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Despite his measures, Sasori ignored the fact that Hotaru had cast an ability of her own, causing him to be enveloped in the cloud of ash just as he switched places with the large log along with a 50 square meter area. As she retreated, his sword strike would not find a target since Hotaru escaped 10 meters backwards into the storm. She was a bit farther than 10 meters from Madoka (closer to 15), but she may have sensed Hotaru escape the edge of her barrier if her seals were quick enough.

With her own seal string uninterrupted, Hotaru summoned a pillar of lava to rise from the ground. 5 meters in girth, the tower of molten rock ascended to 25 meters in height before rapidly cooling into it’s hardened state. Amidst the ash storm, an obsidian obelisk had come from nowhere, and Hotaru climbed to the top under the cover of her diversion. Since it would be nearly impossible for her team to locate her amidst the flurry of ash, this would likely happen in total safety.

Assuming all had gone according to plan, the Kunoichi would stand atop the new obstacle and dismiss the ash storm. The black, glass like structure weakly reflected the sunlight, and Hotaru waited to see just what her team would do with the new challenge. Shouting down to her students, she taunted them yet again.

“Let’s see what you do with a bigger log!”

SPOILER: Click to show

Kazan Hai Kichou (Volcanic Ash Screen)
Rank: C
Type: Defensive / Youton Kekkei Touta
Range: 0-50 Meters
Chakra: Mid
Special: The area which the screen covers depends on the highest “Fushokuzai” rank known. The screen can be blown away by a Fuuton jutsu of rank C or higher.
Description: The users employs youton in a different manner with Kazan Hai Kichou. He spits forth a ball of lava-covered rock incapable of causing any damage. A thin layer of chakra prevents the lava from immediately burning the rock. Upon contacting any sort of surface the force causes the ball to erupt by breaking the protective layer of chakra, and immediately spreads a layer of volcanic ash in the area by allowing the heat to disintegrate the rock. The breaking of the chakra layer not only allows the two substances to connect, but creates an energetic burst which spreads the volcanic ash. The range which it spreads Depends on Fushokuzai. The ash screen is thick, difficult to see through, but causes no damage aside from slight irritation to the lungs should the ash be inhaled, easily prevented by holding ones breath. Kazan Hai Kichou is not an offensive technique but serves as cover for an escape or as means to support subtlety.
Domain: Youton, Fushokuzai: Rank C

Madoka- Good idea. You misjudged the distance a bit, since i moved 10 meters back from the log, which was about 5 meters from your position. Otherwise, good job.

Sasori- You ignored my attack, allowing me to use it to completely avoid yours. Just because you feel like you’ll interrupt something doesnt mean you don’t put it in your post. If you want to interrupt successfully, provide your reasoning in your post.

"I see. I suppose not."

She said, laughing at his comments about how 'boring' it would be to run a village. She returned to her bag and folded her jacket up and placed it inside. After the work out, she wouldn't be needing it any time soon. She ran her fingers casually through her air, returning it to it's pre spar condition.

"So. What are your goals for the village as Kage? And whats my role in all this? I guess it's a pretty personal political question, but if I'm gonna stick around for good, I have to know that our philosophies line up."

The reason she had left Iwagakure was because of it's crumbling internal structure and the total lack of faith she had in the leadership. As a nuke nin, she had more freedom to choose her new home. She would be quite surprised if Akira's policies caused her to leave, but she wanted to make sure she wouldn't waste time working for a government that she had no place in.

She waited for him to laugh at her for the question. Most of their banter up until this point had been sarcastic and kidding around, and a genuine question might have gotten lost in their rapport. Waiting for her answer, she would let him figure out she was serious if need be by just remaining silent. It was an important piece of information, and one she was quite serious about obtaining.

Her head cocked to the side as she watched her students spring into action. The girl wielding the spear jumped high into the air and tucked forward, her leg extended as she fell towards Hotaru, attempting to deliver a powerful kick aided by gravity. Sasori, on the other hand, floundered with a replacement technique about 5 meters away. With nothing but the log she was standing on for him to switch places with, he would be stuck in place. Further more, even if he had managed to close the gap between them, the fact that he had 0 techniques and a low chakra and stamina pool would disable him from slicing through a thick log in a single swipe.

Raising her left arm straight above her head, she tried to grab hold of Madoka's ankle as the spear wielder fell. Instead of blocking the force, Hotaru would attempt to redirect it. Hopefully pulling the girl out of the air, Hotaru would throw the kunoichi backwards, aiming to hit Sasori with his teammate's body.

"You'll have to do better than that!"

Hotaru chided, still not having moved from her perch atop the meter thick log. Though they had made some rookie mistakes, she hoped there was potential still hidden inside of them.

