บท 27: 27. Winner
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Hanabi found herself in a compromised position, caught between the original Sora and his clone. For a moment, it seemed like Sora had claimed victory.
But Hanabi wasn't finished yet. Just as both Soras were about to grab her, she released a massive burst of chakra from every point in her body. The force of it sent the original Sora flying backwards, crashing into a nearby tree.
"I did it!" Hanabi exclaimed, a rare smile breaking across her face. "I mastered the Body Blow!"
Her celebration was short-lived, however, as Sora's clone was still upon her. She twisted in a manoeuvre that would have made a contortionist jealous, barely managing to block the clone's kunai. In its other hand, she spotted another seal, which she was careful not to let touch her.
The next few exchanges were tense, with Hanabi forced on the defensive. The clone was relentless, pushing her to her limits as she dodged and parried its attacks. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't find an opening to counterattack without risking contact with the mysterious seal.
Just as Hanabi was beginning to gain the upper hand, she heard movement behind her. The original Sora had recovered and was rushing back into the fray. Hanabi's eyes narrowed in concentration as she prepared to face both opponents simultaneously.
But Sora had other plans. Instead of engaging directly, he made a hand sign with his non-sealed hand. At the same time, his clone formed another sign. Together, they created the cross-shaped seal for the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
With a puff of smoke, a third Sora appeared on the battlefield. The trio of Soras grinned in unison before charging at Hanabi from different angles.
Hanabi gritted her teeth, her Byakugan working overtime to track all three opponents. The original Sora took point, using his sealed arm to block her major strikes. Meanwhile, the clones applied constant pressure, never giving her a moment's respite.
'This is bad,' Hanabi thought, narrowly avoiding a sweeping kick from one of the clones. 'I can't keep this up forever.'
Just as she was considering her options, she noticed Sora and one of his clones forming hand signs in tandem. Her Byakugan detected a surge of chakra, and suddenly, a thin thread of energy was rushing towards her.
'A substitution jutsu?' Hanabi realized, quickly expelling chakra from her body to prevent the technique from latching onto her.
But her momentary distraction cost her. In the next instant, a massive fireball erupted from Sora's position, hurtling towards her with alarming speed.
Hanabi's eyes widened in shock. She dove to the side, the heat of the flames singeing the edges of her robes. As she rolled to her feet, she noticed something odd. The positions of Sora's shadow clones had changed drastically, far more than should have been possible in such a short time.
'Wait a minute,' Hanabi thought, her mind racing. 'That fireball... it couldn't be...'
Suddenly, everything clicked into place. The weird positioning, the impossibly fast movement, the overly flashy fireball - it all pointed to one thing.
"Kai!" Hanabi shouted, disrupting her chakra flow to dispel the genjutsu she had fallen into.
The illusory world shattered around her, revealing the true battlefield. To her horror, she found Sora's kunai mere inches from her neck, poised to strike.
With a burst of desperate energy, Hanabi executed her newly mastered Body Blow technique. The chakra explosion sent Sora's shadow clone flying backwards, dispelling it in a puff of smoke.
But Hanabi had no time to celebrate her small victory. A rain of kunai descended from above, forcing her to showcase her mastery of the Gentle Fist style. Her hands moved in a blur, deflecting each projectile with pinpoint accuracy.
As she parried the last kunai, a sense of accomplishment washed over her. But that feeling was short-lived.
In her focus on the aerial assault, Hanabi had momentarily forgotten about Sora's remaining clone. She felt arms wrap around her from behind, a kunai pressing gently against her throat.
"I wouldn't move if I were you," Sora's voice whispered in her ear. "This clone is rigged to explode if you try anything."
Hanabi froze, her mind racing for a solution. But she knew she was beaten. With a heavy sigh, she relaxed her stance.
"I... I yield," she said, her voice a mixture of disappointment and grudging respect.
Sora's clone carefully released her, stepping back with a grin. "Good fight, Hanabi. You really had me on my toes there for a while."
As the adrenaline of the battle faded, Hanabi's curiosity got the better of her. "How did you do it?" she asked. "How did you sneak up on me without my Byakugan noticing?"
