Seijun’s sly smile remained as he turned his head, catching the sound of the younger boy’s voice as he approached. The way the two of them—Kihone and Izanagi—moved in near-perfect unison didn’t go unnoticed. It spoke of familiarity, of a bond built through time and trust. Close. A fleeting observation, nothing more, not important enough to linger on. Then came the barrage. The questions hit him faster than his mouth could react, one after another, tumbling from the boy with green streaks in his hair. The first thing that gave him pause was the name they’d decided to give him. Albino, huh? A brow twitched, but mentally, he shrugged. Could be worse. He nodded along as more words came, offering no immediate response, letting the flow carry itself—until it was abruptly cut short.
The villagers came storming back, and before Seijun could react, Kihone was shoved aside, hitting the ground hard. His smile twisted, darkening for just a moment before shifting back to its usual knowing smirk. Tch. There's the weapons. Words. They were sharper than steel, crueler than any weapon. His mind flashed through years of memories in a heartbeat—the brutal lashes, the beatings, the suffocating weight of shackles. His stomach churned, his fingers tightening instinctively. Pathetic. The urge to move, to strike, surged inside him like a dormant beast rattling its cage. Then, restraint. That’s not why I’m here.
He let the moment pass, allowing events to unfold. He’d seen this before—words escalating into something uglier. And here it comes. The fist was thrown. Seijun barely reacted. A small, amused hum left his lips. Surprise, surprise. Always silence until action. “Goodness,” he exclaimed, his tone light and amused, as if he had only now processed what had happened. “I wasn’t quick enough to react to that.” With an almost lazy motion, he reached out, grabbing the young redhead by the wrist before she could continue her assault. With little effort, he pulled her back, holding her in place with a grip that was firm but not aggressive. “Now, now, my dear,” he chided, his voice dripping with playfulness, though there was something serpent-like in its undertone. His golden eyes flicked toward Kihone and Izanagi, lingering just long enough for them to understand. “You can’t teach anything with violence. Only death teaches those kinds of lessons.”
Then, just as quickly, he released her, stepping back as if nothing had happened at all. With a sharp clap of his hands, Seijun shifted the entire mood in an instant. “Alright, that’s enough, everyone!” His voice was bright, almost unnervingly upbeat. “We’re here to stop the bandits, not turn on each other. And as for these three? I’ll take responsibility for them. They’re mine now.” The declaration was made so casually, so confidently, that it left no room for argument. He moved toward Kihone, extending a hand. As he pulled the boy up, his expression turned unreadable again—cold, calculating, the same sharp-edged presence he had shown before. “Now,” he said smoothly, “I’d like my sword back. It’s not worth much, but I’ve grown rather fond of it.” His grip firmed as he hoisted Kihone to his feet.
Then, a voice—small, hesitant—called out from the crowd. Seijun turned, one brow arching. “What’s a Koroto?” he echoed mockingly, his usual smirk returning. “Is that your—” He stopped mid-sentence, his mind piecing it together almost instantly. Brother, then. A quiet sigh left his lips. He lifted his left hand, tugging his hood lower, shadowing his face from the group. His lips curled in what could have been a grin, but the weight behind his words carried something deeper. “Oof. This is gonna hurt to say,” he muttered, his tone still laced with teasing despite the underlying weight in his words. “He’s probably been captured or killed. But hey, there’s only one way to find out.” With a sweeping gesture, he pointed toward the sand dune leading out of town.
Kihone's welling tears of frustration continued to well up at the corners of his eyes until Izanagi took the initiative to defend their decisions- their very survival of almost very poor choices. He was right, and it would seem that Reika agreed with a balled up fist aimed for Mikoshiba's stupid, ugly mug. WHAM! The contractor was sent flying back, almost appearing to hover as he glided through the air, before landing in the sand at the feet of the forming mob. He was out cold, for now. They fell dead silent at the show of force and none had any good retort to the things either Nagi or Reika barked at them. There were still murmurs and whispers in the background stained in reluctance, but every one of them knew that the less help they had, the less likely the were to survive. Kihone's tears slowed after Reika's interception and he watched her with admiration as she so vehemently stood up for her justice.
We'll all risk our lives to save your village and I'll even change your desert when all's said and done, but you don't deserve saving.'
Her harsh words sounded to Kihone like they were going to protect Sorai despite how resistant they were to aid from anyone but Seijun. 'They are a bunch of jerks... but most of them aren't always like that, right?' It was hard to contrast his various memories around the village for the last few years against this current show of cruel desperation. Maybe he didn't know them all as well as he thought? 'I promise, I will not let jerks tell me to do what isn't the right thing to do.' His hurt gaze shifted from Reika and the crowd as Seijun stepped into settle things down.
We’re here to stop the bandits, not turn on each other. And as for these three? I’ll take responsibility for them. They’re mine now.
His declaration was sensible up until the last line. That one had Kihone more confused than he had been since ending up at the orphanage in the first place. He leaned in to Izanagi and whispered open-endedly, "What do you think Albino-sama meant by that? We're his now?" One might have wondered anything about that. Maybe he literally just meant taking responsibility for them until this crisis was averted, or maybe something less like enslavement and more like... adoption? There's was a silly glint in his eyes about the possibility, but it quickly became snuffed out when Kiho had an imposing thought of doubt. He knew better than to get his hopes up about things, and now wasn't the time for those kinds of thoughts.
"Oh, yeah!" Kihone figured that he must not have seen it land in the sand back near where he was standing before Reika's incitement. He held out his left hand and the sword raised from where it was poking up out of the sand and levitated over to Seijun, "Here you go mister... uh..." Kihone was finding himself at an impasse by still not knowing this man's name, "Who are you again? I'm Kihone. Also, thank you for being here, and I sincerely apologize for doubting you at first." Koroto had taught Kihone proper manners when it came to thanking people, and he wouldn't feel right accepting help if he didn't clear the air first. If Seijun checked on the sheathed blade, metal sand would pour out of the scabbard where a pristine tool of war should been. "Oh... sorry!" Kihone would look on awkwardly at this and remember what he did in an attempt to completely disarm their opponent... before he summoned another sword anyway. "I think I can fix it! Maybe..." Back at the oasis, Kihone had barely managed to put the kunai from Reika back together. To fix a sword he'd never actually laid eyes on might've actually just been a delusional fantasy, but he wanted to make things right if he could. Kihone closed his eyes and concentrated hard as he focused his magnetic powers and visualized a strong and elegant blade that matched its hilt, scabbard and wielder. The refined metal dust of the sword's blade would lift out of the sand and appear to reassemble itself in by inch from the base to the tip. After several agonizing seconds the effort was complete. The result would be a magnetically forged blade that, unknown to anyone (including the boy), was actually sturdier than a commonly crafted sword. The nicely polished surface revealed intriguing but subtle striations along blade that gave it added a fashionable ornateness to the sword. Kihone let out an exasperated sigh as he finished his magnetic miracle and took a moment to smile at his work. It may not have been perfect, but it was much better than he thought he could manage.
"Kihooooo!! Nagiiiii!! Did you bring back Big Brother Koroto? He went to go find you last night!"
The familiar voice of young Zaya a fellow orphan and friend, rang out as her dark brown twin tail braids bounced against her back with each approaching stride. Every time Kihone seemed to start feeling better about anything in the past couple days seemed to always be followed by equally or worse news. His head was already buzzing as he thought of what could have become of their big brother, and he was actively avoiding the scenario where the bandits might have caught him. Izanagi, on the other hand, was true to his instincts on the matter. "No... no no NO NO NOOOO! WHY?!" Kihone lost his cool entirely as he stomped in the sand with each shout, ending on his knees and slamming his fists on the ground too as he asked for an answer to a question that had none. Dust that would be kicked up around him as a result would quickly disperse in the passing breeze.
“He’s probably been captured or killed. But hey, there’s only one way to find out. So? What’s it gonna be?”
Kihone missed what Seijun originally asked about Koroto, but after the short tantrum he would hear his matter of fact way of describing two possible fates for his beloved older orphan brother. He thought back to all the people he'd watched die around him while he was helpless and he thought about how scary the thought of the latter possibility being his reality all over again. However, this time... it was partly his fault if Koroto was harmed. Just then, a bruised-jawed Mikoshiba would be sitting himself up in the sand back where he landed as some of his friends or subordinates began helping him to regain consciousness. The man only caught the end part about Seijun offering to leave to find someone that was likely dead or captured. As if he hadn't learned his lesson yet, he would declare, "Ninja nowadays ain't got no damn sense left. You'd leave us defenseless to go on some wild goose chase for some brat that chose to throw his life away in the ruins that everyone here knows are forbidden from entering FOR A DAMN REASON?!" He shrugged off his aides and threw has hands up as he started heading back into the village. "Bah! Dishonorable nonsense that'll get us all killed anyway. Getting these peoples' hopes up that they have help then running off to do whatever you please. Typical worthless shinobi, always mucking up the world and leaving us to suffer for it. C'mon you sorry lot! We obviously have to protect ourselves out here." His ranting could be heard through the stilled remains of the populace before many of them also followed the man back behind the ramshackle barricades.
