Sakura found herself facing two opponents:
First, a grim-eyed girl with long, black hair and a lean man with spiky hair — both members of Team Dosu.
Abumi Zaku and Tsuchi Kin.
Their intentions were as clear as day.
Unfortunately, Sakura didn't have the raw power of Sasuke or the precise strikes of Mitsuko.
'But…'
She had something different: crowd control.
Weaving hand seals along with her prodigal chakra control, she inlaid a Genjutsu upon the land.
'Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Jutsu,'
With the jutsu activated, the air itself felt wrong, and a slight pressure pressed against the Oto-nins' skin as if they were moving through water.
Feeling the change, Tsuchi Kin moved first, rushing forward with a kunai aimed at Sakura's throat.
Sakura watched, a seal forming with her hands, as she side-stepped into a space that didn't exist a moment before.
The kunai ended up passing through empty air.
"Huh?" Kin was clearly dumbfounded. From her point of view, Sakura walked straight into the trunk of a tree. To confirm what she could see, even when her kunai struck, she had felt it slice through bark.
The tree was as real as it got.
That was what her senses were telling her.
'Good…' Seeing this, Sakura's confidence grew, 'It's working well.'
When Sakura emerged from the illusory tree trunk, Abumi Zaku lunged toward her, attempting a wide sweeping kick. A strong breeze emanated from the force of his strike.
—Whoosh!
Sakura moved to the side, ducking past thin air. When Zaku pursued her through that space however…
—Thwack!
"!!!"
The crisp sound of tree bark against bone jolted Zaku with a wave of pain through his leg. A thick branch then appeared out of nowhere, slamming into the Oto man's face.
"Keheuk!"
A cut began bleeding from Zaku's lip. The branch was brittle and sharp, splintering at the moment of impact. Biting into whatever skin it could.
"…Heh,"
Sakura forced down her laugh as she focused on deepening her illusions, subtly shifting the terrain, adding more and more layers of deception.
A thick fog descended, reducing vision further, but it was only in one's apparent perception. Sakura's own vision was clear, seeing the forest as it was, using the illusion to control her enemy's movements.
'Kai!'
Kin, frustrated, tried to dispel the jutsu, but Sakura had used a little trick. Her hands formed another seal and another stream of chakra made its way into Kin's body.
Another Genjutsu was swiftly reapplied.
It turned out that every visible object was a separate, standalone illusion. Every invisible object was the same.
—Whooong!
Zaku, growing more cautious, attempted to use sound waves to disrupt the illusion, with hands outstretched. Unfortunately for him, Sakura had anticipated this.
With a single hand seal, the illusions shifted, abandoning the area where the soundwaves thrashed, moving to influence varyingly greater details.
They were spreading out throughout the Forest of Death.
Even some of the insects were illusions, buzzing about. The forest floor seemed to sprout roots that popped out of nowhere. Low-hanging branches existed where there were none. And an entire tree had disappeared at some point in time.
The list went on.
Sakura watched as her enemies began to stumble against nothing or dodge erratically, as if projectiles aplenty shot through the air. These Otogakure shinobi could not see nor feel through her illusions.
Normally, Sakura had been unable to enjoy this privilege. After all, her teammates were an Uchiha and a Hyuga. With their monstrous ocular prowess, there wasn't much they couldn't see through.
It was only against foes like these that Sakura could enjoy a battle where she was in control.
'I need to figure out how the proctor uses Genjutsu…'
Sakura had felt it. When Suguru used his Genjutsu, even those with special eyes could not see through the lies even if they tried.
She wanted to learn how to do that.
'I'll have to ask him when I get the chance…''
—Crash!
Irritated by the small but unending illusions, the Zaku found himself rampaging with air waves blasting out from his hands.
—Boom!
He began clearing out the entire area. Anything that persisted would be deemed an illusion.
Anything invisible would be shattered and destroyed.
"HAAP!"
—BOOM!
