Blood Runs Hot, Coelomic Fluid Runs Cold

The training field.
The true birthplace of all shinobi.

There, skills are honed. Bonds are forged.

Bets are made.

Plunk!

"I am victorious! As foretold."
"No fair, Kisui-nya!"
"Judge of the Underworld. Dare not forget my title again."
"Whatever! That was no fair!"

Against one of the three training logs in the center of Getsugakure Academy's training field, one large shuriken, folded out of seaweed and sporting a lace-like pattern, stuck out like a sore thumb as it was garishly embedded into the wood. On the ground, a shuriken tossed by a certain Nekomaru laid defeated, struck down from its proud perch by its greater, greener kin.

Kisui, the Judge of the Underworld, had dislodged Nekomaru's projectile with his own! Spinning rapidly, it connected and dislodged its competitor, before sinking into the wood.
Right into a red circle, painted onto it.
Bullseye.

"The bet was simple; whoever's shuriken would be closest to the center of the circle would win. Mine is very close to the circle. Yours isn't."
"You cheated!"
"You agreed to use shurikens! I used a shuriken. How did I cheat?"
"You used a big old plant shuriken! That's totally unfair! And, you knyocked mine away!"
"Was that ever prohibited?"
"It shoulda been!"
"But... it wasn't."

"Woah, woah, calm down you two! What's this about, anyway?"
"Sensei, I can tell you! They're fighting over top bunk!"

Heads turned. Three, in fact.
Momika, universal big sister and usual head turner of Getsugakure, had just arrived, but she was one of the students surprised by the 'appearance' of the fourth: Nana.

The bustier (much bustier) girl looked over her young 'pupil' with surprise: "Oh! Nana! I didn't realize you were over here!"

She nodded. Kisui and Nekomaru didn't. One of them looked over at his classmate. The other turned away and looked off into the distance to brood, merely waiting for his chance to settle his argument.

You could probably guess who did what.

"Nyanya, when did you get here?" asked Nekomaru, puzzled.

Nana looked at Momika, and then the ground. "Sensei said I should practice throwing. I was waiting for you guys to finish. For about a few minutes."

Nekomaru turned to his roommate, who he just noticed had tuned out of the conversation. The competition itself didn't take long, no. Nekomaru haggling the Judge of the Underworld down to using shurikens instead of a chakra based projectile (which his kelp totally counts as, by the way) for their competition did, though.

Momika put her hands on her hips, and cleared her throat.

"Nana, you should speak up more. They didn't even know you were here."
"Yes, sensei..."
"And you two should pay more attention to your surroundings!"
"Huh?"

Momika had turned her attention, and midly-disappointed-yet-still-cheerful scolding, to the formerly bickering pair.

"It's only common decency to let others have their turn. You guys know that, right?"
"Nyeah, I guess..."
"...Right, 'Judge'?"

A pause. Attention was brought to Kisui's rude disregard of conversational skills and curious brooding.

"Heh. She could've just used one of the other logs."
"Maybe she wanted to use the one you guys plastered a big red dot on...?"
"She can get her own dot."

Another pause. A slight frown appeared on the kunoichi's face. Maybe Kisui changed his facial expression, too, but he was still turned around so no one could tell.
This battle was no longer worth it to Momika.

"Whatever you say, 'Judge'."

Removing one of her hands on her hips, she grabbed a fan from her sash and used it to cool herself while turning attention back to the less inept conversational partner.

"Nekomaru, what's this about bunks I'm hearing?"
"Kisui-nya-"
"Judge of the Underworld," Kisui corrected, still without turning.
"Stop that! He challenged me to a competition for top bunk: whoever gets their shuriken closer to the bullseye wins!"

Nekomaru pointed a claw towards the log: the transgressing shuriken was firmly planted on the bullseye.

"How'd you even hit that target so perfectly, anyway!?" inquisited Nekomaru.

Unbeknownst to all present without further information, the seaweed shuriken's lace-like pattern squirmed. Kisui had many helpful friends, after all. And he smirked.

"You'll never know, cur. My abilities are beyond mortal understanding."
"Oh, shut up! Momika, Nana, back me up!"

Momika paused. Kisui's attitude at the moment was annoying, even for her, and Nekomaru was pitiful, but she knew who she had to side with as an impartial judge.
Subterfuge was a ninja's forte. And Kisui had Nekomaru beaten with whatever petty trick he used.

