He was making his way down the list one by one, the reason ticking off each genin in the hopes that he might be able to ensure that each of Kirigakure was a strong shield wall what this meant in fact was the hope that each person was able to guard one another. Xiao had never underwent the chuunin exams, but he knew one constant existed within every story he had heard, every single detail may have shifted but one was true: They were to battle at their maximum potentiel and ensure that their prowess in not only combat but mental fortitude would be displayed. The only error with just that was that it tended to be quite difficult to fully organize with the diverse and independant shinobi of kirigakure. Aside from Xiao or the odd anomally here or there there was a deep consistancy with shinobi from the hidden mist. They each had light or odd colored hair, each fought for their own agenda or for the sake of battle at times when bloodlust was involved in the mix namely when a hoshigaki was present or an old genin attempting to emulate the passed shinobi who had become house hold names such as Zabuza Momochi or the like, all had a tendency to thin and gaunt with pale flesh and pale eyes, each shinobi seemed to hold these characteristics in the same way that shinobi of the leaf seemed to be boastful, darkened haired and darkened eyed in strict contrast. Their contrast was night and day and perhaps in some sense of the word that was the entire point of their long held animosity between each other being so strictly contrasting as opposed to that of say that of Konohagakure and Kumogakure. They had similarity in features and culture but the mist was unique. By nature they were 'darker' than most, if not the worst of the villages in tendency to have missing ninja and in tendency to draw out the worst in their shinobi many having no issue with ruthless killing.

Samuru had escaped the system, a dream of Xiao's, in which he was free to go where he pleased, free to wander in peace and make his own time. Xiao admired that about his friend but still in his heart had a great caution to ensure he wasn't lured to far to leave on his own and be hunted down. It was something not often discussed but a very true fact - when a shinobi wished to live their life freely the threat of not only violence but so too death or worse laid before them no matter where they went. Though Xiao wished to destroy the system as it stood, he couldn't help but wish for nothing more than that soaring freedom of his friend. He made his way to the city, the heated dead of night to a familiar eatery he knew Samuru would be drawn to in hopes of finding his friend. If he could do so he could exchange his pleasantries before the Chuunin Exams, perhaps test one another and then know how much more effort Xiao would need to compete in these leagues but so too the strength of the nation - and his friends - as a whole.




547

With the upcoming chunin exams, he would need to put in some extra training before. The only reason why he took interest in it was to fight strong opponents. Outside of that, he had no real reason to join. He figured that his distant relatives would be proud that he actually signed up. It was only a matter of time before he traveled back to Konoha. He thought about making his way there early, but figured he would travel with the Kiri shinobi that went if possible. The ideas of the chunin exams didn’t really push him for being something that was significant. He figured that it was mostly for pride. Samuru couldn’t quite understand why the chunin exams were important to these shinobi. Though, it did make it easier for the villages to come together. Maybe it was just for diplomacy. With the current events, it was probably more needed than ever before, but it didn’t really affect him at all. Part the good thing about not being in a village, was that you didn’t have to die under the commands of another human being.

The red headed shinobi knew that it was about the time of day he would need to eat. He could have easily returned back to his uncle’s home, but chose to go out into the village. It wasn’t that he was cautious of what he consumed. Sometimes he just preferred to taste something different every now and then. As he moved about, he stopped by a food stand that had many different entrees. He decided to get three kabobs of beef and would find something else as he moved on. There had been an abundance of things to eat, but nothing had would ever be pleasing to him. Many scents clouded his nose. Samuru seemed to follow the scent that closely held closely to the smell of meat.

After a few moments, he noticed someone who looked oddly familiar. Looking at the kid he remembered taking a kick to the crouch. It was no one under than Xiao. The boy seemed to be different, but he wouldn’t be able to put his finger on it. Samuru walked up to the boy as he had finished eating his last kabob. He then wondered if he could burn off some latent energy that had been pent up during the day. Samuru needed a workout, but he definitely would take the chance to test the abilities of his body before the upcoming exams. It was a good idea to him. Samuru didn’t want to go into the exams and not quite get a handle on how much force to apply to get his body to react how he wanted.

