Chapter 23 - ArcIII: Seperation- Chapter 1

Ryouko let himself collapse onto his futon face-down. He was absolutely drained from using so much chakra and getting so badly hurt. He had helped stop the village’s destruction. Danzou was on the run, and many of his agents had fled with him. His Coup de tat had failed. The Akatsuki had been thwarted (As he learned later from Naruto).
So many battles in one day was tiring, and just about impossible to believe.

Knock knock.

Ryouko glared at the door, as if the door itself was at fault. He REALLY didn’t want to get up right now. But the knocking persisted, so he saw no alternative.

Sliding the door open, Ryouko found Master Jiraiya on the other side.
“Do you have some time, Ryouko?”

You didn’t say ‘no’ to a Sannin who wanted to speak with you. Ryouko bowed and slid the door open wider to admit Jiraiya.
--

Naruto was also laying in his bed, but he found he wasn’t the least bit tired. After a few more minutes of tossing and turning for some reason he couldn’t figure out, he decided to see if Sakura was awake. Maybe they could go out or something.

He dressed quickly and padded down the hallway. He was about to knock on Sakura’s door when it slid open on it’s own.

“Oh! Naruto! Geez, you scared me!” she said around deep breaths. Once she regained her breath, she asked him “So, you couldn’t sleep either, huh?”

Naruto lowered his head a little. “Yeah. I guess with all that went on…And even more than that, I just feel something…I dunno, it’s just…”

“Like something’s missing? Or it will be missing?” Sakura finished for him. At his startled nod, she bowed her head and closed her eyes. “I’m feeling it, too. Like we’re about to lose something. Or maybe someone.”

“Maybe we’re just overreacting. It wouldn’t be the first time,” Naruto pointed out. “How about we go get some tea or something? I’m really wide awake.”

Sakura smiled a little. This was uncharacteristically thoughtful of Naruto.
“Sure. I’m wide-awake, too. Let’s go.”
--

Jiraiya wasted no time. He laid down the law for Ryouko. He told him everything Itachi said about him, and he told him of his intentions.

Ryouko remained silent, but it was obvious he was seething with anger. He had just been told that he wasn’t good enough at his job, despite all his success. That was just about the biggest slap in the face you could give him.

“Did you read your letter? From Uzume?”

Ryouko just nodded quietly. He decided it was his turn to cut to the chase.
“Master, if you have to test me, let’s just do it. Present your test, and I’ll try to pass it. If I can’t pass it, then I’ll go care for this boy with the Issekigan and train myself until I CAN pass.”

Jiraiya nodded for Ryouko to follow him, directing him outside. It was nearly daybreak.

“We’ll have to spar. But I warn you now- I will hold back a minimal amount. Just enough to not kill you. Beyond that, I won’t give you any advantage.”

“I wouldn’t accept any advantage. I’ve always wanted to test my mettle against a legend. Win or lose, this is a dream come true for me.”

Jiraiya gave Ryouko a small smile. It was a good answer, after all.
“Fine. But rest for a couple hours first, and smoke a couple of those chakra cigarettes. If we’re going to fight, it should be with both of us at full strength.”

Two hours would pass very quickly.
--
--

Naruto and Sakura made their way outside. But they stopped almost immediately. The spectacle before them defied any logic they could process at the moment.

Jiraiya was seated on top of one of his toads.

Ryouko had summoned Enma and was standing in an offensive stance.

“W-what are they doing! Ryouko can’t win! We’ve gotta stop them!”
Sakura started toward the field where the fight was taking place, but Naruto grabbed an arm and dragged her back.

“We can’t. Something’s going on. We’ve got to let it play out.”

“How do you know?!”

“I don’t know HOW I know. I just know that I DO know. Please…trust me.”

Naruto didn’t want to tear his eyes away from this scene. His Master on top of one of his summons; his good friend and protector wielding a fierce, old weapon that the Third Hokage had used. The scene didn’t have the horrible feeling that went with blood feuds.

[b[So maybe it’s just a sparring match? No, Pervy Sage wouldn’t just spar. There’s something else going on here.[/b]
--

Ryouko rushed Jiraiya, his tonfa flashing out of his sleeve to attack. Jiraiya whipped his hair around and snared Ryouko’s outstretched hand, pulling him in. Ryouko replaced himself with a log and tried a strike from behind. Jiraiya used his hair to fling the log at Ryouko. Ryouko deflected it with his tonfa, aiming a low kick in Jiraiya’s direction. Jiraiya leapt over it, and Ryouko swung with his tonfa. It made a dull ‘thunk’ against the log Jiraiya had replaced himself with.