"Well... nothing stops him from hitting your shuriken."

Nana defaulted to backing up Momika, looking to see what her judgement was on this situatuon. Likely she would have agreed, anyway. All's fair when you make a bet.

"Sensei's right!"
"WHAT!?"

Nekomaru wasn't going to take this lying down.

"That's it; Judge of the Underworld, I hereby demand a rematch!"

Kisui, again, didn't turn. Yet his demeanor... it seemed to have shifted. His air of confidence felt more justified. If they could see his face, they would know it was grinning.

"Why should I accept? I have already proven myself superior. The top bunk... is mine."
"Wha- HUH!? You didn't prove anything!"

Kisui paused. He thought for a moment.

"No. I have proved my superiority! Yet, you have not accepted it. Therefore, I can only take one course of action!"

Dramatic!
With a turn, Kisui pointed at Nekomaru! He had performed a hand sign while his back was turned, so that no one could see, and everyone would think he did the following without effort; a small flicker of flame sat on his outstretched finger!

"The Judge of the Underworld challenges you to a duel, Nekomaru! A duel... for the right to top bunk... and to the death!"
"..."
"..."
"..."

Kisui paused. The flame on his finger went out.

"...A duel just for the right to the top bunk, I mean."
"...That sounds much better," Momika confirmed.

Nekomaru paused.
A distance away, a voice belonging to a known lazy student echoed out.

"I don't know, Nekomaru... you'd better not accept. The 'Judge of the Underworld'? He sounds like he'd kick your ass."

All of the students turned. Even Kisui, though he only took a quick peak before realigning his gaze back to Nekomaru, pose undisturbed. It was Sumio who called out such an obvious taunt: for what purpose? None but him could say. Most likely, though, it would be because it was gonna end up funny.

"He would NOT kick my ass!" Nekomaru sent back to Sumio. "Obviously," retorted Kisui, smirk visible. "That is, only if you deny the duel and the save yourself the embarassment of defeat! I'd have no choice but to spare you."

Nekomaru gritted his teeth in a scowl.

"...That's it! You're on, Kisui-nya!"
"So afraid of what my title means, that you'd purposefully forget it? Pitiful."
"Shut uppp...!"

The challengers reached into their pockets!

POOF!!
"Gah...!"
"Hey, watch it!"

Momika and Nana fanned the smog from sudden smoke bombs out of their faces, and saw Kisui and Nekomaru standing on opposite sides of the training field, both having dashed away.

"You two could have just walked!" exclaimed Momika.
"Yeah, don't need to throw smoke bombs!" added Nana.

Each combatant had a different response to the accusation of general stupidity.

"S-Sorry," sheepishly muttered Nekomaru.

"I apologize for nothing, and I would do it again," firmly stated Kisui.

"Tch," uttered the offended girls at Kisui's undignified response.

Fwoosh!
A whirl of dry seaweed and kelp surrounds Kisui, before gathering and solidifying; upon his back, two blackened wings spread wide! The pattern of Kan'oke branded the pair; Kisui's partner was in full force!

"Enough talk! Have at you!" <- ♬

Fwssh!

The first thing Kisui noticed was a whoosh of his hair, before the sudden disappearance of his opponent.

("He's fast!")

Crack!

One of Kisui's wings was swung in a wide arc, and connected with Nekomaru's kick!

"Predictable, Nekomaru! Predictable!"
"'Predictable'!? You could have stopped any attack with a swing that wide!"

Nekomaru sprung away, and slid in the grass behind him. Kisui did the same, but gracefully gliding until he came to a stop and landed.

"If I stopped your attack, it's because I predicted it, obviously. And I did so perfectly."
"Ugh!"

"Wipe that smug grin off his face, Nekomaru!"
"Nah, the good old Judge has this in the bag."
"...I hope they beat the crap out of each other equally."

Rapidly, Kisui started forming hand signs.

("Nekomaru... fast as he may be, I have the advantage in pure skill, my defense is impenetrable... and my tricks are superior!")

"To me, my court! Underworld Style: Council Skewer Judgement!"

Soaked in coelomic fluid, several blades of seaweed were launched from Kisui's wings towards Nekomaru!

"Ki-nyah!"

Nekomaru weaved between the volley of razors, deftly avoiding each one!

Roundhouse!

