Chakra Wizard
Active member
Awards
Alright, onto Z and Ryūza! Kenji finally makes an appearance in this chapter, as well, so I hope I did alright with his abilities (I had trouble thinking of a third new art-related technique, so I hope it works). Anyways, enjoy
Here’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:
Chapter 031: Foreign Prodigies
Wasting no time, Kemono and his canine partner darted towards their opponent at half the speed of sound, both on all fours with their claws at their ready. No sooner after they reached out to slash him, however, did he vanish from their view.
Kemono: Huh?
Stopping their charge immediately, the two began looking around, only to find him standing several feet away with a wide grin on his face.
Z: What’s with the rush, dog? Let’s get a fat beat up in here ‘fore we start sweatin’ it out.
Signaling up to Sakebi, his blond-haired teammate reached into his pouch for his microphone and quickly resumed his beatboxing, prompting various looks of annoyance from Kagetsu’s team further on down the balcony. On the opposite end of the building, several others were also highly put off by this bizarre turn of events, among them Manako.
Manako: (What the heck’s up with that?)
Looking beside him for Airon’s response, he could only shrink back in embarrassment upon finding his colleague bopping his head to the rhythm of Sakebi’s beat.
Airon: (I dunno, Manako. …I kinda like his style.)
Also bouncing his head back and forth, Z slowly drew his katana from his sheath and flipped it over, a sign that he intended to use it, but not to kill.
Z: Aight then, let’s dance, homie!
Once again, he vanished into thin air, his speed from before having practically doubled, leaving both Kemono and Mukinu bug-eyed.
Kemono: Whoa!! (Man, this guy’s fast!)
Standing back-to-back with his partner, he quickly drew a kunai and began looking around, waiting for Z to show himself again. The eyes of some of the more experienced or prodigious shinobi in the audience were able to just barely keep up with him, including Airon and Manako, but the rest were just as blind to his movements as Kemono.
Manako: (He’s certainly quick on his feet, Airon. …He might even prove a challenge to you.)
Airon: (Also impressed with Z’s speed, though not to the same extent, he smirked and shook his head.) (Hmhmhmhm…somehow, I doubt that.)
With Z still in the midst of his impressive dash, Kemono’s confidence slowly began to drain as his anxiety increased, eventually dropping to all fours and turning to his partner.
Kemono: (Looks like it’s now or never!) Mukinu, hop on!
The black canine did so without hesitation, but before he could transform, he was quickly swept off by appeared to be a strong gust of wind.
Kemono: What!?
Frozen with fear upon seeing his partner doubled over in pain, he began looking around again, only to look up and find Z standing in front of him, looking down at him with a pearly white smile.
Z: What did you think I was waitin’ for? An okay from the judges?
Lifting his katana, the ten to twenty slashes that followed passed in the blink of an eye, leaving Kemono passed out beside Mukinu. Returning the blade to its sheath, Z exchanged grins with B before the latter threw his hand into the air.
B: The winner, by a country mile, iiissss…Z!!
Making a “tough guy” pose in light of his stunning victory, Z tipped his headband to his unconscious opponent before heading upstairs to join his teammates, whose reactions to the win were quite different from one another.
Tomoi: YES!! You destroyed him, Z!! Way to go!!
Sakebi: (Huhhh, again, not even half.) Nice going, man.
On the opposite balcony, Airon, Nakama, and Manako watched as the three conversed, each of them equally impressed with Z’s abilities.
Airon: (I call him.)
Nakama: (Hmhmhmhm, I’m pretty sure that we don’t have the say in who fights who.)
Manako: (She’s right, Airon. …And besides, I intend to fight him myself.)
On the arena floor, two medical-nin quickly moved Kemono onto a stretcher and carried him out as two more followed close behind with Mukinu, while Raiden, Kūrogane, and Katame watched from afar. The former opened his mouth to express disappointment in his teammates’ alleged uselessness, but stopped himself at the last moment after realizing that criticizing the turnout of this hopelessly one-sided match would only make him appear arrogant. Meanwhile, after a fifth medical-nin finished scrubbing away the blood that Kemono had coughed up when he fell to the ground, B resumed the preliminaries by directing everyone’s attention back to the large screen.
B: Alright, let’s get on with it!
The monitor lit up once again and the two rows of flashing letters reappeared, continuing for another ten seconds before stopping on the names of two new combatants.
