Blue-Eyed Avarice
Two Years Later...
The Forty-Fourth Training Ground.
Home to various hordes of flora and fauna, often gigantic and often poisonous but those that visit this dangerous location should fear more than the plant-life. For in this forest holds the deadly Ōmukade, the giant human-eating centipede along with large bears, tigers', leeches and many more.
Because of these factors, The Forty-Fourth Training Ground earned the most prestigious and intimidating name around.
The Forest of Death.
And it was in this forest where Anko thrived.
The now twenty-year-old Tokujō stood in the middle of an opening in the forest, her tan coat flowing with the breeze as she waited there. Despite the dangerous creatures that roamed this forest, none dared approach her for she was with Apex Predator.
And this predator was lying in wait.
A sound of rustling leaves caught Anko's attention, which caused her to smirk as she pulled out a kunai and readied herself. Two kunai suddenly flew out of the foliage to her left, which caused her to turn around and deflect each of them before she leapt into the air with a spin and kicked both kunai back where they came from.
The two kunai whizzed into the foliage as Anko landed on her feet, but another pair of kunai flew out from the right and deflected them both to the ground before she launched her kunai toward the foliage. Not a second sooner, four kunai flew towards her. Two from the trees to her left and two to the trees to her right.
Anko flipped backward to avoid each one before she landed on her feet, only to turn around to block a punch from behind. "Finally found me, my little ward," Anko teased with a smirk as blue eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Such a vexing viper," Came the response from her ward before she twisted her body and launched him over her shoulder and into the air. The blond shinobi-in-training twirled in the air before he landed in a crouch on both feet before he turned around to face her.
The Uzumaki brat had grown in the past two years.
Due to her intense and rigorous training, the Gaki now sported a lean, muscular Olympic swimmer's body that was littered with faint scars. He was taller, his head now resting beneath her chin, his face held a little bit of baby fat and his blond hair was shaggier and now reached just a bit beneath his shoulders.
From how he looked, she was reminded of the Yondaime.
Only younger.
How weird.
The little "prince" was currently barefoot and bare-chested and only had on a pair of worn down, tattered black slacks, and his eyes were glowing with contempt.
But the biggest change about Naruto was his skill. When she had taken him in, he had just used those weird chains as a spider's web, swinging across the village. But now, he was more skilled with them in ways she was not expecting.
"Oh? The little princeling is vexed at me?" Anko teased with a smile, her hips swaying side to side slowly, enjoying as his eyes homed in on her movements. Because of the amount of time they had been together, she knew how often his eyes watched her every movement, not only to study them but to wait until she struck. "You were only here a week. What could have happened?" Anko questioned.
His eyes narrowed, which caused her to smirk and slide off her jacket and toss it to the ground, revealing the pair of bracers on her wrists, each one having a snake etched within them. "No mood talk?" Anko asked as she pressed a button on her right bracer, which caused three to spring out from the bracer and attach themselves to her right index and middle fingers along with her right thumb.
"Fine, let your fists speak for you," Anko told him as she pressed a button on her left bracer to have spikes attached to her left index and middle fingers and thumb before she sprung forward and lunged her right hand out towards his head.
Naruto avoided the lunge as he swayed his head to the right but she quickly turned her arm and swung back. Naruto blocked the arm and forced it down and aimed an uppercut at her head. She leaned back to avoid it and swung her left arm at his head, but he smacked it away and turned his body three-sixty degrees to land a backhand fist to her jaw.
She ducked the fist and kicked him in the back but then he exploded into smoke. She suddenly turned around and blocked a roundhouse kick and a mid-section kick from the Naruto to her right and the Naruko to her left, respectively.
"Wow, two cute little princes…I don't think I could handle this much royal attention," Anko joked before she leaped off the ground and twisted herself into a ball, and delivered a double kick to the left Naruto, which caused it to explode into smoke, then landed on the ground and tripped the right Naruto to the ground and rammed her right hand through its head, dispersing it into smoke.
Anko pulled her hand up and quickly rolled forward to avoid three large Fūma Shuriken from slicing through her and sprang to her feet only to block a flying kick from Naruto, who immediately smirked as he flashed white.
Anko's eyes widened in terror as she switched out for a log just as the clone exploded. Anko skidded from the smoke in between where the two kunai were and without warning, the kunai exploded into two clones, who began to shine a bright white as well.
Anko leaped into the air and shouted, "Sen'ei Jashu!" her bracer shined with previously unseen seals and six snakes flew from them and bit down on a tree branch. Anko swung out of the radius of the explosion, which shook the area.
Anko dismissed the snakes as she made herself a small ball she soared in the air and then unfurled herself to land on the branch, where Naruto appeared and landed a blow to her jaw. Anko staggered back and swayed from left to right to avoid Naruto's left then right jab before she swung her right arm at an upward angle, which caused two gash marks to appear on Naruto's bare chest, which immediately began to bleed.