One that would have hit Nekomaru was instead swatted away with a flying kick, and Nekomaru continued his dash towards his foe!

Kisui grinned, a single sweat bead on his forehead.

("He's closing the distance well... but I need just a little more time!")

Fwoosh!

Closing his wings around himself st the same time, flakes of Kisui's seaweed was set aflame, and launched right ahead at Nekomaru!

"Guh!"

Dashing right into the embers, Nekomaru suddenly reversed his movement in midair just before contact, bursting away!

And yet, the cloud came with him! He braced himself for the worst as it engulfed him!

("How was it so fast--!")

Yet the worst never came? Despite the embers coming in contact with Nekomaru, they quickly just burned away by themselves, only causing minor discomfort.

"...Eh?"
"You are a fool, Nekomaru. A mere bluff was all it took for you to dash away in fear!"

Nekomaru paused to take in the smack talk. Kisui still had his wings coiled around him.

"Uh-huh, I see. I don't see why I wouldn't take my sweet time figuring out your attacks!"
"It's simple, cur... you shouldn't have wasted so much of it! And now, your time is up!"

The Judge of the Underworld spread his black wings as punctuation, a flicker of flame further making his point! As if on cue, the seaweed appendages split apart! He no longer had dual wings...

Now, he wielded a quartet!

"That was it?"
"I expected more."
"Hahaha! The Judge's power is without limit, truly."

"Come at me, Nekomaru! Face the Underworld's might!"
"You asked for it!"

Nekomaru made the tiger hand seal-- and he disappeared in a flash.

Right! Left! Above! Behind!

Over and over again, Nekomaru would appear for just a split second to land an kick or slash, and each time Kisui would utilize his wings to parry! He was always almost late...

But almost means he wasn't late!

("Ugh! But it doesn't matter! Kisui-nya's being predictable! He won't see this...!")

Then suddenly--

Nekomaru appeared from behind, just after coming in from above with a blur! And he went low!

Scriiitch!

("Direct hit-- eh?")

Fwoosh!

"GAH!"

Nekomaru was sent flying back! Though he supposedly landed a direct hit, Kisui was entirely unphased! And what he cut... that didn't feel like flesh!

Though his wings launched Nekomaru behind him, Kisui did not turn.

"...Are you not impressed, Nekomaru?"
"What did you... huh?"

Nekomaru finally noticed. Around Kisui's ankles, they were both... encrusted! And on that shell, there were claw marks.

"Grr... that's it!"
"I predicted your every move, Nekomaru! Back when I threw those embers at you... you thought I was merely multiplying my Court! Yet you were wrong! You had doubted me, played into my hands, and let me achieve my ultimate defense!"

Kisui had still not turned around.

"Ugh, dammit, Kisui-nya! Face me!"
"..."
"You're just being a jerk!"
"...Nekomaru. You truly don't realize the genius of my design."
"What now?"

Kisui pointed towards to the sky!

"The Judge of the Underworld could not turn towards you even if he wanted to!"
"What!?"

"I have... affixed myself to the earth itself. Every perfect defense... has a price!"

As confirmation of his claim, Kisui visibly attempted to move his legs. He could not.

"Kisui... you're serious..."
"W-Why would..."
"I don't think I quite understand."

Nekomaru wasn't about to call this stupid.

After all... what if Kisui realized he was being idiotic and tried to cover up this free opportunity?

"Ki-nyah!!"

Full speed!

Combining Swift with Elemental Flicker, Nekomaru built up as much momentum as possible... and charged a kick directly into Kisui's blind spot, right in the center of his back!

His wings attempted to bend and block the assault--

But it was not enough!

SMAAASH!

Direct hit! The shell attaching Kisui to the ground cracked, and he went flying!

"Take that, Kisui-nya!!"

"You deserved that, Kisui."
"What did he expect...?"
"I kneel to the Judge and his unfathomable genius..."

Nekomaru stuck the landing, and Kisui tumbled across the grass, his wings coming apart.
Catching himself, Kisui growled.

"Tch... perhaps, I underestimated you..."

Nekomaru wasn't about to just leave this advantage unused!

Flickering in again, he aimed a kick towards Kisui's chest--

Yet he caught it.
And he wasn't letting go of Nekomaru's leg.

"I think it's time I stopped messing around! Face my might, cur!"

("Yeah, that was totally just messing around- WOAH!")

