Sōjōgatani (Training/P)

[Hamura]

Keihatsu Ryuu: Soryūsen (Twin Dragon Flash)
Rank: "C"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: A move that utilizes both the sword and sheath within the same attack.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: The user uses both their sword and their sheath to do this move. The user starts with the Keihatsu Ryuu: Battōjutsu no Kamae (Art of Drawing the Blade Posture) and allows the opponent strike first. At the last moment, the user draws their blade performing Keihatsu Ryuu: Battōjutsu (Art of Drawing the Blade) to hit the opponent. If the opponent somehow manages to dodge the first attack, the user follows through with their sheath. The sheath strike delivers a pulverizing blow capable of crushing bone and shattering wood, but if the sword strike misses, the sheath strike acts as powerful insurance, preventing an opponent's attack and delivering a crushing blow when it's least expected. Unsheathing the sword takes up no movements when performing the first attack, however the second attack does take up a movement. The user sacrifices a movement when sheathing the sword.
Limit: Must learn from a Master of Busōsen (Arms Flash). Must know Keihatsu Ryuu: Battōjutsu (Art of Drawing the Blade).

_____________________

Though not surprised, he figured that Sōjōbō might have thought that Hamura needed more time to properly get back into the fold and train at his best. But since that was clearly not the case, a rumbling chuckle alarmed some of the nearby birds and caused them to shoot out of their perches and fly off deeper into the valley woods. When he fell silent, he asked Hamura about the things he had heard before he had passed out, and if he had any questions regarding them. Stating that he did not much care for wagers and that it could wait until later, the Daitengu huffed silently.

Asking him about what Taka had taught him regarding the arms flash techniques, Hamura ran him through the things he had managed to pick up until now. Whether it was because he felt bad about what had happened or was just in the mood to get his own hands dirty, Sōjōbō hadn't actually been teaching him anything after he had passed those duties on to Taka. While he had claimed that Sōjōbō would eventually take back over once the boy had been sufficiently groomed to be capable of handling it, Hamura wondered whether that time had already come.

Combining Protegra training with Busōsen, the paired dragon strike that the Daitengu was teaching him next utilized both the scabbard and the sword for a quick attack. After a short demonstration, he allowed Hamura to take over. Drawing his sword for a horizontal strike, he followed it up with a secondary strike from his scabbard by allowing the momentum of his initial attack to spin him with enough force probably crack bone, rock and wood alike on impact. Finding that it was a useful technique to keep those who managed to evade the initial attack from counter attacking, all he needed to work on now was his footing.

[End of Training]

[Deleted]

learned

[Hamura]

Keihatsu Ryuu: Soryūsen: Ikazuchi (Twin Dragon Flash: Thunder)
Rank: "C"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: An alternate form of Sōryūsen wherein the sword is wielded while still inside the sheath
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description:. The first strike is made with the sheathed sword and, once it makes contact, the sword is drawn using Battōjutsu for a second strike. While the original Keihatsu Ryuu: Soryūsen (Paired Dragon Strike) is designed to make 2 strikes, Keihatsu Ryuu: Soryūsen: Ikazuchi (Twin Dragon Flash: Thunder) appears designed with the assumption that the first strike will be blocked. Unsheathing the sword takes up no movements, however they must sacrifice a movement when sheathing the sword.
Limit: Must learn from a Master of Busōsen (Arms Flash). Must know Keihatsu Ryuu: Soryūsen (Paired Dragon Strike).

_____________________

Figuring the technique itself out rather quickly due to his training with Protegra techniques being reminiscent of what he was asked to do now, Sōjōbō did not need to wait for very long before he could demonstrate the next technique to the young ninja. Describing it as an alternate form of the technique they had just been going over, this version did not rely on both hands being utilized to hold a sword and a scabbard in a dual wielding fashion. This time, the sword was to remain within the scabbard and would remain there until the strike was executed.

Performing the technique while counting on someone blocking the initial hit, they would then shift their footing and draw the sword from the scabbard in order to slice someone open at close range, meaning the technique itself was potentially lethal if executed right. But since there was a lot of planning that came with it and a lot of factors to keep track of, one should always bet on things not going to be as easy as one might make them out to be in their own head. Since the weapon he had been given was not his own anyway, he figured practicing near the stones couldn't hurt.

Slamming his scabbard into it repeatedly, he wanted to make sure just how much pressure he put behind each strike as the goal was not just for it to connect, but to push some of the defenses aside for his follow up attack. In a way, he could understand why the technique had been called as it was, because after the lightning came the thunder, and in this case, the thunder part was what was emphasized upon rather heavily. Continuing with drawing the sword from the scabbard, he passed the side of his blade along the rocks, leaving an at least three centimeter deep cut in those he managed to hit.

