Notes: Song recommendation / / "Fight" by Tanya Tagaq

Content advisory: graphic violence

Chapter 10
To Be A Kunoichi

It was snowing that day as she recalled.

Humming sweetly, she stepped out of their home to find her mother tending to the clothes hung out from the wash. The sleeves of her red cotton kimono were bunched to her elbows and a white apron lay over her dress dotted with small splashes of water and damp. A white cloth kept her long hair from falling over her face, with the strands of stray gold tied into a thick bun. Tending to the spreads of their kimonos and bedsheets, her mother doted kindly to the fabrics as she nimbly reached and placed each one on the line. Noticing the crunch of the snow behind, Mikomi turned to see her ten-year-old daughter approaching.

"Mom, do I have a dad?" Nomasaki asked, her eyes sad and puffy and cheeks flushed from the cold.

Taken aback, her mother's hand flinched on the clothesline. "Of course you do, Nomasaki." She said, kneeling down to meet her child's face. "Why do you ask?"

"Where... is he?" Nomasaki asked, averting her eyes at first. "Other kids in our village have a mom and dad, and I just have a mom. Did he... leave? Or is he... –?"

Smiling warmly, Mikomi shook her head. "Not at all," She assured. "He's from another land, different than our own. He had to leave, but he'll be back again someday. I know it." Gently, she poked the white fabric of Nomasaki's kimono over where her heart lay. "He is right – here. Always."

As her mother took her palm away from her, her heart felt eased and full of love. Wrapping her arms around her waist, she held her close. "Thank you, mom."

With a loving motherly smile, Mikomi patted her child's head. Although her eyes were full of love and care, sorrow dwelt deep within the purple hue that marked them. It was only weeks after that she would die of the same fever that claimed the lives of her parents.

A flash of red fire burned before Nomasaki's eyes.

Standing before a great pyre, she stood clad in white and with tears streaming down her cheeks. At peace, her mother's body lay atop the wooden pyre of pine and furs, her hands clasped over her chest in eternal sleep. A scant few villagers remained to mourn alongside the orphaned child, watching the rising flames claim the wolf-woman of the mountains.

Nomasaki was the last one.

Fire swam before her eyes again, sweeping and licking the skies above. As cries entered her ears, she saw the great orange and red flames flicker before the man's plated black armor as he marched closer to where she was in the snow.

The fire shouted towards her...

Stirring in her sleep upon the blanket of leaves and twigs, Nomasaki flickered her eyes open in the darkness. It was still the night - to her relief. Breathing easy to herself, she calmed her breaths and washed away the pain from her cursed memories. It had been barely a year since she fled her homeland, yet the images of fire and death still persisted no matter how hard she tried to push them away.

Why do I keep remembering?

She was doomed to remember, she decided.

Dawn approached.

The stench of death was thick in the air. As Team Hashira leapt amongst the treetops, they could see the evidence of the second phase painted upon the yellow earth. Littered upon the forest grounds were the bodies of the genin who did not survive the night, the crows beginning to stir from their nests and fall to the carrion in black plumes of death. The sight of red was hard to block even in the creeping daylight. Lucky for them, they have had a scarce breakfast, breaking their fast on sparrow eggs they found in a nest and some leftover bread that Shinto had in his pack. With their two scrolls of Earth and Heaven, the odds of completing the second phase alive appeared to be in their favour.

"We're almost there! We should reach the temple in no time!" Shinto shouted, as he and his team leapt amongst the treetops that early morning. Turning towards his sensory guide, he gave her a narrowed glance of caution. "Nomasaki, any other ninja around?"

She was way ahead of him on that one. With her wolf's blood, she could sense the fibre of every living creature around her over at least a few kilometers. Even the dead stood no chance to hide from her senses, just her sense of smell could sniff them out - and they were so potent that she did not require her Kekkei Genkai to find them. The living moved, however, and her senses alerted her of their erratic and sudden movements. Focusing, she closed her eyes and took in the world around her. Chakra materialized - many of them, and all of them heading to the same location. The temple. After a moment of focus into her senses, she glanced back at him through the breaking sunlight on the frosted cover of forest. "Lots," She nodded, feeling their presences converging towards the temple. "Maybe twenty? They're all heading towards the temple at the summit. We should hurry, or else we'll likely have a fight on our hands."

"You're right," He said. "We should avoid them if possible. Better to be safe than sorry. Meiyumi, the scrolls are still in your pack?"

