Tales of a Ninja Magician: Of What Defines Us

Long Past Reason

After the tremendously destructive after effects settled down, initially, it became difficult to tell just what had happened. Sugemi was kneeling and breathing heavily as sweat profusely sprayed onto the cracked and a bit wrecked arena floor, it took a natural progression of sight to the right before Mana noticed Daidao being slammed into the wall, right beside the team she stood to the left to. Slowly, the Jinchuuriki weighed down from the crack he had made only to be caught by Jean-D, the ruthless Kumogakure ninja Mana had met in the Forest of Death, who stood to the right to the team nearby which Daidao slammed into the wall to.

It didn't appear like the Kumogakure kunoichi had much fondness for the Jinchuuriki as she just gently dropped him to the floor from a bit shorter height, feeling a tad bit lazy to bend all the way to the floor. Shaking in strain and exhaustion, Sugemi straightened out and struggled to keep an upright fighting stance, his eyes wandered back to the tag scroll before he looked back at the exam overseer who was making his way to unseal Meiko. The Nara chose to take a fighting stance and wait for the blacksmith to hit the field.

"Contestant Deiji Daidao - ring out"! the overseer ruled before enveloping the tag scroll where Meiko was sealed.

It all happened in a flash of dark brownish light, the blacksmith appeared right in front of the scroll before looking back and noticing Daidao sprawled out and calmly passed out outside the arena. Mana wondered just how her friend would feel realizing that so much pressure was on her shoulders. Would she despair, rush things and burn through her chakra or push past her limits and work herself to passing out? Or would she rise to the occasion and...

"Who's that"? Meiko pointed at the injured and almost completely unarmored comrade of hers, "Where did Daidao go, I thought I was supposed to have his assistance in a team attack for three whole seconds"? The blacksmith pondered loudly making everyone around her laugh out.

"That young man right there is your teammate, you have never seen him without his armor, I assume"? The overseer smiled while politely explaining.

"Oh..." Meiko noted, processing the news for a moment before her face exploded in a horrified expression, "Whaaaa! You mean I'm the last one left"!? She yelled out in shock.

"That is correct, competitor Daidao failed to eliminate any other genin, even with a remarkable performance and control over his... Ability", the overseer nodded before leaving through the barrier.

Meiko looked at Sugemi curiously as the fight was resumed. She pointed her finger at him rudely, "Hey, what's wrong with you, don't you wanna tag"? she wondered.

"Figured you'd be running your mouth, during the yapping time I got plenty of breathers", Sugemi grunted, lying through his teeth, before leaping in at Meiko with a rush of fists and kicks. Meiko gently pushed Sugemi's blows away before responding with a painfully looking punch right back, in both of the boy's jaws, his forehead, his lower abdomen, an elbow to both of his sides and a jumping knee strike to blow him completely flying away.

"Wow, you've really worn yourself out. Might wanna pull out your gates just about now", Meiko taunted her opponent as her movements were rather casual and it didn't appear like defending and replying demanded much effort from her side. Even if Daidao was eliminated, her plan appeared to have been set into motion and possibly have worked.

"You know what? Nah, I'm good, come on, pull out your weapons again, let's go at it like I always wanted us to", Sugemi suggested as he wiped the trickling blood off of his forehead and nose. The crack on his forehead looked especially nasty.

"Sorry, my sword and shield were the only weapons I've brought with me, well, except for the ninja kit. I figured since I had all of my arsenal in any weapon, I only needed my default pair", Meiko grinned, guiltily rubbing the back of her head in apology to both herself and Daidao.