Dedication is the same as per-normal!! emerden101 how many times has it been you that answered the question first now?? Hahaha.

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Chapter 30

I looked back up and I felt the tree wobble. I tensed and then I launched myself off of the tree before it tumbled down. My hand shot into my clay pouch and I quickly made three of my explosives. I pulled my hand out of the pouch and I flipped in mid-air. I crouched as I hit another tree and stuck to it and I looked down towards the Snake.

It had turned around and was coming at my tree. I threw down my explosives at the Snake, and then I pushed myself towards the snake. The snake opened its mouth to eat me, but instead it swallowed two of my explosives. The other one… well, it had expanded to my large bird. I flipped and I landed on the bird and shot up into the air.

I made the bird turn and hover in the air. I looked down at the snake that was looking up at me. My eyes narrowed. My hand’s formed the oh so familiar hand sign. “I will not be made fleeting by you! Art is a bang! Katsu!” I shouted and then an echoing explosion was heard throughout the forest was the death of an evil snake.

I chuckled and smiled to myself. “It’s certainly been a while since I have turned something into art… I’ve missed it!” I grinned brightly when I felt something darker in the air. I tensed. That does not feel good. My eyes widened. “Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura!” I almost forgot about them in my fear then post explosion joy.

I focused onto the direction where that feeling had come from… that killer intent. I could sense my chakra there… two of them. Sasuke and Sakura!

I leant forward and I shot towards them. As I did that, my hand flew to my scope and I noticed… the person that they were facing had too much chakra… This couldn’t be a genin!

I made the bird go quicker to get to them before anything horrible happened. When I got near them, I noticed in a second that Sasuke and Sakura were both frozen from the sheer intensity of the nin’s killing intent and that the nin was about to through Kunai at them!

In the next second, I pushed off of my bird and into the air. My clay bird got right in between my teammates and the nin, taking the hits. I landed on the bird and looked right towards the nin. I felt from my chakra in the fake clay scrolls, that Sasuke and Sakura moved at the last second, going up into the foliage. “You’re no normal genin, un,” I called out and they looked over at me carefully.

“You as well, Little Bomber, sister of Deidara,” the… person called out to me. I couldn’t tell if they were a boy or a girl… Haku situation all over again. I just don’t think this guy is as nice as Haku.

I smirked at him. “You know who I am then, hmm?” I asked, I did a hand sign behind my back, focusing my chakra into my bird, turning the bird into the clay version of Artsy. (AN Not into the actual teddy, just when she makes Artsy really dense and hard…) “then you know… I’m not to be underestimated!” then I shot into the air and my bird flew straight at the ninja.

I didn’t look back; my bird was a distraction so I could get to Sasuke and Sakura. I heard the slam of my bird hitting a tree as I disappeared into the foliage. When I reached them, I saw Sasuke covering Sakura’s mouth. They both looked so fearful…

Instead of being careful approaching them, I moved right towards them. Sasuke tensed at the sight of me. “Stay away!” he hissed towards me.

My eyes blinked at him, and I bit my lip. “Password, right… eh,” I looked at my hands and then I raised my hands towards him, palm up. “Art is fleeting, un.” My hand mouth appeared and I grinned at him reassuringly.

But he didn’t stop his shaking. I could see Sakura’s worried eyes looking at me. She wanted me to do something. I came up next to them and I put a hand on both of their shoulders. “We need to mov-“ I was cut off by a shadow coming over us. My head snapped up and I came eye to eye another huge snake.

Sakura ripped Sasuke’s hands off of her mouth. “Sasuke! Emi, a snake!” she exclaimed. And the snake chose that time to strike.

All of us jumped back away from the snake and into higher trees. Sakura and I landed together on the same tree. We looked up and saw a snake curling up a tree. This one isn’t about force like the one I went up against…

Sasuke… my eyes darted around until I saw what the snake was after… the snake used the tree to reach Sasuke in the air! The Snake launched itself towards Sasuke. As it was getting too close, Sakura and I could hear Sasuke shout  ‘don’t get near me!’ as he threw shuriken at it. Killing it instantly.

