Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Kakashi waited until the last rumblings of spectators leaving had diminished to a distant echoing rumble before coming out of the hiding place he had ensconced himself into under the rocks in the arena. A part of him felt guilty about tricking, or apparently failing to trick, Minato and Ko. He was sure though that in time they would see he was right, he had seen what Ko had had to go through already, he couldn't put him through any more. After how he basically abandoned him when they were kidnapped by Danzo this was still only the beginning of what he could do to make it up to him. His guilt at tricking Sensei and Ko paled in comparison to that after all.

The trick itself wasn't too complicated though it had hinged on him successfully getting his father to teach him the shadow clone technique. Really the sandstorm Baki had created had been a boon. Whilst it had been up he had the opportunity to create 2 shadow clones and then deplete his remaining chakra as much as he deemed safe and then hide beneath the rocks. He had hoped that if he suppressed his chakra whilst already chakra starved he might avoid detection. No such luck as it turned out.

Kakashi started making his way to the staircase back up to the spectator area for participants, flinching when he saw the spot where Ko had punched him a spectre of the pain lanced through his jaw and he rubbed it absentmindedly. 'He had looked angry,' Kakashi thought, 'Maybe I should apologise. He'll understand. Ko's like that.'

"I suppose you think you did what was best?" Minato's voice echoed from ahead of him making Kakashi's gut plummet, "That we wouldn't notice? What were you thinking Kakashi." Minato revealed himself looking severe, his arms crossed in front of him.

"I…" Kakashi fought for words for a moment before hanging his head, he had had this conversation with Minato before - if only he could see, "I couldn't fight Ko - not for real. Ko will understand." At this thought Kakashi gained more confidence raising his head, "The only person that will suffer from this will be me, it's not that big a deal, I can just go to the next Chunin exams."

Minato shook his head, "You are advanced in many ways Kakashi, one of the most intelligent shinobi of your age. But you still have no capacity for the responsibility you have, no mind for what might come of your actions!" Minato punctuated this last swinging a hand through the air.

Kakashi paled slightly, Minato was serious. Could he have under-thought this?

"I'll train harder sensei. I'll go to the counselling sessions you suggested. It isn't that bad… is it?"

Minato shook his head, plainly exasperated, "You're still a child Kakashi. What do you think will happen when the report goes back to the village that one of our most promising shinobi threw a match representing our village, a match for a chance at his own promotion, because he thought too much of his teammate? A teammate that has shown himself more than capable of putting a stopper in his own weaknesses and will, depending on his performance, likely be made a chunin at this tournament?"

Kakashi paused to think for a moment and then he went pale as milk, "They'd separate us? They can't do that sensei! I've come on leaps and bounds with your teaching - Ko too! We work well as a team, everyone knows that."

Minato nodded, "All true. But a village has to think to the future. You won't always be 'my team', you won't always be on the same team as Ko and you aren't ready for that. You need to be. This is partly my fault as your mentor, you weren't ready for these exams." Minato finished turning to make his leave.

"Wait sensei, they can't separate us!" kakashi shouted desperately.

Minato paused, still not looking at Kakashi, "They will and it will be worse for Ko. Ironic right? There will be no one to guide him through the next steps in his career, I'll give him what time I can of course but that won't be much." Finally Minato turned to Kakashi and his sea blue cerulean eyes had cooled to something more akin to the blue of a glacier. "You will be staying with me. I made a promise to your father and I will make you a great shinobi." Minato left.

Kakashi crumbled.

"What do you think of your matchup tomorrow?" Shikaku asked Ko as they walked through the labyrinth leading back up from the arena. Looking at him he could tell he needed a distraction.

Ko shook himself after a moment and eventually, "Baki? He's strong. But I'm not too worried. I can hit a lot harder than Kakashi even though I'm not as fast and I have my own ways of dealing with those wind blades."

Shikaku nodded, "Ah, they were troublesome. I don't think I've ever seen you spar, how hard can you hit?"

