Shadow of the Snake - Conviction

The paper was frozen. I'd gotten it to stay on my forehead. I continued to meditate. My control wavered, and I could tell that my chakra was low, so I stopped.

…

The ringmaster cracked his knuckles, and I woke up on a lab table.

I hate him.

…

"Oy, kid, watch where you're going."

I'd misstepped. The man had a hand on his weapon, he was itching for a fight.

"I'm sorry sir."

I bowed and backed away slowly. He seemed disappointed and bored by the reaction, but moved along.

…

"Yumika, cut the vegetables like last time…"

I knew which ones Natsuhi was talking about, I had started to notice a trend.

…

"Good luck, have fun."

My opponent sneered.

I brought my bow, but didn't get enough distance to use it. I still got control of the fight, tired them out, and won with a grapple.

Kin dominated her fight with the range advantage; her opponent was left much worse off than mine.

…

The ringmaster cracked his knuckles, and I woke up on a lab table.

Why?

…

A second month passed.

I tried the leaf (paper) exercise without meditating. I failed, but there was progress, the hint of a feeling. I continue as normal. Perhaps, I'd eventually get a proper feel for it.

…

"Good Luck, have fun."

My opponent growled and hit my hand away.

I still couldn't get the distance to shoot, but I was getting experience actually fighting. Again, I managed to get a grapple and finish.

Kin also won, and she overkilled it… again.

I think she might have a bit of a sadistic streak… or she's just really competitive.

…

The ringmaster cracked his knuckles, and I woke up on a lab table.

What does he gain?

…

"Stop with that racket!"

A bang on the wall, someone had moved into Issai's room.

That's the last time I practised music in the Hidden Sound village.

…

"I'm sorry!"

One of the kids walked up to me and said that out of nowhere during a break in class.

"What… for?"

I was honestly confused, but the kid looked like they'd been forced to eat a lemon.

"For… saying mean things behind your back."

I smiled, genuinely.

"It's fine, but… thank you… for apologising."

Then I realised who it was. The dizzy corkscrew kick girl.

"Umm… your kick was… really cool. It's… going to be… great, when you… get used to it."

She seemed surprised, and gave a flabbergasted farewell.

…

I faced her in the next arena fight.

"Good luck, have fun."

She thought for a moment, before smiling and taking my hand.

"You too."

The fight was closer than last time, she wasn't overextending nearly as much, but I managed to move close and create an opening to grapple her to the ground.

The match wasn't called.

I looked up at the ringmaster.

What are you waiting for?

"This match is until a knockout, severe injury, or surrender."

My heart stopped.

I'd gotten away with not hurting anyone by using grapples to incapacitate.

The girl was the only one who caught my look of fear.

"I surrender."

I was visibly relieved.

The ringmaster looks pissed.

…

He asked us both to stay behind this time.

I'm sorry.

She seemed confused.

I'm sorry.

The ringmaster cracked his knuckles…

I'm sorry.

He started with me, and I did nothing as usual.

I'm sorry.

Then he turned on her.

That wasn't the deal!

I'm sorry.

I tried to stop him.

I'm sorry.

"I wouldn't need to do this if you had just followed through like you should have. Remember that next time."

I'm sorry.

…and I woke up on a lab table.

…

The dark thoughts came back in force. Natsuhi's distractions couldn't keep them away this time.

…

I started punching the back wall. Harder, and harder until my fists hurt, and then harder until they bled.

I didn't want to hurt anyone.

I wanted to be stronger.

I couldn't do both.

…

Kin didn't talk to me when I showed up at the arena.

The ringmaster called me out first.

I didn't offer a greeting.

I'm sorry.

I took a stance.

"Begin."

I slid forward, and launched a side kick with my forward leg. Hit my opponent in the chin. He was out immediately.

When I got up, the ringmaster gave me a pat on my head.

"Good job."

The girl was the only one who knew why I looked disgusted.

…

The ringmaster cracked his knuckles and I woke up on a lab table.

