A week had passed since the festival. Obito and Kakashi both refused to look at me or talk to me and I deserved it.

I sat in my room, waiting on Kuroshi to come sneak through my window. It was morning, so he had to be careful who saw him. It's been ten days since we last spoke, so that means today is the day I face Nozomi.

It's either kill or be killed.

I went to my closet to grab a few more weapons.

"How long are you going to take?"

I just about had a heart attack. I jumped and turned around, seeing Kuroshi sitting on my window ledge with his arms crossed. He looked bored so I don't know how long he's been sitting there for.

He looked amused at my reaction.

"Hey, don't sneak up on me like that asshole!" I shouted.

He smirked, causing me to roll my eyes. "It's better than me being right behind you,"

"How long have you been sitting there for?"

"Ten minutes,"

"And you didn't bother to let me know that you were here?" 

"I wanted to see how long it would take you to realize," He chuckled.

I rolled my eyes and he turned serious.

"We better get going," He said. "With Nozomi's power, you're the only one who can take her down,"

I grabbed my ninja tools and leapt out the window with him. I closed it behind me and we started traveling to the Leaf Village's entrance.

"So, are you going to explain why I'm the only one who can take her down?" I asked as we took a back way to avoid being seen by others.

If a random villager saw me, it wouldn't be a big deal. It's just I don't want my friends to question me.

"Yes," Kuroshi said. "Later,"

When we were about to sneak out without a problem, someone stopped us.

"Going somewhere, Hana?"

My heart sped up.

Kuroshi and I turned around, seeing Kakashi and Obito. 

"It doesn't concern you, Kakashi," I dismissed.

Obito spoke up. "Hana, we know what you're about to do and I don't care if I'm mad at you. I can't let you get killed,"

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "And if we have to force you to stay, we will,"

Damnit. Of all times they want to talk to me, it's now? 

Kuroshi let out a sigh. "I knew telling them was a bad idea,"

"I'm going whether you two like it or not," I retorted.

"I guess we won't be going together then, Hana," Kuroshi said. "I was going to help you weaken her, but you go on ahead. I'll make sure these two don't get in the way and catch up to you later. I'll be done soon, so don't do anything rash,"

I nodded as Obito and Kakashi both got in a fighting stance. I quickly sprinted off, knowing the exact location where we could fight at.

"Hana I'm not letting you go!" Obito shouted.

He started running after me and I continued to run as fast I could. I decided I would try and throw him off guard by taking a different route. I was going to plan a stealth attack on Nozomi, but Obito got in the way of that and I wouldn't want him to get hurt by interfering.

I took a u-turn and I saw Nozomi walking back to the Blood Mist with her teammate, Yukiko. I quickly caught up to them and Nozomi's silver eyes narrowed at me while Yukiko gave me a knowing look.

"What do you want?" Nozomi spat, a more hateful aura radiating off of her.

An odd surge of chakra ran through my veins as a reaction to her aura. The blood thirst started to take over and I smirked at her. 

"I came here to finish what we started,"

Nozomi looked a bit surprised. "Fine by me,"

"Not here though," I said. "Let's go finish this once and for all at the Valley of End because we are being followed and it'll just be me and you,"

Nozomi nodded and started heading over to the Valley of End.

I lost Obito already, so that means my plan to throw him off worked. I hoped that Kuroshi caught up to him to distract him. I also let Kuroshi know ahead of time that we would be at the Valley of End. I chose to fight here because it's further away from everyone.

I reached the Valley of End and saw Nozomi standing on the rocky plain in front of me. I stood on the opposite side of her and we made eye contact.

"Don't think that I don't know about your little plan," Nozomi stated. "I know you plotted against me with my pathetic brother so you can kill me. You both think you're slick, but you're not. I'll make sure your plan fails,"

I noticed I wasn't feeling like my normal self and I felt bloodthirstier instead.

"We'll just see about that,"

I knew that there was going to be no holding back here. It was risky, but this was something that had to be done. I already knew from our first encounter that we would cross paths again.

Nozomi and I were silent. We could only hear the sound of the waterfall crashing behind us.

She made the first move by making the hand sign for an earth release. Now I know what her two chakra natures are. Fire and earth.

"Earth style: Hell zone rock shard!"

I wasn't familiar at all with earth ninjutsu.

She focused her chakra into the ground and it started shaking like an earthquake. I failed to notice the small rock shards that were rising from the ground and she clapped her hands together. 

The shards felt like glass was cutting into my skin. I bit my lip trying to ignore the pain.

I weaved the next sign.

"Water style, water fang bullet!"

Water spikes rose around her and crushed into her side. She yelped from the sudden contact and she used a fire release this time. A small spark formed into her hand, getting bigger as she amplified the spark with chakra.

The spark turned into a flame and her hands moved like Naomi's when she uses gentle fist. Nozomi pushed the flame into my body, making me fall back.

Nozomi moved her hands again, forming the flaming spear in her hand. She made an attempt to hit me and I did my best to dodge. I decided to use the same technique as I did at the Chunin Exams and used my water sword again.

The water sizzled from making contact with fire.

"Is that all you got?" I taunted, feeling that urge to spill blood getting stronger.

She growled and moved swiftly, hitting me in the shoulder with the flaming spear. This hurt like hell and it burned my shoulder, making me lose control of the water sword. She used that as an opportunity to push me back with her flaming spear and made more signs.

A pillar of flames erupted from the ground, hitting me multiple times. I was trying my hardest not to scream out since I was being burned. I could hear her snickering.

"You made a mistake challenging me, Uzumaki," Nozomi said. "I was going to let you off the hook for now, but you're giving me the perfect opportunity to avenge my father,"

She used an earth release to form spikes to hold me in place. I couldn't move or else I'd be cut by these earth spikes.

"How the hell do you think I feel?" I shouted, taking her by surprise. "I lost both of my parents to your father!"

"I'm not going to let you disrespect my father like that," Nozomi growled. "He was a good man. It was yours who was corrupt!"

She glared at me, hatred filling her gaze. "Our parents used to be best friends. They known each other since they were children and it was Akio Ishida who made the choice to take over the Eight Tail's chakra for himself,"

I widened my eyes. My father tried to take a tailed beast's power for himself? That can't be true. I won't believe it and I don't want to.

"Like I'll believe whatever comes out of your mouth."

"I'll enlighten you since you're about to die."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I just wanted everyone to check out that song because it's great. Also, I made an accidental reference to a song in this chapter and I did it in the next chapter too lol