(A/N: This one took longer than expected. My excuse is because I'm not very good at writing clean fight scenes (As in not making any of them kill the other). Also, I'll ask all of you for a favour. Please pay attention to the reactions Sakura and Genma have towards each other. I want you to tell me what you think will happen (or already happened) between them. Anyway, onto something else. Don't go dissing the fact that I skipped over their period of trying to find a cure for Sasuke's Juin. Really, everything will be explained later. Naruto's and Neji's fight seems a little rushed and unorganized. To put it simply I'm not going to waste my time on something that already happened (and on something you already know it's going to happen). I'm going to focus more on the fights that weren't in the canon, seeing as that probably makes the ending a little more exciting.
Key for this chapter:
"Respond over headset."
Without further ado, please read on.)
Kitsune, Ryu, Tanuki….One Month Later
The three walked into the arena along with the other contestants. As soon as they saw them all, the crowd started cheering and applauding. Naruto looked around, amazed at how many people had come to see them. Sakura looked at a certain place of the arena, where half of the Haruno clan was watching. She dropped her hand into Naruto's, squeezing it tightly. The blonde turned to her then looked at Gaara. The red head was looking around with a slight frown on his face.
"This is huge," Naruto broke the unbearable silence that had come over the three when they had entered the arena. "Yeah, a little too huge, don't you think?" Sakura replied just as they reached the middle. "Too much," Gaara said as the proctor of the exam stalked over to them.
He light brown hair reaching down to his chin. Holding back his hair was a bandana with the metal plate of the Hitaiate on the back of his head. He was chewing on a senbon. His olive green eyes looked around at the crowd before they settled on the contestants. "Welcome, everyone. I am Shiranui Genma, proctor of this part of the exams. This will be a one-on-one battle. The winner is the one who holds out the longest. However, I can stop the match. You may use whatever attacks or equipment necessary. The first fight will be between Uzumaki Naruto from Amegakure and Hyuga Neji from Konohagakure. The other participants please wait in the Fighter's Area." Genma said, pointing over to an area on the wall with seats.
As the Genin started filing out, Sakura held Naruto back. "Remember what I told you. Try to defeat him without using a huge amount of chakra." Sakura reminded him as Gaara stood a few feet back, listening intently as well. The blonde smirked and pecked her cheek. "Everything will be fine, don't worry about a thing." He closed one of his eyes, his smirk widening when she rolled her eyes at him. Sakura let go of his arm and started walking away with Gaara.
Naruto turned to Neji, his smirk leaving his face. His eyes narrowed quickly then he looked away. Genma waited until all of the Genins were present at the Fighter's Area before he turned to the two in front of him. He looked at both of them before placing his hand in between them. "Match A, consisting of Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuga Neji….Begin!" Genma jumped backwards, landing inside the Fighter's Area.
Neji got in his family's Juken stance but Naruto didn't move. The blonde stared at him, his eyes reflection his boredom. Seeing as he wasn't going to attack first, Neji ran at him, aiming at a tenketsu in his chest. Naruto side-stepped the attack, quickly swiping out his normal katana and aiming at Neji's back. Neji turned around, avoiding the hit completely. He aimed his fingers at Naruto's stomach but Naruto flipped back, sending four kunai out at him. Neji dodged three of them then caught the last one in his finger.
Naruto frowned as he landed in a crouched position about two yards away from Neji. He narrowed his eyes, 'The Hyuga specializes in close range combat. They try to block all of your chakra points to take you out with their Taijutsu. Both Suiton and Futon would work on him but that'd be using too much chakra. Genjutsu won't work because they can see through it using the Byakugan and I suck at them. Taijutsu seems to be the only available choice but that means I have to be faster than him to get the upper hand. Looks like I'm going to be revealing one of my triumph cards early. No matter, it probably won't make much of a difference in the later fights.'
Naruto smirked as he stood up and tapped all of his weights once. Rolling his shoulder, the blonde got back into a crouched position. "Heh," He snickered before disappearing out of sight. Neji's eyes widened then he activated his Byakugan. His eyes narrowed rapidly through the arena, searching for the Ame Nin. Naruto suddenly appeared behind him, katana ready to slice his head off clean. Neji docked and rolled under the strike, the tip of his ponytail getting cut off. Naruto crouched down and sprinted at him just as he was standing up. Neji dodged the strike but wasn't fast enough to avoid the punch aimed at his gut. Taking the momentum, Naruto grabbed his shoulders and rammed his knee into his gut. The blonde used his elbow to hit him in the shoulder then did a roundhouse kick to his side. Neji crashed against the wall, succeeding in making a crater.
Naruto straightened up, his dark blue eyes screaming out boredom. When the dust cleared from the crater, Neji was nowhere to be seen. Naruto narrowed his eyes before looking up, barely dodging the strike. Naruto ducked under Neji's fingers, easily manoeuvring his body out of the way of his attacks. However, Naruto wasn't fast enough to avoid a strike to his left upper arm. Neji closed his chakra point there, making the blonde stagger backwards. Neji took this to his advantage and started attacking him. "Hakke Rokujuuyonshou," Neji called out, striking Naruto twice, then four times , eight times, sixteen times, thirty-two times and finally sixty-four times.
Up in the Fighter's Area, Sakura gripped the bars. "Damn it, I said to beat him without using chakra, not let him beat the crap out of you." She muttered, though everyone there heard her. Gaara huffed, looking away. Sasuke frowned. He had thought Naruto was stronger and would beat Neji easily. 'Guess he's not as strong as he makes out to be,'
Naruto fell to the ground on his back, his body feeling as if it was run over by something heavy. "Give up. You were destined to lose the moment you were picked as my opponent." Neji declared as he turned his back on the blonde. "Go to Hell, Neji. I'm not giving up," Naruto groaned out, wincing as he tried to stand up. Sure, he's suffered more than this. Still, pain was pain.
Neji turned back to him with a glare. "I've closed all of your chakra pathways. You can't use chakra at all." Neji declared as he turned to the proctor. "This kid can't fight anymore. Disqualify him." Genma turned to Naruto, as if expecting him to stand up. Naruto raised his head to glare at them then shook his head. "If I can't use my chakra, then I'll just have to use the fur ball's." Naruto announced as red chakra started surrounding him. He reached up and took off his headband, shaking his head to let his short bangs loose. He pocketed the Hitaiate and crouched down, his eyes boring into Neji's.
