The Art of Quickdrawing. [Training]

[yoshinee]

Currently Praticing:

SPOILER: Click to show

Iaijutsu Stance
Rank: E Rank
Effect: Allows the use of Iaijutsu Forms.
Special: None
Drawbacks: None
Description: The practitioner moves into a bow stance, their main hand resting over the hilt of the sword without gripping it, and their offhand resting just under the hilt on the sheath; they stand slightly crouched, able to easily move to a kneeling of standing position for their forms.
Restrictions: Must have a Senpai/Sensei of a Kenjutsu Dojo to learn.

[Current: 0/5]
Yoshinehad made a decision. A decision that would change a lot of aspects in coming battles she would be partaking in. Taijutsu was simply an area she had been ignoring far too much. While her body wasn’t exactly made for most of the different Taijutsu styles, there were a few which didn’t require a body of steel to be effective. Iaijutsu was one of such styles. A defensive oriented style based upon precision, nimbleness and speed. As such, Yoshinee had made the arrangements to come by one of the local Dojo’s, where she would be greeted by a senpai; Nagi Masaki.

However, a lot of traditions were related to this fighting style. Yoshinee had had to acquire a white robe and a pair of wooden sandals. Entering the Dojo, she bowed her head and held her hands in a respective manner, showing her respect for not only her senpai, but also for the traditions that had long been in place. Borrowing a kendo-like wooden sword, they started the exercise by attempting to get the basic stance right.
As Nagi laid his hands upon her shoulders and squeezed gently on a few certain spots, Yoshinee let ouf a soft sigh of relaxation, almost automatically bending down a little. Then in a simple movement, he moved her hand towards the weapon which was secured in a sheathe at her left hip. At first it came natural for the young kunoichi to grab around the hilt, to which Nagi responded by gently slapping her fingers. ”We do not grab the hilt, unless we strike. With a grip like that, you wouldn’t even be able to pull the sword from the sheathe young lady”
Bowing her head in acceptance, Yoshinee ended up having her hand almost resting upon the grip. Looking at herself in the mirror in the dojo, it was almost a lazily look. It wouldn’t be easy to tell as a stance, which was one of the key components. Stretching out, and crouching back down, Yoshinee dedicated a good fifteen minutes of movements and memorization in front of the mirror before the basics seemed to be in a good spot. ”Alright. That will do for now. After you’re done with the chores you may return for your reflex practice.”
Scuttleing off, Yoshinee went to assisted with cleaning the windows of the dojo. It wasn’t exactly regular cleaning though. On either of her arms she was carrying a minor bucket of water, while she was crouching down into her stance. It was to strengthen her natural balance, and get her used to moving while in the stance. Training, while helping out. Two birds, with one stone.

[Umehara]

Learned.

[yoshinee]

[Currently Practicing:]

SPOILER: Click to show

Reflex Training
Rank: D, C and B Rank
Effect: D Rank - Improves evasive and deflection/blocking skill marginally. C Rank - Improves evasive and deflection/blocking skill slightly. B Rank - Improves evasive and deflection/blocking skill moderately
Special: None
Drawbacks: Cannot learn Quick Strike training.
Description: The practitioner is put through a series of rigorous repetitive movements to improve their ability to reflexively react to attacks by evading or deflecting/blocking with their sword. As they develop their training, their speed and reflexes slowly increase.
Restriction: Must have a Senpai/Sensei of a Kenjutsu Dojo to learn.

Progress: 0/10

After Yoshinee had finished with the chores and stance training, she returned to her senpai within the dojo. However, he quickly moved with her outside to the outdoor back-area.This would be where the reflex training would take place. ”The most important skill in Iaijutsu is not to strike the opponent. It is to never be stricken yourself. To become one with the sword you must be like the wind. Swift, elusive, and then with a simple balanced strike bring your opponent to their knees. First, you shall practice upon drawing and sheathing the sword.. Afterwards, report to your seniors over there.”

Nodding in understanding, Yoshinee stepped towards a corner, where no one was likely to get within range of any possible accidents. Then, using the gentle grip upon the hilt, Yoshinee drew the blade slightly forward, before gripping fully and attempting to draw it completely from the sheathe. However, the tip of the blade still had not emerged fully. Re-sheating it, it took a few attempts for Yoshinee to realize the missing piece of the puzzle. Not only did she have to gently slide the blade up with one hand. The other hand which was resting on the sheathe had to be moving downwards, pulling the sheathe and sword in different directions. That would give her the last bit she’d missed to properly draw the sword. Giving it an attempt, it became clear just how fluid of a motion this could be done in. Even if this could be said to be beginner level, Yoshinee had the sensation of actually swinging the sword through the drawing motion. It was as if drawing the sword immediately made her capable of slashing an opponent in the blink of an eye. Resheathing her sword, Yoshinee spent a good amount of time merely practicing how to draw correctly…