I snorted, of course he hasn't, his idea of training is lounging out and playing board games, "Hard enough that Kakashi knows what I think of what he did." I replied after a moment frowning again, "How long has this been going on?" I asked.

"Like Minato said we first noticed it after what happened with Danzo. At first we thought it was just a kind of survivors guilt but as the months wore on it got steadily worse. Counselling was suggested but Kakashi turned it down." Shikaku replied.

"He isn't the kind to admit he has a problem," I affirmed nodding, "It would have probably come up as an issue later down the line if it hadn't happened now."

We continued for a time in silence before I finally asked, "So… What's going to happen with the team."

Shikaku sighed, "That's really a question for your sensei but if I'm honest you really need to get your promotion at this exams, I don't need to tell you the higher ups back home are going to look to split you up as soon as they get wind of what Kakashi did. Without a promotion it might be a while before a slot opens up in another team that wants to attend a chunin exams."

I smiled maliciously, "So no prisoners tomorrow then."

"No prisoners." he confirmed before snagging my head by my hair on the way out of the tunnel, leading me left when I headed right, "First though, we have a kage to see about your handiwork."

"I thought they already accepted it?" I asked.

"They did." Shikaku said, "But there's still formalities to go through. I imagine they would like a full report about the seal, its strengths, weaknesses, failsafes. That kind of thing. They'll look over it themselves to confirm everything you say so best to be thorough."

Thorough was the word. We had arrived at the Kazekage's office in mid afternoon and it wasn't until late evening that I was released, not only did the Kazekage and a sweeping section of advisers all question me about every detail of the seal but when that was over they went through some kind of agreement they were drawing up with my village. A lot of it went over my head but Shikaku made sure that I payed attention to every detail, surreptitiously prodding me whenever my attention wandered. I think he just wanted me to suffer the same pain he was being inflicted with.

On the way back to the hotel Shikaku spent the time drilling me on various niceties of the treaty, what I thought of certain arrangements, how I might have worded it. It seemed rather pointless to me, the treaty had been agreed there was nothing more to be done with it, I could meander through such politics when I needed to but for the most part tried to avoid it. I gave what answers I could though. Eventually we drifted into an amiable silence, thank what gods there might be.

Arriving at my hotel he finally spoke, "You know, if you win you matched tomorrow I'll need to give you a reward."

I looked at him and he was smiling. Not a good start.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked.

"Well the exams will be over. How about a game of Shogi?"

Luckily at that moment we had reached my room, "Goodnight Shikaku" I signed simply before closing the door.

Shikaku's smile widened outside, 'He'll come around to the idea' he thought.

Inside the apartment, silhouetted against the night outside the window with his gravity defying hair, was Kakashi.

I sighed. It had been a long day and I wasn't sure I wanted to have this conversation at that moment. Kakashi had turned at the closing of the door though and I could tell by looking at him he wanted to have this conversation now. I leaned against the wall and waved a hand inviting Kakashi to say his piece.

"Minato spoke with me. After the match. Made it clear what an idiot I had been." Kakashi began in halting sentences.

I nodded.

"I didn't think it would be so big a deal. Didn't really think at all. I just didn't want to fight you Ko, I don't think I could, not after everything we've been through." Kakashi continued, his voice had become tremulous. He was wearing his mask but it didn't do much to hide how torn his face had become.

I waited. I wouldn't help him say what he meant. I still had those last vestiges of betrayal and anger roiling through me.

"Minato said… said we would be separated after our return to the village. I'm sorry Ko. I never meant for this. I only wanted to help you. I'm so sorry." Kakashi finally broke into his apology even as his face broke.

I sighed nodding, "I know Kakashi, Minato and Shikaku explained," I walked over to him, placing my arm on his shoulder before signing, "What do you think I wanted Kakashi? I can tell you I would have liked nothing more than a proper battle between the two of us. I would have liked to remain on a team with you even after we both became chunin. I would have liked to see you succeed at this exam." Kakashi made to speak before I held a hand up to stop him, "There is still one thing I'd like to do. Do you remember what I said?"

