Flames Shadow

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Izanagi
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Flames Shadow

Post by Izanagi » Mon Jun 12, 2017 2:25 pm

Stat Training: Speed (2)

2058/2000

It had only been a week since Yozei had been assigned to his new team and already he felt a sense of belonging. It was still hard to believe that he was finally growing closer to Aina, his step-mother and that she was his new Sensei but in a way it truly was the best way to bond with her. The woman was a strict teacher, powerful and intimidating though he saw more compassion towards her students than what he typically received at home. He still kept to himself most of the time, his half-siblings requiring easily enough attention to allow him to slip off into the background and spend his days reading in his room or out in the backyard training or relaxing next to a tree. Honestly his life was quite leisurely and there was little he could really complain about, it certainly beat the days of excessive formality and loneliness living within the palace even if he did spend more time with his true mother back then. He still missed her whenever she was away on business though he knew that in his branching out he was becoming a much stronger and more independent person, no longer cowering behind Megumi and being too afraid to interact with strangers.

Training was just another way that the boy was continuing to find himself and grow as a person. Now that he was a shinobi his livelihood depended on his skills and aptitude towards fighting. Walking out to the backyard wearing a pair of black shorts and a red muscle shirt, sword in hand the boy was prepared to get a good day of exercise in. After a brief warm-up consisting of several sets of squats, lunges and stretches Yozei was ready to work on his explosive bursts of speed, something that was integral to his fighting style. Setting his sword aside on the porch he moved out into the large backyard, at least 300 meters to the forest, another 50 meters in and he would be at the property line that marked the entrance into Senju Clan territory. He wouldn’t go quite that far however, his goal was to work on 100 meter sprints, a line had been painted on the side of the field at each integral of 50 meters, useful for finding range of techniques and for pacing oneself when training as much of the back property was utilized specifically for just that whereas the front was more aesthetically pleasing and designed for leisure.

Settling into a low stance with his legs and feet spread comfortably and in a ready position Yozei steadied his breathing for several long moments before eying in his destination. Kicking off the ground he raced forward, starting off somewhat on the slow side and then building speed as he got into his stride. His left hand rested at his side habitually before he remembered he wasn’t wearing his sword. Already, only about 20-30 meters in he could feel himself plateauing and beginning to lose acceleration. He needed to keep focussing on speed and the physical limits of his ability, he could worry about the practicality of his form later when it was applicable. And so he began pumping his arms up and down along his side for extra efficiency and soon found himself picking up speed again. By the time he reached the 100 meter mark his legs were burning and he was already out of breath, panting heavily. His breathing and cardio in general certainly had some work to do. Even though he was the Hokage’s son he wasn’t nearly as physically inclined as his father, though Takeo had assured him that when he had been 13 and a fresh genin he hadn’t been particularly athletically inclined either. It was only with hard work and determination and from feeling the pressure of competition with Masuru that the man had begun a path to the incredible physique he now boasted.

Yozei had no desire to be quite as much of a powerhouse as his father, though his speed, that was something he envied and yearned for. Taking deep breaths he calmed his beating heart and burning lungs and prepared himself for the next stretch. Again he surged forward, digging deeper and forcing his arms and legs to pump faster, keeping on the balls of his feet and breathing quickly, two short shallow breaths in followed by two short shallow breaths out and repeated. This time when his legs burned he embraced the feeling and pressed on, refusing to slow down as he passed the halfway mark and instead powering on and even forcing an extra burst of speed for the last 10 meters. Slowing to a stop as he crossed the mark he continued to walk slowly, moving back to the line that marked 200 meters out as slowly his breathing and heart rate waned down. He hadn’t been able to count out the time it took to run the 100 meters nor had he anyone spotting for him but he knew he had shaved off at least a second or two in that second run. He wasn’t sure if he could repeat that again just yet but if he practiced his sprints every day and continued to give it his all he knew he would see daily improvements or at the very least weekly.

Taking a few minutes to stretch out his thighs and wish he had brought a bottle of water the boy was ready for his next set. Lining himself up he got into ready position and kicked off with a burst of speed, aiming to get up to his top speed as soon as possible. The problem was he simply didn’t possess the strength in his legs for such an explosive start, which would be something else he would have to work on. Nonetheless he was at least fairly fast for a genin. His speed built up quickly once he got going though he wasn’t nearly satisfied. Something was lacking, it seemed that in order to truly build up his speed he really did have to work on all aspects of physical fitness, strength and cardio couldn’t be neglected after all. He would have to make a habit to include a more well-rounded work out plan in the future.

In the meantime however Yozei hoped to gain as much as he could from these sprinting exercises. The third 100 meter sprint seemed to be completed at roughly the same speed as the first, maybe only slightly faster. Perhaps his somewhat poor cardio was having a factor in impairing his speed, for the next set he decided to try a 50 meter sprint, giving it his all in a short burst of speed that shouldn’t be enough to tire him out to any significant extent. Turning around to face back towards the house he decided to put these thoughts to the test. Surely enough as he burst forward he found it easier to push himself and draw out his full speed when he knew he only had a short distance to cover, he didn’t have to worry about pacing himself at all or reaching a plateau point, instead constantly accelerating and pushing himself further and faster right up until he reached the mark in what was easily less than 10 seconds. Not a bad time at all for a kid his age and someone who had only been training to any serious extent for a couple of years now.

Filled with adrenaline and excitement now his legs suddenly didn’t feel quite as heavy or tired and even his breathing came back quickly after the comparatively short dash. This was a good sign, he was making progress and reaching a point where his body could adapt to an increased strain. In a way the feeling of improving gave him a slight taste of what he could achieve as he grew older and became more fit. As much as he enjoyed lazing about it was clear that hard work paid off and even if he only had to ever use his physical ability in short bursts it would be worth it. He wanted to be recognized and respected after all and being able to successfully complete missions and fight off opponents was an essential aspect to that path. ‘So this is what it feels like to have something worth fighting for’ he realized as his thoughts wandered to becoming strong for the sake of protecting his teammates and gaining Aina’s praise. He would train with them together of course in addition to his solo training though he couldn’t deny that there was some part of him that enjoyed being the top of the class in his final years of the academy. He wanted to keep up on that reputation and stay one step ahead of his graduating class.

