Chapter 23
Minoru was still preparing even as Basho sat outside, watching the clouds roll by.
I didn't want to do this… I just wanted to have some fun… Why do I have to fight Minoru? Guess it can't be helped. Oops…better stop thinking…save my energy for the upcoming battle.
Minoru walked out, the red mask covering his left eye again. His remaining eye was narrowed, focused in on Basho, who fell into a lazy fighting stance, eager to get this over with.
Minoru fell into his own stance and Neji blew the whistle. Minoru immediately angled himself to the side as Basho attacked with celerity he never thought he had possessed.
He doesn't seem to be using his Mental Chakra and he's still this fast…I've got to pull out all the stops…
Minoru performed hand seals and attacked with his Breath of the Fireball technique. Basho countered with a substitution technique, leaving a charred shuriken in his wake. Minoru was impressed and decided to try a clone approach. Five clones attacked Basho at once, but Basho only blocked the real Minoru's attack, countering with a burst of chakra that blew Minoru back a few feet.
Minoru knew he'd have fight all out soon enough. He removed the mask, showcasing the amber pupil. He then flowed chakra into his eyes, the powers unveiling themselves already as Minoru struck away Basho's attack. Basho grinned and began to shine purple, the mental chakra manifesting itself as well.
The two clashed attacks and no end seemed to be in sight. Minoru remembered a time when he had felt this way before.

Sasuke struck away his son's attacks easily, still as sharp as the day Minoru was born He then grasped Minoru's attack and left Minoru with a kunai aimed directly at his throat. Minoru sighed and turned away, becoming pensive as his dad spoke.
"Minoru, don't give up. If you want to be stronger, you have to have a goal ahead. Both your uncle and I wanted revenge. That only gives you power until you realize the foolish hatred that it hides. You have to rise above our mistakes. I'm not going to tell you myself. You'll have to figure it out for yourself."
Minoru nodded and walked towards the forest, still thinking on what his father said before.
If I want to become stronger… I have to have a goal... To rise above dad and uncle's mistakes? Maybe…if I want to be stronger, then I will become stronger in conscience… I need to surpass both dad and uncle… That'll be my goal…

Minoru then struck Basho square in the face, which Basho responded to with his own punch. The two froze as each attack died down, neither wanting to make the next move. It was a perfect stalemate. But then Basho seemed to fall backwards, rising up again to strike back Minoru.
This is getting ridiculous… How powerful is he? He keeps holding back his real power to toy with me!
Minoru then decided to try out his newest technique. This was going to be tricky, but he had nothing else that Basho couldn't predict. His chakra erupted again and four clones appeared, all rushing at Basho. Basho thrust out a hand, canceling out one illusion, but as the other three crashed into him, he gasped when flames began appearing all across his body. He thrust out his hands, creating a pseudo barrier that smothered the flames. He then shot out a Chakra Bolt through his eyes, unbeknownst to Minoru, striking his opponent in the eyes.
Minoru fought, now holding two kunai, striking at Basho, who also fought with two kunai. The two seemed matched again, but Basho dodged another attack Minoru threw, countering with a thrust that left Minoru weaponless. Minoru managed to grab Basho's thrusting arm and throw him away from his for the moment.
This is getting weird… Is it possible he can actually? No, it couldn't be…
Basho grinned and stepped back, his eyes now glowing violet. Suddenly, Minoru began hearing Basho's voice inside his mind.
Hello, Minoru…
Basho…I had a feeling this was your true skill… a psychic ninjutsu…
Not quite… After I started training, I felt that my own chakra was limited by my thoughts, so I decided to try to mold a new chakra. It's virtually limitless and it gives the illusion that I'm psychic. I'm just more creative in one aspect of ninjutsu: the art of strategy.
You mean…
Yes…like my father, I have an extremely high IQ. And also, I'm much less arrogant than others with gifts, just like my father was. Unlike your father, he was the first to become a chunin. Yours had to wait another year to become one. He was so weak; he was going to join Sound Village instead of facing his problems.
Leave my father out of this, Basho. This is between you and me…
Perhaps…but then, your real reason for fighting is to surpass him. You might as well become further enlightened…
That doesn't mean you have to mock me or my clan!
What are you talking about? You are the result of two clans marrying together, an abomination in the eyes of the elders. You may as well be the Uchino or Haruha clan. You're just a freak, like the rest of us…
Don't lower us down to your level! You know our gifts make us different, not outcasts…
Nobody else seems to think so… Why do you think they put us in the academy later than usual? Why do you think they treat us so high and might around the Kage? I'll tell you why… It's because they envy us… They want our power. Our parents were prodigies; their offspring might as well be the next master ninjas, like the sannin. We nearly could've graduated at 6, but they were afraid. Ryota could've been our sensei. The fact is…we're freaks and we have to admit that.
Minoru was silent for a time and then replied
No…I'm rising above what others might think of us… I'm going to beat you, Basho…