There were some villagers that remained to see what the final verdict of their fate may be; some of those whom knew who Koroto as a talented hunter and up-and-coming protector actually were invested in hopes that he could be saved. "If you have the strength to run, then you have the strength to fight. Koro-nii taught me that... yesterday and it saved my life, and Izanagi's life too, last night." Kihone again picked himself off the sand, "Koro-nii was always there for me and all the other orphans. He worked hard to support the orphanage with his abilities and he always did his best to be a good person to look up to. He told us stories of monsters he hunted in the desert and did his best to make sure everyone had what they needed to still be able to smile most days. I love my big brother too much to run away when he might need me more than ever." He didn't say it, but somewhere in his heart he felt a new flavor growing hatred for these evil-doers; they would pay if they hurt Koroto- even if it was the last thing he did to avenge his big bro. He glanced to Izanagi and said, "Maybe your new ability to see hiding people can also help us find Koro-nii, wherever he is out there?" It was a long shot of a suggestion, and he almost felt bad putting that responsibility on Izanagi's shoulders, but he knew his brother would be just as keen to go on this rescue. Kihone would then walk up to Reika and ask, despite understanding her obvious reluctance, "Reika Ama-neesama? Please, could you improve the defenses here while we look for Koroto? Mikoshiba is a huge jerky meanie, but he's right. We can't just leave this place unguarded right now." He bowed low, certain that he'd asked so much of Reika just to be here and knew that he could never repay her properly for all that she'd done for them in the short time they'd come to start knowing each other. Still, she was the only person he knew in existence that could probably help stop the bandits from getting into the village too easily.
Reika exhaled slowly, forcing herself to keep her breathing steady. The air was thick with the weight of Kihone’s plea, and his bowed form in front of her made something tighten in her chest—something she refused to name. She knew what he wanted. What they both wanted. But what they wanted didn’t matter. Her hands curled into fists at her sides as she lifted her gaze, looking first at Izanagi, then back at Kihone. Their determination burned bright, unrelenting. But determination alone didn’t save lives. She had seen it before—had felt it in her own bones. The certainty that wanting something badly enough would be enough to make it happen. It never was. Reika placed a firm hand on Kihone’s shoulder, stopping him before he could rise. She could feel the tension in his small frame, the way his body nearly vibrated with the need to act. "No."
The word cut through the air, solid and unyielding. She didn’t need to say it twice. She felt the moment go still. She let the silence stretch before continuing, her voice calm but resolute. "Neither of you have the experience for this." A muscle in her jaw tensed as she spoke. She knew how it would sound to them. She knew how badly they would want to argue, how much they would want to believe that they could do this. But belief was a brittle thing when reality came crashing down. "You don’t know how to track. You don’t know what to look for. You don’t know how to find weak points, how to get in and out of enemy territory without being seen." She didn’t raise her voice. She didn’t need to. "If you go now, you’ll die. Or worse, you’ll get captured, and we’ll have to rescue three people instead of one." She knew he would resist, both of them would.
Reika exhaled slowly through her nose. She didn’t enjoy this. She wasn’t saying it to be cruel. But there was no kindness in leading them toward their own graves. "Your brother doesn’t need more children running to their deaths," she added, her voice quieter now, letting the weight of the words settle between them. "He needs someone who knows what they’re doing." Her fingers loosened their hold, slipping away as she straightened, rolling her shoulders back. She turned then, her gaze locking onto the only person who could do this. Her expression didn’t waver. She didn’t blink. "You." A breeze kicked up the sand around them, but she barely registered it. She wasn’t asking. She wasn’t making a suggestion. It was a command. Her arms crossed, her stance unwavering. "You said you were sent to deal with the bandits." Her voice was even, detached. "You said you’re not one of them." A pause. "You want me to believe that?"
The wind carried the distant sound of murmuring from the villagers, but it may as well have been nothing. "Then prove it." Reika shifted her weight slightly, watching, waiting. She wasn’t expecting resistance. She knew this would work. There was no better option. No one else had the ability. No one else had the experience. And if he was who he claimed to be, if his words meant anything, he would accept. A movement from her peripheral caught her attention—Kihone or Izanagi, likely reacting to what she had just done. She didn’t look. She didn’t need to. She had already made her choice. Her arms lowered to her sides, hands unclenching as she turned back toward the village. "I’ll reinforce the defenses." She could feel the weight of everyone's gaze on her, the tension still lingering in the air. Then, softer—but no less firm—she added, "Koroto wouldn’t want you running into a fight you can’t win." And with that, she began to walk away, her chakra beginning to pulse out as she began to concentrate on the strength needed to do what was asked.
--- Posting Order: Kihone, Reika, Izanagi, Seijun
0 chakra used •
Kondo Kaicho
Regenki
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2025 5:15 pm
Seijun seemed far more composed than anyone else here, even to Nagi's untrained eye. The man spoke with no nonsense to diffuse the tension of the villagers while Izanagi and Kihone watched with eager eyes and ears, learning what would be some of their first impressions of shinobi, next to Reika. Seijun would even go so far as to claim responsibility for both boys, and Reika. Nagi blinked in astonishment, his mouth agape a bit. He'd look to Kiho, who had similar looks of confusion and underlying tones of excitement. During the turmoil of the events unfolding before them, when Seijun discovered Koroto's relation to the boys, his tone became quite grim.
"...Captured or Killed..."
Those words are the only ones that really stuck in Nagi's head. He froze, his thoughts stuck on the way he'd acted the other day. The way he'd disreguarded Koroto's lessons as usual. How he'd been so eager to sneak away and ditch his caring- if not annoying eldest brother. He was filled with a sudden new regret.' That's not how I'm saying goodbye.'he thought, his fist clenched. Then, then that damnable, miserable, lowlife of a carpenter would speak up again, clearly not having learned his lesson. Mikoshiba. Nagi's world turned red for a moment. How frustrating. How infuriating. He'd though himself strong. He'd thought he was ready. He thought he'd be the one to protect his brothers when they needed him. But he'd only been a liability, a weak point that kept getting exploited. Mikoshiba kept prodding, insulting, seeming to pick at the insecurities and faulty logic of the children and it was the tipping point for Izanagi.
"Graahhhhh" he roared as his brow furrowed while he moved with resounding speed for someone so small. The carpenter had turned his back to leave, but that wouldn't stop Izanagi from pursuing to attack. As he neared the man, sand being thrown from the shoddy, thin sandals he wore on his feet with every forced step, Nagi took a resounding leap that would place him in just the right position to deliver a strong flying kick to the center of the man's shoulder blades. The man would tumble to the ground as Izanagi would slam his right foot down on the man, his short figure looming over him like a giant in this moment." Cut the s**t you old a**! You can look down on me all you want, talk about how useless I am and how much you don't like us..." His teeth gritted, he wanted to press further, he wanted to pummel the man who he'd ambushed in a split moment of rage until he stopped talking about everyone....but he wouldn't. He'd keep shouting his feeling at him, even if they were directed at himself. "...But don't you dare talk about Koroto like that! How many times did he come and help do menial tasks because you were too busy to bother!? All he asked for was a little bread! He didn't even eat it, he gave it to us!! You! You and all these people don't get to look down at him!"He couldn't breathe. He was panting heavily as he sweat profusely from the intensity of his rage. He would press his foot down with just a tad more force." I don't give a crap how nasty and mean you all are to me! I'll make you eat that disrespect when I'm the one protecting you!" He turned to the audiance to see their gazes on him, which promptly averted when he turned to them. " That's right, go ahead and keep lookin down in shame! Remember how you acted when we had nothin to give you while we're fightin to save your sorry behinds!"
With those last words to the villagers, he turned and looked to Kihone and Seijun."Yo! Albino guy! If you're leadin' the way, lets get going! Kiho"
_______________ ☼Out Of Context ☼ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ OOC Goes Here.
Technique Used: ▰ Body Flicker Technique [ Shunshin no Jutsu ] | Rank D The user moves, using chakra to accelerate their movements rapidly. The user vanishes in the blink of an eye, often leaving behind leaves, sand or some other debris behind them that is kicked up from their action. This allows the user to travel instantly up to fifty feet within combat but cannot be used in conjunction with an attack during this action. In combat, this technique is able to be maximally used three times. Alternatively, this can be used to freely escape combat into another topic to another within the subforum. Outside of combat, the user may move the same distance as if escaping combat with this technique. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Technique Active: ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Combat Modifiers & PA's ▰ Singularity | Jūryokuton users have an inherent gravitational pull towards themselves. Because of this, they are able to utilize close range Taijutsu and Bukijutsu with greater effects, reducing the opponents Agility by half once every [3] posts when using an appropriate Taijutsu or Bukijutsu. Additionally, Jūryokuton are able to cast their Gravity techniques with somatic gestures. Once per [5] posts, gravity chakra can be applied to a complex Taijutsu and Bukijutsu technique which causes the technique to count as spiritual in collisions but loses the stat buff. Using this PA itself never consumes a combat action. ▰ Piercing Accuracy | The clansman is more proficient than his fellow clan members at striking tenketsu. One's gentle fist application allows them to reduce 1.5 times the amount of chakra spent in a juken strike instead of 1.25. For example, if one spends 80 chakra on a gentle fist technique, the attack robs the target of 120 instead of the 100 normal clansmen would reduce. ▰ Purest Lineage | The clansman's thoroughbred lineage allows them access to the Byakugan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. In addition, should they unlock the Tenseigan, they may have 50% less reserves to maintain it than other clan members and may also activate the Tenseigan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. ▰ Signature Style: Infinite One Sword Style
Discipline & Cross Class Abilities ▰ Bukijutsu: Expert [ Katana ] | The user has achieved a sense of mastery and focus unlike others and are known as an Expert, a dedicated focus over a weapon they use to near perfection. The shinobi can pick a single weapon, or two if dual wielding, to apply this focus toward with examples such as Katana, Spear, Bows or even Dual Daggers. They acquire a Keystone technique that is unique to them with an additional 2 Custom Techniques derived of this special ability. Refer to the Keystone Guideline for more information. They gain a [+1] boost to both speed and agility & techniques cost [5] less Chakra and/or Stamina per rank of the technique when wielding attacks with their specialized weapon in attack or defense. With a minimum of 5 chakra or stamina paid.