Anko then turned around and aimed a turning roundhouse kick to his torso but Naruto leaped up to avoid it and delivered a leaping roundhouse to catch Anko in the face. Anko used the chakra in her feet to remain on the branch but her body spun briefly as Naruto landed on his feet and advanced on her, his arms moving at a fast rate with each crisp jab thrown.
Anko blocked three jabs and caught one in the chest, then another in the face, and finally, one in the stomach before she retaliated with a lunge to her shoulder, causing her left index and middle fingers to pierce his right shoulder before she pulled out and pierced his left side with her right index and middle fingers.
But when she tried to pull her right hand away, Naruto grabbed her wrist and gripped it tight before he slammed his forehead against hers with a headbutt, which caused Anko's vision to swim.
Naruto leaned his head back and slammed his forehead against hers again, which made her legs buckle from the blow, along with blood flowing from her forehead, before he pulled back, enough for her to feel her fingers slip out of him, and tackled her off the branch and down to the ground hard.
The two remained on the ground, each of them panting heavily before Anko flipped up to her feet and staggered back with a vicious smirk, her eyes watching as Naruto rolled to his stomach and rose to his feet moments later.
Anko pulled out three kunai in each hand and launched them at Naruto, who immediately twisted his body as he whipped his arms, causing two pairs of chakra chains to fly from his wrists and swatted the kunai away.
He turned his body to face her as the chains retreated into his left wrist then lunged his right arm out two causing two chains to spring forth towards her. Anko pulled out another kunai and deflected each chain from reaching her only for Naruto to withdraw the two chains back into his body and lunge his left hand immediately after.
Anko did the splits with her body planted on the ground to avoid the chains, which she heard embed themselves in the tree behind her. Anko raised her upper body back up only for Naruto's foot to slam into her face, which sent her skidding against the ground as Naruto's bare foot pressed hard against her face before Naruto kicked off of it and into the air.
Naruto pulled back the chains that were in the tree as he was in the air, a slow smirk forming on his face as he reared his right arm back and then lunged his right arm forward with a shout. Ten thick chains flew from his palm and towards Anko, with the ends of the chains being hooks.
Anko's eyes bugged out and switched herself with a log, which was pierced and then crushed by the ten chains repeatedly until it was nothing but splinters. She appeared on the other side of the field as the recently turned fourteen-year-old landed on the ground and panted.
She grinned and said, "That's enough my little ward."
Naruto panted and sat down on the ground, his wounds now healed by the scars remaining. Anko walked up to Naruto and ruffled his head as she sat beside him. "That was some spar…I'm very impressed," Anko said. "You passed the two-year mark. Congrats Gaki."
"Where do I rank in terms of skill?" Naruto questioned.
Anko tilted her head in thought and said "Low to Mid-Chūnin. Keep it up and you'll be high Chūnin or even Low Jōnin by the time you actually graduate."
"How I avoided being eaten in this place for all these years, I will never know," Naruto panted out.
"You did damn good. You managed to even draw blood on me," Anko said. "But tell me something, when did you learn the Kage Bushin and the Bunshin Bakuha?"
"When I stole the Forbidden Scroll last week," Naruto answered with a smirk.
Anko let out a bark of a laugh. "Kami Gaki, one of these days, you are going to get your ass caught and when that happens, I do not know you."
Naruto grinned.
Anko looked up and saw that the sun was rising, along with the chime of the academy bells, and said "Well…Looks like your week off from the academy is over…"
"Joy," Naruto said dryly. "Finished just in time to go there…This should be fun." Anko smirked and stood up and held out her hand to Naruto, who grabbed it, which allowed her to hoist him up to her feet.
"Come on, I'll get us home the faster way," Anko told him before the two vanished with a swirl of leaves.
"You did magnificently against her, Little Prince," Kyūbi said as the water washed down Naruto's body from the shower head.
'It is still not enough…Despite my improvements, I was still unable to defeat her. How can I rule when I cannot defeat a mere viper like her?' Naruto thought with a frown.
He knew he was needlessly beating himself up. When they had met two years ago, Naruto was barely a shinobi. But now, he knew where he stood with Anko.
Naruto switched off the water and stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. 'Besides, my performance may have been well but I still am unable to shape weapons like my mother could…I wonder what her secret was…' Naruto thought to Kyūbi as he stared at the mirror.
"It did take her some time as well but you're exceeding where she was skill-wise at this age. By the time it is all said and done, you'll be eclipse her in strength…" Kyūbi told him. as he summoned a clone, who pulled his hair back, leaving the bangs to shape the sides of his face, and tied the remainder up into a ponytail.
"Thank you," Naruto said to the clone.
The clone bowed and said, "It was my honor, my prince," before he dispersed. Naruto walked out of the bathroom and into his room and pulled out his clothes, which were a long-sleeved button-down shirt that was midnight-blue in color, black slacks along with leather dress shoes.
Naruto slipped on his clothes and rolled up his sleeves to the forearm and walked out of his bedroom and into the living room just as Anko walked back into her place via the balcony. "Welcome back," Naruto said with a smile.