Kakashi looked confused for a moment before realisation briefly lit his face, It was in the moments before his expression fully changed that I punched him, his breath expelling in a long wheeze as he dropped to one knee and I dropped with him, making sure he could still see what I was saying.

"And with that I'd say you're more than forgiven. Don't think for a moment you are getting rid of me that easily though, if our team gets split up when we get back you are still coming for early morning training, someone has to keep you on your toes. Shikaku mentioned that you were offered counselling for this issue you've been having but you turned it down. That isn't still the case is it?" Kakashi shook his head still looking at the ground, "Good. When it comes to admitting you have a problem you can be so stubborn. Having a problem isn't itself a problem. It's when you ignore it and refuse help that it really becomes a problem."

Kakashi looked up and nodded.

"Well then, up we get." I helped him to his feet, and over to his bed where I deposited him before retiring myself.

It was minutes later when Kakashi spoke.

"Ko?" I lifted an arm to indicate I was listening, "Thankyou."

I turned in my bed so that I was facing him and in the light of our dim lamp signed "You know you might have other problems if you're thanking people for hitting you." I joked.

Kakashi didn't respond except to chuckle.

I woke up the next morning after sunrise which was unusual for me but I supposed it had late when I had gotten back from the meeting with the Kage. Kakashi was already stood by the window looking out of the window, I threw a scroll to get his attention before asking for the time.

"It's only around 7:30," He said scrubbing the back of his head where the scroll had landed, "We don't need to leave for another hour."

"Good," I stretched getting up, "I'm going to go and draw some water and take the closest I can get to a bath."

"Minato mentioned he wanted to speak to you." Kakashi said as I was almost out the door, I leaned back in.

"Minato came around earlier?" I asked

"Yeah but you were still asleep."

I nodded briskly, "I'll make it quick."

Drawing the water wasn't hard when you had storage seals to hold it all. If I had been more prescient I would have stored enough when I arrived so that I didn't have to make a return trip. Hindsight is 20:20 though. I made sure whilst I was there that I drew enough to cross the desert back to Konoha again - there was no way I was going to let Minato flash me back.

After an express style bath it was just about time to leave for the arena and Minato was waiting outside with Shikaku.

"Have any particular plan in mind Ko?" Minato asked as we left the hotel.

"I honestly don't think I stand much chance of losing, I saw him fight yesterday and I've been on the receiving end of his air blades before. I think I can handle that." I replied.

"Shikaku told me he mentioned this but it would be best if you didn't hold back for this tournament, you may not get another chance at another promotion for some time." Minato edged.

I nodded, "I suspected as much when you told me what Kakashi had done, it's obvious that separating us is the best option for this situation. Don't worry Sensei, I'll enjoy the chance to break loose." I consoled, Kakashi hung his head ahead of us at the reminder of the team being split up.

"Well no pressure but I have heard that someone you know has come to see this section of the tournament for himself." Shikaku teased with a grin on his face.

I thought for a second what he meant before I realised, "Jiraiya you mean? Yeah, he said he would. We met up ages ago."

Shikaku's face fell, he muttered something about brats keeping secrets but apart from that the rest of our trip to the arena passed uneventfully. For someone who enjoyed his secrets he really didn't like it when others kept information from him.

The descent towards the arena made me wonder if a lot more people attended the finals than the first matches because where before we were lightly jostled on our way to the arena this time we were crammed in almost and from what I could see of the arena below in the small gaps in the cavern walls the arena was already almost at capacity. Luckily the contestant box offered some reprieve though Baki still looked pretty angry.

As it turned out we missed the pleasantries as Karura had already called Ibiki and Hayate down for their first match.

"Any thoughts on who will win?" Kakashi asked.

I grimaced, "I only have yesterday's matches to go on but Ibiki seems pretty outclassed, Hayate has speed, a weapon speciality and even some fancy techniques, he's going to take some beating."

Kakashi nodded in agreement, "I'd say the same."

