The end was near. The thought had prodded his mind since two minds became one three months ago, but the current situation had turned that prodding into a full on assault.

The end was near. Conflicting feelings fought for possession within his mind. One pleading, begging for someone or something to save him from his inevitable doom. One praying to gods the other didn't even believe in, asking for another chance.

The end was near. The other felt disgusted at the feelings that were technically his own. So what if the end was near? The best take the situation they're given and make it their own. Steel sharpens steel, and what better way to make the perfect blade than the act of war?

The cheers and shouts echoing around him had long since become muddy, distant sounds trying their hardest to find place within his head. They weren't even the slightest bit successful.

Why was he feeling this way? He'd spent the last three months preparing for this very moment. From dawn until dusk he combed through half-baked knowledge and memories that had little use to him, desperate to find something, anything that stuck. From dawn until dusk did he work his body until his muscles screamed for forgiveness, cramps and aches expressing their demands. From dawn until dusk did he familiarize himself with the painful-yet-pleasant feeling of bone ripping through skin, desperate to reach the skill level that his seven-year-old brother had seemingly been born with.

Why was he feeling this way? As much as he fought it, he was still a boy. A boy who had dreams and fears just like the others. He carried on a persona of maturity amongst his peers, his added personality playing a great part in that, but he was still a boy.

His tenth birthday had passed three weeks ago. As a gift, his mother got him a sword she'd stolen from a bandit— who'd also stolen it from a merchant. Katsuo used it for a day before giving it to Kimimaro. It was clear the younger boy favored blades more than he, who'd preferred to use the weapons he'd been born with.

The memories of his other self hadn't helped with the sensation. For what he knew, he'd never died before, and the other him hadn't even been a decade older than he before merging together. If anything, the added context of the world he called home only served to add on to the fear of his end.

At first, it ignited a fire he was sure would never extinguish. It was what pushed him forward even when all other aspects of his body begged for rest. Yet the rock had been kicked and the landslide was beginning to form, burying that very fire in a casket of flesh and bones.

No. His fists clenched at his side, spears of white threatening to reveal themselves. He would not end up as just another casualty. He was Katsuo Kaguya, goddamnit! He'd scream and he'd claw and he'd fight until his limbs were reduced to specks in the wind. And then, he'd sprout new ones and do it all over again.

The sound of his name being called and the mass of attention falling upon him only amplified his attitude. His first match of the tournament was up, and it'd serve well to prove that his trees bore fruit.

Until now, he'd been hiding his usage of the Shikotsumyaku from his clan. If they'd found out, they'd have thrown him in a cage until needed, destroying any chance of progress he had. How the Kimimaro of his memories had been able to rise to such a great power in that situation he knew not, but he wasn't going to test if he could do the same.

Tonight was different, however. War was patiently waiting for them along the horizon. He couldn't hold back, even in the slightest. Maybe he'd even make it to the final five and become patriarch, steering his clan away from their inevitable doom.

Those thoughts left his head immediately as he found himself in the center of the torch-outlined field, his opponent standing adjacent to him. The sight of his clan members hollering and cheering crushed any ideas he'd had. Even if he were patriarch, it'd be too late. His clan members had already made up their mind.

They'd sail to Kirigakure, where they'd meet their end. Only himself and Kimimaro would leave that mist-covered village alive. Everything was already set in stone.

The sound of a horn blowing brought him back to his senses. The battle had begun. He was facing off against a girl who looked fifteen or sixteen. Her black hair was tied in buns similarly to the rest of the clan, and two red dots marked her forehead.

Koroko, if he remembered. He hadn't paid much attention to anyone besides Kimimaro and the younger kids who followed him when he was training as of late. From what he remembered, she wasn't anything special, among the middle of the pack in terms of the teenagers of the clan.

It was a shame she'd been faced with him. He'd have to use her as an example.

Seeing as he hadn't moved, Koroko decided to take the initiative, the nearby torch's flames reflected off of the thrown kunai, which pierced through the air towards him.

Katsuo effortlessly dodged it, sidestepping before rushing toward the teen. The sudden shift in speed caught her off guard, as he went from a few meters away to directly in her face within the blink of an eye.

His closed fist shot forward, impacting the girl's narrowly raised guard. He could hear the creaking of bone that he was certain was not his own. In the same movement his other hand shot out, the small spear of white within his palm causing the crowd to gasp.

The bone impaled her side, lodging itself within her body. Katsuo shifted on his feet, spinning on his right toe before launching his left leg into the girl's other side. The force behind it lifted the girl off her feet, a second swift kick sending her further in the air.

His fingers blurred as he swiftly went through hand signs, his chakra changing shape within himself. His clan weren't as anti-ninjutsu as he'd originally expected. It only took a bit of digging around and a few threats to obtain a few scrolls that'd been passed down through generations.

The feeling of sinking signaled that he'd done the jutsu correctly. The earth underneath him shifted to allow him passage, a tunnel forming wherever he turned his focus. 'Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu' allowed him to quickly tunnel beneath the earth while still being able to sense what's happening along the surface.

