A Red-Letter Day

[Jinan B]

It was a normal day in Kirigakure no Sato; the clouds hung over village obscuring the sun, the mist made its slow way through the streets, and somewhere in the slums several people were no doubt dying painfully after the previous night's festivities. Karagata Kirino would not be there to hear them this day, however. Nor would he be training or even enjoying a day of rest in his family home. No, today Kirino had something far more important to attend to, for today was shaping up to be one of the most important days in the boy's life: The day of his Chuunin exam.

His brother found him in his room, slowly gathering his tools for the occasion. The boy wore the same clothing that he would wear to any mission or training session: a plain black shirt and pants, with wrappings around his arms and ankles. All his usual equipment was already in his belt pouches, except for water and food which would be nothing more than unnecessary weight slowing his movements. As well as this, his black cloak was nowhere to be seen. "Ready brother?" Katsurou spoke simply, and expected nothing more than a simple answer in return. They had spoken enough about the fight ahead far too much in the days leading up to now, with the elder brother even trying to help the younger puzzle out some strategies despite his lack of strength as a Shinobi. Today, trying to figure out anything more would only serve to stress the genin out, he knew.

"As ready as I'll ever be, Katsurou. We both know I've spent far too much time as a Genin." To say that Kirino's answer was dismissive would not be entirely correct, but it wouldn't be too far off the mark either. Rather, the boy was too focused on what was to come to pay enough attention to tertiary matters. He was stressed, in truth. Losing today would only mean that he still lacked the strength to progress to the rank of Chuunin despite how much time he had put into improving his abilites, and he wasn't even entirely certain of his odds. Naohiro had had at least 2 years spent training that Kirino had wasted, and though he had redoubled his efforts in order to catch up to his rival; there was a dread fear that it would not be enough. Having gathered all that he needed, Kirino brushed past his older brother and made his way towards the field where he knew he was being tested.

---

The field itself was nothing remarkable, save perhaps for it's unusual shape. Rather than being rectangular or otherwise roughly edged, the field was practically a perfect square, 50 meters by 50 meters. It's Western, Nothern, and Southern sides were no more than 30 meters away from the roads of the 2nd tier of Kiri, with heavy bush serving as buffer in case of any jutsu gone amiss. The Eastern side, on the other hand, opened up onto a large body of water that bordered the entire side of the field and went out for about 25 meters. The field itself was flat, consisting of short, soft grass.

When Kirino arrived at the scene, the sun hung high overhead behind the clouds, and the exam's proctor had already arrived. A few others had come to watch the fight, including Riki, Himari, and Katsurou. Kirino himself made his way onto the field slowly, thoughts bound up in what his opening strategy would be. He stopped no more than 8 meters away from the center of the field, on the Southern side, and waited for the match to begin.

[Valkier]

The calm, cool gaze in in the mirror revealed nothing of Naohiro's inner feelings. Anxiety had settled in his gut in a way that it never had before, matched now and again by flares of excitement and eagerness. And all of it dwarfed by the craving that clutched his heart like a vice. Craving to prove himself, to best his friend and rival, to earn the pride of his clan, and to win... No; the image of the boy reflected before him showed none of these things, and for that reason he could almost envy his level-headed reflection. At least he could rely on his composure to stay firm - at least until he reached the exam field, anyway; after that he made no promises to himself - whatever the pot of emotions broiling inside.

The sprawling house was quiet this morning, and his parents were doubly so. Not for reason of any love lost, but simply because nothing remained to be said and so nothing was. Either he was ready or he was not, and no words at the eleventh hour would or could change that. The only accompaniment along the short journey from the Aisu compound, through the noble district and out to the exam field in the second tier, were the rhythmic footsteps of his parents at his side. The trio were dressed formally, all matching in white hakama and blue haori, inlaid with the sigil of the Aisu along sleeves, breast, and back. Nao's hair was a mirror of his father's, waxed and pinned up into a pristine topknot, and for once his Kirigakure-mark headband was tied securely in it's proper place about his forehead. That alone would have marked today one of importance even without all the rest of the pomp and ceremony.

Had this day come a year ago the nervousness probably would have been absent, but since then he'd come to know the scale of his opponent's strength. Karagata Kirino held true potential, he knew, and had developed it into lethal ability during the time that the pair of them had worked together. They were team mates - both friends and rivals, as was common among Kirigakure Genin - but the Karagata scion had all too many aces up his sleeve for Naohiro's comfort.
On the other hand, Nao knew that he himself had a deal of strength that he'd yet to show. He and Kirino had been training alone over the past month or so, preparing themselves to face one another and, it could be assumed, building strategies aimed at outsmarting an opponent who already knew your every trick.

He shook his head as the field came into sight, trying to dislodge the needless thoughts from his mind. Although he craved victory - and for more reasons than to achieve the rank of Chuunin in good time - when it came down to it, he would not be ashamed to lose to Kirino if such happened today. His friend had already proved himself a worthy opponent several times over...
He looked over at Kirino as he came into view, already waiting at the centre of a square field. Soft grass brushed underfoot as Naohiro walked over to stand opposite the boy, and his eyes began to take in every detail around him; the smooth surface of the small lake that rested to the East, the brush and cover around the other sides, the clouds and mist clinging in the air... The only thing his eyes passed over was the growing crowd. His parents, along with a few others from the Aisu, even joined by the odd old acquaintance of his or Kirino's who'd heard of the bout, sat or stood patiently watching. But now was not the time to waste attention on what they might be thinking or where they might be watching.

Turning his full attention back to Kirino, he smiled faintly then bowed with a measure of respect for his opponent. When he rose again, his face was as calm and as impassive as ever. He turned to the crowd, bowed again, then stood patiently while a third figure, that of a young sandy-haired woman, approached the pair already on the field.

"Karagata Kirino; Aisu Naohiro!" Some unseen jutsu amplified the proctor's voice, turning her words into an announcement that filled the field. All other sound seemed to dim while she spoke. "On this field you will fight until only one remains standing. This is your test at candidacy for Chuunin; whosoever falls will forfeit the opportunity."

The woman fixed the pair of them with an even stare, in one short moment summing the pair of them up. Her voice was back to normal, for their ears only, when she next spoke. "Are you ready?" She raised a hand, holding it high until the pair gave their assent. Everything would begin once that arm fell. One swoop of the hand would bring all their training to a head.