Neji looked at him, completely shocked. 'This chakra…It's so malevolent. What is he?' Up in the Fighter's Area, Sasuke tensed. "That's the Kyuubi's chakra, isn't it?" Sasuke asked, turning to Sakura. "Yes, it is." Gaara answered him instead. The Uchiha turned to him. "Aren't you afraid that the fox will be let loose?" He turned to the Amegakure Kunoichi when she scoffed. "He hasn't even entered in his Katagawa no Jotai. He's safe for now. However, Naruto has a short temper. If Neji pisses him off, the Hyuga might just die today." Sakura said, watching Naruto with her arms crossed. Sasuke stared at her then turned to the arena, his eyes widening when Naruto suddenly disappeared.
Naruto appeared behind Neji and kicked him in the back. Neji went down and Naruto sat on him, placing a kunai at his neck. The blonde untied the brunette's Hitaiate and threw it to the side, leaning over him to get a good luck at the seal on his forehead. "I could help you with that, you know. I'm training to become a Fuinjutsu master." Naruto told him, surprising him. Neji looked over his shoulder at him, his eyes showing just a tiny bit of emotion. "Really?" His tone betrayed his slightly cold eyes.
"Mm-hmm. I'll just need you to cooperate with me and I'll that sucker off in no time. Of course, you're going to have to give up the fight." Naruto offered, not at all interested in fighting him. Besides, the sooner they were done, the sooner the invasion came. And he couldn't help the small sinister chuckle escape his lips at the thought of Konoha being attacked. Then he frowned inwardly. 'Too bad it won't be by us. I'd love to see this damnable village up in flames by my hand. Or at least see the council's faces when I burn them alive.'
He was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost didn't notice Neji nod slowly. Naruto got off Neji and stood behind him. Bad move. "Hakkeshou Kaiten," Neji started spinning in a rapidly motion, catching Naruto off guard. A chakra circle started surrounding the Hyuga. The chakra hit Naruto, sending him flying to the wall.
When the rubble and dust cleared, Naruto was nowhere to be found. "I didn't want to do this but you leave me no choice." Naruto growled out as he appeared behind Neji and stabbed him in his stomach. He placed a kunai to his neck with his other hand. "Give up or I'll kill you." The blonde whispered in Neji's ear as he twisted the blade in his stomach. Neji let out a pained scream, receiving gasps from some of the woman in the crowd.
"That's enough!" Genma called out as he jumped in between them, making Naruto back off and sheath his katana. "Winner of this match is Uzumaki Naruto. I need medics this instant!" Genma yelled out as he caught Neji. Naruto walked over to the Genin. "The offer's still up. I'd gladly help you get rid of that curse." Naruto said before he turned around, ignoring some of the glares he received on his way up the wall and onto where the other contestants were seated on.
"How are your chakra reserves?" Sakura asked once he reached them. Naruto slid an arm around her shoulders, grinning at her. "Relax, they're fine. They opened when I released Kyuubi's chakra." His answer brought forth a scoff from her but nothing else was spoken between them.
The next fight took a while. Shikamaru was always one step ahead of Shino but, in the end, gave up because he couldn't keep up with the Aburame. There wasn't any action on the other fight because Kankuro forfeited. This made Lee devastated. But he cheered up as soon as he realized that he was going to fight Naruto on the next round. The fourth fight made most of the crowd tense.
"Match D, consisting of Haruno Sakura and Haruno Amaya, is about to commence. Fighters, please come forward." Genma called out, his shoulders tense. He looked at the stairs as his breath caught in his throat. 'She's grown up so much,' His eyes landed on Sakura as she walked towards him. Their eyes met for a second before Amaya pushed Sakura roughly as she passed by her. Sakura's eyes turned cold as she watched her sister stand before her.
"I'm going to destroy you." Amaya threatened with a smirk. "You can try," Sakura replied with a smirk of her own. Genma looked at both of them before announcing the start of the match. Amaya immediately jumped backwards, separating herself from her younger sister. She made a hand sign but stopped at the second one when Sakura placed a hand on her hip. "Whether I'm in Amegakure's Army or in Konoha's doesn't matter, Amaya. I was still born a Haruno. Genjutsu won't work against me and you know it, Nee-chan." Sakura said, hissing out the honorific. Amaya glared as she dropped her hands to her sides.
"Stop acting so cocky, Sakura. You're no better than me." Amaya hissed her glare hardening. "I'm not acting cocky; I'm just stating the truth." Sakura answered with a roll of her eyes. Amaya glowered, clenching her fists. Sakura scoffed, looking into the crowd. She spotted her family and a grand portion of the clan seated just west of her. Her eyes dropped to the ground before she faced her sister again.
"What does being a ninja mean, Amaya?" Sakura asked, confusing the older girl. Amaya raised her brow at her, wondering if she had gone crazy. Her eyes narrowed but she answered anyway. "Being a ninja means being smart and strong. It's something everybody here knows. Why don't you stop talking and fight me."
Ignoring her comments, Sakura looked up at the sky and took in a deep breath. "No, you're wrong and so is everyone who thinks that. Being a ninja is not about strength or about being a good strategist. Tell me, Amaya, if being a ninja is about being smart or strong then why are there so many deaths? Why are there so many strong and smart people but they choose to live like civilians?"
Amaya rolled her eyes at the questions. "Because they want to. Geez, Sakura, stop with your crap. Fight me already." Amaya was getting agitated and the younger Haruno knew this but didn't pay any attention to it. Instead, she kept talking. "No, it's not because they don't want to. Maybe some of them do but not all of them. Being a ninja means sacrificing yourself for the good of the civilians. It means risking your life for strangers. That's why civilian prefer to be civilians. They're selfish and don't want to die. They're afraid of death. But being selfish isn't bad. If it weren't for civilians, there wouldn't be any ninja around. So, really, the two parties support each other in one way or another. Now I'd like to know why you chose the path of being a ninja. And don't give me that crap about you being first born. It's your option to choose whether you want to be a ninja or not. It's your life and future, not someone else's."
"Why should you care?" Amaya frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "Believe it or not, you're still a part of my blood. As much as I despise you, I'm entitled to believe that anyone would help anyone if they'd just get over their pride." Sakura answered with a shrug.
"You talk much. I doubt you've ever been in real danger. Your teammates are always protecting you while you boss them around like you own them. And the sad thing is that they let you." Amaya spat, not noticing Sakura's temper quickly rising. "Heh, have you not been listening to a thing we've been telling you the past month? Tell me, what did you do for your dear Sasuke-kun when he was attacked in Shi no Mori?" Sakura asked, smirking when her older sister glared at her. "That's right; we had to save your team's sorry ass. Do you really think a clan would want their leader to be saved by a foreign ninja? I think not."