His body shot out from the ground like a missile, colliding with Koroko's airborne body with a loud crash. Katsuo landed on his feet, seemingly unhurt. Koroko's situation was much different. She'd been instantly knocked out from the collision.

Another horn sounded, signaling the end of their match. He returned to his position among the crowd, only to find the attention of the others locked on him. Caution marked their faces, no doubt stemming from his usage of Shikotsumyaku. A small bubble of air formed within the crown, the others making space so as to not get stabbed by a sprouted bone.

The space was crossed by a familiar head of white, Kimimaro paying little attention to the looks he got from the other's. "I thought we weren't supposed to be using Shikotsumyaku," his younger brother spoke, his voice as soft and innocent as always.

"Not tonight," he answered. The nearby members clearly picked up on the context, as their gaze shifted between the two brothers constantly. "Tonight, we show the progress we've made."

"Okay." Was all the white-haired boy said before he turned away, a soft smile upon his face.

It didn't take long for Kimimaro's match to take place, where he'd embarrassed his opponent in a similar fashion. The other boy, who was probably around Kimimaro's age, had tried his best to keep up. The strength behind Kimimaro's sword swings were clear on the boy's face, and it wasn't long before he found himself disarmed, cold steel pressing against his neck.

Despite the boy's words, he hadn't used their Kekkei Genkai, showcasing his pure swordsmanship. It seemed the crowd had grown less on edge in the display, categorizing the boy as another 'pure' one such as themselves. He wondered what their reaction would be once he revealed that to be false.

The night flew by in a blur of flesh and steel. The Kaguya members laughed and cheered and cursed in response to those fighting before them. They fought and fought, even as the sun rose from its resting place beyond the horizon, painting the sky in a pinkish color.

Finally, after hours upon hours of constant battle, the time for the final five brawl was upon them. It was clear to all that watched that this tournament was much different than those of the last. The two children standing face to face with the three strongest Kaguya only strengthen that claim.

Kyo had breezed through his competition, disposing of them even easier that Katsuo had done to Koroko. Many men attempted to surrender under his gaze, but it was clear he'd been wanting to fight.

Hagahane stood opposite of their clan patriarch. The large man had a body painted with scars, only adding on to his already unsettling appearance. Bits of browning-blood stained his rough beard, and all that saw him fight knew that they weren't from his own wounds. A giant ax stood adjacent to him, buried slightly within the ground.

The tournament had seen few casualties thus far, much less than they were used to. The great blood-stained ax had been the cause of a majority of those deaths.

Jisoku was after him. The woman didn't have anything appearance wise that made her stand out. She'd had the same bun-tied black hair as the rest of them, and the signature red dots that they all bore. Upon first look, the only impression one might have was of mediocrity.

That was exactly what the woman wanted. Her fighting style was a complete contrast, using her quick speed and great stamina to overwhelm her foe in a non ending wave of attacks. Great weapons of flesh and steel bombarded her enemy until they couldn't face any more of it.

She'd also been responsible for a few of the casualties they'd faced.

And then, the biggest outliers. Two children who'd never made it this way before. Kimimaro faced his soon-to-be opponents with the same calm expression he usually wore. He'd quickly grown the reputation of a prodigy, getting this far with just his swordsmanship alone.

Katsuo wondered if his constant warning of the use of Shikotsumyaku around the others the past three months had been the reason the boy was hiding his abilities. Even after Katsuo himself had used their shared Kekkei Genkai, it seemed the boy still feared the outcome of such an act.

Lastly was Katsuo, former-prodigy-turned-demon. The older brother had taken the complete opposite approach throughout the tournament. He'd only ever gotten to use the Shikotsumyaku against Kimimaro, and was using it as a way to test its abilities against people with hadn't shared the ability.

The freedom had opened his eyes. Kimimaro was better than him at using their ability. No matter how hard he denied it, it remained true. That didn't mean he was as lackluster as he thought, however.

His spiked fist tore through the skin of his opponents. The sudden jet of bone from his joints allowed him to strike at angles he wouldn't have regularly. His constant movement that'd been usually countered by his brother's great defenses proved more than he believed it to be.

It'd been a great silencer to his doubts. Maybe he was strong enough to face the battle plaguing his mind. Maybe he would leave Kirigakure in one piece.

The blowing of the horn signaled for the battle to begin. Hagahane immediately targeted Kyo as he had all the previous times he'd made the final five. Kimimaro shared a glance at Katsuo before joining the two men in their battle.

Jisoku had rushed him as soon as the horn finished its song, a thrown kunai just barely missing his neck. A kunai– this time held in her hand, followed shortly after. Katsuo raised his forearm, a blade of white sprouting to meet the oncoming attack.

The sound of metal striking bone had barely entered his ear before the woman had moved, spinning on her heel with a high kick aimed for his head. He ducked underneath the blow, the wind from the force ruffling his loose gray hair slightly.

