Chapter 20: Ayako's Decision
Reizo had lost count of how many times he'd had to turn away, hang his head and sigh in embarrassment at the Kage Summit Conference - he'd stopped keeping track once he reached the three digit mark. Three hours of nightmarish torture had begun with Kikuchiyo's announcement; three hours of their 'wise' and elderly Raikage making glib remarks at the expense of his peers and procrastinating every argument that broke out.
The conference had gone just as he'd feared. Mere seconds had passed before the leaders of respective countries – the five most powerful ninja in the world - had been reduced to baseless accusers and petty criticisers. The only Kage to keep his cool was Hiromasa Hyuga; Peparo Raan had held out for a while, but it wasn't long before he'd been dragged into the same shallow debates as the Raikage, the Tsuchikage and the Mizukage.
For the first hour or two Kikuchiyo had tried in vain to keep the conference civil and calm, but after he saw that it did little good he submitted to the angry ravings of the Kage.
Reizo understood why they argued so; they were angry. They needed someone to blame for the loss of their ninja and one of them had to be lying. Even so, there were better ways to glean this information than simply pointing the finger and seeing what happened. The fact remained that each of them had the ulterior motives necessary to start a war – military dominance, spite, greed, or, as Reizo suspected was the case, historical immortality.
Two hundred years without a war had been great for the general ninja populous, but it made for complacent, weaker Kage who were hardly remembered for more than a few years after the end of their reign. To be a Kage one had to be ambitious, and Reizo could see the appeal clearly enough. Leaders and elite ninja in a war were recognised, their names etched into the history books to be forever studied and admired. These ninja all followed in the footsteps of their long-dead predecessors: the First Kage, the Sage of the Six Paths and so on – all of them commanded authority that spanned well beyond their respective lifespans.
The victor of this war would of course be the one who was remembered the most, and clearly each of the Kage believed that they stood a chance at winning if it came to that.
When Kikuchiyo commanded that the session be adjourned they continued squabbling for another full ten minutes until they gave up and returned to their Jonin for consolation. Naturally Reizo knew that the Raikage would take little on board from whatever council he might offer. If he listened, Reizo would advise him to calm down and assess the situation carefully as the Hokage did, but since he wouldn't hear it, Reizo said nothing.
Instead he only observed the Kage as he rose to his feet and waddled over to them. His face was flustered, his palms sweaty - as if he'd just ran a mile on those flimsy sticks he called legs. Clearly the argument had tired him, as he withdrew another crushed leaf of tobacco and refilled the pipe that he wasn't supposed to light.
"Lord Raikage, if I may," suggested Hatori. Reizo had completely forgotten that the sensory ninja had been standing beside him the entire time. "Perhaps it's time that I scoped them out – perceive their chakra flows to determine which is lying."
Kira sucked on his pipe like a dummy before giving a cluck of his tongue and thoughtfully nodding through a haze of smoke. "Very well then," he said. "I had hoped to work out who it is for myself, but I fear my deductive reasoning skills have gone a little rusty over the years. Personally though, I suspect the Tsuchikage, so focus on her."
Reizo scratched his head and held back a laugh at the Raikage's outlandish statement. "But she was only just instated as a Kage. . . It can't be her – the clone attacks began weeks before she came into power."
"Well uh-" Kira paused and scratched his head, trying to think up of a reason to cover his ignorance. "Well, exactly. The clones killed her predecessor. Perhaps she sent them on purpose to earn his position."
Reizo hummed and nodded. To Kira's credit it wasn't such a bad theory, even if he had just made it up on the spot. Then again little about it made sense – only a Kage would know the whereabouts of a foreign squad to send the teams of clones to, and it made little sense for her to kill the last Tsuchikage when she'd already been appointed as his successor. Nevertheless, Reizo kept his comments to himself and decided to humour Kira for the time being.
If things got too out of hand there was nothing he could do about it, and if the Kage didn't kill each other before the conference was over then war would soon follow if this process continued.
When the conference returned from its recess the heat of the arguments began to burn. Kira was more vocal than ever before and even the calm Hyuga began to make a few more comments than usual. Behind his cool exterior he was visibly ticked off with the immaturity of his peers, and since he was completely outnumbered he could turn to no one for support when the accusations turned his way.
"You've been awfully quiet Lord Hokage, is there something we should be knowing?" cooed the Tsuchikage. From there a tirade of allegations from three of them and insults from the brutish Mizukage began.
Reizo repeated his process of exhaling and turning away as he zoned out of the conference, instead turning his eyes to Hatori. The sensory ninja watched the Hokage with the utmost intensity, staring down with hawk-like eyes. Reizo knew that this was one of the most complex forms of ninjutsu out there, one that only the sharpest minds could comprehend.
Hatori was quite literally focusing his chakra to create a lens of sorts to peer through. From there he saw the chakra flow that circulated around the body and natural output that a person gave off if he concentrated on them for long enough. He watched for inconsistencies, for the tiniest fluctuations that indicated a lie, but doing so when looking at such a vast network of information was like finding a salmon coloured needle in a haystack filled with pink ones.
The difference between truth and lie was so precise that it was almost impossible to spot to untrained eyes, and once a lie was spotted, working out whether it was relevant or not was another process that Reizo couldn't even attempt to decipher. He stood back and allowed Hatori do work his magic, knowing that the only thing to do now was be patient and wait for the verdict.
Hoshi turned, ushering the pair forward with an exasperating flap. "Just hurry up would you? It's going dark already!"
"Easy for you to say," mumbled Shoryu weakly.
A brief hour for recovery had been followed by a trek that led both squads through the final hurdle – the jungle of the Island Turtle's shoulder. Only a few miles ahead the neck rested with its doors ready to be opened, and midnight was the deadline. All their efforts would be for naught if the two teams didn't reach it in time.
