23 Beatdown

When the fight began, Temari just stood cockily in her place, acting as if Tenten was nothing in front of her. Tenten in turn could do nothing but follow the script. She tried different attacks with her weapons and accuracy, but it was all in vain.

"When you see the third star... you already lost"

Hearing Temari's words, I remembered how her Fan worked. The gusts of wind became stronger with each star, until becoming as strong as a cyclone and sharp enough to cut. My worry did nothing but increase, while something else I was new to also appeared. I couldn't quite tell what it was, but I somehow didn't like it.

"I didn't want to use this in the prelims but... I guess I have no choice"

After saying that, Tenten took out two scrolls. I knew what she was going to do, since I had helped her train that technique. It was the limit of her current Fuinjutsu and flawless aim, combined with a bit of trickery.

"Twin Rising Dragons"

Upon the activation of the technique, a giant smokescreen appeared in the arena and, from it, came the two scroll looking like dragons made of smoke. Tenten flickered in between the scrolls until she reached the top and began summoning the weapons sealed in each of them. That was her current limit, a frenzy of thrown weapons so accurate that even Sasuke with his Sharingan would have a hard time dodging and blocking all of them. But Temari didn't. She just moved her Fan and created a gust strong enough to disrupt the rythm of her technique.

"Was that every..."

"Not yet!"

The next part was one I didn't know about. Apparently, little Tenten also thought that having a trump card against me was a good idea. All of her weapons were connected to her hands by wires, shich she pulled from the air to lift every weapon. She then made a sharp movement with her hands and every weapon was once again thrown at Temari. At that moment I sighed. It was over.

Temari created another gust of wind and this time even Tenten fell from the air with it. When she stood up, she had no means to attack besides trying the same old strategy, but she knew it wasn't going to work. Dejected at her lak of possibilities to win, she was about to give up. But she wasn't allowed.

"Sickle Weasel Technique!"

Temari used her technique before Tenten was able to speak, effectively hitting her and stopping her from giving up. I was beginning to realize what the unkown feeling was. When Tenten fell on top of Temari's fan, I was glad that it was over, but then she had to act like a bitch. I could feel her bad intentions and her malicious smile gave it away. But I wouldn't allow her to do something like that.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you"

I had flickered in front of Temari and held her arm in place, with my other arm grabbing Tenten and carrying her on my shoulder. I gave one last look at Temari before leaving the arena and, by how she was shaking, I could only guess what my face looked like. I was only glad Tenten was unconscious to see me like this.

"You think you can come to our village and treat my friend like this... you're wrong. You better pray not to cross me, or I swear you won't be able to carry on as a Shinobi"

The feeling was anger. It was something I was foreign to, since I had never had a reason to feel actual anger. Frustration, yes. Even being mad wasn't unusual. But straight up anger? That was new, and I didn't quite know how to handle it.

*Hiruzen's POV*

Those kids from Suna... they are a team to be wary of, but you don't go and poke a Lion while it's sleeping. And that Ryota... when he spoke to that Temari girl... he unconsciously released his Chakra. I am amazed by his potential.

His Chakra, without a doubt, was coming closer to my own. If things kept progressing as they were, Ryota Inuzuka would be the pillar in which Konoha would lean on in future years. I couldn't help but feel relieved, knowing that the village would fall in the hands of people like him and Naruto.

'I just hope nothing too big happens...'

*End*

I had turned off my brain. I didn't know what happened in the next matches and I didn' care. I was staring at nothing, until Kurenai called me.

"Ryota, it's your turn"

"Huh? Oh..."

I wasn't really interested. I was trying to calm myself down... until I saw who I was up against. Kankuro... he was Temari's brother, right? I was happy... because Tenten's avenging came walking right to me.

"Are both participants *cough* ready?"

Kankuro and I just nodded, me doing my darn best to not jump at him right then and there. Guremaru, who was standing beside me all this time, simply walked away. He understood what I intended to do and, as much as I would probably kill with him in the future, I didn't want to participate in this. This wasn't a match. This was a massacre.

"Ok, begin *cough*"

"What is it, Konoha brat, are you ma *GUH*"

I didn't even give him a chance to bring out his puppet or finish his little villain speech, when I had rushed at him and given him a strong knee to the gut. I wasn't holding my punches, so I was sure he had at least one rib broken. I saw he was about to lift his hand, having realized he had lost, but once again he didn't get the chance.

"What is it? Can't forfeit?"

Punch after punch, kick after kick, Kankuro was beaten down. I felt release and calmness take over me with each hit, but I didn't feel like it was enough.

An arm.

*crack*

A leg.

*crack*

A rib

*crack*

Only when I knew for certain that Kankuro couldn't move without feeling pain did I stop beating him. Temari was looking at me while crying and saying she was sorry, but the damage had been done. Did she think that because they were the Kazekage's children nobody would touch them? Wrong.

"Remember my words. Every person in Konoha is dear to me, so a hair from someone is an arm of yours. And that person you just treated like trash, Temari... is the one I care the most about"