Welcome to the next chapter.
danielsnow; Yeah, maybe he will be~ Thanks for the votes. Pakura definitely is going through quite a lot huh. That would be funny if they did. Yeah, there relationship is progressing.
wtfstarftw1; Thanks!
LezarioFanficio; Thanks for the votes! Pakura could be yeah.
ShadowUzumaki55; Ameyuri's returned to do something, that's all I can say right now. Pakura's going through so many struggles right now yeah, it's tough on her. I thought it would be cool if she had it~ Satsuki vs Gaara's gonna be a fun fight. Thanks for the vote.
Silver crow; Thanks. Thanks for the vote. Temari did yeah. Karin might be, we'll see soon. Pakura really is going through quite a lot. Glad you liked the stuff between Hanabi and Ryouta. We'll see what happens, maybe he will be. Haku did yeah, she went pretty strong against her. I'm sure Ameyuri did yeah. Pakura could do. Ryouta's got his opponents during this arc, can't spoil who it's going to be yet. Yeah, that would be cool for Mei. Tsunade could be yeah. He could reveal his new technique. Yeah, he could be an advisor. Thanks for the harem suggestions.
Guest 1; Thanks for the vote.
Guest 2; Thanks, glad you like it! Glad you liked that fight. The invasion does indeed start this chapter.
Guest 3; Thanks for the vote.
Guest1a; Glad you liked the fight. Thanks for the vote.
Shadowlord79; Thank you, glad you like the story. Thanks for the vote.
Lordofwaves; Yeah, it does seem a bit odd huh. Thanks for the vote.
Drury94; Thanks for the vote.
Guest 4; Yeah, that would be an interesting story to do, thanks for the suggestion!
Skull Flame; Ameyuri's got those vibes going on huh.
BloodRaven46; Thanks for the votes.
Shadowkage2; Thanks! Yeah, lets see what happens with Karin. Thanks for the vote.
Morregen; Thanks for the vote. Hehe, glad you liked it.
coldwar17; I'm glad I could.
Hinata fan; Thanks for the vote. Temari did yeah. Pakura isn't evil yeah, she's doing her best, with what she's got to work with. Thanks for the suggestion. Yeah, the invasion starts now.
Yamikage; Well, thank you very much! Glad you liked the fight, and thanks for the vote.
Guest 5; Thanks! Yes, this chapter it begins, thanks for the vote.
Pinkflamingwarriorofjustice; I haven't before, but that would be a certainly a different take on it. Thanks for the suggestion.
Guest 6; Yeah, Naruko's okay with it as she can see she's also benefiting from it and is pushing her even harder than before. Yeah, it can be difficult, he'll become Jonin eventually. Glad you liked the fight! Yeah, the invasion begins now, and Pakura's going through so much right now, so we'll see where that goes. Lets see what Pakura does in this story, can't spoil it yet. She did have a good deal of potential. Karin did well yeah. Thanks very much! They could be a good match yeah. Thanks for the suggestion.
TheGreatGodzilla; The last time you reviewed on this story, was chapter 53, which I answered in chapter 54, hope that helps. Thanks for the vote. Yeah, Pakura doesn't. Thanks for the suggestions. I haven't been able to read more than a chapter. Yeah, they have good voices for those types of characters. Ameyuri appeared at the end of chapter 54, again in chapter 55, and in this chapter as well.
War Sage; Thanks! Yeah, they had a cute scene. Hmm, could be, Ameyuri did seem to know direct ways to places she wished to go to. Yeah, he couldn't. Glad you liked how Temari won. It will be shown yeah if there's stuff that's gonna be going different. Lets hope Karin is. Yeah, Pakura's going through quite a lot. Thanks for the vote, and suggestions!
Andrew123456; Thanks.
Lightwave; That will be shown this chapter. Thanks for the votes.
JustAFan; Thanks. It is yeah. He's learned a good few, and managed to copy a good few. I'd probably say Ninjutsu is his best, with Genjutsu being pretty close to it. Thanks for the vote.
With those reviews out of the way, it's time to start the chapter!
Satsuki vs Gaara!
Having been brought to a isolated location, the clone of Pakura and Karin sat down together. The glowing chakra orbs of Scorch Release surrounded Karin, not giving her even an inch, while the clone simply stared at her.
Karin knew she wouldn't be able to force her way out.
Even with a clone, due to the Scorch Release, she wasn't any match for such a thing. She didn't have any Jutsu's that would help her out, and she couldn't call for her help either, she just hoped that nothing happened while she was captured like this.
She looked around the small room. They were ways away from the stadium, the room was rather small. Only two chairs, one for her, and one for Pakura. There was only one exit, and the rest of the room looked reinforced.
"What are you going to do with me? Are you going to kill me?"
Karin demanded from the woman before her.
The clone of Pakura gazed at her deeply.
Regret was etching itself onto the young Suna Ninja's face.
"You are in no danger."
"If that's true, then why are you doing this to me? Why can't you let me go?"
Karin asked, almost pleadingly so.
Pakura heard such a tone, and she felt a shiver run through her, one that she didn't like in the slightest.
"I can't let you go, because you'll go straight to your Hokage. I saw it on your face, you have figured something out, and that cannot be allowed."
"Suna...and Oto, they're working together, and there's an army outside of the village, waiting for the kill orders, isn't that right?"
Pakura's eyes turned away from Karin as she answered.
"Yes, that's right. It should be starting pretty soon, so you wont be here for long. Don't worry about that, as I said, if you follow what I say, you will be in no danger, we haven't been ordered to kill you specifically, and I have no quarrels with you, so do as I say."
Karin wrung her hands together, trying to collect herself.
But stopped when Pakura kept her strong gaze on her.
"Don't make any sudden movements. My Scorch Release will perceive that as a threat, and you will be mummified."
Karin clasped her eyes together, feeling the fear of being killed by such a technique.
