Hey guys. Sorry it took me so long to complete this chapter, but this was one heck of a bothersome part to finish. Believe it or not, at one point I re-wrote almost everything in it, because I didn't particularly like how it came down. To not spoil, I won't go into details here, those of you who are interested can read the author's note at the end for that ;)
Per usual I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the previous chapter; it's the main thing that kept me 'on track' to complete this installment, despite my limited time lately. Also, a little reminder to everyone who'd like to take part in the CHARACTER POPULARITY POLL: this is the last chance to do so – with the upload of the next chapter (which will, undoubtfully, take place after Easter, but still shouldn't take as long as this one) the poll will be closed. So, next up are the results of the poll and I must say that, at this point, I am a bit surprised by the outcome; sure, it can change entirely by the end, but some characters I did not anticipate to grow in fame have risen :D
Without further ado, lets get to the chapter itself:
Chapter #24: Battles of Their Own
Title Page: Gitou is laying in a hospital bed with a thermometer in his mouth and a bag of ice on his forehead, the rest of his body covered in sheets
"Be careful, Naraku-kun" Kumiko advised the boy as she stepped away from the two combatants. "Your opponent... is yourself!" she proclaimed just before the fake charged forward, beating the distance in a flash.
Caught off guard, the young Uchiha could do no more then block the fist that came at his face and then strafe left as a knee went for his gut. Dodging the second attack, he launched an uppercut to the copy's chin, yet the bunshin avoided the assault by merely tilting its head and went into a spin, attempting to sweep the original off his feet.
Naraku reacted instantly and lifted his right foot up, making the kick go under, while he himself threw the leg at his opponent's cheek, only to have the latter flip back, dodging the attack. The young Uchiha dashed after his mirror image and aimed a straight punch to its face, but the fake avoided that assault as well by bending back and placing its hands on the floor, the bunshin relocated its body, throwing a kick to its adversary's cheek.
The original ducked under the leg and spun on his foot, throwing a kick back, right at the copy's chest, however the fake anticipated the attack again and rolled forward, out of the assault's reach. Coming to a sudden stop, the mirror image turned to face the rookie gennin and grabbed the fist that came at it with its left hand, while aiming a punch of its own to Naraku's stomach.
The young Uchiha caught the attack in the same manner his clone did, trapping the two in a deadlock, which only made Buryaku wary: "They're, very literally, evenly matched" she noted, keeping a calm exterior: "It's like one can read the other movements..."
Meanwhile Naraku got tired of the stalemate and put his knee into motion, only to have it blocked by the bunshin's knee as well; quickly he let go of his opponent's fist and grabbed the latter's collar in the attempt to toss the fake over the shoulder, yet to his shock the clone used his freed hand to push his arm off course, creating an opening.
In a blink of an eye the copy thrust its hand forward, smashing its opened palm against the young Uchiha's chest, just under his throat. The sudden sensation made the original slow down for the briefest of moments, yet that was enough for his mirror image, which used that instant to spin around and deliver a powerful kick to his face, sending the boy upwards.
Naraku cursed under his nose as he flipped in the air, quickly forming a seal the instant his feet touched the floor: "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he called out as four explosions erupted beside him, summoning perfect copies of himself, wrapped in white smoke. However, his smirk quickly changed into shock as his phantom mimicked the gesture, calling forth a quartet of clones of his own.
With a twitching eye, the young Uchiha went through a set of symbols, followed suit by his bunshin as they all gathered air in their lungs. In a flash the quintet released flames from their lips, making the fire merge into a single, humongous orb that raced towards their adversaries with a sizzling noise: "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"
Without delay the fake Narakus repeated the action and soon the two flames collided, dying out before everyone's eyes. This annoyed the young gennin even further while he went for his weapon hostel, tossing a shuriken at his opponent. To his dismal, the phantom easily deflected the assault with a shinobi star of his own, allowing both projectiles to fall harmlessly to the floor.
"Oh, come on!" the young Uchiha snapped as all bunshin got dispelled, leaving him and the fake alone on the battlefield. The boy's arms dropped as his head lowered at the progression of the match: "This is ridiculous! If he's me, then he possess the same skills! It's only natural that we're evenly matched! How can I possibly get the upperhand?"
