[Shodo Tsuri]

Tag

Tsuri had wanted literally any other combatant. She didn't want to hurt Junichi at all, that was the first thought in her brain. The second was that she didn't need her mask finally. It wouldn't help with Junichi anyways he knew to watch for her hands and face already more then anyone here.

She wouldn't give him a bad fight though. She would do much the opposite actually! She just didn't want to end up seriously hitting him, and it wasn't like she had a way to dull her own blades...

Plural today as she held Machigai and Hakugei, one in each hand. A sickle-like hook and the actual over-sized hook.Her hood and mask were down completely now and she was smiling as she walked in, even though, unsurprisingly maybe she was leaving a literal wake of tears behind her. She was not happy with this fight coming even as it was upon her.

Finished waving to everyone though she would continue to cry at a simmer rather then at full blast as she looked over at her opponent. Yuie Junichi her oldest sparring partner, even if he was the younger of the two. A genius of soap who often played exactly by the books, "Lets have a good match okay Jun-kun! I hope we already passed, but if not this is an easy place for us to score right? I guess I shouldn't be ranting before the final exam though... I'm just really nervous ehehe... heh... Mrgh..."

Sunken silence befell her quickly as she listened for Junichi's response and rubbed her eyes clear. Rubbing her eyes she would clear up her eyes, but her face betrayed her regardless. Even as she got readied, she was clearly not enjoying this.

- ❤ -

[Yuie Junichi]

Learning that he was going to face Tsuri in the final fight of the exams was almost insult to injury. He'd gotten into this round with a fight against a friend, and he would leave this round with a fight against a friend.

The two of them knew each other's bukijutsu skills - they'd often trained together, after all. It was bad in a way, since Tsuri would know how to counter most of what Junichi could do with his staff. On the other hand, he had at least some sense of her expertise, too. In Junichi's opinion, she had already outpaced him despite graduating more recently. Just keeping up was going to be difficult, that much was apparent from watching her other fights.

It didn't surprise him that Tsuri entered the field crying. She didn't like the idea of fighting her friends. She was probably scared of hurting Junichi. He really didn't want to hurt her, or be hurt by her, either. If only they'd had time to plan the way Miroru and Itsuki had.

He'd would hope this could be a friendly fight, but he knew Tsuri's style. It wasn't something that could be done playfully.

"Don't be nervous," he told her, a very ironic thing to say because he sounded plenty nervous himself. "It's going to be a good match. And... don't hold back too much on my account," he said. He bowed, committed to the respectful intros even after the underhanded we he ended last match. He wanted Tsuri to show her abilities off well...

Whenever the proctor would call the start of the match, Junichi would again decide to start defensively. He pressed his hands into a set of seals. The effect wasn't immediately obvious - soap was produced from his pores, producing a thin but surprisingly strong layer of armor across his skin. Tsuri might be able to notice the way his skin became shinier, but he would open with no actual attack.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Jōton: Kesshō-ka sa kyōka [Cleansing Release: Crystalized Reinforcement]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Low with Low Sustain
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Jōton
HANDSEALS: Five
DESCRIPTION:

The Yuie are able to secrete their soap from their pores, and by using this particular technique, they are able to make a crystalline armor on parts of their body. While not quite as strong as steel, it has a tendency to compress, dent, and chip before breaking, making it surprisingly resilient. It can be cut rather easily, but due to its compression qualities it will often cause sharp objects to get stuck before it manages to slice all the way through. It is weak against water and can be very durable against fire techniques.

[Shodo Tsuri]

Tag

In contrast, Tsuri's opening move was subdued. It was simply nothing. She did not move away, she had perfect distance with only roughly ten meters between them. Her eyes focused despite crying. Her mouth almost seemingly permanently cressed into a frown like what you would expect from someone who just got told their dog died. For those among the crowd the sheer level of expression on display in constrast to with the mask was insanely obvious. Her tells were easy to see, and it was easy to gauge on a glance how her mental seemed to be holding up.

The mask finally made sense for those in the crowd; for her competitors.

Tsuri didn't move however, staying put as she waited for Junichi to prepare. She had no choice if she didn't want to accidently maim him. As his skin finally slickened she would inhale, "I'm gonna come at you now Jun-Kun... be safe please."

