Chakra Wizard
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This half was a little more difficult to write out. Hopefully, I did alright, though, and ended things on a high note*_* lol Anyways, enjoy
Here’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:
Chapter 068: Dragon vs. Dragon
What had started as an almost one-sided match for Irezumi against Manako was now essentially a run for the latter’s life. His opponent’s most recent tattoo having covered roughly the entire arena in fire, he was forced to dodge its wide body and more incoming flames while still remaining in close proximity. All flames he extinguished with water techniques were quickly replaced by hundreds more, and the frustration was slowly beginning to build with each failed attempt to suppress the inferno, much to Airon’s amusement overhead.
Airon: (You look a little troubled, Manako. Too much to handle?)
Manako: (Can it. One way or another, we’re squaring off in the next round. …Count on it.)
Has he voiced these thoughts internally, Manako slowly drew his sword as he moved to avoid more incoming flames. Taking advantage of the brief opening, he leapt up into the air towards the giant creature, increasing his leaping ability with a focused boost of chakra that landed him roughly halfway between its tail and the midsection of its long body. Keeping himself stable with the chakra around his feet, he wasted no time piercing through the beast’s flesh, though it soon proved much more difficult cutting across it.
Manako: (Its hide is pretty strong…)
Smirking in mild amusement, he casually channeled a surge of lightning-enhanced chakra through the blade, giving him just enough cutting power to open a gaping hole in the dragon’s side.
Manako: (…not strong enough, though.)
He leapt off and back to the ground below soon after as the creature turned around to spray him with flames, still smiling with content at his success. The smile quickly vanished, though, as did the wound he had just opened up.
Manako: What the…
He had little time to remain in disbelief as the dragon circled covered the immediate area in flames just as he leapt away to safety, Manako’s opponent grinning atop its head while those in the stands and balconies looked on in amazement at Irezumi’s previous feat.
Kurotsuchi: Its wound regenerated…but I don’t recall any of his other tattoos doing the same.
Darui: I’m guessing it’s a unique trait. And all that fire it’s produced…he really put his all into this tattoo.
Konohamaru: It seems so. …A little on the worried side now, Sasuke? Naruto?
Neither of the seasoned shinobi acknowledged his question, but the latter quickly rested his hand over his wife’s as she began showing worries of her own.
Naruto: He’ll be fine, Hinata. Irezumi’s strong, but he’s fought a lot stronger, remember?
Hinata looked up into his eyes for a moment before smiling gently and nodding in agreement, while beside them, Sasuke tightened his fingers around his forearms as he stared down at his grandson in both worry and irritation.
Sasuke: (Don’t go getting yourself killed down there, Manako. …Use it if you have to.)
His advice went unanswered for the time being as Manako continued to employ his previous strategy to the situation, though no matter how deep his cuts were or how quick he made them, the dragon continued to restore them anew before countering with more flames. On one such occasion, Irezumi followed Manako’s movements close enough to barely graze his leg as he leapt to safety, much to his distress and the shock of those in the audience.
Boruto: Man, he’s losing ground fast. It won’t be long before he starts getting attacked head-on.
Itachi: …Manako…
Boruto: (Recognizing the direness of Manako’s current predicament, he turned to Itachi after reminiscing momentarily.) He really is trying to avoid using it this round, isn’t he?
Itachi: (He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again.) I said that he would…at this point, though, I don’t know how long he can keep this up without resorting to it.
On the arena floor, Manako paused to look over the small burn on his leg, returning to his feet in time to leap away as the dragon flew overhead, leaving a line of flames where he once stood. Atop its head, Irezumi grinned in an almost inane manner, the tattoo of his latest summoning glowing profusely across his body.
Irezumi: What’s wrong, Manako!? I thought you were asking for this!!
Manako didn’t legitimize his remarks with a response, at least not verbally. His frustration having been building for some time now, gritting his teeth slightly was unavoidable, as was shutting his eyes to protect them from the sweat running down his forehead. All he could do now was continually dodge the flames that Irezumi sent his way, something that brought the latter as much irritation as it did amusement to see him scurry about the arena.
Irezumi: What are you beating around the bush for, Manako!? …You know what I’m waiting for!