"If it was that simple, there wouldn't be a point in testing you, would there?" Kumiko replied with a smirk, annoying the gennin even further. With a twitching eye Naraku gazed back at his mirror image, trying to come up with some sort of strategy: "This is certainly one hell of a genjutsu – this thing knows all my moves, possess the exact same skills... he even seem to think similarly to me! I can't take him by surprise and there's a sure bet he'll see through any strategy I device. How in the world am I supposed to beat myself?" he questioned and then his eye widen at realization: "Myself..." he repeated, shifting his eyes towards the woman as if to get validation his guess was correct.
Getting no read from the chuunin, the gennin charged at the copy, performing a quick seal on the way: "Henge!" he proclaimed as his body got covered by white smoke. In a flash a new figure rushed out of the cloud, coming right at the phantom; still an Uchiha, but it was not Naraku anymore.
Instantly Gouka appeared before the phantom and delivered a knee to its gut before the copy could even react. With the wind knocked out of its lungs, the bunshin was left helpless, allowing the 'kunoichi' to trip it, pushing her palm against its neck in the process. Landing hard on the floor, 'Naraku' felt a body mass pressing against him as a kunai appeared near his throat.
"Looks like I win in the end" Gouka stated with a smirk as another puff wrapped around her body, allowing it to turn back into the real Naraku. A moment later the phantom faded into thin air, leaving behind nothing more then purple smoke. The young Uchiha glanced at Kumiko, yet the chuunin was in no rush to announce the result:
"That was an... interesting strategy, Naraku-kun" she proclaimed, rubbing her chin. "However did you came up with it?" she asked, making the boy scratch the back of his head in embarrassment as a single drop of sweat run down his face.
"Well" he began, carefully choosing his words. "I noticed that phantom was the exact replica of myself; not just in looks, but in deed and skill as well. There was no way I could beat it in a simple 'one on one' match, so it got me thinking - if he has the same strengths... maybe he has the same weaknesses."
"And Gouka?" Buryaku questioned, her face expression confusion beyond belief.
"Well, I may not show it, but ever since my youth, my sister always made me feel uneasy when she was around" the young Uchiha replied, doing his best to avoid eye-contact. "I recently realized this when I got to see here after finishing Academy; I may not be afraid of her anymore, but I still get nervous. Figured that her, sudden appearance on the scene would throw me off my game... and that's exactly what happened to that clone."
"Even though he says that" Toramaru analyzed, narrowing his eyes. "Up till now he was unable to break through that bunshin's guard... with just taking Gouka's form, the situation changed drastically; he may say what he wants, but the truth is, to him, Gouka's still..."
"Took you a bit longer then I've anticipated" Kumiko announced with a smile, interrupting the blond's trail of thought as she gathered everyone's attention. "But, there's no denying that you pass this test" she finished, making Naraku light up instantly as he went into Toramaru's arms. Buryaku, doing her best to avoid embarrassment, made a wide circle around the two as she headed towards their old Academy teacher.
"Nice job, Naraku" the blond boy high-five his friend. "Knew you had the fighting skills of a chuunin" he complimented the young Uchiha, but quickly the woman joined their conversation, correcting the white-eyed gennin: "Actually, that wasn't specifically what was tested here..."
"It wasn't?" Naraku asked surprised, turning towards her.
"No" Kumiko repeated calmly. "Your fighting capabilities will be checked elsewhere; this challenge I prepared was something different altogether and there was a reason why you fought a phantom of yourself in order to pass."
"So what was the purpose?" Buryaku questioned, visibly curious.
"Being chuunin will put you in position of squad leader" the other kunoichi explained, her face turning serious all of a sudden. "It'll be your job to not only fulfill mission objectives but also bring all of your subordinates home safely. In order to do that, you'll need to know their strengths and weaknesses to better distribute assignments..."
"That is preciously what Ino-san said" Toramaru nodded to himself with understanding.
"I believe that knowing other people is impossible if one doesn't know themselves" Kumiko went on, regaining his attention. "A leader must be perfectly aware of his own skills; both strengths AND weaknesses! It's easy to determine what we're good at, but being able to see your own inability provides you with a much more, useful knowledge, especially since most people are not willing to accept their flaws. And, as long as you know where you're short, you have made the first step to improvement in that regard" she announced, scanning the group to see if they understood.
