Entry into Ranks, Exit into Shame

[Ace Trainer]

There had been countless hours spent in this arena up to this point, Kozan very often trained in the very arena he now stood. He was adorn in his standard attire, standing on the dirt in the arena, just 5m or so off from the easternmost point in the circular arena, weak lights illuminating the dome. The 80m arena was silent, not a single sound coming from it as the dagger stood there.

Under orders, the young dagger had issued a challenge to the 7th sword. Practically a jounin after his previous mission, Kozan was waiting on beauracracy to rank up and it seemed that alongside it the title of a sword would be a great compliment. In truth, it meant nothing to him except that he’d been ordered to do it and so he would. He was familiar with Mondai, they were opposites in many ways. But he was confident he was stronger than him at this point as he continued to develop at a much faster rate than his peers.

The challenge had been issued by scroll, one of the Swordsmen’s birds delivering the challenge to Mondai. Since then, Kozan had came directly to the arena and here he stood, waiting for the swordsman to arrive. He hadn’t alerted anyone else, though he was sure his peers and superiors would catch wind of it - or at a minimum hear their clash and would show up. But he cared not for anything except the challenge.

His bright yellow eyes stared forward unwaivering, his mind empty as he waited. Whenever Mondai arrived, Kozan was ready.

[Mre-face]

The day had finally come someone wanted Mondai's spot he supposed it was inevitable at some point such was the way of life in Kirigakure. The question was who. Why it was Kozan strangely he's had a bad feeling that he of all daggers would be the one. He had already fought Yuuto but had to leave because of "lack of stamina" which Mondai found unbelievable leading to him perhaps speculating it if was some kind of outside frustration that made him quit.

Or perhaps their little argument about the pirate village got him in his crosshairs regardless it didn't matter because Mondai had received a scroll to show up at the sevenswordsmen arena which was his obligation but obligation or not Mondai wasn't one to back down from a challenge he was too prideful for that and getting a fight in wasn't something to complain about.

No smoking for him today everything he did was to prepare to be at his best. He was well rested ate well and prepared adequately. Betting on your opponent not being at their best was dangerous he was expecting the strongest most ruthless most powerful version of Kozan he had ever seen. This was no time to be cocky.

He was dressed as he usually was dark navy coat and all. The man came clamping in like a walking armory shield on hand greatsword strapped for easy removal on his back and falchion by his left hip and a harpoon placed on Mondai's back.

Mondai walked from the opposite side of the arena, chin high up chest up he walked like a man who was worthy of being seven swordsmen. Mondai continued to walk until he stood at the very center peering across the arena like a sentinel, sword and shield in his hand cross arm, and relaxed in front of him. His blade touched the ground as he waited for his challenger with defiance.

"So we doin' this or what?"

[Ace Trainer]

Like a gladiator for battle, Mondai made his way into the arena, a veritable tank of a man. But Kozan was just as big even if he wasn’t clad in weapons and shields. He and Mondai had trained together a few times, so he has a general sense of what the swordsman was capable of. When Mondai asked his question, Kozan would return a simple nod, adjusting his footing slightly to put him in a slightly more defensive stance. With just about 35 meters between the two of them, they’d start off with a small amount of distance to cover before they could engage in close combat.

One of the aids would walk slowly across the arena, holding a small tag in their hand. He’d drop it dead center of the pair and walk off with a bit more of a brisk pace, and then as he approached the border of the arena he’d make a single seal, causing the tag he dropped to release a small insignicant burst of light and sound, signaling the challenge would begin.

Kozan wasted no time, immediately performing [Kai] to activate one of the seals on his back. As soon as it was activated, he would begin channeling, watching Mondai as he did so. With his control increased, Kozan could cast faster, and quickly he’d breathe out a mist as it enveloped the arena. With his control increased, the B-rank technique would be able to cover 70 meters, covering most of the arena except the outer-rim of the arena. Kozan would take a few steps slowly into the mist, moving more to the south as well until he was about 5m into the mist. The mist now covering him, Kozan would crouch low to the ground, practically laying as he waited to see if Mondai would make any obvious moves.

SpoilerShow

Mild Mint
B-rank Augment Fuuinjutsu
Doing a series of hand seals or drawing the seal, Kozan will place his hand on the target, activating the seal. This seal gives +9 Control for its duration, at the cost of -9 Endurance.

*Concealing Mist Technique
B-rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: *Shrouding Mist Technique
After forming the required hand seals, the ninja creates a blanket of mist which covers the area around them. The mist covers 40x40x40m area. The mist limits the visibility of those inside to 2 meters in any direction, and dampens scents, weakening any advanced scent techniques, or controlled scent techniques by 2m. Additionally, sound is dampened as well, which can make it more difficult to communicate plans through the mist without advanced hearing techniques. This technique lasts a number of posts equal to the user's 1/2 Chakra Pool.

[Mre-face]

A nod was all he needed to know for him to know the fight was on as soon as the flash went off Mondai wasted zero time dilly-dallying the fight was on Mondai wanted a fight but he was betting that Kozan would instead start the fight by attempting to conceal the arena with mist. The same strategy he used to fight in the battle royal. Typical... Mondai was expecting this day to be more of a duel but he knew he was facing Shinjiro's apprentice he knew exactly what he was getting into. This wouldn't be a conventional duel they were shinobi at the core after all and Mondai was prepared for that. Dual or not he was anticipating Kozan to be at his most dangerous, no time to complain now even if it did annoy him slightly. Mondai decided to capitalize on Kozan trying to conceal the arena with his mist. Mondai quickly gathered all the power within his leg and bolted forward to try to interrupt him concealing the entire arena in the mist before it got cast and then expanded all over the arena.

Survival of the Strongest phpBB [video]

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As soon as Mondai blitzed into range the swordsman would first thrust his blade towards Kozan's leg following up with a circular slash from his leg up where Mondai would not only attempt to stop Kozan in his tracks but possibly even make him move his leg to avoid the attack only to then be put in a risky and unbalanced spot as the untouchable kept rushing further forwards and attempting to tackle Kozan with his shield knocking him down and giving Mondai the initiative by the time he has done this his sword would already be cocked by his shoulder by the time he's done he would already be in "Zorthut" or wrath ward ready to strike if Kozan retaliated wrathfully.