"Shut up!" Amaya yelled out as she threw four shuriken at Sakura's head. Sakura reached out and caught them in between her fingers and smirked as she let her arm fall back to her side. "You're gonna have to try better than that, Nee-chan!" Sakura flicked her wrist towards her. Amaya jumped out of the way, wincing when one grazed her upper arm. She landed a few feet away and grabbed her wound with a scowl on her face. The Ame Kunoichi only smirked.
"If you think you're going to win the hearts of our clan members by talking tough, you've got something else coming!" Amaya bellowed at her. "Who said I was trying to win their hearts?" Sakura asked, raising a single eyebrow in mock questioning. She suddenly disappeared, only to appear behind Amaya. "What if all I want is to destroy every single one of you?" Sakura asked, growling out the last part. Amaya flinched and turned around, aiming a punch to her face. Sakura ducked and tackled her to the ground by the stomach with her shoulder.
The redhead fell hard on her back and, when she opened her eyes, she had to suck in a breath. Sakura was holding her katana only inches above her neck. Sakura pulled away and made a backflip, landing low on the ground. "I'm not done with you, yet. I want to play with you for a little while more."
Amaya jumped on her feet. Sakura rolled her shoulders, getting ready to sprint again. Her sister's next words stunned her in her place. "What happened to you, Sakura?" Amaya asked as she straightened up. Sakura frowned before shaking her head slightly. "Shut up, Amaya. From here on out we fight."
Amaya got into a fighting stance as soon as she heard those words. Sakura glanced up at her teammates. 'Naruto finished his fight too soon. I have to stall for time so that the Konoha and Ame forces get ready. If I stall too much, the enemy ninja might get anxious and giddy. They'll be more focused on finding victims rather than their surroundings, giving both Ame and Konoha Anbu a chance to sneak attacks on them. My mission at the moment is to stall. In another case,' Sakura looked back at her sister, who was waiting for her to attack. 'I can't disable her or hurt her too badly. We need as much forces as we can. I'll just make a few scratches here and there then I'll knock her out with a Katon jutsu.'
Making up her mind, Sakura sprinted forwards. Amaya was too slow but did manage to avoid getting hit the first time. When Amaya ducked, Sakura straightened up and rammed her knee into her chin, sending her flying backwards. Amaya recovered in mid-air then landed on her feet, quickly rolling to the side to avoid being kicked in the forehead. Sakura made a roundhouse kick, her heel making contact with the redhead's stomach. Amaya was surrounded by smoke, a log replacing her.
Sakura sensed the other Kunoichi's chakra and ducked under the punch, rotating her body to swipe at the older Genin's feet. Then she made a handstand and dropped her heel on Amaya, who moved her head to the side to avoid her heel. Amaya stood up and jumped backwards just as Sakura stood up and grabbed the hilt of her katana. Sakura dropped her hand when she noticed how hard Amaya was breathing. 'Her stamina's not very high. I remember when mine was like that. Itachi-sensei kept beating the crap out of me, even when I couldn't feel my legs and my lungs burned for air.' Sakura thought with narrowed eyes.
"You should've spent more time training rather than chasing a guy who will never like you back. Maybe then you could've been more promising." Sakura stated, her frown showing everyone her disappointment. Amaya glared at her, too focused on breathing to say anything. "I still can't believe Tou-san chose you over me." Sakura mumbled, though her tone was flat. 'Yeah, right. Who am I kidding? I'm better off being part of Akatsuki than being part of a corrupted clan with no positive values.'
Her words had the effect she wanted. "Shut the hell up!" Amaya glowered, only succeeding in making her younger sister smirk. "I really don't see what the clan saw in you. Yeah, you're pretty but looks aren't important in a clan leader. You may be good in Genjutsu but what if you don't have the stamina to keep up with your opponent? Consider this your first Shinobi lesson; to be able to win, you need to train!"
Sakura rushed forward, not giving Amaya enough time to truly catch her breath. Sakura leaned down and slid on her knees, going under her and in between her legs. Once she was under her, Sakura swiped at her legs then made a backflip to avoid being crushed. Landing, Sakura unsheathed her katana and rushed towards her fallen sister. Amaya stood up then rolled under the strike. Planting the tip of her katana on the ground, Sakura jumped and leaned on it, kicking Amaya away from her. The Ame Nin landed on her feet then ran at her after removing her sword from the ground. Amaya quickly took out a kunai and blocked the hit. Sakura smirked at her while she glared.
Sakura jumped back, her smirk turning into a frown. She lowered her head, allowing Amaya to catch her breath again. "I do have to thank you, though. If it weren't for your insults and mistreatment, I probably would've ended up like you." Sakura looked up at the sky, letting her hair frame her face as a breeze blew by. Her hair covered her face but Amaya could clearly see the distant look in her eyes. "It's because of you that I found my reason for fighting, my reason for living. It's thanks to you that I have such a wonderful family, despite the fact that none of us are blood related."
Amaya inhaled and closed her eyes, allowing that breeze to blow her hair about. For a moment everything was silent, even the two sisters seemed at peace. Sakura closed her eyes, enjoying the cool air. 'I think I've stalled long enough. Let's get serious.' Sakura's eyes snapped out, something Amaya seemed to sense because her eyes open at that exact moment. Sakura sheathed her katana before getting into a fighting stance. "Let's get serious, then."
"All right, here we go." Naruto commented as he straightened up, anxious to see Sakura kick her sister's ass. Gaara hummed in agreement, a smirk slowly making its way onto his lips. Sasuke looked at both their reactions before coming down to a conclusion. 'If Sakura beats Amaya in two minutes or less, I'm accepting Naruto's request.'
Sakura started making rapid handseals before placing her hand near her mouth. "Katon: Goukkakyou no jutsu," She inhaled and blew out a ball of fire towards her sister. Amaya jumped up and made a backflip to stick onto the walls. Her eyes widened when she saw that Sakura wasn't anywhere in sight.
"Boo," A familiar voice behind her interrupted her thoughts. Amaya jumped off the walls, only to have Sakura kick her back. Sakura grabbed the back of her shirt and threw her over her shoulder, twirling around to send kunai at her. Amaya crashed against the wall, the kunai holding her in place but not without ripping some skin. Sakura finally landed on the ground as she looked up at her sister struggling to get out. "Give up," Sakura ordered with a glare. Amaya stopped moving before she shook her head.