She would whisper the final words as her arms blurred like cracked whips and Hakugei and Machigai were cast. One naturally quicker then most in Tsuri's hand while the other was assisted in its speed by the firing mechanism of the air tank inside.

The blades crossing like scissors, the blades moving to round into the boys arm and torso for a slice on either side. Travelling with a pace that was hard to even truly watch extend.

- ❤ -

Used:

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Suichū Sōdo: Chūzō [Submerged Sword: Casting]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Bukijutsu
ELEMENT: N/A
REQUIREMENTS: Ame Family Branch
DESCRIPTION:
Taking inspiration from a fishing rod, the user makes their lifeblade limber, allowing it to stretch as if the metal was like a fishing pole casting its line. Freely being able to cast out the blade, control, and reel in the blade with very little thought and chakra up to a maximum of 20 meters without something to extend one's reach even further. Speed and strength of casting and reeling are dependent on one's skill with their lifeblade.

Weapons:

SPOILER: Click to show

Hakugei

Machigai

[Yuie Junichi]

She asked him to be safe. He solemnly nodded his agreement. He would try. He didn't want to feel the pain he'd felt last match again. It seemed almost inevitable, though. Weapons, ninjutsu, none of it was designed for a friendly spar. Not since the academy.

Tsuri was fast. Way, way, faster than him. It was simply true that if that blade ever got anywhere near him, it was ultimately going to strike him. Any dodge he could do, Tsuri could read immediately. His armor might protect him against a first strike, depending on how powerful a blow it was, but only one. He had to delay that hit as long as he could.

She raised her arms to whip her blades at him. He brought his hands up to form a seal. He sent chakra to his legs, pushing himself to dash forward in a flicker, aiming to close distance. Even with the support of the body flicker, he felt the blade of one of the twin fishhooks catch on his sleeve, missing his skin by millimeters. And he knew that with Tsuri's keen eye, they'd be right on his heel when he reappeared, almost undeterred by the blur of speed.

Pulling Shabontama from his back upon landing, he'd wheel around the swing the staff in an arc, aiming to parry the blades as they pursued him. If he even could.

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NAME: Shunshin no Jutsu [Body Flicker Technique]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [General]
ELEMENT: None
HANDSEALS: 1
DESCRIPTION:

By invigorating one's entire body with chakra, a shinobi can seemingly disappear and reappear in another location faster than most people can see. Often times one's movements are disguised with the use of an extra element, be it a smoke bomb, leaves, water, sand, etc. in order to hide the user's trajectory from those with skilled eyes. Though it mimics teleportation, it is important to remember this jutsu merely boosts the agility of its user. As useful as this technique is, it can only be used 4 times in a battle thread, compounding in exertion and difficulty each time. with any more usages beyond that result in muscle tears in the legs from overexertion. The hand seal for this technique must be held until the shinobi reaches their destination, making it impossible to utilize other techniques regardless of any preparation.

NAME: Hāfumūnsuramu [Half Moon Slam]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Bukijutsu
ELEMENT: N/A
HANDSEALS: None
TRIGGER: N/A
DESCRIPTION:

The user grips the end of the staff and swings it horizontally, focusing chakra into their arms for maximum speed and power. The swing appears as a half moon blur and has the strength to break bone. The entire length of the staff is swung at the foe. If the attack connects or is missed the user can use the momentum of the swing to spin, the staff rising up and swinging down in a vertical replication of the first swing.

Weapon: Shabontama

[Shodo Tsuri]

Tag

Tsuri's eyes never left him. She couldn't quite follow the full speed of Body Flicker yet, but she had been able to pinpoint his direction when he moved and had started to curve Hakugei like a conductor leading the speed of a song up from an orchestral performance. Not a step taken as the blade shifted to chase after his new position. Machigai was not so controllable though, reacting quickly she has yanked and activated the air piston to draw the blade in before shifting her weight to release it again utilizing her own momentum and the air piston inside the device.

She was still upset at having to do this fight, but she would just need to end it quickly... perhaps she could cut him just a little bit? Just a smidge? Then she would get him to forfeit right? Right? She would have to check and see. The sinking feeling in her gut already growing as Hakugei began to bear his teeth in a malicious grin. From above the blade looked almost like it was smiling a smile of a killer in its bending configuration. The many hooks looking like teeth as it moved to find purchase on the young blonde.

