Chapter 32 - Student vs Teacher

Ekyt barely dodged Yuushi’s strike. Again and again, his sword slashed down. Ekyt leapt up onto a rock. Yuushi struck again, the rock scattering into fragments. Ekyt was already in the air. His clothes fluttered slightly as he landed. Yuushi pointed his sword at him.

“Why won’t you fight me?!” Yuushi demanded, snarling angrily.

“Why are you REALLY attacking me…if you wanted to test your skill, we would have settled this with shinai. You drew on me with a sharpened blade, not waiting for me to agree to the duel. It’s not at all like you to break tradition, Yuushi. That tells me that you aren’t yourself…”

“SHUT UP!” Yuushi shouted. This time, his sword emitted chakra- straight at Ekyt. Ekyt only had time to cover himself up before the strike hit, sending him backward into a tree, where he struck the wood. Now, there was no choice but to fight back.

“I’ll give you your duel, Yuushi. And you can keep using that sword. But I won’t use my blade…” Ryouko looked around, finding a branch about the right length. He focused his chakra to his hands. The bark began to peel away, then the wood itself, until a sword began to take shape. Ryouko used his “Dragon Fire Extension” jutsu to harden the wood. Satisfied, Ryouko drew back into a guard.

“Yuushi…you’ve been a great student. This fight isn’t easy for me physically or mentally. It’s been an uphill road for you as well, hasn’t it? No matter what happens…I’ll be proud I trained you. Now…on your guard!”

Ekyt rushed, aiming an overhead strike at Yuushi. Yuushi blocked with the side of his sword, zoning away from the strike. Ekyt’s foot slashed up in a roundhouse kick, but Yuushi was just out of range. This ended the stalemate between their swords. Yuushi swung his sword around, aiming for Ekyt’s side. Ekyt swept the attack aside wit the back of his bokken, then thrust forward. Yuushi stepped to the side and used the side of his sword to knock Ekyt’s strike down. He then shuffled forward, aiming to cut Ekyt’s thumb. Ekyt shuffled backwards, then took a quick step to the side. Yuushi predicted a strike, but it never came. Ekyt had moved one way, but he had moved his sword the other. The wood hit Yuushi’s ribs with a dull thunk. Yuushi fell backward to the ground, putting one hand on his side. He had to roll away as Ekyt’s sword cut into the ground next to him, caving in the grass next to his head, creating a pocket of dirt. Yuushi swung at Ekyt’s legs, leaving Ekyt no choice but to leap in the air to evade the strike. Yuushi followed him up and made a neck-level cut. Ekyt parried the strike with his sword, then returned with a strike to the head which Yuushi ducked under. He took a swipe at Ekyt’s side. Ekyt dodged, but felt his clothes tear and a little trickle of blood fly out. As both boys landed, panting hard, Ekyt sensed something. Another attack, from behind him. If Yuushi noticed, he wasn’t saying anything, instead taking up his guard again, his blind eye visible now that sweat had matted his black bangs to his forehead and cheek.

Ekyt, more experienced but with less raw talent, waited for Yuushi’s move. As Yuushi ran in, Ekyt kicked dirt up, but didn’t aim for Yuushi. He kicked the dirt backward, into the eyes of Kabuto, whose glasses were dirtied. Just then, Yuushi struck again, this time aiming for a thrust to the ribs. Ekyt shuffled to the side, using one hand to thrust at Yuushi. Yuushi parried the strike easily, and since Ekyt held his sword with only one hand, the sword swung around his head into a horrible position. Yuushi knew he won right there. Ekyt was off-balance and had nothing to block with. He thrust without hesitation. But, to his surprise, Ekyt stepped closer to him and widened his stance. The sword passed him, and his own sword was behind his back, the back section of it braced on his shoulders. Ekyt thrust the sword like a pool cue, tapping Yuushi in the forehead with the sword. It was an amazing move that legitimately stunned Yuushi. It was also a revelation for him.

I made a mistake…Ekyt-sensei could teach me so much more, and he doesn’t demand a price…and Kantai…that girl…

Yuushi watched Ekyt deal with Kabuto, keeping a wary out for Orochimaru.

-

“For you, though I can respect you, I’m using a real blade. One very dear to me,” Ekyt explained, unsheathing his sword. It wasn’t a samurai blade; instead it was a broadsword. It appeared to have chakra inside it. What that chakra was for, no one was really sure, not even Ekyt.

