[Hatake Suzume]

Another day, another mission. Suzume's life was dictated by shinobi duty, but today's assignment was a little bit different. For one, this particular mission wasn't going to be as routine as she was used to. It was long-term escort job to take the daughter of the prominent Lord Mitsubachi to the eastern border of Hi no Kuni to be married. There were some politics involved in the whole matter but that was far beyond Suzume's scope. The other thing that made this mission a bit special was that she wasn't going to be joined by her operations squad. Instead, she was actually taking on the mission with a distant cousin of hers who also just happened to be the head of her entire clan.

It was very early in the morning, the sun was just barely coming up above the horizon, and while spring was just around the corner, there was still a hefty chill in the air. Getting up this early rarely bothered Suzume, she could hardly ever sleep much to begin with, but the early departure clearly annoyed the young bride-to-be.

"I don't understand! Why couldn't we have left a few hours from now. I want to be sleeping comfortably in bed, not shivering in a carriage, hmph!"

Suzume didn't really have a good response to give to Ichimi, shuffling uncomfortably from side to side as she was subjected to the verbal barrage.

Hatake Toshizō

SPOILER: Click to show

Mission Description: Link
DESCRIPTION:
The Mitsubachi clan have held long-standing ties with the hidden leaf village. Considered a lesser house of nobility, their political influence is decent at best, nonetheless, a history of rich comradery with the leaf populace has afforded special leniency and consideration for most tasks requested. Lord Mitsubachi has arranged for his youngest daughter, Ichimi [17] to be married to a wealthier family. No doubt a political move to gain prominence as word of their failing riches continue to spread across the fire country landscape. The wedding is to take place on the eastern borders of the country and as a result of this long journey, shinobi have been requested to accompany the beautiful heir on her travel. Be cautious, the roads aren’t meant for the week, and the weeks of travel can ware on any mind. Move with persistence and assist the young maiden in her escapade towards a new life for herself and her family!

[Hatake Toshizō]

"the stench of nobility". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." DISAPPOINTMENT He wondered why Keisuke assigned him to this particular mission. Maybe the Hokage wanted to take him away from the village for a few days, maybe the rumors were starting to spread that he was going to reactivate the Root. Whatever the case may be, he wasn't happy with this type of escort mission, but as a loyal shinobi from the Hidden Leaf, he would never turn down a mission, and he tried to take it in stride. The person who was designated to accompany him in this mission was Suzume, a fellow Hatake, but in his head, she was a Hatake in name only, for he didn't see any of the traits of the clan in the girl. As its leader, he was clearly disappointed with her performance as a shinobi, and her overall lack of ambition and pessimism, an embarrassment to the good name of the clan, but still, as the leader, it was his duty to treat her with the due respect and to continue to try and make a true shinobi out of her. Toshizou was waiting by the gates, having arrived there before the sun was up. He didn't look tired in the slightest. Instead, he looked a bit impatient, arms folded in front of his chest, fingers strumming his arm. When the girl was approaching, she was met by the glare of his vermillion eyes. "Suzume!" he exclaimed as he saw her, showing discontent. "Take the bed off your back and look alive! This is an important mission, and causing a good impression on our client is important to the village!" his tone was quite stern, he didn't want the client to see her sleepy face and fear for their safety, and it also irritated him on a personal level, being as strict as he was. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" B-Rank Mission Gates of the Village [Hatake Suzume] [308 words]

[Hatake Suzume]

Ichimi wasn't nearly done with her complaints aimed towards Suzume, but she did pause as Toshizou harshly chastised his fellow shinobi. The chuunin immediately responded to the orders, a slight 'eep!' coming from her throat as she suddenly stood at attention, one hand instinctively dropping to hang just an inch or so away from her tanto's handles. The purple-haired Hatake spun to face her superior, stuttering a response to show that she was now acknowledging his authority.

"Y-yes sir!"

The annoyed expression on Ichimi's face was still present, but she did seem a bit more pleased to see that Suzume's dull appearance addressed. The (un)fortunately result was that now Ichimi knew to direct her complaints to Toshizou instead, since it was clear that he was in charge.

