Match 1: Zeo vs. Enishi

The vicious strike, even while under the effect of the smoke bomb was brutal and devastating. The earth spear had gutted the water clone of Zeo in a brutal and grizzly fashion to make even many of the audience gasp in dread. Luckily, it soon turned into a splash of water right after its goring-- sparing a bloody spectacle.  While sad, it served its purpose. At the very least, Zeo knew how Enishi's tactics were. How fast and strong he was. It was not an easy fight. However, he had made plans...

The smoke bomb, however, covered a section of the field, giving proper cover. Outside of the smoke, Zeo soon moved as the water from the very corner of the arena moved. He soon emerged in a movement of water, revealing himself out from the depths of his "Hiding in Water" technique. Ideally, he had wanted to lure Enishi into the water, but that time was now gone. Had he succeeded, he could finish the fight in a bloodless, simple manner. However, he failed. Enishi was too fast and didn't pursue the clone into the trap. The genjutsu was undone with its death, turning the flat terrain back to true water, having been a successful ruse to spring the trap.

At most, Zeo had laid out a few more tricks around the lake, but that was it. He couldn't do more to force Enishi's hand.

He felt the pressure now. The chill of the life & death struggle and the sad fact his plan fell apart. Not yet... It's not over yet! he thought as he lifted his head from the water...


... and his eyes began to cloud with a black, starry mass. (Partial activation. not awakened) To his vision, he saw it like static. The real vision, and flickers of his 'strange vision' he didn't know about as instinct took over his senses. He could see it. The brief flickers of color different from everything else. And before him, now unmoving in that smoke, was a solid green humanoid mass of confidence and pride. The earthly feel was more than enough to assure Zeo that was Enishi.

Almost instantly, he began to weave hand signs. With the smokescreen, it was the perfect time to strike! Defenses or not, he couldn't miss this chance to nail him hard!

***

Up in the stands, Yasha and Shina watched as Zeo's attempts to lure him to the water failed. "So much for that plan. It was good, Ill admit that. But Enishi is among our better genin too." she said. Looks like you owe me on this bet.

Yasha continued to watch without hesitation. "The fight isn't over yet..."

It was then that Zeo emerged from the water, coming out of hiding on the water's surface. It was then they saw it. The glint of color difference in his eye, from that far distance. "Wait... what is that?" Shina said, not sure if she was seeing it right.

Yasha grinned. "I knew it. It's starting to emerge... his hidden power." he commented.

"What?" Shina asked.

"Zeo is unaware of it... but he has a Kekkei Genkai too," He said, "One he has yet to become aware of fully."

***

With the last weaving of a boar sign, his starry eyes shimmered with fury. Suiton: Water DRAGON BULLET!! His thoughts caused the water before him t o swell-- and mixed with his chakra, it roared forth as a 3-meter wide dragon's head. The Water Dragon Bullet, one of his favorite jutsu. Right from the lake's edge, it shot forward right into the smokescreen-- guided by Zeo's direction and sight. With his 'eyes' he could see Enishi clear as night and guided the dragon right to him.  It would be doubtful Enishi would even see it coming, or dodge in time. But even with his shield, it wouldn't hold up against the dragon.

Not willing to stop there, Zeo prepared another jutsu, this time one only requiring 3 hand signs. One of his mastered techniques. Right following his Water Dragon Bullet, he soon drew from his sleeve with a mere gesture-- a bubble pipe. The small metallic pipe slipped into his hand as he twirled it and held it to his lips. With a strong blow, he blew out a barrage of several bubbles!  The bubbles flew forward in different areas, soon flying into and above the area of the smokescreen. Zeo's signature jutsu.... the Bubble Jutsu. Requiring expert chakra control, the bubbles acted as mediums for a whole new style of Jutsu he adapted from texts and added to his own.  While not perfected, Zeo wasn't about to hold back any longer.

The bubbles in place were now in effect, and all that was left to see what Enishi would do against now a violent water dragon attack-- and unseen and unheard bubbles now littering the entire area around 20 meters of Zeo's position and the smokescreen.  The bubbles would float off the ground, never touching it. Thus, any ground-related sensory techniques wouldn't detect them. A perfect alternative and one that allowed more range and options than before. He was done observing, now he was ready for more rigorous action.

WC: 868

Stats & Actions:

The smokescreen that Zeo used to hinder Enishi's senses proved quite effective, eliminating any chance for the understudy to properly see anything. It was quite annoying to be in the middle of such a giant smokescreen that obscured his vision so efficiently, but what his opponent didn't know was that Enishi - even in his bulwark of hair surrounding him, could sense any source of foreign chakra within five meters of him...and five meters was a colossal amount of time to react to nearly anything. Such an ability needed to be hidden from Zeo to gain the upper hand in this situation, so for the time being, he needed to stay quiet yet alert, and counter his attack. For all of the fight, all of what the understudy had been doing was simply countering, countering, and countering the Kamigawa's charges - hell, he hadn't even moved a single inch in the fight. But for now, he needed to survive this attack...he couldn't lose now!

Swallowing the Nature Energy Inhibitor Pill once activating his Chakra Sensory whilst he was in the center in the cloud of smokescreen, everything seemed quiet for now...putting the understudy's nerves at edge. Inhale. Exhale. The attack would come soon, and Needle Jizo wouldn't be able to defend it - he knew that for sure. Moments felt like minutes to the understudy, waiting and waiting for something - ANYTHING to enter his five-meter sensing range...and there it was. A large source of chakra would enter the starting range of the Jugo's chakra sensory, Enishi didn't know what the chakra was, but the sound of rushing water gave a hint. It had to be some sort of technique. Upon sensing the chakra source once it began to enter that five-meter range, the understudy would instantly deactivate Needle Jizo, freeing himself from the inability to move as his hair would retract to normal. Immediately after deactivating the Needle Jizo, he would form three handseals like his hands were on fire as the rushing water grew nearer and nearer...Four meters...Three meters...

"Higai Keigen..." He muttered. Suddenly, a purple aura enshrouded him in that decisive moment - that critical moment, clashing and utterly destroying the water dragon as it also protected Enishi. Damage Reduction Shield was the name of the understudy's ace jutsu. Some would say the Jugo specialized in Ninjutsu, but no...his true talent lied in Iryojutsu, and it would surely show through the power of Damage Reduction Shield. For a short moment of time, Enishi had his strongest defense that could defend against the Kamigawa's attacks so he needed to use his time wisely.  The silver-haired boy would waste no time once the water dragon impacted and was expelled by the Damage Reduction Shield to rush fifteen meters south of his location at maximum speed, standing at the edge of the earth from the lake. He'd also make sure to deactivate his Hiding like a Mole Shadow Clone since there was no more need to use it anymore. Indirectly, the water dragon hinted at the Kamigawa's location because if it was fired south from the understudy, then the real Zeo surely resided there. Once he reached ten meters in his dash, he would exit the smoke field since it was twenty meters in diameter and the understudy was already at the center of it prior to his dash. 

Enishi felt a few odd chakra signatures floating in his dash but it didn't matter, Damage Reduction Shield would easily defend him from the bubble explosions Zeo could unleash at any moment, not even impeding his dash in the slightest. Though, the understudy would make sure to pay attention to any other stimuli whilst running since he still had Chakra Sensory active.

