Chapter 84: Not Enough...
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[Despite it All Season 1 Will End After the Exams]
Inochi's POV (Audience Section of Iron Arena - Land of Iron)
He was speechless as he watched his little Princess start to dismantle the Cloud Genin. Inoichi had been proud of her for years; she was his life's gem. But he had always been worried about her becoming a kunoichi. They were either treated as objects to further the Leaf's goal or as killing machines. Inoichi had doubted his daughter had it in her. He thought she might succeed somewhat but had never expected this from her.
'You've grown up so fast. My dearest Princess.' Inoichi thought with paternal pride.
"Hmm, hmm, hmm, Samui is in trouble~! Hmm, hmm, hmm, Blondie's strength has doubled~! Yeah~!" Inoichi glanced over at the strange man who had interrupted his fatherly musing. He seemed to be… rapping? Poorly?
"Excuse me, mind if you are silent. I'm trying to enjoy my daughter's victory." Inoichi said, annoyed. Choza and Shikaku both glanced over, seeming to sense the odd tension.
"It is kinda rude, isn't it Shikaku?" Choza agreed loudly, making it clear they were involved.
"Do not involve me; this will surely be a drag." Shikaku replied while sipping beer happily.
"Oh no! Daddy dearest thinks he knows~! Oh no! Samui is about to show them, bros~! Woaaaah~!" Bee rapped in response, standing to dance slightly.
Shikaku and Choza seemed utterly perplexed by this but watched with intrigue as Inochi stood up with a father's fury and stood and faced Bee down.
"Do you not see my amazing daughter down there?!" Inoichi roared indignantly. "She simply cannot be defeated." He said with the confidence only a parent can have.
This seemed to snap Bee out of his rapping, who shook his head as if pitying Inoichi. "No doubt your daughter has game and style, but I doubt this will be enough to crack Samui. She's made of the realest stuff."
Both snapped out of their argument as the mic picked up the next stage of the battle.
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Ino's POV (Courtyard of Iron Arena - Land of Iron)
Ino panted as she slid under ropes and slide-tackled Samui's legs from under her. She grabbed a rope and skillfully swung around it, kicking Samui in the face. 'I can't afford to use Ninjutsu! I can't even use a weapon due to the close quarters! But if I can just keep this up. Surely, she can't take much more.' Ino flinched as Samui painfully was hung up by more ropes and coughed up a small amount of blood. Samui was proving challenging. Somehow, she had survived nearly three minutes of Ino beating her around. Samui slid under a few ropes again, landing in the center of the rope circus. She had wisely attempted to escape several times now. But Ino had been diligent in returning her to the center. Samui stood even while being beaten and bruised, she seemed utterly calm. 'How is she still so damn cool! Does she have a plan?' Ino's internal monologue was proven correct as Samui surged through hand signs.
"Cool Aura: Electric Sense!" Samui said as a small field of electricity surrounded her. Ino bothered little with worrying over it. She was running out of time and knew the best way to stop her was to overwhelm her. Ino surged forward from behind Samui, using her grace to do so silently. Right as she swung for Samui's back, she somehow spun incredibly quickly, slashing her tanto as she did so. Ino did a backflip into a flip, narrowly avoiding taking the blade to her face. Her cheek was sliced, showing Samui had closed the gap somehow. 'She reacted to me! NO! I WILL NOT LOSE! I'LL SHOW NARUTO HOW MUCH I CARE!' Ino flooded her body with active chakra as she forced her body to move at top speed. Despite her impressive maneuvering and speed, Samui was reacting to each blow and giving one back on demand. Each counter came close to hitting, but Ino would skillfully dodge.
Ino growled inwardly as she continued her barrage, desperation settling in as she felt her chakra reserves dwindle. "Lose already!" She yelled as she surged in and out.
"Quitting is never cool. Besides, we both know you have little time left." Samui panted out.
'Somehow she knows!' Ino's mind whirled as she continued her assault. 'All or nothing, I have ten seconds!'
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Samui ducked under a roundhouse by Ino and slashed at her other leg. Ino managed to pull herself up with a rope and kick down at Samui, who deflected the hit skillfully.
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Ino desperately charged forward and swung her fist. Samui easily caught it, relaxing as she noted Ino slowing down considerably.
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It was Over
Ino could only gasp as the exhaustion set in. She collapsed to her knees as Samui held onto her fist. 'Is this all I have?' Ino thought, gritting her teeth in desperation. Before she could attempt some last-ditch effort, she felt Samui's tanto tickle her throat. She looked up plainly as Samui met her gaze.