Standing sixteen metres away from Kirino - 8 metres from the centre of the field himself, but on the Northern side - Naohiro met his friend's eye and held it for a long moment. His gaze moved to the proctor's arm as it rose, following the motion as if transfixed; then he smiled, and nodded his readiness to begin. Whatever happened, win or lose, today would be locked in his memory forever. It was to be a day of days, a red-letter day, where life lessons would be wrought in blood, sweat, and tears.

[Jinan B]

There he was, Aisu Naohiro: his friend, his enemy. The boy's family had clearly put more stock into this day compared to Kirino's own, what with him being so formally prepared for the occasion. Not for the first time, Kirino was struck by just how much their two backgrounds differed; there he stood, in a formal komono with both his parents dressed just as highly alongside other members of his clan, yet the boy who he faced wore nothing more than what he took on every mission. His father and brother had not even come to the battle, let alone more extended members of his family. Kirino knew why that was the case: in the minds of Kaito and Kosuke this wasn't an occasion, but was simply the formality before Kirino finally made the rank of Chuunin. The thought filled the young Shinobi with determination, for he couldn't lose this battle. He had spent far too much time among the lower ranks of the village's ninja.

And there stood the exam's proctor with his hand raised, ready to begin the battle that would decide the near future of the two men gathered. Kirino closed his eyes, he needed to focus on the task at hand, not be distracted by his village's politics. Naohiro was no doubt deciding his opening strategy and he needed to too, damn it! He felt his mind clear as the proctor determined their readiness, what he would need to do being the only thing on his mind.

And then he heard the proctor shout: "Begin"
▻ Kirino's eyes snapped open, his hands snapped together and his entire body snapped backwards as he thrust himself into how he knew he needed to start this fight. Eyes open for any opening attacks on the part of his foe, the young Shinobi's fingers nimbly went through the motions of his own jutsu; a moment later, an identical copy of the genin formed from water beside him. The clone ran straight for its foe, while Kirino continued backwards, mind already set on his next jutsu. He knew that from here on out, every movements brought him closer to victory or failure.

And he sure as hell wasn't going to fail in this particular battle.

JootsuShow

*Suiton • Clone
C-Rank Ninjutsu
After performing the correct hand seals the user creates a clone of themselves comprised completely of suiton chakra. This clone is incapable of jutsu, however it's liquid nature makes it a very capable taijutsu combatant.

• Taijutsu: 6
• Stamina: 8
• Strength: 8
• Speed: 6

*Shrouding Mist Technique
C-rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: Hidden Mist Technique
After forming the required hand seals, the ninja creates a blanket of mist which covers the area around them. The mist covers 30x30x30m area. The mist limits the visibility of those inside to 3 meters in any direction, and dampens scents, weakening any advanced scent techniques, or controlled scent techniques by 2m. This technique lasts a number of posts equal to the user's 1/2 stamina.

[Valkier]

The crowd hushed as if collectively holding their breath while the proctor's hand hung steady in the air, but the young Aisu in the field barely even registered the change. His eyes, a good deal cooler than he felt, met those of his to-be-opponent. Behind that calm gaze his mind worked eagerly. Frantically. Unless he missed his guess - which he rarely did when it came to his friend and comrade-in-arms - Kirino would certainly have two plans already laid out in his head, with contingencies hidden up either sleeve to boot.

Fifteen... No, sixteen metres, or close to it...

"Begin!" The arm dropped, and both shinobi sprang into motion simultaneously.

Naohiro launched himself forward and towards his new foe. Before he'd taken a two steps his right hand darted down to his thigh pouch and pulled free two steel kunai before loosing them directly towards Kirino a fraction of a second later without any needless flourish or finesse. The moment his hands were free of the weapons they darted together in a brief string of seals, and all the while he watched and ran towards Kirino. The Karagata was retreating, but jumping backwards while sealing made him notably slower than Naohiro's approach; hopefully that would give him the beginning he hoped for. If the fight devolved into a back-and-forth barrage of ninjutsu, as was both of their real specialties, it would become considerably harder; so close were their strengths there that the victory, whoever seized it, would probably be taken by a hair. That wasn't a risk Nao wanted to take, not while other options remained open to him.

The moment his seals were complete, finishing slightly quicker than Kirino's due to their simplicity, he redoubled his speed. Chakra coursed through his right arm and gathered in his fist, held ready to unleash. The initial sixteen metres - less, now - was nothing to a trained ninja in a flat run, and should take only a few seconds to cover... But his first plan-change of the match came sooner than expected as Kirino's opening technique manifested.

The suiton clone took form right infront of his path, seemingly already in motion to intercept, but Naohiro was considerably faster and, more importantly, already poised to strike while the clone was taking shape. He quickly adjusted his step mid-stride to better aim himself towards the new target and without slowing drove a fist home with all the momentum of his sprint as he darted past the clone. At the same moment he released the held chakra, and a loud bang! accompanied a shockwave detonating outwards from his strike, tearing into the clone. Although only the power of a single tag, it should be plenty to destroy the bunshin given the point-blank explosive strength within the ninpou-aided strike.

Assuming the clone dealt with, Naohiro corrected his stride and resumed running towards Kirino, who he could see was preparing a second technique already. Mere seconds had passed since the start of the fight, and Naohiro was closing quickly as Kirino's seals finished. A blanket of mist materialised almost immediately, quickly coalescing and turning the air around the pair a blanket white... But by now, Naohiro was just close enough to still make out his foe through the shroud of mist. He darted forward and dropped low as he came into range, hoping to sweep Kirino's legs out from beneath him with a low, arcing kick. Whether that worked or not, he'd follow the attack up by attempting to reach and grasp Kirino's left forearm with his own left hand - partly to interrupt any more attempted hand seals, and partly to gain a strong grasp on him - and then the same with his right hand and Kirino's right arm. If successful, he'd twist sharply while pulling the Karagata boy sideways, then spinning and locking Kirino's arms behind him beneath his own. While not damaging, the technique may prove essential in interrupting Kirino and stopping him from getting away into the thick veil of mist around them...

Techniques Used...Show

*[Ninjutsu • Chakra Burst]
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
After channeling chakra into one of their fists, the user will then attempt to strike their target and if successful, they will release additional concussive force in the form of an outward explosion at D-Rank force from their fist. If the user does not strike a target within 3 posts the jutsu dissipates.

