So I hear [Private][Training]

[Draven]

+20

[Promeleon]

Shunshin no Jutsu - Ken'in (Body Flicker Technique - Pull)
Rank: "D"
Skill: NinJutsu/TaiJutsu
Effect: A Jutsu that allows a user to rush backwards in almost instantaneous speed. Allows the user to retreat from the opponent.
Special: ---
Drawback: Takes away the number of usages Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique - Push). Same distance applications apply. Same drawbacks apply when over using.
Description: User is able to move backwards 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. Supplement of Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique - Push) while using same schematics.
Limit: Universal NinJutsu or Universal TaiJutsu, Must know Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique - Push)

[--/10]

Archimedes rotated his shoulders and stretched the soreness away. It was far nicer here where he was alone, way better than being stuck in that dingy little bar surrounded by the reek of beer and failure; and with big ugly old men who wanted nothing more than to ruin his day. Placing his right hand over the top of his head and pressed his palm against his left temple and pulled, cracking his neck and feeling way better about it. His training had just started; it was not like he could let soreness overcome him already. The Shitakuma could always just practice the Shunshin technique some more; but that seemed boring; it would be more fun to practice the techniques between each training of the body flicker technique so he would not strain himself overmuch. At the end of this little training session, he would probably be able to move around pretty quickly and with great precision thanks to these techniques. It was one down, eight to go or something of the sort.

This next one was pretty much the same as the last; barring the fact that instead of rushing forward you went backwards. If he already messed up going forward it seemed likely that this one would be funnier to train if anyone happened to be watching this. He stretched his legs and then stood to his full height; gripping the rock he had in his hands; preparing himself. He did not want to use the rock this time as he figured that he would probably break his nose with it this time. Throwing it in the air; he listened for it as it struck another rock and the sound opened up the world for him, revealing all the area around him for about thirty meters in every direction. There was nothing behind him that would trip him up; so it seemed pretty safe to try. Then again, Archimedes usually did things even when they weren't overly safe.

Stepping back, he felt the same tight feeling in his legs as he did when he was performing the shunshin; except this stung. He faltered and stepped back once more, preventing himself from performing the technique. His knees felt as though they were swollen. It was not painful as much as a constant ache. It hurt a little but it was more annoying than anything. It must have been the stress placed on his legs from the shunshin technique. Archimedes rubbed them thoughtfully, the warmth of his hands soothing it a little. This was going to be more troublesome than he thought if his legs were going to be like this for every time he tried to perform the shunshin. The only way to overcome that was to man up and just perform the technique and forget about the technique. Standing to his full height again, he focused on his legs again.

Stepping back once; a gust of wind blew over him, revealing to him the entire training ground. His legs tightened painfully and his entire body tensed too as he pressed hard on the ground, firing backwards and skidding to a halt ten meters behind where he had been. He stumbled the landing a little and he had to catch his balance as it felt like his legs were going to give out underneath him momentarily. It took a couple of seconds; but he felt the normal feeling of his legs come back and his knees and ankles just sort of ached as he stood there at the southernmost edge of the training ground, and he felt the pines from the tree directly behind him scratching the back of his neck. That was uncomfortably close to knocking him out if he had gone back one more meter. Maybe paying attention to his surroundings was a little more important than doing techniques.

[Solus]

As you laid there a young blond haired woman in a golden bikini walked by, holding up a big cardboard sight that read "+10 TP" as a bell dinged in the distance. Of course you couldn't see her properly, but to accentuate the symbolism the bell sounded exactly ten times. If you tried to investigate where she had gone or where the sound had come from it all seemed to have disappeared without a trace. Most curious.

[Promeleon]

Shunshin no Jutsu - Ko (Body Flicker Technique - Arc)
Rank: "D"
Skill: NinJutsu/TaiJutsu
Effect: A Jutsu that allows a user to rush in an arc in almost instantaneous speed. Allows the user to avoid the opponent's attack and gaze.
Special: ---
Drawback: Takes away the number of usages Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique - Push). Same distance applications apply. Same drawbacks apply when over using.
Description: User is able to move in an arc along the ground in almost instantaneous untraceable speed while temporarily masking the user's movements within 10 meters. User may move forward, or backwards if they know Tweh version of Shunshin. This Jutsu is used to get around and behind an opponent without sacrificing multiple Shunshins. Supplement of Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique - Push) using same schematics.
Limit: Universal NinJutsu or Universal TaiJutsu, Must know Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique - Push)

--/10

Ache was not a feeling he was overly familiar with, having not trained his body this physically hard since probably the academy. It was something he could come to relish. The feeling of his muscles each responding to his every urge, the feeling of being alive. It was one of the reasons he prefered Taijutsu as an art over the less humble practice of Ninjutsu. His already dirty palms pressed against the soil beneath him and he pushed himself upright, and then climbed to stand, brushing the dirt from his pants and shirt. The flicker technique was exciting and versatile, and he was just getting started with it, but he really did need to get someone to train it with. It was all well and good when it came to chasing rocks, but he otherwise did not imagine that he could continue on that path very long, it would get very boring quite quickly. Clicking his tongue, he allowed the sounds to grant him vision of the surrounding landscape. Nothing of note other than some kids playing off in the streets beyond his small training area. Nothing useful. Archimedes cracked his knuckles and fingered the rock in his palm.

