Extra update: Well, it still took me two weeks to finally finish the next chapter, but at the very least this time I can make it up to you guys, at least to some extent. To start off: this is going to be a double update, meaning besides chapter 114, I'll be putting up chapter 115 as well, which was done some time ago. With that Takai's flashback is finished and the story finally enters the final stage of Chuunin Selection Exam. Another part of the extra update is that along with these two chappies that you'll get to read (if you'll feel like it) another side story concerning NNG. It'll be put in "NNG Side Stories". Those of you, who put NNG Valentine's Day special as alert, will probably get a notification on their mailboxes in a moment about it being updated. The Side story is an inside on Funbo and though I realize he's not all that popular, perhaps you'll enjoy it.

Naturally, as usual, I wanna give a warm 'thank you' to everyone who sacrificed their time to review the previous chapter. I'm glad you all seemed to enjoy it and hope you'll find the end of Takai's story at least as good. I'd also like to ask you all to review both chapters that are getting submitted. Thanks in advance.

Word from our beta: How's it going, ladies and gentlemen? Things have died down considerably, so I have the time to focus on helping out with Shang's fics as well as finishing up Chapter 13 of my own, which is Birth of a Legend: The Fox Druid. Now, without further ado, I'll turn it over to Shang…

I'd also like to dedicate this chapter to a friend of mine who, much like Takai, suffered his own tragedy. Stay strong, everything will be okay. And remember that no matter what happens, you can always count on me. We'll make it through.

With that, I believe there's nothing more left to say, besides inviting you to read the newest installments of "Naruto: Next Generation". Hope you'll find these chapters worth reading:

Chapter #114: Turning Point – Takai's Story part VIII

Title Page: Takai is dressed like a grim reaper with a hood over his head, his hands made only out of bones, holding tight onto his scythe

"Sabaku SouSou!" Touba called out, tightening his fist. Silence filled the battlefield as the ground stopped moving. Everyone stared amazed at the redhead, who slowly retreated his hand, while Hari asked quietly, though the surrounding silence made her question echoed throughout the backyard: "Is it over?"

But her words didn't even manage to fade into the air when Takai suddenly shot up from the sand behind Touba, his body covered with blood, swinging his scythe at the son of the Kazekage. Instinctually, the redhead ducked as the attack whistled just above his head, cutting through the sand that rose in hope to protect its master.

Quickly the barrier that formed right before the assault shivered, releasing sand bullets straight at Takai, hitting the artificial shinobi at point blank range, sending him flying back with holes in his body, from which more blood escaped his veins. The crimson-eyed boy broke his flight however by striking the blade of his scythe to the ground and coming to a stop, he charged at his opponent once more.

In a flash, Touba spun on his foot as he was forming another hand seal, which made another wall of sand rise before him, while a pile of the substance shot from below his feet, lifting the son of the Kazekage to the sky. This did not stop Takai, however, as he simply swung his scythe a few times, completely cutting the barrier to pieces and headed for the column that the redhead stood upon.

As the pile began to disintegrate, Touba jumped of it and as he was flipping in mid-air, he held out his hand, collecting sand that floated in the sky. As the tiny grains reached his palm, they started forming into a huge shuriken, which got tossed straight at the crimson-eyed boy the instant their creator's feet touched the ground. Too surprised to use a different maneuver, Takai jumped over the projectile, only to have it reform during flight and went for him again, this time in a shape of a large spike.

Unable to dodge in mid-air, the artificial shinobi took the assault head-on, making it pierce his left shoulder while he landed clumsily on the ground. His earlier wounds seemed to heal by now, but the skin was still covered in crimson, while new loads of the fluid escaped his body through the hole in which the sand spike was still stuck.

"Getting buried in the sand, where the pressure surrounds you…He should've been crushed completely," Karame analyzed, observing the fight carefully. "And even if not, then there is little to no chance of him digging himself out so quickly in these conditions. Could it be that…?" His trail of thoughts got interrupted as another gust of sand shot straight at Takai, who sliced it in half with his scythe, making the assault go around him.

"You cannot win," Touba repeated, noticing his opponent's breath became slightly faster. "But neither can I. This battle is pointless. Takai, calm down and let's talk. Surely there's…"

But at this point he was cut off as the crimson-eyed boy swung his scythe with its tip ripping through the ground. Instantly, a handful of sand went for the redhead's eyes, but the son of the Kazekage quickly held out his hand, making the assault stop right before his face.

In a flash, Takai appeared behind his back, coming to a sliding stop and swinging his scythe horizontally in the attempt to cut his torso.

"He suddenly got faster?" a quick thought raced through the redhead's mind as he threw his hand back, blocking the attack with a kunai that he picked out from his holster on the way. With a loud 'clang', the son of the Kazekage performed another hand seal, raising a steam of sand that blasted his opponent away.

"Takai's entire skeleton is made out of chakra," Tarakudo thought to himself with a playful smile creeping onto his face behind the bandages. "It's easy for him to fill any muscles in his body with it, extending their limits. With that, each part can work more efficiently than normal. Naturally, this puts a strain on the organs that are forced to work beyond it capabilities, but with regeneration skill of his level, something like that is nothing more than minor inconvenience for him. The only question is: why use this ability only now?"

Takai managed to flip in mid-air and land safely on his feet. In a flash, he charged forward again at sound-breaking speed. Allowing his instincts to kick in, Touba formed a quick hand seal, making the sand below his opponent's feet to split, suddenly swallowing the crimson-eyed boy in a dark hole.

"To run, you need to have a surface," the redhead stated simply, forming the sand around the edges of the pit into spikes.

