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The Shinobi returned to the Dojo, this time to learn actual Taijutsu and Bukijutsu styles, along with Sumiko if she hadn't already gotten tired of his ridiculous pace and sporadic, almost ADD-like indecision. He decided that he would learn some more Taijutsu and Bukijutsu while reading from a Tutor Scroll, one of the 'mystical' items he'd received upon his graduation, for all of his diligence, all the meanwhile practicing basic formation in Honshi Art. [Dart, Pair, Three of a Kind Learned] [Intermediate Training: Performance In Progress]

He proceeded with Twin Aces and Calling Cord, applying chakra to his throws as he made hasty motions with the projectiles, throwing the kunai and shuriken with precise accuracy and speed. With each of the attacks, he made considerable progress in learning the style. [Calling Cord, Twin Aces, Trick Full House Learned]

Retracting Line was an important fundamental of the Honshi Art, allowing him to manipulate the distance, speed, trajectory and angle of his throws, even allowing him to reel projectiles back for a double fake-out attack, or all things similar. He did precisely that on some dummies, using wooden shuriken made from his Mokuton chakra. [Retracting Line, Dart, Resu Tame Taibu, Rosutoai Learned]

The next technique was a stance, the Juuryou no Yorokobi. Raising his fists before his head to protect himself, he stood on the balls of his feet and raised his legs to kick at the dummy, whilst protecting his own body. This proved highly effective, and he noted that he could still slap the ground with his feet as a somatic gesture to use jutsu while in this stance. [Juuryou no Yorokobi, Tsuyoi Senkou, Kire Ono Learned] [Intermediate Training: Performance Complete]

Next came Keai, a powerful counter-attack that kicked from the side after being struck; a counter-attack of incredible, dart-like speed. He practiced the hasty side-kick on a dummy repeatedly until he felt that his legs and their motion was adequate, and upon determining so, he nodded with a bit of heavy breath still clinging to his throat after the physical exertion. [Keai, Hyoushi Tentou, Assai Hiza Learned] [Intermediate Training: Performance In Progress]

Next came Manipulating Line. It was an enhanced version of Retracting Line, and as such, allowed for much the same result. The significant difference was that with some level of chakra applied to the strings, he could even more smoothly manipulate the movements of the projectiles, controlling their angle, trajectory, length and direction very easily. [Manipulating Line, Hidden Stash, Scroll Projection Learned]

Next, he would learn the Western Bursting Fist, alongside his focused training in the Hard Physical Formless. Learning Soft Physical Formless had been accompanying much of his other style learning, but he had not truly engaged with any of the Formless styles beyond the surface level. He started with soft, learning how to properly evade and perform less significant strikes. [Soft Physical D, C, B, Learned]

What followed was his final step into Soft Physical Formless for his current level of physical mastery, proceeding into Hard Physical Formless so that he could properly utilize the Western Bursting Fist. Hard Physical Formless was much more gritty, rough and focused, with more devastating strikes. He practiced these on the dummy. [Soft Physical A, Hard Physical D, C Learned] [Intermediate Training: Performance Complete]

He felt his mastery of Hard Physical Formless grow significantly as he continued his rough strikes. Shinsei focused on the concept of ensuring instant victory, knowing that while evading and wearing an opponent down was a common focus for many shinobi, instantly securing a win was equally valuable. He proceeded with his focused punches, going for the dummy's proverbial joints. [Hard Physical B, A, Single Action Learned]

Now, he fully focused on the western bursting fist. The style was developed in Amegakure and was highly devastating, perfect for someone like him who built and cleaved his environment. He waded into it by mastering the first stage of the style. That began with Double Action, Curving Projectile and Breaching Charge. [Double Action, Curving Projectile, Breaching Charge Learned]

Shinsei quickly realized that due to the lower body or leg area weakness of the Bursting Fist, it was complimented well by his Kickboxing Style. The two worked well in tandem, and he practiced the techniques of the second stage in a stance appropriate to weave into Kickboxing. Full Metal Jacket was of course complimentary to any fist style, as it provided highly defensible chakra gloves that seemed to improve impact as well. [Full Metal Jacket, Double Tap, Mixing Rounds Learned]