"I thought you were different to the likes of Orochimaru, you helped out Haku didn't you? Why did you do that if you were going to betray Konoha anyway? What possible motive did you have for it? To learn more about the Ice Release? Is that something Orochimaru is interested in?"
She didn't get an answer.
Karin wasn't sure what she should do.
How she should proceed with this at all.
"I have a right to know, she's my teammate!"
"I'm not after Haku."
Karin paused, seeing that Pakura once more wasn't facing her.
"If you're not after her, then who are you after exactly? What is it you want?"
"What I want, is something that you cannot give to me."
Karin became even more perplexed.
"What do you want? Power? You aren't power hungry, are you?"
"No, I wouldn't want anything like power from anyone. What I want, is something...it doesn't matter."
Karin's mind went into many thoughts.
She didn't know what she was supposed to think now.
"You're not a bad person...you helped us out before, haven't you? With Gaara, with Haku, and other things. So tell me why you're doing this to Konoha? Why turn on us? What happened for us to be your enemies? Didn't we welcome you with open arms? We didn't act hostile, not even after what happened with Gaara, and how she attacked Ryou-kun. So why are you doing this? Please...Please tell me."
Pakura tightened her hand.
Many emotions ran through her like trains.
So fast that she couldn't keep up, and she couldn't settle on which one she should be feeling at this moment in time.
"I don't have to say anything about that, so keep silent."
Karin winced at the tone.
Clearly Pakura was having nothing of any conversation.
Karin looked at the orbs of floating chakra, and closed her eyes tightly.
All she could do right now is hope that nothing would happen.
Just then, Pakura's clone saw something, so she went towards it.
Karin looked on, as Pakura received a message in the form of a small scroll attached to a small snakes body.
"That's a snake...it must be Orochimaru's snake, there's no mistaken it. So she really is working with him...damn it all, I can't believe it...someone as nice as Pakura-san, she really did fall to work with him. But why? He's a monster...he's evil, why would she do this? Does he have something...is it because of the Kazekage's orders?"
As Karin contemplated it, Pakura's clone gazed towards Karin.
"Come on, we're going."
"Where are we going?"
Karin asked, but the mini suns forced Karin to her feet.
"No time to argue, we're going."
Karin grit her teeth, and was forced to do what Pakura had demanded from her, following her.
A small time before that happened, Ryouta and the others watched Shikamaru came to join the others in the box after losing his match.
Temari came up to the stands, looking towards the others, but didn't say anything, as she thought about the fight that she had, and how she managed to win the fight, next time she was going to do it even better, she knew that for certain.
Satsuki glances towards Gaara.
Seeing Gaara hadn't said anything, she simply kept her head on Ryouta's shoulder, as if she was enjoying her time at that moment.
But even then, Satsuki knew she'd have to fight this opponent as hard as she could.
With her shield of sand, she knew it wouldn't be an easy fight, and she might have to resort to her trump card, the Jutsu that she had learned from Kakashi. It was something that she knew could turn the tide in a battle.
Then, the announcement came.
"Next match will begin shortly. Will Satsuki Uchiha and Gaara come down to the arena."
As soon as that was said, Satsuki turned to Ryouta, who smiled at her.
"Do your best Satsuki-chan. I'll be cheering for you."
Satsuki adopted a small smile on her face, leaning forward, and gently kissed the young man's lips, which he happily returned.
As they did however, Gaara's eyes went towards them, seeing what they were doing.
She contemplated doing the same thing.
"That act...it is known as a kiss...I wonder, what it is liked to be kissed? I haven't...ever thought about it before, it didn't even register in my mind that I would want such a thing. But now that I see it before my eyes...do I want to try it with Ryouta? I want to see why it is that Uchiha girl likes to do it so much."
Gaara thought about it as Satsuki pulled away from Ryouta.
The young Uchiha girl had a small tinge of redness on her cheeks, but her eyes displayed a fierceness for the win in this fight.
Smiling at her, she nodded without saying anything, and jumped down to the arena below.
While doing so, Gaara turned her head towards Ryouta, and poked his face.
"Gaara-san-"
Turning towards her, he didn't expect what she was going to do next.
She pushed on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his own.
Caressing his lips with her own, Haku placed a hand over her mouth, Naruko looked shell shocked, Temari felt like she was going to fall over, Shikamaru looked stunned, Shino looked on with a perplexed look.
The others couldn't see what was fully going on, save for Satsuki who was gazing at her with her Sharingan.
Seeing Gaara kissing Ryouta, Satsuki wasn't sure what she was supposed to think, how she was supposed to feel about this.
But only for a moment, Gaara pulled back, and looked at him with a bright red face.
Even if her expression was that of her usual stoic look.
It was such a cute contrast that he didn't know what to think.
"Gaara-san..."
"I wanted to see...what it is like. I, enjoyed it. But, I also...know that I have to do it longer...next time, we shall do it longer."
Satsuki scowled when she heard that.
"Gaara-san...good luck in the fight, okay? Remember to keep calm so..."
"...Yes, I know." Gaara's hand found Ryouta's own, and she held it tightly. "I...like it when we are able to hold onto one another's hands. I...feel good from our hands being like this. Can we keep doing this, even after the Chunin Exams?"
Ryouta chuckled.
It seemed so simple, but Gaara really did wish for it, so he didn't mind at all.
"Of course, it would be great to do that Gaara-san. I'm glad you want to."
Gaara nodded, and pulled back.
Temari watched on, very intrigued by what she had just seen.
She then saw that
Gaara then caused her sand to erupt around her, and created a platform. The platform carried Gaara down to the ground, bypassing the stairs all together.
Kakashi watched on with intrigue to see Satsuki giving off a strong stare.
Mikoto also could see that her daughter looked rather confident in that moment, she hoped that she'd be able to do very well in her fight.
Lee looked on with the other Genin around, and tightened his hand.
"The opponent that I fought. Even though I gave my all, I didn't have the skills to defeat her, but Satsuki...can she do it?"
