| Role-Play Name: Turtle Turtle Date Started: August 4, 2019 |
Training Again[]
"Ow, ow, ow, ow..." Ao groaned as his back landed in the dirt once more. Staring up at the sky, the young genin looked at the tree above him. He had been practising his chakra control all day, but he still couldn't move like he wanted to, like he felt he should be able to. He had been considered a top prospect at the academy, the Kage trusted him enough that he even had received the ultimate gift from him.
Yet here he was in the dirt once more. The young ninja slowly rolled to his feet, ignoring the stares of the half a dozen of his clansmen that were watching him, watching him to make sure he didn't lose control. Ignoring the soft weight in his gut he had felt ever since the ritual.
Again! He thought to himself.
Then he moved, running up the tree as if it was solid ground beneath his feet. Near the top, he leapt off, sliding down the bark of the next one as his feet regained the grip using his chakra. He leapt again to a branch, before leaping once more towards a nearby tree. A target had been laid in his path, mere wood but still important.
Ao smashed his fist into the wooden target, breaking the thin board with his momentum and strength. The loss of momentum from breaking the board proved disastrous. He hit the tree far lower than he had planned, sliding down it again despite his best efforts, hitting the ground below hard, driving the wind out of him.
The young man groaned, anger visible on his face. This had been so easy before the ritual... why was it so hard now...
"Complaining isn't going to help," Ao whispered to himself. "Again..."
And with that, he continued.
And Again[]
Another day, another attempt to stabilize his abilities. Ao still hadn't fully recovered his chakra control, or body control, since the ritual. Just how far he had been knocked down stung.
"It's an honor to have this blasted turtle inhabiting my body, but this is ridiculous." Ao grunted to himself. He was continuing to use the trees and his ability to walk up them to train his chakra control.
A pair of heavy rocks were tied to his wrists as he slowly climbed up the trees. As usual, his classmates were watching from a distance. Ready to act in case anything went wrong. The rocks were heavy, almost monstrously so. It took most of Ao's not insignificant strength to hold them up, and was an example of his chakra control to avoid falling off the bark under the weight.
He slowly worked his way, concentrating on keep his flow steady as he went up. Step by step, he slowly conquered the tree. Step by step, he slowly mastered his body once again.
Ao reached the top several minutes later, huffing and puffing under the exertion, the rocks having taken a large amount of effort to life. He slipped the restraints off his wrist, letting the stones fall to the ground a hundred feet below where they sank into the mud.
"I did it... This time." He huffed and puffed to himself. "Now for another." With that, the youth wandered down the tree, before picking up the rocks once more as he climbed that towering oak once more.
And Again...[]
Ao raised his arms up above his head as the chop came down, the impact of arm against arm audible as his Chuunin of a senior sparred off against him. He was doing taijutsu training today, fortifying his body and endurance against an experienced opponent.
His foot lashed out at his opponent's ankle, aiming to throw him off balance even as Ao shifted to the side.
His opponent spun away, dodging the foot as a straight kick lashed out. Ao took it with crossed arms, doing a flip as he was knocked away. He pulled three shuriken out of his pouch during his flight, tossing the brace of them as he slid backwards along the wet grass.
The Chuunin pulled out a kuunai as he deflected the thrown projectiles with ease.
"Not a bad combo, but your footwork is too sloppy. You'll have to do better Ao. The clan expects it of you." The man said as he addressed Ao. "Now again."
The young Genin charged forward, running straight at the older ninja. The man threw his kuunai, which the Genin deftly dodged as he jumped into a spinning heel kick. The Chuunin grabbed his ankle, swinging Ao through the air before releasing him.
Ao flipped in mid air once more, not allowing any distance to be made as he moved back in towards the Chuunin. The roles were reversed this time as the Genin's straight punch landed true on the older Ninja's abdomen, knocking the man back.
"That was much better this time, now again." The older man smiled, Ao was now making progress.
