There was a tense moment as Yin and Toriko stared each other down. They both looked calm, but Yin's face belied his emotions. While he knew from the get-go that it was Toriko who had been responsible for the ambush he was still nervous.
The man was dangerous, and already well above the level of a Chunin, if they weren't careful they'd die.
Yin swept his eyes side to side.
"Looking for someone?" Toriko asked sarcastically.
Yin said nothing and Toriko shrugged. "Roku and Gou are cleaning up the others," He told him. "Should be done by now, but you know how they like to have fun, and Roku has had his eye on Hina for some time, so I think he'll indulge a little."
The killing intent and blood lust that began to ooze from Yin at that moment was almost tangible, Akari found herself short of breath as she felt even a little of the malicious intent that the young Shinobi was producing.
"You know they're no match for me." Yin said in a dark tone. "And if anything should happen to her or Makabi then by god I will make your deaths a slow and as painful as possible."
Toriko just smiled at him. A sickeningly sweet smile that showed just how wicked they man was.
"Why are you doing this?" Akari asked, tired of being left out of the conversation. "Why are you attacking and killing your own Villagers?"
Toriko's smile turned into a bout of laughter that only further proved the Shinobi was evil. "My own Villagers?" He asked sarcastically. "That is no Villager of Yorugakure, and neither are his team mates if they willingly harbour such a demon. No matter how much human skin it wares, that thing is no human, no Shinobi and certainly no villager of Yorugakure." As he spoke his voice became darker and angrier, his own malice flowing out of him like a hot wind. "Trust me, I'm doing the Village a service by killing it, better it dies here than kills again."
Yin flinched at Toriko's words like he had been slapped. His hands began to tremble and Akari could see his eyes fading.
Her fists clenched as she looked up at Toriko. The sheer level of hatred and distain that was in the young man's eyes filled Akari with anger. She had seen those eyes directed at herself so many times since her parents had died and she did not know why. And here and now those eyes were directed at Yin.
She hadn't known the boy for long, hell they'd really only met each other this morning, all their other encounters had been nothing more than the occasional word between them, not even that actually.
But she couldn't stand the look in Toriko's eyes, the way he talked down to Yin like he was some sort of monster in human skin. She felt like her blood was boiling in her veins as her Chakra surged through her.
Toriko was still talking and Yin had taken a step back as he looked at the ground.
Akari sent a kick into the side of Toriko's head, sending the monologuing Nin crashing into the dirt.
Yin snapped out of his trance as Toriko slammed into the ground. Staring at Akari in surpriuse, but the girl paid him no mind; her eyes were locked on Toriko.
"Do the world a favour and can that xenophobic hate bitching you've got going." She spat at him. "Utter another word and I'll kill you myself."
Toriko popped his neck from side to side, as if he was working out a cramped muscle. "Do you really want to do this little girl?" He asked her snidely.
Akari responded by unfolding her shuriken, bringing them both up to maximum rotation with her Charka.
Toriko gave her an unnerving smile as he pulled out his combat blade and looked at Yin. "Shall we?" He prompted.
Yin took a deep breath to steady himself. He'd have to thank Akari for snapping him out of it, or else they'd be dead. Alone, neither of them were a match for Toriko, but together, together they might just survive.
Akari's shuriken sparked with lightning and she attacked a moment later, bringing them both down on Toriko. He met both Chakra powered blades with his own as he ran his own chakra through the weapon.
"I see you use Raiton, too bad, Futon always wins in the end." Without another word be pushed against Akari's attack and cut clean through the blades of the windmill shuriken she held in her hands.
She ducked back just in time to avoid her head been taken off. She staggered back awkwardly as Toriko stepped in to follow through with a killing stroke.
Yin met the Chakra infused blade with his own, giving Akari enough time to get back.
She looked at the Shuriken she had had for so long and sighed to herself before casting them aside. With their blades destroyed they were useless to her, the uneven weight distribution would make them more dangerous to her than to her opponent at this point.
She sighed to herself and drew her own blade, channelling her chakra into it easily. Toriko eyed her almost approvingly as the young Shinobi calmly readied herself for an attack.
Yin and Toriko jumped back from each other and a tense moment fell over the three of them as they waited for the first trike to fall.
"So what's he got going?" Akari asked as she looked at Toriko – who stood not ten feet way, perfectly composed, looking almost board.
"He's a Futon style user, so all of your Raiton Jutsu is going to come up short unless you've got some A-rank technique." He told her, sounding almost hopeful about the last part. Akari shook her head, much to Yin's disappointment.
"What about you?" She asked him.
