Shadow filled the arena, dust gathering around the base of the pair's feet. Darkness swelled up across the ground, flowing like rivers toward Kōju's feet. The ground darkened. The only light, the sun's rays cast from high above, shone across the wall.
To be thoroughly honest, I knew there was a possibility that she could do that. I've fought medic-nin before, so I get that risk pretty clearly. Well. Shikamōto smirked. I also know how to kill a medic-nin. The strength doesn't especially matter. It's not necessary to generate specially-strong coils in order to kill them. It's simply necessary to overwhelm them with the number. I don't need too much force. Pressure should be enough. Her fingers drove together.
Ten, twenty. No, there must be a hundred, though no more than that. Kōju's eyes narrowed. She's really trying to kill me through the simplest means she knows. She leapt through the air. That's more than enough. If I can't cut all of them at once, I'm dead.
"Useless, useless! They have more ways to come at you now!" Shikamōto shouted, not bothering to conceal her amusement. "Have you given up now?" She raised her hand. The shadowy threads slashed toward Kōju's neck. "It was over the moment you forced me to use all my power!" She slammed her hand downward. "Die for me, and repent your sins in hell as long as it takes you to be forgiven by Enma!"
Kōju slashed downward rapidly. The blazing white sword cut rapidly through the coils, sending the severed threads falling to the ground. Her arm swished to one side, letting the shadowy remnants flow down and off the sword.
Shikamōto's eyes widened in shock. I've never seen anything like this. What the hell is she doing?! Damn it! Mizuki, why didn't you get data on her powers more effectively?!
"Like any other form of chakra, my defensive techniques can also be projected through my blade." Kōju turned. Steadily, she started walking toward Shikamōto. The blade loosely stretched out at her side, glimmering with the faintest remains of dawn sparks. "If I can cut threads with an implement not suited to cutting, my hand, do you really think I can't cut something with a sword? That's just a basic extension of a power."
Shikamōto took a step backward. Her eyes widened. "Vizier." She swallowed tightly. Her hand extended again. The threads reassembled slowly. I didn't think she could do so much with just her sword.
"I already told you. You have to atone for what you've said and done. If I die here, I won't be able to accomplish that." Kōju continued to approach, her feet padding along the ground. Echoes from the footsteps sounded through the arena.
Shikamōto's eyes narrowed. Hand seals are out. She's mastered iaijutsu to a point at which she can block my hand seals. It's not perfect, but she doesn't need perfect. If she can get me two out of three times, the number of complex techniques I can use drops significantly. I can try using my shadow from beneath, but it seems apparent that she'll be able to block it. I'm not exactly spoiled for choice here. What should I do?
Kōju approached, her hand grasping the sword loosely and gracefully. Her stance remained entirely closed, no openings presenting themselves in her strong appearance.
Shadow puppeteering is out. I can't get her with threads, even by surprise or from behind. She's paying attention, and even a three-hundred-sixty degree attack probably wouldn't work. She can cut through most of the threads easily. And I know I'm not a match in hand-to-hand combat even with a soldier pill. Shikamōto's lips curled upward. You've done it now, you damn brat. She reached into her pouch rapidly.
Kōju's pace increased. She ran forward, her sword slashing toward Shikamōto's side. Her eyes narrowed as she slashed forward again, the arm extending to its full length.
Shikamōto hurled the exploding tag. Hands sealing together rapidly, she closed her eyes. Her fingers clapped together, forming a rapid technique as she moved forward.
An explosion radiated through the arena. Kōju exhaled heavily. Her hand wiped at her face, black soot covering her features. What was that about? she wondered in confusion.
Shikamōto vanished into the earth, her head descending last. She smirked as her body sunk into the earth, her eyes flickering with a mischievous and villainous glee.
Earth Release: Hiding Mole. She's running? No, there's no way that's possible. She's waiting for her opportunity. Kōju glanced at the earth. Chances are that she's trying to catch me by surprise.
Shikamōto's hand emerged from the earth. An exploding tag shot through the air, hurled by the arm. The arm began to descend through the sand into the ground.
Kōju's brow furrowed. "That's it? You're just going to hurl exploding tags at me until I collapse?" She rubbed her temples, her expression dark. "Hah. Is this really the tactics of the Nara family?"
Hey, don't feel badly about this in the afterlife, kid. I'm going to live no matter what the cost. So if you end up dying like this, it's the best way this could go. Shikamōto smirked beneath the earth. Plus, I can hide effectively from your counterattacks. All I have to do is yank my arm down, and then you've got no way to attack. This is how a pro fights. They win in silence!
Kōju sighed heavily. "Well, it's a good thing I'm sure you're affected by this technique. If you hadn't burrowed, you could probably tell what's about to hit you." She shifted her feet, grounding herself and centering her weight on the ground.
Shikamōto's brow furrowed. Wait, what? She glanced upward. Whatever technique she's using is probably something that'll end the fight. I need to pull my hand down, now.
"ORARARARARARARA!" Kōju shouted. Her white sword blurred in a circle, the tip of the sword piercing into the exploding tag and one of Shikamōto's fingers. Her stance adjusted slightly, energy swelling up around her body. The tag stopped in midair, glowing with white light, energy surrounding the tip.
Shikamōto gritted her teeth. Wait, the tag hasn't exploded yet. That means it's that technique of the heretic priest! She gasped as her arm hung motionless. I can't move either! Damn it! She got me with Susano'o Mikoto! I can't move my arm!
Kōju walked forward. Her sword rose above the arm, pointed toward the earth. "Now I can pierce you. It might hurt a little bit, but please don't blame me in the afterlife."
