Chakra Wizard
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Ehhh, not the most interesting fight this round, but you do get to see a little more of Irezumi so that’s always a plus (as I said, I love his character*_*). Besides, this chapter is pretty in line with the character profiles I gave them so rest assured, I’m not just being lazy this time around. lol Anyways, enjoy
Here’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:
Chapter 056: No Surprise
As the audience semi-patiently awaited the start of the next match, the contestants’ balcony was once again greeted by the members of Team Suzaku, among whom was a seemingly rejuvenated Taigen. Please to see him in such good shape, Airon walked over and set his hand on his shoulder just to make sure.
Airon: (You feelin’ alright now?)
Taigen: (He smiled gleefully at him as he responded.) (Never felt better.)
Airon: (He returned his smile and patted him gently on the shoulder.) (Good to hear.)
Minto: So, what’d we miss?
Nakama: Where’s Inase?
Airon: (He cocked an eyebrow in response, amused by the assuredness of her remark.) You seem rather positive you’d come back to find her standing here.
Minto: Well, let’s be honest, who would you bet on in that kind of match-up?
Taigen: She can read minds, Airon.
Airon: (He barely held back his laughter, now intent on sharing this the next time he saw Kei.) Well, I’m sure you’ll be surprised to find out the match was a draw. And on top of that, it was only because Kei ran out of strength.
Minto: (Indeed surprised by this news, he made no attempt to hold these feelings back.) You’re kidding me.
Airon: Hmhmhm, I’m a full-fledged witness to it all. …See what happens when you underestimate knuckleheads?
Nakama: Hmhm, since when has anyone ever thought to underestimate you, Airon?
Part-embarrassed and part-amused by her quick-wittedness, his face turned pink as he laughed softly under his breath, earning a proud smile from the one who made the joke. Just moments later, the attention of everyone in the stadium diverted back to Baiko, who stepped forward to call the next two competitors.
Baiko: Irezumi Yamanaka and Ide Fujita, make your way to the arena!
With Nakama now back, the balcony and arena floor were once again connected by a walkway of earthy pillars, which the two contestants took in favor of their predecessors’ method. Irezumi still wore his gray sweatshirt zipped up and draped the hood over his head, but had chosen not to reattach his sleeves, leaving the countless tattoos coating his arms and lower legs exposed for the audience to see. Ide had also changed into something more suitable for battle, but this simply meant wearing pink robes much shorter than those she normally wore, and she followed slowly behind her teammate with a gentle smile on her face, which Irezumi returned once he stepped off the final pillar.
Irezumi: It’s not really hard to guess what’s going through your mind right now, Ide. …Do try to make this a good fight, though, alright? For me, at least.
Ide: (She giggled softly at his concerns as she stepped off the last pillar, which sank back into the ground shortly afterwards.) Hmhmhm, I promise I’ll give it all I can.
Throughout the stands, many spectators had already begun speculating on how the match would play out, the verdict being almost universal.
Minto: This’ll probably be the quickest match since yours, Nakama.
Nakama: Well, don’t be so quick to judge. Ide has a few tricks of her own.
Airon: (Knowing that the two were dear friends, he briefly hesitated before speaking against her.) She does, Nakama, but let’s be honest here. …I think we all know Irezumi’s making his way through to the next round, no matter how long Ide postpones the inevitable.
Nakama: (Sensing his discomfort, she looked up at him with an amused expression.) I was referring to the length of the match, Airon, not the outcome. I wouldn’t deny Irezumi’s chances of losing are slim to none, even for Ide. …Hmhm, I’m surprised you didn’t catch onto what I was talking about.
Airon smiled out of relief before the two shifted their gaze back to the arena floor, meanwhile up above the stands, the Kage and their accompanying subordinates gave their speculations on what was to come.
Kurotsuchi: Poor girl. I don’t see how she can pull off a victory against an opponent like this.
Chōjūrō: After watching his match in the preliminaries, I can’t help but agree. …That technique of his is extremely powerful.
Mei: Well now, hers was quite impressive, too. I’m sure she’ll come up with a few surprises during this match.
Darui: Sorry to disagree, former Mizukage, but I just don’t see wax holding up well against the things that boy is capable of producing. I’m impressed with what we’ve already seen from him, and going off what his grandfather has said, that was only the tip of the iceberg.
Konohamaru: (He couldn’t help but sigh as he shared his own thoughts.) As open-minded as I’ve tried to stay this whole tournament, I have to agree with the majority on this one, Mei. …The victor of this match shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.
This change in stance for Konohamaru was indeed a surprise for many of his colleagues, who reminisced briefly on it before turning back to the impending match. In the stands, towards the bottom of the centermost section, Irezumi’s sensei and grandfather sat in patience as he awaited the starting signal for the match, his wife sitting to his left while their son sat on the other side of her, pity evident in his expression.
Inojin: I almost feel sorry for Ide. Her chances of becoming a chūnin are rather slim with Irezumi as her opponent.
