[Uzumaki Atagi]

Not austere, nor captious

As long as there was trade, as long as goods and services and cash all flowed, upstream, downstream, on the wind, by the road…there would be brigands. Banditry, ruffians, thieves, whatever name one called them by, they were all the same. More than once, Atagi had heard such people being referred to as ‘rats’. But just as enough rats could collapse a home if enough of them nested in the walls and gnawed at whatever they could eat…so too could your common desperados, in great enough number, grind away at the foundation of a country– the very economy.

So the Uzumaki had read, anyway. Almost every heroic tale had some mention of some crumbling kingdom or dilapidated shogunate, even the ones that didn’t involve politics. The point being, it fired him up for what was ultimately just a routine road patrol. And on top of that, further excitement– his partner for the assignment, one Yusei Juryoku. Someone who he’d only recently become properly acquainted with, and all of a sudden they were to work together? Simple coincidence and destiny often ended up being basically indistinguishable.

So, there he stood, just within the outer gate of Kusagakure. Clad in full mission attire, padding and multiple layers and all, hitai-ate securely affixed about his head, the weights that the other man had seen him in the first time still there. Atagi was working his way through a series of light stretches while he awaited his compatriot.

This type of task took on many forms. They could simply head out, the two of them, and subdue anyone that obviously looked like a robber…but that might’ve been largely ineffectual. Ah, well. He could explain more once the other fellow arrived. Remembering the look at the Juryoku’s eyes, the thought crosses Atagi’s mind that he might be the type to sleep in. Should he have gone to wake him up? When he was younger, his first teammate, one ‘Hoshi-kon’, was always dragging him out of bed to missions, so it wasn’t entirely impossible.

Ah, well. No sense in fretting about it. Trust him and trust the process. The gravity grabbing and generating chunin was a true-blue professional, and a good guy to boot, so his instincts said.

(juryoku yusei)

aeron at thq

Jutsu Used:

[juryoku yusei]

Atagi gave Yusei far too much credit. While he was one to exercise and overexert himself, sometimes his mind screams "go" and his body is ready to stop. To that end, Yusei's story starts with a fist hitting an alarm clock, whose bells nonetheless chimed. As it was when he was a little boy, it simply floated out of reach after he did so. While he was quick to wash his face and clean his teeth, it was already clear he was gonna be a little late.

Not unlike in a film, he awkwardly stumbled back and forth across his small apartment, gathering clothes, and fretting over his misplaced flak-jacket. Eventually, Yusei got together his blue jumpsuit, headband, and sandals. "...Shit." That thick, wavy hair was still a mess, played with by his jogging and fretting like a dog's ears as it ran.

His trek out to the gate was fairly straightforward. Yusei used that Tree Climbing technique on the outside wall of his building, then leapt rooftop to rooftop. Atagi would be left hanging for not one, but easily five minutes. Yusei could be seen with that Tree Climbing jutsu, walking down the outer wall. He whistled and waved, slowly reaching the ground.

Throwing himself out of bed and doing that to his body immediately after brought a headache to the fore. Nothing like the nosebleed Atagi gave him, but rather something like a pencil being driven against his forehead. Yusei blinked, then stared half-lidded at him.

"...Are we ready to go?"

Uzumaki Atagi , 261

Pushin' off to feel lighter

[Uzumaki Atagi]

Not austere, nor captious

Was there any such thing as "too much” credit? Probably so, but the carmine-headed shinobi was the type to decide such things and stick to them. After all, if he was wrong, then he was wrong, right? That line of thinking might lead to danger in the future, but he’d long since decided to be far too enduring to be afraid of any danger, big or small. Amber eyes fixate themselves on his silver-haired compatriot, looking decidedly…sleepy. There’s a small, but sharp exhalation of air from the nostrils in amusement at his flight of fancy coming to land true on the tarmac, and he ticks two fingers off the temple in a saucy little salute.

”If the early bird always gets the worm, you’d be left decidedly grub-less, yeah?” Some good natured ribbing, a little laugh to get the day started, was nearly never a bad thing. ”Not that I hold it against you. The hero always arrives only in the nick of time, never well in advance, and to go further there is something to be said about being ‘fashionably late’.” Hands are raised on either side of the head to do the universal gesture for placing inverted commas around that which has been spoken.

”To answer your question, yeah, just about.” Striding on over to a particular individual who had somehow completely evaded any attention and/or focus so far, Atagi gestures them up and down. ”Here’s the plan! This gentleman here, one–”

The ‘gentleman’ starts to cut Atagi off, the sort of person who realized that he was about to be spoken for and who evidently didn’t fancy it. He was a middle aged man with curled brown hair, cyan eyes, a long, braided handlebar moustache, and a belly which strains at the buttons of his clothing, not exactly ‘fancy’ but definitely higher quality than the garb of your average Nohara no Kuni farmer. ”Doi Kiyohisa. Kiyohisa-san will be fine. I’m a goldsmith.” There’s little malice or frustration in tone, but he is curt, all business. ”I’ll have the excess pleasure of your duo’s overwatch while I transport these goods to Hirata.” Already prepared to go was a cart, hooked up to a pair of horses, and Doi pats the stacks of crates and cases gently.