"Gaki, I will never understand why you dress like that," Anko said.
"A prince must always look his best," Naruto said with a wink in her direction as he walked to the fridge and pulled out a carton of orange juice. He pulled out two glasses and poured one for him and the other for Anko.
"How considerate of you," Kyūbi noted.
'Have to show I have some manners. I want to make myself appealing to keep her as a long term ally,' Naruto replied with a grin.
"Such lofty goals. I doubt she will look at you as an ally if you don't eventually defeat her," Kyūbi told him. "I know that I would not. Even if you look good enough to eat."
Naruto blushed at her words, which caused Kyūbi to coo in response.
Naruto placed the glass of orange juice on the counter where Anko grabbed it and downed it in one go. "Hey Gaki, keep the place in one piece for the next month. I got a mission," Anko said.
"Fuck, what about training?" Naruto asked.
"It'll just have to wait. Unless you meet another sexy bitch like me who takes you in and trains you," Anko said as she reached over to ruffle his hair.
"But do not worry, I left your cute ass some jutsu to go over. You better have all three of them learned when I come back. Otherwise, Kikyo and I will make you pay for your failed diligence," Anko warned.
"Understood," Naruto said with a nod.
Naruto then glanced at the clock and announced, "Well, I better get a move on. I'm going to be late," he downed his drink and quickly washed his glass before he walked to the patio door.
"Oi! You nearly forgot," Anko said.
"Right," Naruto said before he took a deep breath. Cobalt blue and black Chakra swirled around his body, causing him to glow before a brief pillar stood before it vanished, revealing Naruko, her long twin tails nearly at her slightly curvy hips.
"How do I look?" Naruko asked.
"Like you're going to give that Inuzuka boy more ammo that he's Bi," Anko joked. "Still Gaki, you never explained why you take this form. I mean, you explained the logistics of if in terms of your chakra coils, which I'm still somewhat confused at how you can even shape those. But your control should have been well molded and adapted to you by now. So why keep it up?"
Naruko remained quiet for a moment. She knew eventually she would have to reveal her reasoning about switching between both forms so freely, and honestly, after all, Anko did to train her, she felt that she deserved the right to know.
"It started as that reason, admittedly," Naruko started. "But now? I simply can't deny that both forms fit me like a glove."
"Or really?" Anko asked.
"Really," Naruko replied with a soft smile. "The minute I put this form on, everything just felt right. But, I can say the same about my original form too. If I keep in any form for too long, however, It starts to feel weird but I just feel like myself, male or female."
Naruko's smile then turned into an impish smirk. "Besides, if I robbed the world of Naruto or Naruko, people would be pissed. And I need to be the honeypot in both forms to gather and bend the weak-minded."
"So you feel flexible between both genders, eh? Ain't nothing wrong with that at all," Anko grinned. "I gotta say, the way you think aligns with most seasoned Kunoichi. Using our looks and sexuality is part of the job. A lot of Shinobi across the world don't realize that and often fall for it."
"Their lose, my gain," Naruko chuckled.
Anko snorted.
"Have a good day kiddo. Knock them dead and keep that cute ass safe," Anko told her.
Naruto winked and said, "Likewise," before she opened the patio door, hopped on top of the railing, and then jumped off, She quickly shot out a thin chain from her wrist and swung through the village at top speed, passing by all of the other shinobi-hopefuls as she made her way to the academy.
As she swung, she saw Chōji and Shikamaru walking together. She grinned and summoned the chain back into her before she lazy twirled in the air and then landed on an alarmed Chōji's shoulders, her legs resting against his shoulders as her arms as she leaned over, making her covered breasts press against the back of his head.
"Oi!" Chōji exclaimed.
"Hiya Chōji-kun," Naruko said, purring out his name.
"O-Oh…Hey Naruko…" Chōji stammered.
"Oi…Stop messing with him Naruto," Shikamaru groaned.
"Ah-Ah! Naruko in this form," Naruko corrected as she leaned her arms on Chōji's head. "Besides…" she twirled a strand of Chōji's hair with her finger. "I think he likes me up here…Right?"
Naruko could see Chōji's ears reddened, knowing he was blushing.
"Wow, you have this girl thing down pat," Shikamaru said with a surprised look.
Naruko smiled. "Now, Chōji-kun, do you mind carrying me to the school? I'd be forever grateful…"
"Just this one time," groused Chōji.
Naruko smiled.
"You are enjoying this far too much," an amused Kyūbi commented.
'Gotta train everyone now to worship me. This is the best way to start,' Naruko replied. Naruko then looked ahead to see the academy in the distance and muttered "Time to start the day…"
Ino sat on the bench in front of the Academy with a faint blush on her face.
It had been two years since that embarrassing spar that led to her being under the employment of the Hyūga Heiress, Hyūga Hinata, and Ino had changed because of this,
The platinum-blonde was no longer the brash, loud, and proud rival of Sakura. Instead, she was timid and quiet. Her hair had grown longer, with her bangs covering the right half of her face and another bang framing the left side of her face that left her left eye visible, her ponytail now waist-length.
