A Spar (2).

Being completely blinded Tachibana had no other recourse other than fight based on sounds and feelings.

Of course, Tachibana in a real combat situation would simply use spirit vision to bypass all the genjutsu, but he couldn't do that in a situation where Yamato was monitoring their fight, even if it was just a wood clone.

It would be near impossible to explain how he knew exactly where his teammates were attacking from if that was the case.

To completely abandon his vision, Tachibana straight up closed his eyes and paid attention to all the sounds he was hearing.

'To my left.' Tachibana noticed as he heard a soft ruffling of clothes.

Before the sound vanished or stopped, Tachibana threw three shuriken in the general direction to attack whatever was hiding there.

But before he could confirm if the distant target had been hit, Tachibana was forced to dodge two punches that were aimed right at his head.

But Tachibana cleverly stepped closer to the source of the two punches, making them miss him narrowly as they slipped past his cheeks.

Yet in that moment, Tachibana didn't just feel satisfied with dodging the punches, he retaliated with his own fists, slamming them forward to the spot where he expected Naruto and Sasuke's bodies to be.

In the real world while Tachibana was fighting the ghosts Sasuke was showing him.

Team Seven surrounded Tachibana fully.

"Are you sure this will work Sasuke!?" Naruto asked softly, whispering to make sure that his loud voice wouldn't wake Tachibana up.

Sasuke's spinning tomoe were focused on showing Tachibana exactly what he wanted him to see, hear and feel, so he simply *grunted*.

Leaving Sakura to speak calmly-

"Naruto-kun, let's stick to the plan. We must not let him teleport, or all our planning to get to this point would be in vain."

Naruto nodded in agreement.

"Tachibana-kun!!! Now I will pay you back for all those times you beat me up!!!!"

The trio of Team Seven rushed towards Tachibana at full speed.

Naruto had his hand cocked back for a punch.

Sasuke was focusing on maintaining his genjutsu over Tachibana so that he wouldn't break out of it by teleport away.

While Sakura ran towards Tachibana while holding a kunai in reverse grip.

Each had their utmost focus on Tachibana which is why they missed the subtle *sshhing* of the ground underneath them.

Inside the illusory world that Sasuke had created, Tachibana stopped moving and then smiled.

The illusory Team Seven quickly tried taking the advantage and push Tachibana by attacking with their kunai.

But Tachibana's next words froze them all.

"Isn't this enough Sasuke-kun?"

The minute Tachibana said that, Sasuke froze for a second, but then he smiled and spoke calmly.

"You're too late. We've already surrounded you and are about to stab you-"

"You're wrong…"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I planted a trap when I used that smoke grenade you see…"

"Trap? But there are no explosive seals on the floor! At least none that have been primed with chakra and are about to explode! I checked thoroughly!!"

"It wouldn't be a trap if it was so simple to detect now would it?" Tachibana said with a laugh and finally opened his eyes to look at the genjutsu Sasuke.

"I will see you in the real world then. This time I managed to improve enough to not even have to use my teleportation jutsu to have to defeat you. Hehehe~ Aren't I the prodigy then?"

"Wha-"

Sasuke was about to ask Tachiabana a question in the genjutsu world but in the real world, Sakura shouted!

"Sasuke-kun! Naruto-kun!!!! Run away!!!!"

Sakura was the first to notice the single explosive seal that had been imprinted directly into the ground under Tachibana.

She was quick to realise what was going to happen and forcibly stopped her momentum towards Tachibana but it was too late.

Naruto and Sasuke only noticed the single explosive seal and didn't take Sakura's warning seriously.

'It's only a single explosive seal…what's got her so worried?'

'Seriously Sakura-chan, it's just a single seal, why are you so worried?'

But that was when under the shocked gazes of Naruto and Sasuke, the ignition of the single seal under Tachibana's legs flooded outwards.

In a moment an entire circle covering all of Team Seven lit up with several explosive seals!

Tachibana had worked hard while the smoke bomb had gone off to use his legs to draw out several explosive seals wherever he had stepped.

Hence the entirety of Team Seven was currently surrounded by these explosive tags and almost instantly they all noticed the ground *sizzling*.

Naruto's face paled.

Sasuke looked like he'd eaten rotting meat.

While Sakura was beyond terrified.

All they heard before the explosion was-

"Hehehehehehehehe~ I hope I see you again in our next life."

-the line sent shivers down their spine and they almost coughed up their souls because of how scared they were feeling seeing the number of explosive tags on the ground.

*BBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM*

A fiery pillar rose into the sky and shook the ground with a slight *rumble*. Nearly all the jonin in the village looked towards Training Ground Seven, wondering what sort of jutsu its inhabitants were practising to create such a large tremor.

Hiruzen in his office also looked at the training ground and because of the height of his office, saw a large fiery pillar.

'Hmm…Tachibana-kun is growing stronger…'

'Well, as long as I praise him appropriately he should be obedient..'

'If he ever thinks of doing something else I could always send him to Danzo.'

'This next mission should also show if Tachibana-kun is going to be a good friend for Naruto-kun.'

The explosion soon died away and Tachibana emerged out of its embers completely unharmed even though he was just engulfed by it moments earlier.

The trio of Team Seven, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura were all hidden behind a large wooden dome that Yamato's clone had constructed.

"Aww…you ran away to mommy…how cute." Tachibana teased when Yamato made a small door for them all to come out.

Naruto was downright furious.

"Tachibana-kun!! I thought we were friends!!!! Why are you trying to kill me!!!"

"Because I don't want anyone else to kill you!!" Tachibana reasoned randomly, and just when Naruto was about to feel happy that Tachibana cared about him in some random far far-fetched way, Tachibana added-

"Only friends are allowed to kill each other for growing stronger! Haven't you heard about the power of friendship!?"

Naruto almost *coughed* blood when he heard that.

Sasuke on the other hand asked calmly, "How did you know you were trapped in my Sharingan genjutsu even when you closed your eyes and I manipulated you by sound?"

"Because you didn't match my explosive tags I prepared on the ground. I can easily tell where they're placed because they use my chakra."

Finally, Sakura spoke accusingly-

"That was overboard!"

Tachibana simply smiled and spoke softly, "When I was in the fire…I saw…someone was clinging onto Sas-"

Before Tachibana could say a word more Sakura almost teleported behind him and pressed her hand on his mouth.

"You will not say anything else.", Sakura whispered threateningly.

"Haha~ fine." Tachibana nodded.

"Alright you all, that's enough training for today!" Yamato said calmly while dispelling his wood clone.

"YAaaaeiiii!!!!" Naruto was the only one who shouted enthusiastically.

"I have some news.", Yamato spoke calmly grabbing the attention of all the genin. "We will be going on a new mission tomorrow morning. So pack up and be ready. Don't be late."

Yamato said that and shunshined away, leaving the tired genin to go back home and rest for the night.