As it turned out we were both right, the match started even enough - Ibiki used some kind of genjutsu that spooked Hayate but not enough for him to get lost too much. Once Hayate broke out of it though it marked the last time Ibiki had any control over the match, Hayate was just too fast. Ibiki managed to delay him by the judicious use of flammable liquids and a few simple wire traps but eventually Hayate had Ibiki within taijutsu range and at that point it was just a matter of time before he broke his guard. It was a lightning hook that finally did it, any other person Ibiki's age might have gone down from the swing and it's delivery but he managed to stagger on his feet for a few moments before Hayate finally caught him from behind and held a kunai to his neck.

"I surrender." ibiki ground out, plainly not happy about his performance. I didn't think there was much more he could have done though. If I was deciding the Chunin promotions I don't think I could discount Ibiki based on his performance, he had defended better than I thought he could against an opponent that from the outset looked to be the more capable. There was something to be said for the strategy he managed to deploy even if it didn't necessarily net him a win this time. Looking closer now that the match had ended I could even see that one of Hayate's arms had sustained a burn. He proffered it gallantly to Ibiki to shake before they began making their way back to the box.

"The next match will be Keiko of Konoha vs Baki of Suna!" Karura announced all too soon.

There were excited cheers at the announcement, no doubt the home crowd wanted to see their champion win another round. We would see how long that optimism would last.

Minato clapped me on the shoulder and smiled, "Good luck, not that you need it."

Kakashi looked at me and nodded echoing Sensei's words.

"I hope you last longer than that coward." Baki spat as he headed for the stairs.

'I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy this match' I thought as I head for the stairs.

"Oi Ko, if you lose we play five Shogi games."

On second thought, let's just get the win - that's the most important thing!

Being down in the arena was a very different feeling to watching it from above. From here I could see all of the spectators, individual rows at first but they soon bled into a conflagration of riotous colors. The sound down here was immense and echoed from all sides, I eventually tore my eyes away to pay attention to my opponent who was standing resolutely on the other side of the field. Karura appeared as I took my spot opposite but I didn't take my eyes away from Baki.

Karura proclaimed the start of the match and suddenly the arena dropped into silence.

Baki made his first move immediately, sending a blade of wind directly at me. 'Minato suggested I make a show' I thought to myself, 'So let's get started'. I swung out a hand and nonchalantly deflected the blow to the side, true it stung my hand a little but the effect it had on Baki was worth it, a flash of shock crossed his face before he returned to his mask of hatred.

I leaped towards him intending to overwhelm him at close range but he exploded into a flurry of movement and suddenly I was confronted with at least 5 different blades of wind, I covered myself in the Lions mane jutsu which took most of the blows. I emerged from my cocoon as soon as I landed and engaged Baki who grinned, confident he would be able to overwhelm me in taijutsu and as a fist grazed my forearm I had to admire his strength. It was a novel experience fighting someone with such a different taijutsu style, I vaguely remembered being told in the academy every village tended to have a different base style they taught their shinobi, this one flowed elegantly from form to form but didn't lack power, especially in the hands of Baki. It was grossly immature in comparison to my own though and it took seconds to deconstruct, when I caught Baki's fist after a few moments of wild combat his eyes widened, I bent it back on itself until I could feel the strain of the bone. Baki fell to one knee, in obvious pain. I reeled back a punch and swung at his face. My fist met initial resistance before following through as his face disintegrated followed by his body.

A sand clone, probably made in the moments I had my Lions mane jutsu up. I swept my eyes around the arena looking for where Baki might come from.

"Did he just evaluate his opponents style in moments and come up with a perfect counter?" Shikaku asked glancing at Minato, "What did you teach him?"

"Actually very little as far as taijutsu goes," Minato replied rubbing the back of his head a little sheepishly, "He doesn't often talk about it but Ko has his own fighting style that he had fully formed when I found him at the age of 3, by all estimates it's one of the strongest the village has ever seen. People often see him as a genius of fuinjutsu but that's just a learned skill, he was made for taijutsu. All I really worked with him on was teamwork, Kakashi and him really didn't need much encouragement in pushing their own skills." Minato explained.