"Well I'm fair handy with a blade and I've got, Futon, Suiton and Raiton jutsu up my sleeve as well as a few Ranton justsu." He told her. "You?"
"Well I'm mostly a brawler, good with a sword, Raiton jutsu and Senko."
"Senko?" Yin asked confused. "The hell is that?"
Akari gave him a smile. "You'll see." She said sweetly. They looked at Toriko and then nodded at each other.
They moved in from either side keeping in a pincer formation but Toriko made his own move. he charged Akari, putting some distance between himself and Yin.
Better to take out the weaker of the two. He thought to himself as he attacked her. Akari side stepped the attack and made her own aiming for his gut.
He spun past the blow making a counter attack and their blades locked as Akari blocked just in time.
They pushed each other off, trading a few more blows before Yin came in attacking Toriko from behind.
As the three fought Toriko proved his skill as he healed both of his attackers at bay with little difficulty. While he was left with no ability to make an attack of his own his ability to weave in and out of their strikes, countering each well placed blow that they made at him made Akari feel uneasy. It was clear that he was a much better fighter than either of them if he was holding them off like this. At a joint nod from Yin the two disengaged and prepared for a long ranged attack, hoping that that would yield a different result.
Toriko smiled as he threw a pair of tagged kunai at them. The both swore as they ran through a series of hand signs.
"Futon: Shihaihiru!"
Yin's feet left the ground and the boy glided to the side as the wind coiled around the soles of his feet.
The explosive tag hit the ground at Akari's feet and exploded a second later.
The girl appeared on the other side of the clearing, completely fine.
Toriko and Yin raised an eyebrow at the girls ability to seemingly teleport. Her hands were still together, forming a seal and she smiled at Yin.
"Senko: Hayai no mai." Her body flickered and vanished as Toriko warded off the strike aimed for his neck by luck alone.
Akari reappeared on a tree at the other side of the clearing looking at Toriko with interest. "That's some star you were born under."
Toriko looked at her with wide eyes. The jutsu she had just used was something he had never seen before, he couldn't even follow her movements.
Akari trembled slightly as she tried to keep her feet. She still couldn't use the jutsu in rapid succession. It just put too much of a strain on her muscles. Even with the Chakra augmentation her body just couldn't maintain the level of speed for long.
If anything it was going to have to be an ace-up-her-sleeve for the end of the fight. If she used it again right now the jutsu wouldn't work properly and she'd probably get herself killed.
Just have to use something else. She told herself as she dropped to the forest floor. Immediately regretting the move.
Her legs ached and she just barely managed to keep herself on her feet.
Toriko smiled. "While I admit that that was some fearsome jutsu you just used, though it seems the tole on your body is more that you're able to pay." He said smugly.
Akari glared at him. He was sharp but then again she was expecting him to be, if he was just strong Yin would have had no problem with him.
"Feel free to think that." Akari bluffed.
"I will then."
Yin made a series of hand signs as he moved to keep Akari out of the blast.
"Ranton: Hegeshī arashi!" He held his hands out in front of him and a blast of wind and rain slammed into Toriko. He tried to make a counter jutsu but Yin was already making his second attack. "Raiton: Raiko shomi!"
An electrical current filled the miniature storm that Yin had created and flashed violently as it arched towards Toriko.
"Futon: Ten no todoriko!"
Toriko let out a roar of Chakra as he managed to blast Yin's justu back. Before the young Night Nin could counter his opponent was already attacking. "Futon: Kūjin!" He breathed on his hands, infusing his breath with Chakra before he threw them at him.
Yin jumped back, he avoided one blade of wind but the second caught him in the shoulder. He let out a cry of pain as blood began to run freely down his chest.
"Raiton: Kaminari hakushu!"
Akari clapped her hands together and sent out a small bolt of lightning at Toriko. The Shinobi ducked under the attack as he moved closer to Akari.
She funnelled her Chakra into the blade and the two engaged each other again, they went toe to toe, trading blow for blow in quick succession. Striking and countering in a frenzied blur of motion that no one other than the combatants themselves could comprehend.
He feinted an over hand cut but Akari saw through it, moving her blade lower to counter the under hand cut he sent for her neck.
She counted with a thrust, flowed by a side cut just as the young man retreated from the first attack.
He dodged, aimed a side cut for her neck and the girl bent back under the blade, stabbing for his ribs as she did so. He spun on his feet and cut down but Akari spun to the side as she stood up again. narrowly avoiding the blade.
Their blades locked again and Toriko offered her a smile. "You're skill is amazing." He said genuinely.
Akari smiled at the compliment. "So's yours." She replied.
