Chapter 22

"That's the 8th one. Should we go looking for the others now, Ailane?" Kushina asked after stringing up a team and taking their scrolls.

"Yeah, they're just ahead of us." Ailane said as she jumped off Kushina's shoulder and took her guitar back from Kushina. "Karma, wake up. We're gonna meet the others."

"Already? Well, I'm curious how it's going for them too. Let's go." Karma woke up and said as he jumped off of Kushina. He picked her up in a princess carry immediately saying, "you're too slow, it's better if I just carry you."

Then he and Ailane used shunpo to quickly approach the clearing where Sasuke had just awakened with his curse mark and almost everyone else was beaten up.

"Sasuke, how lame. You want to beat me, but can't even control a bit of natural energy. It's making you lose your temper. And the rest of you, you did okay. You're fighting some fake sound release users, so it's kind of normal you'd lose. Your hair looks pretty good, by the way Sakura. Just make sure to even it out." Karma spoke, announcing his presence as he released Kushina. Inwardly he thought, 'There's plenty of Uchiha, you shitty prey. At least the curse mark can be removed.'

"More weaklings?" One of the the Sound ninja, Kazu, asked.

"Yes, now leave." Karma replied dismissively. "By the way, you smell like snake. You're prey that I don't care about though, so leave while you have the chance.

"As if we'd be afraid of you!" Kazu laughed.

"Karma, let me deal with them." Sasuke said angrily.

"No. Maybe if you could control yourself, but right now, you can't even do that. Just relax and let me deal with it." Karma replied.

"But-" Sasuke started.

"Nope, just shut up. Anyway, they were beating Ino and Sakura. I gotta be the one to deal with them. Also, I heard the word 'fat.' So I need to help my big-boned friend out." Karma refused.

"Yeah!" Choji yelled. Then he pulled out a small carton of milk. "You can have this after!"

"Heh. What'll you-" Kazu started taunting, stopping when Karma appeared in front of him.

"I'll at least cripple you in return for injuring them." Karma smiled gently. "But don't worry, I'll at least be sure to make them clean cuts. Scorch Release: Blazing Arm Blade Jutsu!"

Karma created bright orange blades on his arms and sliced them towards the Sound shinobi. Kazu attempted to dodge, but his speed was no match for shunpo. His right arm was quickly sliced off. The cut was immediately seared shut due to the temperature, and the rest of his arm shrivelled up, having lost any hydration by being hit by Scorch Release. "Stand still if you want proper service. What kind of customers tries to run away?"

"Shut up, you lunatic!" Kazu screamed as he aimed his remaining hand at Karma. "Sonic Slicing Wave!" He released sonic blasts from his hand. Karma simply dodged around them and removed Kazu's other arm.

"It doesn't smell like you injured Sakura or Ino," Karma said as he looked at Dozu. "I'll let you go, but leave your scroll." He smiled.

Dozu nodded frantically and left after picking up his teammates and leaving his scroll, an Earth Scroll.

"Lucky! We got an Earth Scroll! We can go complete the exam now!" Karma said happily.

"Karma, we already have one. We have 8 left over scrolls with that one." Ailane informed him. Then she looked at the others who were there. "You guys can have our left overs."

"Karma, do you know who Orochimaru is? You know what he put on Sasuke?" Sakura asked, triggering the curiosity of everyone else.

"Orochimaru is an S-Rank Criminal. He put a Curse Mark, a garbage version of Sage Mode, on Sasuke that his snake chakra." Karma explained. "Sasuke, after the Chunin Exams are done, I'll ask my Sage Mode teacher, Rai, if he can talk to the Snake Sages and help you control that. You'll just have to deal with it for now. Kushina, can you seal it with your chains?"

"I think if I do it, it won't fully seal." Kushina replied.

"As long as it doesn't get in his way, it's fine." Karma said.

"Ok. Then, Uzumaki Sealing Chains: Seal!" Kushina yelled, pointing at Sasuke. He was enveloped in chains which quickly condensed on the Curse Mark before becoming a tattoo on too of it. "This should stop the Curse Mark from hurting you or corroding your mind, but I think it will still activate sometimes."

"Thank you, Karma, Kushina. Karma, what was that, Scorch Release?" Sasuke asked.

"Combination of fire and wind nature chakra. I made it up on the spot though. It's not that hard to combine chakra natures for me. Though, I can only do four kekkei genkai right now out of 10." Karma shrugged.

""How?!"" Sasuke and Naruto, who just woke up, exclaimed.

"You just have to learn to balance the chakra. Equal parts fire, equal parts wind creates scorch release when you mix them. As long as you practice your chakra control, you'll be able to do it." Karma explained. "We're gonna go finish this test, good luck, everyone."

Karma, Kushina and Ailane quickly left the scene.

"Karma, we haven't seen your older sister." Kushina said as they made their way towards the center tower.

"She probably finished within the first few hours." Ailane told Kushina.

"Eh?"

"It was just a boring game for her. She's probably training her sword abilities right now after having finished. Her teammates seem to be pretty good too. Rin is a healer for sure, and Sai smells like fodder." Karma explained.

"Karma, why'd you cut his arm off? You said you'd hide your skills." Ailane asked.

"I lost my cool just a little because never in my life have I seen my friends or family be injured. Had to deal with the one who did it. Anyway, it's not that big of a deal." Karma stated. During the entirety of eternity he had no friends and family, now when he had them, they were getting one sidedly beat by fodder. Of course he would be angry, even if he knew it would happen.