“Xiao let’s spar. I need to test my body out before these exams. Say no and I’ll split your skull in two with my axe,” Samuru threatened with a blank look on his face. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer and was definitely willing to fight straight up in the middle of the village, but then kind of thought against it as he would probably be viewed as a threat. Samuru wasn’t a Kiri shinobi after all.

544

“Xiao let’s spar. I need to test my body out before these exams. Say no and I’ll split your skull in two with my axe,”The wandering shinobi began their conversation in which the little shinobi began to chuckle scratching the back of his neck as he viewed Samuru with a cheerful gaze "It's good to see you too, Samuru" the little spider remarked with a cheerful tone in his voice as the blank faced shinobi threatened the young shinobi with threat of violence. The wandering shinobi was possibly one Xiao's older friends now and he viewed him with that same amount of respect he gave that of even the jounin for Samuru had earned his stripes. "That's actually why I'm here. Chuunin Exams are comin' y'know, and I want to make sure each of my friends has grown. Me? Hey not so much...but you guys are the ones I want to soar." Xiao stated eyeing a small meat skewer he held in his red gloved hand as he eyed Samuru glancing to the Shinobi.

Under threat of violence was enough justification to fight, obviously, but his true reason was to ensure that Samuru's power had grown atleast two fold. That would be enough that could assure Xiao that his friends would be a working unit for Kirigakure or atleast be a unit that could function together as a team if not for their own selfish reasons such was the way of the shinobi of the mist.
As he pressed the tip of the meat skewer to his finger he gazed at Samuru with a smile "We can't fight here though, too many people" he stated as he walked closer to Samuru with a grin "Can't have Candy Floss Sensei or the Hunters punishing us, y'know" he said with a smile before he snapped his "trap" though not much of one in the slightest as he grasbed his meat skewer and proceeded to attempt to strike Samuru's neck - it was a feint attack, telegraphed and obvious, enough that Samuru might be able to detect it and perhaps even know what Xiao was doing. Being obvious for obviousness sake and trying to catch him by surprise.


375

Samuru continued to look down at the little crow...or was it spider. The red headed ronin was fine with Xiao seeing reason. The fact that Xiao also wanted to test Samuru made him quite interested. He wondered what exactly was Xiao looking for concerning his own strength. Samuru just wanted to fight. He knew that he wouldn’t do anything to kill his sparring partner. Samuru was quite interested in finding out if Xiao had gotten any stronger. The time that passed between the last time they fought was enough for the two of them to have gotten stronger. He also wondered if the two of them would fight in the chunin exams face to face. If they did, the strengths and weaknesses between the two would be slightly known. Samuru didn’t really put his all into spars for that purpose. It was even more questionable that people would be watching him as he fought.

“Candy Floss, who?” he questioned.

The Samuru leaned back as the meat skewer went for his neck. The sneaky little spider did learn something new. It was good that Xiao almost caught him off guard. Samuru would have smiled if he had any emotion. Samuru then leaned forward and proceeded to attempt to physically slap Xiao across the face. Samuru wasn’t about to get skewered. It was ten thousand years too early for Xiao to try anything like that. Even if it was a feint, Samuru didn’t take too kindly. Xiao should definitely be glad that Samuru didn’t decide to draw his axe and cleave him in half.

“Try that again, and I will actually kill you, kapesh?!” Samuru threatened, “Let’s move to one of the training fields. Prepare yourself.”

Samuru started to walk toward one of the training fields in hopes that Xiao would follow. He also hoped that Xiao wouldn’t try anything stupid. Just for his sneaky little tactic, Samuru would definitely pay him back for that in full. He was curious about how Xiao would respond to his techniques. There were a few techniques that he didn’t mind using. It wasn’t like just anyone could learn his techniques anyway. This was a perfect time to try different combinations of techniques.

