Despite it All

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Neji knew the first exam had gone as well as it did mostly to a lucky team. They were well suited to the task at hand. Not much had truly changed in that regard. His team had a solid repertoire of skills, solid thinking, and agreeable nature. It made it clear to Neji that they would likely pass with ease. But he needed to pass. He had no doubt Naruto would pass. As such he needed to as well. Naruto had shaken his core belief system and as such the two were friends. But deep down Neji had felt slightly dissatisfied. Naruto had defeated him and merely continued to grow. 

During the training sessions before the exams, Naruto defeated him and Ino the majority of the time. He had quickly cemented himself as the most powerful on their team. Neji truly was happy for his friend. He grew due to his own training and unfaltering spirit. Neji would never look down on him collecting his spoils. But he had to admit it was frustrating. 

Naruto had been below him in rankings significantly. He had come a long way mentally, but he was no genius. He came from relative nothing and yet he stood above him. Neji didn't resent him for it but he craved to be his equal. His goal of changing the Hyuga would require strength to gain influence. If he couldn't at least match Naruto could he truly pursue his goal of breaking fate? The question haunted him. He needed to prove to himself he was able to change things. He would start with himself. 

His team had elected Tenten to be the lord. Her repertoire of tools would not be hampered too much on horseback. As well as oddly enough being very well-trained to ride a horse. Kurotsuchi had insisted on being a leader. And to her credit seemed to be skilled at it. Even if her communication skills certainly needed help. They had decided to immediately seek out another team and attempt to get their points early and focus on arriving. 

As such when Neji spotted another team with his long-range Byakugan he called in his team to decide how to attack. While they believed they may be able to crush them outright they decided to separate the lord with two of them attempting to score. While the other two hold off the defenders. Sai and he would attempt to score. While Tenten and Kurotsuchi held off the others. 

Kurotsuchi had been quite clever in the plan she created. The Horses were an interesting addition, an exploitable one. Horses were well-trained creatures and were hard to panic. Unless of course they were convinced they were in danger. She had a simple plan: they couldn't harm the horse but they didn't need to harm it. Or even startle it. Just move it.

Neji watched as Sakura and Hinata worked with two other shinobi whom he didn't recognize. It was certainly unfortunate to move on other Leaf shinobi but they couldn't risk leaving them alone. They observed the four, Kankuro on the horse, and the other three formed a loose diamond formation. Once they had fully scouted them they made their move to enact Kurotsuchi's plan. With a cry of her jutsu, it began.

"Earth Style: Stone Uprising!" As she finished this call the ground beneath Team Seven suddenly rose quickly. A large pillar of stone shot up thirty feet in the air. Leaving a swearing Kankuro separated from his teammates. Sakura, Hinata, and Mangetsu jump up attempting to interfere. But Kurotsuchi shot out of the pillar hand signs already flowing. "Earth Style: Earth Flow Spears!" She called. Suddenly several jaggard spears shot off the ground. Causing Hinata and Sakura to scramble back from them. Mangetsu merely charges forward with the spears stabbing him through but he merely seems to bleed water.

"That stuff doesn't work on me!" He called as he drew a tanto and flew forward to attack Neji and Sai who were climbing the pillar to attack Kankuro. But as he attempted to, Tenten jumped in front of him with a pair of metal tonfas in hand. "Listen here girly." Mangetsu said with a sneer. "You're out of your league! You can't even hurt me!" He called confidentiality charging toward the woman. Tenten merely smirked as she twirled the two with a smile. As Magetsu swung his tanto with wild abandonment at her head. She shot out with a thrust to his middle section. The man gasped as it hit his stomach and drove the air out of him. 

"H-how." He asked breathlessly. 

"Lighting Chakra Flow of course. You are a Hozuki after all." Tenten replied sweetly before smacking the man in the head with both, driving him into the ground. "In the Root, we study all notable methods of battle." She said as she jumped down and faced the man climbing to his feet. 

Kankuro knew he was a good shinobi. Many claimed he was the most skilled puppeteer coming out of the Sand. It was undeniably true, even more so once he had found Sasori's note. Now he had achieved a level of puppetry few ever would again. As such even once he was picked away from his allies. Approached by two powerful shinobi he didn't flinch. He merely chuckled as he activated his signature technique. "Puppet Storm!" As he said this the bundle on his back shot out a litany of blades. 