Sighing, Sakura jumped up and placed herself in front of her, using chakra in her hands and toes to stick to the wall. Their faces were mere inches away from the other's but that only made the exchanged glares even more intense. "I want you to listen to me and listen carefully." Sakura grounded out between gritted teeth. Her voice was just a whisper so that people wouldn't hear her talking. "Konoha's going to be 'surprised' attacked by Oto and Suna during the last fight of the second round. I need for you to give up now. If you don't, I'll be forced to wound you badly and we need as much man power as we can. Please, Amaya, it'll be the only thing I'll ask of you in this lifetime. Comply with me now and I'll let you live your life however you want." Sakura explained, her eyes portraying just how serious the situation was.
Amaya wanted to refuse, to yell at her but something prevented her from doing so. Whether it was the slightly pleading look or the fact that she was trapped, she didn't know. Amaya nodded and was filled with a sudden sense of pride when Sakura's face broke out into a smile. "You won't regret it. Konoha's safe in our hands now." Sakura let her fake smile drop slightly as she jumped back before landing in a crouched position on the ground. 'For now, anyways,' Was her last thought before Amaya announced her forfeit.
"Winner of this match Haruno Sakura of Amegakure no Sato!" Genma announced with a proud smile. He winked at Sakura, who blushed and smirked his way. Sakura turned her attention to her sister then waved her hand side to side. The kunai keeping Amaya to the wall fell when a gust of wind hit them just in the right angle. Amaya slipped down the wall before jumping off the wall and landing by Sakura. "Don't think that just because I gave up this time I'll go easy on you next time we meet." Amaya said as she started to walk away with her head up high. Sakura's eyes softened as she stared at her back. 'If only Otou-can hadn't filled your head with lies and absurdities, you probably would've been a little more tolerable.'
Sakura snickered, catching the retreating Haruno's attention. "Just make sure to focus on your training and not on boys. Maybe then you'll be a decent match." Sakura's words brought a grin to Amaya's face. "We'll see," With that, Amaya reported to the Nurse's room. Sakura turned to Genma, nodded her thanks and jumped into the Fighter's Area. She was greeted by two smirks and a kiss on the lips.
"How you managed to get her to give up is beyond me," Naruto said when he pulled away from her. Sakura grinned at him then turned around in his arms to lean against his chest. "You just need to choose the right words." She told him, winking in Gaara's way. Gaara rolled his eyes but his smirk never left his face. Sasuke smirked as he leaned on the railing. 'Not a very exciting way to win but she did it. My mind's made up, then.'
"I forfeit," Temari's words brought Sasuke out of his musing. He snapped his head into her direction. Temari was leaning on the railing while shaking her head. Genma raised his brow before nodding and announcing Sasuke the winner. Sasuke glanced at Sakura, who nodded at him. His anger quickly left him. They were being smart about this. They needed a lot of man for an invasion and they were saving up the power.
Genma announced that they were going to take a break. It gave the civilians some time to get snacks. It also gave time for the Konoha and Ame Nin to regroup.
An Anbu appeared by the Genin. "Hokage-sama wishes to speak with you four in room 209 in the infirmary. Your presence is requested as well, Genma." When he received five nods, the Anbu disappeared. Naruto and Gaara started leading the way down the stairs with Sasuke, Sakura and Genma following.
Once inside the indicated room, seals became apparent in the walls. 'Sound Blocking seals. This has to be important,' Naruto thought as he narrowed his eyes at the seals. The Hokage, accompanied by Kakashi and an Anbu Captain, sat down on one of the beds in the room. "All of the Konoha troops are ready. What about the Ame reinforcements?"
"They're all set, sir." Sakura informed with a curt nod. Sarutobi hummed and closed his eyes. "Is Sasuke briefed of his mission?" He asked, making Sakura tense. Their headsets were on and the rest of Akatsuki could hear what they were talking about. Naruto noticed this and chuckled. "These seals interrupt any signal coming in or heading out of this room. Everyone else outside is oblivious to what we're discussing."
Sakura visibly relaxed, letting out a brief sigh. If word got out that they had different plans than Pein's, he might punish them. And she did not want that. Although they're not as painful as Itachi's, Pein's punishments could make them beg for mercy. And everyone that personally knew them knew that they despised begging for mercy.
"Yes, he is. Everything's set on our part of the mission." Sakura replied.
Genma had to suppress a smile. She had grown so much from the last time he saw her. She used to be a little girl hiding behind the shadows of her clan and now she was helping in leading a counterattack on an invasion that probably would've have been a secret success if it hadn't been for her and her team. 'I just wished I could tell her the truth behind Haiiro's extreme behaviour towards her. Maybe then she wouldn't be this heartbroken.' Genma thought as he watched her exchange information with the Hokage and her team. Anyone who couldn't see the pain and suffering in her eyes was clearly blind. Her chakra also seemed troubled, especially when she had been fighting Amaya.
"Very well, then. You wouldn't mind Genma switching the fights, would you? It wouldn't matter if Gaara and Sasuke were to fight first on the next round?" Sarutobi asked. Sakura blinked before she looked at her teammates and Sasuke. "Both of our troops are ready. We shouldn't let them wait so long." Naruto considered with a shrug. "We should get this thing on the road. If we wait too long, our Shinobi might think that there's no invasion and might let their guard down." Gaara reasoned while crossing his arms. Sakura's eyes trailed over to Sasuke, who nodded. "The sooner we're done with this, the sooner we can kick some snake ass."
Sakura smirked then turned to Hiruzen with a nod. The Hokage looked at Genma, "It's decided, then. The next match will be between Gaara and Sasuke." Genma nodded his understanding.
Naruto stretched and yawned then. "That's great, then. I should probably get a nap in before we start kicking some traitor ass." He started heading to one of the beds until Sakura grabbed the back of his ear and started pulling him out of the room. "I don't think so, you lazy ass. We're going back up there whether you like it or not."
"So that you two can get some making-out in before we start?"
"Shut the hell up, Gaara!"
"You three are idiotic." The four Genin left the room, leaving Kakashi, Genma and Hiruzen to stand there with an Anbu Captain. Kakashi turned to the other Jonin. "When are you going to tell her the truth?" Kakashi asked as he pulled out that infamous book out of his pouch. Genma shrugged, lowering his head only slightly. "She has a family now. It would be best if I leave it at that."