▰ Bloodline: Dual Ancestry | Dual Ancestry allows you to have full access to two bloodlines upon creation including all techniques, abilities, and personal attributes associated with them. For biographical purposes, your secondary bloodline may be genetic or implanted at your discretion. This discipline gives you [4] bloodline PAs to be used only for the bloodline attributes of your dual bloodlines on top of the [2] personal attributes you receive at base for a total of [6]. If two elemental bloodlines are chosen then the primary bloodline's elemental affinities become your base elements and you gain full access to those elements while your secondary bloodline gives you locked elemental affinities that you cannot learn ninjutsu techniques from but you gain full access to the secondary bloodline. Locked elemental affinities can be unlocked through methods such as ninjutsu class or personal attributes. Elemental affinity personal attributes are automatically allotted to locked affinities. Jiongu users do not have access to Dual Ancestry nor can they be chosen as a secondary bloodline. Dual Ancestry users do not have access to the implant system including the Genetic Palette personal attribute. If you use multiple techniques from both of your bloodlines in the same post without Korabo then those techniques are increased in effectiveness by one rank. This discipline cannot be taken with the Elemental Mastery discipline from Ninjutsu Class. ▰ Bloodline - Bukijutsu Cross Class | Bloodline abilities that effect stats are increased by [1] per rank of the technique. In addition, the user is able to combine a bloodline technique and a bukijutsu technique together for a single action, paying the resource cost of both every three posts.
Title: Group Training! Paragraphs Counted: 2 Rank: E Reputation: Neutral Impact: Global Information: Train and hone your skills with other Academy Student Level characters! **Name of Mission - [ Rank | 1/1 Posts ]
Seijun observed the unfolding events in silence, his sharp eyes tracking every movement. When Kihone approached with his katana, Seijun reached for it instinctively, but something caught his attention before he could offer his thanks. His eyes glinted as he noticed the subtle difference—the sound was nearly gone inside its sheath, as this had been confirmed when the boy opened it. Control. Looks like that’ll be the next thing to work on— His thought was abruptly cut short when he realized Kihone had done more than simply return the blade, though. The boy had reassembled it. And not just hastily—there was something different, something refined about it. Hmm? The idle thought slipped through his mind as the katana was handed back to him. Seijun took it without hesitation, his fingers running briefly along the hilt before offering a curt nod. “Nice job, kid.” His tone was casual, almost absentminded, yet there was a weight behind the words—a rare, understated acknowledgment. He hadn’t answered Kihone’s question about who he was. Not yet. He was getting to that. Did I even give my name to the villagers? he mused, the thought resurfacing for the third time.
---- Carpenter running his mouth and walking away-- Insert Nagi ----
Seijun let his katana drop into the sand, the blade sinking slightly into the shifting grains. Without hesitation, he raised both hands, crossing his index and middle fingers from both hands together. A puff of smoke erupted beside him, swishing away as quickly as it formed. His shadow clone wasted no time, moving with practiced efficiency. It appeared right behind Izanagi, snatching him up by the collar just as he stomped down on Mikoshiba and spat his final words. It’s only fair to let everyone get their say, right, old man? A quiet chuckle slipped past Seijun’s lips. To Kihone, it might have looked like he was laughing at the exchange. Maybe he was doing that too.
Izanagi vented his anger freely, but the moment he turned toward Seijun and Kihone, the clone hoisted him clean off his feet, holding him high in the air like a misbehaving child. At the same time, another shadow clone intercepted Reika, moving with swift precision to stop her from walking away. It didn’t touch her, just blocked her path, standing firm in silent opposition. Then, Seijun’s voice cut through the thick tension, loud enough for all three to hear. “Alright. Everyone take a moment to breathe.”
A long, exaggerated sigh left his lips, more dramatic than necessary, but undeniably intentional. He reached down, plucking his katana from the sand, grains cascading from his grip as he flipped it up onto his shoulder, where it balanced effortlessly without him holding it. He straightened to his full height, gaze unreadable, giving no indication of what he’d say next. “You two can go and do whatever you want—rescue your Koroto, or whatever.” He waved a hand dismissively. “That’s your right as you are both now mine. I’m giving you permission.”
Then, with a slight tilt of his head, he motioned toward Reika with his thumb. “She’s welcome to go too, with one alteration I will mention in a moment. But me?” His smirk faded ever so slightly. “I’m not leaving this village.” The statement hung in the air, the weight of it sinking in. He let the silence linger for a few moments, ensuring no one interrupted before he continued. “My name is Seijun. I’m a shinobi from somewhere nowhere near here.” His tone was relaxed, casual. “She’s Reika—the mass-bandit-murderer from the outskirts of the Land of Fire. You’ve met. You’re Kihobe. And he’s… Nami-something?”
He shrugged dramatically, throwing his hands up as if introductions weren’t really all that important. The shift in weight caused his katana to slide from his shoulder, dropping down his back and stabbing itself into the sand. “Hmm… what else?” He tapped his chin in mock thought before waving his left hand, motioning for the trio to come closer. “I don’t want to keep raising my voice. That’s my squad’s job.” Then, without warning, he dropped into the sand, stretching his legs out in front of him with a heavy sigh, avoiding a kick to Kihone by mistake. Anyone who had believed his pristine white clothing was untouched by dirt would probably reconsider now.
His mind wandered briefly, but outwardly, he remained still. “My squad is coming from another mission. They’ll be here sometime.” He let that sink in before his golden eyes flicked toward the trio again. “I can’t leave this village, even if I wanted to. So…” He moved his hands into the same cross shape from earlier. “This is the Shadow Clone Technique.” His voice took on a more instructional tone. “It eats a lot of chakra, but it creates a physical clone that relays everything it learns back to the original when it goes poof.” He let the hand seal linger, giving them time to take in the significance of it.
Then, his hands unraveled, and he dropped them into the sand, leaning back slightly. “Learn it. Right now.” His voice carried a quiet authority. “As my underlings, this is your first job.” With that, he stretched, making himself comfortable, though his mind remained sharp. His attention flicked to Reika now, and his tone, while still firm, carried a surprising lack of condescension—only clarity and purpose. “Reika, my dear, the village doesn’t need reinforced. I’ve changed my mind on that.” He shifted slightly, his weight resting on one elbow. “But you can make fruits and veggies for them if you want. I also want you to make a shadow clone and watch over the church back there.”
His smirk faded, and for a rare moment, his voice was genuinely steady—unwavering, not teasing. “Feed them first. In Koroto’s honor. I don’t like that they’ve been treated badly.” A pause. Then, his gaze locked onto her fully. “But my highest order right now? Sit. With your real body.” His words were direct, but not cruel. No malice, no arrogance. Just certainty. “Stay here with me and wait for the bandits.”
A beat passed. “You need more training than these kids do if we’re going to get you to real fighting capability.” His golden eyes studied her carefully. “You’ve got a lot of trauma—and that’s okay. But you almost hurt these kids, and that forest back there?” His smirk barely returned, a fraction of its usual presence. “That was a completely different level of skill than what you used against me.”
He patted the sand beside him. “So sit. Let's chat.” Then, as if all of this had been the most casual thing in the world, Seijun tilted his head back, staring up at the sky. He surprised himself with how direct he’d been—how soft his tone had become in the final moments of his words. Something felt missing. His brow twitched.
Then—ah. His eyes flicked to the clone still holding Izanagi aloft. Right. And without so much as another thought, he dispersed both clones at once, not even realizing the very specific chaos he might have just unleashed. "Sorry, Nami—was it? Had to make it look good for those idiots." He smiled with an actual genuine smile, at least from everyone else's point of view. It didn't seem to have a shred of his personality in it, though his hood did keep his eyes slightly hidden from anyone not looking at him at eye-level.
"Uh, thanks!" Kihone wasn't entirely sure what to make of Seijun's opinion of his work on the sword beyond the face value of the words spoken. 'If it's good enough for Albino-san, then it's good enough for me.'
"No."