"Rematch time Hyuga!" He called with glee.

The blades flew towards the two switching angles and positions freely throughout the air. He had soaked them in a paralyzing agent that would keep them stunned with even one good cut. There was simply no way the two could survive the storm of death. He watched with glee as the metal killers approached the two men both racing from opposite sides of the pillar. He didn't even need to leave the horse!

But to his shock, the two men easily countered the seemingly endless barrage of blades. The Hyuga deflected them with his bare hands as he ran, dodging as necessary. On occasion his hand would dart out and sever one of the chakra strings. The other achieved the same with a tanto. Neither of them even seemed to slow as they charged. "Dammit, hard way then! Time for a real Puppet show. With a poof two of Crow, both identical, suddenly appeared. Both flew in the air and flew around each focusing on one. 

"Sai now!" Neji called for Sai to engage in their strategy. Sai quickly suddenly jumped high into the air scribbling into a scroll as he fell. Neji, using a large burst of chakra to his legs, flew straight towards Kankuro. He saw the panic in his eyes at this. Both Crows flew back to their master mouths opening and firing off a wall of senbon. "Hmm before I'd be helpless, but I learned to think out of the box from the best! Flying Kaiten: Heavenly Arrow!" He called as he spun in a spiral in the air. A more elongated form of chakra covered him looking like a rudimentary arrow. It deflected the senbon with ease. Kankuro gasped as both Crows crossed their arms and formed their chakra shields. Neji smashed through this with ease, Kankuro barely managing to lean away to dodge the attack. Falling off the horse and the pillar in the process. 

"Shit shit shit! Release: Black Ant!" He summoned the puppet who swallowed him to protect him from the fall. But this left the man blind Sai who was now riding a large black and white bird. 

"Super Beast Scroll!" He called as he drew his tanto and the bird dive-bombed. "I suppose I'll have to cut through." Sai said as he dived from the bird falling incredibly fast. As he fell towards Kankuro he slashed with the momentum, managing to cut through Black Ant and cut Kankuro shallowly. Sai hit the floor hard and rolled to try to bleed off the force. But Kankuro slung himself using a chakra string he attempted to flee before Neji suddenly called from below.

"Gentle Fist: Air Palm!" He called a blast of air smashed through the string and hit Kankuro sending him flying back. Neji smirked as his wristband filled its second slot showing they were close to succeeding. Neji ducked as he just barely managed to dodge an air palm from Hinata. Watching as Sai landed the final blow on Kankuro. But was left wide open for her newest technique. 

"Gentle Fist: Heavenly Needle!" She called firing a small sliver of chakra into his leg. Immediately making it numb. It forced him down to a knee allowing Hinata to hit a head kick. He slid back and quickly rose to his feet. Reopening the chakra points Hinata had closed with a smile. Kurotsuchi appeared behind Neji.

"Your teammate burned Sakura-sama." Hinata said her face looked fierce. "It was dishonorable, she had her beat." 

"She was a bit of a weakling, I didn't mean to." Kurotsuchi said with a semi-apologetic smile. 

"It's fine it was part of our plan anyway." Hinata said with a nervous smile at this as she formed a defensive stance. But she suddenly was poofed, smoking covering her form, and leaving a wooden mannequin. Neji and Kurotsuchi frowned at this. Before Tenten called out 

"Help!"

They both raced back, Sai joining them and informing them that Kankuro escaped. Once they arrived they saw the four attacking Tenten. Who was doing well despite the odds? She smacked Mangetsu away and Sakura in one motion. Sakura landed on her ankle with a shout of pain. But it left Tenten open for Hinata to smack her with a Palm Bottom! It sent Tenten flying. Neji barely managed to catch her. As Kurotsuchi and Sai stood in front of them preparing to buy them time to recover.

"Sakura! Dammit, pull out for now!" Kankuro called in a panic. He raised a hand sign. "Possession Switch: Corpse Escape!" He called all four suddenly disappearing and being replaced with wooden mannequins. 

