You had to apologize to your teammates for keeping them up all night with Fuu. They blushed and denied it, but you know that neither girl got much sleep with your Musk hotboxing the room and without the comfortable exhaustion that came from cumming their brains out multiple times in a night.
You made sure to promise to make it up to them. They both seemed keen to hold you to that. Fuu was just happy to have more friends, and had spent the entire morning bonding with Korra while Sombra looked at her like you had just given her a puppy for her birthday… and she was a cat person.
Unfortunately, due to the nature of the exams, you couldn't stay cooped up in your dorm forever. Today was the start of the next phase of the exams, after all.
Meaning Fuu had to return to her 'team' (according to her they were just her handlers), for a little bit anyways. You still weren't sure why Fuu even had handlers. Was she like you? A rare bloodline her village wanted to protect?
The air in the dimly lit corridor outside the arena where the next phase of the exams would be held hummed with tension as you leaned against the wall, Fuu giggling beside you while braiding your snowy white hair into a ridiculous miniature topknot. Her two "teammates", Rōga and Tsukimi, Taki's 'elite' (you doubted they'd pass for experienced Chunin in Kumo) in Genin disguise, stepped into your path, their faces carved from stone.
"Fuu," Rōga growled, his voice low enough to vibrate the floor tiles. He was a large man, and looked like he might be a Taijutsu specialist. He was also far too old to be playing pretend as a genin, especially from a minor village where the promotion was often ceremonial after you participated in the exams a certain number of times. "You're coming with us. Now. You can spend time with your new… friend, once the exams are finished."
Fuu blinked, tilting her head. "But Sōkotsu promised to buy me dango after the fights! And he said he'd teach me how to make firework sounds with my mouth! He promised!"
Tsukimi's hand twitched toward his tanto. "You don't make friends with enemy shinobi. Especially not Kumo dogs who reek like the filthy mutts they are." He turned up his nose at the potent Musk coming from Sōkotsu, even as Fuu just giggled and went back to rubbing her face against your chest. She seemed especially weak to your 'pheromones' (her word for it), for some reason.
You just smirked, Intimidation thickening the air like smoke as you give the two senior Ninia a withering glare that'd make them regret ever joining their pathetic village shinobi corps. "Enemy? Last I checked, Taki and Kumo aren't at war. Unless…" You pushed off the wall, Vibranium Skeleton humming faintly and showing a light blue glow through your skin, letting the two chunin level ninja know they didn't really stand a chance here. "...you here to start one? I'd be happy to help~"
Tsukimi's chakra flared, wind-release energy crackling around his blade inside its sheath as the low hum of his energy being released filled the air. He had way more chakra than a no-name genin from a trash village like Taki should. "You've got no idea what you're playing with, brat. That girl isn't some stray you can just-"
"Fuu's staying. We're friends now, and I don't break promises to my friends." Your voice dropped, Lovers and Intimidation working together to help you look menacing even to a man 3 times your size. "And if Taki wants her back, they can send someone who is at least competent at pretending to be a genin. Nice advanced nature release technique, how many elements does a minor village need you to master for a Jounin promotion? Two, I think? You must be working really hard on your next one."
The corridor froze. Tsukimi's tanto slid an inch from its sheath…
But then it halted as Fuu stepped between you and them, her usual airheaded grin sharpening into something sharp as a knife. A thick choking chakra filled the room, so potent and powerful that it felt like you were standing in the room a hundred kages stitched together. This girl was scary. "Rōga, Tsukimi… you don't want to make me 'mad', do you? Who knows what Konoha might do if I got 'angry' here. I think it's a better idea if I just spend time with my new friend so I stay calm during the exams~"
The Taki chūnin exchanged a glance. Rōga exhaled sharply. "This isn't over. She will be coming with us back to Taki at the end of these exams, and if she isn't, then…"
"It is over," you said softly. "Now run home and tell whoever you report to that Fuu isn't coming back."
Feat Achieved:
Seduce a Jinchuriki - 1 Gold Ticket!
Steal an Enemy Jinchuriki - 1 Gold Ticket!
Open: Y/N?
Huh… so maybe you might have just caused a diplomatic incident. Oh well, what are Taki even gonna do without their Bjuu, cry to Konoha about it? They'll be lucky if the tree-humpers even give them the time of day before Iwa finds out and decides that they've been independent too long. Idly, you pressed 'Y'.
"So, the first step to making a firework sound with your mouth is…"
You began to explain the secrets Fuu was searching for, the bright eyed girl looking at you as if you were some ancient sage sharing long forgotten wisdom.
Expert Taming (Skill) - You are an expert in taming and domestication. You know how to turn a ferocious beast into your best buddy, and you know how to skillfully train creatures to gain their obedience and their loyalty. This can also be applied to people to a lesser extent.
Well that sounded fun. You wonder how quickly you could corrupt the entirety of the Inuzuka clan with skills like these…
Corrupting (Trait) - Your presence is very corrupting, the longer you influence people the more they are willing to betray their morals for you and ignore the morality of your actions.
… The Konoha sluts aren't even going to be able to see you coming before you'll have their panties down to their ankles.
On the bright side, Horny Gacha is back. It had you worried there, only giving out useful abilities for so long.
With that thought in mind, you marched your way into the next phase of the Chunin Exams.
---
The arena buzzed with restless energy as the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stepped onto the central platform. His voice, amplified by wind release and a small microphone in his hand, rolled over the crowd of aspiring chunin like a judgment from the God of Shinobi he was declared to be in his youth.
"Today, you stand not just as Genin of your villages, but as envoys of them. The Chunin Exams are more than a test of strength, they are a reminder that even in conflict, we share a common purpose. They are a step towards maintaining the peace we have all enjoyed these last few decades. You are here not just to seek promotion, but to represent them to prospective clients from around the world. Those of you who perform well, will be sending a message to all potential employers that Ninjas from your village are worth every expense, meanwhile those of you who perform poorly might see the revenue for your village fall due to your failings. This is what it means to be a Shinobi."
Sōkotsu snorted at the sanctimonious old man's preaching. Korra elbowed him, wanting him to listen to the legendary legend (He was a bit of an idol of hers, being one of the few documented Ninja in the world to have mastered every form of Elemental Release) earning a Greater Headpat that left her scowling but flushed and her thighs shaking with pleasure.
"The matches will be one-on-one duels," Hiruzen continued. "Victory is achieved by surrender, incapacitation, or death. The proctor may end the match at any time if they believe a victor has been decided."
A massive screen flickered to life above the arena, names shuffling rapidly. Eventually, they'd settle on the names of the fighters for the first match.
First Match: Satsuki Uchiha (Konoha) vs. Yoroi Akadō (Konoha)
You lean against the railing of the spectator balcony, the Feng Shui Engine in your left eye socket whirring faintly as it dissects every twitch, every feint, and every flicker of chakra between the two on the floor below. The Uchiha girl stands coiled like a wire trap. Her Sharingan was already active, its two tomoe spinning lazily in her blood-red irises. Across from her, Yoroi Akadō cracks his knuckles, his smug grin visible even from your spot perched above the fighting floor and through his thick purple face mask.
You've seen his type before: all ego, no real skill, relying on a single gimmick to carry him. Honestly, you used to be him, before the Gacha gave you more than just your bloodline to rely on. You wondered if he would even be able to go a minute in the fight before showing off his own gimmick to all of his future competition.
Assuming he even managed to win against Konoha's ringer.
The smug forever genin charged first, acting the part of a lumbering bull of a man despite his reedy thin frame. The Uchiha sidestepped him, her movements precise and clinical. A kunai flashes in her hand, scoring a shallow cut across his forearm. He doesn't flinch. Instead, he grabs her wrist, his palm glowing faintly blue as she suddenly weakens in his grip, appearing to even go limp for a moment.