Manako paid his words no mind and continued towards a section of the arena not scorched by the inferno around him, but the meaning behind his words wasn’t lost on him, nor on his rival watching from overhead.
Airon: (He has a point, cuz. Susanoo or Amaterasu oughta end this pretty quickly.)
Manako: (No! I’m not using the Mangekyō Sharingan if I don’t have to yet!)
Airon: (…Cause you still feel guilty about your mother?)
Manako: (Cause I’ll go blind if I use it too much, idiot!!)
At this, Airon couldn’t help but smile. Less than an hour ago, Manako might’ve very well agreed with his own suggestion for why he continued to neglect his Mangekyō Sharingan, but he found satisfaction in the fact that he chose a much more logical reasoning, hinting that his words of encouragement following his first match of the tournament did indeed have some effect on him.
Airon: (Well, it’s a start. …You have any other ideas on how to deal with it, then?)
Manako: (…I’m working on it.)
Shortly after their brief argument ended, Irezumi’s dragon slowly wormed its way through the air before coming to a halt directly in front of Manako, its summoner apparently awaiting his next move. Knowing he wouldn’t wait for long, Manako quickly fumbled to come up with a response to this gesture, running through his entire arsenal in the process.
Manako: (Water’s only a temporary solution for the flames, and my prowess with it isn’t strong enough to face him head-on. Lightning does some damage, but it can regenerate so that’s no good. It’s not suitable for a counterattack either, since it just fazes through the flames without really pushing them back. Wind will only increase its potency…and I can’t use Earth…hm, I suppose now’s a more suitable time than any…)
He smiled up at Irezumi to signal he had determined his next move before forming a hand sign, prompting the latter to clasp his hands together and press them against the head of his giant beast once again as Manako lifted two of his fingers up to his puckered lips in a makeshift hand sign.
Manako: (…to fight fire with fire.) Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!!
As fire bellowed down in torrents from the jaws of Irezumi’s dragon, an equally large wave of flames spouted by Manako’s, the two blazing infernos clashing midway as Irezumi looked on in disbelief at his opponent’s choice of attack.
Irezumi: Fire, Manako!? Honestly, I thought you more wise than that!!
Irezumi was hardly the only one lost by his decision, as across the stadium, several onlookers turned to each other in question, including his fellow finalists and those close to them.
Hitomi: A fire technique…against that? What is Manako thinking?
Boruto: Jeez, I always took Manako for a genius. That dragon’s practically made of fire, so what the hell’s a measly Fireball jutsu gonna do to it?
Airon: (Knowing Manako all too well, he could only laugh softly in amusement at Hitomi’s naiveté, a reaction similar to what Itachi had for Boruto.) Hmhmhmhm, on the contrary, Hitomi…
Itachi: …Manako’s one of the few shinobi who could actually pull this off.
Both Hitomi and Boruto looked at their respondent in surprise before turning back to the match in time to find Manako’s jet of flames, slowly pushing back that of Irezumi’s dragon. His particular angle made it difficult to clarify through vision, but the gradually increasing heat made it obvious soon enough that he was losing this battle.
Irezumi: (That’s impossible…no one’s that skilled in Fire Release…) Don’t get too cocky, Manako! You’re gonna need more than that to defeat my dragon!
The chakra surging through Irezumi’s body and into his hands suddenly became visible as the stream of fire erupting from his dragon’s mouth slowly began pushing back his opponent’s. Manako showed little at this, though, instead smirking as he abruptly ended his technique and leapt away as the vortex of flames came crashing down on his previous location. Irezumi quickly caught on and redirected his dragon’s attack, though not in time to prevent his opponent from forming a few more hands signs and bringing his fingers up to his lips once more.
Manako: (Then I’ll give you more.) Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!!
The technique was the same, but this time, rather than a stream of flames, Manako conjured it in the form of a massive ball of fire, so massive even that it dwarfed his entire body five times over. From there, it only continued to grow until that figured had more than doubled, leaving virtually everyone in the stadium, including his opponent, in shock.
Kurotsuchi: It’s…enormous.
Chōjūrō: And at that age, too. …It only speaks wonders of what talents he’s yet to show us.
Naruto: (Though he knew his could take no responsibility for this area of Manako’s talents, he couldn’t help but grin as he turned towards the shinobi whose bloodline did.) Well, he’s from the Uchiha clan, after all. …He’s supposed to be that good with fire.