Sakura and I both let out a sigh of relief as Sasuke landed on a tree branch. But that sigh turned into one of disgust as we could see the snake start to crack on its back. Out of the crack… the nin started to come out. “You can’t let your guard down for even a second,” the nin called out, slowly coming out of the snake. “Prey need to strain their minds all the time, and run around in the presence of a predator,” the ninja looked right up at Sasuke as they licked their lips with their long tongue.

My eyes widened as the person shot towards Sasuke like a snake. Their body stretched like one and curled around the tree branch like the snake did earlier. When out of nowhere Kunai and Shuriken came flying and hit the tree. Stopping the snake ninja’s advance.

Everyone’s heads snapped in direction of where the kunai were thrown from. “Sorry Sasuke,” Naruto’s voice reached us as he stood on a tree branch with his arms crossed.

“Naruto!” Sakura’s voice exclaimed towards my best friend and I grinned.

“I forgot the password,” Naruto called down to us and I snickered, feeling a bit giddy that everyone was safe.

“Finally arrived? Don’t worry, I was late and I forgot the password too, yah,” I called out at him and he grinned over at me.

“Good Naruto, you look kind of cool!” Sakura called as well and I knew that Naruto’s ego just grew.

“Naruto, you must have come here to show off by helping us, but don’t get involved! Run! He’s way above our level! Right Emiko?!” Sasuke spoke up, his voice showing his fear and desperation…  

I looked over to him… Sasuke… My hand’s clenched. Sasuke is right, this guy is above our skill level… if this was a sneak attack on our front, then maybe we’d be fine… but this is a sneak attack on this ninja’s side.

“Looks like you defeated that big snake, Naruto,” the Snake person looked over to me. “that explosion before, Little Bomber… was that you also? Killing the snake?”

My eyes narrowed… so this guy sent them. A summoning contract with a snake perhaps? “No, I didn’t kill the snake… I turned it into a beautiful piece of artwork,” I informed the nin and their eyes narrowed in slits.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey! Looks like you were picking on the weak, eh? Now that I, the great Naruto Uzumaki, am here. I’m going to beat you to a pulp!” Naruto shouted, pointing right at the nin.

I tensed, Naruto… this isn’t like Haku. Where the bad guy wasn’t actually trying to kill us… This is an entire new playing field.

I noticed Sasuke looking around with his Sharingan eyes, trying to think of something. I knew he wasn’t handling this well… this really sucks! My eyes widened when I saw Sasuke deactivate his Sharingan.

“Wait!” Sasuke exclaimed. Everyone’s heads turned towards him. Sasuke reached into his shuriken pouch. Oh he better not… yep he pulled out the scroll! I smirked to myself. Well tough on you. You don’t have the scroll! “I’ll give you the scroll. Please, take this and leave us in peace!”

The snake nin smirked at Sasuke and my eye twitched. “Hey, Sasuke! What are you doing?!” Naruto and I both shouted towards our teammate. Naruto added. “What are you trying to do by giving the enemy our scroll?!”

Sasuke glared at both of us. Looking backwards and forwards us blondes. “You both shut up!” My eyes widened at his harsh tone. Sasuke is scared to the core!

“I see…” the snake ninja spoke up. “You’re smart. The only hope the prey has from a predator… is to hand over something else to eat to save itself.” My eyes widened at the reference… eat… this guy doesn’t want our scroll at all! He can’t be a genin!

Sasuke and the Snake nin stared at each other, before Sasuke lightly tossed the fake scroll towards the nin.

The snake ninja looked ready to catch it when Naruto flew towards the scroll and grabbed it before it reached the ninja. At that same time, I had jumped to the tree branch where Sasuke and the ninja were standing and I stood between the nin and Sasuke. A second later, Naruto landed on the branch also, putting the scroll away.

Sasuke tensed at the sight of us before he glared. “You…! Don’t but in! Do you two even understand the situation you’re in?!” my eyes flashed over to his in a glare.

At that same time, Naruto had swung around and punched Sasuke in the face, knocking him back and away from Naruto, the snake nin and I. Sasuke maneuverer himself so he could land on another tree branch.

