Chapter 46 - Chunin Exams: The Opponent is Revealed!

Sasuke waited. He KNEW his brother would show up. He just KNEW it. There was no more important date to Sasuke. All the turmoil of his normal life meant nothing on this night. He was going to kill Itachi. That was all that mattered. Itachi had to die. And he would.

The wind tossed Sasuke’s hair, while his mind tossed memories around. Sasuke could clearly see himself running from the Uchiha dojo that night, a scared child. He watched himself become pale and cold, and watched his heart turn blacker. Was he evil? Sasuke didn’t think so. But evil was in the eye of the beholder. Itachi had felt justified, but was viewed as evil. Maybe it was the same way with me, Sasuke wondered. Not that it mattered. Having people care about him was a luxury, not a necessity, Sasuke reasoned. A little seed of loyalty had been planted in his heart, though. The thought that Naruto and Sakura, and even Kakashi, hadn’t given up on him, chasing him all that time…what little of Sasuke’s heart WASN’T black felt welcome in the Leaf Village. He realized that the more powerful Shinobi were in Konoha. For a genin to defeat Orochimaru, that must mean that Orochimaru had little to offer, besides that curse mark. These thoughts were unique to Sasuke, though. He put them aside as he heard someone approaching.

“So you came…” Sasuke said threateningly, Sharingan glowing even at the black midnight sky.

Itachi didn’t answer right away. He looked at the cracked Uchiha clan symbol. A fan, which was meant to fan the flames of passion for the Uchiha clan. After looking at the one he had cracked with a kunai all that time ago, Itachi spoke.

“Sasuke…is your hate strong enough yet?” Itachi asked slowly.

“How can you be so calm, Itachi? Just like when you killed the clan…except tonight, it’s YOUR life that’s going to end!” With that, Sasuke tore forward. Itachi went to side-kick Sasuke, but Sasuke’s speed had increased, and he was behind Itachi before Itachi could move. Or so he thought. The reality was, Itachi had used a clone jutsu so quick that Sasuke hadn’t caught it.

“Your hate is still weak…you haven’t developed the Mangekyo Sharingan yet. You’re a disappointment, Sasuke. You always had the potential to be greater than me, but you chose to cut corners on your way to power. My time is being wasted here.” The real Itachi was standing on the roof, looking down at Sasuke.

“You’re not running this time, Itachi!” Sasuke shouted.

“You’re of no use to me if you don’t develop the Mangekyo Sharingan…then, and only then, will your hate have grown enough to make you my equal. For now, you’re a waste of time…little brother…”

Sasuke threw a kunai angrily at Itachi, who caught the kunai, before speaking one last harsh sentence.

“Still so far behind, Sasuke…”

Sasuke watched Itachi disappear. It began to rain, just as it had when Itachi left the clan. Sasuke looked up at the rain and the black clouds. The black clouds had no silver lining. Sasuke felt the same way, as though his life had no silver lining. Only one ray of sunshine peeked through the dark clouds of his life, and they were the death of his brother. It didn’t happen today, and not as Sasuke had planned, but it would. Sasuke would MAKE it happen. He didn’t believe in fate, not in the traditional sense. He believed that you made your own fate. And his fate was clear: Kill Itachi, and rebuild the Uchiha clan.

Rebuild the clan…that’s why I’ve left part of my heart unblackened by angst…I need to love to rebuild the clan…




“Hold still, damnit!” Tsunade cursed as Ekyt squirmed away yet again. She had been chasing him around her office for the last ten minutes.

“I’m fine! Really, I’m fine!” Ekyt said, behind Tsunade’s desk. Tsunade was on the other side, and starting to get annoyed. An idea crept into her head suddenly.

“IF YOU DON’T COOPERATE, I’LL HAVE SAKURA GIVE YOU A PROSTATE EXAM!”

Ekyt froze up, and Tsunade finally got a grip on him by leaping over her desk and pinning him down, an arm behind his back.

“I KNEW that would get you! Now, will you relax? It’s not going to hurt, and it needs to be checked out! You took a huge beating, and I KNOW this is scary as hell, but you have to do it!” Tsunade pinned the elusive Ekyt to the ground, while Shizune and Sakura watched, sweatdrops on their heads.

“Did she really say…I would have to…” Sakura looked at Shizune.