Kakashi was about to say something else until a Chunin knocked on the open door. "Excuse me, Hokage-sama. We're ready to begin." The Hokage nodded and dismissed him. The four left the room and went their separate ways.
Down at the arena, Genma waited for the crowd to calm down before speaking into his microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, there have been a few changes to the bouts. Some matches have been moved to let the winners of the previous battles rest. Without any further delay, Uchiha Sasuke and Sabaku no Gaara, please come forward." Sasuke smirked at Gaara before jumping over the railing. Gaara followed him after glancing at his teammates.
The Kazekage tensed then turned to his seating partner. "Hokage-sama, why did you change the fights?" His voice was calm but it hinted slight irritation. Sarutobi glanced at him before looking back at the arena. "The previous fighters asked for some time to rest. I hope you don't mind, Kazekage-sama." Hiruzen announced. The Kazekage frowned then turned back to the arena. "Not at all,"
Refuge Area…
A group of Chunin were leading a crowd of citizens up the stairs leading to the shelters. The citizens were calm, as these practices were completely normal. The group of academy students were at the back of the line. Some grumbled about going through these bothersome things while others seemed relatively calm.
The man who had greeted Team Seven at the end of the Second phase of the Chunin Exams led the group of first time academy students. As they filed up the stairs and into the bunkers, he saw pressed a button attached to the microphone around his neck. "The last batch has just been evacuated, Hokage-sama."
"Very good, Iruka. Please guard the bunkers until further notice."
"Hai, Hokage-sama." Iruka responded before nodding to the other Chunin.
Back at the Arena…..
Sasuke pulled his hand out of the ball of sand covering Gaara. He jumped back as spikes appeared around it. Sasuke panted while he held his bleeding arm. 'This much trouble just to defeat a damn snake.' He glanced up at the rest of the Ame team. 'This better start right this moment. The only effective jutsu against Gaara is Chidori and I can only use it twice. I don't think I can hold on much longer.'
Temari tensed as she watched the spikes around the ball of sand disappear and start to crack. 'Gaara's going to release the Shukaku here? And without permission? He's crazy!'
Inside the dome of sand, Gaara smirked as he dropped his arms to his side. He grabbed his ear. "I'm ready, Ryu."
"All right, Tanuki. You know the rest of the plan. Act as if you're hurt, that'll probably make Kabuto drop the Genjutsu." Sakura's voice was heard over the headset. "I don't have to act, Ryu. Sasuke really did hurt me," Gaara answered, ignoring the pain soaring through his left shoulder. "You know what I mean, you dumbass. Just do it." The redhead smirked at her words as he grasped his shoulder. He let the dome drop slowly, his bored stare changing into a pained glare.
'Gaara should really be in a movie. He's as good an actor as he is a sand wielder.' Naruto mused in his head as he watched Gaara feign his pain. All of a sudden, the blonde started feeling a little dizzy. "The hell is this?" His question put Sakura on guard. She looked around, leaning over the railing to look at the whole audience. Realizing it was a Genjutsu, she placed her hand on her boyfriend's shoulder, immediately pulling him out of his sleepy trance. "Genjutsu; it's almost time." Sakura said before repeating it into her headset.
"Konoha and Ame Shinobi on guard, the invasion is about to begin."
After those words were spoken by the Anbu Captain, an explosion occurred where the Kages were positioned at. At the same time, Kankuro and Temari jumped down to check on Gaara. Baki watched the Anbu engage at the Kage's position before jumping in front of Gaara. Genma quickly positioned himself by Sasuke.
"His wound is worse than I thought." Temari called out after looking at Gaara's wound. Baki gritted his teeth, looking over his shoulder at Gaara. "You fool, this is what happens when you try to transform before the signal is given." Baki grounded out. Gaara looked up to glare at him. 'There's a corner right there. Why don't you go and jack off?' His thoughts were interrupted when the Suna Jonin instructed Temari and Kankuro to take him away from the village and tend to his wounds. Kankuro draped Gaara's arm around his shoulders and the two took off with him.
Sakura watched them leave before giving Genma the order to dispatch Sasuke after them. Sasuke ran over to the wall, dodging the kunai aimed at his back. Baki sent another rain of kunai only to have Genma block them with his own. Once Sasuke was safely over the wall, Sakura and Naruto turned to the battle going around the entire arena. The citizens were fast asleep but safe. Kakashi and Maito Gai, Neji's sensei, were the ones making more damage on the Oto and Suna ninja in the area. "Pein-sama's orders were to help defend the arena and citizens." Naruto muttered as he watched several bodies of both enemies and allies on the arena floor already.
"But our plan with the Hokage said otherwise. Remember, we'll do more damage to Orochimaru with our plan. We'll get punished but it's sure as hell worth it." Sakura said as she looked over at a certain section. Deidara and Sasori were taking down some Suna Shinobi and they were pretty sure the rest of Akatsuki was spread out throughout the village. Sakura turned in the direction Sasuke just left. "Let's go. We've stalled long enough for those three to get out of the village." Naruto grinned in anticipation before they both leapt towards the wall.
Deidara saw them and called after them. "Where the hell do you think you're going? Gaara betrayed us, leave him be!" Deidara said as a spider made out of clay exploded in an enemy's face. Sakura ignored him as she jumped over the wall while Naruto gave him the bird before following her. "Damn kids," Sasori muttered as Hiruko's tail cut another enemy in half.
Outside Forest…
"That kid's following us." Temari called out just as they reached a mile outside of the village's gates. Kankuro clicked his tongue, adjusting Gaara's hold on him. Gaara had his head down, having faked his passing out. "I'll hold him while you get Gaara out of here." Temari said as she stopped at a tree branch. Kankuro slowed down but then sprinted away after a glance her way.
Sasuke landed on a tree branch in front of her. He glared, "Move or I'll move you." Temari's response was taking out her fan.
"Futon: Reppushou," A familiar voice rang out just before a gust of wind hit Temari. Temari slammed into a tree, her back making a dull thud sound. She looked up to see Naruto and Sakura land by Sasuke, Naruto's katana in his hand. 'The Uchiha was enough. Now these two are here? I won't last a minute in battle with them.' Temari thought as Sakura crossed her arms, Naruto crouched down and Sasuke smirked at her while jamming his hands in his pockets.
