Chapter 13.6- One Thousand Hands

He chased me into the forest, heedless of the danger he’d been caught in. I allowed him move deeper and deeper in, taunting him with a glimpse of me every now and then. I did not risk Genjutsu. I could control my chakra perfectly, but that didn’t suddenly give me Jounin-level genjutsu skills. There was more to genjutsu than chakra control. That was what made the numerous fan theories about Sakura having the potential to be some sort of genjutsu monster ridiculous. If it was that easy, then Kakashi would probably have passed on his undoubtedly large arsenal on to her. And not just that, if it was only about chakra control, would Tsunade not have become the greatest genjutsu mistress period. She had the best chakra control, undoubtedly.

No. People did not like to admit it. Especially not civilian shinobi or those who promoted their inclusion in the military. But the fact was that things like ninjutsu, genjutsu, and to some extent, Taijutsu potential were decided at birth and did not really shift more. I did not have chakra with the rich Yin attunement that would mark a genjutsu master. I just did not have that dawg in me. That was beyond the point, however. Iwabe followed me deeper, and then he paused for a second. Even without turning around, I could see the expression on his face. He looked like he’d swallowed a lemon.

“So I guess I’m in some sort of trap now.”

“Precisely” My voice sounded out from all around him.

He sighed before dropping down to the ground and flicking his eyes around, trying to catch a glimpse of me. He would fail. Meisagakue was another piece of ninjutsu that I’d gotten much better at after awakening my Byakugan. He weaved seals, spitting out a mud bullet towards on end of the forest. I watched it sail in the opposite direction from me with a tilted head, and pulled my bow.

Wind release allowed me eliminate all sound, and all signs of my arrow being loosed, while at the same time enhancing the speed. The arrow in his leg forced him to his other knee as he screamed in pain. In his defence, he arrow had a twisted head designed to cause as much pain as possible. As he reached down with his hand to remove the arrow, I took the hand out of commission with another arrow. It still wasn’t working. I doubted I’d gt another target as useful as this one for a while, and I was still failing.

Failing at what, you might ask? Well, what’s the most famous thing the Hyuga tiajutsu is known for? The relationship we have with chakra points, of course. I was trying to see if I could block someone’s tenketsu from afar with my arrows. Jinpachi had said it wasn’t possible, but I couldn’t discount the possibility that he was telling me that because of is own personal dislike for long range weapons of any sort. The man didn’t even throw shuriken for Christ sake. Not like I did, either. But for me it was more a matter of lack of ability than lack of interest.

His tenketsu remained unaffected under my arrows as he screamed in pain. He weaved seals with only his right hand as the left was out of commission. Breathe, draw, loose…the right hand joined the left in hanging limply by his side. Still nothing on his tenketsu.

“Finish it already, you bastard!” He screamed into the forest.

I ignored his words. I fired another arrow, sinking it into his back. Nothing. Another arrow into his shoulder. Nothing. Another into his stomach. Nothing. I was hitting the tenketsu right on. I was channelling my chakra through the arrows just like I would with my fingers to use the Gentle Fist. It just wasn’t working. I drew my bow to try again, but suddenly there was someone there. Sakumo stood in front of my quarry and cleaved a second smile into his neck before staring right at me through all my disguises.

“What was that, Shorirama?” Oops. He sounded pissed. Scratch that, apoplectic.