[Submission]
D-Rank Taijutsu Manoeuvre
Prerequisite: [Upper Body]
A rudimentary close-quarters grappling technique, this requires the user to gain a firm hold upon an opponent, usually around an arm, leg, neck, or chest. The user then firmly pulls to twist their opponent around and attempts to physically overpower them by locking the opponent's limbs against their bodies and preventing them from moving freely. This requires the user to have a strength greater than the opponent, and can be held to incapacitate an opponent for a maximum of two posts if successful.

[Jinan B]

Kirino had spent weeks training himself specifically for this fight, working on strategies that would allow him to defeat the rival that he knew so much about, and learning new techniques that would give him the edge against the Aisu genin. Yet despite all his preparation, the Karagata was still surprised when he saw Naohrio charge straight towards him from the get go. Dodging the kunai thrown at him was a simple matter, but as his foe kept coming finishing his jutsu became a matter of drastically increasing urgency. Mere moments into the fight and already things seemingly couldn't be going any worse for the Karagata.

Such a sentiment was incorrect, of course. Barely a moment after Kirino had completed his suiton clone, having expended precious time and chakra to do so, had Naohiro destroyed the copy with a single explosive punch. Things were most definitely looking grim for the young genin, but he had little choice other than to continue on his path backwards and hope that he would be able to deploy his mist before he was defeated in the same manner as his creation. At this point the mist truly was Kirino's only hope, for Naohiro had already displayed a Taijutsu skill level that he had not had during their last meeting. Such news bode ill for Kirino, because while he had trained his own close quarter technique they would not prove to be much help in prolonged combat. He needed to escape into his mist if he was to have even the slightest hope of winning this battle. And if I'm going to manage that I won't be able to waste even a second... Naohiro continued to close the distance as Kirino sped through the final seals of his second technique.

Thankfully for the young genin his speed, as well as the fact that Naohiro had needed to slow down his own approach in order to take care of the suiton clone, meant that he was able to complete his jutsu just in time. There was no time to watch the mist form in front of the child, however, for Naohiro had already reached him and was aiming a kick to bring the Karagata down. Acting on instinct, Kirino dived over his foe's leg and pulled into a neat and hurried roll once he hit the ground on the other side. Immediately shifting his weight onto the balls of his feet, the boy sprinted into the comfort of his cool, damp mist, running all the way back to the centre of the field (at least 15 meters at this point) before he even dared to stop.

The boy knew that Naohiro would not have been able to keep up with him at such a speed; he had always been the faster of the pair even without the focus that he had placed on increasing his speed during his taijutsu training. So it was that Kirino would finally have half a chance to take stock and bring the battle down to his own pace instead of Naohiro's. He had already expended far more chakra than his opponent, but there was no helping the fact that he needed to use more far too quickly for his liking if he was to win this battle. The two of them were in the Karagata's element now, and Kirino knew that he needed to make it count while it lasted.

So it was that the boy maintained his position in the centre of both the field and his, standing stock still as he channelled chakra into his eyes and activated his new power. You can't hide from me Hiro... But you definitely won't see me coming.

Jutsu UsedShow

Jutsu Completed

---

*Shrouding Mist Technique
C-rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: Hidden Mist Technique
After forming the required hand seals, the ninja creates a blanket of mist which covers the area around them. The mist covers 30x30x30m area. The mist limits the visibility of those inside to 3 meters in any direction, and dampens scents, weakening any advanced scent techniques, or controlled scent techniques by 2m. This technique lasts a number of posts equal to the user's 1/2 stamina.
Post 1 of 6.5 complete

Jutsu Started and completed

---

Mist's Shield • Ukemi Mastery
D-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Kirino has trained and perfected his Ukemi. This means he can naturally (like second nature) perform and seamlessly move into a roll, forwards, backwards or sideways from any position. This has many practical uses but is mainly used as a response to being thrown, knocked over, or falling, as Kirino can use a roll to distribute his weight and minimize the impact damage.

Mist's Shield • Ready
D-Rank Taijutsu Stance
When assuming this stance Kirino focuses his energy into the balls of his feet as he takes a light-footed position. This focus allows him to move more quickly and with less of an acceleration time (+3 Speed), but to offset this he is unable to strike with as much force as normal (-3 Strength).

Toramugan • Beginner's Thermal Vision
D-Rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: 5 control
After channeling chakra into his eyes, Kirino will activate the Toramugan, switching the spectrum of light that he sees to infrared. This has the effect of allowing him to see thermal radiation, and allowing him to see through various particulates (such as mist) that he would not be able to see through otherwise. This vision remains the same regardless of the amount of regular light. This basic iteration of the Toramugan is not greatly refined, however, and so Kirino is only able to see through 5 times the amount of particulate than he would otherwise be able to see through.

[Valkier]

Naohiro's leg carved out a clear arc as it cut through the mist, but missed its target once Kirino took to the air. He spun in a crouch as he followed through with the motion before rising ready to lunge inwards and grab a firm hold of his opponent; only to find that his friend was no longer there. That was unexpected, and the first hint that Kirino had been just as hard at work at refining his own combat potential as he'd been himself.
No! Where is he?
Glancing around frantically, Nao caught the flicker of movement that was Kirino rising from his evasive roll, and wasted little time in turning around to give chase.

"Get back here!" His mask of calm faltered for a moment as he shouted after Kirino's form, soon swallowed by the wall of mist around him. Somehow, even with Nao starting to sprint only a fraction of a second behind, Kirino quickly disappeared into the cover of his technique. He quickly decided to mimic Kirino's initial strategy to give himself some extra options now that the tide of the fight was beginning to shift, and started performing handseals as he slowed to a halt within the mist. Watching all sides warily as best he could, his only appreciation of the thick haze was that it concealed the frustration crossing his face. A few short seconds later, water condensed from the ground nearby and formed an identical clone.
He's faster than before! How much can he possibly have grown?!

This was not good; Kirino was a ninja tried and tested at fighting within his mist, and Naohiro had been unable to stop their fight starting that way. He knew that emerging victorious would now hinge on him reclaiming control over the bout, and he needed to do so at any cost. Thinking desperately, he rotated on the spot with his head swiveling every direction, keen for any hint of movement that might alert him to a counter-attack. Kirino wouldn't waste must time to strike once he felt secure, without any doubt. The clone took up the same position behind him and facing the opposite direction, rotating as he did so that they remained back-to-back and their combined gaze could watch every direction at once.