"You know lad, what's the use of those ears of yours if you let any old man sneak up on you"

A cold shiver ran down the spine of the Shitakuma youth as he froze up. All of his training and practice could not have prepared him for his ears to have failed him, especially when they had been infallible all of his life, seeing through even the most well cast Genjutsu. The rock bit into his flesh as he tightened his grip and let the sound of the mans voice reveal who he was. Self-described as old, he was certainly correct, as he appeared to be older than the trees that surrounded the conversing pair. Clothed in light fabrics, he appeared to be a travelling monk of some kind, as he wore no visible artifacts of any village, and displayed no coherent sense of fashion from any lands that the Taijutsu user knew of. He possessed a faced lined with age and experience that was crinkled into a wizened smile that made him appear years younger than he probably was, but still ancient. Archimedes could not find a response, still reeling on the fact that his ears had failed him.

"It's alright laddy, I mean no harm, no harm. You looked like you were practicing, it's nice to see that our youth still yearns to learn what we leave behind"

Archimedes could not help but think to himself that the man looked old enough to have invented the techniques he was practicing today, but he knew that an old man like this may not have been a physical threat, but could probably use Ninjutsu techniques that he had never even heard of before. His tongue seemed to loosen up and he managed to respond, addressing the man with the respect he deserved according to the skill in hiding from his ears.

"I do my best sir, I feel a strong foundation of the basics is an important task to each Shinobi. May I ask who you are? And how you knew that I require the use of my ears to see?"

The old man smiled and chuckled dryly. Each small laugh seeming dryer than the one before, as though his body was about to crumble to dust.

"The boy knows respect, another trait in youth that is rarely seen. Perhaps a Shitakuma could lend a hand to another? My name is unimportant, but if you must know, I'm widely known as Xerxes"

An eyebrow raised at the mention of another of his ilk, the youth suddenly became so much more interested in this elder before him. Pressing his palms together and dipping his head in respect to the older male, he bowed.

"What do you wish of me sir? I would be honoured to aid you in any tasks"

The dry chortle that had escaped him earlier had become a throaty; almost coughing laugh.

"No lad, I'm here to help you, don't be bowing to me, I'm not one of those haughty elders yet! I'm still young!"

His voice was jovial and as he spoke he moved his hands in a surprisingly agile fashion for his age. Then he did something that Archimedes could not have prepared himself for. The man stepped forward, and his ears picked up that his body was far more muscular and powerful than he had expected, but before he could prepare himself, the old male had performed a flicker technique and placed himself behind the younger male, striking him in the small of the back with an open hand, and sending the youth to his knees in shock.

"Your turn lad, Arc Flicker"

Pressing his hands on the ground; Archimedes launched a donkey kick, aiming at the abdomen of the man, but once more he vanished and moved around the younger male and struck. This time he was launched backwards and landed on his behind. Never before had he been humiliated like this, even where he had been vastly outperformed. Quickly getting to his feet as the old man smiled widely and placed his hands on his hips, the younger Shitakuma looked at what he was supposed to do. It was essentially a Flicker technique that allowed the user to move around as opposed to a straight line; which greatly increased the effectiveness of the technique. Getting behind an opponent, especially one that relied on sight was a great technique and apparently even getting behind a Shitakuma was a pretty viable technique. Sliding one of his feet back; Archimedes prepared his body, and tensed his legs, balancing himself mentally and physically.

Stepping forward he burst from the spot he had been standing at; and found himself directly behind the older man, and they were back to back. Naturally; this was not ideal, but he had at least managed to land behind him; whether or not he had managed to turn during the technique was inconsequential as of now, and he could work on that at any time. The moment he was able to move after the tensing of his body, his right elbow moved back with great speed and struck flesh; but there was no satisfying strike; nor sound of injury. The old man had leaned his body to the right and had used his right palm to catch the powerful elbow strike. Instead of waiting for another strike to knock him onto his rear once more, Archimedes used the pressure of his opponents palm and his awkward footing to launch into one more flicker technique forward, only to find the man directly behind him once more; and with a scarred forearm pressed tightly against his throat restricting his air supply. That dry chuckle was so close to his ear.

As quickly as it had happened, the man had released his grip and Archimedes coughed as he walked forward and turned to face him. The old guy had known exactly what he was going to do and where he was going to go; which was unsettling enough, but he had managed to counter and neutralize everything that the younger man had done as though he knew how it was going to go. As upset as he found himself growing about his skills; he was more excited to learn that there were people out there that possessed abilities in such a realm where someone of his not inconsiderable skill could be completely defeated with barely an effort. The man was ancient in age, but he had learned and acquired a lot of skill over his years; and there was a lot that could be learned from such an elder.

[Captain M]

[M is currently reviewing this, will edit this post in when done.]

If I could give you more than 10, I would, seriously!

LEARNED!