Receiving determined looks from all three, she smiled, clearing the way towards the doors: "Well, that's all I had to tell you; I suggest you hurry – it took Naraku a bit more to clear the test and your time is short. Don't wanna fail this early, do you?" she teased, making the trio bow and head through the exit. Immediately they found themselves in what seemed to be an endless stairway and, without wasting another moment, they went up, beating the distance at top speed.
The room they entered was even simpler then the previous – lacking the mat in the center, it was a plain cubical with a single door on the opposite side and a lone figure standing beside it; having spiky, ash-gray hair and eyes in the same color, this individual was clad in a black jumpsuit with a gray vest and metal protectors covering his legs. The Leaf hitae-ate shun on his forehead, while three, medium size, round rings hung in his left ear.
"Takashi-sensei?" Toramaru raised his eyebrow at the sight, granted this was not as surprising as the previous encounter: "You're our second examiner?"
"I take it you already ran into one of my, Academy colleagues" the man responded with an overly-stretched voice while he reached to the back of his vest. "To answer your question – yes, I will be your challenger here. Please, choose your representative wisely... and I already know Naraku cannot participate" he added, picking out two candles; one thick, but short, while the other thin, yet tall. "The test itself isn't complicated – we will battle with two candles; whoever's flame dies first loses."
"Dammit, even in these circumstances, his lectures are boring" the young Uchiha whined in his mind at the monotone voice of his former teacher. To his shock, his female companion stepped forward immediately, this time not bothering to consult her choice with others.
"Buryaku, what are you doing?" Toramaru demanded, glancing at the kunoichi.
"Doing my part" the girl replied casually with a shrug. "If it comes down to choosing a candle, either one of us can take this; between you and me, you're the one with more talents, so it's more likely that you're a better choice for the last challenge... this one only tests our luck."
"You really think it's that simple?" Naraku asked skeptically.
"Not exactly, no" Buryaku admitted calmly. "However, if the match is resolved with choosing a candle, then any tactics are useless – there's no telling which of the two will burn out faster and while we can assume one of these is booby-trapped, there really is no way to determine which is which; either of us has the exact same chance of success in this one."
"There is some sense in what you're saying" the white-eyed boy agreed. "Still, do you really believe this test to be that straight-forward?"
"Takashi-sensei was a history teacher in the Academy" the kunoichi responded immediately. "It's a safe bet there's no, particular field of shinobi skills he can grade us on besides tactics and knowledge and, in those areas, I believe to be superior in our group."
"I hate it when you're such a know-it-all" the other blond commented, but deep down knew she spoke the truth. With the silent allowance, Buryaku continued forward and picked the tall and thin candle: "I'd like to have that one" she announced, making the chuunin nod.
Calmly he reached for his vest and picked out two matches; without haste he handed her the candle she choose along with the stick, while keeping the other set for himself: "On my mark we shall light the candles" he announced, receiving a nod from the kunoichi: "Now."
The knots lit up and the flames came to life above wax. At first everything seemed normal, giving premise to the most boring duel in history... but, a moment later, the blonde's flame strengthened, devouring the candle right before her eyes. The girl watched this happen calmly, yet her teammates were visibly freaked-out over the result:
"Shit, that was the booby-trapped one!" Naraku yelled, panicking.
"Not exactly" Takashi corrected in his usual, robotic tone. "The fact is I have two sets, each equipped with one that is booby-trapped; I made the switch while I was reaching for the matches. Regardless to the candle Buryaku would've picked, she would receive the one burning faster."
"What the hell?" Toramaru snapped at the news. "And you just admit it like that? This isn't fair, Takashi-sensei!"
"Why not?" the chuunin asked without any trace of remorse. "All I said was that in order for you to succeed, my flame will need to die faster then yours... I even specifically said that we'll be battling with 'two candles' in stead of 'these candles', indicating there might be more then just two."
"But how can we win if everything is against us?" the young Uchiha questioned, discouraged.
