The Breaking Point (SasukeXOC)

20

How dare he?

His silence answered my questions.

"You have two options," I began in a low and threatening tone, "you can expose yourself and help my team to bring down your prey, or you can face me instead. Either way, you won't be getting out of here with your hands clean of fight." I narrowed my eyes at him as I waited for a reaction that didn't come. The boy seemed so cold. Not a single emotion touched his frozen facial expression.

I supposed this is what a real ninja must be like. After all, we're only tools to our village and tools weren't meant to have feelings, only to do as they're told.

"I hoped we could remain allies in this, but it seems I have no choice." He drew his weapon of choice; little needles that I had seen only once before in my life.

So he chose to battle me instead of reveal himself to his enemy. I wonder if this means he's choosing Zabuza over me?

Copying the boy before me I too drew my kunai. I stood on guard waiting for him to attack first. If I was being honest with myself, I really didn't want to fight him. After all he's a tracker nin and has to be crazy skilled to gain a title at such a young age. No doubt he has more experience than me. Not to mention, he has to be a true hardened ninja to be able to hide his emotions so easily.

No doubt about it, I was in over my head with this boy.

But I did have one saving grace. My overanalyzing and assumption of his skill would make me cautious and paranoid, two incredibly life saving traits for a ninja. My only goal in this fight would be to walk away alive. If I were to fall then my team wouldn't even be able to come help me since they don't know where I am and I'm the only one with tracking abilities.

"Before we begin," he spoke, still not having braced himself for our oncoming battle, "I would like to know the name of my opponent. It isn't often that I'm challenged so outright." I quirked an eyebrow at him.

What an odd boy...

"My name is Miyu, and since we're exchanging names would you care to share yours?"

"I am Haku. I would like to let you know that I do not wish to hurt you, Miyu." I nodded to him.

"You seem like a gentle person and a smart ninja. I have to say, poaching someone else's prey seems out of character for someone like you."

"And yet, you just met me." Haku took that moment to go on the offensive taking me off guard.

He threw some of his needles my way and I was able to block them and jump away from the final few. The needles clanged softly against my kunai and I narrowed my eyes.

Surly a ninja of his standard has immense strength. The sound should've been much louder. We're far enough away that the sounds of a fight wouldn't reach my team. So why is he throwing so softly? Is he taking it easy on me?

Without much time to consider the possibilities, Haku had approached me. He produced another needle from inside his sleeve, a smart place to hide his weapons, and struck out at me. He aimed for my neck; no doubt he knew the human body well with such a precise weapon. I bent backwards to avoid his attack.

I quickly caught myself with my hands, my body now in a bridge. I decided to try a similar move as the one I used so long ago against Sasuke and flipped my feet up. I caught Haku in his chest and was able to kick him with enough strength to give myself some breathing room from his advances. I flipped myself back to my feet and readied myself once more. Haku paused to catch his breath and I let him do so.

"You have a strange fighting style. I've never seen anything like it before." Unable to withhold my smirk I nodded to him.

"I didn't learn from the village if that's what you're asking. I taught myself." He nodded and tossed more needles at me. I only avoided a few of them this time. One hit my right arm, my stronger arm, and the other hit my right leg.

I curled my nose, noting that thanks to his attack my stronger side was now weaker. He must've done that on purpose. In a split second decision I tossed my kunai to my left hand and hoped that I could teach myself to be ambidextrous in this moment.

If he's observant enough to tell which is my dominant side then he must've noticed other weaknesses as well.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves. The last thing I needed in this moment was to feel helpless. I'm a ninja of the Leaf, the Uchiha blood runs through my veins, and my pack has taught me well; I'm far from helpless.

This time I took the offensive and approached him quickly. I swiped with my kunai at his neck in a sloppy version of what he did earlier. Using my upper attack as a diversion, I swept my foot out to catch his feet. My foot caught one of his and he stumbled but it wasn't enough to send him to the ground, more just to throw him off balance.

Using his unsteadiness to my advantage I drew back a few paces while making memorized hand-signs to help channel my chakra.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu." I murmured out and blew at my fingertips. A, we'll call it medium sized, fireball shot out from my breath towards Haku.

Having just regained his balance Haku stumbled to dodge my attack. The fireball fizzled out just past Haku and I noted with satisfaction that I was able to singe his robes. One sleeve of his robe was completely burned off and he had some mild burns on his arm along with his ankle.

Haku knelt once the danger had passed. I paused in my advances feeling like the victor, but Haku seemed distracted.

"I enjoyed our fight, but it seems that it must come to an end. Perhaps we will meet again." Using speed he had certainly been holding back from during our fight, he was before me. I blinked, startled by his advance.

"You were holding back!" I accused, outraged. Haku, instead of answering me, gave me an angelic smile as he plunged a needle I hadn't noticed into my neck. I suddenly didn't feel well and the world spun.

"Until next time." He spoke, the words only half registered on my hazy brain. The last thing I remembered was collapsing into his arms.