Kusono's thoughts had been racked by how he had acted during his previous fight. A carnal desire to do harm, to see his opponent dead, came over him. It was sudden and overwhelming. Normally, the young Kaguya was giddy during a fight, a bit of a smart ass really. But the fight changed him. He was sadistic and bloodthirsty. Though, to a shinobi those where excellent traits to have in the thick of battle. But to have them spring up during a random fight got under Kusono's skin.

He shook the thoughts from his head, he would deal with that when there was more time. Now he sat in the underbelly of the arena, awaiting his next fight to start. He was one match away from being in the finals, and another match away from being declared the winner of the exams. That would truly show everyone back home his strength. A small smile crept along Kusono's face, imagining his fellow clansmen celebrating his victory sounded grand. But he still had a ways to go before celebrating.

A dark haired proctor entered the room and waved him up to the large iron gate. Kusono could hear the muffled voice of the announcer introducing him to the crowd. As the gate raised, he was hit by the full volume of the screaming crowd. Thousands of spectators cheered as he strolled toward the middle of the arena where the announcer stood. Highlight reels of his fight with Suutei flashed on the monitors. Especially the blow that nearly killed his opponent. Kusono looked across to his opponent, he looked.....familiar. Sero. The name rang a bell. But he just couldn't quite put his finger on who he was. Kusono pondered as the announcer rattled off pre-bout rules and the such. Within an instant Kusono remembered where he had met Sero. He was the boy from the mansion. He remembered, him. "....and without further ado, begin!"

Between the two opponents was a ten meter distance. With a short leap Kusono enlarged it by five more meters before beinging two of his signature jutsu. No one but Kusono would be able to see his first jutsu, a thin layer of bone hardened under the epidermis layer of his skin, making a flexible armour. The second, everyone would recognize as a Kaguya technique. Kusono ripped a pearly white bone dagger from his left shoulder, holding it tightly in his right hand. He would let Sero have the first move.

120/150:

Sero was growing tired of proving his might. If anything the crowd seemed to recognize it. He had heard about the bets being paid out over him. If nothing that must of been a vote of confidence. But even now he was being asked to fight again. He could leave if he wanted too. And he had considered it. But two things prevented him from doing so. One was his father had passed the chunnin exams. If he failed then how could he surpass the shadow he was drowning in? He couldn't accept being weaker then a dead man. Even if that dead man was a Kage. The dead were still useless regardless of what they had been. But the second reason was closer to home. Literally. Kusono Kaguya, Someone, no, one of the few intruders of his home. A student of a man that had pledged to kill him. Kusono was an obstacle. And they wanted him to fight him. Before eliminating him as a threat was an issue because Wolfgangs threat wasn't being taken seriously. But now that they were being pitted against each other, He could draw blood and give his enemy good reason to avoid him. If not the inability to do so.

Within the locker room Sero prepared for the fight. Standing there in grey shinobi pants and grey boots his silver eyes looked into the mirror. Quietly he slipped into his grey tank top. Covering the scars from his training in seclusion. He had never known pain. But he had pushed himself to such extremes that the marks would forever be with him. Even for his size as a young boy his muscles were toned but there wasn't a foot of skin without scars. With his right hand he picked up his headband. Carefully tying it so the metal guard covered his windpipe. The symbol on it less like drops of water to him and more like drops of blood. He knew it symbolized mist but somehow it always reminded him of blood. Perhaps that was because that was all he knew. Blood letting his enemies. Quietly he pulled his whip sword and wrapped it around his waist clipping it together like a belt. Loose enough not to cut him but tight enough to actually be useful as a belt. He clipped on his Makibishi ankle bracelets one to each ankle. The spikes pointed outwards and five per ankle. He did the same thing with his Metsubishi. One bracelet on each wrist of five per wrist.