As far as gimmicks go, it was a decent one. Especially when he had the element of surprise.
You almost laugh at what happens next. The Uchiha doesn't panic. Her Sharingan flares before turning off, and she twists her body into a brutal aerial kick that slams his jaw shut. Yoroi staggers, spitting blood, but his grin widens.
"Cute moves, Uchiha," he rasps. "but you're just delaying the inevitable."
She doesn't dignify him with a reply. She's already weaving hand signs to force him to keep his distance with a cry of "Fire Release: Great Fireball", but Yoroi lunges through the flames with his skin visibly blistering from the heat, his hand clamping onto her shoulder. This time, her chakra drains from her in visible wisps, like smoke sucked into a vacuum.
Oh, perhaps it was a better gimmick than you thought. It was certainly versatile, letting him take a fireball like that, even if he still ended up taking some damage from it.
Satsuki's breathing hitched. Her Sharingan flickered back for a moment before she growled and forced her eyes back to their onyx black state, unfortunately all her opponent saw was weakness. He sensed it through his grip on her wrist, and decided to press his advantage. He started driving her backward with relentless, chakra-draining grabs. But then, you see it: a black, flame pattern crawling up her neck like a serpent from under her collar. It was visibly harming her, draining her chakra even more than Yoroi and surrounding her with a sickly purple glow even as her muscles swelled and she gained an evil grin across her face.
Definitely Orochimaru's work.
Your jaw twitches. You'd recognize that vile energy anywhere, the same oily presence that slithered into your body when she restrained you in the Forest of Death.
Satsuki's hand flies to her neck, her black coal eyes widening as the mark spreads. She's fighting it, you realize. Suppressing it even as it floods her body with its foul energy. Yoroi doesn't notice, idiot that he is. He's too busy gloating over his apparent victory, proud of his achievement against Konoha's vaunted prodigy and the last heir of their most powerful clan.
"What's wrong, Uchiha? Chakra running low?" His palm slams into her chest, drinking deeply now as he gropes at her firm breasts. "I'll suck you dry, and then you can do the same for me."
The mark on the girl's neck pulses, tendrils of dark chakra lashing around her like trapped vipers. Satsuki's knees buckle, not from Yoroi's drain, but from the effort of containing whatever's boiling inside her. Yoroi continues to mistake that struggle inside of her for his own victory.
"Pathetic," he sneers, gripping her face, his absorption technique flaring brighter. "All that hype, all that power in your blood, and you're just-"
The mark on her neck explodes.
.
[Image]
.
The oily purple-black chakra surges into Yoroi's palm, his veins bulging as it floods his system. For a heartbeat, he looks triumphant, and it's clear why, the mark promised everything he wanted. More power, more strength, allowing him to live out his delusions of being a real threat in this competition… until his skin grays. Stony cracks spider-web across his arm, his neck, his face. He tries to scream, but before he can his throat is already stone.
Satsuki wrenches free as the statue that Yoroi became topples, his body petrified mid-snarl, and his fingers still curled like claws from where they were firmly groping at her chest. The arena is silent as he shatters like porcelain on the tiled floor, his stone body dissolving to dust.
"What a stupid way to die." You cross your arms as you comment on the disappointing ending to the fight, your Library Mind allowing you to replay your memory of the key moments of the clash over and over within your head. Yoroi's fatal flaw wasn't just arrogance, though his hubris had definitely contributed his downfall. No, it was also his ignorance. He thought every bit of chakra he could claw away from an opponent was just fuel, a resource to be stolen and then turned against them. But Orochimaru's little 'gift', the one she likely intended to give to you? That was pure poison dressed as power. A lesson you'd file away for later.
There's always a bigger fish…
You were almost tempted to thank the Uchiha girl for the unintentional warning. No matter how the snake tried to dress it up, that mark was dangerous, and considering all the power the Gacha could offer you, was entirely not worth it.
Speaking of her, she sways on her feet, the mark receding as proctors rush to check her over, eyes darting to the mark on her neck. Her Sharingan flicks into existence for a moment as she looks upward, to the stands, to you. For a heartbeat, her gaze is raw and unguarded: fear, disgust, hunger. Then she schools it back into Uchiha ice as she scans the stands and makes eye contact with the silver haired woman you assume is her sensei.
Interesting.
You smirk to yourself at the observations you were able to pick up from that little moment of panic. She's stronger than she looks, but weaker than she needs to be if she wants to survive Orochimaru coming for her for whatever that snake wants. Maybe you could lure her in with that? The idea that the two of you were in the same boat? Or maybe… perhaps a Companion Card as a taste of the power you could offer her?
The screen above the arena flickers again. The next match is announced while Satsuki is rushed out of the room.
Sombra (Kumo) vs. Rōga (Taki)
You lean against the railing, the Feng Shui Engine dissecting Rōga's every twitch as Sombra casually jumps down onto the fighting floor below the rest of you, giving you a wink and blowing a kiss that instantly gets a raised eyebrow from your Sensei and a gasp from Fuu.
Huh, come to think of it, I probably should have told her about the whole 'I seduced my teammates' thing.
The Taki chunin cracks his neck, the water flask on his hip glinting at his hip like a badge of arrogance. Weird for a Taijutsu specialist to be lugging around, but maybe he had a water affinity? Sombra stands in place, utterly motionless and her smirk is like a blade hidden wrapped in silk, dangerous, but looking irresistible to the idiot standing in front of her.
"Konoha's got weaklings," Rōga sneers, seemingly unaware of making a comment like that when his village only existed because of Konoha's generosity, "but Kumo? You sluts and that brat are worthless."
The burly Taki-ninja charges, earth splitting under his feet as he moves. Sombra doesn't dodge, she simply disappears, her body dissolving into a flicker of afterimages as it reveals that the brute was fooled by a simple clone technique. His punches tear through Sombra's illusionary clones, not even bothering to even try to find the real one as each explosion of dirt and rock are met with hollow laughter from your bratty teammate finally getting to show off.
"Stand still, Cloud Bitch!" he roars, chakra flaring as he slams a fist into the ground, his skin darkening into an Onyx Black shell. A shockwave ripples outward, but Sombra's already perched on some debris his attacks have kicked up, her fingers weaving a serpentine pattern as she finishes a long array of hand signs.
"Demonic Illusion: Army of One," she murmurs.
Rōga freezes mid-lunge. His eyes glaze, and just like that, the Genjutsu has him ensnared.
In Rōga's mind, he's a titan.
The arena morphs into a warzone. A thousand Sombra clones swarm him, each wielding lightning and blades. He grins, chugging Hero Water until his veins glow toxic green as he grows even larger, towering over the Arena itself in the bloody red landscape that surrounds him. "Yes!" he bellows, obliterating illusions with earth-shattering strikes.
Meanwhile in Reality: His body stands rigid, sweat pouring as his chakra evaporates, leaking from his body as he overloads the enforcement technique he was previously using.
Sombra watches, bored, as Rōga's muscles twitch and strain. "This technique lets you feel invincible," she muses, circling him. "But looking at it from the outside, it's just… pathetic."
Rōga's mental rampage peaks. He "kills" the thousandth clone, roaring out his triumph, until the illusion shatters and he stumbles over, his chakra completely exhausted and his muscles burning from the strain of overloading his technique so brutally. His onyx black skin became a bright red and then starting to look bruised, shifting colors like the world's worst looking chameleon.
The arena is silent. His chakra is gone. His eyes full of defeat as he glares up at the Genin that just humiliated him. She had picked the perfect illusion to prey upon his weakness, and then fed him the delusion he wanted the most in the world. Weaknesses he was almost proud to show off, assured that a genin like her wouldn't be able to take advantage of them.
