Chapter Five

"Da jie. Must we do this?"

A rather uncertain Genious eyed me as we stood in Konoha's arena - a large complex of natural grounds and high walls that encloses the people within for speculative sports. It said that their Chuunin final exams also held here. Tsunade, alongside with Jiraiya and some people from the councils were here. Other spectators today also included guests from the Hyuuga clan and a few Anbus and jounins. It has been three months since the last attack from Itachi and Shark one.

"It's the condition that Tsunade-sama set for us should we want to stay. You'd three months to prepare and so here's our test."

I said calmly. I was rather tired honestly. While Genious had gone under the care of Hyuuga Hiashi and Jiraiya for preparatory training, I went out to train on my own in the forest sanctuary that was near the village. And honestly, I am sad to say that I have never worked harder in my life than I did for the last three months. Old man would have so proud of me.

"You've lost weight."

I offered a smile.

"And you've put on some. Iruka must have taken care of you well."

She flushed slightly.

You see, readers, today we were to fight each other. It was by Tsunade suggestion to prove to her that we were worth keeping in the village. Somehow, we had to show that we could fight and protect this village. And so, we had gathered here after three months, to fight to other's fancy, till the last person is left standing.

"You know the rules. Anyway goes. Winner is decided when either the other falls or is deemed unable to continue by me. Got it?"

Genma, a guy with an oral-fixated habit of always chewing on a senbon was our empire today.

Today, for the first time, I will fight family.

Genious stood wearing a simple net inner attire and outer blue shirt and spilt skirt, the look in her eyes was hoping that I would call the whole thing off. I, wearing a typical black wrap outer garment with tights, merely shook my head.

Not today girl. Today, I need you to fight me.

We nodded and he allowed us to begin as and when we feel fit.

"Genious."

"Hmmm?"

"If you want to win, you have to have the tenacity to kill me."

"What? But why? It's just a friendly. You know, for show!"

"This is life or death. One of us may die here."

"Why are you so weird? I haven't seen you for three months and suddenly, you have gone all serious!"

'I want to stay. I don't wish to go back there. So if necessary, I'll kill you."

She became flustered.

"Stop kidding! Enough with the jokes-"

And I swiped my Katana at her. The stroke was enough to cut part of her left sleeve off. The cloth fell quietly to the ground with a soft thud. The skin then slowly split at where the steel barely touched, a gentle slow flow of blood began to drip down her arm. The girl was stunned.

"I am serious about this. I will kill you if necessary."

She teared.

"Who are you? You're not my da jie! My da jie loves me very much and will never do such a thing!"

I said nothing and let her continue.

"Why do me want me dead!"

"Then I can have Iruka to myself."

"What?"

"You heard me. I like him. Quite a bit actually."

I said quietly but already I could sense that the subject of our conversation was starting to freak out big time. He leaned over the ledge above and his eyes widened big time. He couldn't believe his ears! This got the crowd going.

"Let's fight."

And I swiped my Katana downwards at her again.

The steel blade landed in the ground partially buried. The disturbed sand flew up to cloud vision for but few seconds. Genious had finally started to react and dodged the attack at the last minute.

I smiled. Not pleasantly.

And she came.

Kunai in hand, she attempted close combat. Left. Right. She was swiping the sharp edge aimlessly at my face and neck in reckless anger, and watching frustratingly as I dodged them rather effortlessly. I did say I worked hard for the past three months.

And ooh, open opportunity!

To which, I kicked rather forcefully at her abdomen. The force sent her skidding backwards a few metres. She cradled her sore tummy as she looked confused and angrily at me. Tears abound and mouth in twisted disappointment.

Her face openly read: Why are you doing this?

I shut my eyes and circle around in record speed. Hey, I did not put up with weights training if my speed didn't improve at all. I have to thank Lee for that tip, though I refused to take his weights! Nuts! They weighed like tonnes! I'll probably sink into the core of the earth before I took even a step!

