Re: Academy Days #1 [M-Circa]

[KEITH]

SPOILER: Click to show

Lang accidently deleted his first post, so here goes the missions that we have completed.

Teach Me, Teach Me
Rank: C
Minimum Participants: 1
Details: The village has re-established itself and the academy students are giving their teachers a very hard time. Wow them with stories of war and death, then teach them a jutsu or two. The Kage would like this to be a weekly event to keep the morale up.
Special Info: Can be taken indefinitely.
Rewards: 200 EXP & 1,000 ryō

Popeye Jr.
Rank: D
Minimum Participants: 1
Details: We just got word that the Taijutsu instructor at our local academy just came down with the measles, so we’re putting you in there to teach a class about proper techniques to the kids. You only need to teach one D -ank Taijutsu but do it well; these kids are the future after all.
Rewards: 100 EXP & 500 ryō

Just like every morning, it would seem I would find myself to be like a lazy fox, unwilling to get out of bed and start up my day as I should. I wasn't too late from the time I was supposed to have gotten up, but still, punctuation is important, but I was never the one to emphasis upon such a thing. Without further ado, I would proceed to prepare myself for the day and the task at hand for the day. I had a mission to take upon, and that mission would lead me to the Shinobi Academy of Kirigakure, a place I haven't seen since I joined Kirigakure seventeen years ago.

Back then, I was nothing more than a lost child, but now, a lot has changed for me, and I wonder if I would feel different than I did before. These were shower thoughts; thoughts that would only come to you if you were in the shower, overly thinking about things. By the time I would have returned to my room to put my clothes on, it would have already been 7:30 AM, and I would no doubt have to rush toward the Academy to be on time, but that wouldn't be too hard, I was pretty fast. Before I had known it, I was dressed, in more casual clothing than I would normally wear (though, like always, my fox mask was on me, just hidden), grabbing a piece of toast, and out the door.

I covered the rooftops of Kirigakure gracefully, and swiftly, as if I was some kind of majestic fox. I had arrived at the Academy with three minutes to spare, and I was the last one to enter into the room, it would seem. With still time to spare, mentally, I was relieved and relaxed myself, not showing any outward stress of having to rush to the class. My outward expression was that of cheerfulness and kindness, though if anyone had really known me, they would know that I was truly somewhat like a warhawk, but these children would soon find out what I was like.

My violet eyes would set upon the one who would be my assistant today, a Genin who had recently graduated from the Academy. With a first glance, I didn't think much of him, he would have to show his skill and dedication to the way of the shinobi to be a true Kirigakure shinobi in my eyes. I made my way to the front of the class, like any other teacher would, I had to introduce myself before I would tell them what I would be teaching, and what type of hellish training they would endure.

[Good morning, class. My name is Fūma Yokumaru, and I will be your teacher for today. And, assisting me with my work today is no other than a recent graduate himself, Hiraiyomi Rael. I expect nothing but respect from you all, and we will show you respect in return.]

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[Lang]

Rael breathed out in mild relief as he caught sight of the last figure through the doorway, towering a good two feet above the rest of them. The face was unfamiliar to him, and although that applied nearly everyone above Chuunin, he could not recall crossing paths with the other party even once; someone with this man's body structure would have left an impression on him. Sidestepping two paces and one backward, allowing the older male to take center stage, he mimicked the majority of their temporary charges as they listened, filing away the man's name and inclining his head once as they were both introduced. So far, so good; none of them were being particularly disobedient, though he suspected him kicking one of their classmates off the Academy rooftops just last week had some small part in it. No doubt tempted as they were to call him out, it was just a matter of time. As the newly named "Fūma Yokumaru" finished his piece, Rael picked up in stride.

"Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask; Yokumaru-sensei and I will answer your inquiries to the best of our abilities. Anything you feel is pertinent to your growth as a shinobi, or questions about your future beyond the Academy, let us know about your concerns, even if you have the slightest doubt. Remember, question everything, assume nothing."

A quick roll call followed suite, Rael firing out each individual's name while giving his assignment leader a moment to make any last-minute adjustments he might need. At the same time, he made note of those who were missing, reminding himself to compile a list for the regular instructors once they were done. The heavily-abridged curriculum they would be covering was in Yokumaru's hands; his job would be accommodate him to the best of his ability. As the last shout of "here" rang out from one "Yakushi Matsuda", the young Genin placed the attendance record back onto the stands next to him, then eyed the group as whole before preparing to continue on, when one of the students near the back, an ebony-haired female raised their hand.

