Yo!!! I'm back, and the story lives on, with the next chapter!! Koji is in for one hell of a battle, and his survival is at stake. A clutch situation, but I always believe the good guy can win. So Read and Review.

Chapter 29: Showdown!!!!! Part 1: Saving Sakura!

Koji stood across from Sakura, wearing her green Gamble shirt as she was decked out in an Association robe. "Alright Sakura. Care to explain how you came to be where you are now?" Koji asked.

Somehow, it didn't surprise him when she didn't give an answer, but he did spot the choker she had on. (She didn't have that on when I last checked. That might be it. It's a guess, but I don't have any other leads.) Koji mused to himself.

"So, you gonna stand there and stare all day, or are we going to do this?" Koji taunted, as he slid into the Tiger Fist. Sakura merely raised her right hand, and slammed it into the building behind her. The whole structure shook, before it fell into a giant pile of debris. "Oh shit…" Koji muttered, his eyes dotted. He prepared himself, because Sakura took that as the go.

(Can't block…can't block…) Koji chanted that religiously as Sakura was swinging for the fences with her gloved fists. Koji knew one punch and it would be over. He dodged each punch, and if he could, slid some out of the way.

She then went for a kick, and Koji decided to block. Wrong move. He brought his arm up, and it blocked her kick. In that moment, his eyes widened in pain, as he realized her insane strength also affected her feet.

He blocked it, but the part of his arm that connected with her foot cracked in half. In that half a second where Koji realized his arm was shot, he was blasted from the force of the kick. He flew through 4 houses, and slid along the ground from the force of landing on a bed. (That was smoother than I thought it would be.) Koji joked to himself, before he jumped away to avoid the heel kick that left a crater. She was about to continue her assault, but she couldn't sense Koji's chakra.

(Shit! I can't hope to be able to fight her without the intent to kill.) Koji admitted to himself, grudgingly. He admitted to being pragmatic when he needed to be, but he just couldn't draw the inner focus this time. (I made a promise. She would come out of this alive. I just hope I can say the same for myself.) Koji hopped along the buildings, before a foot from above knocked him back into another house, and he flew into a basement.

"Ng. I'm getting owned." Koji slowly stood to his feet, and Sakura charged him. "Sorry." Koji muttered, as he grabbed Sakura's wrist, and flipped her over him, and hit her with a Lightning Gun, sending her out the house. "Doing that with one arm wasn't fun." Koji muttered to himself, as he sped away.

Koji came to what looked like a furniture store, and plopped on a bed. (I've reached my time. I can't fight back with one arm, and it's useless to try and stop her.) Koji was at his wits end. He couldn't fight with only one arm, and if he died before Sakura was saved, than he would be just wasting time. He jumped up when he felt a wave of chakra approaching him.

He pulled a kunai out of his pouch, and prepared himself. "Here you are! I'm glad you're not dead yet." A woman, with black hair and a Jounin Outfit from Konoha said. "You're from Konoha." Koji said.

"Yes. My name is Shizune." Shizune said. "Ah. You are the one that hangs around Tsunade." Koji said, remembering her face. "Yes I am, and I'm a Medic Nin." Shizune said, smiling a warm smile, causing Koji to blush a little.

He wouldn't lie. Shizune looked pretty damn good. "You look like you could use some help." She said. "That would be nice." Koji replied, showing his broken arm. It was quiet while Shizune was working on his arm.

"You know, Sakura and Tsunade talk about you quite a bit." Shizune said, trying to start a conversation. "Hn?" Koji replied. "They talk about how idiotic you and your sensei are." Shizune said, and Koji shrugged. "Their opinion." Koji said. "They may say some mean things, but I can tell you and your sensei are highly regarded in their hearts. They just won't admit it." Shizune said.

"I'm sure." Koji said, in a sarcastic tone. Shizune smiled, and Koji's arm was healed. Koji tested it, and smirked when he felt no pain. "I believe that if anyone can save her, it's you." Koji was surprised to hear that from Shizune, but he smiled nonetheless.

"That's good to know. I hope I can live to that expectation." Koji said, smiling. The happy moment was cut short when both nin hopped out of the way to avoid a giant chunk of wall from hitting them. "Shizune! Stay out of sight. Be ready to heal either of us!!" Koji commanded, as he charged through the dust towards Sakura, and out of Shizune's sight.

Koji was anxious. He could sense her chakra, but he couldn't see her. And to make this more amusing, their brawl had dragged into what looked like a toy store. (If it wasn't for the fact that my life was at stake, I would see what video games this village has.) Koji mused, smirking inwardly.

He then felt it, her chakra had spiked slightly. He turned, and ducked as her fist whizzed right over his head. Koji jumped back, and began to dodge the fists that were flying at him.

Koji back flipped, and landed on a shelf. Sakura kicked a few Soccer Balls in his direction, and Koji managed to use his fists to knock them away. He jumped behind the shelf, and ducked when Sakura's fist smashed through the shelf, and ran along one of the aisles.

(Think think THINK!!!!) Koji screamed to himself. He then decided that to hell with not hurting her. Sometimes it couldn't be helped. He turned when he caught sight of her, and blasted her with the Lightning Gun.

Shizune felt the chakra flaring off of Koji and Sakura, and ran towards it. (Don't die Koji. If Sakura is freed finding out you died to help her…) Shizune didn't finish the thought, because an explosion rocked the store, and Koji flew next to her.

