, expecting some explanation, but Xi did not stop. He zipped back and forth between the branches for several moments, and then took of in a single direction, motioning silently for Neji to follow. The younger ninja did so easily, despite the general difficulties of tree walking in such shadowy light. Don't think my intrusion skills are weak, Draci Xi. Neji grimaced.
With another sudden transition, made with incredible speed and a sharp angle few ninja could match due to Xi's brilliant chakra use. Damn, Neji thought, I can't match that move. Still, I won't be shown up like that. He channeled his own chakra, forcing it into his left leg while still maintaining the normal pace with his right, to make a hard right motion. It was a difficult technique, the feet are less open to channeling of chakra than many parts of the body, and the speed involved required both timing real events and the chakra channeling. Precision, huh? Neji growled. It always comes back to that it appears.
Neji could not quite match the line Xi had charted, but he found his chakra flowed quick and fasted than he was used to. What? I didn't think I could do this. He almost spun too far to the right by overcompensating, but discovered it was all somehow easier than before. Is this the result of learning Rend? He wondered. It was both exhilarating and frightening to think that. Regardless, Neji discovered he had greater chakra control than before, and he marked it well.
Xi stood steady on the ground when Neji reached him. He made no comment on the moves he had just used. Did he even consider that I could not match him? Neji wondered. There was no sure answer. Xi was not a teacher, not used to compensating for students. He may have just acted normally, not even remembering Neji's capabilities. That could be very dangerous. Neji worried, but I will match any expectations you have, Xi. He thought with icy sharpness.
It was only then that Neji noticed something different about this spot of forest. There was a battle here, he saw. Blood stained the ground in places, and broken branches and leaves were strewn about. Marks were present on several of the trees as well, from shuriken hits, though the actual weapons had been removed. Xi walked about the area in slow circles, looking this way and that, thinking in silence. When all light was basically gone, he leaned against a tree. "This was a one-sided affair." He told Neji.
Neji looked at Xi in shock. He had not been able to determine anything of the kind. "What makes you say that?"
"There are a few different styles to the weapon marks, and I can associate them either with Konoha or Waterfall." The older ninja responded. "The Waterfall ninja fell upon the Leaf ninja without warning. They wounded two in the opening attack. Defensive jutsus were used; there are burn marks on the eastern side. The Waterfall ninja attacked with the rising sun at their backs. That was followed by an exchange of thrown weapons, and possibly some aerial combos. No damage was inflicted with either. Then a jutsu was used that severely injured one of Konoha's ninja, the largest blood spot corresponds with an unusual damage mark on several trees. I don't recognize what it was. Then the Leaf ninja used a genjutsu and escaped."
To read all that from one battle scene? Neji was shocked. So that's what it means to have been an ANBU and Hunter-nin. His respect for Xi increased another margin. Xi raised an eyebrow at Neji. "Surprised? I've seen countless marks from battles. You learn to read them in time. In the morning you can take some time to try and chart what happened here. For now we can move a hundred meters west and make camp in the trees. I expect that we will be fighting tomorrow. Time you learned how to make a front line camp." Xi turned and motioned for Neji to follow.
Battle tomorrow? Neji wondered. The site of the battlefield reminded him that this was deadly serious. It caused a cold feeling deep within. This was deadly serious business, and there was no adrenaline pounding in his veins to mask that. I could die tomorrow, he thought suddenly. Then he gritted his teeth. Irrelevant. He determined. I will fight and complete this mission. I am a dragon ninja. This won't deter me. Fear drowned beneath the tremendous force of Neji's will, he turned and followed Xi to camp.
Author's Notes: Ah, sweet glorious mission, freedom from writing within the stifling confines of Konoha. Nevertheless, there's not really any action in this chapter, but you get to see Xi and Neji work together a bit. I focused on examining Neji here, and tried to show more of Xi's skills as opposed to just his combat abilities, since there's more to being a ninja than simply combat. Major action to follow this chapter.
Dragons Beneath Spray
The Northeastern portion of the Fire country is a more rugged place than much of the land controlled by the Hidden Leaf. It is a place of shallow hills that roll and wind, covered with verdant vegetation. Directly to the north these hills become greater and sharper sets of ravines as the mighty outflow from the mountainous country of Earth flows down to the sea. It is that land of savage hills and ravines that holds the Waterfall country. Ninja have bred there, in the times since the ending of the great ninja world wars. The Village was young, having not existed longer than the lifetime of the 3rd Hokage, and having yet to produce a ninja who would rise to the Kage level. Yet Waterfall was not weak. The ninja bred in those costal hills were tough and innovative, combining the earth jutsus they had inherited from the original founders with their own new water techniques, to create the dangerous and creative waterfall style, a style that mixed two elements. They had sent twelve genin to the chuunin exam, and while none had passed the second stage, they had performed better than the Rain ninja who had come in greater numbers.