"Yes?"

"Um, Rael-san," he noticed the lack of a proper honorific suffix, but left it alone, "could Fūma-sensei tell us a little about himself first? We know you graduated only a little while ago, so he's definitely got to have a lot more stories to share. Plus he's not wearing the jacket Tanaka-sensei usually has, so we can't tell what he normally does."

Blinking once, Rael considered her request for the briefest second before slightly turning his head to look at the older shinobi, throwing the ball back into his court.

[KEITH]

These students before me, sitting at their desk, it would remain me of the time when I was nothing more than an Academy Student just like them, when I was in Konohagakure. It would seem that, from village to village, maybe the people weren't that different, or perhaps it was just the kids who weren't different. The feeling I would get when I looked at all of their faces had brought me nothing but nostalgia, but the time now wasn't for daydreaming about the past. I had a job to do, and I would make the best of this day and make sure that the kids aim high during their lessons today.

Rael had decided to follow up after my speech, adding on a little to what I had previously said, and then beginning to take attendance. Throughout the attendance call, I would hear the given names of some of the other Chuunin and Jounin of Kirigakure that I had known, these kids were probably their siblings or their kids, some type of family relations had went on. It was nice to see, though. After Rael would finish his attendance check, a young girl would raise her hand to ask a question, which would just so happen to be about me, which was, believe it or not, to my delight. I had many stores to tell, but most of them were probably stories that would install fear into the children and make them weary of me, like the Fūma clan massacre—with me single-handedly taking out a large portion of the clan and making them scatter around the world.

But, what could I tell them about myself that wasn't so dark? I know they will all face hardships soon when they would become full-fledged shinobi, but I didn't want to spoil that surprise for them with nothing to horrific.

[Well, you already know my name, so, I will tell you my rank and position within the village. I am a Jounin, and my current position within the village is Gashira Jounin. Like many of you would guess, I do have many stories, and I guess that I could share one before we begin our lesson. So, what kind of story do you want to hear, miss?]

I had asked the young kunoichi in training, I figured that my title and position within the village will probably get the kids all riled up, but then again, maybe not. Some could simply not care about my position or just not easily impressed. I wouldn't be the one to blame them, I would prepare to see someone show their skills, then talk about their rank and what they have done, that way when you see them, you can gauge yourself to them. As my violet eyes would lock on upon the females, with a gentle express, I would wait for her answer, as I would gather my plans for their upcoming lesson.

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[Lang]

Given the man's run-of-the-mill introduction, Rael was admittedly nonplussed as the Fū scion, if he did in fact belong to said clan, announced his official standing in Kirigakure's ranks. A Jounin he could somewhat understand, even if the vast majority of them were far too engaged in leading their Genin teams or undertaking B-ranked and above missions. At least the former were required to show up following each semester and select their new candidates. However, the term Gashira Jounin instantly raised his suspicions, though he kept it hidden from the students as they murmured excitedly amongst themselves. Shinobi Gashira were the highest-ranking members of troops under the Kage's command, normally reserved for negotiating political treaties and agreements with other hidden villages. On the other hand, Jounin Hanchō carried the same level of authority, but also represented the shinobi forces on the village council. Rael never heard of someone potentially wielding both positions, if his title dictated as much.

So what the nine levels of Makai was he doing here.

In front of them, the subject of Yokumaru's reply flushed a bit at the sudden attention, as everyone in near vicinity focused on what she question she would pose. However, her expression continuously shifted between stern and meek, as though contemplating a matter of great thought and confusing herself. Finally, she looked up at the Jounin and responded.

"Um, h-how old were you when y-you first....k-killed someone?"

Those closest to her instinctively flinched, as though thinking the question itself was taboo; that, or she simply asked what many of them were thinking. The others displayed various signs of widening eyes and covering their mouths while looking to the Jounin for his answer. Rael's own expression didn't change, and though he was tempted to berate them for such reactions, settled with a brief "quiet," while motioning for her to continue.

"M-my dad said his first time was during...during a mission when he was a Genin. He couldn't get over it for days..." Here, she looked Yokumaru in the eyes, and her voice became hesitant.

"Does it ever become...easy?"

[KEITH]

My ears would carefully listen out for the girl’s question, quite interested in what it might have been. My eyes would lock with her own, adding a bit of pressure to her question, along with the room of her classmates adding on to it. When she would speak, she would ask a simple question, how old was I when I had my first kill? How should I go about answering the question?

