?￢ﾜ ? ~ Chapter Twenty-four — Shivua and Bontena ~ ?￢ﾜ ?ￂﾠ
Kusari was surprised with how tame her reaction was. All she did was tilt her head. "What are the chances?" she muttered. It was a shame she couldn't kill the heiress quite yet. Too much of a disruption…
Instead, she would show her the hell that she deserved.
"Don't do anything idiotic, Kusari," warned Neji. "Your victory is guaranteed, don't push your luck with the Main Branch."
"No, brother… I think I will."
Before Neji could scold her, she was in the arena, facing down Hinata Hyuuga. Just her name began to fill her with rage. She would make use of her rage… Shivua's as well. Each and every muscle in her body itched with anticipation. Even her bones seemed to shift within her.
Hinata faced her down with her ever present, emotionless, composed smile. The same slight tilt to her head. Her pale lavender eyes were distant yet focused. Every detail of Hinata pissed Kusari off to no end.
Of course—of course, Hinata bowed to her, daring to take her eyes off of her as she faced the ground. Slowly and methodically, she stood up to her full height again. "I wish us a good match."
Kusari ignored Hinata's statement entirely. "I will be what you failed to be, Hinata Hyuuga." The pale lavender of her Byakugan cracked to life. Hinata followed in kind. "The Hyuuga Clan placed all of their hope and love on to you. They were misplaced. You were misjudged. You were called a savior when you're nothing but a disappointment. They once called you the Hope of The Hyuuga Clan."
Kusari's fists clenched and the glare of her Byakugan increased tenfold. "I will be that hope instead; unlike you, I will keep my promise."
Slowly, Hinata nodded along to Kusari's declaration. "If that's the case, then I wish you the utmost luck. The Hyuuga needs a hope to look toward… a light to lead them through the darkness." Hinata let out a sigh. "However, I cannot help but think that the direction you will lead the Hyuuga will not be the best one."
Kusari glared. Hinata continued. "For years, I have been working to regain what I have lost. Many people do not believe that I can do it. Frankly, I do not care. Because of that, I am afraid I cannot let you progress any further in the Chunin Exams."
Hinata stepped into her stance. She looked as if she was preparing to dance, and yet the open palms of the Juken were clear. "I will be the one to win this match and be promoted to Chunin."
The nerve… spat Kusari. She dropped into her own stance. Her hands were in front like a boxer, she stayed on the balls of her feet like she was going to pounce.
Hayate raised his hand in the air. He brought it down with a cough. "Begin!"
Two flashes and the two met in the middle. Chakra from twin Juken strikes blasted between the two. Each of Kusari's strikes was rigid and guided by muscle—pure force of chakra. Hinata danced around her strikes and countered with fluid motion. Each move was methodical and choreographed. Neither were true forms of the Juken.
Kusari's chakra blew Hinata back—Kusari pressed her advantage. With a Gentle Step, Hinata guided Kusari out of the way. A growl seethed from Kusari's teeth as Hinata struck her side. It was her liver—she barely stopped herself from dropping to a knee.
A glaring Byakugan drove Kusari's palm into Hinata's gut. The heiress grunted as the core of her chakra was struck. Again, Kusari pressed her advantage. A Juken strike to the chest, the shoulder and she finished with a kick to the knee.
Hinata gracefully fell into the buckle of her leg and spun. A rotation blew Kusari back. Hinata used the momentum from the jutsu to dash forward with another strike. Easily, Kusari blocked it and drove a Juken-fueled kick into Hinata's chakra core.
The composed version of a growl ragged the heiress' throat. She struck at Kusari, but she slapped Hinata's palm away. Only a few hand seals later, Kusari struck a lightning-fueled palm to Hinata's chest. Originally, she aimed for her heart. Oh, how it infuriated Kusari that she couldn't kill the heiress yet.
That rage jolted her lightning with Shivua's chakra. Hinata was blasted back—in a flash Kusari was in front of her with a Juken strike prepared—it would finish her. Countless numb aches throbbed in her arm. The chakra behind Kusari's Juken was cut to nothing.
Hinata's arm had Kusari's sleeve pulled back. Red pains where Hinata struck spotted along her like ravaging bug bites. The hand that extended past Hinata's sleeve had black marks which resembled the wings of a bird. They flew up her neck, onto her face—across her face. Her pale lavender eyes were shrouded with malice.