"And how is that any different from a mission in a foreign country?" the man replied, making a point. "As chuunin you'll be sent on missions beyond Fire Nation's borders, to lands you often know little of; having no information about the enemy or terrain, you go in blindly and have to accept your adversary's terms, which, for most part, are not favorable to you. Your ability to adapt... to overcome such obstacles and succeed above all odds makes the difference between life and death."
"That is a valid point" Buryaku nodded as she gently placed her candle on the floor. "I must compliment you on the premise of this test, Takashi-sensei" she added, taking a few steps forward. "However, I already promised myself that I will not drag these guys down again" she announced, tilting her head at the two boys. "And thus, I cannot lose here" she finished, reaching for her fan.
In a flash the kunoichi swung her weapon, creating a powerful gust of wind which sped towards the chuunin. Before the man could react, the air hit his flame, instantly putting it down, leaving just a thin trail of smoke to climb to the ceiling. Keeping his calm exterior, the Academy instructor gazed at his candle and then at the girl, his face indifferent:
"Congratulations, you pass" the lack of ceremony those words were spoken in made Toramaru sweat drop; one would think that after four years of school he'd have gotten used to Takashi's persona, but the man was and always will be an annoying, old fart. One thing the boy had to admit after this though – be it knowledge from textbooks or actual experience, this gray-haired chuunin definitely knew what it took to be a real ninja; a fact he didn't fully appreciate up til now.
The trio bowed to their, former teacher and went out the door, to another flight of stairs. After a quick reminder from Buryaku that their three hours were nearly up, they rushed through the steps, reaching the next doors in record time.
They entered the final chamber, which seemed little different then the previous two – same, square shape and white walls, the inside rid of basically any furniture. And yet, there was something unusual for this room; it had two doors on the opposite side. The trio exchanged glances, taken slightly aback by the fact, just as the examiner appeared before them: "Well, this is surprising... me actually getting to test you three..."
The young gennin gave little indication that they were shocked; running into two of their Academy teachers earlier, it wasn't that mind-blowing to have a third in their way. True, it was uncanny, but nothing even 'twitch-worthy'.
"So what's the challenge, Iruka-sensei?" Toramaru asked unceremonially, making the chuunin sweat drop at the lack of reaction from his former students. He let out a sigh as a memory of a certain blond on his first attempt in these exams rushed through his head. Now he shown a proper way of greeting in these circumstances.
"The test is rather simple" the scar-faced man replied after letting out a sigh. "And, as I understand, you're the challenger?" he asked as the white-eyed boy stepped forward. The son of Hokage nodded, which made Iruka perform a quick seal. In a flash two, identical figures appeared in the room, both wearing wide, blue robes and sporting a thick, brown beard around their mouths. Messy, brown hair stood in all directions from their heads, while the symbol of the Leaf decorated their sleeves and backs: "These are Tai and Kai" the man introduced the duo, pointing in their general direction in stead of one by one, which made Buryaku very suspicious. "They are your only hope in this challenge... as well as the only obstacle..."
"Huh?" the blond let out with a dumb-fooled expression plastered on his face.
"Before I explain, it's best to set the rules first" the chuunin announced, turning towards the white-eyed boy's teammates. "You two are strictly forbidden to do anything that might influence this test in any way; you may whisper among yourselves, since Toramaru is not allowed to use his Byakugan and thus won't be able to read your lips... but also Sharingan is forbidden, if you've managed to awaken it, Naraku-kun."
"No doujutsu allowed?" Buryaku thought to herself curiously, while the man shifted his attention back to the blond boy: "Now, Toramaru, as you can see, there are two doors leading out of here; one will guide you to the top of the tower and completion of this exam... the other marks 'immediate failure' should you pick it. Naturally, your task is to choose the correct one."
"So this is just a test of luck?" the son of Hokage asked, to which the kunoichi let out a sigh: "And they say there are no stupid questions" she shook her head at her comrade's lack of perception.
"Of course not" Iruka remained patient, smiling towards the teen. "You do get help... for Tai and Kai here. Now, they both know which door is which, so all you need to do is ask them about it... however, I should warn you, that while Tai is honest to the core, Kai is a pathological liar and will always answer untruthfully. To that end, you should pay heed to whatever words come out of their mouths."