Atagi cuts back in, nodding once, twice, three times. ”That’s right. I figured, y’know– no matter how brazen a brigand might be, one would have to be a complete imbecile to attack two shinobi on their own. Even if we escorted him as apart of Kiyohisa-san’s entourage; normally he’d have bodyguards; they still might not harangue him, and just wait for an unguarded shipment.” Atagi raises a hand to his chin, rubbing at it with a winning grin. ”So, you n’ I are gonna follow from a careful distance behind. Close enough to get in range if he’s suddenly accosted, but not so close that we scare off the fish, so to speak.” The goldsmith seems like he’s about to raise issue with that analogy, perhaps because in it he plays the bait…but lets it go. The Uzumaki flexes theatrically. ”Don’t worry about a thing, yeah? Me and Yusei-san here are quick as sin, and’ll happily see our bodies torn to shreds before they touch a single one of your goods.” The way he speaks is touched by inspiration and reassurance, but the specific wording choice could’ve been a little better.

Their ‘escortee’ mounts up and is off at a gentle trot, in short order, with the two Kusa-nin primed to follow in just a minute or three.


(juryoku yusei)

aeron at thq

Jutsu Used:

[juryoku yusei]

Atagi seemed to keep his head up. Yusei almost felt guilty. Almost. He never slept. And the one time he did, there were almost consequences. Atagi's light ribbing made him smirk. "...You're too kind. Might be the only person who sees it that way."

Yusei thought for a second. Scanning him up and down, Atagi was more or less wearing the weights and pads he trained in. He looked like he was invested in this. A little salute too? He had a lot of pep in his step, for sure. Frankly, he deserved the flak-jacket more. Yusei smirked, bringing with it a slight exhale.

The two were then cut off by their guide, a man of well-manicured facial hair. His garb said merchant, its make and thread-count said either financier or arms dealer. Yusei nodded at him, as it was explained to them that they were to follow his carriage. Yusei was about to raise an objection to Atagi's plan. Their only goal is to get the shipment to the outpost safely, making their presence known would guarantee it. Matter of fact, he started to get a sound out, "..." followed by an audible beat.

Now, Yusei might be setting a bad example here. As his sensei in a matter of speaking. But he wouldn't turn down a fight. His eyes lit up as he talked, trying to hide his excitement from their guide. "I think he's onto something here." He blinked. "If we made ourselves known right away, the threat awaiting you would simply be there after we leave." Yusei smiled at Atagi, curling a bicep. He was trying to meet him halfway, and while he kept his composure, Atagi could tell he wanted to skip to the fight already. "If your shipment gets intercepted the one time by bandits, your best bet is for it to happen while we're still here."

All the while, he was thinking about that jutsu he squeezed Atagi with slightly too hard. He might be able to just fold them all in half. They might be able to go home early. He could squeeze in a second nap if he wanted to. He stood with his back to the caravan, hiding a smirk. He then perked up when Atagi spoke again. He stood on the balls of his feet, but had to stop himself.

"...I'm ready when you are."

Uzumaki Atagi , 403

Pushin' off to feel lighter

[Uzumaki Atagi]

Not austere, nor captious

Would Atagi have had any issue with such concerns or complaints raised? Likely not, especially coming from his superior, whether it was ‘senpai’ or ‘sensei’. After all, the mashing of minds was what produced greater ideas than any single one alone. A true consequentialist would’ve agreed with Yusei outright that if the best and most desired outcome was ‘gold and goods get to the tourist hotspot of Hirata’, then an announced presence and intimidation would’ve served fantastically.

There was something to the white-locked man’s logic, though, even if he’d really only said it to try and help convince their impromptu charge. They might accomplish the mission and all get paid today, sure, but what about tomorrow? The next day? No, subduing any would-be miscreants would be better, especially on a route and in an area where there’d been broken-into boxes and stolen shipments before. East, crossing the river as soon as one was able, before following the dirt road south, a path that connected Hirata with the fort of Korogi Inaka. They weren’t likely to run into anyone when they were relatively close to the fort, but that stretch down toward the village was wide open, with only the occasional individual farm to break up the scenery that was otherwise all rolling plains and fertile grasslands.

The excitement was certainly palpable, but Atagi didn’t have the talent for deciphering someone’s intentions, at least not to the level of minutiae that’d be required to figure out Yusei was raring for a fight. Perhaps his partner was simply excited to be working at all, the Uzumaki might’ve reasoned. He certainly always was.

