Sukuna's Daughter (Suki)

The Test of Shadows

Suki sat on her bed, the Bingo Book still open in her hands. Her eyes lingered on Itachi Uchiha's profile, reading the details of his betrayal. The words felt heavy in her mind, stirring something inside her. A member of her clan—yet an enemy to the village.

"Itachi..." she whispered to herself.

A knock on the door snapped her out of her thoughts. Suki closed the book and stood up, opening the door to find Shizune.

"Shikamaru is here to meet you," Shizune said with a smile. "He's going to administer your test."

Suki nodded, feeling a slight buzz of anticipation in her chest. She hadn't expected to be tested so soon, but she welcomed the challenge. It would be a good way to prove herself.

Shikamaru leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, wearing his usual lazy expression. "You ready?"

"Yes," Suki replied confidently.

"Follow me then. Lady Tsunade wants to see what you can do." Shikamaru led her outside, toward one of the village's training grounds. As they walked, Suki couldn't help but notice how casual Shikamaru seemed, but she had heard stories about him—stories that told of his intelligence and strategic mind.


---

They arrived at the training grounds, a wide-open space surrounded by trees. The air was fresh, and the ground was still wet from the previous night's rain.

Shikamaru stood across from her and yawned lazily. "Lady Tsunade said to keep this simple. Your objective is to land a hit on me."

Suki raised an eyebrow, wondering if it was some kind of joke. She had heard about Shikamaru's laid-back attitude, but she knew better than to underestimate him.

"That's it?" Suki asked, adjusting her stance.

"That's it," Shikamaru replied, forming a seal with his hands. "You'll figure out soon enough why it's not as easy as it sounds. Begin."

Without warning, Suki dashed forward. She was fast—much faster than any ordinary shinobi her age. Her Uchiha bloodline and jujutsu training had honed her reflexes to an incredible degree. She swung her arm toward Shikamaru, aiming to strike his shoulder.

Just as her hand was about to make contact, her body froze.

Suki's eyes widened as she realized what had happened. Shadow Possession Jutsu.

Shikamaru smirked. "I told you. Not so easy."

Suki struggled to move, her muscles tense but unresponsive. She knew she was caught in Shikamaru's shadow, and no matter how much she tried to break free, his jutsu kept her locked in place.

"Shikamaru Nara," Suki muttered, her Sharingan activating. She could now see the chakra lines linking his shadow to hers, but that wasn't enough to break free.

"Too slow," Shikamaru said. "You might be strong, but that won't help if you're not thinking ahead."

He prepared to end the match, but suddenly, the pressure on his shadow wavered. His eyes narrowed as he realized that Suki wasn't entirely trapped. Her hands were glowing with a faint, dark energy.

Jujutsu sorcery?

With a flash of cursed energy, Suki shattered his shadow binding and leaped back, landing gracefully several feet away. She smirked, her eyes glowing with a crimson hue from her Sharingan.

"That's better," she said.

Shikamaru's expression remained calm, but inwardly he was impressed. She broke my Shadow Possession... interesting.

"Not bad," Shikamaru remarked, stretching lazily. "But this isn't over yet."

Before Suki could respond, Shikamaru's shadow split into multiple tendrils, snaking toward her from different directions. She watched closely, her Sharingan tracking the shadows as they moved.

This time, Suki was ready.

She formed a hand seal and quickly unleashed her own technique. "Cursed Energy Manipulation: Dark Veil!"

A shroud of dark energy enveloped her body, repelling the shadow tendrils as they tried to wrap around her. Shikamaru's shadows recoiled, unable to penetrate the cursed energy barrier.

Suki dashed forward again, faster this time, her Sharingan fully activated. She moved in unpredictable patterns, avoiding the shadows entirely as she closed in on Shikamaru. He tried to keep up, but her speed and cursed energy gave her the upper hand.

With a swift movement, Suki appeared behind him and lightly tapped his shoulder.

Shikamaru froze for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Looks like you got me."

Suki smiled, lowering her hand. "That was a good fight."

Shikamaru shrugged, though there was a hint of admiration in his eyes. "You're strong. I wasn't expecting the jujutsu stuff. That's new around here."

Suki nodded. "My mother's side of the family has some unique techniques."

"I can see that," Shikamaru said, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, Lady Tsunade will be happy to know you passed. Welcome to the team."


---

Meanwhile – Hokage's Office

Tsunade stood by the window, watching the training grounds from afar. Beside her stood Jiraiya, his arms crossed and his gaze thoughtful.

"She's good," Tsunade said, her voice carrying a hint of surprise. "But there's something else about her. Something... darker."

Jiraiya nodded. "Her cursed energy comes from Sukuna's bloodline. It's powerful, but dangerous. If she loses control, it could be a problem for all of us."

Tsunade frowned. "Then we'll keep a close eye on her. For now, she seems willing to cooperate. But if anything changes..."

"We'll deal with it," Jiraiya finished. "But I have a feeling she might be the key to bringing Sasuke back. We just have to keep her focused."

Tsunade sighed. "Let's hope you're right."