Shikamōto gritted her teeth. Damn it! She gritted her teeth. I had a Substitution Technique prepared, but thanks to this I can't use that either! SHIT! I'm seriously going to die here! She glanced at her hand. If I blow off my hand, I might be able to survive a few seconds longer, but my elemental powers are screwed up too. There really are no options.
"After all, you should have been prepared to bet your life from the very beginning. Or you should have run. One of those two things. Well, it's over now." Kōju's sword plunged downward.
The sword stopped in the middle of its downward descent, blocked by a solid enormous black blade. The sound of the clanging blades and a loud explosion, like a thousand tags exploding, echoed through the darkness of the arena.
Kōju's head turned to one side. She stared at the tall figure across from her. Her green eyes widened. "Huh?" she demanded, staring flatly at the figure. Her brow dripped with sweat. Not another. I probably can't handle another one. If he's anywhere near as powerful as Shikamōto, I know for sure I can't.
"Good thing I got here on time. Shikamōto, you really screwed up, huh?" a loud voice questioned. A tall figure dressed in white and masked with a kitsune's white mask stood across from Kōju. He held the black blade loosely to one side. Black hair streamed down his back.
Kōju frowned. What happened with Soyokaze? No, before that, he got in here without me noticing his presence. She gritted her teeth. This isn't good. She glanced behind the figure.
A smashed section of walls led outside, sunlight pouring through the sky. The smashed pieces of stone lay motionless across the ground, several stones formed into powder by the strength of the blows.
Kōju's eyes widened. He did all that just using his sword? How strong can he possibly be? I'd expect this kind of thing from a Kage, not just another member of Hakubo! She drew in a breath. Glancing upward, she studied the path of the strike. No. From a glance, it was just one swing. She swallowed tightly. "This has gone too far to be a bad joke anymore."
Shikamōto gritted her teeth. "Whatever. Just pull me out, you bastard." Her voice remained muffled by the dirt, but she spoke with clarity and fervor in her voice. "Don't let me die here!"
"Hm. Nah, don't feel like it. You can get yourself out in about ten minutes or so." A faint smirk sounded through the man's voice. "You've got enough air for that, right?"
Shikamōto growled. Emperor damn you, you aloof bastard! Her free hand scrabbled against the dirt, slowly digging herself outward from the hole in the earth once again.
The man turned his gaze toward Kōju. "But anyhow, putting that aside, you're one of the people intruding, right?" He placed his other hand on his blade. Taking a step backward, he held out his hand. "Whatever your team was called. From Hidden Leaf."
Kōju nodded. "Yes, that's correct. I'm here to kill members of Hakubo." He's still in range. I'll try to get him with Susano'o Mikoto. For now I need a distraction so I can take him head on. Her footing adjusted on the ground. "Who are you? Or rather, what's your name?"
"Call me Seijutsu, if you have to call me anything. You're pretty good, aren't you?" A hint of admiration ran through the man's voice. "Getting Shikamōto-san like that is pretty tough, you know."
Kōju's eyes narrowed. "What happened to Soyokaze?" she questioned in a flat tone. I thought she had to be pretty strong to say that she could handle Hakubo.
"That person's still at the entrance. I don't think I killed them, but maybe I did. It's impossible to gauge my own strength against mortals." Seijutsu shifted his footing, drawing his sword down to one side.
"ORARARARA!" Kōju's sword blurred forward rapidly, her eyes narrowed. Got you!
Seijutsu momentarily vanished. He reappeared ten feet away, his sword at his side.
Kōju's eyes widened. "Huh?" She tilted her head to one side. I'm sure he was standing right there. This is like Mizuki's power. He vanishes, and there's also that sword. It doesn't conduct chakra, but it's something like that. "Are you like Mizuki?" she questioned hesitantly.
"Don't compare me to an idiot like Mizuki." Seijutsu's eyes narrowed. For a brief moment his voice grew angry. "An idiot who didn't even know how to use Shunpō, of all things, properly doesn't even hold a candle to me."
A drop of sweat ran down Kōju's brow. "My apologies, but you've lost me." She stepped backward a pace. Her brow furrowed. "Shunpō? Is that like the Flash Technique?"
"Technique style is similar, I guess. It's not the same usage. Well, I suppose it doesn't really matter to you, does it?" Seijutsu drew up the sword. His eyes narrowed. "Don't you understand? Your village sent you to die."
Kōju's eyes narrowed. She leapt backward. Her heel brushed against the line drawn in the sand. "Tsunade-sama has more faith in us than that. And so do I." She adjusted her grip on the sword.
"Good." Seijutsu's eyes narrowed. "If you didn't have that kind of faith in yourself, killing you would be useless. Only strong guardians of the current order deserve my blade. Looks to me like you're mainly a swordsman, so I should be able to handle you just fine." Roaring with sudden laughter, he blurred forward. His massive sword slashed toward Kōju's side.
Kōju's eyes widened. Fast! She jumped backward, her sandal sliding across the line. Way too fast!
Seijutsu's sword slashed into the ground, sending crumbling pieces of stone upward through the air. He smirked broadly.
The arena darkened. Smashing pressure descended across the ground.
It's true that he's an annoying bastard. Shikamōto clawed upward through the ground. But in this situation, there's no one I'd rather have backing me.
The pair stood across from each other.
Kōju gritted her teeth.
Seijutsu's eyes narrowed. "Not bad. Both speed and precision. You got 'em in spades." Pressure swelled up around his body. "That's good. Otherwise you'd be boring as hell."
Kōju stared flatly at the figure. This is bad. She glanced over her shoulder. I probably can't hold him long. Naruto, where are you? Have you gotten to Gaara? The hair on the back of her neck prickled. In this situation I may die. So please at least let me know I'm dying for something.
The sky darkened. Lines of black pressure smashed into the earth. The combatants stood across from each other, their weapons held to one side.