Upon getting to the training field he would start to draw his axe, but decided to keep it in its sheath for the time being. It would be a temporary handicap. Samuru didn’t really care for giving a handicap to his opponent, but he would do it just to see what he could do without it. Plus, he thought that it would do better for him just in case his weapon got knocked out of his hand. Though he didn’t like the idea of losing his weapon, he would need to get mentally adjusted to it. It wasn’t like he had any feeling of discomfort from wielding it. The path ahead was clear. He decided that he would do whatever in his power to win.

“Alright Xiao, I’m going to return the favor,” he stated aggressively, “I’m going to knock you out.”

524/1068

“Try that again, and I will actually kill you, kapesh?!”The wandering shinobi stated causing the small spider to grin, he admired Samuru's ferocity and hot temper that set him apart from many a shinobi. His temper may have been a curse to the wandering shinobi often it getting Samuru into trouble but when Xiao viewed Samuru's ferocity he didn't see someone who seriously needed anger management, he saw a true warrior with a grand passion for everything he did. It was why he appreciated their friendship and though it had been a long two years for Xiao having undergone so much he knew in his heart that Samuru was a man to be respected through any matter of Xiao's own life. Xiao proceeded to merely shrug with a smug grin painted across his face "Hey, I told you I was testing you" he stated with a laugh as he proceeded to follow the wandering shinobi.


As they made their way to the training fields Xiao felt at peace, a training field was of course the best place to actually train as the name described but so too because Xiao would have time to actually see how Samuru fought without having to resort to his particular fighting style of improvisation, the less items around him the better it was for Xiao anyway. Xiao looked to Samuru with a grin as he looked to the wandering shinobi who proceeded to draw his axe "Hey, you're still using that, I'm glad to see that" Xiao stated earnestly as Samuru then proceeded to sheath it once more, perhaps he shouldn't have said anything.

“Alright Xiao, I’m going to return the favor, I’m going to knock you out.” the wandering shinobi stated much to Xiao's delight "Lay it on me Samuru! We're friends so we gotta look out for each other! These exams are gonna be tough!" Xiao stated, getting into a basic stance nothing really effective but more so merely something to satisfy the need to have a 'pose' or 'stance' at the time. He wasn't really sure how to initiate, he was a defensive shinobi after all but the concept of meeting with his friends this one last time was to ensure they all had a chance to show their true ability and what they have learned. Xiao had set out to meet with each of them, to see their ability and to just stand there and hope he would attack would be what Xiao normally would opt for but right now he instead would 'play the heel' and play it well. Rushing forward as Samuru Xiao proceeded to leap skyward with a hard round house kick aimed to Samuru's neck hoping this would ignite the fire within Samuru.


464

“Friends.” The term was still strange to him. It was like mixing oil into water together. He did consider him this term of friend. Xiao was the closest thing he had to a friend since Jamie. Him and Xiao hadn’t shared many moments together, but he somehow was able to tolerate him. Xiao definitely kept him on his toes. The fact that Xiao had almost caught him off guard was enough for him to at least acknowledge the kid. What he knew about friendships had been very little. There was supposed to be a certain bond between two or more people. Emotions were also a part of forming a bond. Though, Samuru couldn’t put his finger on what drew him to Xiao. The kid was strange, but in a good way. The kid also packed a lot of energy.

Samuru was even more pleased that Xiao eventually decided to attack him. Though, he wasn’t sure why the shinobi attempted to attack him straight on. Samuru began forming one handed seals as the shinobi launched himself at him. His opponent then started to perform a roundhouse kick. Samuru grunted slightly moved himself back about a meter before screaming “OSU!” He thought that the technique will teach the little spider not to engage in a frontal assault against an opponent. Samuru was pretty keen when it came to his fighting. It was probably because he was doing it for so long. One couldn’t always match an opponent who had to literally fight and kill to survive. Samuru also had to learn the art of holding back. That was where true strength lied. Self-control was a lot different for him than it was for most people. His was all mental. Some would say that he had it easier not having fleshy desires, but others would say that his willpower could be unmatched.