Sasuke couldn’t take his glistening eyes off Manako’s technique for the life of him, but he still managed a smile of appreciation as it finally began pushing forward, completely unfazed by the stream of fire Irezumi’s dragon was raining down upon it. Before long, it had arrived mere feet from his creation’s gaping jaws, leaving Irezumi wide-eyed as he struggled to figure out what to do.
Irezumi: (It’s…it’s still pushing through. It’s gonna make impact. It can’t…NO!!!)
His options having run out, he lifted his hands from the beast’s head and leapt down to the arena below, rolling across the ground as he made impact. He lifted himself back onto one knee just in time to watch as his strongest tattoo was consumed by Manako’s fireball, letting out a loud spontaneous roar as it began to disintegrate, starting first with its head until even the very tip of its serpentine body had vanished into the inferno. Manako’s technique disappeared shortly after that, but Irezumi was too grief-stricken to take notice.
Irezumi: My masterpiece…defeated…desecrated…disgraced…
It wasn’t until Manako appeared in front of him that he finally snapped out of his trance, gritting his teeth as he leapt back and formed a hand sign, prompting the tattoos on his forearms to glow once again.
Irezumi: Super Beasts Tattoo! Protruding-
His technique was cut off as Manako’s chakra-coated fist collided with his chest, sending blood gushing from between his lips as his body fell limp and his head draped over his opponent’s shoulder, barely holding onto consciousness.
Manako: Disgraced, you said?
Though his eyelids were too heavy to fully open up now, Irezumi’s pupils still dilated beneath them as they slowly trailed down Manako’s back all the way towards his foot, which the latter had moved back slightly to allow him to see his lower leg, which still bore traces of the minor burn his dragon tattoo had inflicted upon him earlier in the match.
Manako: I think not.
Recognizing that his tattoo had succeeded where few ever had, Irezumi managed a faint smile as Manako stepped back to allow his limp body to fall, losing consciousness before it hit the ground.
Baiko: The winner is…Manako Uchiha!!
The flames that still covered the arena slowly began to die down as the audience stood up in thunderous applause, amazed by the spectacle they had just been lucky enough to witness. Not everyone was entirely pleased, though, as evidenced by Sai’s apparent refusal to rise from his seat, prompting his wife to look at him in concern upon seeing his blank expression.
Ino: I’ve never seen you with such a disappointed look on your face.
Sai: (He managed a smile in order to avoid worrying her further.) It was inevitable in the end. …Still, it’s hard to believe his dragon tattoo could fail so miserably like this.
Ide: I don’t believe it was a miserable defeat at all, Sensei.
Inojin: He had him on his toes for a rather long spell, Dad. If anything, I might even call this a stunning upset.
Sai: (Somewhat surprised by their remarks, he looked back-and-forth at both of them for a moment before smiling once again, this time genuinely.) Hmhm, an upset, hardly…but thank you. I’m certain his future as a shinobi is guaranteed now.
All three of them nodded in agreement as, towards the other end of the stands, Boruto also shared his thoughts on Manako’s progression.
Boruto: Hehehe, I never get tired of seeing that kid show off his talent. …At this rate, he might even surpass your old man when he gets old enough.
Itachi: (He smiled in amusement as he looked up at the ceiling of the stands, which separated them and the seasoned shinobi in question.) Hmhm, there’s something I would like to see.
Above them, their respective fathers also commented on Manako’s victory, or rather what it meant for the outlook of the tournament’s semi-finals.
Naruto: Just two matches away, Sasuke. …I swear I’m getting chills right now.
Sasuke: (He smirked in amusement.) I’d call you a loser if I wasn’t getting the same feeling.
Hinata: (Giggling softly for a moment, she looked up at her husband in question.) Do you think Airon will win?
Naruto: (He smiled down at her before looking down at the arena, where Manako was slowly ascending Nakama’s makeshift staircase up to the competitors’ balcony.) Well, I’d like to see Manako move on, too, for obvious reasons…but yeah, I have faith that Airon’ll take this one.
Konohamaru: (Overhearing this from several feet away, he smiled over at his old mentor as he lowered his eyebrows in mild irritation.) Don’t you think you’re jumping ahead, Naruto? Whatever happened to my grandson?