At Hoshi's request they'd divided into two groups. She, Shoryu and Kazuya – the strongest fighters at close range – scouted ahead whilst the remaining three staggered some two hundred metres behind. Each group carried a key; Hoshi for the vanguard and Ayako for the rear, and this ensured that if one of them was taken out, at least one group would be able to progress.
After the fall from the sky tensions were glum. Kazuya pushed forward, grimacing with every step and concealing the fact that every movement ached. Shoryu meanwhile made no attempt to hide his pain. The boy staggered one pace at a time, gripping the sheathed length of his katana with both hands and using it as a cane as he hobbled through the woods like an old man.
Above the trees of the shaded canopy the mountain before them grew closer with every passing minute. Up and up into the clouds it rose, and Shoryu knew that if they could just make it to the base they'd be saved, for that mountain was the neck of the Island Turtle. Their goal was in plain sight, spurring the teens further and further into the dark of the jungle.
Hoshi hadn't made it any easier though. With the hour at seven o'clock, five hours remained for them to reach their destination. Shoryu reckoned it would take only one or two at their current speed, however the moody kunoichi kept insisting that they move quicker despite the fall they'd just endured. Where Kazuya quietly complied, Shoryu always used it as an excuse to crack another sly remark.
It took in fact three whole hours to reach the neck, and at ten at night the scene was illuminated only by the stars and moonlight. The dense jungle suddenly stopped, as if chopped down in one straight line as it opened up to a small slope, atop which the doors lay.
Polished and silver, gleaming in the night's radiance, twenty giant steel doors were perfectly arranged in a row before them. They stood grand and imposing with their obvious girth and tight security, and made a strange contrast against all the organic greenery that surrounded them. Tendrils of chaotic vines snaked up those that weren't covered entirely in moss; flowers of different colours also stood out in the grass up to shin-height at the doorsteps.
A few of them had been jammed shut by a set of prison-like bars that told Shoryu they'd already been used by other groups. Of the twenty doors, five had been unlocked and sealed shut in the aftermath. All of them however shared one thing in common; each lead into a tunnel of sorts, fortified by the same shimmering steel that forged the doors. These tunnels led in a straight line up the mountain, running parallel to each other like an aqueduct.
Gingerly the trio inched toward the entrances, approaching two of the available fifteen that stood beside each other. Once they were sure no traps had been laid they moved right up to the doorsteps and immediately noticed the opening in which to place their keys. Satisfied, they crouched to the ground and relaxed, awaiting the return of the others in order to progress.
Shoryu's backside had barely touched the ground though when something caught his attention back at the jungle. Streaming up overhead, a flare reached for the clouds; an unmistakeable crimson firecracker of the kind he knew all too well. A scream followed it – perhaps Jinga's – and then the distinct clash of steel against steel echoed from the plantation. As kunai bounced off each other the sound of claps accompanied the metal drumming, followed closely by the sound of rushing water.
Shoryu's heart skipped a beat. He looked to Kazuya, caught the eye of Hoshi, and without saying a word the three bolted back into the jungle as a sudden burst of adrenaline forced the boy to forget all about the stabbing pain in his back. His mind raced as he wondered what happened, but only one possibility seemed plausible, one that he prayed wasn't the case.
He lost sight of the others in an instant; in the natural camouflage of a thick jungle a ninja was all but invisible against the greenery. With no regard for the thorns lashing at his legs or the wiry branches whipping against his face Shoryu ploughed forward. He followed only the sound of battle and the occasional spark that shot up into the night as he cursed his lack of speed – Ayako could be dead by the time he got there.
"They're right ahead!" he heard Hoshi call somewhere to his left. Shoryu nodded but made no move to reply; in his muddled impatience he couldn't help but blame her for this. If they'd just stuck together they would've been safe, but no, they had to split up, and now they'd paid for it dearly.
Worse still was the fact that even as he grew closer the noises began to dim. The skirmish was coming to a close; he heard only a few ricochets of shuriken as opposed to the tempest he'd heard earlier, and the splash of Yuudai's water jutsu had grown consistently weaker. He spied a flash of yellow ahead just moments before he burst into the open clearing, becoming immediately conscious of his lack of defence.
He could've run straight into a battlefield and be immediately skewered from all sides by swords and shuriken and jutsu, but to his good fortune the yellow he saw came from Ayako. She wielded what appeared to be her entire scroll of colour in her hands from a kneeling position, noticing Shoryu just as she clapped and struck the ground.
"Shading Jutsu! Eternal Dome!"
Shoryu, Kazuya and Hoshi just about managed to scramble to their comrades before the shield went up. Shoryu recognised it immediately as the technique she'd used during her fight against Kazuya on their first day as Genin. A pool of light glowed from the surface beneath them, and before they could question it all six ninja became suddenly encased in a giant half-sphere of translucent yellow chakra. Unless broken by some powerful force, this jutsu would protect them from attacks in all directions for as long as Ayako could maintain it.
Yuudai seemed to have a similar idea. His lips were cut and from the back of his hand a shuriken protruded, but amazingly he still managed to form hand signs. "Water Style! Geyser Enfold!"
At Yuudai's command the ground surrounding the dome erupted. Eight columns of steaming water burst from bulging mole-holes and rose twenty feet into the air, hindering the view of any onlookers and allowing a few moments of cool-down time to assess the situation. It turned out to be just as bad as bad as Shoryu feared, if not worse.
Jinga lay unconscious on the ground; Shoryu would've thought him dead if it weren't for the heavy breaths that pumped his protruding stomach in and out. He'd collapsed from chakra exhaustion, no doubt coupled with the pain that came from having half his body bruised and bloodied.