Ino: (She patted his leg gently as she attempted to purge his concerns.) Well, it’s not like she has to win, Inojin. If she shows off enough of her skills, she’ll get at least some consideration from the Kages.
Sai: (He smiled down at his two students as he added to Ino’s words.) And knowing Irezumi, he’ll give her every opportunity he can afford. …They’ve been the dearest of friends for a long time now. They’re there to support each other in this match as much as they are to fight one another.
Inojin: …Wow. That was rather…thoughtful of you, Father.
Sai: (He adopted his trademark facial expression of closed eyes and a smile as he turned to face his son.) Well, I am their sensei, after all, son. I’m here to support them in all their endeavors. For Irezumi in creating more of his beautiful tattoos, for Ide in crafting her lovely wax replicas, and also for Kenji when he’s working on those ugly sculptures of his-
He opened his eyes as he spoke, stopping upon seeing Ino’s horrified expression, which Inojin replicated as he looked past Sai. Turning around, Sai smiled gently upon finding Kenji sitting in the seat beside him, his arms crossed over the railing in front of him and a sour – and mildly depressed – look on his face.
Sai: Aren’t you going to cheer on your teammates, Kenji? You’re in the stands, after all. That’s what you’re here to do.
Kenji: (He raised his fist slightly, but made no attempt to follow Sai’s wishes otherwise.) Yahoo. Knock ‘em dead. Don’t beat her too bad, Irezumi.
Sai: (He placed his hand on Kenji’s back, faking a soft laugh.) There’s the spirit.
Both Ino and Inojin watched this in embarrassment until Sai finally looked back towards the arena, where Irezumi and Ide had taken their positions on either side of Baiko. They were both still smiling at one another, seemingly neither of them having a very serious opinion about this match.
Irezumi: I won’t be holding anything back, Ide. You’d best be ready.
Ide: (Knowing him better than this, she responded with amusement.) Hmhmhm, somehow I doubt that.
When this little episode passed, both of them took battle-ready stances, something Baiko took notice of before raising him arm to start the match.
Baiko: Alright. If both of you are ready…begin!
Ide immediately clapped her hands together, wax spilling from her mouth moments later and gathering at her feet. Irezumi also formed a hand sign before extending out his arms, revealing a kunai-shaped tattoo at the center of each of his palms, which began glowing as he called out their title.
Irezumi: Ninja Art: Super Beasts Tattoo! Kunai Discharge!
The tattoos immediately sprang to life and began firing kunai from his hands in rapid succession. Fortunately for Ide, the wall of wax she was building had already grown to a height and width large enough to shield her from the oncoming projectiles, much to the relief of Nakama overhead.
Nakama: (Just narrowly dodged them.)
Airon: (Hmm, Irezumi’s not one to lose momentum so easily, though. …She’d best keep on her toes.)
Irezumi didn’t waste much more time using the tattoo, knowing that the now hardened wall would be more than capable of withstanding them. In the meantime, Ide took the opportunity to create more wax and use it to form a handful of clones, which ran out from behind the wax structure just as Irezumi ceased use of his kunai. Hardly fazed, though, he immediately formed another hand sign, causing the bottom of his bare feet to begin glowing.
Irezumi: (Hmhm, gonna have to catch me first, Ide.) Super Beasts Tattoo! Roller Blades!
Irezumi suddenly found himself lifted slightly into the air, the cause being the pair of small wheels now located under either of his feet. As Ide’s doppelgangers closed in, they quickly began spinning rapidly, taking off at high speed as they came within reach, much to the wonder of the audience.
Darui: Wheels on the bottom of his feet for enhanced speed…a very clever idea.
Naruto: (Having seen this tattoo in action before, he couldn’t help but grin as he watched the match unfold.) Hehehe, I always did like that one. …Wonder what else he’ll show off this match.
Sasuke: (He nodded before responding, what thoughts were in his head at the moment prompting him to smirk.) Not too much, hopefully. (He should save his strength for when he takes on Manako.)
Down below, Irezumi continued to avoid Ide’s clones with ease, thanks in no small part to the tattoo underneath his feet. Before he realized it, though, more than two dozen clones had flooded the arena, prompting him to chuckle out of embarrassment at his own absentmindedness before forming another hand sign.
Irezumi: Super Beasts Tattoo! Protruding Blades!
The call was directed towards the sword-shaped tattoos on the back of either of his forearms, which suddenly began glowing before two four-foot blades emerged from where the tattoos originally were. Taking a moment to brush them together and create sparks, showing to the audience that they were indeed metallic in nature, he took off again, his speed and the strength of the blades allowing him to cut through half of Ide’s clones in just seconds flat. As he picked each of them off one by one, the color in their skin and clothes faded and the grayish mush left behind slowly melted away before cooling again, leaving only a pile of hardened wax in their wake.
Nakama: He’s slicing through them so fast that they don’t have a chance to harden and ensnare his blades. …It’s almost unfair.