B: And the next match-up iiissss…Ryūza and Kenji Ikeda!
While Ryūza wasted no time using his sand to transport himself down to the arena, Kenji was much more hesitant to go down, both for the fact that his opponent was a much stronger one than he had hoped for this round…and because his greatest weapon had yet to be completed.
Irezumi: Don’t worry about it. Even halfway made, it’s still gigantic.
Ide: Yeah. Even now, surely you can win with it.
Sai: (Deciding to help Kenji, as well, he placed his hand on his shoulder and put on his trademark fake smile.) They’re right, Kenji. With that ugly thing in your arsenal, how could you possibly lose, even to the Kazekage’s grandson?
Naturally, still having trouble with his emotions after thirty-eight years, Sai didn’t understand why Irezumi and Ide were wearing looks of disappointment when he looked up, nor did he understand why Kenji was clenching his fist and gradually becoming redder.
Irezumi: Nice, Grandpa. …Very nice.
Ide: Sensei, we’re trying to give him confidence, not make him angry.
Sai: What do you mean? I was merely telling him he had an ace up his sleeve.
Kenji: (Calming himself down after a moment, he took a deep breath and looked up at his teammates with a smile.) Thanks, guys. …Don’t worry, I’ll put this guy in his place.
After all three of them had returned the gesture, he took off, still somewhat nervous about his chances against Ryūza. Deciding to take the longer route in contrast to some of the more recent combatants, he made his way down the stairs towards the arena, pulling out two small scrolls as he walked, much to the curiosity of some of the other genin – including Ryūza’s teammates.
Sabure: What do you suppose he’s got stuffed in those?
Yatsuri: Heh, probably nothing Ryūza can’t handle.
Irezumi: (His team standing not too far from their own, he was quick to jump in and defend his friend.) Don’t go writing Kenji off just yet. …He’s full of surprises.
While there was truth in his words, he still proceeded to look over at the nearby Airon with concern in his eyes, the fellow prodigy returning his gaze before turning back towards the arena floor.
Manako: (Think it’s enough to stop the Kazekage’s grandson?)
Airon: (He didn’t look at either Manako or Kenji, but rather at Ryūza, pondering exactly what special skills his bloodline had granted him.) (…We’ll find out within the next thirty seconds.)
B: Alright, if both of y’all are ready, …begin!
The sudden announcement quickly brought everyone’s attention back to the arena, where Kenji wasted no time unraveling his scrolls, casting a few seals, and pressing his hands against them.
Kenji: Summoning Jutsu!!
From the resulting cloud of smoke emerged two humanoid figures, each apparently crafted from some variety of stone. Both appeared to be clothed in standard shinobi armor – headband included – and had faces with rather…curious complexions, a fact most of the match’s viewers noticed almost immediately. Fortunately, the resulting snickers went unheard by Kenji, who proceeded to pull out two marked kunai, tossing one into the back of each figure’s head before forming another hand sign.
Sabure: What the heck are those…ugly things?
Lowering his head in reaction to her humorous remark, Airon lifted himself up and turned to Manako, who nodded in understanding before looking down at one of the stone figures and activating his Sharingan.
Manako: Those are the manifestations of his own artistic talent, …sculpting. The material he uses to craft them is special in that it’s a good conductor for chakra, and thanks to those kunai, he can channel it through them and control them just like puppets. And he has a pretty large supply of it to boot. I can recall him controlling at least ten at once with no issues whatsoever.
Yatsuri: (Listening intensively up until that point, Manako’s last remark prompted him to turn his head towards him in surprise.) Hold on a sec. You mean he’s got more of those things?
Irezumi: He placed his heart and soul into every last one of those sculptures. …It’s his stone army.
Looking past the trio towards Irezumi, who was staring down at his teammate in wait for him to make his move, Yatsuri followed the path of his gaze, now somewhat eager to see what Kenji was capable of. No sooner after he did did Kenji tighten the grip his hands had on one another, prompting the stone figures to which his chakra was now connected to spring to life. Dashing forward in pursuit of Ryūza, one of them quickly lashed out at him once he was within reach, only to have its attack brought to a screeching halt. Eyes widened in surprise, Kenji looked ahead to find his opponent kneeling beneath a wall of sand, his hands clasped together and his eyes encircled by thick black rings.
Kenji: What the-!? (Sand…just like the Kazekage.)