[Promeleon]

Shunshin no Jutsu - Kaunta (Body Flicker Technique - Counter)
Rank: "C"
Skill: NinJutsu/TaiJutsu
Effect: Attacks your opponent. Can't simply use "Kaunta" however way you want. It is a skill that allows you to read an opponent's Shunshin and change its movement to neutralize the opponent.
Special: ---
Drawback: Takes away the number of usages Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique - Push). Same distance applications apply. Same drawbacks apply when over using.
Description: A shunshin designed as a counter, reading the shunshin of an opponent in order to alter its course and render it ineffective by predicting and following the same technique with a Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) Variant of your own. Supplement of Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique - Push) while using same schematics.
Limit: Universal NinJutsu or Universal TaiJutsu, Must know Must know Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi, Ken'in, and Ko

[--/20]

There was no expectant tutting or even the slightest sense of disappointment in the elders expression as he surveyed the younger Shitakuma, both using the sound of each quickened breath of Archimedes to see the surroundings and the opponent before them. The younger of the two was stuck in what to do, obviously his Shunshin technique had been cut off, or was able to be predicted he supposed, and that was frustrating. His wrist twitched and he launched the rock with great speed and precision at the old man, who did not move, even though the genin knew he both saw it and could counter it. The small stone did not strike the man, in fact, it went right through his face, not making a sound. It was then that he realized he had been fooled at the very last moment by an after image, and the breath that was tickling the back of his neck belonged to his target. Or in actuality now, he was the target. Dropping his left knee, Archimedes spun and aimed to trip the man as he brought his right leg around.

Xerxes jumped into the air ever so slightly to dodge the sweep, which put him right where he was wanted and defenseless. It did not even occur to the spirited young man that it was where the old man wanted to be. Driving his right hand up, Archimedes made for a debilitating blow to the solar plexus, or what should have been had the man not once more disappear on the spot. Wanting to cry out in frustration, the brunette male collected his thoughts rapidly and looked to the most obvious location the man would be. Again, he was behind the younger male and his dry chuckles were rasped once more into existence. The Shunshin technique was not easy to predict, even with sensitive ears such as those that the Shitakuma possessed. How had this elder managed to not only predict his own fast movement, but be able to perform his while completely fooling what he had thought to be perfect 'sight'. For once it seemed that he was wearing his emotions on his sleeve, and although he thought his mind to be collected and calm, his features belied the turmoil beneath.

"Don't beat yourself up lad, if ye could land a hit on me, I'd be surprised. That bein' said, you still aren't thinking straight, too busy trying to hit me and not find me"

Archimedes had nothing to retort with, knowing that the man was only trying to help. Cryptic words; however; were not too much help for him.  The elder was giving him clues, and only performing the techniques that he wanted the younger man to learn, which now was beginning to dawn on him.  All he was doing was escaping, opening opportunities to strike, but not doing so.  Archimedes was supposed to learn his bodies movements and assess how each muscle worked in conjunction wit the technique being used before him.  For a Shitakuma, that was hardly a task, as his ears were so precise that he could count the wing beats of a mosquito anywhere within his range, so learning the movements of this mans body as he performed the Shunshin technique would be no problem.  As long as he remained calm at least, and was not treating this as a sparring session.  Cracking his knuckles, he performed the Shunshin technique going backwards, and saw the elder move forward to close the gap before performing his own in order to be directly in front of the young man.  


The moment his foot his the ground once more, he performed on more burst going to his right, his foot skidding on the landing as the elder Shitakuma followed a mere moment behind, but even though he could not see the actual movement, having forced his hand and made him move where he was predicted to move, Archimedes was fairly certain that he was tracking the actions of his opponent, who would land directly in front of him and into a strike to the chest.  Unfortunately, the sound of feet on dirt proved what he had thought to be a solid prediction incorrect.  Obviously his play had been too seethrough and Xerxes was now behind him.  At least with this practice run, he had managed to learn the drawbacks of this countering technique if it was used incorrectly or by an imbecile who thought that tracking the technique was all they had to do in order to defeat the technique.  Today he was that imbecile, but he would learn from that mistake very quickly.  

"I think I'm getting the hang of it"

He did not even have to turn around to know that Xerxes had performed on more Shunshin and was now to his left.  Taking in a deep breath, he assessed the pain in his body, which was beginning to become extreme.  His legs felt as though the muscles were stripping from the bones, and everything was tight.  Not that it would stop him from trying to perform the counter Shunshin, but it certainly would limit how many times he could perform it.  Archimedes estimated that he had one more Shunshin in him before he was unable to do any more for the rest of the day.  He would have to make it count.  

[Father 'Suke]

+10

[Promeleon]

[--/20]

Sight through hearing is a complex way for humans to be able to overcome a disability, but through Shitakuma determination and intelligence, the genetic overcoming has produced some remarkable talents in their bloodline. Standing here in this small arena were two practitioners of the sightless bloodline techniques, one with seemingly endless talent and the other attempting to absorb some of the abilities from him through the age old passing of techniques. There was something that both possessed on an equal level though, and that was the ability to see the world through the vibrations, and even if Xerxes could see for miles, he did not see with any greater specificity than the young Archimedes, and with equal footing here, there was no reason for the younger man to have any excuses for not being able to learn the techniques that the wizened old male already knew. The vibrations were ever so slight, but as he could 'see' no proper movement in the older males form, he understood it to be the beginning of the technique.