Darui: After watching his last match, Hokage, I’m sorry, but I have to agree with Naruto. Your grandson’s chances of moving on to the semi-finals are very dull.
Kurotsuchi: You’re probably right, Lord Raikage, but let’s at least watch the match. I was pretty impressed with Minto Sarutobi’s performance last round.
Konohamaru: (He nodded to her in appreciation before looking back towards Naruto.) Thank you, Kurotsuchi. …What do you say, Naruto?
Naruto: (He locked eyes with him for a moment, waiting until it became clear that he wasn’t caving in before grinning.) …Hehe, you’re on.
A brief distance away, the victor of the previous match returned to the balcony where the remaining finalists awaited him, each of them giving their respective congratulations until he finally came to his rival, who was smiling in amusement at his less than tattered state.
Airon: Running a little low on chakra there, cuz?
Manako: Hm, very funny. …As if a trivial thing like that would stop me from facing and defeating you in the next round.
Airon: (His teeth disappeared behind his lips as he chuckled softly at this suggestive remark.) Hmhmhm, well, don’t get too ahead of yourself. …You don’t know if either of those things are gonna happen yet.
He glanced over at his predestined opponent as he said this, who returned his smile as the proctor returned to the arena to announce the final match of the round, Irezumi having already been carried away by two medical-nin.
Baiko: The next match will now commence! Minto Sarutobi and Airon Namikaze, make your way to the arena!!
The contestants’ smiles quickly disappeared as the latter pulled out a kunai and held it off to his side, where he was suddenly joined by a previously summoned clone which quickly disappeared in a gust of smoke, thereby hinting to Minto that his teammate was now sitting alone in their house.
Airon: The loser goes to check up on Taigen.
Minto closed his eyes to reminisce briefly on this, smiling over at Airon when he opened them again.
Minto: Alright…then tell him I’ll head home once the tournament is over.
His fighting spirit reignited upon hearing this confident remark, Airon gave him a wicked grin as they awaited the arrival of Nakama’s earthy walkway.
Airon: Now that’s more like it.
Manako is now set to fight in the semi-finals, but will Airon’s closest friend prove a more worthy opponent than everyone believes!!?
The End
Here’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:
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Chapter 068: Dragon vs. Dragon
What had started as an almost one-sided match for Irezumi against Manako was now essentially a run for the latter’s life. His opponent’s most recent tattoo having covered roughly the entire arena in fire, he was forced to dodge its wide body and more incoming flames while still remaining in close proximity. All flames he extinguished with water techniques were quickly replaced by hundreds more, and the frustration was slowly beginning to build with each failed attempt to suppress the inferno, much to Airon’s amusement overhead.
Airon: (You look a little troubled, Manako. Too much to handle?)
Manako: (Can it. One way or another, we’re squaring off in the next round. …Count on it.)
Has he voiced these thoughts internally, Manako slowly drew his sword as he moved to avoid more incoming flames. Taking advantage of the brief opening, he leapt up into the air towards the giant creature, increasing his leaping ability with a focused boost of chakra that landed him roughly halfway between its tail and the midsection of its long body. Keeping himself stable with the chakra around his feet, he wasted no time piercing through the beast’s flesh, though it soon proved much more difficult cutting across it.
Manako: (Its hide is pretty strong…)
Smirking in mild amusement, he casually channeled a surge of lightning-enhanced chakra through the blade, giving him just enough cutting power to open a gaping hole in the dragon’s side.
Manako: (…not strong enough, though.)
He leapt off and back to the ground below soon after as the creature turned around to spray him with flames, still smiling with content at his success. The smile quickly vanished, though, as did the wound he had just opened up.
Manako: What the…
He had little time to remain in disbelief as the dragon circled covered the immediate area in flames just as he leapt away to safety, Manako’s opponent grinning atop its head while those in the stands and balconies looked on in amazement at Irezumi’s previous feat.
Kurotsuchi: Its wound regenerated…but I don’t recall any of his other tattoos doing the same.
Darui: I’m guessing it’s a unique trait. And all that fire it’s produced…he really put his all into this tattoo.
Konohamaru: It seems so. …A little on the worried side now, Sasuke? Naruto?