From behind, I stooped and unmercifully used my leg and kicked the behind of her knees. Forcing her to kneel on the ground and tear more.

"I am telling you one more time. You have to want to kill me if you want to live."

She didn't move.

"Humph. Such a sad baby. Do you really feel so sorry for yourself? I don't. I always had pity for you. Ruby and I laughed a lot about how you give up so easily!"

Ahh. Finally, a real reaction.

She had moved and scorched my face with cuts.

"Enough! Stop it! You are a bitch! Bitch!"

And suddenly, the fight got serious. Her punches became more accurate and were more forceful. The pace picked up and we were moving around to use the arena more. My, she has grown. From one girl who didn't know how to fight except to plant chicken scratches on faces to someone who was showing shurikens at me and using that kunai of hers with more confidence.

But still not enough.

I have to push harder.

And suddenly, when I could have dodged from a swipe of the kunai, I didn't. Instead, I braced myself for the cold metal's contact that went through my skin and dug slightly into my flesh. Fresh hot crimson liquid began to flow readily down my arm.

She stepped back. Uncertainty crawled back into her eyes.

"Da jie-"

"Don't feel sorry. After all, you did me a favour."

I said from under the loose fringe of hair that curtained my face from view.

"Strength comes from within and only you can bring it out."

That was what Old man had said. I find it ironic that I took practically four years to figure out how to use the sword.

Four years is a damn long time. I must be pretty stupid as they say to have taken so long.

"Blood is the key."

I smiled. How was I supposed to know that the answer was that simple?

My right arm hung and the blood followed the curved surfaces of my muscle definitions and starting dripping its life force onto a lifeless cold blade.

It hurt but nothing like the guilt that lurks inside me.

Genious' eyes widened. The blade was absorbing, drinking almost the crimson liquid that had dripped down from my arm. What was happening, my friends, was the activation of the sword's potential. Blood is the key to the old sword's spirit.

A reddish glow emitted from it. It was awake.

"Prepare to die."

And I moved. With murderous intent, I swiped the long blade at her. She avoid most successfully, until she realised that the edge has now extended to the part where the edge glowed, thereby grazing her body left, right and centre.

Jumping back, I released one good swing from my inner left side and the blade followed a perfect arc outwards as I landed in the crane position – one knee bent and arms forming a straight line from one hand to the other.

The audience drew a breath.

The reddish arc moved outwards and grew larger; it scourged the earth and everything that stood in its path. Basically, physical imprint left behind is like what it would if you took a curved knife and roughly ran in the ground and onto the walls that met the ground perpendicularly.

Genious jaws dropped.

I offered no comfort and then I started sending many more of such destructive swipes at her in all directions. And at the end of it, the place was pretty much destroyed. It looked like as if a large cat had used the arena for scratching post. The lone tree that was there was gone too.

Genious was panting. She had managed to escape from the main destructive action of the attacks but still the residual bits did not leave her unscathed. Her clothes were torn and tattered. There are definite cuts on her legs, chest and arms.

She hung her head low.

"Fine! Rather than to let a heartless bitch like you roam this earth and destroy it in all its beauty. I shall put my ass on the line and kill you myself. Such a coward like you shouldn't live! Go to hell!"

And she began to charge at me.

Her eyes changed. I could sense something else had spilt out. Dropping her kunai, she ran bare-handed and raced from across the diameter of the circled space.

I stood there unmoving.

I didn't even move when she finally reached me. I only stood there watching as her hand came up and without blinking, her hand landed flat squarely on my chest, over where the heart was.

Silence.

A tiny trickle of blood came out the edge of my mouth, as shock began to set in her.

"Why didn't you-"

I cut her off when I used my free hand to gently grab her at the wrist.

"Congrats girl. You've won."

And I smiled freely once again.

Genious looked confused. She blinked as I gently loosen her hand from my chest. I turned to Genma who gave the thumbs up. By this time, Tsunade and all had come down from the stands as well.

They were clapping.

"Hokage-sama, it is done." I said as I sheathed the sword to let it hang at my hip.