If the first thrust connected then Mondai would be a very happy fight leg compromised as Kozan was left pinned to fight Mondai but he wasn't counting on it it would be foolish to think that the first slashes would land flush. Hopefully, the follow-up slash and tackle got Kozan or at the very least made him react, and even if that missed Mondai still had a third backup plan which was to frustrate Kozan into retaliating so Mondai could then counter viciously. Regardless of how the situation played out Mondai was ready to respond accordingly. It was on now where Kozan kept trying to set up more techniques or go on the offense didn't matter it was time to prove that he was worthy of his spot.

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Semi in order of use

Skillful Wield
D-Ranked Taijutsu discipline
With a solid foundation of knowledge on their choice of weaponry, those with the Skillful Wield technique are able to utilize their weapon more fully. By knowing the weapon's weakest points, the user is able to avoid presenting these areas to damage during combat, thus making their weapon less likely to break by means of recklessness.

Seamless Skill
D-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
A skill utilized by those on the path to mastery of their weapon, users of Seamless Skill are actively able to transition between offensive and defensive usage of the aforementioned weapon. By transitioning so seamlessly, the user is able to save a marginal amount of energy while attacking.

Perfect alignment
D-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
With extensive knowledge of the sword, Mondai has learned to perfectly align the edge of the blades. by doing this his sword cuts minimizing damage to the blade and increasing cutting power. He does this by aligning the edge in the direction of the strike and he does this perfectly.

"Footwork is the most important part of fighting"
D-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
After learning over and over from his father how important footwork is Mondai has learned to move gracefully with his legs maintain balance, be able to redirect at a moment's notice, and be in and out of striking range with his swords

Switching grip
D-Ranked Taijutsu Discipline
Extensive knowledge has taught Mondai that switching between the edge forward and the flat forward can be critical. This helps with being able to cut more effectively by essentially freeing up the wrist making some slashes from certain guards more efficient bio-mechanically and less awkward as a consequence.

A great wall and you will pay for it all
D-rank Taijutsu discipline
After extensive training, he has learned to keep the shield in a position to protect as much of his body as possible even when attacking keeping his hands and sides safe no matter how he fights.

Big ass shield easy to wield
C-rank Taijutsu discipline
After extensive use of the shield his no longer encumbered by his shield. Essentially never tiring from holding the shield.

Graceful Mastery
C-rank Taijutsu discipline
After studying his sword style extensively. Mondai can transition from guard to guard seamlessly, even during and at the end of an attack. Giving him immense versatility in combat, allowing him to defend and attack simultaneously and from almost any angle. Meaning a hanging diagonal cut can transition to his key stance followed by a thrust into a horizontal cut that transitions into wrath or any other combination that a situation calls for.

Yūgana Mastery: Dualing
A-rank Taijutsu discipline
Prerequisite: All previous wards and Master cuts
After years of grueling training and experience in battle, Mondai has mastered how to duel to the point of unbelievable skill, Mondai can move and slice with maximum efficiency minimal telegraphing all while moving with impeccable balance and speed. Every small move is a slight battle of inches being able to move slightly for each attack or block to put himself in a better position and thus allow him to exploit the slightest of openings being able to recognize patterns and the same attacks if he has seen them even once before. His movements are worthy of his Surname constantly switching stances and shifting with maximum grace.

Thrusts towards leg before slashing in a circular motion from Wechsel" Change guard
D-rank Taijutsu stance
Wechsel is mostly used after the end of a downward cut. Wechsel can be used to chain into other attacks mostly starting with a harassing slashing motion from the bottom up but it has many other uses as well. Wechsel is initiated by having the blades flat downward and the point of the blade is aimed between the opponent's feet.

Charge!
D-Rank Maneuver Taijutsu
Usually done from a distance he lowers his head puts the shield in front of his body at an angle and charges toward his opponent he then slams the shield over his enemy's torso in an attempt to knock him over. if he has more strength over his opponent the opponent will be knocked down.

Seamless transition!
C-rank Taijutsu discipline
Prerequisite: Multiple guards
After studying his sword style extensively. Mondai can transition from guard to guard seamlessly, even during and at the end of an attack. Giving him immense versatility in combat.

Transitions and ends in "Zorthut" Wrath Ward
D-rank Taijutsu stance
In this guard, his shield is stretched out as far as possible at an angle. While keeping the elbows slightly bent to absorb blows. And the sword is raised above his head pointing over his shoulder. this helps in protecting his head like the sword could be used to protect his head. The sword version is similar but different he has his blade resting on his shoulder while having his shoulder and hips cocked towards the right or left. This stance is used against advancing targets or defensive fighters in order to smash right through their guard.

[Ace Trainer]

Rather uncharacteristically, the defensive bastion charged forward at Kozan. Likely an indication that the 7th sword viewed Kozan as a legitimate threat and couldn’t afford to wait. It seemed, though, this meant Kozan would have to adapt his plan. The young predator had fully intended on waiting to see how Mondai adapted to the mist, but it seemed he was going to be given much of an opportunity for that. Instead, he’d have to shift right into setting his trap. As he continued to channel, Kozan would strafe to the left, attempting to pull some additional distance between them while he released the mist. This would create just enough time to release the mist, and then Kozan would [kai] once more, immediately shifting his speed up in exchange for his control, in order to prevent Mondai from being able to get close enough to attack. He’d move into pivoting on his foot, and turning his back to where Mondai was closing in on, kicking off the ground and heading towards the center of the arena.

In the mist, Kozan’s greatest asset was his ability to track his opponents. But Mondai seemed to be just strong enough that he wasn’t generating fear from being in Kozan’s presence, forcing Kozan to get creative. Otherwise, he would be just as blind as Mondai was in this mist, and that would not do. Taking a few more steps to center himself on the arena, he’d begin a series of hand seals, casting a genjutsu. Once Mondai was caught, Kozan would take in a deep breath, attempting to locate his opponent’s fear.

SpoilerShow

Hasty Mint
B-rank Augment Fuuinjutsu
Doing a series of hand seals or drawing the seal, Kozan will place his hand on the target, activating the seal. This seal gives +9 Speed for its duration, at the cost of -9 Endurance

Pivot
D-rank Taijutsu Maneuver
[Close Quarters Combat]
When moving at any speed, the user is able to pivot on their foot to perform an about face, and return in the opposite direction without sacrificing any speed or awareness of their surroundings. Allowing them to rapidly turn back on and surprise opponents.