…Approaching her seniors, Yoshinee bowed for them as is respectful to do. Quite surprised by her size, two of the larger boys would be assisting her in showing off the next training bit. ”Reflex training on the most basic step is done over here.”
Being shown to what looked like a tennis-ball throwing machine, Yoshinee was assisted with getting herself into position. ”This beauty will fire rubber balls in this area. Now, don’t worry, it’s configured to be on the lowest setting. All you’ll have to do, is hit a single rubber-ball out of ten. If you can manage that you’ll have a chance to skip the next set of chores” Yoshinee could sense how the others were having a light smile to their face. It couldn’t be that difficult, could it?
Bowing her knees down and taking the stance, Yoshinee rested both of her hands, ready to draw. The first rubber ball was fired. Yoshinee had barely begun the motion to draw before the ball hit the net, designed to catch any stray balls, behind her. The second ball hit the net in the motion that Yoshinee had resheathed her sword. At the third attempt, Yoshinee had managed to draw the sword out, but that without any chance of actually connecting with the rubber ball. Sheathing as fast as she could, it still wasn’t enough to keep up with the speed of the rubber balls.

One by one she missed them, until only one shot remained. Sword was sheathed, her focus was intense. The crimson eyes were staring onto the machine. While the place they were aimed at slightly changed, the speed that they were shot with didn’t. Simulating the movement speed and direction in her mind as the barrel of the machine was moving, it’d be her last chance at not having to clean the floor. The bang went off, Yoshinee drew her sword. Barely barely barely chipping it with the absolute tip of her sword, the rubber ball changed direction just enough to miss the catchers-net.
- However, the sensei at the dojo, who had merely been walking past to instruct the seniors caught it the ball an open hand, gently closing his fingers around it as if it had been a childs toy. Nodding in acknowledgement to the fact that she had hit it, Yoshinee breathed out. ”That was great, well done!.. However, when I said a chance to skip out on chores, it really was a small chance” With a soft sigh, Yoshinee went into the dojo, preparing to clean the floor in one of the adjacent training rooms.

[Umehara]

+10

[yoshinee]

[Currently practicing:]

SPOILER: Click to show

Mae (Front)
Rank: D Rank
Effect: Deflects/blocks a weak (D Rank or less) frontal attack.
Special: None
Drawbacks: None
Description: Commencing from a kneeling position, the practitioner draws their sword to forestall a frontal attack as a simple defense then sheathes.
Restrictions: Must have a Senpai/Sensei of a Kenjutsu Dojo to learn; must have Reflex Training (D Rank) or Quick Strike Training (D Rank)

[Current Progress: 0/10]
Even washing the floor in this place required a certain technique and stance, as shown by her seniors. The philosphy was, that any action with a purpose has a right way. A way that will strenghten your body and mind, until both become invaluable tools. The way to hold the mop, while then stepping forward, holding the mop in front of yourself. It felt a lot like stepping into an opponents attack with your entire weight, using only the blade - or in this case - the mop, to deflect the attack and keep yourself out of harms way. As the floor was cleaned, Yoshinee could actually feel the strain being limited to only certain areas in her body. It was as if an automatic realignment in body strenght happened. From muscles which were barely usable for anything but unneccesary actions, to the muscles which were used for combat-related movement.

Having finished, Yoshinee returned to the centre of the dojo, bowing before her senpai in a respectful manner. "Mae, the perception of a frontal defense. Strike me." With that, Yoshinee took her stance. Drawing the sword and striking at her senpai in a fluid and swift motion, the way his practice blade impacted upon hers caused her to immediately drop the sword and get a numb sensation at the tips of her fingers.. "The balance of a blade will always speak to you of weak points. The longer from the hilt you're impacting, the greater control over an opponents blade you'll have. If done perfectly against an unprepared opponent, you'll even be able to disarm them. Practice this with a fellow student"

Pairing up with a fellow student about her own size, even though the female in front of her was slightly younger, it'd prove to be a somewhat simple strike. Standing in front of each other, they'd continously take turns at striking with the sword unsheathed, and quickdrawing to strike the opponents sword away in as deft of a movement as possible. The deflection came easier with better reflexes and precise strikes. All across the dojo, the emanating sounds of strikes of pieces of wood echoed off. The female in front of her had about the same strenght as Yoshinee, so she had to be precise. Striking too far down the girls hilt would cause the defense to become a block rather than a deflection. While that wasn't an issue against someone of Yoshinee's own size, someone stronger than her would easily use the interlocking block to overpower her.

The two girls continued exchanging blows, as a strange sensation happened. It was as if Yoshinee could feel what the girl was intending as their swords crossed paths. The girl wasn't attempting to actually hit Yoshinee. The swords were speaking. As Yoshinee blocked, preparing to strike at her opponent, she tried giving off the intent of actually striking for real, merely to see if the other girl had caught up on it. Without Yoshinee actually doing the movements to strike, the girl in front of her took a step back, and fell on her butt. Apparently, their little sword fight, regardless of how harmless it might have seemed, was like a language. Yoshinee stretched out her hand to help the girl back on her feet.. Taijutsu was a language.

Both of the girls took their stances once more, but this time Yoshinee had already gained the upper hand by the former threathening presentation she had made. As the girl sent her strike at Yoshinee, the fear was reflected in the blade. As Yoshinee drew her sword to deflect, the girl in front of her was disarmed entirely. The wooden katana dropped to the floor, echoing through the dojo, as the senpai raised an eyebrow. Perhaps there was more to Yoshinee than the eyes would tell at first.. While he was approaching the two girls, Yoshinee sheathed her sword, bowed before her opponent, before turning her attention towards their senpai.