She wore a purple dress that fell to her calves, mesh elbow pads on both elbows, and shinobi sandals. And her eyes were locked on the blonde-haired girl that rode on Chōji's shoulders.
She watched as the girl placed a hand on Chōji's head and then flipped off carefully and landed before him in thanks before she turned to her and smiled with a wink.
Ino ducked her head and blushed.
She knew who the girl was thanks to Hinata ranting about her but Ino found herself not caring.
Naruto or Naruko, this person was as beautiful as an angel to her.
Summoning up her courage, Ino stood and walked to Naruko and greeted, "G-Good morning Naruko-chan…"
Naruko gave her a wide smile. "Wow, you look beau-ti-ful today Ino-chan. But then again, you are beautiful every time I see you," Naruko said as she placed a hand on her cheek to caress it.
Ino looked down as the blush on her face increased.
"Thank you…" Ino shyly said.
"So, where is your boss anyway?" Naruko asked with narrowed eyes.
Ino knew of the intense rivalry the two had against each other.
She did not know specifics of it but Hinata spoke enough of Naruko to know the Hyūga despised him for some reason. "Hinata-sama has not arrived yet…" Ino said with a frown but she felt her head tilt up to view the blue eyes of Naruko.
"Sooner or later, I'll get through to her and when I do, I'll free you from her clutches," Naruko promised before she leaned forward and placed a kiss on Ino's forehead, which caused a deep blush to form on her face. "Just stay strong and don't let her beat the cuteness out of you. I'm quite fond of it…" Naruko sweetly told her.
"I-I won't," Ino replied with a bashful smile.
"That's my girl," Naruko said as she placed another kiss on Ino's forehead before she motioned for Shikamaru and Chōji to follow her into the academy.
Ino watched the trio leave and let out a lovestruck sigh before she shook her head and began to focus when Hinata, carried in a throne by four Hyūga branch members, approached. Ino bowed as the four branch members lowered the throne and Hinata stepped off of it.
"Thank you. Dismissed," Hinata said with a wave of her hand and walked towards Ino, who immediately fell in step behind her. "Has Naruto arrived?" Hinata asked.
"She has," Ino said submissively.
Hinata nodded and asked, "Still in that female form?"
"Yes," Ino confirmed.
Hinata narrowed her eyes. "Why did he take up that form? It infuriates me that he dares act out against my wishes and return to the form I desire him to be in…"
Ino bit her tongue.
As much as she wanted to tell Hinata that no matter what form was chosen, the blond was devastatingly beautiful but did not wish to incur Hinata's wrath. Instead, Ino said, "Perhaps that is the reason why she chose that form. Because it infuriates you…"
Hinata stopped and turned to Ino, who shrank as Hinata narrowed her eyes but instead of being hit or admonished, Hinata instead caressed her cheek with a gentleness that made her knees weak.
Much like Naruko did before her.
"Very smart Yamanaka," Hinata cooed. "This is why I keep by my side…"
Ino flushed and nodded before she followed Hinata once again into the Academy.
Naruko entered her classroom and was immediately stared at, with a few catcalls in her direction from several of the females in the class. "Thank you, far too kind," Naruko said as she walked towards the stairs and ascended them to her seat, which was behind Kiba but beside Shino.
"Morning Shino," Naruko said.
"Uzumaki-san," Shino replied.
"Aww Shino. You can call me by first name, you know?" Naruko asked.
"You have two of them depending on what form you use," Shino told her with a hint of a smile.
Naruko grinned before peering down at Kiba and purred, "Hello Inuzuka-kun…"
Kiba turned around with a scowl and exclaimed, "Oi! Put that saucy ass voice away, Uzumaki! You ain't tricking me this time!"
Naruko looked at Shino and glumly said, "He's learning…"
"I fear for us all," Shino quipped.
"Bite me!" Kiba said as he turned around in his seat.
With a foxy grin, she leaned down to his head and whispered, "Maybe if you ask me nice enough, Kiba-kun."
She got the desired effect when Kiba's face turned scarlet, which caused her to lean back in her chair and laugh.
"Drop dead Uzumaki!" Kiba roared as he turned around to face the smirking Naruko.
"Relax, what's a joke between friends?" Naruko coyly asked with a wink.
"I still don't know how you were able to do it. Become a full female but you should not have this power," Kiba said with a scowl. "It's cruel and unusual."
Naruko crossed one leg over the other and jokingly replied, "Which is exactly why I learned it. To be cruel and unusual."
"But that does make me curious…" Shino said.
"Uh-oh…" Naruko playfully said.
"When you revealed this form, we were all taken aback, especially Kiba," Shino began.
"Oi!" Kiba interrupted.
"But now that time has passed and I have been able to think on it more, it leaves me more befuddled…How did you achieve this? Is it a Kekkai Genkai of some sort?" Shino asked.
"Actually, yes," Naruko answered. "It's a rare and special Kekkai Genkai that only certain members of my long-dead clan can use."