A Curse Mark?!
Suddenly, a blast of violent violet chakra blew Kusari back. Hinata trembled but breathed as smoothly as she had ever. She shot a glare toward her team.
—⊱✿⊰—
She… she lied to me?! Questioned Miya with outrage. Her grip on the railings shattered the metal into shards. She turned her glare toward Shino. "What… happened in that forest?"
"If it were up to me, I would not have lied to you, sensei," began Shino as he intensified his gaze on the match. Malicious chakra whirled around Hinata as the Cursed Seals of Angels glowed a magmic orange.
"Shortly after we entered the Forest of Death, we were attacked by Orochimaru. He was disguised as a woman. Kiba and I were incapacitated immediately. Hinata was imbued with a Curse Mark. We spent most of our time recovering. On the final day, we found an Iwa team to ambush. We attacked them and because of our weakened state, we were on the back foot.
"Halfway through the bout, Hinata's mark awakened. After defeating the enemy, I used my insects to absorb the chakra corrupting her. Once we entered the tower, Hinata pleaded with us to keep her mark a secret. She feared that you would pull her from the exams. We agreed under the conditions that she would come clean afterward, and if she allowed me to keep an insect on her should the worst happen."
Miya responded with silence, she took a deep long breath as she focused her attention back on the match. There was little Kusari could do against Hinata's cursed assault.
—⊱✿⊰—
Not again, this bastard power—Kusari found her arms trembling as she barely blocked Hinata's attack. What did Orochimaru find so special about her?! An uncharacteristic malice struck the heiress' face and she thrusted out with a Juken strike to the center of Kusari's chest. Blood splattered from her mouth as she stumbled back. Breathing was difficult… but not impossible.
"Your chakra is so angry. You've always been resentful… what gives you the right?!" seethed Hinata—years of hurt utterly ravaged her tone. A glare from Kusari spiked with Shivua's scorn. "Not even just you. Neji as well—the entire Hyuuga clan. What makes you think that you can be so angry?!"
Fury spiked within Kusari. "What did you just say to me?!" Her ragged breathing dragged with every breath. Shivua's rage melded with her's even more. The Ingoken flashed at her fingertips. Everything felt hot.
"You heard me!" yelled Hinata. That idiotic smile was nowhere to be seen on her face. Not even a sadistic grin crossed her lips—like it did Sasuke. A shattered face cracked with pain… she looked as if tears could fall from her face at any moment. "All I've ever done is love you all! I ask for just a bit of grace in return and I'm hated!"
Shivua's malice overtook Kusari's chakra. "You deserve every ounce of hatred you receive. Your weakness killed my father!"
"Your father chose to die, you fool!"
There was not a selection of words that could summon such wrath from Kusari. "AND SO DID YOU!" Ingoken flared in Kusari's palm as she flickered toward Hinata. She didn't even need to ask Shivua for assistance—it knew.
Hinata's Byakugan flared with chakra—Ingoken struck Hinata's arm. The heiress screamed. Blood poured through the white of her jacket. However, her arm remained intact. Kusari scanned her own chakra points. Dammit! She blocked so many chakra points that any chakra strikes I use are weakened… no matter. I'll simply aim for the heart.
Another Ingoken palm struck toward the left of Hinata's chest. Hinata barely reacted, a palm strike disrupted her chakra and the Ingoken spattered. The skin was ripped from Hinata's fingertips. Quickly, Hinata flicked her own blood into Kusari's eyes—she cried from the burn. Just as fast, thirty-two of her chakra points were struck.
Hinata struck Kusari's heart with the Juken. It skipped a beat and Kusari's blood seemed to pause. Her whole body went numb but Hinata kept up her assault. Shivua didn't let her. A roar of malice blew Hinata back. Kusari raged forward and her Ingoken strike was barely dodged. It aimed for Hinata's head.
A scream of rage ripped Kusari's throat ragged. She struck Hinata's shoulder with her weakened Ingoken. Another to her gut—a strike to her heart was blocked. It was Hinata's turn to scream with a skinless hand pouring out blood. Hinata's scream of pain heightened alongside the agony she felt.