Nekomaru contorted his body to nail Kisui with his other leg, but Kisui crossed over his other arm to intercept!

Kan'oke was on both hands; and the grip of the Court was iron!

Shwoosh!

"Go flying!!"

With one great throw, Kisui chucked Nekomaru away... and then backed towards where he once tumbled!

Nekomaru wouldn't take this lying down, of course; using Swift, he changed his momentum, and flung himself back towards Kisui!

CLASH!

Nekomaru's kick connected again... with Kisui's newly repaired wing!

"Even as a one-winged angel..."

Fwoosh!

"I am still the Judge of the Underworld!"

Kisui's righthand wing, coated in Kan'oke, blazed anew!

"Tch... alright, Kisui-nya! I've had enough! That top bunk... is mine!"

"Wow, so dramatic, you two! Good job!"
"Not sure if I'd call their banter good, sensei..."
"Nah, Nana! This is the funniest thing I've seen all day!"

Kisui swipes his flaming wing at Nekomaru, only for it to be swiftly ducked under, yet Kisui's not done! A leg sweep from him connects with Nekomaru's slash!

Nekomaru backs away, and Kisui launches a kelp shuriken right at him, only for it to be cut in twine by Nekomaru's claws!

"Claws, huh...? I'll show you the Torturous Barbs of the Underworld!"

Kisui made no empty gesture! Kan'oke's hard outer layer grew to coat his hands and feet, making not just claws but spined knuckles, and he met Nekomaru blow for blow! Claw parrying claw!

The more agile ninja steps away, disappearing from sight... but a flaming wing encourages Nekomaru to only attack from the opposite side, and Kisui is ready!
...But Nekomaru's been through this before.

"Take this!!"

Nekomaru spins around, narrowly avoiding a cut, and strikes Kisui's shelled hand with the ball of his heel!

CRACK!!

"My claws are tougher than your shell, Kisui-nya!"
"Hmph!"

Kisui's waves his torched wing with impunity, giving a moment to breathe as Nekomaru backs away, and creates more distance by backing away himself.

"You're really pushing me to my limits here..."
"Heh! Giving up already, Kisui-nya!?"

Kisui smirked. He looked down at his freed hand.

"No, cur. The limits of my patience, and whimsy!"
"...Wha?"

Kisui straightened his back.

"Using Kan'oke's shell to encrust my body... to fasten myself to the ground... I had never done that before."
"Until now?"

Kisui ran his free hand through his hair.

He looked at Nekomaru with both eyes, finally freed from the murky depths!

"This was a game to me! A mere chance to try something new! But... now-"
"Well, you should never try that 'fix myself to the ground even though I can't turn' thing ever again, Kisui-nya. That was really dumb."

The Judge gritted his teeth!

"DON'T INTERRUPT ME! AND IT WORKED OUT BETTER IN MY HEAD!"
"Whatever..."

Kisui cleared his throat, and recomposed himself.
He pointed towards his opponent, with full flair!

Dramatic!

"I, the Judge of the Underworld, proclaim you the fastest of all shinobi, Nekomaru! I acknowledge you!"

"'All' shinobi...? You two are academy students..."
"Get a grip, Kisui."
"No, no. Let him cook."

Kisui paid no attention to the peanut gallery.

"Prepare to face my full power, Nekomaru!!"

Nekomaru almost paused for a second, thinking if he should or should not meet his opponent's energy...

("...Ehhhh, may as well!")

"I am Nekomaru the Tiger, Judge of the Underworld! Hear me roar!"
"Mine was cooler. Cur."
"SHUT UP! Do you want me to play along or not!?"
"You'll be playing in the dirt on your pathetic bottom bunk, soon enough!"

Kisui went for hand signs!

Nekomaru wasn't about to let him finish, and aimed a kick to Kisui's exposed left...

FWISSH!

...Yet Kan'oke, ever burning, intercepted, obscuring Kisui from view! Claw slightly singed, the Tiger backed away!

"Ow, geez! It singed me...! Kisui-nya, how do you take all that heat- huh!?"

The wing backed revealed Kisui once again, exposing him to the light of day.
Despite clearly being singed and in pain from Kan'oke pressing into him, caused by it crossing over to guard from attack, Kisui's confidence remained unbroken! Much like his chain of hand seals!

"Understand this, Nekomaru! Pain is nothing to the Judge of the Underworld! No fire will dismay me! For no fire burns hotter than shame... which you shall soon know! Underworld Style: Black Court Burning Awakening!"