Manako: (Scanning the rest of the battlefield with his Sharingan, he eventually stopped on the real Ide.) Don’t be so quick to write her off, Nakama. …It looks like she’s planning something else while he’s preoccupied.
Airon: (Noticing her, as well, he took a moment to peer into his mind and found amusement in what he discovered.) Ahhhh…
With nearly all the clones dispatched and knowing she’d barely moved an inch since the chase began, Irezumi also turned his attention back towards the real Ide, finding to his surprise and amusement that she’d been spending her entire time constructing a colossal mound of still softened wax, which she stood on top of as she continued spewing more fresh wax over top of it.
Irezumi: That looks awfully taxing, Ide!
Ide: (As the last bit of wax spewed from her mouth, she looked over at him and smiled.) I promised you I would put everything I had into this match, didn’t I!?
Somewhat eager to see what she was planning, he began revving up his wheels, taking a moment to dispatch two more clones attempting to approach him from behind before taking off towards the mound. For the moment, Ide continued pouring out more wax over the enormous structure, giving Irezumi a large enough window to leap up and over it. Before he could even touch the ground, though, she quickly stopped pouring out more wax and clasped her hands together, pressing them down on top of the mound and causing a large section of it to lunge out and attack him, forcing him to disperse his blades and form a new hand sign.
Irezumi: Super Beasts Tattoo! Angel Wings!
In almost an instant, two large white wings burst forth from the long incisions in the back of his sweatshirt, creating a huge gust of wind with a single flap and pushing him back and out of the way of Ide’s attack. He immediately disposed of them upon returning to the ground in front of the mound, from the side of which yet another large section of it had began lunging outward, but as he turned to retreat back even further, he found Ide’s remaining clones from before approaching fast, leaving him unable to avoid one without being taken by the other. With little or no time to make that decision left, he heaved a sigh of annoyance and embarrassment.
Irezumi: Huhhh… (Hmhm, alright. Guess I’ll take one for the team this time.)
Choosing the clones over the mound, he leapt backwards and was immediately ensnared by them from all sides, forcing him to lunge forward to keep his arms free as the color in each clone faded and they began melting away, hardening just moments later and encasing him inside. With one of his elbows trapped within the wax and his hands more than three feet apart, he was unable to form a hand sign, prompting a smile to emerge on Ide’s face from afar.
Ide: Gotcha.
This turn of events catching almost everyone off guard, several of them began commending Ide for her ability to plan ahead and outsmart Irezumi, including their peers.
Airon: She waited until his wings were gone before moving in with her clones and surrounding him. …He had nowhere else to go except closer to that huge mound, so he decided to get captured by the clones instead. …Very smart thinking, Ide.
Minto: That wax is hard as a rock when it cools. I don’t think he’s going anywhere now.
Taigen: He’s not…done, is he?
Manako: (Not quite ready to give up on their chances of meeting next round, he watched intensively as Irezumi struggled to connect his hands.) I doubt it. He started moving around as they jumped on him and he was able to get enough space to move one of his arms. …The question is, if he does manage to form a hand sign, does he have any tattoos he can use to break through all that wax?
Finding amusement in this, Airon relayed the question to Irezumi as he continued his endeavor, prompting him to smirk as he finally formed his hand sign.
Irezumi: (Hmhm, just what kind of question is that, Manako?) Nnnnggghhh…Super Beasts Tattoo…Pin Needles!!
Cracks slowly began appearing throughout the hardened wax contraption until, at last, it shattered to pieces, revealing Irezumi’s body to be covered in thin spikes that extended out over three feet. Once they disappeared again, he quickly pulled himself out of what pieces of the wax mass the spikes didn’t destroy, while the audience looked on in amazement, including his grandmother.
Ino: Whoa…when did he add that one?
Sai: (Having watched the process he undertook to apply this tattoo, he gave a genuine smile as he explained it to Ino.) He just finished adding the last few dots last night. He had been working on mapping his body and applying them for most of the month…as if he predicted something similar to this would happen today. (You never cease to surprise me, Irezumi.)
Inojin: (He tightened his fist in anticipation.) Hmhm, you’ve got her now, son.
Kenji: Watch out, Ide!! He’s on a roll here!!
She took his words to heart, but Ide couldn’t help but smile as she pressed her hands to the wax mound and began channeling whatever chakra she had left into it, prompting several more clones to emerge from its walls, sections of which also began branching off in case Irezumi came too close. An idea already in mind for how to get past them, Irezumi smiled up at her as he formed what he expected to be his last hand sign of the match.
Irezumi: Super Beasts Tattoo! Roller Blades! Dancing Embers! Protruding Blades!
Once again, blades appeared on his arms and wheels on his feet, his fingertips setting ablaze, as well. Waiting for the first wave of clones to approach, he quickly dispatched them with his blades and charged forward. Taking care of the rest of her clones with ease, he approached the mound and was immediately ambushed by two large extrusions, prompting him to swipe his hands and cover them in flames, melting them just enough for him to cut through them with his blades and advance closer to the mound. He continued this process with the mound itself, encircling it and covering every inch of it he could find with fire, eventually melting the entire thing. Cut off from what wax she had already produced, she clasped her hands together and lowered her head to exude more, only to lift it back up as guided by Irezumi’s blades, which were crossed over one another and pressed against her neck. There was no terror in the situation to be found, however, and Ide looked up into Irezumi’s eyes and smiled, as he did in return.