"Well? Why are we leaving so early? I fully expect that for the rest of the journey that we'll depart in the mornings at more reasonable times!"

The young bride-to-be harrumphed one final time before finally settling into her carriage, tutting to have the driver begin their journey. Within the carriage was not only Ichimi herself, but one of her personal servants. That meant that this travel party consisted of Toshizou, Suzume, the carriage driver and horse, one servant, and Ichimi. It was the smallest possible group that the Mitsubachi clan would tolerate for this mission spanning multiple weeks. With the group finally beginning travel, Suzume waited to see where Toshizou would position her, the front or the rear? Or perhaps they'd each take a side?

Hatake Toshizō

[Hatake Toshizō]

"the stench of nobility". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." PAKKUN The stuttering in her words bothered him a bit, but he didn't want to discipline the girl in front of a client; it would make it look like the Leaf shinobi were unprofessional. Instead, he nodded in acknowledgement when she seemed more awake and aware. The client - if pleased by it - didn't make it obvious as she was quick to complain about the time of their departure. Toshizou's expression remained calm and collected, his scarlet eyes reached out to Ichimi and he gave her a short, yet respectful bow. "I understand the time may sound inconvenient, Ichimi-sama. However, please keep in mind that the time is also inconvenient for criminal and thugs. We are only concerned with your safety, so I ask you to please endure for the next couple weeks. It's for your own sake." his tone was polite, yet firm, he was not going to discuss that topic any further, there was a reason why they did things this way. Once that was explained, he turned to his fellow clanswoman. "Cover the right flank, I will be on the left. And I will send Pakkun ahead. He will act as our scout." he informed her before biting his thumb and performing a few hand seals. "Kuchyose no Jutsu!" Toshizou slammed his hand on the ground and with a poof of smoke, the head Ninken of the Hatake clan appeared, a miniature pug with an incredible nose. "Hello Toshi-kun. Oh, a fellow Hatake? I'm not sure we met, girl." he dog said as he slowly approached Suzume, familiarising himself with her smell. For some reason, Suzume never signed the clan contract, and even Toshizou was curious about that, but this was nor the time nor the place to discuss that matter. "Any questions?" he asked the Chuunin. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" B-Rank Mission Summon Technique: Pakkun. [Hatake Suzume] [303 words]

[Hatake Suzume]

The younger Hatake remained stiff and at attention as Toshizou dealt with their client, seeming to quell her frustrations for the time being. There was something in his tone that gave a note of finality, leaving Ichimi to simply huff in annoyance to herself and her servant.

Suzume took her orders with a swift nod, jogging over to the right side of the carriage a few meters out before beginning to keep an active watch of their surroundings. She heard the sound of Toshizou summoning something and then a moment later she was approached by one of their clan's signature canines.

"Uhm, no we haven't met yet."

The closest she had gotten to meeting one of the Hatake summons was through her cousin Daichi, but there never really had been a formal or official meeting like this.

"No questions, sir."

What Suzume lacked in personal confidence and initiative, she made up for in diligence. Over the next few days, she never failed in her duty to escort and watch over her side of the convoy as they travelled, immediately notifying Toshizou whenever she noted anything strange or out of place, and if he ever gave her any other orders she followed them unquestioningly. Fortunately for these first days the group seemed to still be in the safety bubble provided by Konohagakure's presence.

