Another path

The first trial - final part

< Hi everyone ! Got my first day of work last Monday and first day back to class today... Moreover, I will probably have a lot homework to do because of the pandemics. I'll get my schedule tomorrow so I'll be able to tell you all more clearly how often the chapters will be posted.
This is why I missed this week's update... again. I really don't know how often I'll be able to update so I'll do it as much as I can ! So have a nice day, take care and good reading ! >

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The results were... well, not what Kurama had expected. And that was a fucking understatement. She gazed at her daughter and the blond looked just as surprised as she was. No one understood what had happened and even the referee didn't know what to do.
Before them, only one individual was still standing.

And no one could believe how it happened.

* Ten minutes ago *

" - Hajime !

Both teams rushed toward each other, Hinata and Kiba taking the front while Kurenai and Shino stayed a bit back to attack. Fū had a huge smile on her face as she easily evaded Kiba and Akamaru's attacks. One of the jônin on her team sneaked behind Kiba and tried to knock him out only to abruptly retreat when a blue hazed palm almost hit his jaw.
His movements weren't fast enough though because Hinata's hand still grazed his left shoulder. He watched in bewilderment more than pain, how his arm went limp after what had been a mere touch.

Suzuka watched this with interest sparkling in her eyes.

" She improved a lot... Her precision and strength still don't match Neji's, but she has very good reflexes and she concentrated her chakra very efficiently. Still... "

Hinata and Kiba were both violently pushed away by a strong gust of wind produced by Fū's wings.

" ...they're no match for a Jinchūriki. "

Suddenly, Fū froze in her movements, allowing Kiba to punch her away. She fell on the ground without a twitch. One of the jônin with her screamed her name before harshly gazing at Kurenai who was smirking.
He signed for his two teammates to occupy both Kiba and Hinata while he helped Fū but all of a sudden, he felt his strength leave him.
He watched in horror how his companions fell to the ground along with him.

- You shouldn't have forgotten about me.

Shino gazed down at them, his face inscrutable because of his glasses and high collar.

" With their chakra drained, it's a matter of time before they lose consciousness. It's over for them... is probably what everyone is currently thinking. But you don't restrain a Jinchūriki with a mere genjutsu, not one like her at least. "

Kurama was smirking, intriguing all the other Kage in the booth as to why.
As if on cue, Fū stood up just before the referee ended the match.
Shocked gasps and cries were heard but the members of team Kurenai couldn't care less. Not anybody could escape one of Kurenai's genjutsu, who was that girl ?

- She's facing all three of us on her own, it's not gonna change anything !

- Be careful, Kiba, I feel something odd coming from her.

Shino and Hinata both looked pensive at their Sensei's words.

" Could it be... ? "

Without a warning, Fū leapt in the air, the wind being blown down by the sudden movement. The sheer force of it sent both Shino and Kurenai to the floor, Kiba and Hinata barely keeping their balance. Not missing a beat, Fū lunged toward Shino and knocked him out with a chop on the neck.
Without any mind to direct, his bugs were now flying around aimlessly.

Everyone stared wide eyed at the scene unfolding before them. The speed and the precision of the flying kunoichi's attacks were stunning to say the least.
However, she didn't rush to attack again. Instead, she stayed in the air, far from the three remaining members of team Kurenai.

- Why isn't she coming down to face them ?

- Look at that coward !

- Now she won't even fight them fairly !

Kurama clicked her tongue in annoyance while Tsunade shot a death glare at the council members of her village, still wondering how in Hell they had managed to force her to take them with her.

" They're shinobi, fair play isn't part of our philosophy. If anything, it's wiser for her to remain out of Hinata's reach since all the opponents left are much faster than Shino. However, I wonder if she realises the range of his attacks... "

Shikamaru thought as Kiba and Akamaru launched a Gatsuga. Fū looked at them curiously before realising that with the momentum they took, they could easily reach her even at this height.
She dodged the attack but Kiba made a circling motion and went back at her. She retreated again, only stopping once the Gatsuga lost its strength and both master and dog were left panting on their knees (or paws), passing out from exhaustion.

Suddenly, she felt a strong strike in her back. Then two, four, eight and so on until-

- Eight Triagrams Sixty-four Palms !

Fū fell on her knees as all her tenketsu were now blocked. She looked surprised when she finally noticed Hinata standing behind her.

" Kurenai used a genjutsu so she wouldn't notice where she was being led... It was subtle and light enough that her bijū didn't notice right away and Hinata lost no time in attacking. The timing is impressive, who would have guessed other teams than the Ino-Shika-Chô could come this far in terms of teamwork... "

Kakashi nodded approvingly. While she did put up a good fight, it was highly unlikely that Fū would be able to get out of this mess.

The referee looked hesitant : the girl had been able to get up while it seemed she was knocked out once, why not twice ?
Kurenai noticed his hesitation and went carefully behind Fū to knock her out.

Then out of nowhere, the genjutsu master fell unconscious on the ground.

There was a silence. And it's only then that they noticed it.

- Powder ?

- Where did it come from ?

- Was it that girl that used it ?

But for those who knew Jinchūriki and had already been in contact with their chakra, there was something much more surprising - and worrisome for Hinata - that was going on.

" Her tenketsu exude Chômei's chakra ! It's really faint but I can feel it. She's using the fact that bijū chakra is both corrosive and stronger than a shinobi's to force her tenketsu open ! For now, it's pooling around her tenketsu and Hinata is too shocked to realise. But as soon as Fū will have gathered enough chakra...

Hinata suddenly snapped back to reality when she felt a huge chakra spike right next to her.

" ... she will unleash all of it to attack Hinata ! "

Using Hinata's surprise, Fū kicked the other kunoichi in the stomach using Chômei's chakra. Despite her fast reflexes, the Hyūga heiress was sent flying by the force of the blow. The red chakra flowed inside her vessels and burned her tenketsu, rendering her unable to use her own chakra. She collided violently with the wall and lost consciousness.

Everyone was stunned. That no-name girl had literally defeated a whole team of jônin on her own !
She didn't even look tired, like it had been no big deal for her.

Tsunade was eyeing Kurama nervously, finally noticing the little smirk the red haired Kitsune gave her.

" This tournament is going to be tougher than expected... "