Think! You've trained for this!
Slowly, he fought down the urge to panic and instead forced himself to focus. With a deep, steadying breath, he opened his ears and attuned his hearing; With sight beyond three metres lost to him, now was the time to bring other senses into play. While he listened, his hands flew together to create a complementary technique. Chakra coursed through his body, out and into the ground around him, before spreading out over a considerable area. A moment later dozens of tiny shards of ice crept up from the ground as the hyouton chakra began to freeze moisture in the dirt and air, until the entire field fifteen metres in every direction was littered with tiny, brittle spikes. They were hard enough to see at the best of times, and under the cover of the mist even moreso; but by themselves they wouldn't prove much threat to his opponent. They would, however, allow him to hear Kirino's movements every time his stepped carelessly - and there was nothing quite like a perforated foot to slow someone running away, too.

Techniques Used...Show

Suiton • Clone II
C-Rank Suiton Ninjutsu
After performing the correct hand seals the user creates a clone of themselves comprised completely of suiton chakra. This clone is capable of performing any C-rank or lower suiton technique known by the creator, however the volatile nature of the chakra within the clone's body required to achieve this ability leaves it exceptionally poor in terms of strength and taijutsu ability.

• Taijutsu – 1
• Stamina – 5
• Strength – 1
• Speed – 5

[Stop and Listen]
D-Rank Taijutsu Stance
The user will stop moving and take a deep breath, focusing on all the sounds they hear. So long as they are not moving, the user will be able to pick-up on the footsteps of anyone moving within 20 feet of them, unless they are using a specialized technique to mask the sound of their movement. Areas with loud noises, or crowds of people will throw off the success of this technique.

Hyōton ◊ Hibishi
D-Rank Hyouton Ninjutsu
With a series of hand seals the user imbues the ground around them in a 15m diameter with a small quantity of Hyouton chakra. Moisture in the ground or surrounding air is drawn and frozen to form small angular spikes of ice reminiscent of makibishi. Each hibishi is approximately 5cm in diameter, forms at a speed of 5 and are as sharp as senbon, capable of piercing regular fabric or leather footwear. However with a strength of 2 they are incredibly brittle and break easily, emitting an audible crack as they splinter. They remain for three posts before losing their strength and melting.

[Jinan B]

The world transformed in a single moment, turning everything that was once grey and indiscernible a light blue with distorted shapes formed here and there in different colours. Kirino smiled, the advantage was his for now; Naohiro had no idea that he had mastered such an ability. At the same time, however, he had already seen that his rival had learned no lack of new powers as well. He turned quickly, facing back the way he came as he began to look for the Aisu genin.

What he saw put a halt in his smile. Naohiro was in the mist, yes, but he seemed to already have figured out a tactic to use against the Karagata if the hand seals being used were any indication. The boy had no idea what Hiro had up his sleeve; being sure only of the fact that the Aisu would most certainly have figured out a strategy to counteract his mist. He remained still for a moment, preparing himself for the inevitable moment where he would need to react to the attack that was surely coming. One moment passed and Kirino's foe had completed the hand seals, another and... Nothing had happened? The realization that Kirino knew not what Naohiro was doing terrified the boy; he had maneuverer himself into such a favourable position, but now he might be being effortlessly countered and he couldn't even realize it.

Then he looked down, saw the dark blue spikes surrounding him, and understood. So this is his counter... Spikes? Does Hiro think I want to approach him? No, that wasn't right. A quick glance around him showed that the spikes were all around him, limiting his movement in all directions. That was what it was then, wasn't it? If Kirino was unable to move without injury thanks to the spikes, then as soon as he used a jutsu Naohiro would only need to fire back at the source in order to hit his opponent. That meant that Kirino would either need to risk whatever harm would come as a result of the hazard, or use a jutsu with no discernible source.

He decided upon the second option.

Standing dead still and exposing himself to any fire that might come from his foe, Kirino began to form a set of hand seals longer than any he had done during the fight. The tactic would drain his chakra severely, but if he could land a decisive blow with such a move than he might well be able to put an end to the match then and there. Once the jutsu had been completed 12 blades would form in a circle around Naohiro, 45 centimetres in length and 5 in width. Before the Aisu would have a chance to react to such a threat, perhaps even before he noticed them at all, the first of the blades would come flying at him at a speed far beyond that of either child. The other 11 would follow in quick succession, locked onto Naohiro's heat signature and coming right at him without so much as a chance for Kirino's foe to figure out what was happening. The Karagata himself would not be able to see the blades thanks to them being just as cold as the mist itself, but he would definitely see if Naohiro had managed to defend himself against them or not. He doubted that the boy would be able to; however, victory was as good as his.

Jutsu UsedShow

Staggered Execution
B-rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: 15 Control; Toramugan must be activated
After forming the correct hand seals, Kirino will select a single visible heat signature within his mist, after which he will send out a pulse of chakra. Following this, the mist surrounding the target will solidify into 12 different blades with a length of 45 centimeters and a width of 5 centimeters each. These blades will then fire at the target one by one, moving at a speed of 25 and striking with a strength of 15. The blades will launch in an order with each blade coming from the opposite direction of the one before it.

((OOC Note: I sent Fluffy a PM regarding adding the width of the blades onto the jutsu seeing as currently they could be anything from a millimetre to a full meter in width each. If you feel like 5 centimetres is a bad length just message me and we can wait to see what Fluffy says (y).))

Edit Made 24/05/2017:: Just reading back over this thread it's worth clarifying to anyone looking at this that the jutsu is now a C/P of what is in Kirino's app.

[Valkier]

Everything was silent within the depths of the mist, where Naohiro waited on edge for an attack. His breathing, loud to his own ears in the absence of any other sound, grew steadier as he made himself begin to plan... But the total lack of sound sparked only more paranoia about his situation; and that's when the realisation struck him that he was making a grave mistake. He'd been preparing to track his opponent through the mist by listening for Kirino's movements, but the simple fact was that a frontal assault wasn't at all the Karagata's style.
Shit! This isn't like training with Kohon, you fool! Move! Don't let him take control of this fight! Not so easily!

Immediately he began moving and weighing his options. The fact that he couldn't hear any footsteps through the mist was testament to that theory - Kirino wasn't moving to attack physically, nor was simply using the mist as cover to escape unless he'd learnt to move silently and avoid the Hibishi. The chances were good, therefore, that he was planning to strike from afar instead - and Kirino had always been most able with his mid- and long-range ninjutsu assaults. The mist was certainly more than just a panic strategy, given that he'd begun preparing to use it moments after the match had begun... Which meant Naohiro was playing right into his opponent's hands, standing around waiting to react as he'd been.

