Chương 13: Tasteless Victory
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction based on multiple existing anime/manga series. The characters and settings used in this story belong to their respective owners and creators, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is purely for entertainment purposes and is not intended to infringe upon any existing intellectual property. I do not own any of the original works that inspired this fanfiction, and I fully support the original creators and their works.
-Story Start-
-Morning Time-
-11 Months And 3 Weeks Following The Entrance Ceremony At The Academy-
-Third Person POV-
In a familiar Classroom, kids converse amongst themselves with renewed vigor as they await the arrival of their Sensei to start the day, having digested and accepted the tragedy that occurred only 2 weeks ago, the more cheerful children taking a great deal of the credit to the mood's uplifting.
The kids, innocent and pure, mirror the current mental state of the Village. Tragedy it may have been, but they must move on. Focus on the present. Much like the kids, the adults followed quickly after, the renewed happiness of the children being the light they needed in the face of such a tragedy.
Nevertheless... Mourning can only last so long, in a world accustomed to Death.
However, a somber silence envelops the once-buzzing room upon the expected arrival of the Last Uchiha. Sasuke passes through the door with a detached nonchalance, his face the epitome of apathy.
Nervous, pitying, and worried looks follow his every step as he makes his way towards his designated seat, seemingly unperturbed by the situation as he sits down.
Everyone, even those who sorely lacked tact, knew better than to approach or converse with the Last Uchiha. Opting to continue observing and pitying the boy from afar.
Not everyone, that is.
The sound of someone rising from their seat pierces through the silence, their footsteps echoing clearly.
Eyes turn and widen as they notice the direction the boy is headed.
Towards the Last Uchiha.
As the boy reaches the Uchiha, the Uchiha can't help but raise his head and glare at his... Classmate? Rival? Friend? Acquaintance? standing before him.
Even he doesn't know what he would call him.
But these nuances are irrelevant in regard to the sheer audacity of what the boy conveyed to the Uchiha...
-Akira POV-
In reality, as I stand in front of Sasuke, a remnant of what he used to be, his eyes radiating not even a glimmer of his original innocence.
Hell, I don't even know if this is Sasuke, with how dead those eyes are. An unrecognizable mood for the once more alive boy...
But I can't blame him.
Honestly, there is only one thing I wanted to tell him.
No, I had to tell him.
The reason behind this tactless approach towards a boy who definitely does not want anyone's company.
"Sasuke. I'm so sorry." I genuinely apologized, bowing at a 90-degree angle.
At that moment, I heard a collective gasp from the onlookers.
No response came from Sasuke, so I decided to raise my body back to his eye level to take a look and...
A shiver went down my spine at the anger and hate radiating from Sasuke's now elevated glare.
With gritted teeth, he seethed, "Get out of my sight Nara. Spare me your useless pity..."
Another, shocked gasp came from the onlookers, some even expecting a fight to start.
However.
Having received the message, I nodded and swiftly turned, making my way back to my seat, having expected this reaction from Sasuke.
But not before I whispered softly, "That wasn't pity."
His wrong interpretation of my apology was logical.
There was no way for him to know the true reason behind my apology.
And truth be told, I'd rather it stay that way...
As I made my way back with eyes watching my every move, to my designated seat near Choji and Shikamaru.
A look of awe appeared on Choji's face.
Though Shikamaru's expression clearly conveyed disappointment.
"You just had to selfishly apologize to him, didn't you?" Shikamaru grumbled as I sat down.
Of course, Shikamaru would be able to guess the true motivation behind my apology... Though there is no way he knows why I felt like this. He's not that smart... I hope.
I let out a relieved sigh and responded, "*Sigh* It may have been selfish, but I needed this."
Shikamaru let out an exasperated sigh and said, "Well, I guess you couldn't help yourself."
"That was so brave of you to give your condolences to Sasuke like that Akira!" Choji praised, his eyes shining with admiration, completely ignoring Shikamaru's contrasting perspective on my apology.
...He's wrong. I wouldn't pity Sasuke so bluntly. That wasn't the reason I apologized. But it's fine if he misinterprets it like that.
"Thanks, Choji." I easily accept his genuine admiration
I still felt judgmental looks sent my way, mostly from the Sasuke Fan Club girls. They already know better than to commence with verbal warfare against me.
Nevertheless, it made me genuinely uncomfortable thanks to the prior situation.
Thankfully, the looks stopped at the boisterous new arrival.
Suddenly, a voice rang out, cutting through the tension in the room. "UZUMAKI NARUTO HAS ARRIVED!" Like a siren, the Blond Menace yelled out his almighty presence, completely oblivious to the current atmosphere.
As you may or may not have noticed, Naruto has come to the realization that if you're a genuine nuisance, your existence cannot be ignored.
Also, he is majorly credited with uplifting the mood of the class these past few weeks.
His annoying presence can replace even the worst of your emotions with a desire to beat him up.
And so...
Whether it's his peculiar attention-grabbing charisma or, more likely, his irritating aura. The entire class's mood and atmosphere changed so suddenly that it gave me whiplash.
At the appearance of a much easier target to verbally abuse, the fan club attacked with vehemence
"Naruto! Shut up! Can't you see Sasuke is sad?!" One fangirl yelled out
"Idiot!" Sakura pointed at the blonde menace
"SHUT UP! WHAT'S WITH YOU GUYS?!" Naruto, scandalized, tried to pacify the fire he just unleashed upon himself... By yelling back at them even louder.
