Chapter 59 Deforestation

Kakashi dashed through the forest at an amazing speed. Most would not be able to keep up with him, but of course, Guy was not most people.

"Kakashi!" he heard the mad man yell. "I won't let you get away!"

This is why he didn't want to come, he knew this would happen. He didn't want to come within a hundred metres of Guy, his self proclaimed, "Rival."

There was a woosh in the air and Kakashi immediately used a substitute. Sure enough, there was a poof where he once once. Guy stood over the log on a large tree branch and frowned.

Guy couldn't use ninjutsu or genjutsu, so it was a bit hard for him to see through deceptive jutsus. The green spandex-wearing shinobi looked around the immediate area and Kakashi held his breath. This guy was a beast when it came to hunting him, it was honestly exhausting. He couldn't help but think that Sakura did this knowing he would have to deal with Guy. She didn't know about his complicated "relationship" with the man, did she? He thought back to his time as her guard and his interactions with Guy. his face paled a bit. He always made himself scarce when the man visited her, proclaiming himself her "Fan." He must have talked to him about Kakashi's past, or she observed his discomfort when it came to the man.

"Found you, Kakashi!"

Kakashi jumped away from Guy who somehow managed to sneak upon him. He groaned, he didn't want Guy to evolve into someone competent when it came to him.

"Don't think you can run away Kakashi!" Guy stood a tree across from Kakashi with a signature grin. "Fight me!"

Kakashi looked at Guy with a blank face, this guy only knew how to fight didn't he?

He sighed standing tall.

"Fine," he reluctantly took a fighting stance. It was best he ended this quickly.

"That's it!" Guy cheered getting his way. "Let's dance in the light of our youth!"

They stared each other down as a leaf fluttered down between them. Even without words they decided that it would be what signaled the fight. When the leaf was at eye level their stars became eager.

CLAP!

In an intense whoosh of wind, the leaf was blown away and the jonin struggled not to be blown away with it. Guy gripped his footing and Kakashi held to the branch with chakra. The ghost of wind faded after a solid minute and the jonins looked at its source with surprise and confusion.

"That's the training ground…" Kakashi muttered.

"The kids!" Guy shouted as he leaped towards the field.

CLAP CLAP SLAP!

The sudden explosion of wind caught Guy mid-air and through him back like a leaf in a hurricane.

"Tch," Kakashi tsked, pulling out the wire strings attached to a kunais and throwing them. The kunais flew true despite the wind thanks to his lightning chakra and dug into the tree across from him forming a net. Guy fell into this net, holding his backwards momentum even as the winds continued to blow.

"W What is this?" Guy cried as he fought against the pressure.

Kakashi wanted to say it was an intruder. He wanted to say that two jonins decided to show up and fight where the kids were. His mind raced with so many excuses. The winds died down and the ground trembled.

"Now!" Kakashi cried, and the two leaped toward the training ground. Trees in the distance fell down as the ground trembled and cracked.

CLAP!

"Hide!" Kakashi cried and the two dove behind trees. A tsunami of wind blows by taking anything not tied down with it, including animals and trees. Guy watched in horror at the chaos that passed through. The closer they got the stronger the winds were, and the more deadly.

CLAP, CLAP, BOOM!

The ground cried out in pain as trees fell with each clap.

"We won't be able to get close at this rate," Kakashi muttered, seeing the destruction. "Hey Guy, come here!"

Guy leapt across to him, mindful of the chasm that formed from the winds. It wasn't wind chakra and yet it caused this much damage?

"What do you have in mind?" Guy asked with a serious face, it was nice to see he could get serious when the time called for it.

"I'll make a barrier and push through the winds," Kakashi said, weaving through hand seals. "It might be more dangerous at the center but at least we'll know what's going on."

It's just two jonins fighting for the sake of the kids. There's nothing to worry about.

Maybe if he said it enough times he would finally believe it. The wind died down and the earth trembled, they nodded and leaped forward as fast as they could go. They closed a sizable distance before another gust of wind came.

"Piecing wind!" Kakashi cried, and fired off a wind jutsu that flew through the wind like an arrow, forcing it around them. They pushed through, Guy staying close behind as they reached the epicenter of the chaos. They perched on a nearby tree and looked down at the deforestation in progress.