Sora, dispelling his remaining clone, walked over with a proud smirk. "The genjutsu was double-layered," he explained. "The first layer showed you the fireball and the weird clone positioning, making you realize you were in a genjutsu. When you dispelled that, you thought you were back in reality."
"But I wasn't," Hanabi finished, understanding dawning on her face.
Sora nodded. "Exactly. The second layer was much subtler. It just hid the presence of one of my clones while you were distracted by the kunai rain."
Hanabi couldn't help but pout, both impressed and annoyed by the clever tactic. "That's... actually pretty smart," she admitted reluctantly.
From his position at the edge of the clearing, Sasuke cleared his throat. "If you two are done, I'm calling this match. Winner: Sora."
As Sasuke announced the result, reactions varied among the hidden observers.
In their concealed spot, Hiashi Hyuga's face was a storm of conflicting emotions. Pride in his daughter's impressive showing warred with disappointment at her ultimate defeat. But beneath it all was a grudging respect for the boy who had bested her.
"Well," Kakashi drawled, his visible eye crinkling in amusement, "that was certainly entertaining. Your daughter put up quite a fight, Hiashi."
Hiashi grunted noncommittally, his eyes still fixed on the clearing. "She still has much to learn," he said, his tone stern but tinged with a hint of approval.
Kakashi chuckled. "Don't we all? But I have to say, I'm impressed with both of them. Sora's come a long way since he started his... extracurricular activities."
At the mention of Sora's pranks, Hiashi's eye twitched slightly. "That boy is a menace," he grumbled, but there was less heat in his words than before.
"A creative menace," Kakashi corrected with a smile. "One that just might make an excellent ninja someday."
Back in the clearing, despite her loss, the young Hyuga held her head high, her posture every bit as dignified as her father's.
"You fought well," Sora said, genuine respect in his voice. "For a moment there, I thought you had me."
Hanabi's cheeks puffed out in annoyance. "I'll beat you next time," she declared, her white eyes blazing with determination.
Sora couldn't help but laugh. "I look forward to it, Hanabi. But maybe we should train together sometime? I could teach you some of my tricks, and you could show me more about the Gentle Fist style."
Hanabi hesitated, torn between her desire to improve and her lingering annoyance at losing. Finally, she nodded. "Fine. But no more pranks on the Hyuga compound!"
Sora grinned mischievously. "No promises. But I'll give you a heads up next time, deal?"
As the two began to bicker good-naturedly, Sasuke watched with a mix of exasperation and amusement. "If you're done, I'm leaving," he announced, already turning to go.
"Aw, come on, Sasuke!" Sora called out. "Don't you want to join us for some victory ramen?"
Sasuke paused, glancing back with a raised eyebrow. "Victory ramen?"
Sora grinned. "Yeah! It's a tradition. The winner buys ramen for everyone involved in the match. Including the referee," he added with a wink.
For a moment, Sasuke looked torn. On the one hand, he had an aloof reputation to maintain. On the other hand... free food.
After a brief internal struggle, Sasuke sighed. "Fine. But only because I'm hungry."
As the unlikely trio made their way towards Ichiraku Ramen, none of them noticed the two jounin following at a discreet distance.
"You know," Kakashi mused, his nose buried in his ever-present book, "I think I could go for some ramen myself."
Hiashi looked scandalized. "Surely you're not suggesting we join them?"
Kakashi's eye crinkled in a smile. "Why not? It could be... educational. Besides, don't you want to hear what your daughter has to say about the match?"
Hiashi hesitated, his stern facade cracking slightly. "I suppose... it wouldn't hurt to observe from a closer vantage point."
And so, the strange procession made its way through Konoha: three children, two hidden jounin, and the promise of victory ramen hanging in the air.
As they walked, Sora couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Not just from winning the match, but from the unexpected connections he had forged. A rivalry with Hanabi, a tentative friendship with Sasuke, and who knew what else the future might hold?
One thing was certain: life in Konoha was never going to be boring with Sora around. And as for the Hyuga clan... well, they might just have to get used to a little more excitement in their lives.
After all, Sora thought with a mischievous grin, he still had plenty of pranks up his sleeve. And next time, he'd make sure the entire Hyuga compound turned not just red, but every color of the rainbow.
But that, as they say, is a story for another day.
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