Meiyumi nodded. "Hidden and secure."

Shinto sighed a breath of relief. "Good. Let's keep our pace, then."

Nomasaki froze. Her eyes widening in alarm, she looked to the far west. Somehow, someone - or something - was heading straight for them. It was a single being, relieving her only slightly that it was not a full team. But the one who was chasing them may have been greater a force than a team would ever be. One, she realized, But their chakra is terrifying... and familiar. She quickly realized that the chakra did not belong to Shukaku or Gaara - so it was beyond a doubt a foe pursuing them. Her blood boiling as she leapt beside her teammate, she kept her senses sharp.

"What is it, Nomasaki?" Shinto asked, noticing her becoming tense. "Do you sense someone?"

"We have to hurry," She said. "They're gaining on us! It's one shinobi, but...-,"

Shinto's eyes narrowed. "But what?"

Nomasaki faced the path ahead and swallowed her fear. "They're clearly after us. I can feel it from their chakra."

Shinto grit his teeth in frustration. "Damn it! We're almost there, too."

The presence lurched closer.

Blinding the genin, a sudden fiery blast erupted underneath them and the three were flown from the treetops, scattered like leaves. Losing her footing, Nomasaki desperately tried to grab ahold of something, but none of the branches were close enough. Her body bounced off the carpets of pine needles on her way down until she landed to the ground with a muffled thud. Recollecting herself as she awoke, she slowly pulled herself up from the ground. Her knees and elbows were protected by her leather guards, but already she could feel the flowering bruises beginning to form. She was lucky she did not break anything. It must have been a paper bomb. Sensing her teammates chakra around her, she suddenly grew fearful as the pursuer's chakra was alarmingly close.

A shrill shriek filled the forest air – alarming her greatly from the sound.

Meiyumi!

Standing on her feet, Nomasaki ran towards the feel of her chakra – her tracks coming to a screeching halt when she seen the sight of her teammate with a katana to her throat. Shinto was standing across from the adversary, clutching his bleeding arm. Seeing the foe for herself, she quickly realized who it was. Him. Holding Meiyumi by the shoulders and pointing the glistening blade to her skin, the white-haired Kiri-nin struck her by pure surprise. Only yesterday he and Shinto near battled on the center of the exam floor, but Gaara was lucky enough to intervene. Only now Gaara was nowhere to be found - and the Kiri-nin was manic. Even though she stood a distance away, she could see the dried blood that painted his clothes and the bloodshot veins that peppered his piercing ocean blue eyes.

Bloody Mist or not, she thought, This one is a danger.

"Don't move or the girl dies!" The Kiri-nin shouted, his grip on his weapon tightening against her neck. Wincing, Meiyumi tried her best to not move as the cold blade touched her skin in a light and grazing nature. Chilling her, a warm, liquid-like feeling slowly flowed down to her collarbone. "You foolish sand-pricks had this coming... Fight me now or the girl dies!"

Struggling to stand, Shinto pulled himself towards them in the dirt. "Let her go, you bastard!"

"Give me an honourable death!" The enemy barked, his eyes wide and drained from a lack of sleep. His teeth appeared fanged as he shouted, as if he had the mouth of a shark. A Hōzuki from the Land of Water. "If you want her free, that is… Fight me and defeat me and I'll release her."

Shocked, Nomasaki stood by Shinto before her captured teammate and medic – her mind racing to find a solution, but none were coming to mind. "You're mad!" She managed to speak, holding her ground. "We did nothing to you! Suna has no qualms with Kirigakure!" Her own words stunned her. There it was - her allegiance. She was of Suna, by loyalty and by blood - and now confirmed in her own words. "Drop your weapon and walk away. We don't want any trouble."

"What does a bitch like you know?" The Kiri-nin shot back. "I can sense your blood... you're a beast!"

His words shocked her. He was a sensory type, too, she thought, No wonder he found us.

He tightened his grip on his blade, causing Meiyumi to wince. "I want the black-haired brat to fight me, not some dog!"

"G… Go on ahead without me…!" Meiyumi cried out, biting her lip to stop the pain. "Get… to the temple…!"

Sitting before the paranoid foe before them with their teammate in tow, Shinto wiped his sleeve against his bloodied mouth as he glared ahead into the Kiri ninja's eyes. "Nomasaki, what do we do…?! If I agree to fight him, he might just kill Meiyumi and I might be killed trying to save her...!"