Kakashi nodded, "I haven't seen him lose in a purely taijutsu battle unless the opponent has a large size or strength advantage over him, and I don't think that could be a problem for too much longer. Even in our spars I can barely touch him and I'm three times as fast and have been fighting him literally since we were still at school."

Shikaku wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it himself.

"He's not doing too bad right?" A new voice booked from behind them making kakashi and shikaku jump, they relaxed though seeing it was Jiraiya, "Kid's got guts."

Minato nodded acknowledging his sensei and agreeing with his sentiment, a large crack from below them drew their attention back to the match though.

I felt Baki before I saw him (thanks Shikaku), trying to blindside me with another windblade. The blade soared over my head though and hit the arena wall at my back, he was trying to bring the wall down on me like he had kakashi. He smirked as the rocks fell, now too late for even Kakashi if he had been in my position. Instead of running though I leapt up towards the rocks and began throwing, punching and kicking the rocks towards Baki who, faced with a barrage of stone - some as large as him, paled and began rapidly throwing blades of wind at the offending projectiles. The rocks and small boulders made a huge racket when they hit the rocky section of the arena Baki was standing on but he had escaped from any serious injury by retreating to another area of the arena, his headband hung askew and one of his arms looked like it had received a nasty graze from one of the rocks. Baki seemed to decide he wasn't going to win in a straight up match and began repeating the jutsu he had done against Kakashi.

I had no shield against the sand for my mouth or my eyes so I made a makeshift barrier for my face using the Lions mane jutsu. This did make it harder to see but I didn't expect to see much in this storm. A wind blade swung out of nowhere but I batted this aside like I had the first and sent my Lions mane technique in the direction it had come, a grunt of surprise punctuated my attempt and Baki was forced into close range again with no other avenue left for him as he was hemmed in by my jutsu. He seemed unable to fight hand to hand and keep up his sandstorm but he still tried to do so for a few moments whilst he looked to disengage and put some space between us. I wasn't going to let him get away so easily though, I stamped on his foot as he knelt to jump away and he let out a shout of pain even as I felt his bones crack beneath my foot, splintering like dry twigs. The sand fell around us, his concentration broken. Not a sand clone this time then, with him immobilised I reared back a fist and punched him across the field.

His body pinwheeled loosely, losing his headband and a few kunai from a pouch and kicking up clouds of sand on his careening journey across the arena before slamming into the arena wall. Spider web like trenches spread out from the impact site and Baki stayed embedded in them like a large fly.

"The winner is Keiko from Konoha" Karura announced.

There were cheers again, less raucous than before though. They had, after all, lost their last contestant from the same village. I walked over to Baki as the medics rushed out, I didn't want to have accidentally killed him in a glorified spar and had modified my strength appropriately for the final blow but after a few moments of that miraculous green glow he seemed to gain some semblance of alertness. It was a good thing I had thought not to punt him in the direction of the jagged rocky area of the arena. I returned to the contestant box.

Coming back up to the contestant box I was only half surprised to find a practically beaming Jiraiya.

"That's the way to do it!" He said, greeting me with a playful punch to my arm, I grabbed his forearm and brought him forward into a hug with my other arm.

"Thank you for the help with the seal," I said into his ear, "It saved me a lot of precious time worrying and thinking for a solution."

Jiraiya though waved me off as Minato, Shikaku and Kakashi stepped forward, "Your… enthusiasm is going to cause a slight delay to the next match," Minato said with a smile, "How are you feeling? You'll be up against a kenjutsu expert next, I know they teach you how to deal with armed enemies at the academy and I've no doubt you might have picked up some small bits in training but you'll need to be really careful in this match. Hayate is every bit as good as he showed himself to be in this exam."

I nodded aware Hayate was probably listening in from his corner of the box, "I don't know if I'll win, I don't think I've ever faced a shinobi kenjutsu practitioner. I'm going to give it my all though!" I finished enthusiastically.

