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Chapter 13 And so the battle beginsThe team of six shinobi rushed down the long corridor. They had already been running for almost twenty minutes and the end of this tunnel was nowhere in sight.
"So, you guys pumped?" Kaoshi asked with a smirk.
"I'm always ready for a fight," Lee said. "It is excellent training."
"Lee you need to think of something other than training for once." Kakashi said rolling his eye.
"Me, I can't wait…" Naruto said. "I've been dying to test out my new jutsu for MONTHS!" Naruto flashed back for a minute.
Ero-Sennin stood at the Konoha gate. They were leaving to go rescue Gaara.
"Naruto," Ero-Sennin said, "Don't use THAT jutsu…"
"Yeah…"
Naruto snapped into reality again.
"Sorry Ero-Sennin…" he said smiling. "I might have to disobey you if I'm fighting who I think I'm fighting."
"Ooh…" Kakashi said intrigued. "Naruto has a new jutsu?"
Naruto smiled.
"My first totally original jutsu."
"Can't wait."
Naruto turned to Kaoshi. "So…Kaoshi…what was that thing you did with your sword?"
"That Naruto," Kaoshi said proudly, "Was my clan's specialty."
"Explain."
"Well, my clan, for generations have been skilled smiths. In fact we were the first clan to invent the chakra blade." He said proudly. "Over time, we noticed that if you give a child a chakra blade at birth, the blade will absorb the child's chakra. After several years, the chakra manifests itself giving a soul to the blade. The blade has it's own personality and everything which are based on your deeds up until the birth of the blade's soul. After the soul is born, the blade has its own chakra reserves that can be tapped by the user. The concept is similar to the eight inner body gates. When you can see them, you can open them."
"That's amazing!" Naruto said in awe.
"What's more amazing is that every time you release your blade, it gives the user chakra about equal to opening three of the inner body gates, WITHOUT damaging the body"
"That's even MORE amazing." Lee said in shock and a little jealousy. "How many times can you release?"
"Three." Kaoshi smiled. "That's the second most in my clan, ever."
"How many is the most?"
"Well see, there are five in total." Kaoshi said pointing upwards. "The first three releases are the mind release, the body release, and the soul release. They take years of training to be able to master." The group looked at Kaoshi expectantly, waiting for him to continue. "After the primary three come the Hell and Heaven releases. Only the founder of our clan has ever released those. Apparently, when the Hell release is opened, black chakra consumes the body causing a massive power surge, close to that of opening five gates."
"So wait…" Lee said. "In effect opening the first three releases THEN opening the Hell release is equal to opening fourteen inner body gates!"
"Yup." He said simply. "No one has ever seen the Heaven release. All we know is that it killed the founder."
"Killed?"
"Hai. One day he was on the far side of the village mountain training. All of a sudden a blinding white pillar of chakra erupted from the mountain. It lasted for almost four days. On the night of day four, a team was sent out to see what happened. When they got there…" he paused for a dramatic effect. "…The far side of the mountain…was gone, completely destroyed."
"Woah…" Naruto said wide-eyed.
"We'll save the rest of this story for later." Kaoshi said. "For we have now reached the arena…"
The group stepped into the light and emerged into the enormous coliseum. There were thousands of people in the stands, cheering for blood.
"This certainly is a pleasant sight…" Kakashi said.
A voice echoed about the stadium.
"Hello there." Orochimaru said. "It's good to see you made it in time. We were starting to think that you wouldn't show. Two more minutes and we'd have killed your friends." He motioned to a large stage at the far side of the arena. In it Sakura, Neji, Shikamaru, Kiba, and Akamaru were all held captive. Each individual had their own device made to hold them. All of their hands were bound so that they couldn't make seals. Shikamaru had spotlights all around him so that he cast no shadow. Neji had a mask covering his eyes so that he couldn't use any aspect of the Byakugan. The others were in various predicaments as well.
"Damn him." Naruto said grinding his teeth.
"Here's the deal." Orochimaru said. "There will be six one-on-one matches. We will release one of your friends with each of your team's victories. But if one of you should lose, both your friend and the team member who lost will die. If by some miracle you win all six matches, you and all of your friends will be set on your merry way to the Lightning Country." Orochimaru sneered. "Aren't I a nice man?"