The technique he used formed yellow light from his body as it emitted raiton chakra from his body within 3 meter in all directions. It was a simple technique, but it did provide some damage that he would definitely have someone heal if it hit. Samuru then jumped back again to about two meters and waved his hand in a taunt. He was trying to make his opponent fight serious. Samuru noticed that Xiao still sort of left himself open to a counter when he attacked and he used his Kiai to show him the error of his ways. Samuru truly believed that Xiao would be an excellent rival. He just had to teach him how to fight with more intensity and less openings. Samuru wanted to show him that he wouldn’t take much mercy on him, but he started off things light. The red head didn’t want to kill his “friend.” It would be too much extra effort to find a new one. He barely put any effort in gaining Xiao. Xiao just sort of latched himself onto him.

“You still need to fix your openings. Don’t be so obvious,” he said as he drew a kunai from his pouch.

Samuru stood in place waiting to see what his opponent would do next. He outstretched his left out as he raised the kunai in his opposite hand across his chest to meet his left shoulder. Samuru forced a fake smile that he tried to put out as sadistic in nature. He wasn’t sure if it was successful or not. It was just his way to attempt to insight fear. His facial expressions had been something he practiced in a mirror, but he didn’t always get them right. It was something that he had been working on for years, so he was a bit hopeful that he was able to pull off the smile correctly.

634/1702

Chakra= 235/250:

Xiao's frontal assault had worked - not in the traditional senses of connections and damages but it had allowed Samuru to display his ability emitting a bright light as he screamed out Osu causing Xiao to feel the intensity of a burning feel moving up his leg causing him to react with a stunned look upon his face as he rolled forward feeling that burn deep in his leg "Jeez, that is powerful...Fire release?" he stated outloud as he held his leg in pain looking to Samuru who had already proceeded to continue to leap back roughly two meters and waving his hand in a taunting way much to Xiao's delight.

Xiao, unfortunately didn't have much of a library of abilities, to be perfectly honest since his night on spider island and his transformation he had actually lost most of his chakra abilities, something was wrong with him. Whether he was sick or perhaps his chakra was merely corrupted, something was causing Xiao to be fully unable to master his full potential, unable to actually reach what made a shinobi great - his own chakra but Xiao did not need to worry his friends. No. Instead he opted to do something else, to ensure that they were better off than he, to ensure that they were able to push their limits rather than he even meet his base level.

“You still need to fix your openings. Don’t be so obvious,” Samuru stated in his own way, Xiao liked that blunt side of him as he looked to the shinobi of burning thunder with a smile. Standing in place Xiao began to make false hand signs, Bird > Rat > Tiger > Bird before slamming his fist on the ground with a smirk as he then stood once more to his full height, his leg still burning with pain. The jutsu was nothing but a feint, Xiao's chakra control was already on the fritz and thus he was unable to even perform basic jutsu at this point but hopefully he could do this to make  Samuru believe he did actually have something planned, which he did not.

Xiao would proceed to rush forward preparing the substitution jutsu with a hand filling his flak jacket with chakra energy as he proceeded to rush head on but instead of simply striking out he would leap skyward for a moment, then using a webbbing to change his trajectory would fire the spider-web behind Samuru to allow him to reppel swiftly towards the wandering shinobi's hip, as he made his way towards the shinobi's hip he would then attempt to strike the back of his knee with his hand and proceed with a strike to the head with the ball of his foot.


-
-5 Chakra
245/250 Chakra

Spoiler:

462

“Katon? What a waste,” he replied to Xiao’s comment.

Samuru watched as Samuru performed hand seals before slamming his fist on the ground. The red headed shinobi was unsure about what Xiao was doing. The shinobi then charged at him again. Samuru didn’t want to take any chances with Xiao performing any jutsu against him. His opponent fire a spider web? That was something that was new to him. He didn’t realize that his partner was part of a clan of spiders. Though, he really didn’t care too much as long as the kid kept him busy. The match had been interesting so far.