Yuudai was worse still. He maintained his consciousness as he gave deep pants, but it seemed like the two hands he'd planted on the ground were the only things keeping him upright. Along with the shuriken embedded in his palm, another two had struck his back, one had met his thigh, a fifth was embedded in his shoulder and half a dozen more seemed to have slashed across him, as he'd veered out of the way just in time to avoid them hitting his vital organs.
Shoryu counted ten senbon jammed into his flesh too, and being brave enough he could admit to himself that there was no way he could have stayed conscious throughout it all. Even more shocking was the fact that his pale skin tone and trembling fingers indicated his dire lack of chakra.
Over the three days he'd known the boy, Shoryu noted that Yuudai treated everything to do with battle as if it was no big deal; even when summoning white-water rapids and sweeping waves from thin air he rarely broke a sweat. He knew that the teen's natural level of chakra was far superior to his own, or to Kazuya's; heck, he probably possessed more than Reizo. If Yuudai of all people was low on chakra then something was very wrong. Just what kind of a force had he been forced to repel in order to spend so much energy in just a few minutes?
As bad as Jinga and Yuudai were, a second glance at Ayako proved with a heart-wrenching jolt that she had suffered the worst of all. Jinga and Yuudai's injuries, however extensive, were superficial; they were lucky to have been spared all their organs in the onslaught and their wounds were relatively shallow. Ayako had sustained only a single injury, but it was enough to put her out of action.
Shoryu's arms fell limply to his sides. "Oh no. . ."
Her left leg was broken in two different places, turned almost ninety degrees at the top leading down to a cracked shinbone. Shoryu looked with confusion at the inch of broken, red-shaded stick that looked like a snapped bamboo shoot before he realised it was bone poking out of her leg. If she didn't get medical attention soon she might never walk again, so his eyes fell to Jinga. Oh yeah, he thought glumly, remembering that the boy was flat out-cold.
How she stopped herself from screaming baffled Shoryu. Her lips were pursed tight and her watery eyes squinted into soundless tears, but she never said a word, she simply quickened her breathing and held on tight to ground. If she let go then the barrier was done for, and the moment that happened whatever force had attacked them would descend upon them like nightjars to their prey.
"Ayako!" Kazuya exclaimed. He rushed to her side and squatted beside her, daring not to touch her for fear of aggravating her injuries or knocking her off balance lest the shielding yellow dome cease to exist. Nearby Hoshi did the same with her own two teammates, whilst Shoryu only stared gravely at the hopeless situation that confronted them.
"What happened?" Kazuya continued. "Try not to move, alright?"
With her head shivering like a reflex to cold Ayako nodded slowly. She gritted her teeth tighter and spoke in brief sentences, hissing through a spray of spittle after each labouring phrase. "We-. . ." She paused, catching her breath. "We were attacked."
"By who? Who did this?" demanded Shoryu.
The kunoichi lifted her head and looked up to the boy from her position on one knee, but with her condition so dire Shoryu found that looking her in the eye was impossible without feeling an uncontrollable surge of guilt. He knew the answer already; he merely had to hear it with his own ears.
"Kouta – that bastard – him and his team," she managed.
"But how?" said Kazuya. "There were three of them and three of you. I get that they ambushed you but they can't have managed all this."
"No-. . ." She shook her head. "He's – he's got more. . . Another squad – one more team from the Hidden Mist. There were six of them – they joined up with another squad just like we did."
Shoryu whirled around, unable to control his anger anymore, anger that so rarely surfaced. He pointed an accusing finger at Hoshi – still tending to Yuudai as best she could – and exploded in rage. "Damn it! This is your fault! We should've stuck together like I said!"
"Shoryu calm down, this isn't going to solve anything," instructed the samurai. Even on his emotionless façade his relief that Hoshi didn't react was clear. The last thing they needed was to fight amongst themselves, not when the enemy still lurked so close by.
"No. . ." Ayako stammered. She gulped and winced into another sentence as sweat poured down her face. "You're wrong Shoryu. They took us by surprise – if we stuck together. . . Then all - all six of us would be in this state."
Shoryu grimaced and turned his back; she was right after all. In his pettiness he considered suggesting that if they'd stuck together they might have at least been able to take down one or two of them, but what good would that have done? Kouta's group would've attacked them whichever way they proceeded, and as much as it pained him to admit it, this was probably the best-case outcome for the good of the group.
He analysed the situation once again to search for a way out. He supposed that those inside Ayako's barrier could leave without damaging it, as he'd seen before that only the exterior of the yellow shading jutsu was solid. He peered through the tinted glass dome at the darkened trees that surrounded them, seeking the six ninja that had assaulted his comrades. He didn't see a single one of them, but he knew they were there, waiting patiently and biding their time for the moment when Yuudai's geysers and Ayako's shield simultaneously failed.
"Alright. . . What now?" he asked at last. In spite of his sharp mind he saw no way for all six of them to get out. If they were to simply leave through Ayako's barrier they'd be spotted instantly, and doing that would involve leaving Ayako behind. She, Yuudai and Jinga couldn't walk either, so they'd need to be carried. Shoryu doubted they could each run back through the jungle with a ninja on their backs whilst another half a dozen pursued them through the jungle. They'd be cut down before they took ten steps.
Ayako's breathing accelerated to even more rapid exhales as the pain began to intensify, and in spite of herself a tiny, mouse-like squeal escaped her. Yet that was all she permitted herself; after that she renewed her vigour and remained strong.
"I'll create. . . Colour clones of you three - right now – Yuudai's technique is." Her mouth contorted into a wordless stretch of pain before she continued. "Is blocking their view. Once he lowers it, they'll see the six of us together, and come for us again. By the time that happens you three." With a breath for air she motioned to Shoryu, Kazuya and Hoshi. "Should be long gone – take the key and go on to the third stage without us."