It was just as Kakashi feared. It wasn't jonin's fighting how could it be, he didn't sense any new chakra. He sighed and sat down on the branch in defeat. Maybe he should go back to being an Anbu. back to a place where things made sense.

CLAP!

Kakashi flicked his waist, erecting a wind barrier to protect Guy. he looked around for his team and saw a pink barrier some distance away. He focused and sensed his and Guy's team within, well if you exclude the two calamities.

"T Th This is!?" Guy watched with a mix between disbelief and awe. His face lit up and his grin broadened as the ground quaked beneath them. "THIS IS THE POWER OF YOUTH!" he yelled.

Below is a pool of chaos, Sakura and Neji fought in hand-to-hand combat. Great winds blew from when their hands clashed and the ground trembled where they stepped.

"So this is them going all out?" Kakashi said in disbelief. Had they really gotten this strong?

This guy really wasn't holding back. This was no different from his fight with Naruto in the chunin exams. With his byakugan activated he aimed for my chakra point with deadly intensity. His hits broke bones rather than close chakra points. But I suppose so did mine.

He dodged another axe kick, sacrificing the tree behind him. The trunk busted into splinters and the tree fell to the ground with a sad moan.

I turned away from the tree as it joined his brothers in the pile of corpses. The forest, once lush with trees, was joining the clearing bit by bit. It wasn't my fault Neji kept dodging.

Palm ready, I aimed for Neji's exposed back, but he crouched low and kicked out from the ground. I couldn't help but grin, it seemed I was rubbing off on him.

He somersaults away before charging at me again.

CLAP!

Our palms clapped together causing a large gust of wind that blows away the nearby tree corpses. Our palms never touch. There was always a gap of chakra between us. I grabbed his wrist and aimed for his exposed sides. He spins in my hold, activating his rotation and forcing me back. The ground trembled as I crashed into it.

Sighing, I crawled out of my hold and resisted the urge to launch a fireball at him. His was mostly a taijutsu fight, I can't ruin the fun by beating him with jutsus. I circled my neck as I looked at him. He already took his stance for eight trigram palm attack.

"This is it, she's done for!" Tenten declared. I focused on the Springflys bothering the others and saw Tenten's triumphant face.

"That is correct, I have lost to Neji many times with this attack of his," Lee had no shame as he said those words.

Sasuke and Naruto smirked. I couldn't help but do the same. I really wanted to see their faces after this. I angled the springflys presiding over the battlefield all around us, oddly enough they had no problem with the gust of wind that blew away trees, continuing to fly around as though there wasn't a tornado nearby.

"Eight trigrams 64 palms," he announced. He dashed forwards with his deadly fingers ready.

"Two palms!" He struck me. "Four palms, Eight palms, sixteen palms, thirty-two palms, sixty-four palms!"

I was pushed back from the force over my crater and to the undestroyed treeline.

"Way to go, Neji," Tenten cried. "That's it for her you might not know this but when Neji use that technique-"

"We already know how it works, "Sasuke interrupted.

"Just shut up and watch," Naruto grinned.

I landed horizontally on the tree trunk only cracking it a little. There was a series of gasps and on tsk. I smiled at Neji who glared at me.

"Pray tell, how is it you can still move?" Neji asked, his eyes narrowing. "And how can you use chakra?"

I leaped down from the tree and walked back over to him, taking my time. As I walked my skin cracked and began to peel away. The peel turned into pink petals as they left my body and swirled around me.

"Heh, Neji laughed, "So those things weren't just for show. I thought for sure I see it if they shield you." He shook his head. "I've seen it once, I won't fall for it again." he took a fighting stance.

"I would never show you such disrespect," I said with a warm smile that turned smug. "Oh, no I have something else for you~"

I took the eight trigram stance and everyone lost their mind.

"That's Neji's stance! That's something only the Hyuga know!" Tenten looked at Sasuke and Naruto with accusation in her eyes. Sasuke smirked, it's nothing my eyes can't copy.

"That's…" Lee looked at him with horror.

"Impossible,'' Neji said firmly. "You don't have the byakugan."

"Your chakra points don't move Neji," my smile grew. "Once you know where they are, it's hard to forget."

He flinched.