Hatake Toshizō

[Hatake Toshizō]

"the stench of nobility". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." GOALS Pakkun's paw touched his 'chin' in an almost comical way. "Hm... That's unfortunate. Well, my name is Pakkun, I'm the leader of the Ninja Hounds allied with your clan. If you want to meet us at a better time, let Toshi-kun know." he said in a rather friendly tone, but Toshizou looked at him with a serious expression, and that was the hint he needed that this was not a time for small talk, they were in a mission after all. And since Suzume had no further questions, and the client seemed to be less frustrated with his answer, they were ready to move on with their mission. The first few days were uneventful, and that was a good thing. Pakkun provided them with intel from the road ahead, while Toshizou's Kagura Mind's Eye was constantly open during the time they were travelling, making sure they would not be ambushed. Not that he was heavily concerned about it yet, for the sphere of influence of the village would make an attack unlikely and completely reckless, but soon that would diminish. What he didn't fail to notice, however, was the diligence the girl displayed. Perhaps he had judged her too harshly, for she was doing a very good job at keeping her guard up and a watchful eye. He was experienced enough to know she showed readiness and alertness necessary of a shinobi of her rank, maybe even slightly beyond that, and as the head of the clan, he was satisfied. Surely there was room for improvement, but everyone could improve, even himself. She was also quite good at following orders, but he wondered how good she was at leading, a quality that is observed in Chuunins, especially those who had any ambition of moving further up through the ranks. Not that everyone needed to do that, but he would prefer if they did; the Leaf had more enemies than allies, and they needed to increase their military power. "Tell me, Suzume, what are your goals as a shinobi?" he would ask one night, as they were camping. The clients were already sound asleep and Bisuke, one of the Ninken was standing guard near them, counting on his sharp nose to detect threats early enough so they could protect them. "I can say you are doing better than I initially anticipated thus far, but I feel I don't know enough about you, and that's not a good thing as head of our clan. The Hatake are small enough as it is." he commented, grabbing a piece of the rabbit he was cooking, and handing it over to the girl. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" B-Rank Mission Camping at night [Hatake Suzume] [443 words]

[Hatake Suzume]

Pakkun's friendliness was met with a curt nod from Suzume, the younger Hatake not quite knowing the most appropriate way to respond to the offer. Thankfully, they were soon on their way.

After those few uneventful days, Suzume did notice that Toshizou's opinion of her did seem to change, if just a little bit. That slight approval became far more apparent as they stopped to camp one night, the two Hatake sitting by the fire some time after the ever demanding Ichimi had gone to bed. Suzume accepted the piece of roast rabbit with a polite nod, holding it unsteadily in her hands as she momentarily panicked after being put on the spot.

"I um-" She paused to hastily straighten her back and attempt more firm eye contact with her clan head, though she still struggled with the latter part as she went on. "Um my goals are to... continue serving the village however I can..."

It was a painfully generic response, though completely truthful. The partial compliment that Toshizou offered went utterly unanswered, but Suzume made it clear that she was fine with remaining a member of an Operations Team.

"My parents want me to be shinobi so... I just do what they want me to. Y-you know my parents right? My mother, Sumiko, is on the council and um.. my father, Senzo, is a blacksmith..."

Suzume's voice became quieter as she spoke, finding herself shrinking under Toshizou's intense gaze.

Hatake Toshizō

[Hatake Toshizō]

"the stench of nobility". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." RESOLVE Suzume accepted the food and then struggled a bit to answer his question. Her answer was quite vague, to continue to help the village. Still, even though she wasn't specific, her heart was in the right place and he nodded to her. However, he did frown his brows a bit when she brought up the fact that she was following her parents wish in choosing the path of the shinobi, and that was potentially problematic if she wanted to climb through the ranks. With such a weak motivation, he wondered if she had what it took to become stronger and serve the village even more. "I do know your parents. Your mother is a good shinobi, and your father's skill with the forge is admirable. I'm to approach him to forge a blade for my daughter." he said, not being specific in which daughter he meant, for he had two as far as he knew. Hopefully that was it, but given his life he didn't discard the possibility of having more of his offspring scattered around the Land of Fire, or maybe the Land of Lightning as well. "Still, Suzume, you are your own person. You cannot live to fulfill their expectations, because if that's your sole motivation... You will falter. And if you wish to become a stronger shinobi and become a Jounin one day, you will need a stronger resolve. Do you want to become a Jounin one day?" he asked her, pausing to eat his rabbit and giving her time to process his words and answer. They had a long path ahead of them in the following days, but tonight was a good moment for him to get to know the girl. Maybe, just maybe, he could help her down in her shinobi career. He wouldn't mind helping her out at all, after all he was the head of the Hatake clan, and he had a responsibility to all of its members. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" B-Rank Mission Camping [Hatake Suzume] [328 words]

[Hatake Suzume]

Suzume continued to shift uncomfortably under Toshizou's gaze, nodding in acknowledgement when he mentioned knowing her parents. It did come as a bit of a surprise that the even the clan head considered her father a candidate for making one of the clan blades for his daughter though she didn't pry further into the matter.

