Sen dragged himself onto the arena with slow, heavy steps.
The feng shui beneath Konoha really sucked.
The whole arena reeked of musty earth.
The white lime powder left over from the earlier tests still hadn't been swept away.
A gust blew a mouthful of it straight into Sen's face, making him choke and cough.
"Cough, cough... ptoo!"
Sen spat a thick wad of saliva onto the ground and wiped his mouth haphazardly with the back of his hand.
The back of his hand was covered in dirt he'd scraped off the wall earlier.
That wipe left a black streak across his face.
"Hey! Konoha brat!"
Across from him, Zaku stood with his arms folded, his Sound Ninja forehead protector reflecting a cold gleam in the sickly green firelight.
He pointed at Sen's dirt-smeared face and laughed disdainfully.
His laughter echoed through the cavernous underground hall, shaking dust loose from overhead.
"What are you dragging your feet for? If you're still half asleep, go home and suck on your mommy's tit!"
"If you're in a hurry to die, I can send you on your way, too."
Zaku tilted his head, his shoulders bobbing with boundless arrogance.
"What's the rush?"
Sen yawned again, two yellowish tears clinging to the corners of his eyes.
He picked at one corner with a fingernail and flicked a small piece of dried eye crust onto the ground.
"It's barely morning. Already rushing off to your next life?"
"You don't know shit!"
Zaku abruptly raised both hands, revealing two dark, circular air vents in his palms.
The metal tubes gleamed coldly under the lights.
"A Konoha genius? All I see is a pussy who can't even open his eyes!"
"Looking half dead like that, I'll beat the shit right out of you with one punch!"
Sen