CHAPTER 9

Kenpachi leapt down into the arena, and turned to look up at his teammates, who nodded at him. He nodded back, drawing his sword and stabbing it into the ground. He studied his opponent from a distance.

'Team leader...meaning he is either the strongest or the smartest...hmm...finding out which is the first order of business.'

Ralfe sneered at Kenpachi.

'I can take you out with my eyes shut.'

'This guys probably a taijutsu user, judging by the sword.' he thought.

Raidou stood between them. 'Begin!'

Kenpachi hurled a trio of shuriken at Ralfe as he pulled his sword out of the ground. He charged towards his opponent from the side, stabbing his sword into the ground at the corners of his turns, allowing him to change directions quickly.

'I'll know what type he is from his response to this attack...' He thought to himself as he swung his sword down at Ralfe.

'This guys fast,' thought Ralfe as he hurled his own shuriken at Kenpachi's, knocking them away, before all six fell to the ground.

Ralfe himself was very agile; though nowhere near as fast as his opponent. He dodged the sword and span around so that he was behind Kenpachi, drawing a kunai from his pouch which he held to his opponent's head.

'Move and die.'

Kenpachi grinned as Ralfe spun around the stone he had used Henge no Jutsu on.

'Okay, he must be a tactics type instead of a power type. Hmm... what to do...'

He dropped out of the tree to the right of the pair.

"I see why our instructors recommend Henge no Jutsu so much...it's really useful, isn't it? I always wondered why they wanted us to be able to do it so quickly..."

The spell surrounding the stone disappeared, letting the large rock drop to the ground. The Kunai in Ralfe's hand disappeared as well. Kenpachi stabbed his blade back into the ground and quickly did a series of hand seals.

'Ninpou. Kirigakure no Jutsu.'

A thick fog descended upon the arena. Kenpachi pulled his sword out of the ground.

"Now I'm fighting for real."

Ralfe pinpointed Kenpachi's location before the mist covered the field.

'Nows my chance,' he thought. 'He's let go of his sword.'

'Art of Groundbreaking!' Hyoumenka no Jutsu). He performed the hand signals quickly, and then slammed the floor with his palms. Tremours were sent through the earth towards Kenpachi. Ralfe used his chakra to control the tremours, causing the earth to envelope Kenpachi's sword in a thick layer of earth, dirt and rock. He then retreated towards the trees on the opposite side of the arena.

'Hmm...that's no good,' Kenpachi thought, slightly annoyed.

Kenpachi tested his strength against the handle that still stuck out of the ground, but it would take too long to take out, so he left it there. He pulled a roll of taut wire-string from his equipment pouch, along with a pair of kunai, which he affixed to either end of the wire-string. He then listened intently, barely making out the sounds of hurried footsteps on the damp earth.

'He must be making for cover along the rim of the arena...I wonder how he plans on actually defeating me...I guess this is just how Konoha Genins fight...'

He sped in the direction he had heard the footsteps, jumped high into the air, and threw the Kunais from both hands at the sound. The Kunai flew at Ralfe points forward, and at a high speed.

Ralfe dodged the blows in time, and then used Art of Groundbreaking to raise up the ground in the centre of the arena until there was a high wall from one side to the other, with himself on one side and Kenpachi on the other.

'Now I have time to think up a plan. I've already done some of the hard work - seperating him from his sword. It'll take him far too long to get it out from the ground. And that arrogant attitude I put on didn't fool him. He's clever, but I think I can take him.'

Ralfe mused upon a plan, but he was increasingly uneasy. 'I have to get rid of this mist first. Too bad I don't have any wind attacks. And my sense of hearing and smell aren't good enough to detect him. I could just upturn the whole of his side of the field, but that would take up too much chakra, and I don't think brute force is what they're looking in a chunin. I'll use the jutsu I learnt especially for this fight.'

Ralfe readied himself for the sortie, then used 'Groundbreaking' to make a hole in the wall. He stepped through.

'Art of Shadow Dispertion!' He performed the hand signals, after which his entire body seemed to light up like a beacon. Light shon forth, nullifying the mist's blinding properties. He saw Kenpachi at the opposite end of the arena.

'You ready?' he asked, holding up the three shuriken in each hand, and smiling broadly. He was enjoying this fight.

'Hmm...that's no good either...'

He watched as the wall of earth rose up and divided the arena in two.

'He must be trying to overcome the advantage that this mist gives me...hmm...let's see here...he uses earth techniques, which is unusual for a Konoha Genin, and he seems to have a sound tactical mind...I'll have to finish this as soon as possible...'

He did a series of hand seals.

'Mizubunshin no Jutsu!'

A water clone congealed out of the mist. Kenpachi had him pull back to where he had lost his sword at one end of the arena, and ready shuriken. He stayed at one of the corners formed by the wall of earth, wating for his opponent to come forth. He did, and Ralfe's appearance shocked Kenpachi.

'So that's how he's going to nullify the mist...'

He gave a hand signal, and the water clone threw several shuriken at the glowing Genin. At the same time, Kenpachi sped at Ralfe, a Kunai in each hand.