Neither of the seasoned shinobi acknowledged his question, but the latter quickly rested his hand over his wife’s as she began showing worries of her own.
Naruto: He’ll be fine, Hinata. Irezumi’s strong, but he’s fought a lot stronger, remember?
Hinata looked up into his eyes for a moment before smiling gently and nodding in agreement, while beside them, Sasuke tightened his fingers around his forearms as he stared down at his grandson in both worry and irritation.
Sasuke: (Don’t go getting yourself killed down there, Manako. …Use it if you have to.)
His advice went unanswered for the time being as Manako continued to employ his previous strategy to the situation, though no matter how deep his cuts were or how quick he made them, the dragon continued to restore them anew before countering with more flames. On one such occasion, Irezumi followed Manako’s movements close enough to barely graze his leg as he leapt to safety, much to his distress and the shock of those in the audience.
Boruto: Man, he’s losing ground fast. It won’t be long before he starts getting attacked head-on.
Itachi: …Manako…
Boruto: (Recognizing the direness of Manako’s current predicament, he turned to Itachi after reminiscing momentarily.) He really is trying to avoid using it this round, isn’t he?
Itachi: (He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again.) I said that he would…at this point, though, I don’t know how long he can keep this up without resorting to it.
On the arena floor, Manako paused to look over the small burn on his leg, returning to his feet in time to leap away as the dragon flew overhead, leaving a line of flames where he once stood. Atop its head, Irezumi grinned in an almost inane manner, the tattoo of his latest summoning glowing profusely across his body.
Irezumi: What’s wrong, Manako!? I thought you were asking for this!!
Manako didn’t legitimize his remarks with a response, at least not verbally. His frustration having been building for some time now, gritting his teeth slightly was unavoidable, as was shutting his eyes to protect them from the sweat running down his forehead. All he could do now was continually dodge the flames that Irezumi sent his way, something that brought the latter as much irritation as it did amusement to see him scurry about the arena.
Irezumi: What are you beating around the bush for, Manako!? …You know what I’m waiting for!
Manako paid his words no mind and continued towards a section of the arena not scorched by the inferno around him, but the meaning behind his words wasn’t lost on him, nor on his rival watching from overhead.
Airon: (He has a point, cuz. Susanoo or Amaterasu oughta end this pretty quickly.)
Manako: (No! I’m not using the Mangekyō Sharingan if I don’t have to yet!)
Airon: (…Cause you still feel guilty about your mother?)
Manako: (Cause I’ll go blind if I use it too much, idiot!!)
At this, Airon couldn’t help but smile. Less than an hour ago, Manako might’ve very well agreed with his own suggestion for why he continued to neglect his Mangekyō Sharingan, but he found satisfaction in the fact that he chose a much more logical reasoning, hinting that his words of encouragement following his first match of the tournament did indeed have some effect on him.
Airon: (Well, it’s a start. …You have any other ideas on how to deal with it, then?)
Manako: (…I’m working on it.)
Shortly after their brief argument ended, Irezumi’s dragon slowly wormed its way through the air before coming to a halt directly in front of Manako, its summoner apparently awaiting his next move. Knowing he wouldn’t wait for long, Manako quickly fumbled to come up with a response to this gesture, running through his entire arsenal in the process.
Manako: (Water’s only a temporary solution for the flames, and my prowess with it isn’t strong enough to face him head-on. Lightning does some damage, but it can regenerate so that’s no good. It’s not suitable for a counterattack either, since it just fazes through the flames without really pushing them back. Wind will only increase its potency…and I can’t use Earth…hm, I suppose now’s a more suitable time than any…)
He smiled up at Irezumi to signal he had determined his next move before forming a hand sign, prompting the latter to clasp his hands together and press them against the head of his giant beast once again as Manako lifted two of his fingers up to his puckered lips in a makeshift hand sign.
Manako: (…to fight fire with fire.) Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!!
As fire bellowed down in torrents from the jaws of Irezumi’s dragon, an equally large wave of flames spouted by Manako’s, the two blazing infernos clashing midway as Irezumi looked on in disbelief at his opponent’s choice of attack.
Irezumi: Fire, Manako!? Honestly, I thought you more wise than that!!
Irezumi was hardly the only one lost by his decision, as across the stadium, several onlookers turned to each other in question, including his fellow finalists and those close to them.