With a couple more hand seals, sand shot up from the trap he created a moment earlier, making Takai rise above it, nailed to a sand cross by sandy spikes that pierced through his arms, legs and chest: "Maybe now you'll listen," the son of Kazekage began calmly, staring into his friend's eyes. "Calm down, Takai. I'm not your enemy…"

"No, you're not," the artificial shinobi responded, much to the redhead's surprise. He added, "And this is why I won't forgive you." Instantly, chakra began escaping his body, spinning wildly around it. A cutting noise filled the air as with each spin, the cross got decorated with a new slash, breaking into grains in less then a second, setting Takai free.

The crimson-eyed boy resumed his charge once his feet touched the ground, again running at top speed, but Touba could see it clearly; every step he made, each swing on his arm, the redhead took note of it all, seconds turning into hours in his mind. A sad expression crossed his face as the artificial ninja came closer, drastically shortening the distance between them.

"So that's how it is," he thought to himself, lifting his hands to perform another seal. "I hoped it would never come to this, but there's no other way. This has to end… so I'm gonna end it!" And with that his seal was complete.

Instantly the scythe pierced Touba's chest, making his blood spray the blade. Silence enveloped the area, while a shocked expression painted itself onto Takai's face. His crimson eyes were set on his 'friend', now standing motionless before him with a victorious smile on his lips. A moment later his body began to collapse, while a murmur echoed through the battlefield. Among the collections of whispers, one particular line managed to reach the artificial shinobi's ears: "He actually did it. He killed Touba-san!"

Takai merely followed the redhead, dropping to his knees as well, while his "friend's" body slid off the blade.

"That's not it," he announced in his mind, still not taking his eyes off the sand user. "That attack just now… he could've dodged it, if he wanted to. He let me land that blow on purpose. Why? Why the hell did you let me kill you, asshole?" he demanded, his body beginning to shake. Sabure wasn't willing to wait for him to recover.

"Monster!" she let out a cry and thrust her hand at the crimson-eyed boy and thus making a torpedo of sand fly straight at the artificial shinobi with a speed that cut the air. "I'm gonna kill you!"

But before her attack reached its target, a sudden whirlpool of sand blocked its way, making both techniques cancel each other out, lifting up tons of dust. As the cloud cleared, the kunoichi widened her eyes, noticing her own father now standing between her and her brother's killer.

"Move aside, dad," she said in an ordering tone, her hand still aimed at Takai. Gaara however remained motionless, his face rid of emotion, while he settled his eyes on his daughter. "Move aside" she repeated, but the effect was still the same. "Get the hell out of my way!" she screamed as sand began swirling at her feet. "He killed Touba!"

"And even if you were to kill him, would that bring Touba's life back?" the Godaime asked calmly, still not taking his eyes off her. "Enough blood has been shed here today. Return to your classes. Everyone," he said in an ordering tone, yet his face remained calm as his eyes were still set on his daughter, who did not move. "That includes you as well, Sabure." The girl still did not move.

"Why?" she asked, apparently calming down a bit and not giving her father a disappointed gaze. "He killed your son, but you still choose to protect him? Touba was just as stupid as that: even when that creep attacked him with every intention to kill, he still refused to go all out… What reason can there be to let this…this…thing walk the streets of our village? What makes him so special that you're willing to forget your child's death just to keep it alive? Answer me!"

"This is not a matter of him being special," Gaara replied in his usual calmness, finally turning his glance at the boy, who was still kneeling next to the fallen form on the young sand user. "In actuality, it's the exact opposite. Touba understood that. He understood that more than anyone. Perhaps someday you will too, Sabure. But know this: if everyone insists on following the rule of 'an eye for an eye', then eventually it'll end with everyone becoming blind. Touba's dead and nothing can change that. If you believe I think nothing of that, then you're insulting me more than you could even imagine.

"I am the Kazekage of the Hidden Sand and every single person in this village is important to me. Takai is no different. Instead of falling into despair about my son's death, I think it's best to do everything that is in my power to avoid more unnecessary casualties. Besides, I doubt that getting revenge is what Touba would want in this case. Now, return to your class," he repeated and this time the girl complied after a moment of hesitation.

Once there was no one else around, the Godaime spoke up again, directing his voice towards the boy, yet the scythe user didn't even seem to care: "I'm disappointed in you, Takai. I really thought you were different. I even let you speak to that man… Perhaps that was my mistake. You did great harm today. And not just to Touba, Sabure and myself, but to the whole village, and to yourself as well. I believe it is best that you quit the Academy…at least for the time being. Now follow me, for there are matters we need to discuss in private…"

And as the memories of the days from years ago once more disappeared into the back of Takai's mind, so did the moon from the sky, allowing the sun to rise over the horizon. With the first rays of light embracing his body, the crimson-eyed genin stood up, settling his gaze on the ball of fire that was slowly coming into view. Not a word spoken, the sand-nin turned away, heading back to his quarter. Another day has come.

And as the sunrays wrapped the Hidden Leaf Village in light, many of the young ninja had awakened, preparing to start a new day. That signaled the beginning of their preparations. For in a month time they were to step into the arena for the final challenge of the Chuunin Selection Exams. Regardless to whom their opponents will be, surely the battles ahead would not be easily won. For thirty days they'd train, perfecting their skills, some learning new ones. For some one month is short, for others it can go by for ages. But regardless, time flew… and the day of the Final Exam has arrived…

-- The wait is over. Up next: the Final Exam begins! --

And this concludes the first chapter of this double update. Now, before you go to read the next, I'd just like to ask you to sacrifice a short span of your time to leave me a review for this chappie. It'd really mean a lot.