Muscles contracting and readying to perform what was actually a rather physically draining techniques was the first sign, but he already understood how to predict what technique was to be performed next, he needed to figure out the path on which the body would travel while undergoing the technique. The vibrations became greater as the man moved swiftly, and through the movement, Archimedes understood where he was going, but that was not predicting nor altering the course of the Shunshin, that was merely playing follow the leader with him. He leaned back as the strike came, but he was not quick enough to dodge it, and took the kick to the side of the head, and hit the ground hard, but rolled his body in order to get to his feet as fast as possible. Again Xerxes came, this time he was no longer playing around, letting the younger man watch his movements, he was forcing him to predict them or be destroyed.

Crouched with one hand on the ground, he remained calm, ignoring the pain in his chest from what he regarded to be a very powerful kick, although he still suspected that it had been pulled too. He was going to perform the shunshin one more time in order to land directly in front of Archimedes, they both knew it, and it was not going to stop him from doing it, he was taunting his underling into learning the technique or have his head kicked in. Archimedes was not really looking for a visit to the hospital and let his ears do what they did best. His muscles were contracting, his body held a slight turn that meant he was not going straight ahead, he was going slightly to the left of him, and he could be stopped. The moment that the elder moved, Archimedes was right on him and they met in the middle, halting while they were practically nose to nose. It was almost a moment of euphoria for the younger Shitakuma before he realized what had gone horribly wrong.

What stood before him was not Xerxes.

Another after image stood before him, a smile plastered onto his old features that made it very apparent that he was quite pleased with himself for having fooled the younger man. The image faded and Archimedes felt a strike to the back of his head and everything went black for a moment before he found himself on the ground, tasting the earth and panting hard. He had been knocked unconscious, and was quite embarrassed about it. The dry throaty chuckle sounded once more and he turned around to face the old man, a frown on his features as he regarded the elder. This guy was dangerous on a level that the younger man barely even understood. It was not comfortable being in his presence whatsoever; especially when it was apparent that he could be broken like a twig at any given moment. Xerxes had not given that impression at first, but now it was all that the young Shitakuma could think of.

[Father 'Suke]

learned

[Promeleon]

Shunshin no Jutsu - Zanzō (Body Flicker Technique - Remaining Image)
Rank: "C"
Skill: NinJutsu/TaiJutsu
Effect: Affects the enemy's mind and will power by making after images.
Special: ---
Drawback: Takes away the number of usages Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique - Push). Same distance applications apply. Same drawbacks apply when over using.
Description: A Jutsu to move so swiftly that an image of the technique's user is left behind while moving within 10 meters. Most often it is used to dodge an incoming attack and get behind the opponent to perform a counter-attack. When first learned user is able to perform 1 after image within 10 meters. Each time learned user is able to create an extra after image within 10 meters. May learn to perform up to 5 after images within a single Jutsu. Supplement of Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique - Push) while using same schematics. May be used with other Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique).
Limit: Universal NinJutsu or Universal TaiJutsu, Must know Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi, Ken'in, Ko, and Kaunta

[--/20]

The fact that he had been so utterly beaten by mere mirages was not lost upon the Shitakuma, and even hours after he had parted ways with the man, he thought of the technique that should not have fooled his ears at all, since they saw solid objects and there was simply nothing solid about the images at all. Maybe the man was capable of using clones and had done that? Whatever it was, it was annoying that he had been fooled by such simple moves, but it had always his been his belief that the more simple the plan, the less chance it could get screwed up, and here he was now living it. Breath eased its way through his nose as he tried to rid himself of the self depreciating thoughts. He was not at fault, no one was, he was simply facing an opponent who had seen many seasons of battle and was capable of feats that took many years to master. He could only hope to live long enough to see such greatness in himself. First steps were small, and he would get on with it without complaint.

As for the After image technique, it greatly intrigued the young Genin, as he was certain that although it would be mostly useless to be used against him, against others who relied on their sight as their main sense, it would work splendidly. Archimedes was certain that most people simply channelled their chakra into their bodies to leave a slight imprint of them in the air from where they were, but as a Taijutsu master, and one with poor chakra control at best, that did not seem like a great option for him. The only way that someone like him was going to be able to perform such a technique was by moving so fast; and with very little help from some chakra; that he would leave an image of himself behind. Given Xerxes immense skill and youthful moves, he expected it was the same way that he performed the technique. Before parting ways, the old man had shown him how the technique could be used to its maximum potential, which was essentially moving so fast that you created quite a few after images, making it seem as though you created clones.

It was a scary thought what that man could do with merely moving his body around. It was hard enough for him to keep up with only one of him, if there had been five of the old man moving around beating the hell out of him, he was not too sure that he would be home instead of the hospital. The after images, while not dangerous, were enough of a distraction that it could create an opening in a fight large enough to fit a sword into to end the fight. The application of them was not overly difficult, in fact to the genin, it seemed easier than to perform the counter technique which relied on other people actually doing what they were supposed to. He was itching to get up and practice now, but his legs were on fire from all the exertion he had just put them under, performing quite a few Shunshin in a row, and exceeding what was apparently his safe limit for the day. That would be another thing to add to the list of things he needed to work on. What was the point of being able to perform all these Shunshin variations when he could barely perform the Shunshin itself.