"Eight trigrams 16 palms," I announced. The ground exploded from the force of my dash.

"Two palms."

Neji reacted well, taking the first two strikes on his arm. He managed to swat away the next three hits and move enough that I missed to mark.

The Sharingan wasn't as overpowered as the byakugan when it came to optical use, but it didn't matter. I danced around him and landed the next eight hits on his back. He coughed in pain and tried to retaliate but that only left his front open.

"Sixteen palms!" some of the sixteen hits, it was hard to nail him with his dodging. It didn't matter.

Neji leaped away from me and no doubt checked the damage. I wanted to do it, if only once, so this was just me playing. I leaped into the air then, enjoying the feel of the wind rushing by me. I reached my high and felt my stomach drop as I free fall. I opened my eyes to see the world still in red, and the ground fastly approaching.

"You're annoying ya know that," I spoke to myself where only he could hear.

Hmph.

Neji watched me readying for a rotation. I reached out a palm towards him, confusing him. At the last second, I rolled in the air and brought my leg down in an axe kick.

BOOOOOM!

The ground exploded, rocks and boulders went sky words as the terrain changed. I stood at the epicenter as the world warped around me. Ten meter-deep hole swallowed the earth around it, causing the clearing to collapse.

The ground shook and Neji lost his footing falling into the crater I created.

"Neji!" Tenten cried.

I moved, leaping up the hole in the ground and catching him before he reached the bottom. With the Hyuga in my arms, I made I leaped out of the hole activating my seal to float above the chaos below.

Neji looked down at the ruined training grown with wide eyes. I had to make a conscious effort not to stare wide-eyed as well.

Now I feel better.

I was wondering why one non-powered kick did so much damage. I was controlling my strength so as to not destroy the training ground but Madara went and did it anyway.

Was that really necessary?

I was never one for taijutsu.

You kick ass though

I know.

With Neji held princess style in my arms I couldn't rub my tumbled so I took a deep breath to calm my frustration.

"Were you trying to kill me?" Neji asked with an accusing tone.

"I was just showing off," I said honestly. I wasn't the one really showing off, but Madara was me so I had to take responsibility.

"I underestimate myself, ya know~'' I teased. "Don't worry I won't do it again." I rubbed my cheek against his.

"Get off me!" He pushed my face away, "You think I'll take an apology like that." he frowned at me. "Why have you kept your eyes closed this whole time?" he asked suddenly.

"Huh," I asked stupidly. "Oh, I'm using a jutsu to see so I don't need my eyes." the Springflys fluttered around me and his eyes widened with realization.

"You cheated!?" he cried in outrage.

"Cheated?" the irony wasn't lost on me. "O I'm sorry Mr. 355 vision, that can see through walls and chakra points up to 50 meters!"

He looked away, having realized his idiocy.

"Sorry," he said quietly, his ear red. "Can you put me down now, it's embarrassing."

"Do you accept defeat?"

"Yes…"

"Sakura-chan, you mind coming down."

I looked down to see Kakashi and Guy standing below on the undamaged land. I glided down to the ground and released the other from their protection. Lee and Tenten running toward me.

"Neji!" Tenten cried as she reached us.

I placed Neji on the ground and folate over to Kakashi sitting on his right shoulder without reeling the seal.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" she cried looking around him.

"That was truly magnificent Neji, to think there was such a gap between us," Lee said, clenching his fist with fire in his eyes. "I will have to train hard to defeat you!"

Neji sighed, already tired from the fight.

"That was amazing Sakura chan," Naruto praised me. "It's amazing you didn't cause me damage."

"That's what you find amazing!?" Tenten cried outraged.

"Hmph, what are you going to do about the damage?" Sasuke asked.

"Sell the lumber and refill the hole," I said matter of factly. It was damaged now but nothing was necessarily missing. Except for some of the trees, I'm sure some of those went flying.

"Kakashi!" Guy cried out. "Your genins is truly amazing! I expect nothing less from my eternal rival! I look forward to their fight during the chunin exam!"

"You're participating this year?" Kakashi asked.

"Of course!" Guy gave a thumbs up. "My genins are strong!"

Was he watching the fight?

"Heh," Guess we're stronger," Naruto said smugly.

"It's not fair to compare ourselves to normal genin," Sasuke said just as smugly.