"Not necessarily a lie…" Kyūbi said.
"Interesting…" Shino noted.
"So I have a question. If some guy had sex with you, could you be knocked up in that form?" Kiba asked.
"You asking to knock me up?" Naruko jokingly asked.
"I-It was a fucking question Uzumaki!" Kiba yelled.
"Doth protest too much," Shino said.
'This is why I adore Shino,' Naruko thought to Kyūbi. 'He just gets me.'
Kyūbi laughed in response.
'But that is a good question…Would I be able to be pregnant in this form if I swung that way?' Naruko asked.
"You are a female through and through in this form. So yes. I cannot believe I am answering this question again…" Kyūbi sighed.
'What do you mean?' Naruto asked her.
"Your mother asked if she could get someone pregnant when she transformed into her male form the first time…" Kyūbi answered.
'Great minds think alike but that would have been weird,' Naruko thought before she answered, "In fear of my virginity and in fear of you deciding I would be a suitable mate, I'll keep that answer to myself Kiba."
"Last time I ask your ass a question," Kiba grumbled. "Damn blonde…"
"You tease him far too much, Uzumaki-san," Shino said, despite hearing amusement in his voice.
"Kiba is easy to tease but he knows I'm his friend at the end of the day," Naruko said.
"I must say, Little Prince, your plan of keeping the future heirs as your friends has been going quite well. I'm impressed," Kyūbi told her.
'Well, barring Hinata and Sasuke, things are going swimmingly but I need to instill undying loyalty in them. Not just friendship…But how I wonder?' Naruko thought.
"The only way to instill undying loyalty is to save their lives from near death. That is what I find at least…" Kyūbi told her.
Naruko shut her eyes in thought only to hear, "Still in that pathetic form, Naruto?"
Naruko opened her eyes and turned her head with a sneer at Sasuke, who stood on the stairs at the end of the row of desks. "Well, well, well…If it isn't the hot air balloon himself…"
"Why do you insist on making a fool out of yourself? You were already weak before. Now you're advertising it by being the actual bitch you are," Sasuke taunted.
Naruko sighed.
Ever since that day she appeared in class in this form, the Uchiha had been needlessly taunting her and while she would blow him off, he had been taking it to the next level recently. They had nearly come to blows the week before their vacation because he was egging her on.
If not for Iruka, she would have wiped the floor with him.
But now, things were reaching their fever pitch and sooner, rather than later, she was going to decimate him. "A fool out of myself? Hm…I think you can do that better than I can. Now run along before I neuter you. No offense Kiba. I know how much that word irks you,"
"None taken," Kiba instantly replied.
"Tch…Like you have the balls to even try," Sasuke said. "Oh wait, you don't."
Naruko gave a cold smirk and started to stand up. "Come then boy and let me show you how wrong you are."
"Do not waste your breath on the Uchiha trash, my dear toy," Hinata's voice said from the front of the class, which prompted them both to look at her. "Uchiha-san, do be a good boy and jump off a cliff."
"I do not believe I asked you to butt in, Hyūga," Sasuke told Hinata with a biting tone.
"You're messing with what belongs to me," Hinata darkly said. "Continue to do so and I will tear you limb from limb."
Sasuke smirked and looked at Naruko and said "Aww. Look at that. A bitch protecting her bitch. How precious." He then turned back to Hinata and mockingly said, "Forgive me for talking down to your whore, Hyūga-san."
Faint wisps of chakra began to pour from Naruko's body as her anger continued to climb.
But then she smirked.
"It's such a shame that Uchiha Itachi missed a spot when he cleaned Konoha up of its infestation problem," Naruko said.
"Oh no!" Kiba shouted while the class gasped.
A dark look appeared on Sasuke's face at Naruko said, "Did I hit a nerve, Uchiha?"
"Take it back…" Sasuke snarled.
"Make me," Naruko challenged.
Suddenly, Sakura was by Sasuke's side. "Let it go Sasuke, you can fight her later," Sakura urged.
"You should listen to her," Naruko said. "Less you want her to watch you kneel before your better. But go ahead and step up. Let's see if you can hang with me, baby."
Sasuke growled and said, "This is far from over," before he walked up to his seat.
Sakura shot Naruko a dark look before she walked off after the Uchiha.
"That was brutally uncalled for Naruto," Kiba commented.
"He should have been watching his mouth," Naruko said as she narrowed her eyes as the Uchiha retreated only to turn her head back to the Hyūga Heiress. "Speaking of watching their mouths…" Naruko leaped down to the front row and gracefully landed on Hinata's desk before she sat down and crossed her legs.
Hinata turned around and tilted her head and asked, "Can I help you?"
"I did not need you to jump in. I can handle my battles," Naruko admonished.
"You belong to me," Hinata instantly replied. "I will not allow some relic of a dead clan to speak down to what is mine. It makes me look bad."
"Stay out of my battles because once I deal with him. I will be dealing with you," Naruko said.