[Pause]
C-rank Augment Fuuinjutsu
Doing a series of hand seals or drawing the seal, Kozan will overlay this seal over an existing seal. When Kai is performed on this seal, it will pause the effect of the seal without deactivating it. A kai technique can be used again to resume the effect of the sealed fuuinjutsu. This technique can be used on any fuuinjutsu the user drew, otherwise the user must have greater [Control] than the fuuinjutsu that is being paused.

[Switchboard]
B-rank Fuuinjutsu
Prerequisites: [Multi-Kai] [Pause]
A base seal in which other fuuinjutsu are drawn over. Up to 20 fuuinjutsu can be connected via a [Switchboard] fuuin, and all must have the [Pause] fuuin overlaid them. When one of the fuuinjutsu attached to the [Switchboard] is activated, any other active fuuinjutsu connected to it has it’s [Pause] seal activated. If any fuuinjutsu attached to the switch board has the [Pause] fuuin deactivated, all other active seals have their [Pause] seal active. This allows the user to rapidly toggle between a series of fuuin while only ever having one of the fuuinjutsu’s effects active at any given time.

[Fear]
B-rank Status Genjutsu
The user does a series of hand seals, causing this genjutsu to activate in anyone currently touching the user’s mist. For the next 5 posts, those affected will experience waves of fear and thoughts of things they find scary through their body. While this doesn’t have any major effects, it can cause people to question their decisions, act irrationally, and produce the biological indicators of fear.

[Mre-face]

Rather uncharacteristically indeed if one didn't consider that the real counter was letting Kozan think that he could freely create mist without any retaliation. Mondai knew exactly what Kozan would do from observing Kozan's fight with Yuuto so letting him think that Mondai would be his usual defensive counter-fighting was in itself the bait. Kozan wouldn't be able to stand there and cast his mist jutsu, instead, he would be forced to strafe out of the way otherwise he would find his legs cut up and knocked down rather quickly likely shifting the advantage to Mondai. However, Mondai was already ready for him to move he had planned for it in fact, he wanted Kozan to attempt to move and channel to continue his initial plan of casting mist. "Runnin' already Kozan?!"

Mondai was already within two meters and pacing with Kozan, he could spot him within the mist, and due to the channeling slowing Kozan's movements, Mondai would outpace him.

Because the swordsman was already charging forwards and had his shoulders cocked back in wrath Mondai knew that he could attack Kozan before he could pull off his Kai his stubborn persistence to continue his channeling into a strafe was what gave Mondai an opening. Mondai was already too close in range for him to deal with the challenger's attempt to avoid Mondai, in fact, Mondai was actually faster so Kozan would be able to avoid by getting out of range of the initial assault so instead of continuing Mondai entered wrath ward with haste ready to switch up his plan of attack.

The challenged threw his falchion targeting Kozan's upper thigh so that even if Kozan kept strafing its trajectory would at best hit Kozan right above his knee and at worst catch him at the lowest part of his shin. Mondai saw how Kozan would raise his hands to Kai thus capitalizing by interrupting his running away by already being in slicing and by proxy throwing distance. The blade chopping into his leg would give Mondai the time to pull out his spear and extend his arm and torso as far as possible to increase its range even further, aiming to thrust directly into the experiment's hand so that if he decided to for whatever reason keep performing the kai seal, he would skewer the same hand and at the same time as he would be gutted.

After that, the untouchable would try to ram him into the ground pinning him with the spear and leaving it there before pulling out his greatsword grabbing it by its back edge, and dropping it to chop off Kozan's midsection leaving him in two pieces if Kozan kept continuing on with his kai'ing and channeling.

However, Mondai was smart enough to realize that he couldn't just blindly rely on Kozan not being able to counter, there was always a backup, Mondai was more than ready to adjust if Kozan instead decided to dodge or attack Mondai. But seeing as he still had the momentum and shield and the speed advantage on his side, he was sure that he would be there first being able to block and counter said retaliation.

This was a show of Mondai's determination, if there was anything like it as he knew that this very fight could mean his life and not only that but his very honor. He couldn't fail as he did in the daggers test all those years ago he couldn't let down his father. He wanted to show why he was worthy of being part of the seven swordsmen and if the first thing he did was lose to a prospect then the sharks would begin to smell the blood in the water it wouldn't be long until the others would come for his head.

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Entered from charge in previous post "Zorthut" Wrath Ward
D-rank Taijutsu stance
In this guard, his shield is stretched out as far as possible at an angle. While keeping the elbows slightly bent to absorb blows. And the sword is raised above his head pointing over his shoulder. this helps in protecting his head like the sword could be used to protect his head. The sword version is similar but different he has his blade resting on his shoulder while having his shoulder and hips cocked towards the right or left. This stance is used against advancing targets or defensive fighters in order to smash right through their guard.

Previous disciplines still in use to chase and throw the weapon

Perfect thrust! Aimed at kai'ing hand and gut
B-rank Taijutsu maneuver
After training how to thrust with his swords, he has learned how to completely take advantage of how humans see. By going in a completely straight manner no matter the angle, the person will not see the attack unless they have a perception tech of equal or greater rank.

Butcher's stomp
D-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: 10 Strength
In this attack, Mondai will take one hand and place it on his blade and one hand on the hilt. He then lifts the blade up and smashes it into the ground after rushing forward to get in range. This can be aimed at the head or feet of the target.

[Ace Trainer]

The mist would close around them, and Kozan would take off towards the center. At 39 speed, he was plenty fast. Fast enough, that as the sword Mondai threw blindly at his thigh, his increased senses from the pauldron he wore would pick up on it just as it entered the small bubble of range the mist granted him. It wouldn't be enough time to dodge, but it would be enough time for him to shift his hip out the way, turning it into a rather shallow cut on the side of his leg. The sword would clang to the ground behind it and Kozan would sweep it up grabbing it off the ground to carry with him. Now, he would continue as he had been, vanishing into the mist to go towards the center of the arena, leaving Mondai alone lost in the mist.

In the mist, Kozan’s greatest asset was his ability to track his opponents. But Mondai seemed to be just strong enough that he wasn’t generating fear from being in Kozan’s presence, forcing Kozan to get creative. Otherwise, he would be just as blind as Mondai was in this mist, and that would not do. Taking a few more steps to center himself on the arena, he’d begin a series of hand seals, casting a genjutsu. Once Mondai was caught, Kozan would take in a deep breath, attempting to locate his opponent’s fear.

