[Miyamoto Ikana]

Wonderful. Taru showed off a vibrant tactical mind. For soon, she swapped tactics and looked to obscure, disillusion, as well as sway the water clones in what to do and where to go. Kirigakure no Jutsu. The water clones were unable to advance, not that they ever really intended to in the first place. Underneath the water, as she looked upwards, holding her breath, watching her footsteps ripple on the water's surface above her. "...Ferocious." Those were the words Ikana thought out, as she watched everything in stride. As she looked out for the prospect of the water clones? They'd move swiftly in an attempt to find the real Taru. A struggle considering the mist obscured shadows.

Until eventually? Pop! A thwack would turn one clone into a formless mass of water. Thwack! A second would suddenly slip into water as well. Ikana had crossed her hands together into the snake seal, her fingers interlocked, before then? The water bursts, releasing tendrils of hair bursting from beneath the surface at a rapid speed. Long and dark brown flowing locks, suddenly becoming hard, looking to grasp and wrap around Taru, to restrict her arms and wrists in particular, as a dozen or so various tendrils seek to restrain her. As Ikana slowly rises, her hands firmly grasping onto the water as she pulls herself out, and then stands straight and tall. "Ranjishigami no Jutsu."

One of her most powerful surprise techniques. Assuming Taru was successfully caught? Ikana shook her clothes and arms, feeling the chill cool. Before then slowly releasing her seal. Letting Taru go. "...You fight using a very deadly style. I'd love to train with you again, and more. Maybe teach you some of my techniques too. To see more of that style in action." Stepping forwards, she offers her hand out, as water drips from her head. "You're a splendid Kunoichi."

[Suzuki Taru]

It seemed like Taru's strategy worked well. The mist was disorienting, making it harder to tell clones from the real thing. The clones mirroring her motions was almost helpful in this way instead of a hindrance, further obscuring them through similarity. Soon she was able to spy the two Ikanas within the mist and fire - pop, pop. One after the other, her targets collapsed into a burst of water. What a relief!

But it also meant that the real Ikana was still nowhere to be found. Where had she gone to? ...Well, they were right on top of the lake. So- Wah!

Hair burst forth from the water below her, ensnaring her in its tendrils. She'd been so focused on the hunt above that she hadn't noticed the threat from below! It was like the haunting of a yūrei, though in truth it was really just her friend launching a surprise assault. The hair managed to grasp her wrists, which would effectively prevent her from performing any more archery.

Luckily, Ikana let her down soon enough and Taru laughed.

"That was quite the trick! You're a dangerous foe, too. I would love to learn more from you. Being able to spring up from the water like that like a vengeful spirit! Impressive!" She cheered. "We'll definitely become stronger if we keep training together."

[Miyamoto Ikana]

It always felt good when things went to plan. "I'm not that dangerous!" Ikana assured, downplaying her assault as she came forth from the water. Shaking her head. "If anything, you're much more dangerous than I am. Especially in an ambush..." She delivered her own praise, looking at Taru, the menace they were. "A single arrow could have gotten me pretty badly." She confessed with no small amount of surprise. However, soon enough? Taru was released, and the two of them were beside one another.

"We definitely should keep training together!" She smiled, her eyes closed, with a tilt of her head. Before then, she crossed her hands behind her back. "We have a lot more growing to do. Much more strength to gain." Overall, Ikana's life was seemingly going on the up and up, and with friends like Taru? That definitely seemed to be the case. That said though? As the training came to a near end, Ikana had relaxed herself as she would look to walk back to shore with Taru. She couldn't cheer so excitedly. She wasn't so boisterous or spirited. However, in those next moments? Ikana had decided to slowly rest an arm along Taru's own.

"I have a few ideas on how to optimize your fighting style. So you don't even need to carry a quiver. Also, let's get you situated with some explosive tags; on me. Some explosive arrows would sound rather terrifying. Lots of ideas to explore."

[Suzuki Taru]

The two girls began to walk back to the shore of the lake together, the training coming to an end. It always felt good to complete a good course of training like that - she would wake with slightly sore muscles and a feeling of being all the more powerful! It really was good for the soul. Invigorating. Ikana praised her back and such compliments were even better! Her grin was wide as anything, clearly pleased.

When Ikana moved close, Taru would link her arm with Ikana's, listening to the girl talk about how to optimize her style and make herself even more dangerous.

Explosive notes were something she'd been wanting to implement in her style since the exam - Kazui had managed to beat her mostly by nature of having access to them, and she'd watched them be utilized in scarily effective ways in other fights! She could already do all kinds of frightful things with an arrow - having explosive notes to add to the arrow to explode on contact was an excellent idea to round out their use in her repertoire. It was common to attach exploding notes to kunai for a similar purpose. With her archery skills, she could wreak havoc from even further away!

"Ooh, you're so generous. I can become the most efficient archer with your help! Are you sure you don't want me to pay? I can save up. Or I can try to find some trade..." She wanted to help Ikana too, if the girl was going to offer her services.

[Miyamoto Ikana]

The training was vibrant. Soon, both girls linked arms, and with it, there was a pause. "There's no need to pay. Not in money. I'm sure one day, there'll be a time where I'll call on you for a favor. Within reason." She found herself dismissively waving her hand. It was in those moments that she began to brainstorm how to make Taru truly a dangerous opponent. With the Lightning Flash Creation seal, she could make Taru able to carry many arrows without a quiver. An efficient quick draw of arrows within the flash of an instant. With the explosive seal, she could make bomb arrows.

If not make the arrows explosive themselves.

With further knowledge and training? Ikana's experiences were the limit. Taking a deep breath, she did find herself wondering how much further she could go until she reached the pinnacle point. "We'll need to train more often so I can see what other tricks you know." Though that would be a topic of discussion for another time. For Ikana had much work and development in her own right and much more experience to be had. She was nearing that point of becoming a seasoned and proper ninja that was useful for the village beyond superficial means. Though. What did that really mean?...

Ikana would find out eventually.