As he reached the end of the fifteen-meter dash, Enishi would stop at the edge of the earth, with the lake that was twenty meters in size just in front of him. Zeo was at the deep end, meaning that he was fifteen meters away from Enishi at that moment and 5 meters away from those giant walls. With a giant smirk, he wanted to make sure that this fight would end in a great finale that would make Hoshigakure talk about this singular fight for years on end! Raising his arms to in a scarecrow-like position as his indefensible purple aura was still active, his emerald eyes burned in resolve like conflagrated flames. Making sure to pay attention to the environment to defend against any situation, he'd say these words with steel in his voice,


WC: 762
TWC: 6515

AP + Stats:

Zeo could see his water dragon bombard right into the target, but there was something there. A sudden 'flare' of that green aura he saw in Enishi's place. It turned out to be a strong presence of his chakra-- so strong it actually repelled and dispelled Zeo's water dragon with ease. The glimmer of his eyes widened to see the power he had completely useless against him. His teeth gritted as he saw the 'understudy' run towards the lake's end.

Despite it, Zeo made a hand sign to keep his focus-- directing the bubbles. Now clear of the smokescreen, Enishi could see it. The surrounding bubbles now littered the battlefield around him within the proximity of the lake area. He knew they could help turn it around. He just needed the right moment...

Enishi's comment only made Zeo glare at him... but it was a thin mock when his step suddenly triggered it. The proximity paper bomb he placed on the shore. Originally, he had set it there in case the enemy came from below ground like last time. This time, it went off as he was close to the ground. BOOOM!!

The explosion caused another blast-- not enough to harm him due to his high chakra barrier, but enough for a proper diversion.


Zeo molded chakra fast, creating another jutsu to aid him, and inhaled deeply. Suiton-- Exploding Water Shockwave!! He finished his final sign with a sudden roar from his mouth-- and water erupted outward into the lake-- only to suddenly swell outward! Chakra barrier or not, what came next wouldn't be a means for him to dodge or evade. The violent push of water rushed outward and overflowed its banks. The bubbles were tossed upward as well, evading the torrent of water as Zeo rode upon the sudden wave made by the water.

With the sudden water attack, not only did it flood more of the battlefield, but the chakra-infused water made it far more difficult to fight. Enishi was in range and with him on the water he couldn't surface walk on it. It was designed to only give Zeo a proper field advantage now. But more than that, it would no doubt slow him down...

He had been reading Enishi's movements and assessing his attacks. Despite his high-power Jutsu and moves, he noticed one small flaw. He lacked physical strength. What he made up in high speed, his physical durability was another matter altogether. There were means to counter people with extremely low physical durability. Zeo grinned, knowing well what he had to do.

Zeo rode upon the upheaving wave to where Enishi would no doubt be from the watery depths, and with his starry flickering eyes, he kept a constant eye on Enishi's movement, both in the water or should he try to jump in a location. It was too late for him as now being hit by a tidal wave that was stronger than him, and a series of bubbles mere meters above and behind him, it be impossible for him to escape. Zeo soon hopped off the riding wave and lunged to where Enishi was. It was now or never. If he couldn't get him now, he wouldn't have any other way to stop him.

Within five meters, Zeo did the unthinkable and charged right for Enishi with a final lunge at him, forming the last of his hand signs.

Suiton-- Water PRISON JUTSU!! He reached out with his hand, now within 1 meter from his target.

The water all around Enishi soon responded, even from a couple of the nearby bubbles a meter away from the target. They popped, releasing a burst of water unsounded for their size. All that water swirled from all sides of the understudy and effectively would trap him in place.  Above and below, Enishi would find himself ensnared and captured by the dense water.

Water Prison Jutsu-- Zeo's trump card he knew was the only thing to catch Enishi and win the first round. As he would use all his speed and might to get to him, the water wound surround Enishi and traps him, chakra aura and all. Even if his aura could nullify damage, it wouldn't nullify restricting Jutsu that prohibited movement or locked him in place. He couldn't use that, and thanks to the Water Shockwave, he couldn't even surface walk to jump or escape-- even had he did jump in time, the water bubbles above would have popped, trapping him in the same water that would pop, a mere meter away from him. And inside, he wouldn't be able to move or weave signs. He was stuck.

Zeo smiled back at the understudy who had mocked him, asking if that was all he had. Clearly, Zeo held back for a reason, for just the right moment. Invincible chakra aura or not, he wouldn't break free of this Jutsu. "I caught you," Zeo said confidently as Enishi would be inside the floating bubble of water. "And I believe, this is checkmate."

WC: 845

Stats and Actions:

In an instant, the understudy's world was turned upside down. After successfully destroying the Water Dragon -Zeo's presumed trump card- as well as escaping the smokescreen that damned water clone activated mere minutes ago, Enishi thought that he would finally be able to face his opponent - his friend in a duel of jutsu. Blinded by such naivety, he spoke arrogantly instead of planning calculatingly, and thus Zeo took that to create an advantage - an advantage that would seem impossible to counter! As the understudy spoke his words to bait the Kamigawa, the air violently shook and ruptured.

The very ground before him exploded.

"Explosive Tags?" Enishi immediately connected the dots in his sharp mind as he was completely covered by a bombardment of explosions along the shore he stood on so confidently. Of course, they did no damage towards him since he was shrouded in his trusty Damage Reduction Shield that easily protected him, but the sudden explosives forced him to have a change of plans. The understudy inferred that Zeo most likely set the proximity landmine-esque explosives as he was covered in the smokescreen, making Enishi unable to see the explosives being set...and when the understudy stepped onto the shore, it would serve as an amazing distraction. But, he couldn't let the Kamigawa keep the upper hand, as once the explosives activated and began expanded to a combined length, Enishi would utilize the explosions as a cover to prevent Zeo from fully seeing what he was doing, thinking of a plan in that timeframe. Judging by the sound of water waves flushing over the area, the blue-haired boy was utilizing some sort of wave jutsu and it turned out that Enishi also had a wave jutsu. If the understudy was correct in that assessment...then he could use the wave as a water source. 

Enishi didn't have much time to start his plan because water flooded through the exploded shore as it expanded to a total of fifteen meters in radius and height from Zeo's position, sweeping the Jugo off of his feet. As much as the Damage Reduction Shield nullified any sort of damage, it did not defend the understudy from the non-damaging effects of jutsu. A lightning strike could still paralyze him, an earth projectile could still restrain him, and colliding waves of water could surely sweep him off of his feet. The jutsu that made people invincible, was ironically flawed in this situation. Enishi recognized that, but he needed to get as close to Zeo as possible so he could land a critical hit of the Kamigawa.  Allowing himself to be taken by the waves without any sort of equivocation, the understudy would be violently pushed fifteen meters upwards from his original position, being at the top of the colliding waves which would also be where Zeo was. Floating on the top of the watery depths, Enishi would wait for his opponent to arrive, fire in his eyes as he made sure to constantly flow chakra throughout his body to maintain his Damage Reduction Shield while beginning the molding process of his jutsu as to keep the jutsu formula fresh in his body. Yet, a shadow appeared above the boy...

Zeo was above him.