From the upper levels, Naruto gazed down upon their battle, forming a smile as a feeling of nostalgia overcame him. Looking across the balcony at the secondary source of this feeling, he walked past his grandchildren and their peers towards Gaara, who apparently anticipated his arrival.
Naruto: It’s been a while since I saw something like that.
Gaara: (Smiling as nostalgia overcame him, as well, he proceeded to shake his head.) Actually, Naruto, you’ve never seen anything like that.
Naruto: What the hell are you talkin’ about? That’s your technique, isn’t it?
Gaara: (He answered him with yet another shake of his head as he turned his gaze back towards his grandson.) My abilities stem from the love my mother gave me when I was born. I’ve never had to use my chakra to control my sand like Ryūza does…and his ways of utilizing it are much more creative than mine.
Intrigued by this, Naruto returned his gaze to the fight below, where things were starting to get much more intense. As the flow of chakra from Kenji to his sculptures increased, so too did their speed and strength, to the point where even Ryūza’s walls of sand were proving ineffective against their attacks.
Kenji: (I’ve got him on the ropes now. Just a little longer and this match is mine.)
No sooner after this thought crossed his mind, though, did he look ahead once more to find his sculptures frozen in place and gradually sinking into the floor, the solid concrete having been replaced with a dusty gray sediment. His eyes widened with shock, he looked a few yards away to find Ryūza, who’d managed to put enough distance between himself and his synthetic foes to activate his technique.
Kenji: Huh!? (They’re…sinking. What the heck kind of jutsu is that?)
Ryūza: (Reading his expression like an open book, he proceeded to answer his unspoken inquiry with a devilish smile.) It’s my signature technique, the one skill I didn’t acquire from my grandfather. Like him, when I don’t have sand at my disposal, I can use any surrounding earthen materials to make more, but by adding in moisture using a basic water jutsu, I can take it a step further…and turn it into quicksand.
Watching helplessly as his cherished artwork vanished from view, Kenji eventually snapped out of his trance and called off the summoning jutsu, prompting the two sculptures to disappear in puffs of smoke before pulling out five more scrolls – and five more sculptures with them. To his dismay, though, they merely shared in the fates of their predecessors, forcing him to call them off before they could sink too deep into the murky pits conjured up by Ryūza. Watching this take place from above, Naruto turned to face Gaara, reinforcing his previous statement with a smirk.
Naruto: Heh, that is pretty creative.
Gaara: (He smiled in appreciation before looking back.) He’s far ahead of his time, even for me. My granddaughter is likely to impress you even more.
Naruto: (Having heard of Sabure’s kekkei genkai once before, he gazed a short ways across the balcony towards the young kunoichi in question.) I look forward to seeing her in action.
Back on the arena floor, having exhausted his remaining options in combating Ryūza, Kenji reluctantly decided on using his trump card. Jumping back a ways to ensure he wasn’t attacked during his preparations, he reached into his pouch once again, this time pulling a scroll that was significantly bigger than those he had used before. Unveiling it to its impressive maximum length, he cast a few hand signs before slamming his right hand down on top of it.
Kenji: (Don’t fail me now.) Summoning Jutsu!!
Vanishing in a cloud of white smoke far bigger than before, he reappeared several seconds later standing directly behind a thirty-foot stone likeness of a man’s lower body, complete with semblances of armored plates around its decapitated waist and detailed toes protruding from open-toed footwear. Impaling its joints with six tagged kunai and clasping his hands, he quickly began focusing his chakra until the monstrous creation finally sprung to life, while both his opponents and those in the balconies looked on in awe of its sheer size. Grinning in light of their impressed expressions, he proceeded to voice his newfound confidence.
Kenji: It might not be finished now, but I assure you, Sandman. This baby’s still got more than enough fight in it to stomp you into the ground.
Naruto: (His experience in the previous war having made him mostly impassive to giant entities, he was still impressed enough with Kenji’s sculpture to turn to Gaara in minor concern.) Hehe, I might have to change my prediction now.
As the Kazekage expressed his disagreement with an amused smirk, his granddaughter and nephew exchanged their own opinions on Kenji’s new weapon from a few meters away.
Sabure: That thing’s gigantic! How the heck’s Ryūza supposed to sink something like that!?
Yatsuri: (Far less skeptical than his cousin, he smirked in response to her childish wonder.) He’ll sink it, Sabure. …Don’t you worry about that.