[End of Training]

[Deleted]

learned

[Hamura]

Keihatsu Ryuu: Appā Surasshu (Upper Slash)
Rank: "C"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: User performs an upward Battōjutsu (Art of Drawing the Blade) followed by a downward strike.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Picture The user stands in Keihatsu Ryuu: Battōjutsu no Kamae (Art of Drawing the Blade Posture). Grabbing the handle of the sword near the Tsuba, the user thereafter steps forward with the front leg while unsheathing the blade in an upward vertical attacking motion across the body. This attack is able to knock an opponent upwards to 4 meters into the air. The unsheathing takes no movements as it is a blinding strike dedicated to knock an opponent into the air at blinding speeds. Upon sheathing the sword, the user must sacrifice a movement to do so.
Limit: Must learn from a Master of Busōsen (Arms Flash). Must know Keihatsu Ryuu: Battōjutsu (Art of Drawing the Blade).

_____________________

Watching it all from a slight distance, the Daitengu just looked at the boy as he learned how to properly utilize yet another technique in little to no time at all. When he looked over his shoulder, Hamura could tell that there was something pressing that Sōjōbō wanted to tell him, but apparently had trouble bringing up. Likely related to him asking whether Hamura had questions for him earlier, it would have been a lot easier if Hamura had directly asked about it so that the old Tengu would not need to actually find the right moment to slip in the subject for discussion himself.

In that sense, the powerful being was no different from humans. Grinning a bit as he returned to his training, there was but one thing left that he needed to train here, and it was something simply called the upper slash. Getting into the proper stance and waiting until he knew for a fact that he had Sōjōbō's full attention, he moved forward with a single step and removed his blade from the scabbard at an alarming rate. Moving it from the ground up, the attack wasn't meant to slice someone in half, but to use the resulting power to send someone up into the air.

Moving by the rock he had carved into earlier, he moved with enough force to dislodge the stone and make it rise to almost a meter above the ground before coming back down where it had most likely been standing for hundreds of years. As a few salamanders moved out from under the rock as their damp little spot had been disturbed, there was no doubt in his mind that they'd find a different place or move back in once everything settled and got quiet again. Turning to face Sōjōbō, he could tell that something was about to change.

[End of Training]

[Starnaess]

learned

[Hamura]

Keihatsu Ryuu: Sakura Tsuisutā (Sakura Twister)
Rank: "B"
Skill: TaiJutsu
Effect: A powerful spinning Keihatsu Ryuu: Appā Surasshu (Upper Slash).
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Picture Mostly used to evade high horizontal attacks. The user rushes towards the opponent and quickly performs a Keihatsu Ryuu: Appā Surasshu (Upper Slash). Before performing the attack the user leans their upper body forward. This lean is mean to evade high horizontal attacks as they perform a Keihatsu Ryuu: Appā Surasshu (Upper Slash) counter attack. While performing the attack the user will spin their body with the attack giving the attack full momentum and power in the attack.
Limit: Must learn from a Master of Busōsen (Arms Flash). Must know Keihatsu Ryuu: Appā Surasshu (Upper Slash).

_____________________

Learning at an even faster rate now that Sōjōbō was the one actively teaching him new techniques, he couldn't tell whether this was because he was even more focused on pleasing the Daitengu than he was with looking good in the eyes of Taka, or because Sōjōbō was just that good of a teacher. Figuring that it was likely due to it being a bit of both, he continued walking towards his teacher, who seemed to have a certain expression on his face that would either suggest he was highly constipated or had something on his chest that he really needed to share for some reason or the other.

Though he really did not want to, he figured that he would ask and see what would come out, just so the great priest of the Tengu would not need to break upon his own pride by not bringing it up himself. As soon as he asked, the words started pouring out like water from a fountain, starting with how he had set a wager with Taka regarding whether or not Hamura would get killed or if he would awaken something Sōjōbō believed was inside of him. As something had indeed happened, Sōjōbō did not really go into any depth as to what it was what had happened at all.

All he did say was that this kind of thing was born from a close encounter with death, and that depending on the user, it could grow to become a force of good, or a force for evil. When Hamura asked more into it, all the Daitengu would say that it was his bloodline limit, and that it was up to him to figure out what that meant and how to properly bring it out and master it. Annoyed at how little the Daitengu was willing to tell him about it after nearly killing him because of it, he figured that part of him believed it had been doing the right thing to put Hamura through all of that in order to fetch results.