[Corvus]

+10

[yoshinee]

[Currently Practicing:]

SPOILER: Click to show

Reflex Training
Rank: D, C and B Rank
Effect: D Rank - Improves evasive and deflection/blocking skill marginally. C Rank - Improves evasive and deflection/blocking skill slightly. B Rank - Improves evasive and deflection/blocking skill moderately
Special: None
Drawbacks: Cannot learn Quick Strike training.
Description: The practitioner is put through a series of rigorous repetitive movements to improve their ability to reflexively react to attacks by evading or deflecting/blocking with their sword. As they develop their training, their speed and reflexes slowly increase.
Restriction: Must have a Senpai/Sensei of a Kenjutsu Dojo to learn.

[Current Progress: 0/20]

While Yoshinee wasn't at all good with Taijutsu, the girl was acting as a skilled veteran on a battlefield. Not capable of using raw power, strenght nor size to her advantage, she used speed, precision and insight to achieve more or less the same things. As such, her senpai had deemed that the training she'd recieve the most profit from, would be to perfect her reflex training, before learning more pristine cuts and defenses that could utilize the talents the girl actually did have. The first part of their reflex training would, hopefully, stress out Yoshinee quite a bit more than what she had already experienced. "The mind is your weapon, Kouhai. You'll never master the arts of Iaijutsu that rely on strenght or power. To sharpen your blade, you must sharpen your reflexes to the limit." Leading Yoshinee outside, it was clear from the setup to Yoshinee what was going to happen. Swallowing, the crimson eyes eyed what was in front of her with a sceptical look.

The rubber-ball cannon was aimed at a catching net ou. On the ground in front of the net, a white circle had been drawn, not much larger than what a human would fill out. The movement in any direction would be equal to that of about a single step. "This will be the place you refine your reflexes, for now. Walk into the circle, stay within the circle, dodge the rubber balls. Once you can do that, your seniors will instruct you on how to continue. You may begin" Yoshinee stepped into the circle. The cannon was pretty close to her, the distance only about fifteen meters. The balls that would be shot at her at random intervals would take less than second to reach her. The processing levels at those speeds would make it come down to reflexes, as there would be no time to think. Narrowing her eyes, Yoshinee focussed on the barrel of the cannon. Getting hit by those balls would leave blue marks...

A metallic sound of the gears grinding reached her ears as the cannon had been started. Taking the Iaijutsu stance, Yoshinee sharpened her senses to their current absolute limit. As the rubber ball was shot towards her, Yoshinee took a step to the side, making the rubber ball pass her entirely. It had even been quite easy to do so. In that moment however, a wooden stick hit her foot, as one of the seniors hit her, intent albeit gently. Looking down, Yoshinee had completely forgotten about the circle, and she had stepped out of bounds. Biting her lower lip, the lesson suddenly became clear to her. The reflexes of Iaijutsu wasn't meant to just evade an attack. They were meant to evade as efficiently and effortlesslyy as possible. Taking too big movements would leave you open to continous attacks and expend too much energy. That was, in essence, the lesson.

Standing back inside the circle, Yoshinee closed her mind off even further. Imagining that she was standing atop a pillar, everyy side beyond the circle was an endless fall. The rubber-ball cannon was the opponent, and the balls were deadly attacks. As the first rubber ball was flung at her, Yoshinee simply changed her balance to the back foot, merely leaning her body towards the left side, as the rubber-ball traversed the air. Barely missing her shoulder, the first dodge had been perfect. The second rubber ball wasn't shot much after the first one though, and this one impacted on her right hip. It felt as if she had slightly cornered her right side. Immediately after the dodge, she'd have to return to the regular stance. There would be no time for hesitation.

[yoshinee]

[Current Progress: ??/20]
The sensation from having been hit left a slight burning feeling. It did hurt, but it wasn't important. The third rubber-ball was flung at Yoshinee. Again, merely changing her balance, the ball shot past her. The sensation of the moving air was felt against her skin. Moving back into her stance, it became an almost fluid and beautiful motion, like a dance. The rubber balls kept being flung at her, and she kept dancing between them, never once stepping over the boundaries of the white circle which she was standing within. The confines had been there. Anything moving at this speed, from that distance, she'd be capable of dodging almost effortlessly...
...That wasn't completely it though. One of the seniors increased the velocity that the balls would be fired from the cannon with. For every ball which was shot and dodged, the speed was increased, until Yoshinee was only capable of evading by the width of a hair. They had to admit it though. For a rookie, Yoshinee wasn't bad at all.

"Alright.." The eldest senior, Matake Kuranee spoke. Currently he was overseeing her practice, and he'd be the one to instruct her on the next step. "This is the current limit of your reflexes. Right now, you're only capable of dodging. The next step, is to learn cutting Taking his stance within the white circle, Matake seemed to be at complete relaxation. As the rubber-ball was flung through the air, Yoshinee saw no possible way that he'd be able to draw his sword in time. However, he was more than capable of doing just that. The only thing Yoshinee percieved was the flash of the sun reflected from the sword. The rubber ball had been cut. Twice. The speed was absolutely unbelieveable.

