"Naruto, make your clones," Midare ordered. Naruto stood around and stepped about for a while before seeing that there was nothing he disagreed with in his leader's decision. Given the excessive amount of flack that Midare was giving Minato, Naruto may have been justified in not liking the guy too much.
"Huh… Why are these clones positioned so weirdly!?" Kiba bore his fangs, pointing at one Naruto clone positioned one square to his right, one right in front of him and one in front of Shino – all of them just one square away from the pair.
"Why? Because Doma is blocking the path for the normal clone pattern, meaning that the clone line is pushed one square to the left. Why did the clones not switch with Doma's position? Because they're not treated like actual figures, more like… Tokens." Shino explained his best suspicions about why Naruto's clones took their strange positions.
"Minato-san…" Sazanami Senka pointed at the curious positioning of the clones. Minato's look hardened and turned grim.
Midare had trapped him. Now he absolutely must have sacrificed a piece, if he moved Kiba – Shino would have gotten cut. If he moved Shino – Kiba would have been cut. Options and possible moves raced through Minato's head but, with a lively shake of his golden locks, the young man dismissed every single one. If he moved Shino to the left he might have threatened both of the dangerous clones at once but then Mujin would have cut Shino – it would have been a sacrificial trade regardless.
"What's the matter? Stumped? We might have all the time in the world for you to think this through but I'd rather not. They should have introduced a turn clock or something…" Midare shrugged with a smug grin, he felt quite proud of managing to corner Minato like this out of the blue, in a situation he did not plan or set up for specifically but one that came to him once the pieces arranged themselves.
"You must sacrifice me, Minato-san, why? Because that's the optimal move." Shino looked back at Minato. "If you move to cut Sakura, I can break the left side lock for you, giving the breakthrough you need. Any ninja would be proud and their lineage honored to provide that kind of opening for their commander."
"What's the point of such honors? I'd much rather have the ninja stick around." Minato grumbled, realizing as more and more time passed that in the current situation it was but childish dreams. This game felt in a lot of ways crueler than real life. This game had iron-tight rules that could not be broken. In real life a ninja might have pushed through their limits, surprised their commander, their enemy and themselves and pulled off the impossible, hell, Minato had done it himself and he had not even made it to chuunin yet. Here… When two figures at once were cornered – there was just nothing to do. One of them would get cut.
"This is not the same as last turn. Why? The last turn you would have sacrificed me for the sake of utility and superior battlefield positioning, now you can give me a chance to break through the field for you and save my comrade in the process. You must let me do it, commander, why? Because I'm not asking for permission to be a pawn, I'm asking for permission to be a hero." Shino looked on ahead, nobody knew what the luster of his eyes underneath those tinted, black shades was or what the orbs were gazing at truly. Kiba and Minato both gawked at the adamantine Aburame before Minato sighed and caved.
"Shino, move one square to the left – eliminate Sakura-san." Minato requested. Shino neither hesitated nor moved without full, unchained belief in what he was doing. The Aburame moved to the left and then extended his hands out from his pockets, pulling out buzzing masses of black insects that swarmed in the shape of the sphere and surrounded Sakura, forcing the medical kunoichi to grunt and cover herself up only to find herself teleported off the board before the insects could deal any actual damage to her.
"Mujin, cut Shino," Midare ordered, the visor-wearing Sunagakure genin placed a satchel on the ground and then covered his ears. A cascade of explosions erupted in a line leading up diagonally right up to Shino and removed the Aburame off the board in an instant.
"Kiba-san, move back," Minato ordered, now that both Hinata and Shino were eliminated, the future Fourth would do everything in his power to keep Kiba safe.
"Heh, pulling back, are you? I'm almost tempted to sacrifice victory just to eliminate the guy and spite you." Midare chuckled into his hand.
"I'd just focus on winning if I were you. You are struggling with that as you are." Minato was quick to snap back at his opponent. "The only reason why I satisfied Shino-san's request was that he asked for a chance to protect both Team White and his teammate. If I let Kiba get eliminated, that would all go to waste."
"Just surrender already and stop wasting your own team's time." Gasco thundered from the other side of the board. The gentle and stone-cool giant of Team Phobos had remained calm and silent for the entire match but now he called for his own leader to surrender. "This game is over and Kotaro Uchiha is the reason why. You've played well but you've failed to utilize your right flank. I, Sen and Doma remain untouched."
Midare glared over the board once more. It was true that he was running out of figures, he could see that much but it was not until he looked and focused really hard on Kotaro Uchiha's position in regard to the rest of his figures that he saw what Gasco suggested – Kotaro was perfectly positioned to eliminate anyone on his side of the board, bust down any barriers between Midare himself and the enemy team.
One step to the left and Kotaro could eliminate Mujin, then Sajin… Midare would be left exposed. That would be when Minato would send all of his remaining pieces after him. Midare's movement options were limited, the odds were he would get pinned down eventually.
"Thanks. I'd have never noticed if it wasn't for your call." Midare's face brightened. "I can use a good lieutenant in this game and you're bright enough to fulfill that position, it seems."
