„Good luck little one," Kakashi said quietly, and I nodded.

That's what I would need now. Luck, perseverance, and strength. Possibly also a little bit of motivation for what was to come. Actually, I wanted to defeat Kabuto, to pay him back for everything he had done to me.

My hands clenched into fists and I swung myself over the parapet. Gently my feet hit the ground and I felt for my weapons, which were invisible in the pockets. The bow also hung around my shoulders, undetectable to any eye. This would be exciting, especially since Kabuto knew nothing of my abilities yet. Something he would find out soon, though.

Kabuto came towards me, a gossamer smile, not recognizable for the others, adorned his lips, which made me even more angry. He shouldn't underestimate me. At first glance, I may have appeared small and slender, but I was able to withstand a lot. And I suspected that Kabuto was strong, even if he had also been very secretive about his strength so far.

„Listen Tora. You'd better give up. I don't want to hurt you."

Such a hypocrite. He actually wanted to make me give up. But not with me. He had the wrong address with me.

„You don't know me very well. I'm not the type to give up just because the opponent seems stronger. And it has nothing to do with foolishness, but the courage to face things," I replied firmly, and his features hardened.

„But don't say I didn't warn you."

Inwardly, I tensed up. I wondered what was coming now. In what form might Kabuto's power manifest itself?

Pulling a visible kunai and an invisible one from my pocket, I took a step back and focused on him with an attentive gaze, waiting for the signal to start. I wonder who Naruto would be cheering for? Me or Kabuto? More likely the other since he was quite angry with me.

„Begin."

And immediately Kabuto rushed towards me. But I was prepared and feigned inattention to him. In a single movement, I had thrown the invisible kunai. Deeply it drilled into his shoulder and my opponent staggered back. Blood ran from the wound, in which apparently nothing was stuck.

A murmur went through the ranks. I took advantage of Kabuto's amazement and began to push him back with quick hits. Again, and again, he managed to dodge.

Then, all at once, he lunged forward and struck at my shoulder. Unable to dodge in time, I staggered backward and was caught in the blow. I gasped as it hit my stomach instead of my shoulder and I was thrown backwards. Groaning, I rolled off and was quickly back on my feet. My stomach throbbed protesting.

Kabuto was over me quickly, before I could help it, he had his hand outstretched and pressed on my stomach. It glowed with a strange light. I gasped in pain as I felt all the chakra slowly escape my body. No. It wasn't escaping. It was blocking it. A pained sound escaped my throat.

„I warned you, but you wouldn't listen and now you're showing everyone how weak, you really are."

I grinned tiredly.

„But in return, you're proving that you're not the kind and caring Kabuto that everyone sees in you. And believe me when I tell you that I will never trust you, even if you try, hypocritically as you do, too."

With each word I grew louder, pushing the pain which had spread through my body. He would not break what I had fought for so long.

And then I disappeared right before his eyes. He recoiled and looked around but couldn't catch sight of me anywhere. I grinned, despite the pain. How wonderful it was to see something like surprise in his eyes for once.

„Now it's my turn," I said and started to attack him with punches and kicks, which he could more or less intercept. But I had to keep away from his glowing fists, because I knew now how painful the slightest touch could be.

More and more I could observe how he lost his patience, and a murderous glint entered his eyes.

„How cowardly is that? Where are you? Face me!"

He wanted me visible? He could have that. I quickly released the jutsu and let chakra flow through my legs. My movements became faster and faster. At breakneck speed, I raced toward him, diving under the blow and delivering a huge punch to his chin with my fist that sent him flying far back.

I briefly dared a look at Kankuro, who had followed the fight with a tense look and unconsciously stroked his healing chin. I grinned and tapped provocatively against my chin, whereupon his eyes began to narrow, and his gaze darted in the direction of his red-haired brother. Gaara watched me with eagle eyes. All at once I felt as if I were under Hinata's Byakugan. As if he could see inside me. I quickly averted my eyes.

Just in time to avoid the attacking Kabuto. Damn it, I had been careless. Then his right leg made a scissor movement and swept me off my feet. I slammed hard to the ground and felt a warm liquid running down the back of my head. Blood. But I was too full of adrenaline to feel the pain now.

Kabuto was kneeling over me; a triumphant grin had spread across his face in which there was an eerie glow. His right hand was shrouded in chakra. Ominously, it hovered over my face.

„I offered you the chance to surrender, but you chose to lose, and lose miserably."

His face was very close to mine and I turned my head away. In the background I could hear Naruto shouting something and Kiba who was also saying something, but I didn't notice them. All I saw was this hand hovering menacingly over my face, possibly bringing victory to Kabuto in this fight.

With that said, he raised his hand and let it come down on my head to knock me out. All my limbs stretched from me, I was pinned down, unable to move or make a hand sign.

„I believe in you."

My eyes widened as this memory flashed through my mind. In my mind's eye, I saw myself standing before Kakashi, dissolved and desperate. Knowing neither forward nor back. I remembered the confident look of the Jonin, how he had leaned down to me and gave me strength.

Kabuto's hand stopped just in front of my face. With an irritated expression, he eyed me and his hand, which should have reached its target.

With all the strength I could muster, my head shot up and against Kabuto's nose. It cracked dangerously and the genin was thrown backwards for the second time. Dazed, he remained seated for a brief moment.

„I don't understand. You didn't have a free hand, did you? How the hell did you do that?" he asked, confused.

„That is of no consequence. But be assured Kabuto that I won't let you ruin my friendship. I don't care that Kankuro is from Suna and I am from Konoha. He is one of the few people I can get along with. And Naruto may be my best friend, but he does NOT have any business deciding who I want to be with. I have no idea what your goal is, but be assured that I'll figure it out," I growled and shot towards him. I completely ignored the pain in my stomach. I could take care of that later when the fight was over.

I would finish it now.

In secret I created another in secret, I created an invisible shadow double, including an invisible shield, which I kept out of the fight for the time being and meanwhile suppressed its chakra so that Kabuto would not notice it.

The genin's nose was surrounded by green chakra and I realized that he was able to heal himself. So I had to make sure that he would no longer be able to do so.

Unusually quickly, his chakra hand whizzed down on my head and the invisible shadow double intercepted it with his hand and held it relentlessly so that I could feign a blow to his solar plexus, which was immediately protected with his free hand. But my goal was actually something else.

With all the pent up anger that had been building up inside me the last few days. Not just directly at him, but all the things that had happened, I let my fist whiz against his temple. It cracked ominously and Kabuto was thrown to the side.

His body hit the ground with a crash and stayed there, not moving. Seemed to be unconscious. Blood ran down the grey-haired man's temple and a purple mark began to appear on his chin. Satisfied, I looked at my battered right hand. But it had been more than worth the effort. Everything I had wanted had come to pass. The pain was displaced by the rising sense of triumph as Hayate declared me the victor of the fight.

I looked around, heard Naruto cheering, and noticed Kiba raising his fist in the air. Hinata who smiled at me and an incredulous Sakura. A winking Kakashi next to a grinning Shikamaru. An incredible feeling of happiness flooded my aching body, and I began to feel free.

And when all the adrenaline had disappeared from my veins, it came back to show its full extent.

The pain.