Hatake✔️

19

I raise my arms and block a punch to the head.

I'm still dazed by the bright light but I can see I'm in some sort of arena flooded with water.

The water goes up to my mid thigh.

My hands rake my belt and pockets for a weapon. I can't feel any.

I dodge another attack and try scanning my surroundings.

"Weapons are only earned..." an overhead voice says.

I try to focus my chakra but I'm also trying to block three attacks at the same time.

My eyes finally adjust to the light. There are around six opponents none which I recognize. All are big and sturdy.

I slide my bare foot along the floor.

There must be a catch. A trick.

My foot feels nothing but coarse concrete.

Wait.

Something brushes past my leg.

The men aren't the opponents.

There's something in the water.

The black water now is infinitely more terrifying.

I land a kick on a rather slow hitting man and he falls into the water.

I wait for him to resurface.

I look around me.

He's gone.

The water is rough and sloshing with every movement of the competitors.

A man who looks like a gladiator swings a sword at me. I move out of the way but it nicks me.

He trudges towards me then gets pulled into the water.

I can't grab his sword fast enough.
It sinks to the darkness.

I'm too scared to search for it.

I try and calm myself. The other men seem to be far enough from me.

I try and focus on bringing my chakra to my feet. Lifting myself above the water.

I stumble a bit. But I find my footing.

Next I need to track the creature.

It seems that every time someone gets pulled under the waves grow stronger and the water rises.

I have to watch for patterns.

Right then a knife wizzes by and nearly misses my leg.

"So the cheater is gonna cheat again!" He growls at me and hits me hard knocking me down. I keep my chakra flow so I stay above the water.

I think I cracked a rib.

I stand back up and charge at the man.

My foot landing on his throat.

He quickly gets a grab of me and I'm overpowered.

I take a big breath and let myself get pushed under the water.

Now I freeze his leg and make my escape under the darkness of the water.

As I swim away I hear screams.

I'm nearly running out of air. My foot then gets snared in some kind of trap.
I reach my arm up my finger tips just breaking the surface of the water.

My chest is burning and more air leaves my lungs every attempt I take to free my foot.

I reach my hand as far above my head that I can. My fingers don't even reach the surface now.

I then send all my chakra to my hand and push the water out of the way. Creating a small gap that I can get a breath in.

It's not a full breath.

I pull harder on the trap but I only feel it tightening around the bones of my foot.

I make another clearing in the water but this time I'm unable to take a breath.

I feel the wire of the trap cutting my skin now.

I cry out in pain and heave my foot one final time. It wiggles free from the trap. I break to the surface.

I'm coughing up water and crying from the pain in my foot.

I manage to pull myself back up onto the waters surface. There is still two other people here.

I look down at my foot and wish I didn't. The skin has been scraped off and it looks mangled.

Now looking out at the water there is a controller in the water.

I approach the two fighting and try to see who it is.

One has a gauntlet made out of water and the other has strange shield.

I cough more water up and some blood.

I can feel the dizziness starting and I know I have to end the fight soon.

I focus on what Orochimaru taught me. I form a spiral it rushes over my foot and up my legs now surrounding my body.

This is new.

I then try and push it forward to my hand.

I fall to my knees and press my hand into the water.

Within a flash the entire body of water freezes. Trapping both opponents.

I sigh in relief as I hear them yell out for mercy.

I roll onto my bottom and hold my foot out. I watch as the muscles and ligaments connect back together. Finally the skin covers the mess of red.

I now look around the room to find the spectator.

"The round isn't complete." The overhead voice says.

I look around for more opponents but find none.

"There is only allowed one victor, don't you remember Akari..." it adds.

My eyes shoot over to the two complaining men. Their arms and legs frozen in place.