As he listened, he'd channel a small amount of chakra into his fingers and begin touching the wound Mondai had just created, allowing the chakra stitches to flow through it and seal as he waited to locate his prey.

SpoilerShow

[Fear]
B-rank Status Genjutsu
The user does a series of hand seals, causing this genjutsu to activate in anyone currently touching the user’s mist. For the next 5 posts, those affected will experience waves of fear and thoughts of things they find scary through their body. While this doesn’t have any major effects, it can cause people to question their decisions, act irrationally, and produce the biological indicators of fear.

*[Iijutsu • Chakra Stitching]
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
The user performs a short set of hand seals and then will gently place their index finger at the base of the patient's wound. Once this is done, the user will lift their finger and touch it to the other side of the wound, causing a visible 'stitch' of chakra to appear and hold the wound together with [Control] Strength. This is repeated until the wound has been pulled together. Actions performed with more [Strength] or [Speed] than the [Control] used to create the stitch will destroy it.

[Mre-face]

The idea to rush in didn't quite go as he planned Kozan moved out of the way and created a thick mist closing around Mondai. He knew it was rather a rather hail-mary thing to do to throw his one-handed sword but unknowingly to him it drew first blood a rather shallow slice but at least one of them had done damage. Mondai had thrown his sword as a surprise attack but still wanted it for himself in case Kozan tried anything clever to grab it for himself Mondai pulled out his harpoon and then rushed blindly into the mist for a chance to get to his sword.

Pulling out his harpoon-like spear not only used it as a way to extend further past himself to "see" but also charged forward to where the sword would most likely land, the harpoon would extend his range a lot further forward reaching the destination "faster" than usual so he would likely catch his advisory with the tip of his harpoon if he tried to go for his sword.

After attempting to both skewer his opponent and receive his sword back Mondai would then suddenly began to feel how his hair was raised all of a sudden, Mondai began sweating and began feeling uneasy over this fight, the mist felt as if it closed in on him, him not being able to see or hear as well as he just did a few seconds ago freaked him out more then he wanted to admit frustrating Mondai as he hadn't had any significant amount of doubt until now. The mist combined with the silence was quiet too quiet making Mondai feel a certain faint fear that he hadn't felt since the great war but it was lucky that Mondai was experienced and smart enough to know how to stave off this feeling for the most part as did his best to not question himself too much as he needed to remain calm. "Hesitation is death" His father's words rang in his head so Mondai went back to doing what he was familiar with and began falling on his usual more defensive counter-fighting strategy which was already part of the plan but further encouraged Mondai to do so trying his best to back into a wall the idea was to essentially turn himself into an impenetrable wall.

The swordsman wielded his shield in a formation-like manner keeping it close to his body to protect his entire torso a little bit of his head and some of his legs backing away as the spear was placed on the side of the shield to protect his left side as much as possible.

"IS HIDIN' IN MIST ALL YA CAN DO!?" Mondai shouted out trying to bait the challenger into facing him for now all he could do it feel like he was too blind to approach so letting Kozan come to him was his plan. Mondai walked backward as he tensely waited for the fight to truly begin.

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Brace!
C-rank Taijutsu stance

Not as much of a guard, but rather a way to keep him from getting knocked off his feet. By Ailing his feet in such a way that is perfect for balance. Mondai can keep himself from being knocked off his feet if his strength is equal to or higher than the opponent's attack.[/Spoiler]

[Ace Trainer]

[OOC: Just for reference [here] is a link to Kozan's app at the time of this thread starting.]

Kozan settled into his spot, not making any rash decisions. A predator hunting his prey was intentional and measured, so that their first strike would be their last. As quickly as the jutsu had been cast, Kozan would began to pick up on Mondai's fear, being able to locate him in the oppressive mist. No different than Mondai, Kozan was blinded and deafened by the mist. Anyone else might be wondering how observers would find spectating this match when they could see or hear anything happening. Mondai's attack would be aimless, his shouts never penetrating the mist to reach Kozan. For Kozan, all he had was the thick mist around him, and the fear he could sense coming off of Mondai not too far away from him.

He would want to end this quickly. So Kozan assessed for a moment, taking together all the information he had:

One, Mondai would only have time to respond once Kozan was directly in front of him. Unless the 7th Sword has sensory abilities, which Kozan didn't believe he did, he would be reduced to blind, deaf, and scentless meaning Kozan would be able to get the jump on him.

Two, Mondai was a defensive specialist, meaning he'd be able to endure attacks, and would likely be able to place Kozan off of three, if not two, attacks, so it would matter.

Three, Kozan had been fast enough to get away from Mondai, so he knew for sure he was faster than him currently if by at least a small margin.

Once Kozan closed in on Mondai, he wouldn't need to sense him, he would only need to be strong enough to fight. Channeling briefly, Kozan would allow not one, but two tendrils to break out of his back, the long black tentacles hovering behind him as extra arms. Keeping hold of the sword he'd stolen from the ground, he would take a deep breath centering his mind before bursting forward at his opponent. The truth seeker that had remained inactive up until the point would surge from across his chest and down his arm forming around his hand, a small portion of it trailing from his palm like a lasso. As he was just 5 meters from where he sensed Mondai's fear, he'd perform kai allowing a different mint to activate. A minor shift, he would throw his left arm forward at the special jounin, allowing the truth seeker to unravel and attempt to lash at Mondai's right side at [40] speed and strength. And within a few more strides, right as he entered Mondai's vision, he'd swing at the 7th sword with the sword he'd gain, the sword slicing through the air towards what Kozan now saw was a spear and shield. As he did the two tentacles on Kozan's back launching forward below his arms to grab at Mondai's left and right leg each with [30] strength. Four attacks with so little time to respond, surely one would land.

SpoilerShow

Octopus
D-rank Nintaijutsu
[Close Quarters Combat]
Kozan will channel chakra into his back, creating a single tendril up to [Control]m in length to form from his ribcage. Kozan can control this like a prehensile tail, and has his [Speed] and [Strength].

Naive Mint
B-rank Augment Fuuinjutsu
Doing a series of hand seals or drawing the seal, Kozan will place his hand on the target, activating the seal. This seal gives +9 Speed for its duration, at the cost of -9 Willpower.

So this is changing from +9 Speed, -9 Endurance to +9 Speed, -9 Willpower.