"I'm outta' here," Temari muttered as she leapt away after her brother. Naruto snickered as he watched her run away. "Come on, the sooner we get this over with, the better." Sasuke said as he jumped away. "Someone's anxious, despite the fact that he's going to be in a whole world of pain." Naruto said in an amused tone. Sakura smiled then jumped off after the Uchiha, the blonde following her.
A sudden quake of the ground alerted the three Genin of the invasion taking on a whole new level of fighting. The three turned to in the direction of the village, their eyes widening when they saw the three-headed snake breaking down a part of the wall. "Damn it! Owl, what the fuck's going on over there?" Sakura asked through the headset. Static was heard before an answer came. "This is Ibiki and Jiraiya-sama is on his way to take care of the snake."
"Tell him to hurry up. If that snake gets any further into the village, all of you are screwed!" Sakura signed out and started jumping after the Suna ninja and her comrades. 'Forget about being far enough to not be detected. We need to head back as soon as possible.' Sakura thought as she increased her speed, easily passing by Sasuke and jumping at his side. "We need to do this fast. There's no telling what other tricks that snake has up his sleeve." Naruto said as Sasuke tried to catch up to them and keep their pace.
"What do you mean? Orochimaru didn't tell you about the snake?" Sasuke asked as they started closing in on the trio. He turned to Sakura when she spoke. "He didn't tell us about a lot of things. One of them being that the signal was the smoke bomb used to mask the Hokage in the smoke, and the Genjutsu was only to make the citizens fall asleep and easily knock out the unable Shinobi."
"Up ahead!" Naruto shouted, interrupting their conversation as multiple kunai were sent in their direction. They jumped out of the way and Naruto threw shuriken in the direction the kunai had come from. Kankuro came out of the bush to dodge the weapon. He landed on a branch and, when he looked up, he flinched. Sakura and Sasuke were going to crash against him. To his surprise, they landed on the same branch in front of him then flipped over him just as Naruto yelled, "He's all yours, Shino!" The Aburame nodded as he landed not too far away from Kankuro.
"I'm going on ahead! Follow my chakra signature, Sakura-chan!" Naruto jumped off when he saw Sakura's nod.
Arena…..
Kota looked around, fear evident in his eyes. This wasn't part of the plan. The Konoha ninja were supposed to die and be surprised, not come out and fight them as if they were prepared. Hell, even the Amegakure ninja around knew who to fight. Wait….Amegakure ninja. Kota's eyes widened. 'One of those three must have figured something out. Damn it, I need to tell Orochimaru-sama.'
Kota stood up from his hiding place, only for his escape to be blocked by an Oto ninja. "What are you doing? I'm on your side!" Kota yelled then frowned when the Oto nin snickered. "We were ordered to kill you. You know too much about Orochimaru-sama." With that said, he attacked. Kota took out his katana but ducked when the Oto ninja swung his kunai at his head. Kota twisted his blade and swung up, only to have the Oto nin move to the side. He threw the kunai, cutting Kota's hand and making him let go of the katana.
Kota looked up from his bleeding hand when a shadow was over him. He closed his eyes, waiting for the contact. It never came, instead he felt something warn and wet drip down to his cheek. His eyes shot open. The Oto Shinobi had been impaled through the stomach by what looked to be a metallic tail. The tail suddenly moved, throwing off the Oto ninja onto the arena below. Kota's eyes snapped over to a guy in the Akatsuki cloak. Hiruko narrowed its eyes at him.
A hand on his shoulder made Kota jump. "We need to talk." Kakashi said as he hit one of Kota's pressure point in his neck and hauled him onto his shoulder. "Gai, I'll be back. Keep your guard up." With that, Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves.
Forest Outside of Konohagakure…
"Nice job, Naruto." Sakura said as she narrowed her eyes at the beaten down Temari. Naruto grinned as he shoved his hands in his pockets. He looked down at the ground and kicked Gaara's side. "You can stop pretending now, Ototou." The blonde said as Gaara opened his eyes to glare at him. "Asshole," Gaara muttered standing up. Temari gasped, watching as the three exchanged compliments. "Let's get on with this," Gaara said as the three encircled around Sasuke.
The Uchiha gulped and got down on his knees, taking off his shirt in the process. He closed his eyes as Naruto rummaged through his weapon pouch for a piece of paper, where all of the markings were written down on. "This is going to hurt a lot, huh?" Sasuke asked as he took a calming breath when Sakura's cold hand rested on his shoulder, right on top of the Juin. "No, it's going to hurt like Hell." Naruto reassured with a sinister smirk. Gaara chuckled darkly, his aura changing from calm to evil in less than a second. Sakura sighed at their antics. "That's enough, you two. He's scared enough already."
"I'm not scared." Sasuke defended himself, raising his chin high. Naruto's smirk grew and he got close to the Uchiha's ear. "Boo," Naruto growled out, making Sasuke jump. Naruto started laughing, only to wince when Sakura hit him over the head. Though she was sporting a grin of her own, her voice was serious. "There's an invasion going on about five miles from here. We don't have time to be joking around….No matter how hilarious it is to scare the crap out of Sasuke."
"Hey!"
Naruto grunted while rubbing the back of his head. Gaara smirked as he put ran a hand over his injury, staining his fingers and palm with his blood. Naruto and Sakura cut their palms with some wind chakra. Naruto started marking Kanji on Sasuke's back, shoulders and chest with his own blood. When Naruto was done with his back, Gaara started tracing the signs with his own blood. Sakura followed in tracing the markings they left behind with her blood.
It took about ten minutes to finish all of the signs. Sasuke was now covered in markings drawn in blood from his neck down to his waist. Sakura finished on Sasuke's waist then straightened up, looking over their work. "All right, we don't have much time. We need to focus on overpowering the Juinjutsu and sealing it away. If you smell anything, tell us, Naruto." Sakura ordered as she made the Saru Mudra. Naruto nodded as he and Gaara made the same hand sign as her. They closed their eyes as they started channelling chakra to their hands. At the right point, Sakura opened one eye to look at the other two. "Ready?" she asked, feeling Sasuke tense at their response. Gaara hummed in a positive while Naruto took in a deep breath, "Now!" He yelled as the three started making fast handseals.