I am sure that, I couldn't just answer it in any type of fashion; I would have to try and upkeep a whimsical manner about me. Or rather create a projection of being one toward the children at this time. Then, I would take a few seconds to think back to my first kill, and honestly, I had killed so many people till this point in my life, that it was hard to remember. Just that moment, it would hit me, and I knew exactly what to say to them. But, before I could say my answer, she would follow up with more information as to why she had asked the question.

I knew that I couldn't just give an answer and be done with this, I had to tell them a story with it, and my memory of my first kill and that day had all returned to me.

[That's a good question, but, I can tell you this for the moment: There is no exact time or age you will be when you make your first kill. It depends upon you, and how badly the one you have targeted needs to be put down. If you cannot stop them, then you have to kill them, this will all tie into my story. The only way that it can get easier is if you understand the meaning of what it is to be a shinobi and what you have to do to succeed.]

I would say to the kids first, it was just a little precursor to what I had experienced before, and what they may even experience out in the world of the shinobi. This however, would cause me to think if Rael had experienced this before, I wasn't sure of when he had graduated from the Academy, or how well skilled he was in the art of shinobi. He was able to keep the class in check, though, with his quick response to telling the people of the class to keep quiet. It showed that he knew he was the boss of them since he had told them what to do, it showed he had balls, and if he hadn't killed anyone yet, maybe he wouldn't have any problems when he does.

But, it was time to tell the class a short story about me and my first kill, I wonder how they will feel after it. . . .

[Twenty years ago, when I was still a shinobi enlisted within Konohagakure, I had graduated from the Academy at the age of 8. Before I had known it, I had been thrown into a four man cell, with the task of completing a C-rank mission, which had quickly turned into a B-rank one. The task of the mission, originally, was to escort a few builders to a small village, not too far away from Konoha. They were sent there to work on an old shrine which was slowly falling apart, and it was the pride of the town, so they used any and all of their ryo to speed up the process of getting workers out there for the shrine quicker.

We were assigned to watch over the builders as they would do their work, so they could be protected in case anything freaky would break off. And soon, it would have, within the shrine; a large explosion had gone off, causing the shrine to collapse onto itself, with the builders on top of it. We would come to find out that one of the builders was a shinobi from Iwagakure, and they would have used their special Kekkei Genkai to create a bomb that they used to blow up things, like the shrine. My sensei had allowed me and my two teammates to take on the target while he watched from afar.

One of my teammates upon the team, Tsukihana Koi, had taken an explosive spider to the face, causing his death, right before my very eyes. On my first mission, I would have lost a teammate, of course, it was due to our horrible teammate, but, then again, we had a horrible sensei. Eventually, after a heated battle, the Iwagakure shinobi had fallen to the hands of my other teammate, Kosanyo Yuha, she would have gotten her first kill that day. And, I, I had killed my own sensei, after discovering that he had secretly worked with the Iwagakure shinobi, and just watched as one of the kids he had been chosen to protect die, and see to our deaths.

I wasn't expecting for anything like that to ever happen, who imagines killing their sensei? It was nerve wrecking to me, damaging, I had killed someone who was affiliated with my own village, despite him betraying us. I had taken on this mission, not expecting to have to kill anyone, not ready to kill anyone, but, my heart told me to not let that man escape. He had to go down right then and there.

And, yeah, that's about it.]

I had spoken in a cheerful manner, as if everything I had told them was nothing, like, just another day for me. I would stop, letting the class have time to soak in his story.

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[Lang]

The girl, Yukina Ayase if he recalled correctly, broached a testy subject not unfamiliar to most active shinobi, though mentioning that, he was expecting the question from a hotheaded male youth instead. Yokumaru handled the inquiry well, not necessarily giving a single, definite answer to her original question, but one that would make it easier to stomach and accept the subsequent tale. He spoke the truth as well; the mission came first, and could be subject to change at the drop of a hat. If it took slaughtering someone on your first paycheck job to get it done, even if it ended with that 'someone' being your own teacher, you made sure it was done. Masking his emotions to prevent further alarming their students, he let the Jounin finish his story uninterrupted, only nodding once near the end.

Seems like they're finally waking up.

Aside from a small handful of them, and even those looked somewhat unnerved, the other children had gone pasty-white, some of them looking as though they wanted to empty their stomachs over the classroom floors please dont. The one responsible for bringing up a bit of history before they were born looked down forlornly, unable to maintain her gaze any longer. And Rael knew, even though fate hadn't smiled kindly on the other ninja back then, the same thought was now running through the minds in each of every future Kiri soldier: what if the same happens to me? The unease was stifling him, and he broke the silence by addressing the issue in what ways he could.