"Okay" Toramaru nodded with understanding. "So who's who?"
"That I'm not gonna tell you" the chuunin responded immediately with an evil smirk. "Furthermore, be advised that you're allowed to ask them only one question... that is one question for both of them. Once you use it, they'll both disappear. If you'll try asking a different question to either, the result will be the same."
"So I can't just ask how much is one plus one to determine which of them is Kai" the white-eyed teen instantly analyzed. "I'll just waste my only question that way."
"According to my clock, you have about five minutes to clear this test, else you fail the exam" Iruka continued with a calm voice, putting extra pressure on the boy. "Thus I encourage you to think of a way to pick a door quickly... oh, and one, last thing – if you'll attempt to chance it by choosing a door randomly, they'll both lead to disqualification. Genjustu barrier placed on the one leading to the roof will only disappear after the Kai and Tai does..."
"That isn't fair!" Naraku snapped, pointing at the scar-faced ninja. "What does this has to do with a chuunin quality? What is this challenge suppose to prove, Iruka-sensei? If we can't use our strengths to beat it, then what is the point? A real ninja would never place restrains on himself!"
The man remained neutral to the outburst, even as he replied with a stoic voice: "You don't always get to use your full potential on a mission... plus using your techniques is not always the best way to achieve your goal. First and foremost this is a test of your intelligence... however, other capabilities are graded as well" he announced, making the young Uchiha give him a quizzical look. "Let me paint you a clearer picture then – imagine you're on a mission to destroy the bridge guarded by enemy shinobi. You know nothing of their power, numbers nor traps they set. The most efficient way to gather these information is interrogation of your adversary. But, rest assured, that your opponents will not willingly give you the answer..."
"Indeed" Buryaku nodded with a serious expression. "That's why genjutsu exists..."
"Yes, but some show great resistance to illusions" Iruka countered, stone-faced. "Often, in stead of torture and treat, a less violent approach is better suited. Once you've lived through enough, you'll learn that sometimes it's not about how you ask... but what you ask..."
"Then, basically, this is about asking the right question?" the white-eyed boy concluded, receiving a nod from the man. Shifting his gaze at the two phantoms, he narrowed his eyes, weighting his options: "I can't just ask 'which door leads to the roof', coz that will give me nothing and I can't waste my question to determine who's the liar and who's honest... the only way to pass this is choosing a question about the doors which will make both of them point towards the same one, labeling it... but what the hell am I supposed to ask to get THAT outcome?"
"Any ideas, Buryaku?" Naraku whispered to his teammate, completely clueless himself. The kunoichi had a worried look on her face as her eyes narrowed: "Not particularly... of course, I can figure out what sort of outcome the right question should give, but defining the exact question to achieve that answer is a whole, other story; one thing is certain – it cannot be a straight-forward one..."
"Clock is ticking" Iruka reminded Toramaru, making the boy sweat even more. His mind was in chaos, trying to find the words he needed to use, but he got nothing: "A liar and truth-teller... what can they, possibly, have in common that" he began as his eyes widen at realization. Shocked at the stroke of genius, he turned to the phantom on the left, unsure of the words that left his mouth: "If I asked your look-alike 'which doors lead to the roof'... which door would he point out?"
Slowly the man presented him the doors on the boy's left, making the blond nod. Then, he shifted his gaze towards the other phantom, taking a deep breath before asking the same question: "And if I asked your look-alike 'which doors lead to towards the roof', where would he point?"
Mimicking the other phantom, the man pointed to the young gennin's left just before the duo vanished: "Doors leading towards failure" Toramaru concluded, turning towards the chuunin: "I choose the doors on my right, Iruka-sensei."
The Academy teacher smirked under his nose as he stepped aside: "Congratulations then – you passed the test. I must say I'm amazed; didn't expect Naruto's kid to figure this out that fast" he teased with a warm smile. "I'd like to purpose a celebration, but you're short on time, so best you get going immediately" he urged, making the trio rush through the door.
As the raced towards the top, Naraku asked the obvious question, still confused over the outcome: "I don't get it – how did you determined which doors to take?"