Archimedes swung his legs over the side of his bed and tried to stand, but the ache was too deep and his knees felt like knocking. Troublesome. Speaking of which, he could hear the voice from downstairs, and he wished more than anything that he could create the after images at this very moment to create a diversion. Unfortunately, he would have to do this the old fashioned way in order to not have to deal with his landlady. Grasping his sword, he forced himself to his feet and took a deep breath. The window was already open, moving toward it rather hurriedly; he excited the side of the building and landed two floors down, not sticking the landing very well, and once more for what had to have been the thirtieth time of the day, ate dirt. Cursing the pain in his legs, he forced himself up and hobbled off down the street to relax in the hot springs. That would loosen him up and maybe if he was lucky, he could get back to training after.

[Father 'Suke]

+10

[Promeleon]

[10/20]

Archimedes hobbled along the path towards the hot springs. Had anyone asked before today, he would have told them that the hot springs were a simple and short walk from where he lived. Today he felt as though the short walk had become a pilgrimage across the world just to get to them. Every muscle in his body laboured with great pains in order to keep his form moving, knowing the promise of the hot water would reduce the ache, even by a small amount. The steam from the baths rose above the large bamboo walls and the young Shitakuma felt his excitement bubble beneath his skin. He really wanted to fall into the water. As he approached the door to the male side, he was pushed aside. About to protest, he realized that it was in fact the man responsible for his aching body. Xerxes was here and he was smiling his usual elderly smile. The younger of the two was too sore to even try to fight back against his tormentor.

"Need a rest lad? Not while I'm around"

Picking himself up off of the earth seemed to be the only thing that Archimedes found himself doing when this old man was around, if anything, he would master that quite quickly. A blind man learning how to fall over. That was humiliating. He stood up to the elder and followed the old man into the springs. The temperature in the enclosure was so much more comfortable than outside, as the springs were particularly hot this evening. Xerxes was already removing his clothes. Archimedes followed suit, draping his clothing over a large rock off to the side. It looks like they were going to be training once more together. In the nude. This was a little too weird for the younger male to properly grasp. Not that it mattered, Xerxes was nowhere to be seen in the springs. The trickling of the water that ran into the springs was enough to allow him to see all about the area, but the old man could not be found. Had he fallen to another after image? No; he had definitely been there.

A slight noise caught his attention and he instinctively moved to the left, performing the shunshin technique, but focusing a trail of chakra to try and leave behind that after image he needed to do. He avoided the strike; but there was no image, and his legs felt as though someone had taken a hammer to his bones, as the muscles constricted tightly, begging to rest. The strike hit the ground and he defended himself against the kick that followed, but instead of a strike, there was nothing, and if he had not been so focused, and perhaps if he could have seen, then the after image would have fooled him, but he was not so weak. Ducking and bursting forward he tried once more to allow the chakra to be left behind in the vacuum where his body had been as he performed the shunshin. This time it felt a little more controlled, and he was sure that he had left the image behind. Unfortunately, as Shitakuma, it was basically useless against them, but it was practice for him. The unfortunate part, was that he did not predict where he was going to land with quite as much accuracy as he should have.

His feet felt wet as he stood on the water for a moment before splashing in with little grace. In a rare moment of panic, he flailed about, grasping for the sides of the shallow pool. Being blind was not the greatest attribute for someone unexpectedly dropped into water. Before he could save himself from the hot water, he was grabbed by the neck and thrown on the concrete ground, gasping for air. A towel was thrown on his face and he moved it off so he could get fresh air. That had been alarming to say the least, and due to his tired body and slight use of chakra on the after images, he had not the mind to perform the water walking technique, as basic as it was. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyesockets and tried to calm his breathing. The extra sensory hearing did not work when in water, he could tell the shape of the pool, but guessing how much water was in there was not easy when he was splashing about in it. The after images had taken a lot out of him, and he had only performed what, maybe two? Possibly three but under stress he could not tell if that one had actually worked.

[Captain M]

LEARNED

[Promeleon]

Shunshin no Jutsu - Sha (Body Flicker Technique - Trace)
Rank: "C"
Skill: NinJutsu/TaiJutsu
Effect: Allows the user to maneuver around objects while performing Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi, Ko, or Zanzō.
Special: ---
Drawback: Takes away the number of usages Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique - Push). Same distance applications apply. Same drawbacks apply when over using.
Description: Normally when a user is performing one of the 5 Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) they are unable to skillfully maneuver around objects. They must perform the Jutsu in an open area. With this technique however they are able to move in a straight line however evading objects that may be in the way such as trees and others. Supplement of Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) while using same schematics.
Limit: Must know The 5 Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique).

[--/20]

Archimedes had been training with the elder Shitakuma for three weeks now. The so called lessons that he was receiving were essentially just excuses to beat up the younger male, but they were disguised as lessons on tactics. Frankly, the only tactic that the young Shitakuma had learned against Xerxes so far was to not fight and just try and run away. This usually just ended up with him getting kicked in the back of the head though, and allowed him sweet reprieve for moments longer than usual. It could not be said that it was all bad though, as he had definitely gotten a little stronger and faster since the training had begun, which was nice. Weight had been gathering in places that he really did not like, so getting back into a consistent and rigorous training schedule was fulfilling for the youth. Today was no different than usual, except that getting beaten up at the training ground, he was going to get beaten up in a forest, so that was a nice change for the two of them.

