Tales of a Ninja Magician: Of What Defines Us

A Game of Chess of the Lunar Variety

Mana was warming up in the preparation room during the short break while the arena was being repaired. It was nothing much, her body was mostly recovered from the stress and the damage of the intensive training as the finals served as a nice time-out for the food pills she took before to take effect and fully work its magic. Kiyomi was sitting nearby, nervously observing Mana's preparations.

"So you've recovered?" The Yamanaka asked once again.

"I think so", Mana shrugged, breaking the warm-up for just a second before resuming it. "I won't be able to rely on my chakra sensory due to massive chakra signatures in the Ninja Council but other than that I feel great".

"And you're sure you can win?" Kiyomi raised an eyebrow.

"You're the one who fought someone who was literally invincible. Don't worry, it doesn't matter what I think now, what I am worried about. What matters is that I've done everything in my power to prepare and that, whatever happens, I'll have no regrets after this." Mana finally finished stretching her neck out and after checking the hidden pockets in her vest finally finished the last, rather spontaneous check-ups and warm-up.

"Alright, good luck out there. You've done crazy stuff in the past focusing on what you're doing it for. Just keep thinking about your dream and keep going for it." Kiyomi assuredly placed her hand on Mana's shoulder in encouragement before walking together with the magician to where the corridors crossed. One path lead to the staircase going up to the right observatory used by female contestants that day, the other one lead straight to the corridors leading up to the arena entrance.

As she said the momentary farewells to her friend, the magician kept on thinking of the fact that her dream has actually changed throughout this exam. For the longest time, she saw this exam as an opportunity to prove herself as having the potential to become the legendary hero who would change the world. It was as abstract as abstract dreams got, just something to prove to herself that she had the guts to go that desired distance.

After meeting and getting to know Stea, Mana's dream changed. This was no longer about Mana's own promotion or proving anything to anyone. After accepting her own retirement when the five weeks of training began, Mana had no problem moving past just having things to prove. Now it was about being a translator, a worthy challenger to Stea's inhuman skills that would match her in a way that she could show off herself in the right way to the Council. Mana sighed as she looked onto the gloomy and repaired arena and saw the buzzing audience with the corners of her eyes.

She was the ordinary girl, telling an angel which way to fly down to so that the people on the ground could see the angel the way the girl did and begin believing in her. In a way, both Mana and Stea were on the same side in this, both of them were fighting for the people in Getsugakure and the chance for a better life.

After remembering that, Mana bravely stepped out through the entrance, waving her hands aside and allowing her "Magical Entrance Jutsu", just a little of sparks and dazzle for the visual appeal, she used to start off her magic shows go off without hand seals or words. Only now did Mana realize the full ramifications of this match, she was exposing herself to this audience as a ninja now, granted, she was exposed as a ninja this whole time, certainly after her name was announced for the final match but... After seeing her here they will all have no other choice but to believe that she was more than just a pretty face playing ninja.

The worlds of Mana the Konoha's Sorceress and Mana the Konohagakure kunoichi will forever be intertwined. There will no longer be any divide between them, ironically, just as Mana wanted to snuff one of these worlds out for the other...

"Take these shades off, stop embarrassing yourself", Stea playfully teased the magician now that the two ended up facing each other with overseer Oke standing by their side, preparing to address the audience. God, Stea was a bit taller than Mana, the magician had not noticed that before.