Chapter 29
Minoru stood in the new clearing, Hitomi only a few feet away as he began developing a new battle strategy.
I have to find a way to defeat this new power…but her chakra levels are still equivalent to my own…
Hitomi then called out to Minoru, still angelic as she became furious, "Minoru…please tell me what's wrong! I want to help!"
Minoru stayed pensive for a time and then spoke, "…No…I don't want to involve others in my quest for power…I can…I can do this on my own…"
Hitomi cried out, her eyes begging Minoru to stop, "No! You know that's not true! You're too blinded by anger and ambition to have a true vision ahead of you!"
"…Shut up…" Minoru replied, unveiling another technique, unleashing a burst of shuriken that erupted into black flames, which struck Hitomi, searing her skin. She cried out and fell to the ground, struggling to get up again. Minoru stood above her, speaking as he prepared another attack, which began with the seal of the dragon, "This is power…gained through ultimate desire… This will overcome all weaknesses, be they physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual… I will be supreme…I will surpass my ancestors…"
Hitomi held a hand out, touching Minoru's own, "…Please…don't…nobody would want to see you hurt yourself for their sake…not your parents…not your uncle…not even me…please…"
Minoru ceased his attack, clutching a hand to his Taigan Left, which began pulsating…
"I…I…but…"

Sakura and Sasuke sighted Minoru and called Neji and Kakashi over. Sakura gasped at the sight of her oldest child, now consumed by darkness.
"What…Sasuke…have you ever seen this?"
"…Never… He's gaining even more power than Kiba realized… That marking… It reminds me of my curse seal… It was powerful, but it hurt me…"
Kakashi blinked and looked over at Hitomi, who still pleaded to Minoru, "She… She's become even more like an adult…but…she still has so much growing up to do in her own soul…so...selfless…"
Neji looked on in amazement as Minoru continued to grimace at his own faults.

The pain was overwhelming Minoru as he sat down, still grasping the accursed eye that now plagued his mind. His eyes widened and his teeth grinded together as he roared out, now exploding with the black flames, a dragon shaped flame beginning to appear behind him.
Sakura and Sasuke appeared between Hitomi and Minoru, Sasuke guarding Hitomi, while Sakura still spoke to Minoru.
"Son…please…stop this…we don't want you to do this because of us…"
Minoru began gasping uncontrollably at the sudden realization, but still knocked away his mother, striking at Sasuke as well, pushing through to Hitomi, who he began to pummel maliciously.
Stop…please stop…
Why… You have what you wanted, power… Why are you afraid of it?"
The other voice frightened Minoru, but he spoke against it, even as he became even weaker.
No…I sacrificed my soul for this…and now…I'm going to sacrifice myself to stop this once and for all…
Minoru stopped his heavy breathing and screamed out, the darkness escaping and fading away into the air. Hitomi was unconscious and Minoru wanted to win…but he then held out a hand.
"I…I forfeit…Hitomi…I'm…I'm…sorry…" Minoru then collapsed on the ground, Sakura quickly picking him up, holding her boy close to her, Sasuke picking up Hitomi.
Kakashi followed Sasuke back to the medical quarters as Neji looked on with Sakura at Minoru, who now seemed content, sleeping undisturbed.
Sakura spoke, still looking lovingly at Minoru, "He…he was willing to die to save us…"
"He's stronger than he thought… He's lost…but he's won at the same time. He gained a new sense of self. He's going to start over and-"
"Help others and himself…" Sakura commented, "He'll be an avenger without being consumed by a desire to kill… He's so much like Sasuke…so selfless…so alone…"
"But he has you…and Hitomi…"
Sakura nodded, Neji realizing he was needed back at the stadium.
Minoru's eyes opened slightly as he looked up to Sakura, who was trying to hold back her tears.
"Mom…don't try to hide it on my account…I…I know what I did was wrong…so…just cry…"
Sakura exploded into tears as Minoru's eyes watered as well, his own pent up sorrow releasing all at once. He was finally free…

Enishi arrived in the stadium unnoticed and sighted his target. He took the flat of his blade and knocked the ninja unconscious. He made a copy of the ninja's outfit and blended into the crowd.
Konohamaru awoke later and realized who was here. He gasped and quickly ran for help, but ran into Ryota, who knocked him out.
"No…nobody needs to know, Konohamaru…Tsunade knew this would happen… Now she'll pay for her crimes…"
Ryota held a small crystal, which he had had with him forever. He let it glisten in the light and put it into his pocket, leaving and waiting for the inevitable chaos to begin…

Chapter 30
Yet again, the morning sun seemed to shine into the souls of the children. Minoru, Risa, and Kyoji all awoke to new lives, living them for others and yet for themselves. Minoru's Taigan Left was normal again, the markings fading away during the night. He had also abandoned the concept of a mask, preferring to let his own actions speak for him. Kyoji felt weak, but also had discovered the truth behind his determination and where his strength had came from. Risa thought to herself about the fact that Kyoji was to fight Hitomi in the finals.
How can Kyoji defeat her? She defeated my brother…but then, Tsunade said that he forfeited because of his own actions… Hitomi…she reminds me so much of mother…it's frightening sometimes… and she's so caring…thoughtful of others' feelings. I have to stop worrying. It's going to be fine… Kyoji will win or Hitomi, it doesn' t matter…