For this excercise, Yoshinee was borrowed a real katana. The grip was more perfected, making it near impossible to send the sword flying if one gripped it with intent. The blade was sharp, and would definitively protect Yoshinee from the meager rubber-ball if she impacted upon it. Taking her stance within the circle, this would be pressing her current limits. The crimson eyes narrowed, the grip of the handle was loose, the stance was without flaw. The motion she would have to perform, would be leaning slightly towards the ball, while drawing the sword and slashing. If the timing was off, it'd impact directly onto her solar plexus. Needless to say, it would hurt like a bitch.

The rubber ball was shot at her. Leaning slightly forwards, the angle had been adjusted correctly. The movement of the sword draw had been quite good aswell. While turning her front foot slightly to the side, Yoshinee slashed with all that she had. The rubber ball was sliced into two, and was flung into two different directions, passing her body with no issue what so ever. However, the movement that Yoshinee had not yet perfected, was the retraction. Quickly composing herself, she gathered herself into the stance once more, quickly sheathing the sword. The second rubber-ball was already fired though. Shifting her balance, the best she could do was to avoid it. The rubber ball slightly grazed her shirt.. Breathing deeply, the concentration was taking a lot out of her. However, her senior appeared impressed. It was rare that they had students capable of catching on so quickly.

[N A T S U M I]

+20; Learned.

[yoshinee]

[Currently Practicing:]

SPOILER: Click to show

Reflex Training
Rank: D, C and B Rank
Effect: D Rank - Improves evasive and deflection/blocking skill marginally. C Rank - Improves evasive and deflection/blocking skill slightly. B Rank - Improves evasive and deflection/blocking skill moderately
Special: None
Drawbacks: Cannot learn Quick Strike training.
Description: The practitioner is put through a series of rigorous repetitive movements to improve their ability to reflexively react to attacks by evading or deflecting/blocking with their sword. As they develop their training, their speed and reflexes slowly increase.
Restriction: Must have a Senpai/Sensei of a Kenjutsu Dojo to learn.

[Current Progress: 0/70]
The training had been progressing quite nicely for Yoshinee. The percieved strenght of her sword-fighting could be said to be quite good, at least for someone who didn't specialise in taijutsu. The third and final stage of her reflex training was coming up, and she had dedicated herself to learning. As she did not have a sword of her own, she had been granted a practice katana from the dojo. The first step of the warrior is to have a clear and focussed mind, as her senpai had said; "To react to change, one must be ready. The body is not the important bit, as it will always react when told to do so. Sharpen your mind, Kouhai. Sharpen your senses"[/color]

Having knelt down, Yoshinee was sitting in an adjacent room to the main dojo, having taken a preparation and meditation stance as instructed by her seniors. The practice katana was sheathed in her lap, laying across her center. One of her hands was resting at the hilt of the blade, the other resting on the sheathe. The sword was becoming one with her body throughout this training, and her mind becoming one with the sword. Everything was slowly being removed from her mind. The fear of dying, the commitment to her friends, the promise to her parents. Everything bound to earth will hold you back. Thoughts and feelings that are bound to uncertainty clouds ones mind with a thick fog.

When Yoshinee opened her eyes, it was inside her mind. Everything in here was completely dark. The foggy thoughts had vanished, and nothing was clouding her mind. Only a single thing remained in this darkness. A delicate waterfall that seemed to start so far above her that she could not see the beginning, and and so far below her, that she could not see the end. Its width was barely worth talking about, and the stream wasn't fast enough to be of concern. Walking slowly, Yoshinee entered the waterfall. Sitting down here, the constant stream of water was assisting in linking her body and mind together, making her feel as if they had become one. The waterfall her mind. The kneeling image of herself her body. The sword in her lap. Rising from her position, everything was ready to continue with the final steppes of training.

Breathing calmly, Yoshinee went out into the backyard again, the sword tightly placed in her hands. The first task was quite simple. Slice the flying rubber balls. There would be a difference to the last time though. Yoshinee was going to slice the balls; not just once, but twice. The circle at her feet had been made so small that any movement changing her position would be almost impossible. This was the ultimate state of the reflexes. One would have to stop acting on the instinct of moving away from the danger, and move that instinct over to attacking the danger instead. Before attempting a double slash however, Yoshinee was going to perfect the single-slash towards the middle of the rubber ball.

As the first shot went out, the only movements that Yoshinee used was movement that was based on her arms and center of gravity. The slash shimmered through the air, and just as suddenly the sword had been sheathed. On the ground on either side of Yoshinee, the two halves of the rubber balls had found themselves. The slice had been clean, and almost straight through the center. The crimson eyes were calm. The body was relaxed. This was nearing perfection.