Hand seals completed!

Out Kisui's signature blackened seaweed, another three wings sprouted from his back, reuniting the quartet! Furthermore, a barbed gauntlet of seaweed covered each hand, spikes jutting outwards!

Kan'oke's pattern covered every inch, and it pulsed with burning chakra! Heat emitted from its winding body!

All this combined, so they could blaze bright!

"Soaked in the Sea of the Beginning, so that they may bear the Flames of the End! The Judge and his Court... seek to show you his justice*!"

"Tch...! Kisui-nya...!"

"H-Hey, maybe you guys should stop here!"
"Sensei, should we try to stop them?"
"Huh. He really is cooking."

Kisui lunged at Nekomaru, and he launched an assault with gauntlet and wing!

Nekomaru parried, dodged, and braced for the flurry of blows, but he was getting overwhelmed!

For every slash he repelled, embers nipped at his tail.

For every swing he evaded, flames lapped at his ears.

For every blow he blocked, it still burned!

("T-This is... I'm so much faster, but...")

Nekomaru disappeared in a flash, and he appeared behind Kisui for a split second-

FWOOSH!!
"G-GAH!"

His wings reacted before he did!

Even before Kisui could turn around to meet Nekomaru's attack, the seaweed weapons on his back lashed out on their own!

Nekomaru realized the truth.

("I-it's like, I'm fighting two different people...! W-Wait...")

Illuminated by the flames, Nekomaru stared into Kan'oke. The lace-like pattern pulsed- it breathed.

("I really AM fighting two different people! Practically! Kan'oke... it's covering his weakspots! It's in full gear!")

"Underworld Style: Court Plunge!"

Suddenly, in Kisui's hand, a sphere of fluid appeared!

("Nyo! I was distracted! He's readied a new move...!")

Nekomaru disappeared once more, with Swift Release!

Appearing above Kisui's head, he launched an axe kick!

"Ki-nyahh!

Direct hit!
Heel plummeting into Kisui's head, he was knocked to the ground...

"Gah! It'll take more than that!
"W-Wahh!"

One of Kisui's wings swiped at Nekomaru's face-- right at his eyes! A near miss, avoided just in time!

But Nekomaru was distracted!

Kisui powered through, and shoved the sphere of fluid right into Nekomaru's abdomen!

Direct hit!

"W-WAAAAH!!"

Sent flying!

"...What?"

...But it didn't do much?

"Haha, Kisui-nya! You didn't do anything but get water on me! I don't mind water!"

Kisui, huffing and exhausted, fell to one knee.
But he smirked.

"Nekomaru... I've already won."
"Wha- WHAT!? EWW!"

Nekomaru finally noticed. Along his body, Kan'oke slowly spread! No matter how much he tried to peel it off, he made no progress!

"Coelomic fluid, Nekomaru... it's what my Court uses to grow in number! I just hit you with a full blast... and now you can't escape from Judgement!"
"W-Wait... then...?"

Kisui made the tiger hand seal!

That's right! Incinerate!"
"Noooooooooo!"

"'Huh? Incinerate!?"
"W-Wait, that's extreme!"
"...He wouldn't, right?"

Kan'oke burst into flames!
Nekomaru collapsed!

Ok, it burst into flame for a split second.

A single, painful, decisive, ultimately non-heavily injurious puff of flame that turned Nekomaru's fur black.

"Owowowowow! That hurt! Kisui-nya, I give up! Top bunk is yours!"

Kisui's flames had all died out, and he fell to his hands and other knee.

"Hah... hah... I am... victorious!"

Wings withering away from his back, Kan'oke slowly and visibly slinked back into the gourd on Kisui's back.

And as the shinobi rose to his feet, he turned his attention not to Nekomaru... but to the crowd!

"Let this be a lesson to you all! I, Kisui Shōmi... will always come out as victorious! I am the Judge of the Underworld!"

Momika clapped.
Nana almost looked like she'd clap, but still seemed mildly peeved about the smoke bomb.
Sumio probably would have clapped if he wasn't yawning.

"Good job, Kisui! You really fought hard for... top bunk!" Congratulated Momika. She then focused on Nekomaru, who had turned himself over. He seemed less exhausted than Kisui... but more pained.

"You did good too, Nekomaru!"
"Nyeh... I want a bath..."