The Whisper || FullbusterFic » vonlane

Chapter 15: An unfortunate encounter

The tension was there. All the horses huffed while their riders looked at one another, waiting for their exit. In just a few seconds, the competitor's eyes watched attentively towards the hands of a ninja that carried the flags. Minato was no exception. Seeing how Madara posed his eyes on the flags, he imitated him, knowing that this time... he couldn't depend on him. They were rivals, competitors, and this was the last round. No longer were there alliances, friends, and neither loves that were worth it, now there was only one objective... win no matter what the cost. 

The flag was swung forcefully. The whines of the horses were heard just before everyone began to move and, for the first time in that race, Minato managed to run out along with the rest of the competitors. 

No ninja was willing to be defeated, so they did anything to win. Minato, knowing this, paid careful attention to his rival's movements, trying to avoid landing his eyes on Madara. He knew very well that by looking at him, it'd be just another distraction. 

From the lines behind him, the sound of [shuriken] was heard. Minato, upon hearing them, looked towards the back and watched how the weapons went through many competitors, heading towards his direction as he was almost at the head of the pack. With that in his field of vision, he took out one of his kunai and threw it forwards, past the leader of the race.

Madara had been speeding up on his horse so he could get to where Minato was in a desperate attempt to get him out of those bloody weapon's trajectory, however, before he could get there, Minato had simply... disappeared. Everyone was shocked at that, seeing how the shuriken landed on the ground after losing impulse. Only a yellow flash appeared in front of them, placing itself first in line.

Madara smiled with a certain irony. He had seen that boy use his kunai— seen him use that great speed of his that characterized the Namikazes— but he had never expected that he also take his horse with him on his next jump. That boy learned at a fast pace and had no fear of making mistakes. He did it over and over again, inventing his own techniques and continued on forwards. He was a strange kid, but smart and attractive. For the first time, [Madara] began to think that that boy really didn't need as much protection as he had initially thought. 

"Let's speed up, Yoarashi, or that boy will leave us behind immediately," Madara smiled, kicking his horse slightly as to make it speed up.

Despite Madara's attempt to reach him, everything was useless. His horse was much faster and when it seemed as though he could almost reach him, [Minato's] kunai would soar the skies once again and transport him a few meters ahead of him. Seeing as it would be impossible to reach him until the race calmed down, Madara let him take distance. It'd be much easier to reach him when he lowered his guard and was relaxed.

After a few minutes of an intense race, everything seemed to have calmed down despite Madara having no idea where Minato could be. He had a hunch that he wouldn't be too far; he couldn't have gone far too great a distance and much less after the tiredness that the exit placed on their horses. He should be resting at some point.

The morning was too calm. Madara walked carefully through that dense and sinister forest. It could be just another normal day in that place but to Madara, everything was a clear sign that something was wrong. Not even the birds sang that afternoon. The clouds obscured the daylight and a cold breeze came blowing from the cold mountains. If the weather continued to change like that, then he should stop to take cover, although that meant losing more time.

From the map he had studied days before the competition, he knew that there should be a small temple not too far from there. Surely he could take shelter there and wait for the clouds to pass by with the cold rain they'd bring. Maybe... it could even snow from the cold wind that came from the mountains.