Riding a large wave within the abundance of water chakra, Zeo was only 5 meters away from the immobile Enishi who was at the edge of the tidal flood, at the mercy of the Kamigawa as well as. Charging right at the silver-haired boy, the Kamigawa lunged for blood! Rushing along the wave at breakneck speeds, Zeo formed handseals to perform his ace jutsu, but before he charged...Enishi would also form handseals! Forming six handseals with his right hand at maximum speeds just before Zeo began his lunge, the understudy started the formation of his own technique faster and before Zeo. His right hand, hidden by the watery depths made it impossible for Zeo to see it. But, he wanted to get the Kamigawa closer and closer until it was impossible to evade the Jugo's counter so for the meantime, Enishi would wait for the right moment to activate his jutsu as everything went according to Zeo's plan...for now.

Once Zeo reached a meter to the silver-haired boy, the water from the flood, and even the bubbles surrounded him, creating a prison of water surrounding him. Zeo stopped on the water since the waves reached their maximum distance as Enishi was currently a sitting duck, but it was fine. It would appear to the spectators that the understudy was the one that was trapped in the water prison that was slightly floating above the water but Zeo was the one that trapped himself. The Kamigawa who was a meter in front of Enishi confidently said that he was caught, but he couldn't be more than wrong. Keeping a blank expression and nearly wanting to laugh at the irony of the situation, Enishi would mold chakra, using the handseals he secretly prepared prior to Zeo trapping him to jumpstart his chakra system within the water prison. Once his opponent finished his bold declaration of victory, Enishi would simply sigh.

Right before Zeo, a cylinder-like water vortex originating from the understudy mouth rushed towards him at point-blank range! Enishi activated his second A-rank, Water Release: Great Vortex within the Water Prison. Not even needing to move a single finger to activate the sudden jutsu, Enishi was confident that the attack would connect since he only needed water to move out of his mouth. Judging by how the fight initially played out, most would deem the understudy as an Earth Release user that countered Zeo but that was far from true, the understudy's primary and most versatile element was Water Release. The cyclone of water - starting at half a meter in diameter would quickly expand to twelve meters in diameter- sped Enishi's mouth towards Zeo who was a meter away, leaving little to no time to the most likely shocked Kamigawa. Should the Kamigawa not escape in time to the twelve-meter diameter vortex a meter in front of him which was very likely to hit due to the disparity in speed and the close range between the two, it would violently thrust and carry Zeo fifty meters forward in the twenty-meter length and twelve-meter diameter cyclone, snaking its way through the air. 

The Great Vortex Technique if used to kill, had the power to tear apart targets and eviscerate them from reality but Enishi didn't have the intention to murder Zeo, they were comrades after all. But to say that Zeo would come out scot-free was a lie. The sheer force of the cyclone rendered the Kamigawa who was inside of it unable to move, cutting through and puncturing through muscle and skin with its blunt force. The severity of the injuries would render Zeo unable to properly fight should he care about his physical wellbeing and most likely need medical attention. Not to mention that upon reaching twenty meters in its distance, the Great Vortex would slam into the walls, dispersing it instantly but also making Zeo slam into the wall as well. It wouldn't cause any damage but it would be a further insult to injury as the Kamigawa would sink into the meter deep water should he not be able to catch himself from the fifteen-meter fall. 

The water cyclone also tore through the waterflood Zeo created like a giant spear piercing through a wave as the waves would return back to the twenty-meter lake, appearing as nothing unusual happened. Due to Zeo being carried and violently torn down by the Water Vortex, it would have forced him to let go of the water prison, freeing Enishi from his clutches. The cyclone would have already broken through the Water Prison on its course to attack the Kamigawa due to its superior power so it was a matter of when Zeo would let go. The understudy, once the water prison and colliding wave jutsu would have been destroyed by Great Vortex, would land on the ground using Damage Reduction Shield to delete any forms of fall damage. He would look on as the cyclone would impact the walls as the Kamigawa would have fallen to the deep part of the lake with his aura active. Seeing if anything went out of the ordinary, he'd make sure that his plans went accordingly and Zeo would be submerged in the meter deep water once he fell to the deep end of the lake. The two were now 20 meters away from each other, ironically, the same distance they were when they started the fight.

"Please surrender," Enishi said firmly, a sense of regret in his voice as he hated seeing the sight of his friends being hurt - no less by his own techniques. He'd stay alert, however, for any other tricks Zeo had...but he wanted to end things quickly. Hurting other people...he hated it. 

WC: 1445 
TWC: 7690

AP + Stats:

The water vortex lands and breaks the forming water prison - does not destroy the wave but can sweep up some of the water to form the vortex. 
No victory yet - continue

Zeo had thought he won. He would have thought that was the case. He had his opponent mid-caught in the forming surrounding water to trap him. If he had, he would have gotten trapped and unable to move. It would have been a perfect victory...

but reaility never worked out the way you planned. Enishi's sheer strength of chakra, quickness and cleverness got the better of Zeo right the moment his water prison started to trap him. He released Giant Vortex Jutsu, turning Zeo's own water prison against him and blasted him. Zeo tried to hold the water prison in place, using all his will to keep it together, but it was no use. It soon burst apart like his own bubbles, and he was blasted point-blank range by the violent swirling vortex of water.

"GHRAAAAAAAAAAA!!" Zeo screamed as he was washed away by the torrent. While his Water Shockwave jutsu still maintained on the battlefield, but he was washed all the way to the very edge of the arena where the water met the wall and slammed him into it.

The crowd looked in interest as Zeo's efforts shattered, having been a close attempt at victory only to have it slip through his fingers. Watching up in the stands, Shina and Yasha watched in interest as each fighter had reached the climax of their abilities and deployed their best attacks. They were done testing the waters and now had shown what they could do. Shina grinned as she rubbed her chin. "Looks like I win our bet, sucker," she teased Yasha playfully.

The man remained stoic despite the development and his mask.

Shina glared at him. "Oh come on. Don't be a sore loser," she said in a nicer tone, "I'll admit. I didn't give Zeo enough credit. His strategy was worthy of any Jounin. I freely admit that. Still, in this one-on-one fight, the difference here is clear. He isn't going to win this one."

Yasha didn't reply but continued to watch Zeo intensely. He knew more than he was sharing, and would only hope that Zeo would find the strength to pull through.

***

A gasp escaped Zeo as he emerged from the vortex's waters. He had been battered, bruised and his hair was a mess. Water dripped from his body as he struggled to keep standing even with surface walking. The pain in his shoulder, urged him to pause as he gripped his left shoulder, trying to ease the pain he felt there from the impact. He didn't feel anything broken, but the concussive force did its harm to him. Though he was in the 'safety' of his watery domain, he didn't have much else to his advantage.

He soon saw Enishi , who soon spoke up and told Zeo two simple words. "Please surrender."

Zeo paused at this. He was out matched. He knew that now. His opponent was faster, AND stronger in ninjutsu than he was. He knew he was strong too, but Enishi simply outclassed him in raw strength. How could he best that? His best method for taking him down was utterly thrashed.  For a moment, Zeo knelt there, speechless and motionless. His heart trembled... was this really the best he could do. Was all that effort, training, and dedication limited to this?

After all the faith Hoshigakure and its shinobi put in him, was he to let it end here in his loss?  "Surrender... Give up?" Zeo asked.