The other blade moving to dig more into a leg on non-vital area... but it was hard to control after the initial toss. She would need to talk to someone who understood puppetry... perhaps she could learn to control wire like their strings? She shook the thought with a roar from her blade.HERE!!!

- ❤ -

Used:

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Suichū Sōdo: Chūzō [Submerged Sword: Casting]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Bukijutsu
ELEMENT: N/A
REQUIREMENTS: Ame Family Branch
DESCRIPTION:
Taking inspiration from a fishing rod, the user makes their lifeblade limber, allowing it to stretch as if the metal was like a fishing pole casting its line. Freely being able to cast out the blade, control, and reel in the blade with very little thought and chakra up to a maximum of 20 meters without something to extend one's reach even further. Speed and strength of casting and reeling are dependent on one's skill with their lifeblade.

NAME: Suichū Sōdo: Kōgeki [Submerged Sword: Strike]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Bukijutsu
ELEMENT: N/A
REQUIREMENTS: Ame Family Branch, Suichū Sōdo: Chūzō
DESCRIPTION:
Casting out the lifeblade chakra molds the blade to have sharpened hook-like barbed ridges allowing anything inside of its arc to be more easily cut or pierced. This techniques true goal is to make contact and skewer an opponent's body like a fish hook would the cheek of a fish. Which can allow for a user to potentially throw their opponent underwater or off their feet, but doing the later requires a high amount of physical strength.

Weapons:

SPOILER: Click to show

Hakugei

Machigai

[Yuie Junichi]

As he expected, the blades were right upon him, not even giving him space to breathe or to think before they were striking for him again. There was no way he could dodge the simultaneous strikes from both of them given they were coming at different angles, not again.

Already, he might've run out his limit on avoiding her attacks. He wanted to do more, go for longer... It seemed like he'd have to make use of his armor already.

Flipping his staff down to focus on blocking Machigai (the only of the two he might have even a remote chance of blocking, given the speed), he'd use one of the hoops of Shabontama to try to catch the fishhook. If he had more choice, he'd much prefer blocking Hakugei, but by the time he could even make the decision that ship had already sailed.

Hakugei came down on him. The points of the blade would stick within the soap in his skin, catching and blunting the strike. It couldn't fully protect against it, though. He was getting cut here.

The follow-up could be swift and brutal. The only hope he would have would be creating an opening by making use of Tsuri's lack of control, by making her think she had gone too far.

Releasing a pained sound, he laced it with a burst of chakra. To Tsuri's perception, a spray of blood would pour out. As if Hakugei had dug deeper than intended, hit an artery. Junichi feigned a collapsed, hitting the ground like a bag of rocks.

To the crowd, it would appear like Junichi had collapsed after a single strike.

  

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NAME: Ikamono Tsurugi [Fake Blood]
RANK: E
CHAKRA USAGE: To Use: Very Low | To Maintain: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Genjutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0
REQUIREMENT: Auditory
DESCRIPTION:

Another extremely simple technique to utilize, but very effective when used under the correct circumstances. Originally thought up to be used on children to help them get over their fear of blood the technique has proven to be useful in combat. Perfect for distracting opponent, putting fear into them or best yet, making them lower their defenses. Someone utilizing this technique can make small or medium amounts of blood appear before the target's eyes.

The user can choose what form the blood takes and how it appears, but it must be a semi-realistic representation. (Meaning no summoning a blood ogre) A user generally will make their own bodies spew blood forward when an opponent makes an attack using a cry of pain as the trigger; with such a trigger the user always tries to dodge as closely as possible so the hit looks to have connected. This makes the target lower their guard by thinking the user is dead or severely wounded.

[Shodo Tsuri]

Tag

In the brevity of her own panic, Tsuri did not have control. Hakugei's teeth would dig, dig and wrap to sink as much skin as it could reach. Little wounds that would add up if they were truly successful even as Machigai was blocked by the staff, the wire wrapping the end and finding itself pressed against the soapy weapon.. Then Junichi hit the ground and Tsuri's tears began compounding quickly as she looked at her fallen comrade. Falling down on her knees as she looked utterly shocked at her own strike. She had no way of telling if he was bleeding or rather how bad, but the blade had him half-wrapped the barbs piercing into his flesh if only a little.