Genbu[]
Drip... Drip
Ao's breathing was the only sound to be heard within the shrine beyond the dripping ofthe water above, a deep steady breath as the youth concentrated. In and out, in and out, breathing almost in rhythm with the water as he focused.
The Genin sat in the center of the shrine, meditating as he sat in a pool of water. Arcane symbols were inked upon his body, and the surface of the pool shook under the weight of the power within.
The Genin was a host to one of the monsters of old, a great beast named Isobu. Sealed into him shortly before graduation, he still hadn't had time to fully assimilate its power and presence. Something that had been painfully apparent to him ever since day one. Between the massive presence straining on his substantial chakra reserves, and the random swings inherent to the beast's displeasure at being sealed, Ao had struggled to catch back up to where he was.
That's why he was currently sitting within this shrine. This was the place where the beast had been sealed, and the place where the Jinhuriki bond was bestowed. Of any place in the world, this is where the seals were the strongest.
This was the place where he would make his first contact with the beast.
A dozen jonin stood outside the shrine, watching the young Genin's first attempt to contact his own demon, prepared to act if he was overwhelmed. It had happened before, they were here to make sure it wouldn't happen again.
Ao ignored their presence, focusing on the here and now, on the water he was half submerged with, the water dripping from above, the water flowing inside his soul. Closing his eyes, he let his mind drift into the water.
He was no longer in the shrine when he opened them, staring across a massive cavern. Water flowed from above, bubbled from below. It flowed and waved, causing the massive sea in front of him to shake and stir. He had entered the world within, a place between the jinchuriki and its beast. This cave was representative of his mind and soul, and within this cave, resided the beast
At this distance, Isobu almost looked small, a giant form chained up in the center of the cavern, stuck half in and out of the water. Massive chains encircled the beasts form, representative of the numerous seals that bound it. Each one was massive, the individual links each dwarfed the young ninja. For most they might seem Overkill, but considering what they restrained, one could almost say they weren't enough.
Unlike the Eight Trigrams seal of Konohagakure or the Iron Armor Seal of Kumogakure, Kirigakure didn't have a single seal capable of restraining a tailed Beast on its lonesome. Instead, nine separate seals worked in concert to restrain the three tailed beast. Each was strong in its own right, but together they were capable of handling one of the largest units of chakra in existence.
As Isobu noticed the young ninja, his slow testing of the seals that bound him intensified, while the sea surrounding him began to churn and roil. It would be impossible to cross while it was like this.
Chakra leaked from Ao's form, bathing the water around him in its cerulean energies. Ao focused on sharpening and expanding his chakra, slowly arresting the turmoil in his inner ocean. A battle of wills between himself and Isobu as their chakra's clashed. While Isobu's power was stronger, it was currently restrained, and the Genin took advantage of this to slowly force the malicious chakra back. He stepped out into the water,
A small Oasis existed in the middle of the storm as Ao forced his way closer to the beast. His chakra wasn't capable of suppressing the full fury of the beast, but it could provide him shelter from the storm. He moved closer and closer to the beast, even as the beast's chakra battered away at his shelter. He was about to reach the center when a particularly violent squall broke his concentration, causing his Oasis to falter and fail.
Ao attempted to regain control over himself as his body was swept away by the rapids. Trying to regain his center, he focused deeply upon his chakra, furthering his attempt to weather the storm. Eventually regaining control, So noticed he had fallen all the way back to where he had started, this was enough for today.
Ao opened his eyes to see most of the water had been forced from the pool, slowly soaking the wood around it. His clansmen had already left as the Genin was waking up, leaving him alone as always.
Ao stood up and stretched his aching legs, allowing his body to recover from the experience before he called it for the day.
Fire Fighting[]
Fire was a rare thing in Kirigakure, the wet climate of the town usually preventing all but the most devastating of blazes from catching, let alone spread. On the few occasions that it popped up, the various ninja of Kirigakure would show up and use the cities reliable affinity to water to put out the flames.