Her Curse Mark erupted—Kusari's feet dug into the shattered tile of the arena floor. Angelic seals stopped Hinata from moving yet the force of chakra prevented Kusari from approaching. Hinata cried out again. From the stands, Shino weaved a hand seal.
Hinata saw it as well. She turned her head to him and screamed, "DO NOT INTERFERE!"
The sheer expression gave Shino pause. With gritted teeth and more spilled blood, Hinata forced her mark under control. In a split second—the violent violet chakra spewed the purest white Kusari had ever seen.
Where there was once malice—a peaceful chakra whirled around Hinata. She panted, the black of her Curse Mark fading to that same pure white. To everyone else, it was serene. To Shivua, it enraged it to the point where unadulterated livid energy forced Kusari to charge. Kusari made it through the intense chakra—getting closer made Shivua even more livid.
It seemed that Hinata was prepared. When the Ingoken struck out she dodged and shut off every chakra point in both of Kusari's arms. Another strike to her chakra core knocked Kusari to her back. She looked up with a seething glare. Kusari's lavender eyes met Hinata's white.
Those white eyes…
As Kusari recovered on the ground, festering in her irateness, Hinata simply observed herself. She was still bleeding, but she didn't seem to care all that much. As a matter of fact, some of her injuries looked less severe. "I said some things earlier… I apologize for that. I heard you encountered the malice of the Curse Mark before, so I believe you understand."
"You…" raged Kusari. "I hate everything about you."
"I would too if I were you."
Kill Bontena NOW.
Kusari froze at the sound of the voice. It was disembodied in her head… yet it was human—despite sounding nothing like it. It was a woman's voice, ripped apart by thousands of years of rage.
It was… Shivua.
When Kusari finally processed the words spoken, she nodded. What would've been Ingoken slammed into Hinata's chest. The pure force of malice opened up a few chakra points—but it wasn't enough. Hinata skidded backward but matched Kusari with palms. Each strike that Kusari attacked with was sporadic, violent, yet coordinated. Hinata's were melodic, purposeful, each movement would've been beautiful had it not been from her.
Hinata and Kusari's palms clashed. The greater chakra in Hinata's snapped tendons in Kusari's hand. Kusari hissed but Hinata followed up just as she did. The bastard heiress anticipated her attack—she struck it as it came. Muscles within her arm burst.
She was targeting chakra while I was targeting her body—without my chakra I can target neither effectively—a guttural groan rasped through her teeth. She balled her palm into a fist and and struck Hinata in the nose. The satisfaction of feeling it break soothed her next punch to her ribs. Those also broke.
Hinata took a step back and danced around Kusari's followup strike. The heiress didn't expect the kick to her gut. Hinata managed to catch it—she whirled into a Rotation. Kusari dug her nails into the tile but they snapped off.
The shattered tile greeted Kusari with shattered pieces digging into her skin. Kusari barely reacted to Hinata in front of her. Her unorthodox Juken Dance twirled around her fist and ended into a Juken strike to her head. That made Kusari scream. Hinata was going to strike there again—she hesitated.
That infuriated Kusari more, and she kicked Hinata in the side of her hips. Her nails grew back—they were longer—they were bone. Another roar signified the growing wrath of Shivua and Kusari. They melded into one. One rage. One being. One body. One person to kill.
Her power rose with each contact Kusari made with her. Whether Kusari hit Hinata or vice versa. Merely touching her made her irate. Being in her presence stoked her ire. All of it was made into power. Kusari was barely conscious at this point. If Hinata hit her, she would just take it.
Kusari dished back much more pain. Her fighting style wasn't as refined as it could be but that didn't matter. As long as she hit her. Eventually Kusari had Hinata's back to the wall. The heiress could step back and dance around her hits no longer.
An angry fist bashed Hinata's shoulder—Kusari felt her own skin break at the knuckle, exposing the bone. Puncture wounds ripped both Hinata's jacket and her skin. What was previously white was now dyed the scarlet of blood.
Of course Hinata struck back—she was too much of a coward to do anything lethally. All of the pain she felt only stoked the fire of her ire. Both of her fists left puncture wounds on Hinata—ripping off skin when she hit her face. Hinata's counterattacks weakened—Kusari's assault only strengthened. Hinata had her back against the wall quite literally.