"No." Kazuya stood and shook his head firmly. "I can't run. Let me be the decoy, I'll hold them off."
"Like hell you will, let me do it," Shoryu offered. Even the basic clone jutsu had always eluded the boy, so he had no idea what kind of a plan he was going to make. Whatever it was, Ayako shot it down immediately.
"No you WON'T!" she screamed. Her strength returned as her determination to stop her two closest friends acting foolish reached its peak. "We don't have time to decide who gets to risk their life here!" she said, imitating Shoryu's words just a short week ago.
"Well apparently we did before! What's changed now?" demanded Shoryu.
"You really want me to go through all the reasons?"
"Enlighten me!"
"Fine! First: Shoryu, I hate to break it to you but your clones would be about as convincing as a log with a stick figure drawn on it! Second: Kazuya here won't get another shot at this! If he martyrs himself here then his life as a ninja is over! Squad Thirteen will be done."
Shoryu remained speechless, preparing himself for the remaining onslaught of perfectly valid justifications to come screaming his way.
"Third: it's you two they want – Kouta's after you and that Suzume girl wants Kazuya for some reason! If we go down, once they notice you're not here they'll probably just leave us alone. Last but not least: Look at my leg you idiot!"
The boy cringed as he forced his eyes back to the mangled mess of his teammate's usually silky smooth left leg. Blood flowed all the way down it to the uncomfortable crevices between her toes. Walking on it was impossible; someone had made a real state of it.
She continued, "What the hell do you expect me to do in stage three? Drag myself to victory? Let's face it, the Chunin exam ends for me here, but it doesn't have to for you guys!"
Near-silence flooded the dome as the only sounds remaining became the rushing waterfalls of Yuudai's geysers and the hum of Ayako's yellow chakra around them. Hoshi had also fallen silent, as she seemed to have reached a same level of understanding with her teammate. Shoryu pitied her more than anyone; at least he would have Kazuya, Hoshi meanwhile would have to continue as the only ninja remaining in Squad Five to the finals.
Determined to stop it all, Shoryu raked his mind again to search for another alternative. It was fruitless; Ayako was right. Even if he did manage to create a distraction and take her place she wouldn't have gotten very far on that leg anyway. Better for just her to fail here than all three of them. Shoryu knew it made sense, but bringing himself to admit it was another milestone.
"I don't know what to say," he muttered.
Ayako craned her neck to an awkward angle and pulled the key from her breast-pocket using her teeth after a little difficulty, being sure not to lift her hands even an inch from the ground. With a toss of her head she spat the key to the ground by Shoryu's feet.
"Then don't say anything, just get going already! I don't know how much longer I can keep this up!"
Kazuya suddenly rose to his feet and strode in front of her before dropping to one knee. He held his sword, raised and unsheathed above his bowed head as his eyes found the ground. Shoryu knew it was a signal of fealty; a sign of upmost respect. For a samurai to bow before his equal - especially a ninja - was unheard of as far as Shoryu knew.
"I'm indebted to you," he said after a few moments.
Ayako chuckled cynically, grimacing past another wave of pain that raced up her leg. "You really want to pay me back?" She addressed both of them as Kazuya rose once again. "If you meet those guys in the next round, kick their asses for me would you?"
Shoryu nodded without hesitation as he turned back to the dome, looking off in the direction of the doors. He pocketed the key and began again, "You can count on it."
"Then go – run!"
Before Shoryu understood what was happening Kazuya had seized him by the sleeve of his jacket and led him out of the transparent dome of chakra. The two darted between jetting geysers and sprinted off into the jungle; they'd lingered long enough already - if they stayed any longer for teary farewells they'd just be putting unnecessary strain on the girl whose energy was sapped by the second from the technique, and if they were caught it would be an insult to her valiant act of sacrifice.
If they were seen fleeing the dome they weren't pursued, for the moment they left they heard the soft plopping of the geysers lowering into nothing more than dripping fountains. As he dashed through the jungle of darkness Shoryu suddenly became aware of another sound accompanying the brisk sprinting of him and Kazuya. He suspected an enemy at first before realising with a start that it was Hoshi, forced to leave behind her own teammates just as they'd left Ayako.
Before long the sound of the water behind him stopped; Shoryu wasn't sure whether or not this was because Yuudai had disengaged the technique or because he was so far away that he could scarcely hear it, though the following noise told him it was the former. A great crash like a million windows shattering in unison echoed around the forest as the Eternal Dome was broken.
From that moment onwards Shoryu had only sounds to narrate the events that threatened the lives of his three friends. He heard the now-familiar hail of shuriken pelting against one another, followed by a pair of consecutive splashes as the colour clones Ayako had promised to create were revealed to be nothing more than just shaded chakra. He heard another wave of water, then a scream from Yuudai, and then even a wail in frustration from someone who could only be Kouta as his masterful plan was foiled by a simple ruse.
Shoryu cursed the situation; his newly trained instincts told him to run towards the sounds, not away from them. But still he kept going, knowing that if he attempted to turn around and help them there was a good chance that Kazuya would kill him where he stood, and for good reason. After another ricochet of tempered steel the noise became eerily quiet. He heard the rapid scuttling of his, Kazuya and Hoshi's feet and the scratchy rustling of the underbrush they bolted over.
He knew what the silence meant and was all the more thankful for it. It meant that Kouta and his band of miscreants had given up trying to find them in the clearing and had set off through the jungle, determined to stop Shoryu and Kazuya before they reached the third stage. Fortunately though, they were there already.
The two-person remainder of Squad Thirteen along with Hoshi burst through the treeline of the jungle and back into the final clearing; back to the moonlit row of ominous doors that stood patiently waiting for their return. Without slowing down they ran back up the small slope and to the nearest available steel door.