[yoshinee]

[Current Progress: ??/70]
Unlike the first time she had attempted this, the meditation made her mind capable of readying itself at higher speeds. The second rubber ball was shot, at higher speeds than the first one. The crimson eyes focussed on the center. The sheathe was pulled backwards, the elbow was raised in a straight line towards the target. Then in a snapping movement, Yoshinee almost only had to stretch her arm to make the sword act like an extension of her body, and thereby slice whichever object was in the line. As Yoshinee stretched her arm, the sword moved at the high speeds so indicative of the Iaijutsu style. The sound of air being sliced, and the thud of the rubber being split into two seperate pieces. This time, the slice had been straight through the center. To Yoshi, it hadn't even felt as if she had actually cut anything. The slice was effortless, costed almost no energy, and relied on speed and precision rather than strenght. With more practice, she felt she'd be able to take Iaijutsu quite far.

Spending quite a good amount of time slicing these rubber balls that were being flung at her at constantly increasing speeds, Yoshi was intent on perfecting one step before moving on to the next. Fifty times, at least, did the katana flash, before Yoshi was content with her current skill level. The next bit of practice would be taking the precision skill and improving even further upon it. Until the flexes and precision were so intertwined that there'd be no next level for Yoshinee to achieve. Cleaning up the halved-rubber balls, Yoshinee went over to a more open practice area. Before trying the precision with the rubber-balls, she'd be getting the movements and mental preparation done first.

Standing out in the open, Yoshinee held the blade and sheathe, ready to practice the slashes. The main movement of the second slash would have to be a combination of movement in the shoulder and in the wrist. Slashing into the air, the meant movement was much like an inverted V, with the top point being the top center of whatever she was slicing into, ended up being slightly wobbly and wrong. It was definitively a hand-eye coordination beyond anything that Yoshinee had attempted to do with Ninjutsu. Resheathing the sword, Yoshinee prepared herself to attempt the slicing motion once more.

The same movement, over and over. Repetition, repetition, repetition. The flashing light from the blade almost allowed the inverted V shape form to stay in the air for a split second after the blade had actually passed. The speed was getting right, the precision was getting right. The only thing that remained to be tested was the timing and coordination aspect. Yoshinee went into the dojo to sharpen and clean the sword. Sitting down at the workbench, working on giving the practice katana the best possible treatment. Since the weapon was an extension of the body, the blade would have to be kept in as good of conditions as the body wielding it. After finishing up, Yoshinee sheathed the sword. Everything was ready. Tomorrow was a special day, and Yoshinee had to be as ready as she could possibly be.

[yoshinee]

[Current Progress: ??/70]
Tomorrow would have a special occurence, that happened once every two months within the school. On the second day of every second month, there'd be practice matches within the school. Usually the matches were quite hard, and people could get hurt. Even if the events were filled with respect, everyone was going to give it their everything. Once a challenge had been issued, one only had the choice to accept. Probably not strangely so, being of the tiny proporsitions she was, Yoshinee had gotten three challenges. Having had no choice but to accept, she'd have to fight three rounds. Unlike the others, who had been secure with their victories over her, especially as she had three contestants to go through, she spent the entire day practicing. Yoshinee had spent the entire morning by practicing sword-slashes in the backyard, away from everyone.

As midday approached, Yoshinee had allied herself with the eldest senior, who had agreed to assist her, having felt her distress over three challenges. As they approached the ball-machine, he patted her on the head, probably figuring she was younger than she actually was. As she took her position within the circle and held the sword, he watched her movements carefully. As the rubber ball was fired towards her, Yoshinee copied the motion she had been practicing so vigorously. The first result was better than expected, but not like she had wanted. Having slashed in a V-shape, the ball had been split. The second slice that she had attempted to apply, had put a dent into the rubber ball, but it had not been able to separate the two parts in two.

"The idea on precision and practice strikes are sound." The senior said, approaching Yoshinee. The other day when she had first been approaching the ball machine, he had shown her this exact movement. Now, having just seen it once, she was close at copying it. A smile went onto his lips, as he started to explain. "The Quickdraw is making the movement of drawing a sword into an actual attack. The second slice, will be an opposite movement. The movement of sheathing your sword will be the second slash. Observe" Placing his hands on the sword, he stood into the circle, waiting for Yoshinee to start the machine. As the ball was shot, she observed his movements almost in slowmotion.

The first movement was quite alike Yoshinee's. First the elbow was aligning itself with the trajectory of the balls movement. Then he was about to draw. The difference here was, that he moved his sheathe alongside the sword, before pulling it back in a snap. Not only did this mean that it would seem even more like the senior wasn't ready to slash at an opponent, it also changed the position of his initial slash to the opposite side of the balls central point. Then, as he pulled the sword backwards towards the sheathe, the movement in itself slashed into the rubber-ball, making the two-strike slash seem almost like a single slash. Nodding with understanding, Yoshinee took position. For the remaining of the day, the young kunoichi kept practicing. Even when the twilight had approached, she continued, until she was so worn out that she could barely stagger home to sleep. Having done everything possible to improve her skills, tomorrow would be the ultimate test. Would it suffice?

[yoshinee]

[Current Progress: ??/70]
All of the new kouhai's had shown up. It was a special day, afterall. On the wall the tournament poster had been placed, with the preliminaries being based upon the challenge system. The challenges would be issued one after each other, giving those who had recieved multiple challenges very little time to recover from their first challenges, if they should have been exhausting. After the preliminaries had gone down, the real tournament would start at evening. This tournament was only for Kouhais, so the seniors and superiors were only allowed to watch over and cheer for the newcomers.

The second challenge that was to be showcased was against Yoshinee. All of the kouhai's were standing in a large circle, around a teal-colored drawn circle on the floor. Step out of bounds and you lose. Give up and you lose. Get stricken and you lose. Fight with anything but your sword and body, and you lose. The duels would not end until one or the other had been defeated. Rules were simple and straight forward. Getting into the ring, Yoshinee bowed before her first opponent. A boy, at least twice the size of Yoshinee herself when looking at the weights. Even so, the crimson eyes had already read his intent. The boy was expecting to overpower Yoshinee by interlocking their swords and then stepping into her with his entire weight, forcing her to back off out of the ring. If Yoshinee backed off from the first attack, he'd simply make a new one and keep on cornering her. He relied on her instinct of fearing his size.

Yoshinee's instinct had changed though, and her reflexes told her something different entirely. As the wooden sword of her opponent was drawn, Yoshinee loosened the grip of her own sword. As he stepped forwards, she didn't move at all. The timing, the precision, she'd have to be precise. As his sword was swung, Yoshinee's change of balance allowed her to just slightly dodge the sword. Drawing her own, a precise and fast strike was sent towards him as he was trying to step back and re-sheathe his sword. The impact crashed down upon his fingers in a flash. A cracking sound went out into the room. The fingers he was holding the blade with had broken, and not by force. Precision and speed alone had paid off for Yoshineee.

Sheathing her sword, Yoshinee bowed in respect before her opponent, who seemed struck by confusion. The wooden sword that had been his weapon was dropped to the floor, as he silently cursed his loss. Returning to the outer circle, Yoshinee took a few deep breaths, closed her eyes, returning to her state of complete focus. Left and right, people were defeated. Some were wounded, others were beaten in the most riddiculing ways, showing that the difference in skill and dedication to the art was quite large. Even so, the way Yoshinee had defeated her first challenger had made a few raise their eyebrows, acknowledgeing her skill.

[yoshinee]

[Current Progress: ??/70]
After a while of other participants duking it out, the second challenge arrived. This boy was closer to Yoshinee's build. While his body was definitively stronger, she couldn't say for sure that she'd have the edge in speed this time. The crimson eyes eyed him, as they bowed for each other and took their stances. Likewise, it was harder to tell what he'd be up to. The air around them went colder, as they both prepared. Knowing that she couldn't overpower him directly, she'd allow him to make the first move. The crimson eyes watched as his balance slowly shifted, anticipating a fallout every second now. As he stepped forwards, Yoshinee had no choice this time but to deflect. Pulling the sheathe and drawing her own wooden blade, a loud clack echoed through the room as they impacted towards each other. As his sword was deflected and her sword sheathed, Yoshinee raised her elbow, preparing the counter.

Pulling the sheathe and drawing the sword, Yoshinee sent an overhead slash at the boys shoulder. This was where an opportunity showed itself. The boy didn't have the same amount of reflex training at Yoshinee did, and therefore he had only barely been able to block. This meant that the tip of his sword was still within the sheathe, and any movement he'd be doing from here on would be harder. Retracting her sword to the sheathe, she aligned her elbow with his solar plexus. Stepping forward and drawing, Yoshinee sent the hilt of her sword into his stomach, causing him to take two steps backwards. While he wasn't out of the ring, and the attack didn't count as a finishing blow, she had definitively claimed the advantage. For now he was shaken and angered.

As he came at her with rage rather than technique, his attacks were ten times easier to read, although they had more force. Dancing around his wodden sword, as was waiting for that moment where a critical mistake was made. As his balance changed forward and he took a step, she finally read an opening. His overhead slash went barely past her left side, as she drew her sword and allowed it to slide up his blade. The direction was towards his throat, and he'd have no chance of deflecting or dodging this one with his balance skewered so far forward. The boy closed eyes eyes, waiting for the impact...

...However, Yoshinee stopped her blade in front of her head. The wooden blade was only an inch away from his nose, as she retracted the blade and placed it within her sheathe. The reflexes she possessed for outclassed that of the other kouhai, who had ended up with no other choice but to bow his head and accept defeat. Even though she had found a weakness to exploit, Yoshinee had not been a dick about it. Afterall, they were all students here. They were all practicing to become stronger, together. There was no need to humiliate or hurt the other kouhais. Other of the students were of the mindset that weaklings had no place within a martial arts school. Those were the real villains Yoshinee was aiming for, and the last challenger was one of such material.

[yoshinee]

[Current Progress: ??/70]
As Yoshinee entered the ring with the final challenger before she'd be seated into the tournament, the crimson eyes had found a target for retribution. The young man, likely around the age of seventeen that was standing before her, was an absolute monster towards the other kouhai. His name was Asakora Sets, and he had been humiliating one kouhai after the other. The worst was the one he had disarmed without ever drawing his sword, before hitting said kouhai to the face with his own weapon. The absolute worst shame one could bring upon another swordsman. To defeat them with their own weapon, without drawing ever. For this reason, Yoshinee didn't bow before him as she had before the other kouhai. This man didn't deserve her respect.