[Hamura]

While it was still hard to figure out just what exactly had been unlocked, he remembered how he had been able to figure out the trajectory to Taka's strikes, which almost made things move in slow motion before his eyes. Some time ago, in the Sand village, he had been chased down by someone from the village in order to bring him to the hospital to lend aid. This person had a strange eye based ability that allowed him to see through obstacles and structures and managed to find him no matter where Hamura went to. While he had been toying with the man, it had given the youth some insight into the ability.

What this told him was that this was not the kind of bloodline limit that he had, because he had not been capable of seeing through his surroundings or anything of the sorts when the awakening took place in him for a few brief moments. That said, it could have been an enhancement or an ability that was awakened at a later point, or had to be activated separately in some way. Whatever the case, he did not think that this was the kind of power he was dealing with in his case. It was most likely something else entirely, but since he only knew so much about bloodlines at this point, actually figuring out what it could be was hard for him.

He knew about other bloodline limits by reading, which was why he knew about the abilities of the kyoudo to some extent. Likely knowing only about ten percent of what they could actually do with their abilities, he could safely say that that was not what it was either. As he worked his mind into a state of distress by trying to figure out exactly what it was that he could do, Sōjōbō placed his hand upon his shoulder and shook him back to reality. Telling him that there was no purpose in freaking out over such things, the best thing he could do now was to continue training.

[Hamura]

Even though he knew that Sōjōbō was right, it was not easy for someone like him who truly hated surprises and not knowing what was going on to not know what had happened to him, and what was still happening to him. Shaking his head violently, he got back into the present, because no matter how he looked at it, there was nothing he could do about it at this point. All he could do was continue to train, increase the amount of techniques in his arsenal and gather more power for himself. That way, when his powers did end up properly manifesting themselves, he could learn to figure out how to make the most of it.

Attempting to learn the Sakura Twister, he felt that just the explanation alone was not enough this time, meaning Sōjōbō would need to demonstrate it himself. Claiming that he did not exactly have the right figure and form for such a technique, he clapped on his big belly with both hands as to signify that he was too fat and out of shape for such things. Hamura however refused to believe such a thing to be true, even though his appearance did not lie. Letting a deep sigh escape his lips, he went back to the standing stones in order to train for himself in hopes of doing things right.

Since the technique was an advancement of the upper slash, the sakura twister utilized the same base mechanics, though it had been developed for the sake of being more practical in different situations. Whereas the original technique required but one frontal step, this technique was made to evade a high horizontal attack by doing the step and leaning forward so as to dive underneath the incoming attack at the last few moments and leave the opponent utterly defenseless with their side, back and front wide open for a counter attack.

[Hamura]

While it seemed like a risky move, he knew that doing so as he was now would likely make it into an unsafe bet with a chance of maybe fifty percent of actually succeeding. If he made the dive too soon, the opponent would just shift the angle of the cut and still get him in the act. If he did it too late, diving would not matter anymore since his body would not be able to move out of the strike in time, meaning he would also get himself hit. But all things considered, this was a technique that he would not be able to master just by practicing against a piece of rock that did not move or strike back no matter what he did.

No, this was the kind of technique one would keep in the back of their arsenal until the time came where one had to make some tough decisions, the kind of decisions where one would either be made or broken because of it. As such, he would continue training the technique here, giving his body a better feel to it so that he would know exactly how low he could go and therefore how high the strike would need to be if he were to actually move under it in time. Continuing to train his steps and his dive, he knew that the strike was not going to be a problem.

All it really was at the end of the day was a more dignified version of the upper slash technique which he had already learned. That said, if he managed to time the dive correctly, the slash itself could instantly take out an enemy without a whole lot of effort as it could nearly cut a man in half. That said, it all really came down to whether or not he managed to time things correctly, meaning he would need to end up on the right fifty percent for it to work. In a way, it would be like flipping a coin. If it turned out heads, he would get killed before he got the chance to strike. If it turned out tails, he would come out on top and kill his enemy before they got the chance to kill him.

[End of Training]

[Deleted]

learned

[Hamura]

Indomitable Soul
Rank: "B"
Skill: Supplementary
Effect: User's physical toughness translates into greater mental resilience.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Where others cave into Chakra effects that alter their minds, the user stands resolute. Whenever the user makes a Will save against mind-affecting or fear techniques, the user can roll 2d20 and use the higher of the 2 die rolls.
Limit: Must learn from Universal Miscellaneous. Must know Iron Will.

_________________________

With the last of those technique currently finished up properly after having determined that it was not the kind of thing he would be able to just use without consequence, the two started wandering away from the standing stones and followed the path leading straight through the valley. Making it clear that the sword based training had come to an end for an undetermined amount of time, the old Daitengu started explaining why Sōjōgatani had been hidden from the world even from those who had managed to find the temple that stood in front of the hidden gateway.

The select few that had received training or earned information from Sōjōbō had only seen the temple which was located behind a narrow passage within the mountainous region between the land of wind, the land of rivers and the land of rain, but had assumed that this was the place known as Sōjōgatani, not knowing that there was a hidden dimension which no one else knew about. When Hamura asked about it, Sōjōbō said that he would explain at a later time, having something else that he needed to tell him that was currently more important to the youth.

Claiming that "his people" were known for their coercive skills and the use of illusionary methods in order to win battles, submitting people to their will and getting what they wanted, Sōjōbō said that Hamura was somewhat of an anomaly. Possessing no skill or aptitude towards Genjutsu whatsoever, Hamura would never get to take the power of his clan to the highest possible level, though that was not necessarily a bad thing. Just because he could not make the most of it by going through conventional methods did not mean that he would not be able to make the most out of it on his own terms.

[Hamura]

Possessing a clear aptitude towards the physical arts, bladed weapons seemed to have taken his fancy because they were not the kind of things one got to play around with or take into a friendly spar. They were intended to wound and kill enemies with, which was exactly why they were his weapons of choice. Hamura had never really been the type to play nice with others, least of all those of his own age, and in that sense, his weapon choice reflected his personality almost perfectly. The fun part about it was that it hadn't even happened by choice.

But that did not matter, what mattered was what Sōjōbō told him next as they had traversed almost half of the road going straight through the valley. And as he pondered on why there was no sound or life to be sensed around this portion of the place, Sōjōbō told him about how awakening his bloodline properly would allow him to fight against those that would utilize illusionary attacks against him. Due to his dislike and hatred towards illusions for being cowardly and underhanded tools, the fact that he could not use it himself meant that his defenses and understanding were less developed.

If unlocking his bloodline could allow him to better protect himself against such cowards while he fought them, he would have that much reason for going through with it. Listening on to how his bloodline would allow him to do much more than better fight against illusions as it would also greatly benefit him as a combatant, he had reached the end of the path before he even noticed it. Reaching the foot of the mountain ridge and the many waterfalls that cascaded down the side, Sōjōbō let Hamura know that they had reached the site for their continued training.

[Hamura]

Stepping across the water's surface, small rocks came up right under his feet as if the very valley heeded the wishes of the Daitengu and were molded by his will and presence. Jumping up and clicking the heels of his wooden sandals together twice, two larger rocks rose up from the water. Rising in a cylinder shape, they were both located directly under one of the smaller waterfalls. Placing himself directly in the rushing water, Hamura could barely hear the Daitengu as he told him to take a seat on the other rock formation and close his eyes to meditate.

Knowing that his teacher could meditate for entire days, Hamura had always had a bit of trouble with it as he could not keep his thoughts in check long enough to properly meditate. Pulling himself together and heading across the stone path, he sat down on his platform, instantly feeling the nearly freezing water bearing down on him from above. Spreading through his body in a matter of seconds, the cold made it hard for him to function properly, let alone keep his mind focused on doing what it needed to do. As his teeth started chattering in his mouth, all he could think about was how badly he wanted to quit.

Opening his eyes and looking to the side, he could see how Sōjōbō had his eyes perfectly closed and barely moved at all as the cold water came down on him. Along with that sight came the realization that he would not be able to progress if he could not keep up with the training regiment made up by the Daitengu. If he fell short and failed, he failed himself and the one teaching him to become better, and if he fell short of someone as powerful as one of the great Daitengu, chances were that his training would end right there. As such, it was obviously unacceptable.

[Hamura]

Sitting himself back down again, he closed his eyes and started focusing on his meditation, the one thing he could never properly bring himself to do right. Knowing that it was required to find a location that was considered peaceful and quiet, he could not imagine how doing so at the base of a waterfall would qualify as such a place. Having learned that one should imagine a lotus inside of them which opened when they took a breath in and closed when they breathed out was perhaps the only thing that he could actually use of all the things he had learned from the meditation for beginners book.

