Game of the Year: A Naruto Quest

@Vesvius

Vesvius said:

Everyone knows the mark of a true kenjutsu master is using things that aren't swords as swords. Daisuke decides to see if that's possible. The results are... mixed.

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Not really happy and it barely qualifies as a snippet, but it can't be helped.

The way you created your jutsu was almost accidental. Sure, you did countless hours of research on enhancement techniques and weapon compatibility beforehand, honed your chakra control to as fine a point as you could, and practiced your sword swings until your hands bled, but the way it all came together was almost a perfect storm. In the moment you came up with it, there was no thought, only action.

But while you may have almost fallen into the jutsu that you would dub the 'Endless Sword', that was just the easy part. The hard part comes next. It comes during the weeks that follow as you practice and refine the jutsu. You don't want it too strong, or it'll be worthless in a fight where you have to worry about collateral damage. But you don't want it too weak or it'll be just plain pathetic. You don't want the blades that come out to be too sharp- to do that risks straight up killing whoever you hit every time. But you don't want them too blunt; that makes the entire thing like a strong shove more than anything else.

Of course, in the weeks leading up to graduation you have more to worry about than just the Endless Sword. You continue refining the Tone of Discord. You put some effort into helping your friends with their own history projects now that yours is completed. You continue your dominance in the sparring arena which is getting much harder; some of your fellows are starting to step up their game. And of course, you hone the three Academy Jutsu.

Bunshin comes surprisingly easy to you, and Kawarimi is practically second nature after all the time Yui has spent drilling you in it. The one you really focus on is your Henge. That's only to be expected though. Kawarimi is pretty much fire and forget, and Bunshin is easily used for combat manipulation, there's a lot more that goes into a good henge than just chakra and hand seals. After all, Henge isn't truly made for direct confrontation like the others; it's a jutsu meant for infiltration. And for that, you need to act just like the person you're transformed into, you need to move just like that person, you need to do absolutely everything you can to be that person. Only when someone can look from you to your subject and back and not be able to tell the difference will you really have Henge no Jutsu mastered.

Of course, you start with your friends. Jabari is the easiest to duplicate; you just speak softly and scream when you get into a fight, and that's more than enough. Then Yui. Pulling off her appearance is harder, but her personality is somewhat easier. All you have to do there is look like you find everything around you perpetually funny and reprimand people harshly for their posture. Sakura is a bit of a challenge; she holds her books in a strange way and has a surprisingly short gait. Ino is harder still, but thankfully with her the genuine article is happy to give you tips so that "You don't make me look bad!"

After your friends you're on to the rest of your class. Sasuke. Goro. Akari. Naruto. Shino. Kairi. Ren. Tobio. Mariko. All of them, and all the others. You pick a different one every day and drill yourself in mastering their appearances in between sessions with your other jutsu. Some you pick up better than others, but you're competent with all of them. And thankfully, when Iruka-sensei calls a 'surprise' review the next-to-last day of class, he tasks you with transforming into Sasuke, who you've got down.

That's not where your good fortune ends that day. For the afternoon spar, you're paired off with Koizumi Shinsuke, one of the more average students in class. The only thing noticeable about him is how unnoticable he is. Honestly, if you weren't able to access your class roster from your main menu, you probably wouldn't even remember his name. But you don't care about his name; all you care about is that he's enough of a scrapper not to go down after the first blow and you're able to bust out everything. The spar ends with the Endless Sword- watered down version- making it's triumphant debut, blasting Shinsuke out of the ring.

As he falls, horns go off in your ears.

YOU HAVE ATTAINED THE ACHIEVEMENT 'The True Master'! CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT!

YOU HAVE ATTAINED THE ACHIEVEMENT 'The Academy Three'! CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT!

A blurb starts going off in your ear and you listen to it with half a mind. "Congratulations!" it says. "You have unlocked Technique Evolution! Technique Evolution is a simple yet rewarding part of 'Elemental'. Certain techniques have the potential to evolve into more advanced stages. When one of those techniques reaches Master level, it's advanced form will be created automatically! This new technique is more powerful than its predecessor and normally more useful. However, it does not start out mastered; it begins at Basic level. Try to master as many techniques as you can to see what new paths they may lead to!"

Sounds interesting, but you're only barely paying attention to the speech. The rest of your focus is on your quest log, where the success conditions for 'King of the Classroom' have turned green. You've got it!

At least, you think you've got it until you get to a line that isn't green. One that definitely wasn't there this morning.

Secret success condition three: prove you belong at the top of the heap.

The fuck does that mean?

You're ripped from your thoughts by Iruka-sensei blowing a whistle to get everyone's attention. "That's enough!" he calls. "That's enough for this round! Now everyone, move to your left and switch partners!"

The crowd starts milling about, following orders. You move slowly as you try to think of what this new condition means. You've got to figure it out now; there's no more time! The Graduation Exams are tomorrow!

But the question is answered when you look up at your new opponent, and meet the intense eyes of Uchiha Sasuke.

"Fits," he says with a shrug. "We started by fighting. Last spar should be us too."

You nod and glance around as casually as you can. This can't be a coincidence. There's no way they just 'happened' to put you and Sasuke in a position to fight during the last rotation of class. And sure enough, you see Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei both 'happening' to look over in your direction.

Sasuke notices it too. "Hn. What'd you suppose they're looking at?"

You shrug. "They probably just want to see who's better."

Sasuke's eyes narrow. "They know who's better. You may be a little better hand to hand, but I outclass you in every other way."

"For now," you allow. "Let's see if you still say that after we're done here."

There's a grinding sound as Sasuke sets his jaw. "Fine," he replies shortly. "Do you want to make this interesting?"

You wait, and he continues. "No limitations. We both use whatever we can and go all out. First one to submit or fall unconscious loses."

Your hand falls to your sword's hilt. "Sounds fair. Ready?"

His hand forms the seal of confrontation, and you mimic him. "Let's do this."

Light flashes before your eyes, and words warp into being in front of you.

ACADEMY FINAL BOSS: UCHIHA SASUKE.

"Ready?" Iruka-sensei calls. "Fight!"

Sasuke won't be an easy opponent, not even for you. He's not holding back at all and has his full arsenal at his disposal. It'll take a good plan to not only beat him, but to do it a manner that proves your superiority for the onlookers.

What will you do?
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