"Shit! Elfire!" Chrono muttered saying the first fire spell that came to mind.
A pillar of molten fire erupted infront of Chrono and slammed right into Orochimaru's face, sending him careening backwards from the strike. It gave Chrono enough time to summon an image of his own death and the pain of it to break free. One jump back later, Chrono materalized a shield and sword and took up a defensive stance.
"Who are you? You have a lot of nerves attacking me alone." Chrono muttered.
"Kukuku. How silly of me. I supposed you never heard of me Chrono. The Dragon God of War. I am Orochimaru." the Snake Sannin muttered.
Chrono was stunned for a different reason.
"How do you know that I am a dragon?" Chrono demanded.
"I just happened to obtain that information from an associate of mine." Orochimaru muttered.
"Zumma." Was Chrono's only answer.
A medic came around the corner and saw the pair. Both combatants saw the medic and came to a silent standstill. Chrono walked passed Orochimaru and muttered a single threat.
"Lay a hand on anyone while I am here and I will personally wipe you from history."
Chrono kept walking until he returned to the arena where Jaffar was moderating the match that just ended. Jaffar saw Chrono and nodded as the pair returned to their places. Everyone turnned their attention to the screen as it flashed by until it stopped on two names. Both bearing the same last name.
"Would Neji and Hinata Hyuuga come to the arena?" Nino called out as the pair walked down from the ledge and into the arena.
"Give it up Hinata. You will never be able to beat me." Neji muttered.
"Neji-nisan." Hinata murmered.
"Your stance shows insecurity. The tone in your voice lacks confidence. In short, you have lost even before we got into the arena." Neji muttered.
'Ni-san's right. Compared to everyone, I don't fit in.' Hinata thought as she started to open her mouth to forfiet.
'Giving up so soon?' Came Chrono's voice in her mind.
'Wha?' Hinata thought as she eyed Chrono.
'So you had the stone all the time. Either ways, never doubt yourself. Never doubt your abilities.' Chrono muttered as Hinata's eyes harden with resolve.
Neji took notice of the sudden change in Hinata's attitude and got into his fighting stance. Hinata also took her stance as they waited on chrono's voice.
"Hinata Hyuuga V.S Neji Hyuuga. Begin!" Chrono muttered as the pair rushed toward each other.
Each strike that the pair sent was encased with chakra as both of the Hyuuga sibilings attacked to gain the upper hand in the match. Hinata held her own very well against her cousin, but Neji's experience proved to be a superior factor as he started to overwhelm Hinata. Hinata tried to end the match earily by striking at Neji's chest. Neji retaliated by strikeing Hinata's arm quickly. Through the sky eyes, Chrono saw the flow of chakara stopped from Hinata's arms.
Neji grabbed the sleaves of Hinata's coat and pulled them back so everyone saw the points that Neji struck.
"You won't be able to generate chakra from your hands now. You want to give up now?" Neji said undisturbed as Hinata jumpped backward to gain distances.
It was then that she suprised everyone but Team Elibe, 7,9.
"Fire!" Hinata cried out as a ball of fire erupted behind Neji and slammed into him, knocking him into the ground.
"This is my answer. This is my nindo." Hinata declared as her mind walked into memory lane.
**flashback**
Hinata watched Chrono and Nino demonstrate the finer points of magic. The white eyed girl stared in awe as both produced random elements out of nothing.
"How are you making fire out of nothing?" Hinata asked.
"The process is easy enough. You just need to create them naturally if they are not on site But that beind said, using the elements found naturally is harder to do then making them yourself." Nino answered.
"That's why it's easier to make them yourself. It's like trying to use the power of water to create a walkable bridge. You have the element, but using it to stay solid long enough for you to cross is another thing." Chrono muttered as he started to teach Hinata the method.
**Flashback end**
Neji bobed and weave while avoiding palm hand strikes that Hinata unleashed. It lasted a few minutes as Chrono saw his eye whited mage land a few good hits with magic and fist whle Neji slammed his palm directly over Hinata's heart. Neji reeled back winded and slightly burnt while Hinata looked from hart and healthy to nearly dead.
"Give it up. In the end, you will lose." Neji stated coldly.
Hinata started to gasp for breath as Chrono started talking mentally quickly through the sky eye stones.
"Guys. Neji looks like he might actually kill her." Chrono muttered.
"We'll jump in on your command." Emerald said as she string an arrow up.
"I won't lose. I will end the bloodline curse and set you free." Hinata said as she looked not at Neji, but at his Hiatate that hide the caged bird seal.