"I'm glad to see you all feel so strongly about this matter. It means you haven't become accustomed to it yet. Unfortunately, to everyone who'll someday wear this," he briefly touched the Kiri plate sewn into his sleeve, "means that you're willing to give up that last innocence in service of the village. When it comes, it likely won't be pretty, and it won't be nice. But we will prepare you for when that time comes.

However, remember this. The day that killing becomes easy to you, or it's the one thing that you know how to do, you are no longer a shinobi. You are a murderer, a beast that needs to be put down."

Exchanging a private look with Yokumaru, thanks giving me the heebie-jeebies as well, he relented and stepped back, subtly indicating that story time was now over. Perhaps next week, the Head-Jounin would have some other wondrous tale he'd conjure up to frighten the prepubescents.

[KEITH]

Rael would come in right after my speech, adding on a bit more to it, just like he had done so earlier, and it was nice to see that he wouldn't just sit back and watch. Just like the students would, I would listen to the speech that Rael had said, nodding my head in agreement about them no longer being a shinobi when killing becomes the only thing they had known. But, would I no longer be considered a shinobi, then? I killed my sensei, my father, and the Fūma clan, though I had specific reasons for doing each one of them in, with a bit of help from my own illness.

When Rael would look my way, I would return to him my gaze, and our eyes would connection, and the feeling I would get was that he tried to send me some sort of mental message. Not knowing what it could have been, I simply shook it off. Now, I had to decide what I was going to teach the kids first, and how could I make sure that they all will excel in the lesson. I wouldn't be one of those teachers that let their students fall behind because they didn't think they could do it, it was all mental.

I would show them how to overcome whatever obstacle would stand before them, and leap right over it, and crash it beneath the powerful weight of their hands, if they chose. I thought about teaching them something that I was good in, which I had understood every aspect of it, and that was no other than Taijutsu. I could teach them how to perform a basic Taijutsu, one that would be useful, and wouldn't take that much physical training, but would require them to do a bit of thinking. . . . Which technique should I teach?

I got it! I will teach them how to perform Dynamic • Entry (Dainamikku • Entorii).

[Alright, class, it's time for your first lesson. I will be teaching you all a basic Taijutsu technique, known as Dainamikku • Entorii. I will explain what it is and how to use it once we get out to the training field. Rael-sensei, would you mind taking them out to the field while I do some last minute preparations?]

I had asked him kindly, showing him respect by calling him a sensei, since he was his fellow teacher at the moment.

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[Lang]

The ensuing silence was uncomfortable, to say the least, and Rael wondered if perhaps they came on a bit too strong. Many of the children now bore sombre expressions, in stark contrast to their initial excitement. However, any sympathy he had for them was quashed under a guise of indifference, allowing the students to decide for themselves whether or not they were prepared for the road ahead without being coddled. Better for them to be rid of their illusions regarding the shinobi lifestyle before reality dealt them a kunai between the eyes, figuratively and literally.

Fortunately, Yokumaru managed to divert everyone's attention back to him as he announced their next lesson. Taijutsu was not Rael's forte, though to be honest, none of the three major combat methods were. He knew enough to pass the graduation exam, but that was like saying he could add and subtract without using his fingers; his knowledge of actual techniques themselves was horribly limited. Perhaps he would learn something new alongside his wards. Nodding in acquiescence to the Jounin's request, the suffix he used not lost on him, Rael clapped his hands once.

"Of course. Alright everyone, form a line and follow me." Content to see some semblance of life back in their faces, he gave the Yokumaru a parting glance before leading them outside, letting the Jounin-Gashira finish whatever preparations he needed.

---

"Rael-sa-sensei?" The sound of his name caused the youth to half-look over his shoulder as the group made their way through the hallway and out to the designated area. It was a fairly sunny day outside, and the grass was thankfully dry. He said nothing, prompting for them to continue. "What about you; do you have something to impart on us as well?" It took him an extra second to realize what exactly they were referring to.

"Not in the way that Yokumaru-sensei managed to. As he mentioned, I only recently graduated from the Academy, just two weeks ago in fact. I consider myself very fortunate so far, as none of my missions tested my mettle in the way his did." He turned away, eyes back on the path as they neared the training field; a corner of his mouth turned slanted upward upon seeing the familiar wooden poles used as rudimentary training dummies.