He collapses face-first, arms splayed, legs bent awkwardly, the perfect image of a humiliated ninja in defeat. You doubted he'd even want to show his face in his village after this. The crowd cackles.
Sombra flicks a kunaj into the floor beside his head, as if showing off just how easily she could have killed him. "Sweet dreams."
"Well, she's definitely efficient, even if she can't resist showing off sometimes." You smirk. Rōga's mistake was arrogance, undeniably. He thought just because his worthless village had promoted him for failing the Chunin exams too many times to continue to be an experiment on the global stage, he was somehow better than your team. Sombra didn't just beat him; she ruined him. You doubted he'd even come after Fuu again as long as the Jinchuriki was spending time with your team. His pride wouldn't be able to handle it.
Korra elbows you, grinning. "Bet he'll need therapy after that."
You nod, but your eyes linger on Sombra. Her Genjutsu was flawless, but her chakra pool was low, and you could recognize some signs of exhaustion beneath that perfect mask of hers. She wasted a lot of time and energy on humiliating her opponent when she probably could have defeated him before stepping in the ring. Why?
The screen flickers again interrupting your pondering with the announcement of the next match: Misumi Tsurugi (Konoha) vs. Gaara of the Desert (Suna).
You watch from the shadows of the arena's upper tier, watching as the two fighters descend and meet on the floor of the fighting arena. Misumi Tsurugi, the Konoha Genin who looks disturbingly similar to his teammate Satsuki turned to stone, bounces on the balls of his feet, grinning like a street performer while he stretches his limbs and his glasses gleam in the fluorescent light coming down from the ceiling. Across from him, Gaara of the Desert stands utterly still, her gourd of sand strapped to her back, her teal eyes surrounded by dark rings that make it evident that she hasn't seen a good night's sleep in a long time. The air around her vibrates with malice, the kind that makes even the remaining Konoha genins' jeers die in their throats.
They probably weren't that excited to be cheering for Misumi anyways, he seemed like just as much of a creep as his teammate, just with a slightly different aesthetic.
Speaking of, the Konoha genin struck first, his body contorting like a serpent as he whips his elongated limbs toward Gaara, hoping to pull the small petite woman into his range where he could use his flexible body to dominate the match. "C'mon! Let's make this fun-"
Gaara doesn't move.
Her sand does.
A tidal wave of grit erupts from her gourd, slamming into Misumi mid-leap. It pins him to the arena wall, his limbs splayed like a rag doll and pinned underneath tight constricting layers of thick sand. He laughs, his voice sounding strained but defiant, as he attempts to slowly twist his limbs and neck free. "Nice trick! But you'll need more than just some dirt to…"
The girl's finger twitches. That's all it was really, just a twitch. She didn't even look at the man she was 'fighting', instead seeming entirely bored with her match. Still, it was enough.
The sand tightens.
Misumi's laughter turns to a gurgle as the sand engulfs him completely, molding into a grotesque, human-shaped tomb. The crowd falls silent. You lean forward, the Feng Shui Engine allowing your sight to zoom in as Gaara's chakra spikes, a feral and wild potent energy filling the air. She had a small smile on her lips as she watched his blood suffuse her sand, turning it a light brown. That slip of control was enough, it allowed you to recognize where you felt a chakra like that… it was the same feeling you got from Fuu in the hallway before the Preliminaries.
She's a Jinchūriki.
The realization hits you like a kunai to the gut. No wonder her village just sent her to the exams. No wonder she looks so empty, it was honestly a miracle Fuu turned out so… Fuu, with how her village seemed to treat her. Thankfully, your thoughts are interrupted by the Gacha itself.
Feat Achieved:
Realize the Identity of an Enemy Jinchuriki - 1 Gold Ticket!!
Open: Y/N?
You wordlessly pressed the 'Y' button that appeared within your mind, unable to tear your eyes away from the gruesome display the newly identified Suna Jinchuriki was participating in below.
Lese Majeste (Trait) - Your chutzpah and boldness are perceived as more charming rather than irreverent or disrespectful by people in positions of power, in addition, people in power like nobles, bosses, royalty, etc. find themselves more attracted to you.
The girl's hand clenched, and her smile widened just a fraction. Then, she would speak, her voice low, monotone, and still utterly bored. "Sand Burial."
The 'sand coffin', as she called it, crunched around the restrained form of Misumi, killing him instantly if he wasn't already dead.
Blood seeps through the sand, pooling at her feet as the tomb crumbles away. What's left of Misumi hits the ground with a wet thud, his rubbery limbs bent at angles that would make a contortionist vomit.
She didn't even glance at the corpse she left in her wake. She stares at the blood on her sand, her lips curving into something that isn't quite a smile anymore, it was more like a look of contentment. The proctor calls the match. No one cheered, not even her two teammates up in the viewing area with the rest of you
Korra whistles low beside you. "Damn. Remind me not to piss off Sand Princess. Doubt I'd be able to get out of the village in time."
Sombra hums, her gaze calculating as she takes in the monster walking among the rest of you. You might be able to beat her, but the idea that it would take someone like you to take her down just showed how brutally she outclassed the rest of the genin here. "She's unstable. Probably a liability back home that they're happy to hoist onto Konoha while she's here for the exams."
You say nothing. Your Library Mind replays your memory of the kill within your mind in slow motion. It was a brutal scene. Gaara's other chakra flaring, the sand's sentient hunger, the way her eyes flickered gold with black spots for a heartbeat, too fast for you to even notice when you first saw it.
It was…
Beautiful.
Your Kaguya blood relished the scene. The casual cruelty, the effortless dominance. It all spoke to you on a primal level in the way nothing else did. You've done well in restraining your bloodlust, and Library Mind's enhanced focus had helped, but now?
You needed her.
As the proctors drag the remains of Misumi away, Gaara's gaze lifts to the stands, to you. Her stare is a challenge, a promise of what she plans to do to the rest of the Genin in the exam who are unfortunate enough to have to face her.
You meet it, Intimidation flaring and a feral grin on your face. You can feel her surprise as her eyes lock onto the utterly unintimidated and eager look you are giving her in response to that silent threat of hers.
But before you can act or say anything further, the screen flickers again.
Next Match: SAKURA HARUNO (KONOHA) vs. TEMARI (SUNA)
You lean against the railing, the Feng Shui Engine in your left eye helping you to dissect the coming mismatch before it even begins. The Pink haired girl from earlier in the exams, Sakura Haruno apparently, steps into the arena with her fists trembling but her jaw set. She was like a mouse squaring up to fight a hurricane. Unsurprising, considering what she just saw the last Suna Kunoichi do to the Konoha genin who decided to fight back. Across from her, Temari of the Sand hoists her iron fan onto her shoulder, with a smirk sharp enough to draw blood.
Sakura charges and attempts to make the first move of the fight, a kunai in her hand, her movements were textbook-perfect in their executions but painfully slow and painfully choreographed. The blonde girl doesn't even bother opening her fan, she just sidesteps before slamming the folded weapon into Sakura's ribs with a casual flick of her wrist. The crack of bone echoes as Sakura skids backward, coughing up a thick glob of blood from the immense impact.
"Cute," Temari drawls. "But real kunoichi don't win fights with guts alone. Surrender, I don't want to waste showing off my skills on someone like you."
The pink haired gi staggered to her feet, her green eyes blazing with determination. "D-Don't count me out, I-I'm not done yet!"
Temari sighs, unfurling her fan with a snap and revealing one purple moon sign. "Fine. Let's make this quick. I'd hate for you to think you actually stand a chance."
Sakura lunges again, this time feinting left, it was a clumsy attempt at misdirection, entirely too basic and simple for a fight like this. Temari sees through it instantly. A single swing of the fan unleashes a gale that tears Sakura off her feet, hurling her into the wall across the room with a loud thump. Both of her teammates wince as they see the hard impact of her body against the stone wall.