It was all over for her.
She took advantage of the puncturing bones at her knuckles. When Kusari went for a palm strike, bone pierced the skin at the base of her palm—Hinata was stabbed through the shoulder. Her cries—hearing Hinata alive infuriated her—"JUST DIE ALREADY!"
Hinata screamed back at her. A burst of chakra sent Kusari flying back. She collapsed to the floor—she could barely stand. When she did, a burst of air flung Kusari to the opposite wall of the arena. Air palm?!
"Vacuum Palm!" Hinata pulled her palm backward and the misplaced air cast her back toward Hinata. The moment Kusari was in front of her, Hinata didn't even enter the stance when she announced—"Eight Trigrams: One-hundred and Twenty-Eight Palms!" It was a flash of bloodstained white. One-hundred and twenty-eight of Kusari's chakra points were whipped shut.
It would have been that amount had bones not shifted and grew within her—it writhed Kusari with discomfort. Only about fifty additional chakra points were sealed. With how many were sealed before—over half of her chakra network was blocked. The unstoppable force of fury allowed her to rise to her feet.
Hinata was visibly shocked, but barely had time to process it as she stumbled. The blood loss was getting to her. Good. She was just about to lose more. Kusari bolted forward again in a barbaric—sloppy sprint. A fist rammed into Hinata's chest. Already broken ribs were shattered. Blood fell from Hinata's mouth—she clenched her bloody teeth and struck the back of Kusari's spine with the Juken.
Hinata's fingers broke on impact with her spine. When Kusari struck again her bones shifted forward to double the impact. With a pained grunt, Hinata shoved Kusari off of her. Furious instinct made Kusari dig into her own skin. She cried out and burrowed through the skin and muscle of her forearm.
A horrified expression ghoul'd Hinata's face. Kusari wrapped her hand around what felt like the handle of a blade. Shivua urged her to pull and that she did. Her bone shifted as she yanked, yanked, and yanked again. The bone in her body was just misplaced. A Juken strike to the throat knocked her back. When she tried to breathe, she couldn't.
Kusari would've screamed if she could. She charged forward and attacked Hinata. A tackle brought them both to the floor. I need to kill her before I run out of breath. The most wrathful—most powerful fist she could muster slammed into Hinata's skull. Skin ripped from her head and she didn't need her Byakugan to see the bone. Kusari clawed at her forehead where that Caged Bird would be. She couldn't apply the seal—so she'd give the heiress her own brand.
Hinata barely managed to kick Kusari off of her. Blood stained her face… yet through all of that. The pureness of her white eyes remained. The white faded to lavender… Hinata gasped as her angelic marks receded. She was done. Kusari picked a kunai from her pouch and limped over.
The first step that she took she didn't get to finish. Ryujin was in front of her. "That's enough, Kusari."
"No—!" she managed before collapsing to her knees. Shivua's rage started to leave her—but hers remained. "No…!"
"You win," he stressed, the amber of his eyes reflected in her wrathful Byakugan. "Look at what you did to her!"
Kusari couldn't breathe. The image of her sensei turned blurry and duplicated—she barely noticed that her Byakugan deactivated. Even still, she heeded her sensei's order. Hinata's jacket was once white. It was now entirely red—stained with her own blood. Kusari could see Hinata's bone where she ripped her skin and muscle to shreds.
The heiress' breathing was shallow, ragged, even as her sensei attempted to soothe her. It didn't take long for the medics to arrive—for both of them.
The last thing she heard was Ryujin's voice. "You did that, Kusari! You maimed an ally, are you proud?!"
"No…" she managed through her lack of breath. "I didn't get to kill her."
Everything went black.
—⊱✿⊰—
Clearing his throat, visibly unsettled, Hayate announced that, "Kusari Hyuuga is the winner of the match!"
"FUCK DUDE!" yelled Shinrai with an excited laugh, watching the medics carry both Hyuuga girls to the infirmary. "I DIDN'T KNOW KUSARI HAD THAT IN HER! THIS IS THE BEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN FROM HER!"
"You…" began Neji, his pale lavender eyes wide with horror. "You made her like this?!"
"I would say yes, but I don't wanna take all the credit! Kusari's always been a bit of a demon herself—but FUCK!" Shinrai cackled. "I LOVE HER SO MUCH!" he squealed.