Manako: (Hearing this from a feet away, he turned to his rival in question.) (Thoughts, Airon? I’d assume even a genin of his level would have limits to what he can do.)
Airon: (Don’t bother me, Manako. I’m too busy painting a mental image of his finished sculpture.)
Nakama: (Hmhmhm, Airon, you could be a little more respectful than that.)
Kei: (His thoughts weren’t that much different from his triplet brother’s, though his manner of expressing those thoughts were a different story.) Hah! If that’s what his smaller statues look like, I can’t even imagine how ugly THIS one will-
Before he could finish his statement, he was forced to grab the back of his head in pain as Inase rammed her fist against it, thus preventing him from seeing the look on Kenji’s face as, once again, he was forced to watch as his cherished artwork sank into the murky gravel beneath its stone feet.
Kenji: No…no, it can’t be. …My masterpiece…
Ryūza: (Smirking in reaction to his helpless muttering, he opened his eyes to catch a glimpse of his shocked expression.) Large objects are more difficult to lift, Kenji. Everyone knows this. …Bringing them down, on the other hand, …well, I guess I wouldn’t call it easier, but it’s certainly not as troubling as you might’ve thought.
His trump card hopelessly wasted, Kenji made the reluctant gesture to call back the giant sculpture, only to find both his hands encased in sand. His eyes widened past their previously estimated limit, he could only cry out in terror as Ryūza’s technique swallowed his entire physique.
Kenji: Uhh, Irezumi!? Sensei!! Help!! Irezumi, help me!!
Ryūza: Relax, kid. I don’t plan on killing you or destroying your…artwork. Rest assured, though, if you don’t forfeit now, I can’t say you’ll walk away from this match unharmed.
Terrified, Kenji looked up at his teammates for guidance, only to watch as they looked away in regret, taking the rest of his confidence with them.
Ryūza: Well?
Kenji: Uhh, okay, okay!! I give!! Just put me down!!
Looking to B to ensure he heard him clearly, Ryūza quickly obliged and ended his technique, setting Kenji down and allowing him to call his sculpture away to safety.
B: And the winner is…Ryūza!
While several spectators looked on, impressed by the turnout of the match, the victor used his sand to lift himself back up to the balcony, where he was greeted by his sister, cousin, and grandfather.
Gaara: You did a fine job, Ryūza. I’m very proud of you.
Ryūza: (He looked up at him and smiled as the black rings around his eyes began to vanish.) Thank you, Grandfather.
Sabure: You had me worried there for a second. As soon as he brought out that huge statue, I thought he was gonna turn the tables.
Yatsuri: What part of “He’ll sink it, Sabure.” didn’t you understand? I told you, you and Ryūza are going all the way. There’s not a genin here who can challenge the two of you.
Hearing this from a short distance away, Manako proceeded to smirk in amusement while Airon and Nakama chuckled softly to themselves. As their laughing came to a halt, Kenji finally rejoined his team on the balcony, still carrying himself in a depressed manner. Seeing his disappointment and immediately feeling pity, Irezumi set his hand on his shoulder as he came within reach.
Irezumi: You did great out there, Kenji. If you ask me, I’d say a lot of people here are more impressed with you than they were him.
Sai: (Walking up behind them, he looked down at Kenji with his ever-present smile.) He’s right, Kenji. Many of us here expected to see great talent from the grandson of the Kazekage, but I don’t believe anyone here expected you to show such impressive ability.
His words once again working against his intentions, Irezumi and Ide could only look on in horror as they watched Kenji’s head sink ever lower.
Ide: Sensei, really?
Sai: Hm? What? Did I say something wrong?
Their dispute lasted only a few seconds longer as everyone turned their attention back towards B.
B: Alright, let’s get on with the next round, then!
The rows of letters began to flash once again, leaving everyone in suspense as they tried to predict the next match-up. After ten seconds, the results appeared, leaving most of them in shock at the perceived convenience of it. Scanning over it himself, Airon shifted his gaze towards the other end of the balcony.
Airon: (Hold nothing back, Minto. …It’s time you showed that little punk where he stands.)
Minto: (…Got it.)
B: The next match-up is…Minto Sarutobi and Raiden Sarutobi!
Gaara’s grandson leaves Kenji’s artwork in shambles – the grudge match between Suzaku’s sons is about to begin!!!