Shikamaru with his ears already covered couldn't help mutter something completely out of character, though makes sense given the situation.
"Where's Suzuki-sensei when you need him?" He muttered in annoyance.
At that moment, a small smile tugged at the corners of my lips.
Strangely, it appears Naruto has come to my rescue today.
Guess I owe him a favor then?
-Scene Change-
-5 Days Later-
-Evening Time-
"*SIP*, Eiichi-sensei," I began, maintaining a respectful and slightly annoyed tone as I sat in his office, taking a sip of the premium-grade tea he'd offered. "I'd like to understand why our lessons have been reduced from twice a week to just once."
"Unfortunately, I'll be occupied with some Clan matters for the next few months. Also, this is quite a convenient opportunity is it not? Shikaku has expressed to me his intention of personally teaching you and Shikamaru the Clan's time-honored jutsu on Thursdays." He explained easily
"Why not teach me on another day then? And not just Thursdays and Saturdays. What? Is some clan business so important you can't spare an evening's worth of time to guide the Clan's new Kekkei Genkai user?" I continued, my eyes narrowed and face expressing further annoyance.
At my words, his poker face formed a slight smirk
"I'm pleased that you are well aware of your position, as well as abusing your importance in your favor. Indeed, what you express is correct, an evening of guiding you is much more important than some regular clan business." He agreed
Okay... Give me the punchline.
"But...?"
"But nothing. I may be busy, but Makoto is not. He will be teaching you on Fridays."
"Hmm... Who's Makoto again?" I ask
At that, Eiichi's smirk turns into a frown of disappointment
"We've been through this Akira, there are some individuals that are so important their existence needs to be drilled into your mind if need be. Your naive forgetfulness be damned" He shook his head
"Okay, okay" I roll my eyes at his exaggerated dramatics.
Eiichi relents and tiredly explains, his usually composed demeanor showing signs of fatigue.
"...Makoto is one such individual to be recognized and remembered, by his sheer proximity and relevance in the clan. Makoto is like me, one of the Clan Elders of the Nara. His responsibility is Finance and Supply Chain for the Nara. Also, he is the individual from whom I sourced the equipment and Suna-made poisons you store in your shadows. He's also one of the only individuals aware of your Kekkei Genkai."
Ah, now I remember! He's the madlad supplier who got me all those cool toys in my shadows. I think we'd get along great!
Hmm... Yeah, this could work!
"Alright! Sounds good! Thanks for keeping me in mind Eiichi-sensei!" I bow gratefully to my sensei
"Do not worry Akira. Your education is not something I will allow to be neglected. *SIP* Let us make haste to the training grounds." He took a last sip of his tea as he got up.
"Right!"
-Scene Change-
At the secluded underground training ground, I stood confidently, as I wanted to show off to Eiichi some of the tricks I had in mind and practiced in the forest with Shikamaru's occasional help... And get some advice on the practicality of those tricks as well.
"Now, please demonstrate your progress before we begin your training." He gestured for me to begin.
Okay, here's the first interesting one... But damn did it take a long time to nail it correctly
I took off my shoes to expose my feet, much to Eiichi's confusion.
I lift a foot up and bring up my hand to it.
I carefully control and move my foot and toes in tandem with my hand to barely make up the shape of a Shadowgraphic dog.
"Divine Dogs" I announce as I feel a dip in my chakra.
Liquid shadows move to form Noc and Mir by my side.
At that, I turn to look at an impressed and contemplating Eiichi.
How's that you old coot?!
"Fascinating, so summoning your Creatures does not strictly require the use of your hands... It operates as long as you make up the rough shape of the intended shadow and the usage of your Chakra." He states his observation.
"That's right! I thought that I'd be in big trouble were I to somehow break even one of my hands, it would render my Kekkei Genkai unusable. But it seems as long as the shape of the shadow is formed in tandem with intentional channeling of my Chakra I can summon the intended Shadow Creature." I nod
"Hmm... Have you tried testing whether you can summon your Shadow Creatures were someone or something else form the shape of the intended summon?" He questioned
A good question! Unfortunately, the results are disappointing.
"Yeah... Sadly, it doesn't work if someone else does it for some reason. I tried with Shikamaru, and even when he attempted to form the shadow, the Kekkei Genkai remained unresponsive. It only works if I'm responsible for the forming of the Shadow. This is what I've managed to confirm up to now, I have no idea whether it'd work if I formed the Shadow using external tools. My theory is that it needs to be MY BODY that forms the Shadow for it to be registered as acceptable and eligible to be activated." I elaborate.
"Something to test. If that doesn't work. I'd estimate it would work with a Jutsu that whether intentionally or unintentionally forms the Shadow." Eiichi added
"Yeah, but I can't shape the Fire Jutsu I learned as I please..." I stated simply.
"Elementary observation, Akira. For that to work, you'll have to learn Shape Transformation, which is a high-level technique well beyond your current level of expertise. It's something to test in the far future, my boy." Eiichi added without a hint of empathy
Shape transformation? That's a new term. Didn't hear of it in the Academy as of now so that must be some advanced shit.
Guess I'll know how that works later on.
Upon noticing my contemplative silence he asked
"Anything else?" with a raised eyebrow
Of course not! Did you really think this was it?!
