Cursed Saint

6 - Promise of a Lifetime

The wind whistled softly through the air, causing the wind to rustle in a way that aided Ryu in hiding his soft breathing. His pale eyes refused to rest on anything, searching for the slightest movement that would give away his target's location.

There was nothing, though, the other member of the battle well hidden. Ryu knew that he'd give him a hint eventually. He always did. After all, how was a boy who wouldn't be a genin unless he passed his upcoming test find a jounin?

Snap!

And there it was. The slight slip up Asuma always made on purpose. Ryu acted instantly, moving swiftly to his pouch and producing kunai between each finger. He threw them in the direction of the noise, his eyes tracing the shadow of the retreating figure. When he saw the figure stop, he launched himself at the shadow. The person reacted immediately, taking a few shuriken from their pouch and sending them toward Ryu.

Ryu landed on a nearby branch and jumped up so that he was higher than the shurikens' path, his eyes not once leaving the other's black eyes. He brought his hands together, performing a series of hand signs. "Lightning style! Lightning snakes jutsu!" Ryu held his hand out toward his enemy, lightning bolts that zigzagged like snakes making their way to the other Sarutobi.

"Good job, Ryu. Your hand seal speed has increased," the other male said, doing a back flip to avoid the lightning.

Ryu sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Not fast enough apparently," he grumbled. "You can still see it coming, Asuma, as easily as when we first began."

The older Sarutobi smiled. "That's because I've helped you with your techniques and have memorized every one of your moves. After teaching a kid for two years you start to get to know him."

"Then how come I still can't beat you?" Ryu challenged, staring down at the man he'd grown close to since he first began helping him. His help had been a big thing that had helped Ryu recover. Asuma had both listened and advised Ryu with all the things bothering him at the time, playing Shogi or fighting him as they talked. Keeping his mind off what he spoke about helped Ryu to talk. Piece by piece, he'd almost completely returned to his normal self. There was still days he'd return to being depressed, but most days he was just himself. The weight that had been on his shoulders was gone, only returning when the depression did.

He owed both Asuma and Sakura a debt for healing him. Ryu wasn't sure how he'd repay the two, but he knew he had to do it.

"Because I haven't shown you everything up my sleeve. You haven't been able to make me do so, Ryu." Asuma stared up at the young boy, waiting for his next move.

His eyes narrowed, glancing around as he looked for things he could use to his advantage. Asuma waited patiently, ready to respond appropriately to whatever the younger Sarutobi had planned.

Looking over completely as if something had caught his eye, he took a very small step toward it. For a second, Asuma's eyes flickered in the same direction to figure out what had caught Ryu's interest. It was then that Ryu shot forward, pulling out a kunai. Asuma's movement was swift enough to produce a kunai as well, blocking Ryu's. A clang of metal filled the air between the males. Before Ryu could land, Asuma used his own kunai to force his out of the way and kicked the boy in the chest, sending him flying back. He slammed into the very tree he'd come from, sliding down it so he was in a sitting position.

"Very good, Ryu," Asuma said. "If I didn't know you so well, I probably would have fallen for that." He reached down, lifting Ryu to his feet with the ease of a man strengthened from years training.

"Thanks." Ryu straightened out his shirt, which had risen up enough to slightly reveal his stomach. 

Asuma glanced up at the sky, a small frown on his lips. "Have you been paying attention to the time?" he asked.