Bursting forth again his newfound motivation fueled him, he could feel his chakra network flaring, naturally coursing through his body and somehow seeming to invigorate his muscles. Wind blew through his auburn hair, feeling cool against the sweat that dampened his tight shirt. He felt strong in that moment, fast and with unbridled potential. This was what it was like to be a shinobi, knowing that one could become many times stronger in only a matter of years. It was a world that he had never known existed five years ago, even his current capabilities would have seemed impossible to the boy he once was. Konoha was his home now and the chakra that flowed through him, the will of Fire that connected him to the others and embraced him as one of their own. This was his true purpose and calling and he would give everything he had to become strong enough to protect it.

Before he had even realized it he had not only passed the next 50 meter mark but was nearly at 100 meters into his run. Picking up speed again he felt the burn in his legs and continued to run with everything he had, feeling energized by this realization that he had clearly been moving much faster than he thought given the rough estimate of how much time he had been moving for. When he passed the mark it took him quite a bit more distance this time to slow down and come to a stop. It felt like he was on the verge of reaching a new tier in ability, he had tapped into something there. It was amazing how much difference proper motivation and passion could make. He no longer felt alone and that in itself seemed to translate to his appreciation and aptitude towards exercise.

He wasn’t too far from the large, ranch-style home now and decided to walk until he was down to the last 100 meters before the edge of the field and the start of the more properly landscaped deck, patio and garden complete with an eating area and several chairs and even a bench and hammock of sorts for lounging and viewing. Relaxation was calling to him, born a noble even disgraced as he was hard work and physical exertion wasn’t something he was naturally exposed to as a young boy. Perhaps though he could compromise, one last 100 meter sprint and then he could go inside and get some water and a snack, some fruit perhaps before taking a 20 minute break and then continuing with another form of exercise or training. He would commit himself to that.

Reaching his mark his breathing had once more calmed for the most part though his body was already sweating in the warmth of the late spring day. Taking off he would take on his final dash of the training session, picking up speed before beginning to fade in his energy as he had before and then digging deep yet again to make his final burst one that utilized the top speed he had reached earlier. He was practically gliding over the ground or so it felt, toes pressing into the ground and his heels barely touching. Ultimately the last sprint even though he was tired at this point was still faster than his first by several seconds. That was as good of a goal met as any and he would take pride in that and enjoy a well-deserved rest.


Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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Izanagi
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Flames Shadow

Post by Izanagi » Mon Jun 12, 2017 2:50 pm

Stat Training: Strength (2)

2012/2000

After taking some time to hydrate and snack on some fruits and berries as well as a quick protein shake Yozei was ready to get back to it. He had talked to his older sister Hanako, an experienced genin herself about the possibility of a spar (at her insistence) though he didn’t think he was quite ready for something like that. She was a Hyuuga after all and was nearly ready to take the Chunin exams, he knew that even if he used his sword he wouldn’t stand a chance against her in taijutsu practice. Perhaps once he gained a little more confidence. Until then he wanted to continue building up his physical ability. As reluctant as he was to admit it this meant he would have to hit the weights, as embarrassing as it was even Hanako would be able to beat him in an arm wrestle rather easily and the bubbly girl was only two years his elder. Of course like her mother Hanako also possessed a certain ferocity to her and Yozei knew better than to ever stick around if he managed to get on her bad side. Typically whenever there were treats in the house of any kind and they were getting low he would stay far away from eating them, a lesson learned after multiple incidents of that nature.

Shaking his head clear of the memory of being knocked to the ground by a powerful Jyuuken strike or even tossed across the room at one point the boy stepped outside, resolved to at least match his sister in strength before the gap between them widened further. He had remembered to bring a water bottle this time and had brought out a few sets of the lightest weights from the family workout room. Many of the weights in their would have been impossible for him to even move, inscribed with seals to greatly increase their weights, dumbbells that were several hundred pounds and plates for bench presses that could add up to well over a thousand. The fact that both Aina and Takeo were able to workout with such extreme weight was a constant reminder of how terrifyingly strong the two were and how in comparison he might as well have been a mere toddler like his two younger siblings; Takeshi and Kaori. The twins were about 1 and a half now, his brother a Hyuuga and his little sister named as a Natsuki like him.

Approaching the weights Yozei decided to start with the 20lb dumbbells. To a civilian 13 year old this would likely be seen as rather impressive but for a shinobi, even a Genin it was borderline embarrassing. Alas everyone had to start somewhere. Standing with his shoulders down and back and arms at his sides he at least had good form, both his father and step-mother after all were exceptional athletes and fighters, he had been instructed on proper exercising form nearly as soon as he entered the academy. Slow and steady he raised both weights in unison, touching the metal against his shoulders with each rep before slowly bringing them back down. He repeated this ten times before his arms began to shake and ache slightly. Still he knew that this wasn’t the maximum weight he could lift and therefore pushed himself to complete 15 reps, building his body for muscle endurance and conditioning rather than sheer size and bulk. While he could certainly afford to put on muscle mass he also wanted to develop his muscles as toned and defined as he could. After all if his muscles grew too big too quickly it would affect his coordination and range of motion and for a swordsman that was far more trouble than it was worth.

Instead he required only that his muscles were able to effectively and quickly generate speed of motion and also be able to keep him going for prolonged periods of time. He supposed too that it wouldn’t hurt to be able to have some ability to pull himself free of holds or restraints so long as he didn’t completely rely on sheer strength for every such instance. Setting the weights down Yozei stretched his arms briefly and took a sip of water. Training outside in the sun was always nice, the gentle breeze and fresh air bolstering him far more than in a confined room even if that room did possess a much greater array of equipment and ease of access. For his next set Yozei decided on shoulder presses, starting with the weights in a full curl position before rotating them outwards until his arms were straight and above his head. He would do this 15 times as well, struggling somewhat on the last 3 or 4 reps. Afterwards he would again stretch and have a sip of water before pausing and moving into pushup position. He would perform 40 pushups followed by 40 weighted squats. Since he didn’t work out every day he tended to try to exercise his full body whenever he did, perhaps not the best workout plan though thus far it was working for him well enough.

His arms were already aching comfortably and his legs contained a deep burn, enhanced now by the previous sprints he had done. It was a good start though he wasn’t nearly done yet. He knew from watching his father workout what a true workout entailed and he hoped to one day be able to emulate the amount of dedication the Hokage put into his fitness. For now though he had often been reminded not to push himself too hard less injuring himself. Instead it was better to be consistent, a lesson he took to heart. As long as he was continually improving himself month to month then he would stay on the right track. This meant of course that even within one workout it was best to try to reach a new level by the end of it or as close as one could to that goal. With this philosophy in mind the young Genin begrudgingly switched to a pair of 25lb weights. He also had a set of 30lbs out though anything beyond that was currently too ambitious for him.