SPOILER: Click to show

Madoka- Not a bad opener, but try not to get aerial unless absolutely necessary or if you know your attack will hit. Usually, being in the air will make you much easier to counter. That 'double jump' technique makes aerial attacks a bit more viable, but only use them if you have no other option or have a high chance of success.

Sasori- You have nothing to switch with, so you cant use the replacement technique. Also, you're over estimating your characters abilities. A basic sword slash wont cut through a log at your stamina level.

"What the hell?!

She yelped, watching her diversion simply vanish after being sliced by the sword.

What is that?

She thought frantically, knowing full well what was on its way. Without any way to gain distance or hinder his movement, Akira closed the gap between them with a burst of speed, likely from opening another gate. A blur of movement gave her just enough time to anticipate what was about to happen, and Hotaru braced for impact.

Ah!

She shrieked as his powerful leg found her arm, sending the chuunin reeling across the lawn from the force of the impact. Thanks to her medical training, a burst of chakra had flooded to her arm just before the impact, saving her from broken bones, bruises, or lacerations from skipping along the ground like a stone against the surface of a lake. Still, she couldn't defend against the sheer force of the technique and had to bounce off the ground a few times before righting herself.

Her feet finally found the grass and she continued to slide backwards in a crouched position, but at least the momentum was under her control. Eyes frantically searched for any sign of Akira, looking to anticipate another powerful blow like the one she had just been struck with. Bounding towards her with speed that she, quite frankly, found unnecessary for a sparring match, her body tensed as she waited for another powerful attack.

If given the time to, the same ritual as before would be performed and an ash cloud would be spit onto the field, this time in a direction away from Akira's strange sword. However, the opportunity would likely not present itself, and so she braced for impact.

SPOILER: Click to show

¹In'yu Shōmetsu (Yin Healing Wound Destruction)
^2? Kazan Hai Kichou (Volcanic Ash Screen)

Hotaru cracked her knuckles and stretched, limbering up for their spar. She watched Akira toss his jacket to the side and draw a sword. He warned her to not hold back and she smirked. Restraint was one concept she was just not comfortable with.

There was only a few meters between them, and judging by Akira's earlier demonstration of speed, she would undoubtedly lose a hand to hand confrontation. She needed to keep him at a distance, and her lava techniques could do just that. Without the luxury to distance to give her time to perform a long string of seals, she would have to try something with a shorter ritual.

Fingers came together quickly and, upon the completion of the seals, the ground in front of her began to glow red. A moment later, the boiling earth leaped from the ground and flew towards Akira. She was sure that he would be able to defend against the 5 meter wide stream of magma since he wouldn't have challenged her if he couldn't.

During the whole exchange, she remained alert for any sort of counterattack. She wondered what Akira would do to survive, but once the attack was launched, she would retreat 5 meters, trying to put some distance between her and the taijutsu user.

Yōuton: Yōnagare ( Lava Release: Magma Flow )
Rank: C
Type: Offensive / Youton Kekkei Touta
Range: See Fushokuzai
Handseals: Yes
Chakra: Mid
Special: Sends a quick stream of lava up from the ground or from the user’s mouth streaming to the opponent.
Description: Flying at the speed of a kunai, the user sends a flowing stream of magma rushing at their target. The user can melt the ground nearby and release a steady stream of magma for one second for each rank of Fushokuzai they posses (D = 1 second, S = 5 seconds). When it is suits the user or when there is no earth to melt, Yōton practitioners can spit magma from their mouths. The width of this stream is 10% of the user's Fushokuzai range.
Domain: Yōton. Fushokuzai 'C'.

Her eyebrows raised and she pulled her sunglasses down just enough to get a look at the figure looming over her. Akira, the Mizukage, had found her once again. Though running into him at his office was far less serendipitous than in a mist covered forest, she still pondered his motives. Just why she had been invited into the village was still a mystery, but she hadn't been killed or imprisoned, so she continued to not dwell on it too much.

"Eh. Chip?"

Hotaru responded to his comments on guard duty, offering the small bag of salted snacks to the Mizukage. Regardless if he took one or not, Akira would speak once again, this time offering to spar with her to pass the time.

"You just cut right to the chase, don't 'cha?

Hotaru asked, picking herself up off the lawn and standing in Akira's shadow. Though she was a bit above average height, Akira towered over her by at least two feet.

"How the hell can you wear all that leather in this humidity? I can barely stand it with what i'm wearing."

She chided, removing the sunglasses and waiting for him to answer.

"As for the sparring, so long as you have space for it. Things tend to get a little...heated when I start fighting."

She spoke, of course, of her unique affinity for magma, and it's ability to reduce nearly everything to a smoldering puddle of boiling rock. If they fought where they stood, there was a high chance his tower would meet an untimely end.