Gosei shook his head profusely. "What is wrong with you?! Kusari was going to murder her!"
"YEAH! THAT'S WHY I'M EXCITED!" A grin as wide as the horizon, white as an overcast sky with his very brushed teeth, spread across his face—like a caged bird stretching its wings.
Neji stood to Shinrai, grabbing his collar to look him in his eyes. "You corrupted her!"
"Hey! That's being disingenuous to Kusari! You shouldn't underestimate her like that—"
Neji's Byakugan raged to life and their headbands clanged together. "YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER!"
Shinrai responded with a sly smirk. "You're going to have to kill me for that to happen."
"Hyuuga, put down my student," spat Ryujin. "If you don't like how your sister is behaving, then deal with it by talking to her."
Neji threw Shinrai out of his grip and walked toward Ryujin. Of course, Shinrai kept his footing and kept on laughing giddily all the same.
Byakugan met ember and Neji's glare seethed. "You're a failure of a sensei if you've been condoning this behavior for so long."
"If that's the case, then you're ten times the failure as her brother for doing the same," countered Ryujin with a sharp glare of his own.
Neji looked away, sucking his teeth. His rage seemed to double as something else caught his attention.
Shinrai shrugged with a giggle. "I don't know why you're seeing it as a bad thing. If anything! Y'all are being bad friends, siblings, senseis, or whatever for not accepting her for the badass she is!" he argued, the devil's advocate on his tongue sharp with controversy.
Everyone present shot him a glare. However, it was Sasuke that spoke up, his fists clenched with his double tomoe Sharingan hot with hate. "Of course, you would support someone who'd murder their allies without a second thought. I never paid any mind to your betrayal of Gosei so far back… but now, it all makes sense."
Shinrai knew exactly what he was getting at. Itachi's blood. His eyes stayed coal black as he met Sasuke's Sharingan gaze. "Watch your fucking mouth."
Sasuke stayed quiet—his glare spoke for him. Gosei kept his glower on Shinrai. "I agree! Your loyalty to Konoha is fickle. You'd kill anyone here without a second thought if it benefitted you."
"Why the fuck are you all ganging up on me?! I'm just trying to be a supportive friend!" Shinrai yelled, aghast.
Gosei's glare malded ten-fold. "A true supportive friend would recognize when their ally is going down a terrible path! Scolding is sometimes the loving thing to do."
"Well, I think Kusari's going down an amazing path!" argued Shinrai with a devilish smirk.
Gosei seethed at Shinrai's words. "Your very being is corrupt. Just as you defend your brother, I will defend Konoha." He stepped to Shinrai and glared down at the black void of his eyes. "If you or Kusari dare to go against Konoha, I will not hesitate to kill either of you!"
All Shinrai did was tilt his head. "I'd like to see you try…"
"That's enough!" spat Ryujin. "I will take care of both of you. Because both you and Kusari are marching down a treacherous path of hate."
"Isn't that a bit hypocritical, Ryu?" asked Shinrai with a scoff. "You've been sitting there, acting like a volcano ready to blow for the better part of three days."
"You don't have the slightest idea what's been happening to me—"
"Exactly! You don't know what the fuck's been happening to us either! I can't speak on what makes you mad, and you can't speak on what's been making us mad! You're our sensei, all you need to do is make sure we don't die on the battlefield."
Ryujin's eyes narrowed with a pointed gaze. Shinrai continued. "Don't go sticking your nose in my business, alright? Alright! Thanks!"
A tense silence returned to Konoha's side of the arena. Shino's match had just concluded, he utterly eradicated the puppet dude from Suna. He didn't look tired or fatigued in the slightest. The next match was Fuu of Takigakure vs Temari of the Sand.
Shinrai narrowed his eyes. "Isn't she another Jinchuriki?" he slapped Naruto on the back of the head. "Pay attention! Might help you with little foxy."
Still silent and contemplative from overhearing the argument, Naruto simply nodded. Uneasiness spread at the sight of yet another Jinchuriki in the arena. Hayate cleared his throat and sneezed. Temari, had her teeth grit; the match hadn't even started and sweat was dripping down her face
"The match may begin…"
Temari tensed and Fuu chuckled, sunset misty chakra seeping from her skin.