That roused Neji's rage as he rushed toward Hinata to kill her. Quick as a flash, an arrow and a fireball spell was sent, forcing Neji to jump backwards as Chrono created a hole that Neji landed. Within a blink of an eye, Jaffar, Zabuza and Haku surrounded Neji with sebons and swords out and pointed at him.
"Hmpf. In the end, you will always be protected by everyone else." Neji sneered as Chrono slowly released Neji while stating that he won the match.
Hinata collapsed on the floor as Emerald and Nino rushed up to her. Chrono soon followed as the medics came into the arena and placed Hinata on a stretcher.
"Jaffar, keep the match going. Nino, Emerald. Come with me." Chrono muttered as the trio followed the medics out of the arena and into a medic room.
Hinata saw the trio when the medic smiled as she smiled slightly.
"As your teacher, I'm proud of you for using the mixture of magic and melee. As a healer, that was reckless. But overall, good job." Chrono muttered with a slight smile as Nino casted a healing spell on Hinata.
Soon enough, Hinata's injuries faded away along with the pain that came with it. Emerald smiled as she gave Hinata a small hug.
"We'll help you break your kin's fate. Don't feel like you have to do this yourself. We are willing to lend a hand if you desire." Emerald said kindly.
"I don't want Neji-nii-san to be hurt anymore." Hinata mekly said as Nino walked over and sat beside her.
Chrono opened the sky eyes stone and managed to catch the last bit of the matches as Jaffar filled Chrono in on what happened.
"It looks like the matches are done for today. Naruto got seeded so he'll have the element of suprise next time they fight." Chrono said to the girls.
"What can we teach him?" Emerald asked.
"I'm not sure. Jaffar taught most of the stuff he knows now. Let's see what he has planned." Chrono muttered as the four of them left the medic portion of the arena.
Soon enough, the sun has set asthe groups met up outside of the Forest of Death. Jaffar gave Chrono one quick look and pulled him aside.
"They given all of the combatants one month to train. I don't have anything else to teach Naruto after the third of the month." Jaffar muttered.
"Meaning that he has to find someone else to teach him. My speciality area is in Anima magic and Naruto can't use it fully. My best guess is to have him train with Kyushina. Have him make use of her energy for his own." Chrono replied as everyone else left the pair to talk.
Jaffar's only response was a nod as the pair walked back to the village. Upon reaching the apartment, Chrono and Jaffar saw Hinata walking towards them.
"What's wrong?" Chrono asked.
"I have to get home. Tou-san will be angry at me." Hinata stated.
"At this time? I think not. Best thing for you to do is to stay the night here." Chrono muttered.
"But..." Hinata started to say before she was interupted.
"If you are so worried, I'm sure Nino or Emerald is willing to share a room and you have us to protect you. I doubt any warriors is about to fight their way past me and Jaffar." Chrono pointed out.
Hinata nodded slightly as it gave birth to Chrono's new matchmaking plan.
"Either ways, it's lights out. I gotta teach someone a part of my style tomorrow." Chrono muttered as the trio went into the apartment.
With some delight, Emerald allowed Hinata to sleep in her room and soon enough, Hinata was out like a light. Emerald walked out to the living room to find Chrono holding Naruto's sleeping form in his arms. Emerald quietly giggled as Chrono placed Naruto in the same bed with Hinata. He even made sure that Kyushina was still asleep in her own room before leaving for his room.
The next morning, Chrono woke up to find Emerald in his arms and fast asleep.
"Emerald. Wake up now." Chrono muttered shaking her up.
"Five more minutes Chrono." Emerald mumbled as she wrapped her arms around his arm.
A loud yep stopped all plans of relaxing in bed as Chrono quickly got out of bed and opened the door to see his plan unfold. The door to Emerald's room opened as a red as a tomato faced Hinata came out followed by Naruto.
"Naruto. I know you said you liked Hinata, but isn't this taking it a bit too far?" Chrono said with a smile.
"It's not what it looks like Chrono-san." Hinata said flustered.
Emerald came out of Chrono's room as Kyushina exited her room to find out the cause of the commotion. Emerald picked up on the scene instantly and decided to join in the fun.
"It looks like you enjoyed it Hinata. Besides, you two could be the greatest couple in the village." Emerald said as both genins blushed.
"Naruto, I love you and all. But you should know to respect a lady's privacy." Kyushina said as she walked past said boy and grabbed his ear, dragging him with her painfully.
Hinata walked over to Chrono and Emerald and looked at them.
"What were you two doing together?" Hinata asked meekly.
"Nothing that concerns you." Emerald retorted giving Hinata the 'Ask any further and feel my wrath' look.