While pondering that, Sakura inhales slowly.
"That's a good question, I do hope that Satsuki can do it. Still, I am worried for what might happen."
As Sakura said that, the Fourth Kazekage leaned forward. His eyes went towards Satsuki, focusing in on her eyes specifically, wondering more and more what she would be capable of doing.
"I wonder, what is going to happen now. The first Uchiha proved to defeat the Hyuga. Can this Uchiha defeat the girl that's the strongest Genin that we currently have in Suna?"
Hiruzen's old eyes piercingly went towards the Fourth Kazekage.
"We cannot be sure of the results. I do know that she has trained very hard. As has your Genin, has she not?"
"Of course, Gaara is our pride. She is very powerful, and her skills are something to be marveled at. I am sure that whatever happens, this is going to be one of the defining matches of the Chunin Exams, would you not agree?"
Hiruzen simply bowed his head, not saying either way.
The Fourth Kazekage looked on with intrigue, then exhales as his eyes turn back towards the arena itself.
Ryouta watched the proctor raise his hand.
"Then match, begin."
With the swinging down of his hand, the match was able to begin finally.
Meanwhile, Ameyuri exhaled in and out as she turned her eyes to the sky. Thinking about what was going to happen during the day, she felt warm under the outfit that she had, and she didn't really like being in such a position.
"Damn this, I came to do a task, and waiting around like this is bullshit. Can't I just get on with it already? I wanna go and see my adorable boy before I have to depart. I wanna see how much stronger he's become...aah, I might not even be able to see him. Well, there's also my snake charming woman, I'd love to get to see her as well. Choices choices, I'm spoiled for choices."
Ameyuri hummed about it, thinking of what was going to happen next.
Looking towards the stadium from the location she was in, she inhaled and exhaled through her nose.
"No Ameyuri, don't let your happiness get in the way right now. You can do this, you can wait and see what is going to happen. Don't go over there for that precious boy that I want to have a romantic fight with. Don't do it..."
While she was thinking about it, she looked at the time, and saw that only a minute had gone since she last looked.
Irritation was coming to her, she wanted to get on the road with the fighting already.
Sticking to time schedules wasn't her style, she loved being able to do as she liked.
Ameyuri rolled her eyes, and leaned onto the side of a building.
"Come on, hurry up. The best I've got right now is weak people to entertain me, and I can't go around murdering weak people, it ain't satisfying for me. I'm not like that damn Kushimaru...aah, Kushimaru, I do miss the entertainment that you used to give me, even if I did hate your guts, pretty much 99.99 percent of the time, and the other little percent I did like you, was only when you accidentally did something that made me laugh...sure is lonely on your own huh..."
Ameyuri released a sigh, as she turned her eyes back to the clouds.
Looking up at them, she gave a disheartened look.
"...Say Uchiha boy, can we meet one more time? When I was fighting you, I felt alive, because for once, I wasn't fighting some soulless monster, I was fighting someone with passion and heart. Those kind of fights, when the opponent is striving for something, is the best thrill for me. So keep living for me Uchiha boy, I want to experience one more time, that feeling of happiness that I crave, a place that I really want to be in, give me some satisfaction my adorable Uchiha-kun...you made me feel alive once, can you do it again? Fighting that passionate way you do, one more time...I want to feel it..."
Ameyuri released a complicated feelings chuckle, as she turned her eyes back towards the cloud, which gained a shape of a fan, and she quite liked it.
Back with the match, having just started, Satsuki gets into a fighting form. With one hand out before her, with her palm pointing upwards, and the other hand behind her back, Gaara in comparison simply allowed her sand to swirl around her, her arms folded.
"So, you're going to be my opponent. The female Uchiha."
Satsuki sharpened her eyes, with her Sharingan fully pointed right at the opponent before her.
"You might be strong, but I've also trained. Let me display the full power that I have right now."
Satsuki immediately rocketed her body off towards Gaara. Her speed even surprised Ryouta. He knew that she had been training, but seeing her speed going this well, he was amazed, and couldn't wait to see what was going to become of it.
Appearing before Gaara, her fist went out as did Gaara's shield of sand.
However, Satsuki then vanished from most eyes, and appeared behind Gaara, swinging out her foot as she jumped into the air, Gaara's sand shield had some trouble reacting to it as she pulled back, and vanished once more.
Coming at different directions, Gaara's eyes widened, seeing her sand being churned around in the air, trying to keep up with the levels of speed that Satsuki was going.
"W-Whoa, she's going really fast now Ryou. Did you know she could do that?"
Naruko asked in amazement, Ryouta chuckled awkwardly.
"I knew she had increased her speed, but it seems that she really has increased it to levels she hadn't shown me. Probably wanted to keep it as a surprise huh."
Haku could understand that.
"We all do wish to keep something's hidden for this exam, considering that we could be facing one another. But in a month she's become so fast, it seems that Gaara-sans shield is having a bit of trouble keeping up."
Ryouta agreed with what she said.
"Damn you..."
Gaara, seeing her shield of sand being toyed with by Satsuki's speed, growled, and swung her arms up.
Responding to that, hands of sand emerged from the gourd on her back, and shot for Satsuki, who didn't have a choice but to jump back several times, with each hand smashing into the ground, causing the ground to crack with each smashing.
Ryouta noticed how the sand was splitting up, Gaara was drawing a circle around Satsuki. A large one at that with how Satsuki was moving, but it was clear that the sand that was being left behind on the ground was forming an area around Satsuki, probably leading the girl into some kind of trap, which he thought was smart on Gaara's end, but he did worry for Satsuki.
"Come on Satsuki-chan..."
Ryouta murmured, hoping that she'd be okay.
Satsuki herself also noticed what was going on, so she took out some shurikens and launched them towards Gaara. However, sand emerged forward, and formed a sand clone of Gaara, catching the shurikens mid air, and tossed them right back towards the Uchiha girl.