”Aye, captain. How fast is your hundred meter dash, if we’ve gotta get in-between our charge and an arrow? Also, d’you have any sensory abilities, or maybe special eyes that have magnifying qualities, or perhaps elfin ears that can sense chakra?” If Atagi ever got to see the chunin before him at unweighted top speed, he was absolutely in for a surprise…but one supposed they had to cut him a little slack for not realizing the other male was decidedly quicker than him, definitely so in a dead sprint. The pair gives a few minutes of leadoff time, and then they’re off, jogging like a pair of exercise-buddies in the early morning. Trailing behind enough that they didn’t seem like they were in any way related to the lone goldsmith and his carriage, but so that they could still see him, even if from this distance the details were minimal.


(juryoku yusei)

aeron at thq

Jutsu Used:

[juryoku yusei]

The caravan slowly ground to a start, wagon wheels doing a little burnout on the paved road. Steel wheels screeched, as their escort started at a modest charge, horses straining to push off before coasting on momentum. "...We have a reputation to uphold, after all."

Yusei said, trying to reassure the man trying to get the show on the road. But as he peeled off, Yusei snuck a smile at Atagi. He wanted to draw the bandits out, compress their spines, then finish his nap. While the caravan inched towards the bridge, Yusei made sure to tail them atleast a few hundred meters back. He wanted to squint at their prey, then swoop on them. The road out of Hirata slowly shifted from paved stone to dirt. Footprints parted otherwise lush grass, like on a hiking trail.

While Atagi couldn't discern his true intentions, his reasoning won out. His attitude towards work was simply that: work, then go home and play. Yusei crammed a few missions into his schedule one after another so he could shore up his goofing around fund after rent was secured. But rest assured, this pattern was why he looked sleepy all the time.

Atagi prodded, and deserved answers. Yusei tried to make his morning murmur slightly louder. "I have a Raiton jutsu for occasions like this. Even faster than that Body Flicker, but it can't do sharp turns." He blinked, flashing a Snake seal. Yusei wouldn't finish, but he wanted it clear that he was serious. "It's all hands with me. I don't have any sensory jutsu, or eyes." He admitted, more or less adopting a stroll, lest they defeat the purpose of what he'd laid out. For that matter, he glanced away. Yusei struggled with daydreaming. That Uchiha he was being rude to could've killed him in less than a minute.

Uzumaki Atagi , 315

Pushin' off to feel lighter

[Uzumaki Atagi]

Not austere, nor captious

There was a small embarrassed expression affixed at the redhead’s features when he slows his roll and starts to walk alongside Yusei. Sheepishness never touches him for long, but it does occasionally rise to the surface, especially thanks to his earnest nature often becoming downright overeager. Atagi raises a hand up to scritch at his nose, then, noting the other shinobi had flashed him a smile, he brightens his own in fleeting fashion before it returns to the usual smaller one, less taxing on the facial muscles. It’s a rare moment where they can communicate without words, though in the Uzumaki’s case, ‘compression of their spines’ was replaced with being beaten black and blue, or perhaps having a few bones busted up.

The inquiry is answered, and Atagi clicks a tongue, a small ‘pop’ against the roof of the mouth, in contemplation. All hands, was it? ”I’m much the same. Physical overachiever? Absolutely. Utility? Limited. I suppose those in this line of work are naturally drawn to hyper-specialization.” A brief pause, the slight narrowing of the eyes and a quirk of the lips in concentration. ”Every great team has at least two different types of body part, doesn’t it? There’s always ‘the heart’ or ‘the brain’ or ‘the mouth’ or ‘the hands’ of the squad, and everyone slots in differently.” Though it’s phrased like a statement, the tone his voice takes on is that of wondering aloud in a decidedly ponderous fashion.

Ultimately, he can’t pay it too much mind. They’ve got a job to do, someone to look out for, and every grassy gnoll and copse of trees was a spot for the ruffians to potentially slink or sneak out from. If, indeed, they’d be brave enough to do it at all. As their walk approaches the hour mark, though… he starts to recall that there was no guarantee of it, even if an attack was likely. The country might’ve had its problems with instability, economic and otherwise, but perhaps today was a rare instance of peace?

Just when he’s thinking that, though– movement. The distinct sound of hoofbeats against dirt and grass. Riders, from the east; that ought to have been no surprise. The forests, both their edge and the insides, often held camps for brigands, regular hunters, and the occasional cult– or even just your odd one-off wilderness enthusiast. There were 6 men, all in all, wearing what appeared to be a mishmash of survival equipment and military surplus gear. Few things were more indicative of the ‘take and use whatever’s available’ lifestyle than a leather cuirass paired with a haidate and a single piece of paper armour, all underneath a patched green cloak, as one of them was clad in. The rest didn’t fare much better, fashion-wise. Their arms varied-- each of them with a shortbow at their back, with at least one piece of melee weaponry-- shortswords and hatchets, mostly, but there was always the potential for surprise.

It wouldn’t have been out of the question to act immediately– there was always a risk that brigands would quickly and simply kill the target of their heist before looting. Of course, most highwaymen had the sense to hold up their target and take everything without a hint of bloodshed, especially an unguarded one, but… ”Looks like trouble, Yu-sensei. I respect you, so I’ll follow your lead, yeah?” He’d already come up with a nickname, but was now really the time and place? Furthermore, why was ‘respecting’ him the determinant factor as opposed to the fact that Atagi was obviously outranked?