"I um. Well... I want to make my parents proud and... I don't know if I want to be a jounin one day. I think... if my parents want me to I will. But.."

The meek Hatake didn't understand why Toshizou was asking if she wanted to be a jounin? Did she somehow exude some sort of potential for leadership? Suzume certainly hoped not... The chuunin let the rest of her thought die in the wind as she suddenly became more interested in eating her own piece of rabbit, desperately avoiding eye contact with her fellow clan member. If Toshizou didn't continue the conversation, Suzume would hastily scarf down the rest of her food, dipping her head respectfully before jumping to her feet.

"I-I can take first watch if you'd like, Toshizou-san."

Suzume was eager to escape from this sort of conversation, at least for the time being, and focussing on the mission was a great way of keeping the attention on other things. She didn't fully commit to her wishes, however, standing uncomfortably in front of the clan head waiting for him to give her a formal dismissal, fingers fiddling anxiously on the handle of her tanto all the while.

Hatake Toshizō

[Hatake Toshizō]

"stench of nobility". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." GUARD DOG It was clear to him she was not enjoying the direction of the conversation, and that becoming a Jounin was not part of her plans. To go for it just to fulfill her parents wishes would likely result in failure, for one's resolve has to be steeled if they want to reach the upper echelons of the shinobi way. In any case, he decided to no longer torment the girl with that conversation, and focused on finishing his meal. Once they were both done, he good up and looked around for a moment, opening his Mind's Eye to scan the area around them. No threats could be sensed in the 25 kilometre area, which was good. "Seems like we are safe for now." he commented, but didn't add any more details; as a member of the clan she should at least be mostly aware of his ability as a sensor type ninja. Suzume then offered to take the first watch, which prompted the man to glance over towards her, arching one of his brows. He was surprised with her offer, and happy with that too. She showed some initiative, and that was a good thing. He could see she was anxious, but then he shook his head. "No need, Suzume. But I'm happy you offer without being ordered to. I will have Urushi taking the first watch, and then Shiba. Conserve your energy and rest." he said, cracking a subtle, almost imperceptible smile. Once that had been said, he performed the hand seals and slammed his hand on the ground. "Kuchyose no Jutsu: Urushi!" with a poof of smoke that quickly dissipated, a small dog with a white and brown fur appeared. He looked at Toshizou with a serious expression, almost angry. "Urushi, you will take the first watch. Wake me up in three hours and I will switch you with Shiba." he said, but the small dog scoffed and growled lightly. "You don't think I can hold the watch for six hours? I don't need Shiba's help." his tone was rather brash. Toshizou, however, didn't seem too bothered by it, and made his way towards his sleeping bag. "Suit yourself then." he casually added. With the dog standing guard over them, the Jounin closed his eyes. He was a light sleeper, but he was trying to rest as much as he possibly could during a mission. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" B-Rank Mission Urushi taking the watch [Hatake Suzume] [403 words]

[Hatake Suzume]

Keeping guard was something Suzume was usually eager to do. It was a simple task she could do well, and sleep usually evaded her anyway. Toshizou quickly let her know that the ninken could handle it, which she took with mixed feelings. The way her elder clan member interacted with the dogs only showed why she would be unsuitable to also sign the contract: commanding them was well outside of her comfort zone.