Ao had been asked to assist with squelching the flames of a fire at a chemical plant on the outskirts of Kiri. His elders figured this was the perfect chance to further refine his chakra control and proficiency in the Water Release.
While he couldn't use many water-based jutsu at all, and virtually none that were useful in combat, at least yet, he was more than capable of utilizing the abilities to train. His hand seals simply weren't up to par yet to use Water Release in combat.
"Water Release: Stream," Ao announced as he finished weaving his signs. A stream of water gushed from his mouth, joining the numerous others that were pouring on the inferno. The downpour continued or several minutes as Ao focused on continually kneading the chakra in his body to fuel the spell.
The fire at the current part of the factory, the front door, had been suppressed for now. Now it was time for the ninja fighting the blaze to venture further into the factory to fight the fires at their root. Ao rushed in with the other shinobi, nearly a dozen of them spreading around as they entered the smoke and steam-filled interior. Ao coughed several times, breathing soft breaths to avoid breathing any chemicals in too deeply.
This was the dangerous part of the job, the chemicals making it dangerous to be inside of the factory. Most of the ninja covered their faces with a cloth whenever they breathed in, a gesture that Ao copied.
He ran towards the largest section of the blaze, right near the central boiler that had caused the inferno in the first place. Several other ninjas followed him, rushing towards the boiler.
Ao prepared a higher tier jutsu this time, fumbling the hand seals twice before he finally did them properly. "Water Release: Wild Water Wave!" He announced as he finished the signs. Another torrent of water ejected from his mouth, this one easily four times the size of the one that preceded it. He fed chakra into the jutsu like water, creating a torrent that grew with every passing second as he sweated under the sweltering heat of the blaze.
Ao upped his chakra again, attempting to match the power of the shinobi around him, creating torrent under torrent of water with his chakra. The blaze resisted, sputtering around the water again and again as the flames simply refused to go out. But the ninja persisted, dumping gallons, upon gallons, upon gallons on the recalcitrant fire. But persist the ninja did, pouring water until their chakra ran out, switching between each other as they could to keep the flow going.
Ao didn't stop for one moment, keeping up the flow for as long as he could, exercising his high reserves of chakra to their fullest as he continued to use his jutsu past when other shinobi were forced to fall back.
Until at last, the blaze realized that it was beaten.
By the time that the glow faded from the boiler, Ao was in a cold sweat, most of his chakra depleted by the effort of maintaining a jutsu for so long. He reached for the cloth again, taking deep breaths through it as he slowly walked towards the exit.
It had been a while since the last time he had run out of chakra, and it wasn't an experience that he relished. But he had completed his training assigned to him by his elders, and that was what mattered. Personal comfort always took a backseat to the safety of the village and the honour of the clan, and Ao was more aware of that than anyone.
Ao slowly approached his watchdog, one of the Hozuki Jonin in charge of watching over his training who looked at him with a critical eye.
"Did I do good?" The young genin asked his elder.
"Your effort was passable, there is always more work to be done on your performance, but it is definitely passable. Go get some rest Ao, we'll continue your training tomorrow."
Adrift at Sea[]
Drip... Drip... Drip...
Ao sat once again in the sacred pool, numerous runes and seals pulsing underneath his body that had long ago been carved into the stone beneath the water. He let his breathing slowly sink into the dripping of the water, matching pace with it as he once again looked within himself, communing with the giant power within him. As always, he was watched by a silent entourage, ready to pounce if he showed the slightest sign of losing control.
As his eyes closed, he found himself once more within his inner world, a giant cavern filled by a deep lake. He could see the three tails bound at the centre, seven gigantic chains still wrapped around its form by the Seven Seas Sealing Array. Its crimson eye fixed upon Ao once more, noticing him the moment he dived within. The young genin sat on the end of the lake, only his feet submerged into the water as him and the beast stared off towards one another.