"But I suppose I could teach you a little something, something to help you survive in the real world." Reaching into the weapon satchel located at his side, his fingers immediately found what he'd purposely brought along this class: an old shuriken, spotted with rust and with one of the teeth snapped clean off. He stopped and turned, holding the item out for all of them to see.

"Take a look at this. Old, rusted and no use to man nor beast, correct?"

"Uh...yep."

"Wrong;" his forceful denouncement of the boy's agreement made the latter jump, but not nearly as much as when the shuriken was flipped between his knuckles and Rael abruptly lunged at him, swiping the air in front of the child's throat with centimeters to spare before slipping back to his original position, all in the same breath, "just because you can't throw it, doesn't mean it can't kill.

My first lesson to you all, one you normally would not learn at the Academy; everything is a weapon. You may have heard stories about ninja killing men with chopsticks right," he watched as some them nodded hesitantly before carrying on, a dry mirth in his voice, "they are not stories. It's happened, I've seen it done.

The first thing that should be on your mind when you go anywhere as a ninja is: what can I use as a weapon in here? For instance, if you go to a bar - though you're all a bit young for that - your thoughts should be along the lines of, 'Could I get behind the bar for cover? If I smashed that sake jug, would I get a sharp weapon I could use out of it? Is that napkin strong enough to garrotte someone with?' Available weapons, all of you," he nodded at where the students were now all staring at him wide-eyed, "in the hands of a shinobi, anything can kill you. As a shinobi, you should be able to kill nearly anyone with anything."

[Lang]

[OOC: Permission from Circa to skip his turn, so you get to listen to me drone on for a bit longer]

---

As expected, the students were quiet as he watched them digest the impromptu lesson. Even the more rambunctious ones he'd observed were mercifully silent, some trying to find arguments to refute his statement. They were welcome to try; having that method of thought saved the lives of entire teams on more than one occasion. Having made his point, the Genin made as if to turn away when, surprisingly, a small voice made him pause. He glanced back to see Jinmei Kō, the red-haired child, giving him a calculating look, wondering questions he might not have considered for at least another year without Rael's intervention.

"But if you're always thinking about what to kill people with," he asked slowly, uncertain whether he should go on but relenting when the Genin nodded for him to continue, "how do you know who you should kill?"

"...Good question"; very good question; Rael thought, appreciating the fact this previously rebellious child was now thinking about 'who', instead of just 'what'. He gave the entire group a once-over before focusing on Kō. "I assume you have some knowledge about the shinobi missions?" He received a rapid set of nods, not just from his object of scrutiny, but those nearest to him as well. "The mission scrolls should tell you who to kill; with any luck while you're a Genin you won't have to kill anyone. However, as I'm sure you all remember, cases such as the one that happened to Yokumaru-sensei do arise occasionally, but as I've said, the probability is still low."

"That's good." Even Kō was smart enough to know that killing was in the line of duty for all shinobi, but that didn't mean he looked forward to it. Around him, there were consenting murmurs from the students, sharing the same resolution to delay bathing their hands in blood for as long as possible. None of them wanted to venture onto that portion of their career so early, much less put themselves in a position where the same could be done to them. Even Rael gave a slight nod in agreement, though there was a hint of warning in his tone as he carried on.

"Indeed, but remember, the mission only ever tells half the story; it tells you who to kill, not who to trust." Seeing the confusion writ upon all their faces, he elaborated. "You know Kiri teams, and those of many other villages, are usually in threes right. In your cases, it will be two other Genin and your Chuunin or Jounin-sensei. On a mission, they are the only people you trust - everyone else is suspicious at best and an enemy at worst." Kō's eyes grew wide.

"Everyone?" to which he received another firm nod.

"Everyone." Rael confirmed as he began ticking off on his fingers. "Villagers can be bribed or just be stupid enough to try and poison your food, or try and slit your throat while you're asleep. People in charge of villages and towns like governors are usually stupid, corrupt or both, and they may try to ensure your team has an accident when you're working. Even clients can lie about missions; it's happened before and one of my...comrades, was forced to quit being a shinobi because some idiot asked for a regular Genin team when he needed at least seasoned Chuunin - he survived while two other members of his team were killed and it shattered his nerves completely, but that can happen out there." He neglected to voice aloud how much that last example reminded him of a certain recent acquaintance, but knew some would draw the comparison on their own.