The Shitakuma moved swiftly through the crowded streets of Konohagakure like a shadow, swiftly but completely unnoticed, only making the slightest of touches as he wound his way through the thick of the crowd. He suspected that training here would be frowned upon, but there was a variant of the shunshin technique that he had been wanting to learn, and had never gotten around to it. It was a version that allowed the user to move around objects much like the arc version, but with far more precision and capability, instead of a long and wide arc. If he used it here, he would be able to make it through the crowd even faster and still go unnoticed. The worrying part was if he screwed it up, because then he would crash into someone at a pretty incredible speed and knock more than just that person over and cause quite a large scene in the middle of a busy street. Essentially not what a ninja would do.

Archimedes could see the paths open and close before him in every direction around him. The accuracy of his sight was undeniable, allowing him near omnipotence in regards to knowledge of his surroundings. Each path that opened and allowed him movement was revealed to him, performing the Shunshin variation now had a far lower chance of him crashing than if someone without his innate abilities did. The risk was worth it for the blind male, if he screwed it up, he could pick himself up and get out of there faster than anyone around anyway, and even if they did notice him running from the crime scene who was going to call him out on it? What, with his nondescript attire and looks, he was not an easily recognizable person. Gritting his teeth, he gauged the distance and the room to work with before him and he waited as he still wound his way through the people before him. As a rather large man carrying a stack of boxes moved to the right, a clean path opened up before him with two people in the way; both with open routes around them.

His right foot slammed against the ground and he vanished with a poof; his body tearing forward with great speed. As he approached the first of the two blockages, he edited his trajectory to the right in such a minor fashion that the young bright-eyed man would feel the tickle of the newly sprouting hairs on his chin from the rapid movement passed him, but with no evidence of anything occurring around him, he would never suspect what had happened. As he moved back onto track, he gauged the second obstacle, who was more robust than the average person, and require a little more movement than a mere sidestep to move around. If Archimedes was a mean spirited man, he would have thought that after a couple laps around her; and he would be tired. It did not matter, he was not going to stop, and he was going to get around her no matter what size she was. He estimated that with a large enough sidestep, he could pass her, albeit brushing her back, as he moved. As he passed, he realized he was a little wrong, and had not accounted for the immense jiggle factor of her seemingly liquid body.

Ricocheting off of her bouncing behind; his speed was reduced terrifically and he was airborne, spiralling off to the side. Having hit such an elastic surface at such a great speed had created quite the launching effect. There was a shocked noise from the woman, but she instantly took it out on the only visible man behind her, and not on the Konohagaure shinobi who was now trying to get his head straight after careening into a wall as he had done. Other than a bruised ego and a sore back, it did not look like he had accrued any other damage, and the situation with the large woman was taking care of itself, and no one had noticed him apparently. He was safe to carry on about his way to the forest to meet Xerxes and see if he could use the new variant he was learning a little better to fight against the elder Shitakuma, and maybe not get beaten up so badly. Maybe.

[Promeleon]

[--/20]

The forest was silent. That alone was enough to make the Shitakuma fighter nervous. No sound meant no sight for him, and in order for him to see, he would have to create sound, which would reveal his position. This felt like a trap. A bead of sweat formed on his brow as he tried to figure out just how he was going to go in there and find Xerxes without springing the trap that was so obviously set for him. Not even birds were singing today, obviously scared off by a demon residing within the trees. A demon that was waiting for him. A hand clapped onto his shoulder and he flinched as everything came into view thanks to the sound of it. Xerxes; in all his wrinkled glory; stood behind him smiling his wise old smile. For a moment his mind whirred at he possibility of this all being false, but his body was giving off all the correct signs of life, so it was not a clone. It just seemed so impossible that the old man was not beating him up.

"Alright lad, ye know the deal, but we're doing things a little different today; you have to catch me, we'll see how well ye can move in such a forest"

This pleased Archimedes; as he had already grasped the variant in its basics and figured that he was a step ahead of the old man for once. Sort of. Xerxes performed a shunshin of his own and vanished into the forest. The younger Shitakuma took off into the trees, noting their awkwardly close growth that made regular travel between the branches and trunks difficult; never mind the quick movement techniques. That was why they were training though, so that even against such poor odds, they would come out on top. Archimedes moved left and right and swerved around the trees, ducking where he needed to; avoiding the grasping branches and clawing roots. It was not too difficult for such a spry young man to make it through the forest, but as he could see from his echolocation, Xerxes was far ahead and moving further away very quickly. The only thing he could do to catch up was to begin performing the shunshin technique now, otherwise the old man would be lost from his view.

As Archimedes burst forward; he narrowly avoided a tree and continued forward, closing the gap ever so slightly. Another two trees up ahead, which were swiftly avoided by another performance of the trace Shunshin, moving left around the first, moving right around the second going in between the two as he continued ahead. The deeper he got into the forest, the larger the trees became and the closer together they got, forming a wall of wood that seemed impenetrable. Squeezing in between to massive trees, he realized that Xerxes was no longer within his view. Swearing he slapped his hand onto a tree to try and create a quick sonar that would reveal him, but the aching forests groaned enough to reveal the world around him already, and it was simple, he had lost the older man even though he was sure that he had been catching up. Running up the side of a tree, he leapt from it and to another, moving swiftly across the tops in the direction he knew the elder had been heading.