The two jumped back, breathing heavily. Akari risked a glance at Yin. The boy was standing just to her side, his wound had been closed and he looked like he could fight.
"How's your shoulder?" She asked.
"I'll live." He said. "You got a plan for this guy?" He asked her.
Akari shook her head. "No, if I could get some rest I might be able to use the Hayai no mai again, but if he blocks it I'm done." She said.
Yin nodded. "I just need to get him to make eye contact with me, if I can do that we're golden."
"How?" She asked him.
"I have a Genjutsu," He explained. "It requires eye contact to work though, unless you can get him to look me in the eye we're in a bit of a bind." Yin said.
Akari nodded. "I'll see what I can get you." She said. "You need any time to gather your Chakra?"
"No, it just burns a lot." He told her.
Akari nodded as she gathered her own Chakra into her legs. If she lowered the speed, she might be able to activate the Hayai no mai again, if only briefly.
"I'll get his attaention." She told him. "You have to do the rest."
"Deal."
She pushed her Chakra to the limit and held it there as she made the hand signs. "Senko: Hayai no mai." He body seemed to flicker and shift as she began to move, faster and more agile than before.
She came at Toriko and he was just able took keep an eye on the girl as she moved impossibly fast. She moved past him again and again, performing strafing runs with heavy cuts. Toriko grunted as each cut pushed him back. He could keep up with the girl, only just, she was too quick for him to do anything other than defend.
She had him on the ropes, but he knew that the only thing he had to do was stave off her attack until she ran out of power, if her Chakra didn't give out her body would.
He countered another blow and spun on his heel from the force of the impact. He readied for another strike but instead he came eye to eye with Yin.
Akari hit the ground hard as her legs finally quit on her. She looked back at Yin and Toriko. They just stood there for a moment before Toriko vomited blood. A moment later he hit the ground.
Yin wasn't far behind him as his legs gave out. His Chakra was low, he'd spent too much of it fixing his shoulder. That last Jutsu had nearly taken him out.
Akari dragged herself over to the Yoru Nin, this was the second time they had fought side by side together like this.
Her legs were dead for the time being, she could still move them, but it caused her too much pain to want to.
She moved next to Yin and the boy gave her a weak nod. She could see it in his eyes that he was drained.
"Is he…?" She began.
"He's dead." Yin told her. "I've met one person that's been able to survive that jutsu and Toriko was nowhere near that level."
Akari nodded and looked from Toriko to Yin. "What did you do?" She asked.
"I cause a heart attack." He explained. "After that his heart ruptured."
Akari felt a shiver run down her spine as she thought about the kind of death Toriko had gone through.
She sighed to herself and lent against Yin.
"Uh, what are you doing?" He asked her, sounding almost nervous.
"Relax," She sighed, "My legs are dead and my Chakra's low, I need to rest, and I'm not about to snuggle up to a corps." She said dryly.
Yin laughed and leaned against her, the two stayed there back to back for a long time.
The sound of movement through the under growth caught their attention and the two turned to look at the source of the sound. Their hearts racing.
Taki and Hina were the first to clear the tree line, Azuko and Makabi a little behind them. The four of them stopped as they saw Akari and Yin leaning back to back next to Toriko's body.
"What the hell happened here?" Hina asked.
"What does it look like?" Akari replied dully. She wanted to say more but she was tackled to the ground by Taki. A faint 'oof' escaping her lips as the force of the hug winded her.
"I'm so glad you're safe!" Taki all but shouted.
"You're not helping that." Akari wheezed angrily as she tried to get some air in her lungs. Taki only smiled at her as she helped Akari to her feet. She stood there uncertainly for a while not trusting her legs.
Hina came in a moment later crouching next to Yin. "Are you okay?" She asked him.
Yin nodded. "Fine," He said lightly. "Just a little low on Chakra." He told her. She smiled at him and helped him to his feet. No sooner had the Yoru Nin gotten to his feet then Akari collapsed again.
"Damn it!" The girl growled, glaring at her legs. "Just work already!" She told them angrily.
Hina supressed a giggle and moved closer to Akari. "Let me." She said as she knelt down next to her.
Akari nodded and allowed the girl to do her thing.
"What the hell happened to you?" She asked as she healed her legs, "You've practically torn your muscles apart."
Akari shrugged. "Eh, still alive though." She said casually.
Hina went to say more, but the look on the girls face said she wouldn't listen.
It took Hina a few minutes to patch up Akari's legs to the point where they'd actually be able to make a reasonable pace to the tower.
"So whats the plan for scrolls?" Akari asked as the six of them headed for the tower.