"All of this is before you even take into account enemy nin or anyone else who actually wants to try and kill you – it is not a relaxing career. You have to learn to actively seek the truth behind everything that you read or are told; "look underneath the underneath" as some people call it. In short, do not trust anyone who is not part of your team – listen to them, take advice from them, but never trust them because you can guarantee that the one time you do, karma will be there ready to rip you a new one."

He knew it wasn't quite what they had envisioned when they came up with the idea of asking him about the shinobi way of life; no doubt they were anticipating learning cool ninja tricks or unbeatable combat techniques, but these cold, fundamental truths seemed enough to chill even their burning vigor. So much could go wrong at any time, and he knew even without asking the unbidden question on the tip of their tongues.

Are all shinobi like this?

[KEITH]

While the children would think "are all shinobi like this?" A sound would be produced out of thin air, a continuous sound, which would be no other than my hands clapping together. I was leaning against one of the many wooden poles within the training field, the thin mist had covered up my appearance and due to them focusing upon Rael, and no one would have noticed when I first appeared. My hands would continue to clap for Rael, as I would push off of my wooden pole, and make my way toward the group, walking across water puddles, which had been all over the village.

Rael's speech was perfect, he had said everything that I would have, and possibly, much better than I would have. Despite him being so young, I could see the potential within him, and with a mind like that at his age, he could grow up to be a splendid shinobi one day. And, I think I would be able to help him out with that, pointing him in the right direction and giving some pointers.

[Well said, Rael-sensei. It seems that you have a better grasp on things than most Genin, even the ones who are older than you. You see guys? Rael-sensei is the perfect example of a well-educated Genin, and you should all strive to be like that, if not better. Kirigakure's future is dependent upon you all, so, I hope you were able to take something out of Rael-sensei's lesson, and remember it well.]

Once I would end up by Rael's side, I would simply place a hand upon his shoulder, patting it if he would, with a smile upon my face as I would look out to the crowd before us. With my arrival, it had meant that I was prepared to start my second lesson with the class, which would be the final lesson for them for today. Like I said before, I would be teaching them a basic Taijutsu technique, the technique known as Dynamic • Entry (Dainamikku • Entorii). Techniques like this one is very useful in combat, especially if it is performed correctly, though it would be used best as a surprise attack, like it was originally meant to be.

I wonder if any of these kids had a knack for Taijutsu, anyone could do it, but who could actually excel at it. More importantly to me at the moment was no other than Rael's level with it.

[So guys, just like back in class, I told you all that I was going to teach you a special Taijutsu technique. This technique, Dainamikku • Entorii, is one of the most basic Taijutsu techniques, and it is mostly underused, but it has a very special purpose, and that's why I am here to teach it to you guys. This technique can be used in head on confrontation or used as a surprise attack to get the edge on a target of yours. The technique itself is a kick type of attack, it is strong and fast, or rather, you have to be strong and fast to get the attack off, or you will leave yourself open for a counter.

The main drawback of this technique is that if you aren't fast enough, you could be caught in mid-air, and if you aren't strong enough, you cannot do any real damage someone, which would end you up in a bad position. In any case, I would prefer that if any of you did pick up these techniques, at least. . . . 80% of the time, make it a surprise attack, it'll be worth it, and I promise you. To begin the technique, you need to have a running start, so that you can build up speed and momentum for the kick.

Once you have it, you leap into the air for a fly-kick, targeting the blind spot of your target. Now, remember, you have to be as silent as possible when you perform this technique, so don't use it in just any type of environment or placement, you have to be stealthy like a shinobi should be. Now, if Rael-sensei would be so kind, I would like to demonstrate the technique upon him. Also, he doesn't have to just allow me to attack him; he can defend against the attack or dodge, whatever he wants.

If he can avoid my attack, it just means that I wasn't doing what I had needed to do.]

Without even waiting for Rael's reply, I would fade away into the mist, though this time, a bit further away than before, so that I wouldn't be within seeing distance of Rael or the children, or not in immediate distance. While hidden away, I would perform a few handseals, and the mist would hide away my creation from all to see. I would wait for the perfect opportunity to strike.

---

1____^prep
2____^prep

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[Lang]

The sound of spontaneous clapping drew everyone's attention away from Rael, including his own. A subtle mist permeated the training field while he was speaking, interfering with the students' ability to detect the Jounin when he entered the scene. One eyebrow lifted marginally as the man made his way over to them, giving the puddles a cursory scan but otherwise waiting patiently for the older male to reach them. Yokumaru's praise had been unexpected, but he accepted it in stride. The white-haired youth was remained vigilant however as a palm settled on his shoulder, looking discretely at the 'offending' appendage out the corner of his eye, but slightly assuaged by the knowledge it wasn't on his head.