"Enough hiding, Kirino!" He called out, sounding more confident than he felt, while picking a direction at random and running for all he was worth. His hands flew together to prepare the first ninjutsu that came to mind. "I never thought you'd have to rely on tricks like this to face me!" His clone ran with him, but it's inferior speed quickly made it fall behind until it was also lost in the mist.

As soon as his technique was ready, he inhaled deeply and raised a hand to his mouth. A great gust of wind erupted outwards as he released his chakra-laden breath, and tore away through the mist in a great cone until it reached open air beyond... Just as something unseen struck him from behind.
Like a blade of condensed mist, the invisible attack slashed across his back at the same moment that his fuuton blast carved a clear path through the dense mist. He gasped in shock and pain, feeling the mist-attack tear through the skin on his back and cut into him. A fraction of a second later it was followed by a second, then a third, this time coming from either side before he could even react to the first. A fourth struck at the same moment as he flung himself forwards and down, diving to the ground and performing a quick roll in an attempt to avoid further strikes. His dive took him out of the edge of the mist and out into the conical passage of clear air carved out by his fuuton, and... the attacks stopped the moment his body left the mist. Nevertheless, he wasted little time scrambling to his feet and hurrying down the passage through the mist before it could begin to encroach back again. The daylight beyond the cloud had never looked so inviting.

Sprinting as fast as he could, he flew from the cloud in a haze of panic. Pain lanced down his back and arms, growing with each passing moment, and his muscles pulled in an unnatural way as he forced himself to keep moving to the far side of the field. He'd emerged on the east side, by chance, and found himself facing the lake that sat along the border. Where Kirino's mysterious attack had struck his formal haori was ruined - shredded beyond recognition, and bloodstained in the few places it was intact, so he tore it free and discarded it over the lake carelessly - and his flesh beneath had fared little better. Cuts scored his arms, and from the feel of them, the two points on his back where Kirino had struck were deeper injuries still...
As his shredded haori floated down through the air, he spun around to face the cloud of mist again. There would be time to fret over spilt blood later; first came protection against Kirino, lest the boy catch Naohiro off-guard yet again. With the ample supply of water at his back restoring his confidence a little, he begun a second string of seals in preparation to face his foe again...

Techniques Used...Show

Fuuton • Grand Breakthrough
B-Rank Fuuton Ninjutsu
By performing the needed hand seals and bringing their hands to their mouth, the user can release a wide, powerful blast of air. This wave of air moves outward in a cone shape with a 20 metre width at the end of the cone and moves with a speed of 15. Once it makes contact with a substance, the wind both cuts at it and pushes it away with 25 strength. This blast goes out for a maximum of 20 metres if it doesn't hit anything, whereupon it will dissipate into the surrounding air.

Begun preparing:
*Suiton • Water Dragon Projectile
B-Rank Suiton Ninjutsu
After performing the correct hand seals the user creates a dragon head of water. Once it has been created, the user can launch the three-meter diameter projectile towards a target at a speed of 15 and with a strength of 25 for up to 20 meters. Following the head is a long body and tail, stretching nearly six-meters. During the course of it's travel, the user may alter the course of the dragon three times, allowing it to complete a U-turn per alteration.

[Jinan B]

The Karagata's lips curled into a smile as he saw Naohiro react to the blows that he was so clearly sustaining. Even though it seemed as if the boy's rival had been able to avoid the majority of his attack, but there was clearly damage that was dealt regardless. The battle was no doubt far from won yet, but the advantage that drawing first blood gave him served to increase the young genin's confidence tenfold. Not only was Kirino unwounded as of yet, but he was still in his own mist. As long as that fact remained true, the Karagata was in control of the fight. Even better for Kirino was that Naohiro had clearly used no small amount of chakra just to be able to escape the attack, as long as he was careful the boy would be able to outplay his rival in terms of stamina as well.

But he couldn't get ahead of himself yet; Naohiro was certainly not about to bow out of the competition after being hit by only a single attack, so the Karagata would need to capitalize on his advantage if he wanted to be the victor of today's match. Quickly forming a pair of hand seals, a current of air pushed up from beneath the child, elevating him just enough so that he could move without worrying about the hibishi that littered the field. With his mobility problem out of the way, the Karagata quickly turned his attention to his mist. The Aisu's attack had evidently blown away a fair portion of it; from a single point in the centre of the mist to the entire eastern edge of it was no unobscured land instead of the heavy haze that came as a result of the young genin's signature jutsu. Luckily the vast majority of it had been spared, easily enough that Kirino would be able to work with it just as easily as he had been able to before.

The Karagata looked back at his rival, finding his heat signature easily enough due to the lessened amount of mist that lay between them. Luckily enough it seemed as if the Aisu still had little means of finding his foe, but even so he had begun preparing hand seals in order to put to action whatever his battle plan had shifted to. Presumably, Kirino himself wouldn't have very long before Naohiro figured out another way to find him, and so as he moved he formed a second set of hand seals, resulting in the mist to drift back into its original shape while simultaneously moving east towards Naohiro. Kirino himself moved closer to his opponent slowly, to ensure that he wouldn't leave his mist out of haste, as well as keep Naohiro just within the range of his thermal sight. Soon enough the entire body of mist will have shifted, sharing its eastern border with the edge of the field.

Jutsu UsedShow

*Wind Element • Wind Skating
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
After performing the needed hand seals, the user is able to glide on air as if they were skating on ice. This allows them to move faster (+3 speed) but lowers their accuracy and agility (-3 Taijutsu). This doesn't allow them to fly, but rather to travel over things like land, water, and ice with greater ease. The user is only held several inches off of the ground. This Jutsu does not expire until the user’s chakra supply runs out or the user shuts it off. The fuuton passive is not applied in this technique.

*Moving Mist Technique
D-rank Ninjutsu
After performing the correct hand seals, the user will cause the mist to shift and move in whatever direction they please. This mist moves at 5 speed, and while casting this technique the user cannot move or cast other techniques.

[Valkier]

Naohiro's mind raced as he stood on the shore, tense and desperately trying to ignore the lancing pain from the lacerations across his back. How..? The question tumbled over and over in his head, frustrating and unanswerable. How was Kirino able to target him like he had? The mist obviously blocked line of sight, and he'd been standing still, soundlessly, which made his own strategy of sound detection just as impossible. Maybe scent? Unlikely... He's never shown any particular receptivity to that. But nor is he a sensory type who can detect chakra sources...