Samuru performed three half seals and formed a suiton barrier around him as his opponent adjusted his trajectory toward him. The barrier formed a clear sphere of water around him to protect him from his opponent’s attacks. Samuru wasn’t in anyway desperate. He wanted to test his opponent some more. The chunin exams would surely have shinobi that had defensive techniques. Samuru had techniques to deal with it, but he wondered if Xiao did. It was a small task that he wouldn’t be too bothered with. The Hatake would stand and watch to see what the little spider would do next. What would he do to break through the barrier he wondered. His opponent would hit a barrier instead of his body.

Samuru put his kunai away and drew his axe from its sheath. There was a slight seriousness in his face that he displayed even though he was serious from the beginning. It was just a ploy he worked on to try and be convincing. He would try to use the blunt side of his axe as much as possible to avoid too serious of damage to his foe. Though, his comrade will need to break through his barrier first. It wouldn’t be an easy task, but he wanted his partner to try hard as he could. Samuru would rest his axe on his shoulder as he would wait for any attempt to break his barrier.

“Break through web slinger,” he mocked slightly, “you need to hurt me. Make me feel something. Make me feel pain.”

369/2081

Chakra 220/250:

Xiao smiled at Samuru as he chastised katon style, typical Samuru and a reason why Xiao counted him as a close and old friend, always the hot head and an embodiment of lightning itself quick to judge and destructive in many senses of the word.

Xiao's feint didn't work, unfortunately but did allow for some time to think as Samuru erected a suiton barrier, a bubble of sorts similar to the water prison jutsu that caught Xiao immediately off guard but knowing he had time to react the little spider proceeded to manuever out of the way skidding on the balls of his heels and forming a three point stance "I'll tell you something my friend...Do you know the name Sero Osada?" the little spider stated as he proceeded to examine the barrier. he had no jutsu, he had no way of getting through and the battle was near but over.

As Samuru drew his axe Xiao knew he may have to admit to Samuru the truth of the matter, the truth that he simply could not use his chakra, that Sero had cursed him and essentially rewired his body. Xiao ran forward "Samuru..." he stated as he proceeded to rush as fast as he possibly could putting all of his energy into a grand punch towards the water shield, then another strike and another yet again, a flurry of blows that continued and continued all born from the pure taijutsu he had adopted in a way to compensate for his lack of chakra ability, perhaps the wandering shinobi would be able to discover the truth, that Xiao had become no better than a lee clan member at this point.


284

Samuru watched as Xiao attempted to break through his barrier. He wasn’t sure if to let him keep going or stop and slap him on the side of the head with his axe. The way he fought he figured that it could be something of admirable. Though, he wasn’t sure why Xiao wasn’t using any jutsu until he mentioned Sero Osada. Samuru honestly didn’t know if the guy was. There had only been whispers of him. The guy meant nothing to him. Samuru wasn’t putting two and two together. This match might as well have been over. The Hatake had started to lose interest which wasn’t a good thing. He would have thought that Xiao would have put up a better fight.

“I’ll tell you what. I’ll make sure you go to the hospital. Stop making excuses and get stronger, Xiao! Go to sleep under the despair of white raiton.”

Samuru lifted his across his body as it began to charge with raiton chakra. The weapon became surrounded with lightning that sparked around it. The white lightning of the Hatake clan blazed through his weapon. He ended his defensive barrier as he brought the axe down releasing a wave of white raiton toward his opponent’s body. The attack would definitely hurt at this range. If the attack hit. If anything, he wouldn’t do too much damage to his friend. They were shinobi. Samuru was thinking that he was getting soft, but was being soft a bad thing.

“Don’t die little one.”

Samuru then jumped back after completing the slash and placed his axe back in its sheath. He hoped that Xiao would learn something from their exercise. Samuru knew that he needed to take things more seriously. His last attack was all the mercy he was willing to show his opponent. Maybe whoever this Sero Osada was would help make this guy stronger. He didn’t want to damage him too much, but the wave of white raiton was a little too much. Samuru had a lot worse in his repertoire that he wouldn’t use against someone who he was attached too.