"Pathetic," Temari mutters, twirling her fan. "At least try to fight back. You can do more than just lunge at me with a kunai, right?"
Sakura pushes herself up, her determination allowing her to rise even if her injuries so far probably warranted a call to the fight. She's tougher than you gave her credit for, at least. But Temari was already bored.
"Wind Release: Great Cutting Gale!"
The miniature whirlwind shreds the tiled floor below, pelting Sakura with debris as a small tornado of razor sharp blades surrounds her. She raises her arms to shield herself, but the winds pin her like a butterfly, slicing shallow cuts across her arms and legs. Temari strolls forward, fan raised, and beats Sakura over the head before squatting down and patting her unconscious back.
"Stay down, worthless girl. Maybe next time you'll actually be ready for these exams, instead of just scraping by on luck."
"What a waste. She seemed determined enough in the fight, but she obviously wasn't ready for this. The blonde was right." You say as you watch Sakura crumple, her pink hair matted with dust and blood. Temari didn't just win, she had dismantled her, piece by piece, until nothing but her raw determination to prove herself remained. And even that's shattered now.
Korra snorts beside you. "Damn. I thought the Konoha girls with the big tits would be the ones who couldn't fight for shit, but it turns out flattie was the one probably blowing her instructors for a passing grade."
Sombra tilts her head, analytical. "Her mistake was engaging at all. She should've forfeited. It doesn't seem like she's made it this far on her own merits."
You say nothing. You just think back on the fight, not even needing your enhanced memory to dismantle it: Sakura's tactical errors, Temari's lazy precision, the widening gap between the foolish girl's ambition and a practiced Kunoichi's skill.
Weakness like that… is a choice.
And it was a choice you had been making for months before the Gacha had snapped you out of your haze. Maybe this fight will have the same effect on the pink-haired girl that the Gacha had for you. Hopefully it will anyways, otherwise, she's just begging to be killed the moment something goes wrong on a mission.
Temari saunters out of the arena, fan slung over her shoulder like the heavy weapon was absolutely weightless in her hands. Sakura lies motionless until medics haul her away, her teammates' faces a mix of pity and frustration.
The screen flickers again before announcing the next match.
Next Match: KABUTO (KONOHA) vs. NARUKO (KONOHA)
You just give the Blonde Bimbo who has acted like your unintentional eye candy for the entire exam a smile as she hops down below, the Feng Shui Engine in your left eye whirring softly as it dissects the chakra currents swirling off of the fighters on the floor below. Naruko Uzumaki bounces on her toes. Her usual brash grin is strained and her orange jacket torn at the seams. Across from her, Kabuto Yakushi adjusts his glasses, his posture relaxed, a little too relaxed for a man about to fight someone from his own village, especially after the brutal fate that came for both of his teammates during their matches.
Naruko charges first, a wild haymaker aimed at Kabuto's jaw. He sidesteps her move with a lazy smile on his face, letting her momentum carry her past him. She stumbles, catches herself, and spins with a kick that grazes his shoulder. Kabuto staggers backward, seemingly deeply affected by the impact, clutching his arm like it's dislocated. That was a lot of damage from a grazing hit.
Weak, or maybe she's just really strong? She does look like she has a lot of chakra, even if she can't control it for shit. Heh, kinda like you.
You take a mental note, deciding you'd correct your assumption on which was the truth come the end of the match. Kabuto's chakra flow was steady and unbothered despite his apparent pain, but the Feng Shui Engine catches the faintest tremor in his muscles. Was he a coward then? Putting up a token fight so he doesn't get shamed for giving up before the fight even started?
"C'mon, Four-Eyes!" Naruko snarls, her voice cracking. "Fight me seriously! Throw a punch, I can take it. I don't need people to underestimate me if I'm gonna be the next Hokage!"
Kabuto smiles, soft, patronizing and unbelievably smug for a man seemingly on the ropes against a sloppy bruiser like the girl he was fighting. "I am fighting seriously, Naruko. You're just… stronger than I expected."
You can't tell if the boy is a gifted liar, or if he really is just that weak. What a frustrating fight! Where's the damn blood?!
Naruko's next attack is supposed to be a flurry of cloned fists, her Shadow Clone Jutsu, but only three copies flicker into existence before sputtering out. A strange seal on her stomach glows faintly, strangling her chakra. A Chakra Restriction Seal? Seems like she ran into someone pretty dangerous in the forest. Kabuto weaves through the failed clones, before one lands a glancing blow to his ribs. He coughs in pain, doubling over as Naruko leaps for a follow-up elbow drop.
She barely lands it, driving the blow deep into his back before he has a moment to disengage.
Kabuto rolls away, panting. "Y-You're… relentless," he wheezes, pushing his glasses up with a trembling hand.
The observational ability of the Feng Shui Engine and the memory of Library Mind along with your limited knowledge of Biology allows you to flag his breathing pattern as inconsistent, it was too rhythmic for genuine exhaustion, but it was a damn good fake. If you weren't able to see the fight in such good detail, and go over the scene multiple times with your memory, you never would have noticed. His acting is perfect. Even the Third Hokage, perched in an observation booth separated from the rest of the watchers of the fight, gives a small nod at the "effort" being put in by both fighters. Can his own Kage not even see through this damn ruse?
Feat Achieved:
See Through the Act of a Master Spy - 1 Platinum Ticket!
Open: Y/N?
Huh… maybe you were just a little bullshit, what with your telescope eye and perfect memory. Idly, you'd press 'Y' while grappling with the fact that you could apparently see through spies that easily. Sure, it was probably a mixture of your deep understanding of fighting and biology, perfect memory, and the picture perfect clarity you can view the fight with due to your prosthetic eye, but it still felt like too much considering you haven't even gotten a roll to help you with that!
Servant Voucher Triple Summon Variant (Item) - A coupon that allows you to summon your own Heroic Spirits for free, the summoned heroic spirits depend on you as a person. The servants are bound to you in standard Grail War style, with them receiving mana through you via coitus and you possessing 3 command seals to give absolute commands to them.
Ah, damn it, the Gacha didn't react and try proving you wrong. Then again, having your own 'Servant' did sound useful, much less three of them. Based on some of your earlier rolls, 'Mana' was just chakra with extra steps, so that meant… you were gonna be giving these things chakra through sex?!
Fuck, you hope they're cute at least…
Your thoughts are interrupted by the sound of Naruko's fists glowing blue with raw, untamed chakra, and her barrage of punches and kicks devastating the last member of the Glasses Brigade. Kabuto lets the last hit connect, spinning with the force to mask his control. He slams against the wall with a thunk to match the one the pink-haired girl made when she impacted. Unfortunately, the sight of glorious violence was spoiled by your Gacha granted knowledge that this was all fake.
"E-Enough!" Kabuto rasps, raising a shaking hand. "I yield. I can't… keep up."
Naruko freezes, fist still raised. "Huh?! But I barely even started! I can go all day!"
The proctor steps in, the sickly man with the sword, steps forward and makes the announcement. "A surrender is a surrender, Winner: Uzumaki Naruko!"
The crowd erupts in half-hearted cheers. Kabuto slumps against the wall, playing the role of a humbled forever genin out of his depth so well you start to doubt the words of the Gacha for a moment. It's only when your enhanced vision picks up the slightest smirk when he thinks no-one is looking that you confirm it.
Looks like there is more than one snake slithering around during these exams.
You narrow your eyes, your Library Mind replaying Kabuto's every flinch, every suppressed smirk when he let Naruko land a blow on him. He was in control of the fight from the very first blow. He was like a master surgeon with his precision, and he even took the blows in a way so that he'd take more damage to help him sell his act. His chakra never spiked. His vitals never faltered. But there's no proof, only an itch in your gut and the word of the Gacha that he was a spy faking his way through.
