Shadow Clone & Shadow Shuriken [Training]

Sat Oct 08, 2016 5:36 pm

Ayato waited for his meal to be served. The smell coming from the kitchen made his mouth water. There was nothing new there this was his brain’s natural reaction whenever he was the Blue Lobster. Still, twenty-five full minutes had passed since he entered his favorite seafood restaurant in all of the City of Haven. Each one seemed to pass longer than the last. Still, there was part of him that was glad that a delayed seafood plate was his greatest problem. Past two weeks had been a living hell for him; training day and night his body. Rising early in the morning for 7km roadwork then do a hundred pushups, a hundred sit ups lift weights (each day a different muscle unit) wait till afternoon where he had to work on his taijutsu technique by shadow boxing or kicking tree logs. His muscle mass had grown it was good to know because like every teenager out there Ayato had hints of narcissism. Still, his true victory was when finally achieved his goal to execute the Eight Trigrams: Palms Rotation. If he had failed it wouldn’t matter if he had surpassed Kyosuke in size.

Yes, Kyosuke the gigantic Queensguard the man that he admired from the moment he invited Ayato, a political nobody to join his Genin team. Even more so recently where he showed him a little kindness and taught him about basic ninjutsu techniques such as the Body Flicker and the Flicker Movement. He also helped Ayato realize he had to leave his comfort zone and work even harder towards the Gentle Fist technique.

How much longer? He wondered his stomach chumming as he looked at half empty glass of water the waiter brought him. When he entered the store today there was a seat waiting for him at the bar. My lucky day. He initially believed after all this was a high-in-demand restaurant with both locals and tourists visiting. But his happiness was short-lived, however since the preparation for his favorite shrimp spaghetti with marinara sauce seemed to take on forever. He did not dare to look around the crowded restaurant and people eating no that would only serve as a knife to his stomach.

His stomach was already suffering. Not from hunger but from the side effects from overworking himself since they had started kicking back a while now. My entire body aches. I feel like I am a hundred years old. He knew that he couldn’t train in taijutsu with his body in such condition. So if Taijutsu was out of the question then "There are other jutsu areas for me to train. But which one does it for me right now?" Ayato asked himself a thousand times today. He had decided that Genjutsu didn’t cut it since despite understanding it, in theory, he never attempted to use any technique. Kenjutsu appealed to him more but Ayato never fancied himself a swordsman with the Gentle Fist and all. Besides it required too much physical work that he was unable to do in. So ninjutsu it is then. His realization was followed by another question, one tougher than the previous one. What kind of ninjutsu? Ayato was interested in elemental techniques since he knew of his affinity. Ever since that special class in the Shinobi Academy where the small piece of paper given to him burned to a crisp. However breathing fire like a dragon was unmarked territory for him and with all that physical training lately he didn’t fancy the idea of working on something from scratch. No, what I have to focus my efforts towards has to be an extension of what I’ve already learned. He figured scratching his chin.

Ayato’s thinking came to an end as soon as he noticed the waiter coming towards him holding a plate. With his meal finally in front of him, Ayato unleashed his fork and dug into it. The taste of spaghetti mixed with the crunchy shrimps and sourness of the tomato dressing exploded in his mouth. Seafood always made him feel as he if was sinking deep into the ocean surrounded by the sea life but this time, he did not seem to get the same sensation. It was not like the meal was poorly cooked, though. Most likely he was so absorbed in how to proceed with his training that he was unable to enjoy it. Suddenly he was not hungry anymore. Disappointed he stood up and reached at his pockets pulling rough paper and metal coins. Placing them on the table he made his way towards the exit of the store. The waiter took notice of him and proceeded to ask if there was something with his meal. “The shrimp spaghetti was great as always.” Ayato immediately responded with a straight face “I just feel a bit under the weather.” He assured the waiter with a lie.

