Akito was someone that Roku met on his first day in Aroma. After traveling by boat to the country, with his strong apprentice rowing the boat of course, Roku let his apprentice do as he wished. Roku wasn't there in the country to train Jirou Kisama, he was there to appreciate the fun of a peace treaty. Once Jirou made his own path, Roku quickly got caught up in a gang of fun. After spending some much needed relaxation time in the hot tub with Akito and the various ninja of the world, Roku was left with a lifelong friend. Akito was a well respected ninja of Konoha, and possessed the highly renowned Byakugan. Roku was fascinated by him on the outside. The Blue Tailed Beast had never traveled outside of Heart, and Akito seemed to be the first dynamic character that he met in Aroma. The man had a certain poise that beget you to heed his advice, a trait Roku never expected from one as underhanded as a shinobi.
As amicable as Roku was, he did hold a certain penchant for shinobi. Despite not having any real experience with them, Roku was taught that shinobi were tricksters, rogues, and thieves of the military world. They stole techniques, misused them, and sold them as their own. Ninja were truly despicable, or so Roku had been taught. He always took these harsh words with a grain of salt. Roku wasn't one to senseless heed his elders, but the notion certainly stuck with him. Akito seemed to break free from this idea though, he was an honest man who meant good and Roku had great respect for him as a contemporary. Akito was a man that Roku feared. Anyone who brought forth a patronage to education was worthy of seeing Roku cower. Roku wasn't a considerably intelligent man, he had street smart and common sense, but that was about it. Roku could read and write, and he was by no means a dummy when it came to math and science. He understood the world well, but reading books wasn't exactly his favorite way to spend the day. He was more of a fisherman.
During their hot tub adventure, while smoking one of Roku's primo kush blunts, Roku offered his services to Akito. The two were talking about training and how similar experiences they had despite being from different nations. Roku explained that as a samurai he was taught Ninjutsu through a subsidiary program that Heart offered to certain individuals. Roku was taught his arts unique among people. Samurai weren't taught ninja arts in the same way as shinobi were, and Roku found that very interesting. He was deeply connected to the education in Heart Empire. The village where Roku grew up was known for having illiteracy as a serious problem, and Roku tried his best to defend his Shuryo people.
As the two chatted each other up, Roku got the idea to train with Akito. "Next week, early in the morning, on the beach by that tpop up?" The two had agreed, and now the day had come. Roku was standing on the beach in just his swim trunks. He didn't have Hideoyoshi materialized, and he was simply standing on the beach, facing the water. Roku inhaled deeply through his nose, then exhaled through an open mouth. He suddenly leapt into the air and arched his right foot high above his head. His heel came crashing down into the sand, leaving a small pic where ethe impact had displaced the sand. He was getting in tune with his body. Roku waited iat the beach, watching the sunrise and practicing forms of his martial art.
While he practiced Hideoyoshi talked with him about his strategy for the battle. "Gentle Fist eh? You've never seen it, but you're certain your armor can withstand a few choice blows? You realize if you're wrong this guy, Akito, is going to destroy you. I've heard of the Gentle Fist style breaking apart many armored opponents. You will not be the first." Hideoyoshi mocked Roku's plan. He was never one to hold much faith in The Blue Tailed Beast. "If I can snag him in a grapple, it's all over for Mr. Hyuuga. Or even better yet, if I can use my Ninjutsu to trap him, he won't have anywhere to run.You're lack of faith is disturbing, Bandit." Roku chided back to the spirit.
After an hour had passed and the sun was up, it was officially time for Roku and Akito to begin sparring. Roku turned away from the water and looked forward. The arena where they would be fighting was a square shape. From end to end was 100 meters. On half of the beach there was the water, and the other half was filled with sand. There were no logs on the beach, but plenty of rocks. No one had arrived to this area of the beach yet so it was safe for these two to go all out.
With fierce determination in his eyes, Roku looked to the pale eyed Akito and said, "Good morning Akito." Roku smiled, his sharp, dagger shaped fangs menacingly shining in the glaring morning light.