Hitomi: A fire technique…against that? What is Manako thinking?
Boruto: Jeez, I always took Manako for a genius. That dragon’s practically made of fire, so what the hell’s a measly Fireball jutsu gonna do to it?
Airon: (Knowing Manako all too well, he could only laugh softly in amusement at Hitomi’s naiveté, a reaction similar to what Itachi had for Boruto.) Hmhmhmhm, on the contrary, Hitomi…
Itachi: …Manako’s one of the few shinobi who could actually pull this off.
Both Hitomi and Boruto looked at their respondent in surprise before turning back to the match in time to find Manako’s jet of flames, slowly pushing back that of Irezumi’s dragon. His particular angle made it difficult to clarify through vision, but the gradually increasing heat made it obvious soon enough that he was losing this battle.
Irezumi: (That’s impossible…no one’s that skilled in Fire Release…) Don’t get too cocky, Manako! You’re gonna need more than that to defeat my dragon!
The chakra surging through Irezumi’s body and into his hands suddenly became visible as the stream of fire erupting from his dragon’s mouth slowly began pushing back his opponent’s. Manako showed little at this, though, instead smirking as he abruptly ended his technique and leapt away as the vortex of flames came crashing down on his previous location. Irezumi quickly caught on and redirected his dragon’s attack, though not in time to prevent his opponent from forming a few more hands signs and bringing his fingers up to his lips once more.
Manako: (Then I’ll give you more.) Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!!
The technique was the same, but this time, rather than a stream of flames, Manako conjured it in the form of a massive ball of fire, so massive even that it dwarfed his entire body five times over. From there, it only continued to grow until that figured had more than doubled, leaving virtually everyone in the stadium, including his opponent, in shock.
Kurotsuchi: It’s…enormous.
Chōjūrō: And at that age, too. …It only speaks wonders of what talents he’s yet to show us.
Naruto: (Though he knew his could take no responsibility for this area of Manako’s talents, he couldn’t help but grin as he turned towards the shinobi whose bloodline did.) Well, he’s from the Uchiha clan, after all. …He’s supposed to be that good with fire.
Sasuke couldn’t take his glistening eyes off Manako’s technique for the life of him, but he still managed a smile of appreciation as it finally began pushing forward, completely unfazed by the stream of fire Irezumi’s dragon was raining down upon it. Before long, it had arrived mere feet from his creation’s gaping jaws, leaving Irezumi wide-eyed as he struggled to figure out what to do.
Irezumi: (It’s…it’s still pushing through. It’s gonna make impact. It can’t…NO!!!)
His options having run out, he lifted his hands from the beast’s head and leapt down to the arena below, rolling across the ground as he made impact. He lifted himself back onto one knee just in time to watch as his strongest tattoo was consumed by Manako’s fireball, letting out a loud spontaneous roar as it began to disintegrate, starting first with its head until even the very tip of its serpentine body had vanished into the inferno. Manako’s technique disappeared shortly after that, but Irezumi was too grief-stricken to take notice.
Irezumi: My masterpiece…defeated…desecrated…disgraced…
It wasn’t until Manako appeared in front of him that he finally snapped out of his trance, gritting his teeth as he leapt back and formed a hand sign, prompting the tattoos on his forearms to glow once again.
Irezumi: Super Beasts Tattoo! Protruding-
His technique was cut off as Manako’s chakra-coated fist collided with his chest, sending blood gushing from between his lips as his body fell limp and his head draped over his opponent’s shoulder, barely holding onto consciousness.
Manako: Disgraced, you said?
Though his eyelids were too heavy to fully open up now, Irezumi’s pupils still dilated beneath them as they slowly trailed down Manako’s back all the way towards his foot, which the latter had moved back slightly to allow him to see his lower leg, which still bore traces of the minor burn his dragon tattoo had inflicted upon him earlier in the match.
Manako: I think not.
Recognizing that his tattoo had succeeded where few ever had, Irezumi managed a faint smile as Manako stepped back to allow his limp body to fall, losing consciousness before it hit the ground.
Baiko: The winner is…Manako Uchiha!!