Xi had marked several of these genin as promising. Hidden Waterfall is growing stronger, even as Rain and Grass become stagnant, he knew. They have decided to challenge the Leaf now. That is very dangerous. Waterfall is closely aligned with Stone, who now hold the balance of power. Should those two villages join forces they could easily annex much of the Fire Country and the Leaf would not have the strength to oppose them. Xi had resolved that there would need to be violence. If we can force the Waterfall to retreat with wounds very well, especially if Neji can show his strength, but one of them will need to die, or the point will not be learned. It was a hard resolution, but Xi was certain it was necessary. He hoped to perform the mission quickly, get in, locate the enemy, engage them, and then leave. No reason to allow them to bring reinforcements. A single battle should be all that's required.
As they walked through Fire Country, approaching the site where the engagement had taken place; Xi took occasional glances at Neji. He still wondered whether the boy was ready for this mission. It was just important that he fight as Xi. Both for him, and for the Leaf. And there is this mission from that Wusashu; I wonder how that will become involved in this? It almost certainly will. The missions of dragons could not be idly ignored; fate would bring them to a dragon ninja. Usually at the most unpleasant of times too, Xi recalled sardonically.
They journeyed quietly for a day and a half, making camp with little discussion beyond the simple necessities of working together. Xi was not used to having companions and had little to say. Neji was similarly quiet, and mulling over things himself. He practiced his strangely modified version of rend that evening, with some of his chakra recovered after summoning Wusashu. It drained his energy greatly. Xi saw the move with amazement, to blow something to pieces with such an effect was astounding, and he had the feeling Neji was only scraping the surface of what he had discovered.
I'm not satisfied. Neji decided after he slumped over, the second log lying broken to shards beneath him. This move, I need to make it more efficient, it's using too much chakra. He didn't have the strength to do any more though, and Xi told him to stop.
"Store up your strength Neji." He advised. "We will need it in battle soon enough." The older ninja had done nothing but go through exercises to keep his muscles ready and did not tax his stamina.
He rarely did anything else, at least not where Neji could see. Does he practice his jutsus? Neji wondered, he never saw Xi doing so, not in all the two months they had trained together. The other ninja had practiced Taijutsu extensively, and had done exercises where he channeled chakra throughout his body, shaping and controlling it in strange fashions, but never a full jutsu. Of course, he only knows twenty-six jutsus; perhaps he has mastered them enough to not need practice with them.
They passed the night easily, camping in the open ground. The next day they departed the road and began to travel with some speed. "We will likely reach the initial battle site at the end of today if we push some. The incursion traveled some distance into the Fire country, farther than any normal probe, but Konoha cannot spare the ANBU to patrol anymore. They suffered the greatest casualties during the attack. I expect our opponents have fallen back toward the border since the engagement though."
"What are we facing?" Neji asked Xi, seeking for details that had been mostly withheld.
"Ah," Xi shook his head. "I probably should have told you earlier. As a spy I was not much for sharing information. Our opponents are a single team, apparently quite talented. Three are chuunin, and one a jounin. They will be skilled opponents, true chuunin, not like the Sound who attacked Konoha." Those Sound were weaklings, almost like genin in many ways, Xi remembered. These will be more dangerous. They will be my first skilled ninja opponents in some time. "The report says little about their techniques, since the ones used by Waterfall are little known by the Leaf. Still, it is possible that one of them, probably the Jounin, has a bloodline limit ability."
Neji took notice of that. I've never fought anyone with a bloodline limit. Still, it can't be more dangerous than those cursed seal powers? Can it? "What should I expect?" He asked Xi, seeking to pry more information.
"I can only speculate, I have not fought a Waterfall ninja in five years, and the lesser villages change rapidly." Xi replied carefully. "Have you fought Waterfall ninja, Neji?"
"No." Neji replied. "There were some during the chuunin exam." He confirmed. "I saw them from afar, but we took our scroll from a team of Grass ninja."
"Well then," Xi said. "I can tell you a little. Waterfall ninja use both earth element and water element jutsus, as well as techniques that combine the two. While still in Leaf territory they will likely stay away from Water jutsus, but don't be too sure. When battle comes I will fight the jounin, and as many others as necessary or close at hand. You will have to deal with a least one chuunin."
"I will do that." Neji said, not worried about it. I am strong enough to fight against anyone, I may not be as strong as I thought, but I did beat Kidomaru, and I have heard how powerful he was. His mouth set grim. "I can do whatever is necessary."