"Sensei... I'd suggest keeping your distance." I warn
He wordlessly adheres to my warning and instantly moves to the edge of the training ground in a creepy feat of speed.
"Alright, thanks for the help Noc, Mir, See you soon."
I dismiss Noc and Mir as I move my hands to summon my newest addition to my "Akira Army". Title as always, subject to change.
"Rabbit Escape!" I form the shadowgraphic Rabbit and suddenly out comes a swarm of rabbits
They grow madly in number until they come to a sudden stop in growth.
Leaving me with an army's worth of Rabbits that are currently awaiting my command. Also translated into emergency food for the more creative ones.
Ahem.
Rabbit Escape is the most unique of all the Shikigami I currently have tamed.
Unlike the rest of the Shikigami, There are no consequences for killing some of the rabbits or even most of them. I can keep summoning more and more.
The reason behind this?
"Original Whiskers! Get your ass over here!" I yelled out my command so the entire swarm could hear it.
Slow shuffling is heard amongst the swarm and a lone Rabbit, identical to the rest of the Rabbits in the swarm makes his way towards me, stopping in front of me.
As you may or may not have guessed, the key to defeating and killing Rabbit Escape is killing the Original Rabbit. The one who is cloning the others.
And no, there is no way to distinguish which one is the real one, even I don't know. Only the Original and the others know who the real one is.
So I have to resort to asking and ordering them to bring out their leader.
Anyways, about the Original Whiskers...
The cloning process doesn't originate from him in a sense, I suspect that he is just a canvas, a blueprint, that is required to repeatedly summon the rest when I activate the technique.
If he is damaged, changed etc... The rest of them will follow suit and copy those changes as they are created/summoned.
However, if a clone for example is told a secret before I dismiss it. The next time I summon Rabbit Escape, none of them will know of what I told the clone.
Why? Because when Rabbit Escape is summoned or when new Rabbits are created. The Original is cloned anew. Nothing remains of the prior summoned swarm, except the Original of course.
Only Whiskers himself may be taught something. And consequently, the rest are cloned with his knowledge.
Fortunately, the swarm can communicate amongst themselves and coordinate mentally. However, the transfer of knowledge doesn't apply unless they explicitly tell each other.
Thoroughly discovered this when I ordered the Clone Whiskers to not tell the rest about the secret I conveyed to him.
Nevertheless, how the cloning process works is still a mystery to me.
When I activate the technique there is a set amount of Whiskers Clones that are summoned, a limit which I can't currently bypass.
However, when some are destroyed I can summon more at the cost of Chakra directly from the Shadows. As long as the Original Whiskers is manifested, that is.
As a side note... Rabbit Escape costs roughly THREE BLOODY TIMES as much as Noc and Mir.
Yes, an absurd cost.
But, interestingly, the upkeep for them is dependent on how many Rabbits there are currently manifested. Then again, renewing the numbers also consumes a significant amount of my Chakra...
What a pain. I need to set up a Chakra generator or something at this point really...
Thankfully, I've noticed that better proficiency in Chakra Usage, or better yet called Chakra Control lowers somewhat the Chakra Drain I consistently feel when the Shikigami are manifested.
I didn't notice this up to the past few days when I REALLY focused on the drain I had. I initially believed I could maintain them longer because my Chakra Capacity grew. Which is true, but that wasn't the only reason apparently.
However, the initial base cost when summoning them seems to be static and unchangeable.
To end it off, I named the Original Rabbit: Whiskers.
I know, an ingenious name!
Ahem! Monologue over! Onto the demonstration...
"Whiskers! Initiate the Whiskers Kamikaze attack on that dummy!" I order as I suddenly pull out an explosive tag from my shadows, channeling Chakra into it. Throwing it in the air and pointing at a dummy.
At that, Original Whiskers backs off to safety whilst he orders the closest clone to grab the airborne tag.
The signaled clone without hesitation hops and grabs the tag in it's mouth. hopping quickly towards the dummy.
Upon arrival near the dummy a second passes and then...
*BOOM* The Whiskers Clone explodes into a bloody and gory mess. The dummy, of course, was damaged heavily by that explosion.
...Did I mention these Rabbits are seriously hardcore?
Having gotten used to gory messes in this life, especially Rabbit-sourced gory messes, I, unperturbed by the sight turn to look at Eiichi from afar to gauge his reaction.
"A fine tactic." He praises me with a hint of admiration in his voice as he appears by my side, which doesn't scare me anymore.
Of fucking course it's a fine tactic... It's genius!
Why didn't Megumi attach C4 to his Rabbits or anything offensive really?!
Don't answer that question!
My point is... These things have so much potential!
From that Kamikaze Whiskers maneuver, The Whiskers Support team maneuver, and much more! Thankfully, I've drilled into the Original Whiskers the importance of his life and how he should NEVER get into combat.
You know, he dies and there goes the whole Shikigami.
Nevertheless... I have a literal army of cloning rabbits. In tandem with a deadly arsenal of mostly poisons and gasses...
Do you see where I'm going with this?
Because I definitely do!
"Alright, Thank you Whiskers for the demonstration. I'll see you later!" I nod at the swarm, The Original Whiskers having hidden himself amongst them prior to the explosion.
I dismiss them, as the entire swarm melts in front of me, freeing up a lot of space in the training ground, leaving me and Eiichi alone once again.