All the while, his hands continued to move until the water dragon burst from the lake at his back. The great head of the beast soared upwards and then arced back down towards him, circled, and then came to a rest towering over the top of him and waiting for his command. It's long serpentine tail coiled around him, as if the dragon was a protective guardian from the depths of the lake come to aid the wanting Aisu.
Just as he was checking himself over for anything that Kirino could have planted on him as a tracking device, and considering whether or not Kirino's training could have included so much as sensory techniques, the wall mist ahead began to shift. The great conical rent wrought by his own fuuton technique only moments earlier slowly began to lose its clear-cut edges, and slowly the cloud began to roll towards him. Even now, entirely outside the wretched mist, Kirino still apparently knew where he was.

All thought about how he was found fled in the face of the new attack, his focus instead shifting to avoiding being caught a second time. He opted for the simplest and most obvious method and drew a number of explosive tags from his pockets, and kunai from his thigh holster. He affixed a tag to each kunai and threw them all in one smooth motion, four in total, in a spread across the front edge of the encroaching mist. A short pause and a quick handseal later, and the near edge of the mist detonated in a brief but powerful line of explosions. His quick action meant that the mist had barely begun to shift; although the cone was partially re-filled with mist, the cloud had barely begun its movement towards him, and he was left with a reasonable corridor of space between himself and the edge of the mist...

---

..Meanwhile, the shifting cloud of mist revealed Naohiro's earlier water clone. It crouched easily on its haunches, ready and waiting, on the south-west corner of where the mist had been a moment ago. With its sight restored, it stood and quickly took stock of its situation; with a good vantage point of the west and south sides of the field, it made the easy conclusion that Kirino was likely to be hiding within the mist. What's more, Naohiro himself was probably to the east, given that the mist - Kirino's primary weapon thus far - was moving in that direction. Forming a quick plan, the clone took off at a run following the south edge of the mist along its border, running east until it reached the approximate middle of the cloud's edge.

Many years fighting together imparted a reasonable knowledge of each other's fighting styles, and so far Kirino hadn't deviated too much from what could be expected - he was probably sitting safe and sound, hidden at range and out of sight of Naohiro, biding his time and planning his speciality ranged jutsu. And since Nao had only formed the clone after being lost in the mist, there was no way that Kirino could know it was here, stalking him - which presented a valuable opportunity. Since the mist was the major obstacle so far, it positioned itself to try and turn that tide.

Walking a few metres into the mist and watching carefully to make sure Kirino wasn't hiding just inside the edge, it stopped and prepared a technique of its own. Handseals flew in sequence with all of Naohiro's own competence, and a moment later a great conical wave of water spat forth from the clone's mouth towards the centre of the mist. From the middle of the southern edge, the technique carved a great swathe northwards for 15 metres, stretching out to cover 15 metres across at it's widest point. With any luck, the clone's guess that Kirino might be in the middle of the cloud would be correct and the boy would suddenly be struck with a gushing wall of water from an unsuspecting side. Whether or not that happened, the wave would force away a vast chunk of the mist ahead before losing its momentum and falling to the ground of the arena. The clone, its jutsu completed, would then dart back into the little mist that remained on the field, to the west of where it stood in an attempt to avoid detection.

---

Back where Naohiro watched from the eastern edge of the field, it was just about evident that something was occurring within the mist. After the smoke from the explosive tags had cleared, he witnessed what only appeared as a dark shadow as it rushed through the interior of the mist from the south. Where it had been, the mist was visibly thinner; though he still looked through a haze of it, it seemed like only a remnant of what it had been a moment before as if a large swathe of the mist behind that was now gone...
...and through it, just barely visible now thanks to his use of tags to thin the eastern edge of the mist, was a humanoid blur. The mist that remained was enough to conceal any features - the size and shape of the figure was so vague that it could've been anything - but having seen how empty the field had been at the beginning of the fight, he didn't hesitate. With all the fury of an Aisu with wounded pride, he unleashed the water dragon around him on a course directly towards the distant, misty shape.

Techniques Used...Show

Continued use of:
*Suiton • Water Dragon Projectile
B-Rank Suiton Ninjutsu
After performing the correct hand seals the user creates a dragon head of water. Once it has been created, the user can launch the three-meter diameter projectile towards a target at a speed of 15 and with a strength of 25 for up to 20 meters. Following the head is a long body and tail, stretching nearly six-meters. During the course of it's travel, the user may alter the course of the dragon three times, allowing it to complete a U-turn per alteration.

Newly used:
*[Ninjutsu • Multiple Chakra Kai]
C-Rank Ninjutsu
Despite requiring both hands and more time than *[Basic Jutsu • Chakra Kai], Multiple Chakra Kai allows the user to activate up to five objects simultaneously, up to 20 + (Control/2) meters away.

Clone used:
*Suiton • Great Stream
C-Rank Suiton Ninjutsu
After performing the correct hand seals the user expels a massive conical water torrent that drenches an area thoroughly, capable of soaking a meter down nearly instantly for soil and like materials. The cone has a base width of 15 meters and a range of 15 meters and travels at a speed of 10, pushing things back with a strength of 10.

[Jinan B]

Kirino would continue to guide the mist closer to the lake as Naohiro finished the set of hand seals that he was running through and formed what seemed to clearly be some form of suiton jutsu from the lake. He couldn't see for sure with his eyes as they were, but he was still confident that his opponent lacked the means to strike him without knowing exactly where he was on the field. When the teen began to take kunai out from his holster, however, Kirino would quickly move backwards further into the mist to ensure that he could be safely outside the blast radius of whatever tags, explosive or flash, that were being attached to the tools. He needed have bothered as it turned out, but either way the young genin would realize that his friend was not about to allow the mist to engulf him once more. It looked like he would need to take the offensive if he wished to bring a fitting conclusion to their bout; something that he was more than happy to do as he lifted his hands once more, ready to cast yet another jutsu.

The boy was stopped in his tracks by a sound behind him, however... The sound of flowing water and the breaking of the Aisu's hibishi. Just as he turned to find the source of the noise the wave of water sent by Naohiro's clone struck him head on; sending him hurtling backwards for the few metres until the wave itself ceased to function. Trying to regain his bearings once more, the Karagata quickly realized that on top of being winded by the suiton, the remains of the hyouton spikes had produced more than a few cuts across his limbs. It was nothing that he wouldn't survive, but even so it would keep the child cautious as he deactivated his doujutsu. He didn't need the vision that was granted to him now seeing as the wave must have done away with far too much of his mist. Ugh... What was that? A clone was the obvious source of the attack, but when had Naohiro created it? More importantly, how had it found him when he was already obscured within the mists?

