Yo!! The fight begins now! Koji and Toshiro, a Jounin clash that is going to be great!

Chapter 44: Jounin Clash Part 2: The Six Armed Puppet!! Dance of Blades!!

"You think Koji is alright?" Back in the Shadow Blade Lab, on an island off the coast of Konoha, stood the Shadow Three. "If I know him, he's probably alright." Dosu said, as Kin and Zaku nodded.

"I bet he is doing something stupid." Zaku said. "Probably." Dosu said. "What about his friends?" Zaku asked. "Meh. His friends are just as eccentric and weird as he is." Dosu said. "I don't know. I think he has good friends." Kin said and Dosu smirked in her direction.

"You are thinking of Sanosuke, aren't you?" Zaku asked, smirking as well. To their surprise, Kin didn't try to deny it. Her cheeks were dusted pink, but she nodded. "I don't know why, but I wish I could see him again." Kin said. "Destiny is a weird thing that it is. I'm sure down the road, you both will meet again." Dosu said.

(Bandit Lair)

Koji stood in his Tiger Stance, as Toshiro had Sheeba charge him. Sheeba then flew into the sky, and barreled at Koji. He then tried a punch, but Koji blocked it.

He was surprised when one of the arms began to rotate in an attempt to hit him in the back of his head. He ducked under it, and slid around to dodge the other three fists coming at him. He back flipped backwards 5 times, before he hopped into the air and launched Lightning Guns at the puppet.

The puppet dodged the attacks like it was child's play, and Koji scowled. (That damn puppet is way too slippery.) He thought, as the thing's arms opened, and knives shot out.

Koji managed to dodge them all, and caught the last one, flinging it at Toshiro. He merely flung his hands back, and Sheeba flew back to block the knife. "Hn. Thing's sturdy enough to block weapons." Koji analyzed, and slid into his stance.

Toshiro then had Sheeba charge again. This time, Koji jumped over the puppet, and launched a Lightning Gun at Toshiro, who couldn't' block with the puppet, so he dodged it. Toshiro's eyes then widened when Koji appeared in front of him, his right hand sparking with chakra.

"Got you! Piercing Lightning Claw!!" Koji screamed, and charged with his attack. Instead of panicking, Toshiro released some of the Chakra Strings on Sheeba, and connected them to Koji's hands. He managed to redirect the attack to fly right by him, and used his other hand to get Sheeba to attack Koji. The thing gave Koji a Triple Punch and he flew into the wall, hitting it hard. He sat on the ground, as all six of Sheeba's arms produced swords, and held them. Koji scoffed, and stood to his feet. "Six swords, eh? Now it's interesting." He said.

The Genin were finally coming to, and they saw Koji standing across from the Puppet Man, who was now wielding a six armed puppet with a sword in each hand.

"Ng. What happened?" Satoshi asked. "Koji is what happened." Hanabi turned to look at Kenta, and he was looking intently at the battle. At that moment, Koji charged with a battle cry. Toshiro began to move his fingers, and the puppet began to swing the blades, as Koji masterfully ducked and weaved around the attacks.

"You should watch this, Satoshi." Kenta said, and the other two Genin looked at him. "This is a battle between two Jounin Elite. This kind of power isn't something that is always watched." Kenta said, as Satoshi gazed at the battle.

(This kind of battle, the pressure from their chakra. It's suffocating.) Kenta turned, and noticed both Satoshi and Hanabi looked awed at this display. "I'd say not to worry. Koji will win." Kenta said. They both looked at Kenta, and nodded.

At this point, Koji had no choice but to pull out his Chakra Staff, and use his chakra to create the Chakra Staff, and used it to begin to block the six armed attack. He was dancing and flashing all around the puppet, as it spun and attacked.

(Damnit! I can't find a good opening, and his chakra isn't exactly dropping.) Koji mused to himself, as he was still ducking, blocking, and weaving around these attacks. He then blocked three swords, and tried to strike, only to have the puppet hop away, and launch what looked like a poisoned knife towards him.

Koji batted it out of the sky, and Koji kicked the puppet in its wodden jaw. It flew into the air, and Koji took off after it.

That in his part was a bad move.

With a flick, Toshiro pulled his arm back, and Sheeba shot to the ground. Koji's eyes widened, and he knew he was at a disadvantage. Sheeba hit the ground, and shot back at Koji, who had began to make hand seals.

"Give it up kid. You can't hope to stop an attack from mid-air unless you can fly." Toshiro said, and Sheeba pointed it's six blades at Koji, who gave a small smirk. "Don't need wings to fly." Koji said, as he pointed his fist at the ground.

"Lightning Style: Lightning Beam Jutsu!!" Koji said, as he blasted a giant beam at Sheeba, who flew out of the way. Koji really didn't think that attack would hit, but that wasn't what he was shooting to do. He shot into the air, as Sheeba followed him. Koji flipped, and landed on the ceiling, and shot back.

"The ceiling eh?" Toshiro said, as he smirked. Koji flew, and missed Sheeba, as he pulled out a Demon Wind Shuriken. "Drop dead!!" Koji screamed, and tossed it. Toshiro smirked. He tossed it at Toshiro, thinking he could hit him. He lazily dodged it, and his eyes widened when he could hear a sizzling sound. "Taste my Demon Wind Bomb!!" Koji screamed, as the shuriken exploded.

Koji landed on his feet, as the dust picked up, and engulfed him. He closed his eyes, and let the dust clear a little, before he heard a dark laughter. He turned, as he felt something pierce his body. His eyes had widened, and he coughed up blood. Toshiro got him.