I accepted Kakashi and Shikaku's congratulations whilst a part of me ruminated on the problem ahead. The shinobi part of the equation was going to be the complication, I knew more than enough to deal with swords unarmed but at the speeds shinobi could get to I would be treading a tightrope every second of the way. And Hayate had shown himself to be plenty fast in his previous bouts. I needed to do some thinking. Ostensibly looking on as they repaired the damage to the arena I shifted my hands into the bird seal and my mind released itself to possibility.

Hayate had watched Keiko carefully since the start of the tournament, he was known as a prodigy back home, his name not spoken with the same reverence as Kakashi yet - he had, after all, appeared from apparently nowhere and many people were distrustful due to how he looked and his relative age to his stature.

Hayate could see when a person held themselves with skill though and Keiko was faultless in that regard, it may have seemed like he employed some unconventional tactics in his match but he could see he was in control every moment of the match and once he was in touching distance of his opponent it almost seemed like he was disassembling an interesting toy before he beat him. If Hayate wanted to win he could not allow Keiko to get into a taijutsu battle that was for certain, he had a longer reach and he almost certainly had more strength to go with it. Luckily he had a leveller in that regard as his sword more than made up for the difference in reach and it took much less effort to cause damage.

Hayate put the thought of taking a loss out of his mind. He wanted to be Anbu, this tournament was just a stepping stone, once he made chunin he would just be one step closer to his dream. He would win this match.

It seemed only moments later when I was brought back to reality by a hand landing on my shoulder, I turned to see Jiraiya, "You in there kid, the start of your match has been called. Are you ready?"

I shook off the nara state and grinned back at Jiraiya, "You bet!" I replied enthusiastically before, in a mirroring of Kakashi's move from the other day, I fell backwards over the edge and down towards the arena.

Down on the field Hayate already stood, watching me carefully. The crowd was cheering boisterously, the loudest I had heard it, I guess with all the homegrown talent knocked out they were really just looking forward to a good fight. Looking back to Hayate I got the idea that they might just get that.

Karura stepped out again onto the field as I took my position opposite Hayate a few feet away, I realised then for the first time that I was a little nervous, the last fight I had been pretty confident in but Hayate had me beat in a few areas I couldn't compete in for the moment, namely speed and the reach his weapon afforded him. I had my own plan for how I wanted the fight to go but the best laid plans rarely survived first contact with an experienced foe.

Hayate though I realised looked just as nervous as I felt, a non shinobi probably wouldn't notice but his quick glances to the crowd surrounding us and the way his fingers twitched as if they longed to hold something gave it away. At that moment Karura stepped between us.

"Good luck you two, I would have liked to see a suna shinobi in the final but we can't all get what we want," She flashed us both a vicious grin, "Give us all a great show, OK?"

We both nodded, a little shocked at her sudden enthusiasm, and she walked away. I looked to Hayate who gave a half smile before offering me his hand. I smiled back as I shook his hand. It wasn't quite a seal of confrontation, we would after all be going all out and that was reserved for friendly spars, but the meaning of the gesture was clear.

The battle began what felt like only moments later and Hayate began by rushing me after setting up the same stance he had used against his first opponent. I watched wearily for even though it was the same stance he was not yet holding his sword which remained sheathed at his side. When he was just about to enter my range he drew and slashed in one graceful movement. I jerked my head back as some half forgotten knowledge in the back of my head reminded me that the first draw of a sword also often constituted the first attack. Battles between swords rarely lasted long after all, to waste movement merely drawing your blade was inefficient. My last minute save rescued me from anything deeper than a light scratch to my face but distracted me long enough that I didn't see the moment when Hayate divided into 3. Similarly to before 2 of them dashed to either side, I felt the majority of the chakra I could sense from him drop below the sand though.

I feigned caution keeping my gaze on the 2 clones but occasionally glancing up. I dodged the blow of one of his clones before I felt his chakra approaching from below, before his second clone had chance to make his move and before Hayate himself below the sand had the opportunity to setup for his strike I kneeled and thrust down, grabbing the arm of Hayate.