Chapter 24
The cloud of tension seemed to hang in the arena as Basho and Minoru faced each other, neither moving. Minoru disappeared, reappearing behind Basho, knocking him down. Basho responded with a strange maneuver, going through his usual habit after running from Minoru and flinging out both hands. Minoru was confused, but then saw the thin lines of Chakra circling around both of them.
What's this? Another tactic? What can those lines do? Guess I've got no choice… Minoru flung out three shuriken, Basho dodging all of them. As Minoru returned his own chakra lines back, Basho sent three of his own lines towards Minoru's cutting them, sending the shuriken to the floor. Minoru grimaced, as he had nearly run out of moves. He began flowing chakra into his eye again and Basho seemed to twitch a bit. He fell back and slowly got up, rubbing his head.
So… I can distrupt his ties and he'll never be able to touch me… Minoru gasped as Basho's eyes flamed violet again and the lines lost their once erratic path, occurring after Minoru's Taigan penetrated his mind. Basho pointed his pinky at Minoru and a line struck him faster than he could react. Basho flung his hand to the left, Minoru's body moving on its own. He then shot to the right, crashing on the ground. Basho stood above him, grinning maliciously.
I've finally got him under control. Now…let's finish this…
Basho held up a shuriken and stabbed down. He was amazed at what he saw before him. Minoru had grabbed the shuriken in midstab, leaving Basho open to attack. Ripping the shuriken from Basho's grip and out of his own hand, he jabbed the knife into Basho's opposite hand. The genius ninja grimaced and leaped back, his hand freely bleeding. He left side twitch and he tore the shuriken out, his hand convulsing at the sight of his own blood.
So, Minoru. You've gotten stronger…more innovative…better than me in most ways… But if I concentrate enough…you can't distrupt my thoughts…
He closed his eyes and the chakra around him began to die down. Minoru tried to stop his mind, but to no avail, as Basho grinned again, his hand now healing from one of the Chakra Lines, leaving seven to fight with. He then pointed his thumb down, another line piercing through the stone panels towards Minoru. The battlefield was silent and Minoru's body flailed into the air as the chakra line struck him through.
As Minoru fell down, he cried out, Basho still thinking of his past…his gifts…

It was near the time when Basho would begin his training at the academy. He had overslept again and his parents were lecturing him again.
"Basho, please get up!" Ino said, her girlish looks fading with her age.
"I know you don't want to go, but 'The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.' "
"But dad, you didn't even do anything great and you were the first in your class to become a team leader of genin!"
"That doesn't mean you don't do anything and still expect to get something in return all the time. You have to take action…"
"…Fine…"
Basho sat in the classroom, his head flat on the table as Konohamaru began class.
"Well…it's good to see new faces…It also appears that I'm boring some of you…" Konohamaru held out a hand and summoned tiny birds that began pecking incessantly at the sleeping ninjas in training, including Basho. Basho simply continued to sleep, holding out a finger, violet chakra destroying the sparrow and Konohamaru stroking his chin as he turned around to begin the lesson.
Basho continued to think, as he lay silent through the entire class.
Why am I even here? I could wait…and become a ninja at 12… But dad told me… I have to do something in order to obtain something. Alright… I'll train this new chakra concept until it's a reality. Then I'll become chunin the first time, like dad… I'll show them…

Basho then smiled thoughtfully, preparing to end this. He took the remaining five lines and thrust them in different directions, still planning out his final plot…
Hmmm…. If I do that, he'll just expect it…
Minoru pulled himself up, still feeling the pain of the bolt that seemed to skewer his Taigan Left. He then began his own strategy, his eye lighting up instantly with chakra.
Basho grinned and held up his index finger, bursts of smoke clouding Minoru's vision. Minoru managed to pierce through it with a change in the Taigan's powers. Basho then motioned with his middle finger and felt his body lighten. He rushed forward and with the remaining three lines, pulled a katana and two wakizashis out of thin air. By sheer concept, Basho had brought something out of nothing. He could've done anything, but this was his true power.
Gracefully pulling the blades ahead of him, he stabbed forward as Minoru simply stood in the smoke. Basho saw the silhouette and grinned as he rushed towards the end of this battle. He would be a chunin and he would prove his strength,
Minoru calmly stared at Basho's speed, which seemed to make him seem like various after images, one following after another. He grinned and held out a hand, performing the seal of the tiger and creating a ball of flaming chakra in his palm. Pressing his hands together, the flame seemed to consume his body, making him a veritable candle in the dark indigo clouds.
Basho stopped in midslash, pulling back his blades, the katana held in his teeth. He flung the blades forward, observing as they melted into Minoru's new jutsu. Flipping backwards, Basho decided to end it all with a bang…the literal kind. First, he performed his habitual seal and focused all the chakra he could muster into a single point, which he then released. The small dot expanded into a sphere the size of a small house, starting out as a basketball, then a boulder, then a car, and finally, nearly ten feet in diameter and height. Minoru's flames died at the sight of Basho's new attack, which seemed to be able to swallow both him and Basho whole. He stepped back, nearly ready to forfeit, when Basho dropped his hands down, the sphere of mental chakra instantly dying down to a point of light again. Basho grabbed the tiny pebble he had found, slipped it into his pocket and turned to everyone.
"I forfeit… I had it all wrong about us as ninjas. We're all unique in our own way, and that's what makes like worth living. So, live on Minoru and fight your greatest fight, 'cause I need to look inside myself before I start judging you. Live on, powerful ninjas, lords, elders and teachers… Make me chunin or not, your decision. I'm taking a nap. Tell me when it's over."
Minoru clasped Basho's shoulder and spoke, a soft smile on his face as he spoke.
"Thanks Basho. You told the elders all that we wanted to tell them in a short monologue. Always to the point… That's what Konohamaru saw in you… You were always focused when we were constantly thinking of what would happen or what had happened. You were always focused on the present."
Basho grinned and walked off, waving slightly and picking up his trenchcoat as he left.
Neji was speechless, but composed himself and announced the final match of the preliminaries.
"Hitomi and Natsumi Hyuga!"
Natsumi held a bag of seeds in her hand and smiled as Hitomi tapped her on the shoulder
"You ready, Mori-kun?"
Natsumi blushed and turned away, stuffing the seeds away as she spoke, "Y-yeah…ready as I'll ever be…"