"Already sorted." Azuko said as he reached into his pouch and pulled out the Death scroll he'd gotten from the Ame team.
Akari smiled at him. "Good. You guys?" She asked, directing her attention to Hina and Makabi.
They both smiled as they produced a heaven and earth scroll.
"Done and dusted." Hina said with a smile.
It was nearing dusk of the second day as the two teams finally made it to the tower.
"Well that's a wonderful sight." Makabi mused as they entered the clearing surrounding it. the journey hadn't been easy for them, but they had all made it here in one piece without too much trouble.
As they came to the tower's base they saw that the doors surrounding it were marked with numbers, the same as gates.
"I guess this is us." Taki said as they came to a door marked '16th'.
The Yoru Nin stopped and looked at them. Even though they had only just met, they had been through a lot together.
"Best of luck." Yin said.
"Same here." Akari replied.
They said their good byes and Yin's team moved off looking for their own door.
At a nod from her team mates Taki pushed the door open and they walked into a small room. The only things there were a door leading deeper into the tower and a large plaque resting on the wall above it.
They looked at each other before Taki read it aloud.
"Life and Death are a Shinobi's consort. They are always there dancing in and out of a Shinobi's path. The life of our friends and Villagers a bright and shining beacon to guide us through the hard ships. While the cold hand of death lurks ever in the shadows, snatching at the lights one after the other.
"Hardships and pain, love and joy await you on the road ahead, Life and Death in equal parts making up our ' '. The fifth Hokage"
The three looked at each other confused. "Our what?" Akari asked.
Azuko held up his scroll. "I think we need to open the scrolls to find out." He said.
"But we were told expressly to not look at them." Akari shot back.
"Until we got to the tower." Taki interjected in a sing-song voice. "He was only specific about that detail." She said.
Akari went to say something but stopped. Sai had said that.
She took out the Life scroll and on the count of three they opened them.
The Character for 'Reality' was marked in each.
The three of them shared a confused look but before any of them could say anything the scrolls began to smoke.
They dropped them like they were hot and stepped back as the smoke took from. It cleared a moment later and a young man stood before them. He was dressed in the standard Chūnin vest with kind dark eyes and a scarf that trailed down to his knees.
"Hey guys!" He said with a bright grin.
The three Genin tensed, ready for a fight. The Chūnin took one look at them and doubled over laughing. "Oh relax you three," He said between breaths, "I'm not here to fight you. I'm here to congratulate you." He told them.
The three looked just as confused as before and the Chunin stood up. "Allow me to introduce myself." He said. "My name is Sarutobi Konohamaru, Chunin of Konoha and eternal rival of Uzumaki Naruto."
This did nothing to lift the confusion hanging over the three Genin and Konohamaru sighed. "Seriously, Naruto-Nii's never mentioned me?" He asked.
They shook their heads.
He sighed again. "Well that can wait for another day then, for now, I'm here to congratulate you on passing the second part of the Chunin exams."
The three stood up taller as they were told the good news.
"I'm also here to explain this." Konohamaru said as he pointed a thumb at the plaque behind him.
"What about it?" Azuko asked.
Konohamaru gave him a grin and pointed to the scrolls at his feet. And to the character for 'reality'.
"For a Shinobi, living in a time of peace or in a time of war, life and death are the two inescapable halves of our reality." He told them. "As you live and you meet others it makes your own life brighter, happier, your friends are there for you to help you through adversity. On the other hand however, where there is life there must there be death. As a Chūnin you are given dangerous missions where the death of not only your friends, but also yourself are very real possibilities, they are always there and it makes our reality balanced. The Fifth Hokage, set down this principal as something all Jonin and Chūnin of Konoha must understand and accept." He told them.
The three of them nodded as they looked at each other.
"Anyway." Konohamaru said. "You've still got two days before the exam ends so I suggest you three get some bed rest."
They all smiled. It was the best idea they'd heard since the exam started.
Sup friendlies?
Nearly done with part two of the exam. It should only take three Chapters if I try hard enough, basically preliminaries and kick ass fighting. The stuff you're here for. The one month bit should take two maybe three chapters and then there is the final exam which will be six chapters, but the sixth will also be the last actual chapter for the fic, then there will be an epilogue.
so I apparently can't math right cause that's more than I said there was going to be.
Jutsu in order of appearance were;
"wind style: Sky heel."
"Flash: Swift dance."
"Storm Style: Heavy storm."
"Lightning style: Lightning net."
"Wind style: Heavenly roar."
"Wind style: Sky blade."
That's all for today.
Until next time I wish you all the best.
Yours truly.
Nicolai Grey.