Irezumi: Now then, would you be so kind as to withdraw? …I’d hate to have to use these on you.
Recognizing these words as ones she used in her own preliminary match, she giggled softly before responding.
Ide: Hmhm, seems I don’t have a choice.
As Irezumi dispersed his blades and wheels, Ide held up her hand to surrender, prompting Baiko to announce the results of the match.
Baiko: The winner is…Irezumi Yamanaka!
The audience suddenly broke into thunderous applause, as much of which went to Ide for her surprising ability as a kunoichi as did to Irezumi for actually winning the match. The Kage quickly delved into a discussion about the match’s outcome, in particular what awaited its loser in the aftermath of the exams.
Konohamaru: Well…she did have him pinned for a moment there, not to mention the huge amount of chakra it must’ve taken to produce all that wax.
Darui: Sorry, Hokage, but I don’t consider that enough to say she’s ready to be a chūnin.
Mei: Well now, Lord Raikage, you could go a little easier on the poor girl. She did have an incredibly adaptive opponent.
Chōjūrō: I agree.
Suigetsu: (Of course you do, kiss-ass.) That doesn’t mean for sure that any other opponent wouldn’t have been able to break free from that wax, though.
Ryoku: I have to agree with Suigetsu, Lord Tsuchikage. You simply can’t promote a genin based solely off speculation.
Kurotsuchi: …Yeah, I guess not. I don’t think we’ve seen enough yet to prove she’s ready. Thoughts, Kazekage?
Gaara: …Taking into account the preliminaries, as well, she has shown more skill than most genin her age, not to mention a bit of cunning since she did corner her opponent once, even at the speed he was moving at.
Many of them nodded in agreement to Gaara’s words, but the verdict was still mostly undecided afterwards, prompting Konohamaru to draw their attention elsewhere.
Konohamaru: Well, we don’t have to decide anything just yet. We’ll wait until the time comes to make that decision. In the meantime, I’m assuming your thoughts on Irezumi are unanimous?
Kurotsuchi: Oh, absolutely. He’s shown more talent so far than many others have shown this entire exam. His passing should be guaranteed by this point.
Sasuke: (He smirked as he responded to this remark, in a way Sakura couldn’t help but shake her head at.) Until the next round, at least, when Manako makes him look like a meager Academy student.
Gaara: You sound confident your grandson will defeat my granddaughter, Sasuke.
Those on the balcony immediately turned their heads towards either Sasuke or Gaara, both of whom had locked eyes with one another. Down below, Ide and Irezumi returned to their own balcony and were quickly greeted by their peers, the former taking up a conversation with Nakama while the latter spoke to Airon and Manako.
Nakama: Are you alright?
Ide: Hmhmhm, perfectly fine, Nakama. It feels like a relief to no longer have to engage in the fighting.
Nakama: (She smiled gently at her friend’s peace-loving demeanor.) Hmhm, with any luck, you impressed the Kages enough to where you won’t have to ever again.
Ide nodded in agreement, hoping this to be the case when those announcements were made later on. Meanwhile, Airon and Manako inquired about Irezumi, who didn’t seem nearly as pleased with his victory as some of them expected.
Manako: Are you feeling alright, Irezumi?
Irezumi: A bit nauseous.
Airon: (Already having an idea in mind for why, he chuckled at this.) Hehehehe, why’s that?
Irezumi: Well, just look at the standings right now. The way it’s set up, if I manage to beat Manako, I’ll wind up facing you. If I manage to find a way around you, I’ve gotta face Nakama in the finals. …Just can’t win for lose in this tournament, it seems.
Airon: Hmhmhm, that is pretty bad, isn’t it? They oughta just save you a spot on the Hokage Monument if you find a way through all that.
Sabure: Whoever said that you would be facing him next round?
The three of them immediately turned to face Sabure, as did Nakama and Ide, all of them surprised by this somewhat daring declaration.
Sabure: You’re obviously strong, Manako Uchiha. I don’t even have to watch you fight to see that…but I’m the Kazekage’s granddaughter. And I intend to live up to my bloodline today.
Airon was ready to laugh for her ignorance to Manako’s full strength, but the determination in her voice prompted him to bite his tongue as she locked eyes with her future opponent. Watching them, one might’ve expected them to begin fighting right there on the balcony, then Manako suddenly cracked a smile.
Manako: I’m looking forward to our match, Sabure of the Sand Village.
His change in expression was enough to throw her off, but his smile prompted Sabure to look away as her face began turning red, much to Airon’s amusement. Before he could voice this to Manako, though, Baiko called for the next two contestants, their names prompting the entire stadium to fall silent in anticipation.