Sasuke looked over to Naruto and I. “Why you… Why did you do that? Why did you let him do that Emiko?” Sasuke called out to us and I looked away from him. I let him because the way Sasuke is now… He is useless in this situation.

“I… forgot the password… so I can’t make sure of this, but… You’re a fake Sasuke, aren’t you?” Naruto asked of him and my eyes flashed over to Naruto.

“Naruto, what… What are you saying?” Sakura called over to Naruto in shock from behind us.

Sasuek glared at him. “You idiot! I’m the real one!” Sasuke shouted at him in full anger.

Naruto shock in his own anger. “tch. The idiot and coward I see in front of me right now can’t be the Sasuke I know. I don’t know how strong he is, but there is no guarantee that he’ll let us go even if we have over our scroll! You’re the one who is scared, the one who doesn’t understand the situation,” Naruto snapped over to him.

I nodded. “Naruto… as much as I hate to disagree here. That is the real Sasuke… but it’s the Sasuke that has crocked(Sp?). This exam is supposed to bring out our true self’s in a life or death situation on all fronts… this seems like it’s his,” I called out. I glared over to Sasuke. “I thought Sakura would be the shaky mess. But it’s not.”

Sasuke seemed frozen at my words. I looked away from him and towards the snake nin. “Like I said before… even if an enemy gets a scroll… they might still kill us for sport! And this nin here is no genin. And that means he has no need for the scroll, he want’s something else!” I exclaimed, my deduction received a chuckle of the Snake nin.

The Snake nin unwound themselves from the tree and said. “Naruto, Emiko…” we all looked towards the nin as they licked their lips. “You’re both correct! I just have to…” the nin pulled up their sleeve to show us their summoning tattoo. I tensed. So I was right… he does have a summoning contract. “kill all of you to take the scroll.”

The snake man bit his thumb on the other hand and then swiped his bleeding thump down the tattoo. I felt air rush passed me as Naruto ran towards the snake man, pulling out a kunai. “Naruto!” I called out as he ran. We need a plan of action!

“Stop! Run, Naruto!” Sasuke called out just after me.

But both our calls were lost. When Naruto was close to the snake ninja, he launched into the air for an air attack.

“Summoning art,” my eyes widened as the ninja did hand signs.

When the ninja finished, a gust of air surrounded us. The gust of wind before… was from a summon jutsu?! I felt the tree being completely destroyed from under me by the summoning jutsu so I launched myself into the air and flipped back onto another branch, crouched and ready to jump again.

When I had landed, I looked up and I saw the ninja on top of a new snake. My eyes widened when the snake rose towards the still air born Naruto. I heard Sakura call out towards Naruto before the snake tried to slam down onto him but Naruto was missed by centimetres. The snake continued in his attack and slammed into a tree, destroying it entirely. Naruto started to fall from the air and he landed on another branch. Breathing hard as the snake raised its head and faced Naruto.

The snake ninja chuckled hard and smirked at Naruto. “Heh heh heh. How cute,” the nin complemented my best friend. “What a cute prey.”

I tensed as I saw the snake’s tail come from below and smashed into Naruto’s branch, sending him up into the air. Sasuke, Sakura and I all called out Naruto’s name as Naruto smashed into other braches until he hit the trunk of a tree. My heartbeat quickened as I saw Naruto cough blood from the hit.

Naruto fell at such a fast rate towards the snake as the snake ninja order his snake. “eat him for now.”

The snake licked his lips and I couldn’t stay standing still… I had to do something! but what could I do… As I thought this, I didn’t notice the sudden chakra change in Naruto. Not until I saw Naruto twist in mid-air and slam his fist into the snake’s head. The snake was knocked back from Naruto but Naruto kept coming. When I did notice the change, I smirked to myself. ‘So, nine tails, you decided to help Naruto?’

Naruto came back at the snake and let loose a whole lot of punches at its face, the snake tried to get Naruto back by hitting him back with its tongue but Naruto just pushed back with a yell.

My eyes darted towards the Snake nin when I saw him move his hand to his mouth. My eyes widened when I noticed the snake nin was blowing fire at Naruto!

“Naruto, move!” I shouted, but he couldn’t do anything in mid-air and the fire hit him.