Hinata dry swallowed as Chrono patted her on the head.
"At the very least, I'll help you learn a few more tips in magic." Chrono muttered as the trio entered the kitchen. Jaffar, Haku, and Nino sat on the couch stood up and walked over to Chrono.
"What's up?" Emerald asked.
"Haku, Jaffar and I are wondering what to do for the month we have before the finals of the chunnin exam." Nino said.
"I prefer to train." Jaffar muttered.
"You need to relax once in a while. Besides, the last duel with Zabuza you had nearly destroyed the field." Haku pointed out.
"You should take in the sights. Or take on some missions. That would help you train if anything else." Chrono pointed out.
"Hmm. I think I'll do that." Jaffar muttered as he left the apartment.
A few seconds later, the door opened again as Lee entered the room.
"Lee? You are earily." Chrono muttered.
"Hai. I want to learn more about this Elder magic from you, Chrono-san." Lee stated.
"Ok then. Let's go Emerald. You too Kyushina, Naruto, Hinata." Chrono listed as the said people left the apartment.
Over at the local hot springs, the group split up into who's training who. Kyushina and Naruto took to one large spa while Emerald, Hinata, and Lee took another spa near to Kyushina and Naruto.
"Ok Lee. Elder magic is rooted in it's inital properties to weaken oppoents through attrition." Chrono stated.
"Attrition?" Lee asked.
"Think of it acting like posion. Except for the part that it can steal opponet's life and cut right through their defense with ease." Chrono stated.
"What makes this one so different from the one you use?" Hinata asked.
"Anima magic is the magic of the natural world. Elder magic is magic of deception. Regardless of the difference, it is still usable. Now to start..." Chrono started as the day waxed on.
Around mid day, everyone called it a day from what they were doing. For Chrono and Emerald, it was perfecting Emerald's swordsmanship. For Naruto and Kyushina, making use of Kyushina's chakra. Lee and Hinata perfected the use of magic. By then, everyone was drenched as the ladies decided to take a dip into a hot spring while Lee excused himself for more practice at this training grounds. A few minutes after they entered the spring, a white long haired old man came up to the women's side and started to peep on the girls while writing on a notebook. Chrono walked up to the man and tapped him.
"I don't think you should be doing that." Chrono said.
"Go away gaki." the man muttered undetered by them.
"Who are you looking at?" Chrono muttered as he found another peeping hole and look through it.
That quick look instantly turnned into a fierce angry look as he turnned and tackled the man away from the peep hole.
"That's my girlfriend and my friends that you are peeping at!" Chrono yelled as he prepared the largest fireball he could muster.
A loud splash came and as a voice called out.
"Who's there?" Emerald's voice called out as Chrono's fireball vanish instantly with her voice.
"Some peeping toms. I'll get them." Haku's voice called out as a sudden shower of dagger sized ice started to shoot at them.
"I'll help you rip them apart." Kyushina's voice rang out as red chakra balls rained down on the men.
Both men, sprang from each other and ran in a different direction. Chrono grabbed Naruto by his midsection and flying off into the distance with the aid of the wind he summoned through magic.
The white haired man, however, reached the Hokage tower where he found Sarutobi standing on top the the tower.
"Sarutobi, it's been a while." the white haired man said.
"Jiraiya. It has been a while." Sarutobi said.
"Things has been calm. But rumors came to me from my spy network. They stated that Akatsuki has been completely eradicated." Jiraiya reported.
That gave the Hokage pause as he turn around to see his pupil.
"Is that true? Who did it?" Sarutobi asked.
"I don't know. The closest reference we got from the people nearby stated that a flying being destoryed a cave. The network sought the wreckage out, but there are no bodies. It was like someone melted them right on the spot." Jiraiya said.
"Hmm. Thanks for telling me this. I can rest a little bit easier knowing that Akatsuki will not go after Naruto's life." Sarutobi muttered.
"That's not the worst bit." Jiraiya said.
"What can be worse then Akatsuki?" Sarutobi asked.
"The winged being that destoryed Akatsuki. I fear that that thing along can rip the five elemental nations apart in one night if it wanted." Jiraiya stated.
Sarutobi sighed as he looked toward the direction of Naruto's apartment complex.
"Jiraiya, let me ask you something. If there was another person that had the flying being's same strength, do you thing we stand a chance against it?" Sarutobi asked.
"I can only hope." Jiraiya said as he left Sarutobi on the roof.
A few minutes passed as Sarutobi pondered his own question. He spoke one sentence that he yearns can be real.
"I can only hope that the white flames of hope is you Chrono."