If they didn’t immediately move to intercept or make their presence known, the bandits had the proclivity to politely inform Doi that he had the easy choice between his cargo or his life, before the goons start stuffing everything they can smash and grab into the saddlebags of their own mounts.

(juryoku yusei)

aeron at thq

Jutsu Used:

[juryoku yusei]

The caravan was slowly approached by a series of men on horseback. Yusei talked them into this, and all of a sudden felt vindicated. Atagi pulled him away from thinking about it, for a moment. "...We were kind of pushed into this by our environment, right? I was the runt of the litter. But. When the mind and the body are awakened to their true potential, there's no turning back. That's my Nindō, my Ninja Way."

Yusei said, watching the horses slowly close in. The armored brigadiers bearing bows and hatchets. He had to squint to see them. He slowed his jog, putting his hands together. Ram. Snake. He then put one foot infront of the other, as if balancing on a tightrope. The ground crackled, sparks flying and parting grass as he trailed off.

The highwaymen drew ever closer to Doi, brandishing hatchets and making their opening bargain. Yusei charged recklessly, leaping between the horses. That white and blue flash again. His contact with the ground breaking dispelled the field, and he rolled to land. Slightly dazed, Yusei stood up and pinched his nose again.

The highwaymen slowly backed up, all turned to face him. They all drew their bows, nocking arrows. While his chakra reserves were impressive, Yusei had to pause every now and then. He could sprint, but this seemed more like a marathon. The same demand was issued to him: give up his possessions, or die. "Are you gonna pay my rent, too...?" He said, working out a Bird and a Hare. In the distance, Atagi could see the arrows slowly float upwards, out of their hands. Momentarily, the group was distracted by trying to grasp at their arrows "spilling" from their quivers into the sky.

Uzumaki Atagi , 492

Pushin' off to feel lighter

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Raiton: Densen Kensaku [Lightning Release: Grind Wire]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Raiton
DESCRIPTION:

Implying the user knows the water walking and tree-climbing techniques. By placing one foot in from of the other, as if tight-rope walking, one preforms the handsigns, focusing chakra into the soles of their feet, also emitting an equal amount of chakra into the ground. As the handsigns are released, the user lets the chakra stored in their feet to release, forming a tunnel-like static field, propelling them along faster than most humans can run. However, any obstacles slowly decrease the field, and any metal inside of the field easily cancels the technique. Note that it also doesn't work on water, and must be canceled for one to stand.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Uku [Float]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low {Continuous}
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
HANDSEALS: 2, Bird → Hare
DESCRIPTION:

A sphere of gravity surrounds the user fifty feet outward. In this zone, objects that don’t weight very much will get picked up by the reduction in gravity. The user will have no control over where things go, but they will float. This jutsu has no effect on humans.

[Uzumaki Atagi]

Not austere, nor captious

Atagi was certainly the type who preferred to save time with action as opposed to wasting it on thinking too much, so the Juryoku being of a similar mental quality was much appreciated. Even though he’d been waiting for his partner’s lead, Atagi finds himself momentarily surprised by Yusei’s dizzying speed. The seals are quick. The flash and blue of white is quicker, an electric jolt across the ground, sparks bouncing off where the chunin’s feet meet ground, dirt flattening and grass partitioning in a fashion so even it looked unreal. Crimson brows raise as eyes widen, before the grin at his countenance follows in tow. Of the many things which excited Atagi Uzumaki– a good scrap and learning, seeing, experiencing something new were absolutely some of the top marquee headers. Just the thing to get the heart pounding.

Even though he’s been left in the dust, he recovers quickly as ever, always focused on the next step forward. Body lurches forward.and Atagi kicks off the ground, hands coming together in front of the body in the Ox seal, the ever-present hurricane of chakra within him briefly narrowed into a more purposeful gale. A burst of wind emanates from his back, propelling him to top running speed from standing still in an instant. From there, he shifts into the Step Method, a way of moving that’d almost become automatic– endless drilling and consistent practice were his dogma, and this was naturally the result. Between the training weights and the lower level of speed that he had to begin with, it takes comparatively much longer for him to actually reach the brigands. How many steps was it, in total? Twenty? Fourty? He never kept count.

The gap’s closed, though, fiery mane swaying, breathing and pulse both increasing in tempo, even if the adrenaline hadn’t quite started flowing. Yusei had created an opportunity; Atagi would have to grasp it. Leaping through the air, the grassy genin reaches, grasping in his hands two bundles of floating arrows, snatching them out of a duo of bandit’s grip before they could all be collected. The landing was a bit awkward, more of a tumble than a properly stuck one, and he scatters the arrows to the ground after and during his roll back to stability. It would’ve been way, way cooler if he’d had the ability to disarm them all at once, but this much’d have to do, at his current level.

Yu-sensei~!” It was almost a sing-songy intonation, like he was having a grand old time. ”I’ll try to subdue ‘em, but I won’t be offended if you feel like you’ve got to kill them outright! After all; people who threaten others' lives should be ready to die themselves, don’t you think?” The usual panache, a bit of intimidation slipped in…but if their enemies are at all rattled by the prospect of the two men on either side of their group, it’s not showing yet. Like every shinobi, Atagi is versed in the art of moving and talking; he’d have been a fool to stand still in this situation. Already, he’s darting, throwing himself in a flying kick with a ”Toryah!”, sending one of the bandits careening to the ground and startling the nearest horse into a panic. He doesn’t or can’t notice one of them’s actually notched an arrow his way and that another’s priming into a charge to cleave him with an axe, at least not with the danger so many split-seconds away.


(juryoku yusei)

aeron at thq

Jutsu Used:

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Subakage-ryū: Hohō [New Shadow Style: Step Method]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
DESCRIPTION:
The Step Method is the basis of all the Murahira's Subakage-ryū movement techniques. A human can walk, run, jump, and any other number of motions, but to truly achieve high speed they must learn to move properly. The Step Method is the isolation of technique, the removal of excess, and the refinement of action. It allows the user to move at speeds that exceed that which a shinobi would normally achieve, thereby improving the likelihood they will be able to run down a target or escape a blast radius.

It is not without its costs, though. The Step Method may be an idealized method of movement, but it is not the way a human will naturally try to move. It requires mental focus and extra physical exertion, though this basic form is less taxing than others.

NAME: Haiu[Shift]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Fuuton
DESCRIPTION:
A simple jutsu in which after a single handseal [Same as activating an exploding tag] the user uses quick bursts of air out of his body to either propel themselves forward, to the sides or back. This jutsu is very useful in a sword fight as it allows the user to nearly instantly change from stationary to full speed and then back to stationary in an instant. While this jutsu does allow the user so quickly change direction and achieve top speed in an instant, it does in no way speed up the users movements beyond their capability.

[juryoku yusei]

The two were tangled with the brigands, each of them padded in a patchwork of armor. Some bore hatchets, and some bore shortbows. Yusei distracted them with his trick, sending the archers reeling and those cavalry-chargers watching in surprise.

Yusei would for sure be kicking himself over this later. His intent was to keep scaling up what a "threat" he was, scaring those highwaymen straight until one had the sense to flee. He should have, by all rights, crushed them all by now. Frankly, his eye twitched with a petty frustration at his own actions.

A horse was in panic, eventually knocking its rider off. That still left six men bearing down on them. Yusei spaced out, watching Atagi's fight play out. The arrows he grabbed in the air disarmed one of the archers, certainly. That still left a bow to club people with. The highwayman closest to Yusei bore down with a hatchet as well, warranting a different kind of defense to execute his plan.

He started swaying, adopting that Irregular Dodging pattern he knew so well, slowly backing up in the process. Three men peeled off, all archers with knives drawn. One took advantage of the chaos, trying to lunge at Doi as he tried to get his caravan up to speed and leave them all in the dust. Yusei wrenched a knife out of the hands of one of the archers, throwing it at the man. It glanced off his helmet, but made it clear he wanted to command all of their attention.

Yusei forged a hand-seal. He placed his hand on one of the men trying to stab him. The kana were written on him, and Yusei held that one hand sign, increasing the pressure to glue the three men together. They kicked the air, trying not to fall off their horses.

Uzumaki Atagi , 562

Pushin' off to feel lighter

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Fukisoku Kaihi [Irregular Dodging]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: N/a
HANDSEALS: N/a
REQUIREMENT:Taijutsu Secondary or Agility SA

DESCRIPTION:

While any individual can try to jump from the path of an attack, those truly skilled at the art of evasion will find less obvious methods to avoid attacks. Dropping down to a split, flipping just over the area of attack, contorting their body into unusual angles and so on. This technique is effectively just a higher degree of training to use either the terrain or the blindspots of an attack to dodge in usual ways so that the user may either more readily escape or press their counter attack.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Tsutaeru [Impart]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Low {To form Seal} Low-High {To Activate}
CLASSIFICATION: Fuuinjutsu
HANDSEALS: 1, Dragon {To Activate}
DESCRIPTION:

Chakra is released into one’s hand forming the shape of the kanji ‘伝える on the palm. When the user touches a surface with their hand, this will be burned into it. When the seal is activated it forms its own gravitational pull. Depending on how much chakra is used during activation this can could turn into light resistance to pulling someone in. For pulling light objects in it would be a low chakra cost. To pull a human being in slowly it would be medium. To pull them in quickly it would have a high chakra cost. The force of it depends on how far the target is from the seal.

