[Closed] No rest for the living

Legacy
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[Closed] No rest for the living

Post by Legacy » Sun Feb 11, 2018 8:29 pm

Life as an instructor was not something that Gene was accustomed to and more often than not, he'd found himself wondering just what the council and the Hokage had been thinking in their decision. After all, he didn't know how to bond with kids - he hated them for Kami's sake! Few up and coming graduates really understood what it meant to be a Shinobi and having to be the one to teach them about the lifestyle was cumbersome to say the least. On the other hand; Fi, Mayfuyu and Isuzu were not exactly like the others. In them, Gene saw a bright future if only they could get themselves in gear and focus long enough on their training rather than some trivial nonsense. I must be losing my edge thinking about those three at a time like this... Gene reflected, scolding himself as he grunted with effort - his left arm bulging as blood flowed through the limb giving him strength.

Indeed. Climbing a cliff was hardly the time to be thinking about children especially when his life depended on being able to reach the top before his strength gave out to fatigue. To make matters worse, Gene had used a shadow clone to bind his right arm behind his back forcing him to rely only upon his left to support the entirety of his weight - that and his two capable legs of course. He could feel the heat rising within and his heart felt like a drum beating inside his chest. "Come on, up you go!" Gene exclaimed, slipping his fingers between narrow crevice in the cliff side, pinching his middle finger in the process. He ignored the pain, there would be more to lose if he'd fallen from so far up (200 meters and counting) now. Once a firm grip was established Gene pushed down with his right leg and then the left, repeating the motion several times over as his arm worked tirelessly to sustain the rest of his weight.

The winds were beginning to increase the higher he climbed and with the sun beating at his back Gene could feel his clothes sticking to his skin. More than that however, was the feeling that something had been crawling on his neck and around his collar. "Is that...No, it can't be!" It'd been the worst possible thing that he could imagine. At two hundred meters and counting, one hand tied behind his back and growing tired by the minute, Gene nearly lost his grip once he'd realized that a spider roughly the size of a quarter had been crawling on his neck. The fact that such things even existed in a place like the mountain drove the Silver-haired man wild. Was it poisonous? If so, then his list of problems would get infinitely worse if he couldn't somehow manage to shake it off without getting bit himself. Striking it with a chakra needle was out of the question, he couldn't angle his mouth to align with the small, fast moving creature. And using just one hand meant that he couldn't swat at it without taking a plummet to disaster.

I've survived battles with the worst of them, taken missions of the toughest caliber...to think my death would come at the hands of this damned creepy crawly. Gene thought to himself, more annoyed than actually fearing for his life. In fact, he hadn't stopped climbing and realized that the spider had not bitten a chunk out of his body yet. At least if he were going to perish he wanted it to be looking up at the clouds - a silly thought, but one he'd been set on nonetheless. Meanwhile, the spider seemed to make its home in Gene's white scarf, mistaking it for a nest apparently. Gene hardly cared, he was just happy that the damned thing hadn't decided to bare its fangs while they'd been so high up in the air. Apparently, spiders did have a sense of logic behind their nasty, creepy nature.

As bad as things seemed to be going, they only got worse when Gene attempted to grab hold of a rock placement in an attempt to pull himself up. Without warning, the chuck of rock gave way under his weight and Gene found himself falling backward with nothing to catch himself on. Shit! Eyes wide the Jounin's mind kicked into pure survival mode and without hesitation his left hand shot down into his thigh holster pulling out a Kunai with over twenty feet of wire attached to the loop. The spider that had been clinging to him had flown off but Gene noticed that it used its webbing to pull itself back to the safety of the cliff side. Saving yourself eh? Selfish bastard. He could feel his body begin to shift further backward as gravity took control but Gene wasn't about to give up so easily, he couldn't.

Mustering up the strength in his left arm Gene spun the Kunai by the wire several times to build momentum and then in a single act of desperation, flung the weapon toward the side of the wall with all the might he could gather. His only hope, was that the blade didn't break when confronted with the thickness of the cliff side. "Come on damn you!" Spouted Gene through gritted teeth. When the blade impacted the solid wall of the cliff the noise made had worried him - as he feared, the wall was too thick and unable to catch despite how sharp the blade had been. Tumbling backwards violently, the wind deafening his hearing Gene contemplated accepting his fate. It wouldn't be long before his body splatted to the ground in a bloody mess and he'd already tried his best option...there was nothing that he could do. Nothing....


Never accept a hopeless situation


The voice had caught Gene off guard. Looking around, he could have sworn Minoru had been floating right next to him - watching him. Biting down until he could bite no more, Gene gritted his teeth and stilled his resolve; of all things, he'd be damned if that Yellow-haired bastard would lecture him in the after life. "Like hell this is how it ends!" Using his left hand Gene placed the Kunai inside of his mouth, freeing his hand so that he could forcefully snatch hold of a rock formation in the cliff side - an act that caught all of his momentum but brought immeasurable pain to his arm. The only thing keeping his head from smashing into the side of the cliff was the Kunai he had secured between his teeth - the damned handled jammed back into the middle of his throat but the blade dug deep into the foundation of the cliff. Deep enough in fact, to be used as a foot hold later. He could feel the warmth begin to consume his maw as the impact had caused his mouth to bleed, pouring droplets over the base of the handle before he'd opened his mouth to release it.

Breathing heavily, he chuckled hysterically. "Talk about a close call. As if I'd be taken out before kicking your teeth in, Minoru." Grunting with effort, Gene pulled himself up while pushing off of his left leg climbing higher up the cliff side. He still had a ways to go and after such a big fall Gene realized that trying to take on the massive foundation with just one arm alone may have been a reckless decision; even still, he'd already committed to getting to the top. Continuing to climb, Gene put all thoughts of discomfort out of his head. Being lost in despair would do him no favors and besides, complaining or feeling sorry for himself now just didn't suit him.