Shoryu fumbled in his pockets for a few moments longer than he knew he should have before finally retrieving the key. It was a rusty old thing; long and thin with double-sided grooves running up its length. From its shape Shoryu figured it would be one of those awkward keys that took coaxing and encouragement to unlock their respective doors, but to his relief it fit like a glove into the obvious hole.
He twisted vigorously heard the satisfying 'clock' of the steel lock retracting, and seeing the look of apprehension on Kazuya's face he pulled with all his might. The door was so heavy that he believed that even a well-rested and energetic version of him would not have been able to budge it an inch six months ago. He'd grown since then, so with a heave of effort he forced every last ounce of power into his pull as the door slowly began to swing open.
He turned to Kazuya, ushering for the samurai to help him before realising that he wasn't just standing there being useless. As he turned he caught glimpse of a shuriken streaming right towards him, and with a single bat of his sword Kazuya swiped it out of the sky. His heart soared when he heard the heavy padding of footsteps rushing across the open clearing; their enemies were upon them. The moment he heard this the boy's heart raced; the pounding of his pulse almost fell into synch with the rapidly drumming footfalls.
Shoryu didn't even dare turn to them, knowing that even a brief lapse of concentration could rob him of his strength.
A few moments later a whole two feet of room had been opened. The door stood ajar, causing Shoryu to cry some unintelligible warning to Kazuya and beckon him inside. The pair did so with only moments to spare, as the moment they scrambled into the dark hallway and the door crashed shut behind them the sound of three dozen projectiles bouncing off it filled the corridor.
Total darkness consumed them as the last vestiges of starlight were snatched away by the slamming of the blast door. Shoryu was thankful for this, as he never would've heard the end of it if Kazuya saw him jump like a little girl when the scattering of shuriken was followed by a great booming that shook the room. It took him a few seconds to realise that it was probably from the system outside that sealed the entrance behind them, dropping down a cell-like wall of steel bars to prevent any from entering.
As soon as that happened the room was illuminated. Sconces planted every few steps on either side of the narrow corridor sprung into flames, lighting up the hall. Thirty paces or so down the tunnel a cabin of sorts could be seen, and on closer inspection Shoryu realised it was an elevator contraption similar to the chutes that allowed ninja to travel to and from the Village Hidden in the Clouds. Instead of going straight up through a mountain though, this lift would traverse up the tunnel, along the gradient that made up the long neck of the Island Turtle.
That, at least, was a relief for Shoryu. He imagined that walking all the way up such a steep slope would be one hell of a task that would take them at least another day or two. Together Shoryu and Kazuya approached the plain wooden gondola and took seats opposite each other. As Shoryu yanked the familiar rope pulley he was suddenly aware of the silence once again. Neither said a word as the cabin soared up into the darkness of the tunnel.
After having meagre candle lights and a complete lack of words to accompany them for a full half an hour, Shoryu and Kazuya's first reaction was one of temporary blindness and deafness when they finally strode out of the parked chute.
Against the darkness of a near-midnight sky five spotlights immediately shone directly over them, forcing them to squint and shield their eyes as the cheer from upwards of fifty people filled their ringing ears. They found themselves in an arena – no, Shoryu corrected himself, not an arena – a stadium – a grand coliseum of sorts. Rows upon rows of seats stretched back in their hundreds in a circle from elevated stands around them.
They were lit up by beacons every few rows, and following the spotlight Shoryu just barely squinted a glimpse at an even more elevated stand, one where the judges and more prestigious guests would sit to observe the events below. As his eyes fell to the raised seats around them he realised that the cheer they'd received was but a fraction of what was to come.
These fifty people or so in the crowd were simply the fanatics and gamblers who'd staked out into the dead of night to greet or take bets on the competition. A quick calculation from Shoryu told him that the coliseum's true capacity could've easily reached a hundred thousand. It was simply that big - the largest man-made structure he'd ever seen in his life, with its seats stretching up almost out of eyeshot from his low vantage point. He had no idea such a huge fortress rested on the head of the Island Turtle.
He wondered how on earth those sitting furthest back would be able to see all the action before he turned right into his answer. Right above the stretch of twenty chutes from which he'd emerged was a giant monitoring screen bigger than anything he'd seen before; he supposed it would project the events below into bigger pictures. As he spied two blinking red lights somewhere in the stands the screen fizzed into static and then to life, split into two halves which both rapidly flicked through still pictures of ninja.
Eventually one of the halves settled on a photo of Shoryu himself and began to flash to load up his statistics below; his name, his age, his weight, his nationality, his experience and of course his squad number. He realised quickly that it was the same picture they'd taken when he enrolled for the exam – just before he boarded the ship that took them to the Island Turtle. He cringed in embarrassment; at the time, he figured the photo was just for reference so they could report it if he was missing, so he'd grinned like an idiot and winked at the lens as it flashed. He would've reconsidered his pose if he knew it was to be broadcast to this many people.
Beside the giant portrait looming above him Kazuya's was finally found amidst the machine scrolling through candidates. He looked bored and completely emotionless, like a mug-shot of a jail inmate. Kazuya himself didn't seem too bothered by it though, as his eyes instead turned to the sound of the mechanical clunking below the screen.
Another gondola had arrived, and this time Hoshi strode out into the harsh glare of another set of spotlights. Kazuya and Shoryu's pictures vanished as again the screen repeated the process of flickering through hundreds of photos in a matter of seconds. Eventually it found Hoshi, the last remaining member of the Cloud's Squad Five. She looked even more bitter than usual, and if her photo was imposing then her relatively tiny appearance beneath was one of quiet lividness.