Shooter Stance came next, a technique that conflicted with his Kickboxing, but was similar to the stance learned within that style. It provided him the opportunity to essentially shift his paradigm, going from a Kickboxer to a long-range chakra boxer, protecting his upper body while throwing deadly blows at his opponent. Shinsei practiced with the stance until it felt more comfortable. [Shooter Stance, Ricochet, Taking Cover Learned]

Mortar Shell was a 'surprise factor' technique, and the next one on his list. He practiced it thoroughly, throwing his arms over his head - as if swimming - before throwing a surprise downward or 'over hand' punch. The technique quickly struck the dummy against the head, as Shinsei followed with a roundhouse kick as he took a short step back. [Mortar Shell, Dodging Projectiles, Shotgun Fist Learned]

Shinsei then lowered his body after the roundhouse kick. Bringing himself down and loading his strength onto his legs, he swung his legs forward with a sweeping kick, doing immense damage to the dummy's lower wooden surface. Shinsei then rose upward with his fists balled. [Loading, Upgraded Caliber, Mercury Round Learned]

He sighed, and exhaled. It seemed he was essentially done with learning everything for this rank, except for the Projectile Formless necessary to accompany Honshi Art. He began to throw and weave projectiles together within his hands, rapidly drawing shuriken from his open pouches as he loaded projectiles into the dummies. [Projectile Formless D, C, B Learned]

Finally, he topped it off with some evasive maneuvers leading into flying upward jumps. He followed with several thrown projectiles, only to bring his body back onto the ground and finish with a forward thrust of destructive Mokuton techniques. [Projectile A, Foo Dog Heads, Stocks, Tree Binding Flourishing Burial, Four Pillar House Technique, Great Forest Technique Learned. Ty Tutor Coupon + Bloodline Specialist lol]

And then, he was done. Looking highly fatigued, he glanced to Sumiko.

"Okay. I feel gross now. Probably have next to nothing left in terms of chakra . . . and definitely stamina. Maybe it's time to cool down." He sighed. "Well, I suppose I'll help you learn, now. Here -- learn the Western Bursting Fist Style. It suits you. Start with Single Action, Double Action, and Curving Projectile. They're all simple fist techniques; I have the scroll." He then proceeded to explain its contents, observing the Uzumaki as she learned. [Intermediate Training: Teach Complete once Sumiko learns the first stage of the Western Bursting Fist]

What came next was meditation. More of it. Shinsei was not exactly the most sturdy shinobi in Uzushiogakure in terms of mental fortitude, but he knew that he wanted to prove himself. Falsa had always been the perfect one, but his parents - above all - just wanted for their children to be 'superior' shinobi. Shinsei was beginning to pass her up, and that mattered to him - a lot.

He focused on his energy. He focused on himself. The control, the somatic gestures, even the handseals that he weaved to ensure that he still had it. Everything was smooth within his internal system, and he could feel both his mind and body honing towards being a better ninja. His physique was more toned and athletic, built for speed. His mind was more perceptive and reflexive. He could start to notice the small details around him, and less significant images and noises caught his attention, and his peripheral. [Intermediate Training: Meditation Complete]

He was becoming better. Stronger. That much was evidently clear. His chakra flowed more freely, and he found that casting jutsu was significantly easier for him, particularly the lower ranked abilities. Stronger techniques came into his scope, like the Foo Dog Heads, for example. He was still impressed with himself because of that one, and he knew that when he used it, there was a strong feeling internally.

Shinsei was growing strong, quickly. He could feel his chakra pool increasing in size. There were fewer and fewer restrictions on him -- and the ones that were, garnered less resistance in learning them. He felt almost as if he were prepared to be a Chuunin, or something akin to that, despite being a Genin for so short a time. Whether or not he was actually prepared was, however, a mystery. The shinobi opened his eyes, and glanced to Sumiko, still learning what she could as the two of them progressed forward. [Intermediate Training: Meditation Complete]

Gurl bye.

-exit-