"Before we begin, I have a gift for you." Eiichi added after a moment
Nice, wonder what it is. His gifts are usually of the more... Deadly kind.
Just as I had that thought, he retrieved a storage scroll and unsealed it with a puff of smoke.
As the smoke began to disperse I pondered what it could be.
Poison?
Gas?
Sword?
Explosives?
Finally, the smoke dispersed granting me a clear sight of... a literal pile of Books.
Curses! Eiichi gave me the deadliest of all weapons! Bloody books!
Jokes aside... What the fuck is this?
"Eiichi... What are those books?" I pointed towards the books in a deadpan
"Grab one and read out its title, you tell me." He said with a hint of humor and mystery
This guy really can't decide whether he wants to be a mischievous sensei or a stone-faced one...
"...Okay?" I agree with a hint of suspicion as I approach the stack of Books to grab the first one that stands out to me.
I grab it and read out its title aloud.
"Assasination Basics. Authored by an EX Anbu Captain. Clearance Level - Chunin"
...I see, intriguing first sample, truly, let's see the next book.
I carefully lower the first book I took, proceeding to grab the second one that stood out to me.
"Human Organs, Vitals, Pressure points, and more! The resourceful method to dispatch your enemy! Clearance Level - Genin"
Ominous much? I'm sensing a theme here. I'll check out 2 more just in case.
I grab a third book.
"Assasination Intermediate. Authored by an EX Anbu Captain. Clearance Level - Jonin"
Nice! A fucking sequel! In case I didn't get enough from the first one!
Okay... Last one, just in case.
I grab a 4th book to test my already confirmed theory, but I'd like to be delusional sometimes.
"The Art Of Seduction And Persuasion. A Shinobi's Way of Information Extraction, Coercion, Seduction, and more! Clearance Level - Chunin."
Marvelous... Give a 7-year-old a book on seduction why won't ya?
Well, I guess I'm doing this now. I've learned over this year to not question how Eiichi gets these clearly confidential and or illegal material that I'm definitely not supposed to have.
You know "Jonin Clearance Level" and all. Which I'm definitely not.
I'll guess what he's trying to do here...
"Books on assassination, information gathering etc... Do you want me to enroll in the ANBU or something?" I hazard a guess at his intentions as I return the 4th book to its spot in the pile.
Eiichi shakes his head and imparts his seasoned wisdom, "Your assessment is intriguing, but there's a deeper layer to it. We hold you in high regard, too much to enlist you in the ANBU. After a thorough examination of your Kekkei Genkai and your current capabilities, it's clear that your forte lies in assassination. While your chakra reserves are above average for a Nara your age, they're still limited. Therefore, it's crucial to employ them judiciously. Instead of squandering your resources on flashy jutsu, your best approach is to swiftly and discreetly conclude battles, much like an assassin would. Take time to study your adversaries, identify their vulnerabilities, and use your skills prudently to eliminate them without unnecessary commotion."
I took a moment to digest his explanation...
I see what he means, I also felt that would be the best way for me to operate.
Ever since I initially tested the Ten Shadows I knew it would be a matter of resource management with my Chakra and the Shikigami themselves.
It will always be a matter of correct judgment with my Chakra taken into account.
Each situation I could find myself in may have a response, and it'll mostly be a question of what's the best response in terms of Chakra management.
Will this Shikigami suffice?
Will I need multiple Shikigami to do this faster and conserve more Chakra than the usage of one Shikigami?
Will a Jutsu be more cost-effective for this situation?
Ideally... Can I solve this without a single waste of Chakra? Through combat proficiency alone?
What about using my words and avoiding a battle altogether?
All questions I will need to process at lightning speed given the real-time intense scenarios I will hopefully not find myself in.
"I understand your intention, but as much as theoretical knowledge is nice... How will I go about putting this knowledge into practice?" I question further meeting the eyes of my Sensei, a conflicted expression plastered on my face
...Putting THIS knowledge into practice means literal on-field coercion and assassination. Not something I'm too keen on.
But... I've known for years this will eventually come. If I have to, I'll do it. As long as I don't take innocent lives.
Upon hearing my question and noticing my conflicted expression, Eiichi read me like a book. No pun intended
"Why that crestfallen look, my boy? No need to fret; I'm not dispatching you on assassination missions just yet. Remember, you're still in your first year at the Academy, so time is on your side. Your primary objective is to establish a robust foundation and master the basics. Begin by devouring the content in these books, starting with the Genin-level ones and working your way up to the Jonin materials. Apply what you learn through practical exercises—whether it's honing your persuasion skills in interactions with others or refining your combat techniques on lifelike training dummies. Delve into the theories and allow them to reshape your mindset and approach to combat. That's the essence of it. I won't personally instruct you in assassination techniques, as it's not my specialty. This is a self-directed study area for you, and should you prove your worth, I'll arrange for a suitable tutor in due time. Naturally, if you encounter any queries about the material, don't hesitate to reach out to me or even Shikaku." He explained, providing a comprehensive clarification.
I took a moment to digest his explanation and proceeded to narrow my eyes at him
"Eiichi-sensei, you are contradicting yourself... You say I'm too important to enroll in the ANBU, yet you hint at the future prospect of me being sent to do Assassination Missions..." I express
"The ANBU have no filter as to what missions they partake in, I, however, can direct you into safer and more manageable Assassination Missions that would prove to be a practical learning experience for you." He replied
Wait a damn minute...