The flames that still covered the arena slowly began to die down as the audience stood up in thunderous applause, amazed by the spectacle they had just been lucky enough to witness. Not everyone was entirely pleased, though, as evidenced by Sai’s apparent refusal to rise from his seat, prompting his wife to look at him in concern upon seeing his blank expression.
Ino: I’ve never seen you with such a disappointed look on your face.
Sai: (He managed a smile in order to avoid worrying her further.) It was inevitable in the end. …Still, it’s hard to believe his dragon tattoo could fail so miserably like this.
Ide: I don’t believe it was a miserable defeat at all, Sensei.
Inojin: He had him on his toes for a rather long spell, Dad. If anything, I might even call this a stunning upset.
Sai: (Somewhat surprised by their remarks, he looked back-and-forth at both of them for a moment before smiling once again, this time genuinely.) Hmhm, an upset, hardly…but thank you. I’m certain his future as a shinobi is guaranteed now.
All three of them nodded in agreement as, towards the other end of the stands, Boruto also shared his thoughts on Manako’s progression.
Boruto: Hehehe, I never get tired of seeing that kid show off his talent. …At this rate, he might even surpass your old man when he gets old enough.
Itachi: (He smiled in amusement as he looked up at the ceiling of the stands, which separated them and the seasoned shinobi in question.) Hmhm, there’s something I would like to see.
Above them, their respective fathers also commented on Manako’s victory, or rather what it meant for the outlook of the tournament’s semi-finals.
Naruto: Just two matches away, Sasuke. …I swear I’m getting chills right now.
Sasuke: (He smirked in amusement.) I’d call you a loser if I wasn’t getting the same feeling.
Hinata: (Giggling softly for a moment, she looked up at her husband in question.) Do you think Airon will win?
Naruto: (He smiled down at her before looking down at the arena, where Manako was slowly ascending Nakama’s makeshift staircase up to the competitors’ balcony.) Well, I’d like to see Manako move on, too, for obvious reasons…but yeah, I have faith that Airon’ll take this one.
Konohamaru: (Overhearing this from several feet away, he smiled over at his old mentor as he lowered his eyebrows in mild irritation.) Don’t you think you’re jumping ahead, Naruto? Whatever happened to my grandson?
Darui: After watching his last match, Hokage, I’m sorry, but I have to agree with Naruto. Your grandson’s chances of moving on to the semi-finals are very dull.
Kurotsuchi: You’re probably right, Lord Raikage, but let’s at least watch the match. I was pretty impressed with Minto Sarutobi’s performance last round.
Konohamaru: (He nodded to her in appreciation before looking back towards Naruto.) Thank you, Kurotsuchi. …What do you say, Naruto?
Naruto: (He locked eyes with him for a moment, waiting until it became clear that he wasn’t caving in before grinning.) …Hehe, you’re on.
A brief distance away, the victor of the previous match returned to the balcony where the remaining finalists awaited him, each of them giving their respective congratulations until he finally came to his rival, who was smiling in amusement at his less than tattered state.
Airon: Running a little low on chakra there, cuz?
Manako: Hm, very funny. …As if a trivial thing like that would stop me from facing and defeating you in the next round.
Airon: (His teeth disappeared behind his lips as he chuckled softly at this suggestive remark.) Hmhmhm, well, don’t get too ahead of yourself. …You don’t know if either of those things are gonna happen yet.
He glanced over at his predestined opponent as he said this, who returned his smile as the proctor returned to the arena to announce the final match of the round, Irezumi having already been carried away by two medical-nin.
Baiko: The next match will now commence! Minto Sarutobi and Airon Namikaze, make your way to the arena!!
The contestants’ smiles quickly disappeared as the latter pulled out a kunai and held it off to his side, where he was suddenly joined by a previously summoned clone which quickly disappeared in a gust of smoke, thereby hinting to Minto that his teammate was now sitting alone in their house.
Airon: The loser goes to check up on Taigen.
Minto closed his eyes to reminisce briefly on this, smiling over at Airon when he opened them again.
Minto: Alright…then tell him I’ll head home once the tournament is over.
His fighting spirit reignited upon hearing this confident remark, Airon gave him a wicked grin as they awaited the arrival of Nakama’s earthy walkway.
Airon: Now that’s more like it.
Manako is now set to fight in the semi-finals, but will Airon’s closest friend prove a more worthy opponent than everyone believes!!?
The End