For minutes, the pair sat in utter silence, the pool beginning to churn as the beast looked upon its captor once more. Ao could feel the being's disdain radiate through his being, as the three-tails chakra began to surge forth across his mindscape once more. The sea trembled and roiled, churned and crashed. Only the area immediately around the young genin stayed calm, an aura of control radiating from his feet. Ao might not be able to restrain the beast entirely, but with the sealing reducing how much it could thrash about, it couldn't overwhelm him completely.
"Such a sorry state of being this must be..." Ao said with a hint of sadness. "I almost wish I could just release you from your chains. But regardless of my wishes, the clan and the village must come first. Great Three-Tails, your torment is unfortunately necessary. I do not wish to see you bound in chains like this, but for the good of my clan and kin, I must use you. I'll be taking some of the chakra you're pouring into the seal now." He finished, the beast's efforts only intensifying on his declaration.
His hands turned to water as they two entered into the pool, waves of Ao's own chakra crashing against the beast's. However, their goal wasn't to repel the waves but to pull on them. As Isobu's chakra lashed out, Ao latched onto it, pulling it from the beast even as it began to recoil back. Waves of cerulean energy began to emanate from the waves, streams of the beast's chakra began to flow into Ao's spiritual body, augmenting his own.
Outside of his mindscape, his clansmen tensed as the pool began to rumble around Ao, the beast's chakra echoing outside of his body. Weapons were held as the young boy opened his eyes, crimson pupils surrounded by yellowed irises.
"I'm in control," Ao said softly as the pool began to cease it's rumbling, "Though I don't think I can maintain this for very long, the three-tails is not happy..." He began to fight back the buildup, stuffing the beast's power back within the seal even as it fought to burst forth.
He breathed heavily as it was finished, and his clansmen relaxed once more. He might not be Isobu's master, but this was a start. But that was all he needed.
Running Man[]
"Again!" the senior yelled, staring at the young genin as he began sprinting forward once more.
Ao took off running at his top speed, sprinting across the field that was already muddy with the young genin's steps. He had been out here for hours, training his stamina and speed as he sprinted again... and again... and again... His feet pounded into the mud, his body both weakening and strengthening with every single step. The mud sucked at his feet, each rushing step threatening to trip the ninja over. But still he persevered, pulling his weary legs up again and again as he ran forward. His breathing was heavy, the young ninja attempting to control his breaths with each step, lest his lungs betray him.
He hit the other end of the field, turning around without a moment's part, his feet sliding a few times before they found purchase in the mud once more. But his run back would prove more complicated.
Ao twisted, dodging the first dummy shuriken with ease as he stepped around it. The senior stood on the other side of the pitch, weapons in his hand as he threw the non-lethal weapons at the jinchuuriki to test his awareness even when at his lowest.
Ao jumped over the Kunai that followed soon after, dancing through the mud as he evaded shuriken after kunai after senbon in rapid succession.
As Ao reached the last half of his run back, the senior upped their tempo, tossing all his remaining weapons into the air with a single volley. Ao managed to sidestep the first two before he made what in a normal battle would be a fatal misstep.
He slipped.
The young man's foot had gotten stuck in the squelching mud, and his face was quickly racing towards it.
But he wouldn't let this stop him, he wasn't about to fail here nor anywhere.
Orange shrouded his other foot as he pulled some of the beast's chakra from within to fortify his weary body.
Mud flew everywhere as he took a heavy step, his foot breaking into the mud and compressing it down tight even as his other wrenched free.
Ao vanished from sight for an instant as he shot forward, slipping under the weapons in their entirety as he cleared the entire remaining pitch in a single leap.
He lay on the ground breathing hard even as the rain washed the mud from his body, his senior standing nearby, shaking his head at the genin's usage of his beast for such a simple exercise..
"That'll do for now, take a rest," the senior said simply, "You pass for now, but try to not use your beast for something like this. Last thing we need is for it to go on a rampage."