Baiko: I need Sabure and Manako Uchiha to approach the arena floor!!
Irezumi moves on with more trouble than first expected, but is Manako guaranteed to do the same!!?
The End
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Chapter 056: No Surprise
As the audience semi-patiently awaited the start of the next match, the contestants’ balcony was once again greeted by the members of Team Suzaku, among whom was a seemingly rejuvenated Taigen. Please to see him in such good shape, Airon walked over and set his hand on his shoulder just to make sure.
Airon: (You feelin’ alright now?)
Taigen: (He smiled gleefully at him as he responded.) (Never felt better.)
Airon: (He returned his smile and patted him gently on the shoulder.) (Good to hear.)
Minto: So, what’d we miss?
Nakama: Where’s Inase?
Airon: (He cocked an eyebrow in response, amused by the assuredness of her remark.) You seem rather positive you’d come back to find her standing here.
Minto: Well, let’s be honest, who would you bet on in that kind of match-up?
Taigen: She can read minds, Airon.
Airon: (He barely held back his laughter, now intent on sharing this the next time he saw Kei.) Well, I’m sure you’ll be surprised to find out the match was a draw. And on top of that, it was only because Kei ran out of strength.
Minto: (Indeed surprised by this news, he made no attempt to hold these feelings back.) You’re kidding me.
Airon: Hmhmhm, I’m a full-fledged witness to it all. …See what happens when you underestimate knuckleheads?
Nakama: Hmhm, since when has anyone ever thought to underestimate you, Airon?
Part-embarrassed and part-amused by her quick-wittedness, his face turned pink as he laughed softly under his breath, earning a proud smile from the one who made the joke. Just moments later, the attention of everyone in the stadium diverted back to Baiko, who stepped forward to call the next two competitors.
Baiko: Irezumi Yamanaka and Ide Fujita, make your way to the arena!
With Nakama now back, the balcony and arena floor were once again connected by a walkway of earthy pillars, which the two contestants took in favor of their predecessors’ method. Irezumi still wore his gray sweatshirt zipped up and draped the hood over his head, but had chosen not to reattach his sleeves, leaving the countless tattoos coating his arms and lower legs exposed for the audience to see. Ide had also changed into something more suitable for battle, but this simply meant wearing pink robes much shorter than those she normally wore, and she followed slowly behind her teammate with a gentle smile on her face, which Irezumi returned once he stepped off the final pillar.
Irezumi: It’s not really hard to guess what’s going through your mind right now, Ide. …Do try to make this a good fight, though, alright? For me, at least.
Ide: (She giggled softly at his concerns as she stepped off the last pillar, which sank back into the ground shortly afterwards.) Hmhmhm, I promise I’ll give it all I can.
Throughout the stands, many spectators had already begun speculating on how the match would play out, the verdict being almost universal.
Minto: This’ll probably be the quickest match since yours, Nakama.
Nakama: Well, don’t be so quick to judge. Ide has a few tricks of her own.
Airon: (Knowing that the two were dear friends, he briefly hesitated before speaking against her.) She does, Nakama, but let’s be honest here. …I think we all know Irezumi’s making his way through to the next round, no matter how long Ide postpones the inevitable.
Nakama: (Sensing his discomfort, she looked up at him with an amused expression.) I was referring to the length of the match, Airon, not the outcome. I wouldn’t deny Irezumi’s chances of losing are slim to none, even for Ide. …Hmhm, I’m surprised you didn’t catch onto what I was talking about.
Airon smiled out of relief before the two shifted their gaze back to the arena floor, meanwhile up above the stands, the Kage and their accompanying subordinates gave their speculations on what was to come.
Kurotsuchi: Poor girl. I don’t see how she can pull off a victory against an opponent like this.
Chōjūrō: After watching his match in the preliminaries, I can’t help but agree. …That technique of his is extremely powerful.
Mei: Well now, hers was quite impressive, too. I’m sure she’ll come up with a few surprises during this match.
Darui: Sorry to disagree, former Mizukage, but I just don’t see wax holding up well against the things that boy is capable of producing. I’m impressed with what we’ve already seen from him, and going off what his grandfather has said, that was only the tip of the iceberg.
Konohamaru: (He couldn’t help but sigh as he shared his own thoughts.) As open-minded as I’ve tried to stay this whole tournament, I have to agree with the majority on this one, Mei. …The victor of this match shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.
This change in stance for Konohamaru was indeed a surprise for many of his colleagues, who reminisced briefly on it before turning back to the impending match. In the stands, towards the bottom of the centermost section, Irezumi’s sensei and grandfather sat in patience as he awaited the starting signal for the match, his wife sitting to his left while their son sat on the other side of her, pity evident in his expression.
Inojin: I almost feel sorry for Ide. Her chances of becoming a chūnin are rather slim with Irezumi as her opponent.
Ino: (She patted his leg gently as she attempted to purge his concerns.) Well, it’s not like she has to win, Inojin. If she shows off enough of her skills, she’ll get at least some consideration from the Kages.