His acting is perfect. Looks like I can't call him out now. Besides, he's Konoha's problem, not mine.
Korra snorts beside you. "That guy's softer than wet rice paper. Losing to a Bimbo like that blonde."
Sombra tilts her head, her violet eyes narrowing as she does her best to dissect the fight without your unfair advantages. "Odd. Why didn't he forfeit earlier if he was so outmatched?"
Kabuto bows, hiding his smile as he makes the sign of reconciliation with his fellow Konoha-nin. Blankly, you realize this is the first fight that hasn't ended with one of the fighters passing out from pain or dying brutally. Naruko stares at her fists, confusion warring with triumph.
What a clever little rat. I wonder how he would react if he realized I could see through him now?
You let yourself smirk as you imagine the cocky boy's reaction to someone like you seeing through his little act. But for now, the game continues, and so do the fights.
The screen flickers, before announcing the next fight, hopefully a better one than that farce.
Next Match: JADE LEE (KONOHA) vs. FUU (TAKI)
Three Winning Servants:
Jackie (Democracy)
Scathach (Money)
Astolfo (Money)
You give Fuu a quick kiss before she hops down onto the arena, blatantly giving her ass a squeeze for good luck. Below, Jade Lee bounces on her toes in a green spandex bodysuit, her bowl-cut hair swaying as she throws a dramatic thumbs-up to what you assume are her teammates and Sensei. Fuu just twirls a kunai lazily, wiping at the drool on her lips before giving the other girl a playful grin.
Jade charges first, her fist slamming into the ground where Fuu stood moments ago. The arena floor cracks, dust pluming upward. Fuu cartwheels backward in the air, laughing as a pair of green and orange wings sprout out of her back. "Whoa, bushy-brows! You hit like a landslide! Too bad you're too slow!"
"Speed without discipline is meaningless!" Jade retorts, pivoting into a flying roundhouse kick aimed at the airborn girl. Fuu ducks, her body bending like a reed, and flicks a handful of glittery orange dust in the other girl's face as she passes over her.
The Feng Shui Engine allows you to properly take in the toxin with a birds eye view, and while your rudimentary Chemistry knowledge doesn't allow you to identify it, you can still watch for the effects. Jade slaps her face in an attempt to clear up those effects, her legs dragging on the floor as her disadvantages are made worse by the apparent debilitating effects of that orange powder. "Your tricks will not sway my resolve!"
Fuu sticks out her tongue at the other girl, seeming to not appreciate her 'serious' attitude. "Tricks? Nah, I'm just having fun! You should try it sometime, Bushy Brows!"
Fuu dances around Jade's next onslaught, the Jinchuriki's movements fluid and erratic as she uses her wings to aid in her maneuverability against the handicapped Taijutsu Specialist. She slips past a haymaker, plants a glittering green palm on Jade's shoulder, and leaps away as the next poison seeps in. Jade staggers, her left arm trembling, but grits her teeth.
"A minor inconvenience!" she declares, slamming her fists together. "My flames of youth burn too brightly for your venom to ever subdue them!"
Her sensei (or you assume he's her sensei, they're dressed practically identically) roars with pride as Jade shakes off the paralysis, her chakra flaring defiantly. Fuu's eyes widen. "Okay, that's not fair! How're you still standing?! That was enough poison to take down, like, 50 genin!"
"BECAUSE I HAVE TO! I MUST BECOME A SPLENDID SHINOBI, USING JUST TAIJUTSU!" Jade bellows, launching into a flurry of punches that force Fuu purely onto the defensive, not expecting the sudden second wind the other girl seemed to gain.
The green haired girl does a flying somersault through the air to the arena's edge, panting but still grinning. "You're fun, Bushy Brows! But let's stop playing tag." She pulls a scroll from her sleeve, apparently willing to pull out whatever trump card she had planned for the exams to take down the other girl. With a poof of smoke showing the scroll had been released, a thick and potent green glittering miasma filled the bottom portion of the arena, concealing both fighters.
You could hear as Jade leaps backward, coughing as the glittering poison mist singes her lungs. Her legs clank heavily and for the first time, frustration flickers across her face. She turns to Might Gai, who gives a tearful nod, a wide grin on her face.
She thrusts a thumbs-up at the girl, her voice booming. "SHOW THEM THE TRUE POWER OF YOUTH, JADE! I BELIEVE IN YOU!"
Everyone else in the room falls silent as Jade kneels, unbuckling the weights on her legs. They hit the ground with a thunderous CRACK, cratering the arena floor and leaving large craters in their wake. Fuu's grin falters.
"Uh… oops? Maybe you're a little too fun for me…"
"Finally, a real fight." You say as the Feng Shui Engine recalibrates, preparing to track the much faster green clad kunoichi. But your favorite brown succubus' poison still simmers in Jade's veins, a ticking clock. If the Youth loving girl can't end this fight now, there probably won't be a chance for her to win it later.
Korra whistles in appreciation, she can respect someone whose entire strategy is just to hit the other side and keep hitting them until they're done. "Damn. Sandals-and-spandex is scary."
Sombra just smirks. "Poison versus pure force. I think you can both guess which I prefer. The new girl can be… a lot, but at least she isn't screaming all the time like that maniac."
You say nothing else, instead your eyes are locked on Fuu. Her playful facade slips for a heartbeat, revealing something feral beneath, the faintest ripple of the seven-tails chakra.
Interesting. I wonder if Jade will push her to show that off.
The arena trembles as Jade Lee moves.
Without her weights, she's like a blur. An untamed tempest of green spandex and endless momentum. Fuu's wings beat frantically, lifting her just as Jade's fist obliterates the ground where she'd been standing. The shockwave cracks stone, sending debris cascading up into the viewing area above.
"DYNAMIC ENTRY!" Jade's voice booms, a war cry that shakes the very room you all are in as she smashes a hole into the side of the arena.
The Feng Shui Engine in your eye whirs, struggling to track her. Every punch, every kick, her every movement is like a kinetic explosion. Her chakra is burning through the poison in her veins like a wildfire, worsening the spread even as it tries to fight off the effects. Fuu tries to weave through the onslaught, but her wings clip a glancing blow, sending her spiraling as the blow sends her flying.
"You're way too fast!" Fuu gasps, her laughter gone and replaced by gritted teeth. "This isn't fun anymore…"
Jade's left arm twitches mid-combo, a telltale tremor. The poison is starting to win. It's slowing her synapses, clotting her veins, making her sloppy. But her fists don't stop. They can't.
"FUN?! I AM HAVING FUN! YOSH, MY FIRES OF YOUTH ARE SHINING BRIGHT!"
She slams a heel into Fuu's ribs, the impact echoing like a cannon shot. Fuu skids across the arena, coughing blood, her wings crumpled. The Konoha side of the crowd roars, and even her own teammates look pleased. They probably think Fuu taking a beating will make it easier to drag her back to Taki.
Korra leans forward, eyes wide. "She's getting murdered out there."
Sombra's smirk fades, she knows you want to jump in and stop Fuu from getting thrashed. You like watching a good fight, but this isn't that anymore. Now you wanna stop this before your little suck-slut gets crippled. "Not yet."
Fuu staggers to her feet, her lime-green hair matted with dust and blood. Her grin is gone, replaced by a snarl. "Okay. Fine. No more playing nice."
The air around her shimmers.
A ripple of crimson chakra erupts from her chest, the Seven-Tails' potent and dominant chakra thickening the air. Fuu's crumpled wings come back larger, jagged, and buzzing with insectoid fury. Her eyes bleed black, pupils slit like a hornet's as she glares bloody murder at the other girl.