He slowly tightened his left hand to a fist, and stirred. "Perhaps that is the smart thing to do. A smart shinobi would know when it's a no-win situation, and value survival over victory. Was this any other place and time, I'd probably consent to that, " he said as he pulled himself up from the water, still staggering from the blow he suffered. His breath was ragged still, but he still stood before Enishi. His head was cast down, still struggling with his feelings.  "But... this fight isn't just about me. Master Yasha, my friends, even the Hogokage entrusted so much to me, from the jutsu they taught me, to the will to fight for the village I became a part of. ..."

"In the end, its not just about that, but myself as well. If I accepted this, I'd never been able to look into the mirror again..." his heart raced as he took a defining step forward and glared directly at Enishi with resolve. "Don't you dare insult me asking me to surrender! I didn't come this far just to throw it all away! So shut up!! " Zeo snapped back with a sudden flood of emotion that burst through his mouth and heart.



A sudden throb struck Zeo as his eyes widened. The voice that echoed in his head came with a mind-rearing headache! He soon fell to his knee once more, shocked by the sudden pain as a hand gripped his head. "Ugh... Ahhgk!" Zeo gasped, feeling the pain grow in strength, his eyes closed tight from it all. From the audience and Enishi, it looked like he was suffering some kind of mental breakdown, or psychic attack via genjutsu. All the while, Zeo's mind filled with the voice as he tossed and turned in agony!

Humility has served you well, but now is a weight that drags you down. Best you cast it off and accept the truth. You are more than the calm facade beneath the river's surface, just waiting to overflow its banks... the voice spoke to Zeo. Its words made Zeo cringe in pain as he now gripped his head, tears streaming down his face from the pain as he tried to fight for control. Of all time, why would he suffer like this now? What was that voice? He didn't understand. And yet, the voice spoke right into the depths of his soul. The time to cast off such restraints is now. Will you sink, or swim?

No one would hear this voice, only Zeo. He felt he was losing his mind.

***

From the bleachers, the proctors, including Shina and Yasha observed as Zeo suddenly and violently contorted in pain. Shina seemed surprised by this. For the first time, genuine concern showed as she saw the genin in a state of mental pain. "Something is wrong with him! Call the proctor to cancel the match. It looks like he is suffering some kind of psychotic break. " she urged as she got up.

"Wait!" Yasha reached to grab ahold of her arm, pausing her advance. "Just hold on a minute. Zeo  will be fine," he said.

She looked in surprise to see the calm on his face still. "What?"

"It has happened," he said with a hint of amusement now. "He has finally awakened."

***

Zeo heard the voice that echoed in his head, awaiting his answer. He didn't understand it. He couldn't figure it out, and yet he believed that voice. It was reassuring, like someone watching over him, urging him forward. He struggled through the pain as he tried to open his eyes. "No... I refuse... I will not let it end here!!" he cried with resolve as he strained to get up despite the headache.

Ah, yes... Those are the eyes I wished to see. the voice said with renewed vigor as Zeo fought through the pain to stand. I am thou, thou art I. If victory is what you desire at the river's end... then we shall flow together.

Zeo rose and snapped open his eyes-- now revealed to be black in color! However, upon closer view, the black of his eyes glimmered with specks of light all around it-- as if to look into the night's sky itself.

Almost independent of any conscious action, Zeo performed a couple of simple hand signs as he rose up, stopping mid-way as he stood up fully.   As he stood, a strange, starry-like chakra began to waft from his body. It was almost like flames-- a black, visible chakra anyone could see that seemed to emanate from Zeo himself as his eyes opened. It seemed he was still in pain, but as he took a defining step forward, the entire water he stood on rippled-- and in the reflection, was a new figure altogether...

"Per..." Zeo spoke,  his words garbled by the pain, but he soon spoke it. The words that just flowed into his mind from somewhere deep in his soul, trying to force its way out. "Per... so... NA!!!"

His cry caused a violent eruption of the black chakra! His cry was eclipsed by the eruption, as if a dam had burst and shot upward, engulfing Zeo and his immediate surroundings in the otherworldly chakra, becoming as glimmering and dark as the night sky itself...

No doubt anyone witnessing this would raise an eye at least to the strange power that emerged in that moment, but what emerged next was beyond what anyone thought. As the starry black chakra began to recede-- and emerging behind Zeo was a new figure altogether. A phantasmal humanoid being, one which the very water seemed to swirl around him. He appeared like a djinn from myth, adorn with ancient ceremonial robes, claw-like hands of a dragon, but the physique and build of a wise human sage. Scrolls were adorned on his back as he fully emerged from the starry chakra into reality!

"I am thou... thou art I... From the sea of thy soul, I come forth!" the phantasm spoke, this time audible for those around to hear. "I am the god of rivers-- He Bo!

[/i]


There, Zeo breathed heavily, feeling the pressure in his head fade after that moment. His heart raced, feeling more energized now than before. The calm, calculating genius was gone, and in place was a willful, driven version of Zeo. He rose a hand up to push away the hair from his face and brushed it aside-- now revealing the black gaze of his eyes now thick, solid, and in a place where his old ones had been as he glared right at Enishi with defiance.

"Don't you dare think light of me,  Enishi. Asking me to surrender was an insult," Zeo declared crossly, his blood and emotions now surging with the foreign and strange chakra that emanated around him. Even now, that same chakra leaked from the corners of his eyes, wafting into the air. It was as if with the being behind him, he was possessed! "I am DONE PLAYING NICE!!"  

His focus came to the specter behind him-- the avatar of the divine being that had been bound to him long before he knew it existed. He extended a hand to Enishi in the declaration and his gaze forward. "Let's go--- HE BO!!"

Almost to mirror its master, the phantasma He Bo raised its clawed hand up as well. From its extended claw, water suddenly churned to life as if out of thin air.  From his very palm, a vortex of water-- much like giant vortex itself, suddenly spawned to life and fired right for Enishi, threatening to smash right into him.

IT was then that Zeo also took note to the change in his vision. Before he saw the patches of oddness in his vision, hints of color that gave away things he thought or mistaken as hallucinations. But now it was clear as night-- the world had vanished into a starry night, and the glows-- the colors he saw as shimmering celestial bodies of different colored stars-- were people. And Enishi stood out most before him as a flowing, earthly green spiritual body-- chakra and all. This time, he was conscious of it.

With He Bo's attack, he too moved across the watery battlefield to launch an attack of his own as his Persona acted to his aid. I... I can see it now... he thought as he felt the strange new power coursing through his veins. I can see it... the true you, and true me. And I won't turn my eyes from it again!!

Forming hand seals, he finished his next jutsu-- using the chaos caused by the Persona to launch another attack. Forming hand signs, Zeo used a quick one-- conjuring yet again his Water Shuriken. He merely wove the water out from the terrain he created, causing the shuriken to form immediately. The moment they solidified into his hands, he took action. Consecutive throws of five of the made shuriken,  which flew out to try and do damage to Enishi despite his shield. He wasn't sure if his shield would protect him from slashing waters, but it was worth a try.

Each action he did, felt foreign to him now. His renewed vigor felt different as if something else was motivating him-- as if He Bo himself was possessing him as well. He didn't have time to question it, and used this renewed purpose to fight-- to win!

Despite both the attack from his newly created Shuriken, and the Persona's assault, Zeo wove another set of signs, just in case, a frontal defense was going to be used. An attack of all sides as he finished, and added a 'hand of confrontation'. In that instant, the surrounding bubbles nearby Enishi popped-- causing a violent pillar of water to erupt from his left and right, mere five meters away, attempting to nail him from both sides should he stand his ground.