"What do you mean Assassination Missions? Isn't the Hokage and the Chunin at the Mission desk the only ones with the authority to delegate missions to Shinobi in the Village?" I ask with slight nervousness
He gives a small smile at my question as he responds, "Good thinking, However, there are many ways to obtain missions, some directly from the clients without the Village's jurisdiction which is highly illegal for Shinobi, and many other methods I won't be getting into detail at this time. We will be using an old Uchiha method that was used to teach their young about missions."
...How does he know of Uchiha-related methods?!
"It is simple, The Shinobi accepts a mission from the Hokage or Mission desk and proceeds to take their young with them to the Mission to teach them and so on. Sometimes, they even accept the mission in name only, sending out the Child to complete the mission completely on their own." He finished his point.
Damn...
I knew Eiichi was a sly old bastard. But this is some next-level stuff! All that to make me stronger and more experienced?
...I approve!
"Heh, alright Eiichi-sensei sounds good to me! Thank you!" I smirk at him as I give him a thumbs-up in approval
"Don't mention it, now then, take the scroll, and let's begin." He says easily as he seals the books back into the storage scroll, handing it out to me.
"Alright." I nod as I grab the book-filled storage scroll and shove it into my Shadow Storage
-Scene Change-
-Noon Time-
-1 Year Following The Entrance Ceremony At The Academy-
-Third Person POV-
The Academy Training Grounds buzzed with excitement and a subtle undercurrent of competitiveness, a familiar scene whenever sparring sessions took place. However, today, the atmosphere felt charged with an unusual intensity.
What was the cause of this heightened anticipation?
The answer was straightforward—it was the End-of-Year Evaluation, the final test before the students advanced to the next year of their Academy training.
The students were driven by a burning desire to demonstrate their growth, to showcase their progress, and to potentially secure their positions as the top performers in the class.
In all honesty, most of them understood that the top two ranks were likely already claimed and sealed.
But some can't help but be hopeful.
And some individuals... simply refuse to acknowledge the concept of 'giving up' in their vocabulary.
And it is rather poetic that this is the first spar...
-Akira POV-
*CRUNCH* I took a bite from the chips Choji offered me, as I patiently awaited the start of the first spar.
I know, eating before a battle isn't the smartest of decisions. But I'm confident that unless it's Sasuke I'll be fine either way.
So I might as well enjoy the show you know?
Though for Choji this isn't the smartest decision.
"Choji you sure you should be eating before a spar? I know it might seem hypocritical of me but... You know." I glance at the boy beside me
"I didn't eat at all today... I can't fight on an empty stomach... *CRUNCH*" Choji responded downtrodden, his head lowered
Sharing his food even when he's starving... Classic Choji!
...Now I feel bad that I'm taking some of it
Anyways...
"Well, it's your call. Just try not to vomit," I caution him with a grin.
"Don't worry!" He nodded as he took another mouthful of chips.
As our conversation was taking place, the announcement call for the first spar echoed through the Training Ground.
"Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke! Please come to the circle!" Suzuki sensei announced with excitement, probably at getting a vacation or something after this.
"Oh~ This is going to be good! *CRUNCH*" I state
"Yeah, what's taking Shikamaru so long to come back from the bathroom? He can't be missing this!" Choji agrees, posing an elementary question as he looks at me.
"Tsk, tsk, Choji, my good friend. You see, there are essentially two scenarios at play here. Either he's grappling with a bout of post-dango distress from yesterday, or he's masterfully evading the evaluation altogether," I remark sagely, accompanied by a playful fingershake.
"Hmm... I see. He's avoiding the evaluation." Choji narrows his eyes into a contemplating expression, as he thinks for a moment and arrives at the likely correct assumption.
"But... Akira, wouldn't he be required to repeat a year if he misses this evaluation?" Choji added.
...Choji my naive friend, Shikamaru is far too important to be forced into staying a year in the Academy, and the lazy pineapple knows that very well and is completely abusing that fact.
How do I convey that to my pure-hearted friend here without corrupting his perception of equality amongst status?
Of course, the solution is to lie.
"Ah, you see, he'll be forced to do it during the two-week break period we get between the Academy Years. So don't worry! Even if he misses this, he'll be fine... Oh, would you look at that, they're starting!" I fabricate the story without hesitation and steer the conversation back to the intriguing match-up happening at that moment.
"Are both of you ready?" Suzuki-sensei asked the signature question
"Hn." Sasuke nodded dismissively, barely registering Naruto's existence.
"Yeah! I'll take you down, Sasuke-teme!" Naruto retorted, clearly not pleased with Sasuke's arrogance and dismissive attitude. His eyes narrowed, resembling those of a feral cat.
"Begin!" Suzuki announced and the spar began.
-Time Skip-
"Sensei, declare my victory," Sasuke ordered coldly as he restrained Naruto on the ground, his fist hovering inches from Naruto's face.
Suzuki-sensei in classic fashion, ignored Naruto's situation completely until Sasuke reminded him.
"Enough! Winner. Uchiha Sasuke. Well done, Sasuke," he nodded and gestured for them to disengage and form the Seal of Reconciliation.
Naruto looks like the perfect combination of frustrated, sad, and livid at the result of this spar.
Ah... That was quite the intense fight I'm not gonna lie, but nevertheless it looked effortless for Sasuke.