"You want a real fight, Bushy Brows? Want to be a splendid shinobi." Her voice echoes, layered with a deeper, guttural growl. "Let's play for keeps."
"Fuck yeah! Kick her ass, Fuu!" You cheer for your girl, before giving her a wink that promises her that she can do whatever she wants with you later if she manages to win.
Jade doesn't flinch. She grins as her own chakra starts flaring around her in emerald green waves, her skin turning a tomato red. "YES! LET US GO ALL OUT!"
The two collide, Fuu's Bijuu-chakra shaped talons meet Jade's reinforced fist. The arena quakes, a shockwave blasting sand and stone into the air.
When it clears, Jade is airborne, Fuu's chakra-tail whipping her into the wall. But the Taijutsu maniac rebounds like a meteor wrapped in spandex, her iron hard fist aimed at Fuu's core.
It all comes down to this, one final blow to decide the match…
You grip the railing tight as you watch the final clash, the Feng Shui Engine in your left eye almost overclocking as it struggles to parse the storm of chakra below. Lee is like an avalanche of lightning fast blows wrapped in green spandex, trailing emerald flames as she rockets toward Fuu. The air itself SCREAMS around her as she moves fast enough to create the iconic BOOM that only Jonin level ninja can produce, her fist is like a meteor aimed right for Fuu's heart. But Fuu, Fuu is no longer just a girl fighting against this force of nature, she's become a force of nature too.
She's become a feral beast coated in a boiling layer of bright orange chakra, sharp wings sprouting out of her back and cutting the air around her like scythes, and her eyes were pitch black voids with slitted pupils that radiated malice.
Their final blows landed in unison, rocking the arena from the sheer impact.
Jade's fist slammed into Fuu's chest, the impact cratering the jinchūriki's chakra cloak around it, the sheer force enough to displace the acidic boiling chakra of the 7-tails. At the exact same instant, Fuu's taloned fingers spears through Jade's guard, the jagged edge of her new claws carving a bloody arc across her ribs before sending the other girl flying away as the site of the collision detonates from the impact.
The shockwave shatters the screen above and sends the other genin scrambling for cover. Even your impeccable vision isn't able to see through the thick cloud of debris. When it clears, the dust settles on what looks like a wasteland where once there were smooth tile floors and the occasional bloody puddle from the previous matches.
Jade lies sprawled on her back, one of her arms twisted and broken beneath her, the other still clenched in a fist despite it being mangled. Her spandex is shredded, skin mottled with bruises and the poison's spreading across her veins turning them a sickly green color. But her grin remains, wide and unbroken.
Fuu kneels a few feet away, her wings disintegrating into motes of bright orange chakra. The Seven-Tails' aura flickers, then snuffs out, leaving her trembling and her normally tan skin pale from the sheer exhaustion. Blood drips from her nose, her lips, the gashes across her arms. She sways for a moment, then collapses face-first into the rubble.
Silence fills the room.
Nobody dares make a sound.
The proctor hesitates, glancing between the two motionless bodies. The watching genin held their breath. Even Korra has been left speechless, her usual bravado swallowed by awe for the incredible clash that took place below.
Then-
Jade's finger twitches.
Fuu's hand spasms.
They stir in unison, their bodies refusing to quit. Jade drags herself onto her elbows, coughing blood. Fuu rolls onto her side, her laughter a raspy, broken thing but her smile is wide and heart warming even as she coughs out a thick glob of blood.
"Y-YOU…" Jade wheezes, her voice raw. "YOU'RE… SPECTACULAR…I DECLARE YOU MY NEWEST RIVAL!" The girl managed to shout even as she was teetering on the edge of unconsciousness, not even able to stand without her knees wobbling.
Fuu manages a smile, her grin bloody but radiant compared to the snarls she had on it a few moments ago. "Y-You're pretty fun too… Bushy Brows… wanna be friends?" She asks with a happy look in her bright orange eyes, her knees giving out beneath her first before Lee joins her, both unbelievably powerful genin unconscious on the floor.
The proctor steps forward, flustered. "Uh… double knockout! I declare this match… a tie!"
The crowd erupts. Not in cheers, but in disbelieving laughter, applause, a few horrified screams. You let out a breath you didn't realize you'd been holding. .
Korra slumps back in her seat, shaking her head, as if unable to believe what she just saw. She had accepted you were bullshit after the show you put on with Sensei yesterday, but seeing so many Genin that utterly outclassed her… well it probably did some damage to her delicate heart. "What the hell did we just watch?"
Sombra's smirk returns, sharp and intrigued. "A spectacle. And a problem for us." She nods toward the remaining Taki handler, you had already forgotten both of their names, but it was the thin one with the sword who looked equal parts furious and terrified at the show their pet monster just put on. "They'll want her back even more now. Even if she is beyond compromised."
You don't answer. Your eyes are on Fuu as medics haul her onto a stretcher. Her hand flops limply, but she flashes you a weak peace sign and a wink that lets you know she still plans to take you up on that little offer.
You're still giving the girl a reassuring smile, tempted to hop down there and tell her that she did good, before the screen flickers to the next match…
KORRA (KUMO) vs. CHOJI AKAMICHI (KONOHA)
You watch your normally energetic teammate suddenly snap back to her usual self at the promise of her own match, a wide and bloodthirsty grin on her face. She gives both you and Sombra a wide smile before descending down into the arena, deciding to give a respectful nod to both of the women getting carried out of the room.
Jade Lee gives the buff kumo kunoichi a wobbly thumbs-up from her stretcher, her grin still blinding. Fuu just reached out and lightly patted the other girl's butt, before whispering something that left both Korra and Lee blushing.
Unfortunately, you weren't able to hear what was said, or even try and piece it together using a little bit of the lip reading, some help from your Feng Shui Engine, and the enhanced memory of your Library Mind before it was time for the next round to start.
You lean against the railing with your Feng Shui Engine dissecting the coming match like you have for every fight so far. Choji Akamichi, it was apparently the name of a burly kunoichi with flushed cheeks and a Konoha headband straining against her forehead. She stands hunched, her fists trembling at her sides as she reaches for a bag of chips at her belt, seeming to calm down immensely as soon as she can start stuffing her face. Korra cracks her knuckles, her grin feral as she sizes up her opponent.
"C'mon, Fattie," Korra jeers, her voice booming across the arena. She obviously wants her opponent to start taking the fight seriously, and isn't above using a little bit of trash talk to get what she wants. "You gonna roll over and cry without your snacks, or do I get to punch that shit out of your hands for you to fight me?"
The girl's blonde teammate gasps, seeming to already know what's about to happen. Meanwhile, all the sleepy looking girl with a pineapple haircut does is roll her eyes. Clearly, Korra just did something to draw their concern, but what?
You get your answer when Choji's face reddens, her breath hitching. "H-Hey… who are you calling fat?!" she begins to yell, her voice cracking with rage. You can already see her eyes starting to narrow like a bull seeing red, but knowing Korra, she's blissfully unaware of just how effective her taunting is.
Korra proves you right by barking out a laugh, casually pointing forward at the plump konoha kunoichi's massive tits, easily the biggest you've ever seen. Fuming, the chubby girl tried to cover them with her hands, but all that did was lead to her turning around and showing off her equally fat ass. "Or what? You'll sit on me?! Or are you gonna try to smother me with those fucking fun-bags of yours?! Doubt you can even throw a real punch with all that lard bouncing around!" Korra managed to continue to taunt through her laughter, tears escaping her eyes.
The insults seem to land like an explosive tag. Choji's chakra surges and her body starts swelling as she curls into a giant human wrecking ball, or rather a… "Human Boulder Jutsu!". The arena floor cracks under her weight as she rockets toward Korra, a screaming avalanche of rage as her blue chakra shoots out of where her limbs would be, propelling her forward like a rocket.