Neji sighed as his team regrouped. It had gone well but that gambit they pulled had been surprising. They had also underestimated their combat level. And it had nearly cost them. Luckily Tenten was quite formidable to hold out even momentarily. 

They collected their things, tended to their wounds the best they could and continued. They would need one point to pass this exam. And the second day was not far away. 

Team Seven arrived in a much different state. Most beat up to various levels. Kankuro is particularly hurt due to an airpalm and cut. And Sakura had broken the ankle, being unable to walk. They could do nothing for the woman and she ended up signaling to drop out. They had been neutered, they were down a person, he was injured, and their morale would surely be shot. 

Mangetsu roared angrily. "Dammit, we got treated like scrubs. We're gonna need revenge. I'll kill them all myself." 

"We will need points. But first, we need to regroup." Kankuro said with a frown. 

"Go ahead, cowards. I'll show you how it's done." Magetsu said as he raced off. 

"This is not good Kankuro-sama." Hinata said quietly. "We can't move with only the two of us." 

"We'll hide for now. If we're lucky he'll return not dead." Kankuro said with a frown. "Besides, we need to be more careful. I don't have any more mannequins for my puppet show." 

"Hai."

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Gaara sat calmly on his horse. He was only a short distance away from camp. He was on the horse to make it clear he was the lord. As well as to keep them away from the camp. There was no need for him to share his prey this time. His past had been one of violence. First against him then him against others. These days he doesn't kill as much as he did in the past. After all no need to kill every pest he came across. But he undeniably missed it, the feeling of killing gave him a rush. Made him feel alive. And while he had found a new goal to live for than merely killing. But tonight he would enjoy things as he once had. After all, he was only hurting humans. 

The team arrived with stealth and barely contained intent. They scouted him from the forest to his left. Hidden twenty feet into the woods about seventeen degrees to the left shoulder. They were determining if they could take him. More than likely one or two were gung-ho about him while the intelligent ones would sense the trap. But both parties would elect to launch an attack. After all, how could they resist a lord left in the open in the dead of night?

The four rode in confidentiality. He saw the redhead cloud girl he believed was named Karui, the female Uchiha Yuno, a smaller woman from the river named Mubi, and a man from the mist named Raiga. The man stalked forward drawing his blades that sparked periodically. The redhead and small girl both jumped behind him to ensure he had no safe escape. Yuno climbed off her horse with a smile.

"Hey there cutie. Surely you realize you might've cost your team the game? You're interesting for sure, but not that smart." Yuno said with a flirty smile.

"Enough I think it's time for his funeral!" Raiga roared as his sword crackled even louder before a bolt of electricity flew toward Gaara. He did not move but the bolt was intercepted from the sand in his gourd. There was silence for a moment before Raiga roared angrily. He charged in screaming, Karui and Mubi charging in behind him. The three charged in and unleashed offense. All three attacked together striking from all angles using all sorts of strikes but the sand merely blocked them all. 

"I see your weaklings." Gaara said simply. Before looking up and locking eyes with Yuno. 

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" She called as she shot the blast of flames towards the immobile Gaara. Her three teammates flew back as the flames hit. The area filled with smoke before revealing a dome of sand with specs of glass in it due to the flames. 

"You have a bit of power." Gaara comments. His head visible through a patch of glass. "Merely an insect still." As he finished, two large hands flew from the dome chasing the shinobi around. "You're out of your league messing with me." He informed as the four dodged the lightning-quick sand. Before suddenly the entire ground shuddered as it was lifted and surrounded by sand. "Die." Gaara said simply as the sand flowed in to crush them all. 

Yuno managed to body flicker out seeing it coming somewhat. Her two tomoe Sharingan barely make out the sand trap closing at the start of it. Managing to grab Karui on her way out. Raiga blasted his way out with lighting but the group flinched when they heard screaming inside the crumbling mass of sand.

"It seems one of you died there. But I don't intend for any of you to survive." Gaara said as he stalked from the pile of sand. They could all see blood leak from the sand hinting at the fate of Mubi. 

"Fine by me in the Mist we fight to the death!" Raiga cackled madly. 

"We need to retreat, you bastard!" Yuno called, realizing they couldn't beat Gaara. Karui nodded as being so close to death made it clear to her. 