Several hundred meters up in elevation Gene could feel the chill of a biting wind at his back. There were no tall buildings or structures to block the flow of air at this level and the cold, while not inherently problematic, added another layer of difficulty to the exercise. The higher he climbed the more his muscles ached but the better his blood flow became. After a while, Gene couldn't even feel the pain and only focused on how much he had been enjoying himself. There was something about facing an insurmountable obstacle that brought out an inner beast - as if hardship was just another door to power for the Silver-haired Jounin. The wind kept him cool but his intensity kept the man warm; sweating lightly from the pores in his forehead. "Gotta...keep...moving. Said the male to himself, his words acting as self motivation and drove him into a steady rhythm of extend, grab, pull up, push and repeat. Learning from past mistakes Gene even had the presence of mind to avoid rock formations that looked unstable or crevices that were too narrow to slip his fingers into. Still, he continued to climb as though his very life depended on it (which...it really did) and grunted with effort, his body hungry for the rest he so savagely deprived himself in favor of rigorous conditioning of both mind and body. His tongue, dry and crying for moisture but none would ever come; only more rock and more strain, more sweat and more pain but more than any physical hurt; more than any Earthly complaint that he could possibly think of...there was something else, something magical. If nothing else it just may have been the one thing keeping him going...

Driven by purpose Gene forged ahead climbing his way up the cliff with a tenacity rivaling a hundred angry Lion's. In his eyes reflected the anger he'd repressed and with each grunt sounding more like a primal growl, he continued to climb. In fact, at some point he'd actually stopped seeing the skies and instead replaced hues of blue with the figure of a cackling Enma. Don't... he forced through gritted teeth as he pulled himself up once more. You, again Gene pushed himself further up the cliff side. Mock... his left hand slammed forcefully against the cliff's edge with a smack that would cause anyone to cringe had they actually been able to hear it. Me!

Gene's hatred of the man had boiled over and unleased itself in the form of pure, unadulterated rage. Rage that he'd used to literally throw himself over the top of the cliff and over onto a flat surface. When Gene finally calmed down enough to realize that he'd climbed up to the top of the cliff he could only clench his fists. "Even this strength isn't enough.."

Gene's Memoir #1:
I don't know how long I'd stood there atop the cliff listening to the sound of a howling wind but I imagine it'd been quite some time. The sun had dimmed and what little warmth clung to the bathed rock foundation quickly abandoned the area in favor of a biting cold. It didn't matter. For the first time in a long time my head was quiet, the raging storm abated by some inexplicable feeling of calm. Staring over the cliff side toward the village I was reminded of what it meant to be just one part of something - larger than myself. Reminded that no matter how hard I didn't want to believe it that there were people watching, waiting, and learning from every mistake or triumph that I'd made. Admittedly, I enjoyed the feeling.

Smiling I turned away from the majestic view and faced a sea of trees leading into a much larger forest. Starting down the dirt path into the depths of darkness created by leaves blocking out the rays of light leading into the village; one thought echoed in my mind: Thrive in the darkness, so that those who cannot may live in the light.


There truly was no such thing as rest for the living


Strength training/ 2000 words
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Legacy
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[Closed] No rest for the living

Post by Legacy » Thu Mar 01, 2018 10:03 am

[Place holder for Stamina training] 0/3000 words
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[Closed] No rest for the living

Post by Legacy » Fri Mar 30, 2018 12:51 pm

Scaling the cliff had been a difficult task but that part was behind him now. Although his muscles still ached and his fingers tingled, Gene would not stop to rest. Not now, when there was still so much work to be done. He had plans to revisit his physical training later on in the evening but for the moment his focus was on something of far greater importance; shaping, containing and manipulating his chakra as though it were second nature. "No time for complaints now," he spoke to no one as he journeyed deeper into a reserve section of the village, a forested area well away from the populace but still within the walls. "If I'm going to start taking higher ranking missions I'll need to condition myself to last well beyond what I'm capable of now." A feet that he knew, was easier said than done. Since his promotion to Specialist Jounin he'd hardly had the time to drop by his Father's home for training and even when he did, the two had agreed that there was nothing left that Gene could have picked up from the old man. At least....not at his current level.

And so the Cloud watcher found himself standing in front of a large pond. It'd been so large in fact, that there were boats anchored down in the distance. Must be fishermen he assumed with a meager interest. He didn't frequent this particular area enough to know about the particulars and reasoned that whatever routine had been started at the pond would continue on well enough without his meddling; as far as he'd been concerned the only thing that was of any sort of importance was bringing his spiritual energy further under his control and to that effect Gene began channeling his chakra into the sole of his feet, creating a would-be cushion to use for what he had in mind.

Water, unlike any solid surface, was a constantly changing entity. Even when the waves were calm and flow smooth as silk Water was a substance that fluctuated on its own which made balancing atop its surface extremely difficult even for many practiced Jounin. But it was because of this constant and unpredictable change that made it an invaluable training resource; for if Gene could master the flow of his own chakra and control it on a surface that was neither solid nor stable, then he could apply great control and precision during the flow of an actual battle - something that would be constantly changing and developing with each moment. This particular training was important to someone like Gene who lacked the vast pool of Chakra to pull from much unlike some of his peers and superiors. Where they could perform technique after technique in rapid succession on end, the Cloud watcher was more likely to burn out if he tried to attempt the same thing - not that he would of course.

"Alright," Gene uttered after taking a deep inhale and exhaling. "It's time to get started." As they say, 'the first step is always the hardest' and this was true even for Gene. He'd done water surface walking on quite a few occasions in the past but he could never get over how odd he felt when stepping out onto the liquid 'platform.' Underneath him Gene could feel only the sloshing of water against his toes but the surface as it was, was extremely thin - even more so than a bird's feather. His legs began to buckle for a moment as Gene acclimated himself to coming from a solid surface on to a liquid. Maintaining a firm hold on his chakra distribution into his feet had become difficult and forced Gene to bring both of his hands together in the "Ram" hand seal in order to stimulate the flow of chakra throughout his network and to the chakra points in the sole of his feet. Too much chakra and I'll sink, not enough and I'll sink as well. Focus on the steady flow within like a river stream and let it take you...focus, focus.

After some time had been spent adjusting his chakra distribution Gene finally felt like he'd been comfortable enough to take his second step forward and leave the Solid surface and safety of the bank all together. Gently he raised his right foot and immediately felt himself sink half a centimeter into the water."Focus!" Gene exclaimed. Instead of panicking however, he adjusted the chakra output in his left foot to compensate for the abrupt shift of his weight - a feet that didn't come easy but was more than necessary. As his right foot settled on the surface of the pond edge he adjusted his Chakra output once again; the idea was to maintain a perfect balance between extremely light and yet sturdy enough to sustain him over the surface without either A) Falling through, or B) exhausting himself to the point where he'd be absolutely useless and end up falling to the unknown depths of the bond. To avoid either Scenario Gene needed to keep his mind focused on the task and his spirit energy flowing seamlessly, the latter of which had been easier than the first.

Subconsciously, Gene's mind had still harbored a resentment towards his former Mentor and this cloudy focus had caused him to slip in his balance several times after the second step was taken. Often times he'd caught himself having thoughts such as What on earth were you thinking,Minoru? or You son of a bitch! Neither of which served to keep him malleable like the flowing stream beneath his feet and so by the time he'd taken his third step Gene had sunk again, his entire right foot nearly submerged underneath the cold and unforgiving pond. Only when he'd managed to calm himself did his foot rise up to the surface and rest just barely above the top. "Phew..." he sighed, "That was way too close."

Getting settled after the mistake had been easy enough now that Gene realized he'd been doing something wrong. Maintaining a clear mind and subsequently, a calm conduit for his chakra became less and less cumbersome until he found himself taking strides as though he really were walking along a concrete, wooden or even marbled surface. Of course... that didn't mean he wasn't aware of the fact that he'd been standing on an unstable source of refreshment either. The trick - was the to keep a thin layer of chakra separating himself from the water beneath him and manipulate that layer according to his needs. In truth, he had not actually been "walking on water" as many may have believed but literally walking on Chakra. It looked easy enough but Gene knew not to undervalue the complexities that went into keeping himself above water; mastering this skill would put him both ahead of the curve and create further opportunities to develop his own unique Ninja arts, something he'd longed to do for quite some time now.

"Alright," he spoke calmly. "Now that I've gotten used to the feeling I think it's time to kick things up a notch."
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Legacy
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[Closed] No rest for the living

Post by Legacy » Sat May 19, 2018 7:15 pm

Advancing forward toward the center of the spring in a run, Gene exercised great concentration in order to maintain the balance of chakra in his feet that would serve to keep him above water as he prepared a technique that he'd been waiting to try out. Faster and faster he ran, putting more strain upon his concentration deliberately. Suddenly his hands rocketed up toward his chest and halted an inch away from where his sternum resided; everything else from then forward may as well have been a flickering shadow, minced lines of what should have been extremities as he formed three particular hand seals.

The OX. Characterized by an uncanny ability to persist through trying and difficult times, Gene weaved this sign with the intent of providing his technique with the force to withstand and overcome whatever force that sought to trump its momentum; meeting all obstacles head on with unwavering purpose, intent and most of all the Castors will.

The Rabbit. Known for a nature of pursuit and adaptation, Gene weaved this sign in order to grant his technique the power of improvisation; balancing out the straight forward nature of a tenacious Ox though overlooked on its own, this sign would come to serve a greater purpose in his technique's function.

Last in the sequence was the Tiger hand seal. One that Gene understood all to well given his natural affinity for the wild and ever violent element; this sign had been weaved for the express purpose of giving his Technique ferocity and the will to overtake whatever stood in its way with all the likeness of a frightening Tiger! Gene's chest even began to puff up as though he were about to let out a mighty roar before the sound of rumbling flames broke through the area, his mouth open and spewing orange violently.

Beneath him the water rocked back and forth, left and right to the point where standing had proved to be some what of a challenge. Meanwhile, the flames continued to soar raising steam from the abrupt addition of heat in an attempt to cool off but that hardly did the trick. Five meters out from where Gene initiated the jutsu he watched in contained excitement as the conical flames abruptly exploded, sending the water within 10³ rising high into the air only to fall hopelessly down like rain. "Not bad at all. Alright, on to the next one!"
Jutsu trained:
[Katon * Majestic devastation ]
C-rank Katon Elemental ninjutsu
Prerequisites: 19 Ninjutsu
Description: After weaving the hand signs of the Ox, Rabbit and tiger; Gene will draw the channeled chakra from his core up into his chest causing his upper body to puff outward visibly. The amassed chakra is then released in a narrow stream of flames that widens out into a conical shape further away from the user reaching a peak width and height of 6 meters (18 feet) at its max distance of 5 meters or when impact is made with a target.

Furthermore, what this jutsu lacks in speed and strength (13 in each) it makes up for with raw explosive power; carrying a violent spherical range of 10m³, spreading flames at a rate equivilant to the Rank of the jutsu.



10 points to Explosive power (10m3)
410/400
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[Closed] No rest for the living

Post by Legacy » Sat Jun 02, 2018 3:40 pm

Gene could feel goose bumps forming along his arms now, the cold would become a problem the longer he remained so far away from shore. Flames sizzled out over the surface filling the air with heavy steam and the smell of heat. "Alright." he whispered, popping loose the button of his left thigh holster and snatching free the Kunai with his left index finger. "On to the next one." Towering in the distance, the plume of water cast high in the aftermath of his Majestic Devastation technique welcomed Gene's charge and bore the brunt of the young man's focus as a useful training tool; building high was easy, tearing down? Gene was about to try his luck.

Each step taken served to build speed and momentum toward the rising plume and for Gene, the closer he got the more eager he became. Tanto outstretched within his left hand, he began channeling chakra all the way from his core, through his left arm and into the weapon itself. Dividing his focus between the unstable waters below and his weapon of choice hadn't been easy but Gene never complained nor did he let up in his efforts. Before long, the Tanto had begun to glow orange, vibrant like the sun and gaining in temperature. "Not quite the consistency of what I wanted...maybe a bit more chakra ought to change that." It was a stretch but Gene was willing to take the risk of his weapon exploding in his hand if it meant achieving a greater function - improving upon established concepts was never meant to be easy after all.

Luckily this time his calculated risk paid off and the Tanto didn't explode in his hand but the flames did something....incredible. It was if he'd been watching an inferno form, the weapon suddenly grew intense with flames making the short Tanto appear more akin to a one meter long sword, the fire humming all the while. "Perfect!" Gene exclaimed, reversing the augmented weapon in his hand while charging forward to his target.

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Re: [Closed] No rest for the living

Post by Legacy » Tue Sep 18, 2018 8:12 pm

When Gene arrived to the Mitsurugi family Dojo per his Grandfather's request he'd been surprised to see that there was at least a small platoon inside waiting for him. From the mouth of the large old style room he counted at least thirty bodies; ten to either left and right sides of the room, all sitting in what Gene knew to be the Seiza position. Something in the air had told him to turn around and flee the place but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. With intense Auburn orbs fixed to his Grandfather who had taken his place on the opposite end of the entrance approximately eight meters from where Gene now stood, the young man parted his lips to speak but was stopped by a wave of his Grandfather's hand. "I know what you want to ask and the answer shall be given to you, but first remove those unsightly things from your body." Without having to look Gene knew that his Grandfather had been referring to the Tanto held in place at his lower back and the varying tan pouches and holsters that carried quite the military arsenal. Without realizing it, Gene had come dangerously close to violating an old standing family tradition within the Mitsurugi Dojo: No outside weapons were to be used, ever.

Starting with both thigh holsters, Gene unfastened the latches that held them in place and listened as each landed on the ground with a thud. He had to be more careful removing the two tan pouches due to the explosives he'd been carrying within and instead of simply dropping them, opted to set both gently down on the wooden floor at his feet next to the discarded holsters. Finally, he undid the fastenings that held his Tanto blade stable and placed it near the rest of his items. He would not however, remove the wrist guards baring his specially placed storage fuinjutsu. While he was sure that nothing his Grandfather intended for him would be detrimental, Gene had never seen most of the men who now sat silently observing him before. For this reason, Gene held no qualms about breaking an old family tradition and besides, so long as he didn't actually activate the Fuinjutsu inscriptions there was no harm done...right?

Despite having validated his reasons within his own mind, Gene's Grandfather was of an entirely different view point. For that matter, he was no fool and certainly didn't like the fact that his Grandson had tried to mistake him for one. "Do you really want to test my patience, Gene?" He asked simply, his tone more than hinting at a growing irritation and Gene believed he'd known exactly why. Old as he was, Gene's Grandfather still possessed a mind sharper than any blade produced in the village and seldom left anything to chance. In Gene's brief hesitation upon entering the room he had already deduced the nature in which his youngest blood member would respond. Without another word, Gene removed the wrist guards though the displeasure upon his face was more than evident. Like his Father, Gene hated being in situations that he could not in some way control for himself. It was both a gift and a curse of the bloodline who'd prided themselves on being prepared in all situations, ready for all challenges.

"Alright, tell me what's going on. Who are these people and why are they all dressed in Gi?" As if Gene actually needed to ask at this point. What he really had hoped was that his assumption was wrong and that maybe these people were just here to take a lesson or two from an old man. Judging by their stern faces though, that much seemed the least bit likely. "I'm sure you've had your fair share of guesses by now as smart as you are. Why do you think these men are here today? More importantly, with all the weapons throughout this Dojo why do you think it was necessary for you specifically to be disarmed of all of yours?"" Gene really didn't like where his Grandfather's line of questioning was going nor did he like the fact that his question had been answered with a question rather than a straight forward answer or that he actually knew the answer to all of the questions asked. These men staring at him like some kind of demon out of hell were not here for his Grandfather, they were here for him.

Seeing the flicker in Gene's eyes the old man smiled. So you finally understand what is to be done, then. Motioning with his left hand, the old man beckoned for those on the left side of the room to stand and they did. Meanwhile, Gene entered further into the room until he'd been standing right in the heart of it, his eyes still fixed to his Grandfather. "I assume my objective is to take down each person in this room?" He asked, calmly despite a rising irritation growing within him. He'd learned to suppress his true feelings for the outside world long ago and now, harnessing that untapped emotion when necessary to release explosive force and effort in combat had become just as natural as taking a breath. Rage was essential to a Shinobi's task despite what many had so falsely come to believe. It was only when one did not have a proper hold over their emotions that such things ever really became a problem; for Gene, since he'd been training on how to be an effective weapon for the better part of his entire life maintaining a leveled head even when provoked to anger was child's play. It was just one of those things that came with the territory as far as he'd been concerned.

"Perceptive as always. However, it won't be that easy for you. Remember, the focus in all this is to bring out your untapped potential and force it to the surface. When it is all said and done, you'll be able to prevent your Tenketsu from seeping out into the material world." Now that response had genuinely surprised Gene for more reasons than one. What did his Grandfather mean by stopping his Chakra from leaking? Was that his way of implying that he'd be able to truly become a ghost and if so, how would beating down some strangers in a Dojo help with that? Now he had more questions than when he'd first walked in and only a few minutes had actually passed since then. As much as he didn't want to spend time jumping through hurdles Gene had known his Grandfather for a very long time and rarely did the man do or say anything without a clear purpose -- even if it weren't crystal clear in the beginning. There was something that he hadn't been telling Gene and he wanted to know exactly what it was.

For now, he had no other choice than to play along. Now that his objective had been laid clear out in the open Gene did not feel the need to regard the men standing around him with any malcontent; their purpose albeit a very strict one, served him well. "Understood." Gene bowed, his right hand balled into a loose fist and his left resting gently over each knuckle. Despite being in the presence of his Grandfather the extension of Gene's good will never exceeded a point where he wouldn't be able to maintain a watchful eye over his surroundings. No, what he had presented as a bow had been no more than a slight incline of the head and bend of the torso, but no further. Soon after he'd been standing erect once more in the middle of the room with his left foot placed strategically a half shoulder's length behind him, the foot facing out away from his body. His right leg remained where it had been and Gene's foot remained facing his Grandfather. Both knees were slightly bent allowing him the bounce and rhythm that he was sure to rely on once the sparring begun but surprisingly Gene never made an attempt to raise his guard. Seeing this, some of the men grew anxious while others seethed with fury. Only those with enough self discipline to discern why he had done this strange deed remained composed, those were the one's who Gene would look out for.

One moment Gene was standing patiently waiting to make his move and in the next, he'd found that the first attack had been made for him. A tall and lengthy man rushed him from side of the arena, charging forward with a mighty war cry that pulled Gene away from his thoughts and toward the large fist rocketing towards him. Without  so much as a thought Gene shifted his weight to his rear leg and swayed backward as the man drew closer causing the man's mighty fist to strike open air much to his surprise. Pivoting  around the man, Gene took his attackers back but found himself immediately ducking underneath a high kick that would have certainly taken off his head had he not moved in  time. It was the calm man whom he'd observed earlier, clearly wise enough to attack swiftly preventing Gene from disposing of his comrade. "Not even a proper greeting huh?Guess I shouldn't be surprised," a sigh escaped Gene's lips as he proceeded to dance around the large room. Ducking and dodging kicks and punches of varying levels of power, speed and intensity.  Each time he'd try to slip into one opponent's blind spot another would converge on him and close off the opening before he could exploit it. Stating in one spot for too long wasn't a great idea and yet, he couldn't seem to get around these ridiculous numbers.

One man attacked him with a round house kick and just as he were about to dodge, Gene realized his enemies had encircled him - there was nowhere left to go. Raising his left arm and bracing it with his right hand at the elbow joint, Gene took the kick and was surprised by just how much force had been put behind it. His entire body slid rightward against his will despite having planted himself only moments before, his muscles ached and where the blow had struck Gene could feel his skin beginning to bruise. Yet and still he would not give in to the sensation and acted immediately, closing the distance and sweeping the man's vulnerable leg out from under him before stepping on it at the knee joint when he'd hit the ground. Without a doubt the leg  had been shattered underneath his weight and the realization filled Gene with a sense of relief having crippled just one of his adversaries in this hell of a contest. Better you than me, he thought smugly, giving the downed and writhing man a single glance before shifting his attention to the charging woman.

Unlike the men who he had encountered thus far, this woman was much quicker on her toes. Staying just out of range of Gene's more powerful punches and kicks while parrying or outright blocking his weaker set up strikes. She'd managed to connect three times through his guard and the force of her blows each time only seemed to increase as if fortified with Chakra...chakra that he couldn't afford to use given his odds and desire to conserve as much stamina as possible. She struck out at him again with a fiery series of kicks that drove him backward and before Gene realized it, his arms were elevated above his head and not by his own volition. One of the other opponents in this contest had made their way behind him and used the distracting nature of the woman to restrict Gene's movements -- or so he'd thought.

The woman scored two solid punches to Gene's face but during the second, he'd stomped on the man's exposed foot with his Shoes and then dug his heel deep into the man's groin causing him to hunch over; and when he did so, Gene thrust his hip backward and flexed his arm muscles flipping the man right over his back and into the surprised woman, both fell to the ground. Charging at them both Gene raised his left leg behind him as if preparing to deliver the goal kick for a soccer ball and let fly. Both the man and the woman were sent hurdling into one of the support beams across the room and he could hear with unerring clarity the crack of bones as one struck the beams square with their back while the other crashed straight with their ribs as a pillow. From then on Gene showed no mercy; spinning on his heel to deliver a powerful rotating kick to one man's neck that knocked him down to the ground and using the momentum of that kick to deliver another, a jack knife kick to the skull of the closest to the one he'd just taken down.  By the time his feet had touched ground again, three of  men had fallen leaving only five left to deal with now.

Of course, fighting so many people at one time had not been easy on Gene's body in any account and his breathing, while controlled, was starting to become noticeably labored. He was pushing himself to perform as though his life depended on it and unfortunately, that meant he would not simply be bowing out despite his fatigue. After all, in a real battle it didn't matter how tired one was if the enemy still remained breathing then the job was not done. His adrenaline had only just started to kick in and the room around him seemed silent, oddly peaceful. From left to right Gene's eyes oscillated taking in the remaining enemies with unerring scrutiny. They had all watched as he'd taken down the man who'd tried to hold him with brutal efficiency, no one wanted to be made the next example of. Realizing that his strength and speed were no laughing matter each of the fighters had all but given up on trying to overwhelm the Jounin with their own physical attributes. Now, they needed a plan and a damn good one at that.  

 That said, they weren't the only one's feeling the pressure. Although he had trained himself up to be able to utilize an incredible amount of speed, maintaining that speed in addition to trying other maneuvers on top of that did a number on Gene's stamina; with what he assumed to be ten other opponents eagerly waiting and observig his every move, spending off of his energy on the remaining five in front of him seemed like the bad thing to do. But what could he do? Their numbers are far too many to fight in such a closed space... if this keeps up, I'll be brought down. I'll have to end this as quickly as possible and to do that....I may have to expend some chakra." It was a gamble that he did not want to  consider but the circumstances left him little room to negotiate. Gene knew that by utilizing the Chakra scalpel he could inflict severe enough injuries to put his opponents down quickly. However...there was just one downside; in doing so, he'd be forced to exert more control and energy to deal with the second wave. No, it was far too risky.

"Not many of you left to keep up the fight. What will your next move be?" Gene's plan was simple; break anyone who dared to rush him head on, and destroy the morale of his adversaries. In front of their watchful eyes the silver haired Jounin had brought down five of their best and fixed to topple a great deal more if an opportunity presented itself before the inevitable reality of fatigue stole his fighting spirit. So the question then, was how could they exhaust him without losing a man for every minute that Gene could still fight? Finally, one of the men watching along the side lines shouted words that seemed to drive into the hearts of the five remaining combatants. "Do not be afraid of him! He may be strong but he is quickly waning in stamina, whittle down his defenses from all sides and he shall fall hopelessly." Gene scoffed, as if it would really be that easy.

Two of the remaining five rushed toward Gene at once, both unleashing a fury of punches and kicks that had he not been a disciplined warrior may have surely overwhelmed him. Perhaps unsettling his nerves were what the men had been going for but to their own folly, such antics were leagues beneath the young Shinobi. Each strike aimed at him found its way off course whether by subtle and diligent deflection or an out right block. However, not once did the young man ever stop shifting his position and maintaining an even spacing between his pursuers whom found it increasingly difficult to get the better of their handicapped foe - for a tired man, he certainly didn't believe in giving up so quickly. At one point the duo attacked simultaneously forcing Gene into a sporadic motion where he had to use both his elbow and forearm in tandem with one another to defend himself properly. During this exchange, a third fighter entered the fray and attacked him from behind with a powerful kick that rung into his back, sending him forward. It'd been the first clean blow that anyone had managed on the young man since the start of their session and the only strike that Gene seemed to have reacted to with noticeable agony.  

 Gene lurched forward into an hard left cross that sent him veering backwards, his jaw ringing with pain. Before he could bring up his guard to defend again the unthinkable happened; he could no longer feel the ground at his feet and in his confusion, realized that a fourth attacker had kicked him upward so hard that he'd actually left the ground and began rocketing toward the ceiling! Only...he would never make it there. A fifth and final combatant had gone up, waiting for him to take to the skies where he could be forcefully ejected out of his suspended stupor with a hard downward axe kick. Only having enough time to bring up one of his arms before impact, Gene was sent spiraling down into the hardwood floor with an open gash over his forehead and mild bruising on his right forearm. Tch...I'm going to feel that one for a while...Well, I better get up now. Huh? Come on damn it - shit! My body won't respond to what I tell it to.

 The last thing Gene could see, feel and remember before his world went dark was the ferocious might of a foot slamming hard into his face with a sickening crack! Then....nothing at all.

"See what happens when you get carried away?" A low raspy voice broke through the ever extending void of darkness, reaching Gene and stirring him from his unconscious state. Slowly but surely his eyes opened and the sight stolen from him returned all at once, blinding him. "You were so sure of yourself that you broke the cardinal rule and underestimated the ferocity of your enemy; how many times have I warned you about what would happen if you allowed yourself to fall into the same trap that has claimed your colleagues, superior and friends? What? Did you think that simply being faster, stronger and having more chakra than your foe is enough to bring them down, to complete the mission?" The old man huffed loudly and then spat harshly into a nearby garbage bin. "Heed my words Mitsurugi Gene and heed them well; the sharpest tool of any Shinobi should always been the mind. Understand?" The words of his Grandfather cut deep and while he reveled in his error, he nodded to confirm his understanding. "Good. For your sake let this be the last time we have this conversation -- or else, it truly will be."

After the lecture the old man spent the better part of an hour explaining to Gene the fine points of strategy and when to employ certain tactics over others as well as the importance of making the smart judgement call over an honorable one. Woven deeply through these explanations was the message that there'd truly been no place for bravado or any such notions as morality when facing a village mission, for allowing one's mind to be clouded by thoughts of these kind would surely only end in grave despair both for the thinker and the one responsible for spurring the thought. In essence, his Grandfather spoke not of necessarily being a "good" person but rather a good Shinobi and that in order to do the latter that he must be willing to quickly cast aside the former. By the time they had finished that discussion Gene could finally feel his energy being restored to him and apparently, so too could his Grandfather.

 "Alright, good talk. Your only concern now should be resting up for the next few days so that your Stamina can properly acclimate to being forced from your body. Believe it or not, sometimes doing nothing is the best way to make the most contribution." Despite wanting to protest Gene could not afford to do so in his current state and the fact that his Grandfather seemed to have a method for the strange training that Gene had been doing had served as a deterrent to any complaints. "...Right. I don't really have a choice in the matter so I guess I'll have to take your word," responded Gene in a flat tone. Though he hadn't been joking the old man laughed, shook his head and walked out the door leaving Gene to his own devices.