A fourth set of spotlights suddenly appeared at the far wall of the arena floor. Out of a pair of steel gates a man entered onto the gritted, ashen pitch and began to stride his way towards them. Even from a distance Shoryu recognised him, and as he got closer and closer the boy realised exactly who he was. He hadn't seen the man in over three years since his exile from the clan, yet his sharp features, hooked nose and frayed black ponytail had changed little in all that time.
Shoryu couldn't believe he never noticed what a striking resemblance the man bore to his sensei, for this was Reizo's father and head of the Zawa clan. He also couldn't believe what dismal luck he was having today.
"Congratulations all!" he began, spreading his arms out like an embracing father. "You have made it all the way to the third stage - and just in time too! I will be the acting head judge for the final phase of the exam and a councillor if you seek any guidance, my name is Saito Yukizawa." The man gave Shoryu a look of distaste, as if to say 'but you already knew that'. He stared over each of them in turn. "If you permit me a moment, I will explain th-"
The head ninja's speech was suddenly cut off by two simultaneous clicks as another pair of chutes arrived behind them. Two teams swaggered out into the spotlight, the very teams Shoryu had been expecting. The first was Kouta's group, led by the Zawa himself as he strutted with a pronounced walk towards them, weighing up the stadium with an air of smug satisfaction. Behind him walked Suzume – modestly keeping her head lowered – and her forgettable companion Norio.
The screen flashed into three distinct thirds, identifying both the Zawa and the two members of the 'Oyama' clan before labelling them collectively as 'Mixed Squad One'.
The other group followed suit, comprised of a young, ratty looking male, a female with a nose like a pug and a second male, this one hulking and well over six foot tall despite his young age. Shoryu spotted the hefty, spiked club slung over his shoulder and immediately recognised it as the weapon that had done such a number on Ayako's leg. He wanted nothing more than to rush at the Mist ninja and make him pay for what he'd done, but he had to remind himself that this was Kouta's fault more than anyone else's.
This new group - 'Mist Squad Nineteen' according to the enormous screen - had no doubt been bribed into helping Kouta carry out his ambush. They'd probably been promised a key in exchange for their assistance, as Kouta knew they'd need more manpower to stop Squad Thirteen following their failure inside the shell of the Island Turtle.
With that in mind Shoryu's instincts turned to rounding on Kouta and attempting to beat him senseless while he had the chance, but there was no reward in that besides instant gratification. Ayako had acted so selflessly to ensure they had a shot at passing, and if he attacked Kouta now then he'd be disqualified. He'd also be a hypocrite, as he'd instructed Kazuya to 'let it go' in a similar fashion just a short week ago on the ferry here.
"Ah, Kouta! Just in time!" exclaimed Saito, visibly happy to see his nephew after spending days worrying about whether or not he'd make it, since all Zawa graduates passed on their first Chunin Exam. "I was just about to explain to rules of stage three to Shoryu and his friends here."
Shoryu chuckled to himself; the heavy emphasis Saito placed on his own name forced Kouta to bow his head in what appeared to be a silent apology. Any onlooker would think it suspicious, but now that Shoryu knew Kouta had been specifically instructed to take him out, the disapproval showed by the head of the clan was so blatant he might as well have screamed a curse at the boy for his failure to stop the family's dirty secret.
With his head still bowed in shame Kouta responded, "Then continue Lord Yukizawa."
"Alright then." Saito grinned; it made him feel powerful having all the knowledge that these kids did not, so he kept them waiting in suspense for as long as he could get away with. "You may recall that at the very beginning of these exams, you were told that should you be amongst the lucky few to reach the third stage, your odds would be considerably higher if you stayed as a group.
"This is because unlike many Chunin Exams - where the squads separate at the third stage – this stage will be undertaken within the groups you registered under, although you will be graded individually."
The revelation was little surprise to Shoryu; he'd guessed as much ever since they'd been told this before they boarded. Squad Thirteen was one member down so they'd be at a disadvantage already, but he pitied Hoshi the most. With Squad Five reduced to just her she'd have to endure this trial by herself, making her chances of passing even less likely.
"Stage Three involves two ninja teams going head to head in a single battle to decide whether or not they pass or fail. Since we have an even number of squads, each one gets an opponent, but because we figured no more groups were coming with such a short amount of time left, the matches were decided this afternoon when the fans arrived. Let's see then. . . I think Cloud Squad Five should go up against Mist Squad Nineteen. . ." His gaze lingered over Shoryu with a malicious sneer. "And Cloud Squad Thirteen should go up against Mixed Squad One."
Shoryu stopped, his heart sunk by the highly predictable turn of events that couldn't possibly be a coincidence. Out of all the teams that had made it this far, his fate would be decided against Kouta of all people. He knew that Saito had planned this in advance, that if by some miracle Shoryu succeeded in making it to stage three he'd be immediately batted back down by going up against Kouta's team. The other matches probably hadn't already been decided – it didn't make sense for them to be so unprofessional about such a public event and schedule matches before the deadline - but Saito would see to it that his word came to pass.
"Please be aware though. Whether you win or lose your matches may be a deciding factor, but it is by no means the only one which determines whether you pass or fail. This is a test looking for you to demonstrate the qualities necessary to be a Chunin, so raw strength isn't the only thing we're watching out for. It is possible to win your match and fail; likewise, it is possible to lose your match and still pass."
Great was the first thought that streamed through Shoryu's head. Even if we somehow manage to beat the other squad I still won't pass if Saito's the head judge. It's graduation all over again, except this time I don't have Reizo to back me up.
"You may use any weapons and other equipment at your disposal to defeat your opponents. Fights will continue until someone yields, falls unconscious or dies; you must prepare yourselves for the worst. With that said, you may now exit to your private chambers through any of the available doors surrounding the arena. In the morning the schedules will be delivered to you in which will specify the times of your matches. Good luck."