Still, she wasn't the type to be insubordinate, and so she dipped her head in acknowledgement before making herself reasonably comfortable before attempting to drift off to sleep. Like always, she had trouble drifting off, but after some uncomfortable shifting she would be able to find some rest. It would seem that tonight we be the first night that their smooth travels would come to an end. Depending on how deeply Toshizou slept, he might not have picked up on the chakra signatures closing in, they did seem to be actively masking it with jutsu, but even if didn't wake, Urushi would smell the strangers long before they got into their immediate vicinity.

Suzume would wake rather easily, sensing any slight stirring from both her fellow shinobi and the ninken before jolting upright, hand unsteadily gripping the hilt of one of her tanto.

Hatake Toshizō

[Hatake Toshizō]

"the stench of nobility". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." WAKE UP Toshizou fell asleep quickly, it was something he learned to do with his years in the ANBU. He was a light sleeper, however, very easy to wake up, which was also a trait he developed due to his overly military life even for shinobi standards. Their rest didn't last for very long though. Toshizou's Mind's Eye had a passive range of 400 metres, but the enemies were further away from that when they were noticed by Urushi, who discreetly nudged his head against Toshizou, a sign he knew all too well. The elder Hatake opened his eyes and quickly got up to his feet, expanding his Mind's Eyes to its full range of 25 kilometres, trying to sense the chakra in the people approaching them. He was trying to determine how many they were, and where they were. He didn't have to wake up Suzume, which surprised him positively. "She is quite alert, that's good." he thought to himself. Toshizou glanced over to Urushi and pointed to the place the clients were at and the dog nodded before heading towards it and standing guard there, as a last line of defence if the two shinobi did let something or someone pass through them, as unlikely as that may be; it's always better to be safe than sorry. The dog could count on his keen sense of smell, but he was also a capable fighter if needed, capable of giving even advanced genins a run for their money. Slowly, Toshizou would draw his blade, but he would not channel his chakra to it yet; the light would be noticiable from afar. His sharp, scarlet eyes were also on the lookout, to follow the direction of what his Kagura Shingan was able to detect. Any intel he acquired, he would whisper to Suzume, so that the girl could be as ready as he was. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" B-Rank Mission Opens Mind's Eye to try and detect the enemies, sends Urushi to guard the clients and slowly draws his blade. Shares any intel he gathers with Suzume. [Hatake Suzume] [342 words]

[Hatake Suzume]

Sensory capabilities are an uncommon ability among shinobi, and so it is rare for people to train specifically to counter it. While these intruders were of a few who had prepared for this possibility, they had made one error: failing to gain the intel that Toshizou possessed something even beyond sensory. They were utilizing some sort of jutsu that would normally have prevented them from being detected by a shinobi sensor, but Kagura Mind's eye revealed all to the elder Hatake.

There were four signatures moving in from two separate directions, two from the east, and two from the west. They were still roughly three hundred or so meters away, but they were closing in rapidly. Suzume nodded as Toshizou passed this information along to her, finally prompting her to draw one of her own tanto. In this moment she chose Yōki, a blade her father had created with stealth in mind. She didn't need to worry about the blade giving away her position with the steel being matte gray, reflecting no light.

Suzume patiently crouched besides Toshizou with her blade unsteadily drawn, awaiting her fellow clan member's orders. Her mind was fully occupied with following Toshizou's initiative, no sign of planning or drive on her face as she strained to perceive their potential attackers with her own senses.

Hatake Toshizō

[Hatake Toshizō]

"the stench of nobility". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." SNEAK ATTACK Thanks to the Kagura Mind's Eye he could pinpoint the location of the chakra signatures, and also notice that they were using something to try and suppress their presences. "They are no pushovers." he took a mental note. They were coming from both directions, potentially aiming to flank them, but he was confident of his ability to fend them off, now it was just a matter of knowing if Suzume could handle them. Well, despite her demeanor, her records indicated she was a capable shinobi, and she was a member of his clan after all. Plus, he could potentially come to give her some back off once he was done taking care of the ones he would engage. They were coming in at a fast pace, so he would indicate to Suzume to head east while he would head west to intercept their attackers, and bring the fight further away from their clients, who Urushi was protecting. Orders sent, he would head towards the two coming from the west, quickly moving from tree to tree in order to keep himself out of their line of sight. He would also use his Kagura Mind's Eye Inner Closure to completely conceal his presence while he approached; if the attackers were capable of suppressing their chakra signature, they were also likely capable of sensing chakra around them. If successful in approaching unnoticed, Toshizou would then aim for a surprise attack with his blade, releasing the technique and trying to behead one of them in a quick and swift motion, before facing the other one "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" B-Rank Mission Orders Suzume to engage with the attackers from the east while he takes the west. Approaches with inner closure in order to try and sneak attack one of them with a beheading movement. Urushi keeps on guarding the clients. [Hatake Suzume] [303 words]

