The man grinned his toothy smile at the stunned Jounin. The shock in Kakashi's single eye betrayed everything. How many years had it been? Probably about four since he had last seen Kakashi. Things had changed since then. He eyed Sasuke warily. Things had definitely changed.

"It's been too long, Kakashi. I see you have trainees of your own now."

"Indeed I do. Life in Konoha has been kind to me, Souka-kun."

Souka snorted, "So you do remember me...I was almost wondering if you would."

Kakashi's mask wrinkled into something like a smile, "How could I forget Souka Kasairyuu, the lost son of the Earth Country? I had always thought you had escaped and survived that attack."

Souka's grin turned to a frown, "Well…I did have help, from a certain 'friend' of yours, and I use friend very sarcastically."

"Orochimaru?"

"Yes."

"Did he seal you?"

"I would have died."

Kakashi's brow wrinkled. "The curse seals have spread again, haven't they?"

Kasairyuu nodded blankly. The curse his entire family bore with dignity. Without asking for permission or caring, he slipped a glove off. Souka could see the fear in Kakashi's eye. Not fear for his own life, but fear for Souka's.

Snaking up to his sleeve was an inky black mark, like many tentacled lines, originating from the back of his hand. Shrugging off the tunic revealed that the lines snaked now to his upper back. Coiling and twisting around the taut body. The lines covered his body like a tattoo riddled in death. The burden of Kasairyuu, and the Hijutsu the family possessed.

"How long do you think you have, Souka?"

"It's difficult to say, but you know how this seal works. It's becoming harder and harder to use my power. You know how it is in the Earth Country. People like me are enslaved…and this is our chain."

Kakashi nodded. "Aside from the pleasantries Souka, why are you here? Were I you, I'd be searching for a way to overcome that seal."

Souka ground his teeth, "I am searching for a way. At this time, the less I have to manipulate Chakra, the better. But I am here for another purpose." His gaze shifted to the boy, who had been listening, but barely moving. "Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke looked up, "What do you want from me?"

Souka walked idly up so that he could face Sasuke directly. "Oh it's nothing you possess that I want Sasuke. You're scrawny, and weak. Pretty good for your age, but nothing special. Yet. I'm here to ensure you survive the Chuunin exams. For the well being of my conscience per say."

Sasuke's upper lip quivered in anger, "I'll beat the sand ninja, and I don't need any of your help."

"Oh, that's what you think, Sasuke-kun. I know about that lovely little Jutsu you've been working on for a while now, and there's one thing you lack that you need to pull off a technique like that one. Straight movement is easily countered by the enemy. Speed, Sasuke. You need more speed."

Kakashi chuckled, "So you plan to assist me, Souka?"

Souka clapped Kakashi's shoulder, "I plan to do more than that, Kakashi-sensei." He looked over at the enraged Sasuke. "I plan to make him unstoppable."

Sasuke knelt on one knee to catch his breath, he hurt all over. Even his hair hurt. The sweat trickled down his face, small flecks trickling off his chin. He almost growled at the chuckling from a short distance in front of him. Souka gazed down at him in humor.

"Come on Sasuke, is that all you've got? I'm sorry to say it but…oh wait, no I'm not. Your Taijutsu is pathetic, and you're much much too slow."

Sasuke straightened and assumed his stance again. "Too slow am I?" A whirl of blue Chakra blossomed around Sasuke's feet. Kasairyuu's grin disappeared and he assumed his fighting stance. "That won't help you yet. Your body's limits are still too great."

Sasuke's smile became crazed, "We'll have to see about that!" The ground shattered and cracked where Sasuke's feet stomped in time with his sprint. His Sharingan roared back to life, slicing through his fatigue at the strain of this training with the Earth ninja. The Chakra accumulated in his legs would improve his speed a bit. His hands slashed like small daggers, trying to find a hole in Souka's defense. Not a single jab nor punch made it through. He tried to sweep Souka, finding the back of the ninja's ankle, but even as he wound around to try another hit, Souka had used his momentum to push himself away from Sasuke.

Suddenly, his speeding world came to a crashing halt as Souka's fist removed itself from his gut. Sasuke fell with a groan and rolled around holding his stomach. "Not enough Sasuke. Still not enough. How can I still be faster than you? You accumulated Chakra into your legs, and you used your Sharingan to anticipate my moves. How can my body still be out racing yours?"

Sasuke looked up at the other dark haired ninja with a look of utter fury.

"Because you are a genius who's never felt work like this. But what is a genius, Sasuke?" He asked idly as he stepped around Sasuke's fallen body. A foot nudged Sasuke in the ribs, "A genius is someone of raw talent. Someone who everything comes naturally to, someone…perfect."

Souka stepped a little farther, putting his back to Sasuke's prone form, "I am no genius, Sasuke. My bloodline limit is not even available to me right now, but what I am is someone who has found a way to maximize the gifts I have." A single dark eye turned to gaze down at him, "Taijutsu, my friend. My gifts are in that area, but I would not be a master of this art without the knowledge behind it. I will admit this now. You are stronger than me, far stronger in fact. However, tactically, you're a bit on the weak side."

Sasuke struggled to one knee. "What do you mean?" He bit his tongue and spat some blood.

Souka's wiped his brow with his hand, "I spent my life focusing on agility and speed Sasuke. You hit harder than me, but what's the point if you can't hit me, and if I'm hitting you many many times over? In the end, I'm doing more damage over time than you are. You see?"

Sasuke seemed in deep thought, "Is this the key to defeating Gaara of the Desert?"

Souka smiled, "Sasuke, this will be the key to defeating anyone you ever fight. Including the man you and I detest with all our being."

Sasuke straightened and took a deep breath. Kakashi had left them long ago to practice unsupervised. He was starting to think this was the reason. Kakashi could help him immensely with his ninjutsu, but in taijutsu even he was lacking. A taijutsu specialist in Kasairyuu. Who'd have thought? He certainly seemed better then that weird Gai-sensei Kakashi always stuck with.

Sasuke smiled at Kasairyuu, "Show me the way, then."

Kasairyuu smiled back at him, "As you wish."