Exiting the Blue Lobster he decided to take a walk around town to clear his head. With every single step, he took cold wind brushed against his face. This was known to be a country straight out from a fairytale where fields of blue, red and golden roses stretched as far as the eye can see. But lately, it was only getting cooler around the Hoshigakure. Even so, the market was bursting with people flowers everywhere and the summer wines smelled so good that one could get drunk just by breathing the air. “Everyone wants a taste of summer before it flees.” Ayato realized as he studied the gray sky with his eyes, making his way past the crowd of people. “Maybe I should take some pleasure too. It’s not like I’ll live forever. Soon I will be outside those gates, putting my life on the line so people who will never know my name can sleep safely at night.” He ran a naked hand through his jet black hair. Father told me once that a true nature of a shinobi is not on how he lives but also how he dies The eloquence the Demon of Hyuuga had in him Ayato didn’t wish for his life to end protecting a rich fat noble. He didn’t want to even try. But he had decided to follow this way of life. He was a Hyuuga of the Byakugan.

Ayato passed by a caravan with a wooden stand in front of it. It was selling used shinobi gear such as blades, protective gear, and ninja scrolls. That merchant would have made for a rare sight before Hoshigakure’s establishment. But the way things progressed eventually he would most likely have his own shop “I might as well take a look.” Ayato suggested to himself and walked towards the caravan. The merchant noticing his presence immediately turned his attention to Ayato. “Everything is for sale, my friend. If I had a sister probably I’d sell her as well.” He said as he stared at Ayato’s headband. He decided to not respond to that and instead examined the equipment. “May I suggest some armor? Perhaps my Genin friend could benefit from protection.” He said not giving up, his voice sharp as a whip with a heavy accent. “No thanks just looking.” Ayato responded almost immediately. The merchant frowned to that “Apologies, how did I not see you look just the part of the dashing swordsman. But you seem to be short a blade, though.” The merchant said. Ayato was quick to catch up to that. “And I don’t like your tone. Tell me do you treat all your customers the same way.” The glare he gave to the merchant did not seem to work. “No, only to those who come without any notion of buying.”

Ayato felt his level headiness abandoning him “Maybe is your shitty attitude that gives them a reason not to buy. And besides what kind of insane prices are those?” He argued loudly and pointed towards the price tag of a weapon. “For those with courage, there is a lot of profit to be made.” The response was more level headed than Ayato had expected. The man proceeded to explain the current trading situation in the City of Haven region. The road outside the walls was full of bandits and cutthroats. Naturally, there was a lack of products around the city which impacts the prices, as less supply than demand equals higher prices. “I see. But I can’t afford any of these right now.” He said pointing towards the jutsu scrolls “Maybe I’ll come back when I reach Chuunin, one or two years from now.” Ayato let out and attempted to walk away as he did he felt an extending hand grabbing on his forearm. Good. He thought with a smirk. “Wait, my friend. Why are you in such haste to leave? You haven’t seen the full catalog yet.” The man yelled for everyone to hear and then leaned on a bit closer “Listen I may have something for you stored in the back. Follow me.” He said in low voice, his eyes sweeping back and forth. Leaving his assistant in charge they entered the tent in front of the caravan.

It was full of sealed crates, barrels, and large pouches. A warehouse or store within a store. The man knelt down and forcefully opened one of them. A cloud of dust spread around as the man pulled out a worn out cylinder scroll. “Some may call this junk, I call them treasures.” He said and brought it up for Ayato to take a closer look.
The bright red dye had leached out from the scroll but there were hints of it here and there. “This has a very special jutsu inside. Well most of it actually, it has seen better days. But can be yours for only…” Ayato barely listened to the words. Unimpressed that was the word. For a man with no intention of buying a ruined scroll seemingly decades older than he was. Yet there was a feeling of curiosity that slowly took over his brain. What was this jutsu? He did not find the strength to keep himself from wondering. The ink of the label had faded away, a showcase of the bad condition. “Alright, tell me what it is. I’m not sure I can take your words for it.” This did not seem to startle the merchant at all, but there was nothing new to that. “I see. Read it with your own eyes then. Utmost good faith must come from both parties friend.”