"Tsk…"
Sakura clicked her tongue as she leapt backward, hurriedly pulling her chakra together for another round of Genjutsu.
It was then.
'Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!'
A raging ball of flames, blazing in all its glory, streaked towards the man going crazy.
"Oh, shi—!"
Hurriedly, Zaku directed his palms towards the flames.
'Decapitating Airwaves!'
—Vwhoom!
A blast of air collided with the fireball, pushing it back slightly and dispersing its edges.
Zaku poured more chakra into his arms, strengthening the wind and successfully blasting the fireball away — inches before he was roasted alive.
"Hah… Hah… Hah…"
His breathing had grown ragged from the drain of his chakra.
Unfortunately for Zaku…
"..?!!"
The enemy Hyuga had appeared behind him. Her Byakugan was fully activated, with blood vessels bringing it the nutritions it needed.
—Tak! Tak! Tak!
Unleashing three strikes in an instant, Mitsuko knocked Zaku into the air. Then, she spun, her hands gripping the man's clothes.
"Shit—!" Half a swear escaped Zaku's lips as he felt his ribcage shatter.
—Bang!
Slammed into the ground just like his leader Dosu, Zaku coughed out a mouthful of saliva. Unlike Dosu, however, he was still awake.
But not for long.
—Crack.
An axe kick descended from above, completely shattering a few of his ribs.
"Ack—!"
As his eyes rolled back into his head, Mitsuko knew that the Oto-nin was neutralized.
"…"
Left alone, Kin looked at the trio.
Sakura, who was lingered at the back, her hands weaving seals every moment, populating the area in minor Genjutsu alterations. Sasuke with his fearsome Fire Release. Mitsuko with her unusual Taijutsu.
It wasn't looking good for her.
So, she made a choice. "…I surrender."
—Crack.
A chop to her neck from Sasuke would thus put her to sleep.
* * *
The forest slowly began to empty as the final teams stumbled into the clearing, battered and bruised but ultimately successful in acquiring their scrolls.
Suguru, who was perched high in the branches of a massive tree, watched quietly.
First to arrive after the jinchuriki team was Team 10, Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino, looking thoroughly exhausted but pleased with their Earth Scroll.
Shikamaru, as always, appeared to be the most bothered by the entire experience, already lamenting the wasted time.
A few minutes later, Team 8, led by Kiba, entered, their faces grim. Hinata and Shino, despite their usual quiet demeanor, seemed particularly tired.
They proudly displayed their retrieved Heaven Scroll.
—Rustle!
Team Guy burst into the clearing, rattling a few of those who were resting.
"…" Many couldn't help but stare.
Lee was full of energy and proceeded to do one-legged, one-handed push-ups, while Tenten meticulously inventoried her supplies. Neji just silently followed after them, exuding confidence.
More importantly, they, too, had been able to retrieve an Earth Scroll to match their Heaven Scroll..
Suguru's eyes flicked to the approaching figures of Team 7.
Sasuke moved with a confidence similar to Neji, while Sakura, though visibly tired, kept a watchful eye on their surroundings. Mitsuko had a faint satisfied smile on her face.
Their journey was arduous, but it seemed fulfilling.
A few more teams trickled in, each presenting their respective scrolls. The air was filled with the energy of exhausted shinobi. The scent of sweat and blood hung heavily in the air.
Suguru's gaze lingered on Tatsuya and his team. Naruto and Gaara stood at his side, exuding a terrible pressure that made the other genin shudder.
Two jinchuriki on one team was an undeniably terrifying reality to face.
"And the others should arrive, right about…. Now!"
—Crash.
As the last team, a group from Hoshigakure, finally stumbled into the clearing, Suguru allowed himself a small, satisfied smile.
All the participants had gathered. The second stage was complete.
He shifted his weight, preparing to descend and address the gathered genin.
[]=[]=[]=[]
Please support me on my P@treon again! Hehe~
Link: pa treon.com/ubemantou
(No space.)
You can read up to 35 chapters ahead!
[]=[]=[]=[]