Naruto was knocked out of the air and sent downwards, breaking more branches before being stopped by a tree trunk yet again. I had to stop myself from going to see if he is alright. I have to tread carefully around this nin. One move without thought and I might be where Naruto is. I can’t be rendered unable to fight when Sasuke is useless right now and Sakura… well she can’t stand against the Snake ninja. None of us can.

I turned my gaze back at the snake nin, as the turned him gaze onto Sasuke. “Your next. Sasuke. How will you fight?” I tensed at the nin’s words.

The snake the snake nin was on started to move and I knew that Sasuke wasn’t going to get out of the way. As the snake started towards’ Sasuke, I launched off of the tree branch I was on, chakra aiding me to give me more strength and speed, straight towards a frozen Sasuke.

When I reached Sasuke, I moved between the snake and Sasuke. My hand went into my clay pouch and I quickly made an E2, I glared at the snake and threw the explosive at it. The E2 landed on the snake.

I formed a hand sign and just as I was about to set off the explosive, Naruto came out of nowhere and blocked the snake from slamming into Sasuke and I… his arm’s out wide holding it back and his head down… well it would have hit us if I wasn’t about to make it art… heh heh.

“Hey…” Naruto huffed. “Are you hurt…” Naruto straining in effort to hold the snake back, looked up revelling his red eyes with cat slits and his whisker marks was more defined… the nine tails really was aiding Naruto. I noticed that Naruto’s eyes weren’t looking at me, no they were looking over my shoulder and right at Sasuke. He was talking to Sasuke. “Scaredy cat?”

My eyes widened a fraction… the wave mission…

***Flashback***

Naruto was looking at Sasuke in shock. I frowned, and I touched his back. He looked at me. “Hey Naruto. Don’t beat yourself up about it, okay?” I asked, and then I smiled. He frowned at me too.

“Hey!” Sasuke called out towards Naruto and I. We both looked up at him. “Are you hurt, scaredy cat?” He asked, and Naruto twitched.

***End Flashback***

The situation is simular here… except it’s Sasuke whose frozen and Naruto saving him… heh, I even made explosives then too that didn’t help them.

I let a small smile form on my face at the reference. Naruto really is growing.

Naruto glared hard at Sasuke from over my shoulder. “This idiot and coward I see isn’t the Sasuke I know,” Naruto growled at Sasuke. Naruto looked at me. “And you let Emi guard you again after she nearly died for you the last time?!” I felt Sasuke’s eyes on me. I ignored it. I knew Naruto was trying to get a reaction out of Sasuke.

Out of nowhere, a long tongue wrapped around Naruto. My head snapped up as Naruto shouted in shock as he was lifted into the air. I saw that the tongue was connected to… the Snake nin.

“Naruto!” I shouted, taking a step forward. But I felt a hand wrap around my arm. Holding me there, I tried to pull out my arm but the grip just tightened.

I looked back and I saw it was Sasuke. He wasn’t looking at me but he was holding me back from helping Naruto. I glared hard as I heard Naruto cursing at the snake nin. “Sasuke, let me go!” but that did nothing but make Sasuke’s grip tighten until it hurt. I gritted my teeth. I can’t move and if I tried… Sasuke might just break my arm!

I turned back towards Naruto and the Snake nin. The Snake nin retracted it’s tongue so Naruto would be eye to eye with them, Naruto was trying his hardest to get out of the nin’s tongues hold.

“Let him go, you snake psychopath!” I shouted. I would use the E2 that was on the snake to drop this Snake nin to his death but… if I did that I would hurt Naruto too and I have a feeling that if I tried that… it wouldn’t work. This nin is on a whole different level to us.

My eyes widened when I saw the nin start to do hand signs, when he finished, all the tips of his fingers lit up with purple flame like chakra… I tensed when I saw that the nin lifted up Naruto’s jacket with his tongue, showing Naruto’s stomach. That’s where the seal is! As Naruto’s backs to us, we couldn’t see it, but I knew it was there and it would be showing!

“Naruto!” I shouted one last time and the nin pulled back his arm with the purple flaming chakra.

The snake nin slammed his hand onto Naruto’s stomach, shouting. “Five Element seal!”