Korra doesn't even flinch. She just smirks, wiping the tears from her eyes before her hands start weaving signs too fast for the untrained eye to follow. Your Feng Shui Engine tracks every micro-movement: "Water Release: Surging Torrent!" erupts from her mouth, a tidal wave crashing into Choji's rolling form. The force slows her, water soaking into the Akimichi girl's clothes and halting her movement. Meanwhile Korra's hands snap into a second set of seals. "Lightning Release: Shockwave!".
The arena lights up. Electricity arcs off of Korra's hands and into the water-drenched Choji, her scream drowned by the crackle of 10,000 volts. The stench of burnt hair and ozone floods the air as she spasms, her Human Boulder form unraveling mid-roll.
Choji collapses, electric volts shooting off of her from her soaking wet clothes, while her curvy body twitches like a fish on a wire. Korra strolls over, nudging her with a boot. "Damn, Fattie. You done already?"
The proctor opens his mouth to call the match, but Choji lunges, a last-ditch grab at Korra's ankle.
Unfortunately for her, Korra was dumb, but she wasn't that dumb. Her instincts have been honed through years of spars with a psycho like your sensei and a bitch like Sombra. A weak fake out like that would never work. The muscular girl pivots, her heel slamming into Choji's temple with a hollow thunk. The Akimichi hits the ground like a sack of rice, out cold.
"Well that was a little bit disappointing, I thought the fight would be a little closer." You say with a frown. It's obvious the oversized girl's rage made her sloppy, and your teammate exploited it like a pro. Still, you wish she had dragged it out a little bit more. After the last fight, this one felt like a bit of a let-down.
Sombra has a different opinion, smiling like a proud mother at seeing Korra seemingly steal one of her usual tactics. "Crude," she says with a sharp grin, "but effective."
Korra flexes for the stands, shouting, "Come on, who's next?! You tree-fuckers gotta have some real genin to show off, right?!" as the medics drag Choji away. You decided to let your teammate have her little moment of glory. She can be the bad-cop, it will make it all the easier for you to pretend to be the kind-hearted kumo-genin later on. The screen flickers, names scrambling.
Next Match: SHIKAMARU NARA (KONOHA) vs. TSUKIMI (TAKI)
You decide to turn off your Feng Shui Engine for the upcoming match, partially to see how it changed your observational abilities and partially so you could actually enjoy it a little more. Shikako Nara slouches into the center of the ring, her hands stuffed in her pockets and her Konoha headband slightly askew on her arm. She yawns, as if this entire exam is beneath her. Across from her, Tsukimi of Taki adjusts his gloves, his posture too rigid for a genin. The blade at his hip glints, but his chakra is steady and controlled. A chunin's discipline. You're surprised Konoha hasn't called the fakes out now that they are facing off against someone other than your team.
Tsukimi strikes first with a kunai flashing towards the lazy girl. Shikako side steps, shadows pooling at her feet. The Taki shinobi feints left, then pivots into a high kick, but Shikako ducks under the strike, her fingers twitching. The shadows stretch, imperceptibly, toward Tsukimi's ankles. She's not trying to fight, she's just aiming for the win.
"Too slow," Tsukimi taunts, leaping back to avoid the creeping darkness. He flings shuriken in a wide arc, forcing Shikako to dance backward. But the Nara's retreat is deliberate, herding Tsukimi toward the arena's edge where the rubble poking up underneath the fluorescent lights above casts plenty of small, jagged shadows.
You smirk. At least she's clever.
Tsukimi draws his sword from his waist, coating it with a light blue sheen of chakra as he charges, and the wind around him seems to allow him to move slightly faster. He lunges, speed tripled, and his blade a blur. Shikako barely evades, her jacket nicked by the edge of the blade, cutting straight through it and showing that much like every other Konoha kunoichi, the Nara preferred to just wear a mesh shirt under her jacket instead of opting for a bra.
"Running won't save you," Tsukimi sneers, his strikes growing more reckless as he tried to pin down the lazy girl.
Shikako doesn't reply, she simply dodges underneath a blow before her hands slip into the "Shadow Possession". It takes you a moment to realize, but you notice shadows snake from the arena's perimeter, knitting a web of miniature connections from behind Shikako to several hiding spots beneath the rubble before finally getting to their final stop at Tsukimi's feet.
Tsukimi leaps for a finishing strike… and freezes mid-air. His eyes widen as the shadows clamp around his limbs, Shikako's smirk is like a mirror for his own trapped snarl.
"Shadow Possession Jutsu: Complete," Shikako mutters, yawning. "You talk too much for someone who can't even fight."
Tsukimi strains, his veins bulging and his grip on his katana so tight it looks like he might shatter the pommel of it. Shikako tilts her head, and Tsukimi's body mimics the movement against his will.
"Now," Shikako says, flicking her wrist, and Tsukimi's blade follows her, pointing itself at the man's throat "how about you… surrender?"
Tsukimi's lips twist into a forced grin. "I… I yield."
"Well she's definitely efficient. Probably an annoying fight when you're the one stuck in the ring with her though." You say with a snort. The Nara didn't waste a single movement. Her shadows moved like extensions of her thoughts. There was no flair, no wasted chakra, no pride in wanting to be a strong shinobi, just wanting to get a fight over as soon as possible. Tsukimi's superior power meant nothing against the girl's superior intellect.
Korra scoffs beside you. "Boring. Where was the fight in that? At least I zapped her teammate after they handed me the win."
Sombra's smirk is approving. "She won before stepping into the ring. She didn't get lucky like you did either. I think I like that one."
You nod, even if you don't strictly share her approval. Shikako's strategy was flawless, but her demeanor, the whole lazy tactician bit, grated on you at a personal level. Still, you file her tactics away. Besides, she seemed somewhat concerned when she saw the state of her teammate, maybe healing the heavy set girl could get you into her good graces?
Either way, it was time for the next match.
Next Match: TEN-TEN (KONOHA) vs. INO YAMANAKA (KONOHA).
You just smirked, this fight already looks like a repeat of the pink-haired girl's little stand-off with the fan-girl. The girl with hair-buns strides into the arena, her weapon scrolls already unfurling with a flick of her wrist. The Yamanaka follows, her platinum blonde ponytail swinging defiantly, though her knuckles whiten around a kunai as she glares at her fellow kunoichi. She's feisty, but you can already tell this fight is practically over. The Feng Shui Engine and your own fighting skills letting you recognize the lack of physical conditioning on her body. She probably at least has a gimmick, being from a clan, but you doubt that will save her.
Buns girl strikes first. A whirlwind of shuriken, senbon, and chain-lashed kunai erupts from her scrolls, forcing the blonde into a frantic retreat. Metal clatters against stone as she ducks behind a pile of rubble, her breath sharp.
"C'mon, Yamanaka!" Ten-Ten taunts, twirling a kunai on each of her fingers and looking ready to poke her fellow Konoha kunoichi full of holes if it means getting to the next phase of the exams. "You gonna hide all day?"
Ino lunges from cover, her kunai raised, but one of Ten-Ten's chains snaps out, wrapping around her ankle. A yank sends Ino sprawling, her weapon skidding away. You groan. This is almost more pathetic than Pinkie's showing.
"Pathetic," Ten-Ten smirks, loading a scroll with a fresh volley. "Should've stayed in the flower shop, Blondie."
Ino scrambles to her feet, dirt and dust smeared across her cheek. You catch the flicker in her eyes. It wasn't fear, no it was fury. She was glaring at the other girl like she was everything she hated in the world, and for a moment you idly wondered if the two had a history.
Ten-Ten unleashes another barrage. Ino tries dodging, but a senbon grazes her arm, and a kunai buries itself in her thigh, drawing blood. She hisses, then she smiles.