Sai: (He smiled down at his two students as he added to Ino’s words.) And knowing Irezumi, he’ll give her every opportunity he can afford. …They’ve been the dearest of friends for a long time now. They’re there to support each other in this match as much as they are to fight one another.
Inojin: …Wow. That was rather…thoughtful of you, Father.
Sai: (He adopted his trademark facial expression of closed eyes and a smile as he turned to face his son.) Well, I am their sensei, after all, son. I’m here to support them in all their endeavors. For Irezumi in creating more of his beautiful tattoos, for Ide in crafting her lovely wax replicas, and also for Kenji when he’s working on those ugly sculptures of his-
He opened his eyes as he spoke, stopping upon seeing Ino’s horrified expression, which Inojin replicated as he looked past Sai. Turning around, Sai smiled gently upon finding Kenji sitting in the seat beside him, his arms crossed over the railing in front of him and a sour – and mildly depressed – look on his face.
Sai: Aren’t you going to cheer on your teammates, Kenji? You’re in the stands, after all. That’s what you’re here to do.
Kenji: (He raised his fist slightly, but made no attempt to follow Sai’s wishes otherwise.) Yahoo. Knock ‘em dead. Don’t beat her too bad, Irezumi.
Sai: (He placed his hand on Kenji’s back, faking a soft laugh.) There’s the spirit.
Both Ino and Inojin watched this in embarrassment until Sai finally looked back towards the arena, where Irezumi and Ide had taken their positions on either side of Baiko. They were both still smiling at one another, seemingly neither of them having a very serious opinion about this match.
Irezumi: I won’t be holding anything back, Ide. You’d best be ready.
Ide: (Knowing him better than this, she responded with amusement.) Hmhmhm, somehow I doubt that.
When this little episode passed, both of them took battle-ready stances, something Baiko took notice of before raising him arm to start the match.
Baiko: Alright. If both of you are ready…begin!
Ide immediately clapped her hands together, wax spilling from her mouth moments later and gathering at her feet. Irezumi also formed a hand sign before extending out his arms, revealing a kunai-shaped tattoo at the center of each of his palms, which began glowing as he called out their title.
Irezumi: Ninja Art: Super Beasts Tattoo! Kunai Discharge!
The tattoos immediately sprang to life and began firing kunai from his hands in rapid succession. Fortunately for Ide, the wall of wax she was building had already grown to a height and width large enough to shield her from the oncoming projectiles, much to the relief of Nakama overhead.
Nakama: (Just narrowly dodged them.)
Airon: (Hmm, Irezumi’s not one to lose momentum so easily, though. …She’d best keep on her toes.)
Irezumi didn’t waste much more time using the tattoo, knowing that the now hardened wall would be more than capable of withstanding them. In the meantime, Ide took the opportunity to create more wax and use it to form a handful of clones, which ran out from behind the wax structure just as Irezumi ceased use of his kunai. Hardly fazed, though, he immediately formed another hand sign, causing the bottom of his bare feet to begin glowing.
Irezumi: (Hmhm, gonna have to catch me first, Ide.) Super Beasts Tattoo! Roller Blades!
Irezumi suddenly found himself lifted slightly into the air, the cause being the pair of small wheels now located under either of his feet. As Ide’s doppelgangers closed in, they quickly began spinning rapidly, taking off at high speed as they came within reach, much to the wonder of the audience.
Darui: Wheels on the bottom of his feet for enhanced speed…a very clever idea.
Naruto: (Having seen this tattoo in action before, he couldn’t help but grin as he watched the match unfold.) Hehehe, I always did like that one. …Wonder what else he’ll show off this match.
Sasuke: (He nodded before responding, what thoughts were in his head at the moment prompting him to smirk.) Not too much, hopefully. (He should save his strength for when he takes on Manako.)
Down below, Irezumi continued to avoid Ide’s clones with ease, thanks in no small part to the tattoo underneath his feet. Before he realized it, though, more than two dozen clones had flooded the arena, prompting him to chuckle out of embarrassment at his own absentmindedness before forming another hand sign.
Irezumi: Super Beasts Tattoo! Protruding Blades!
The call was directed towards the sword-shaped tattoos on the back of either of his forearms, which suddenly began glowing before two four-foot blades emerged from where the tattoos originally were. Taking a moment to brush them together and create sparks, showing to the audience that they were indeed metallic in nature, he took off again, his speed and the strength of the blades allowing him to cut through half of Ide’s clones in just seconds flat. As he picked each of them off one by one, the color in their skin and clothes faded and the grayish mush left behind slowly melted away before cooling again, leaving only a pile of hardened wax in their wake.
Nakama: He’s slicing through them so fast that they don’t have a chance to harden and ensnare his blades. …It’s almost unfair.
Manako: (Scanning the rest of the battlefield with his Sharingan, he eventually stopped on the real Ide.) Don’t be so quick to write her off, Nakama. …It looks like she’s planning something else while he’s preoccupied.