The answers to those questions didn't matter though. The clone had been created and there wasn't enough mist left for it to matter if the clone could find him once more. Quickly Kirino climbed back to his feet, looking back to where the wave must have come from. Nothing was where he imagined its source would have been, meaning that the clone must have expanded what remained of its chakra in the using of the jutsu. Thankfully, that left Naohiro himself as the only threat that he needed to deal with once more. Kirino looked back at the lake...

Only to see the water dragon coming directly at him. Shit! Kirino immediately took off in the opposite direction as the attack, subconsciously thankful for the extra speed provided by the fuuton skates and all the while wondering how he was going to overcome this particular obstacle and he moved northwest. He knew how the water dragon jutsu worked, having mastered it himself, and that meant that he also knew just how unlikely it would be for him to destroy it outright without wasting far too much of his now precious chakra. Instead, the child would turn right, sprinting in his attempts to be able to outmanoeuvre the attack instead of facing it head on. Soon afterwards he would turn once more, aiming to move right past the jutsu while Naohiro attempted to shift its course.

Assuming he was successful, the boy would be heading straight back the the Aisu himself. Using the head start that he had on the dragon, Kirino would slow down slightly as he moved through a set of hand seals. Hopefully they would be the last that he needed to do, but if they weren't Kirino had a bad feeling that he wouldn't emerge from this battle as the victor. Regardless, once he was done a large ball of water would form in front of him and roll directly towards the Karagata's opponent. If it connected with its target then victory would all but be his.

If not, then he would have few options left to him.

Jutsu UsedShow

Continued use of Fuuton: Wind Skating

*Suiton • Water Prison
B-Rank Ninjutsu
After performing the correct hand seals the user is able to spew a large ball of water that stands at three meters in diameter. This ball rolls forward at the desired target up to 20 meters away and at a speed of 20. Should this strike the target, they will become engulfed within the sphere. However, if this manages to strike multiple targets, it will envelop them as well, up to a total of 3 prisoners. One can resist being pulled into the ball if they have a strength higher than 20. The trapped targets will spin with the sphere and may become nauseated and dizzy from the disorientation. The technique lasts for a total of 4 posts before bursting.

[Valkier]

From behind its wave, Naohiro's clone watched with anticipation as the technique cut through the mist ahead. Only through familiarity with Kirino did it assume that its target was hiding within the heart of the mist - but if was wrong, it intended to move forward and repeat its attack a second time to fully disperse the remainder of the troublesome concealment. By chance that turned out not to be necessary, as it witnessed a figure suddenly break apart the wave's motion and stagger backwards from the impact. Smiling in satisfaction, the clone moved back into the mist to its left and followed its inner edge north-west, being careful to remain concealed. As it did so, it drew a kunai and held it ready in case Kirino moved to intercept; now that the it had revealed itself, the chance of Kirino coming to target the clone was high...


Naohiro himself, on the other hand, grimaced in frustration as Kirino easily managed to dodge the water dragon cascading directly towards him. The Karagata's movement was unusual as he darted first away from the dragon with surprising swiftness, and then cut to the side at the last moment and outmanoeuvred the incoming attack. Impressive, Naohiro thought quickly, he's faster than I thought! He watched for a moment how the boy seemed to skim across the floor, feet not entirely touching ground, before he recognised the Wind Skating technique. The realisation that the simple fuuton jutsu would have nullified his earlier Hibishi made him feel a little abashed - Kirino had been one step ahead of him even then.

Now, however, was a different story. Through the dim remnants of the fog, dispersing as it was from the repeated onslaught of explosions and suiton, Naohiro could see that Kirino had taken a few hits as well; aside from the wave sent by his clone, cuts and gashes seemed to cover his opponent - though sadly none looked even a fraction as serious as the wounds he'd taken himself. With a little luck, that would soon change.

As soon as the water dragon passed by, Nao willed the beast to turn in a tight arc, maintaining its speed as he bore it back towards Kirino a second time. At first, the Karagata boy was moving too fast for the suiton technique to keep up, but then, in what could only be a stroke of desperation - because Kirino was anything but a fool, and had fought without a single mistake thus far - he slowed down to begin preparing a set of hand seals. With the drop in speed and the apparent length of his attempted technique, the water dragon was all but guaranteed to dive into him from behind, pummelling him with its full strength and dousing the entire area around the boy with chakra-rich suiton as it did so. The chance that he would be able to finish whatever technique he was preparing - and aim it correctly - in the bare second or two before the dragon hit was low. Very low, given the ranges and speeds involved. And if by some method Kirino's technique did finish in time, and was aimed correctly, Naohiro would only hesitate for a moment as he analysed its path. Then he would attempt to run perpendicular to it, westward, then pivot and dive back towards the east at the very last moment in an attempt to escape its trajectory. The chance he'd be able to outrun it was close to zero, but if he could dodge around it at the last moment, or delay its impact from his evasive movement, his clone would have all the time it needed...


And being of the same mindset as its master, Naohiro's clone was not one to relax at the first sign of victory. Now standing at the very edge of the remaining haze of mist, some ten or so metres to Kirino's south-west, the clone shifted its kunai to its mouth and began its own series of hand seals as soon as it became apparent that the water dragon would strike home. The moment the beast smashed into Kirino and splashed all around him, the clone formed its final seal and sprang forward, running out of the mist and towards its target. As soon as Kirino's form stopped moving from the impact, the chakra-laden suiton on the ground all around him would rise up a second time, churning towards him and spiralling inwards to create a swirling vortex; it would wrap around his arms first, to prevent any further seals, then his legs to bind him, and then across his torso and head until it engulfed him entirely inside a ball of swirling water.

Should the ball form and capture Kirino as planned, the clone would make its way to within a few metres of the boy and drop to one knee, panting heavily as its chakra would be almost entirely spent. There, it would meet Kirino's eyes, trapped and suffocating as the boy would be, and give its ultimatum:

"It's... It's.. over." It spoke around the kunai still held in its mouth, gasping for air as best it could and barely keeping its form. Even so, its voice was cool and calm enough to make any Aisu proud. "You.. 're.. trapped. Surrender! Or.. else..." It tilted its head and manoeuvred the kunai in its mouth, clearly willing to sacrifice itself by diving into the vortex, blade-first, and stabbing Kirino a lethal blow while he was immobile and helpless.