He would begin to repeat the same workout with these heavier weights now. First the curls which already by his 5th rep he had noticed a significant difference in strain. Still, he believed that he could push himself to reach a goal of 15 reps, 12 at the very least he told himself. He could see the veins in his arms bulging out now and the slight muscle definition he did have was taut to the touch and engorged. At 10 reps his arms were beginning to shake again and he began struggling to lift the weight past the halfway point, rather than risk hurting himself he decided for the last five reps to lift halfway and hold the weight there for three seconds at a time. It was a good compromise and worked out a different area of his bicep, continuing to push his body without causing excessive strain, injury or poor form. Keeping his back straight and bending his legs the boy set the weights down. His arms felt heavy now but he knew he was far from finished. This time he would take a longer break, about 3 minutes as he stretched and let his arms rest, making sure to hydrate properly.

When he was ready to continue Yozei lifted the 25lb dumbbells once more, bringing them into full curl position and immediately feeling the strain in his shoulders as he began lifting them above his head. His biceps were still sore causing his arms to wobble at first though he quickly corrected his form and used his shoulder muscles to power through the movements. He knew right off the bat he wouldn’t be able to manage 15 with this set, instead he made a goal of 10 which through some amount of determination and a few mid rep mini breaks he managed to complete, even pumping out an extra 2 reps for good measure. At this point he was beginning he regret his decision to push himself so hard, surely he would be sore for several days afterwards though he couldn’t deny that it was a good feeling to get such a deep burn and to feel progressively stronger and more capable as the exercises went on, even if his arms were becoming fatigued he was still able to lift heavier weights than he had before. Keeping his back straight as he set the weights down he wasted no time in moving into push up position. Arms shoulder width apart he felt a slight creek in his elbows and a pinch in his wrists as he forced himself through the discomfort. His arms were almost numb feeling in a way, as if his body had got used to the motions and though his energy was low he found that he was still capable of keeping good form and maintaining a steady pace through the majority of the set. It was on the last 10 pushups that he once again felt that now familiar wobbling sensation though with some perseverance he managed to complete all 40 reps.

Standing now the young teenager stretched his hands, wrist and elbows in addition to his shoulders and biceps. He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could endure without injuring himself. His body simply wasn’t used to the strain, his days of leisure and academics seemed to be catching up to him though if he gave up every time he felt discomfort then he would never reach the point where exercise seemed natural and easy. By now he was glistening in a thin layer of sweat, not enough to drip down his body but enough to dampen his skin and shimmer in the sun. Removing his shirt Yozei tossed it aside. His body wasn’t anything miraculous by any means, slim and with light definition though without any real noticeable muscle. In the midst of the workout however his veins had begun to bulge out on his biceps and his shoulders showed some signs of toning. It was as if one could see where the muscle would eventually grow in though he wasn’t quite there yet.

Taking a sip of water and pouring some of it over his head the boy picked up the twenty five pound weights once again and prepared to finish his final set of the circuit. His hands were aching from gripping the weights though that didn’t stop him from slowly moving into squats, keeping his back straight and looking ahead as the burning sensation reappeared in his thighs. Before long his breathing was more elevated and sweat began increasing as it mixed with the water that had been poured over his head and now dripped down his chest and back. His legs always had been the more conditioned muscles of his body and so rather than fatigue he felt a comfortable aching sensation that indicated his quads were growing in strength. In fact he even did a bonus ten squats, making fifty in total for this set. Setting the weights down he stretched his legs before looking to the untouched pair of thirty pound weights. It was a shame to not even attempt to use them though he knew he didn’t have another circuit in him. Instead he opted for a quick bonus round, testing his arms to see if they could handle another increase in weight even if only for a few reps. And so with the heavier weights he managed three curls and three shoulder presses with each arm, focusing on one side at a time rather than attempt to do them simultaneously. By the time he was done Yozei had begun to feel somewhat lightheaded. Nonetheless he was proud of himself for the effort he had put in. After a shower he would eat more food and call it a day as far as exercise went.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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Izanagi
Posts: 4019
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 7:00 pm

Flames Shadow

Post by Izanagi » Sun Nov 25, 2018 7:51 pm

Stat Training: Stamina (+3)

3147/3000

It was sometimes hard to believe that it had only been five years since he had been introduced to the shinobi arts and only a year since he had graduated the academy and become a Genin. Compared to his peers Yozei was above average in skill and yet he was frequently reminded by others far above his level that he still had quite a way to go. His father was the Hokage after all and his Step-mother was a Bannin, even aunt was a skilled Jounin and someone who often trained with the young teenager. Ayame, Takeo’s younger sister and only sibling had always been kind and welcoming to Yozei, her years of experience as a teacher in the academy being immediately apparent with her natural charisma and way with the youth of the village.

Today was one such day when she came by the house for a visit. After spending some time with the twins whom were nearing their 3rd birthday, brimming with energy, excitement and endless chatter, Ayame put some time aside to check in with Yozei. The final sibling, Hanako had been off training with her own team for the day, also a Genin and actually a year older than Yozei. “I had a feeling I’d find you cooped up in here” the slender blonde woman chimed in. With her bright emerald green eyes, Yozei had always thought his aunt looked more like a Yamanaka than a Natsuki, whom tended to have a more rustic appearance. Yozei’s Grandpa looked much like his father, deep brown hair and crisp blue eyes, ever watching, eyes of a hunter. Whereas his Grandma was as tough and wild as they came. Raised by Inuzuka she looked the part with messy brown hair and dark eyes. Apparently some of his fathers female cousins had blonde hair but Yozei had only met the extended family of the Natsuki once during his fathers inauguration. They lived throughout fire Country, all hunters and fishermen though a few specialized in logging.

The auburn-haired boy looked up from his book, resting casually on his bed, cozy in a warm grey sweater he hadn’t expected any interruption. “Aunt Ayame” he greeted with a smile, closing his book and setting it aside as he sat up against his wall. “Come on lazy bones, let’s pick up where we left off” she instructed, gesturing out the door. It didn’t take long for Yozei to gather his equipment and change into attire more fitting combat. He knew there was no use arguing with her and honestly he could use the encouragement. After losing contact with Suzume his motivation to train had plummeted. He worried that her father had intercepted one of his letters and that he would never see the young woman again. His first crush was the daughter of an S-ranked MN making matters difficult but that wasn’t something he could talk about, not even with Ayame and so he kept it to himself and buried himself in books.

Meeting his aunt outside in the backyard, Yozei stood ready, wearing a red T-shirt, black shorts, weapons holster on his right thigh and his signature katana on his left hip. Without hesitation Ayame began her attack, starting 10 meters away she formed a quick series of handseals before spewing forth an array of fireballs, the phoenix flower jutsu. The fireballs were small but quite fast and it took Yozei every bit of his focus and speed to narrowly avoid them, ducking, dipping and dodging out of the way. In fact it reminded him remarkably like the dodgeball training he had done while in Fur Country six months ago. That was also the last time he had seen Suzume, losing contact with her a few weeks later. The memory was bitter-sweet. He didn’t have time to dwell on such things however as the blonde-haired woman was already upon him. Her speed was impressive, as was her taijutsu. A mere few feet away her hand glowed red, an aura of flames surrounding it. He recognized the move as the Meteor punch jutsu, it was a technique both Takeo and Aina had also demonstrated to him, a stable for any Katon using taijutsu fighter. Drawing his sword swiftly, Yozei channelled Katon natured chakra into it, swiping at Ayame and delivering a trail of flames aimed at her eyes.

Without hesitation the woman spun under the attack, sweeping his legs out from under him with her spinning left leg as she delivered an elbow into his chest. As she did so however he managed to spit forth a burst of embers into her face, causing her to stop for a moment rather than pursue him blindly. Yozei fell backwards, the pain in his chest was substantial but he knew that his aunt was holding back considerably. “You use his jutsu well but you’re going to need more than that” She commented. The woman was well known for being kind and compassionate most of the time but having grown up around Inuzuka and raised among hunters, training in Taijutsu since a very young age, Ayame had inherited an aggressive fighting style and was known to take risks for the sake of chasing adrenaline, much like Takeo. Chakra flowed into her left hand now as a crackling whip of condensed Katon chakra manifested. Without hesitation the burning whip lashed out at 20 Speed, grasping Yozei’s right wrist before he could even hope to react. It seared his flesh, though still he maintained his grip on his Katana. He had been trained as a young age that his sword was his lifeline, to drop it for any reason was a disgrace and one that would lead only to death and dishonor. Even as Ayame pulled him forward he flowed chakra into his weapon, causing it to grow large with roaring flames, his weapon pressed against the line of flame, not strong enough to pierce the dense material but enough to resist it to some extent. However it wouldn’t be enough, with an additional yank his right arm was pulled off to the side, exposing his body as Ayame closed the distance in a moment, ramming her right hand into his stomach as it exploded with flames, whirling the whip around in a circle she would slam him face first into the ground before finally releasing the hold on his wrist, letting the whip trail by her feet as it continued to score dark burns into the ground.

Yozei panted heavily, the flame from his sword burned out, unable to keep up the supply of chakra and yet he still held onto the handle. The searing pain in his wrist made keeping his grip excruciating, the burns were easily second degree, very nearly third and now burns seared his stomach too, coupled with a deep pain and nausea from having the wind knocked out of him. His face too was scraped up and bleeding. Never before had his aunt been so rough with him, sure he would usually get some bruises and light burning but nothing quite like this. Only Yoru was ever so harsh. “Was that too much?” she questioned, there was clear concern in her voice though something was different. She knew she was pushing him hard and she wanted him to persevere even if it hurt her to be so tough on him. “No..it’s fine” he wheezed, gritting his teeth as he fought back tears from the pain. He had forgotten what it felt like to be truly pushed, this is what he signed up for afterall. Being a shinobi wasn’t just a hobby, it was about being a warrior, someone who had to be prepared to face life or death battles with every mission. “Good. Get up then, you’ve been slacking off Yozei. Everytime I visit you’re holed up in your room. What happened to your fire, your passion? That’s what I want to see” she explained, firm but kind. The woman knew grief when she saw it, in fact she would have understood better than anyone had Yozei been able to open up about what was actually bothering him. For years Ayame had been plagued by grief after the death of her boyfriend, she had spent years trying to avoid that pain and in the process becoming disconnected to her true passions and her drive to be a shinobi.

Slowly Yozei came to his feet. She was right, he had lost his motivation to train and what better way to remind him than to demonstrate that a distracted shinobi was a dead shinobi. He didn’t have the luxury of feeling sorry for himself or worrying about Suzume. He had his own life to protect, his parents and siblings to live for. Beyond that he had wanted to prove to the Harukatsu family that he was worthy, that he was more than a bastard. He never wanted to be treated as something to be ashamed of ever again, the world would know his name and respect him for it. That was his path as a shinobi and he would be dammed it he was going to let that spark be extinguished so young. “Thank you” he said, seemingly awake to the world once again. Forming a series of handseals he would surround himself in a cloud of dirt before creating an earth clone that he would pass a few tagged kunai too. As the clone moved to the left, throwing the kunai through the dirt, Yozei would channel chakra throughout his body, encasing himself in an ornate samurai armor. As the clone moved out from the dirt he would form a brief set of seals, replacing himself with a log in order to appear behind Ayame.

Meanwhile Ayame would lash out her whip, smacking each of the kunai out of the air well before they reached her. The clone would make a handseal, pretending to be the original as Yozei himself detonated the tags, creating a loud distraction just before the substitution took effect. Through the smoke and dirt Ayame would still have a good idea of where the clone had been, lashing her whip out towards its legs and hearing the thud of her whip connecting would pull it backwards sharply, causing the whip to wrap around the clone’s right leg and toss it through the air. She was in fact very nearly caught off guard by the tactic. Her instincts however were sharp, she knew better than to let her guard done, nobody made a smokescreen just to run out of it and attack directly. It was a basic tactic and so she figured Yozei would aim to attack her at any moment, from her spars with her brother back when they were Chunin she knew he favored sneak attacks from underground, back when Doton had been the only element he wielded. Already Yozei was proficient in both Katon and Doton and so she stayed light on her feet, strafing to the right just in time to feel a presence behind her and catch a glimpse of movement. Unfortunately she never picked up the keen nose that her mother and brother had nor the eagle sharp eyes of her father but she did have exceptional hearing and even with the distraction of the explosion she picked up on the subtle sounds of movement.

Yozei had drawn his sword once more, aiming a slash at Ayame, one that would have only been a shallow cut had it struck. Evidently he had underestimated the woman a bit as once she moved and adjusted to his presence the Jounin quickly sprung into the air, flipping backwards gracefully, high into the air as she retracted the whip, lashing it against the back of Yozei’s legs before landing gracefully 5 meters behind him. The doton armor protected his legs to some extent but he could still feel the burning sensation. ‘She’s fast’ he had always underestimated his aunt, compared to the likes of Takeo, Yoru and Aina who could move so fast he couldn’t even see them Ayame’s movements were childlike in comparison however he realized now that the gap between himself and his aunt was substantial. She had been holding back considerably in their previous spars, teaching him the basics of Katon ninjutsu and drilling some taijutsu exercises. He should have known, Jounin were elite, even one who had spent nearly half her career teaching in the academy. For the last few years she had been taking active missions again and honing her skills, training with Yoru and even going off with him on missions for weeks at a time. Her skills were improving.

Spinning around, Yozei pushed through the pain and attacked again with a slash. He was on a team with Aina as his Sensei now, he knew what it was like to face overwhelming odds, the point wasn’t for him to win but to demonstrate his perseverance, fighting spirit and ingenuity. As Yozei closed in Ayame relinquished her fire whip, it was one of her preferred jutsu’s but she didn’t rely on it. Spinning low she drew a kunai with one finger, deflecting the sword as she spun under the attack and appeared behind him, lashing out with a quick roundhouse kick to each side before flipping through the air, backfisting him in the face as she twisted gracefully through the air, lashing out with one leg to strike the side of the head and following up with a sweep of her right leg, knocking his feet out from under him again all while deftly avoiding his blade. Springing off the ground the woman cartwheeled to safety, throwing her kunai mid spin and knocking the sword from his hand as he fell with expert accuracy. The barrage was beyond anything he was expecting, her skills were truly remarkable. Though her Katon ninjutsu was only Special Jounin level at best her taijutsu, speed and reflexes made her a force to contend with even among other top Jounin.

Collapsing on the ground, Yozei’s armor had begun to crack and crumble away. Aunt Ayame wasn’t known for her strength but even one full power strike would have been enough to shatter his armor, he could tell she was still holding back some of her striking force. Breathing heavily, the boy’s vision was beginning to blur, more so from the physical toll on his body all of his injuries were causing rather than his chakra expenditure. He estimated that he was at less than half of his reserves. At this point however he wasn’t even sure if he could stand up again let alone muster his chakra to continue fighting. “You know I love you Yozei but this is what happens when you slack off so much. You have talent and potential, more than most of the shinobi I’ve taught…but something has been distracting you lately and whatever it is you need to put it aside. This is the reality of what being a shinobi is. If you can’t accept that you should quit now” she said, speaking softly. It pained her to see her nephew in such a state of pain, she was used to always being the fun teacher, there was never a need to be strict because her students had always loved her so much that they respected her and behaved well to please her. After spending so much time with Yozei however and training excessively once again she couldn’t bare to see anyone in her family succumb to weakness. As children of the Hokage they were prime targets for those who wished to find leverage on Konoha. Hanako would be a little more difficult to tie to Takeo due to her being a Hyuuga and Aina’s brothers handled most of her training and so she left most of that conditioning to them. Yozei on the other hand was direct family by blood rather than adoption and he was famous for his ancestry from both sides of his parentage.

She had to protect him and she knew Yoru felt the same way. He had gone off on his own this time, searching for Yaku and Enma once more and leaving Ayame in Konoha for her own protection. It wasn’t until a few weeks after Yoru left that she discovered he had left a part of him with her and by the end of the year she would have a child of her own. That left only a few months of active training before she would have to slow down and take time off. She vowed that she would train Yozei relentlessly until that time.

Yozei began to stand, his vision was slightly blurred and he tasted blood in his mouth but he knew he couldn’t give up. True, his thoughts had been clouded recently, he had no one clear goal or ambition, it was all muddled together and he couldn’t determine what he really wanted in life. His thoughts were of Suzume, of gaining respect from the Harukatsu and of potentially taking up the mantle of Hokage one day himself. Whatever his fate would be however he knew he couldn’t give up. He had to train, to become stronger, he needed to be ready for the Chunin exams and pass on his first try and then he would be one step closer to discovering his true destiny. “You’re right Aunt Ayame. I don’t know where my path will lead but I know I need to become stronger and I know I love my family and this village so that will have to be enough” he admitted with a pained but determined look upon his face. He honestly hated fighting and the pain that came with it, tactics were more his preference, avoiding injury whenever possible.

Leaping backwards the boy would throw down a smoke grenade and then draw a pair of tagged kunai, tossing them each at the ground about 3 meters in front of Ayame and detonating them each in quick succession. The combination of smoke and debris would prevent her from seeing his movements for a minute or two and would also keep her from rushing in after him. Next he formed a brief series of handseals, releasing a sphere of fire towards Ayame’s last known position, the brightness of this particular flame and its lingering properties would further keep her distracted, forcing her to evade as the flames suddenly exploded, spreading around the immediate area. By the time it all cleared Yozei was nowhere to be seen, even releasing the hold on his armor so that he could move more freely, choosing to attempt to escape the conflict rather than fight an opponent he knew he had no hope of beating. As he ran he had even formed another earth clone whom hid behind a tree on the edge of the training ground while the true Yozei kept moving.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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Flames Shadow

Post by Izanagi » Sat Sep 14, 2019 11:47 pm

Yozei didn’t intend to be a Chunin for too long. He had a team that was coming together, his primary partner being Nikuya and they both intended on filling the skill differential between Chunin and Special Jounin within a year or two. There were quite a few elite shinobi in Konoha and the thought of being able to properly train with them was the push he needed to be a truly reliable and competent shinobi that could actually help defend the village if a great conflict were to occur. Though he had not been living in Konoha at the time of the invasion he knew there were powerful threats out there. His girlfriend’s dad after all was an S-Rank Missing nin, though he hadn’t heard anything of the man or Suzume for quite some time. He assumed they were off in some small distant country and that was why she hadn’t been in contact for almost 2 years. Perhaps she had moved on but he still retained hope that he would see her again. Some part of him wished to impress her with how much more skilled he had become in their time apart; she seemed the type to be drawn to that kind of thing. But how could she ever take him seriously when compared to the truly dangerous criminals she surely encountered on a regular basis.

He needed to develop his strengths to the point of being utterly devastating. Developing his Katon ninjutsu was the only area of training that he felt one hundred percent confident in. Fire was a part of him. Son of the Hokage, descendant of the Daimyo of the Fire country. If he couldn’t master Katon ninjutsu he had no right to be proud of his heritage. Standing in the middle of one of the many rivers that flowed through Konoha, Yozei made sure to train in a section surrounded by rocks on either side and where the river was the widest. There wasn’t any particular wind and the season had recently shifted to fall, a heavy rain pouring the entire previous day. This would be a good time to develop his ninjutsu. His talents were already exceptionally impressive for his age and rank, namely the skill of being able to perform katon ninjutsu without the use of hand seals. Every now and then he opted to train a technique with hand seals if it was one he felt he would seldom be required to use when wielding a weapon or simply because he did enjoy the sealing process and didn’t want to neglect training his sealing speed.

The other benefit from utilizing hand seals was that one’s body didn’t visibly flair up with chakra which was a bit of an annoying aspect of raw channeling. It wasn’t that any chakra was wasted when performing a jutsu without seals only that the building up process was unable to be suppressed in the same way. If he wanted to develop techniques that required visual stealth to not give away his position, particularly in the case of a lot of Doton ninjutsu then it would be important to remember to develop and train such techniques with the use of hand seals. Katon ninjutsu on the other hand was not very subtle and the way Yozei fought was typically a direct offense from a distance so surprise attacks were not really his forte. Therefore being able to perform jutsu as quickly and efficiently as possible, pinning an opponent down under large scale explosions and flames while incorporating projectiles and chain techniques was his idea of a solid battle strategy. He was not what one would think of as a shinobi in the traditional sense but he was still carving out a place for himself in this world. There would surely be a need for heavy hitters than can take on large area of effect attacks for encampments or other such things.

In time Yozei would further develop his Doton techniques as well which could provide more defensive, supplementary and tactical options. It was important to maintain a good balance and not focus soley on offense even if that was what he preferred to hone first. As he progressed as a shinobi however and began to take on solo missions though he would need to have a bit of versatility, utilizing doton and a bit of kenjutsu when applicable. He even hoped to develop some genjutsu eventually, not enough to be any kind of focus but he was certain it would pair nicely for setting up explosive techniques or to utilize the sound of the explosions as triggers to further ensue disarray and create more openings to maximize his success. As a kid he had excelled in strategy and now that his ninjutsu skills were developing significantly it was easy to get lost in the power of sheer devasting fire techniques. Balance was key.

Today, Yozei would train at the largest lake within the village walls of Konoha. It was a fairly regular training spot for him, preferring to keep within the walls of Konoha when he trained. Unlike his father he didn’t feel a particularly strong inclination towards the outdoors, preferring the comforts and convenience of the village and being within a short trip of food stalls and bathhouses. Moreover, as the son of the Hokage, even as a Chunin now it wasn’t the best idea to venture beyond the walls of Konoha alone. He knew for a fact that some of the upper Iwa nin knew who he was and though he doubted they’d come this close to the village or even risk starting an incident he still didn’t feel confident enough in his abilities to ward off any significant thread alone. Not until he learned some form of enhanced perception or sensory at the very least. That was one of the goals in his list of jutsu to learn. Still, that would come later, for now he wished to hone Katon and then perhaps even delve into the power of Sankaton.

1006 Words Ninjutsu Training (+1 Stat)

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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Flames Shadow

Post by Izanagi » Sun Nov 17, 2019 7:32 pm

There was a tremendous sense of accomplishment at being awarded the rank of Chunin just a few days prior. He had come a long way since first arriving in Konoha at the age of 10, graduating the academy in three years despite being a four year program, having spent many extra hours with tutors having no previous knowledge of chakra and still ending up graduating near the top of his class. And then in the span of 2 and a half years after graduating he was now awarded the rank of Chunin. In fact, he was awarded the rank nearly 6 months younger than his father, the Hokage had. Though it was well known that the 17th Hokage had only truly became strong into his mid-twenties it was still an inspiring thought, reinforcing that one didn’t have to be a prodigy, achieving greatness at a young age to become one of the pillars of the village. The pressure on Yozei therefore wasn’t exceptionally high, though he still felt like he always had something to prove, if not to the villagers than his family in the Royal Palace. There was some tension among the Harukatsu towards the Hokage for not marrying into the family after impregnating the previous Daimyo’s youngest daughter. Yozei was therefore a bastard though Takeo had given him the last name of Natsuki and acknowledged him as his own, creating the opportunity of becoming a shinobi rather than a proper member of the royal family.

The sixteen-year-old Chunin wished to prove to the Harukatsu that he had worth regardless of what his mother’s marital status was. That he would make a name for himself and mend the relationship between shinobi and royals. This was his purpose and he was going to work hard to achieve that. He couldn’t rest on this achievement. For all intents Chunin was simply an average ranked shinobi, in a way becoming an official asset of the village rather than the trainee rank of Genin. It represented growth in leadership, tactics and trust but not necessarily raw power or skill. If he ever wanted to catch up to Kotaru or be able to protect Suzume he would need to be much more skilled. There was still an immense amount for him to learn and hone but the first thing he wanted to improve was his chakra control, honing one of his greatest strengths so that he could perform more advanced jutsu and make the most of his chakra expenditure or perhaps even be able to utilize fully controlled techniques or skills such as Kinesis. These were areas he felt he would excel in and that tremendously improve his fighting ability.

And so he wasted no time in heading to the training ground, proudly wearing his new vest, even if it was likely something that would be short-lived it still felt nice to at least try out. As he often did when training, Yozei headed to the river. This one in particular was the same one his dad had trained Yoru at when the highly esteemed Bannin had been just a Genin. Though both his father and Yoru were highly skilled in Suiton ninjutsu, Yoru was here for the opposite reason. To practice Katon in a safe way where he wouldn’t have to worry too much about it spreading and setting ablaze the forest. To make matters even safer and significantly more challenging, the fresh Chunin had come up with the idea of trying to enhance his sword with Katon while he held the blade underwater. Taking off his shoes and rolling up his pants a bit Yozei sat on a somewhat small boulder that stuck up in the middle of the river. He would dip his feet into the water to get a feel for the temperature and maybe be able to better detect if his jutsu was actually doing anything.

Next he would draw the ceremonial Katana that had been passed down through the Harukatsu family. The teenager couldn’t quite place it but the sword felt different than it had when he had first received it. He was sure the blade had grown sharper despite having seldom used the weapon and therefore not needing to get it sharpened, only maintaining it with regular cleaning and polishing. Moreover, he could feel a certain strength emanating from it, almost as if it had stored some of his ambient chakra over the months and awoken into something more usable. Only time would tell what exactly this meant and whether or not the blade had any secret powers to it like the legends had told. Placing the blade of the sword in the water Yozei flowed his chakra into it, first creating a protective reinforcement, flooding the metal with chakra that would help to allow it to harness an elemental release without damage to the blade. Next, he ignited the chakra in a sense, converting it into Katon though instead of allowing it to expand into an aura or a large amount of flames he contained the chakra within the sword, releasing it slowly and gradually rather than like an explosion. It took a great amount of control and understanding of chakra and even the composition and size of his blade to be able to make such small adjustments and calculations seamlessly.

There didn’t seem to be much change at first, the heating of the blade was not enough to cause any notable change to the flowing river around it but that wasn’t his goal anyway. With some more focus, Yozei continued to flow Katon natured chakra into the blade of his sword while still being held under water. Slowly the blade manifested a thin aura of flames, while the blade itself began to glow red slightly. The cold water aimed to extinguish this fire that had no business existing under water, the two forces pushed against each other resulting in a pressure bubble that grew and shrank in size a few times. Yozei knew he couldn’t maintain this forever though his chakra control was magnificent and so it took almost no chakra to sustain. Still, it was like performing a D-Rank jutsu one after the other almost constantly in order to keep the flow of chakra and flames consistent when faced with such harsh conditions.

This was just the first stage however, there was more yet that he hoped to achieve. Flowing more chakra into his blade he greatly increased the Katon aura around the sword, chakra flaring around his body from the intensity of the concentration. The pressure bubble around his blade expanded significantly and now there was steam visibly rising off the waters surface. He aimed to create the full size of his flaming sword technique, a good foot of flames extending from either side of the blade. Sweat began to bead on his forehead though he persisted on. He knew it was impossible to evaporate the entire river though he could aim to maintain the battle between fire and water until his chakra was depleted. Being able to stave off the water at all and actually shroud his sword in flames while under the flowing river was a remarkable feat in itself. The water hissed in retaliation and slowly Yozei began to raise the sword out of the water, adjusting his chakra control in portions along the blade, having to lower the intensity on the areas closest to him as they surfaced and made contact with air instead of water. If he were to maintain the flames with the same intensity as when they were underwater, they would expand far too quickly and create a flash fire burning his face, arms and clothes, possibly to quite a dangerous extent.

He could of course simply disperse the flames entirely before removing the sword from the water, but he aimed to master his chakra control and so desired to properly test himself to his limits. With about a third of the sword, closest to the hilt out of the water and enveloped in flames Yozei had to increase the intensity of Katon chakra closer to the mid section and tip of the sword, the cutting portions, enough that the flames persisted underwater. He then aimed to even out the diameter of the shroud of flames in order to keep it completely consistent both out of water and in so that there was no more than half an inch of variation. To do this he had to consistently channel chakra into his sword though change the concentration of chakra, building more chakra further away from him and keeping less chakra closer to his hand and then simultaneously convert that chakra into Katon nature in order to produce flames. The flames closest to him would be refined and maintained relatively easily, though the portion that entered the water would need constant Katon natured chakra flowed into it, passing through the section of the sword exposed to air without disrupting the fine control that kept a smooth and even shape around the blade.

For such a seemingly simple effect the amount of concentration and fine control needed was remarkable. After about ten more minutes of this Yozei found himself able to balance the two perfectly. He was only sweating slightly, his breath even. His chakra was incredibly well refined, even the visible blue raw chakra that gathered around his hands and forearms as he flowed it toward the sword was smooth and even, close to his body with almost none of it wasted by flowing off into the surroundings as was common with most shinobi. Channelling chakra itself was a difficult task that most could not perform, less it be a simple technique though when they did so often chakra would flare loosely around an individuals entire body and to a trained eye one could even see the wasted chakra flaring off of them. At only sixteen years old Yozei had already surpassed his father, the Hokage in fine chakra manipulation. He was determined to continue to improve and make sure his talent would be recognized across the country.

Standing, Yozei would step onto the water again after previously sitting on a rock. It was time to utilize his training in tandem with the water walking technique. He would have to dispel the flames very briefly as he allocated a portion of his chakra to sustaining contact with the water. From there the focus on his feet would be minimal, practically non-existent to someone of his calibre but that wasn’t the part that would be difficult. He intended to move and strike the water, adjusting the flow of chakra as second nature. Lifting his blade out of the water he would almost instantly ignite it in flames, their smooth and refined fire enveloping the Katana perfectly 6 inches above and below the blade and only 1 inch on either side. Taking up a solid stance he would hold the blade slightly to the side and pointed down, running along the river before suddenly turning and slashing at the water in a maneuver that would sent the top 4 inches of the blade through the water. Naturally the flames remained, not simply reforming around an extinguished tip of the sword but rather increasing the intensity of the flames at the tip of the weapon in the second and a half that it passed through the water and easing up to remain consistent with the rest of the sword as it exited the water.

Next would be a leap backward followed by a downward slash a moment after landing, leaning forward and bending his knees slightly. Over half of the length of the swords blade would enter the water this time, submerged for nearly three seconds. The water splashed and sprayed, hissed and crackled though as he raised the sword the flames yet remained strong and even. One last test, adjusting his grip he stabbed directly down, nearly touching the sand and rock at the bottom of the relatively shallow portion of the river. Steam bellowed in his face and seeped into his clothes, guarding his face somewhat and squinting he maintained the intense flow of chakra, noting the blazing orange-red glow emanating from beneath the water. The flames yet remained. Slowly, triumphantly he raised the weapon out of the water, marvelling at the pristine flames one last time before allowing them to disperse, dipping the blade into the water slowly to cool it before sheathing the weapon smoothly. He had done it.

2083 Words Control (+2 Stats)

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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Izanagi
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Flames Shadow

Post by Izanagi » Mon Jan 25, 2021 6:45 pm

Yozei had been carrying about his family sword for nearly five years now, it was a sacred relic of the Harukatsu family and the greatest gift he had ever received from his Grandfather; the Daimyo of Fire country. While the man had never elected to defy tradition to the point of granting Yozei the family last name and right of succession despite being a bastard he had recognized his skills as a shinobi and a warrior, deeming him suitable to wield the blade despite outrage from Yozei’s uncle whom he barely knew. Unlike his uncle, his grandfather had always treated him kindly at least, favoring his daughter, Yozei’s mother over the ambitious and entitled son of his. And yet, despite some training with a sword when he was just a boy, Yozei had largely neglected the art of kenjutsu. The level of swordsmanship in Konoha paled in comparison to the Samurai of Fire country. Instead, his attention had been consumed by the arts of ninjutsu that he excelled at to a prodigious degree.

However, now Yozei sought to remedy that. He would take 6 months off of active duty to train in Tea country and learn the fundamentals of Iaido. Perhaps too he would apply some of his former training and develop some techniques of his own once he was more accustomed to using a sword. The first two weeks he spent simply learning basic movements more thoroughly, getting the feel for the sword in his hand and how to torque his body properly but most importantly learning the best angles of attack and how to align his sword to always strike at the right angle. Protecting his weapon was the first priority, for if his sword broke any skills, he learned would be rendered useless. Of course, his Katana was a little different than most, it was already linked to him in a way. It grew stronger as he did and felt connected, making it easier to feel where it was strong and where it was vulnerable. Learning how to trust in his sword, testing its strength against gradually harder substances and being able to follow through with a strike without fear of his blade breaking were just as important as knowing when something was too much for it to handle. Yozei had used his Katana in combat before but never taken the time to understand his sword and feel like it was properly an extension of himself truly and deeply. Though every day it became more natural to use and began to feel quite light in his hands, his body moving instinctively to align the blade with his target and knowing when to ease up or apply more force.
Jutsu TrainedShow
439/400

*[Iaido • Weapon Mastery]
D-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Since Iaido is a style that prioritizes speed over brute strength, wise usage of the blade is paramount to the practitioner's success in the style. This Discipline represents the practitioner's knowledge of their weapon's strengths and weaknesses in combat, allowing them to use the weapon more efficiently both inside and outside of its use in Iaido techniques and avoid unnecessarily presenting their weapon's blind spots to the opponent.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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Izanagi
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Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 7:00 pm

Flames Shadow

Post by Izanagi » Mon Jan 25, 2021 10:32 pm

Yozei stood within the Tea country Dojo, spaced out among over a dozen beginner level samurai, some younger than him, others a few years older but each determined with their own reasons for being there. Their Sensei had demonstrated the most fundamental technique of Iaido, to draw their katana and strike in a single fluid motion. This involved taking a somewhat wide stance, opening one’s hips so that the katana rested slightly against the back leg as it sat on the hip. The forward dominant foot in this stance was Yozei’s right. It was important that one’s clothing wasn’t hanging over any part of the Katana in any way that would obstruct it. Feet were planted firmly, parallel to one another and the sword positioned in the obi so that the curve of the weapon faced downward, enabling it to bend around the sheath as it was drawn. His left hand would fasten against the sheath, just a few inches below the tsuba where it was firmly clicked in place.

Pulling slightly on the sheath at the same time he pulled on the grip he would ensure his thumb and index finger were snug against the metal guard, his right elbow positioned low so that he could pull the weapon free at the appropriate angle. He had to keep his shoulders back, opening his chest in the same way he did for his hips. The former would keep the range of motion smooth for the draw, the latter would ensure the right angle and position for a powerful and swift follow through. When the sword was pulled it was done so swiftly, applying pressure against the lower part of the sheath and feeling it angle at the halfway point, keeping one’s eyes however sighted on the target and trusting the body to move in accordance with muscle memory. The blade would hiss through the air, being sure not to overextend as well as visualizing a target and striking with intent. Afterward would come the re-sheath, resting the blade against the saya before pulling and using it to guide it back in with a smooth motion. This process was repeated one hundred times every day for a full week just to get the basic structure of Iaido slowly ingrained to muscle memory. And even then this was only the first steps into learning how to properly wield a katana and master the ways of Iaido.
Jutsu TrainedShow

404/400
*[Iaido • Last Breath]
D-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
The most iconic (and most basic) strike of Iaido, the practitioner quickly draws and cuts with their blade in a wide arc in one fluid motion. This simultaneous draw and attack straight from the scabbard makes Iaido well-suited for an initial surprise attack and for taking advantage of openings presented by the opponent.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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Izanagi
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Flames Shadow

Post by Izanagi » Sun Jan 16, 2022 8:43 pm

After a full week of practicing the Last Breath technique one hundred times a day Yozei had developed callouses across his hands. So too did his katana begin to feel rather light in his hands. He hadn’t realized but even after years of carrying the sword at his hip and his own clumsy practicing the katana had still felt somewhat heavy and a little awkward to wield. Now, this singular technique was deeply ingrained in his muscle memory and suddenly the mechanics and weight of his Katana felt much more natural. Now, it was the time to advance the technique slightly, or more accurately to work on his precision. While he could perform a basic slash, both his self-taught crescent slash and the cleaner lateral slash learned from Iaido both of those techniques were designed to inflict deep, lethal wounds across the target’s torso.

If he wanted to be able to properly defend himself, he also needed to be able to navigate situations where control was paramount. Learning less lethal techniques would be a helpful exercise that would add depth and versatility to his repertoire of skills with the sword. This technique in question would be one directed at an opponent’s eyes. When paired with his Katon techniques a slash to the eyes could yield a high chance of burning and scarring an opponent’s face, typically blinding them even if he missed with his sword. Nonetheless it was important to be able to aim consistently for the shallow cut so that if he was able to get a clean cut in that it wouldn’t be lodged in their skull from an awkward tip cut of the blade. Similarly, he couldn’t always rely on the fact that he would be able to coat his sword in flames and therefore couldn’t afford to cut too shallowly and not even land a strike at all, leaving himself vulnerable for counter-attack.

And so, the next three days would be spent on this technique alone, attacking straw dummies of various heights. Aiming specifically for the eyes. It was more difficult than he had initially assumed. More than a dozen times he had missed completely, aiming too low and passing by the space in front of the ‘chin’. Others he of course struck but sliced closer to the nose area or the forehead. Such precision was a difficult thing to accomplish it seemed, especially with practicing against targets of different heights. But eventually he was able to feel like his Katana was simply an extension of himself, knowing where it would strike before it hit and feeling the right distance and angle as he made his attack.
Jutsu TrainedShow
441/400
*[Iaido • Clouding Eyes]
D-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite(s): 8 Speed.
A simple technique meant to cripple the target's vision, the practitioner draws the sword from its scabbard and aims a quick slash at the eyes. This technique can be done in any single direction to either target one or both of the opponent's eyes.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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