Cough—"Now!" Hayate flickered out of the way. Temari's fan opened to reveal three moon-like dots.
"Wind Style: Great Wind Cutter!" she yelled, slashing her fan across the air in a gigantic gust.
With bored, solar glowing eyes, Fuu caught the jutsu. All Fuu did was flick her wrist and Temari's wind storm was cast away to Konoha's side of the arena. The gust knocked everyone besides the Jonin to the ground.
"FUCKING SHIT DUDE!" spattered Shinrai, gathering himself on the floor. "Ms. Miya!" he whined. "Put up another barrier!"
With a sigh, she complied.
He grinned at her. "Thanks!"
"Such power…" grit Gosei through his teeth.
Naruto seemed to break under his crestfallen expression. They all watched on, Temari swiped with her fan again. "WIND STYLE! DESTRUCTIVE WIND ANNIHILATION!"
A gust ten times the size and veracity kicked up every shattered tile and stray object in the room. They were hurled at Fuu with sonic speeds. Fuu let out a battle cry and the Nanabi's chakra erupted. Her tanned skin hardened—it shimmered like the very stars were made into armor. From her lower back, the yellow tail of an insect grew from her skin. The glowing orange of her eyes beamed as her hair whirled like a tornado.
With little effort, Fuu caught the wind of Temari's jutsu. An insect-like giggle rang from her mouth. The chilling presence made everyone feel as if they were floating. Her grin grew and Temari's jutsu was blown with the dusk's orange.
"Wind Style… Hell Above." No hand seals were weaved. Fuu simply brought her hand down. Every atom of air in the room converged on Temari in a convulsive gale. Everyone in the room had breath drawn from their lungs to fuel the jutsu.
Luckily, Miya's barrier protected Konoha's Shinobi from being affected. Where Temari once stood, there was simply a splat of blood. As if a bug has just been crushed. The shattered remnants of her fan drifted across the broken arena floor. Fuu cackled at the sight. "This is great!"
"Fuu of Takigakure is the winner of the match…" Hayate announced, still catching his breath.
Shinrai cleared his throat. "Yeah…. You need to get to work, Naruto."
"Yeah…" He agreed, crushed by the weight of inferiority.
Ryujin kept his eyes narrowed… he was deep in his own thoughts. Miya let down her barrier, and this time, there was no suspense. Just two names left on the screen.
Gosei Senju vs Rock Lee.
—⊱✿⊰—
This fool can't use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu… Gosei let out a sigh. I almost feel bad. He thinks he has a chance as a Shinobi.
Rock Lee looked on at Gosei, his face streaked with dried tears. His bandaged fists were clenched, and he was oozing with emotion to the point where he trembled. "I, Rock Lee, vow to defeat you here, Gosei Senju!"
"...That's impossible," stated Gosei. "Without any skill for Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, it's a miracle that you've gotten this far. Your luck ends here. You'd be better off forfeiting, save yourself the humiliation."
"When it comes to me, there is no such thing as giving up! The concept of forfeiting is impossible for me to comprehend! Especially now!" he declared, tears formed in his eyes and spilled down his cheeks like a waterfall of pure willpower. "My close friend, Tenten, died in the Forest of Death. If I fail here, if I am not able to become Chunin, then her death would have been for nothing!"
"You should've thought about that before you decided to become a Shinobi," said Gosei, his eyes narrowing. Now I'm really starting to feel sorry for him… he's too stupid to comprehend his own situation—is it willful ignorance? That has to be the only explanation.
Rock Lee clenched his fist over his heart. "Gai-sensei has given me permission to go all out from the start—" He choked on his own sobs, tears hitting the shattered arena floor. With a determined cry he started into the heavens above. "I WILL WIN THIS! FOR YOU TENTEN!"
"The match may begin…" started Hayate. Gosei winced and brought his hands together, preparing to unleash his Ninjutsu.
Rock Lee threw off the weights on his legs. They hit the ground with a titanic thud. Gosei's eyes widened. Such strength… to walk around with those constantly?! I should try not to take a direct hit.
"Now!" Hayate flickered out of the way.
