To Become a Shinobi Ch. 4
By Eliad Sholomovich

FOURTY FIVE MINUTES LATER

Ibuki was walking with Sarai down the school hall. "So Ibuki... you really think you can beat Karin?" Sarai asked. Ibuki gave a snicker "I wouldn't have challenged her if I didn't. I ain't stupid Sarai" she said in a slightly hurt tone.

Sarai smiled slightly "I know its just that... I'm kinda nervous. What if you get really hurt? Or what if you hurt her? What if the principal catches you? What if-" Ibuki cut her off.

"Calm down everything's under control. In five minutes school痴 over then they can't touch me. Trust me" she said.

She then entered the showers and changed into her ninja uniform. She sighed "I hope I know what I'm doing," she thought silently. Calming herself down, Ibuki left the showers and with Sarai, they reached the gate where Karin and Sakura were waiting along with around half of the school, having quickly heard of the fight. "Oh maaan, I hate fighting with a crowd. It totally narrows my moves. I can't even throw knives now. What a bummer" Ibuki thought. Her opponent approached her.

"Nice outfit," she started "but that won't help ya win. You ready?" Ibuki eyes narrowed "How rude! I'll teach her a lesson in manners" Ibuki thought and then spoke "Any time Karin" Karin smiled and entered her stance "Then let痴 go" Ibuki nodded and entered her own stance.

"Ready.... FIGHT!!!" cried Sakura.

Karin lunged forward with a punch. Ibuki easily dodged the attack and quickly crouched under a kick. Karin spun into a roundhouse. Ibuki parried the kick and using Karin痴 vulnerability leaned forward and slammed her elbow into Karin's stomach and continued with a punch to her face. Karin reeled backwards and then stopped to wipe her mouth.

"Pretty good Ninja girl, But no more miss nice Karin. It痴 time I give you another blue mark to match your own" Karin waited and Ibuki lunged forward. Karin parried her punch and stepped forward, placing two palm strikes to her chest with the alternation of her hands. Ibuki felt the air being knocked out of her lungs. Karin stepped forward and kicked the ribs of the temporarily winded future Shinobi. Ibuki backed away holding her side. Karin leapt upward intending on placing a kick towards her opponent as Ibuki recovered and also jumped up to meet her.

She blocked the kick easily and prepared to counter when Karin quickly grabbed her arm and spun 360 degrees. Using the momentum created, Karin hurled Ibuki down towards the ground. Ibuki landed with a thud. The crowd winced.

"That痴 gotta hurt" Sarai muttered "COME ON IBUKI!!! SHOW HER WHO'S THE BEST!!!!" Sarai yelled in encouragement. Karin landed, a smug smile forming on her face.

"Ready to quit loser?" She spoke with arrogance. Ibuki was red with anger "Never Kanzuki" she spat and rose to her feet. Karin smiled.

"It痴 your funeral" she merely replied and lunged with a kick. Ibuki side-stepped and nailed her with three quick extended kicks parallel to the ground. Karin backed away and kicked forward. Ibuki ducked and kicked out at Karin痴 legs, causing her to fall. Karin landed on her back but as she rose to her feet she nailed a closing in Ibuki with a surprise uppercut. Ibuki's chin snapped back and she bit her lip.

She ran her tongue over the cut, feeling the iron taste of blood that oozed from her lip. She slowly approached and threw a left punch. Just as Karin went to initiate a counterattack, Ibuki痴 fist stopped short. Falling for the fake attack, Karin became the victim of a right fist, a punch to the abdomen, a palm strike to her chest and the thrust of Ibuki痴 foot as she kicked upwards, nailing Karin's cheek and forcing her off the ground due to the impact. Before Karin could land Ibuki leapt and stabbed her chest with two kicks. Karin fell to the ground heavily and a few seonds later slowly rose to her feet and rubbed her cheek and aching back.

"Hey that'll leave a mark. You'll pay for that!" Karin shouted and jumped to her feet and kicked low. Ibuki parried with her foot but before she could retaliate, Karin quickly struck with a high kick. Placing another kick to her abdomen, Karin jumped high showing the signs of an axe kick. The crowd gasped as Karin痴 leg descended towards Ibuki痴 head. The future Shinobi grinned and launched upwards, her foot extended hitting Karin's chin .Karin flipped upon reaching the apex of her flight and landed on her feet. She rubbed her chin, which was now also aching.

"Nice trick but it won't help you," She said and channelled her chi and lunged forward. Ibuki jumped and was sure she avoided Karin "Whoa that was easy I'll just..." then a shocking sight cut her trail of thought.

Karin suddenly jumped into the air spinning rapidly. She connected with the surprised Ibuki with a punch and then in a few seconds, in a blur of motions hit her with three punches and elbow strikes and finished it with a powerful kick. Ibuki groaned in pain as she pummeled downwards and hit the ground forcefully.

"Enough Karin leave her alone" Sakura said. Karin smiled

"You done yet wimp?" she sneered. A surge of anger ran through Ibuki. "I値l teach that cocky girl a lesson even if it kills me," she thought. She rose to her feet and rushed forward.

Karin tried to stop her path with a kick but Ibuki ducked under the attack and grabbed Karin's shirt. She raised her right hand as a wave of blue chi collected onto her fist. In one swift, smooth motion, Ibuki unleashed her sense of anger at the Kanzuki warrior.

"YOROI DOUSHI!!" Ibuki screamed. Her fist screeched through the air, slamming itself into the exposed abdomen belonging to Karin. A flash of blue flared as the fist connected. Karin groaned loudly and flew backwards rolling on the ground and stopped a few feet away, barely conscious. She lay still and the crowd gathered around her. Ibuki breathed heavily, a portion of her fighting spirit lost in the final attack. She saw the gathering and heard the voices of the crowd.

"Wow!!! Could you believe she knocked Karin out cold" a guy said.

"Did you hear Karin when the fist connected? That had to hurt." another guy said.

Ibuki was shocked "What if I'd killed her? No... I couldn't... Oh my god how could I lose control like that?" She mumbled and tears gathered in her eyes. She ran away with lightning speed pushing away those who blocked her path whilst her tears continued to flow down her cheeks.

She ignored the pain in her limbs and the exhaustion and dizziness that threatened to consume her. She couldn't face anyone now not even Sarai.Before anyone noticed her and could stop her she was already out of sight.

"Ibuki wait she'll be OK!!!" Sarai shouted as she ran after Ibuki but she was nowhere in sight. A few minutes later Karin opened her eyes. She saw the hazy faces of a few dozen teenagers.

"Wow what hit me?" Karin thought and then she remembered. "D*mn I can't believe I lost" She muttered under her breath. She rose to her feet and stood a smile on her face. "OK people nothing to see here. Move along now." Karin said, not wanting to show the pain she felt.

A few minutes later the crowd was gone and Sakura and Karin were left alone standing near the gate. Karin rubbed her cheek with one hand and held her abdomen with the other "Wow, she packs quite a punch eh Sakura? I haven't had such a good fight in a long time" she admitted. Sakura raised a brow.

"So where is she?"

Sarai was also gone. Karin shrugged "She'll find us when she needs us let痴 go." She attempted to walk before remembering her condition. "Oh Sakura could you help me walk please?" Karin said quietly. Sakura smiled sheepishly

"Sure Karin" she whispered back putting her arm under her friend and rival痴 shoulder and helping her walk away from the school.