Satsuki didn't bat an eyelid as she avoided them mid air, before her Sharingan eyes locked onto Gaara herself.
"A clone huh, fine lets get rid of that."
Taking out her kunai's, she launched them towards Gaara.
However, at the tip of her fingers, she begins manipulating the paths of the thrown kunai's as shown when Gaara fires off her sand towards them, she moved them out of the way, so the sand clone shot off to try and stop them.
Moving before one of the kunai's, the clone grabbed it, and held it in place.
Satsuki smirked however, as she did a single hand sign, and when doing it, the sand suddenly exploded, thanks to a explosive tag attached to the kunai, even Gaara was surprised as she didn't see anything on said kunai.
"Wow, she's created an opening for herself..."
Haku murmured, happy to see that such a simple tactic was effective.
Even she didn't see the explosive tag.
Ryouta even had to admit that he didn't see it either at first glance, but understood why he hadn't seen it initially, and only saw it a little bit afterwards.
Because she had taken the time and effort to make the paper blend in with the metal of the kunai as much as possible.
"Satsuki-chan really has thought about this fight and taken into account everything that she has seen in Gaara-sans fight. With how she moved against Lee-kun, what I told her about the fight we had, Satsuki-chan isn't stupid, and knows that going into this fight that bypassing her sand shield even with speed wouldn't be enough, so she's using tricks and tactics at the same time. It really is a joy to see Satsuki-chan."
Ryouta had a big smile on his face, seeing what she truly was doing.
He did worry for Gaara as well, and did hope that she would be capable of keeping Shukaku at bay.
"Now it's time to strike."
Satsuki used this chance to launch herself into the smoke created by the explosive tag. The eyes she had, the Sharingan, allowed her to pinpoint exactly where Gaara was, and this hindered Gaara's vision, so she pushed her hall into speed.
She knew she wouldn't be able to go speeds Ryouta could currently do, as he was known for his speed.
But she was faster than she was before now.
She was stronger than before now.
She hadn't wasted the time during the month, she had trained hard to be able to defeat Gaara.
She wouldn't lose to the opponent before her.
Cutting through the smoke, Gaara was shocked to see that she had crossed the distance, and slammed her foot into Gaara's face, her leg still moving as she brought it up and flicked it towards the corner of the arena, dragging Gaara along with it, who used her sand to dig into the ground like an anchor, but still Satsuki was dragging her along.
"Yeah! Go Satsuki!"
Sakura cheered out, with Ino blinking.
"Damn...she's gotten really good...ehehe, she's really strong after all..."
Hinata looked at what Satsuki was doing, how fast she was moving, and become rather inspired by her.
Ryouta looked at Gaara, seeing the armour of sand that she wore around her form naturally had cracked. Satsuki's physical strength was enough to put a dent within Gaara's armour. To the point that even Gaara looked shell shocked by this turn of events.
"Satsuki-chan, being able to do so much without revealing Chidori. You have been pushing yourself harder and harder, haven't you? Satsuki-chan, I glad to see that you've become even stronger..."
Ryouta hoped for the best during the fight.
He did believe in Satsuki.
But he also knew Gaara was strong, and with a Tailed Beast, the young Suna girl had the power to use such destructive forces.
Even Lee who watched on from the sidelines, was very impressed with seeing that.
"Satsuki-sans increased her level of speed, and even her physical strength as well. Cracking Gaara's armour, she has come a good long way. So, she really is quite the Uchiha as well. Ryou-kun, Satsuki-san, both truly are prodigies of the Uchiha clan after all."
As Lee thought about it, Ryouta watched as Satsuki placed one hand on the ground, and pushed her strength into her leg. Increasing the amount of power she had, she was able to drag Gaara off of the ground, and pushing her lower body forward, and flicking her foot, Satsuki launched Gaara's body high into the air.
"What the..."
Gaara was stunned by this, seeing her body suspended in the air, having flashbacks to what happened with Lee.
But this felt different to that.
She wasn't copying Lee, not exactly.
The only thing that was is how she ended up in the air.
Satsuki then shot off into the air herself, and threw her hand forward, seeing Gaara's sand forming before her. Flicking her hand like that, seemed to bring up the other kunai that she had launched beforehand, come back around and embed itself into the sand that was forming, as Satsuki weaved through some hand signs.
"Fire Release, Dragon Fire Jutsu!"
Breathing out flames from her mouth, it ran up the wire attached to her fingers, and shot right for the embedded kunai.
As Gaara thought, Satsuki had attached an explosive tag to that as well, and expected it to explode, which it did, with enough force to scatter the sand that was around, as she kept her gourd at the ready, forming a tightly condensed shield around her, as Satsuki reached her.
Spinning around, Satsuki smashed her foot into the sand. Though it didn't dispel, Gaara's body followed the path that Satsuki had kicked her.
Gaara went shooting across the arena from high above the ground, Naruko gasped.
"D-Damn...when did Satsuki get that good?" Seeing how Satsuki managed to do that, was shocking. But then she put on a strong expression. "Still, I have my Ryou on Ryou Jutsu, and that's going to work on Satsuki!"
Satsuki eyebrows twitched, having singled Naruko out, and gave a hard stare.
"Stop saying that."
Naruko pulled out her tongue as Satsuki flipped back down to the ground.
Gaara's body smashed into the corner, causing a large amount of dust to erupt around her.
Satsuki didn't take chances, and began weaving through some hand signs.
"Fire Release, Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Using the signature Uchiha Jutsu, Satsuki exhaled a large fireball from her mouth, which scorched the very ground, Satsuki's flames cut through the smoke, to see that Gaara was pulling herself up from the ground, seeing the flames coming in.
"Not yet!"
So she forced her sand to form a dome around her. Even with that, the flames bathed the sand, and wrapped around them as Satsuki threw some shurikens, with wires attached, using the weapon manipulation that Uchiha's did excel at.