There bowed over the spot I thought I had won, I felt the smallest spike of killing intent, the only warning I had and almost too late. I launched myself backwards and rolled. The sand that had been where I crouched plumed smoke, sand and… orbs of crimson. Looking down at my abdomen I saw I hadn't escaped unscathed, a small waterfall of blood fell down from my chest. Not too deep but deep enough that I would want to end this soon if I didn't want to leave the arena on a stretcher. I grit my teeth at my own lack of thought. Of course he knew I had seen him use that move before - he wouldn't show me the same move twice.

Hayate flicked the sand and dirt from his sword and then ran at me again, he abruptly stopped just out of reach and then began jumping to the side, fast and then faster. 'He isn't wasting any time' I thought. I had barely the time to regain my stance by the time he was jumping around me.

Soon enough there were doubles of Hayate teeming about me kicking up a considerable amount of sand, I considered jumping away but didn't want to risk my legs getting a length adjustment on the way through, instead I gritted my teeth and watched for my opportunity. I could still rescue this situation if I could keep to my plan.

'There!' I felt an attack coming from my right, and overhead slash intended to end this quickly, I twisted on the spot seeing the glint of the blade descending almost too late and clapped my hands around the blade as I threw myself away with both the momentum of the blade and myself. Hayate leapt with me, somehow managing to keep a hold of his sword.

We regained our feet opposite each other and I flinched slightly seeing that I had not quite arrested all the momentum away in the roll, the blade had managed to slice through a good deal of my palm and blood ran from where I held it to the hilt before dripping away into the sand.

Hayate gave his sword a tug, almost dislodging it despite my grip, the blood had become a macabre lubricant for his purposes and it was only a matter of time before he got away.

'Fine,' I thought, 'If I can't get the sword from him…'

Between tugs I slid one of my hands further down the sword and then pushed with both hands, the weapon showed some initial resistance before shattering leaving Hayate with a handle and a blade that came to an abrupt end 2 inches from the guard.

He turned with a kick that kept me at range before leaping a small distance away, glancing down at the scraps of his sword he grimaced before throwing it aside. I had hoped he would surrender at this point, my vision was beginning to tunnel and my heart was trying to beat faster to make up for the lack of the blood making it to my organs, ironically this only reduced the amount of time I had left.

He must have seen how close I was to my limit because instead of surrendering he advanced, I might have had him beat in taijutsu normally but in my current condition I could barely think, I only knew I had to end it fast.

I stepped forward lethargically as Hayate approached, bringing up my hands ready to defend before suddenly I realised I couldn't feel my legs, the tunnel had begun to close, Hayate hadn't seen as he had already thrown a punch where my head was. I was already falling I realised.

I was going to lose. My mind seemed to accept this, embracing the darkness closing in, oddly warm. A voice in the back of my head screamed through it, insistent on being heard.

"Do you want to lose?!" It shouted.

I had already lost. I was already falling. If I fell I lost.

"Then stand!" it exclaimed.

The darkness receded. The subconscious voice in the back of my head was right. I threw one of my feet forward, catching myself in a crouch beneath Hayate's punch. I swung with the strength I had to spare at his side. It wasn't enough to launch him but he rose with the fist, his mouth gaping soundlessly, before rolling off onto the ground where he wretched, attempting to stand. After a few moments he collapsed.

Somewhere in the distance someone was shouting, there was a lot of shouting. I was falling backwards though even as someone appeared over me with glowing green hands.

He might have been saying something but I couldn't hear. I could see Jiraiya in the viewing box giving me a thumbs up, his lips were mouthing something I struggle to make out... "nice win" I eventually discerned. I had won. I smiled as I let the burgeoning darkness take me.

AN: I wanted to get more done here, at least get up to their return to the village, I thought I'd get at least 20k words done, mostly to make up for the lack of regular updates but also to celebrate getting past 1k favourites, unfortunately I've been pretty ill and it's gotten worse in the last few days so I'm not sure when I'll be able to write more. I do know that if I were reading something I would rather something be put out rather than waiting so here is all of the story so far that is in a coherent enough state to release. Hopefully this illness will get off my back and I'll be able to get more out soon but until then I'll see you in the next chapter.