"I don't know…!" She whispered back. "We should try to think of something…" Suddenly, a memory jolted her senses - she hatched a plan. "Wait…! I have an idea…! Listen closely..."

Sensing a change in their attitude and watching them converse with another in hushed tones, the Kiri ninja smirked at the two scathed Suna shinobi. "What's this? You've finally come to your senses? Are you going to put on a brave-face and fight?"

Stepping forward, Nomasaki started towards him and Meiyumi. Once she was an arm's length away, she paused – her lilac eyes boring through him in a glare. Gulping down her anxiety, she feigned a confident glance as her wolf's blood boiled inside her veins. "I'm giving you until the count of three to let her go."

"Hmph!" He scoffed, humored. "Are you serious? What can you possibly do to make me–?"

"One."

Jolting slightly from her words, he tightened his grip on his hostage."Fight me, you coward!"

Closing her eyes, she breathed in an air of calm, prepared to go through with their plan. "Two…"

Unrelenting, he refused to abide. "Damn bitch!"

"Three!"

As she opened her eyes, her face warped to that of a distorted and monstrous canine. Within an instant, she transformed into a wolf with flowing white fur and a snarling growl emerging from her jaws. Lunging towards the enemy, the enticed Kiri ninja threw Meiyumi to the ground as he attempted to fend off against the beast with his katana.

Quickly, during the snarling chaos, Shinto grabbed Meiyumi by her arm and formed a hand-sign. His signature cloak ability – a genjutsu. "Genjutsu! Desert Mirage!" A veil of clear soon shrouded them with their surroundings, appearing as fluid as the wind to anyone who looked. It was a technique taught to him by his late father and Shinto swore to never forget its hand-sign formula for as long as he lived. This should protect us, he thought, At least for now. Shrouding themselves, they took refuge amongst the rough terrain as the enemy was still at large.

Pushing the Kiri ninja towards the thicket, the wolf chased him down, bounding behind him with its jaws poised for another strike. As a last resort, the foe quickly reached into his pack. Turning back towards the beast for an instant, a vast stream of fire violently erupted from the small bombs he threw towards the racing beast. Creating a wall of orange fire amongst the forest boundary, the wolf came to a dead stop in its tracks.

Fire.

Transforming back into a human, Nomasaki stood in silent shock before the flames as memories of her destroyed homeland came racing back to her thoughts. Her mother, her burning village, the man in armor – all came rushing back just as it did in her dreams. Within a matter of seconds, frames of her village in flames and her life-threatening trek down the mountain pounded through her senses – chilling her and rendering her defenseless.

Once the enemy was gone, Shinto and Meiyumi emerged from their camouflage among the forest cover. Kneeling with her, Shinto gave her a concerned glance.

"Are you alright, Meiyumi?"

"I… I think so." She replied. Wincing from its sting, she grasped the side of her neck. Looking at her palm, she could see it painted with a thin cover of crimson. "I guess maybe not… my neck is cut." Forming a hand-sign, a green aura shrouded her hand as she placed it over the injury. "Good thing I can partially heal myself. I'll heal you two in a moment." As her cut was healed, her memory briefly jolted – reaching into her pack, she pulled out the two scrolls they had in possession. "And lucky for them, they didn't realize I was holding these!"

Looking towards his silent teammate who stood staring into the fiery distance, he narrowed his eyes. "Is he gone?"

Catching her attention, Nomasaki turned to face him. "He fled," She spoke, quietly. "We should head to the temple now before he comes back…"

Sensing her change in demeanor, he watched her aimless and fright-stricken glance upon the leftover flames from the attack. "Nomasaki? What's wrong?"

"It's… nothing," She lied, her voice cracking slightly as she attempted to appear calm. "I'm fine." Unconvinced, Shinto watched her gaze – knowing that she was obviously rattled by something. Her eyes widened, detecting that chakra once again.

"Are they coming back?" Shinto asked.

She shook her head. "He... stopped."

Wary of their surroundings, the three genin made it to a clearing beyond the crests of the towering pines that loomed overhead. Freezing them in their steps, they saw the white-haired Kiri-nin - or what was left of him. Sitting on his knees, his innards were spilt out onto the forest floor and his life's blood painted the green earth in an eerie red. Death by seppuku - an ancient and honourable death for a shinobi of this world. Beyond him were the slain bodies of two other Kiri-nin, most likely his own teammates. Shinto recognized them, at least.