The word held him more firmly than her firmly pressed hand on his shoulder, hindering his standing up completely for a moment. Her points were all valid, down to the last sentence about needing someone who knew what they were doing. 'I know all that, but...' As Reika anticipated, the puppy dog eyes were in full effect as his expression was mixed with an all too familiar frustration of weakness. "... but..." He started to say something but felt himself sinking into the "wrong time, wrong place" despair of the situation. The guilt was wracking and the fear of not hearing another kind, wise word for Koroto consumed his voice. It was a horrible, chronic lot in life to suffer as much as he had in his short life, and he couldn't bear the thought of could have done more. 'Koro-nii risked himself to become a hostage or killed to find us. Why shouldn't we do the same for him? We love him just as much!' He wanted to speak, but he had no retort. Kiho just fell to his knees again and looked down at his clenched fists.
None of that registered in the next few moments as Izanagi flew by like a purple-haired blur before delivering another crippling blow to a retreating Mikoshiba. The workers that were helping the foreman on his feet stumbled backward as their boss was sent flying head first into the sand has his arms flailed behind him like a big-boned bird. He hardly got a chance to gasp before tasting the sand again, and was too winded to fight back as Izanagi ripped into him with words that resonated loudly with the feelings felt restrained in Kihone's heart. Kihone would find the will to get back on his feet for real this time. "You're definitely not going anywhere without me, Nagi. Let's save Koroto!" He felt an invigorating wave of hope rekindle thanks to his brother's bravery.
Then Kihone found himself briefly shrouded by smoke clouds that were just as quickly dispersed by the movements of Seiun's clones moving from within. "“Alright. Everyone take a moment to breathe.” When Kihone could see again, Izanagi was being hoisted off of the re-floored carpenter by Seijun, and Reika was also being impeded by... Seijun. Kihone rubbed his eyes, ignoring the view of Mikoshiba being dragged away by his loyal few subordinates; it wasn't clear, but Kiho could tell by reading his lips, that he was complaining about not being able to work with his back hurt like this. Mikoshiba was keeping his curses as hushed as possible to avoid further reprimanding, convincing himself that he was now picking his battles more carefully. His eyes snapped back to the man still standing beside him and lowering his hands from an odd hand seal that intersected his index and pointer fingers. 'I shouldn't be surprised... but my clones wouldn't have stood a chance. Haah...' Kihone was entirely expecting the grown ups to agree with each other about them not being able to help rescue Koroto, wondering if Seijun or Reika would help them instead, but was rather surprised, again, by the man's choice of delegation.
"You two can go and do whatever you want—rescue your Koroto, or whatever. That’s your right as you are both now mine. I’m giving you permission.”
Kihone's eyes illuminated with resolve. It wasn't that he felt that glad for permission, but rather for acknowledgement. Again, Kihone knew that Reika was one-hundred and fifty percent right, but he was determined not to have to just sit on the sidelines and hope for the best this time. Then the options for who was coming on the rescue to just Kihone, Izanagi and hopefully also Reika. Seijun, as he would finally introduce himself as almost seemed to make a point of getting his and Izanagi's names wrong, and Kihone was wondering if it might be because of the nickname he gave him. That had to be it, right? 'Uhh... I kinda feel like I'm talking to a rubber wall when it comes to him, sometimes.' The moment to correct him seemed to have came and went before he imparted some more important information about himself. Such as the rest of his squad being on their way as reinforcements. "Awesome!!! More super ninja! What are they like, Albin- I mean... sen-Seijun?" This question was promptly spoken over as he proceeded to demonstrate that odd hand seal from before.
The Shadow Clone technique, as he declared it, seemed to be a really useful clone technique for scouting and gathering information without entirely risking their self. "The jutsu eats chakra? Is that because its a shadow jutsu, or something like that?" Kihone could only speculate as his young, curious brain would. Overall, the instruction was rather vague and felt almost more like a test than a lesson. Kiho mimicked the hand seal rather easily, but had to take some time to using it to mold his chakra to be... eaten. In his head, he was visualizing putting his chakra out on a plate and hoping a clone of himself would appear after gobbling it up. Visualization was rather key when it came to manifesting jutsu, at least as far as how Kihone typically taught himself. Taijutsu and kenjutsu were the exceptions to that, sorta; that was why he figured he wasn't as good at it as Izanagi who tended to not concern himself with particulars. "I can't waste time! Koro-nii needs us! C'mon shadow clone... c'mon..." After a few attempts to muster and mold the chakra with the hand seal to no avail, he sighed and Kihone looked to his brother, figuring that he'd also have a hard time with this, but maybe not. 'I wonder how Nagi-nii is doing?' He walked up to Izanagi and asked, "Did you see anything that maybe I didn't?" Kihone wasn't shy to admit that he was struggling. He figured he'd actually get a better angle at this by asking his brother than Seijun, or else he'd just end up with more questions, probably.
With his rallying cry to Kiho, Nagi would have the nape of his neck snapped backwards as a firm hand took control of his collar and jerked him away. " Oii" he yelped as his balance was broken and he was lifted from the ground. Immediately, his hands began flailing as his legs attempted to kick off and free himself. Nagi squirmed to see what had captured him, only to see that there were three versions of Seijun, one holding him. " What the heck!? I thought albinos were rare!?" He shouted in genuine shock, if not a bit uncouth. Despite his outburst, Seijun seemed to keep his concentration on the conversation at hand as he set down his boundaries and introduced himself. " Shisho. That's master, right? That's easier to remember." He said plainly, staring down at the man from his grasp slightly above eyelevel. When he finally was released he looked up to the man again as he'd given them permission to do as they pleased, but more over, he called the villagers idiots. Nagi nodded. " Yeah' they're not very nice. Maybe if I learn that cool new move you just did, I could fight the ninja evenly?" he suggested.
As soon he'd resigned from that, the not clone would instruct the boys to do the clone technique he'd done. Nagi brought his middle and index fingers together and crossed them from each hand and would try to visualize the manifestation of his own clone. He imagined himself splitting in two and regrowing from the center line of both bodies. His eyes squinted and he grunted as he focused, mustering his chakra. " Superrrrrr Clone...JUTSUUUUU!"
The surge of chakra that he'd felt when he'd grasped the concept of his Act of Tree Climbing sparked again, this time somewhere in his chest. His eyes which were shut tight an instant before burst open as he felt the release of energy! A loud and thunderous "PRRRRRRRRRRRRRRTTTTTTT" echoed through the sand dunes behind him as he expelled a monstrous cloud of gas that rivaled the plumes of smoke that Seijun had produced with his shadow clone. Nagi turned to face Kiho, perfectly timed with his asking how Nagi was doing with the technique. " Guess my skills kinda stink, huh?" He said scratching the back of his head. A twitch on the ground beside him caught his eye however, as he would see a blobular, Nagi shaped jello pile that had an almost whisp like outline as it started to evaporate from existance in that moment. " Yo! Kiho! I gave birth to a cool clone too!"
_______________ ☼Out Of Context ☼ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ OOC Goes Here.
Technique Used: ▰ Body Flicker Technique [ Shunshin no Jutsu ] | Rank D The user moves, using chakra to accelerate their movements rapidly. The user vanishes in the blink of an eye, often leaving behind leaves, sand or some other debris behind them that is kicked up from their action. This allows the user to travel instantly up to fifty feet within combat but cannot be used in conjunction with an attack during this action. In combat, this technique is able to be maximally used three times. Alternatively, this can be used to freely escape combat into another topic to another within the subforum. Outside of combat, the user may move the same distance as if escaping combat with this technique. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Technique Active: ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Combat Modifiers & PA's ▰ Singularity | Jūryokuton users have an inherent gravitational pull towards themselves. Because of this, they are able to utilize close range Taijutsu and Bukijutsu with greater effects, reducing the opponents Agility by half once every [3] posts when using an appropriate Taijutsu or Bukijutsu. Additionally, Jūryokuton are able to cast their Gravity techniques with somatic gestures. Once per [5] posts, gravity chakra can be applied to a complex Taijutsu and Bukijutsu technique which causes the technique to count as spiritual in collisions but loses the stat buff. Using this PA itself never consumes a combat action. ▰ Piercing Accuracy | The clansman is more proficient than his fellow clan members at striking tenketsu. One's gentle fist application allows them to reduce 1.5 times the amount of chakra spent in a juken strike instead of 1.25. For example, if one spends 80 chakra on a gentle fist technique, the attack robs the target of 120 instead of the 100 normal clansmen would reduce. ▰ Purest Lineage | The clansman's thoroughbred lineage allows them access to the Byakugan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. In addition, should they unlock the Tenseigan, they may have 50% less reserves to maintain it than other clan members and may also activate the Tenseigan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. ▰ Signature Style: Infinite One Sword Style
Discipline & Cross Class Abilities ▰ Bukijutsu: Expert [ Katana ] | The user has achieved a sense of mastery and focus unlike others and are known as an Expert, a dedicated focus over a weapon they use to near perfection. The shinobi can pick a single weapon, or two if dual wielding, to apply this focus toward with examples such as Katana, Spear, Bows or even Dual Daggers. They acquire a Keystone technique that is unique to them with an additional 2 Custom Techniques derived of this special ability. Refer to the Keystone Guideline for more information. They gain a [+1] boost to both speed and agility & techniques cost [5] less Chakra and/or Stamina per rank of the technique when wielding attacks with their specialized weapon in attack or defense. With a minimum of 5 chakra or stamina paid.