“Don’t ask me if she was serious or not, Sakura, I don’t know. I don’t WANT to know. She probably just said it to make him freeze up. You know how he is around kunoichi,” Shizune said, trying not to giggle. Lady Tsunade is into gossip, too. She’s heard about Ekyt’s feelings toward Sakura. Now she wants to know Sakura’s feelings…seems like her time could be spent better…but she not drinking, or costing the village money…maybe I’ll let this go…

Sakura apparently found the humor in the situation, too. The prostate thing, that was funny. But, somehow, seeing this tough-as-nails Shinobi trying to squirm out from under Tsunade over a little medical procedure was funny.
“Ekyt-kun, relax! Just go along with it! I know, it’s hard to just trust someone else with your life force, but it’s only for a few seconds, and I’ll be here. I won’t let Lady Tsunade gamble away your soul, okay?”

“Like you could stop me…” Tsunade muttered with a derisive snort. “She’s right. I need to make sure your body wasn’t poisoned. The Mist and Rain ninja both use poison a lot. If you touched them, I have to make sure you’re not dying without us noticing. Now, just behave for ten seconds…And if you use that replacement jutsu you’re thinking of, I WILL have you sedated. And it’s not fun when you get sedated by me. I don’t use needles, I use a kick to the nuts. Now, settle down!”

Ekyt finally did, just laying there on his stomach, looking defeated. Sakura and Shizune were laughing hysterically. Ekyt didn’t share their merriment in his current position, THAT was for sure.

“Good. Now, don’t use any chakra, just lay there…okay, here’s the scalpel…”

Ekyt’s head hit the floor. He was completely unconscious. Tsunade was sitting on his back, her hands in the Tiger sign. She was in a deep, meditative state. As good as she was, it took her only seconds to reach homeostasis (Complete relaxation), and a couple more seconds to scan Ekyt’s body. It was free of poisons. Tsunade let both their conscious minds go back to their bodies.

“Was that so bad?” Tsunade asked, ruffling Ekyt’s hair.

“What part? The mental torture you used to trap me, or the test itself?” Ekyt shot back. Tsunade chuckled at his predicament. Ekyt was clearly unhappy that he was being pinned to the floor.

“You know, kid, I’m kind of offended. I mean, you blush for OTHER kunoichi. If one sat on you like I am, you’d bust a capillary!”

Ekyt suddenly reddened. “Yeah, but I might have a shot with those other kunoichi. Unless you’re saying I’d have a shot at you…”

Tsunade got the ‘red lines of anger’ on her head. “Of course not, you perv! Why are men so stupid?!”

“To make the women look smarter?” Ekyt asked, earning howls of laughter from Shizune and Sakura.

“You want that prostate exam?!” Tsunade threatened, but managed to laugh herself as she let Ekyt up from the ground. He scrambled to his feet, dignity shot to pieces.

“Sorry…it’s just a really creepy feeling…” Ekyt murmured. “When the Akatsuki took my Emotional Chakra, I felt empty like that all the time. It’s not like me to ignore a weakness like that, but I’m not over that. It felt like they had gotten part of my soul…but that’s the past. The future is the chunin exams. Did Yuuka and Okkuu make it alright?” Ekyt suddenly thought to ask.

“The two lovebirds are fine. I had them report to Iruka. You should, too. Especially since the next phase of the chunin exams is tomorrow. It might be the last time you three are on the same team. Sakura, you walk him to Iruka, that procedure might have left him unsteady in his weakened state.”




“So, the Akatsuki really attacked again?” Sakura shook her head. “It’s a good thing we have human dynamo’s like you and Naruto around!”

“It’s nice of you to say that…” Ekyt said quietly. “…I just can’t help wondering if I’m not as good a Shinobi as Naruto…or anyone. Seems I get hurt a lot…”

Sakura shrugged. “Yeah, but you also do an insane training regimen, and you don’t back down from anyone. You and Naruto are always getting hurt because of…well, you’re bravery. I guarantee, I wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for you and Naruto.”

“Likewise. As I recall, it’s always you putting me back together after a fight. I’m thankful it’s you and not Lady Tsunade…how do you handle her?” Ekyt asked.

“I don’t. I just do what she says and I don’t piss her off. You gave her a good run, though. She’s never had to chase a patient like that before. Although I understand why…that must have been awful…(reference to the chakra being sucked out of him)”

“Yeah, it was bad,” Ekyt admitted. “It was even worse, thinking I was too weak to stop them. I know, they’re not regular ninja, but still…I feel like I should be stronger. But, ah, I’m just rambling. How’s the class doing?” Ekyt asked suddenly. Don’t want to talk about myself too much…



-----The Next Day-----

Everyone watched the scoreboard. Everyone knew who the Leaf Ninja fighting would be. (Okkuu and Yuuka had both fought, and lost, to the Sound Village Ninjas. Neither one was promoted to chunin) Ekyt was waiting on the floor, with Lee, Naruto, and Sakura keeping him company. Eventually, Kakashi and Iruka joined them.