A sobbing call would come from her, "Jun-Kun your not too hurt are you? Jun-Kun? Jun-Kun please stand... please." The normally bubbly girl was very visibly distressed, the tears coming from her face releasing as her namesake nickname of Sakanawa. Bubbles, large welling blasts of tears. She was just as still as Junichi if far more hysteric. Her acuity only harming her when it came to this horrid practical joke Junichi had decided to pull.

Perhaps it was a dirty tactic? If so she had Hakugei in a very dangerous position for Junichi, like he was a caught fish. On the other, she had his staff ready to yank, but those were not her thoughts at that moment. It was sheer panic.

- ❤ -

[Yuie Junichi]

The genjutsu landed, his trick successful. He didn't feel very good about it, though. As Tsuri fell to her knees and began bawling, all he could feel was guilt.

This was the kind of devious trick Itsuki had been talking about after the second round, the kind of thing he needed to be able to do. But... Maybe he just wasn't the kind of person who could stomach being so mean to a competitor. He wouldn't flinch at fooling a real enemy, but he couldn't stand that he'd made Tsuri cry like that. She was his friend.

He thought about the things he should do in a situation like this. Take the opening to try to find a way to strike, or to disarm Tsuri. But it would be mean. And with Hakugei nestled around him as it was, it would also be a bad idea. He'd need to hurt Tsuri enough to stop her from using the blade anymore to find any success, and that was both tremendously unlikely and not something he wanted to do at all.

Reluctantly, he dismissed the genjutsu, sitting up.

"Don't cry so hard, Tsuri," he said. Almost gently chastising. Even though she was older than him, he couldn't help but have a somewhat brotherly instinct to protect her. "I'm okay. You... you should look out for tricks in a fight. I wouldn't hurt you. But someone else might," he warned.

Still, being unwilling to follow through on the cruel trick left him in a completely losing spot. Uncoiling himself from the blade that had caught him to get back into the fight would be pretty impossible. Maybe... Maybe he could use the emotion he'd evoked in a different way?

He stood up slowly.

"Hey, I... I really don't want to give up right away again... I know I can't beat you, but do you think we could go another bout? Like when we're training..." It wasn't master manipulation or anything, but it was using the fact that he was extremely pitiable to try to get any shot to show off his abilities.

[Shodo Tsuri]

Tag

It was simple enough work to get Tsuri to uncoil from the boy seeing as he was no longer bleeding out everywhere to her, but she looked incredibly upset. Raising a sleeve to rub her eyes to clear the tears some. A deep breath and a quivering face as the girl stood up and undid Machigai.

"That was really mean Jun-kun... if that wasn't you then I'd of really ended up hurting that person. I thought I had hurt you really really bad. You're getting a good thwack after this, but I guess that means back to old rules? I... I think I can handle old rules." Tsuri would speak as she put Her fishing pole away and then placed Hakugei back onto the lanyard that he normally sat upon. Reaching behind her and pulling out her umbrella and a flash bomb, thought she hide that one up her sleeve from behind her back.

Tsuri was not often spiteful, but understanding that she had no way to fight properly and not be lethal in force made that a cruelty she took great issue with. Enough to play dirty herself. Cradling the umbrella, she would set the stage for them both; home's stage - Rain. Grudge rain would begin its downpour as Tsuri pulled her hood up.

"Jun-Kun I'm going to come now. Be ready," Tsuri would call as she finally pushed off and shifted the umbrella to be in both hands. When Junichi and her eventually got into melee she would open the umbrella's metal filled canopy to block out the inevitable jab and rotating the umbrella before shifting the umbrella down in a fluid motion and snapping it shut as she released it to one hand to shift into a backstrike towards Junichi's hands. Her eyes attached to where he would try to move.

- ❤ -

[Used: Grudge Rain]

[Yuie Junichi]

Tsuri chastised him for the mean trick. He did look guilty about it, at least. He felt even guiltier that he'd used the moment to convince Tsuri to let him try again - being manipulative and cruel like this didn't sit well on his shoulders. But like Itsuki said, it was maybe all that someone like him had. If he wasn't strong or fast, all he could try to be was clever.