▰ Bloodline: Dual Ancestry | Dual Ancestry allows you to have full access to two bloodlines upon creation including all techniques, abilities, and personal attributes associated with them. For biographical purposes, your secondary bloodline may be genetic or implanted at your discretion. This discipline gives you [4] bloodline PAs to be used only for the bloodline attributes of your dual bloodlines on top of the [2] personal attributes you receive at base for a total of [6]. If two elemental bloodlines are chosen then the primary bloodline's elemental affinities become your base elements and you gain full access to those elements while your secondary bloodline gives you locked elemental affinities that you cannot learn ninjutsu techniques from but you gain full access to the secondary bloodline. Locked elemental affinities can be unlocked through methods such as ninjutsu class or personal attributes. Elemental affinity personal attributes are automatically allotted to locked affinities. Jiongu users do not have access to Dual Ancestry nor can they be chosen as a secondary bloodline. Dual Ancestry users do not have access to the implant system including the Genetic Palette personal attribute. If you use multiple techniques from both of your bloodlines in the same post without Korabo then those techniques are increased in effectiveness by one rank. This discipline cannot be taken with the Elemental Mastery discipline from Ninjutsu Class. ▰ Bloodline - Bukijutsu Cross Class | Bloodline abilities that effect stats are increased by [1] per rank of the technique. In addition, the user is able to combine a bloodline technique and a bukijutsu technique together for a single action, paying the resource cost of both every three posts.
Title: Group Training! Paragraphs Counted: 2 Rank: E Reputation: Neutral Impact: Global Information: Train and hone your skills with other Academy Student Level characters! **Name of Mission - [ Rank | 1/1 Posts ]
Reika stopped mid-step, her retreat halted by a voice that cut through the desert air. "Take a moment..." She turned, expecting to see the boy standing before her, but his lips didn’t move. Her eyes narrowed. A clone? She reached out, pressing her fingers against a solid form. No flicker, no resistance. It felt real. Too real. Her hand dropped back to her side, and she turned toward the original. He spoke again—saying the boys could go. Saying they were his, that he was the one giving them permission. Reika’s foot slammed into the sand. "Who do you think you are, telling them tha—!" She stopped. The way he gestured—casual, assured, turned away from her as if he expected her to follow along—it sent a jolt of irritation through her. I can? The word alteration rang in her mind like a foreign language.
Her brow twitched, her mouth opening before shutting just as quickly. Who does he think he is?! ...Didn’t I just say that?! A verbal grunt followed her frustration, and with a deep sigh, she crossed her arms in a childish pout. Unknowingly—and unwillingly—she found herself relaxing. More than she had in years. Even now, the weight of the past didn’t feel as suffocating. It wasn’t pressing against her lungs, wasn’t dragging her thoughts back to that day. For the first time in a long time, Reika existed only in this moment. Then— "The mass-bandit-murderer." Her entire body stiffened. "W-What?! Murderer?!" Her foot slammed into the sand again, fists curling at her sides. But her heart struck first. The guilt came before the anger. Before the denial. Before she could justify herself. The tension in her body faded, shoulders dropping, hands unclenching. She had no rebuttal. Her mind sank into the memories, the faces she would never forget. The bandits she found. The ones she interrogated. The ones she killed with her own hands, her own jutsu. Not a single one of them knew Kaoru. She had searched desperately, tirelessly, violently. And what had she found? Nothing.
She drifted into that abyss, losing track of time. The moments blurred, stretched. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes like hours—until movement snapped her back. Seijun’s clone nudged her forward. Reika barely realized she had been standing still, lost in her own mind. Now she was above him. Seijun had dropped into the sand, lounging in that effortless way of his, yet there was something unnerving about his stillness. He looked so defenseless. Her fingers twitched at her sides. She could hurt him. She could lash out, let the tension inside her explode like it always did. But for the first time in a long time, she didn’t want to. The anger wasn’t there. She was a void, circling itself over and over, but never landing anywhere. "So..." The word startled her.
Her eyes flickered to his shadow clone demonstration—oh. Her expression shifted, something light forming in the corners of her mouth before she even realized it. "Oh, the shadow clone..." Her voice softened as a memory warmed her from the inside. "My elder brother used to brag about it." The smile grew. It wasn’t forced. It wasn’t calculated. It just happened. A real, open, unguarded expression. The kind that no one would have thought belonged to a girl who had lost everything. Laughter bubbled up from her chest, unexpected, light and effortless. Her fingers brushed the edge of her eye, wiping away a single tear. "You concentrate on dividing the chakra you have in your body in half," she murmured, falling into the rhythm of old bragging moments, of his voice guiding others through it. Reika watched him from behind. "It makes one clone that's just as original as you are. The more evenly you divide your chakra, the more you can make." She giggled again, hands rising to her chest as warmth surged through her entire body. Her chakra came alive, but not as it had before. It was perfectly controlled, calm, calculated. It wasn’t fueled by battle. It wasn’t forced by anger or necessity. It was pure, a raw expression of joy. Her fingers moved into the seals etched into her memory. Her breath came steady.
And then— Poof. Poof. Poof. Poof. Poof. Five clones stood beside her. A perfect line. Tears slid down her cheeks, and each of the clones who reflected her full emotion, unbidden but welcomed. And just as quickly, the clones dispersed. Her knees gave out, and she landed softly in the sand beside the boy. The world felt lighter. "Yeah..." she murmured, still catching her breath, grounding herself back in reality. Her mind caught pieces of what she had missed—his words, his movements, the meaning behind them. "Whatever you say..." She let herself sit there, let herself breathe. "Seijun." She said his name—not with challenge, not with sarcasm, but with the strange acceptance of someone who had already lost the argument. She listened. She absorbed. She understood. "Feed them first. In Koroto's honor." Her fingers curled against her knees. "Trauma. Almost hurt these kids." She nodded, more to herself than anyone else.
Then she shifted, sliding from her knees to sit properly beside him. "Sure." Her voice was distant but present. A moment passed. "Sorry 'bout earlier..." The boys burst into energy. They did what they did best. Play. Practice. It was second nature to them—becoming shinobi. A life they had been forced into. Reika’s mind drifted as she watched them, her thoughts skimming over the weight of their reality. War orphans… I can’t imagine being that young. Being unable to do anything. At least I got to fight. She blinked, brought back by a sudden explosion of sound.
"Superrrrrr Clone...JUTSUUUUU!"
Izanagi’s voice tore through the air like a clap of thunder. A giggle slipped past her lips before she could stop it. She shook her head slightly. "That one is Nagi, not Nami." Her gaze softened as she pointed to the other. "The other one is Kihone. His brother calls him Kiho for short." She turned back, eyes settling on Seijun once more. "How do you know me, Seijun?"
--- Posting Order: Kihone, Reika, Izanagi, Seijun
0 chakra used •
Kondo Kaicho
Regenki
Kazuma Of The Wind
Enduring Husband
Offline
Kazuma Of The Wind
Enduring Husband
Offline
Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2025 9:29 pm
Seijun remained seated in the sand, one knee drawn up lazily while his elbow rested atop it. His gaze flicked briefly to Izanagi and Kihone in the distance, the sounds of them practicing and chakra flaring filling the otherwise quiet air. Good, he thought absently. They’re doing what what I asked without reservation. They'll be worth the trouble. But his attention was elsewhere. His golden eyes landed back on Reika, studying her with an unreadable expression as she spoke—her voice raw, the weight of her emotions pressing into every syllable. She wasn’t just talking; she was unraveling, the knots of everything she’d held inside loosening thread by thread. He let her speak. He let the emotion settle. Then, after a long pause, he exhaled slowly, tipping his head slightly to the side.
“So, this is you when you’re being honest,” he mused, his voice lacking its usual playfulness but not void of warmth either. It wasn’t a question—just an observation. His fingers absentmindedly traced the hilt of his katana, but he made no move to draw it, no shift in his posture that indicated anything other than patience. “You’re carrying a hell of a lot, Reika.” His tone remained level, his smirk nowhere in sight. “And let me tell you, for someone who’s barely holding herself together, you sure talk like you’ve got it all figured out.”
A breeze rolled through the sand, kicking up faint wisps of dust around them. He let the silence stretch for a beat, then finally moved—just slightly, just enough to roll his shoulders as if loosening tension. “You think this is just about you? About your pain?” His voice was still calm, but something sharper lurked beneath it. Not anger—just something real. “You lost your clan. I get it. But you think you’re the only one who’s ever had to claw their way forward with nothing left? You think you’re the only one who’s had to make peace with ghosts that never shut up?” He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, looking at her—not with pity, not with judgment, but with the kind of understanding that couldn’t be faked. He smiled at her, under his hood, with a deep genuinity. “We’re all just trying to survive, Reika. That’s the joke of it all.” He let out a breath that almost sounded like a laugh, though there was no humor in it.