But... Am I imagining things? In the last few spars he's participated in, even though they appeared effortless...
He's been somewhat sloppy.
His mind appeared distracted, as if not fully engaged in the battle. While I can understand the reasons behind it, if we were to spar right now...
I'd win.
Is that the type of victory I was looking for though?
Sure, I do like easy-won victories, but that is that, and this is this.
The Final Evaluation every year has a tournament-based sparring system, apparently to get us accustomed to the eventual Chunin exam Finals they hope all of us will eventually participate in when we are proper Genin.
Since you know, Chunin is the rank you are not considered as mere cannon fodder.
Nevertheless, my point is, that I'll have to fight Sasuke today.
I don't think a victory over him in his current state is what I really want...
-Time Skip-
"Akimichi Choji, Inuzuka Kiba! Approach the circle!" After securing victories against Ino, Shino, and Ren, I await my next match, which happens to be against Sasuke in the Semi-Finals.
Please do not ask how the match against Ino went. It's going straight into the Trauma Collection. And it's staying there... Indefinitely. Suffice it to say I won with much struggle.
Anyways...
I proceed to hear a call for Choji's next match, having won his previous one against a civilian kid pretty easily.
As a fun fact. Choji is physically stronger than me. Despite my training.
Guess he's just built different.
They both arrive at the circle and Suzuki asks, "Are both of you ready?"
...Is he an NPC with how unchangeable his dialogue seems to be? God, when does Iruka arrive? That guy supposedly has a personality.
""Yeah/Yup!"" They respond simultaneously.
"Then... Begin!" He signals the start of the spar, but Choji and Kiba lock eyes, assessing each other.
Until...
"What's wrong, fatty? Scared?" Kiba taunts with a smug tone.
Uh-Oh.
"What did you call me?" Choji asked in a low, threatening, and scary tone. Sending shivers down my spine. His eyes narrowed in complete focus at the Inuzuka Heir.
The oblivious Inuzuka, unknowingly awakening a monster, widens his smug smile as he repeats, "Can't you hear straight? I called you... Fatty. Heh."
...Man he's dead.
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING FAT? I'M JUST A LITTLE CHUBBY!" He exclaims indignantly as he swiftly closes the distance between himself and Kiba, moving with a speed that even the Yellow Flash would find challenging to match.
"W-Wha?" Kiba stuttered and his eyes widened at the sudden appearance of Choji within punching distance.
*BAM* Choji sent Kiba literally flying in the air with a punch square in the jaw, a few spins to exaggerate just how hard he got hit.
*SLAM* The dog boy landed on the hard ground, thoroughly unconscious.
At that, the crowd goes completely silent and a bit frightened.
A lesson was taught that day.
Never call Choji fat.
"Enough! Winner. Akimichi Choji. Someone escort Inuzuka-san to Nurse Yumi," he declared, sighing at the prospect of sending another student to the Nurse's office.
...Probably afraid of getting an earful from Nurse Yumi.
She is a scary lady.
Not comparable to Auntie though, she's definitely the Final Boss of all scary ladies out there.
-Time Skip-
After numerous spars, we reached the Semi-Finals. The matches are Me vs. Sasuke and Choji vs. Sakura.
Yes, Pinky somehow lucked out from all the tough matchups and won the easy ones, she's pretty half-decent at this point.
"Akira, how do you think Sakura won all those spars?" Choji asks, trying to get to know his opponent.
Ah, a wise move Choji-san. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
"Hmm, I believe she used her comically large forehead to her advantage, reflecting sunlight to blind her opponents giving her ample opportunity to take down her enemy. I suggest getting sunglasses to counter her strategy. Also, I conveniently have some in my pocket at this very moment." I stroke my imaginary beard as I pull out sunglasses from my pocket's shadows, making it look like it was always there.
"Here, use these." I make eye contact with Choji, nodding seriously as I hand out the Sunglasses to him as if it were a Legendary Blade.
What? Did you think I only had dangerous stuff in there? I have some day-to-day convenient stuff as well! Most of the more heavy stuff is stored in storage scrolls since they do not need to be immediately used when it's not a combat-related situation.
Praise be to the Ten Shadows!
"*SNIFF*, T-Thanks Akira! I'll use these!" He tears up as he grabs the sunglasses, giving me his hand for a manly handshake. Innocently believing my words.
"Any time my friend." I smile with tears of my own, reciprocating the firm handshake.
"Akimichi Choji, Haruno Sakura! Please approach the circle." Suzuki announced the first battle of the Semi-Finals.
"Good luck!" I offer some encouragement.
"Thanks!" He nodded and donned his Anti-Sakura Sunglasses.
As he approached the circle, whispers, and murmurs about the purpose of his sunglasses rippled through the spectators.
They will never know of my ingenuity! Pfft. I'm fucking hilarious!
Though I do feel a tad bad about tricking Choji like this... At least he looks stylish?
As both Sakura and Choji arrive at the circle, Suzuki asks the signature question, "Are both of you ready?"
""Yes!/Of course!"" They respond simultaneously.
He nods at their agreement and signals the beginning of the battle. "Begin!"
Suddenly, Sakura's body language shifts to a frail and trembling demeanor.
She... Begins to cry.
"*SNIFF* Choji... I-I don't want to fight! I can't! I want to give up!" She whimpers in front of him.
No... She wouldn't.
