VI

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Arc VI Chapter 6

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Asami pulled out two shuriken and attacked. The shuriken left her hand, covered in fire. She would gift Shikamaru like his father two nice scars. Taken by surprise, Skimaru dodged, missing his head.

Shikamaru bent backwards and evaded the incoming shuriken. His athleticism saved him from an unpleasant experience. The shuriken struck the wall and cut through the stone like butter. Her beloved shuriken were sharp, and they were fast. He should better avoid them. Her shuriken caused some nasty wounds. 

Shikamaru jumped up after surviving her initial attack. “Nice try. Next time ... Shit!” He jumped right into her next salvo and paid the price.

“...” Shikamaru gritted his teeth and rolled sidewards to escape the worst. Three shuriken missed their mark, but the fourth shuriken grazed his shoulder. The spikes slit open his vest and the flesh below. A cauterized cut running across his shoulder. He got lucky, the wound didn't go deep. Perhaps, he shouldn’t have baited her. Luring her into the range of his shadows didn’t work. Asami didn’t bite his bait. Instead, he pissed her off.

“...” Shikamaru clicked his tongue, his eyes focused on the enemy. This was going to be a complicated match. Stupid Asami and her stupid shuriken. They were really getting on his nerves.

“Shikamaru-kun, I am not finished yet.” Asami's lips formed a smile. Her hands presented six additional shuriken. More little toys to play with. “I have enough shuriken to spare. We can continue with our target practice.”

“...” Shikamaru glimpsed sidewards. The trees. They were close. He had to get out of here. Hiding was the best option. He ducked and dodged another friendly shuriken.

Asami was spinning a shuriken around her index finger. Playing with people was so much fun. “Are we trying to hide? Not a good idea.”

“...” Shikamru glared, hiding his annoyance. Asami knew, but how? 

Asami giggled, tilting her head. “Shikamaru-kun, you are way easier to read than you think. Your unsteady breathing, your tensed up muscles, your erratic eye movements, your twitching fingers, they betray you. Do you perhaps feel nervous?”

“...” Shikamaru frowned and resorted to his smoke bombs. Asami didn’t disappoint, the girl was still as annoying as back then at the academy, if not worse. The years treated her kindly. How annoying.

He threw his smoke bombs. It was time for a tactical retreat. Facing the princess on open ground was suicidal. Concealed by his smoke screen, Shikamaru ran, but a polished kunai intercepted him and blocked his way. The kunai missed him miserably, but not so the attached explosive tag. He was within the blast radius. Dammit.

Shikamaru accelerated and left his protective smoke screen, only to be greeted by a burning sensation cutting through his legs. The pain cut deep and made him trip. Unable to move, he crashed onto the dusty ground. A single shuriken was stuck into the wall. Purple fire coated the surface and blood dripped from the spikes. The little thing nearly amputated him.

Adrenaline shot through his veins, but he endured the pain. How the fuck did she locate him. Her two attacks were perfectly timed despite the smoke. 

Asami grinned in a sense of pure schadenfreude. Her tender heart enjoyed his suffering. Shikamaru was a naughty little boy, and he deserved some punishment. “Be careful where you go, Shikamaru. The world of ninja is a dangerous place.”

Asami confronted Shikamaru. Her small figure approached his broken body, her black eyes looking down on him with a glimmer of purple inside. “Shikamaru, do you remember your words? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t lose to a girl? And now you lie here in the dust. Do you still think you can win? Or do you recognise the hopelessness of your situation?”

“...” Shikamaru fell silent.

Asami waited for an answer. She waited, and waited, and waited, but Shikamaru refused to respond. Ultimately, she offered him her hand together with a smile. “Do you need any help, Shikamaru? We don't need to fight any more. It's time to end this match.”

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