"Go die…" Naruto said under his breath. "So we have to win every frickin fight? Great…"
"Now, we'll start right away…" Orochimaru grinned. "First match, Rock Lee Vs. Xinakao Zyk." The crowd cheered as a young shinobi walked forward from the sound side of the arena. He was tall, about 5'11" Lee estimated. The man took a fighting stance. It was one Lee had seen before.
"Taijutsu expert huh?" Lee asked. The man smiled and lunged at Lee. "Fine, if that's how you're gonna be…" Lee tucked his left arm behind his back. "Let's go." Lee opened the first gate, knowing that this man was not one to underestimate.
Zyk leapt up high into the air and came down at Lee with a punch. Lee jumped out of the way letting the punch smash into the ground. Gravel and dirt flew everywhere. Lee skidded low to she ground to lessen the chance of the debris hitting him. Zyk suddenly appeared in front of him.
"What the--!" He started to say but Zyk kicked him in the face before he could finish. Lee flew backwards skidding along the ground. He put his hands down and forced himself to stop. "Heh. Looks like I underestimated you."
"Seems like I've done the same. I half expected to kill you with that kick." The man retorted.
"Looks like I've got to get more serious…" Lee said as he opened the second gate.
Lee charged. Zyk sung at his head in an attempt to counter. Lee took the opportunity. He dropped to the ground, using it as leverage, and kicked upwards. The kick connected with Zyk's chin and he flew into the air. Lee jumped up and prepared the 'Primary Lotus'. The first kick connected. The second kick connected. However, on the third kick Zyk grabbed Lee's leg and the plummeted to the ground in a heap.
A giant cloud of dust spewed forth when the two hit the ground. After a moment of uncertainty, sounds of fighting could be heard clearly from inside the dust cloud.
"rrrrrrrraaaaaaaaa---AAAHHHH!" Lee's scream could be heard inside the dust cloud.
"Lee-kun?" Tenten said worriedly.
An explosion of chakra blew apart the dust cloud revealing Lee, who just opened the fourth gate and Zyk with a very worried look on his face. Lee disappeared and then reappeared behind Zyk.
"What the--!" Zyk was cut off as Lee's foot connected with his neck, shattering the bone. Zyk flew across the arena and crashed into a wall. He then slumped over dead.
Lee closed the gates and started to walk away. He turned back, glaring at Orochimaru.
"That's one." He said holding up the finger situated between his index and ring fingers.
"Hmm…I guess even thick-brows can be tough…" Kaoshi said. "I guess Tsunade ISN'T crazy after all…"
"Sure she is." Kakashi said. "She's just not an idiot." Kaoshi chuckled in response.
"Next up…" Orochimaru continued. "…Hyuuga Hinata and Reiga Kym." Hinata walked up into the arena meekly. The woman confronting her was much taller than her, maybe by half a foot. She looked confident, which was something Hinata didn't have.
She nervously walked into the ring.
"HEY!" Naruto yelled. "YOU CAN DO IT HINA-CHAN! JUST PRETEND THAT IT'S YOUR DAD!"
"M-My dad?" Naruto smiled in confirmation. Hinata looked at her opponent and imagined her having Hiashi's face. She started to get angry. "This just might work…" Hinata said with a hint of confidence.
TO THE TRAPPED KONOHA NINJA!
"Hey Kiba you're Hinata's teammate," Sakura asked. "Do you think she stands a chance?"
"Well," Kiba considered for a second. "No. We're fucked."
Sakura's face went pale. Neji scoffed at the idea of a Hyuuga losing to anyone but another Hyuuga.
"She'll win." He said. "She's a Hyuuga after all."
BACK TO THE ARENA!
"I have to do this…" Hinata said to herself. "For Sakura-kun…for Kiba-kun and Akamaru…For Neji-san…and for…" Hinata looked up to the prisoners. "…Whatever that one's name is…"
She readied herself and activated her Byakugan. She looked over at Naruto. "I'm doing this most of all for you…" All of a sudden she felt a well of untapped power that she'd never noticed before. "I-I can do this!" That power was confidence. She was fighting to protect her friends. She didn't have a choice but to win.
"Are you sure it's wise to send such a weak ninja against a Hyuuga, Orochimaru-sama?"
Orochimaru chuckled. "Of course. That cute little girl is Hiashi's daughter. She's a complete failure. And release the shadow boy…"
"If you're sure Orochimaru-sama…" Orochimaru glared at him. "R-r-right away Orochimaru-sama!"