“Pretty good, kid! Not bad at all! Now then…” Jiraiya disappeared. “Ready to get serious?”

Ryouko nodded. “Yes.” He disappeared as well.

Two clones had just dueled it out in a high-level taijutsu battle. The real Jiraiya and Ryouko hadn’t moved until their clones disappeared.

Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique! Ryouko made the half-tiger handsign. Once he felt the genjutsu hit, he ran toward Jiraiya.
Genjutsu is his weak spot; I’ve never seen him use it. This might give me an opening…

Ryouko aimed Enma at Jiraiya. The long staff extended. Jiraiya was still under the effect of the genjutsu somewhat, but still dodged just enough. Ryouko planted Enma in the ground at an angle as Enma grabbed the toad Jiraiya was on. Ryouko ran up the staff at full speed, making handsigns as he ran.

“Fire Style: Dragon’s Ember Jutsu!”

A single burst of explosive fire hit Jiraiya. Ryouko knew enough not to pause, but he wondered if he had seriously hurt the Sannin.

“Fire, eh? Too bad. It’s ineffective against my particular style of Jutsu.”

Jiraiya had coated himself in the ‘Toad Mouth Trap’ jutsu. He and Ryouko were in the stomach of a toad with fireproof innards.
--

Naruto and Sakura marveled at the fight. It was rare to see Jiraiya fight against an enemy he was so clearly superior to. The two were impressed with Ryouko as well- he was holding his own so far. Even if Jiraiya was half-serious at the most, it was no small feat to keep up with him.

But it was Naruto who wound up impressing Sakura the most. He was calling out the moves each person would use- or at least something close.

“Fire jutsu by Ryouko…Pervy Sage will use that toad stomach, like he did on those Akatsuki guys…”

How far have you come, Naruto? You can watch and react to a battle so well now? How strong ARE you?
It was rare for Sakura to feel so proud of Naruto. She promised to reward him later, so he would further his training. But at the same time, something niggled at her.

Rewarding him reminds me that there won’t be any reward for Ryouko. And that feeling I had earlier…Master Jiraiya wouldn’t kill Ryouko, would he? No, they aren’t fighting for real…I’ll just make sure Ryouko gets something after the fight, too. Besides medical treatment.
--

Ryouko stared at Jiraiya, thinking out his moves. Enma was trapped outside the stomach. Ryouko considered ending the summoning and re-summoning, but Enma hadn’t been much help against Jiraiya. And Ryouko couldn’t afford the chakra. Perhaps a less powerful summon? No, summons weren’t working. And there was no way he could out-summon or out-seal someone who had mastered both those elements. So the obvious answer was genjutsu. But the obvious answer would be the wrong one. Jiraiya could spot it a mile away.

Jiraiya could see Ryouko thinking. He didn’t see any frustration, but he knew that the longer this match went on, the worse it would be for Ryouko. Maybe it could be avoided.

“Hey, listen kid. This doesn’t mean you can’t protect them- it just means that you wouldn’t be their chief protector. Let’s just call it quits…”

“I can’t do that. It would be an insult.”

“Isn’t insulting yourself better than shaming yourself?”

“…I’ll pretend THAT didn’t insult me,” Ryouko said judiciously, knowing Jiraiya meant no harm by the comment. He looked at the ‘ceiling’ of the toad, but saw nothing to his advantage. “It’s not just that. The Third Hokage made a prophecy that I would protect these two. I’ve sacrificed a lot to see that prophecy realized. My shame means nothing compared to the guilt I would carry for letting Lord Third down.”

Jiraiya could appreciate that. But he still had to be frank with the younger man.
“If those two died on your watch, could you live with it?”

That hit Ryouko like a jutsu. He had considered his own death and failure, but he had never thought about it he had lived and the other two died.
I…would be shattered. I could never recover as a warrior…

Ryouko dropped to his knees, his head bowed in defeat.
It was so effortless on his part…am I really so underpowered? Why? Why can’t I hate Jiraiya for this? Is it because he’s right? No…no. I won’t leave like this! One of us must draw blood, at least!

Ryouko made three clones and had them charge Jiraiya. He reached for his stomach and prepared himself for the pain and discomfort…
Bam.

Ryouko looked down. Jiraiya’s hand was against his stomach. His clones were gone.

“If you’d gotten that off, you would’ve hurt yourself…and me. It’s pointless, Ryouko. You’ll need to be much quicker than that. Enemies as dangerous as the Akatsuki won’t allow you time to use a weapon like that…”

Ryouko coughed up saliva, sinking back to his knees. He felt himself blacking out.

From one strike…

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment