[Graded]The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Shinobi X Niro

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[Graded]The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by ShinobiTruth » Wed May 29, 2019 11:38 pm

Iwamaru wasn't keen on being an errand boy, but he knew the importance of a strong work ethic. Despite wishing to train that day, when he heard he was needed to deliver a parcel for the village, he immediately went to retrieve the details of his assignment. As he opened up the scroll, he was about to find out a second benefit of having a good work ethic: rare and unique opportunities.

Carrying the two large scrolls on his back filled to the brim with kunai, shuriken, senbon, and a variety of other common munitions needed for their shinobi force, Iwamaru marveled at the landscape before him. The Jousai were revered as the elite of the elite amongst his old classmates and current constituents. Even his incredibly informal teacher, Mariko, would stand straighter, more at attention, once that name entered the conversation. The woman freely admitted that the way she was now, she didn't hold a single prayer's hope if she were to ever go against their senior officers. So skilled they were, they commanded respect from a soldier of even her strength and caliber. There were rumors aplenty as to the secrets that lay within their headquarters, a massive stone citadel built into the mountains that surrounded the village. Iwamaru ignored the more fantastical legends and myths that had spread around the school while he was still at the academy, but he could not deny his intense curiosity. And now, he was going to have the opportunity to see it up close and personal, at least from the outside. That was more than some others could say, and he was grateful for the chance to see it even once.

Considering its seclusion, it took nearly an hour on foot from the weapons depot he'd been assigned to retrieve the scrolls from to get to the towering castle, but it felt as if the time had evaporated like dew in the summer heat. Iwamaru could not deny his excitement, but he tempered it with reason. There was no telling exactly how this drop-off would go, and he had no real intimate knowledge about the brave shinobi who worked within the citadel's walls, outside of the grandiose legends that shinobi often whispered of their most senior officers. His plucky, ignorant attitude may not be appreciated by those battle-hardened veterans, and at best, failing to show deference to all of the struggles and sacrifices they had made for the village would cost him their respect. At worst...

He decided not to contemplate that possibility.

At long last, he was on the home stretch, the entrance to the headquarters of the Jousai about one hundred meters away. Taking a deep breath, Iwamaru took to a light jog, keeping his posture straight and his hands wrapped tightly around the straps which held the scrolls to his back. He needed to make sure he did everything exactly as he was told, exactly when he was told. Iwamaru understood that many things inside that keep were possibly secret. The last thing he wanted was to find trouble for curious eyes roaming where they should not.
Last edited by ShinobiTruth on Sat Jun 22, 2019 10:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Niro
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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by Niro » Thu May 30, 2019 12:29 am

The door guard for Jousai headquarters yawned loudly in his seat as he crossed his arms and tried not to fall asleep. Guard duty for the large front gate was often boring, no one really dared to mess around with Jousai due to its leadership; an increasingly legendary trio of bannin which included the youngest bannin in the entire 800+ year history of the village and the current front runner for the Kageship if the current Tsuchikage were to retire or be incapacitated in some form.

The sight of a running teen, however, was enough for the man to slowly ascend from his position and stretch before holding out a hand to stop the kid.

"You the guy the depot was sending over?" The guard asked, eyeing the kid up and down. Once confirmed Iwamaru was indeed the person sent over, the guard directed him to the stone spiral staircase that both ascended and descended and go down it to the training grounds to drop off the supplies.

Meanwhile in the depths of Jousai Headquarters...

A man with blood red hair and deep purple eyes with a bored smile gracing his visage leapt backwards across the center of the large training area lined with stands dotted with other shinobi. His hands were tucked into the maroon duster he wore to keep warm in the bowels of the earth but his legs were quite busy. They were constantly moving him backwards with short hops while a katana-wielding shinobi chased after him with a visage of barely contained frustration marring his pale features and his raven black hair tousled with signs of battle. Each slash was dodged at the last moment by the man which served to only infuriate the black haired man even further.

In a single moment, the leader of Jousai switched from defense to offense and struck. The raven haired shinobi didn't even realize it as Tatsuo moved within his opponent's guard and landed a single, solid blow to the abdomen which launched the man backwards into the cavern wall where he impacted it with a thud before sliding to the ground with a groan.

Two other shinobi rushed over to the downed man and began to check his injuries and provide iijutsu aide.

"Anyone else?" Tatsuo asked with that same bored smile as he turned around and took a look at those attending his...'training session.'
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by ShinobiTruth » Thu May 30, 2019 12:45 am

Coming to a halt, Iwamaru saluted the guard that arose from his position in the shadow of the keep. "Genin Tate Iwamaru, reporting, sir," he announced, at attention before offering his summons for the guard to examine. "I was directed by the Tsuchikage's office to bring these scrolls containing munitions, sir."

Moving only when directed to, Iwamaru thanked the guard (and showing proper deference as his superior) before heading in the direction that the same guard had stipulated he should follow. Walking down a massive spiral staircase, Iwamaru took to his task with haste. "Alright, don't get ahead of yourself. Don't do anything you're not instructed to," he reminded himself. "You need to focus on your job and your job alone. Once they've verified that you've completed your assignment, you should leave immediately. Staying longer or badgering them with questions will annoy them, at best. Don't overstay your welcome."

Eventually, the staircase reached a point where it overlooked the training field. Iwamaru's eyes scanned his surroundings. There were so many shinobi here. It made sense considering the size of the place, but he hadn't expected such a large training ground to be housed within the belly of the citadel. As he made his way down the stairs, the sound of a solid thud echoed through the training field and Iwamaru's eyes caught someone flying back, skidding along the ground. Two medics immediately began tending to him. If he was like that, someone had to have caused the injury. His eyes traced to where he likely would have been stand-

Iwamaru came to a stop. He felt the man's presence before he even saw him, and it made his blood run cold in his veins. Just a hundred feet or so below him stood the famed shinobi, practically a legend for how quickly he'd ascended to the rank of Bannin, and candidate for the title of the next Tsuchikage: Akari Tatsuo.

Iwamaru swallowed. He should have nothing to worry about. He was here on official village business, and they were both shinobi of the Stone. They were allies... at least on paper. No reason to flip out, Iwamaru he told himself. Just do the job you've come here to do, and everything will be fine.

He continued his trek down the long staircase, though he would not dare enter the ring. He would wait until the exercise in question was finished before checking in the shipment with the Bannin.
Last edited by ShinobiTruth on Thu May 30, 2019 10:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by Niro » Thu May 30, 2019 1:17 am

A bloated silence took over the training ground as Tatsuo overlooked his men. He really wished Mitsuo was here, then he could actually HIT something at least. Most of these guys were special jounin and jounin but to him they were nothing more than ants when it came to combat. Finally an older blonde man with one black eye and one eye milky white with blindness man toting a large war hammer, the front facing section of the hammer fashioned into a sharp axe head and the back end of the war hammer molded into a flat hammer head, stepped off of the stands and into the training ring.

"Y'know what? You're free to use ninjutsu. Let's spice this up a bit, I haven't even used my hands yet, Raijin!" Tatsuo laughed as the other man's face fell into a scowl as lightning began to crackle around the head of the war hammer. With an upward swing of the weapon, a bolt of lightning shot forward towards the bannin who raised a single hand out to it.

The lightning bolt impacted against Tatsuo's palm, tearing his glove to shreds and leaving a minor red mark on his palm.

"Eh...about A-rank I'd say. C'mon, I know you can do better." Tatsuo taunted the elder shinobi who snarled in response to the young shinobi completely shrugging off his attack. "I can't feel my hand and it's paralyzed for the moment but..."

"Who needs hands, right?" Tatsuo channeled his chakra for a moment to the lacrishiin sac within his body, forming the chitin-like armor that flowed across him like water. The dark purple, almost black, armor surrounded his entire body sans his head.

"If Raijin busts my lacrishiin...I'll pay for everyone's bar tab tonight. If not...you guys pay for mine." A predatory smile over took the bannin's face as his men's face fell, already having an idea of the outcome.

Raijin, meanwhile, had been gathering immense amounts of chakra within the head of his war hammer. A massive amount of blue lightning crackled from the weapon, easily enough to rival an S-rank jutsu, as he dashed forward. Tatsuo only crossed his arms to guard as the man swung for the fences. The axe head impacted against the chitinous material and released a detonation of Raiton chakra and smoke that clouded the two shinobi from view for a moment.

The dust cleared, a victor clear. The head of Raijin's war hammer had shattered while Tatsuo's armor only had some lightning burn marks and scratches.

"HAH! I drink for free tonight!" Tatsuo celebrated as Raijin sighed in defeat and retook his seat in the stands, the group unaware of their visitor.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by ShinobiTruth » Thu May 30, 2019 1:41 am

For a few moments, the silence was so profound that Iwamaru felt like he could hear himself breathing. Many of the faces of the shinobi around Tatsuo wore their expressions of frustration without refrain. He could only imagine going against an opponent that wasn't even taking you seriously even when you were fighting your hardest. Still, they were all comrades here. Why was there so much disdain towards the famed Bannin? He knew they knew each other far better than Iwamaru likely every would, but in his eyes, their bond as fellow shionbi of Iwagakure took priority over everything else.

Iwamaru continued to descend the stairs as he saw an older gentleman with a war hammer step into the ring. Iwamaru recognized him almost immediately: Raijin, a powerful shinobi and a prominent Raiton user in Iwagakure. When discussing elemental affinities, he'd been brought up as an example of what those proficient in Raiton were capable of. It was rumored that with his warhammer and his Raiton affinity, Raijin-senpai could easily obliterate the summit of a mountain or shatter the battlefield into tiny pieces. And he was about to witness his power first hand.

The stories about Raijin were hardly fabricated by what he could see. The lightning bolt that was flung at Tatsuo moved so quickly that Iwamaru's eyes couldn't keep track of it. Raijn was truly powerful. And yet, the conflict made it clear that Tatsuo was even more so, literally laughing off an attack that would literally have incinerated Iwamaru at his current state or at the very least killed him outright. Then, as Iwamaru came to the end of the stairs, just a small distance above the floor of the training ring, Iwamaru felt the hairs on his body stand up on end. He didn't need sensory abilities to tell that a massive amount of Raiton chakra was being built up in Raijin's giant warhammer. His instincts told him to guard himself, and reflexively he obeyed, crossing his hands in front of him.

It was a good thing he did; the shockwave of the two men clashing was so powerful that the pressure wave lifted Iwamaru off of his feet and flung him back a solid five meters into a wall. Breathing just a bit harder, he dropped his hands before realizing that they were shaking. He stared at his hands for a moment. Was this fear? Was the force of the attack simply that powerful? He looked up towards the Bannin who was relishing in the free drinks he would soon receive, and he knew the answer.

It was both.

Remembering his duty, Iwamaru moved towards the edge of the training ring. "Delivery from the armory, sir!" Iwamaru called, saluting firmly as he waited to be addressed. Try as he might, he couldn't completely quell the shaking in his hand, still recovering from the recoil of the impact wave that had slammed into him just moments before.
Last edited by ShinobiTruth on Fri May 31, 2019 10:41 am, edited 2 times in total.

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by Niro » Thu May 30, 2019 11:34 am

"Alright boys, that's it for today! Clean up, clear out, and someone pick a bar for tonight!" Tatsuo clapped his hands together and hollered to signal the end of today's sparring session. His lacrishiin fell away from his body, receding back within him as Raijin took a seat on the benches. "Raijin, any repairs and upgrades are on me, just let the smithy know." The older shinobi still shot the bannin a dirty look as he packed up his own gear which caused the younger shinobi to laugh.

The arrival of the delivery boy was a welcome sight though. One of the last things he needed to make sure was done for the day before he was able to leave was making sure their delivery got in. Jousai went through supplies like a pack of rabid dogs, an apt analogy given some of its members and their particular skillsets.

"At ease, genin." Tatsuo allowed the genin to relax from his salute, his keen eyes easily picking up the tremors in his hand. His and Raijin's display of power was something most jounin couldn't even muster and would look in terror at, he could only imagine what a mere genin thought of the exchange. "We were running low on supplies, glad you're here. Come, walk with me." Tatsuo pointed to the drop off bins for the supply scrolls all the way on the opposite side of the training field. Once dropped off, the scrolls would be processed by the armory attendants who'd unseal and organize the supplies as needed. He turned on his heel and began the slow walk to the bins, waiting for Iwamaru to fall into step with him before speaking again.

"Hopefully the trek to the building wasn't too long and Ichi wasn't a pain to deal with at the door?" He asked, trying to make conversation with the genin. Not many older shinobi during his own genin years had bothered to talk to him besides some of the older Akari members, the least he could do was be some sort of invested in the upcoming generation.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by ShinobiTruth » Thu May 30, 2019 11:51 am

(OOC: Nice Reinhardt reference there with Raijin, lol.)

The aftermath of the training session subverted the genin's expectations. He was pleasantly surprised to say the least.

Iwamaru had to admit that his impression of the more highly skilled shinobi in the village (his sensei aside, she was a fringe case) were that they were as stoic and hardened as the stone which surrounded them. There was no telling the number of battles or life-or-death situations they'd been faced with and triumphed against, and no amount of training and mental conditioning could remove the scars that those events would cause. That was outside of a litany of other personal issues or struggles they had faced and either overcame or were managing. Though this world was filled with wonder, at times, the human aspect could wear one down to the bone at a pace that would put the most powerful of sandstorms to shame. All in all, he'd expected things to be a bit... colder, he supposed was the right word. And from some of the other shinobi who'd been defeated certainly weren't feeling up to a chat... But...

Just as he could sense someone's strength when it was so overpowering, the depth of their camaraderie also didn't escape his notice. As the tension of the training session washed away, the young man could hear the echoes of pleasant and joyful (if not tinged with a bit of resentment at losing) conversation and laughter. Tatsuo was no exception. He could and would kill at a moment's notice, but the amount of compassion and concern he showed to his fellow Jousai was frankly not what he'd been anticipating. This place, however stark and unfeeling it may have seemed, held the warmth of brotherhood that he sometimes struggled to find in other places in the village.

Though it couldn't quell it completely, it did ease his shaking hands just a tad.

Iwamaru found it difficult to fall completely at ease in Tatsuo's presence, but he did his best. "Yessir," he replied and quickly fell in line with the Bannin. His time was important, and even if it his day was about to end, Iwamaru wasn't about to detain this legend from his festivities any longer than absolutely necessary. So when Tatsuo started striking up conversation with him, it caught him off guard. He allowed himself to relax a little more. He hoped seeing the human sides of legends would always turn out to be so pleasant. "My anticipation for seeing the citadel for the first time made the trip more than worthwhile, sir. I still don't understand why the administration had struggled to find someone to perform this duty," Iwamaru explained. "Ichi-san helped me without issue. He should be commended. Even as we advance as shinobi, the number of seemingly mundane tasks are still plentiful, and he fulfills his duty without obvious complaint."

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by Niro » Fri May 31, 2019 1:10 pm

"Really? To us it's just some hard to clean pass in the ass but I guess to those who don't live or work here it'd be different." Tatsuo mused, bringing his previously paralyzed hand to his chin in contemplative thought. "Oh, it's not paralyzed anymore." He hadn't even realized the sensation had worn off and he could move it freely again. "Ah, geez. Tore my glove to shreds though!" He complained, more concerned about the glove and its cost than any actual damage done to his body.

"No one likes the walk. It blows, especially in the harsh parts of winter." Tatsuo explained with a shrug of his shoulders. He eyed the kid and noticed his still stiff posture. The young bannin wasn't quite used to being shown such respect; most of the shinobi he led were older than him and he had had to earn their respect instead of the other way around. Was this how all of the upcoming generation thought of him and the others of Team 18? It was a strange thought to ponder for the man.

Fighting the urge to smile, he stopped on a dime and looked at the kid suspiciously when he mentioned Ichi didn't complain this morning. "Ichi didn't complain? Y'sure about that? All he does is complain about guard duty and how annoying it is that he's stuck doing it." He continued to eye the kid suspiciously before dropping the issue with a shrug, laugh, and clapping a hand on the youth's shoulder. "Ease up! You're only a couple years younger than me, no need to be so tense. Unlike Kota, I won't bite your head off for taking up my time."
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by ShinobiTruth » Fri May 31, 2019 1:37 pm

Iwamaru was surprised to find that Tatsuo actually had such a frenetic, at times spastic energy about him. The speed at which his attention could switch between subjects of focus was quicker than the lightning that he'd blocked with his hand. There was a humorous intimidation that came with Tatsuo focusing more on the damage to his attire than the damage to his body from his short bout with Raijin-senpai. The genin's ears perked up at the notion of the pass requiring maintainence. "Cleaning? What kind of cleaning, sir?" he asked, eager to learn more about the elusive Jousai's operations.

Iwamaru chuckled relaxing slightly. "It's a pity so many look at it in such a light. The mountains were beautiful to view as I was making my way here," the young man explained. "I imagine, so long as it's not blizzarding, it's even more breath-taking in the winter, though I imagine the storms are indeed quite harsh, as you said, sir. It would be an honor to earn the privilege of being here to see it."

Tatsuo's jest at Ichi's expense got a decent belly laugh out of him. "Well, then, he must be a master of the art, sir. I could hardly tell the difference," Iwamaru admitted. He was surprised to feel the sudden clap of Tatsuo's hand on his shoulder. He could never allow himself to again underestimate exactly how perceptive the Bannin was. Even as he laughed, he felt the tension in his own chest. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled, making a conscious effort to truly loosen up. "Forgive me. It's true that standing next to one as accomplished as yourself, in a place as revered as this in the village... It's difficult to not worry about showing the appropriate deference."

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by Niro » Sat Jun 01, 2019 2:10 pm

"Don't worry about it. Seriously. I've never been one for lording my rank or title over people. You can thank my clan and their rat faced elders for that. Plus my little sisters are both your age. You guys probably attended the academies at the same time. They're wee genin right now, about to take their chuunin exams in the coming month." Tatsuo commented nonchalantly, trying to coolly insert the slight dig at his overbearing clan leaders. He began the walk to the bins again this time keeping his strides shorter so Iwamaru could more easily keep pace with him this time.

"Back to cleaning; the pass gets plenty of snow or slush during most of the year due to where it is. Can't have people hurting themselves so we have to maintain it. Debris will also blow in so that needs to be cleared as well. It gets dangerous too, we don't hire any genin to do it because it's actually quite a difficult task.

The inside is just as much as a pain in the ass but not as dangerous at least. Just lots of space that we've got to keep clear lest we have rodents and other pests start to move in. That's a whole new issue that I don't even want to imagine actually happening. Knowing my luck someone would mutate into some giant rat and need to be taken care of."
Tatsuo shuddered at the thought mid walk. What if some of those pests found their way into the Catacombs? They were already dealing with enough rats down there already. The weapons the boy was delivering was less so for Jousai's members to practice with and instead one of their supply drops they'd be sending down within the earth, below even the lowest portions of the Village Hidden in the Stone. Giant spiders and rats took up plenty of weaponry and supplies to deal with, the exoskeletons of some spiders being strong enough to withstand blows from jounin with ease while the claws of the larger rats could slice steel as if it were paper. The Catacombs held truly monstrous beasts and Jousai was the primary force sent to deal with them. Although the relations with the spirit colony were healthy, dangerous rogue spirits and mutated animals roamed the dark recesses of the earth.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sat Jun 01, 2019 2:38 pm

Iwamaru listener intently as he spoke of his clan, their elders, and his sisters. There was something refreshing about always knowing where you stand with someone, and that seemed to be Tatsuo’s strong suit. Though it was brief, the scathing remark condemning perspectives or practices that, in Tatsuo’s eyes, were outdated was unmistakeable. Besides, Iwamaru could see the slight, momentary glower in his eyes when mentioning them. He was surprised to see he had two young sisters, though. ”I don’t think I had the privilege of being formally introduced to them, sir. I... was a bit reclusive during the latter years of my time at the academy.”

Iwamaru’s split second of hesitation might have caught Tatsuo’s attention, but without knowing his name, the Bannin would have no context. Despite being two years ago, his mother’s death still affected him, as it always would. Moving on to more pleasant topics, Iwamaru did something that perhaps even Tatsuo’s would not have expected: the little rugrat volunteered. ”...Sir, if I could prove that I’m as physically strong and resilient as my chuunin brothers-in-arms, would you allow me to volunteer with clearing the pass?” he asked, after pausing for a few moments to think.

It seemed like a crazy proposition, but Iwamaru couldn’t help but feel as if this meeting were directing his next step in his career as a shinobi towards the Jousai. The isolation he felt at home might be cured here, through the brotherhood they shared. If he proved worthy to be part of it...

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by Niro » Sat Jun 01, 2019 4:58 pm

"Don't worry too much about it. You would definitely know who they were if you had previously met them. One is like a firecracker and the other is one of those kids who is way too mature for her age; it is like she has got the brain of someone thrice her age." Tatsuo laughed, choosing to ignore the instant of pause that Iwamaru went through. It wasn't too difficult to decipher that he had undergone some sort of issue during his last couple of years at the Academy. Tatsuo knew better than to press the issue as their walk to the bins concluded and the genin before him volunteered to help clean the passage.

Tatsuo extended his hand for Iwamaru to give him the pack as he thought about the offer. He'd dump the scrolls into the bins that were against the wall and outside a set of closed steel doors before pulling away and raising a hand to his chin in thought. After several moments he finally broke his silence.

"I don't allow just any chuunin to clear the pass. They're the strong ones, the ones who can lift boulders like babies. You pass my test and you can join them." Tatsuo offered to the genin before him. He would wait for Iwamaru answer before turning to the door carved into the wall and opening it. A blast of heat escaped and revealed a busy smithy.

Tatsuo stepped into the room, a large smile on his face as he searched for the item that would be the focus of the test. After a handful of minutes he found it; Raijin's damaged war hammer. He brought the damaged weapon over and placed it on the ground between them.

"If you can lift it, you can join them."
Quote:
Indra
A-Rank Treasure
Prerequisite: 15 Str to wield
A war hammer crafted by some of the best smiths within Iwagakure no Sato, Indra is Raijin's main instrument of destruction. The war hammer is [3.5] feet tall with the handle taking up [2.25] feet and the hammer head taking up the remaining [1.25] feet. The handle is made of Ironbark wood while the hammer head is made from a solid lump of titanium. The hammer head is split into two designs; the front facing section of the hammer is fashioned into a sharp axe head measuring [1.25] feet from the toe of the bit to the heel of the bit. The back end of the war hammer is molded into a flat hammer head with length of [1] foot from top of the flat head to the bottom shattered and in need of replacing. This weapon can also fire off 25 strength and speed bolts of lightning by channeling chakra into it. These bolts have an effective range of 30m.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sat Jun 01, 2019 10:04 pm

Iwamaru waited patiently for Tatsuo’s response, even as he handed the Bannin the munitions scrolls. For Tatsuo’s, it was an interesting proposal. For Iwamaru, it was a silence filled with tension. He had almost expected to simply be dismissed. Thus, when Tatsuo’s actually offered him a path to recruitment, Iwamaru nearly jumped at the chance. He halted for a moment as he forced himself to carefully consider Tatsuo’s words. “The strongest chuunin...” Iwamaru was immensely strong by even human adults, but at best, he equaled the strength of your average It was possible that merely by that qualification alone, he was not ready.

Still, there was only one way to be sure. ”Grace in victory, humility in defeat. I accept your proposal, Tatsuo-san,” Iwamaru affirmed, bowing in respect.

Following the Bannin closely, the genin’s imagination went wild wondering the type of insane challenge he was about to face. He knew that perhaps he’d spoken a bit too arrogantly. Pure strength does not equate to capability. Still, he’d trained hard. He was hoping he’d be able to show the results of his intense training.

And then he had Raijin’s shattered hammer before him. And the confusion that momentarily flashed across his face would likely amuse the Bannin for the rest of the evening.

Taking a deep breath, Iwamaru walked up to the hammer. Even in its current state, it was an imposing piece of work. Iwamaru rolled his shoulder experimentally and stretched his hands before grabbing the hammer. Carefully positioning himself and testing his muscles, Iwamaru counted down and put all of his strength.

The hammer slowly started to lift off the ground, but it wasn’t long before the mass was too great and it fell back to the ground with a thud. Iwamaru repeated this multiple times, to no avail. His failure taught Iwamaru a powerful lesson... but he still had an idea.

Taking a grenade out of his pack, Iwamaru rolled it underneath the head of the hammer. Detonating it, the head of the hammer popped up just a bit, and with the momentum, Iwamaru, with all his might, hoisted the hammer upright...

...For about three seconds before it came slamming down to the floor. Iwamaru chucked audibly. Even if he failed, he wanted to see if he had the ingenuity to solve a difficult problem. ”Woo! Well... At least I have a benchmark,” he laughed, content with what he had learned.

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by Niro » Sun Jun 02, 2019 4:23 pm

Tatsuo stood and waited patiently after he issued the challenge to Iwamaru. The young adult folded his arms across his chest and suppressed a laugh at the look of pure confusion on the boys face. It wasn't every day a bannin presented a challenge to a mere genin nor was it every day a genin was allowed permission to wield a weapon of such strength.

Tatsuo knew the boy could at least move the hammer if he was confident in his strength amongst his peers. His keen eyes watched the boys every movement before widening in surprise at the explosive that was produced by him. His face broke into an excited grin when Iwamaru got the grenade under the broken hammer head and his eyes turned bright with excitement.

He was impressed by the act of improvision he had just witnessed but being able to handle such weight was the absolute lowest benchmark for those who cleaned the passage. If he couldn't do so, he'd be a liability to not only himself but to the other shinobi also undertaking such a dangerous task. Tatsuo was glad Iwamaru kept true to his word and was grateful and accepting of his defeat. That wasn't to say, however, that this challenge was a one-time deal and only attemptable once.

"I like your guts, kid. Unfortunately, you didn't pass. However, you're free to come down here and train with our equipment until you can lift it. I'll notify those who need to know so you won't have any problems with access." Tatsuo offered instead. It was training, just not exactly as he may have expected.