When they stopped at the Tori Mudra, a white glow surrounded Sasuke as he grunted in pain. Slowly, a dark glow began to appear right by the white one. Once the dark glow had come to the same height as the white one, Sakura was about to slam her hand down on Sasuke's shoulder when Naruto let out a strained groan. She opened her eyes and gasped when she saw that the dark glow was overpowering the white one. "Guys, we have a problem." She uttered, grabbing their attention. The two teenage boys opened their eyes before they widened, watching as the dark glow grew twice the size of the white glow. "Crap! We're gonna have to give up some of our Yin chakra. This Juin is too powerful!" Naruto instructed before closing his eyes. Sakura took in a deep breath, followed by Gaara. White glows appeared around all of them and spread towards Sasuke. The white glows mingled with each other before mixing.
When she saw that the white one was a little higher than the dark one now, Sakura slammed her hand down on Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke let out a painful scream but it grew in volume when Gaara slammed his hand down on top of Sakura's. Naruto placed his hand over theirs as he shouted out over Sasuke's scream.
"Aueishīru: Ten no noroi no māku!"
The white glow consumed the dark glow and began mixing with it as they descended down on Sasuke's head. Sasuke let out another scream before he went silent. "Now!" Naruto shouted as they made the Tora Mudra. "Heisa!" They shouted in unity. A circle appeared around the Juin with an 'X' planted on top. Sasuke fell forward, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as his body went limp. Gaara's sand caught him before he hit the ground.
Sakura took a step back and leaned against the tree behind her as she caught her breath. Gaara landed roughly on his ass, his breathing heavy. Naruto fell to his knees and palms, his entire form shaking in pain. He touched his forehead with the ground, muttering curse words under his breath. "That thing was overloaded with Yang chakra. Sasuke's alone wasn't enough," Gaara panted out, closing his eyes in fatigue. Sakura uttered a silent swear before sliding down the tree, her legs not able to hold her weight any longer. She held her stomach in pain as she winced.
Sakura reached up to her headset, "Kakashi, we've successfully sealed away Sasuke's Juinjutsu."
"Good job, you three-"
"There's just one problem." Sakura took in a breath of air before replying. "We've completely exhausted our chakra and we're really low on Yin chakra. Sasuke's Juin was overloaded with Yang chakra and his alone wasn't enough to even keep it under control for long. We had to merge ours with his. We're still out in the forest, about five miles southeast from the front gates. I don't think we can make it there soon."
"It's all right, you three. Just rest and keep an eye out. Our reinforcements just arrived and that three-headed snake Kuchiyose is down. We've taken care of most of the forces so just rest easy."
Sakura sighed in relief, signing out. "You heard him; we can stay here for a while." She told the other three before snapping her head towards a bush. Kankuro came out battered and injured. He froze when he saw Sasuke unconscious, the three on the ground still panting and Temari beaten on a corner. "What's going on-"
"Shut up, sit down and don't utter a word. We're exhausted and not in a very good mood. You do not want to mess with us right now." Naruto interrupted, sending a glare in the Suna Shinobi's way. Kankuro gulped and nodded, sitting down right by Temari. Naruto sat back against a tree as Gaara lay down.
Konohagakure…..
Clenching and unclenching her fist, Sakura sighed as she looked out the window of the room. Citizens and Shinobi alike were rebuilding or repairing the very little damage that came with the invasion. Because they were ready, Konoha Shinobi and Kunoichi had been able to keep Oto or Suna ninja from getting deeper than the northern half of the village. Most of the damage had been dealt by the Hebi Kuchiyose and very little damage had been caused by bombs. Less than a hundred Konoha and Ame ninja but more than fifty had died. If the numbers were combined, it went a little over a hundred but if they were compared, it showed that Konoha had dealt more loss than Ame. Indeed, it had definitely dealt more loss.
'Hokage-sama….'
Why him? Why did he have to die? He was such a great man, always looking out for the village and others. True, he was in an age where he should've retired long ago but it wasn't fair. He didn't deserve to die the way he did. It didn't matter if it was an 'honourable' way to die. He didn't take Orochimaru with him to the Shinigami's stomach. Orochimaru fled and Sarutobi didn't deserve that. No matter what anybody thought, he didn't deserve to die like that, without accomplishing his final goal as a sensei and as the Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato.
'I'm sorry we failed you….'
Nothing could compare to the empty feeling inside the young girl's stomach. Sure, she hasn't eaten all day but that was beside the point. The old man could've been here if it wasn't for a slightly miscalculation. No, slight my ass, Sakura thought, gritting her teeth. It was a damnable miscalculation that led to all of this. If only sealing away that Juinjutsu hadn't taken away so much chakra, stamina or Yin chakra they could've help the Hokage. They could've help defeat that damn Saundo yon and could've helped Sarutobi kill Orochimaru. But no, they totally underestimated Orochimaru's power, yet again, and fucked up the whole ordeal.
'I'm so….so sorry, Hokage-sama. We could've done better….We should've done better….I'm sorry,'
The back of her eyes burned every time she muttered or thought over those two words. However, tears didn't form or even tried to do so. Her sorrowful tears ran out a long time ago. She hasn't cried since she was eight and she sure as Hell wasn't going to start now. Besides, Sarutobi wouldn't have liked her mourning over his death.
'Then why am I here?...Oh, right. It's my entire fault…..I'm a failure to both you and Konoha.'
The door to the room opened but Sakura didn't turn around to know it was her boyfriend. Naruto's eyes softened when he laid eyes on her slouched form. He closed the door behind him and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her figure. He placed his chin on her shoulder, nuzzling his cheek with hers. Sakura leaned back into his touch, knowing full well he blamed himself just as much as she and Gaara did.
"The service will start soon. We should go." Naruto muttered as his raspy yet deep voice sent a chill down her spine. Sakura closed her eyes and nodded before letting out a sigh. "How's Gaara?" She questioned, her voice dry from not using it so much the past week. Naruto purred, nuzzling his nose into the crook of her neck. "Not in any better shape than the two of us. He's getting ready right now."
"Okay," A dead silence filled the room with the exception of Naruto's occasional purrs. The sound vibrated through his chest and onto her back, relaxing her. Just knowing that they were here, unharmed and safe, while the Hokage was going through Hell with the Shinigami made her uncomfortable. She didn't voice her thoughts or feelings because she could feel that, besides his purrs, the blonde holding her tightly to his chest and the redhead across the hall felt the same way. It was evident in the low hum and rhythm of their chakra. It was mournful, sad. It was guilty, ashamed. It was angry, infuriated. It was regretful, remorseful. It wanted payback, revenge. It wanted to feel Orochimaru's heart in its threads and rip it to pieces, one by one.