Orochimaru made his move, using his Kusanagi like a giant kunai. Ekyt spun to the side and blocked, using his brace to the back of the blade. Once the strike was repelled, Ekyt leapt between the trees. Orochimaru searched around wildly. Ekyt fell down behind him and struck hard, but Orochimaru had moved. POOF!

“Lord Orochimaru, he’s using Shadow Clones!” Kabuto shouted, retrieving the kunai he had used to kill what he thought was Ekyt.

“Get the boy, that’s what we came for!” Orochimaru demanded. Yuushi had stayed frozen to the spot for a long while, just thinking. Ekyt jumped down, blocking Orochimaru’s path, his arms spread in an attitude of defense..

“You can’t have him! I won’t let you corrupt an innocent mind!” Ekyt shouted. Orochimaru just kept coming. When he stabbed, Ekyt didn’t move, as Yuushi was still rooted to the spot. Or so it seemed. When Orochimaru got close enough, he stopped.

“Damn it! Kabuto, there are fakes! The other two- where did they go?!”

He tricked me?! Damn it…damn that kid…I’ll make him pay yet!

--

Ekyt was silent as Yuushi traveled next to him. Yuushi, for his part, was too ashamed to talk. He had been tricked, and then attacked his sensei? How did that happen? It wasn’t like him. He chanced a glance at Ekyt, but didn’t see what he wanted. He saw forgiveness in his sensei’s face.

I want him to hate me, Yuushi realized, It’s what I deserve for this. I was beyond foolish.

“Yuushi…” Ekyt said carefully. He landed on the ground below, just waiting, staring straight ahead. “Come here.”

Yuushi walked over, a little scared. He didn’t know what Ekyt was thinking. It could be anything. But he didn’t have any reason to fear Ekyt, the boy who’d become his big brother. So he walked over. He was surprised when Ekyt grabbed his shoulders, then pulled him into a hug.

“It’s my fault…I’m sorry,” Ekyt said, staring over Yuushi’s shoulder. Yuushi’s eyes went wide, and teared up.

“How…What do you mean?” Yuushi asked, surprised by Ekyt’s words.

“I knew how things were, Yuushi. I could have been there for you more. If I had, maybe then you wouldn’t have been so desperate to seek out your mother. The one thing a sensei is truly supposed to do- that’s what I failed at. It’ll be different now.”

Ekyt let go, standing up next to Yuushi. “I need to know one thing before I help you, Yuushi- do you reject Orochimaru?”

Yuushi nodded.

“Then…well, brace yourself. This is going to hurt, and probably knock you out. But I have to stop that curse mark. I couldn’t do it before, while it was brand new, the pain alone would have killed you. Now, this seal will just halt chakra flow to it. But it’s going to hurt. So…it means you’ll have to trust me. Do you trust me?”

Yuushi nodded again. Ekyt himself gave a firm nod. On his hands, the kanji representing ‘fire’, ‘wind’, ‘earth’, ‘water’, and ‘void’ appeared, one over each finger. Glancing at Yuushi to make sure he was ready, Ekyt placed his hand over the cursed seal.

“Sealing Technique: Five Elements Seal!”

Yuushi immediately yelped with pain, then slumped to the ground, unconscious. The seal on his body turned purple, then faded, until only a blue outline remained. Ekyt sighed deeply, wishing it hadn’t come to this. But this was the only way he knew to deal with those cursed seals.

Ekyt raised his sword, spinning toward the sounds of others arriving. He lowered his guard upon seeing it was Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji. Wow, Ino looked ticked. Ekyt shrugged inwardly, knowing it was because of the way Sasuke and Ekyt had fought. It was still strange to think that Ino and Sasuke were a couple.

“So you got him back yourself? That’s good, fighting Orochimaru would have been a drag,” Shikamaru muttered.

“For sure!” Choji agreed heartily. “You okay, Ekyt?”

Ekyt nodded. “Yeah…listen, can the three of you take Yuushi back to the village? And send back up. Orochimaru and Kabuto are on the loose again. I know it’s standard procedure to report them myself, but if I leave now, there’s a good chance we’ll lose an opportunity to catch them.”

Shikamaru weighed all the outcomes in his mind, but decided that Ekyt was right.

“Yeah, we’ll take him…is he going to be okay? I mean, when he waked up?”