"Say whatever you will…" Gasco placed his arms over his chest and looked away.
"Mujin, move one square forward and eliminate Kotaro Uchiha." Midare pointed.
"Damn! If you didn't have to move me to safety, your teammate wouldn't have gotten himself booted off-board and you'd have been able to win, just like that bald giant said." Kiba pulled on his collar. "Now I kinda want to make it up for you."
"Absolutely not," Minato shook his head. "The way I play may not be perfect in terms of efficiency but I will stick to it until the end. You entrusted your fates in this exam to me and I intend on playing my role and living up to that tremendous responsibility."
"You talk big but you've just lost a handful of useful, long-range figures. How about you actually make your move?" Midare taunted Minato who stonewalled the sharp glare of his opponent.
"Kiba-san, take a step to the left," Minato said.
"Huh? Pulling at straws here… I can't believe you're still fighting with the sole survivor of Team Kurenai, so much for the legendary "Nice-Guy Captain" you've turned out to be…" Midare taunted his opponent. "Not only that, but Kiba's just wandering about the board without an endgame plan in mind. Shameful display!"
"I wonder about that…" Minato smirked, his blonde hair conveniently slipped over the front of his face to conceal his smart-ass look.
"Fine, you've exposed yourself by wiping your front row clean, now I'll just send my pawn brigade after you. Just try not to make a mistake with those insane movement capabilities of yours…" Midare smiled back, albeit with a much more transparent bluff to his grimace as his eyes twitched and quivered in the all too familiar fear of making a mistake.
"Doma, move one square forward. Let's just see what Minato has planned for his shocking endgame scenario." Midare looked at the farther, right side of his board.
"Senka, move one square forward." Minato extended his finger to show the boy to his right in the direction he was meant to move to.
"Oh, such speed of decision, yes, we're truly playing some ninja shogi now!" Midare clapped his hands and cracked his fingers. "Naruto Clone No. 1, move one square forward."
"Move one square back, Kiba-san." Minato looked a bit vexed by the fact that Midare moved his Naruto clones and gunned for Kiba this hard.
"You can only run so far, Naruto Clone No. 1, move one square forward!" Midare pointed for his clone to keep chasing Kiba. It appeared as if though Midare truly was a man possessed with the idea of eliminating the final member of Team Kurenai as if that and not victory was his mission. Then again, he was still playing to his strengths and Minato's weaknesses by attempting to force Minato to make a mistake in order to protect his pieces.
"Kiba-san, one square back," Minato ordered with a calm face. The curious strategy of entertaining this perpetual game of cat and mouse confused Meiko but this might have been the reason why she was not the one in charge.
"Heh, how stupid do you think I am?" Midare shrugged. "If I send the clone after Kiba there, you'd just have Kiba take him out without putting himself in too much of a predicament."
"You aren't stupid at all, in fact, you're a fine strategist, your flaw, however, is that you're prone to letting your emotions doing the thinking instead of thinking things through a second time," Minato replied. For someone as young as him, the boy had a strict face of a mentor already, it did not take a master of psychology to deduce that it would only cause Midare more outbursts.
"Gasco, one square forward." Midare growled.
"He's moving the Team Phobos guys…" Meiko muttered to herself. "What could he be planning now of all times?"
"Senka-san, move one square diagonally up and to the right." Minato moved one of the three Senka brothers that he kept by his side for the most of the game. While Minato was winning in terms of remaining pieces, he left himself all open with most remaining pieces requiring at least two moves to get anywhere near where they could have protected him. "Now, cut Mujin."
"Wait, what?" Midare dropped his jaw after seeing red squares light up around Senka Sazanami as well as four additional squares diagonally in each corner further from the one square range. Sazanami removed a scroll from his side pouch and opened it on the ground, summoning a source of water. The Senka brother then weaved a pair of hand seals.
"Water Assault Jutsu!" he chanted as the water flowed in a more controlled manner, creating whips and tendrils to smack at the enemy, removing Mujin from the game.
"Dammit, I won't give up, I won't!" Midare cursed as he moved one square to the right.
Minato blurred and popped right behind Sajin, five squares ahead of him, holstering a modified, custom made kunai blade. Not unlike Kiba, Minato's cutting pattern also placed him in the place of the figure he cut instead of keeping him in his old square.
"I see, so that's why Midare moved." Kiba scratched his head. "He knew that Minato would be coming after him next."
"Yeah, he's a slippery bastard," Jean-D exclaimed in frustration. "He's gonna wriggle as much as he will need to in order to avoid defeat."
"No, it is indeed the scoundrel that has cornered our captain." Portorigus of Team Rutile cleared his throat. "He has placed himself and Minato in a precarious position, now Minato cannot pursue him without exposing himself to removal. If he moves sideways to confront Midare, either Midare or Naruto's clone will eliminate him next turn. Minato is cornered."
"He is, but he is cornered on the enemy side of the board. He established control, it's a bold statement." Meiko pointed out. She was sort of beginning to understand this game just when it was approaching its finishing stages.
