So I was now facing Kabuto, who grinned incessantly and regarded me as seemingly easy prey. Despite my knowledge about being weaker than the gray-haired man, because I lacked experience, I still did not want to give in. Besides, there was far more at stake here than a simple fight. There were three lives at risk in this fight. Naruto's, Tsunade's, and mine. But if I could hold Kabuto off for a while and they were able to recover in the meantime... Then maybe we had a chance after all.
Like two wild animals, we walked up and down. Waiting for the other to make the first move. Incessantly I tried to keep eye contact with him and for a short moment his eyes flitted to Tsunade, who was lying directly behind me and had slightly straightened up. I could feel her stare on my back. The injury had been deep and I doubted that she was in any condition to continue fighting.
Kabuto charged in my direction from one second to the next. Without using Raiton chakra, I dodged the glowing blow. I would have to save something so valuable. Maybe it would be useful to me later. He had thrown the kunai into the grass, but the chakra scalpels were quite sufficient as weapons. The precisely chosen blows of my opponent were difficult to assess and for the most part almost unpredictable. The twitching of the eyes or the spreading of the balance told me how he would strike next. My fist whizzed toward the other's cheek and...hit. Astonished, I watched as he went down.
Not wanting to waste time, I hastily stepped after him and tried to catch his temple with my foot to knock him unconscious. But in the middle of the movement, this was caught by his hand. With all his strength he smashed my body towards the ground. Glistening pain shot through my hip, which had bumped against stone.
My hands braced themselves in the ground, but when I tried to stand up, something hard stabbed me in the back. Pressing, ruthless and demanding. Warm breath approached my neck and I suppressed a gag as I heard his voice so close to my left ear. How much I detested Kabuto, after all. Nevertheless, he should approach. Whatever he would now intend. He should do it...just so that I...
„Well, it wasn't that easy," he said with a sneer.
„I guess that's it for the intangible, because you're going to die at my hands now. Say goodbye, weak little thing."
I felt him. Felt a knife aimed at my neck. But giving up, I didn't know that. Even if this situation seemed hopeless. He should not underestimate me. Almost gently the blade went down my neck, up to the carotid artery. What a sneaky guy. That was not the fine ninja way to kill his opponents.
Kabuto lunged and thrust the flashing blade down. The small weapon dug deep into the wet grass. For in the place where my body should have been, it was long gone. I had exchanged the place with my bloody Kunai, which had lain in some distance in the grass.
Slowly I lifted myself up, saw how the gray-haired man began to grin, turned the kunai in his hand and ... was in my direction in a flash. I could not react. My body still seemed to be paralyzed. As if in slow motion, the shiny weapon flew towards me. It was to hit me directly in the head. I squinted my eyes and raised my hands in front of my head. Now it was over. I was going to die.
„You have become strong. Made a lot of progress. And one day you will be stronger than him, I promise you Tora. "
„I believe in you... little one."
„You are strong girl, resemble young Naruto in many ways and have already started to change destinies and maybe someday the future."
Sensei Kakashi. Sensei Sarutobi. A task. I still had something to do. Who was I to throw my life away so easily. Besides, I would not die without anyone noticing. Because now I had a family. I couldn't let them down.
Slowly, but steadily, my hand began to rise, feeling the Raiton chakra flowing through my veins into my arms, to my fingertips. And then I intercepted the kunai without looking. Felt the cool tip not far from my forehead.
Slowly I opened my eyes, recognizing Kabuto's horrified look. A smile crept onto my lips.
„Seems to have done some good. If you can train with an invisible person." My counterpart's expression began to harden. Anger, hatred, and disgust spread through it. Again, I had managed to put him in his place. Showed that even though I was a genin, I could still accomplish quite a bit.
„And weak? Maybe I was weak once? But now I have a family and friends who give me strength, help me to get up again and again. Their presence makes me strong. If you knew the word family, you would also be able to comprehend my words."
Anger glowed in the eyes of my counterpart. Bottomless, full of hatred and ... sadness? Had I hit a sensitive nerve there? But that was not possible ... someone like him ... did not know that at all. How could a person become what he embodied?
But the words seemed to have hit him, otherwise he wouldn't be so upset. I frowned. Why was I even thinking about it like that? He was my enemy. Nothing more. It had already been like that with Kankuro and Gaara. And what was the result? All two had turned against us? Konoha and the contract of peace, which had prevailed between the two countries. What now was, nobody knew so exactly.
As if in a trance, I dodged Kabuto's blows. I looked into his eyes, trying to detect another sign of a traitorous feeling. But there was nothing there. Only anger. Abysmal. Bottomless. So it came to pass that I no longer paid attention to my arms, and the blow to my rib cage, caused my body to fall backwards.