The End
Here’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:
You must be registered for see links
You must be registered for see links
You must be registered for see links
You must be registered for see links
You must be registered for see links
You must be registered for see links
You must be registered for see links
You must be registered for see links
You must be registered for see links
You must be registered for see links
Chapter 031: Foreign Prodigies
Wasting no time, Kemono and his canine partner darted towards their opponent at half the speed of sound, both on all fours with their claws at their ready. No sooner after they reached out to slash him, however, did he vanish from their view.
Kemono: Huh?
Stopping their charge immediately, the two began looking around, only to find him standing several feet away with a wide grin on his face.
Z: What’s with the rush, dog? Let’s get a fat beat up in here ‘fore we start sweatin’ it out.
Signaling up to Sakebi, his blond-haired teammate reached into his pouch for his microphone and quickly resumed his beatboxing, prompting various looks of annoyance from Kagetsu’s team further on down the balcony. On the opposite end of the building, several others were also highly put off by this bizarre turn of events, among them Manako.
Manako: (What the heck’s up with that?)
Looking beside him for Airon’s response, he could only shrink back in embarrassment upon finding his colleague bopping his head to the rhythm of Sakebi’s beat.
Airon: (I dunno, Manako. …I kinda like his style.)
Also bouncing his head back and forth, Z slowly drew his katana from his sheath and flipped it over, a sign that he intended to use it, but not to kill.
Z: Aight then, let’s dance, homie!
Once again, he vanished into thin air, his speed from before having practically doubled, leaving both Kemono and Mukinu bug-eyed.
Kemono: Whoa!! (Man, this guy’s fast!)
Standing back-to-back with his partner, he quickly drew a kunai and began looking around, waiting for Z to show himself again. The eyes of some of the more experienced or prodigious shinobi in the audience were able to just barely keep up with him, including Airon and Manako, but the rest were just as blind to his movements as Kemono.
Manako: (He’s certainly quick on his feet, Airon. …He might even prove a challenge to you.)
Airon: (Also impressed with Z’s speed, though not to the same extent, he smirked and shook his head.) (Hmhmhmhm…somehow, I doubt that.)
With Z still in the midst of his impressive dash, Kemono’s confidence slowly began to drain as his anxiety increased, eventually dropping to all fours and turning to his partner.
Kemono: (Looks like it’s now or never!) Mukinu, hop on!
The black canine did so without hesitation, but before he could transform, he was quickly swept off by appeared to be a strong gust of wind.
Kemono: What!?
Frozen with fear upon seeing his partner doubled over in pain, he began looking around again, only to look up and find Z standing in front of him, looking down at him with a pearly white smile.
Z: What did you think I was waitin’ for? An okay from the judges?
Lifting his katana, the ten to twenty slashes that followed passed in the blink of an eye, leaving Kemono passed out beside Mukinu. Returning the blade to its sheath, Z exchanged grins with B before the latter threw his hand into the air.
B: The winner, by a country mile, iiissss…Z!!
Making a “tough guy” pose in light of his stunning victory, Z tipped his headband to his unconscious opponent before heading upstairs to join his teammates, whose reactions to the win were quite different from one another.
Tomoi: YES!! You destroyed him, Z!! Way to go!!
Sakebi: (Huhhh, again, not even half.) Nice going, man.
On the opposite balcony, Airon, Nakama, and Manako watched as the three conversed, each of them equally impressed with Z’s abilities.
Airon: (I call him.)
Nakama: (Hmhmhmhm, I’m pretty sure that we don’t have the say in who fights who.)
Manako: (She’s right, Airon. …And besides, I intend to fight him myself.)
On the arena floor, two medical-nin quickly moved Kemono onto a stretcher and carried him out as two more followed close behind with Mukinu, while Raiden, Kūrogane, and Katame watched from afar. The former opened his mouth to express disappointment in his teammates’ alleged uselessness, but stopped himself at the last moment after realizing that criticizing the turnout of this hopelessly one-sided match would only make him appear arrogant. Meanwhile, after a fifth medical-nin finished scrubbing away the blood that Kemono had coughed up when he fell to the ground, B resumed the preliminaries by directing everyone’s attention back to the large screen.
B: Alright, let’s get on with it!
The monitor lit up once again and the two rows of flashing letters reappeared, continuing for another ten seconds before stopping on the names of two new combatants.