Before Gosei could weave a hand seal, he was kicked across the arena. His back hit the wall and saliva fell from his gaping mouth. He regained his senses in time to block a fist from Lee. Chakra spewed from every orifice in his arm to just barely hold him back.
A second fist to the chest bruised hard and shattered bone. With a furious exhale, Rock Lee was washed over by a momentous volume of water. He's fast—Gosei weaved a single hand seal. "Earth Release: Bubbling Bog."
From Gosei's feet, chakra churned the earth below like an ocean in the storm. The heat turned up—bubbles rose from the churning rock. Where Gosei stood was unaffected. Rock Lee struggled to keep his footing. All it took was a leap for him to bypass the jutsu.
"LEAF HURRICANE!" He whirled through the air as a green cyclone—barely a flash to Gosei. His forearm snapped in two when he tried to block the attack. A seething growl spat through Gosei's teeth at the pain.
From below, a Bedrock Explosion blasted Rock Lee back. Dammit! I can't weave hand seals! The most powerful of my jutsu are inaccessible. No matter. "Water Release: Aquatic Armory!" From the churning earth rose countless weapons of every variety, sharpened by the crystalline water of Gosei's making.
They tracked Rock Lee and attacked—he bobbed and weaved every attack. Gosei bolstered his Aquatic Armory in a circle around Lee. There was no way for him to escape. That was until he roared, "RISING LEAF WHIRLWIND!"
Gosei's jutsu spun in a vortex from the pure force of air Lee generated. It shattered into rain—the green beast charged toward him with an air of mist. "Crater Arm!" Gosei's broken arm sprouted rock which just managed to shield him from Lee's kick.
"Swimming Cutter!" From his free hand, a blade of water cut at Rock Lee. Strands of hair fell and Lee's fist broke through Gosei's guard, striking him in the gut. The sheer power shook Gosei's focus—even if just for a second.
Lee kicked Gosei off his stance then threw him to the arena center. Gosei slammed his crater arm on the ground—a massive Bedrock Explosion shrouded the area in hazardous dust. Gosei weaved a single hand seal. "Machine Gun Pebbles!" Bullets of rock shot from the dust-screen in every direction.
Except from above.
That was where Rock Lee made his strike. "LEAF FALLING WIND!" An axe-kick shattered Gosei's skull. Lee kept his momentum as he hit the floor. "LEAF RISING WIND!" A kick to Gosei's chin sent him flying into the air.
Before he could do anything, his body was held tightly by Rock Lee as he started to spin. "PRIMARY LOTUS!" In a whirl and explosion of chakra, Lee spun and Gosei felt sick. He had no time to dwell on it as his head collided with the arena—it shattered in an eruption of smoke.
All Gosei saw were stars against the black splotches of his vision. He couldn't think—all he could do was feel the blood pour out of his split skull. I'm… impossible… His fists clenched. I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY THIS TALENTLESS FOOL!
Gosei roared. A plume of pure chakra blew away the dust and smoke. He forced his head from the crater, blood soaked his hair and his face and that brought him endless rage. "You dare spill my Senju blood… you human dunce."
A fierce emerald glare shone through from the blood that stained his eyes. "I will end your participation in the Chunin Exams. Right here. Right now."
"Dammit…" cursed Lee. That move took a lot out of him, it seemed. He could barely keep his eyes open.
Gosei was a Senju. He could fight like this for days. The pain… the fatigue… his bloodline was built to handle it. Rock Lee heaved his breath as he dropped into his stance. With nothing but a glare, a dozen faults opened in the arena and water erupted from them.
Stone forced a makeshift cast over his broken arm. He weaved hand seals—just over a dozen. "Water Release: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
From the water that flooded the arena, a golden eyed dragon of living waves roared into being. Gills on its side spewed with water that launched it toward Rock Lee.
"THIRD GATE! GATE OF LIFE! OPEN!"
Gosei's Water Dragon was blown into mist. His rib cage followed. It was only after he felt the pain that he realized Rock Lee's foot was embedded in his chest. Gosei would've screamed had all breath not been knocked out of him.
Before he could hit the ground, another strike shattered his arm and he was blown into the air. Bandages wrapped around him, keeping him in place. Gosei was knocked around like a pinball by a force he couldn't even see.
W-What is going ON?!