Tenten glared at them.

"You think you're better than us!" she moved as though she wanted a fight.

"Tenten!" Neji called out, stopping her. "I'll get stronger than we are now," the Hyuga said, always the voice of reason. "Next time we'll be you."

The smirk on Naruto and Sasuke's face was vicious.

"You have no idea do you," Naruto chuckled darkly.

"What?" Tenten was clueless.

"This was a test of strength and combat ability, but mostly just taijutsu and kenjutsu." I explained. "We were matching your pace and fighting style."

Tenten's eyes widened.

"Kenjustu is Sauke's thing so it was fun to use my clones like that," Naruto said.

"You need to work on your technique," Sasuke chastised. Naruto's shoulders slumped.

"Sasuke is no fun."

Lee looked at me with eyes that should be banned.

"To think Sakura was holding back!" he said excitedly.

Did he want me to kill Neji? If I was fighting alone I would be able to stop the blows from being lethal but Madara was in a mood so it was always a gamble. I smiled.

"Maybe next time, you'll see my special attack."

"Special attack!?" Lee's level of awe rose.

"Right, we'll leave first," Kakashi said. He raised his right hand and I entangled my fingers with his. He gave me a look which I returned with a smug smile. Naruto and Sasuke clasped his left hand and smirked at him.

Even without work, Kakashi knew his wallet would be empty. He sighed in defeat and we disappeared in a swirl of cherry blossoms.

This was fun to write, the story ran away from me but I had fun. Next up team Kurenai, it's Naruto and Hinata's time to be lovey-dovey. Speaking of which, omake below.

Next chapter June 7

Until next time

Night song~

omake

"I can't believe them!" Tenten yelled in anger as team guy made their way through the forest to the village. "They just wanted to show off! Those guys, they think just because they were born with talent they can look down on us."

"It is alright Tenten, we will get stronger and beat them during the chunin exam!" Lee declared. "Right Neji!"

The Hyuga didn't respond, lost in thought. He wasn't sure what he saw beyond Sakura's eyelid, but it looked to him like the Sharingan, but how?

"Neji!" Tenten snapped him out of his thinking.

"Hm?"

"We're thinking of doing some training, you coming?" she asked.

"Sure," he said, not thinking too deeply.

Tenten and Lee gave each other a look.

"She's surely getting stronger hasn't she?" Guy spoke for the first time in a while. "The first time I saw her she was fighting her fellow kunoichi and won." He laughed at the memory.

"Hmph, so she could do things like that even back then?" Tenten pouted. "So what's her story?"

"She's the only child to two jonins; she doesn't belong to any clan and she's Neji's childhood friend," Guy explained.

"Oh yeah, they said something about that didn't they," Tenten looked at Neji. "How did they even become friends with you, aren't outsiders not allowed in the clan."

"Hiashi invited Sakura over for a spare; she kept coming back. Then she brought more people over. And that was it, Hiashi never chased her away so we grew up together."

Lee gasped. "Could it be, Neji and Sakura-chan!" his eyes burned with determination. "I won't lose to you in matters of the heart!"

"You can have her," Neji shut Lee down. "That's if you can wrestle her away from the Uchiha. She took on the entire kunoichi class to keep him to herself, I doubt you wanna get in her way now." Lee hung his head in defeat, though Neji knew it wouldn't last long.

"Are you saying you don't have feelings for her?" Tenten asked.

"...Why would I have feelings for someone so arrogant," he said. "Even though she's just a civilian, she picks fights with clan members and torture clan heirs. She doesn't know fear and no matter how many times she's at death's door she shrugs it off like it's nothing. Getting stronger and stronger with no end in sight… Why would I fall for someone who makes me so frustrated? I like my sanity as it is, thank you."

Guy laughed. "The rivalry between you two still burns bright I see," he said with a laugh. "That young blossom is in the prime of her youth. Let us both work hard to get acknowledged by our rivals!"

"As if," Neji declined. "The last thing I want is Sakura pestering me for a fight, I get enough of that from Lee."

Tenten stayed silent as the three began to batter among themselves. She wasn't sure if the others noticed but when Neji talked about Sakura, he was smiling. Tenten sighed. Figures he liked strong women, she didn't stand a chance, did she?