Alone and aching all over, Gene sought out something to distract his mind from the pain he felt but but found only a deep and eerie silence. "I knew I shouldn't have lent Tenzin
my copy of Cloud of Sparrows, it's  been a week now and he still hasn't figured out the message I left for him."
A low sight escaped Gene's lips followed by a grunt of effort as he fought to reposition the fluffy pillow at his back for more comfort. Suddenly, a rush of heat washed over him and his whole body began to shake with a fury that Gene never knew existed inside of him; all at once the memory of the final moments before his black out flashed through his mind causing Gene to bite down on his teeth so hard that his jaw had set. He knew that it'd only been a training exercise, knew that the entire experience was supposed to be for his own benefit, knew that the men and women who he had trained with  meant him no ill will and even knew that he had been overreacting to the entire situation. Even still, Gene could not shake his anger no matter how hard he tried for the thought of being humiliated so badly, so easily...it pissed him off to no end.  To make matters worse Gene knew that his defeat had not come from being outclassed or outmatched but because of his own lack of stamina, an inability to maintain intensity was what had caused such a critical loss and that in turn nearly drove the Cloud watcher over the edge in his own head.

 "...Damn it!" He seethed  through gritted teeth, "I know that I am better than this! This pain, this weakness! So...why did I?" There was silence and then a voice in his head...his own voice.  Lose? I'll tell you why you lost, 'cause you just couldn't bring yourself to mortally wound those training pals of yours. Think that's gonna cut it in a real battle? Your enemy ain't gonna give a shit about you being tired, bruised or battered, they'll kill ya'.  BOOM, no more Gene. And all because you were too fuckin' soft to do what needed to be done - because you underestimated the ferocity of your opponent. Gene shook his head and the voice stopped abruptly. He hadn't realized in his episode that he'd forgotten to breath but the pain in his chest demanding him to inhale reminded him of what he'd been missing. Furthermore, he'd been sweating now. "What the hell is wrong with me? I must be going delirious from all the training I've done today...it's time to call it a day." And with that he laid his head back against the soft pillow, closed his eyes and drifted off.

Stamina +4
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Legacy
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Re: [Closed] No rest for the living

Post by Legacy » Tue Sep 18, 2018 8:12 pm

After healing from his injuries Gene did not return to train with his Grandfather straight away. Something inside of him just would not allow him to face the old man just yet and Gene sought out the answer to an unasked question on his own; he wanted to know for sure if he'd truly  been ready to carry the responsibility of an entire nation on his shoulders, if he could really continue serving Konoha as fiercely and loyally as he did. Of course, he never once considered betraying his homeland nor would he ever. However, when confronted with an adverse circumstance that he'd been unable to overcome on his own Gene began to question his own strength and by extension, his own self worth to the village as a whole. What was it, he wondered, that set him apart from the rest the people? If he could not perform well enough to protect himself then how would he be able to protect anyone else? With these troubling thoughts in mind Gene wandered through the narrow back streets of Konoha's East side and found his way to a inconspicuous tree, tapping it twice with his bare knuckle triggering a response immediately.

 There, propped up against the inner workings of wood, was Zakruo's sword. Gene had nicknamed the mighty weapon Oath breaker for his own personal reasons but looking at it now all he could see were the turbulent experiences of someone who'd veered off the beaten path, like he had thought of doing so many times before. Reaching out and taking the mighty weapon in his left hand Gene gave a firm tug jarring the weapon out of its hiding place and into the sunlight where it could glint and sparkle evermore. Replacing the false wood had been easy enough but finding his way to a training area without attracting the inquisitive stares of the common folk had been all but impossible.  Many of the villagers both Civilian and Shinobi alike had never before seen such a brutish weapon and Gene's less than intimidating stature all but contradicted the imposing nature of Oath breaker out right. Yet and still, he carried the weapon without showing signs of tiring or strain - like it'd been just another accessory to him. Although -- it did help that he had took the time to fasten Oath breaker to two discernable straps that kept the weapon in place, it still did not stop anyone from taking notice of the sword that had been almost as tall as the young man himself. Truly...Oath breaker was a weapon befitting the brutish nature of the man who'd owned the weapon before Gene and he couldn't help but pass a drifting thought in regards to where in the world Zakuro had turned up in his travels. After all; Zakuro, muck like Minoru, had left Konoha to pursue their own interests. Interest Gene thought, that caused a great divide in their loyalties to the village that had helped cultivate them, feed their families and then some.  Even to this day the Cloud watcher just couldn't understand what it was that brought people to such extremes and strange ideals...or, maybe he could and simply wasn't ready to come to terms with the truth just yet.

 Still he walked.

By the time his thoughts had finally settled down to that of a low hum akin to a flowing stream Gene found himself standing with the greatsword firmly gripped in either hand, in the center of a grassy field rich with dandelion and sunflowers; the smell of fresh open air calmed him somehow and the ambient droll of his surroundings all but filled the young Jounin with purpose. Slowly but surely Gene hefted the large weapon overhead until his elbows were level with the top of his skull and then breathed deep, slow and true before extending his arms forward whilst bringing the weapon down in an arc straight out in front of him. To his surprise, the very air around him split before the weapons trajectory sending a burst of wind outward that not only puzzled him but completely cleaved the ground in front of him apart in the process. Gene stopped the blade just shy of broaching the soft dirt beneath him but looked on at the trail extending out several feet in front of him from what he assumed had been the result of his effort. Truly... this was an awe inspiring moment if ever he'd experienced one and there were no words that could describe his feelings in that moment. Of course, in the back of Gene's mind there was an ebbing thought that if Zakuro had been the one to weild such a mighty weapon then the devastation would have certainly been several times more than what he could ever hope to accomplish. After all, when it came down to raw strength - Gene was sure that the beast of Konoha had him beat.

Truly a horrible waste of a Shinobi's talents.