“Who’s left?” Iruka asked. Everyone exchanged glances, but shrugged.

“No one’s seen the guy yet,” Naruto said. “But if he’s from the Sound Village, he’ll be strong, believe it.”

Ekyt smirked. “I don’t care…I’ve come too far to just die now. Besides (Looks over at Naruto) with you cheering me on, HOW can I lose?” Ekyt said sarcastically.

“Could be worse, perv. Like…well, damn, it DID get worse!”

Sai was walking over, drawing a picture of Ekyt. Ekyt never knew how to feel. He supposed it was an honor that Sai enjoyed drawing him, and it wasn’t like Sai was hitting on him, so it wasn’t a big deal, but still…

“I wanted to show you my latest picture, before you fought,” Sai said, a genuine smile on his face. He had drawn Ekyt again, but this time, Ekyt was wearing a chunin vest. “I hope I am predicting the future…you asshole…”

Sakura and Naruto were going to kill Sai. Sai was really just trying to be friendly, and Ekyt had bigger things to worry about. He had been called worse than that, and those people had MEANT it. But right now, he was facing some unknown enemy, in one of the most meaningful matches of his life.




The tension suddenly escalated. Orochimaru walked out. Immediately, Ekyt and Naruto were in front of him. But Orochimaru raised his hands in a surrender position.
“I’m only here as a sensei, today. That’s within the rules,” Orochimaru said with a smile. “Ekyt-kun, if only you were fighting me! Oh well, you won’t ever have to worry about facing me again, my student won’t hesitate to kill you.”

Everyone in the stadium looked at Ekyt. Ekyt adjusted his head band and vest, then walked toward Orochimaru. All the air in the stadium was sucked in, like a vacuum. Everyone was waiting- what was Ekyt going to do?! Okkuu and Yuuka flanked him, neither of them hurt seriously.

“Orochimaru…I respect you, and therefore, anyone you’ve trained. But I’m going to say this, with all these people as my witnesses: Whether they love me, hate me, or don’t know me, I WILL hold the honor of the Leaf Village on my shoulders today. If that means going THROUGH you to get to your student, I will. If it means taking your life…again…I’ll do it. Make no mistake, Orochimaru- these people mean a lot to me. More than any respect for you does. If you make one misguided threat…”

“That won’t be necessary.” A bland voice told Ekyt. Ekyt narrowed his eyes as Orochimaru moved away. The person who had just talked was too far away to make out. But the voice told Ekyt just what he needed to know.

“Of course…It’s been a while…Kimimaro.”

Kimimaro stopped in front of Ekyt. “I never thanked you for saving my life…cousin (Shock reverberated around the stadium- THIS monster was related to Ekyt?!). But you never explained to me why you think me family…”

Ekyt offered his hand. “Because we’re cousins. Blood relatives. That means I’ve got a loyalty to you. Just as I do to my village. And, for the record, Kimimaro…I’m looking forward to this fight.”

Kimimaro looked surprised. “Really? I almost killed three of your friends (Naruto, Lee, and Gaara), and you still treat me as though we’re…friends ourselves.”

“I don’t hate you,” Ekyt said firmly. “We play for opposite sides, but that doesn’t mean I can’t respect you. Now, I think we’ve get these good people waiting long enough- let’s give them a match to talk about!”

Kimimaro stepped back to his spot, as Ekyt did the same.

“As you wish…”

Hayate, the match proctor, looked at both competitors. Each one nodded. Hayate gulped to himself, thinking that the tension in the building was enough to crumple anyone, but did his job:

“HAJIME!” (Begin!)


NEXT ISSUE: THE COUSINS SQUARE OFF! KIMIMARO AND EKYT, BOTH OF KAGUYA BLOOD, FIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME! BUT WITH OROCHIMARU AROUND, HOW FAIR OF A FIGHT IS IT GOING TO BE?

Sakura- Hey, everyone! Don’t forget, Issue 50 is coming up! I know NG has something BIG planned, so don’t forget to read! Tell your friends! Rumor has it- it involves me! I can’t wait!

Temari- Hey, what about me? Geez, it’s just like NG to forget- I’ve got to face my brothers! I left the Sand Village, and I KNOW Gaara isn’t thrilled! But I guess a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do!

Kakashi- And, finally, don’t forget the council. Now that Ekyt is kind of…despised, will they promote him to chunin? Not to mention everyone else involved. Including our resident bag of emotional void, Sasuke.

Naruto- Hey, forget the perv for a minute! If the Akatsuki are running around, that means they’re after my fox! Well, I don’t like their attitudes! I beat those cloaked bastards back like they’re nothing! Believe it!

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