Hinata smirked and leaned up until their lips were inches apart. "I look forward to watching you kneel to me when that day comes." Hinata then placed a kiss on Naruko's lips before she whispered "My toy…"
Naruko growled darkly as Mizuki's voice filled the room with, "Well…Another day in paradise. Uzumaki-san. Please stop staring down Hyūga-sama. We have a long day planned."
Naruko looked back at Mizuki before she leaped off the smirking Hinata's desk and landed back on her own.
"So, to address the elephant in the room, Umino Iruka is out with the flu so I am in charge today. And today, we are having a sparring session," Mizuki announced. "So, will everyone please follow me outside."
"The beautiful outdoors," Mizuki said with a smile.
"Alright. We did this two years ago so I will instruct how to do it again. Each of you will draw a ball out of this hat," Mizuki said as he held up the hat. "Whoever draws the same number, will fight each other. Simple as that. This is to take stock of how all of you are acclimating to our teachings. The first one to be knocked out is the loser. Simple enough."
Naruko rolled her eyes.
They had done this every year and unfortunately, Naruko never got the person she wanted.
The first time it was Shikamaru, who forfeited, and the second time was Kiba, who she defeated.
All she wanted was Hinata.
"Enough with the pointless talking," Naruko said as she stepped forward and dug her hand into the hat, and pulled out a ball "There. Now please everyone hurry up and draw so I know how I'm fighting."
As she walked forward, her eyes caught Hinata's, who smirked at her and mouthed "You're mine," to which Naruko frowned.
After ten minutes, every one had drawn a ball.
"Alright, everyone look at their number…Now," Mizuki instructed.
Naruko looked and saw that she had drawn a "3" ball.
"Alright. Who drew a "1" ball?" Mizuki asked.
To Naruto's annoyance, Hinata and Shikamaru held up their balls.
"Who drew a "2" ball?" Mizuki asked.
Shino and Chōji held up their balls.
"Who drew a "3" ball?" Mizuki asked.
Naruko lifted her hand…
At the same time as Sasuke.
Naruko laughed.
She laughed until her face turned blue.
Of all the shitty luck she had, she had finally struck it big.
She was about to put down the runt of the Uchiha clan!
"Are you okay, Uzumaki-san?" Shino asked with concern as Naruko continued to laugh.
"He's delirious because I'm finally going to put him in his place," Sasuke taunted as he strolled over to the cement square that made up the ring.
Naruko's laughter became harder at Sasuke's request. She knew that Shino was concerned, so after another minute of laughter, she took a deep breath, a glowing smile on her face. "I'm okay, Shino," Naruko answered with a small giggle.
"I'm better than okay. For today is now the best day of my life," Naruko said to Shino through her laughter, a joyful expression on her face.
Behind Shino, Naruko could see some of the various girls silently cooing at the smile on her face, and it only made her smile broader.
"Uzumaki! Get in the ring," Mizuki told her.
"Wish Sasuke luck, Shino," Naruko told him. "Because when this is over, he won't be the same."
Shino smirked beneath his collar before he turned to Sasuke and shouted, "Good luck Uchiha-san!"
Naruko smiled while Sasuke looked confused.
With a sway to her hips, Naruko strolled to the ring and smiled as she stood across from him. "Tch, knock that look of happiness from your face, dope," Sasuke said with a condescending smirk. "On second thought, don't, because I am about to do that for you."
Naruko placed her right hand on her hip as she asked the last Uchiha, "You've been dying to get your hands on me, haven't you?"
"What are you talking about, Naruto?" Sasuke asked with an edge to his voice.
Naruko grinned. "You heard me, or do the Uchiha clan have hearing issues? You've been dying to get your hands on me. Dying to make the dead-last that you wish I were. Dying for me to submit and call you my superior, is that right?"
"I can't be dying for you to admit something that you already are, you gender-confused idiot," Sasuke told her.
Naruko laughed then said, "I'll take that as a yes. So Uchiha Sasuke. You get your wish. You get to fight against your heart's desire."
"I desire to make it known that I am superior to you," Sasuke said. "I desire to make you cry out my name in pain as I forcefully make you shed that insult of a form and make you take your beating like the man you've never been."
"Confident, aren't we?" Naruko asked as she crossed her arms and tilted her head, a slow, fox-like grin spreading across her face. "Then why don't we make this interesting?" Naruko asked.
"You have my attention," Sasuke told her.
"Well, it's no secret that we hate each other's guts," Naruko began. "Well, I hate your guts. With the way you've been vying for my attention, especially after I achieved this form, it makes me think that you're in love with me, and since you can't admit your feelings, you are trying to hide it by acting like a stereotypical bully. Which is NOT the way you get into my heart."
Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Hinata glare at her.
"But, I digress," Naruko said, her fox-like smile still in place. "So Uchiha Sasuke, If you win. I will give you everything you want me to do. I will shed this form; I will bow at your feet and call you the strongest. I will even submit myself fully and become your indentured servant."
Sasuke smirked.
"But…." Naruko drawled out. "When I win. You will do everything that I ask of you. Whether that is to fetch me breakfast or to take a kunai for me, you will do it."
