"..."
Tatsuya could not understand the flow of events.
Standing across from each other were two terrifying jinchuriki, each with a demonic monster hidden within their bodies. At the moment, their collective gaze was enough to send sirens blaring through his brain.
'Why am I forced to be the referee?' Sighing, Tatsuya raised his hand.
Then, in the darkness of the night, his Sharingan spun into its crimson existence. He glanced at Naruto once and then at Gaara, hoping nothing unbecoming would happen.
—Fwhip!
Tatsuya swung his hand down, feeling the wind curl around his wrist.
"Start!"
And the first to move was Naruto.
—Swish!
Several kunai had already been flung into the air, travelling like bullets, heading straight for the heart. In the darkness, the only indicator of their existence was the whistling wind.
—Tak! Tak! Tak!
However, they would only encounter a wall of sand. Drifting and churning as if it were alive.
Tatsuya squinted.
Then, he leaped back, and then ran up a branch.
What followed after was a large wave of sand barreling forward like a miniature tsunami. Naruto, who watched as the sand rapidly approached him, rushed forward.
'Is he facing Gaara's sand head on?' Tatsuya's mouth hung open, 'That's a bit... rash, no?'
Naruto's next move left Tatsuya in shock.
A sudden swirl of chakra erupted from the palm of Naruto's hand, carrying a sheer quantity that weighed heavily on one's shoulders. The sudden eruption of crimson chakra also caught Tatsuya's eye.
—BOOM!
With Naruto thrusting his palm into the wave of sand, the incomplete Rasengan still bore enough force to stop it in its tracks. In fact, it was forcefully scattered, creating a rain of particles that momentarily obscured both jinchuriki's vision.
Only Tatsuya could track where they were.
Gaara stood still, manipulating his sand.
And Naruto had hidden himself in the surroundings, leaving clones wherever he went.
"Ho..." Tatsuya couldn't help but smirk.
It seemed like the fight was going to get interesting.
It was then.
—Tap.
Suddenly, another presence appeared beside him. Tatsuya blinked, surprised by the display of such raw speed.
"Kakashi-senpai..." Tatsuya muttered, surprised that the Copy Ninja had taken interest in the battle.
"That's sensei to you now, Tatsuya," Kakashi spoke, his gaze not leaving the fight below his feet.
"Sensei..? Are you going to be our team's jounin-sensei?" Tatsuya asked.
"Yup. I'll be handling you on missions. Furthermore, this Chuunin Exam will be taken in trios, thus Lord Third decided to put you all into one team."
"..." Stunned, Tatsuya didn't know what to say. Especially since he was already familiar with Kakashi's style from the time they kidnapped Gaara.
Taking one glance at the two jinchuriki battling it out with fists and sand, Tatsuya sighed.
"Will we even meet your standards, sensei?"
Shrugging, Kakashi's eye curved in amusement.
"That's what I hope to see from those two. As for you, Tatsuya, there are still things you need to learn — don't put yourself above them just because you've succeeded in a high-ranking mission. There is so much more to being a ninja than just the missions."
Tatsuya nodded slowly. "...I understand, sensei. I'll be careful about that."
Then, he trained his eyes back unto the battle unfolding below. Silently, he pondered on Kakashi's words.
***
—Crack!
Naruto slammed his arm into the sand that had suddenly erupted in front of him. His bones screamed from the sudden strike, yet the sand was immovable.
After his incomplete Rasengan release was deflected for the nth time, he had begun to realize the difference between himself and Gaara.
"...You're weak,"
—Cough!
Naruto stumbled back as a whip of sand slashed across his chest.
"Ack!" Spitting out a mouthful of saliva, Naruto struggled to regain his footing. The sands beneath his feet shifted with every step, making it impossible to maintain his balance.
Flickers of emotion appeared in the depths of Naruto's gaze.
Bubbling hatred and abhorrence.
A disdain for his own weakness.
"You..."
Naruto's voice was a low growl, grating against Gaara's ears. For some reason, Naruto's shadow grew as his aura flickered with crimson malice.
"..."
Gaara merely looked on, amused at how easily Naruto's calm had been shattered.
'That Uchiha had used a similar technique on him, however, it's clear that there are side effects. Was an imperfect version used for him? Or is there some other factor that he missed?'
Having experienced Takamagahara first-hand, Gaara had sensed the subtle suggestion hidden in the depths of Naruto's psyche. It was some kind of resolution present perhaps because of their similarities.
It was either because they were both jinchuriki or because Itachi's Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan had been the cause of their changed selves.
Gaara had seen enough.
—Swish.
Just before Naruto erupted with deadly bloodlust, Kakashi and Tatsuya appeared in the middle of the battlefield.
[Genjutsu: Sharingan].
Tatsuya was the first to act, putting Naruto to sleep in an instant. His Genjutsu prowess, although clearly inferior to Itachi's, had a very practical nature. Furthermore, his techniques had grown since Gaara was first brought to Konohagakure.
It was a burst of ocular Dojutsu which targeted someone's natural tendencies — shaking their instincts.
Gaara was familiar with Tatsuya's skills, having seen every part of it first hand. That mysterious Taijutsu and swift Body Flicker Jutsu usage, and even the shine of his Sharingan, all bore a mysterious air.
If Gaara thought that he, himself, was a monster... Then Tatsuya was someone just as monstrous as he was.
It was an odd feeling to watch Tatsuya dodge danger by mere intuition. It was odd to see Tatsuya navigating through perilous situations, yet bearing not a single scratch.
Gaara's sand armor shattered in battle multiple times — however, for some reason, Tatsuya was always unscathed despite the chaos.
Perhaps that was why Gaara did not mind Tatsuya's presence. Meanwhile, Naruto was a sore sight — a reminder of his past self, trapped in Sunagakure and trapped in his own mind.
Clearly scarred by trauma unimaginable.
"..."
Gaara watched in silence as Kakashi slung Naruto over his shoulder. His mind had plunged itself deep into the realm of thoughts and dreams.
"That was a good fight, Gaara. I'll bring Naruto to the infirmary for now." Kakashi nodded to both him and Tatsuya. "We'll be meeting tomorrow at sunrise for a mission."
"...Don't be late."
Hearing these words, Gaara noticed Tatsuya's lips suddenly twitch.
"..?"
[]=[]=[]=[]
Hi! I am back~
But not with daily uploads. I'm halfway through my thesis proposal and I'm no longer as burnt out. I'll be pacing myself with around 2-3 days per chapter.
Still, have five chapters today as an apology for being gone for a while!
Chapter 4/5.
[]=[]=[]=[]