I hit the ground hard, wanted to get up again, but something shot past me. An angry scream barely reached my ears.
„Leave Tora alone you bastard."
Naruto had managed to stir again and was now charging at the completely taken by surprise Kabuto. Something blue flashed in his hand. A swirling mass of chakra that was just making its way into Kabuto's stomach. It threw him back. Right against a nearby stone. I turned and noticed Tsunade, who was bracing herself on her knuckles, breathing heavily.
Then the Uzumaki collapsed, and the blonde began rushing toward him. What had happened? Had Kabuto hit him? No. This couldn't be happening. No, please, not Naruto. A coughing laugh from the north confirmed my suspicions.
„You can't heal him, and you know that as well as I do."
Tears streamed down the face of the blonde. The green chakra that flowed from her hands to heal the Uzumaki nevertheless did not flicker once. Still, she would not give him up.
Slowly, I dragged myself towards the two and dropped down next to Naruto. Looking at the blond's ever-slowly heaving chest with a spellbound gaze, I clenched my hands into fists.
„S-say ... did I win the bet?"
Inside, everything was collapsing inside me. That the guy was more worried about a paltry bet than his own life at a time like this. Such a thing was not normal.
„Yes," she said in a shaky voice. "You did."
The air began to rush all at once. Too late, I lifted my head, only seeing Tsunade stand in front of me and Naruto.
„Forget it. Don't touch those two."
A cruel sound followed and something wet splashed onto my cheek. Shakily, my eyes opened, and I realized that the Sannin had placed herself in front of me and Naruto. But the sword sticking out of Orochimaru's mouth had sunk deep into her chest.
Frozen, I watched as she pressed her hands into the ground. Her whole body was trembling. That she was still alive at all was a miracle. With this wound, any normal shinobi would... Still, she found the strength to oppose him, now that Naruto was out of action, and I didn't have much chakra left.
Almost sadly, he looked at her.
„You are the one I absolutely do not want to fight with. What I want are those two kids. Give them to me and..."
„No way...no way." Tsunade's body shook more and more violently. She was in terrible pain, and I dearly wished I could help her. But my own body was far too spellbound with fear.
„Why are you protecting the children Tsunade. Explain."
She raised her head, even still possessing the strength to stubbornly look him in the eye. And at that moment, I began to feel deepest respect for the Sannin. For the strength, the stamina, and her difficult sacrifice so that Naruto and I could live even though she didn't know us.
„Well, it's simple. This boy will become a great Hokage one day. And that girl, I have taken her to my heart very much. They both deserve a long life."
Astonished, I looked up at her. I never expected such warm words about me and Naruto, especially the fact that she believed in Naruto's possible future as Hokage gave me courage.
But not for long. Orochimaru had rushed forward and knocked Tsunade backwards with another sword strike. My whole body began to tremble, and I clutched one of my kunai, along with my mother's necklace, with unsteady, sweaty hands. I had to be strong now.
Orochimaru began to laugh when he saw me.
„What are you doing, little thing? Not a pencil this time, but a small kunai?"
He grinned derisively and brushed his raven-black long hair out of his face, leaning down a little to look into my eyes.
„But I like your courage and will to fight. As well as your useful skills."
I hissed angrily.
„Never would I think of joining such a violent ninja as you."
My hands were still shaking, but that didn't stop me from thrusting the kunai toward his stomach. He parried the blow easily, but also thrust at me in the same moment. I stumbled when he kicked the back of my knee and fell backwards. But I immediately got up again and stood in front of Naruto and Tsunade.
But the black-haired Sannin's gaze was no longer on me. He seemed frightened and confused. When I cautiously turned around, I also realized why.
Tsunade, who seemed to be completely out of circulation, had straightened up. A fire burned in her eyes, as I usually only knew it from Naruto. The mark on her forehead began to glow and purple lines started to spread across her face.
„W-What is this jutsu?" the black-haired man began, completely caught off guard.
„I regained my power by deciding to become the Godaime Hokage."
Tsunade placed a hand on her wound, green chakra flowed forth, and the fissure in her flesh began to close.
Then everything happened very quickly. Tsunade pressed her hand into the ground almost simultaneously with Orochimaru, for her summoning jutsu. The brown snake, which had just been struck down by Drakar, disappeared and made way for a new, large purple one.
The lynx straightened up in confusion. His fur stood out on all sides and his chest rose and fell quite rapidly. No doubt he was very exhausted. Gamabunta hopped to his side and nodded to him.
„I think young friend that you have done enough plodding. We'll take it from here."
Drakar nodded gratefully and I released the jutsu. Yes, he had done what he could, but here Jiraya and Tsunade now took over. I, meanwhile, would hold out next to Naruto and hope that the fight ended well.
Hopefully.