[Mre-face]

After rushing in Mondai came to the realization that his sword had been taken Kozan had the intuition and the speed to outpace him noticing a blood drop but failing to be able to track the experimental beasts because of the thick mist and just a lack of expertise in the matter,

After figuring out that his sword had been compromised Mondai started running in the opposite direction with the explicit goal of backing into a wall it was scary but the quiet coldness of the mist and his random bout of fear made him far too uncomfortable to sit out in the open being trapped at least made him feel as though he wasn't completely laid bare for Kozan to rip at him from any angle.

A wall is never something to deliberately move towards in a fight as it would effectively not allow the combatant anywhere to go especially if their opponent was good at cutting off the opponent's very own movement. Mondai would find himself in a position where there was nowhere to dodge or run but it was better than being in the open field where the monster could attack him from any angle at any time at any point at least the wall protected his back at the very least and with the shield in front of him would narrow Kozan's angle of attack exponentially. This was Mondai's specialty counter-defense it would force Kozan to fight him head on and if Mondai was smart enough then he could react accordingly even if he was at a massive disadvantage.

After hitting the wall Mondai turned his back towards it gazing into the eerily empty mist the silence was getting to him it was like waiting for a bomb to go off knowing that at any point his life could end or be in grave danger but Mondai did his best to shake off that feeling his body shook from the adrenaline but it did mean he could potentially react quicker or more explosively if he just kept in mind to keep loose.

Mondai kept the shield close to his body and at an angle while keeping his spear towards his side huddling down in an almost crouching position and bracing intensely with his legs making him far more difficult to knock off balance even if he was hit by a strong attack completely off-guard. Now Mondai was prepared and ready to respond to any hint of an attack.

After what felt like an eternity suddenly a lasso-like black fluid that was Kozan's truth seeker would wrap around Mondai's right arm but curiously wouldn't pull him or hold his arm in place which would cause Mondai to instinctively brace his right side until his very own sword would slash at Mondai as Kozan finally got within his vision, blocking it relatively comfortably since he was already prepared but Mondai did notice that his strike wasn't as strong as him, in fact, his sturdiness felt stronger but Kozan was marginally quicker.

But the real threat was from below as Kozan had spawned two tendrils that would attempt to trip Mondai however thankfully because of Mondai's braced posture wouldn't be successful in doing so. What they did manage to do was move him forward as he took two steps from each leg closer toward Kozan but Mondai saw a small that would normally not be caught but his experience and training made him prepared for the attack, the slight shifting of the mist was what gave Mondai the intuition to protect and brace himself from the surprise attack. His training in his family's secret technique is what allowed him to exploit this opening from this sudden attack that would catch any soul off guard. However Mondai saw that he was already close to the tendrils from his initial position, so Mondai would simultaneously thrust his spear into the tendril that pulled on his right leg while slamming down his shield on the left tendril attempting to split it in two aiming to damage both at the same time. Punishing Kozan for trying to take him down while also keeping his left side completely protected from any further assault.

The attack was near instant instinct but he wasn't merely done Mondai with those two. The 7th sword would continue by hooking the tendril with his harpoon hooks pulling the tendril with the spear after the double attack. After this, Mondai would then follow up with a classic thrust toward Kozan's sword hand before retreating backward keeping his braced position but this time reversing the side of the shield as he wrapped the lasso tighter around his arm if Kozan would try to control it further but also pulling them slightly closer. At the same time, the spearsman would place the harpoon so that it would be pointed over his shoulder towards the left similar to his "Schlüssel" Key ward as he would do with a sword.

The fight was now closer to what he had initially expected but it made sense that it was this way now because Kozan had gotten his game plan off and was going on the aggressive but Mondai was ready for it now it was time to respond effectively and turn the tide.

MetaShow

Street Smarts
D-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Navigating the slums of Kirigakure is a dangerous place understanding the environment and surroundings is essential for survival. Finding improvised weapons, whether it be a, broken bottles, bricks. walls, stairs, wooden debris. Mondai always has his own eyes open for any possible weapons within his environment.
C-rank

Brace!
C-rank Taijutsu stance
Not as much of a guard, but rather a way to keep him from getting knocked off his feet. By Ailing his feet in such a way that is perfect for balance. Mondai can keep himself from being knocked off his feet if his strength is equal to or higher than the opponent's attack.

Wall guard (Shield positioning)
D-rank Taijutsu stance
This guard has the shield close to his body at a slight angle to the left completely defending his left side and torso. His sword is lowered to his thigh protecting his lower side.

A great wall and you will pay for it all
D-rank Taijutsu discipline
After extensive training, he has learned to keep the shield in a position to protect as much of his body as possible even when attacking keeping his hands and sides safe no matter how he fights.

Yūgana Secret: Dualist's sight
S-rank Taijutsu discipline
An ancient technique that was passed down through the family a technique which requires immense precision and training in order to achieve. Those who learn this technique have learned how to track singular or even multiple immensely fast objects that would normally appear blurry or intangible within their speed range. Hidden objects can not only be tracked if covered in some way these objects can also be targeted by practitioners with immense precision meaning if a fighter were to show an opening when performing a normally blistering and unseeable attack with a near impossible opening, Mondai can then target that opening allowing him to exploit it properly and potentially turn the tide of battle in his favor.

HANASE!
C-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
When Mondai was younger the larger kids often utilized their size and strength to grab and throw the smaller young Mondai. Years of having to fend off bullies has made Mondai proficient in staving off grapples utilizing either his speed or strength in order to free his way out of potentially stronger opponents. Requires 5 less strength than his opponent to break free.

"Schlüssel" Key ward Spear positioning
D-rank Taijutsu stance
A key ward is a transitional ward and is assumed by having a left or right foot forward and holding your sword with the hilt and hands crossed in front of your chest such that the false edge lies on your or right arm while having the point against the opponent’s face. A stance used mostly for thrusting.

Instant rotation used to switch shield positioning
D-rank Taijutsu discipline
As his experience with shields depend he has learned to rotate the shield to his other side and move his weapon hand over or under to keep him free to attack or defend against other incoming attacks

[Ace Trainer]

Success.

The entire attack had been for one purpose. To ensure the truthseeker made contact with it's target.