"Keep up the hard work. Once you are a chuunin we might come and recruit you. Who knows?" Tatsuo questioned with a shrug of his shoulders. His face still bore the signs of the earlier excitement with his lips still forming a small grin.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Jun 03, 2019 9:27 pm

Iwamaru nodded. "Indeed. I'll take that into careful consideration, Tatsuo-san. Thank you," he replied, bowing in gratitude to the generous offer. Already he knew, however, that as much as he wanted to take it, he couldn't in good conscience accept it. Everyone else here had worked hard to meet the qualifications to simply glimpse what he'd been given the privilege of seeing. He wasn't about to take that for granted. He would earn the right to use that equipment. Only then would he truly feel he'd earned his place here.

The thought of having to wait until he was a chuunin to help clean the pass was both a morbidly depressing notion and also an opportunity. True, he was a genin, and he'd just recently left the academy... but how many genin could say they worked with the Jousai? What if he came back and passed that test the next time around? The thoughts continued bubbling in Iwamaru's head until they coalesced into a single goal:

I will come back here and pass that test the next time I'm here, he told himself. And I'll do it while I'm still a genin.

Looking back up to Tatsuo, Iwamaru's face bore a similar, but wider grin. "I look forward to that day, Tatsuo-san," he agreed as they walked out of the ring to finish attending to their business.
A Month Later... (Post #7-8)

The sun had not yet risen over the horizon, the Jousai Citadel still covered in the shadows of night. Sunrise was moments away, and all was quiet on the mountain pass that led up to the front gate of the large castle. As was want for a night in Iwagakure, nothing of note was left to report by the guard responsible for watching the front gate. Ichi would be next to serve as the guard for the front door, as it were.

Iwamaru had arrived at the depot shortly before it opened, taking his mission earlier than necessitated on the dossier he'd been provided. Considering he was willing to take double the munitions he had before, four massive scrolls, the warehouse foreman didn't mind, sending the genin on his merry way in the night. He'd expected the genin to fail and was utterly shocked to see Iwamaru heft the large scrolls without so much as breaking a sweat before he broke into a jog through the nighttime streets of Iwagakure.

Iwamaru had hoped that, on his way back to the Citadel, the pass would have been littered with a few boulders. Despite that, the Jousai, as expected, had done an excellent job of tidying the place up. Just as he was about to give up hope, however, he turned a corner, and a larger boulder caught his eye. Not enough to impede travel for the common man, but larger shipments might have had an issue.

Perfect.

Hoisting the boulder over his head with his arms, Iwamaru continued his jog up the path until he was finally in view. Sunrise was just breaking as he turned the corner, and the first thing Ichi would probably see would be a large boulder bobbing up and down, its peak dipping below the light and the dark. "Good morning, Ichi-san!" he called out. "I know I'm a bit early, but I brought a double shipment of munitions for you!"
Last edited by ShinobiTruth on Sat Jun 22, 2019 1:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by Niro » Wed Jun 12, 2019 11:00 pm

Tatsuo watched with muted interest as Iwamaru began his attempt to overcome the obstacle placed before him by the young Bannin. He didn't expect Iwamaru to best the challenge at this point in time, to be quite honest. Most of the challenges he would dish out to the younger generation were designed for them to fail at first. Those who gave up weren't worth a second look. Tatsuo was a firm believer hard work and adversity were key to developing one's character. How one faced an impossible task and reacted to it were both important to him so when Iwamaru rolled his explosive under the barely lifted head and detonated it in a last ditch effort he was actually impressed.

The kid wasn't only strong for his age but also crafty. Tatsuo doubted many genin would or could come up with any similar sort of plan. The older shinobi bowed his head and called over a bored looking member who was getting ready to depart for the evening.

"This is where I leave you, Iwamaru. See you soon." He told the genin before leaving him with the Jousai member who'd escort him to the surface.

Month Later...

Tatsuo was busy in his office on the second floor this morning. The man was facing the one foe he'd been unable to defeat since becoming a shionbi; paperwork. It only got worse the higher up the totem one one went and with his position near the top...there was quite a bit of it. The man hated filling out forms, writing reports, and repeated signing his name until his wrist ached. It was not uncommon for him in his genin years to beg Mitsuo to handle anything he'd have to fill out for him but now they were both so innundated with it that would be impossible.

The red headed man looked out his office window for a mere moment before looking back at his paperwork, pausing, and whopping his head around to see the incoming figure carrying what seemed to be one of the many boulders littering the passage. As it got closer, Tatsuo began to make out and recognize the figure which caused him to smile and get up from his seat. He had something to set up...