Though he would refrain from saying so in front of the other students, Dainamikku • Entorii sounded less than stellar as a move on its own. Then again, the Jounin did say it worked best when coupled with a distraction, though why someone would follow up a successful bait with a flying jump kick was beyond him; he made a note to ask Yokumaru later once class was dismissed. For now, the other sensei was asking for his permission to be subjected to said technique, though by the way he suddenly vanished into the mist that came with him, the Genin didn't exactly have much say in the matter.

Why even bother asking, he thought before speaking out in a firm voice. "Everyone, come around and stay still." Last lesson for today; may as well give three for luck. Many of them flinched, as the more senior instructor already made known his intentions. Wouldn't they be interfering? However, the Genin's voice brooked no argument, and they complied while shuffling forward, trying to avoid stepping in the puddles as they converged around the white-haired youth in a circle when he suddenly ducked down, the ring of children effectively blocking him from view.

An instant later, everyone's eyes shot upwards as the boy's frame leaped up high into the air, several feet above the enclosure of living bodies, turning his head back and forth as though trying to hopefully gain a slightly better vantage point of the hiding Jounin in this dense mist.

---

1____^prep
2____^prep

[KEITH]

I made sure that I would be out of the sight of the children and Rael, but I had kept them in mine. I was the predator, and he was my prey for the moment, and I would to watch out for his every movement, because the moment he would make a mistake, I would strike. My seals would have been completed by the time Rael and the children would move, my creation and I was ready, as I would look onward at him, I would see that he would try to hide himself within the crowd, and I knew that I didn't have long to deduce what his plan was. I would need to dispatch my creature, with a little aid, and once he would take off into the air, I would begin to take action, or at least, my creation would.

With Rael's height, the little he would have gotten with his jump would receive two shuriken flying toward his left and right cheeks horizontally. The appearance of the shuriken would be invisible at first, until they would come within the five meter range of his and my creation, knowing that the direction of the shuriken which had come from would give away his disposition, he would make his way around he, still hidden within the mist. If his shuriken would hit or miss, from the right flank of Rael, I would appear, exiting from the depth of the mist and entering the visible five meter range of the Genin. I would be performing a fly kick, just like I had told them all in the description of the technique I said I would be using. I moved fast, but not faster than Rael could move.

Silently, but fast, my left foot aimed toward the back of his neck. The children of the Academy might have some trouble seeing what would have went on in the air, due to it being fast pace, and little interference with the mist obscuring sight.

---

1____
2____
Shuriken [2/5]

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[Lang]

Rael paid no attention to his own well-being as he scanned left, right, down, and even up in the span of less than two seconds. The Genin apparently had no idea what he was searching for, hardly taking notice of the ongoing activities below him. He didn't notice the Jounin finish his preparations beyond the mist, moving into unknown positions as they released the shuriken towards him; the mist was too thick to see through anyway. He seemed supremely unconcerned as the sound of projectiles whistling through the air was heard too late, and not at all bothered as the two weapons slashed across his face, amidst the gasps of the children beneath him.

In fact, he didn't react at all as they passed through his head, passing harmlessly through the Genin and continuing on their flight.

The moment the shuriken made contact, 'Rael' blurred out of existence, to the breaths of relief held by several of their students. However, the group as a whole was startled when their older instructor burst into view through the mist, body airborne and twisted into the flying kick he'd explained earlier, causing many of them to shift and move aside in case their teacher hit them at this low height. Whether he'd been aiming to strike the Genin in his exposed blind spot, backside or anywhere else, mattered little as the Jounin's foot and rest of his body passed through the empty air where 'Rael' had been.

---

Rael felt the vibrations through the earth, as the large group above him abruptly moved away from his location, directly underneath the spot he'd been when he formed and released the Bunshin into the air. He had no way of knowing his clone's condition during its brief existence, all the way up to its untimely 'demise' via shuriken. However, the fact that the students were suddenly moving away, indicated that something potentially threatening had urged them to retreat, despite his earlier orders for them to remain still. That was more than enough reason for him to believe Yokumaru had made his appearance, likely using Dainamikku • Entorii based on what he said; that was the whole point of this episode.