While at this point, Zeo's careful use of chakra had gone out the window, the deluge of fast-casting Suiton made for a chaotic flash upon the battlefield. Now he was holding nothing back, allowing the long-held power he had in his veins to come pouring out with no hesitation.  Powered by his own willpower, and the will of the God He Bo that had slumbered in his soul...

WC: 2313

Stats and Actions:

The bloody screams of Zeo echoed throughout the fighting arena, violating the ears of anyone unfortunate enough to hear it. The sounds of pained screams and even the sickening sound of flesh meeting the meat grinder that was the Great Vortex Technique elicited many expressions of guilt and regret from Enishi. The pacifist that Enishi Kurosawa was couldn't stand to see other people suffering, which was mostly why he specialized in Iryojutsu. Ever since that day when the orphanage was burnt down and everyone from children to elders were reduced to nothing more than ashes of lament due to his incompetence, he swore that their suffering was only his to bear and that he would never cause harm to anyone ever again... "Why didn't you dodge it?!" Enishi grit his teeth once he safely descended to the ground from the waves being somewhat hit by the effects of the Great Vortex, watching the falling Kamigawa with his rueful eyes. Due to the Colliding Wave reaching its maximum range of thirty meters - it would still be active - but they would lower at about a foot in height as opposed to fifteen meters in height. As a result of the two shinobi being twenty meters from each other, Enishi would be pleased to see that the waves lowered in height to be more akin to an additional water source than anything else. 

Seeing Zeo - who was barely holding on to consciousness - muster the power to still stand up was admirable in the understudy vision, however, one could not break past their limits. The fight was already over. There was no need to continue. Anymore fighting would still leave to a foregone conclusion that Enishi Kurosawa had won the match. Therefore, with a blank voice, Enishi would urge Zeo to surrender. Yet, the Kamigawa didn't listen. With words full of energy that left everyone, including the Jugo merely slack-jawed at Zeo's sheer determination. It was almost as if Enishi could see something shining in the Kamigawa...He saw the same shine in Tsunayoshi, in Yuuma, in everyone that resided in the Land of Haven.

Hope.

The passion that gave rise to glory, victory, accomplishment...salvation. The same salvation that saved Enishi from a gruesome fate upon his cursed birth, was what Zeo embodied at that moment. The understudy froze, he didn't understand. How could someone have such fire in their soul, being able to stand up even when their back was against the wall? It was such a foreign feeling. This resolve...was inhuman. Yet suddenly, something even more inhuman occurred. Zeo cringed and writhed in agony, contorting in pain as if a conflagration of hellfire was set on him? "The aftereffects of the Great Vortex? I made sure to hold back - why is he still in so much pain?" Enishi frantically thought, trying to find out a solution for the abrupt situation. But, even as his thoughts moved, his legs didn't...He was too shocked, too shaken up, too confused, too scared to even move an inch. It was like his opponent was being possessed by some sort of Genjutsu, it didn't make any sense!

Soon, Zeo rose.

His eyes, black in color like an endless void that someone could spend hours looking into with illuminated stars buried inside of it akin to the night sky met contact with the understudy. More and more fear struck Enishi, but before he could even get his bearings...a word, an unknown word escaped from the caster's mouth. "Per... so... NA!!!" Once again, the sky was dyed black, as an eruption of stygian, starry energy overflowed throughout the arena, enveloping everything that dared to stand in its vicinity. Enishi couldn't see. The endless void of black chakra would surely swallow him whole. It was hopeless. This chakra, this energy...frightened the understudy. But suddenly, the black chakra that would surely swallow him alive died down and a phantasm - proclaiming himself as the "God of Rivers" apparated just a foot behind and above Zeo. The caster of the phantasm gazed with fierce eyes towards the trembling understudy as the ghost-like god merely looked upon the mortal that was Enishi Kurosawa with divine vigor. As if peering through the frightened soul of the understudy, Zeo outstretched his hand, declaring that Enishi was mistaken...and that he would unleash his true power at that moment.

As Zeo spoke, the understudy had nothing to say. This couldn't be real. He instinctively clenched his chest with his right hand as all of this unfolded. The magnitude of sheer chakra - no it would be a lie to call it chakra, it was some sort of otherworldly cosmic energy that infiltrated the real world - that emanated from Zeo made Enishi wanted to vomit. "...Is this how strong he really is? Those eyes, that power, that chakra... How can he have so much resolve - so much strength to power through even when his back is against the wall? Zeo Kamigawa... You truly are a monster." Enishi let out a dry chuckle as he thought darkly. BUT, even if who he was fighting against had so much strength, he couldn't lose without giving up a fight. He promised himself just minutes ago that he would fight with all of his power! "Even still...I won't give up." Enishi would let go of his chest once Zeo finished his words; both lads had fire in their eyes. This intense would end soon. The caster would unleash his phantasm, roaring the name of "He-Bo", The God of Rivers. The understudy responded with a few words, but those tidings held the weight of a thousand, "As you wish!" 

The macabre between the understudy and the caster of phantasms would truly begin...

Not wasting any time, He-Bo would launch a 5-meter diameter spherical vortex of water directly towards the understudy - mimicking the water vortex that the Jugo launched mere moments ago. Once He-Bo finished firing the burst of water energy, Zeo would move to his left - Enishi's right in this case while throwing five water shuriken consecutively at the understudy's upper body. Once he was finished throwing the water shuriken, he would form additional handseals, causing the two bubbles surrounding the Jugo's left and right five meters away to burst in a rupture of corkscrewing water, forming in sharp pillars as an attempt to pierce the boy. However, Enishi already began his actions once that phantasm launched the vortex of water. Seeing the surge of energy headed towards him at bullet speeds as well as shuriken of water whipping past the vortex to strike his upper body, Enishi immediately ducked about a foot from his original standing, evading the water shuriken as they would eventually pass by him. But, Enishi wouldn't wait for the shuriken to pass by him; by the time that he began to duck, the burst of water would have already traveled about a meter in distance, needing nineteen meters left to reach the understudy...so he needed to move quickly. Still remaining in his ducking position, the Jugo's eyes flared with dire resolution as he performed his next actions simultaneously at his fastest speed possible. 

The understudy's chakra swelled throughout his body as blue swirling flames appeared around his left hand's slender fingertips. His Damage Reduction Shield was going to run out in the next few seconds, so he needed some sort of thing that could fend off attacks once it would deactivate - though this technique wouldn't be exactly a defense, it would just numb the pain for a while., With a small crazed smirk, uncharacteristic for the morbid and utterly insane plan he thought of, Enishi would hold his breath, quickly stabbing the ignited fingers into his chest to create a 1/4 inch incision. "Ghk!" He yelped in his suffering. The pain was excruciating. The blue flames kissed his heart as vermillion blood soiled his fingers. It hurt. It really did. But a moment after, he couldn't feel anything. "The chakra anesthetic worked," He thought before quickly weaving six handseals with his same left hand that would activate a jutsu he would utilize in the future, holding his breath to store the technique. All the while Enishi injected anesthetic into him and formed six handseals for a jutsu with his left hand, he'd also form handseals with the singular use of his right hand at the same time. Forming five handseals with his right hand, a green flame-like aura soon glowed around it mixed with dark blue. The technique was called Mystical Palm with chakra absorption properties instilled into it. Mystical Palm was a technique that was primarily used for healing.