Sasuke scowled and replied, "You may be willing to debase yourself, but I am not."
"But you're the strongest right? You claim that the Uchiha clan is the most honorable and bravest clan that there ever was and that everyone should bow down to them. I thought you would have more faith in your abilities instead of being afraid," Naruko said with disappointment before a glint appeared in her eyes. "Hm, then I guess all that honor and bravery of the Uchiha clan died when Itachi slaughtered them all."
Naruko then felt an intense amount of killing intent aimed at her, which made her smile.
'Got you….' She thought.
"I accept your terms," Sasuke hissed out.
"Uh, a thought occurs," Kiba suddenly announced.
"What's up?" Chōji asked.
"Well, they just put a lot on the line, but Naruko is not taking this seriously. She looks relaxed. Almost too relaxed," Kiba explained. "Not to mention, she had Shino wish Sasuke luck instead of her, and those two are like near best friends."
"But you will regret speaking lowly about my clan. I think the first thing I'll have you do when you're my slave will be making you kneel at every single gravestone for forgiveness for three hours each," Sasuke warned her with a large smirk.
"I think I'll have you pick up ramen for me, The Uzumaki special in fact," Came Naruko's relaxed reply.
"….I think Sasuke is going to lose this," Chōji murmured to Kiba.
"Now that this deal is in place…..The first one out of the ring or whoever is knocked out is the loser of this bout. Any Jutsu can be used during this fight. Just no killing. Uzumaki Naruto Vs.-" Mizuki paused when he saw the venomous expression on Naruko's face and bit back a smirk. "-Uchiha Sasuke! Let the 4th round begin!"
Sasuke immediately charged forward and leaped into the air to deliver a flying kick. Naruto stepped to the side to avoid it. Sasuke skidded against the cement ground and performed a roundhouse kick from behind, but Naruto ducked it.
Sasuke's body twisted around as his roundhouse kick whiffed but went through with the momentum and aimed a sidekick at Naruko's face.
Naruko leaned back to avoid the kick to her face but caught the bottom of his foot with her hand. "Tsk, Tsk," Naruko taunted before she pushed the foot hard, which made him stumble backward. Naruko stood upright and placed her hands in her pockets, and motioned to him to come to her.
Sasuke growled and ran towards Naruko, but Naruko suddenly flickered before him in a swirl of leaves in the air before her foot crashed into his face with a kick. Sasuke skidded backward again but this time fell to one knee, his vision watering while blood fell from his nostrils.
Hinata's eyes widened in surprise as the crowd gasped in shock.
She hadn't even seen Naruko move!
Naruko landed on the ground and smiled as she skipped over to Sasuke until she stood right in front of his dazed form. She leaned down and asked, "That all you got, baby?"
She smirked as anger crossed Sasuke's eyes, and with a sharp movement, Naruko avoided Sasuke's point-blank uppercut. Sasuke threw a right jab followed by a left jab at Naruko's head, but she moved from left to right to avoid each one before she ducked a kick aimed at her head.
Naruko crouched and walked beneath his raised leg, then stood behind him and kicked him in the middle of his back, which sent him to one knee. He quickly spun around with his left leg stretched out to sweep her off her feet, but Naruko jumped over the leg while she booted him in the face, which sent him sprawling across the cement ring near the edge.
Sasuke turned around and flipped to his feet and snarled as Naruko stood there with a smile. Sasuke slammed his fist against the ring and stood up on his two feet.
"Come on," Naruko taunted as she presented her back to him, a crooked smile on her face while she looked at him over her shoulder and said, "I thought the Uchiha could do so much more."
Sasuke growled and darkly muttered, "I'll show you how much more I could do…." while he formed the hand seals for the Bushin no Jutsu.
"How cute," Naruko commented as several clones flickered to life around Sasuke.
"Go!" Sasuke commanded, which made the clones dash towards Naruko, with the original trailing behind to pull out the Kage Fūsha (Shadow windmill) Fūma shuriken from his pouch.
The clones began to cross in front and behind each other as they approached Naruko, but then she noticed Kage Fūsha sailing through the clones and at her.
"How straightforward," Naruko said as she turned around and leaped over the thrown projectile and the Uchiha clones, only for the real Sasuke to appear behind her in the air.
Sasuke twirled around and aimed a roundhouse kick to her head, but Naruko turned around and blocked the kick before she grabbed his leg with her other hand and swung him down towards the ring. Sasuke recovered and landed on the ground, and began to form several hand seals.
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu)!" Sasuke shouted before he took a deep breath and blew out a large fireball toward the air-born Uzumaki.
"Holy shit!" Kiba shouted.
"That thing is big," Chōji said.
"Hm," Shino said.
'Naruto-kun,' Ino thought with terror.
Hinata narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.
Naruko saw the fireball coming and sighed.
She was hoping not to use this, but it looked like she had no choice.