The moment he felt the collective group shift, Rael burst out of the ground but kept his body crouched low under the Jounin literally right above him, smoke grenade in hand as he pulled the pin and threw it at his feet, instantly enveloping himself, Yokumaru, and the students in its smog. Holding his breath and shutting his eyes before it could affect him as well, in the distraction, he threw a kunai in the general direction the other sensei's body went sailing through the air, before forming a short series of hand seals and diving back underground, perhaps hoping the Jounin wouldn't check the same location.

---

1. Bunshin no Jutsu [Clone Technique]
2. Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu [Double Suicide Decapitation Technique]
3. ???
Kunai [1/2]
Smoke Grenade [1/3]

[KEITH]

I had missed my mark it would seem, but it was nothing to worry about, Rael hadn't known what I had up my sleeve, though, the same could be said for me. The shuriken I would have thrown toward him would cut right through the cheeks, but unfortunately, the outcome was not what I had hoped for. Revealing that this Rael was no more than a simple Bunshin. With me missing my target, flying down toward the ground, into the group of kids, I would slide to a stop, where the kids around me would move about and out of my way.

Rael was indeed quite clever, but not clever enough. Rael would erupt from the ground, just below me, surely he didn't believe that I wouldn't feel the vibrations throughout the ground as he would emerge, nor see him, despite his leveling to me. I had then formulated handseals as he would toss a smoke grenade toward my feet, letting it go off and capture all of us in a cloud of smoke. This would hide the fact that I had performed handseals from Rael, since he didn't look up at me, and when he would look into my direction, I would already be engulfed into the smoke.

The kunai he would have thrown toward me, it would strike, and causing a loud sound to erupt within the smoke, water had spewed from where I once was, soaking the surrounding students in water. As Rael would have made his departure into the air, with his focus upon the smoke and what was happening within it, he would hear the sound of me moving through the air, though it was almost faint. The sound of the erupting water clone would drown out any sound I would make before my left foot would connect to the back of Rael, right before he could even begin forming handseals. With me moving at double his own speed, this would leave him little time to react, even if he did have a chance to hear me.

But, it wasn't likely, I was like a true shinobi, and I knew how to keep my presence as faint as a dead man. If successful with my attack, Rael would feel a powerful surge of chakra hitting him in the back, along with the force and momentum of my kick, enough to send him to the ground. With it, I would shout out the name of my attack, to get the attention of the students.

[DAINAMIKKU • ENTORII!]

And, with that, the teaching would be complete; it would now be the students turn to rock out with this technique.

---

Water Clone [1/2] - Mid
Dynamic Entry [1/5] - Low - D -> C

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[Lang]

He was too slow against the Jounin; Rael knew upon emerging from the earth that he lost in speed, seeing Yokumaru already on his feet. He meant to catch the older male off-guard while vulnerable, but it seemed the man's experience and superior conditioning pulled him through. The sound of his late kunai striking against a liquid substance was faint, and while the smoke prevented him from visually confirming anything, the telltale sound of a water clone's demise was not so faint that couldn't distinguish it being different than the sound against a living being. Now susceptible to an attack at any angle from the real one, even the few hand seals he needed to escape wouldn't be enough. There were other options, spur of the moment ones that could likely level the playing field once more, but this was a demonstration, and so he would accept the loss with dignity.

It didn't make the sudden kick to his spine hurt any less, though.

The second he felt Yokumaru's foot colliding against his back, Rael mustered everything he could while already off-balance to throw his body in forward momentum, rather than remain still or make the fatal mistake of bending backward to meet the force head on. As a result, he managed to avoid taking the worst of hits, doing a front roll as he fell, forcibly jerking his bunched up body sideways and spun onto his feet in a low crouch facing Yokumaru. Instead of a distinct, dirty footprint on his back, a scuffed line ran up the length of his back, raw from the Jounin's sandal as it essentially scraped along the entire surface. He hid a wince and resisted the urge to reach an arm over his shoulder and rub what was definitely going to be a giant bruise tomorrow.

"And that, everyone, should be a reminder to brush up on your taijutsu; in case you frequently have someone trying to kick you in the head or worse."

The students stood dumbstruck, as if their two senseis hadn't looked like they were just trying to land the other in the hospital or take a dirt nap. A moment later, thunderous applause rang out from the medium-sized group, as many of the children flooded around Yokumaru, jabbering away excitedly once more, the earlier conversations in the day temporarily forgotten as some immediately began jump-kicking one another and miniature scuffles broke out. All in all, not a bad finish to a hands-on lesson.