"W-Wha? Sakura?" Choji's eyes behind the sunglasses widen in worry as he slowly approaches her to comfort her, nearly reaching her side.
I take a deep breath and yell out, "CHOJI! DON'T FALL FOR IT! SHE'S TRICKING YOU!"
At my yell, Choji turns to look at me, as he hesitantly responds, "B-But she's crying..."
Seemingly having reached his own conclusion, he dumbly ignores my advice as he reaches Sakura and places a placating hand on her shoulder.
"S-Sakura It'll be alright. I'll go easy on yo- GAH!" As he was placating her, she mercilessly and brutally kneed him in the bloody chin.
Sending the kind and naive boy flying, hitting the ground, and cracking my brand-new sunglasses.
Two losses in one...
Choji, however, wasn't knocked out by Sakura, as he sluggishly tried to get up, but the feral girl was already within striking distance again.
She was about to kick him in the face whilst he was still getting up but was stopped by Suzuki's announcement.
"Enough. Winner. Haruno Sakura. Good work the both of you. Akimichi-san, next time, do not fall for such easy and obvious tricks. Do you need to see the Nurse?"
"R-Right. No, I'll be fine" He sluggishly got up and responded.
He made his way back towards me with a downtrodden expression.
"You good? Are you sure you're not hurt? No need to put a brave front if she cracked your chin or something." I asked in worry
"Yeah, I'm okay she didn't hit me too hard... I'm just sad I lost like that. I really thought she was crying..."
"Again, next time, just observe carefully, don't focus on the fact she's crying. Look at the reason WHY she is crying. Such a sudden outburst was WAY too obvious. A lesson for next time alright?" I lectured
"Alright." He nodded with a small smile.
"Don't worry! I'll get her for ya!" I announced happily
"Hmm? You think you'll beat Sasuke this time?" He throws me a look of skepticism.
"Ah, how your doubt wounds me! ...Yeah I'll win. So bet on me!"
"Err... Okay?"
He isn't going to bet a dime on me, isn't he?
-Time Skip-
"Uchiha Sasuke, Nara Akira! Please come to the circle." Suzuki announced the most anticipated match of the day.
Talks and bets were already starting to burst out at the call of my match with Sasuke.
Once again, the bets were all placed against me.
Well, hope they don't hate me when I make them lose all their Ryo.
"Wish me luck!" I wave at Choji as I make my way towards the circle.
"Good luck!" He waves back, a little bit of hesitation leaking out of his nervous smile, a hint of his lack of confidence in me winning here.
I arrive at the circle with Sasuke in front of me.
"Are both of you ready?" Suzuki asks with a hint of anticipation, always having enjoyed being a front-row seat viewer of my and Sasuke's spars.
"Let's get this over with" I nod.
"Hn" Sasuke grunts his agreement.
"Then... Begin!" Suzuki signals the beginning of the much-anticipated spar.
I take a look at him and we meet eyes.
Onyx meets Green, as my eyes narrow in challenge.
However... Unlike our previous spars. He... Isn't looking at me?
Sure, he's making eye contact, but it's as if he's looking somewhere else. There is no... Passion, purpose, in his glance.
Hell, he hasn't even gotten into a proper stance.
I barely register in his eyes, is the message I'm getting here.
...If that's the case. I'll do him a favor and wake him up to reality.
Will I enjoy this victory? With Sasuke being this sloppy lately?
Probably not.
Will I enjoy this spar?
Yes.
A bloodthirsty grin forms on my face as I charge toward Sasuke, neglecting my defensive Nara Clan Taijutsu Stance.
Sasuke's eyes narrow in surprise as I close the distance in an instant, launching a punch at his face with my right hand.
"What, Sasuke? Did you forget what I'm capable of?" I taunt, as he barely manages to block my punch with his left elbow.
At my statement, his teeth grit as he attempts to get me to back off with a kick to the left side of my abdominal area.
...Sloppy.
I slide a bit to the side to dodge the kick, I retract my hand and as his leg is still in the air, I lock it between my left armpit and chest.
I tighten my muscles and twist my body with his leg being grabbed with an impressive feat of strength, causing him to stagger and fall.
"Gah!" He yells out as his head hits the ground, his leg still being tightly held between my left armpit.
"HRAAAAH!" He yells out in anger, as he tries to kick me hard with his available left leg.
But as he throws that kick, I move.
I begin to spin, fast. His head was dragged across the hard ground and his kick completely missing.
As I spin, causing the onlookers and Sasuke to probably get dizzy I release the hold on Sasuke's leg.
"Up we go~!" I cheerfully announce.
Launching Sasuke a fair distance before he crashes on the ground.
The crowd goes completely silent in shock, as they watch the aftermath. Most worried that they will lose their Ryo, to the single individual who bet on me. The others, the Fan Girls worried for Sasuke's health.
""Boo~! Boo~!"" Collective booing began, expectedly.
"Oh shut up! He isn't down yet!" I yell out at the shitty crowd, directing my attention at the absolutely livid Uchiha.
I meet his eyes once again. And this time... He's looking at me.
His eyes narrowed, in complete and utter rage and hate.
Good. He's acknowledged me.
Now... The real fun begins.
"Good afternoon Sasuke! Happy you are back with us! We've missed you!" I taunt with a confident and yet bloodthirsty grin.
I get into a proper stance myself this time.
"Come." I gesture.
He complied, his expression showing genuine concentration, as he launched himself at me to begin our 2nd Round.