It was not long before he came across the man again, maybe two minutes before he was revealed in the echolocation. Xerxes was not moving, he was crouched on a branch and waiting for Archimedes or something. The snaking trees wound around and allowed the Shitakuma to run across their ancient surface as he moved towards the old man, closing in on his target. The elder turned and threw three shuriken at the approaching youth, who ducked under the first, then performed the Shunshin that would allow him to move between the second two and bring him in close. Five meters and the younger of the two had the momentum and for once, the advantage. That five meters was closed so quickly that even the elder taijutsu master was caught almost flat footed as Archimedes launched a powerful side kick at the head of the older man.

The kick was blocked with a left shoulder block, but the force of the strike knocked him to the right a little, which opened him up to a second strike as Archimedes twisted his body in the air to bring his left heel down on to the top of the head of the elder man. The heel rang true and he had landed his first ever strike onto the elder, he fell forward onto his knees and then rolled over his right shoulder back to his feet, rubbing the back of his head with his left hand, laughing jovially. The adrenaline rush from actually landing the hit was greater than any rush he had felt before, but he understood that he had woken the bear, and by landing the strike, he was now moved into another tier of training where he would not be treated so kindly. Essentially the laugh signalled that play time was over, and Archimedes needed to be ready for training to get more dangerous.

[Father 'Suke]

Learned

[Promeleon]

Kawarimi no Jutsu (Body Replacement Technique)
Rank: "C"
Skill: NinJutsu/TaiJutsu
Effect: This jutsu lets the user quickly switch places with another nearby object, such as a plant (normally a section of a log), an animal, or even another person within reach using one of the the 5 Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique), the moment an attack hits.
Special: ---
Drawback: Takes away the number of usages Shunshin no Jutsu - Oshi (Body Flicker Technique - Push). Same distance applications apply. Same drawbacks apply when over using.
Description: This creates an optical illusion, making the enemy think the attack was successful. The user can then use this confusion to escape or launch a counter-attack. Exploding tags can be attached to the replacement for an added surprise. The user may switch with a number of other objects for this jutsu, such as a boulder, mud, a scarecrow, and even a large rolled-up carpet. Must use objects that are near the user within 10 meters in distance and is similar in size. User may try to supplement with another person however that's a form of an attack and thus make an attempt to perform the Jutsu with them. Supplement of Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) while using same schematics.
Limit: Must know The 5 Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique).

[--/20]

Archimedes blocked the incoming strike, but the elder hit with such force that he skid backwards across the tree branch, tearing up bark as his shoes scraped across the top. His forearm burned with pain where the blow struck, but he had more important things to consider. Ducking under a high kick aimed for the left side of his head, he countered with a low sweep that struck the side of Xerxes left calf while his right foot was in the air. This would ruin his anchoring stance and send him tumbling over. The fact he felt flesh meet flesh as the strike landed surprised the Shitakuma, as this seemed like a very elementary mistake for the man to make, especially with his skills. It soon became apparent that it was all intentional as the flesh vanished in a poof of smoke and a log fell to the branch and rolled off of the side. This minor change did not stop the younger fighter though, he could still see where Xerxes was now, and it was behind him, running at him to strike on more time. Performing the shunshin technique, he dodged a powerful overhead axe drop kick that tore a massive wound in the branch.

The groaning snapping of the tree alerted them both; but lit up their sight as the whole forest, down to the most minute detail was revealed to them thanks to the cacophonous sound of wood shearing as the branch sunk, being broken by not being able to support its own weight. The chakra seeping from the soles of his feet kept him on the large branch even as it began to sink towards the ground, putting it on an angle that would be impossible to move on. The two blind warriors faced off at each other, and Archimedes considered the possibility of using the Kawarimi against the older man, as he had seen the technique, and sort of understood it. As usual it came down to his poor chakra abilities, so he would have to wing it in order to not get his head kicked in. The branch kept falling, but they moved at each other, the younger of the two striking first, with a reverse snap kick that was blocked with one hand and countered with an attempted chop to the thigh that would have most certainly put the leg out of use for a while.

Twisting his body again he kicked up with the other foot to perform a sort of mid air donkey kick that struck a log as Xerxes once more perform the Kawarimi technique and moved backwards. Luckily the younger fighter struck the log and managed to use it as a projectile that was aimed directly for the face of his elder. The long would have struck true on an amateur; but was easily countered by the elder Shitakuma. The log split in half as he chopped at it with his bare hand, tearing through the wood like it was paper. As Archimedes fell down due to gravity he placed his hand on the wood and released his chakra into it to cling on and face up the tree again at his opponent. That log would have taken quite a bit of power to destroy, never mind cut in half with bare hands. The thought of how badly his leg would have been damaged quite a lot more than he had estimated. Swallowing, he thought about the technique, as it was twice now that it had been used against him, he should have dissected in by now.