"Then go ahead! This is a duel anyway! A woman like you could never understand." Raiga said with a smile. "My name is Raiga Kurosuki! What is yours? I need it for the funeral!" 

Gaara ignored him, raising a finger. Yuno yelled as she was suddenly flung toward him. Gaara slapped her away cruelly. Yuno slammed into the ground hard. Gaara then turned to face him. "I got my points so I may as well kill you first." 

Yuno was caught by Karui who threw onto the horse and got out of there. 

As the two men sized each other up.

"I can sense your killing intent. But even insects kill. Your death will be meaningless." Gaara informed him. He had assumed after Naruto the gap between him and the others might be small but now he saw Naruto may be the exception, not the rule. 

"Death is anything but meaningless! I'll show you how glorious death can be! Lightning Ball Volley!" Raiga screamed manically as several balls of lighting formed and rotated around the man as he waved his blades. Gaara raised an eyebrow as his sand writhed around him preparing itself. With a roar of glee, Raiga let loose the balls that flew towards Gaara. Each met with the sand causing a boom on impact. Sand, snow, lightning, and stone flew from each collision. But at the end of the valley, Gaara stood unharmed. Though some of his sand was burnt to glass. 

"Was that your best? I'm growing bored with you already human." Gaara said as he glared at the stunned Raiga. Suddenly the man faded and appeared behind Gaara, his blades covered in lightning. Before he could even slash sand grabbed him and slammed him into the ground. It then lifted him and slammed him into a nearby bank of snow. "I should've pursued your teammates." Gaara said as he stalked away. 

"You almost killed me. But sadly it'll be your funeral today." Raiga said he was covered in cuts and blood. He struggled to stand, his voice breaking as he spoke. "Worry not though. In death, you'll witness true beauty. I will miss you dearly! Lightning Dragon Tornado!" Raiga screamed as he spun in place. The sky boomed in response, Gaara noticing it suddenly was a lightning storm instead of a snow one. "I prepared this storm fool! I was merely stalling!" Raiga explained as lightning started to surround him. "DIE!"

Gaara's eyes widened as the lighting formed a dragon which roared as it flew towards him. The beast was made of lightning and waves. It was massive! He weaved hand signs quickly and heaved his hands upwards. "Sand Tsunami!" A large wave of sand met the dragon which caused a massive explosion sending electricity everywhere. As the smoke cleared Raiga stalked forward seeing the downed Gaara. His skin was tinged black with his flesh being burnt throughout. His body smoked as he lay still either dead or shortly to be. Raiga chuckled as he stalked forward to check. He lifted his blades as he came close ready to pierce his heart. But as soon as he thrust the body exploded into sand. Raiga attempted to jump back but it wrapped him up. 

"But when, HOW?" Raiga screamed as he thrashed against the sand. Gaara slowly rose out of the sand around the man. As he did he lifted the two blades used by Raiga. They were Taiji swords he believed, from what he heard the blades flowed with lightning chakra supposedly making them the sharpest in the world. One of Mystical Swords of the Mist. Kiba. He slid them into his waistband. He wasn't sure what to use them for yet, but legendary swords would surely prove valuable. 

"That was my sand clone. I'm surprised you made him use a jutsu." Gaara informed, staring at the man. "Yes, make no mistake you were never close. Even if you had defeated the clone I had already prepared your grave." As he said this the ground around them collapsed. The man already wrapped in sand was helpless and fell into it. The area around the ground had somehow become sand. "I often ground the minerals and earth in the surrounding area to make my sand. I usually do so slowly but I can do so very quickly as you can see. At any point, I could've buried you alive. Enjoy, Sand Sinkhole Funeral!" Gaara called Raiga was buried in the sand. Quickly being dragged meters underground. "Worry not, I'm not a monster!" Gaara screamed with a smile as he slammed his hand against the grave of Raiga. The sand compressed with a mighty heave. If one listened close they could hear the sound of bones shattering. Gaara cracked his neck as he stalked back into the woods retrieving his horse. As he mounted it his teammates arrived. All wide awake and ready for battle. "I took care of some humans." Gaara said darkly as the group noticed their wristbands fully glowed up.