Hinata glared at the man. She heard ever word. That got her mad.
"BEGIN!" Orochimaru yelled.
Kym rushed towards Hinata. She jumped to Hinata's right side and delivered a kick that hit her in the face.
"HINA-CHAN!" Naruto yelled.
However, just after the kick connected, Hinata turned into a log.
"Woah." Kakashi said surprised. "Didn't expect her to evade that."
Hinata appeared underneath her opponents attack.
"TWO HITS!" she yelled as she hit Kym twice.
"Uhhnn!" She yelled as her chakra began to be sealed.
"FOUR HITS!" Hinata continued hitting her chakra points. "EIGHT HITS!" she yelled. "SIXTEEN HITS!" "THIRTY-TWO HITS!" "SIXTY-FOUR HITS!"
Kym fell to the ground unable to do anything. Hinata turned and smiled at Orochimaru in the cutest way she could.
"That's two…Orochimaru-CHAN."
Lee, Naruto, Kakashi, Kaoshi, and Tenten stood, staring at Hinata, with their mouths practically on the floor.
"D-did Hinata-chan j-just say what I think she did?" Tenten said.
"Sh-she just taunted Orochimaru." Kakashi said.
"That was AWESOME!" Naruto said very, very loudly.
Hinata approached them with a beet-red face. "I can't believe that I just did that…" Hinata said to herself with her heart pounding. She noticed Naruto cheering for her. She couldn't help but smile. When she reached her companions, Naruto grabbed her and put her in a headlock.
"WAY TO GO HINA-CHAN!" Naruto said even louder than before. "Who knew you had it in you?"
"Th-thank you Naruto-kun." She said poking her fingers blushing.
"Hey hey hey!" Naruto yelled. "What's with the blushing? You just obliterated a sound ninja and saved one of our friends! Be happy!"
Orochimaru grumbled. He had underestimated her.
"Release the dog."
"Hai Orochimaru-sama."
Orochimaru grabbed the microphone and started to speak again.
"Tenten versus Mara…"
Tenten walked up onto the arena platform.
"What? No family name?" she said under her breath.
Tenten was paired against another girl. She was about the same height as Tenten, about the same figure too. In fact the only major difference between them was that the girl Tenten was facing…had a five o-clock shadow.
"Ew." Tenten said. "That's icky."
"BEGIN!" Orochimaru yelled.
Mara started by taking some kunai out of her little ninja pack. She charged Tenten throwing a kunai at her every few steps. Tenten dodged all of them with ease. Mara tried to get close in; knowing Tenten's specialty before the fight even began.
"Dammit." Tenten cursed under her breath as she leapt back. "That's not fair…" she said drawing a kunai.
Mara did the same and lunged at Tenten. Their kunai met in midair several times before they broke away from each other.
Tenten had to catch her breath. Mara, however, was completely fine.
"That little bit too much for ya?" Mara retorted.
"Nah." Tenten said. "Just a bit outta shape." She said jokingly. Unfortunately, the ninja she was up against was much better than her. She could barely keep up with her. "Dammit."
"What's wrong? Giving up already?"
"I could ask you the same question about that fuzz on your lip…" Tenten said mockingly.
"WHAT WAS THAT!" Mara rushed Tenten wildly.
Tenten smiled as she ducked underneath a blind swing. She pulled out her weapon scroll and slid it open right in front of Mara's chest.
"Seeya." She said as she unloaded the scroll into the torso of her opponent.
Mara fell over dead.
Tenten, continuing the trend set by Lee and Hinata, turned and faced Orochimaru.
"Three." She said just as cutely as Hinata. She walked back to her team as sexily as possible, rubbing her victory in Orochimaru's face.
"DAMMIT!" Orochimaru yelled. "When did Konoha ninja become this GOOD!" He slammed his hand on the chair.
"I-It's okay Orochimaru-sama." The servant protested. "There are still three more fights!"
"Yes…Yes there are…" he said chuckling. "You…get me Kabuto…"
"Hai Orochimaru-sama."
"…and order the Dog's owner set free too."
"Right away."
Orochimaru picked up the microphone yet again.
"Now, we will have a short break while we wait for our next competitor…" he said addressing the audience. "Go to the bathroom and get a snack while you wait. Because you want to be ready…For all the blood that's about to be spilled…"
The crowd roared in anticipation.
"Not good…" Kakashi said.