Archimedes cursed his lack of attention at chakra based things in the academy, as he had never been interested in any of it, and now it was something he may have to use like his life depended on it. Hell, his life probably would depend on this technique outside the walls of the city. So far all he knew was that it was an application of chakra to an object close by, and then performing the shunshin technique in order to switch places. It seemed rather simple, but it was difficult for him to think about doing when he had such a monster breathing down his neck at every turn. The moment Xerxes went on the attack, it was all he could do to prevent his body from turning and running to avoid the inevitable beating. A cold hand clamped on to the back of his neck. He was thinking far too much and had not been paying attention to the surroundings. Notably the lack of sound that was coming from his opponent, the heartbeats position had moved and he had not sought it out.

In an act of desperation, Archimedes released all of his chakra into the branch through his feet and closed his mind to the sounds around him, hoping for the best. His legs seized and he performed the shunshin with no direction in mind and just felt nothing for a moment. The wood beneath his feet vanished and he felt the hand leave his neck and he was free. It was impossible for him to ignore the next sound as the trees began to scream as the branch that had been his support snapped completely and began to fall, taking a lot of smaller trees down with it as it fell. Wind rushed around him loudly, the screaming wind so loud that he could not concentrate; his vision was obscured as he could not correctly echolocate in this manner. Where the ground was, where anything was near him, nothing was known to him, he might as well have been falling into an abyss, which if he hit the ground, would be the reality. Anger overcame him and he prepared his next move to prevent his own untimely demise.

[Beltran]

+10

[Promeleon]

[--/20]

Taking in a deep breath as he fell, Archimedes let out the loudest noise he had ever released. A scream that resounded through the forest, lighting the way for him as he fell. There was barely even any time for him to recover though, as the ground was mere meters away. Twisting his body; he managed to land in a three point stance, which would have probably injured him a little if the earth below had not been primarily moss and peaty soil. Xerxes was directly above him, standing upside down on the massive trunk that had fallen and been caught on multiple trees that were bending under the immense weight of the wood. What had happened? The Kawarimi had certainly not gone well, but he had poured so much chakra out that the swapping technique had grabbed the biggest and closest thing to him, and that had been the ground they were standing on. Xerxes face did not look so amused any longer, and the younger Shitakuma was extremely out of breath from all the expenditure of chakra. Luckily he did not need too much.

"Ye alright lad? That was something, could ye do et again?"

The rawness of his throat from the scream he had let out became apparent when he tried to respond, so he had to shake his head in order to inform the elder that he would not be able to do that again. Nor would he plan to even if he could, it had been a stupid thing to do, a panicked moved. Standing up he felt a little weak, but that was how he knew that he was training hard. Stepping on a stick, it launched a small rock into the air, which he snapped from its flight, and aimed for Xerxes, throwing it with all of his strength. Obviously the rock embedded itself within the soft wood as the old man moved and launched his own attack, dropping down and launching a heavy kick towards his younger protege. Archimedes moved to the side before the strike hit and counter with an elbow aimed at the left side of the old mans ribcage. Instead of flesh and bone, he struck wood, but that was expected.

A strike caught him in the back of the neck which he had seen coming, but he had focused his chakra instead of trying to dodge, and used the same piece of wood that Xerxes had used in his own Kawarimi attempt. The poof of smoke and the transition over was the first sign it had worked, and the fact that it indeed had, confused Archimedes just enough for his trainer to move beyond the log and to strike him with another kick that sent him careening into a tree. Dazed but otherwise okay, the young Shitakuma launched himself up the tree, sprinting up the wood and watching for the attacks from behind with his echolocation. Xerxes was obviously up to something else as he kicked one of the smaller trees holding up the massive log that Archimedes had moved by accident. In another impressive show of the difference in strength between them, as the log fell down, the elder caught it in one hand, which made him vanish beneath it for a moment, making the younger of the two believe he had finally been rid of a violent pest. The log moved though, and it was getting bigger.

Archimedes was shocked into doing something he rarely did. Swearing under his breath he stopped and turned to face this upcoming threat, which tore apart everything in its path as it defied all logic and gravity as it came towards him. The old man had shown some damned impressive strength by not only lifting the log, but by throwing it at the younger male, turning the log into a massive, practically undodgeable attack. It had to be at least fifty meters in diameter; and from where he was, there were so few exits to go through. Thinking quickly, Archimedes grasped a branch from the tree and snapped it off, letting the tree get close and dropping it below; watching it hit the branch then bounce off and fall below out of sight. Swallowing, he tracked the branch using his echolocation and readied himself as the shunshin started. In an instant, he was facing the ground and the log was rising above him; the stick he had thrown, nowhere to be seen. The only downside was that once more he was falling down.

This time there was no panic, as it had been done on purpose. Archimedes was back to his cool and collected mind set, and he was not going to allow Xerxes to make him falter like that again. The elder did not think that the log would have stopped him anyway, and just as the younger Shitakuma was on the way down, he was on his way up to meet him in mid air to clash. Their fists collided and Archimedes was flung backwards into a tree, striking painfully, but using what little remained of his chakra to stick on and keep him there so he could breath for a moment. Xerxes was resting upside down once more on the log as it began to fall, and the smile was back on his face. The dark haired male tried to process this, and wondered how he was going to get out of this one, as he was damn near exhausted, and the days training had just started. Calm. He would stay calm and take everything as it came; even though he was certainly running out of ideas.

[Father 'Suke]

Learned