(entrance cost/hand cost/combat power/support power)
(play action)
(CZ:Chakra Zone)
(thinking)
Previously on NARUTO TCG…
"We are ready to begin the 4th match." Gekkou said.
"Well, no matter who's picked, it'll be two weirdoes." Naruto said. "This contest is chock full of 'em!"
"Ha, like you're the one to talk." Kakashi commented"
"Haha, good one, Sensei." Sakura laughed.
"There's no time for laughing. Look at the next two match-ups." Kakashi said pointing to the scoreboard. When Sakura looked at the electronic scoreboard, she was surprised at what came up…
Sakura Haruno vs. Ino Yamanaka.
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NARUTO TCG: CHUNIN BATTLE TOURNAMENT DUELS-
CURSE OF THE SAND
Chapter 5:
Childhood Rivalry
Part 1: Strategy
Next up is the forth match of the Chunin Preliminaries: Sakura Haruno vs. Ino Yamanaka. Both girls have approach the field staring each other down eye-to-eye.
"I've never thought I would be facing you, Sakura." Ino turned away.
"Sakura Haruno, Ino Yamanaka, are you ready?"
Sakura and Ino: "Yes."
"On my mark. Convert shinobi shields." Both players activated their shinobi shields and converted them to duel mode. Their shields differ from the standard version. Sakura's disk has five card zones surrounding a central platform, which has a jade gem in the middle. The blades spin around the platform and stopped to form a single blade, converted into duel mode (think of the supreme king's duel disk on GX). Ino's disk is similar to Sakura's, except the disk is yellow and has a sky-blue gem in the middle of the centerpiece. Hers went through the same process.
"Virtual systems, ready." The bottom of both shields internally lit up.
"Duelists, engage!" Both players are prepared and ready to duel.
Both: "LET'S DUEL!"
Sakura: I make the first move (7). I'll start off by deploying Sakura Haruno (0/0/0-1/0-1). Then I charge 1 card to my chakra zone (CZ: 1) and end my turn with 2 face-downs (3).
Ino: It's my turn (7). And I'll start off by playing Ino Yamanaka (0/0/0-1/0-1). Next I'll charge 1 chakra card (CZ: 1) to play the mission card Stalemate! /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////Card info: Stalemate is a permanent mission card that allows both players to each receive 1 battle reward every time a battle resolves in a draw. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Now it's time to do battle. Ino attacks Sakura Haruno! (Ino's avatar does battle with Sakura.)
At the point of impact, Sakura thinks back to a long time ago, back when she was just a little girl.
Flashback:
Sakura, along with all other girls, were sitting in the grass outside, listening to their teacher, who goes by the name of Suzume.
"As kunoichi," she said, "we must not only be skilled in ninjutsu, but also possess a wide amount of knowledge and culture. If you can't act normal in enemy territory, you will have trouble spying. Today you will be practicing flower arranging." Many children were working in pairs. One, in particular, was Sakura and Ino.
"Ino, wait!" Sakura was rushing to keep up with Ino, when she tripped and fell to the meadowy ground. She was kind of clumsy back then.
They both were selecting from different kinds of flowers to pick, from daisies to cherry blossoms. "I'm so bad at this." Sakura said. "How about you, Ino?"
"What are you saying, Sakura? You're named after a flower, after all. Hey, here's this trick I want to teach you."
"Oh, really?"
"Here's how it works: first you pick the main flower, and then add it with others that match." Ino shows her by picking up a small purple flower and putting it together with others similar to it. "But be careful not to clash different kinds together. If the 'cosmos' is the main flower, then the 'fujibakama' counts as an extra. Just like the cherry blossom in the spring time, the cosmos is the most beautiful flower in the fall. And in flower language it means harmony; and it goes well with other fall flowers." Ino pucks out a 'fujibakama' and holds it close to her. "Look, does this go with me as nice as it goes with the cosmos?"
"…um, yeah."
…end flashback.
When the battle had ended both players gained 1 battle reward (BR: 1)
Sakura: What just happened? Why did we receive battle rewards just now?
