Ninja path - Rise of the Takeyama (Private)

Somewhere in Takeyama family's garden:

Shiori would be standing stripped down to his hakama atop the pond, breathing heavily, but not dropping out of the guard stance, katana outstretched in one hand, and water seal formed with other. Body glistening with sweat in the lightly setting sun.

"That was a good cut. But try to line the water more thinly, this way you are doing it, is weighting the blade more than it should. While that has its merits, that's not what we are trying to perfect here, Shiori."

Older man with green hair and goatee would sit cross legged on the ground near the pond, enjoying a long sip of some drink from a gourd, before putting hands back into Taketon seal forcing few to grow from water in front of the youngster

"Once more, relaxed, swift and thin layer!"

Younger greenhair would nod and focus closing eyes for a moment, before once again his katana's blade is starting to coat in fine layer of water, mirror polish sending off new spectrum of glaring light broken by water's prism into multitude of color. For a faint moment at least before he explodes into single, sweeping motion, cutting at the plants in front of him, blade itself gliding trough plantflesh with practiced ease helped by water's lubrication, stopping some four and half stems in.

"YES! HAH! There we go!"

After finishing the blow he would quickly retreat blade, followed by a flick to clear off remaining water, and then sheathes it silently.

"Was that good enough then old man?"

Daichi would rise up, and turn towards the sun, revealing large mon with two kanji (竹山) on back of his green robe. Faint traces of smile hidden inside of his goatee.

"I would say it was satisfying, for first self made water jutsu. You are getting ahead with your katana use obsession aren't you, Shiori?"

At that green haired youth would step off the pond, and start collecting the spare bamboo that was cut during the training with habitual automatism.

"Well... I cant just sit on laurels of your work, dad. It would be rather embarassing to just exist without improving, yes?" - would add with faint grin - "Also, you have my sincere thanks you helped me finish this one up, it would take longer if I had to spawn my own targets."

"No, you got it wrong Shiori. You have my thanks for letting me see how much you have progressed. And as you made me proud, I will help you by giving you a hint to that other thing you wished to learn. Listen and watch closely, you can collect the stalks later."

Hearing that young man's face would turn into self satisfied expression, as the stalks would be placed on a pile aside, and he sits down by his discarded gear on the floor, putting on his glasses, and producing a scroll and brush, ready to mark down what ever wisdom his father had to provide.

"You asked me how to protect yourself from types of attacks that drain your chakra, correct? So... there are many ways to do it, but one I found most effective in the long run is to insulate yourself. You see, there are materials in the world that reduce flow of chakra when they intervene between source and target. Luckily as we both have access to earth style ninjutsu, this works in our favour. In this case, we will be forming gout of jade dust inside our belly to spout it forward and let it stick to our skin to protect from drain. While it does not stop all of it, it usually is well worth the trouble."

Shiori would look up slightly confused at the man as he speaks, while writing down the shared words.

"How do you mean sprout the dust?"

Daichi would smile widely again and make a hand gesture to silence the curious boy.

"Save the questions for later and observe... first I form the seals..." - and would do so as he speaks - "Place hand on my stomach..." - would do that as well - "Inhale deeply... and exhale!" - however instead of doing huge cloud exhalation, he would focus the stream with his lips and spray on the substance onto his arms to show how the release is done for longer time - "Got that?"

Younger man would speak few moments later after expression of amazement is smeared off his face.

"Y-yes! So.. Monkey, hen, snake, press onto the belly to release element into the gut, then mix with bit more chakra and exhale to cover self!" - would adjust his glasses - "That is how you exhaled it right? Adding bit more to pressure it out?"

With that comment a booming laughter would develop trough the bamboo grove garden, as partially green dust covered man holds his gut laughing.

"Sharp for a kid aren't you? Yes, that is part of the trick. However it is far more trickier than just the mechanics of it. Practice it for a while. Try adjusting the exhale pressure. It will take at least few hours of work to get it right. However, first of all you will replenish yourself, then clean up the garden, then you can go back to practice. Now get up, we need to go get to the table before she gives us The Glare."

And with more laughter two of them would retreat back into the house, garden remaining as it was in dying light of the day, expecting its common visitor some time later that night for more lessons on dust blowing by light of the moon.

Takeyama house, training room:

Hanging on one of the panel walls would be large diagram of human body, with few vital spots daintly marked on it via red ink. On side of it rests full set of armor on a stand, similar markings noted on it with red silken strands. Over in the middle of the room, young man would be locked in rather complex battle against pair of identical warriors brandishing stave's, clad in heavy armor.

"They are pressuring me rather strongly.. I should try to end this quickly before I get smacked again. Not sure my skull can take any more beating." - Thought Shiori as his blade moved into defensive posture - "Besides... its not like he can keep them up forever.."

He would glance up at the diagram and pause for fraction of a moment in battle before cutting out at the warrior on his left, however the blow was deflected some and his aim faltered. However as it did connect, the clone warrior would fall down and pop out of existence.

"You got distracted again. Focus, imagine the target in your mind.. imagine strike in your mind.. and execute it!"

Daichi would be standing in one of corners, waiting to respawn the clone warriors as required, helping his progeny advance his path once again. Sighing for a moment, he would form a seal and spawn another opponent.

"Hai. Kyaai!"

With trained automatism Shiori would cut down the newly spawned clone and then find his focus again, and with fluid quick movement, the katana would be pierced into and around the breastplate's shoulder strap and into the heart inside. Second action would pull the blade out, flick it and sheathe it with self confident ceremonial precision. Before he would jump up giggling with wide grin.

"I got it! I got it properly... You were right. But its hard to focus in middle of fight like that." - would hop around few more times excitedly before calming down - "Right, lets do this few more times, I have to get it perfectly. Please dad?"

And with that the two would return back to practice until the jutsu was polished to its fine edge.

Somewhere in bamboo grove by Takeyama household:

"Once again, Shi-chan. And do not be so embarrassed about it, you did want to learn tiger style!"

Scolded an elderly yet small cat with tiger colors and stripes, wearing green jacket with Takeyama mon, and leaf headband around the neck. She stood on a rock amongst the thick grove of bamboo, looking at the young man, half naked and sprawled on the floor, surrounded by pile of bamboo shrapnel. Pair of tiger claws attached to his hands.

"But.. its unseemly Manye-ba... I mean.. Growl? And just move maniacally? I mean.. it will look bad! I always try to keep the coo..." - would be cut in middle of the sentence by a rather powerful punt by the ninja cat.

"BAKA! Get up to your feet and back to work or I will scratch you so bad you will not be able to lay down for three days." -shouted the cat

He would quickly get up into the all four prowl position, arching his back, before issuing a heavy growl and propelling himself onto next section of the grove, metal claws gleaming, as they rapidly move from side to side, leaving deep gashes in the dry stalks, causing water within to slowly bleed out.

"Better... No, dont you dare stop Shi-chan.. Onwards... agressive strikes, ONCE AGAIN!" - cat would have produced general fan and start gesturing assault like tiny napoleon

"Crazy ba-chan.. she will be the death of me..." - thought Shiori as he once again tossed himself into the frenzied assault. - "Clawing Fury!"

((DM Jiraiya Note - 5 RP Tokens Awarded - Paid Out July 1st))