Summary: Recca, Kagero, and a SI are placed in the world of the Nine Tails
Crossover: Flame of Recca, Naruto, Hitman: Contracts
Disclaimer: I don't own what other people do. I do own me, though.
Feedback: Sure thing... I like hearing how I can improve :) I also like hearing people's opinions on things. I have a fragile ego and low self esteem -- please review?
BandsThisWasWrittenTo: Karma To Burn, Crystal Method
Pre-fic Comments:
For the salesman, think Samurai Deeper Kyo episode one.
Daniel Lynx: Thanks for the comments. I keep mixing up Ino's surname with Ryuji Yamazaki from King of Fighters... as for Kiba, I was trying to remember the last two syllables and mixed it up with the Joketsuzoku from Ranma Half. (Merc's thoughts -- "Isn't it inu equals dog, and zoku equals clan? Maybe it's therefore Inuzoku?") As for Sasuke -- he keeps getting written as the most selfish asshole this side of Saotome Genma, and I decided to go for something different. Don't worry, he's still an antisocial asshole.
animewatcher: There's a hell of a twist coming up that no one knows about, apart from Darkfire. The central characters for the twist are none of the genin, chuunin or jounin... and that's all I'll say about that. You'll find out more below. As for Neji...
Inu-Angel Z: You should find out the answers to all that in this part, hopefully. As for who trained who, I'm leaving that as a surprise. smile
Number 47 knelt carefully on the broad tree branch, opening a finely made wooden case. Inside was a weapon that had been exceedingly rare even back in his original world. Only seventy two had been created, and only one existed in the world of the ninja. He gently took up the Walther WA2000, loading the magazine of .300 Winchester Magnum rounds into the rear of the German bullpup sniper rifle. Of the two hundred bullets that Hanabishi had created, he only intended to use twenty. The rest, in his opinion, were not of a high enough grade for his most prized possession. The twenty that made his grade were nineteen more than he needed, anyway.
He laid himself down prone upon the branch, to both lower his profile and achieve greater stability with the rifle, flipping down the bipod at the muzzle and putting his eye to the scope. Slowly, carefully, he drew his aim.
47 then waited patiently.
I yawned as I stood with the other genin who had reached the Third Exam. I was a bit unusual in that I was the only one with my weapon slung across my shoulders -- even Sabaku no Temari of the Hidden Sand had her fan on her back. Standing before us, facing the box for the two observing Kage, was the Third Examiner, Shiranui Genma. The Third Hokage got up from his stone chair, walking to the rail facing onto the arena.
"Thanks everyone for coming to the Hidden Leaf Chuunin Selection Exam," Hokage roared, with a voice surprisingly powerful for his age. "We will now start the main tournament matches between the eight participants who made it through the preliminaries. Please stay and watch until the end!"
A sharp crack then rang out across the arena, echoes rolling back and forth against the hard stone walls. Even from the floor of the arena, a dark red flower could be seen spreading across the Kazekage's head. As he collapsed forwards, it was revealed that the back half of his head had been splattered across the back rest of the stone chair.
"Mother," Gaara of the Sand muttered. "Don't worry, you'll still get some tasty blood..."
I shuddered. If I came up against him, resigning would definitely be an option.
"A moment, please," Hokage said, visibly shaken. The gallery of daimyo was also abuzz with noise.
Minutes later, as people shifted, wondering what had happened and what was going to happen, Hokage stepped up to the railing again.
"Anbu and representatives of the Hidden Sand are now searching for the assassin, and barrier wards have been erected around the arena," Hokage shouted. "The Third Exam will proceed!"
Forty Seven knelt, breaking down the WA2000 and placing the components into the wooden case. Sliding carefully down the tree branch into a nearby empty house, he changed his clothes.
Five minutes later, a travelling medicine salesman walked out onto the street, large wooden case full of (presumably) medicine on his back.
"I thought they'd postpone the whole thing after that," I muttered.
"And have the daimyo miss their bloodsport," Shikamaru said rhetorically. He made a shoo'ing motion at a patch of thin air. "How troublesome."
"Okay guys, we're in a bit of a rush now," Genma said. "Hokage wants to wrap this up. The rules are the same as the prelims -- death, defeat, or when I determine that it's over. Got that?"
Everyone nodded.
"Now, the first fight. Hanabishi Matora, Hyuuga Neji. Those two stay here while the rest of you go to the waiting gallery."
"Mother wants me to teach you what happens to dishonourable people who turn their back on family," I said mildly.
Neji merely looked at me.
"I'm at a bit of a disadvantage here," I continued. "I suck at long distance, so I'm going to have to use that jutsu right away."
Slamming the zanbatou down point first into the ground, I was about to enter the shadow when Neji surprised me.
"You are within the field of my hakke," he said, assuming a stance as if he was stretching. "Gentle Fist Style, Sixty Four Hands of Hakke!"
My speed was insufficient to dodge the Hyuuga as he began slamming me, pointed fingers stabbing into my body.
"Hakke two hands! Four hands! Eight hands! Sixteen hands! Thirty two hands! SIXTY FOUR HANDS!"
Gasping, I shakily rose to my hands and knees from where I had been thrown by Neji's attack. Spitting out blood, I snarled at Neji, who had a slight smirk on his face.