As Yoshinee took her stance, Asakora was standing around in a pose that was clearly indicating to everyone that he wasn't worried. That he was going to teach Yoshinee the difference between hard work and talent. Yoshinee drew as swift as she could. The movement wasn't made in anger, or with emotions clouding her judgement. The opponent had been open, and she had acted upon it. Asakora barely managed to get his head out of the way, as Yoshinee's wooden blade soared right past. Surprised at the speed and intensity of her slash, he shook his head and laughed, getting into a more proper stance for swordfighting. For the first time in his battles, he had gotten serious, and Yoshinee was going to get hurt if he had it his way.

Stepping forward, he sent a swordstrike towards her face. Leaning backwards while maintaining her balance, the width with which she had dodged would've allowed her to peak her lips and kiss the tip of the blade. Repaying in kind almost immediately, Yoshinee had forced her opponent to take two steps backwards to avoid the strike she had just sent his way. Calmly stepping closer, Yoshinee was almost inviting Asakora to attack with full strenght. Inviting this encounter to become unreasonably violent. Asakora bit his lower lip, getting flustered. The way she was so nimbly moving just out of his range. The way she was immediately changing her balanced weight to apply a counter-attack. In just a split second of time, Asakora felt fear.

Keeping his cool, he nodded his head, as if giving Yoshinee praise for having forced him to take a step back. This time, his drew against her was slightly slower, and Yoshinee had no trouble parrying it. Or so she had thought. With a swift movement he interlocked their blades against one another, and started to pressure her with his superior weight and strenght. There was only one thing which he had forgotten when applying such a technique. Their blades were interlocked with him pushing at with the part near his hilt. Yoshinee was pressing against his with the tip of her sword. As such, the only thing she had to do was to loosen her grip on the blade. Sidestepping, Asakora was forced to take a few steps forward, almost stepping out of the ring. Just like he had been toying with other kouhai, she was toying with him. The reflexes she had acquired and continued to acquire were far superior.

[yoshinee]

[Current Progress: ??/70]
Asakora, now visibly shaking with fury, unable to comprehend which aspects of swordfighting he lacked to beat a little girl approached her. The others had been laughing at him, and he couldn't take it. Unbeknownst to Yoshinee, he had changed which sword he had gripped. His quickdraw flashed with full speed and anger. The katana was of metal, and it was freshly sharpened. Why he had been carrying it must've been a mystery. The initial human instincts would've made Yoshinee immediately flee. That however, was not what happened. In her mind, she was standing within the circle outside. Coming at her was a rubber-ball, and the movements and reflexes were so worked into her body that fear wasn't the thing she felt.

Drawing her wooden sword, parrying was obviously impossible, as he'd slice right through it and cut her chest. Instead, she was aiming to use the trick she had been taught by her senior. Moving the sheathe with the sword as she was about to draw, she could see Asakora's face light up as if she wasn't going to make it, or as if she'd be trying to block with the sheathe. In a snap, she pulled the sheathe backwards and send a swordstroke at the side of his sword. The force wasn't strong or anything, but it was enough to alter the course of his blade to the point where it wouldn't hit her. Asakora's sword barely grased her cheek, making a shallow cut. However, as Yoshinee did the movement to prepare sheathing her sword once more, the slash was sent directly to his face. Impacting upon his right eye, Asakora fell to the floor, blood gushing. The sensei was already over him, having secured his sword and pulled him away, while one of the senior students had embraced Yoshinee and pulled her away aswell.

Furious on the inside, Yoshinee immediately left the dojo to go outside and do practice swings on the flying rubber balls. Imagining the rubber-balls as Asakora's sword just now, the strikes she applied were true, fierce and with intent to kill. In the moment, Yoshinee hadn't been scared, but immediately after it had all been settled and there were no longer a risk of getting hurt or even dying, tears had emerged in her eyes. Tears that were being striken into eacn and every of the rubber-balls that she was mercilessly slicing into pieces. It had become second nature to her, and it was calming her down...

"He's lost his eye and was swearing revenge, but you need not fear kouhai. The sensei has expelled him for using a real weapon in a practice fight, you won't be seeing him again" With that, the senior went to increase the speed with which the rubber-balls were flying. Even if Yoshinee didn't say a word, he could see how she was putting all of her focus and emotion into the practice. Nothing more needed to be said, as long as she could be allowed to stand there and hone her skills, everything would be okay. Needless to say, Yoshinee resigned from the tournament she had earned a spot in, not wanting to make more enemies amongst the students of the school.

[Draven]

+70 -learned-

[yoshinee]

[Currently practicing: ]

SPOILER: Click to show

Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique - Push)
Rank: "C"
Skill: NinJutsu/TaiJutsu
Effect: A Jutsu that allows a user to rush forward in almost instantaneous speed. Used to draw the user close to the opponent.
Special: ---
Drawback: May use 3 times a day. May perform 1 more each time learned. Passing amount renders the user's legs immobile due to severe pain. Unable to perform again unless gained medical treatment. Must move through an opening. Unable to maneuver around obstructing objects. Can't attack while performing any Shunshin or Variation.
Description: User is able to move forward in a straight line along the ground in almost instantaneous untraceable speed while temporarily masking the user's movements within 10 meters. A puff of smoke is occasionally used to disguise the user's movements. It is accomplished by focusing the user's chi along the ankles and foot. User mostly moves just with their ankles and feet. Jutsu takes up no movements. User may only use this Jutsu half of the movements may allow in a single round while rounding down. Example: User has 5 movements, user is able to perform Jutsu 2 times per round.
Limit: Universal NinJutsu or Universal TaiJutsu.