Ino: That's the ability of the Stalemate mission card. It gives 1 battle reward to both players when a battle ends in a stalemate, hence this card's name.
Sakura: Then if our shinobi keep fighting with that card's effect… are you trying to end this duel in a draw?!
Ino: You'll be surprised what my cards can do. I set 2 cards face-down and end my turn (2).
Sakura: OK, it's my move, then (4). I'll charge 3 cards to my chakra zone (CZ: 4), and end my turn with a face-down.
Ino: It's my turn (2). I'll charge 1 chakra card (CZ: 2) to play my face-down Game Plan mission card. With this in play, both players must perform a support power battle whenever ninjas are sent out to battle. Alright, Ino, it's time to attack. (Ino and Sakura battled once more, but this time, both shinobi are discarded due to battle damage.) And due to Stalemate's effect, both of us get one more battle reward (BR: 2). Then I deploy another Ino Yamanaka and end my turn.
Sakura: it's my turn, now (1). I play Sakura Haruno to the battlefield. Then I'll use her to attack Ino. (Sakura's avatar moves in to attack Ino, and just like last time, the battle endend in a draw…)
Sakura experiences another flashback…
"You look like you're having fun, 'Ms. Billboard Brow.'" there were three girls standing behind Sakura. Some of the kids make insults at her said 'forehead', which is why they call her names like 'billboard brow' and 'forehead girl'. "Are you trying to make your self pretty recently? Who do you think you are?"
Ino has been hanging out with Sakura long enough to see that she never likes getting picked on, but couldn't do a thing about it. So, Ino to her small bouquet of flowers, and threw it 7 feet away into that girls mouth. "Sorry, I must've mistaken that big opening for a vase." She joked. That made the girl so angry that she was ready to throw herself at her. "By the way, that flower that's in your mouth is poisonous. It may be weak, but it's best that you spit those out right now." Taking in what Ino just said, she spat out the flowers and ran off with her friends scared. "But the poison is in the root, though!" she called out.
Ino can sometimes be incredible. She's fashionable and adorable, and tough as nails at the same time. She was Sakura's role model. Compared to her, Sakura thought, she herself is just…
"If you're a cosmos," She said to Ino, "Then that makes me a fujibakama."
"If you ask me, you're not even a flower; just a bud." Ino meant is as an insult, but all she got form Sakura is…
"…yeah." She was never good at standing up for herself.
…end flashback.
(…and both players got 1 battle reward due to Stalemate's effect (BR: 3). Sakura waits for her avatar to return to her, but she stood frozen in the middle of the field.) Wha?! What just happened?
Ino: It's all thanks to this face-down I just played. (Ino revealed the card that was hidden face-down at the start of the duel.)
Sakura: That's your Mind Transfer Jutsu card!
Ino: That's right. And thanks to its effect, my Ino can use the wind and earth crest from my chakra zone (CZ: 0), and use her signature jutsu and return Sakura back to your hand. (With proper hand signs, Ino uses Mind Transfer to paralyze Sakura and force her to return to her owner's hand as a mass of light.)
Sakura: (groans) I'll end my turn.
Ino: It's my draw (1). Since you have no shinobi to defend with, Ino can attack you directly. (Ino's avatar swoops right in and attacks Sakura, taking her battle reward (BR: 4)). And with that done, I'll end my turn.
The audience waits for Sakura to draw, but she just stands frozen looking at the floor. Whether or not she plays a card, she knows that the duel is over already.
"I couldn't help but notice that you're not making a move, not like it would do any good. If you try to deploy Sakura back to the field, I'll attack with Ino and use Stalemate's effect to gain all 5 battle rewards. But if you don't, she can just attack directly and give me victory. Either way, you're finished." She's right. How can Sakura win against a duelist who can score after each attack? "Comes next turn, no matter what you do, I'm gonna win this duel… and Sasuke's heart!"
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Tune in for the next chapter of NARUTO TCG.
Next time: Childhood Rivalry Part 2
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