He looked proud.

I hate him.

I hate what he's doing to me.

…

So a third month passed.

I went through a kata.

Throughout the whole thing, the piece of paper was attached to my forehead.

I could use chakra without meditating.

I was practising getting my bow ready quickly.

"What's your problem?"

I plaster a smile back at Kin.

"I'm fine-"

"As if. Was it that girl, Isae? What'd she do? She apologised didn't she? Do I need to beat her up again?"

I held my hands up in alarm.

"No! She didn't do anythin- wait… again?"

"Well, yeah. Why do you think she said sorry in the first place?"

She said it like it was natural and obvious.

"It's clearly been working, since everyone's been much nicer to you since I had words with them, and you've been doing better in the fights as well. I mean, I wasn't going to say anything, but now that you know, you're welc-"

"Kin."

"Hey, what's with that look?"

She raised her hands defensively. I must have been glaring.

I closed my eyes and massaged the bridge of my nose.

"I… don't like hurting people."

"Well, yeah, I figured as much, that's why I was doing it for you."

She didn't get it.

Sigh.

"I don't like… being the reason people are hurt."

"Shame."

Her gaze hardened to a glare.

"You might let everyone hurt you, but I won't."

She rested a hand on her hip.

"Is that your problem? That Isae got hurt, 'cause you were trying to be nice? Pft, it's her own fault for being weak."

"No-"

She poked my chest accusingly.

"You can't be a ninja if you're too scared to hurt people."

"He looked proud."

My first fight, I hesitated but injured my opponent in the end. He left me alone.

My second fight, I didn't hit back. He stepped in.

My third fight, I used a grapple and asked him to surrender. He stepped in.

Because I won't hurt people…

Something clicked into place, and I held my head high.

"Is that what you think? That I'm too scared to hurt people?"

I pushed her hand aside, and looked down at her.

"Hit me."

"Now that's not what we're talki-"

I stepped closer, into her space.

"You hit Isae didn't you? That fixed the problem, right? Why don't you hit me and 'fix' me as well?"

She was uncomfortable. I was being unfair.

"We both know you're stronger-"

"Stop."

I relaxed and backed off a couple of steps.

"You could have hit me to stop me, but you asked instead. Fighting isn't the only way."

I took a breath.

"You're right though, I can't avoid it. When I have to I'll fight, but only when I have to."

She was quiet.

Then she ran.

My heart twisted in my chest.

I made a choice, a very stupid choice, which was why I didn't tell Natsuhi.

The first thing I needed to do was prepare.

Analysis Begin...

The arena.

I stopped by the door.

My hands weren't shaking.

This time… I felt like I was in control.

I pushed through.

He was there, he noticed me enter.

I had rehearsed what I was going to say.

"You think my principles are going to get in the way of me being a ninja."

I stepped into the room.

"You should have just said so."

Another step.

"I can fight seriously."

Another step.

"I will, when I'm faced with an enemy, and not my allies."

A final step. I was standing face-to-face with him.

"Let me prove it."

I bowed.

"Sir, I wish to spar with you."

There was no feigned malice in his gaze. It was cold, calculating.

"Very well, your fight today will be against me, line up. We'll be up first."

I held off a smirk.

…

I knew he was faster, stronger, and more skilled. On top of that he probably had chakra techniques at his disposal.

What would I have when the fight started? The initiative, a plan, and money.

In terms of supplies:

I had overheard that one of the scientists dealt with poisons, and was willing to sell, in exchange for coin or help. I spent a day scrubbing his lab and all his tools, and got two vials of venom for it.

I visited one of the armouries. I didn't explain what I needed the stuff for, and just paid the quartermaster on watch. That way I wasn't beholden to his whim to determine whether this was 'necessary'. From there, I got a couple bags each of ball bearings and caltrops, as well as three smoke bombs, and a spool of bladed ninja wire (that being ninja wire, with small razors attached).

Finally, where most of my saved up money went: I bought an explosive tag. It took me a while to track down someone who was willing to sell one, but it would be worth it.