With a yell, she twirled her body in the air and whipped out her left arm, causing her chakra chain to flow from her wrist and slice through the Jutsu, causing the fireball to split right down the middle. Both halves of the fireball flew past her and into the sky, where it exploded, causing glowing embers to fall around the ring while Naruko landed.
The crowd gasped.
"What the hell?" Mizuki asked in disbelief.
'What was that?' Hinata thought in shock.
"Holy shit!" Chōji and Kiba shouted in unison while Shino smiled.
Ino let out a sigh of relief.
Naruko pulled the chain back into her body as she grinned at the stunned Uchiha.
"I must say Uchiha. I was trying not to reveal that yet," Naruko said as her grin turned into a cold glare. "But since playing with you allowed you to reveal my surprise, I think it's time I stop toying with you."
Naruko vanished from her spot in a swirl of leaves and appeared before Sasuke and delivered a right hook to his face. Sasuke's vision blurred from the blow as he began to fall on his side, but Naruko's left hook to his face made him lean to the left.
Naruko grinned, a dark gleam in her eyes as she began to wail at Sasuke's face repeatedly, each blow causing blood to paint her knuckles before he was sent back with a stiff left jab to the middle of his face.
Sasuke staggered backward, but Naurko reached forward and grabbed his collar, and pulled him into a headbutt, then followed up with an uppercut, which sent him into the air. "Don't run yet!" Naruko said she lunged her right hand forward, allowing her chain to fly from her wrist and wrap around Sasuke's neck.
"Gotcha," Naruko said as she tugged on the chain sharply, which sent Sasuke sailing down from the air and crashing into the ground before Naruko.
Sasuke gasped out in pain before Naruko's foot slammed into his head and remained there. "What is this?" Sasuke weakly asked as he felt his chakra being forcibly cut off, leaving him weakened.
"This?" Naruko asked as she tugged on the chain she held in her grasp. "Oh, this is my chain," Naruko nonchalantly revealed.
"Why do I feel so weak?" Sasuke asked.
"You mean weaker than normal?" Naruko taunted. "Simple, these chains do something special, but…." Naruko looked to Hinata and said, "I think I'll keep that a secret for now. Just know that right now, your life is in my hands."
Naruko laughed, and she grounded her foot against Sasuke's head before she taunted him with, "This position suits you, mighty Uchiha."
Sasuke growled only to feel Naruko grind her foot against his head again and laugh. "You all see this? This is the person that said he was stronger than me! That he was my better! Is this the fabled power of the Uchiha?!"
"Naruko, that's enough!" Sakura exclaimed.
"No, it is not," Naruko sharply spat, which caused Sakura to shrink.
"Ever since I came here, this little jerk has been taunting and egging me on. But now look," Naruko said as she looked at Sasuke, "Weak and beaten beneath the heel of my foot."
"This is what you wanted, Sasuke. You wanted this. I gave it to you," Naruko told him before she took her foot off of his head, only to kick him in the face hard, which sent Sasuke skidding across the ring, only stopping when Naruko tugged on the chain sharply.
Sasuke coughed out in pain as Naruko strolled up to the downed Uchiha and withdrew her chain, causing Sasuke to be dragged against the ground until he lay in front of Naruko. Naruko crouched and grabbed Sasuke by his hair and held his head up.
"Hi," Naruko said.
Sasuke wheezed, looking as if he was going to pass out.
"You lost," Naruko firmly said. "You lost against someone you touted as weak and beneath you. How does that feel? Stings, doesn't it?"
Sasuke wheezed again.
"Your loss to me could have been avoided if you had just treated me with respect, but you didn't. And now, this is where you are. Such a shame…." Naruko said before she dropped Sasuke's head and then placed her foot on top of his head again.
"Count," Naruko told Mizuki firmly.
The stunned Chūnin instructor nodded and began to count.
"You went easy on him," Kyūbi noted.
'I did not wish to reveal all of my skills. Sasuke should be lucky that he managed to reveal one of them. It made me realize that I toyed around with him too much.' Naruko thought as she crossed her arms. 'Is it strange that I do not feel pride over this victory?' Naruko thought as she frowned. 'I should be. He taunted me for so long, and yet, he was so easy to defeat that I dragged it out longer than I had to. It felt like I was beating up on an infant."
"That was how I felt when I beat down the Ichibi," Kyūbi stated. "But it matters not. It is still a victory. And it also means that you are one step closer to defeating and claiming the Hyūga Heiress."
Naruko nodded.
"And Ten! The winner of this bout….Uzumaki Naruko," Mizuki announced, visibly deflated.
The crowd was stunned into silence as she stepped off Sasuke's head and walked to the side of the ring where Sakura stood. "Haruno. Tell Sasuke when he wakes that the deal is off. Knowing that he lost like this is more than enough humiliation."
Mutely, Sakura nodded, which made Naruko smile before she turned back to Sasuke and said, "What a shame."
She jumped out of the ring and made her way back to the academy. She knew that there would be more matches, but she did not care.
She just needed to get away and gather her thoughts.
But had Naruko paid attention, she would have seen Hinata watching her.