It could also be used to kill cells. 

The Mystical Palm that the young understudy used was a perverse application of it; instead of amplifying the healing factor of humans, it increased the negative feedback loop in bodies so that it would kill cells and leave targets unable to move an inch. If one knew how to heal the body, then one surely knew how to destroy it. That was the only other option Zeo left Enishi. The water shuriken would have been close to the Jugo at this point, about 7 meters away from him so he would stay ducked to evade it. The water pillars would have been only a meter away, darting towards the understudy's left and right, but he didn't care, Damage Reduction Shield would shield him from it...and that giant burst of water was only 10 meters away from him which would have clouded the vision of Zeo and that phantasm due to its giant size. Zeo would have traveled only a few feet at that time due to his lower speed in comparison to Enishi and the water projectiles he launched. Instantly calculating everything once he completed his setups, the understudy would move into action while activating the Surface Walking Technique. 

Ram.

Forming that handseals with both hands while remaining ducked, Enishi seemingly vanished in a blur of disorienting speeds, as if he was teleporting through the atmosphere. That was the speed at which he was traveling forward to meet his opponent, being nearly four times his speed so chances of countering were low. At blistering velocity, Enishi moved straight forward, ducking through the water shuriken that would zoom past him, as well as cutting through and destroying the water vortex that He-Bo launched in an explosion and hellish rain of water chakra due to the Damage Reduction Shield. It was a sight for the crowd to see. It was as if an unstoppable force met an immovable object, but in this case, the immovable object that was Enishi prevailed as it tore through the vortex. Enishi was simply utilizing the Body Flicker technique, but it would appear as teleportation to anyone who could even keep up with him. The water below Enishi tore apart as well, disorienting Zeo's senses even more if the water explosion didn't do so already. Even if his opponent tried to track the borderline teleporting understudy with some sort of chakra vision or spiritual vision, the bursting chakra of Body Flicker was too large to pinpoint a direct location where Enishi was, but it wouldn't matter anyway. In a few moments, Enishi was already half a meter away Zeo and the phantasm a foot behind the Kamigawa, closing the nineteen-meter gap between the two in mere moments. Reappearing no longer a near imperceivable blur within a naked eye, Enishi would seek to end the fight. 

Being half a meter away from Zeo and that phantasm, the understudy would waste no time before releasing his breath, as a transparent bluish virulent mist of poison was excreted from his mouth at point-blank range. That was the jutsu he previously prepared with his left hand: Dokugiri, a mist of poison that could apply a variety of effects depending on what the user preferred, and in this case, Enishi used one of the poisons he created, Somnolent Agent: Stasis. The cloud would quickly expand to 10 meters in radius, encompassing a large area that would prove extremely difficult for Zeo to escape from. This would also cloud the vision of the phantasm, preventing it from properly aiming for Enishi. But Enishi wasn't done just yet, being only half a meter away from Zeo, the understudy at the same time that he spewed out his mist would right hand thrust his hand outwards towards the Kamigawa! The half a meter distance between the two, Enishi's superior speed, as well as Zeo's overall shock and stress of the situation since the Jugo would also be creating a mist of poison at the same would make it nigh unimaginable for Zeo to dodge this blow. 

"Sage Art: Mystical Palm!" Using his latent talent in natural energy, the green absorption aura surrounding his right hand that killed cells would morph into a flaming purple aura of natural energy, thrusting it with all of his strength into Zeo's chest. Three effects would occur the moment Enishi would strike Zeo. First, Zeo's whole body would grow harmlessly numb and paralyzed, unable to form a single handseals as his cells would simply stop functioning, forcing him to inhale the poison. Upon inhaling the poison, he would begin to feel clammy, and the clock would begin ticking for him to be incapacitated. Secondly, the thrust would sap away at his chakra. Third and finally, Enishi used the effects of Sage Art: Energy Transfer in that last moment to make sure that natural energy would be transferred to Zeo, adding more insult to injury and making sure that the jolt of foreign chakra in his system would make him stand down even more. All of these effects and actions, including the mist forming and expanding, would occur at the same time. If Zeo tried to move away, Enishi would simply readjust his thrust in the direction that the Kamigawa went to cut off any room for escape.

Should Zeo not be able to react properly to all of these actions as well as being struck by the thrust, he would be completely paralyzed and slowly fall to the ground, left to inhale the Poison Mist to be knocked out shortly. Enishi would see if the phantasm would do anything or if Zeo could possibly react in a dire situation such as this, if so, he would react accordingly. 


"You were formidable, Zeo..." Enishi would say the Kamigawa's name in reverence and sheer respect, gazing down at the paralyzed opponent should everything go according to plan,

"But it's over." 

WC: 2418
TWC: 10108

AP + Stats:

Zeo's eyes were wide with alertness, wonderment, shock, and clarity. The gaze of his awakened starry eyes--- the Uchūgan as he would later learn it would be called--- saw so much in such a short time. The battlefield was replaced by a night's sky, its outlining-- the trees, the wall, the land, were outlined as a starry landscape. The haze of matter still remained, but he saw things in the shape of stars, like constellations in the sky. The distant people in the stands, were specks of stars against the black sky as they watched.

The most noticeable, however, was enishi who was a mass of earthly green energy, that was a mix of different things. A twisting forest, almost as if life was bursting from his very aura. What he saw, and how he saw it, was not completely relevant, but he saw it clear as night.

So much happened in that brief moment in time, but all he could do was react and keep going. He had no time to question just what was happening to him. However, one thing he knew-- the being that came from his very soul, was on his side and acted to his defense and aid without a doubt. The words still echoed in his mind, as if this being still spoke to him. I am thou, thou art I... Persona...  This power, was Zeo's since birth and it had finally been released after being couped up and denied for so long.

Despite the attacks launched, it was indeed nothing Zeo knew, would best Enishi's current defenses. Whatever that chakra was, it flared with the same vigor as what Zeo saw. The green energy and power reflected his very essence. It was only then that Zeo got it. He saw chakra-- and something else too. Something that showed something precious to the people he saw, like any star in the sky. As he gazed forward, he soon saw it-- it began to flare up as Enishi did something else! He was powering up something new, and even to his vision, he saw it. A growing glow of orange from within the green 'nebula' was slowly growing in the shape of Enishi's body.

Whatever he was seeing, it was dangerous and he began to act long before Enishi could move in. He began to weave signs-- Ox, Dog, Rat, Ram--- as he was using all his speed he could muster to weave the signs, Enishi's form blurred as he suddenly crossed the distance in an instant. Body Flicker! Zeo's mind screamed as he soon saw Enishi within a meter of his distance and lunging for him. With a hand outstretched, he tried to touch him and more. Zeo's black, starry eyes widened at this, but he saw it. He saw the sudden glow and concentration on the hand to make him lean back just enough as he advanced...

CLAP!


Zeo clapped his hands in the final moment, and with it, Enishi's movement stopped.

While a direct hit from that attack would indeed be fatal, there was one crucial, critical fact that Enishi had to do first. It was to actually touch him. Only via physical contact would it take effect. As a long-range shinobi, Zeo always made pains to keep his foes at a distance, even should they try to get close. Speed or no, in that first instinct upon sight of his chakra-- Zeo knew he had to use it.