Techniques Used...Show

Continued use of:
*Suiton • Water Dragon Projectile
B-Rank Suiton Ninjutsu
After performing the correct hand seals the user creates a dragon head of water. Once it has been created, the user can launch the three-meter diameter projectile towards a target at a speed of 15 and with a strength of 25 for up to 20 meters. Following the head is a long body and tail, stretching nearly six meters. During the course of its travel, the user may alter the course of the dragon three times, allowing it to complete a U-turn per alteration.

[Foresight]
C-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Prerequisite: [Perception]
If an incoming projectile is visible to the user, or its trajectory is known, the user is capable of predicting its timing and travel path accurately enough to increase their chances of a successful dodge, such as by sidestepping or twisting at the last moment. This allows the user to maintain their speed and direction of movement while still remaining capable of dodging incoming projectiles effectively. This also works in reverse, allowing the user to maintain their accuracy by estimating trajectories even while they themselves are in motion.


Clone used:
*Suiton • Pacifistic Domination
C-Rank Suiton Ninjutsu
Created to safely incapacitate opponents, after performing the correct hand seals, if the opponent is within 15 meters and is standing atop a body of water with the user's chakra in it, the user will begin to churn their chakra causing the water to turn into a vortex and engulf the opponent, trapping them in a vortex about two meters in diameter. Once the target is inside, the user must hold the last seal and cannot use any other techniques, capable of holding this for up to five posts. In order to escape, the target must have at least 10 strength to physically make their way out, or the user must be disrupted. Most shinobi would pass out after two posts due to a lack of oxygen. However, if a target possesses a stamina stat higher than 10, it would require three posts for them to pass out. Should the target possess a stamina stat above 20, it would require five posts for them to pass out, but anything higher than 30 would allow them to resist passing out altogether.

[Jinan B]

Kirino had cut things fine. In hindsight, he had cut things far too fine. Over the coming weeks the teen would no doubt go over the battle in his mind, coming up with countless plans that might have worked better than the one he had actually chosen. Not that it would make any difference; without the benefit of hindsight the shinobi had committed to his plan, mistakes and all.

The genin had managed to put enough distance between himself and the approaching jutsu that he was able to complete his own, but he failed to realize just how quickly it would catch up to him. By the time he had finishing forming the hand seals and formed the ball it couldn't have been more than a few meters behind him. A second later it was already too late for him to move out of the way once more, and he could only brace himself as the tumultuous wave struck him square in the back. The rush of water came with a similar rush of pain, overloading Kirino's senses. Several ribs broke on the impact, and there was no doubt that medical-nin would be trating similar injuries across the boy’s body once the fight was over. Kirino himself wouldn't have the time to think about it, however. All that rushed to his mind was blankness, as the impact quickly became too much for him to remain conscious through. Naohiro's clone would receive no answer to his ultimatum, and it would only be a few seconds after that that the fight would be declared over. Naohiro had won and, far more importantly for the Karagata, he had lost.

[Valkier]

Eyes fixed on his target, Naohiro cursed as he saw Kirino complete his technique; it was foolish to have assumed that his opponent - just as skilled if not moreso in ninjutsu than he - would make the mistake of preparing something he could not finish at such a crucial moment in the fight. Kirino was better than that. Immediately Naohiro began moving as quickly as he could while still committing his dragon to its attack; given the speed that Kirino’s technique shot towards him, the dragon was likely Nao’s only hope in a fight which had already pushed both of them to their limits.

The roar of the dragon as it cascaded down upon Kirino’s position was lost in the back of Naohiro’s mind as the ball of water tore through the space between the two ninja, approaching too quickly for him to avoid in his wounded state. He tried to dive aside at the last moment as it bore down on him, but a sudden stab of fresh pain from the deep gashes on his back caused him to stumble, slowing him down at the worst possible moment. The ball struck, slamming into him like a boulder even while it engulfed and trapped him within its chakra-laden suiton.

How far the ball continued to roll until it stopped he didn’t know; his world was pain from the impact and the continuing strain of the fight. His vision swam, black and white, and dimly he felt his clone vanish. Had its chakra dropped beforehand? Had it succeeded? Hanging suspended within the water prison as he was, bound and subdued by a strength greater than he could endure even if he were fresh, he couldn’t process the thought. In the distance he could just make out the blurred forms of people standing in the crowd. A faint and distorted clamour reached his ears, and a handful of humanoid shapes were approaching at a run across the combat-scarred field. It must be over, he thought, but…who are they running to help? Which way had the dice fallen?
The pain and exhaustion made his thoughts sluggish, but he still knew with that he was trapped within Kirino’s water prison. If his water dragon had survived then it could have come back to free him - but the beast was gone, destroyed in its attempt to hit Kirino and douse him with Naohiro’s own suiton. Even if he could resist the crushing strength of the water enough to move his hands into seals, he didn’t have the chakra left to attempt something new. If his dragon had missed, then this match was Kirino’s victory.

He realised that he was spinning slowly inside the prison, but the disorientation from that was insignificant next to the pain in his body and the shock of the technique’s impact. He watched mutely as the shapes grew nearer. Most congregated around a distant point - probably where Kirino was - but a few continued towards Naohiro. They weren’t running now. How long had passed since he’d been hit? It seemed like moments, but suddenly they were beside him, watching and waiting. None moved to free him from the prison - but then, as his mind slowly recovered, he realised that the binding technique was growing weaker. Gradually he moved his arms within the water as the suiton lost its strength, then he began sinking through it. As his feet touched solid ground, the water prison expired and burst like a bubble, leaving the soaked Aisu to collapse to the floor. Hands broke his fall, but then allowed him to regain his own footing.

Naohiro stood dumbly for a moment, panting. Oddly, despite everything happening around him, his first thought was how awful he must look - and then, how little that thought bothered him right now. His once-fine haori he’d worn at the beginning of the match was gone, shredded and discarded amid Kirino’s onslaught. That left him shirtless, soaked, exhausted, and bloodied. Drops of water and blood fell to the ground around him, but he mutely pushed aside those who came to tend the wounds, and instead began walking towards the other group of people. Where Kirino lay, now and again visible through the shifting crowd around him.

~ fin.