Gaara formed an eye above the dome, so she could see what was going on.
Seeing what was happening, she felt her anger rising more and more...
But then she remembered what she would need to do when this happened.
So, her third eye went towards Ryouta in the stands.
Seeing him stood there, she began to feel her heart calming down, Shukaku's voice could be heard, but she didn't pay it any attention, she stayed focused in on the task, and wouldn't allow her emotions to overcome her during this fight, she wouldn't release Shukaku, as she wanted to defeat Satsuki with her own power, and she didn't want to give her body up to the Tailed Beast either.
"It seems that I had underestimated her. I cannot allow that to go unchecked."
Gaara pushed her sand, and caused it to explode around her. The wire that was on fire, and the flames themselves all scattered across the battlefield, the wires being ripped apart by Gaara's sand, and the flames burning a piece of the earth, and some even landed on the grassy areas of the arena.
Satsuki grit her teeth, as she saw that Gaara had a killer look in her eyes.
She looked ready to fight.
However, something seemed different.
She looked like she wanted to fight yes, but she didn't look like she wanted to kill.
As that went on, Pakura watched the events, and could hear the conversation between the other Jonin. Guy spoke to Kakashi with a surprised tone.
"That girl, she's improved a good deal since her battle with that Karin girl. Her speed, not to mention her strength. And she's still keeping her cool at the same time. Just what have you been teaching her exactly?"
"She was able to see Lee during the fight and saw the speed that he went. Her eyes captured his movements, and adapted some of them into her own. And also her boyfriend, seeing his level of speeds, she came to me and asked to make her even faster. So that's what she initially worked on."
"But to simply make her fast, it wont be enough for the fight. As you saw with Lee, speed isn't enough."
Guy explained, Anko nodding.
"He didn't just teach her speed though, did you Kakashi?"
Kakashi's lone eye went down towards Anko.
"So, you've begun figuring it out?"
"Geez, don't make it sound like I don't pay attention."
Kakashi released the smallest of laughs.
"Sorry, but it does seem that you have worked it out."
"I think so, it would make sense why she'd have to have the speed to use such a thing."
Pakura raised an eyebrow.
She wondered what it was that Anko and Kakashi were referring too.
But then she saw something that she knew what it meant.
The tiniest of snakes that slithered across the ground, and touched her leg.
That was the only reason that she knew it was there.
Because it was time for her to do something that she didn't necessarily wish to do.
But she knew that she'd have to do it regardless, if she wanted what she did from a certain someone.
So with deep regret, she began pulling back into the shadows, and moving away as quickly and quietly as she could do.
Back in the arena below, Satsuki watches as Gaara pulls herself from the floor completely, and stands tall. Her eyes fixate on Satsuki, but her inner Demon wasn't taking over. Even though she did feel the desire to fight, to even kill.
She didn't.
She was able to keep hold of what was within her, and kept on a normal expression.
Ryouta was glad that she wasn't going as wild as she could be, and that her Tailed Beast was being behaved, at least for the moment. He didn't know if he was going to show himself, but if he did, and Satsuki got caught in it…
He didn't allow it to play on his mind, knowing Hiruzen would have prepared for it most likely.
"It seems that you have improved, I didn't expect you to be that good."
"That felt like an insult to me."
Satsuki shot back, Gaara shook her head.
"On the contrary, this is the fight that I have been excited for the most. Because of the fact Ryouta Uchiha is someone you consider your lover, do you not?"
Satsuki didn't like it when Gaara spoke about Ryouta.
She wasn't sure what to believe when it came to Gaara.
She did worry that she could try and harm Ryouta again.
"Of course he is."
"Yet you don't trust me."
Gaara said in a surprising turn.
Even Gaara seemed to notice it.
"You've tried several times to cause him harm, and you've been fixated on him. Of course I can't trust you."
"...I am changing."
Satsuki furrowed her brows.
Was she?
Satsuki hadn't seen it, so she couldn't say if she was or not.
"Why are you changing? What prompted the change?"
"He...He came to save me. From a nightmare...he let me sleep again. He is so warm...and bright, I want to experience even more of that warmth, and understand what it is that my body is doing. Heating up, becoming hot. My body is feeling it more and more. I want to experience what it is like to feel love from another."
When she said it, those that heard it were taken aback.
Naruko especially could understand what Gaara was saying.
It felt so real and deep that she couldn't help but sympathize with Gaara's words right now.
Haku also could recall the time that she was able to get a renewed sense of life thanks to Ryouta, so seeing that was happening with Gaara now, she was very much all for it, knowing that he would be able to help her out, like he did with Haku herself.
Ryouta couldn't help but smile at what she said.
He did want to help her in anyway that he could.
He cared for her, and wished for her to shine, and not be hindered or alone anymore.
"...So that's it."
"Yes...He...makes me feel, something I thought I wasn't capable of doing. I want...to explore it more and more...with him."
Gaara's words caused Satsuki to pause for a few moments.
But then that was replaced with wide eyes as Gaara waved her hand out, and shot off her sand in a strong burst so Satsuki had to retreat away from the attack, using her speed to dodge across the battlefield.
The sand smashed into the ground, breaking it apart.
But Satsuki kept going on, and summoned some shurikens, tossing them with pinpoint accuracy for Gaara.
However, Gaara raised her hand, and in the air, sand shurikens were made.
"Have these."
Swinging her arm down, the shurikens came for Satsuki at a high speed.
Faster than Satsuki predicted, to the point that her own shurikens were batted to the sides without causing trouble, and continued on for Satsuki, though thanks to her Sharingan, she could predict the path of them, and ran forward, while weaving through the attacks.
"Yes Satsuki, you have learned a good deal, right now I couldn't be more proud. Being so calm and together, it is wonderful."
Seeing her Sharingan being used in such a way, Mikoto was definitely proud of her daughters movements.