"Mind Body Transfer Technique!"
The jutsu fizzles, Ten-Ten backflipping out of the other girl's range with a laugh. "Too slow, Princess. Your parlor trick won't work here. Gai-Sensei taught us how to prepare for what we might expect in the exams, even from other Konoha genin."
But the blonde doesn't relent, even when her last minute gambit proved to be waste. She feints left, then right, showing surprising cleverness for a girl who had started the fight with a kunai charge. Her hands start flashing through seals again and again. Ten-Ten's weapons pin her sleeves to the ground, but Ino tears herself free, the fabric of her clothes ripping as she finally manages to close the distance.
"Mind Body Transfer…"
Ten-Ten rolls her eyes, pulling out a final giant scroll. "Give. It. Up."
A storm of blades rockets toward Ino, the other girl simply opening the scroll and the weapons firing out. The blonde doesn't even flinch. Instead, she leaps into the onslaught, hands clasped in the final seal even as her body is filled with various weapons. She's definitely going to need medical attention, but…
"TECHNIQUE!"
The Mind Transfer connects.
Ten-Ten's body freezes mid-sneer, Ino's consciousness slamming into her like a hammer. The weapons clatter harmlessly to the ground as Ten-Ten's now puppeted body raises her own hand… and announces the inevitable.
"I surrender."
Ino consciousness is forced back into her own body a moment later, sweat-drenched and heavily wounded, but technically victorious. Ten-Ten staggers, face flushed with humiliation. Every onlooker has something to say about the shock victory, with most of the other genin from Konoha having the most interesting reactions.
"Huh," Korra grunts beside you. "Didn't think the Blonde had that in her."
Sombra tilts her head, intrigued. "The Weapon Thrower underestimated her. She dragged things out, tried to embarrass her. Probably wanted to put on a show to match the blonde or her teammate to show that she was a 'strong kunoichi' too."
You nod, filing away that little observation. The Yamanaka had been forced to take hit after hit, luring Ten-Ten into complacency, then struck when the opening was a hair wide. But it wasn't her win, it was Ten-Ten's loss.
Ino is the first winner who is carried out by the medics, clutching her bleeding arm, but her blood-soaked grin is blinding. Ten-Ten storms off, fists clenched, her weapon scrolls crumpled in her grip.
The screen whirred to life once more, announcing the final match before the Proctor could announce the unique ruling.
Next Match: SŌKOTSU (KUMO) vs. KANKURO (SUNA) vs. NAEGI HYUGA (KONOHA).
That it was going to be 1v1v1, with the best fighter moving on.
You crack your knuckles, the Ebony Fang humming at your hip, and it seems like your first sword is hungering for blood already. Just like you. Honestly, you were getting worried that Konoha was gonna try and pull something, and you probably would've stabbed the proctor and forced a fight if they tried to pass you off to the next round without a match.
You hop down into the arena, Summoning Shusui already unsheathed into your right hand. Its sleek black blade humming with an unnatural and otherworldly sharpness. The Ebony Fang glows faintly crimson in your left hand, its cracks pulsing like a heartbeat as you got closer to the bloodstained grounds of the Preliminaries' arena. Kankuro lingers near the far wall, a large clothed object attached to her back that she has been carrying around for the entire exam. Naegi Hyuga steps forward, her Byakugan veins bulging as she points a trembling finger at you.
"It seems Fate is smiling upon my honorable retribution today, cloud-scum. Kumo's sins stain your very blood and mark you as a butcher and thief," she snarls, her voice cracking with rage and hate shining in her blank Byakugan eyes. "I, the flawless prodigy of the Honorable Hyuga Clan, will end your–"
You're already moving before she can finish that long-winded mess, even if it would have been nice to keep watching her work herself up while her tits bounced in her robe.
Shusui cleaves the air, its edge singing as Naegi barely twists away. Her Gentle Fist strikes lash out, they were originally aimed for your chakra points, but had to be diverted to deflect the slash of your blade. By seizing the initiative, you had disabled the only fighter here who might be able to make it past your Vibranium Skeleton. She hisses, dancing back and hoping to regain the momentum after you're winded, but you are relentless as you press forward with the Ebony Fang slashing horizontally while Shusui stabs low.
"Talk less," you growl. "Fight more."
She growls at that, and to your surprise she leans into your next slash, just enough so that it leaves the top of her robe completely destroyed. The sight is… glorious.
Your distraction allows her palm to graze your ribs, and for a heartbeat, your chakra stutters, the Gentle Fist disruption causing you to pause as one of your tenketsu is forcibly closed. But the Feng Shui Engine in your eye ignites, flooding your veins with raw power, meanwhile you activate Divine Healing Light to offset the strain. Forced backwards, you pivot, Shusui's hilt cracking her across the jaw as you do. She staggers, blood flecking her lips and a snarl on her face.
"Y-You beast, I didn't think you would actually–!"
"Yes," you smirk. Intimidation rolls off you in waves, and her Byakugan flickers before her face… flushed red? Either way, you continued. "I am a beast… that's why I was sent here~"
A kunai whizzes past your ear, and Kankuro lunges as she seems to believe this stand-off is her moment to strike. Her arms come apart and reveal poisoned blades glinting. You bat the puppet (fucking Suna cowards) aside with your Ebony Fang, but Naegi seizes the opening. Her fingers dart toward your eyes, but it's revealed to be a feint when the bundle of cloth that was on the girl's back is stripped away to reveal her true self and she spits a needle laced with paralysis toxin right at your arm.
It glances off a quickly raised bone shield, clattering harmlessly away. "Cute."
But the distraction (along with the constant distraction provided by the bouncing Hyuga tits) costs you. Kankuro quickly makes a quick gesture, and strings connect to one of her puppet's arms so that it detaches, spraying a cloud of venomous mist straight into your face. You inhale on reflex and your lungs burn instantly.
Your Divine Healing Light kicks in, reverting the necrosis, but your vision blurs for just a moment. A moment is all the two girls need. Naegi leaps, screaming, "Eight Trigrams 64 Palm–!"
You drop Shusui to catch her wrist mid-strike, and slam her face-first into the arena floor. The stone cracks. She goes limp. She's lucky you didn't do that at full power, or her head would be a smear on the tiles below. Instead she probably just has a concussion, or maybe some more serious brain damage. Eh, you'll heal it later for a favor from her teammates.
Huh, if she was actually important, maybe you could extort the Hyuga themselves? Choices, choices…
Interrupting your thoughts and continuing the hopeless battle, a puppet's sawblade screeches toward your neck. You block with your Ebony Fang, the cursed steel shearing through the remaining puppet arm behind the saw blade. Kankuro curses, scrambling to reload, but you're already on her.
"Coward," you mock, your Musk thickening the air as you loom over her. "It's not fair she had to show off for you to get in a hit, is it? How about you pay it back to her?"
She fumbles for something at her waist, but by the time her hand was halfway there the Ebony Fang had already removed all her clothes, showing off that fine Suna booty to match the perfect pair of Hyuga tits that's been distracting you this whole fight (you still see them bounce every time you close your eyes!)
A moment later, after giving her a few seconds to process her embarrassment, the pommel of your blade crunches into her temple. She collapses beside Naegi, out cold.
The proctor calls the match at that, your casual dominance over the rest of the genin here absolutely clear. Your veins throb with the remnants of the toxin and the strain of your Feng Shui Engine, but one Divine Healing Light later you are perfectly fine. You stand unwavering, twin swords dripping with the promise of, well… probably whatever Naegi had in mind when she was blushing up a storm in the middle of your fight.
Really, didn't Konoha have any normal girls?
****
Gaara of Suna moves on to the next bracket tier (Behold, Kage Child Nepotism)
Finalized Bracket
.