"HAAAAAA!!!" Zeo roared with all his will behind it, the veil of wind suddenly expanded against Enishi violently. The high-air pressured Wind Wall suddenly spun outward into a violent tornado that whipped and slashed all within 5 meters of Zeo's position, protecting him from Enishi's assault. The wind wall was one of Zeo's better defensive jutsu, a perfect jutsu designed to both defend and attack anyone who tried to get up close to him, as well as repel attacks from all sides. And to add to it, the slashing winds were even deadly to anyone foolish enough to try a melee attack upon the caster. In enishi's case, it would slash him like daggers, and even blow away the poison-sleeping power mist he tried to do.

In one single Jutsu, Zeo undid all of Enish's attempts, and able to knock him back from the force of the wind!

***

With his mask, Yasha's expression was unreadable. However, the smirk on his face was clear as he saw Zeo do it. He had awakened the power he had foreseen hidden in his soul. But even more amusing was Shina's shock to see the boy awaken to a relatively unknown Kekkei Genkai in the middle of a match.  "What the hell am I seeing here?" Shina asked. "That thing, and those eyes... there was nothing in the report that he could do that!"

"From what I know, and this is pure rumor, however, Zeo possessed a bloodline from a long-forgotten clan. It was said they could use their chakra as a means to turn the spiritual into the physical," Yasha said in a half-riddle. "This is one form of it. It's called a Persona. A manifestation of both soul and spirit as a physical chakra form. "

Shina soon glared at Yasha. The smug bastard was not sharing the full details, that much she knew. However, for the moment she would let it go. "i'll admit, this you were right about this fight. But still... is it enough to help him win. And that jutsu..."

They soon witnessed the use of the Wind Wall, a formidable wind style, which no doubt would surprise anyone to know he could use Wind style than just Water Style which he had been using the entire match.  Shina was impressed by it. A single jutsu that not only played to Enishi's weakness but also stopped his more subtle poison mist attack too. "I'll be damned. Zeo really has turned it up a notch."

"A good offense is a good defense," Yasha said with his arms folded as he studied the match intently. "Zeo knew this from the first day of the academy. True, his chakra isn't as strong as Enishi's alone, but he knows how jutsu work. The kid is a genius in that field. In this case, he acted right to use a jutsu that didn't just defend him at all sides, but one that would attack his opponent and prevent the poison mist. In this case, it's safe to say this battle could end in either direction."

***

The wind wall would slash at Enishi at full force, delivering damage. However, as it pushed him backward, it was at that moment Zeo took action. "HE BO!!" he cried.

From behind him, the large specter of the water god emerged and lurched well overhead from Zeo. Standing about 5 meters high and wide, the god of water roared out as well as it lurched forward. Just as Enishi would be forced back to its maximum range, the Persona threw a powerful punch with its thorny claws, attempting a physical blow against Enishi with all its might. Being that he was forced backward, Enishi wouldn't have the means to properly evade this attack-- even with his speed.  

In that same instant, Zeo used the last of his shurikens from behind the Wind Wall. The current of the winds added a whole new spin on it, causing it to move faster (cosmetically). With the barrage of attacks, Zeo was holding nothing back now. He just felt it. If he could keep this up, he would land enough blows that even the medical ninja wouldn't have the luxury to recover from to keep going.

Lastly from behind his windy defense and upon the water's surface of the natural lake, he wove one more set of hand signs. This time, part of his intial ones. While his former bubble jutsu was dwindled down, he had one more left. With the last sign, the Tiger seal, he switched out his bubble pipe and blew out a series of bubbles from it. The bubbles scattered forward along Zeo's line of sight, and towards Enishi.

Little did Enishi know if he would come into contact with the bubbles, now moving towards him, they would no doubt pop and deliver a seriously explosive surprise.

WC: 1397

Stats and Actions:

[/color]

Midway through his Body Flicker, Enishi could see Zeo forming handseals of sorts even throughout the rushing explosions of water. He couldn't discern the handseals in question, but it was obvious that his opponent was trying to do some sort of counterattack, and it would be one that Enishi could not ultimately avoid. Body Flicker, despite the amount of speed that it gave the user, was a double-edged sword that forced shinobi to commit to their movements. It was impossible to change your direction during Body Flicker, so it was a prime opportunity for a keen adversary to counter it. "Damn it!" The understudy cursed once he observed Zeo form handseals mid-flicker. Damage Reduction Shield was no longer in effect. All of the Jugo's remaining "defense" was an anesthetic that just made him not feel pain; it didn't defend anything! Enishi's naivety would force him to be hit by whatever jutsu Zeo unleashed, however...there was still room to counterattack. But, in order for the counterattack to work, his enemy couldn't be alerted whatsoever. So for the meantime, the understudy resigned himself for a world of pain - well in his case, the numb feeling of an unknown force striking him. 

His actions going as normal, Enishi would cancel his Body Flicker once he was within a single meter of his adversary, quickly activating Poison Mist to create a bluish cloud of knockout poison to obscure Zeo's vision as well as knock him out upon inhaling the gas. Simultaneously, he'd continue to thrust his right hand within the meter gap of his opponent to initiate physical contact in order for Zeo to be bombarded with multiple debilitating effects. But, this is where the change of Enishi's in the plan would truly start! Seeing that the Kamigawa was already forming handseals prior, the understudy quickly shifted his plans to counter Zeo in the future. With his free left hand that was hidden by the Poison Mist making it impossible for the Kamigawa and the phantasm to see it, Enishi would form three handseals at maximum speed during the beginning of his thrust, preparing to unleash a jutsu the moment an opening would be found! There was a lot of time to form only three handseals since he would form them at the beginning of his thrust, but nevertheless, the understudy would form them with enough time to spare. But, it was only a backup plan...if he could reach Zeo with his thrust, then the fight would end there. Nearly a few inches away from touching the Kamigawa's upper body...

Zeo clapped.

And there it was. With a force of a raging gyre, a gust of wind that dispelled the sleeping gas expanded from Zeo's body. Invading the air and even pushing off some of the water below him, the understudy was immediately sent flying through the air. The cutting winds that expanded from Zeo's body would quickly expand to a total of five meters in all directions, with Enishi being sent flying the moment the cutting winds impacted him. Lacerating Enishi's body and even sawing through his jacket, blood spurted from his deep wounds. Thankfully, the chakra anesthetic blocked off any pain which prevented Enishi's concentration from being thrown off. But, the peculiar feeling of wind coldly invading the inner depths of his body wasn't one the understudy would revisit again. Despite the wind cutting against his body, Enishi would already be sent back a little more than three meters away from Zeo the moment the wind barrier touched him, still flying through the air with two meters left to go before landing on the ground. From the corner of Enishi's eye, while he was three meters away from Zeo in the air, he could see the phantasm named He-Bo begin to move towards Enishi as well as Zeo grabbing his water shuriken to begin a motion to throw it towards the understudy. But...he couldn't let either of those two attacks strike him. Thus, the understudy sprung to action before the two could perform their movements.