"It's actually quite interesting" Buryaku responded with a smile, giving the other blond an approving glance. "By asking that, very question, Toramaru received the answer he needed; if he just asked which doors lead to the roof, each phantom would point to a different one... but asking about the answer their counterpart would give, he got the result required... think about it – asked 'which door would the other phantom point to when asked about the one leading to the top', the honest one would naturally show the one labeled 'failure', since that is the door the fake would support. But, if you ask the liar the same thing, he'd point to the one leading to failure as well, because that answer was a lie..."
"Thus, the doors they pointed to, was the wrong one" Toramaru finished, his face indifferent, yet inside he was having a little love-fest for himself. But the test was not over yet – they still had to reach the roof and as they came before the exit, they dashed through, into another unknown...
-another door broken... and beyond?-
And so this chapter ends; sure hope you enjoyed it, coz thinking up all those tests for the tower (despite only three) was quite a bother, let me tell you; particularly Buryaku's part ^^'
Originally, the events of this chapter were supposed to be stretched over two installments, but I figured that'll drag the story too much so I, essentially, shorten each of the challenged and fitted them all into this one. I realize it may feel rushed due to that, but I'd like to think the story benefited from it (seriously, I cannot imagine Buryaku's trial to be captivating in its original length and I don't think Toramaru would've been either).; the biggest downside to it is that Naraku's part got cut and that left me feeling that I haven't elaborated on the 'evenly-matched' aspect enough. Oh well...
Konoha #1 (Teigo Kinuta): Buryaku Nara, Naraku Uchiha, Toramaru Uzumaki
Konoha #2 (Lee Rock): Hinako Nekko (the redhead girl with a black cat, Kuroki), Gaki Nayamasu (the muscular boy), Gai Rock (the boy with a bowl-like haircut)
Konoha #3 (Shikamaru Nara): Shunrai (the girl with a crush on Toramaru), Choumaru Akimichi (the chubby boy), Gitou Hisakata (the coughing boy)
Konoha #4 (Hinata Uzumaki): Gouka Uchiha (Naraku's twin sister), Kumo Aburame (the boy in green overcoat), Garou Inuzuka (the boy with the dog, Hanomaru)
Konoha #5 (Hasaki Kinzoku): Hitomi Hyuuga (white-eyed girl), Jun Hatake (the masked teen), Shimiru Abunage (the blond with piercings and a skateboard)
Konoha #6 (Hiyoko Shinku): Akemi Nekata (green-haired girl), Akai Kagami (the redhead), Akumo Megane (the boy with glasses)
Konoha (Sai): Madoka Garasu (the girl with gems), Kouhai Shimura (Danzou's cousin), Monuke (the pale-skinned boy)
Suna #1 (Mashino): ? (girl with metal protectors), Kobura (the boy in black), Sabaku no Shikyo (the boy with the gourd)
Suna #2 (Kankuro): Sabaku no Hakachi (the girl with the gourd), ? (the boy with a headgear and scrolls), Fuugo (the masked pipsqueak)
Kumo (?): Juryoku Kakeme (the blue-haired girl), Fukaru Makaze (the blond boy), Aitou Mekakushi (the blind-folded boy)
Ame (?): ? (the kimono wearing girl), Shunsai Irezumi (the tattooed boy), ? (the boy with a headgear)
Kane (?): Moroha Gengetsu (the girl with a crescent-moon blade), Toukai Kurogane (the violet-haired boy), Kousotsu (the armored boy)
Kusa (?): Hana Makiba (girl in a yellow kimono), Kouba Ibara (the boy in worn-out clothes), Nekkei Utsuru (the sick boy)
Taki (?): Kitou (the girl with a praying stick), ? (the boy with a large scroll), Sayoku (the boy with bandaged mouth and a hawk, Takamu)
Yuki (?): Orafu Futotta (the fat guy with the shield), Erikku Hakabakashi (the redhead), Balegu Seiretsu (the swordsman)
Sawa (?): ? (the girl with the pipe), Kawaridane (the double-pupil teen), ? (the black-skinned teen with drums)
Before wrapping this up, I'd like to wish you all HAPPY EASTER (since I won't manage to update before the holidays). Have a great time with your family and return with new energy to read this piece afterwards ;)
Take care and until next time!