Satsuki continued on with her speed, and began circulating Gaara once more, picking up more and more speed, to try and build enough power and speed to break through her armour as well as her shield of sand.
"Stay still!"
Gaara sent out several blasts of sand, to try and stop her momentum.
But it didn't stop.
Satsuki's speed simply was faster than Gaara had predicted.
She then came at Gaara, using the speed she had, and punched Gaara's armour in different places.
The face, the back, the upper body.
But even then, with the strength she had, she wasn't breaking through, but she was pushing Gaara more and more.
Her sand shield and her armour at the same time, and Gaara's sand movements couldn't currently keep up with her either.
"I'm chipping away at her armour. If I can keep chipping away, then maybe I could get through, and at that time, perhaps use the Chidori, I can't waste it. However, it seems that Gaara is becoming more and more agitated, Ryou said that she could become dangerous doing that, so I might not have the luxury of time."
Satsuki dashed towards Gaara, then jumped up, and spun several times, before smashing her foot into the back of Gaara's head, the pressure of the attack caused the sand around Gaara to disappear thanks to the change in air pressure, Gaara herself also felt the blow through her armour, feeling her body shaking slightly from the attack.
"She's too fast for me, I can't pin her down like this. Without the Demon inside, I have to think of another way to deal with her, otherwise she's going to finally get a blow out on me that could cause me damage and break through my defences. I might not be able to match her speed, but I have power on my side..."
Seeing how Satsuki was pressuring her more than she thought would be possible, Gaara resorted to a technique that would give her time to think on what to do.
So she summoned the sand all around her, and began wrapping it around her like a cocoon, to the point that it became fully wrapped around her. Becoming even harder than steel, thanks to Gaara focusing solely on defence.
It became a perfect dome, protecting her from all sides.
"So she's gone with this defence huh..."
Satsuki charged forward, kunai in hand, and shot like an arrow for the dome of sand. Picking up speed as she ran forward, she aimed the kunai in a stabbing motion and she thought that the speed and power behind the attack might be enough to pierce through it.
But the sand dome protected Gaara.
The kunai simply broke when piercing the sand shield and only made a small dent within it.
So Satsuki used her newly required speed, and attacked it from multiple points.
But even then, she couldn't break through it.
The sands density was strong, and her normal attacks didn't even dent it nearly at all.
"D-Damn, that's really strong...before she was blowing holes in the sand, but now, she can't even do that. Gaara's sand is so tough right now."
Naruko murmured, as she wondered how she would be able to get through it.
She wasn't entirely sure.
Haku on the other hand analysed the fight with keen eyes.
"It seems that Gaara-san knows that on a basic level, Satsuki-san is faster than she is, and if it is allowed to continue, then even that armour of sand of hers shall be broken through. So she is protecting herself to make a new move."
"But what would that be Haku?"
Naruko asked, but Haku wasn't entirely sure.
"I don't know everything that Gaara-san can do, but she has her sand, she might be able to make an area of effect type move, where even with speed, in this enclosed area, Satsuki-san wouldn't be able to escape. This kind of battlefield is kind of perfect for that, as other than simply leaving the area, which we can't do otherwise we'd forfeit, this is the only way that I can see that Gaara-san could defeat Satsuki-san as she currently is, unless she has a trick up her sleeve."
Hearing that, Naruko thought about her Jinchurki status.
Ryouta also wondered if this was the time that Satsuki was going to bring out her trump card, as he could see that maybe the Chidori would be able to pierce through it. But after it did, he didn't even know what she was going to do.
Satsuki jumped back, and thought that she'd try her Jutsu.
"Fire Release, Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Satsuki weaved through some hand signs, and then released a giant fireball for the sand shield.
But the flames simply washed over it, and while it did burn, it didn't break through at all.
The flames simply disappeared within the sand tightly wrapped dome, completely destroying everything that was going on.
Satsuki pants and looks at the dome.
The perfect impregnable dome that she wouldn't be able to force her way in with normal means.
"If my Fire Release doesn't do it, nor my speed. Then I have to go with that. But I only have enough chakra for a few uses a day. This shot has to count, otherwise this battle could end up in my loss. No, I have to go with it, the Chidori."
Satsuki knew she'd have to do it.
For her chance to win and go to the next round, for her chance to become a Chunin.
As Satsuki was going to go with her trump card, Ryouta felt something was amiss.
He didn't know what it was, so he began looking around.
He looked between Naruko, Haku, and the others.
They all were focused in on the match.
Still, he felt something was wrong, so his eyes looked towards behind him.
His eyes glanced at some water nearby, seeing that it was beginning to evaporate.
More than what it would do under such circumstances.
"Something's wrong, the air feels dryer than usual. My lungs feel like the air is hot, and it isn't because of Satsuki-chan's flames either. The water also seems to be disappearing, evaporating... No, this feels different...something is wrong...the others seem to not have noticed, so the airs only hot for me? Someone's trying to get my attention, but why..."
Ryouta activated his Sharingan, and kept looking around.
Searching for any chakra that was nearby.
Then that's when he found it.
Below Naruko and Haku, chakra spheres were formed there.
Ryouta silently bent down, and touched the ground.
Barely noticeable, the ground did feel warmer than it should be.
"Those orbs, they're Pakura-sans...so, she's the one that's beginning to make a move. I have to inform Hokage-sama..."
His thoughts were cut off, when he saw the chakra orbs forming together, looking like an arrow that pointed towards Ryouta, and then pointed towards the stairs.
It was clear Pakura had eyes on him somehow.
He didn't know how right now, but he knew that if he made one false move, even he might not be fast enough to take down the spheres before they would target Haku and Naruko, he didn't want either to become hurt.
So silently, he pulled back, and away.
Moving down the stairs, Ryouta walked slowly, seeing Pakura's chakra form moving up the stairs through the wall.
When finally meeting her half way up, and down respectably, Ryouta's eyes tried to meet with Pakura's, in the subtlest ways that he could do.