He shuddered, feeling his breakfast swirl in his stomach. "He... committed seppuku."

"How gruesome," Meiyumi agreed. "At least he won't be bothering us anymore."

"We should keep moving," Shinto turned on his heel for the forest. "We only have a few more hours until the second phase ends."

Hesitating, Nomasaki had trouble looking away. Before her lay the life of a shinobi who was the driven mad by a hunger for power and blood. She wondered how many shinobi she would encounter who were the same as the dead Hōzuki. She had to tread carefully unless she could end up like either him or his teammates - disembowelled or worse. Remembering her forgotten homeland and the assassin who attacked her on Sunagakure's great wall, she knew she had to accept the facts. Death is all around, she realized, I must not be afraid.

But fire was another matter.

Pushing herself to look away, she turned and made for her teammates, leaving the Kiri ninja to the flocking crows that soon littered the grey skies above.

Only a fraction of the teams survived the second phase.

Silently, the remaining teams of young genin stood in formation before a stone-faced group of high-ranking shinobi in the massive arena within the confines of the aged temple. From the faint remnants of sunlight, their headbands glimmered – Kumo, Kiri, and Suna. A surprise to them was that out of the teams that began the second stage of testing a day prior, only a third of the teams survived the wilds of Blood Mountain. While some of the genin stood ready to complete the third and final stage of the exam, others appeared shaken by their experience and wanted out. Nearly every genin was covered in some form of dirt, dried blood, or exhibited exhaustion in some way or another. The only one to appear unscathed in the crowd of young shinobi was Gaara – unsurprising to the proctors as they knew of his great prowess and previous reputation. While some glared at him from the corners of their eyes in envy, others watched the proctors step forward before the surviving genin.

"Those of you here before the proctors have made it to the third stage of the Chunin Exams," A shrouded and muscular Kumo ninja spoke, eyes narrowed at the candidates. "Due to the controversy surrounding last year's exams in Konoha, there will be no final tournament matches held in Kumogakure."

"What?!"

"Are you for real?!"

Unfazed by their groans of disappointment, he gestured to the large digital screen behind him – the glances of the young genin following. "Instead, there will be match battles set by the randomizer to my right. Two names will be randomly selected for each match, and the matches go as standard. If anyone declares defeat or dies, the match is over. Once your match is finished, you will proceed to the final exam room in the second door on the left – that is where the proctors and representatives from each village will be tallying the results and deciding who becomes Chunin. Now for our first match…"

In groups of three, each genin team made their way towards the stairs to the balcony to view the upcoming matches. Once situated, each village was appropriately segregated – carefully examining the ongoing match between a lowly Suna ninja and his Kumo opponent. As he watched the stern-faced proctors from a distance behind the Kiri ninja before him, Shinto leaned towards Meiyumi who stood calmly beside him.

"Hey," He whispered, his glance narrowing in suspicion.

As the first match began and the sounds of punches and force filled the arena air, he looked towards the proctors and read their headbands – sensing their hidden skills and noticing a crucial component to the exams was missing. Within the small group of proctors, not a single village leader was present – no Raikage, no Kazekage, and no Mizukage.

"Isn't weird how none of the village leaders are here? Aren't they supposed to be overseeing this thing?"

She nodded. "Maybe since the Konoha incident it's too much of a risk?"

"Fair point,"

"And the winner is –!"

Turning to Nomasaki as Team Hashira sat above on the arena balcony, Shinto could sense something was about his silent teammate. Examining her troubled glance onto the battlefield before her, he could see the fear hidden within her lilac eyes. Knowing full-well her decision to become a kunoichi was beyond her choice and destiny, he wondered if she truly was designed for it – and if her choice to join in on the exams was her decision, not just because of her team's wishes. Curious, he watched her witness the fight – and the Suna ninja lose the battle in a flash of lighting.

"Are you alright, Nomasaki?"

"Hm?" Slightly surprised, her hand jolted on the worn steel railing. Turning to him and Meiyumi beside her, she gave a sheepish nod. "Yeah, why do you ask?"

"You look nervous," Shinto smirked, brushing back his internal accusations. "Or are you just itching to fight?"

"I could be." She chuckled, lightly – hiding her fright for the future that lay ahead for her.