A flurry of punches and kicks was thrown at each and every part of my body.
A punch to the face, blocked.
A kick to the gut, evaded.
A grab attempt, evaded.
I blocked and dodged all of them, except one that hit my right pectoral muscle, it wasn't too hard but a lot of those wouldn't be good.
I proceeded to kick him to create some distance as he also needed to take a breather.
...He had me completely on the defensive there, he was really relentless. No counterattack opportunity.
Phew... Okay. That must have taken a lot out of him.
I Inhale a deep breath and plan out my next moves here.
He knows well that he can't use his prior tactic of attacking me whilst distracted. He almost lost last time. It's good he remembers.
Anyways though...
Does the environment provide me with any advantages here?
I carefully scan the battlefield with one eye, whilst keeping a close eye at the heavily breathing Uchiha with the other eye.
Hmm... No good. It was made completely even leveled and flat for the sparring area.
What are my other options...
Fuck it.
I straighten myself up, and I begin to... Slowly walk towards Sasuke, my guard completely down.
Confusion spreads amongst the crowd, but I have no care for that.
What I do care about... Is Sasuke's confusion.
His eyes narrow to slits, as he tightens his guard and stance, going completely defensive at my approach.
He knows I'm a wildcard in battle. But he won't be expecting this. If this doesn't work I've got a backup...
As I am about to reach an arm's length of distance between us.
Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, and even Sasuke's.
I slip.
"Woah!?" I yell out in surprise
My body, airborne I am about to land face first at the ground, from taking a slight look at Sasuke, his guard lowers at the absurd event.
Perfect...
My hands land before my head, and I in an impressive feat of dexterity, twist my body forward and kick Sasuke in the belly incredibly hard, with both my legs coupled with the explosive velocity I threw it with.
"GAAAAAAAAH!" He yells out in sheer pain.
His body was flung a considerable distance, and he crashed onto his back.
I got up and made my way towards him, as he sluggishly got up to his knees.
As I was about to continue to Phase 2 of my plan, he...
"BLEGHHHHH" He puked on the ground. Causing me to back off and subsequently for Sensei to...
"T-That's enough. Winner. Nara Akira. Good work the both of you. Hyuga-san, take Uchiha-san to the Nurse. He is in no condition to form the Seal Of Reconciliation so you may leave the circle Nara-san." He announced in slight shock, as he got into his professional mode and told Hinata to go help Sasuke.
The crowd, roars out in outrage, many booing and complaints at the unexpected result of their dear Sasuke-Kun losing. And the lose incurred by betting of course.
I ignored those completely since I realized something.
I won... That was... Nice.
Fun even.
I smiled as I took a look at Sasuke and my face and happiness quickly transitioned to concern.
Not because he was puking, this was a normal event in sparring if you get hit hard enough.
No.
What bothered me and twisted me in the stomach. Was his reaction.
Tears came out of the 7-year-old Uchiha.
A weak voice came out of him.
Barely registered as...
"...I'm too weak." He whimpered as Hinata lent him a shoulder and slowly took off with him toward the Nurse.
I remained there, utterly stunned.
...What a tasteless victory.
A moment of silence, at least for me, passes, and then...
"Erm, Nara-san? You may return to the others." Suzuki-sensei breaks me out of my shock.
No.
"Start the next match." I request.
His eyes narrow dangerously at my audacity, but thankfully he concedes and announces, "Haruno Sakura, Please come to the circle."
Those who were near Sakura at that moment could hear an audible gulp at that announcement, but nevertheless, she made her way to the circle.
My eyes are met with a sweating and nervous Sakura, who is just a moment away from breaking down crying.
She turns to meet her eyes with my own. I glare at her, causing her to shiver in fear.
"S-Sensei... I give up! Please!" She pleads with Suzuki.
Unlike the regular Chunin exams, at the final tests every year at the academy, for the sake of accurate and proper evaluation, giving up isn't allowed.
But, in circumstances where the result is obvious and the situation calls for it. The Sensei may allow for a resignation.
Which he did. For Sakura's health at least.
"*Sigh*, Winner. Nara Akira. Congratulations." He congratulated me tiredly and with a slight relief in his tone. At all of this having been done and dusted.
I guess... That's it? Isn't it?
I've cemented myself as the Strongest in my class.
How... Anticlimactic.
To Be Continued!
-Author Note Start-
Oh my lord! What a meaty chapter! I do hope it was to your liking and enjoyable!
I am happy to announce we are left with 1 chapter or 2 worst-case scenario before the Genin arc. We'll be having MAJOR time skips in these chapters. So do be ready for that and I do hope I portray them properly. As for the lack of Danzo and politics, it'll take time for the soup to brew so to speak :P
As always people! If you see any inconsistencies, wrong information, Illogical statements etc... Notify me, please! I'll fix it ASAP! And or explain it later on in case I had planned to make it vague in the first place.
Also, all comments, reviews, constructive criticism and so on Are much appreciated! I especially love Constructive criticism because it allows me to improve the story in real time! I try my best to follow your advice!
I enjoy responding to you all! So do send them comments! Also, ideas are also welcome! I'm not that creative so assistance from you guys is always nice! Yup!
I hope you lovely people have a fantastic rest of the day/week. And I'll see you in a week's time :P
Avocados are not vegetables. Here's this week's random fact.
-Author Note End-
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