SA used:

SPOILER: Click to show

Vermillion Eye
Toshi possesses extremely sharp eyesight, which helps him predict his opponent's next attack and movements by carefully observing the subtle shifts of their muscles, joints and the slight movements of their eyes. Some people compare his eyesight to that of a Hawk, and they are not wrong with the comparison. His eyes also allow him to be extremely precise with his attacks, as well as improve his ability with throwing and ranged weapons, granting him great accuracy. he is able to do these things but at the cost of not being as effective in either one as someone with a more focused special ability.

Swift as Wind
Toshi is an extremely fast Shinobi in combat (not normal movement speed). Ever since he was a child, he had displayed incredible reflexes and agility, which allows him to dominate the battlefield. His reflexes allow him to escape most harm coming his way, or at the very least be able to react fast enough to counter an incoming attack, preventing himself from being injured by most attacks, while at the same time putting his opponents in a pinch with his counterattack.

Chakra Control
Having only an average chakra pool, Toshi had to develop a refined control of his chakra to avoid being drained too fast in battle. By learning to optimise the usage of his chakra, thus preventing any unnecessary waste, the Hatake managed to conserve his chakra by using only the minimum amount required. This allows him to compete with those blessed with large chakra pools, who can give themselves the luxury of wasting chakra. With the years, he became a true professional when it comes to Chakra Control.

One with the Blade
As a primary specialist on Bukijutsu, Toshi focuses primarly on his Kenjutsu skill, honed throughout his entire life during his Tennen Rishin-ryu training. As such, his sword became a natural extension of his body, and together they act as one. Due to that, he knows how to force a breach on his opponents defence, and is quite knowledgeable of where to strike to make the most of every attack from his blade. That being said, very few people can best him in a sword fight.

Genius IQ
Since he was a child, Toshi was way beyond the curve when it came to his intellect. He aced all of his exams during his time in the academy, which allowed him to graduate at the tender age of 9. He was often the youngest member of his team growing up, and they all came to respect him as an equal when given the opportunity to stand beside him on the battlefield. His memory is excellent and he can recall events and information with rich details, and his mind works at an incredible speed, able to do calculations even during the stress of combat. He is very analytical and a natural strategist, who is quite comfortable thinking outside of the box to find solutions to otherwise helpless situations. His keen mind also allows him to be a few steps ahead of his opponents and adapt to changes in his environment and oveall situation in a second. Toshi always has a Plan B and C under his sleeve, even though he usually does not have to resort to that.

Kagura Mind's Eye
Born with a natural affinity towards sensing chakra, Toshi trained himself to become a capable sensor ninja. With his training, he managed to unlock his Mind's Eye, and with that, the ability to passively sense chakra signatures in the distance (when using the technique), thus allowing him to not only track, but also memorize a person's chakra signature, even if barely any chakra is being used. Due to his proficiency with this technique, Toshi can passively sense chakra up to 400 metres, but when he focus on opening his Mind's Eye, his sensing capabilities increase to incredible 25 km.

