[ Squad-0 training ground]
Like any day of the week, the training ground bears the brunt of the chaos that is Squad-0 training.
Woosh
Two blurs collided in the middle of the area, sparks flashed as the two duel in an impressive display of Ninjutsu.
"They're really going at it." Kurenai bites her lower lip, her eyes shining with pride.
Yugao stands next to her, arms crossed over her chest, watching the battle closely.
"This is just the warmup. " She teases.
Kurenai snorts at her remark," Of course it is~"
The battle is heating up as Tenten and Ino exchange blows, the Yamanaka using her flexibility to dance around Tenten's staff, the metal weapon inches closer to her with every dodged attack.
Ino ducks a hit aimed at her head, slipping under the staff, she goes for a leg sweep that Tenten hops over and raises her staff and slamming it down at the exposed blonde.
"Fuck." Ino curses.
Poff
She burst into a ball of smoke, using the substitution technique, and escaped a critical hit.
Tenten's staff shatters the log in Ino's place, pieces of wood, littering the ground.
"Mxm." Tenten clicks in annoyance.
"You almost killed me." Ino pouts, pointing at her teammate. "This is a spar, Tenten. "
"This isn't the academy Ino, we're full-fledged kunoichi now."
Ino rolls her eyes," Yeah, yeah..."
The Yamanaka initiates hand signs, moving faster than the eye can follow, she takes in a deep breath, aligning her index and middle fingers to her lips.
"Fire style, great fireball jutsu. "
A combustion of flames escapes her mouth in the form of a sphere, heading straight to Tenten, scorching the air in its process.
Tenten's eyes bulge for a split second before she channels her chakra around her staff, her bond with Karasu-hebi allows her to concentrate what little chakra she has to her weapon to mimic an elemental manipulation as her weapon serves as a mediator to her lack of ninjutsu.
"Wind style, playful dance."
Twirling her staff, she generates wind around it, expanding her current, it acts as a shield against the approaching flames.
"That's not good." Kurenai grunts, bending her knees as she plans on leaping up to stop them from causing a wildfire.
Yugao grabs her wrist, "Wait, let them be." She assures her peer, putting her trust in the girls not to burn the training field down.
Ino's fireball reaches Tenten, the Burnette thrusts her staff down, and the wind cuts the fireball in two, the flames extinguished by the strong current.
Ino grins at the display, balling her fist, she leaps at Tenten, chakra swirling around her fist, Ino knew working under Tsunade even just as hospital staff would pay off, Lord 5th was kind enough to teach her chakra manipulation to enhance her physical strength, just like her pink-haired rival.
"Get ready!" Ino lets out a war cry, the girl who used to worry about her looks and treated training like a past time is now initiating battles and putting her body on the line.
Tenten expands Karasu-hebi, the staff reveals its sections, chains clattering with every movement, scythe blade sniffing the air for blood, Tenten twirls the top section with the blade, wrapping around Ino's arm as the blonde's fist hovers an inch from Tenten's face.
Karasu coils around her arm, scythe blade drawing blood, Ino flexes her jaw, using her free hand to perform ninjutsu. Tenten pulls her weapon downwards by the tail end, dragging Ino with it.
"Aahh–" The blonde screamed, steel dicing into her flesh, and the metal crushing her bones, this would end badly for her limb.
Poff
Ino burst into violet corolla, Tenten gasps, Karasu-hebi was no longer in her hand.
"What the–"
"It's done. " Ino speaks from behind her, kunai pressed to the other Kunoichi's throat.
Tenten sighs, "When did you put me under genjutsu?"
"I've been developing it like pollination, I realised genjustu doesn't have to be applied through sight but manipulation of the 5 senses, just like Tayuya does with sound. " Ino boasts.
"I got beat by a florist. " Tenten chuckles.
"I'm a medic nin and florist. " Ino corrected.
"Sure thing~" Ino removes her blade from Tenten's throat.
Kurenai approaches them, "Nice work you two." She looks at Ino," Didn't know I had a genjutsu prodigy this whole time." The black-haired beauty grins.
Ino's face glows with a faint blush, "I...I'm still new to it." She whispers, voice uncharacteristically shy.
Bang!
Their moment was interrupted by a loud crash.
"That hurts..." Taiju breaths out, body embedded in a tree, blood trickling down his lip, but still grinning like a madman. "You're scary Hinata. " He chuckles, blood painting the ground with every vibration.
The timid Hyuga sauntered over to him, Byakugan on full display, "Taiju. Come here." She speaks coldly.
Taiju felt his instincts screaming for him to move, the body urging its host to escape the danger approaching, and he instead waits for her to get closer.
"Yes, Hina-chan?" Testing the nickname he gave her.
Her eyebrow twitches, "Say that again. "
Taiju giggles, pulling himself out of the tree, chakra leaking out of his body, turning from its light blue form to a plum purple colour, the nature energy moves around him with impatience.
Hinata takes a stance, chakra manifesting on her hands, forming two giant lion heads with white eyes.
"You ready princess?" He teases.
"You're annoying. " She growls, pink hue on her cheeks.
Woosh
They charge at blinding speeds, with purple and blue chakra merging to form an indigo atmosphere, Hinata slashes at him, targeting mobile points to limit his movements like the feline predator her fighting style is based on. Taiju plays the role of a pesky mouse, avoiding every strike, just to tease her by flicking her forehead.
"You need to move faster Hina-chan~"
"Hold still!" She throws a barrage of gentle fist strikes just for Taiju to weave around them like his body is made of silk, fluid motions that don't belong to his body.
Tap
He flicks her forehead, Hinata freezes at the audacious act, a dark aura surrounds her body, and the air goes cold as her feminine rage is unlocked.
"Once I catch you, I'll break every bone in your body." She threatens.
"Good luck with that~"
"Taiju."
Hinata charges, her movement more precise than before, every palm strike was aimed at a crucial chakra point, this wasn't a spar anymore, this was about her honour as a young woman, this man cannot get away with embarrassing her in front of her sisters and senseis, it's unacceptable! So the Hyuga girl, disregarded the sparring sessions' rules, embracing the Squad-0 mentality of brutality for the sake of enjoyment.
"I'll kill you."
"I'm so proud of you~"
The watching crowd has sweat drops on their heads, baffled by everything happening.
"Team H.I.T is forming well," Yugao announces.
"Team Hit?" Tenten scowls.
"It stands for Hinata –Ino–Tenten." She clarifies.
"Interesting name." Kurenai hums.
"TAIJU!" Hinata shrieks, destroying a tree in anger.
"This is definitely mini Squad-0. " Tayuya laughs, swinging her legs from a tree branch.
"Mini?" Ino spits out," We're better than the original. " She doubled down.
"Wanna bet?" Tayuya hops off, standing on her toes, bumping heads with the blonde.
"Don't try me Ginger. " Ino growls.
"Pfft–you're brave today Blondie."
"Girls, please. " Kurenai tried to mediate the situation.
Tenten looks at Kin, who has a senbon in her hand. "We don't have to–"
Woosh
A senbon grazes her cheek, blood falling down her neck.
"Bitch!" Tenten charges with Karasu-hebi.
Kin smirks, unsheathing her blade, dashing at the Burnette.
"No hard feelings. "
"I asked him to make them respected kunoichi not savages." Kurenai sighs, a smile tugging at her lips.
'You're still a bastard, Taiju.' Her heart does a flip, blush creeping on her dimples.
[End of chapter]