[Current Progress: 0/20]
To properly utilize this technique, you must increase your capacity for using it. When you can only use the technique a few times a day before reaching your limit, you’ll have a hard time versus someone who can close the gap multiple times. There is a multitude of ways to increase the usages though. The first method you should be using, will simply increase the capacity of your muscles. With a higher capacity, even the strain of a shunshin will lessen to great effect. Find another shinobi who is capable of using the technique, then challenge him or her to a race. The winner will always be the one capable of utilizing their energy and bodily strain in the best way.

Yoshinee had easily found someone. In fact, mostly everyone on the training grounds had found the idea of some kind of race cool. So instead of having a simple race based off of a few people, they were five or so total. There had been a little boasting to start things off, but Yoshinee hadn’t taken any of it to heart. The young kunoichi didn’t know what her fellow runners were capable of. One thing was certain though, having been the one to start off this training, she didn’t want to come in last. One of the bystanding shinobi clapped his hands loudly, issuing for the race to begin. Immediately figuring out what was going on was a complete chaos. Some had chosen to shunshin right out the gate, others were taking it slower. Yoshinee herself, was in the second category.

Running at a decent pace, but not necessarily sprinting, Yoshinee knew that five laps on the course would be far too much for her to handle at top speed. Counting in the usage of shunshins, it was more than likely she’d have to be walking a few paces. The race itself quickly unfolded in a way, where Yoshinee and another girl was at the back. Up at the front two boys were willing to continually challenge each other with shunshins, making them get further and further ahead. Yoshinee kept on watching the others, trying to form a strategy of her own. One aspect was training to use more shunshins in a day. Another was to use them the most efficiently. As one of the front boys had to slow down his pace, Yoshinee gathered that repeated usage right on top of each other would be detrimental in the long run.

Gathering chakra to her feet, Yoshinee eyed the girl at her side. With a confident smile, Yoshinee rushed forward at a rapid pace for a split second. Already now she could feel the effects of having used the technique. It was a slight stinging sensation, almost as when you disallow blood to a limb and it falls asleep. The kunoichi’s current position in the race was #4 out of five. Just ahead of her, almost in reach, was the third place. For now however, Yoshinee only attempted to keep up with him in the regular running. Even though it was slight, the strain from having used the first shunshin slowly dwindled, meaning that keeping this pace would allow her to unleash the technique more than three times. Pushing ones limit in the spirit of competition. Yoshinee smiled.

[yoshinee]

[Current Progress: ??/20]
This practice was more than Yoshinee could’ve hoped to gain from more or less randomly asking if others were up for a shunshin race. Since the distance they were running had been relatively far, it gave Yoshinee time to inspect and observe the others take on using the technique the most efficiently, while feeling out how her own body was reacting to the stress. Currently running in the fourth place, Yoshinee didn’t have far up to the third place. First place and second place were still using all of their stamina hap-hazardly to conquer each other. They’d likely run out of steam, unless their physique was far beyond what Yoshinee had anticipated.

Increasing the regular running speed a little, Yoshinee was catching up. The feet of the kunoichi were attempting to warn her that the exhaustion level would dry her out before the end of the race, but she didn’t listen. As the boy noticed Yoshinee catching up, he seemed intent on disallowing her to pass. Yoshinee recogniced the signs of preparing a shunshin. Gathering chakra herself, it seemed a slight bit early to use a second shunshin, but she didn’t have much of a choice if she wanted to win. As the boy shot forward, so did Yoshinee. Using the ability to counter-shunshin, she had even managed to overtake him and claim current third place as her own. Seemingly much to his frustration, as she could hear an ‘aw man’ in the background.

Still three laps remaining, Yoshinee had been using one shunshin per lap so far, at slightly different intervals. Recovering energy and lessening the strain was going according to the plan she had laid at the beginning of the race however. They had completed just about fourty percentage of the total distance, and Yoshinee felt like she had spent about fourty percentage of her total available energy. It would be cutting it slightly close to her limits, and the recovery time once she got home to Rogue would likely be an issue. For now though, Yoshinee was just enjoying the rapid improvements.

The second place was getting nearer. Not because Yoshinee had been making further distance to the current fourth-place runner than a few metres, but because the second-place runner had slowly run out of energy, slowing down and allowing the others to catch back up. As he noticed that the ones in the back were catching up to him however, it would seem as if his spirit of competition granted him shreds of new energy. Even if he likely wouldn’t be able to use more shunshins, his average running speed was quite excellent. Even though Yoshinee was slowly catching up, if he kept running like he currently did, she wouldn’t catch him before the finish line. Yoshinee knew that she’d be forced to use a third shunshin in the third lap. Normally, that would’ve been her limit. Yet she had a feeling that this time would be different. That this time, she would be using at least five!

[Draven]

+20 -learned