I felt like in that moment I failed being a self-proclaimed sister to Naruto when Naruto’s mouth open in a silent scream. I saw smoke coming from Naruto’s stomach. This nin has done something to the seal… and it’s not good at all!

“Sasuke! Let go of Emiko and please help Naruto…!” Sakura shouted from her spot. My heart was racing when my scope picked up the receding chakra of the nine tails from Naruto, returning to its normal state… but it seems weaker than normal… what did that Five Element Seal do to my best friend… no my self-proclaimed brother?!

I saw Naruto collapse, the nin’s tongue still wrapped around his knocked out form. I looked to Sasuke from the corner of my eyes and I saw Sasuke was still frozen. His grip not loosening anytime soon.

I looked back to the nin and Naruto. The nin reached into Naruto’s shuriken pouch. Pulling out the fake scroll that Naruto saved from being handed over to the nin by Sasuke.

When the nin had it, he flicked Naruto away with his tongue towards a tree. “Naruto!” I shouted along with Sakura, pulling out a kunai and throwing it. Two thuds of kunai hitting a tree were heard. My eyes widened at the sight of two kunai holding Naruto to the tree and prevent his fall to his death.

I looked over to Sakura… she helped Naruto. I saw Sakura turn around and looked over to us. However I knew she was looking passed me to Sasuke. “What’s wrong, Sasuke?” I looked right into Sakura’s eyes and she finally looked over to me. “What’s wrong with Sasuke, Emi?” she cried out to me.

I ignored her calling me Emi, this was a stressful and scary time… for all of us. I kept a strong face up and I frowned. “He has cracked,” I called over to her and then looked at Sasuke who was staring over at the Snake nin in fear. I could feel him shaking.

“Naruto is different from you, Sasuke,” Sakura started and I looked over at her, knowing that Sasuke wasn’t going to change anytime soon. “He’s dumber and a nuisance sometimes, but… at least he’s not a coward! Right?!”

My eyes widened. Did Sakura just… defend Naruto and at the same time talk down to Sasuke?! I felt Sasuke’s grip on my arm tighten again and I couldn’t hold back my yelp of pain. Sasuke froze at the sound and I glared at him. He looked right at me as I did so.

“Sakura’s right and you’re holding me back, un,” I snapped, having enough of this. I curled my hand around his wrist. “Snap out of it and then stay out of my way!” I exclaimed as I made my hand mouths appear and I made the mouth bite down on Sasuke’s arm.

He gasped in pain and let go of my arm. When I was free, I jumped high into the air, right over the snake and the snake nin.

The snake nin looked up, his head following me as I flew over him. I smirked at him when I was right above him.

I formed a hand sign and I said with conviction. “Art is a bang, KATSU!”

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BOOOOM!!! And that is how chappy 30 ends. The biggest cliff hanger I have ever left before in my life!!

I am so sorry if this was hard to follow, as I was writing this I realised it was a bit all over the place and I hope this chapter doesn’t turn anyone off of my story. I tried to make it a bit better and I know this isn’t one of my best chappies. So sorry for that!!

Anyway, next time is the battle between Orochimaru and Emiko. How is it going to end? How is it going to begin? What is going to happen?! Gah! I can’t wait for all of you too know!! this plot twist has been going through my head for a long time!! XD

Question time!!

If you had a teddy like Artsy and you were in the Naruto world, what would you do?? (and I mean when it’s dense) I would probably use it to hit all of the perverts in the Naruto world then beat Orochimaru and Kabuto with it before running away from them because they would probably kill me… heh heh.

You all know the drill from here, right?? Vote, Comment and Follow!! Pretty please!!

PS!! I want to thank all of you for all of your support, comments and votes. I’ve nearly got 1500 votes and nearly 600 comments, that’s crazy!! Thank you all sooooo much, Emiko thanks you all as well hehehe.

PPS!! I am also sorry for spamming everyone with my last chapter, for some reason wattpad was saying that the chapter wasn’t uploading and it really was and then decided to upload that chapter over 30 times… it was annoying. But oh well, the chapter got out at least.

Anyway, bye for now!!