Airon: (Noticing her, as well, he took a moment to peer into his mind and found amusement in what he discovered.) Ahhhh…
With nearly all the clones dispatched and knowing she’d barely moved an inch since the chase began, Irezumi also turned his attention back towards the real Ide, finding to his surprise and amusement that she’d been spending her entire time constructing a colossal mound of still softened wax, which she stood on top of as she continued spewing more fresh wax over top of it.
Irezumi: That looks awfully taxing, Ide!
Ide: (As the last bit of wax spewed from her mouth, she looked over at him and smiled.) I promised you I would put everything I had into this match, didn’t I!?
Somewhat eager to see what she was planning, he began revving up his wheels, taking a moment to dispatch two more clones attempting to approach him from behind before taking off towards the mound. For the moment, Ide continued pouring out more wax over the enormous structure, giving Irezumi a large enough window to leap up and over it. Before he could even touch the ground, though, she quickly stopped pouring out more wax and clasped her hands together, pressing them down on top of the mound and causing a large section of it to lunge out and attack him, forcing him to disperse his blades and form a new hand sign.
Irezumi: Super Beasts Tattoo! Angel Wings!
In almost an instant, two large white wings burst forth from the long incisions in the back of his sweatshirt, creating a huge gust of wind with a single flap and pushing him back and out of the way of Ide’s attack. He immediately disposed of them upon returning to the ground in front of the mound, from the side of which yet another large section of it had began lunging outward, but as he turned to retreat back even further, he found Ide’s remaining clones from before approaching fast, leaving him unable to avoid one without being taken by the other. With little or no time to make that decision left, he heaved a sigh of annoyance and embarrassment.
Irezumi: Huhhh… (Hmhm, alright. Guess I’ll take one for the team this time.)
Choosing the clones over the mound, he leapt backwards and was immediately ensnared by them from all sides, forcing him to lunge forward to keep his arms free as the color in each clone faded and they began melting away, hardening just moments later and encasing him inside. With one of his elbows trapped within the wax and his hands more than three feet apart, he was unable to form a hand sign, prompting a smile to emerge on Ide’s face from afar.
Ide: Gotcha.
This turn of events catching almost everyone off guard, several of them began commending Ide for her ability to plan ahead and outsmart Irezumi, including their peers.
Airon: She waited until his wings were gone before moving in with her clones and surrounding him. …He had nowhere else to go except closer to that huge mound, so he decided to get captured by the clones instead. …Very smart thinking, Ide.
Minto: That wax is hard as a rock when it cools. I don’t think he’s going anywhere now.
Taigen: He’s not…done, is he?
Manako: (Not quite ready to give up on their chances of meeting next round, he watched intensively as Irezumi struggled to connect his hands.) I doubt it. He started moving around as they jumped on him and he was able to get enough space to move one of his arms. …The question is, if he does manage to form a hand sign, does he have any tattoos he can use to break through all that wax?
Finding amusement in this, Airon relayed the question to Irezumi as he continued his endeavor, prompting him to smirk as he finally formed his hand sign.
Irezumi: (Hmhm, just what kind of question is that, Manako?) Nnnnggghhh…Super Beasts Tattoo…Pin Needles!!
Cracks slowly began appearing throughout the hardened wax contraption until, at last, it shattered to pieces, revealing Irezumi’s body to be covered in thin spikes that extended out over three feet. Once they disappeared again, he quickly pulled himself out of what pieces of the wax mass the spikes didn’t destroy, while the audience looked on in amazement, including his grandmother.
Ino: Whoa…when did he add that one?
Sai: (Having watched the process he undertook to apply this tattoo, he gave a genuine smile as he explained it to Ino.) He just finished adding the last few dots last night. He had been working on mapping his body and applying them for most of the month…as if he predicted something similar to this would happen today. (You never cease to surprise me, Irezumi.)
Inojin: (He tightened his fist in anticipation.) Hmhm, you’ve got her now, son.
Kenji: Watch out, Ide!! He’s on a roll here!!
She took his words to heart, but Ide couldn’t help but smile as she pressed her hands to the wax mound and began channeling whatever chakra she had left into it, prompting several more clones to emerge from its walls, sections of which also began branching off in case Irezumi came too close. An idea already in mind for how to get past them, Irezumi smiled up at her as he formed what he expected to be his last hand sign of the match.
Irezumi: Super Beasts Tattoo! Roller Blades! Dancing Embers! Protruding Blades!
Once again, blades appeared on his arms and wheels on his feet, his fingertips setting ablaze, as well. Waiting for the first wave of clones to approach, he quickly dispatched them with his blades and charged forward. Taking care of the rest of her clones with ease, he approached the mound and was immediately ambushed by two large extrusions, prompting him to swipe his hands and cover them in flames, melting them just enough for him to cut through them with his blades and advance closer to the mound. He continued this process with the mound itself, encircling it and covering every inch of it he could find with fire, eventually melting the entire thing. Cut off from what wax she had already produced, she clasped her hands together and lowered her head to exude more, only to lift it back up as guided by Irezumi’s blades, which were crossed over one another and pressed against her neck. There was no terror in the situation to be found, however, and Ide looked up into Irezumi’s eyes and smiled, as he did in return.