Mondai was a defensive pro, Kozan was confident he'd have no chance in a forward attack like this, and that became incredibly evident when Mondai put on a masterclass on how to defend against a multi-faceted attack like this. The shield would repel the sword, striking it with force. No longer needing it, Kozan would release the sword, allowing it to fly backwards away from the pair his focus seemingly shifting as the familiar glow of chakra began to envelope Kozan. The tendrils had slithered through the air at Mondai, but the shield-bearer was prepared to counter here as well, striking one with his spear and cutting the other off with the shield. Perhaps Mondai would be surprised with Kozan grunted in pain but did nothing to defend or prevent the counter strike, surely he was experienced and astute enough to know Kozan could have dodged it had he chosen to.

But instead, Kozan allowed it to happen as the predator took cautious steps backwards, allowing the truthseeker to extend as Mondai wrapped it around his arm in a failed attempt to keep Kozan in place. It would not matter as Mondai took another stance as Kozan finished the jutsu he was channeling, the chakra glow around him vanishing as a fuuinjutsu would suddenly form on Mondai's arm under where the the truthseeker was wrapped, activating it's effect.

"There.", is all Kozan would say as he stared at his opponent with his bright yellow eyes.

SpoilerShow

[Paralysis]
A-rank Augment Fuuinjutsu
The user will draw this fuuinjutsu on a target. Once activated, this fuuinjutsu will cause full body paralysis for the duration it remains active.

Truthseeker Effect...

While manipulating the weapon, Kozan is able to channel fuuinjutsu, and imbue the channeled fuuinjutsu onto any surface or person the truth seeker is touching

[Mre-face]

Years of grueling hard work and hands-on teaching showed itself in this fight. This showed all of Mondai's experience, everything from his early years of Mondai's father screaming at him during personal sparring sessions to his various sparring matches with Yuuto. All the wars and battles Mondai had fought bled and almost were killed in lead to moments like this.

Kozan's surprise assault was completely shut down... Every single attack was completely blocked none of Kozan's attacks did any significant damage and in fact, would continue to be the one causing damage as his masterclass of defense allowed him to capitalize and land his counterattack on Kozan.

Sure the fear was getting to him and was certainly throwing his focus on it also simultaneously made him far more vigilant for any coming attack as a result in a way the fear had assisted Mondai to some degree. It was certainly a trade-off but that trade-off had now given way to the fact that his challenger's left tendril was chopped in two and his right was pierced by Mondai's harpoon.

Now while Mondai was a fantastic counterfighter and was capable of exploting some incredibly small openings the fact he landed both attacks at first without Kozan moving in a reflexive defensive manner felt out of character so if he was going to let Mondai land free hits then he might as well continue. So he continued with his initial plan was to continue disengaging then the challenged would have to force him to do so and seeing as he had one less weapon than before it was the only thing that made sense to press the attack while he had the chance either to end this fight on the spot or force Kozan to fight back.

"Press the advantage give them no quarter!" As his father used to say and so Mondai did. Continuing his assault on Kozan as he had initially planned. Years of experience were what allowed Mondai to know the flow of combat to a tee he knew when to push and when to pull and now it was time to push.

After his initial counter, Mondai would cleverly hook the tendril with his spear before rushing forward and attacking Kozan's hand that previously held the sword. Either taking a few fingers or just leaving a wound nasty enough to disable it for now and likely causing further additional pain if the monster could even feel such a thing.

After which Mondai would step back into his initial defensive position and wrap his arm further along the truthseeker noticing its semi-liquid and stretchy-based nature likely eliminating any possibility of actually pulling Kozan towards him like he thought he could at first.

The swordsman would rotate his shield and enter his "Schlüssel" Key ward and from there, the idea was to initially wait in order to be defensive and wait for yet another counter but because his counterattack was so successful this meant that Kozan was likely on the defensive and Mondai would seek to capitalize off of that.

Mondai would leap forward again at this point Mondai would likely notice the channeling that Kozan was doing so going on the offensive to try to interrupt whatever he had planned was crucial. Mondai's chakra detector went off as this was something big it wasn't like the others before this one was bigger and bolder which meant whatever happened could put Mondai in grave danger. As Mondai stepped into range with a thrust this time targeting Kozan's leg to stop him from running away or back peddling further if landed.

Mondai would continue by following up with two jabs one towards the face and the second to the chest which was quickly followed up by rushing towards
attempting to hoist Kozan from beneath him with his shield and slam him to the ground. The idea was to make the fight slightly less clean and smother Kozan's channel before he could pull anything off. If any of this was moderately successful it could and would most likely spell the end of this fight however as was expected the true goal wasn't to land absolutely everything but damage or pressure Shinjiro's dagger just enough to force Kozan to stop the channeling dead in its tracks.

If all goes as Mondai wants and the entire assault is successful but especially the last charge slam. If Kozan was left stunned from the last impact of Mondai's relentless assault the untouchable would try to take off one of the arms of his challenger as a statement and as a finishing blow would prepare to chop Kozan's arm off if he tried to retaliate in any way. "There!" would be uttered to proclaim the status of this fight as finished.

MetaShow

TL:DR
Changed the assault to a thrust to the leg then the rest of the combo minus the haymaker.

Yūgana Mastery: Dualing
A-rank Taijutsu discipline
Prerequisite: All previous wards and Master cuts
After years of grueling training and experience in battle, Mondai has mastered how to duel to the point of unbelievable skill, Mondai can move and slice with maximum efficiency minimal telegraphing all while moving with impeccable balance and speed. Every small move is a slight battle of inches being able to move slightly for each attack or block to put himself in a better position and thus allow him to exploit the slightest of openings being able to recognize patterns and the same attacks if he has seen them even once before. His movements are worthy of his Surname constantly switching stances and shifting with maximum grace.

Spike raider (Second jab to the chest, no follow-up hook)
C-Rank Maneuver Taijutsu
In this attack he launches two left jabs with the shield aiming to pierce the skull with the spike then he lowers another left jab to the stomach he then follows up with a hook to the neck attacking with the bladed rims.

Raise da roof
B-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
In this attack, Mondai charges in with his shield but instead of knocking over his opponent he lifts his foe over his head with the flat of the shield and slams the enemy down to the ground leaving the victim stunned this is usually followed up with another attack if the opponent's willpower is 5 less then Mondai's strength.

[Ace Trainer]

Mondai wasn’t going to give Kozan enough time to finish this. He was attempting to just paralyze the prey in front of him because it was clean, but it was clear that was not going to work. Instead, Kozan would stop channeling and as Mondai leapt, the truth seeker that had wrapped around his arm would shoot forward at [40] speed while the tendril that Mondai had severed in half would retreat, folding in front of Kozan defensively if for whatever reason this didn’t work.