He used his headband to secure a single E rank kunai over the back of his neck. That way he was guarding his wind pipe and his brain stem to some degree. Lastly he grabbed his roll of wire. Wrapping it tightly around his right arm. It hadn't been a part of his strategy yet but he had plans for it. And he would regret it if he didn't bring it. With that he slipped on his hoody to hide all of it. Even his hoody was grey. But this was just the beginning. Quietly he began arming himself. Three senbon up each sleeve, Ten basic kunai tucked into the front of his waist line at an angle so they wouldn't stab him when he moved. Around his thighs he strapped in eight C rank kunai to his right thigh and to his left thigh he strapped his Kunai launcher under his hip on the outer leg. Final goodbyes was what it was called. It was already loaded with two C rank kunai. The barrels aimed to the side so even if it was fired somehow it wouldn't be pointed directly at him while holstered. On his left hip he placed His Katana and his Cutlass. On his right hip he placed his Rapier and had his windmill shuriken clipped into place against his whip sword next to it. Folded at the moment. Across his back was his bastard sword and his flamberge like a giant X almost too big for him. But he managed. His shuriken were put into shoulder pockets with five per shoulder. While he pocketed his Smoke bomb and his flash bomb into the front sweater pockets. Lastly he grabbed his Odachi in his right hand. And with that the walking arsenal moved to the Arena.

Sero emerged with his hood up. But his silver eyes seemed to glower out of its shadow. Yet it was pulled back far enough to reveal his face and not cut off his peripheral vision. Casually he watched Kaguya. Moving at some strange ghost like pace to the ten meter point. The center of the arena. But he didn't hear anything else. Just silence as he watched Kusono. He was going to take this man down. And it could be felt. That aura seeped from Sero once more as it always did. A monster was there, Not a boy but something from the pits of hell wanted to get its jaws on the Kaguya. The rusty Odachi seemed to reflect the blood of the souls it had cut down. And his eyes were as empty as the grave. Never wavering from his objective. To wipe out the target with no holding back. Perhaps if he drew enough blood they would stop testing him. And then it began. They seemed to move in unison. When Kusono moved Sero moved. Even as Kusono launched himself back Sero launched himself forward five meters. Without a word his left hand reached down and quietly unclipped his Windmill shuriken and in the next step unfolded it. His chakra reaching out and touching it from his fingertips just a tiny bit as in his final step he threw it. From ten meters away he flung the windmill shuriken and sent it's spinning mass hurling at both of Kusono's legs. Keeping up the pursuit unphased by Kusono pulling the dagger from his body. It was to be expected from a Kaguya.

1006

145/150:

As soon as Kusono's feet peddled back, Sero mirrored him, keeping the space between them at 10 meters. Sero unclipped a windmill shuriken from his belt and sent it souring towards Kusono's legs. It was a plain move, most likely a distraction. Kusono had yet to see Sero's fighting style or is abilities in combat, so he had to continue to be on the defensive. As the Shuriken came for his legs, Kusono reached into his pouch with his free hand while dodging to the right, letting the shuriken pass by harmlessly behind him, keeping it barely in his peripheral vision. Though Sero was a crafty opponent, this couldn't be all he had planned. Landing in a crouch position to the left of Sero, he let out three shuriken directed towards Sero's torso, a kunai was stuck in the group directly behind Kusono as a safety precaution. A surprise for a surprise.

After the distraction, Kusono would make a mad dash for Sero, clutching two small object in hand. As the young Kaguya closed the distance between the two by seven meters he would throw two Metsubishi directed at Sero's face and eyes, attempting to blind his opponent. If the metsubishi hit and no immediate threats where present, Kusono would home in for the kill. Ready for that feeling to overtake him once again.

Sero watched his opponent nimbly evade his weapon. It was to be expected. He contemplated switching out with it but he was so far unsure of his opponents strategy. Maybe the Kaguya prefered to get in close? If so it could turn into a game of who dropped first. Would it be Sero or Kusono?  That bone crafting ability would count for as many weapons as Sero had probably. Still Sero began to feel the heat building in him. This wasn't like his previous match. This time he could almost sense it. A deadly tension between them both. This wasn't a fight between two young boys looking to prove themselves. No, in fact this felt like the moments Sero had to kill to survive. He could feel his instincts tugging at his mind to end the target across from him. He was aware killing was against the rules but his instincts told him to do it. That anything less would be foolish and lead to his own death. That he could not allow. In a kill or be killed setting he could hear his pulse quickening. He could see his hand grip the Odachi tighter as if preparing for the killing blow.