Focus. Ayato peered at the cover layer of the old jutsu scroll, barely making out the letters as they slowly formed into words with actual meaning “Sh…Shadow Clone”. He read out loud without realizing it. Ayato felt intrigued, for he had read the tale of Konoha’s Orange Hokage a thousand times before. The legendary hero of the shinobi that lived centuries ago and at some point united all hidden villages. Out of the vast arsenal of powerful jutsu he possessed, there was one technique that was known as his signature. Ayato regarded the merchant thoughtfully with his chestnut brown eyes. “The scroll is half ruined. I suppose that is why you keep it back here and not in front of others.” He said giving the merchant a wolfish grin. “You are a very demanding customer my friend but I wish you were a wealthy one.” The merchant mused.

Feeling satisfied he walked out of the tent inhaling the afternoon cold air. Without uttering another word, he made his way from the City Square onwards to the Water Gardens. The purchased scroll lying deep into his pockets. Earlier today he had failed to fill his appetite with gourmet food but perhaps he could fill it with knowledge instead. He understood that if he managed to learn the Shadow clone Jutsu he would be able to use these real clones to outnumber or deceive his enemies in combat, transform into weapons, scout an area, or test an opponent's abilities.

A jack of all trades technique. Entering the Water gardens he observed there were only a handful of people today and they did not seem to be going hard it. Still, Ayato searched for a secluded spot so that he could be away from unwanted attention. When he found the perfect spot somewhere in the green labyrinth he laid out the scroll upon the dusty white marble. It’s even worse on the inside. Ayato thought, looking at the worn out scroll that seemed to have been put through a storm. The ink upon the tatty paper had been watered down, making sentences incoherent. Ayato had figured as much before he bought it from the suspicious merchant. However to solve this equation he only had but to blink. Upon activating the Byakugan his eyes shifted from a chestnut brown to white lavender.

The scroll explained the mechanics of how to make the clones corporeal instead of illusions. The jutsu required heavy concentration since the user's chakra had to be evenly distributed among himself and the clone(s), giving the clone a fraction of the user's overall power. The clones are capable of performing techniques that the user knows on their own and can even bleed, but will usually disperse after hit by a strong enough force.

It was noted that the clones could also disperse on their own or be dispelled by the user of the technique. This was done by performing the same unique hand seal required for summoning them. The seal was a cross made by extending the index and middle fingers of one hand horizontally and the same fingers of the other hand pointing upwards.

Finally, it was highlighted that strength unique to the Shadow Clone Technique was that any experience the clones gain during their existence is transferred to the user once they are dispersed. A great tactical advantage, making the technique ideal of espionage since the clone could be sent to spy on an enemy, then be dispersed passing the information successfully to the user without having to run back to him.

Had a great read. Ayato let out as he placed a hand upon the scroll, channeling his elemental chakra into it. It took about fifteen minutes for the powerful smell of burned paper to disappear. When it did, Ayato proceeded to take his fighting stance. Moving his hands in front of his chest he performed the unique cross hand seal required for the technique. “Shadow Clone Jutsu!” He spoke the name of the technique in a calm voice and next to him a puff of smoke appeared. However, there was no black haired Ayato Hyuuga emerging from inside. There was no surprise there, though. Ayato had accepted long ago he was not a super prodigy that learned everything in his first try. Today he realized he was surprisingly calm about it. That moment the words of his sensei echoed in his mind “As ninja, we are constantly evolving and developing, right now you are doing fine”
Taking a better look he noticed an unfolded set of clothing lying on the ground, something protruded beneath them perhaps a pair of shoes. Wait these are my clothes. Ayato was shocked to realize and for a moment he was convinced he was naked but when he used his eyes to check, he still wore the white polo shirt and the dark gray shorts he had put on before leaving house hours ago. I managed to summon solid replicas of my clothes at least. He thought amusingly and cracked a smile. He wouldn’t dare to smile if someone else had witnessed this, but he always found more comfort with himself than with anyone else. Then an idea crossed his mind in a flash. The Shadow Clone is not a mirage. It is an actual extension of me. The Shadow Clone is Ayato Hyuuga in a way. He went back at the technique performing the seal. This time, he wasn’t focusing an image but on Ayato as an individual.