"Certainly." Xi betrayed no lack of confidence in Neji. "But realize that these are battle tested ninja, possibly ANBU acting unofficially, they will not have the power to match Kidomaru, but they will have much greater battle skill and tactics. That is your weakest area Neji." Xi said frankly, wanting to make sure his words were heard. "As the fight prolongs the likelihood of you being tricked increases. Experience will change that, but for now, remember that you are a dragon ninja, strike quickly and to kill. I am certain you will likely overpower your opponents."
Tactics my weakest area? Neji did not like to hear those words. They rang true with a sharpness he found biting at the back of his mind. He had gone over the fight with Naruto endless times in his mind, tracing what had happened again and again. I had been so confident I could see everything, that I knew what would happen before it would begin. That got me. It had been true against Kidomaru as well, though Neji had adapted better and managed to trick his opponent in the end. But if not for that trick, he would have picked apart my defense and outwitted me. Even doing that, I would have died if Xi had not saved me. In all the long hours in the hospital Neji had considered what he might do to change the fortunes of such battles.
It had been hard. He had fought few fights with those who equaled him. Only Naruto and Kidomaru were opponents that had matched him. Even Lee, for all his attempted attacks, had never had the power to seriously threaten Neji. Neji had always thought that was because Lee was a dropout, relying only on Taijutsu. Now, having been beaten by Xi with similar methods, he saw that it had mostly been the moves Lee used. The Jyouken style was derived from the Gouten, which was therefore the absolutely weakest way to fight against it. Lee was severely handicapped even using that method of Taijutsu. Xi's Jinnen fighting style was more dangerous; its ultra-rapid attacks more likely to chance upon a way to overwhelm his vision and react faster than the Byakugan. Neji had been taught that lesson by Xi, and he had to acknowledge that Taijutsu, even if unlikely, could threaten him. Neji had gone over the battles with Naruto and Kidomaru hundreds of times; trying to find ways they could have been changed. He had determined many things of importance.
I underestimated Naruto. That had been the chief lesson of that battle, not to underestimate an opponent. Neji had taken that to heart, had realized that maybe he couldn't see everything, that there wasn't an ultimate fate behind it all. That was essential for me to defeat Kidomaru, to keep fighting against him. There had been other lessons from that fight as well. Neji had recognized something else about that battle, though it had been almost the last thing he saw. Something so simple, and yet he had ignored it for so long. I hit every one of Naruto's tenkentsu, he knew. But after that I simply told him to give up. It had taken him long hours of going over that incident while staring at the white walls to recognize a simple fact. If I had walked over while he was lying on the ground and put a kunai to his throat I would have won. Instead, I gave him every possible chance to alter the outcome. He had looked back at other fights and discovered he did the same thing, against Hinata, against Lee so many times, against even Tenten. I would always allow my opponents every chance, to make their defeat greater and to drive in the difference. It had taken Neji forever to see that, because he had deceived himself so completely, and because the Hyuuga in him refused to believe it, thought it shouldn't matter. People determine fights, their fates, not circumstances. It had been terribly hard to learn differently. Thankfully, Kidomaru and Xi had taught him the other half of the lesson. The victor is determined only by defeating the enemy. All his talking and demonstrations proved nothing, and were a waste. It was a terribly sobering thing to learn, and even harder to apply, but Neji resolved he would not forget that.
Strike quickly and to kill, Xi had told him. Ah, Neji decided. That's right, I'll remember to do that. If you kill them, they can't come back to strike at you.
The long day of walking passed in silence, as the two dragon ninja covered many miles to traveling northwest. They passed through many of the lush forests of the leaf, and also passed by many villages, towns, and the other outposts of the leaf country, though they instinctively avoided them. The country gradually grew more rugged and hilly as they went. Villages became less common. Xi remarked on this, in a rare moment of speech. "Supposedly all portions of a Shinobi country are equally safe, but the truth is revealed in how people cluster in the central areas, as near to the hidden villages as possible. Hmph." He grunted. "In a border area like this there won't be many people, and those who do live here will switch their loyalties quickly."
"Do the boundaries change that often?" Neji asked. He had rarely gone far from Konoha while fulfilling his teams C and D rank missions, and so knew little of the greater world.