Then, he tilted his head toward the training duo in the background. “You hear that? The sound of those two putting in the work? They’re fighting for their future. You should be fighting for yours too.” He leaned back, exhaling through his nose before tilting his head toward her, golden eyes flickering in the light. “I've heard you intend on rebuilding Sunagakure. That’s a nice dream to have, but you can’t rebuild something if you’re still breaking yourself.” Another long pause. He gave her a moment, letting his words sink in. Then, almost as if remembering himself, his smirk returned—faint, but present. “You wanna know something? I actually think you can do it.” His voice was lighter, but not mocking. It was the first genuine thing he’d said in a while. “But not like this. Not when you let your emotions decide everything for you.”
He tapped his temple twice with two fingers. “Think first. Feel later. If you’re gonna carry a whole village on your back, you better figure out how to stand properly and carry other's thoughts and feelings first. You don't become a good leader by ruling people, you become a good leader by having people follow you.” Then, as if that was all there was to say, he leaned back onto his hands, gaze flicking back to the sky. “Anyway, don’t mind me. Just some guy sitting in the sand of a dying village giving life advice.”
He sighed, stretching. “You do whatever you want, Red. But if you’re really serious about everything, then stand up and get stronger in your heart.” He didn’t push further than that. He wouldn’t. He had given her what he could—words, reality, a challenge. It was up to her to take it or let it slip away. "I'll tell you how I know you another day. You're not ready just yet." He smiled, his gaze still transfixed on the sky.
"I once had a really good friend who fought against all odds to be a shinobi, but then one day they killed him..." he trailed off on his own. His eyes watched nothing in the sky as he started on his own partial story. "To watch someone give life such a try, and have it snuffed out... He sure cursed me with his affection for this world." Seijun cursed under his breath, but laughed it off. There was no humor in his laugh. It was easy to tell it had been forced. "Oh to care too much. I'd have liked to just watch clouds with my friend. No conflict. No disaster. But then the world would have no use for shinobi."
He coughed abruptly. Mouth dry from the lack of water he'd given up for the others in this village. If only I could stop caring..
As he approached to ask his brother about his progress, he was met with a flatulent plume of smoke created in Izanagi's latest attempt. Mouth wide open, Kiho very quickly realized that, almost as if having his fight or flight instincts kicked on, he was in a very toxic environment. "Gah! The smell!" He pulled his scarf up over his mouth to try to filter for any semblance of clean air, to no avail. "NAGIII!!!! It's burning my eeeeeyyeess!!" He said in response to his brother's terribly accurate and decisively punny observation of his equally limited progress. No, wait. "Gave birth? Wha?" Kihone finished wiping the tears from his eyes and tried to see what cool clone his brother made. 'Did he actually do it... like that?' It seemed possible with the sudden speed he was picking up his chakra control. As his vision refocused he'd lay eyes on the gelatinous abomination in the likeness of his dear brother, and he let out a yelp as he jumped back a couple feet from it. "What the heck is that thing, Nagi?!" He pointed in mild horror, which was soon dispersed a moment later.
The sound of Reika's laughter pried Kihone from his brother's antics. She hadn't laughed like that since they met, and even he could tell that it seemed like it had been a while since she had by then. Kihone finished waving away all the residual fart smoke from his vicinity when Reika directed some further insight their way. "Bro, gross. No more of whatever you ate for breakfast, for all of our sakes?" Kiho muttered to Nagi before returning his attention to hear most of the rest of Reika's explanation. He raised his hand, looking somewhat perplexed, "Ama-neesama? What about the part about it eating chakra, like Sen-Seijun said?" He looked at Seijun for a moment, hoping from some clarification from the source.
However, the aloof man appeared to be staring off into space, or maybe was actually more focused on Reika. Either way, his answer probably wasn't readily available. "Actually. Nevermind. I'll just focus on dividing my chakra evenly, like you said." He gave her a thankful nod, looked back to his brother and gave him teasing expression of sticking his tongue out and pulling down his bottom eyelids with his index fingers, and then he scampered back to where he was practicing before. Kihone remembered how tired he felt last night, and that had to be close to what it felt like to have half of his strength left. Keeping that unforgettable feeling in his heart and at the fore of his focus, he would hold the cross-shaped hand seal while just focusing on dividing his chakra. He didn't want to keep making wasted attempts that would only tire him out too much to save Koroto, so for now he'd just take the time to focus and mold his chakra.
Nagi jumped with excitement at the manifestation of his clone, laughing at Kiho's burning eyed reaction to his fart. The sad, ghastly figure on the ground was a pure manifestation of chakra. A chakra that he wasn't even sure he had before. Even catching himself and walking on the trees felt like it was something he could do with physical prowess if his toes were strong enough to grip. This though, this was him, however pathetic it was. It had a drooling, blank expression before it poofed away in a wisp as the desert wind blew his stench with it. Kihone seemed very disturbed by his entire technique, from the smell down to the form. " It's a super awesome clone I made! Ya know...just not as good as the one that Seijun-Shisho made. " he tapped his finger on his chin as he thought about how he'd done it and how it should have been. " I felt the chakra like when I climbed the tree...but I put that feeling in my chest... guess that wasn't quite right." He said, forming the hand seal with the overlapping index and middle finger of each hand.
The conversation of Reika and Seijun was lost to Nagi, but the soft and gentle laughter of Reika tore Izanagi's attention from his concentrated efforts. His face turned a shade of pink as he watched wide eyed for a moment while she created five clones in a line. "Reika-nee! That was so cool!" he said. "Yours are way better than mine. I'll have to try again for real!" he shouted as he returned to his stance with his crossed fingers. " Super Clone Jutsu!!!!" He verbalized triumphantly as he felt the chakra form within him, taking a brief moment to listen to Reika's advice, he tried to distribute the charka within himself more evenly...to divide it later, like she had would take further training. This though? This would create a full bodied, if not wisp like version of Nagi standing side by side with him. It had an almost cartoonish look to it as it was extremely crude in its composition, showcasing his lack of understanding and official training. " Kiho!! I did it again, this one is kinda normal!" He stuck his hand high in the air with his index and middle fingers split like a V for Victory. " Now can we go fight the bandits?!" he asked eagerly, skipping any notion of doing the Shadow Clone Jutsu and being overwhelmingly satisfied with his small manifestation of talent.
_______________ ☼Out Of Context ☼ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ OOC Goes Here.
Technique Used: ▰ Clone Technique [ Bunshin no Jutsu ] | Rank E The user forms a hand sign, creating an intangible clone of themselves. These clones are not capable of following commands further than the direction to move from one place to another. Furthermore, they are incapable of affecting physical objects or the world around them. The user can create a single at E Rank body and an additional one for each body rank following for no additional cost. Clones created in this manner remain visible until stricken or until the user's third post. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Technique Active: ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Combat Modifiers & PA's ▰ Singularity | Jūryokuton users have an inherent gravitational pull towards themselves. Because of this, they are able to utilize close range Taijutsu and Bukijutsu with greater effects, reducing the opponents Agility by half once every [3] posts when using an appropriate Taijutsu or Bukijutsu. Additionally, Jūryokuton are able to cast their Gravity techniques with somatic gestures. Once per [5] posts, gravity chakra can be applied to a complex Taijutsu and Bukijutsu technique which causes the technique to count as spiritual in collisions but loses the stat buff. Using this PA itself never consumes a combat action. ▰ Piercing Accuracy | The clansman is more proficient than his fellow clan members at striking tenketsu. One's gentle fist application allows them to reduce 1.5 times the amount of chakra spent in a juken strike instead of 1.25. For example, if one spends 80 chakra on a gentle fist technique, the attack robs the target of 120 instead of the 100 normal clansmen would reduce. ▰ Purest Lineage | The clansman's thoroughbred lineage allows them access to the Byakugan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. In addition, should they unlock the Tenseigan, they may have 50% less reserves to maintain it than other clan members and may also activate the Tenseigan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. ▰ Signature Style: Infinite One Sword Style
Discipline & Cross Class Abilities ▰ Bukijutsu: Expert [ Katana ] | The user has achieved a sense of mastery and focus unlike others and are known as an Expert, a dedicated focus over a weapon they use to near perfection. The shinobi can pick a single weapon, or two if dual wielding, to apply this focus toward with examples such as Katana, Spear, Bows or even Dual Daggers. They acquire a Keystone technique that is unique to them with an additional 2 Custom Techniques derived of this special ability. Refer to the Keystone Guideline for more information. They gain a [+1] boost to both speed and agility & techniques cost [5] less Chakra and/or Stamina per rank of the technique when wielding attacks with their specialized weapon in attack or defense. With a minimum of 5 chakra or stamina paid.