"Well done. You deserve an award for such a performance. You sure had me fooled for a second!" She said smiling.

"What? What's going on?" Genious was still confused.

"Don't you get it? It was all an act." I said as I wiped the trickle of blood from my mouth.

"Huh?"

I walked over to get a mirror from her pocket and showed her.

She stared.

Her eyes were now totally different from their black-brown usual state. They had sort of faded to a light colour and surrounding the pupils was an outer black ring.

"You're the one whom everyone is after." I said.

"You're the missing link between Hyuuga clan and Uchiha clan. Your trait is the evolved bloodline of the Byakugan that has yet to reach the state of the Sharingan." Hiashi said.

"And you couldn't bring it out before because you didn't had sufficient training of your chakra abilities. "

"So you tried to kill me to help me!"

"Essentially, yes." I am an advocator of Old man methods. They work good.

"Ahhh!"

"I didn't mean anything back there." I continued as I made my way to Iruka. Leaning in, I whispered into his ears, "I was also kidding about my feelings about you. You should know who really likes you." And the boyish Chuunin blushed. So cute!

I pulled away and winked. Turning my back towards the crowd, I used a hanky to wipe at my face. Covering my mouth, I finally spit out the blood that had gathered into my mouth. Opening it, I saw that the hanky was almost soaked in dark liquid. Seeing everyone's happy mood, I quickly stuffed it into a pocket.

Of course, it did not go unnoticed.

Tsunade suggested a celebration later tonight at a local inn. She then ordered the two to us to head back to the hospital to be stitched first.

Laughing, I ruffled Genious hair to get her smiling again. And as we walked towards the hospital, I apologised for my psychoticism and sadism in trying to skin her alive. She waved it off.

"It's all good." she said and I got a hug (I had to endure some verbal abuse but I guess I'm forgiven).

At the hospital, we were moved to different rooms. Tsunade herself personally came treat me. After helping me eased off my outer garments, she proceeded to examine the damage.

Physically, there wasn't much to treat aside from the cut from the kunai, to which she bandaged lightly. Internally, the damage was another situation altogether.

"That was too close." I said.

"Very. Hiashi-sama did after all teach her the basic taijutsu style of the Hyuuga house. That direct hit to your heart would have been fatal-'

"If she was at full potential, I know."

Oh I know. My chest felt as if it was burning. It hurt shit and I had coughed up more blood earlier when I first got into the room. Shit.

Tsunade place her hand over the heart area where the hit was. I saw the release of chakra from her hand as it passed through my skin, a soothing relief came forth and I finally started to relax.

"Thank you for trusting me, Hokage-sama.'

"It was all your idea anyway. There's no need to thank me."

I smiled. It was sure hard for the plan to follow through. Genious was so damn stubborn but in the end, she relented. Now at least the truth was out.

I breathed.

The warmth from the healing was helping to ease the heaviness on my chest.

"Is this a consequent of being the sword's owner?"

She asked when she finished the process.

"Yeah. It is." I said as I grabbed my clothes.

She was referring to a red tattoo that was spanning from a feather image on my right shoulder. The lines grew from the feather and had its reaches in curls and waves up across my back. It was to symbolise the sword's ownership over me.

"It goes both ways. You own sword and sword owns you. When you have mastered it, the pattern would be finally complete."

Old man said that everyone's blood pattern was different. And my resembled more of random vines that streaked across the back of me. I find it quite ugly really. I mean Old man's linear lines were so much cooler. Sigh.

It must be because it doesn't like me.

Later that night, the lot of us were having a ball of a time drinking ourselves stupid. Tsunade had booked out a place and the sake flowed. Everyone was laughing about something.

Genious was sitting side by side with Iruka, who never left the space. They are such a cute couple. I feel glad for Genious; she finally knew what had happened. Her piece of history was in place and the picture was complete with a good future for her here in Konoha.

"Yo! Who will take up the challenge to drink with me?" Tsunade yelled to the rowdy crowd.