Ekyt nodded. “A little pain, but he’ll be fine. I’d suggest asking Lady Tsunade to take a look, though. Curse marks shouldn’t be toyed with, and I don’t know if my seal was perfect. Besides, she’d choose the best squad to chase Orochimaru with. Oh, I forgot- Naruto and Sakura are in Tanzaku Town. I’ll pick them up on my way back. Lady Tsunade gave them time off, and they really shouldn’t be involved in this mission anyway.”

After a short discussion, everyone agreed that was what was best. They leapt off, with Ekyt heading back into the fire. But this time, killing wasn’t on his mind.

I’ve got to make this battle flashy, to draw lots of attention to Orochimaru. I can’t use the Reaper Death Seal right now, my chakra is too low after that seal, and my cigarettes won’t restore it in time. If I only had to make that one move…but with Kabuto around, I can’t rely on that Jutsu. I’m going to have to make this battle loud and long…

--

Naruto X Sakura here!

--

Ekyt bit his lip, drawing blood. He’d need it at a moment’s notice once he found Orochimaru. That, as it turned out, didn’t take long. He was looking for Ekyt. For a moment, Kabuto, Orochimaru, and Ekyt all stared at each other. Then, without warning, the fight began.

“Summoning Jutsu! Striking Serpent Summoning!” Ekyt barked, smashing his hand to the ground. His snake, Shuurai, erupted from underground. It was all part of Ekyt’s plan- he needed attention.

“A battle of snakes? You fool! You can’t hope to beat me!” Orochimaru declared with a laugh, summoning a trio of giant snakes.

“Just like we practiced, Shuurai! Tie them up!” Ekyt ordered. Shuurai slithered at top speed toward the other snakes. Ekyt threw two explosive-laced kunai at the snakes, detonating them in front of the snakes mouths to create confusion. Shuurai bit into one snake, then wrapped his body around the other’s, tying them together, and leaving Orochimaru and Ekyt on common ground, easily able to fight each other. Kabuto joined Orochimaru, but only waited for orders.

“Time and again, you’ve managed to baffle me, Ekyt. How can you, a genin, keep interfering with a Sannin like myself? Kabuto is more skilled than you…but you just keep coming back. What is it that makes you so persistent?”

“I’m driven by a pure motive, Orochimaru. That’s it. That’s all I need. This time…” Ekyt paused, pulling off his mask so he could put a chakra cigarette into his mouth. “…this time, you targeted my student. That’s reason enough for me to fight you. And with Kabuto here, too, I can make this easier, and kill both of you!”

Ekyt knew the Reaper Death Seal, but he couldn’t perform it. But he could still use it’s name.

“Sealing Jutsu: Reaper Death Seal!” he shouted. Orochimaru panicked as Ekyt was making handsigns. He didn’t notice WHICH signs Ekyt was making. He spat the Kusanagi out at Ekyt, controlling it with his chakra. It struck Ekyt, but that Ekyt was a fake- a replacement jutsu. The real Ekyt landed next to the sword. He squeezed the hilt, and it feel to the ground, free of Orochimaru’s influence.

“What?! A trap?!” Orochimaru said, shocked. No one had ever stood up to the Kusanagi before.

“That’s right. I found a seal that’s effective against your cursed seals, and I guessed that it might work here, too. But enough talking. I’m just going to hold onto this…and start doing damage! Shuurai, Restriction Jutsu!”

Shuurai increased his pressure on the three snakes he had wound himself around. Ekyt created two shadow clones to deal with Orochimaru and Kabuto, while he made a gutsy move.

“Time to end this!” Ekyt jumped as high as he could, forcing his own chakra into the Kusanagi. The sword became buried up to it’s hilt- right in Orochimaru’s summons. The snakes writhed and hissed in pain- exactly what Ekyt wanted. Their thrashing took out more trees and made more noise- they would be found soon. But while he could, Ekyt had to do damage. Leaving the sword buried in the snake, Ekyt took off running. The sword began to carve the snakes up- or, at least the center snake.

Orochimaru and Kabuto were shocked. They hadn’t counted on this much fighting spirit.

“This is absurd, he CAN’T be doing this, it goes beyond his limits!” Kabuto said, frustrated by a clone that came close with a sword cut.

“There must be a reason! Think!” Orochimaru shot back. He didn’t like this.

I’ve underestimated him yet again. He’s gotten stronger. But he should still be no match for me! I’m being careless. I can’t use my full power, and not my secret technique, not yet, and not here, I’m too vulnerable. If the Sound Four could have come…no matter, I’ll squash this pesky genin. I won’t make the mistake of underestimating him again!

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