364/2445

Chakra 200/250:

Spoiler:

Xiao continued to thrash and punch to his hearts content, his fists slamming and sliding across the water, his body simply showing Samuru that no matter what he tried, no matter what the hindrance he would continue to fight even if right now he had no ability to do so and just as the most important moment in any genins life was coming up. As the thought of just this occured to Xiao he attempted to push it from his mind, attempted not to think of the pain that would come as all his friends surpassed him, that his very nindo to become a swordsmen of the mist was now crushed beneath the boot of circumstances beyond his control, he wanted to cry or scream out but nothing was coming out as if something had sealed away his humanity, or perhaps he was still just in shock on how far his life had changed and how quickly it had become this hell he lived within.

As Samuru lowered the barrier Xiao's eyes focused in on the axe. What was the point in dodging it at this point? He didn't have an answer. It was folly and thus instead of leaping away he simply threw his hands outward staring directly at Samuru with determination flowing through his body as the white lightning flew forward engulfing Xiao entirely, his entire body charged with electricity and stinging in every single way imaginable, his muscles contorting and twisting in immense pain, his neurons firing a thousand times faster causing his body to enter a state of hypersensitivity only furthering the pain as he gazed onward to Samuru.

“Don’t die little one.”

Samuru's words echoed outward as Xiao simply stood there, looking at Samuru, panting and bloodied, dirtied and numb as he proceeded to let the darkness take him once more. The state of unconsciousness filling his body...but no. No he couldn't. Without feeling it in his body, or knowing full well the bleeding and bruised Xiao began to move forward towards Samuru his hand outstretched in a fist...as he moved closer...and closer, still smoking from the electricity Xiao proceeded to make his way to the wandering shinobi and attempted to press his fist against his chest "I...won't...give up..." Xiao stated "They took...my abilities...but I won't...ever...give up..." he stated, still hazy and all at once in a moment of inertia fell backwards into the darkness, into unconciousness, into the land of nightmares, the kingdom of Sero.

427
---
DEFEAT
--EXIT DUE TO K.O--
TWC: 2568

2568/1700 - D to D3 Endurance
868/750 - Temporary Paralysis Technique (金縛りの術 ~ Kanashibari no Jutsu)

118 To the Shadow Realm.

The look at his friend not being able to do anything about his attack. Brought nothing to him. Samuru was disappointed that his friend didn’t do better, but he did notice the growth that Xiao had presented him. Samuru figured that he would definitely need to engage in some extreme training for his friend after the exams. Samuru knew how to get stronger. Even since he learned to use cerulean lightning, he seemed to be progressing quite nicely. He would need someone to be on par with him, so he can progress even further. If it took building Xiao up to become a powerhouse, then so be it.

"I...won't...give up..." "They took...my abilities...but I won't...ever...give up..."

Samuru finally figured out what was wrong with Xiao. There wasn’t much he could do to get more information about what the genin was talking about. Samuru caught his friend as he passed out and lifted him up in his arms. Samuru did promise to take him to the hospital. From what he could tell, the young spider was still breathing. He couldn’t say that he put up a good fight. Samuru figured that the young spider would be in this state during the chunin exams. It wouldn’t be fair, but whatever happened to him made him wonder was it to make Xiao stronger or to cripple him. It would be a question he would ask when he gained consciousness. At this point, only thing that mattered was getting his friend to a medic.

Samuru made an extra effort to get Xiao to the hospital. He wasn’t sure how his abilities being gone held up and he didn’t want him to die. This whole thing was just strange in general. There wasn’t much he could do to help his friend. He wasn’t trained in medical ninjutsu and wouldn’t be able to subside the side effects. It took him a minute as he rushed into the ER. He placed his friend on a bed as medical shinobi took over. He watched as they wheeled him away. Samuru grunted slightly and began to leave the hospital.

“Rest well, friend. I’ll make you stronger. Let this be a lesson.” he said as he was trying to get chased down by one of the nurses to file a report.

399/2844

[Thread Exit]

[1050/1050][-30%/Clan/PVP] Perun’s Divine Ward
[1050/1050][-30%/Clan/PVP] Ominous Blitz
[700/700][-30%/Clan/PVP] Totentanz I

44 words unused

PVP Victory: +5 Chakra