Once he realized how everything had faded away aside from the sound of the rushing water, it became a lot easier for him to keep his focus. While the cold sensation did not leave due to obvious reasons, he could feel himself becoming more and more harmonized with the water that came down upon his head and shoulders, feeling it heat up ever so slightly as it moved down his body and eventually ran into the basin in which his meditation stone was located. As things progressed quietly, most of his thoughts eventually died down for a silent focus. After some time passed, the loud noise did not even bother him all that much anymore.

Getting more into a meditative state, even the temperature of the water started getting smudged as his body hardly registered the cold anymore. Before long, he felt that he had been out of things for long enough. As he opened his eyes again, Sōjōbō noticed instantly and started talking to him. Explaining that if someone could keep their mind quiet and collected while sitting at the base of a waterfall, experiencing great levels of cold and incredibly loud noises, it would also help the person do something similar when their mind was directly being attacked with illusions and genjutsu.

[End of Training]

[Flower]

Learned +40 tp

[OOC: I enjoy this sort of meditative and contemplative training.]

[Hamura]

Uncanny Alertness
Rank: "C"
Skill: Supplementary
Effect: User's research into Chakra and the nature of reality has given the user heightened senses.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: This technique gives the user an additional +5 bonus on Observation and Sense Motive, and the use gains a +2 bonus on Saves against Sleep and Charm effects.
Limit: Must learn from Universal Miscellaneous.

__________________

Upon looking around, he could clearly tell that something had changed with his situation. When he and the Daitengu had walked through the forest, the only life aside from themselves he had really registered were a bunch of small salamanders that moved from under a stone he picked up. He had even wondered why there was nothing there before, though it seemed that after his meditation session, he could now perceive something that had been hidden from his sight and senses before. Looking around, he saw and heard other Kotengu that looked somewhat similar to Kuro and Taka.

Being quite sure that neither of them were actually within Sōjōgatani itself and were in the temple courtyard training and standing guard, Sōjōbō let out a rumbling laughter as he saw Hamura's expression. Stating that the waterfall was used as a place for meditation and allowing a mortal being to open their mind to the true nature of reality and things hidden from normal people, it seemed that Sōjōgatani had yet even more fail-safe's in place than Hamura had initially realized. Aside from hiding the temple itself at the top of a mountain, sitting behind a narrow pass guarded by two Kotengu, there was even more to it.

He knew about the passage into what seemed like some sort of alternate world located behind the temple, hidden underneath a large golem which in turn hid itself and its presence by blending into the side of the mountain. But now it turned out that there was even a large scale genjutsu covering all living things within Sōjōgatani from being registered by mortal senses. Through meditation and mental strengthening, part of the illusion had been lifted, allowing Hamura to see that much more of the world that was hidden from mortals. Stating that further mental empowering would allow him further insight, he became even more determined.

[End of Training]

[OOC: Thanks haha, I try my best to keep things interesting]

[Flower]

Learned +10 tp

[Hamura]

Strong Stomach
Rank: "D"
Skill: Supplementary
Effect: A person occasionally encounters scenes that are unpleasant.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: This technique applies to people who are relatively unshaken by gore scenes. A user gains a+2 Will save when faced with gory or morbid scenes.
Limit: Must learn from Universal Miscellaneous.

__________________

Standing up on the cylindrical rock formation made for him by Sōjōbō, he wanted to head on over to the earth surrounding the basin and head into the forest from there, though something in the atmosphere changed once he got up. When he blinked his eyes again, he saw that the water of the basin had taken on a red hue while being visibly thicker than water. Hearing the loud chattering of the Tengu that were moving somewhere along the treeline, everything around him was feeling a lot more hostile as opposed to the peaceful vibe it gave off when he and Sōjōbō first entered.

When he blinked again, he could see the dismembered body parts of other people floating in the pasty red substance, which seemed to not have been there a moment ago. Wondering whether or not this was what happened when his eyes and mind became more attuned to the world around him, he tried not to touch the waters as they seemed far from hygienic. Returning his gaze to Sōjōbō, he could no longer find him on his meditative rock, meaning he had either disappeared again, or something else was going on. Turning his gaze back towards the treeline, he noticed the same thing as before.

The cackling of the Tengu, movement in the treeline and a rather gory scene that made him want to puke if he stared down into it for too long. The more he watched things, the more he noticed what was actually going on. The movement of the Tengu going through the treeline, the frequency at which the cackling came up and even the way the body parts moved throughout the bloody waters, it was almost like a loop. Forming the hand seal in front of his face and purging his chakra system with a Genjutsu release, he blinked again to see Sōjōbō sitting in his meditative seat with a rather wolfish grin on his face.

[End of Training]

[Flower]

Learned +10 tp