The truth seeker would jet to Mondai’s neck, and the normally fluid substance would suddenly get hard, restraining Mondai’s neck with [40] strength, lifting and suspending him in the air. Mondai’s attack would never finish, the choice to stay connected had left him at the mercy of the weapon he’d foolishly allowed to wrap around him. Quickly, it would extend to Mondai’s other arm like a snake, wrapping around the shoulder and to the elbow, restraining with the same strength to prevent Mondai from moving.

Kozan stood, only 3 feet from Mondai, the jounin hanging in the air by the black substance stretching from Kozan’s hand. Without even a moments hesitation, Kozan would activate the truth seeker, Raiton energy surging through it to shock Mondai, numbing (if not paralyzing) the man’s arms with 35 strength Raiton pulses. Still, the truth seeker would extend, another branch coming from the neck and down Mondai’s torso. It would wrap around Mondai’s left leg before circling across his groin and across the other leg.

Kozan would stand, staring at Mondai with his bright yellow eyes, his face plain and devoid of any feeling. He would cock his head to the side, blinking twice like a curious cat watching his prey. And then with another surge of chakra, flames would erupt from the Truthseeker, burning Mondai at every point of contact with [35 strength] burns. Hanging in the air, restrained by 40 strength, Mondai would feel the Truthseeker branding his entire body, burning into his flesh.

The fight was over. There was no escaping this. But still, Kozan stood and watched, suspending the boy in the air like a piñata. He wasn’t going to kill him…right?

[Mre-face]

His strategy was a success giving Kozan no time to breathe made him switch his plans for a more direct attack stopping his channeling to attack with his truthseeker instead the goal was to get a hold of Mondai's neck and limbs and have his way with him however this was a miscalculation and seemed like more of an act of desperation in Mondai's eyes.

Kozan did however manage to interrupt the rest of his attack as the sudden stiffening of the truthseeker and its movement would force Mondai to act on it now or be at its mercy. The challenger focused on avoiding fighting Mondai and instead tried to hold Mondai in place of a more direct confrontation but that was a frustrated Mondai's perspective on it. From a strategic standpoint, it made sense if it weren't for Mondai's experience.

See if you grew up where Mondai spent a lot of his childhood you could walk down from the store and some extra money only to be met with getting grabbed from several angles and having three to five fists hitting you and holding you down all at the same time when you least expect it. So Mondai knew exactly how to respond to a situation like this of three possible responses from Mondai with each essentially getting him out of the bind but with varying degrees of success.

Fighting was at times a game of inches so any slight adjustment was potentially life-saving. Coupled with Mondai had gathered information on how the truthseeker worked so when it suddenly jetted towards Mondai's neck he knew what it was trying to achieve.

Mondai would first tuck his neck instinctively however wasn't fast enough to prevent the truthseeker from wrapping around his neck fully where the seventh swordsman would struggle to get it off using any means necessary but he wasn't fast enough and the rest of his body was locked up like a puppet on a string leaving him suspended in the air. As he struggled suddenly he felt pulses of Raiton chakra flow through his limbs causing him to stiffen up violently, his hair stood from the violent shock his arms went completely numb which robbed him of any further strength.

If that wasn't enough Mondai's leg was wrapped as well and despite the genjutsu wearing off Mondai was now in a panic state which was quickly cut short as his flesh was seared right down to the bone at that moment Mondai thought that his life was over and his consciousness began fading in and out from the sheer pain and the near death experience.

While the state of his survival was unsure one thing that was certain was that he had lost and he remained the weakest among the seven.

[Ace Trainer]

The fight was over. Kozan had made sure of it. Any attempt at breaking free would have been fatal. As the burns seared into Mondai, Kozan would stare at the suspended body, doing nothing to offer relief or reprieve. The battle for the title of swordsmen went until the opponent forfeited or could no longer fight, and Kozan had no expectation that Mondai would forfeit. Finally, the light began to fade from Mondai’s eyes and the Truthseeker would stop burning, turning to fluid and quickly returning to Kozan, dropping Mondai’s body on the ground rather unceremoniously.

For a moment, the predator would stare at Mondai’s limp body on the ground. The burning effect of the truth seeker being pressed against his skin for so long had left deep burns into Mondai’s flesh, on Mondai’s left arm the bicep musculature was visible, virtually everything at the elbow had been seared away leaving nothing but a blackened joint that had once been connecting the forearm to the upper arm. On his right shoulder the burn had gone down enough to expose the clavicle, the same true for the hip bone which was visible in a valley of blackened flesh, the point where the femur connected to the hip bone visible as well. Even along Mondai’s neck, the flesh had been burnt away deep enough that the shallow breaths the jounin was taking were visible through his exposed trachea. Kozan seemed to analyze and take in these injuries for a moment, basking in the glory of the hunt. The exact path the Truthseeker had taken to restrain Mondai was visible in the burn tracks on his skin.

And then he stopped. Dropping to his knees, he channeled for a brief moment before placing his hand on Mondai’s stomach next to the long valley of ashen flesh where the Truthseeker had extended from his neck. From his hand, a seal would form on Mondai, and then Kozan would press hard on Mondai’s burns seemingly in an attempt to prevent the man from passing out.

”This seal should boost your innate healing process enough that it will begin to repair these wounds.”, yes. Mondai didn’t have quite enough endurance to have passive healing abilities, but with the help of a mint, he likely would be there. ”Your choice if you live or die. But good shinobi die on the battlefield.” the irony of Kozan seemingly offering reprieve from the very injuries he’d created himself seemed lost on him, but at the end of the day he was just following orders. For him there were no hard feelings, nothing had gone wrong. The mint Kozan provided would increase Mondai’s endurance enough, but it was clear Kozan had no intention of activating it himself. Even with his terrible ninjutsu abilities, Mondai would be able to perform kai for this seal to activate it. The regeneration it provided wouldn’t be strong enough to fully heal Mondai’s injuries, it was clear the damage to his left arm was likely beyond repair, just as much for his right leg, but it would be enough to keep him alive.

Kozan would stand, turning his back to Mondai and performing a hand seal, the mist fading away from around them. He would look out to the arena, expecting acknowledgement of his accomplishment. Kozan had won.