But she was smarter than that, and kept her eyes away from his own.
"I got the message. So, you really are making a move?"
Pakura's eyes widened slightly.
"Even you're aware..."
"We couldn't ever fully trust Suna. It seems that your land and Orochimaru's is working together. Question is though, where is he right now?"
"Who?"
"You know I mean Orochimaru."
Pakura couldn't reveal anything about that, so she kept her head down.
"He'll be making his presence known soon enough. Now come with me."
Ryouta withdrew his sword, and pointed it at Pakura.
"And if I refuse?"
"I took that into account. I didn't want it to be this way, but I'll show you something. Please follow me, and if you attack me, then the person I've got could become hurt."
Ryouta glared hard, but Pakura showed a no nonsense look to her, and brought Ryouta with her. He looked for any openings that he could see, but she had left herself without any, she truly was a seasoned warrior right now. Plus, if she did have a hostage, then it could be dangerous for not only them, but who else she could hurt so Ryouta kept thinking of ways to disable her, and protect those that could be in danger as of this moment.
Ryouta quietly walked with her, until the arrived outside of the stadium, to see Karin surrounded with sun like orbs from a clone of Pakura.
Ryouta's eyes shifted to Pakura.
"You're threatening Karin-san?"
Ryouta couldn't believe it.
Pakura didn't seem to be the type to do such things, it felt so out of character for her.
At least what he thought to be true based on what he had seen.
"Not if you do as I say."
Pakura's voice held so little emotion that it couldn't even be called Pakura's voice at all.
"Why do you want me?"
"I don't."
Ryouta tightened his hands.
"...So you got me on orders from Orochimaru, did you?"
"Yes, that's right. No point hiding it now. So come quietly with me, if not then you know...what will happen."
Ryouta gazed at Pakura.
He didn't understand why she'd do this for Orochimaru.
He could see when she spoke about Gaara that she genuinely cared.
But this felt different.
Far from what Pakura usually was like.
So whatever was going through Pakura's mind right now, if it was simply duty to her village, or something else, Ryouta had to find out.
Back in the arena, Satsuki's eyes caught the sight of the shield before her. Because she couldn't pierce it with her normal attacks, she looked down at herself, and then her eyes looked towards the stands.
However, she was surprised to see that Ryouta wasn't there.
Confusion came over her.
"Where's he gone? He wouldn't miss this...something's not right..."
Satsuki felt the urge to go and look for him.
But she also knew that he might have just gone to the bathroom.
But something didn't feel right.
Shaking her head, she began jumping up the side of the arena. Running across the wall, she got half way up said wall, and began going through some hand signs.
As she did, Guy recognized the stance, and turned to Kakashi with wide eyes.
"Even that Jutsu you taught her?"
"I did yes, because she needed a new Jutsu to fight with. With the Sharingan, this made the most sense to teach her. Considering that she's going up against someone like Gaara, and who knows what in the future."
"So that's the other reason you built her speed up. So she'd be able to use this Jutsu."
"Of course, I had to make sure she could use it properly for this match. Gaara's defensive abilities are abnormal for a normal Genin, so she needed a move that a Genin usually wouldn't be able to use. And because she is an Uchiha, and has awakened the Sharingan, I thought that this would be the best way to go about it, wouldn't you agree?"
Guy looked back at Satsuki, seeing the chakra beginning to spark around her fingers as she nearly finished the hand signs.
"Still, this Kakashi..."
"Didn't you also teach your student the Eight Gates? That technique is also very dangerous."
Guy scowled while Anko exhaled.
"Alright, it's clear you both are being too hyper right now." Kakashi gave her a curious look. "You both did what you did for reasons. Lets just see how the Jutsu does and how Gaara responds. Besides, I think it's clear you both have your students best interests at heart, so lets see how this goes on now, right?"
As Anko said it, Satsuki finishes off the Jutsu's hand signs and puts her hand out. From her extending hand, lightning gathered around it, and a chirping noises could be heard. Like birds. More than one or two, it sounded like many birds chirping coming from Satsuki's hand.
The others were stunned by her revealing Jutsu.
"Wow..."
"T-That's..."
"D-Damn..."
"Amazing..."
"Eehe, she can do that..."
"Haha...glad it isn't me fighting her..."
Sakura, Ino and Lee all looked taken aback. Hinata was quite happy to see it, Kiba was sweating bullets as he saw it while Choji laughed awkwardly.
Naruko looked down at it, and could see the power that was releasing from Satsuki's Jutsu.
"Wow...she has such a Jutsu? It's like Kakashi-sensei's..."
"Yes, that's right Naruko-san. Only Sharingan wielder can safely user that Jutsu. Isn't that right Ryou-kun?"
She didn't get an answer.
Confusion came over her, so she spoke as she turned her head.
"Ryou-kun, isn't that..." When she saw he wasn't stood there, her eyes immediately shot around the area. "Ryou-kun? Where...are you?"
"Hey, where did he go?"
Naruko asked, Shikamaru and Shino both being surprised by what they had seen, or rather, what they weren't seeing.
Temari furrowed her brows.
"Why is the Uchiha gone? Was that apart of the plan? I don't recall that being in the plan."
Temari kept her confused thoughts to herself, while the others wondered what was going on.
Ryouta missing this, didn't make sense.
He was, together with her Mother, Satsuki's number one supporter, and wished to see her fight.
So him suddenly disappearing didn't make sense.
Satsuki on the other hand brushed her hand against the wall, which caused a large break to appear. Running several inches deep within the concrete, Satsuki waved her hand to the side, dragging it into the wall, and breaking it all the way.
She then turned her eyes towards Gaara, and she began running. Moving fast, so fast that some had trouble keeping up with her. Satsuki's Sharingan aided in her as she ran.
Mikoto looked on and thought "So she did learn it, come on Satsuki, I know you can do this." believing in her daughter.