B: And the next match-up iiissss…Ryūza and Kenji Ikeda!
While Ryūza wasted no time using his sand to transport himself down to the arena, Kenji was much more hesitant to go down, both for the fact that his opponent was a much stronger one than he had hoped for this round…and because his greatest weapon had yet to be completed.
Irezumi: Don’t worry about it. Even halfway made, it’s still gigantic.
Ide: Yeah. Even now, surely you can win with it.
Sai: (Deciding to help Kenji, as well, he placed his hand on his shoulder and put on his trademark fake smile.) They’re right, Kenji. With that ugly thing in your arsenal, how could you possibly lose, even to the Kazekage’s grandson?
Naturally, still having trouble with his emotions after thirty-eight years, Sai didn’t understand why Irezumi and Ide were wearing looks of disappointment when he looked up, nor did he understand why Kenji was clenching his fist and gradually becoming redder.
Irezumi: Nice, Grandpa. …Very nice.
Ide: Sensei, we’re trying to give him confidence, not make him angry.
Sai: What do you mean? I was merely telling him he had an ace up his sleeve.
Kenji: (Calming himself down after a moment, he took a deep breath and looked up at his teammates with a smile.) Thanks, guys. …Don’t worry, I’ll put this guy in his place.
After all three of them had returned the gesture, he took off, still somewhat nervous about his chances against Ryūza. Deciding to take the longer route in contrast to some of the more recent combatants, he made his way down the stairs towards the arena, pulling out two small scrolls as he walked, much to the curiosity of some of the other genin – including Ryūza’s teammates.
Sabure: What do you suppose he’s got stuffed in those?
Yatsuri: Heh, probably nothing Ryūza can’t handle.
Irezumi: (His team standing not too far from their own, he was quick to jump in and defend his friend.) Don’t go writing Kenji off just yet. …He’s full of surprises.
While there was truth in his words, he still proceeded to look over at the nearby Airon with concern in his eyes, the fellow prodigy returning his gaze before turning back towards the arena floor.
Manako: (Think it’s enough to stop the Kazekage’s grandson?)
Airon: (He didn’t look at either Manako or Kenji, but rather at Ryūza, pondering exactly what special skills his bloodline had granted him.) (…We’ll find out within the next thirty seconds.)
B: Alright, if both of y’all are ready, …begin!
The sudden announcement quickly brought everyone’s attention back to the arena, where Kenji wasted no time unraveling his scrolls, casting a few seals, and pressing his hands against them.
Kenji: Summoning Jutsu!!
From the resulting cloud of smoke emerged two humanoid figures, each apparently crafted from some variety of stone. Both appeared to be clothed in standard shinobi armor – headband included – and had faces with rather…curious complexions, a fact most of the match’s viewers noticed almost immediately. Fortunately, the resulting snickers went unheard by Kenji, who proceeded to pull out two marked kunai, tossing one into the back of each figure’s head before forming another hand sign.
Sabure: What the heck are those…ugly things?
Lowering his head in reaction to her humorous remark, Airon lifted himself up and turned to Manako, who nodded in understanding before looking down at one of the stone figures and activating his Sharingan.
Manako: Those are the manifestations of his own artistic talent, …sculpting. The material he uses to craft them is special in that it’s a good conductor for chakra, and thanks to those kunai, he can channel it through them and control them just like puppets. And he has a pretty large supply of it to boot. I can recall him controlling at least ten at once with no issues whatsoever.
Yatsuri: (Listening intensively up until that point, Manako’s last remark prompted him to turn his head towards him in surprise.) Hold on a sec. You mean he’s got more of those things?
Irezumi: He placed his heart and soul into every last one of those sculptures. …It’s his stone army.
Looking past the trio towards Irezumi, who was staring down at his teammate in wait for him to make his move, Yatsuri followed the path of his gaze, now somewhat eager to see what Kenji was capable of. No sooner after he did did Kenji tighten the grip his hands had on one another, prompting the stone figures to which his chakra was now connected to spring to life. Dashing forward in pursuit of Ryūza, one of them quickly lashed out at him once he was within reach, only to have its attack brought to a screeching halt. Eyes widened in surprise, Kenji looked ahead to find his opponent kneeling beneath a wall of sand, his hands clasped together and his eyes encircled by thick black rings.
Kenji: What the-!? (Sand…just like the Kazekage.)