Irezumi: Now then, would you be so kind as to withdraw? …I’d hate to have to use these on you.
Recognizing these words as ones she used in her own preliminary match, she giggled softly before responding.
Ide: Hmhm, seems I don’t have a choice.
As Irezumi dispersed his blades and wheels, Ide held up her hand to surrender, prompting Baiko to announce the results of the match.
Baiko: The winner is…Irezumi Yamanaka!
The audience suddenly broke into thunderous applause, as much of which went to Ide for her surprising ability as a kunoichi as did to Irezumi for actually winning the match. The Kage quickly delved into a discussion about the match’s outcome, in particular what awaited its loser in the aftermath of the exams.
Konohamaru: Well…she did have him pinned for a moment there, not to mention the huge amount of chakra it must’ve taken to produce all that wax.
Darui: Sorry, Hokage, but I don’t consider that enough to say she’s ready to be a chūnin.
Mei: Well now, Lord Raikage, you could go a little easier on the poor girl. She did have an incredibly adaptive opponent.
Chōjūrō: I agree.
Suigetsu: (Of course you do, kiss-ass.) That doesn’t mean for sure that any other opponent wouldn’t have been able to break free from that wax, though.
Ryoku: I have to agree with Suigetsu, Lord Tsuchikage. You simply can’t promote a genin based solely off speculation.
Kurotsuchi: …Yeah, I guess not. I don’t think we’ve seen enough yet to prove she’s ready. Thoughts, Kazekage?
Gaara: …Taking into account the preliminaries, as well, she has shown more skill than most genin her age, not to mention a bit of cunning since she did corner her opponent once, even at the speed he was moving at.
Many of them nodded in agreement to Gaara’s words, but the verdict was still mostly undecided afterwards, prompting Konohamaru to draw their attention elsewhere.
Konohamaru: Well, we don’t have to decide anything just yet. We’ll wait until the time comes to make that decision. In the meantime, I’m assuming your thoughts on Irezumi are unanimous?
Kurotsuchi: Oh, absolutely. He’s shown more talent so far than many others have shown this entire exam. His passing should be guaranteed by this point.
Sasuke: (He smirked as he responded to this remark, in a way Sakura couldn’t help but shake her head at.) Until the next round, at least, when Manako makes him look like a meager Academy student.
Gaara: You sound confident your grandson will defeat my granddaughter, Sasuke.
Those on the balcony immediately turned their heads towards either Sasuke or Gaara, both of whom had locked eyes with one another. Down below, Ide and Irezumi returned to their own balcony and were quickly greeted by their peers, the former taking up a conversation with Nakama while the latter spoke to Airon and Manako.
Nakama: Are you alright?
Ide: Hmhmhm, perfectly fine, Nakama. It feels like a relief to no longer have to engage in the fighting.
Nakama: (She smiled gently at her friend’s peace-loving demeanor.) Hmhm, with any luck, you impressed the Kages enough to where you won’t have to ever again.
Ide nodded in agreement, hoping this to be the case when those announcements were made later on. Meanwhile, Airon and Manako inquired about Irezumi, who didn’t seem nearly as pleased with his victory as some of them expected.
Manako: Are you feeling alright, Irezumi?
Irezumi: A bit nauseous.
Airon: (Already having an idea in mind for why, he chuckled at this.) Hehehehe, why’s that?
Irezumi: Well, just look at the standings right now. The way it’s set up, if I manage to beat Manako, I’ll wind up facing you. If I manage to find a way around you, I’ve gotta face Nakama in the finals. …Just can’t win for lose in this tournament, it seems.
Airon: Hmhmhm, that is pretty bad, isn’t it? They oughta just save you a spot on the Hokage Monument if you find a way through all that.
Sabure: Whoever said that you would be facing him next round?
The three of them immediately turned to face Sabure, as did Nakama and Ide, all of them surprised by this somewhat daring declaration.
Sabure: You’re obviously strong, Manako Uchiha. I don’t even have to watch you fight to see that…but I’m the Kazekage’s granddaughter. And I intend to live up to my bloodline today.
Airon was ready to laugh for her ignorance to Manako’s full strength, but the determination in her voice prompted him to bite his tongue as she locked eyes with her future opponent. Watching them, one might’ve expected them to begin fighting right there on the balcony, then Manako suddenly cracked a smile.
Manako: I’m looking forward to our match, Sabure of the Sand Village.
His change in expression was enough to throw her off, but his smile prompted Sabure to look away as her face began turning red, much to Airon’s amusement. Before he could voice this to Manako, though, Baiko called for the next two contestants, their names prompting the entire stadium to fall silent in anticipation.
Baiko: I need Sabure and Manako Uchiha to approach the arena floor!!
Irezumi moves on with more trouble than first expected, but is Manako guaranteed to do the same!!?
The End