Satsuki made it to the ground, where she rocketed off right for Gaara. Digging her hand into the ground, she left a trail of broken ground beside her, building up more and more speed, and momentum, she managed to get in close.
She then moved her hand towards the sphere Gaara made so fast that even she was surprised.
"Chidori!"
Yelling that out, Satsuki's hand pierced the sand dome. Not even being blocked by the dense dome, her hand began sinking through it, surprising that of even Gaara who could see the electricity filled hand coming closer and closer towards her.
"Get away…!"
Gaara yelled, while Satsuki grit her teeth, continuing on with her attack.
Focusing in on her sand, she tried to push Satsuki away, spikes formed on the dome itself to try and pierce her, but Satsuki dodged out of the way from the piercing sand spikes, and ended up being pierced in her shoulder, going through her armour, and shocking her entire being.
Gaara however managed to summon enough power to repel Satsuki, who jumped back several times, and landed on the ground.
"Blood...I'm bleeding..."
Gaara looked down at her wound, seeing the blood dripping down.
This was the first time that she had ever bled.
Bleeding like this, brought Gaara's mind into a frenzy.
She could feel deep inside the pain and rage that was trying to escape…
But something stopped her.
Her eyes drifted towards the area Ryouta was in as she allowed the sand to be dropped.
As she did…
She couldn't see him at all.
Confusion came over her, worry even came to her.
"Where is he…?"
She whispered out, while Satsuki looked at her hand.
Seeing Gaara's blood there, she whipped it to the side to dispel it as much as she could.
Gaara on the other hand was becoming frantic.
Thoughts of what could have happened rampaging through her mind.
Which was made worse by Shukaku laughing deep within her mind, feeding her more and more worrying thoughts of his demise, his death, all which began causing great confusion within her.
"WHERE IS HE!? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"
When Gaara yelled that out, Kakashi's eye went towards the area she was looking at, and couldn't see Ryouta.
Neither could Anko who gasped.
"Wait...he was just there, what's going on…?"
Sakura also looked over, and gasped.
"Ryou-kun's disappeared..."
"No way...what's happened to him?"
"Yes...he wouldn't miss this...speaking of, Karin-sans been a while, what's happening here...?"
Hinata finished after Sakura and Ino, also wondering what was going on with Karin since she had been gone for a good while now.
As more and more people began to notice, the Fourth Kazekage's eyes widened.
"No, just a few more minutes, then everything would have been set up...but now it has to go. The invasion has to start, and I'll have to go with that plan to awaken Shukaku sleeping within her. One way or another, that Tailed Beast is going to come out. I wont lose this chance because of something as fickle as emotions."
As he thought it, a snake came from his sleeve and slithered away.
Half a minute later, feathers began raining down from the heavens, and began touching people that were falling asleep as a result of the feathers.
Mikoto recognized it as Genjutsu almost immediately.
"Sir..."
Mikoto began, Hiruzen nodding and looked towards the Fourth Kazekage.
"What are these feathers Kazekage?"
The Fourth Kazekage turned towards Hiruzen, and smirked from under the face cloth that he had.
"These feathers, are the signal for-"
"The attack? Right, Orochimaru?" The Fourth Kazekage, rather Orochimaru's eyes widened. "Mikoto-san, do it."
"Yes sir."
Orochimaru looked on as she fired off a Jutsu into the air.
A fire that burned brightly.
It was a signal, as it happened, Ninja began appearing, all ready to fight the incoming threats, as she took her blade, and swung it for Orochimaru's neck, who managed to avoid it, but received a small cut as a result from the swing, his blood dripping down her blade ever so slightly, showcasing the speed that she had, which surprised Orochimaru.
Orochimaru looked around, seeing Anbu, Jonin's and Chunin's all gathering to combat the forces that he had, in tactical locations that would begin giving the edge to Konoha.
It seemed that Konoha...had been preparing for this.
As the fire exploded in the air, Ryouta, Karin and Pakura looked at it.
Pakura's eyes went towards Ryouta, and furrowed her brows.
"The invasions starting now? But it was supposed to be...did they finally notice these two were gone? I have to hurry and take that boy, before something happens...no, I wont let anything happen..." Exhaling, Pakura watched as Ninja's from Suna and Oto came to invade. "Come along quickly, they wont attack while I'm here."
Pakura's words didn't sound like words of a kidnapper.
If anything, it felt reassuring in ways it really shouldn't do.
Ryouta on the other hand glanced at the worried Karin, and activated a Genjutsu over her to relay some thoughts.
"Don't worry Karin-chan, I've got an idea on how to get away. Be ready on my signal, I'll contact you again when it's time, until then go along with what she says, it will only take a little time."
Karin was relieved.
She believed in Ryouta.
Whatever he had planned, she knew she could trust in him.
Ryouta then glanced to the side, to see a clone of his following, and thought "You're not the only one who can clone yourself Pakura-san." as he was getting ready to reveal his plan, as now that the invasion had begun, time was no longer a luxury.
End chapter!
So this chapter covered the fight between Satsuki and Gaara, while also some other things were going on, such as Pakura and Karin's moments, who later on went to go and get Ryouta to draw him away. Meanwhile, Ameyuri seems to be thinking about a few things, but by the end of the chapter, after noticing that Ryouta had disappeared, Gaara's mind began to slip while Orochimaru was forced to bring his plans forward. However, Hiruzen having gained enough knowledge this could have happened, has deployed his own forces to combat Orochimaru, so now the invasion has begun! What will happen, we'll be seeing soon!
Also, thanks to everyone that voted! It seemed quite for Ryouta x Temari, but Shikamaru will be with Shiho, who had an attraction to him in canon, so that will be fleshed out more here when the time comes.
Well until next time, thanks for reading!
Ryouta; Satsuki, Sakura, Naruko, Hinata, Gaara (fem), Ino, Haku (fem), Kurotsuchi, Karin, Konan, Mei, Anko, Samui, Hanabi, Mabui, Temari,