"I may have misjudged you, Yamanaka. It appears Naruto knows how to pick cool friends." Samui said with a small smile. "But this battle is mine. Well fought."
Ino felt a numbness wash through her even as she desperately tried to keep her eyes open as she relaxed and dropped her head once Samui removed her blade. Kakashi appeared between the two, nodding his head at the scene. Ino glanced over and could see Kakashi seem to smile at her. She had failed, but at least she had tr-
"THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE INO!" Naruto roared, breaking through the crowd's silence and processing the match's result. "THAT'S MY TEAMMATE! BLONDES RULE!"
Ino smiled warmly as she gazed at Naruto, only to flinch as she saw Samui do the same.
"That was for me." Ino snapped out. She covered her mouth afterward, ashamed. Something about Samui made her feel inferior. She recognized it was jealousy, but it was hard to control.
"I do believe he said blondes rule. In case you don't notice." Samui said, pointing to her bob.
Ino growled at this. "It's an inside joke!"
"One I'm now in on, cool."
"Stop saying that!" Ino roared further, incensed.
'You truly are Minato's son, Naruto.' Kakashi thought dryly as he signed for the two to be silent. "The winner of this match, Samui of the Cloud!" It was disappointing to see another of his students lose, but Ino had come far and only lost due to endurance and the odd defensive technique Samui had used. 'Maybe next time Ino…'
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A's POV (Kage Box of Iron Arena - Land of Iron)
A had known the exams would not be the best for his village. Omoi and Karui had shown great promise but needed to be wiser and more shortsighted. Truly, he had known his only hope would be the odd prodigy herself, Samui. She had been part of a small shinobi family. The Ochitu had been a small clan of ninjas with a solid tie with lightning nature jutsu. Relevant towards the beginning of his village. But nowadays, not so much. They had been spying on his town for an unknown party, and as such, they had been sentenced to execution. As his men had gathered to carry out such, they had run. It was a testament to the parents' will that they had outpaced his forces.
Unfortunately for them, A knew a man must sometimes handle business alone. He had appeared and told the two of their fate. A had planned to make their deaths humane should they surrender. Of course, they hadn't, foolishly trying to salvage their situation. They had attempted to fight back. A had slain them with ease and then ventured off to find the children of the traitors. He had known one of them to be guilty and had planned to kill both to be safe. Atsui, the loyal son of a traitor, had attempted to avenge his parents. A had easily smashed him and prepared to finish them as a young girl stood before him. Despite his powers and inhumanness she stood resolute, she had been calm and logical. She offered to become a splendid royal shinobi in exchange for her brother's life being spared.
How incredibly amusing! Not to mention efficient, he had agreed. Seeing potential in a woman as solid and focused as her A had readily agreed. It was paying dividends now. He had never heard of a Yamanaka specializing in combat, and that young woman had shown a level of skill none had known of her. Even Jounin would've struggled under such an assault, yet Samui survived it and won. The Cloud looked solid and resourceful. Now to gloat…
"Ha! Hiruzen you old fool! My Samui has shown you the might of the Cloud!" A roared happily. Slapping his hand on his charge, causing a large thud with each slap. "She is one of my most promising up-and-coming. Soon, you all will surely curse her name." He bragged.
"Well… I suppose Samui is rather impressive." Hiruzen said diplomatically with a frown.
Rasa shared his looks as he glared down. 'I did not expect such a level of competition. This may very well be more interesting than I had thought.' It was undoubtedly troublesome. The five villages were each producing incredible talent. 'Will any of them be a match for you? Gaara…' Rasa was knocked out of his musing as Onoki hummed loudly.
'This girl seems familiar… Where do I remember her… Was it a clan? Yes, a clan, what was their name…' "Is this girl part of the O-" Onoki was interrupted by A, who suddenly filled the room with killing intent. Onoki flexed his own, never being the type to be quickly deterred. Mifune offered his own, which killed the standstill. Both realized it would be wise not to pick a fight here.
'My my my, so many heroes and villains in these exams. It seems that once I finally settle things at home, I may very well need to become more involved in external affairs. As the hero, it is my job to improve not only my home but the world. Seems I may need to garner more forces first. Seems the other villages are producing some very interesting shinobi.' Yagura thought with a small smile.
Mifune sighed again, desperate to escape this box full of children.