SpoilerShow

Relaxed Mint
B-rank Augment Fuuinjutsu
Doing a series of hand seals or drawing the seal, Kozan will place his hand on the target, activating the seal. This seal gives +9 Endurance for its duration, at the cost of -9 Speed.

[Mre-face]

His body collapsed onto the ground and each breath he took felt as if he took breaths from a straw. His lungs filled with what felt like ash from the searing of his flesh it either managed to trickle down his neck somehow or the smoke decided to cruelly enter Monidai's body.

As Kozan admired his work Mondai's consciousness faded back and forth, the pain the numbness confused Mondai's senses as the pain burned against the colder winds of Kirigakure's climate enhancing it further. Every time he regained consciousness a new emotion filled his head as he clearly was too delirious to gather his mind at a moment like this. At one moment soul-crushing defeat filled his body questioning his very place in this world if he even wanted to continue fighting alongside and climbing with the ranks of the seven swordsmen, hell he even questioned if he even deserved to live and fight at all.

At another moment Mondai would wake up with feelings of immense rage and desire for revenge as a way to compensate for the shame he felt of losing as a way to reclaim his tarnished pride. He jumped from being defiant to full of anger to sad all within what felt like anything from hours to a few seconds at a time his state of delirum made him more than anything believe that this was truly the end for him.

Kozan then placed a seal on his stomach before pressing on his burns which jolted him back to consciousness. The experiment had strangely encouraging words in his own robotic way. For Kozan, this was mere orders but for Mondai this was legacy so while this wasn't personal for Mondai it was more. For Mondai this was the battlefield just as much as it was against their enemies.

So when given the between choice to live or die the piles of shame and depression had reached its breaking point his hand would look as though it was going to perform a handseal but stopped as his normally indomitable spirit broke.

Shit is this it? Is this how I die? Yuuto please ya take care of my family, be the hero you are meant to be. I'm sorry mom, I'm sorry sis I failed you protect you both. Old man, I failed you I deserve this. But atleast I'll finally be able to meet you...

But as much as he wanted to gave up this wasn't his end not yet at least. Be it fate or luck neither didn't want to take him just yet. As the abyss closed in around him the next time he would wake up he would find himself changed in a way that he could have never imagined.

[Izanagi]

While Shinjiro made a point to attend each of these official challenges he was particularly interested in watching how his own Dagger would fare. Kozan was a natural, as if watching a mirror of his younger self, albeit much taller and broader than he had ever been, even now. He wished he could take credit for Kozan’s progress, but from the moment he met the young man he had been a perfect predator. Both efficient and ruthless he wasted no energy and continued to stalk his prey combining clever tactics and sheer might.

Much like his own style one touch was all it tended to take to paralyze his opponent and render them helpless. Ten years ago, when Shinjiro had been a Dagger he had challenged Mondai to a spar, each a Chunin at the time. Similarly, it had ended in seconds. And less than 3 months later Shinjiro had become a Special Jounin and risen to the rank of swordman after fighting Kaguya Hitachi to a draw. In comparison, Kozan was even mightier than he had been then. It seemed likely he would be promoted to Jounin within the year and surely he would be one of the exceptionally few that ever attained the status of Bannin. Those with true talent were always obvious, especially in contrast to shinobi who were destined to be nothing more than a stepping stone.

Mondai wasn’t completely hopeless. He had become stronger, his trajectory was a little better than average. Certainly, he possessed a certain resilience and no small amount of luck to survive this long. Many more talented shinobi than him died young before they ever reached their true potential. Kaguya Aimi had warned Shinjiro against culling such youths and their potential and had spoke of Mondai as if he might one day achieve greatness. But even after all these years Shinjiro still didn’t see it. Partially out of respect to Aimi’s mentorship, before he turned traitor and died before his eyes, and partially as a sick joke, Shinjiro had allowed Mondai to live and to serve as a member of the seven.

The Overseer smirked beneath his mask as Kozan set Mondai aflame. Aimi had chastised Shinjiro for merely breaking Mondai’s his arm and ribs back in the day. Truly, Kozan was a marvel to behold. Not the slightest trace of compassion or mercy. If ordered he would kill Mondai without hesitation, that was evident. As Kozan continued to torment his prey, Shinjiro considered giving the order. He had every reason to have Mondai killed. Recently the 7th sword had disobeyed a direct order, Kozan’s order on a mission that had been sanctioned by Shinjiro himself. Such a disgrace could not be allowed to live. Normally. But as the Overseer observed his apprentice he allowed Mondai’s fate to fall into his hands, curious to see how he would rationalize it. He began to chuckle lightly at the display. So that was how he would play it? Very well, Mondai would be allowed yet another chance. If only to further his humiliation and give the other daggers encouragement to step over this broken blade. It would be for the best, motivation for Yuuto as well and a means to keep his cousin from doing anything foolish.

Approaching, the Overseer stared down at Mondai, observing the pain and hatred searing through his gaze. Good. There was still some fight left in him. That was enough to be rewarded and an answer to Kozan’s question. Raising a hand, signaling Kozan to stand down, Shinjiro assessed the victor. “Well fought. Today we welcome Shiimu Kozan into our ranks. 6th sword” He stated, raising the man’s arm. There were some hushed whispers and looks of confusion among the gathered swordsmen. Surely, Kozan would be the 7th sword and Mondai would be removed from his position? “3rd sword, Jouchaku Chiane is dead. Her display against Tsukino Nishiki was pitiful, unworthy of a place among us let alone such an esteemed rank” he said simply, letting the implication hang in the air. “Mondai will retain status as 7th sword…for now” his lips curled in disgust. The hooded swordsman looked to each of the Daggers in attendance. Kozan would be an example of what it meant to be a swordsman, and Chiane and Mondai a warning of what should happen if they fail miserably or disobey. “Dismissed” he stated simply, allowing Yuuto to retrieve Mondai’s charred body, regarding his cousin coldly. He feared Yuuto might remain forever weak, unable to reach his true potential as long as he remained shackled to the disgrace that was Mondai. But it was not yet time to remove him of that restraint. He needed to make a change within himself before it was time to push him over the edge. As the others began to clear out, Shinji held out a hand, urging Kozan to wait a moment longer. “I expect soon it will be you and I fighting. Keep rising through the ranks. I look forward to that day” he said simply. How he longed to be properly challenged again. Change was coming and soon he would find himself surrounded by the strongest swordsmen the village had ever seen. And only then could he finally reach his own full potential. All for the glory and strength of Kirigakure.