[Uzumaki Atagi]

Not austere, nor captious

With being so eager to attract danger away from his allies, Yusei was the type of guy who was after Atagi’s own heart, it seemed. Or perhaps it only should’ve been expected that he who would warp and control gravity itself was trying to attract everything. Whatever the case was, the crimson shinobi’s respect blooms even more, ever-expanding. With the Juryoku taking on three of the shortbow-wielding men, ‘gluing’ them together with that technique leaving them struggling to wrangle their horses and their own bodies…that left Atagi to take on the hatchet swingers, a duty which he happily assumes.

There’s not enough time to armor up, much as he might’ve liked to, so instead…the Uzumaki uses one of his favoured techniques, Sokudo. The chakra moving through his body, always a raging rapid instead of a serene stream, is coerced out even further, every fiber of muscle in his limbs and joints and all else invigorated by the increased chakra flow, priming his body to move, and quick. One of the axe-swingers, looking pissed off after being tossed off his horse, lets out a cry and chops down to try and aerate Atagi’s brain. The one that was priming a charge actually executes it, now, swinging down from the horse’s saddle with all the extra momentum afforded by a run; and the third is backing up, either preparing to do a charge themselves, has decided Yusei might be a bigger threat…or is hedging their bets and getting ready to abandon their proverbial partners in crime if things look like they’re going belly up.

Synapses fire, instincts scream, and Atagi heeds those warnings, deftly sidestepping the chop from the unmounted bandit and suddenly finding himself conscious of the way he always sees Yusei elude attacks, how it’s much more fluid than his own sharp movements with an excess of energy behind them..and filed away just how useful a method like his senior’s would be, especially when paired with other supplementary abilities or jutsu or etc., like his so-called ‘god speed impulses’. Perhaps he’d have to have the chunin teach him, sometime. The bandit nearly tumbles forward from following through a little too much with the strike, and the Uzumaki throws a kick to his hand to dislodge the weapon from his grip, or at least dislocate a finger or two. As for the other, his arm flies up to shield his face on instinct, and there’s the telltale clank of metal on metal when the blow is (partly) deflected by the weights strapped to the arm. but the sheer heft of the axe and the momentum of the blow means that the impact can’t be absorbed fully by Atagi’s body, and it shifts instead of being tossed aside completely, glancing at Atagi’s arm before he’s got the opportunity to withdraw it.

It’s not a deep wound, thank the gods, but it definitely opens up his sleeve and blood spills, not quite a spray but not as small as a trickle either– soaking into the burgundy clothing that hadn’t been cut. ”Ach shhh-! – I’m alright!” A cry, a little hiss of pain at the bite of iron (or was it pig-iron?) into flesh along with a hasty reassurance thrown at Yusei, and he hears Masahiko in the back of his mind saying something like ‘Please! Those arms are brand new, protect them a little better!’ Well, ‘brand new’ wasn’t exactly correct, but the point stood. The bandit and his mount both ride by, presumably to momentarily take another pass. Atagi focuses on subduing the one in front of him, deciding to worry about the water in the creek rising once it actually rained.

A shift of the body, still moving at increased speed from the Sokudo technique. There’s a slight bending at the knees, then one fist, his left, thrown into the recently disarmed bandit’s gut– Atagi works his way up in a motion that was so smooth it’d clearly been practiced on dummies (or a training partner) hundreds, if not thousands of times. The right slams into their solar plexus; not quite as effective as it’d normally be thanks to the makeshift vest they had on, but blunt force was blunt force, and the strike to the soft underbelly had already made them start to keel forward. Rising to full height again after the two blows, finally his other fist returns to the party, slamming into the top of the brigand’s head, sending them into the dirt, unconscious.



(juryoku yusei)

aeron at thq

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsu and/or Relevant SA's

In the Nick of Time
Atagi has honed his combat instincts and reflexes via dedicated training (and at least one ‘practical experience’ in the form of having life and limb imperiled by a particular Taki-nin) to the point where he can, much of the time, reflexively move in response to threatening stimuli. Most often, these combat reflexes are defensively oriented, a la blocking or dodging. He’s nicknamed them his ‘God-Speed Impulses’, which is an obvious exaggeration.

Because they’re mostly either automatic, unconscious, or subconscious responses, he’s quicker than many of his equivalent rank– but there are, as always, caveats. Firstly, because he simply allows his body to do whatever’s most natural and instinctive, surprise attacks or events, such as things he can’t see, hear, smell, or feel, are quite effective. Additionally, a response that’s close to automatic may not be a good thing– his first instinct when a sword’s swung his way might be to try and catch it, for example, and his body might will it so– but depending on the scenario, that could simply lead to his hand being lopped off. Thirdly, he’ll always have faster movements and responses to something that’s happened before, whether it’s once or many times, and obviously the more instances his mind n’ body have a particular attack, assault, abrasion or abuse drilled into them, the more effective these reflexes are.




NAME: Sokudo [Literally Meaning Speed]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: High [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0

DESCRIPTION:
Sokudo is a method of using chakra passively to reinforce the body's physical capabilities. Such things are movement-based rather than just brute strength would. It gives the user's muscle stimulation, allowing increased hand movement, wrist, arms, and even the legs. This can be used to just have everything work more proficiently. Though, after being used for more than seven posts, the user's muscles will be sore as if they just did an extensive workout. IF continued to be used, eleven posts will begin to break down muscle. Intense pain followed, forced technique shut down.