Finally, he saw it. Rock Lee's skin was boiling red with the pure force of blood. A green glow encompassed him and he roared, pulling Gosei into the fist he had prepared. "HIDDEN LOTUS!"
Every bone in Gosei's body was eradicated. It was made even worse when he slammed into the ground with an impact that made his Bedrock Eruption look small. Dust and rock kicked up from the sheer force of impact.
Gosei didn't get to process his pain… or his loss before going entirely unconscious.
—⊱✿⊰—
"YESS!" cheered Gai, tears in his eyes. "YOU WON LEE!" In a flash he was in the arena, holding his student in his arms before he could collapse.
Rock Lee began to cry once again. "Yes…!" he managed through the strain of using the Eight Inner Gates. "I WON!" he wailed, harder and harder. "IT WAS ALL FOR YOU TENTEN!"
"I'M SURE SHE'S SO PROUD OF YOU!" assured Gai.
Rock Lee nodded. "YES! I FINALLY PROVED MYSELF! THAT HARD WORK CAN OVERCOME TALENT! THAT I CAN STILL BECOME A SPLENDID SHINOBI!"
"YOU ALREADY ARE A SPLENDID SHINOBI LEE!" cried Gai. Rock Lee just cried harder. Master and disciple had a tearful embrace in the shattered remains of the arena, where Gosei's limp body was carried to the infirmary.
"Woah…" Natsuyo said, almost in awe. "Gosei lost?!"
"Why are you surprised?" asked Shinrai with a smirk. "I've beat his ass before…"
"Well, yeah," she started, shaking her head. "I just don't usually see that often," Natsuyo let out a chuckle.
Naruto huffed. "Well, it serves him right!" declared Naruto. "That way, we've both been set back on our race to Hokage!"
Natsuyo laughed. "That's true!" She gasped. "WAIT! Because he lost, that means I could get promoted to Chunin before him!" The girl proceeded to squeal with excitement.
As the final match concluded, all the present finalists were selected to stand in line. Kusari couldn't attend, as she was still in the infirmary. Rock Lee was on his last legs, but he forced himself to stay.
The twelve winners stood beside each other. The Hokage explained that they would take place a month from now, so that way they'd have time to prepare against their opponents. Shinrai hummed slowly at the explanation.
Ka'rai was next to him as well, he seemed a bit down, yet intrigued by him all the same. With a smirk he asked, "So… I heard you beat Clowui?"
"Uh huh…" Shinrai answered nonchalantly.
Ka'rai's smirk grew. "You realize that she's the strongest one from Kumo? Other than me, of course."
"Figures," said Shinrai as he rested the back of his head in his clasped palms. "I guess I'm just better than most of Kumo's Genin, then."
Ka'rai just chuckled in response. The final matches were decided randomly. The screen was set to randomize again. There were twelve finalists and six battles. Whatever order the names came up in, would be the order of the matches.
The first match read, Natsuyo Senju vs Rock Lee.
Immediately, she laughed and pointed at Lee. "I'll be sure to defeat you! That way, it'll show that I finally surpassed Gosei!"
Lee responded with a grin and a shaky thumbs up. "I look forward to our bout!"
The second match read, Kusari Hyuuga vs Sasuke Uchiha.
Shinrai tilted his head curiously. Interesting matchup… He looked toward Sasuke. His eyes narrowed on the screen, he didn't exactly seem pleased.
The third fight was between two people with Kumo. It made Ka'rai perk up. One of them was the dude that beat Kiba's ass…
The fourth match read, Sami of Kumogakure vs Shino Aburame. They just eyed each other from across the winning lineup.
Damn, I'm going to be fighting late…
The fifth match was, Neji Hyuuga vs Fuu of Takigakure. Shinrai snorted. Damn, Kusari's gonna be an only child after this one…
He even heard Neji curse his luck under his breath. Well, he should be doing that way more than Neji. After everyone else, there were only two people left. Woe and behold, the screen read…
Ka'rai Uzumaki vs Shinrai Uzumaki.
Ka'rai's face went crooked with an excited smirk.
A hollow chuckle rattled Shinrai's breath. A pit of despair and fear fell to the deepest depths of his being. "I'm fucked…"
?￢ﾜ ? ~ Chapter End ~ ?￢ﾜ ?