▰ Bloodline: Dual Ancestry | Dual Ancestry allows you to have full access to two bloodlines upon creation including all techniques, abilities, and personal attributes associated with them. For biographical purposes, your secondary bloodline may be genetic or implanted at your discretion. This discipline gives you [4] bloodline PAs to be used only for the bloodline attributes of your dual bloodlines on top of the [2] personal attributes you receive at base for a total of [6]. If two elemental bloodlines are chosen then the primary bloodline's elemental affinities become your base elements and you gain full access to those elements while your secondary bloodline gives you locked elemental affinities that you cannot learn ninjutsu techniques from but you gain full access to the secondary bloodline. Locked elemental affinities can be unlocked through methods such as ninjutsu class or personal attributes. Elemental affinity personal attributes are automatically allotted to locked affinities. Jiongu users do not have access to Dual Ancestry nor can they be chosen as a secondary bloodline. Dual Ancestry users do not have access to the implant system including the Genetic Palette personal attribute. If you use multiple techniques from both of your bloodlines in the same post without Korabo then those techniques are increased in effectiveness by one rank. This discipline cannot be taken with the Elemental Mastery discipline from Ninjutsu Class. ▰ Bloodline - Bukijutsu Cross Class | Bloodline abilities that effect stats are increased by [1] per rank of the technique. In addition, the user is able to combine a bloodline technique and a bukijutsu technique together for a single action, paying the resource cost of both every three posts.
Title: Group Training! Paragraphs Counted: 2 Rank: E Reputation: Neutral Impact: Global Information: Train and hone your skills with other Academy Student Level characters! **Name of Mission - [ Rank | 1/1 Posts ]
Regenki
Kazuma of the Wind
Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2025 7:55 pm
Seijun had just finished speaking to Reika, letting his words settle, when the sound of something suspicious broke through the air. A moment later, Izanagi joked about his skills and how he gave birth. Kihone recoiled then gave his own joking responses. Seijun blinked. Then blinked again. For a brief second, he just stared at them, his face unreadable. Then, slowly, he closed his eyes, inhaled deeply through his nose, and let out a long, suffering sigh. “Oi.”
His voice wasn’t raised, but the weight behind it was enough to make the nonsense die down a little. His hooded head tilted forward ever so slightly, shadows creeping over his face as his fingers twitched at his sides. Then, louder this time. “Oi.” There should have now been silence. Seijun lifted his head, his golden eyes now sharp and unwavering. “Both of you, knock it off.” His voice was firm, but not outright angry—just disappointed. “If you aren’t serious about saving your Koroto, then just give up now.”
He lowered his hood, running a hand through his white hair as he turned to face them fully, interrupting his own conversation with Reika. “I gave you the most difficult training task with the least amount of explanation to see if you could handle it.” His tone didn’t waver. “I know you’re young, but you’ve been through things that shaped me into a shinobi. Right now, you’re acting like kids.” A pause. A slow, deep breath in through his nose, another long sigh out. “There is someone who might actually still be alive, who might be on the very edge of death, and you’re playing around. Don’t you get how serious this is?”
The words weren’t cruel. They weren’t meant to be. But they were sharp, and they should be. Then, as if cooling himself off, Seijun’s expression evened out, and his tone softened—just slightly. “If you’re confused on the technique, that’s one thing. It’s intentional.” His voice wasn’t unkind, just factual. “This is the hardest clone to master, even for high-ranking shinobi. I want you to struggle.” He raised his hands into the cross-seal again. “The Shadow Clone makes a perfect replica of yourself. It can use all your moves, your knowledge, your memories, and even your own chakra that's been collected inside of itself.”
A pause. He flicked his golden eyes between the two boys, making sure they were actually listening. “If you want a single clone, you split your chakra in half. If you want more, you divide it again and again.” Forming the seal, he summoned a single clone beside him. The identical figure stretched lazily before mirroring Seijun’s signature smirk. “It’s a copy of yourself, and it learns as you do. Once it’s destroyed...” In a flash, a kunai dropped from Seijun’s sleeve into his hand, and with practiced ease, he drove it into the back of the clone’s neck.
The clone vanished instantly into a burst of smoke. “You gain all of its memories, knowledge, and the chakra it still had back.” His voice was quiet, but heavy. “You also get to know what it feels like to die.” The silence that followed was deafening. Seijun sighed heavier this time, running a hand through his hair again. “It’s not basic, and it’s not for those that aren't serious.” His voice had lost all traces of playfulness now. “If you can’t handle this like shinobi, then stop now and go back to your orphanage. You aren’t cut out for this.”
Then, slowly, his golden eyes slid toward Reika. His face was unreadable, but there was something grim behind his gaze as he asked, “Is this it for them? One more chance?”
Reika stood motionless, letting Seijun’s words settle like dust in the wind. Her blue eyes flickered toward Izanagi and Kihone, their earlier behavior now nothing but an afterthought in the heavy silence that followed. Then, with a voice steady and unwavering— “No.” She let the single word sink in, her presence carrying a weight that hadn't been there before. Her gaze remained firm as she took a slow step forward, looking directly at them. “You told me before that you wanted to fight. That you wanted to become shinobi.” Her tone was measured, but the question in it was undeniable. “Was that a joke? Or do you not know what that really means?”
She watched them, searching for an answer—not in their words, but in their eyes. “Do you need to see someone else you care about die in front of you to understand the weight of all this?” The words weren’t cruel, but they were sharp, meant to cut through whatever childish ideas they still had about this life. “This path isn’t easy. It won’t always be fun. And there might not be a light at the end of this tunnel, no matter what your intentions are. Shinobi die fighting all the time. I'm sorry I didn't say all of this before.” Her arms crossed over her chest, the wind pulling at her red hair as she continued. “People hate shinobi in a lot of places. They see us as tools, as killers, as weapons built to serve whatever cause is strongest.” Her voice was calm, but the edge in it betrayed her own experiences. “They’re cruel and undeserving of saving.” She let out a slow breath. “And sometimes, we even have to make hard decisions—like taking the life of someone who might not be guilty.”
The thought sat heavy in her chest, but she didn’t let it shake her. Instead, she turned her gaze slightly toward Seijun. “Being around him reminded me of the good and the bad parts of being a shinobi.” Her voice softened slightly, but the conviction in it remained. “It’s hard, but in the end, you have to make the choice for yourselves.” She let the silence stretch between them, waiting—watching. Would they take this moment seriously? Would they step forward, or step away? Either way, Reika had said what needed to be said.
Kihone did his best to keep to himself after Reika's last demonstration. Izanagi's stink bomb was a creative option, if nothing else, but it was far from the goal. "Focus. I have to divide my chakra while imagining an exact copy of me..." He muttered a review of the process, as best he currently understood it, under his breath while maintaining the cross-fingered hand seal. He was less at a point of gathering chakra and more stuck on the step about the shape and image of his clone. 'When was the last time I'd seen my whole reflection?' His focused waned in this thought, feeling that addressing it to be critical to his success. It had to have been back at Reika's oasis, and before that was beyond his young brain's ability to recount. Big mirrors weren't exactly commonplace in Sorai.
"Super Clone Jutsu!!!!"
As he was beginning to visualize himself, his rambunctious brother took another moment in his satirical center stage. Kihone honestly believed he was taking himself seriously, though. They were exploring uncharted territory with a tattered map, at best. 'He's already made two failed attempts at it, but its more than I've managed with this jutsu. The other clone jutsu are definitely easier to make.' Kihone just stared blankly at Izanagi and his rough try at a clone, but it was undeniable proof of his progress. If only the other two saw it that way. If only there weren't precious lives at stake with every misstep and cut corner. Izanagi must have lost sight of that in all of the excitement, and as precious as that was... the scolding the two got made it clear that it wasn't' enough. Kihone could have endured sharing another tongue lashing with his brother for something he wasn't at fault for. It wasn't anything new, but he was really starting to get tired of people underestimating his jagged understanding of this cruel world.
His hands fell from their signing as he heard Seijun say he lumped him in as "playing around" at being a shinobi while he was already imagining that Koroto could be bleeding out in some bandit jail cell or worse. He tried to focus on the parts where the man actually tried to teach something for once, condescending tone and all, but the last part really struck a nerve. 'I am- we are shinobi. Ama-nee said s-' His reassuring thought was suddenly stamped out like a dying ember as she also began to lay into them, albeit more like a big sister than a grizzled old man. Kihone's eyes wandered toward the ruins when she asked her initial volley of what he had to guess were supposed to be rhetorical questions. 'No, I don't know if I know, and NO!" He shouted his answers in his head back at her, but let her say everything she had to say. His mind was wandering back to his home on fire, bodies strewn about with strange ritual markings in blood scattered all over the place. People were frantically running about, dying left and right to blade and ninja magics. He was just lucky to be among the few that made it as far as Sorai after also surviving the trials of the desert, with nothing but what could be taken in their desperate escape. His thoughts then went back to the Sorai villagers who were definitely treating Seijun and Reika exactly like she described shinobi being treated by common folk.