Information on what he enjoyed doing like eating seafood and what didn’t like being mocked or unnecessary conflict. Unleashing the technique he felt his chakra levels depleting. The clone summoned was completely deformed, his face swollen, unrecognizable hardly human. The sight terrified him; thankfully it disappeared in the puff of smoke seconds later. “Don’t give up! Don’t! You have to visualize it!” Ayato motivated himself and went on repeat the process again but the result was the same. He did a third time and fourth but the “Only thing I can summon was a monstrosity wearing my clothes.” Ayato thought out loud before stumbling. The loss of chakra started to make him feel light headed. He had never made such extensive use of ninjutsu before, especially one that demanded such high levels of concentration.

“I can’t fail here..” Without realizing he had started to look deeper, searching for pieces of himself that even he wasn’t sure he was aware of. Who was the current Ayato and what did he aspire to become? What did he wish for from the bottom of his heart and what was he afraid of?. For everything deep down maybe he knew the answer, and then again maybe he didn’t. Putting his fingers together shivering he barely managed to form the hand seal. “Sh…Shadow Clone Jutsu!” Sweat trickled icily down his face as he pressed on with the technique. Ayato eagerly anticipated for the cloud of smoke to disappear yet it seemed to take on forever. This was his last bit of chakra, this was his last chance. “Maybe I shouldn’t have burned the scroll. But that sleazy piece of shit might have stolen it from somewhere.” The shadow of a figure could be seen from within the smoke but by then Ayato’s vision had started to blur. “Byakugan my ass.” Ayato let out bitterly grinding his teeth.

“A pathetic display. I thought the Hyuuga are taught not speak out of turn.” A voice said with a tone distant and cold. Ayato was confused from what he was hearing, for he knew whom the voice belonged to. “You…you are..me?” He was so exhausted that even speaking took effort. “A shard of you more likely.” The clone stood there, staring at Ayato with eyes colored like dirty snow.

WC: 3040

Progress towards Shadow Clone Jutsu [3000/3000]
Progress towards Shadow Shuriken Jutsu [0/1000]

Mon Oct 10, 2016 8:27 pm

The following morning Ayato entered the Training Area once again. Despite the exhaustion from the effort to learn the Shadow Clone jutsu the day before, he was eager to go hard at it again. Learning the jutsu boosted his confidence a lot and a feeling of satisfaction overwhelmed him since he woke up today. But he was aware that he shouldn’t let the small victory get over his head and after further thinking he figured he had to try and take one more step forward.

The struggle to learn the B-Rank technique ninjutsu technique made Ayato realize something about himself and his ninja build. Naturally as a Hyuuga of the Gentle Fist he had focused his training on the clan’s field of specialization which was taijutsu. Additionally, ninjutsu techniques he had worked on since graduating were techniques enhancing his physical prowess such as the Body Flicker and the Flicker Movement. Even though he saw no fault with this at first he concluded that his fighting style was too straight forwards or to put more bluntly predictable. A variety of techniques, however, is essential for a shinobi. During combat, if you use a move the foe is not anticipating then it puts him at a tactical disadvantage. Following this mindset Ayato had decided to work on a jutsu known as the Shadow Shuriken. It was a by the book D-Rank technique where the user throws two shurikens at the same time and as they overlap with one another they trick the opponent by giving him the illusion of being only one. Naturally, the foe's attention would be drawn towards the upper shuriken. Then, he would be caught in the path of the lower shuriken lurking on the upper’s shadow, hence the name of the technique.