From the upper levels, Naruto gazed down upon their battle, forming a smile as a feeling of nostalgia overcame him. Looking across the balcony at the secondary source of this feeling, he walked past his grandchildren and their peers towards Gaara, who apparently anticipated his arrival.
Naruto: It’s been a while since I saw something like that.
Gaara: (Smiling as nostalgia overcame him, as well, he proceeded to shake his head.) Actually, Naruto, you’ve never seen anything like that.
Naruto: What the hell are you talkin’ about? That’s your technique, isn’t it?
Gaara: (He answered him with yet another shake of his head as he turned his gaze back towards his grandson.) My abilities stem from the love my mother gave me when I was born. I’ve never had to use my chakra to control my sand like Ryūza does…and his ways of utilizing it are much more creative than mine.
Intrigued by this, Naruto returned his gaze to the fight below, where things were starting to get much more intense. As the flow of chakra from Kenji to his sculptures increased, so too did their speed and strength, to the point where even Ryūza’s walls of sand were proving ineffective against their attacks.
Kenji: (I’ve got him on the ropes now. Just a little longer and this match is mine.)
No sooner after this thought crossed his mind, though, did he look ahead once more to find his sculptures frozen in place and gradually sinking into the floor, the solid concrete having been replaced with a dusty gray sediment. His eyes widened with shock, he looked a few yards away to find Ryūza, who’d managed to put enough distance between himself and his synthetic foes to activate his technique.
Kenji: Huh!? (They’re…sinking. What the heck kind of jutsu is that?)
Ryūza: (Reading his expression like an open book, he proceeded to answer his unspoken inquiry with a devilish smile.) It’s my signature technique, the one skill I didn’t acquire from my grandfather. Like him, when I don’t have sand at my disposal, I can use any surrounding earthen materials to make more, but by adding in moisture using a basic water jutsu, I can take it a step further…and turn it into quicksand.
Watching helplessly as his cherished artwork vanished from view, Kenji eventually snapped out of his trance and called off the summoning jutsu, prompting the two sculptures to disappear in puffs of smoke before pulling out five more scrolls – and five more sculptures with them. To his dismay, though, they merely shared in the fates of their predecessors, forcing him to call them off before they could sink too deep into the murky pits conjured up by Ryūza. Watching this take place from above, Naruto turned to face Gaara, reinforcing his previous statement with a smirk.
Naruto: Heh, that is pretty creative.
Gaara: (He smiled in appreciation before looking back.) He’s far ahead of his time, even for me. My granddaughter is likely to impress you even more.
Naruto: (Having heard of Sabure’s kekkei genkai once before, he gazed a short ways across the balcony towards the young kunoichi in question.) I look forward to seeing her in action.
Back on the arena floor, having exhausted his remaining options in combating Ryūza, Kenji reluctantly decided on using his trump card. Jumping back a ways to ensure he wasn’t attacked during his preparations, he reached into his pouch once again, this time pulling a scroll that was significantly bigger than those he had used before. Unveiling it to its impressive maximum length, he cast a few hand signs before slamming his right hand down on top of it.
Kenji: (Don’t fail me now.) Summoning Jutsu!!
Vanishing in a cloud of white smoke far bigger than before, he reappeared several seconds later standing directly behind a thirty-foot stone likeness of a man’s lower body, complete with semblances of armored plates around its decapitated waist and detailed toes protruding from open-toed footwear. Impaling its joints with six tagged kunai and clasping his hands, he quickly began focusing his chakra until the monstrous creation finally sprung to life, while both his opponents and those in the balconies looked on in awe of its sheer size. Grinning in light of their impressed expressions, he proceeded to voice his newfound confidence.
Kenji: It might not be finished now, but I assure you, Sandman. This baby’s still got more than enough fight in it to stomp you into the ground.
Naruto: (His experience in the previous war having made him mostly impassive to giant entities, he was still impressed enough with Kenji’s sculpture to turn to Gaara in minor concern.) Hehe, I might have to change my prediction now.
As the Kazekage expressed his disagreement with an amused smirk, his granddaughter and nephew exchanged their own opinions on Kenji’s new weapon from a few meters away.
Sabure: That thing’s gigantic! How the heck’s Ryūza supposed to sink something like that!?
Yatsuri: (Far less skeptical than his cousin, he smirked in response to her childish wonder.) He’ll sink it, Sabure. …Don’t you worry about that.