Satoshi and Kenta couldn't see what was happened, and turned to Hanabi, who had her Byakugan activated. "What do you see, Hanabi?" Satoshi asked, who's eyes were wide from what she saw.

"He can't be…" "He can't be what!? What's happening!?" Satoshi asked, and Hanabi closed her eyes. "He's…gone?" Kenta asked, and Hanabi didn't answer. "What did you see, Hyuuga!?" Satoshi screamed.

"I saw him get run through with six blades!!" Hanabi screamed back, and the other two's eyes widened. They turned to the fight as the dust cleared up, and there stood Koji, his stomach having six blades in it. Toshiro gave off a sick laugh, as he watched with cold eyes as Koji coughed some blood up.

"Che. Some 'Jounin' you were." He twitched his finger, and the puppet pulled the swords out, making blood spew everywhere. "No…" Kenta muttered. "NO WAY!!" Satoshi screamed, terror in his eyes. Hanabi went silent, as her hair covered her eyes.

"Seems like he was all talk!!" Satoshi screamed, as tears slowly leaked out his eyes. "He said we would all survive!! And what happens!? He goes and dies!!" "SHUT UP!!" Satoshi and Hanabi looked to Kenta, who's hair was also covering his eyes.

"It isn't respectful to talk about the dead like that." Kenta said, and Satoshi was about to retort, before they all felt a chakra signature. Toshiro turned, and his eyes widened. (No! It can't be!!) Koji was barreling towards him, his hair transformed and his staff ready to strike.

He hastily pulled, and Sheeba appeared next to him, it's blades ready for defense. Koji yelled and swung, and it blasted into the swords. They were in a deadlock, before Koji's staff shot away, and Sheeba's swords were shattered into pieces. (Koji!! He's alive!?) Kenta asked. (He moved with such speed and precision!! When did he appear, and from where!?) Hanabi asked. (He shattered those swords!?) Satoshi thought.

Koji zipped right by, and slid so he was sliding backwards, as he prepared his right fist for his attack. "Shame Toshiro!! I don't feel so dead!! Don't write me off so quickly!!" Koji launched off the wall, and his Piercing Lightning Claw came to life.

"Ha!! You won't get me!!" Toshiro screamed, as Sheeba flew in front of him. Koji ran his fist forward, and Sheeba brought his fists forward, and a Chakra Shield formed, and Koji's attack was deflected. He flew back, and landed, before his Piercing Claw began to flash stronger.

"You are going to try again?" Toshiro asked, and his eyes widened when he could hear a howling sound, and Koji's fist was flashing even stronger than before. "Don't belittle my will. That first one was to see if you DID have a Chakra Shield. Kankuro told me of some Puppeteers who could create shields like that. I was merely testing it, and it failed." Koji said, and he brought his hand back.

"You dare to say I failed!?" Toshiro screamed. "Yep. Because this attack is at least 4 times stronger!!" Koji said, taking off. Toshiro brought Sheeba up, and the barrier was up.

"Say goodnight!! Lightning Wolf Claw!!" Koji's fist smashed into the barrier like a wolf running it's fangs into its prey, and it created a white flash of lightning blasting from the barrier.

Then, as though the wall gave in, the barrier shattered, and Sheeba's arms were disentigrating. Toshiro's eyes widened in fear, and before he knew it, Koji's fist smashed into his chest, like a wolf bite, and sent him packing. He hit the wall really hard, and didn't move. He was unconscious, and Koji smirked.

"Want to doubt my credibility as a Jounin now? Well, you lost to me. You are a Jounin, and I won. So that makes me a Jounin as well!!" Koji said, and he turned to the Genin. "Tie him up. We won, and I'm sure Gaara would like to know that a Missing Nin is captured." He said, and the Genin looked at him in awe.

"I see you woke up and saw the match. Well, any doubts?" Koji asked, as he did a Shadow Clone Jutsu and tied Toshiro up. Another Shadow Clone walked outside, as though waiting for someone.

Koji and the Genin sat outside, Toshiro tied up and unconscious, as a squad of Sand ANBU appeared. "You sent for Sand ANBU!?" Satoshi screamed. "Of course. It's not the Leaf's Ninja we caught. This is a Sand Ninja." Koji said, as the ANBU picked Toshiro up.

"We thank you." The leader in a turtle mask said. Koji shrugged, and they took off. "So, ready to call it a day?" Koji asked. The Genin all nodded, and Satoshi smirked.

"THAT WAS THE BEST MISSION EVER!!" Satoshi screamed. Koji smiled, and Hanabi chuckled. "Brilliant commentary from the Dead Last." She said. "Be nice, Hanabi-chan." Koji said, and Satoshi smirked.

"Yeah. Wouldn't want Koji to find out about your new boyfriend." Satoshi said, and Hanabi blushed. Koji also noted that Kenta also turned a little pink, and he put the pieces together.

(I see something happened while I was gone.) Koji said, as he smirked. "Well, since we won, and I have no reason to rush, we'll take three days getting back to sight see." Koji said, and the Genin cheered.

ShadowRonin: This ended nicely. Toshiro was defeated, and Koji proved himself. The Genin will have fun, and Koji will rest for a while.

Next Chapter: With Koji and the Genin taking a break, we turn our attention to Gale and Shinji, who will be playing large roles in the next arc, are now setting up and moving the future plot. Shinji takes a Trip to Cloud, while Gale has fun in Sand in:

Chapter 45: Side Stories! Gale's Birthday Present, and Shinji's Encounter!!