Silent Running[]
The mist had grown thick, quite thick indeed. Today was a day of stealth, the young Genin learning to pick his way across the battlefield without a trace. He had thickened the mist so much he could barely see in front of him, and him and several senior ninja were currently picking their way across the battlefield, trying to find the other. Stealth was of utmost importance to the ninja, as the element of surprise could quite easily be the difference between life and death on the battlefield.
He crept beneath trees, their tops long out of sight. He focused on not being caught, not bothering to try and sneak up on the other ninja in the woods. While he was certain that the elders would be pleased if he could outsmart them, to think he could easily do so was the height of arrogance. After all, these ninjas had been sneaking through the mist far longer than him.
He could clearly see the marks on the ground, trails of much heavier men moving through the soft ground. Ao paralleled them, not following the path directly in case it lead into a trap. Each step was silent, quieter and quieter as the young ninja worked to control his breathing. Worked to control every sound he made, until there would be nothing left to follow the young boy with.
He would be one with the mist, one with the earth, the wind, and the sky. One with the water.
He heard a thud nearby, the sound of a shuriken impacting on a nearby trunk as someone threw one of the training weapons at where they thought he was at.
Ao startled at first, but found his center back in a few seconds, fading into the mist once more as he heard the sound of movement towards his last known position.
He felt the movements of the elders as they breezed past him, but they found nothing.
And nothing was all that he would let them find.
Cs Get Degrees[]
"My second C-rank mission huh?" Ao said to himself as he walked towards the gate of the Village Hidden in the Mists. The young genin had been busy training, and like the last time. His elders had found a good opportunity to season their young charge. A small group of beasts had chosen to take up residence near a village about a week's journey from the Hidden Mist Village, and he was being dispatched to deal with them. Beyond his fellow trainees, the young ninja had never fought another creature in earnest, and this situation needed rectifying.
The young man passed through the gate, his wide-brimmed hat keeping the worst of the rain off his head as he walked out onto the rainswept road. It was going to be a long trip, but the young ninja was eager to get going.
"This is probably the longest trip I've ever taken..." He said to himself as he started moving, walking swiftly down the road, and the farther I've ever been from home. But let's get going either way."
With that being said, the Genin started off, picking up a light jog as he travelled to his destination.
Ao stalked silently across the night as he observed his prey. A dozen large Scaled Bipedal Lizard creatures, each looking like it had escaped from a nearby lab. They stood around the fire pit, several local animals spitted over the flames as they slowly cooked them. The creatures were obviously intelligent, though how smart Ao wasn't certain of. It was something he'd have to figure out to have a good shot at finishing this smoothly. The beasts moved with enough of ease that he was fairly certain rushing in was a bad idea.
The genin slowly poached around the campfire, waiting for an opportunity to get one of the creatures off on its own. If he could get a chance to kill one and see it more up close, that insight would make the rest of this far, far easier.
It was nearly an hour before he got his chance, one of the larger beasts wandering off away from the light as it walked out into the drizzle surrounding their overhang home. Ao wasn't entirely sure why it was leaving the fire, but he wasn't going to let this chance slip by.
He followed the creature as it went farther out into the night, observing its every movement from as close as he dared. The creature was probably a bit slower than him, but was certainly fair stronger. Something that became apparent when it picked up a small tree and began to turn around.
With it's attention distracted, the young genin took his chance as he dropped down from the trees above, skewering the beast in the back of the neck with a pithing strike, killing it almost instantly as it fell to the ground.
The creature never had time to call for help as its life was taken in that single instant.
Ao didn't even bother to hide the body as his observations had finished, waiting until the next one came out to look for its fellow. Though this one wasn't as silent as the creature had time to call out before the ninja silenced it.
The rest raced through the jungle to find out the source of their predator, but as the mist rolled in they too began to meet a similar fate as the genin's training had paid off. One by one they vanished into the misty forest, until none remained but the ninja who had brought them to heel.
By the time that Ao returned to the village, it was clear he was a bit more seasoned. He had figured out why his elders had sent him on this particular mission, and knew it was to prepare him for what was to come. For that was the life of the ninja.