Chapter 27
Kyoji stood on a branch, watching for any new movement, as Risa did the same. Kyoji then decided to try a tactic that had garnered attention before…of course this time, it wouldn't kill him, hopefully…
Beginning his merging, he slammed his fist into the ground, sending a tremor through the forest, catching up to Risa, who looked towards Kyoji's location and through against it.
He's just trying to lure me out. I'll have a surprise waiting for him…
Risa then leaped towards the disturbance, performing the seal of the tiger…

Kyoji waited, his arms crossed, as he closed his eyes, now listening for every sound.
A rustling in the leaves caught his attention, but it died down as he heard a nearly silent padding of feet ahead of him. He sighed Risa and lunged forward, striking Risa, sending her backwards into a tree, coughing up blood as she did so. Kyoji slammed his fist into her and stopped as his vision clouded. He turned around and struck countless illusionary Risas, one coming after another.
Risa's piling on the power. All these Reverse Illusions at once…she's risking her life exhausting all that chakra. And I'm still getting warmed up. He then gasped at the pain of a kunai in his back. Risa giggled and then disappeared again, leaving Kyoji becoming angry. He then remembered his goal…courage. He calmed his mind and tried to gain that power he had fought with when he defeated Ryuu. But nothing happened and he shook it off, looking across the forest for Risa, still hiding…
Behind Kyoji, Risa smiled. This was her perfect strategy. She wore out the opponent, regardless of power with her Reverse Illusion and waited until she could unleash her justu, an improvement upon a technique used by the 3rd Hokage. Holding up a shuriken, she focused chakra into it while pulling out a medium sized scroll.

Kyoji knew he was desperate, so he tried a new maneuver. He grimaced at the sensation of the metal piercing his skin and procured an extra long katana, nearly as tall as he was. He had left a decent amount of steel in his body in case of emergency, but his nodachi would protect him well from any attack. He made a few practice swings and then looked around for Risa, who had been absent for nearly half an hour.

Neji looked at his watch. This match was the longest yet: two and a half hours and neither had won. He called to Ryota. Motioning to the woods and whispering into Ryota's ear, Neji gave the demonic maestro a mission. Ryotas nodded and disappeared, Neji waiting, Tsunade and Kakashi still as calm as stones.

Risa was nearly done with her move and she knew it would defeat Kyoji, regardless of luck. But she couldn't help feeling afraid. Kyoji's power was unprecedented and she had never been a very physically powerful fighter, but she still believed in her power and all the skill she had gained. She threw the shuriken while performing a long set of handseals, the scroll disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Kyoji heard the shuriken's approach and saw it turn into a rain of shuriken. He grinned, locating the real shuriken and slashing it away as the remaining shuriken struck him as well, real as the one he had deflected. They went in a circle and thrust towards him again. Kyoj then saw them split again. He then saw the power, but too late, it seemed.
These are real, but the clones are the illusions. The idea is to call your opponent's bluff. They think you're creating copies, but they're all real. Now they really are clones, but I still have a storm of flying blades coming towards me. What am I going to do now?
Kyoji then stood silent as the shuriken struck him one after another.
Risa looked out from her perch and gasped at the sight she saw. Kyoji's body was nearly covered in her shadow shuriken clones, bleeding all over. She didn't want this…
No…Kyoji…you can't be dead… Risa cried as Kyoji thought to himself, still contemplating his defeat.
So…this is death…not so bad when you saw it coming… But…I want to get up and fight. I can't even move my little finger… Where'd all that power from before go? I'm trying to get it out, but nothing's happening…But…of course… I can't think it and expect it to come… I have…to believe in it…have hope…have…faith…
Kyoji's body glowed again and Risa stepped back, Kyoji's body levitating up with chakra.
But…how…where'd that power come from again?"
Kyoji's eyes glowed green as well. Risa called out that she forfeit, but Kyoji didn't hear. He rushed at Risa, preparing to strike. He punched down and his vision revealed Ryota in place of Risa. Kyoji spoke, his voice now stronger than ever.
"I'm going to win! Get out of my way!"
Ryota stared, unfazed by Kyoji's unlimited power as he held out a hand to catch Kyoji's punch. Kyoji then kicked upwards, missing as Ryota struck Kyoji in the chest, all the chakra dying down as Ryota picked up the unconscious bodies and returned to Neji.

The wait was driving Neji crazy… he had sent Ryota to fetch the children, but nearly another hour had passed and Ryota was still nowhere to be seen. He began to think something had happened, but stopped as he saw Ryota, Risa and Kyoji on his shoulders.
"So…who won?"
"Kyoji…Risa forfeited and I had to stop him myself. He's not dead… The next match might have to be wait a while. Their friends need to see them…"
Neji nodded and held out a hand to Tsunade and Kakashi.
"They get a half hour to see Kyoji and Risa in the medical ward, then Minoru and Hitomi fight."
Tsunade nodded and motioned to Kakashi, who grabbed the two children's bodies and left the scene.
Ryota glared at Tsunade and left, Neji speaking to Tsunade.
"He's still hateful towards you, isn't he?"
Tsunade nodded and looked up at the sky.
"Yes…I put the seal on him…and there's still those gems to worry about…"
"Enishi has been sighted in Konoha, Tsunade," Ryota said as he left again.
"We've got to prepare for the worst. Get out the Hidden Scrolls, Neji."
Neji nodded and left Tsunade alone. She again looked up at the sky.
It's all becoming very horrible…this conflict, this war…I only wish I still had all my power…just an old lady now. But this old lady isn't going to just sit in her rocking chair and wait for death…