With a turn and a flip of his cape Saito left them, heading back to the door he'd entered from at the base of the highest raised platform. Just like that he was gone; everything had been explained so fast that it took Shoryu a while to absorb. Upon further inspection he noticed that twenty other simple doors were positioned around the arena, and that a few of them had steel bars barricading the entrance just like the ones they'd opened to advance. He chose one that was available, and after sparing Kouta another resentful glance he set off towards it glumly.
He shuffled his feet and kept his eyes to the ground as he walked, feeling the accusing stare of Kazuya behind him demanding to know why he felt so down. He'd left Hoshi without saying a word; what could he say after all? She'd be offended if he offered sympathies and she'd see right through his false act of bravado if he tried to encourage her. Their agreement had been to cooperate for stage two. Now that stage three was underway she had no obligation to ever speak with them again.
Guilt consumed him; after all Ayako was right: Kouta and Suzume targeted him and Kazuya. Yuudai, Jinga and Ayako had been innocent victims caught up in the crossfire of a petty upholding of family honour and whatever twisted incentive Suzume had kept close to her chest.
All he needed now was solitude and rest – he needed time to absorb the events of the day and reflect upon tomorrow, but no matter how hard he planned, the situation remained the same. He was up against Kouta, a Raikyogan user and two other ninja from some 'Oyama' clan whose abilities remained a secret. Considering that their enemy seemed to know everything about their own jutsu, fighting them became hopeless; they'd probably planned for their battle ever since they forged their foreign alliance.
Shoryu had almost reached the unlocked door when the sound of gruff laughter sounded from above him. He looked up, realising quickly that he was at the borders of the arena as he regarded the amused expressions of the men who took the very front seats some ten metres above.
"So what are my odds?" he asked miserably, barely speaking loud enough for them to hear him.
These weren't just gamblers, these were the professionals – the men who held the cards, took the bets and decided which stakes were reasonable. A few sat with clipboards whilst others exchanged fat wads of cash that Shoryu reckoned were beyond even a Jonin's pay. His comment resulted in another wave of laughter going around the five of them. One of them, a short man with a plump frame and a scruffy beard, leaned forward on the rails.
"Kid you don't even wanna know!" he roared, prompting more giggles amongst the group. When all had died down he continued, "Let's just say they're even lower than no-mates over there."
Shoryu turned and followed his gaze, noticing Hoshi as she silently entered her chambers wearing an expression even more pitiful than his own. "I see. . ."
"No hard feelings though; all the best out there tomorrow!" said the man.
"Is anyone actually betting on me?" he asked, hopeful that at least one of them was the kind to back the dark horse. None replied for a few seconds.
"I am!" Another voice was heard, one that was stirring and feminine amidst the small crowd of fat bearded men. Shoryu followed the voice to see a woman making her way around the stands towards the railings, a woman who was unmistakeable for anyone else but his own blood.
"Mom?" Shoryu couldn't believe his eyes, so he had to ask just to make sure it was true. The tall, elegant form of his mother joined the group and leaned over the railings to look down over the pair of ninja. "What are you doing here?" Shoryu added, dumbfounded.
"You really thought I'd miss this? Especially when you've gotten so far? Honestly Shoryu you could've had a little more faith in your own mother! I know I don't usually go these kinds of events but I wouldn't miss it for the world if you're involved."
Shoryu sported the vague look of a contented smile, though it was short lived as the reality returned to him and he moved onto his next question. "Wait – so are you actually betting on me or was that just a reassuring metaphor?"
Yuuko Aizawa responded by slipping her hand into her bag and pulling out a few notes. She handed it to the brutish gamblers along with a small slip of paper. "One thousand ryo on Shoryu to pas; and here's my seat number."
The boy's eyebrows furrowed – one thousand ryo was pocket change. "That's not very reassuring," he pointed out.
"Shoryu with your odds we'll make a small fortune from that when you win," she replied with a smile.
Her words only wounded the boy though. "When I win?" His looked to his feet again. "Don't get your hopes up too high mom, I'm really in over my head here. These guys are right; in fact I bet their stakes are generous."
"How much?" cried one of the men, causing another round of thunderous laughter to fall upon the group. Yuuko looked slightly disheartened until Shoryu was almost knocked to the ground by his partner slapping him a little too hard on the back.
"Ignore him, he's just a little shaken," Kazuya called up, his voice filled with a confidence and charisma that it usually lacked. It was a voice he'd clearly worked on, one that commanded the authority of a general or a Kage - or a Taisho. "You've produced a fine son here Miss Aizawa – you'd be proud if you saw what he's been through this week. The truth is that I'll be honoured to have him by my side tomorrow. In fact I'd settle for no other, even if I had the pick of all the ninja in the Cloud."
"Well you're definitely Kazuya then! Shoryu's told me all about you," assumed Yuuko.
"Nothing bad I trust, though I hope you'll forgive us if we take our leave now. We've had a trying day."
"Of course, of course. Good l- . . . Do your best tomorrow!"
Shoryu mumbled comments of thanks and farewells to his mother before entering through the plain door and softly pushing it shut once Kazuya entered.
It was a grand room of congratulations for the finalists, complete with three matching four-poster beds and infinitely more space than those hellish quarters they'd received on the ship. Vibrant colours of blue and purple painted it as a sign of modern civilisation that Shoryu thought he'd never see again after the week traversing from stuffy jungle to flowing tundra. Other rooms led off into a bathroom on one side, an armoury on another and exit stairs on another should they wish to enter the stands.