"Naruto Clone No. 2, move one square forward!" Midare grinned, feeling safe now that he has cornered Minato's unparalleled movement potential. He was thinking the Team White leader pinned down now.
"Sazanami-san, one step forward, eliminate Naruto's clone No. 1." Minato calmly moved his pieces around from the enemy side of the board. While Midare may have felt safe, just like he did when he had Shino stunned with Ino's skill to the point where he forgot the piece even existed, Minato knew better and waited for the board to open up and for his decisive chance to strike.
"Naruto Clone No. 3, one square forward." Midare pointed.
"This is over. No matter where you move us, Minato will keep moving Sazanami Senka to eliminate them at the halfway point – it was a genius move to place young Senka in the center of the board, costing him a few turns for this impressive lock." Gasco once more thundered at his leader. Unlike last time, when it was meant as a warning of a dangerous piece being placed on a close square with the potential to ruin all of the team's plans, this time it may have actually meant a confirmation of defeat.
"Sazanami-san, one square to the right, eliminate Naruto Clone No. 2." Minato confirmed Gasco's warning by having Sazanami Senka continue his rampage at the equator of the board.
"That is amazing!" Corot of Team Rutile cheered with her fist shooting out in the sky and her feet throwing her light frame about out of joy. "Are you this amazing too?" she turned at Maki Senka, one of the two remaining Senka Brothers.
"Well… I can't say yet. I think brother's moves were a surprise to Minato too…" Maki Senka brushed the back of his head with a blush to his cheeks.
"Naruto Clone No. 3, move one square to the left," Midare commanded.
"The left?" Doma of Team Phobos wondered. "Is he trying to avoid having the clone removed off the board like that?"
"He's under the false belief that Senka won't have answers for that, given how he has to move in order to attack, so if he enters the elimination pattern willingly, Senka will have to move in order to eliminate the clone. Still… Our leader underestimated the fact that… Well…" Gasco shrugged.
"Sazanami Senka, move one square forward and eliminate Naruto Clone No. 3," Minato ordered.
"Hey… Don't just call me by my last name like that, baldy, it's rude." Sazanami Senka squinted with ire at Gasco who just stood there, lumbering with his hulking, cloaked frame and his eyes closed, allowing his impressive chakra sensory to do the perception work.
"You've only removed a bunch of clones. Don't think this is over!" Midare growled with his fist shaking at Minato, the two leaders were almost close enough for the fist to actually invade Minato's personal space.
"Enough of your delusions!" Gasco finally opened his eyes. Meiko quivered, this may have been the first time that she saw this frightening giant raise his voice like that and, given his composed nature, whenever he did raise his voice – it was frightening and nothing if not effective.
"What's that?" Midare turned to Gasco.
"You've lost. We will not move one square now, even if you order us. We won't let you eliminate us from the game just because you can't accept the fact you've lost." Gasco declared, even though he had not negotiated that with the other members of the team, they've all seemed in agreement, some because Gasco just looked too scary for them to disobey, others because they agreed with him.
"You… Treasonous… Bastards…" Midare ground his teeth and thrashed about. "Fine… I surrender."
Just like that, the white and black glow of the board switched off with Musha's face appearing on the screen with a friendly wink.
"Wow, took you guys a while. Here are the teams that pass on to the next round: Team Shira, Team Phobos, Team Hokage, Team Nimbus, Team Kurenai, Team Jiraiya, Three Senka Brothers, and Team Rutile. Congratulations. By the way, you could have all made it if you surrendered immediately and did not take part in the game." Musha winked as a cube materialized in the hands of Sen of Team Shira, Gasco of Team Phobos, Naruto of Team Hokage, Jean-D of Team Nimbus, Kiba of Team Kurenai, Minato of Team Jiraiya, Maki Senka of the Three Senka Brothers and Portorigus of Team Rutile.
"Wait… What did she mean?" Corot of Team Rutile wondered, glaring at the white cube rotating in her teammate's hand.
"I see…" Kiyomi scratched her chin. "It makes sense. Ninja are those that go underneath the underneath, right? You guys were told that the next trial is to play this board game but you didn't consider the option of surrendering before anybody got eliminated. Going underneath the underneath."
"I see, we have always assumed that the losing team of the leader would be one that got eliminated and each leader wanted to protect their own, so much so that they've risked playing this game and eliminating everyone but their own team. I guess we should have taken the fact that only a team without any of their members onboard got eliminated more seriously." Minato at last found it in himself to smile with more energy, now that he has risen above the responsibility placed on him and pulled Team White through. Most of them, at least…
"H-Hey…" Naruto ran up to Minato and Kushina who were busy congratulating each other but, before he could speak up, Kiyomi grabbed his earlobe and dragged him out of the trial room. After the cubes on the wall shifted and made way to enter the other, randomized room, she whispered into Naruto's ear.
"There's nothing more like a romantic mood killer than a guy older than you running up to you and telling you he's your son from the future and you must absolutely hook up because it's your destiny."