"...One...Thousand...Needles of...Death!" Blood slightly foaming from his mouth, Enishi managed to roar these words as the jutsu he prepared the handseals for moments before unleashed itself at the edge of the wind barrier. Using the water gathered from the very atmosphere, ninety water needles spawned three meters away from Zeo and his Persona, Enishi being just outside of the hell-storm that would entrap Zeo and He-bo. The ninety water needles within a three-meter radius of two encircled them like a dome, leaving little to no chance of escape without being skewered like a kabob. All water needles were an inch spaced out from each other, being fifteen centimeters long and a centimeter thick, all aimed at a variety of angles towards Zeo and He-Bo depending on their position in relation to them. Upon being created, Enishi would waste no time before firing them at blistering speeds towards the two, leaving barely any time to react to them. 

The water needles would pierce through the Wind Wall that covered Zeo and He-Bo, effectively destroying it and leaving no defense to the two targets left to the mercy of the water needles. This meant that unless Zeo wanted to be skewered multiple times by water needles, he would have to rethink his plan of throwing his shurikens since by the time it took for him to go through the motions of aiming and throwing his projectiles towards Enishi, the water needles would have pierced through him like bullets. This also cut off any way of him forming handseals to begin his bubble assault due to the fact that using his bubbles was contingent on the fact that he finished throwing water shuriken, which most likely wouldn't be the case. The same went to He-Bo, trying to extend his arm towards Enishi to punch him would make the water needles only pierce through the "God of Rivers" faster and instantly dispel it. Either way, there would be a very low chance that Zeo could properly avoid the barrage of water needles encircling him.

But, Enishi wasn't done there. He wanted to end this duel soon. The understudy, now four meters away from Zeo in the air by the time it took him to activate the water needles and fire them towards the two targets to destroy the Wind Wall, deactivated his Mystical Palm and Chakra Absorption in his right hand so he could pull out content from his Ninja Tool Sealing Bands. Quickly, he'd withdraw a collapsable shuriken from the right side of his bracers with a Proximity Explosion Tag attached in the ring section of it to hold in his left hand. Reaching five meters away from Zeo, about to land on the ground with Surface Walking still activated to land on the water, Enishi would open up the collapsed shuriken to fully turn into the Fuma Shuriken that was a foot in every direction with four blades as well infuse chakra into the Proximity Explosive Tag attached to it to activate the seal. Landing on the ground, Enishi would waste no time before throwing the opened Fuma Shuriken with the Explosive Tag attached to it with his left hand, aiming between the gaps of the water needles to throw it directly at Zeo. Due to having to deal with ninety water needles, Zeo would most likely be preoccupied with the needles to see the Fuma Shuriken, so it would come as a surprise. The Fuma Shuriken would cause severe damage should the Kamigawa not dodge it in time, and the explosive tag, upon entering a meter away from a foreign chakra signature that was not Enishi's - would explode in a concussive force of energy three meters in all directions. Should Zeo not properly react to both the water needles AND the Explosive Tag attached to Fuma Shuriken...then he would be done for the count.

Enishi would watch carefully during all of this, now on the water with Surface Walking activated, five meters away from the Kamigawa. Making sure that everything went according to plan, the understudy would be ready to change plans or react should anything out of the ordinary occur.

WC: 1332
TWC: 11440

AP + Stats:

(Water shuriken and bubble bomb not used due to reaction)

The fight between Enishi and Zeo had reached a powerful climax as both began to use their strongest jutsu to were now out in full force. Enishi's sheer speed and power were matched with the unique powers of Zeo's newly discovered Kekkei Genkai. Still, that wouldn't be enough to survive the 'understudy's attack. At the moment that the Persona, He Bo, attempted to launch an attack, Enishi had used one of his own mid-throw from Zeo's Wind Wall. Before Zeo knew it, the area around him was filled with new stars-- that soon took spiky shapes. In reality, it was the formation of the water needles that were now surrounding him. His star-filled eyes looked around to find himself trapped on all sides.

With Enishis' attack, He Bo was the first to get in its way due to the first strike, and the water spears went flying. While He Bo was strong, he wasn't strong enough as the spears of water tore through his spectral form and left him agape with holes. A groan escaped the phantasm as it dissolved into a spectacle of fading starry energy through the air. Zeo felt that loss, a blow almost to his very mind. Not only that, the fight was starting to take a toll on him. For the first time in quite a while, he was starting to feel a strain on his chakra, showing he couldn't last for much longer.

The spears came forward, with the intent to skewer him... severing easily through any resistance from his wind barrier and followed by the weaponry attack of the Fuma shuriken and attached bombs.

it was then Zeo's mind and eyes widened, with only one way out!

SPLASH!!

The water needles impacted the surrounding area of the lake, crashing into one another and their 'target' with vicious force. The impact scattered bits of water all around in the rain as the sheer force was like a massive clap of thunder, echoing through the arena. Followed by the explosions that followed from the Fuma shuriken!

There was still silence as everyone watched, including Yasha and Shina from the stands. As Enishi would witness, as the water impact cleared-- nothing was there but the dripping and churning water from his attack. The water glistened with the remains of the "Persona" and its chakra that made it up. With He Bo now gone, it showed the pond now completely empty...

"--- Gasp!!" Zeo appeared from the water's surface, catching his breath as he suddenly emerged from the water. He was treading water as he had emerged, from the pond's surface. He slowly climbed back up, his black-doujutsu eyes glaring at Enishi despite him being short of breath and dripping wet.

***

Watching from the stands, Shina blinked. "What just happened here? Did he use his Hiding Water technique again or something?" she asked, puzzled.

Yasha paused for a moment as he saw it, but then leaned in. "No. He didn't," he said as he almost felt the urge to laugh. "Quite the opposite. In that split second, his Surface Walking was stopped."

"What?"

The mental image of how the flow to Zeo's feet would stop, as would his chakra walking on water. The result-- he would fall right into the water as gravity did the rest, allowing him to narrowly escape watery impalement. He had hid under the water, in the deep end just as the attacks collided where he used to be.

"He ended his surface walking in that split second. Gravity did the rest to help him escape the water spears and explosive shuriken," he commented with amusement. "I'd be surprised to learn if that was just a lucky coincidence."

Shina was now speechless as she watched on, wondering how this fight would end.

***

Zeo was clearly worn out and tired. His chakra had already been drained significantly more, despite his natural affinity for chakra. Between the rapid awakening to his Kekkei Genkai-- the Doujutsu-- and awakening the power of the Persona, it had taken a toll on his chakra and psyche. He was quickly approaching his limit. And yet, he still stood. Recovering his Surface Walking, he faced Enishi.

Despite his huffing and puffing, Zeo was pleased by one fact. He had landed a solid blow on Enishi via his wind wall. While fleeting, it did all he hoped for its initial design. Sadly he couldn't nail the attack with his Persona to deal a more decisive blow. Exhaustion was clear on his body now.

"I am... not done...!" Zeo growled. Through his eyes, he saw Enishi and the 'green aura' that made up his body. He was now almost fully aware of every bit of chakra around him. It was thrilling and unnerving at the same time.

With his second wind, Zeo wove hand signs, forming a classic one most ninja could see by its combination. A water jutsu well known. Once he ended it with a snake sign, he made the confrontation sign. "Water Style-- RAGING WAVES!!" Zeo shouted and blew out a mass of water from his mouth. The blast of water swept outward, intending to keep Enishi away and delivering powerful water damage-- plus to push him away.

Meanwhile, as he did this, he would reach for his sword. Should Enishi try to get close to him again like before, he would be ready, prepared to draw it in case he tried to get up close again...

WC: 906

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