Manako: (Hearing this from a feet away, he turned to his rival in question.) (Thoughts, Airon? I’d assume even a genin of his level would have limits to what he can do.)
Airon: (Don’t bother me, Manako. I’m too busy painting a mental image of his finished sculpture.)
Nakama: (Hmhmhm, Airon, you could be a little more respectful than that.)
Kei: (His thoughts weren’t that much different from his triplet brother’s, though his manner of expressing those thoughts were a different story.) Hah! If that’s what his smaller statues look like, I can’t even imagine how ugly THIS one will-
Before he could finish his statement, he was forced to grab the back of his head in pain as Inase rammed her fist against it, thus preventing him from seeing the look on Kenji’s face as, once again, he was forced to watch as his cherished artwork sank into the murky gravel beneath its stone feet.
Kenji: No…no, it can’t be. …My masterpiece…
Ryūza: (Smirking in reaction to his helpless muttering, he opened his eyes to catch a glimpse of his shocked expression.) Large objects are more difficult to lift, Kenji. Everyone knows this. …Bringing them down, on the other hand, …well, I guess I wouldn’t call it easier, but it’s certainly not as troubling as you might’ve thought.
His trump card hopelessly wasted, Kenji made the reluctant gesture to call back the giant sculpture, only to find both his hands encased in sand. His eyes widened past their previously estimated limit, he could only cry out in terror as Ryūza’s technique swallowed his entire physique.
Kenji: Uhh, Irezumi!? Sensei!! Help!! Irezumi, help me!!
Ryūza: Relax, kid. I don’t plan on killing you or destroying your…artwork. Rest assured, though, if you don’t forfeit now, I can’t say you’ll walk away from this match unharmed.
Terrified, Kenji looked up at his teammates for guidance, only to watch as they looked away in regret, taking the rest of his confidence with them.
Ryūza: Well?
Kenji: Uhh, okay, okay!! I give!! Just put me down!!
Looking to B to ensure he heard him clearly, Ryūza quickly obliged and ended his technique, setting Kenji down and allowing him to call his sculpture away to safety.
B: And the winner is…Ryūza!
While several spectators looked on, impressed by the turnout of the match, the victor used his sand to lift himself back up to the balcony, where he was greeted by his sister, cousin, and grandfather.
Gaara: You did a fine job, Ryūza. I’m very proud of you.
Ryūza: (He looked up at him and smiled as the black rings around his eyes began to vanish.) Thank you, Grandfather.
Sabure: You had me worried there for a second. As soon as he brought out that huge statue, I thought he was gonna turn the tables.
Yatsuri: What part of “He’ll sink it, Sabure.” didn’t you understand? I told you, you and Ryūza are going all the way. There’s not a genin here who can challenge the two of you.
Hearing this from a short distance away, Manako proceeded to smirk in amusement while Airon and Nakama chuckled softly to themselves. As their laughing came to a halt, Kenji finally rejoined his team on the balcony, still carrying himself in a depressed manner. Seeing his disappointment and immediately feeling pity, Irezumi set his hand on his shoulder as he came within reach.
Irezumi: You did great out there, Kenji. If you ask me, I’d say a lot of people here are more impressed with you than they were him.
Sai: (Walking up behind them, he looked down at Kenji with his ever-present smile.) He’s right, Kenji. Many of us here expected to see great talent from the grandson of the Kazekage, but I don’t believe anyone here expected you to show such impressive ability.
His words once again working against his intentions, Irezumi and Ide could only look on in horror as they watched Kenji’s head sink ever lower.
Ide: Sensei, really?
Sai: Hm? What? Did I say something wrong?
Their dispute lasted only a few seconds longer as everyone turned their attention back towards B.
B: Alright, let’s get on with the next round, then!
The rows of letters began to flash once again, leaving everyone in suspense as they tried to predict the next match-up. After ten seconds, the results appeared, leaving most of them in shock at the perceived convenience of it. Scanning over it himself, Airon shifted his gaze towards the other end of the balcony.
Airon: (Hold nothing back, Minto. …It’s time you showed that little punk where he stands.)
Minto: (…Got it.)
B: The next match-up is…Minto Sarutobi and Raiden Sarutobi!
Gaara’s grandson leaves Kenji’s artwork in shambles – the grudge match between Suzaku’s sons is about to begin!!!
The End