I had also learned another rule when it came to my storage seals. Items taken out carry

the momentum of the body part they are taken out of. If I swing my arm and bring something out of the seal on my wrist, it'll be like I'd thrown it.

In a straight up fight, I was guaranteed to lose. With this and my plan, I was still likely to lose, but I might have a chance.

I just needed to prove I was serious.

There was a little thing that I couldn't resist while doing this…

"I'm Batman."

I whispered to myself.

Like most of the crowd, Kin avoided me.

I really burned that bridge…

I had something I wanted to say though.

"Kin… you told me that I needed to fight. So please, watch me."

She didn't get the chance to answer before the ringmaster spoke.

"Alright, Yumika, as you asked, we'll fight. Get down into the ring."

…

The stairway down.

"Sir, before we start I want to say… my head is clear, despite the hatred you planted in my heart. Still…"

I looked over at him.

"...I'll be striking to kill."

…

I took my place, and he took his.

I rolled up my right sleeve and raised that same arm.

The medic stood at the edge of the balcony, acting as the judge for this match.

"Begin!"

He was getting ready to charge at me, but in this instance, I was faster.

Shinobi tactics part 2, genjutsu…

I swung my arm down and at the apex of the swing, released one of the three smoke bombs, blinding us both.

…but I could hear him. In all the beatings, I'd picked up on a sound that was uniquely his, a trinket he had on his wallet in his front breast pocket.

I tossed an arrow behind me, and silently ran out past him, at an angle so we wouldn't collide. A skill I'd picked up in my games of tag with my brother.

This is only going to work if he's underestimating me…

The other side of the smoke was empty, he'd chased rather than backed out. Lucky me.

Now to bring his attention back.

I stopped running silently, skidding to a loud stop. As I turned, I swung my arm, and scattered a bag worth of caltrops on the path I'd come from.

Then I readied my bow, just in time for the smoke to clear.

I released the arrow.

He could deflect it.

…but if he's arrogant enough…

He caught the arrow by the haft. A haft I'd wrapped the bladed ninja wire around. The envenomed bladed ninja wire.

I had already fired a second shot by the time he caught the arrow. Prioritising speed over accuracy.

He jumped to the side to avoid the second arrow.

Good, I needed time, I needed him to slow down.

I paced back a couple of steps as I readied another arrow.

He reached the caltrops.

I held.

He jumped over.

…release.

He unholstered a kunai to deflect the arrow with. Then tossed it at me.

I rolled to the side to avoid it, leaving the bow behind.

Shinobi tactics part 1, taijutsu…

I could predict his first 5 attacks from our earlier 'meetings'. Anything after that and I would need to improvise.

He feints with his right…

I stepped into the attack.

…then follows up with his left.

I caught the hand at the wrist between my left elbow and knee, using all the force I could muster.

If I'd been stronger, that would have shattered it.

He pulls back, and kicks straight with his left leg.

I caught it in my gut and with both hands, letting myself push back with the foot to reduce the impact.

A punch to the chest…

The breath was knocked out of me.

…then he goes for the one handed choke.

I felt his hand around my throat.

I swept my hand across his limb, releasing the rest of the envenomed ninja wire, while my other hand released the ball bearings below me, and caught the other end of the wire which was now wrapped around his forearm.

Either you let me go, or I take your arm.

He tossed me away, and I was forced to let go of the wire.

"That's enough playing around, this is over."

Yeah, it is.

…

A few seconds earlier.

During the feint, I reached back into a back pocket with my right hand.

During the punch, I unfolded the explosive tag.

I caught the kick in my gut, and with both hands. My left hand on his shin, my right hand on his heel, where he wouldn't see.

When he pulled back, the explosive tag was no longer on me.

…

Shinobi tactics part 3, ninjutsu.

A child aged 7, does not weigh a lot.

The force of the blast sent me into the wall and knocked me out.

…

I woke up on a lab table.

…

So a fourth month passed.