“Let’s set up the shooting target.” Ayato said to no one in particular as he opened the training bag on his person and pulled out the bull’s eyes log. At the center of the chopped wood, there was a painted worn out circle of white color surrounded by a layer of red. It was painted with enough accuracy to serve for the target practice for a Genin level ninja who couldn’t afford to be prickly about the quality. Ayato would hang the target on a thick branch of a tree with and then proceed to take his distance. “I think I have the height right.” He said in a low voice with a shrug that accentuated the twist of his shoulders. “Oh right, guess I have to warm up first.” Ayato realized as his trapezius muscle ached in pain from the movement. If not for that he would have reached for the shuriken in his weapon pouch and throw them without doing any stretching. It wasn’t taijutsu or weights but to learn this technique requires a lot of physical activity. I shouldn't be absent minded. I can’t afford to be injured. It was all true Ayato was a Genin now, enlisted on the village’s shinobi force. Ending today’s practice with a dislocated shoulder equaled to him being unable to uphold his duty as one. I have to be more focused. He wasn’t planning on staying a Genin forever, his rigorous training the last few weeks had proven as much. Especially to himself since it was satisfying to see his resolve had not weakened at all.

This is the life I’ve chosen. Ayato thought and cracked a small smile. Then he started to do the most important part of the warm up; running. First, it was light joking then he picked up the pace establishing a decent rhythm. When he felt he had sweat enough he halted and moved on to stretch his arms and legs. Afterward, he went to practice the Shuriken throwing form; bringing his hand to his ear elbow pointing to where the shuriken would supposedly hit and finally rock forward extending out the arm. He practiced the form for about five minutes. Then the warm up was finally over.

Turning his attention to the hanging bull’s-eye target about ten meters away he reach to his weapon pouch and pulled out a small black star. “Here’s one.” He threw the shuriken at his base speed from where he stood. The soft sound of sharp steel slashing repeatedly through the air currents echoed as it traveled to the target. Music to my ears, Ayato thought as the blade hit the center of the target painted on chopped wood with a soft thud. The impact was powerful enough to make the bulls-eye swing and for a moment Ayato thought the cord would break from the swinging. Thankfully the target remained there hanging on the thick branch of the tree. “Now two! Shadow Shuriken Jutsu!” The two shrunken left his hand in a vertical spinning motion, one close to the other. As they flew closer to the target the distance between the two widened and eventually on of the shuriken went completely went off trail landing on a nearby bush. The plant rustled and a gray tomcat jumped out of it. It meowed at Ayato once and then run off. “Sorry about that” Ayato apologized with a sigh before going to grab the shuriken from the bush and the other two from the target to ready himself for his next attempt on Shuriken Shadow. He had figured one of the shurikens on his last attempt went off trail due to losing speed halfway to the target. “Maybe I should try to build up more momentum before releasing . I have to use a different throwing technique, though. This different throwing tech included spinning the shuriken on Ayato’s finger as a shinobi would do with a bigger shuriken like the Fuma to build up momentum. Even though the shuriken overlapped with another at the same speed they did not travel far enough in order to hit the painted target. So it isn’t about building momentum I just have to refine my hand movement. Ayato did just that, for the next hour he attempted over forty throws improving his aim and speed with each one eventually even managing to hit the center of the target with both shurikens.

“Shadow Shuriken Jutsu is mine!“ Ayato declaration to the world was met with the rustling of trees. Quite the audience. He thought half interested as he wiped the sweat from his brow with a clean towel he had brought with him. Deciding to call it a day then he moved to pack the rest of his stuff and make his exit. He cut his thumb on one of the shurikens when he attempted to unpin them from them wooden log making him call out a curse. After taking a closer look he noticed that the metal was chipped and also that the paint of had begun to wear out. “Maybe I overdid it. I’ll have to visit a blacksmith and get him to sharpen these on a grindstone or they’ll be dull and useless.” Ayato thought as the feeling of hunger swept in him.

[EXIT]

WC - 1161
TWC 4201

Claiming

Progress towards Shadow Clone Jutsu [3000/3000]
Progress towards Shadow Shuriken Jutsu [1000/1000]

21 stat points for my work.

Wed Oct 12, 2016 7:25 am

Approved <3

Shadow Clone & Shadow Shuriken [Training]

Shadow Clone & Shadow Shuriken [Training]

Re: Shadow Clone & Shadow Shuriken [Training]

Re: Shadow Clone & Shadow Shuriken [Training]