*Shinden • Stream Splitting
D-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: 10 Strength
Lifting their sword above their head the user of this technique drives it down in one fluid motion with their blade aimed to slash through or into whatever they are attacking. The force of this technique is amplified by the fact that their stance is aimed to enhance muscle tension and torque, allowing them to make the single slash a very powerful one.  
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[Closed] No rest for the living

Post by Legacy » Sat Oct 06, 2018 2:17 am

After the first swing and the initial surprise that had followed, Gene decided to experiment with the hefty sword (which really wasn't all that heavy now that he'd taken a few practice swings since the last chapter) and thoroughly evaluate its capacity to be used in combat. No stranger to bladed weapons by any means, Gene was truly surprised at how finely crafted Zakuro's sword had been. He could tell that the Smith who'd forged such a mighty weapon truly put their heart and soul into it and the few subtle marks left upon the mighty swords base reflected Zakuro's efforts and for a moment Gene found himself caught up in thinking of just how much the rogue ninja trained with it - likely until he could no longer bear the strain...and considering he lacked an arm, the feat was much more admirable. "Zakuro-san, you chose to abandon your comrades and follow your own path...now it falls on me to hunt you down. All of this could have been avoided had you just tried to talk to Lord Hokage but you...you didn't." Was it anger that swelled in Gene's chest? He wasn't sure but the weight felt much too heavy to bare and he quickly resolved to shake himself of the thoughts clouding his mind less they consume and crush him. "Rule number one, a Shinobi must never show emotion. Rule number two, a Shinobi must maintain a clear and balanced mind and finally, Rule number three, a Shinobi must prioritize the mission." Gene found a certain measure of peace in reciting the age old mantras of his youth and eventually he'd been able to set his mind completely to the task of utilizing the Great sword. A sword he'd unceremoniously come to nickname Oath breaker.

With the weapon held firmly in both hands and raised ever so slightly above his head, Gene charged forward through the open sea of grass and toward nowhere in particular. Going more off feeling than any real sense of direction he'd stop on his leading foot and bring the weapon forward in a single swift and focused slash that seemed even more intense thanks in part to his built momentum. Oath breaker tore through the open air as Gene brought the massive blade across from his right side down in the direction of his left as if to cleave an imaginary foe before abruptly stopping the swing at about waist height. Again, like before, the air split around the blade prompting a burst of wind to disperse from the ground where the sword had almost made contact. In practice the maneuver was very...simple. However, Gene realized fairly quickly that with a few tweaks of his own something relatively simple could serve a grandiose purpose in an actual battle. For the time being all he could do was continue training.
*Shinden • Branch Cleaver
D-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: 10 Strength
While the basic techniques of Shinden revolve around heavy slashes from standing positions this technique is about harnessing the same destructive potential while moving. Rushing at a foe quickly, the user slashes in a downward motion in order to maintain momentum. The sword is typically swung from right to left or from left to right instead of straight down, the attack usually stopping at waist level to keep from potentially stumbling. While less destructive than some Shinden techniques, it still retains utility in battles of movement.
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[Closed] No rest for the living

Post by Legacy » Mon Dec 10, 2018 9:12 pm

Oath breaker. While not the heaviest of swords by far, Gene certainly couldn't ignore the difference in weight when compared to the more compact weapons of his arsenal. "I won't get anywhere but tuckered out if I continue on like this...the weapon is just too physically demanding to be used for prolonged periods of time. Though, I suppose I could mitigate that drain by drawing my opponent in and then striking at a shorter range. Yeah, then maybe I wouldn't have to rely on heavy swings to score a blow." By now, since Gene had grown accustomed to training alone and in private, his outward reflections on the weapon and his own weaknesses while using it seemed normal. Nevermind the fact that he quite literally was talking to himself, he cared only about the betterment of his fighting capabilities. Besides, with all the ninjutsu heavy people that he knew of Gene honestly doubted that there were anyone who could help him develop this particular style anyway. "Lets see...I guess I could try striking with the pommel here instead of using the actual edge of the blade. I'd be relying on my ability to goad my opponent into attacking recklessly and my instincts for success but if performed correctly, I suppose it could work. After all, with a weapon this large I doubt anyone would want to keep fighting at a range - it'd be natural to try and close off the distance and strike within the blade range. On the other hand, once I've committed to striking with the pommel a follow up strike using the blade wouldn't be done using the full brunt of my strength. But then again, at that point it wouldn't take much at all to cleave through someone's neck or skull; especially not when using THIS massive of a sword." Gene reflected.

Slowly but surely, he raised the mighty sword above his head as if preparing to do battle with an unseen enemy. Both his right and left hands gradually slid up the handle and exposed more of the hilt. Suddenly, Gene forced the hilt down at an angle in front of him as if to smash into the nose of an advancing enemy; letting out a ferocious war cry to unleash his rising intensity which was then followed by a deftly backward step and in a single arching motion, he flung the edge of his sword downward tearing through the air with a screeching whoosh only to exert himself to stop the blade from traveling the entire way down. Air displaced around him and in that one moment...Gene felt a sensation flow through him. Again he raised the weapon back to its starting point and again he brought the weapon down. This time, after he'd forced the hilt downward Gene extended his right knee as if to be aiming for the imaginary gut of his enemy who'd been duped by the feint of a downward slash. Now set up perfectly, Gene dragged the blade across his center in a diagonal slash that sent another burst of wind forward. A basic combination sure enough, but it would serve to quickly and easily dispatch those careless enough to rush him. "Yeah, a few more reps like that and I'll be able to mitigate my shortcomings. I'll call this little trick, Fake out.
Technique trained: 559 wordsShow
*Shinden • Fake Out
D-Rank Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: 10 Strength
A technique designed to interrupt foes; the user pulls their hands up on their sword to expose more of the hilt while in typical Shinden stance. Once an opponent comes within range, the user yanks the hilt down in a smashing manner against the foe or a similar target. Afterwards, the user follows with a less damaging downward slash at a foe, making this effective for surprise purposes.
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