Hitomi still had the image of the strange man from yesterday in her mind. A knock on the door surprised her and she opened it to Kakashi, who walked in, still as apathetic as ever.
"But…you're the…you're the one who…"
"Was stalking you…yeah…sorry about that… Just been thinking about a lot of things… And I need to tell you some things too…"
Hitomi cocked her head to the right, a bit confused at Kakashi's sudden interest in her, "But Kakashi-sama…why are you interested in me?"
"Because…I…" A sudden knock on the door turned Kakashi's head. Tsunade walked in, reporting the results.
"Okay, Hitomi, you and Kyoji are to fight in the finals. Get ready…the match starts in one hour." Hitomi nodded and saw Kakashi leaving.
"Wait!"
Kakashi turned and pulled his mask down, revealing his Sharingan. Hitomi gasped and pointed, "You're…you're…"
Kakashi instantly disappeared and left Hitomi confused and at such a pivotal moment in her life.
As Kakashi left, he thought to himself of his foolishness.
I could've told her…but…another time…after the exams…after the war… He bumped into a ninja and turned to look up to an unfamiliar face.
"Sorry about that… Haven't seen you around here before…"
The ninja smiled and responded, "I'm a jonin from Tsuchigakure. Tsuchikage sends his regards."
Kakashi nodded and left without a word. Enishi grinned and pulled out a daikatana, which seemed to extend down the entire length of the hall. He then spoke an incantation and the sword disappeared. He then pulled on his mask and followed Tsunade to the stadium box seats.

Kyoji was nervous, as he had never personally spoken to Hitomi or fought her. The match was set to begin in a few minutes and both thought on strategy and skills to use. Neji and Tsunade walked out, announcing the special event.
"For the first time, the Earth and Lightning Countries have arrived in Konoha's borders. It is truly an honor to have the Tsuchi and Raikage with us today, as well as their elders and other ninja representatives. We now recommend you direct your attention towards the arena, where two of our own ninjas have progressed to the finals. We are all truly proud of them and all their accomplishments. And now…"
"Let the battle begin!" a new voice called from behind. Neji saw who the intruder was and attempted to stop him, but was thrust back by the blade of a daikatana. Enishi grinned as he faced Tsunade and spoke, "Let the battle begin…indeed…"

Tsunade was amazed at who was here. Enishi was rumored by Ryota to be here, but she never thought he'd try a direct attack. She flung out a hand and cried out.
"Stop this right now, Enishi! You have no right to-"
"Oh, I have every right to attack you. You and your ANBU destroyed my clan in the wars." As various jonin and chunin attempted to stop him, Enishi destroyed them with a single fell swoop of the daikatana, which he then held at Tsunade's throat, "Prepare to die, Hokage the 5th…" The blade pierced through Tsunade and Enishi began laughing, but stopped at what he saw. Tsunade seemed to light up with chakra and Enishi's blade was thrown back as Tsunade disappeared, reappearing in the center of the arena. She turned to Hitomi and Kyoji and spoke.
"Get out of here, both of you! It's dangerous!" Enishi appeared, blowing both Kyoji and Hitomi off the floor with a slash of his blade. He faced Tsunade and prepared to attack, but stopped at whom he saw.
"Ah…my last surviving student. One was killed by his own perversion and the other was torn apart from the inside. You have come to aid me, Ryuu?"
"…No…"
Enishi glared at motioned the blade threateningly towards him, "What do you mean?"
"I mean…" Ryuu said, still nervous at the thought of insulting his master, "You have to abandon this foolishness. You have to forgive them…" Ryuu gasped out as the blade pierced and impaled his body through. Enishi lifted his nearly dead form off the ground and made Ryuu sink down the blade towards him. He spoke, his face inches away from Ryuu's
"Don't tell me what to do…Nobody has the right to do that in this world…not even the Kage…realize that as you die and suffer in hell!" He then sent his chakra through the blade, sending Ryuu crashing to the ground. Tsunade attempted to heal him, but stopped as Enishi's blade was near her throat again.
"Don't…you don't want to cause the untimely death of Ryuu, now do you? Fight me and he may survive." Neji pulled himself up and grabbed Ryuu, taking him to the medical ward. Even more chunin and jonin stepped up to fight Enishi, which the Zodiac Lord responded to with
a hearty laugh.
"You…you seriously can't be thinking of fighting me? I am the master of all 12 forms of Juunishi Ryu Ninjutsu! When I'm finished with your precious Hokage, she'll be mine to destroy and take the gems, wherever they may be…"
"But…"Tsunade responded, "You'll never find the gems…they're hidden where you'll never find them…"
Enishi looked around the arena and grinned, "You're clever, Tsunade, but not clever enough…I see where they are…they're in the arena itself. I'll be more than happy to sift through the rubble to find them, even…some charred, dismembered bodies…" Enishi laughed and flipped backwards, thrusting out the daikatana, the blade only a few inches from Tsunade's face.
Tsunade glared and unleashed a set of techniques that only she could've mastered. Firstly, a hundred clones appeared behind her and all rushed at once towards Enishi. Also, the tiles on the roof near the stadium lifted up and began flying towards the Zodiac Lord as well. Enishi grinned and performed the seal of the boar first, as the clones began to pummel him. The clones flew back as he performed the dragon seal, followed by the rabbit, snake and monkey. He disappeared and reappeared behind Tsunade. The clones all disappeared at once and the tile shuriken split in two. Enishi grinned maliciously again as he pointed the blade at Tsunade.
"Was that supposed to impress me? I just blew away those two powerful attacks in four moves…or rather…one…"
Tsunade laughed, causing Enishi to become even more incensed
"What's so funny, you witch?"
"…The fact that you think you can win…when you're facing a Kage…I am master of over a thousand techniques…and you…you only know 12…I think we know who'll win…"
Enishi glared and clashed blades with Tsunade, who procured a nodachi from Kyoji, who had given it to her when she appeared on the floor.
Ryota watched from the forest, his eyes seeing all.
Finally…the chaos has been unleashed…soon…I will be free…