Chapter 28
Both Risa and Kyoji lay in the medical center, every one of the students in the room, Tsnade in the center, observing both patients' injuries. She opened her eyes and looked towards the anxious students.
"Risa's nearly exhausted her chakra, but she should be okay. Kyoji…"She said, looking concerned, "he unlocked the first chakra gate again, and now, all his muscles have been strained to their limit. I wouldn't doubt he has internal injuries from those shurikens. It's amazing he's alive at all, but the steel in his body managed to guard his vital parts. They'll both survive, but they'll need guidance…" Konohamaru nodded and left, all the students, but Minoru, Hitomi and Basho, who Tsunade stopped at the door.
"You three need to hear the first secret we've been hiding. A war is brewing between the Five Countries and we're at the center because we have been guarding the Zodiac Gems of the Zodiac Clan. We've been trying to ignore them, but now, we need to be serious… We're promoting you three to chunin level after the exams. You've been the best leaders so far, and you've improved even more. We trust you to lead three squads to stop the war from spreading. That's all…Oh…" she said turning around, "and we may call on your team later for other purposes, but those are secrets we can't tell you now."
Hitomi and Basho left Minoru alone, the mask covering his left. Removing the mask, he placed a hand on a set of black and red markings across his left cheek and eye.
What is happening to me? …Just have to focus…I will become the strongest…

The morning sun brought new enlightenment to everyone in Konoha. Minoru and Hitomi faced each other, ready for the final battle to determine who would face Kyoji.
Minoru's mask was back again, Minoru looking even more emotionless every minute. Hitomi's brightness in her eyes had not faded, but her smile was strangely absent. The whistle blew and both still stood silent, neither moving. Minoru's right eye flash and he and Hitomi fought, Minoru striking first at Hitomi's solar plexus, knocking the wind out of her. Hitomi caught Minoru's arm and headbutted him in the chest, nearly cracking his sternum with her power.
Minoru fell back and threw out a shuriken, narrowly missing Hitomi, but striking her in the shoulders. She tore the blade out and threw it back, Minoru dodging and countering with another technique, unleashing a towering fireball that Hitomi took full force. The flames settled about her as she stepped down lightly, both eyes glowing. Minoru responded by focusing chakra into his right eye, three semicolons appearing. Hitomi gasped and froze as Minoru rushed forward.
The Sharingan!? It can't be!
Minoru's Sharingan disappeared, but his power didn't as he sidekicked Hitomi into the hall adjacent to the stadium. She stumbled up, her eyes glowing brighter as she slammed the ground and leaped up with a new power, slamming her fists into Minoru, Minoru unable to do anything as he crashed into the opposite wall. Hitomi flipped back and stopped to see what had become of her opponent. Minoru's mask cracked and shattered, falling off his face, revealing the markings from before.
Hitomi's eyes lost their glow as she began to cry, "Minoru…what…what happened to you?"
"It's nothing…fight me, before I kill you…" The Taigan left flashed gold again, illuminating the red and black markings. Minoru then unleashed ten clones, which attacked Hitomi full force, each erupting into flames as Hitomi blocked their attacks. She collapsed on the ground and flared up with chakra, the flames dissipating. Her entire body was scorched and she seemed unable to even stand up.
But again, she overcame the odds and unleashed a new move, creating her own special clones. Minoru's eyes widened at the realization that these clones were real.
Where'd she get that power? Only Naruto knew how to use Shadow Clones…or does he?
Hitomi's clones returned to her body as she stood waiting for Minoru's next attack. She saw kunai flying and waited for their return, but only felt the sting of Minoru's attacks. He slammed Hitomi into the ground, pummeling her until she stopped his punches and flung him backwards, recovering herself and countering with her own assault, which Minoru stopped by grappling with her in midair, their battle finally pushing into the forest.
Trees began falling and Minoru and Hitomi both stopped, exhausted. Minoru then fought again, the new power engulfing him. Hitomi powered her Shock Burst, which penetrated Minoru, making him nearly paralyzed with pain. As Hitomi thought it was finally over, she saw a new burst of golden red flames from Minoru's body. He struck Hitomi once, the force crushing every bone in her body at once.
Hitomi lay broken on the ground, her thoughts the only thing keeping her sane.
I've gotta…get up… Can't just sit here…Believe…in…your own power…
A bright light stopped Minoru, as he was about to declare victory. Hitomi gravitated towards him, a golden aura surrounding her.
"W-what…what is this?"
"…It's the true power of the Taigan…and now…you lose Minoru…"
Minoru glared and flung out his hands, black chakra balling up in both palms, his move from his battle with Basho now in a different form. Hitomi's golden radiance balanced out Minoru's shadowy form, which threw itself at her. The two titans clashed, fists and feet thundering out in power as the forest collapsed under their power.

Neji and the others heard the disturbance, which could be seen by all, even miles away from the stadium. Tsunade seemed to tremble at this new power, while Neji, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi ran towards it, getting a better look.