Kihone stood there in his lonely little spot in the sand, wondering if that was the last of the scolding and redundant life lessons. His soft, curious and patient expression was lost a scowl directed mostly at Seijun, but it would wander to Reika a couple times by the end of what had been said. At this point, he wasn't sure if there was any point in him saying what he wanted to say back to them. 'Whatever. Adults never listen when they think they are right...' Kihone wished he could just bundle his feelings about all of this into a rage or a tantrum, but it wasn't in his nature and he knew that definitely would not save Koroto. Instead, he took a very deep breath, counted to ten like he remembered his sister teaching him to do, and exhaled slowly as well. As he opened his eyes again he looked to his brother and said, "Izanagi. They don't think we can actually do this." He shot Seijun then Reika another brief glare before refocusing on his brother, "They don't know what all of this means for us, and the only way they will is if we show them that we can do it as well as the other ninja do." Kiho raised his hands back into the cross-shape seal and continued to say, "No more excuses and no more jokes! Let's learn this stupid Shadow Clone jutsu and save our brother! Think of an exact reflection of yourself, like the mirror, and do it the way they explained. Divide." As he said this he thought back to his reflection at the oasis again and this time began to mold his chakra. 'I could have died five years ago as a complacent child. I could have died last night as a dirty orphan. It wouldn't' matter either way to this world, and I know that already.' It was a realization he'd come to sob about in his sleep for the past several years. In his mind, he divided his chakra right down the middle of his body then used a little from both to make a clone that could hold half while he kept the rest. "Shadow clone jutsu!" He shouted desperately, putting his all into this one moment to prove that he was not some stupid orphan kid that was out of his element. If he could do this, then there really might not be anything he couldn't achieve.
A cloud of smoke enveloped Kihone's vicinity clearing a moment later. Kihone kept his eyes closed, clinging to hope that he hadn't said all of that to just look cool and fail anyway... again. Instead, he felt a reassuring but small hand rest on his right shoulder. His chest tightened and he peeked out of the corner of his right eye for confirmation. It was himself! "We did it." The clone nodded at him and he was so stricken with disbelief that his reply was, "A-are you sure? We have to save big bro and I don't want to-" His shadow clone retreated his hand and as he did he would produce a small magnetic field to cause various toys, tools and other stuff in his satchel to react, "See?" Kihone watched his satchel raise up a couple inches and fall back down before going in and hugging his clone as hard as he could. It poofed as a result. "Oh... oops. They're kinda flimsy, I guess..." That was okay because, just as Seijun explained, there was a rush of information from the brief interaction with himself as well as rejuvenating feeling of his chakra being returned to him.
'How does this jutsu work...' His curiosity was whelming, but settled into a smile filled with pride for himself. Kihone looked back at Seijun and Reika once more and finally said one thing that he wanted to say since they finished their patronizing, "I am a shinobi, and I will become a warrior so strong that nobody will dare to hurt those I want to protect. If they try..." His fists clenched at the thought and he looked back to the ruins of Sunagakure again, "... I'll definitely kill them." The words seemed intense, coming from an eight year old, but they were fueled with the memories of the dead family, friends and neighbors as well as a low-burning fear of losing the few recent bonds he had formed with Izanagi, Koroto, some of the orphans, Sister Halthi, and... Reika.
Nagi's attention was torn from his training. Despite his disposition, he'd obviously been concerned with the situation at hand. He was giving this all his effort. This boy who'd encountered a squad of bandits with his brother less than twenty four hours ago, fought until bruised and bloodied, risked life and limb to leave the encounter alive. Realized his weakness. Realized how far he had to go. Learned how to harness chakra less than a few hours prior. He'd grown leaps and bounds in the course of a single day. Now, with his brother's life in the balance, more training. Training like he was told to without question after being told he was free to go rescue Koroto in such a dismissive manner. Now Seijun prodded them, scolded them for their banter, their soul moment of peace before the hardships of their situation were thrust on them again in such a ravenous world.
Nagi's brow twitched as Reika chimed in. The twitch turned quickly into a menacing and furious scowl as Kihone used his full name, telling Izanagi the obvious. They doubted the boys. Just like the other adults." Yeah, I know bro." He said, his eyes fixed on Seijun as he spoke, a look of disgust." Funny how I said I wanted to go save Koroto and we got this underling crap and told how he's giving us some super hard training with no explanation. Who isn't taking it serious? Isn't there a time to think and a time to act?" He sneered and looked back to his brother, gritting his teeth as Kihone steeled his resolve to learn the technique. " Sorry, Kihone. If I waste my time any more trying to learn something like this I don't think I'll have the chakra to fight before tonight. I'd rather spend that energy killing the bastards that took our big bro."He huffed, his expression still bearing an underlying bitterness towards the two adults. His stomach dropped as he saw Kiho successfully create the clone at last. He hated that Kiho was capable like this and he wasn't. Still, if he didn't have the charka, he didn't have it. Better to know his weakness and put everything he had into fighting when the bandits came later that evening.
Nagi started to walk away, pushing past the group of real shinobi. As he passed Seijun his eyes shifted toward him as he paused for a moment to say his final thoughts before retreating from the immediate area. " I'm not stupid. We'd fail if we went alone. Thought you'd be more willing to go fight before they had a chance to get here, or at least not stop Reika from coming." his voice was raspy and hoarse from the desert air and the excessive yelling he'd done since last night. "...I'd have rather died trying to save Koroto than to have them kill him before they raided this place and put everyone else in danger." He didn't say it, but he knew he'd blame Seijun and Reika as much as he'd blame his own weakness if Koroto died now. His knuckles were white as he traveled toward a nearby boulder and effortlessly scaled it to take a vantage point, looking toward the abandoned city for the bandit's advance. He'd preserve every ounce of energy he had left, trying to focus himself on the oncoming conflict. If nothing else, Seijun had sharpened the animosity he felt about everything, a tool he'd use to fuel himself when the time came.
_______________ ☼Out Of Context ☼ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ OOC Goes Here.
Technique Used: ▰ Clone Technique [ Bunshin no Jutsu ] | Rank E The user forms a hand sign, creating an intangible clone of themselves. These clones are not capable of following commands further than the direction to move from one place to another. Furthermore, they are incapable of affecting physical objects or the world around them. The user can create a single at E Rank body and an additional one for each body rank following for no additional cost. Clones created in this manner remain visible until stricken or until the user's third post. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Technique Active: ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here. ▰ Technique Name | Rank Description goes here.
Combat Modifiers & PA's ▰ Singularity | Jūryokuton users have an inherent gravitational pull towards themselves. Because of this, they are able to utilize close range Taijutsu and Bukijutsu with greater effects, reducing the opponents Agility by half once every [3] posts when using an appropriate Taijutsu or Bukijutsu. Additionally, Jūryokuton are able to cast their Gravity techniques with somatic gestures. Once per [5] posts, gravity chakra can be applied to a complex Taijutsu and Bukijutsu technique which causes the technique to count as spiritual in collisions but loses the stat buff. Using this PA itself never consumes a combat action. ▰ Piercing Accuracy | The clansman is more proficient than his fellow clan members at striking tenketsu. One's gentle fist application allows them to reduce 1.5 times the amount of chakra spent in a juken strike instead of 1.25. For example, if one spends 80 chakra on a gentle fist technique, the attack robs the target of 120 instead of the 100 normal clansmen would reduce. ▰ Purest Lineage | The clansman's thoroughbred lineage allows them access to the Byakugan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. In addition, should they unlock the Tenseigan, they may have 50% less reserves to maintain it than other clan members and may also activate the Tenseigan without the use of a hand seal, chakra cost, or activation. ▰ Signature Style: Infinite One Sword Style
Discipline & Cross Class Abilities ▰ Bukijutsu: Expert [ Katana ] | The user has achieved a sense of mastery and focus unlike others and are known as an Expert, a dedicated focus over a weapon they use to near perfection. The shinobi can pick a single weapon, or two if dual wielding, to apply this focus toward with examples such as Katana, Spear, Bows or even Dual Daggers. They acquire a Keystone technique that is unique to them with an additional 2 Custom Techniques derived of this special ability. Refer to the Keystone Guideline for more information. They gain a [+1] boost to both speed and agility & techniques cost [5] less Chakra and/or Stamina per rank of the technique when wielding attacks with their specialized weapon in attack or defense. With a minimum of 5 chakra or stamina paid.
▰ Bloodline: Dual Ancestry | Dual Ancestry allows you to have full access to two bloodlines upon creation including all techniques, abilities, and personal attributes associated with them. For biographical purposes, your secondary bloodline may be genetic or implanted at your discretion. This discipline gives you [4] bloodline PAs to be used only for the bloodline attributes of your dual bloodlines on top of the [2] personal attributes you receive at base for a total of [6]. If two elemental bloodlines are chosen then the primary bloodline's elemental affinities become your base elements and you gain full access to those elements while your secondary bloodline gives you locked elemental affinities that you cannot learn ninjutsu techniques from but you gain full access to the secondary bloodline. Locked elemental affinities can be unlocked through methods such as ninjutsu class or personal attributes. Elemental affinity personal attributes are automatically allotted to locked affinities. Jiongu users do not have access to Dual Ancestry nor can they be chosen as a secondary bloodline. Dual Ancestry users do not have access to the implant system including the Genetic Palette personal attribute. If you use multiple techniques from both of your bloodlines in the same post without Korabo then those techniques are increased in effectiveness by one rank. This discipline cannot be taken with the Elemental Mastery discipline from Ninjutsu Class. ▰ Bloodline - Bukijutsu Cross Class | Bloodline abilities that effect stats are increased by [1] per rank of the technique. In addition, the user is able to combine a bloodline technique and a bukijutsu technique together for a single action, paying the resource cost of both every three posts.
Title: Group Training! Paragraphs Counted: 2 Rank: E Reputation: Neutral Impact: Global Information: Train and hone your skills with other Academy Student Level characters! **Name of Mission - [ Rank | 1/1 Posts ]