And then they were moving. Kusono threw several projectiles directly at Sero's torso. It was as if he could sense the intent behind them. Like arms reaching out to try and grasp his heart. The moment the projectile moved from Kusono's hands so did Sero stepping to his left as quick as he could to let the projectile sail passed him. They were fairly even in that regard. The long range game would be a waste of time. And apparently his opponent thought so too as he ran towards Sero. Closing the distance before releasing two black balls from his hands. Almost like black eggs from three meters away. Instinctively Sero let his Odachi lash out and smash the eggs before they could get too close. Sending the blinding materials scattering between them. In the same movement that his Odachi swung his left hand moved to draw out final goodbyes. Sero had trained his body to be capable of doing two things at once without increasing his concentration. Those grey eyes stared at Kusono without forgiveness. The intention to kill him wasn't even hidden as he pointed both barrels directly at Kusono's face. It would be clear to Kusono. Those two barrels he was likely looking down seemed dark. Like the shadow of death was coming for him.

For that moment it seemed like everything faded and froze. It was obvious that Sero intended to put the Kunai through Kusono's eyes into his brain. The killing aura filled the air for a moment in time. It was all there was. The intention to kill overpowering every other sense. His finger tightened on the trigger for that moment. But he knew the rules. Killing was forbidden. If he took his opponents life then he would be considered a criminal. And that could not be allowed. Instead Sero jumped back three meters and lowered his weapons. Putting final goodbyes away as cold grey eyes looked to Kusono. It was cold and heartless when he spoke. No compassion to mirror his actions.

"I can not fight this individual without killing him to win. As that is against the rules I forfeit. I am not designed for capturing my targets alive."

With that he walked passed Kusono. His guard never seemed to drop even though the match was over. That killing intent never faded. He passed Kusono four meters to the right and moved over to collect his windmill shuriken which had stuck to the tree. If Kusono pressed the attack it was obvious Sero intended to cut him down. And to kill him. If not Sero would walk out without a word as the crowds hesitated to boo as they felt the killing aura too.

1667
600/600 body flicker trained
1000/1000 starch syrup field trained
67 remaining

The projectiles sailed passed Sero as expected, they where a simple diversion to keep his opponents hands busy. Kusono and Sero advanced on each other, their matched speed keeping them at a constant rate. As the black eggs left his hands, Sero cut them apart with his odachi, spraying both their contents in the air. That was his opening. As Sero finished the cut on the second egg, Kusono bypassed his guard, placing the blade of his weapon to the side of his opponents throat. But a sudden pressure on his left eye stopped him from moving a muscle. Sero had taken out a launcher and pressed it against his eye. They where stalemated.

Various options sailed through Kusono's mind. Could he substitute before Sero pulled the trigger? Or should he try and take the projectile to his head or face and try slitting his opponents throat. Before Kusono was going to make his move, Sero made an unexpected one. Kusono could feel his arm relax and release the force put onto his eye. As he did that, Kusono released the pressure his blade put on Sero's throat. They both disengaged, jumping back three meters before they both lowered their weapons. Sero spoke first, in his cold and compassionless tone Kusono remembered from the mansion. "I can not fight this individual without killing him to win. As that is against the rules I forfeit. I am not designed for capturing my targets alive." Kusono glared into his opponents eyes, reflecting Sero's gaze. As Sero walked towards him to recover his weapons, they crossed paths, Kusono spun around. "Another time then" Kusono said with a smirk."I'll be looking forward to it."

He was determined to fight Sero again. They would finish this another time, in a time where they where both at their strongest. Kusono waited with bated breath. The thought chilled his spine. It would be a battle for the ages.

Kusono is victorious