Grimacing to herself as she stood above on the balcony, she watched as her comrade from Suna was placed on a cloth stretcher and rushed out of the arena – blood staining his clothes and his body unresponsive. As she could feel her palm begin to shake, she attempted to calm herself. She survived the second stage with her team – she was okay. However, deep in her mind, she troubled herself with despair over the possibilities of her anticipated opponent – would she stand a chance? She was able to use her Kekkei Genkai and wind release, as well as her feather-like agility – but that was all she had. As her eyes trailed the balcony, she saw the few teams who remained standing far apart from another – two from Kumo, one from Kiri, and two from Suna.

As she looked to the distance at her left, she could see Gaara standing silently with his siblings – their attention directed towards the arena. Quickly, she glanced away, hoping that no one had seen her eyes following him. Clutching the railing before her, she desperately wished she could avoid fighting him – and so her wish was granted.

"The next match… Gaara vs. Tarō!"

With a glare, Shinto grit his teeth as he watched the ringed-eyed jinchuriki appear in the arena within a wisp of sand. "It's him…! I can't stand him…!" He spat to himself. "He thinks he's so strong, he wouldn't stand a chance against me!"

"You would die."

"Meiyumi?!"

As the match between Gaara and his opponent from Kiri commenced, the match grew from a silent standoff to that of a pounding match of the elements – sand versus water. In great waves of sand, Gaara was easily able to catch his shrewd foe off-guard and overwhelm him as the burgeoning shadow of the sand towered over his opponent's water release technique. Watching from the balcony, Nomasaki stood grasping the railing in amazement, her eyes widened in surprise and fear for his strength – and from the sense and feel of Shukaku who lurked inside of him. It was no secret that Gaara was a formidable opponent – and she was more than glad to have narrowly escaped a randomized match with her comrade.

He's so strong…! She thought to herself, Just like that time…

As the Kiri ninja laid on the cold arena floor with arms sprawled in defeat, Gaara approached him, picking up the blade beside his immobile foe. Holding the blade in his hand, Gaara held it towards the Kiri ninja's throat – instead choosing to end the battle with a gesture of mercy rather than his weapon of choice. While the incapacitated Kiri ninja laid immobile, his dark frightened eyes glanced up from the blade and met Gaara's expression of calm. Surprising him, his foe from Suna was choosing not to kill him – but respecting his rites as a fellow shinobi-at-arms.

"The winner is – Gaara!"

While the remaining genin stood in awe and shock of the quick and ferocious battle, anticipation was growing for the possibilities of the next match. While the leaderboard shuffled through the remaining names, fists were clenched and teeth grit in preparation for battle. Then, the randomizer stopped.

"Our next match is… Nomasaki vs. Yori!"

Silence fell.

Shock erupted through her as she stood beside her teammates from the sound of her name. Pushing herself to look, she could see her name plain-as-day spelt out on the black screen – along with that of her unknown opponent. Swallowing her fear, she breathed in and started down the stairs to the arena's centre. As she reached the circle marked in the centre of the stone-floored room, she paused at her boundary drawn in place for her – the proctor carefully watching every movement. Sensing a large chakra draw closer, she nervously glanced up at the hulking foe who stood across from her – their strength rumbling through her senses and clouding her calm judgement. With a smirk that conveyed the excitement of battle, the towering Kumo ninja scoffed at his small opponent from Suna – eyeing her up and down and noticing her fearful eyes.

"Proctor," He spoke, turning to the flak-jacket-clad ninja before him. "You should call the match now. I'm going to turn her to ash if she doesn't forfeit."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Catching his attention, he turned back towards her – sensing a change in her appearance. Instead of fear cloaking her lilac eyes, there was some held courage. However, it was a mere mask for her fright of her opponent's strength.

"You're brave," He scoffed, grinning at her narrowed eyes. Forming a hand-sign as the proctor leapt away, he sprang into action. "….but not brave enough!"

Within an instant, an enormous burst of flames erupted from his mouth.

"Fire release! Fireball jutsu!"

Flame burst forth towards her in a frenzy.

Fire.

Shocked at the sight, Nomasaki felt herself momentarily pause for a moment – just as she did earlier against the Kiri ninja. Before her eyes, she saw reflections of the night when her village was destroyed – the orange flames scorching her mountain home to the ground in the dark of night. Reality entering her senses as the feeling of intense heat drew near, she dashed away from the flames across the sand-ridden arena floor. Skidding along the floor, she looked up to face her foe as she sensed his chakra approaching – her white tunic dirtied and the armor plating on her shins covered in ash. In great force, her Kumo foe approached again with more strength than before – the fire release attack striking the ground and tearing the foundation below them. Running from the blast, she tried to push the recollections of her village burning to the back of her mind, but each time she saw the flames it emerged to the forefront of her memories.