I raised my hand.

"I'll do it!"

"Yeah! Da jie I support you!'

I seated myself at the table where the jounins had gathered.

"Tsunade's quite a scary drinker. You should reconsider." Shizune advised. Her code for: No drinking for recuperating patients!

"My da jie is quite the drinker too! No guy has ever out-drink her!"

The crowd went ooh.

Tsunade snapped a finger and the table were filled with cups of sake that run a few rows along the length of the table.

I smiled at her.

She had some reservation about letting me drink, but in the spirit of fun, she relented.

And we were sculling.

The cups started to be gradually piled in opposing sides. The sweet liquid slowly seeped down my throat and warmed the body. Against a growing surge of pain that was surfacing, the alcohol was helping to numb the pain receptors, thus making getting through this night a little easier.

………Some time later

The crowd was cheering.

You can see by the ridiculous amount of cups that was being piled that the alcohol was starting to take effect. Tsunade was groggy but happy.

"More Sake!

But Shizune stopped her. Tsunade pouted but soon smiled when Jiraiya (the perverted hermit, as Naruto coined) poured her more. He was having a great time flirting.

I continued to sip some more of the hot drink whilst chatting with Genma.

"You're evil. You were even willing to hack off an arm or so to get to your goal!" he commented as he twirled that senbon in between his lips.

"Yeah I'm evil, so bite me."

And he did.

That crazy idiot literally bit at my neck! Damn it! That was definitely going to colour in the morning!

After throwing more insults, I decided to take my leave. Waving off his offer to see me back, I waved byes and winked suggestively at Genious to do something about her relationship with Iruka.

Then with a grinning idiot look on my face, I headed off.

Walking through the streets, my heart fell deep. I was going to miss this place. All the life and all the glory in its simplicity, I was going to miss it all so very much.

I sighed.

"Why don't you step out in the open?"

And the figure who has been trailing behind for a while now appeared. He came walking out with his usual book in hand.

"Stalker!"

"Who, me? I was just minding my business. You're the stalker!"

I laughed as we continued to walk back to my place.

"Good fight. Even for a lousy actress such as yourself." Kakashi commented.

I did a mocked exaggerated bow.

He laughed as he extended a hand. "Come, I'll carry you home."

"Nah. I don't need carrying. I've done well without anyone's help and most certainly, do not need any now."

And I had to trip on a confounded piece of random stone.

He caught me just before my face smacked onto the ground.

I laughed sheepishly.

And so he lent a hand to bring me back to the roof of my place.

After being set down, I happily laid on the roof tiles to bask in the moonlight. Kakashi sat down as well.

"How's your injuries?"

"The cut's small. I don't die easily."

"I meant the blow to the heart."

Oh. I didn't realised he noticed it to be serious.

"It's nothing serious. I'll be fine in no time.' I said quietly. "Thanks for your concern."

"What are your plans then from now on? Are you staying?"

I take a deep breath and shook my head sadly.

"Hiashi-sama has revealed that he has in possession a forbidden scroll that can send me back to my world. I'll go once my injuries have fully recovered."

He held onto my chin and lifted it to an angle.

"Hmmm."

I swiped his hand away. He was staring at lovely 'present' on my neck.

"It's Genma's fault. He actually bit me when I said 'bite me'."

He laughed.

"You look so settled here. Why don't you stay instead?"

"I wish. But I don't belong here. Genious was born here during the war and amidst the confusion was sent to my world for her safety, with all her memories wiped out. But I was really born there. I would eventually have to go back."

He said nothing.

And I said nothing for the rest of the night either. So there we stayed on the roof and waited to watch the sun come up.

Author's note:

For Vertigenous, for all the help on my experiment (and travelling up to the place with me!). Thanks a bunch! And to everyone else, thanks very much for your reviews! Gottta get that report done now.

Cheers!

Arte

Ps Loveable-M: Thanks so much for your support for "I Know Not"! And glad that you are enjoying this one too:)