It was the sight of the third bed – the one which would remain unfilled - that pushed Shoryu over the edge. After moping for the last hour he suddenly let off a raging kick at the nearest object to him, sending an empty trash can bouncing off the walls before finally bouncing to a stop. With his wrath taken out on something he was satisfied, and so he marched over to his bed and sat down into the most comfortable seat he'd experienced in a while.
Kazuya let him enjoy the silence for more than a minute; Shoryu made no attempt to go to sleep, he remained motionless as he sat up, deep in thought with his hands balled up into tightly clenched fists.
"I take it something's wrong then?" presumed the samurai.
Shoryu scoffed. "We can't win this."
"You don't know that."
"There's no point in even trying, and with what we promised to Ayako, not to mention the blind faith my mom has in me - they'll be devastated if we can't win."
"Stop talking as if we've lost already," Kazuya instructed, his tone falling dangerously low. "I meant what I said out there, but I didn't take you for a coward."
Shoryu shook his head fiercely. "That's not it! Kouta's a Raikyogan user – he's way out of my league, and I'm not trading him for Suzume before you suggest it; I'm not gonna prevent you from getting your answers! Ayako and my mother both expect me to beat this guy who had a damn Jonin-level dojutsu at the age of eight! And even if some act of god happens and I win, with Saito as the final judge there's no way I'll be able to pass!"
"It's a team battle Shoryu; for once I'm willing to put aside my ideals and work with you on this one, you should be grateful for that."
"Kouta wants me and the Oyama girl wants you; that much is clear. I'm sure they've found out a way to challenge us one on one already – whoever gets that Norio guy as well I suppose just draws the short straw."
"Well then we'll just have to find some way to stop that plan before it happens. I'm sure we can think of something."
Shoryu snorted a noise of disapproval and turned his head. "Easy for you to say - I'm sure your odds aren't quite so dismal as mine. You'll be going on without me and Ayako as a Chunin I'm afraid."
"This isn't about odds you idiot!" insisted the samurai. He slammed his fist down on the furnished bedside table to pronounce his point. "In a battle between men one makes their own luck. Forget the gamblers. Kouta might think he has you worked out, but he forgets that you've seen the Raikyogan enough times to know how to beat it. At least think about it would you? It's what you're best at after all."
Shoryu paused briefly and considered the surprisingly wise-sounding words of his partner. Kazuya may have just stumbled onto something; he had seen the Raikyogan many times. His mother had showed it to him on a few occasions, he'd been on the receiving end of it from Zakari and he'd seen its more advanced strain the 'Daimyo' up close and personal from his powerful sensei. The Raikyogan did have one glaring weakness. It was one that Shoryu couldn't possibly exploit on his own, but with Kazuya around things might be different.
". . . We might actually have something here," he admitted at last.
"Good, and Shoryu," said Kazuya. The boy finally looked up from his hunched over pose of sulking and straight into the full force of a haymaker connecting perfectly to his cheek. Knocked straight into oblivion, Shoryu collapsed perfectly upon his pillow, prompting the samurai to continue.
"I don't ever want to hear you talk like that again," Kazuya ordered. "If what you said happens - if I pass and you don't – then in the end it'll be the same as me failing. You're one of the only ninja in this country who understands me. Without at least one of Squad Thirteen by my side I won't progress to Chunin; I refuse to. You got that?"
From his dazed and half-conscious position of seeing whirling stars Shoryu brought up his limp right hand in a vague attempt to give a thumbs-up. With eyes still closed he continued, "I think I caught the gist of it," he said, his speech muffled as he nursed the cavern of his swollen jaw with a numb tongue.
"Good. Now get some rest, I'd hate to have us go out tomorrow just because we didn't get enough sleep."
.
Author's Notes: Howdy all! Poor Ayako, but maximum respect to her as far as I'm concerned – I'm starting to like her more and more as this fic goes on. Probably should've broken this chapter into two again; eh well, to be perfectly honest I just couldn't be bothered splitting the word document, and even less motivated to try and think up of another snappy, thought-provoking chapter title xD
So once again I'm using the stage from the original series as a template to base my third stage on. Instead of a tournament, the groups each compete in a single team battle that determines whether they pass or fail. For those wondering why I didn't do a full tournament though, it's pretty simple. For starters I don't really have enough characters (only six characters with names progressed to the finals), secondly I don't have enough chapters left to justify doing one (I'm on a tight schedule), and lastly I just think it would be boring.
The Chunin exams were brilliant in Naruto but I can't help but think it would translate BADLY to literature. People like action in books, but if I made five or six chapters just with one fight sequence after another it would get boring as hell both to read and write, so I've made it so that it all boils down to this one battle.
The stadium at the head of the Island Turtle is something else I wanted to mention. You know that huge arena in the third stage of Naruto's exams? It's supposed to be like five times bigger than that. Why? Well, in Naruto, a structured ninja culture is one that's relatively new to the world – if you think about it, the first Kage lived only about a hundred years before Naruto was born, or even less. In those hundred years the ninja community seems to have become a lot more commercialised than it was at the beginning, as you see with the sheer amount of random spectators at Naruto's third stage exam.
Add another two hundred years to that and I imagined you'd have an event that pretty much the entire world has heard of. What was once a small, privatised, rare union of nations has evolved into the ninja equivalent of American Idol, so to speak. So that's why the stadium is so huge, the gambling so elaborate and the action broadcast on one of those giant monitoring screens you see at those American football games (I forget what they're called – I hear the name on the E4 channel all the time but I can't put my finger on it, all I know is that it sounds like a Transformer).
So then, will Shoryu and Kazuya pass or fail? How does Shoryu plan on beating the Raikyogan? What does the mysterious Suzume know about Kazuya? And which Kage has something to hide? Find out ALL of this and more in the next chapter!
Also updated the Jutsu Chart at last, it's getting pretty huge now. Can't imagine what it'll look like at the end of Legacies.