I turned to her, I remembered everything I read in their bio's, about how Zuko felt ostriches inside his own clan, how China was dismissed for being a girl, and I put it to use. I pointed at myself, "clanless orphan," at Zumo, "black sheep of the clan," and then China, "a woman."
Zumo blinked, "that's not really the same."
I scoffed, "trust me, it is. Women have it tough, especially in the ninja world."
China slowly nodded, "he's right."
I turned to Zumo, "here's the thing Zumo, I hate losing, and more importantly, I hate being looked down on. I know you do as well, and China hates being seen as nothing more than a chick. We all are looked down on our entire lives, all of us, and being ninjas...it gives us the chance to be more, to be greater, to be our own legend. I don't have a last name, by being a ninja I'll earn one. You're clan looks at you like you aren't worth their time, prove them wrong, instead of saying, 'oh, he's from the Sarutobi clan' let people say, 'hey, isn't that Zumo's clan'? And if the only thing they see China as is a woman, then they will never see her blade. But we can't do that if we don't pass this test, right here and right now. And the only way we have a chance….is if we work together."
Zumo and China looked at me, blinking. Zumo gulped, "r-right...do you have a plan?"
Ping!
You have successfully motivated your teammates!
Ping!
A skill has leveled up!
Speaking skills, Lv- 15 (1%) Your verbal ability to convince people to follow your lead or agree to your demands. Chances of being successful- 40% +10% for every positive REP score you have with target -10 % for every negative REP score you have with target +250% bonus into teamwork for Zumo +550% bonus into teamwork for China I grinned, "I think I have just the thing. We're dealing with a Hyuga, meaning we can expect him to rely heavily on his eyes and taijutsu. So, we focus on attacking mid range of long range. Do any of you know any jutsu like that?"
China shook her head, "no, sorry. I'm mainly into weapons."
"I know the great fireball jutsu and the flame bullet jutsu," Zumo said with a proud grin.
I groaned, "I see...oh! I got it!" I took out an empty scroll and took out my fuinjutsu set laying on the ground and drawing a seal on it that I quickly came up.
"You can make seals?" Zumo asked looking over my shoulder in interest. "Yes," I replied.
"You any good?" he asked.
Ping!
You created a C rank seal!
Flash!
I grinned, "very," I rolled the finished scroll and got up, "this seal will create a bright flash of light so strong it should temporarily blind Ko-sensei. All you have to do is open it up, place the seal facing him and make a ram seal."
"Amazing," China said in wonder.
"Right, China, give me your hand," I said picking up the seal brush once more. I began drawing a seal on her palm, it quickly took the form of a tiger. I had worked on the tattoo I had gotten a long time ago from my first dungeon run. I had analysed it and figured the seal pattern out a long time ago and could now replicate it whenever I wanted. When I was done China looked at it and blinked, "what is it?"
I grinned, "that is how we are going to pass this test. Now listen up, here's the plan."
With Ko:
'Hm, it's been half an hour, should I be worried?' Ko asked himself as he kept his byakugan active, looking around like a sentry, keeping watch. Just as he was about to go looking for his genin he stopped and smiled as Zumo appeared in the edge of his sight, walking towards him with a giant shuriken on his back and a kunai in each hand.
Ko was actually impressed by the genin's skills, sneaking around with something that big on one's back was quite a feet. Zumo stopped by the edge of the tree line and waited. It was ten minutes later when Ko finally had enough.
"You know I can see you yes? I am a Hyuga after all," Ko called out. Zip!
Zumo threw two kunais at Ko, which the Hyuga easily dodged. Zumo then leaped out, throwing the giant shuriken on his back at the Hyuga, which sailed inches over his head, landing softly behind him.
"You're going to have to do better than that Zumo," Ko sighed, as the Sarutobi kid came right at him slipping into the jungle style, his clan's signature taijutsu style.
Ko easily blocked his strikes, sweeping away his kicks and hits, "so where are the others?"
"I don't need them," Zumo growled as he jumped back and threw three shurikens at Ko. The jonin was impressed at the speed, but nothing else. He easily slipped into the gentle fist style and caught each shuriken by looping a finger through the center hole before throwing it back at Zumo, twice as fast. "Shit!" Zumo took a kunai out and knocked the kunai away.
"Too slow," Ko whispered into his ear as he suddenly appeared next to Zumo, hitting him in the gut, sending the Sarutobi kid flying back.
Zumo coughed as he got on his knees, holding his gut, Ko walking towards him lazily, "you know...I honestly expected more...I'm disappointed in you."
"Well, you shouldn't be," Zumo smirked as he twisted his body revealing a scroll on his tummy. He swirled it open, displaying a seal on it's surface. Ko blinked in confusion, he didn't recognize that seal. "Flash!" Zumo called out, shutting his eyes as he made the ram sign.
ZM!
"ARGH!" Ko called out as he closed his eyes, blinded by the sheer light that came out of the scroll. He held his head in pain, grumbling at the tactic, "clever."
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