Making a corner behind a large slab of rubble, she took refuge – panting quietly to herself as she could feel the rising heat and anxiety rising into her chest. Holding her breath, she closed her eyes. In an instant, the flames blasted into the rubble. From the cover of the smoke, she ran once more away from the fire – until another blast was heading directly towards her. Quickly, she narrowly evaded the burst of flames, but lost her footing from the oncoming piles of rubble at her feet. Landing to the ground with a thud, she winced as she began to lift herself up.

"You can't run away forever!"

As she sat on her ashy knees, she sensed her burgeoning opponent forming another hand-sign for a fire release jutsu – ready to strike at any moment. While she fed into her thoughts of the sight Yama burning, the screams of her people filled her mind as she remembered scaling down the mountain during the ruthless snowstorm that cold night – her struggle to survive following her ever since. Was she cut out to be a kunoichi of Suna – or was it all just a fatal mistake on her part? Was it wrong of her to listen to the village's offer of freedom, even though exile into the desert would have ended with the same ultimate fate – death?

Pondering her choices, she remembered the words of Hanone – the ones he spoke of her father, the man who was still alive after abandoning his wife and child many years ago – a ninja of Suna. Knowing what Hanone would say to her now, she would be victim of a brute comparison. "You're running away? You're just like your bastard of a father…"

His imaginary words almost seemed true to her – she was indeed doing the same as that man. Becoming a kunoichi was never something she intended in her lifetime, as living in Yama would have remained peaceful if not for the invasion by Ishigakure and their bandit hoard. That dream was all but destroyed in that fateful night of destruction. Survival was her main instinct, and the wolf inside of her knew that was her main drive – to persevere in the face of adversity. To be a kunoichi was to survive, and to survive she must be strong enough to carry on.

I must be strong, she thought, I must stay alive to find him... and end him.

And that was her decided destiny.

Slowly, she rose up from the sandy ash at her feet – locking eyes with her adversary with a determined glint to her narrowed light purple eyes. She was not backing down. The wolf that lay inside her blood boiled and growled for the chance to break free and let loose its jaws. "This is your last chance!" Her foe shouted, ready to strike with another violent blast of flames. "Forfeit now!"

Unwavering, she stood with her fists clenched at her sides, her eyes narrowing into a glare as she could feel her canines begin to grow in size within her closed jaws. Gritting his teeth in annoyance, he released his hold on his jutsu.

"You've asked for it!"

A massive stream of fire erupted towards her in great speed – and she stood her ground in front of the blast. As the hulking Kumo ninja smirked, believing his battle was won, he noticed a silhouette visible beyond the flames. Shocked, he witnessed a powerful wind release jutsu break through the flames, fanning them away from their target and dissipating the impact within a massive cloud of smoke – shielding his eyes from the burning air with his arm. Slowly, as the smoke began to clear in the arena before him, he could see the shape again – only its image was more visible. His eyes widening in shock, from the cover of smoke, a white wolf was revealed before him in the place of his small and meek opponent – its legs burnt from the scorching ash and muzzle barred into a vicious growl as it arched its back in preparation to strike him down.

Before he had time to react, the wolf lunged at him at full force with its fangs and claws – weighing him down and near mauling him in the process. As his screams of pain filled the air, some of the genin looked on in shock and fright, while others were intrigued by her true power – a rare Kekkei Genkai that only few have witnessed for themselves. Once her opponent was unable to continue fighting, she backed off – transforming back into her human shape. While she glared down at the life she spared, she wiped away blood from the corner of her mouth with her sleeve as the arena around her fell silent.

"The winner… is Nomasaki."

As the surprised and shocked gazes from her team watched her from above, Gaara and his siblings stood silent from her match. Unshaken, Temari looked on with suspicious curiosity of the strange foreigner that wore her village's headband on her forehead, while Kankuro seemed visually disturbed by the fight – not being aware of her abilities until the moment she shook her skin. With a gaze of intrigue, Gaara watched her from afar, admiring her progress from a distance and wondering what provoked her to change her battle plan.

She was right – she was stronger than the last time they met.