His hand shot out to grab the extended leg, but his attention was quickly bought elsewhere as a flash of movement danced across his peripheral vision. He quickly dodged the kunai from before, his fingers blurring as he went through hand signs.

'Doton: Shizumi Ana-Jutsu.' A small hole formed beneath Jisoku's feet, throwing off her balance. The woman had quickly recovered, but it allowed Katsuo to go on the offensive.

Two spiked jabs glanced her right side, the woman recovering from her loss of balance just quick enough to dodge slightly. A spike of white shot out from the side of his wrist, turning the glance into a cut.

His spiked palm jolted towards the woman's head, who raised her kunai to deflect the blow away. Her foot blurred as she kicked him in the side, repositioning the kunai in her hand so that it was facing downward, and bringing it down towards his head.

Katsu quickly jolted forward, much to her surprise. A spike of white erupted from the back of his neck, deflecting the kunai away from anything vital. Katsuo was most skilled with his hands and feet, but that didn't mean he hadn't trained the usage of other bones.

Using the momentum of his quick jolt forward, Katsuo flipped, his spiked heel impacting Jisoku's left shoulder. In a display of acrobatics, he twisted his body, wrapping his other leg around the woman so that she found herself underneath his fall.

His spiked palm placed gently onto her neck in the mounted position, signaling his victory. Or so he thought. In a quick movement, she pulled out another kunai, stabbing it into his right side. The moment of surprise allowed Jisoku to escape from his grasp, quickly rising to her feet.

"I'm not like those other fodder," Jisoku began, her voice brassy and rough. "Don't think I'll concede just at a perceived defeat. This is a battle to the death, as all Kaguya should fight!"

Katsuo grit his teeth at his wound, but moved forward regardless. Bone erupted from the open wound before quickly retreating beneath the bloodied skin. He didn't know why, but the wound would heal faster that way, the Shikotsumyaku quickening his healing.

Despite the cut to her side and the gash in her shoulder, Jisoku rushed forward to meet him as well. The thrown kunai flashed forward, causing Katsuo to jerk his head slightly.

In a burst of speed Jisoku closed in on him. Having caught on to her attack pattern, the gray-haired boy knew what was next. The kunai was always a distraction, catching the enemies attention for just enough time for the woman to speed in uncontested. From there, she'd bathe them in a flurry of metal, the sudden movement forcing them on the defensive.

The kunai strike had been deflected as it had been before, bone erupting from his forearm to meet it. Unlike their last clash, however, a second bone shot out from the same arm, stabbing into Jisoku's hand.

Katsuo's other hand was already in motion by the time the bone made contact, his speared palm racing downward and severing the impaled hand from its host. The loss of pressure allowed Katsuo to pull his spiked forearm back before impaling it into Jisoku's chest, both spears of bone erupting from the woman's back.

The woman coughed crimson before falling forward, her body twitching slightly. A breath he hadn't known he'd been holding escaped Katsuo's lips and he eyed the pool forming beneath the woman. A quick shake of his head dismissed the thoughts that part of him had regarding killing, and he turned his head to look at the other battle.

He turned just in time to see Kyo's sword of bone cleave straight through the sword he'd given Kimimaro. Koroko laid impaled to the side, his great axe suffering from the same fate. Kyo raised his bone-sword high, intending to cut clean through the younger boy.

Just as the white sword began its descent, long spears of white erupted from all over Kimimaro's body, turning him into a ball of erratic spikes. The clan patriarch could only muster a gasp in surprise before his body was riddled with holes, the bone-spikes leaving no part untouched.

The cheering of the crowd came to an immediate halt as they processed the scene. The bones returned to their sanctuary under Kimimaro's skin, the boy looking at his older brother with the same calm look he always had. Given in the context surrounding him, it made it all the more sinister.

"I surrender," the words exited his mouth before he could even process what he was saying. In their spars the two brothers were evenly matched, Kimimaro's greater usage of Shikotsumyaku countering the advantage the older boy had in strength and size.

The silence within the crowd only grew greater as their brains moved to process his own words as well. Kimimaro had won, which meant that a seven year old (soon to be eight in about a week and a half) would take the now deceased Kyo's place as clan patriarch.

It wasn't until the results of their brawl that context that'd always been there finally found purchase within his mind. This wasn't the world of his memories.

His own existence should have been more than enough evidence of that. Both the Kimimaro of his memories and the one standing before him shared their trait of great loyalty. If 'Katsuo Kaguya' had existed within that timeline, the boy would have surely mentioned it.

And then their ages. God, their ages! Something that he'd shelved off as irrelevant was another signifier to his claim. The Kaguya were to attack Kirigakure before the year's end. Kimimaro was only seven. The Kaguya's genocide shouldn't have happened for another four years at least.

Thoughts of the future shattered within his brain, all the plans he'd had after he survived his clan's extinction now rendered useless. Those shattered plans melted into a formless blob within his head, no longer the brilliant picture it had been before.

For the first time since his two selves had merged, he felt as if he shared the same thoughts as the other Kaguya around him.

What would he do now?