NAME: Hamon [Ripples]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0

DESCRIPTION:
A three hit combo. The user first starts off with a quick punch to an opponent’s midsection, right below the rib cage, winding them and causing them to bend forward, followed by a second strike to the solar plexus then finishing with a hard knuckle strike to the top of the opponents head, unbalancing them and causing the opponent to hit the ground.

[juryoku yusei]

The three archers weren't so much held together as they were briefly pushed together. That still left the matter of the horses. Two of the men on either side of the one in the middle fell due to a sudden shift in weight, the glowing seal fading. Yusei dug around in his pouch, digging out a flash-bomb. He whipped it at the ground between the four of them, before curling an arm, blocking his eyes with his elbow. The ensuing flash of white light startled the horses. The one in the center stood on its hind legs, throwing the rider. They then all took off, hoofbeats slowly growing quieter.

The initial "shove" towards the center of Tsutaeru was just that, a shove. The three men dusted themselves off, assuming stable footstances. Two of them charged him, each bearing a knife. The third archer took this opportunity to remove himself for a moment. He rooted around on the ground for the arrows that were scattered earlier, shortbow still slung across one shoulder. While Yusei successfully diverted one of the oncoming attackers with an outstretched hand pawing the knife away, the other took this chance to swing. A horizontal line was drawn across his forearm, tearing the fabric on his shirt. Any deeper and a tendon would've been damaged. Blood slowly trickled out, a ribbon of it going down to his hand. He glanced down at it for a second, just in time for that same arm to be grabbed and wrenched away.

He was thrown off-balance, pulled over and up. He reached his other hand next to it, trying to work out those three seals. Serpent, Hare, Dragon. The men on either side of him slowly bowed, sitting on a knee and foot. While they fought their own body weight, that makeshift armor didn't do any favors. While that archer drew a bead on him, the bow slowly slipped from his grasp. One of the pointed ends put a dent in the dirt. It looked like he was just on the periphery. Yusei held that dragon seal, yanking the man forward by his hands. He then stepped up to him, curling his leg up, before whipping it at his chest like he was kicking a soccer ball.

He looked back, just in time to hear Atagi yelp. His eyes widened, and he looked concerned. Yusei held that rabbit seal just long enough for the men glued to the ground to draw stable breath, though standing up was a struggle. He made the field disappear entirely, jogging towards Atagi's "half". "Hang in there!"

Uzumaki Atagi , 562

Pushin' off to feel lighter

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Keisei jūryoku [Forming Gravity]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium, Medium (Drain)
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: N/A
HANDSEALS: 3-4 - Serpent, Hare, Dragon (To Activate), Hare or Dragon (To Switch)
DESCRIPTION:

A gravitational field is put into place around the user. This can extend outward up to seven feet (2 meters). Within this sphere the user can control gravity at will with a single hand seal. The dragon seal will increase the pressure while the hare seal will decrease it. At its highest pressure, the victim will feel as if their whole body were made of steel. Difficult to move limbs but not impossible by any means.

[Uzumaki Atagi]

Not austere, nor captious

It’s not that he can’t spare a glance the way of his senior, but to do so might be foolhardy. After all, even a moment’s distraction could make the difference, could be the only barrier between life and death, at a time like this.

Naturally, Atagi is the sort of person who does so anyway, allowing his instincts toward protecting and watching out for others clash with his proclivity toward self-preservation, which he definitely didn’t lack, despite what his actions and words sometimes indicated. The throbbing in his arm, the one blood was soaking into the sleeve of, was absolutely a reminder of that. Much as he’d like to pay him some heed, eyes flit back and stay glued to his primary enemy, another hatchet-swinger looking mad, though about what it wasn’t entirely clear. Perhaps the fact that his pillaging plans’d been thwarted, and that his compatriots were falling like flies. Perhaps it was the fact that their one remaining ally seemed to be turning tail and fleeing– unlike in the books, thieves rarely fought to the death to a man, after all. Earn your keep, Atagi. Don’t make your friend do all the work.

He moves in, not to immediately threaten or strike the bandit, but merely to provoke a response, at first. It was a gamble to strike first, as much as Atagi loved to do so, and one thing he’d learned from tumbles with bukijutsu users, mock or otherwise, is that the guy with the sharpened edge on a stick is often at an advantage compared to the guy coming at them with nothing but the ever-fragile human form. Yes, even one that’s polished and refined every day, me. There’s a swing, a vertical chop that, if it’d actually landed, would’ve cleaved Atagi’s thoracic outlet in two and shattered his collarbone just as easily. He’s highly focused, and his body’s still under the stimulation of Sokudo, (even though he’s realized chakra-fueled muscle stimulation is likely making him bleed faster) and he jerks back, again, just enough to avoid the blow in what was almost showing off. Well, scratch that. Verve and bravery (bravervey?) were always hand in hand, when it came to Atagi.