"Sorry," he said to her, with a little bow of his head. "The old rules will be good. Thank you for giving me another chance."

Tsuri performed a technique that she'd used a couple times in her previous fights, summoning a storm of rain. It quickly began to create puddles of water on the ground. If it ran for a very long time, Junichi was sure the water would get deeper, maybe even enough to need water walking to avoid being slowed down... Plus, the heavier the rain, the more obscured his vision through his glasses would become.

She warned that she'd be coming now and he nodded, bracing himself.

Even though she wasn't using Hakugei right now, Junichi wasn't going to underestimate her.

He got into melee and swung his staff towards her, but the umbrella blocked it handily. She followed it up with a strike towards his hands.

He tried to use the center of his staff to catch her weapon and twist. If he could get a kick on the back of her knee, he might be able to sweep her off her feet - though she also had such good sight, she'd definitely have plenty of time to react to the attempt.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Mikadzuki no suīpu [ Crescent Moon Sweep]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Bukijutsu
ELEMENT: N/A
HANDSEALS: none
TRIGGER: N/A
DESCRIPTION:

When the opponent comes in for a melee attack the user brings both hands in towards the center of the staff, leaving a gap between them. The enemy's attack is blocked by the staff in the center, and the user twists the staff, one end sliding into the joint of the limb,trapping the limb or weapon. The staff is then swung down, the other end sweeping the enemy's leg from behind the knee and knocking them onto their back.

[Shodo Tsuri]

Tag

Tsuri had figured he would try something like this which was why she slowed her blow to leap back. Her free hand moving down to roll the bomb into her hand still facing away from Junichi before she would toss the ball at Junichi's feet to have it go off as she swiftly moved to shield her own eyes from the blast of her own trick. She was also certain he was playing with more of the tricks that he knew and she wasn't about to take him easy now that she only had to worry about leaving bruises.

Shuffling her umbrella closed she would rush forward the blast just fading enough not to blind her from the sides of the blast. It had been but moments, but if Junichi had been caught at all he would be rushed again by the pink-haired genin. A spinning swing towards his knee before she would twist back the other way travelling freely with the momentum of her weapon. Not fighting the flow of the weight, if Junichi didn't move to block or trade strikes the girl's heavy umbrella would be swung back the other way like a two-handed great sword.

The rain slickening the floor below to assist her in this spin, in not also making footing worse for both. Purely it was bukijutsu that the two allowed themselves. Tools and techniques. No ninjutsu, no genjutsu.

- ❤ -

[Yuie Junichi]

Before Junichi could catch her, Tsuri leapt back. She pulled out a flash bomb and threw it to the ground at his feet. The umbrella she used would guard her own vision from it, but Junichi wasn't lucky enough to have anything to guard against the flash, or even any eye-wear that would dampen its effect. It went off with a bang, filling his vision with painful and disorienting light.

He brought one arm up to cover his eyes, too little too late. He wouldn't be able to see for a couple seconds, as even after the flash ended he was going to have sun spots on his vision.

Given that he was currently unable to see and didn't have the firmest grasp on his weapon, he was in a bad position to guard against the strike to his knee. Tsuri landed the blow surely, which already put him off balance. The follow-up strike to his chest was almost enough to topple him over, and he was only saved from that slippery fate by his short stature.

Still, he stumbled back, very thrown off. Ugh, even when she was going easy on him, she outmatched him. He didn't know what he expected - in the realm of bukijutsu, she was the far superior practitioner.

Reaching into his weapons pouch, he grabbed a set of shuriken, holding them so they were hidden as one. He'd toss them high into the sky.

Once they reached their maximum height, the three would separate and begin to fall in three places - one aimed at Tsuri's current location, one aimed nearer to Junichi to deter her from getting closer to try to give himself space to regain his footing, and one to the side in case she dodged in that direction.

They weren't that many projectiles, though. If she dodged around them successfully, she could easily keep pressing the attack without giving him room to recover.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Hoshi Hanabi [Star Fireworks]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Bukijutsu
ELEMENT: N/A
HANDSEALS: N/A
DESCRIPTION:

A throw that through the use of chakra hides (3) multiple projectiles within the shadow of another projectile. The throw is targeted at a point high in the sky where the hidden projectiles then fall from that point towards their respective indicated spots.