Ichi sat at the guard gate this fine morning in a laid back position with his arms crossed and resting on his chest while his chin rested on his arms. The bored had been enjoying his nap and his shift until the voice of someone calling his name pierced the air, waking him from his light slumber. He rubbed his eyes and upon reopening them found the kid from a month ago in front of him. The genin was hauling an impressive amount of armory scrolls but what gave him pause was the boulder he was hoisting above his head with a large grin.

He blinked, sighed, and then opened the door before sighging.

"Someone's been drinking their milk, huh." Ichi mumbled before stepping out of the way and allowing Iwamaru to make his delivery. "Just...leave the boulder here."

Down in the smith of the building, Tatsuo lifted the restored form of Indra from its spot on the wall. The new head was identical to the previous one, its weight even greater now. He gave it a practice swing to test the balance of the war hammer and found it more than satisfactory. The smiths had done a good job in repairing it. Tatsuo walked with the weapon to the center of the training field, placing it at his feet as he waited for Iwamaru to descend the steps.
Quote:
17 Strength Require
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by ShinobiTruth » Wed Jun 12, 2019 11:22 pm

Tossing the boulder to the side, Iwamaru's skin tingled with excitement as he descended the steps, practically just as excited to be here as he had been the first time around. It still felt like the month of training he'd done had flow by, but he did his best to still act with the appropriate amount of respect and decorum. His impulse was to literally charge down these stairs and hoist that friggin' hammer that bested him last time with one hand. But he knew who else was going to be there with that hammer before he even rounded the corner to the training arena. He knew that Tatsuo wasn't one for formality, but he imagined that impulsive rambunctiousness would not please him, either. Even if he was only vaguely associated with the Jousai after this, he would act in a way that would bring honor, respect, dignity, and glory to the fable group. He would show that he belonged, that allowing a mere genin to join its ranks was not a mistake. By his example, he motivate others to follow their lead and the lead of the Tsuchikage. This respect stayed his anxious energy as he came into view of the ring... and as he suspected, Tatsuo was waiting in the center, the hammer already at his feet.

Iwamaru thought to set down the scrolls before stepping into the ring as he completed his journey down the steps, but the genin ultimately decided against it. He wanted to more fully show exactly how much further he'd grown from the last time he'd been privileged to stroll these hallowed halls. Taking a deep breath as he reached the ring's edge, he dropped down, walking calmly towards the hammer until he came to a stop right in front of it. This was it. This was his writ of passage. The head looked heavier than before. But he wasn't worried about being able to lift it. Nay, it was the responsibility that came following it that momentarily intimidated Iwamaru. His eyes shot up to Tatsuo's, seeking strength from someone he'd come to profoundly respect and admire in such a short period of time. He'd only met the man once, and yet he'd had an indelible mark on Iwamaru's path as a shinobi. Was he ready to live up to this man's example?

The confidence that flowed from Tatsuo's eyes was not just in himself. No, they channeled their strength into Iwamaru. It was as if he could already foresee the outcome. That was all the strength he needed.

"The last time I was here, Tatsuo-,san, I had many questions for you," he said calmly, his face calm and collected. "But now, I only have one."

Grabbing the hammer by the haft, he swung the large weapon up with a single hand. It was heavier than he'd expected, but still well within his strength, letting it rest on his shoulder with a confident grin on his face. What had been impossible before was now simply another broken barrier. "When can I start?" he finished.
Progress:
Ninjutsu: 5
Taijutsu: 5
Genjutsu: 5
Stamina: 10
Control: 10
Strength: 20
Speed: 10
Instinct: 10

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The Goal-Setting Paradigm

Post by Niro » Mon Jun 17, 2019 2:34 pm

Tatsuo watched silently as Iwamaru descended the spiral staircase carved from stone that allowed passage between the different levels of Jousai. His face was similar to the bedrock upon with Iwagakure was founded; cold, stony, and unmoving. It wasn't every day a chuunin was allowed to join Jousai and it was even rarer for a genin to help on the more mundane tasks. A small crowd had formed in one corner of the training ground, watching with grins as bets were placed.

The genin walked up with a calm face that broke into a confident grin upon lifting the hammer one-handedly. Tatsuo's mask broke into a laugh as Iwamaru bested his challenge and earned his right to work at clearing the pass.

"The next time we need someone to clear the pass, you'll get a messenger the day before." Tatsuo explained as he reached out and reclaimed Indra. "I'll see you around, Iwamaru. This must be put back before Raijin knows and I must get to my duties for today. Enjoy the rest of your stay." He went on, nodding his head at the boy before retreating back into the depths of the headquarters smithy and then to his office.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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