They’re shouting something or another about the Uzumaki being a real son-of-a-whore, and the assault doesn’t let up, even if it’s all only happening over a few seconds. The axe’s hastily turned and swiped diagonally upward; this time it would’ve sliced his gut open, or maybe cracked his ribcage. There’s a sharp crack that sounds almost like a tiny explosion, and anyone who paid especially close attention would’ve seen the way the dirt under his left foot was suddenly a small hole. Yusei’s seen this one before, Sonido, a linear dodge powered by a manipulation of chakra to the legs. Atagi zips away from the strike and appears at the bandit’s side. Now was his chance. "”Toryah!” A shout. There’s yet another manipulation of the chakra circuiting through his physical form; this time, to the arms.
A flurry of punches is snapped off, maybe seven in a space where there should’ve only been time for one, pummeling the poor bandit with impunity, their face and upper body and arm on the side Atagi’d circled to. He could’ve gone for more, but then he would’ve been injuring himself needlessly. None of them are particularly soft. Then the bandit goes lights out, dropping their weapon and collapsing, leaving the Uzumaki there, knuckles bloodied, panting for breath, and grinning all the while. ’How about clambering up the ledge, instead?” Of hanging on, that is.


(juryoku yusei)

aeron at thq

SA/Jutsu's:

SPOILER: Click to show

In the Nick of Time
Atagi has honed his combat instinct and reflexes via dedicated training (and at least one ‘practical experience’ in the form of having life and limb imperiled by a particular Taki-nin) to the point where he can, much of the time, reflexively move in response to threatening stimuli. Most often, these combat reflexes are defensively oriented, a la blocking or dodging. He’s nicknamed them his ‘God-Speed Impulses’, which is an obvious exaggeration.

Because they’re mostly either automatic, unconscious, or subconscious responses, he’s quicker than many of his equivalent rank– but there are, as always, caveats. Firstly, because he simply allows his body to do whatever’s most natural and instinctive, surprise attacks or events, such as things he can’t see, hear, smell, or feel, are quite effective. Additionally, a response that’s close to automatic may not be a good thing– his first instinct when a sword’s swung his way might be to try and catch it, for example, and his body might will it so– but depending on the scenario, that could simply lead to his hand being lopped off. Thirdly, he’ll always have faster movements and responses to something that’s happened before, whether it’s once or many times, and obviously the more instances his mind n’ body have a particular attack, assault, abrasion or abuse drilled into them, the more effective these reflexes are.

NAME: Yasei Oni [Wild Demon]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0

DESCRIPTION:
By focusing chakra into the muscles located in the arms the user can enhance the striking speed of their punches allowing them to unleash a barrage of multiple punches in a moment, raining down fists on a foe and beating them into a pulp. While an overwhelming move that looks like the user is delivering more than a dozen punches in reality they are throwing in at around ten punches before the adverse effects of the technique kick in. It is advised to have protection around the hands or arms as the durability of one's limbs do not change, meaning that bare knuckle strikes will cause a lot of recoiling damage by breaking the skin of fists as well as tearing of muscles within the arms of the user from all the movement done within a quick frame of time.


NAME: Sokudo [Literally Meaning Speed]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: High [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0

DESCRIPTION:
Sokudo is a method of using chakra passively to reinforce the body's physical capabilities. Such things are movement-based rather than just brute strength would. It gives the user's muscle stimulation, allowing increased hand movement, wrist, arms, and even the legs. This can be used to just have everything work more proficiently. Though, after being used for more than seven posts, the user's muscles will be sore as if they just did an extensive workout. IF continued to be used, eleven posts will begin to break down muscle. Intense pain followed, forced technique shut down.

NAME: Subakage-ryū: Sonído [New Shadow Style: Reverberating Turn]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: N/A
HANDSEALS: N/A
DESCRIPTION:
REQUIREMENT: Subakage-ryū: Hohō [New Shadow Style: Step Method]

When attacked, the shinobi is faced with a choice: block or dodge. Sonído is perhaps the most raw, speed-oriented dodge available to practitioners of Subakage-ryū. When attacked, the shinobi pushes as much physical force as possible into their step and further enhances it with some chakra. In doing so, the explosive acceleration reaches tremendous speeds.

The shinobi repositions a very short distance, generally no more than a meter or two at the most. Moving further with Sonído just does not work, and due to the way they move, will cause the shinobi to trip up and tumble across the ground. While it is easiest to move in a linear fashion, Sonído can be used to circle about half way around an opponent.

Sonído is rather intense, and the force pushed into one point on the ground causes a modest explosive snap at the beginning of the technique, hence its name. Because Sonído is so intense and tough on the body, it cannot be used back-to-back, and doing so will render the shinobi immobile for one round as their body recovers. Extensive use of this technique can cause damage to the body, so it is best to be somewhat conservative.