"Ng." Koji looked messed up. "Where's Sakura-chan?" Shizune asked, checking on Koji. "Hn. Hopefully down for the count." Koji muttered, then coughing up some blood. "I think she got a rib." Koji muttered. Shizune sighed, and began to heal him, but she stopped early when the side that Sakura was on exploded, and she reappeared.

"You both went at it." Shizune said. "I know." Koji said. Sakura then put her hands into a seal, and her right arm was covered with weird black markings. "?" Koji didn't know what was happening, but Shizune looked stunned. "That jutsu." Shizune said.

"What about it?" Koji asked. "That's Tsunade's Creation Rebirth Jutsu." "And that does?" "It makes it so the user heals at a very fast rate. You can inflict damage, but it will never do any permanent damage. They can't die." Sakura chose that time to charge with even more speed than before.

"Ain't that beautiful!" Koji screamed in annoyance, before shoving Shizune out of the way. He took a left hook to the jaw, and flew through some toy cars. He rolled on the ground, until he stopped by colliding on the candy dispensers. Koji was sitting, but found that moving was painful enough.

He then put his hands into his seal, and found he couldn't mold any chakra. (When!?) He thought, and then his mind flashed back to when he was battling Sakura. He had used some chakra to buffer some of the punches, but they felt weaker than normal.

(Che. Hit a few pressure points, and all of a sudden, my chakra is finshed.) Koji mused annoyed. (I refuse to let it end like this!) Koji put his hands into the seal again, and tried with all his might to unleash some chakra. (Not now! Not now! Not now! Not now!) Koji chanted that in his mind, as Sakura approached him.

(I WON'T QUIT UNTIL SAKURA IS SAVED!!!!) And with that, Koji's untapped electric chakra blasted off of him, transforming his hair and eyes. (Let's go! That choker is coming off!!!) Koji jumped to his feet, and charged with hidden speed. His fists were cracking with chakra, and he swung for the choker. Sakura managed to dodge, and punched Koji in the gut. Koji fell to his knees, and turned into a toy car.

Koji ran through some aisles, creating some handsigns. "Since she's in Creation Rebiirth, all my attacks shouldn't seriously harm her. In a way, she actually is making this a little easier." Koj muttered. He felt her chakra, and flashed his hands in that direction.

"Lightning Style: Volt Storm Jutsu!!" Koji said, and 15 waves of lightning chakra shot out of his hands towards Sakura. Sakura dodged them all, and Koji aimed a Lightning Gun at her throat. She slid out of the way, and punched Koji in the jaw. He flew threw the air, and landed into the wall hard.

(She isn't using her chakra. That choker has given her some of Xin's chakra…) Koji mused, as he could feel two separate chakras in the air. "Okay! Time to-" Koji couldn't finish, because he felt like he couldn't move. (Shit! With my main chakra sealed off, it takes less time for me to succumb to paralysis!)

Koji slumped back onto his butt, and rested his back on the wall, his hair and eyes returning to normal. (So I've lost.) Koji felt Sakura approaching him, as his hair overshadowed his eyes. (I die like this.) Sakura was towering over him.

Koji then smiled. (I lived a good life.) Sakura came to her knees, and brought her fist back. Koji opened his eyes, and faced death, with a sad smile. (I'm sorry I couldn't free you, Sakura-chan.) Koji closed his eyes, waiting for death, but he didn't feel the final blow after a few seconds.

He opened his eyes, and what he saw actually surprised him. Sakura's eyes were still dulled over, but there was some sort of life in them. "Sakura? Are you okay?" Koji asked. Sakura was struggling to keep from killing Koji, and he realized that she was preventing his death through sheer determination.

(Hn. In the end she helps me help herself.) Koji thought. Koji slowly reached into his pouch and pulled out a kunai, as Sakura's eyes began to tear up. "Hn. I guess in some way, you do care." Koji muttered, as he lightly flicked the kunai, tearing the choker off Sakura's neck. Her hair fell over her face, and Koji sighed. "Welcome back Amazon." Koji closed his eyes, and drifted off.

"Sakura!! You're alright!" Sakura turned, and saw Shizune, smiling brightly. "Shizune-sempai." Sakura said. "Is Koji alright?" Shizune asked. "I hope. I really hope so." Sakura said, sadly.

"Ng. I'm still alive. None of this pity shit." Koji said, smirking a little. "KOJI!!!" Sakura screamed, as she hugged him. "Yes Amazon. I'm alive." Koji replied. "I thought…I thought…"

"sigh Come on Sakura. I made a promise, and I damn well intend on keeping it." Koji said, as he rested his head on Sakura's shoulders. "Worrying over me instead of yourself. Baka." Sakura said, as tears began to well into her eyes.

"So, nee-chan. What's the current damage?" Koji asked. "During your battle, there were various battles being waged in the village." Shizune said. "Well, get me healed up, and we can get into the mix." Koji said, as Shizune began to heal him.

"Hey Amazon, you should keep the robes. It accentuates your assets!" Koji was of course whacked over the head, but the cheerful laughter from both Sakura and Koji washed away all bad thoughts.

ShadowRonin: I know, that was good. Koji saved her, and everything is alright. But this is only one side to the story. Some nagging voice in the back of my head tells me I will get grilled about not having Naruto appear to help, but he will have his uses mach later in the story. It will focus around the other 12 and some other Ocs for now, but when Naruto becomes the center, things will really get interesting.

Next Chapter: The Shadow Blades have been a friend to Koji, and are on his side. Now it's time they showed their skills. Tayuya and Sidestep fight it out next time on:

Chapter 30: Showdown!!!!! Part 2: Shadow Assault! Tayuya vs. Sidestep!