A knock on the door interrupted the silence. Gaara was waiting for them. "Let's go," Naruto muttered, stopping his purring. Sakura nodded again as he let go of her and went to open the door. Sakura turned around, her eyes meeting Gaara's. The pairs softened and broke contact as Sakura grabbed her bag pack and followed the two out onto the hallway.
'I hate the fact that I have to go to your funeral…..'
(A/N: Holy shit, I updated? It's a miracle! Now, now, I have my reasons. You see, I got my first quarter report card like two weeks ago and I got two F's so my grandmother grounded me up until now. The only reason why I've been able to online is because I went to my friend's house with my iPod.
Anyway, Chunin Exams are over with. And now we move onto the Tsunade Search Arc. This is where things start to head downhill for the Akatsuki and possibly Naruto's and Sakura's future. Why? Oh, because Sakura gets- (The following preview has been cancelled to due overload of Spoilers).
It really is a surprise I'm in a good mood. (Warning: The following Manga Spoilers may be very sensible to those who are not caught up to speed in the Manga, yet. Viewer discretion is advised) When I read that the Sharingan led up to the Rinnengan when it reaches a certain point, I stopped. I mean, seriously? You're going to give the Sharingan even more power when it doesn't deserve it at all? What also pissed me off earlier today was that I realized something. The Uchiha had to work hard to obtain the Sharingan, sure. But after they do obtain it, it's a breeze for them to become powerful. They are given power on a fucking gold platter when others have to train their asses off just to obtain a certain rank? It really seems unfair to me. Though the concept that Madara isn't Tobi (Because I don't know who he is, I'm back to calling him like that. If it is a male, anyway) still intrigues me, Kishimoto made the final draw in the concept of the Sharingan and Rinnengan. It's too surreal and unfair. Some might find it awesome but I just don't.
If I do insult anyone, I'm sorry. However, that is my opinion on the matter and I will stand for it. That's enough self-rambling for now, though. Here's the Glossary for this chapter:
Note: Jutsu, moves or other things with the sign (*) are made up.
*Aueishīru: Ten no noroi no māku- Seal Away: Heaven Curse Mark is a Fuinjutsu technique developed by Uzumaki Naruto, Sabaku no Gaara and Haruno Sakura. To seal away the Juinjutsu Orochimaru had placed on Sasuke during the Second Phase of the Chunin Exams, Naruto, Gaara and Sakura studied Orochimaru's works and experiments. They uncovered that by countering the Yang chakra that was activating the Juin, they could make it disappear, or overcome it. To counter the Yang chakra, they had to use Yin chakra. Because they themselves are made up mostly of Yang chakra (Being as Naruto and Gaara are Jinchuuriki and Sakura's the reincarnation of a demon queen), they needed another source of Yin chakra. Sasuke is human so his Yin and Yang chakra are balanced. They used his Yin chakra to overpower the Juin and seal it away. Because Sasuke's chakras are now unbalanced, he falls into a deep slumber until his Yin chakra returns. For this Fuinjutsu to work better, the Juinjutsu is sealed away by three different kinds of blood. This jutsu requires a lot of concentration and chakra, meaning the user(s) will be chakra exhaust afterwards if they do not have enough stamina or chakra reserves. If the Yin chakra does not suffice, the users will have to give up some of theirs for the Fuin to be complete.
Chidori- Thousand Birds is a Ninjutsu technique developed by Hatake Kakashi utilizing the Lightning Element. Chidori allows him to cut through any foe. Later, Uchiha Sasuke used his Sharingan and the training of Kakashi to also learn the technique. It was given the nickname Raikiri after it was said Kakashi used the technique to cut a lightning bolt in two. Chidori is used for assassination purposes. Activating the body to focus chakra to the hand, Kakashi and Sasuke's hand become enveloped by an electrical force. This force is their chakra altered in nature to an electrical current. By altering the shape of the force, similar to an electrical discharge, they can decide the power and range of the attack. After concentrating all the chakra into the arm, Kakashi and Sasuke use their quickness and the power of the thrust from the chakra to pierce any object with the extended forearm. Because their opponent can easily counter the attack, it requires a Sharingan user to make the technique worthwhile. The Sharingan will allow them to predict any moves their opponent decides to make and send their strike home into the target. Due to the high speed, the force emits a sound like a thousand birds chirping which gave the technique its name. Because of the great amount of chakra needed to utilize the technique, the technique can only be used so many times during the day.
Futon: Reppushou- Wind Style: Gale Wind Palm is a Ninjutsu technique utilizing the Wind Element. After forming the needed hand seals, Nagato will send a strong gust of wind towards his target. When acting in conjunction with another thrown weapon, the wind can increase its power and deadliness.
Hakke Rokujuuyonshou- Eight Divination Signs, Sixty-Four Palms of the Hand is a Taijutsu technique unique to the Hyuga bloodline. Hakke Rokujuuyonshou is a special technique passed down through the main family line. When an opponent is within the clan members divination field of attack, they can quickly begin their assault. The technique allows the clan member to use the Byakugan eye to see the inner chakra coils system. Using the Juuken style, they can force their chakra through their hands into the tenketsu of the opponent's body through 126 strikes. First the clan member will strike 2 times, then 4, 8, 16, 32 and finally 64. This damage forcibly closes 64 tenketsu, stopping the chakra flow of the opponent. This then limits their opponent's ability to use jutsu.
Hakkeshou Kaiten- Eight Divination Palms of the Hand, Heavenly Spin is a Taijutsu technique unique to the Hyuga bloodline using the Juuken. Kaiten is a special technique passed down through the main family line. Kaiten takes advantage of several of the unique abilities of the Byakugan eye. Byakugan gives the clan member an almost complete 360 degree view of their surroundings. This allows the member to see all angles of attack. If an attack is near, the clan member will release a large of amount of chakra from their tenketsu. The member then begins to spin like a top, creating a whirling vortex that can nullify almost any attack.
Heisa- Closure
Saru Mudra- Monkey Seal is the Ninth sign of the Chinese zodiac. It is associated with West-Southwest and the month of July.
Saundo Yon- Sound Four
Tora Mudra- Tiger Seal is the Third sign of the Chinese zodiac. It is associated with the East-Northeast and the month of January. Note: The Tora Mudra has been associated with Katon manipulation.
Tori Mudra- Bird Seal is the Tenth sign of the Chinese zodiac. It is associated with West and the month of August.
So sorry for the long wait (A month, huh?) and thank you for reading, 7th Creature.)