"Sixty four of your tenketsu have been closed," Neji said. "This is your fate -- defeat."
I grinned darkly back, as I felt my weretiger regeneration starting to mend some of the raw damage to my internals from the combo. The regeneration could do nothing for my closed points, however, and I could use no jutsu.
"No more mindrape," I agreed. I pulled my zanbatou from the ground where I had slammed it for a shadow to hide in. "I guess I'm just going to have to do this the old fashioned way.
Swords were not used very often in the Hidden Leaf, most shinobi preferring kunai or shuriken. Any of the swords that were used were traditional katana, like the one that Gekkyo Hayate used. As a result, Neji had no idea as to how I would attack with the zanbatou, and was taking the cautious route.
"Awww... baby no wanna pway," I teased.
Three kunai and a shuriken flashed towards me. A glint of light was all the warning I had, and I placed the wide flat of the zanbatou in front of me to act as a shield. Naruto or Recca would have thrown their own weapons to block Neji, but my skill in that was minimal, at best. I ran forwards, gaining precious momentum as I brought an edge of the zanbatou up from the ground towards Neji, negating any chance he had of leaping away.
"Kaiten!"
I grinned, as the zanbatou was forced down from the Hyuuga, digging deep into the ground as I released the long, guard-less hilt.
"You thought you had won," Neji asked mildly, a superior smile tugging at his mouth. The set of his eyebrows gave away his concentration, though.
I sighed. "You're a pain, I'm going to have to rework the edge after that. Finished toying with me?"
A faint blur was the answer, as I felt Neji hit several of my other tenketsu. "No. You deserve no better."
I grinned a fanged smile, as I changed shape into my seven foot tall, heavily muscled humanoid tiger form. "Pity... I'm done playing with you."
The Grass Country daimyo gasped, leaning forward slightly from where he sat on his finely embroidered sheet. "What is he?"
A smile from the Fire Country daimyo was given. Internally he was thanking god that he and his equal partner Sandaime were on such good terms, otherwise he would be just as surprised. "My ninja are famous for their ability, skill, and bloodlines."
The Wind Country daimyo was thoughtful after this, as was the Mist daimyo.
"Just so you know, Neji," I asked. "Nothing personal. I just can't stand arrogant pricks like you."
"Byakugan," Neji called out, blood vessels around his eyes inflating unnaturally.
"You've never fought a tiger before, have you," I asked, crouching. The other boy was shaken badly, and I could smell fear wafting off him. He appeared unstirred, however.
"Your tenketsu are sealed," Neji yelled. "You should not be able to perform jutsu!"
"This isn't a jutsu," I said mildly. Lifting one forepaw, I flexed it, claws coming out of their sheathes. "This is who I am."
I leapt at Neji again, paw coming around to both slap him silly and slash through his flesh with my claws, only to be forced back.
"Kaiten!"
I snorted, grinning as a faint trickle of blood began to fall from the corner of my mouth. "Have you ever seen a chaingun in action, Neji? That is the weakness in your defense."
"What does he mean, Kagero-san," Hyuuga Hinata asked.
Kagero frowned. "A chaingun can fire at a huge rate per minute, but it chews through ammunition quickly."
"How do you know this," Naruto asked. "What's a gun?"
Firearms were practically unknown in this world, save for simple fireworks. The bullets were some of 'tousan's most jealously guarded secrets
"He can't mean a battle of attrition, though," Kagero frowned. "That's no way to impress the judges of the tournament."
"Oh, yeah," Naruto laughed. He'd forgotten about that part.
Neji smirked. "The Heavenly Whirl is perfect in it's defence."
I leapt towards Neji again, deliberately barely missing him and skimming the edge of the orb of chakra my opponent emitted. Twisting around with cat-like agility to land on my feet facing him, I leapt again, getting the timing just right, shining claws angled to strike him hard enough to part flesh, but not to puncture his vital organs.
"AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGG," Neji screamed.
I turned to see him clutching his stomach, preventing his intestines from spilling out. Ninja pain training kept him on his feet.
"You can't fight like that," I rumbled. "In the real world, with a team, you'd have to be saved right now. In one on one combat, you're a sitting duck. If you try to defend with Kaiten again, your guts will fly out of your stomach from centrifugal force.
"Aaaa, I see," Kagero nodded.
"What? What," Naruto asked impatiently.
"The multiple barrels of a minigun don't go from still to full speed immediately, and they can't fire at part speed," Kagero-kaasan said. "There's a few seconds pause between pressing the button and bullets coming out, and between releasing the trigger and the gun stopping."
"What," Recca asked.
Shigeo-tousan nodded in understanding. "I see, now."
"Oi, oi, explain it to me then," Naruto said impatiently.
"When Neji-san begins his Kaiten, he's vulnerable for a fraction of a second," Shigeo said. "And, similarly, when he slows down and finishes, he's also vulnerable but for a longer time since he has to slow down and then assume a defensive stance after that. Matora feinted, and Neji fell for it."
"Ouka-dono was right," Kagero-kaasan said, looking down at the arena. "Recca-kun, Matora-kun will be perfect as your second-in-command."
Genma, the referee, nodded. "Winner, Hanabishi Matora!"