"Ah." Xi said quietly. "Often enough. You are young, a child of the age of peace. War is still common. There was war between Stone and Grass only seven years ago. A quiet war, but shinobi from both countries tried to infiltrate across Leaf land. The Leaf village was strong then, so they rarely succeeded." Xi hesitated for a moment, and then continued in a much lower and quieter voice. "Listen well Neji. The peace of the past ten years is only partly due to Konoha's influence and treaties. There has been peace because the greatest ninja of the land have decided to stand aside. The mightiest s-level criminals, each capable of making the Kage level, have stood aside from starting wars to pursue some other plan. That is really what has held the peace, and now, they may be trying to break it. Think on that."
Another long period of silence followed those remarks, and they traveled without further discussion late into the day.
As the sun set over the mountains of Stone Country in the west Xi seemed to look about, and he indicated a change in direction. Neji didn't know what had indicated to the ninja which way to go, he hadn't consulted a map or any other reference. Landmarks perhaps, he decided, but can he know this land so well? It was a frightening thought. For his part, Neji had settled for determining landmarks throughout the day, and ingrained tactic, one of the few aspects of Gai's training that had stuck with him. In case everything breaks apart, I will recognize the way back.
As the last glimmers of sunset fainted over the horizon, in the twilight between day and night, Xi took to the trees. Neji follow the sudden motion, expecting some explanation, but Xi did not stop. He zipped back and forth between the branches for several moments, and then took of in a single direction, motioning silently for Neji to follow. The younger ninja did so easily, despite the general difficulties of tree walking in such shadowy light. Don't think my intrusion skills are weak, Draci Xi. Neji grimaced.
With another sudden transition, made with incredible speed and a sharp angle few ninja could match due to Xi's brilliant chakra use. Damn, Neji thought, I can't match that move. Still, I won't be shown up like that. He channeled his own chakra, forcing it into his left leg while still maintaining the normal pace with his right, to make a hard right motion. It was a difficult technique, the feet are less open to channeling of chakra than many parts of the body, and the speed involved required both timing real events and the chakra channeling. Precision, huh? Neji growled. It always comes back to that it appears.
Neji could not quite match the line Xi had charted, but he found his chakra flowed quick and fasted than he was used to. What? I didn't think I could do this. He almost spun too far to the right by overcompensating, but discovered it was all somehow easier than before. Is this the result of learning Rend? He wondered. It was both exhilarating and frightening to think that. Regardless, Neji discovered he had greater chakra control than before, and he marked it well.
Xi stood steady on the ground when Neji reached him. He made no comment on the moves he had just used. Did he even consider that I could not match him? Neji wondered. There was no sure answer. Xi was not a teacher, not used to compensating for students. He may have just acted normally, not even remembering Neji's capabilities. That could be very dangerous. Neji worried, but I will match any expectations you have, Xi. He thought with icy sharpness.
It was only then that Neji noticed something different about this spot of forest. There was a battle here, he saw. Blood stained the ground in places, and broken branches and leaves were strewn about. Marks were present on several of the trees as well, from shuriken hits, though the actual weapons had been removed. Xi walked about the area in slow circles, looking this way and that, thinking in silence. When all light was basically gone, he leaned against a tree. "This was a one-sided affair." He told Neji.
Neji looked at Xi in shock. He had not been able to determine anything of the kind. "What makes you say that?"
"There are a few different styles to the weapon marks, and I can associate them either with Konoha or Waterfall." The older ninja responded. "The Waterfall ninja fell upon the Leaf ninja without warning. They wounded two in the opening attack. Defensive jutsus were used; there are burn marks on the eastern side. The Waterfall ninja attacked with the rising sun at their backs. That was followed by an exchange of thrown weapons, and possibly some aerial combos. No damage was inflicted with either. Then a jutsu was used that severely injured one of Konoha's ninja, the largest blood spot corresponds with an unusual damage mark on several trees. I don't recognize what it was. Then the Leaf ninja used a genjutsu and escaped."
To read all that from one battle scene? Neji was shocked. So that's what it means to have been an ANBU and Hunter-nin. His respect for Xi increased another margin. Xi raised an eyebrow at Neji. "Surprised? I've seen countless marks from battles. You learn to read them in time. In the morning you can take some time to try and chart what happened here. For now we can move a hundred meters west and make camp in the trees. I expect that we will be fighting tomorrow. Time you learned how to make a front line camp." Xi turned and motioned for Neji to follow.
Battle tomorrow? Neji wondered. The site of the battlefield reminded him that this was deadly serious. It caused a cold feeling deep within. This was deadly serious business, and there was no adrenaline pounding in his veins to mask that. I could die tomorrow, he thought suddenly. Then he gritted his teeth. Irrelevant. He determined. I will fight and complete this mission. I am a dragon ninja. This won't deter me. Fear drowned beneath the tremendous force of Neji's will, he turned and followed Xi to camp.