Technique used:

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Kagura Shingan Naibu Heisa [ Kagura Mind's Eye Inner Closure ]
RANK: A
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: N/A
HANDSEALS: 3
DESCRIPTION:
By focusing his inner mind eye and sensory ability of the Kagura Shingan completely on himself the user can suppress his chakra to extraordinary degree with the help of impeccable chakra control to rein any emissions from escaping the body. While normal sensors may be able to produce a technique to mask themselves as mere civilians, the power of the Kagura Shingan makes them completely undetectable to all sensors. The side effect of and downside to that is that during the use of this jutsu the practitioner is unable to utilize any chakra for jutsu or reinforcement of the body. Only upon deactivation of the jutsu will he regain his ability to utilize chakra normally.

Weapons used:

SPOILER: Click to show

shiro chakra ken: kanesada [white chakra sword: kanesada]


OWNER: Hatake Toshizou
RANK: S
CLASSIFICATION: Offensive
RESTRICTIONS: n/a
DESCRIPTION:

Kanesada is a special blade developed by the Hatake clan, infusing it with its special chakra properties. The swords is 81 centimetres long, and the steel on it is almost purely white, even at its dormant state. The steel used to forge the blade was quite special, and those with a trained eye can easily notice that. The design, however, is rather simplistic: the saya [sheath] and the tsuba [guard] are black, while the tsuka is made of white shark-skin, covered by black cloth in a traditional pattern and a silver habaki.

ABILITIES:


White Chakra Blade
As a sword of the Hatake, Kanesada, when handled, glows with a bright white light that serves a dual purpose. Whenever the user is funneling chakra through the blade, it will glow in the white light, so bright it is hard to stare at, and may even blind people temporarily. Second, the white chakra shroud, when activated, can extend the range of the blade by 1/5.

Extreme Sharpness
Forged as a masterpiece of the Hatake clan, Kanesada is made of a special type of iron that allows it to retain remarkable sharpness, without compromising its durability. This allows the blade to cut with enormous precision and speed. This special property allows the user, if they are strong enough, to cut through stone as if it was wood, and some may even be able to cut through even stronger materials like steel.

Durability
Some will claim that Kanesada is unbreakable, but that's not true. The sword can still be broken, but it requires an enormous feat of strength. It allows it to withstand quite a lot of punishment, while being reliable to block incoming attacks, even ninjutsu.

[Hatake Suzume]

Suzume responded to Toshizou's gestures with a silent nod of her head, legs immediately extending as she launched herself eastward. She tried to move as silently as she could muster, mentally tracking her distance away from their campsite. While Toshizou was electing to ambush their attackers, he hadn't given Suzume any orders to do the same, and so she continued on at full speed herself, planning nothing more than to simply intercept their enemies directly.

On Toshizou's side, he had nothing to worry about. The technique that allowed shinobi to bypass standard sensory capabilities also prevented them from utilizing any sensory abilities of their own, and so they would pass by the elder Hatake's position without ever realizing he was there, right up until Toshizou beheaded one of them. As soon as the other noticed, he immediately ceased suppressing his chakra, unsheathing a tanto of his own to face off against his surprise opponent.

Meanwhile, Suzume intercepted her targets head on, all three spotting each other in the moonlight atop the tree branches. Upon seeing two opponents, Suzume's mind was filled with a pounding anxiety. This wasn't the same anxiety she felt on a daily basis, however, this was one that manifested only in the heat of combat, pushing her to think faster, move faster, fight harder. There was a ring as she darted past the closer of the two assailants, her tanto clashing against her opponent's kunai as her first attack was deflected. Before she even hit the ground, Suzume was twisting around in the air, looking to see if the other enemy would capitalize on her momentary vulnerability.

Hatake Toshizō

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SA's
Canto Tanto
Suzume has considerable expertise in the use of tantos, and has developed a unique and fearsome fighting style utilizing her clan's special blades. Her attacks with a tanto are, while not especially strong, blindingly fast, and when combined with the white chakra ability of Hatake steel, close combat with the woman is rather troublesome.

Persecution Complex
While it doesn't negatively affect her performance, Suzume is rather prone to getting stressed in unfavorable conditions, and sometimes even performs better when the odds are stacked against her. While in a situation where she (and/or her group) is outnumbered, Suzume gains a moderate boost to cognition, speed, and strength.