[Muramasa Uemon]

winds down, a victor in sight

---

So far he had managed to evade the doctor's attacks, but he and his bunshins were relentless.

If he chose to he could have stood and fought— but that was not the point of this all. Best to leave the offense for Shosuke so he could practice using his blindsense in a fight while he did his best to stay well out of reach.

Aside from snagging his jacket and several errant, snapped vines remaining coiled around his limbs, he had broken free with the help of his chakra threads and his own speed. However he was far from free and clear as the Moku Bunshins bore down on him, closing the distance with Shunshin and striking at him. "Not how I planned it, but..."

A puff of smoke shot up from underneath his feet, signaling the triggering of his Kawarimi. Uemon vanished from place... only to replaced by another Uemon. Swapping places with his clone that had been dangling above from threads.

Much weightier than his own Kage Bunshin, Shosuke's duplicates had little trouble whacking the doppelganger and dispersing it in another cloud of smoke. Finally out of bunshins, his real body resumed hanging duties with another quick usage of the Takuto Mojiretsu, now suspended from the overhang where his clone was only just situated.

From this vantage he was able to watch the next few events unfold, with Shosuke weaving several hand seals and summoning forth a gigantic rush of water from his palm that flooded the training grounds. Though it washed over his wood clones, they seemed mostly unaffected by it due to their density. The wanderer could only wrinkle his nose as he hung there over the waters. "I wonder..." Something was brewing in his mind and as his threads dispersed?

Uemon fell, funneling chakra to the soles of his feet to make use of the Suimen Hokou no Waza and stand atop the flood. Figuring that it was not solid ground, he could only assume that the vibrations would not carry. But there was only one way to find out for sure, so as he moved to strafe the two Moku Bunshins he weaved several hand seals. A deep breath later and he would expel a violent burst of air from his lungs at them, hoping to knock them back with his Fūton: Kyōryokuna Kaze no Nami. Whether they dispersed or not was irrelevant, as he only sought to create distance to retreat further. Turning, he meant to move carefully and swiftly away atop the waters, minding each step.

Soon enough this little game would come to a close, but it had served its purpose well enough. Not only were they sharpening their skills, but he had gained some valuable insight from these exchanges... as well as the realization that his next creation would have to come sooner than expected. Flight was a useful skill indeed, so once they were done here he would need to begin work right away. So that the next time his budding skills in stealth met a hard counter...

...he would have other avenues of escape. Thoughts for a later time, though.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Fūton: Kyōryokuna Kaze no Nami [Wind Release: Powerful Wind Wave]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Fūton
DESCRIPTION:
After forming the necessary hand seals, the caster releases a powerful gale of wind from their mouth. The gale itself has enough power to lift and push opposing Shinobi off their feet.

SUPPORTIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Takuto Mojiretsu [Grappling String]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0
DESCRIPTION:
A useful, but difficult to master skill. This technique requires an entire hand's worth of puppetry strings, the user sending five strings to latch onto a surface before quickly wrapping their hand around the strings and finally shortening the strings at a high speed. While this could be used to rapidly pull light objects towards the user, it is more commonly used to pull the user towards to object they anchor the strings onto. This effectively allows a puppeteer to use their puppet strings as a grappling hook and quickly move around the battlefield.

NAME: Suimen Hokou no Waza [Act of Water Surface Walking]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [General]
ELEMENT: None
DESCRIPTION:
A slightly more advanced version of the Tree Climbing Skill, this technique allows a shinobi to walk on water as if it were a solid surface. What makes this so difficult is a very precise amount of chakra ust be applied, as balance is harder to maintain on a not so tangible and even moving surface.


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

KASHIRA-WARI・首割り - ENHANCED CHAKRA CONTROL
Puppeteers must maintain expert control over their wide selection of puppets, and so too must a shinobi with their chakra. Necessary for his Puppet Ninjutsu and applicable to his other techniques, Uemon has trained extensively in order to mitigate the amount of chakra he uses with his jutsu. Compensating for his average chakra reserves this allows him to stay in the fight that much longer.

TSUKURIMONO・作り物 - INTELLIGENCE
Stage and setting can make or break a performance. A director needs vigilance and flexibility to ensure all the moving parts of a play go off without a hitch. A learned strategist with a quick mind, Uemon is always observing even in the midst of combat. This allows for him to find gaps and weaknesses in his opponent's techniques easier than some, and allows him to formulate strategies and deceptions to take advantage of these shortcomings. A knack for tactics cues him on which approach works best depending on his target.

ASHIZUKAI・足遣い - SPEED
Operating the legs of a puppet requires dexterity and agility. Much like moving one's own body. As a child in Tetsu no Kuni Uemon trained in Jujitsu and Kenjutsu, finding his aptitude for speed rather than strength. Honed after years on the road with his mentors, Uemon is surprisingly light on his feet and his hand-to-hand strikes are faster than most expect. Able to strike and weave with deft swiftness he is capable of holding his own against Taijutsu specialists of his rank and outright overwhelming those of lower ranks in terms of speed.

SHOMEI・署名 - SENSOR TYPE 
Lighting is a crucial part of any play. Identifying the actors and drawing focus to them in the dark. With much training Uemon has become a Sensor Type, able to detect and hone in on chakra signatures akin to a sixth sense of sorts. A useful tool when it comes to tracking or surveillance. As of now, he is capable of passively sensing chakra up to one hundred meters from his body, or one kilometer if actively searching. This also allows him to more efficiently utilize his puppets without needing a direct line of sight to his targets. Knowing the placement of actors on stage at all times is essential.

[Yamamoto Shosuke]

It seemed like everything was falling into place. Uemon played the card Shosuke had been certain that he would - He kawarimi'd in his clone, only for said clone to receive a trio of strikes from the clones and dissipate into smoke, leaving Uemon with no further cards up his sleeve to bring into play.

The noose was growing wider and wider, and Uemon seemed more than happy, albeit unintentionally, to trip it. And just like that, with no further ado, the wannin made the decision that would end the fight. As the waterfall shot up around the area, flooding the training area, he fell from his perch down into the water, causing an enormous splash within the water field.

But that wasn't the trap that Sho had laid. No, what came after was.

Instead of running through the water or attempting to find some way to fight above the waterline itself, Uemon moved to step up on the water, walking on it like it was a solid surface. But the very moment he did so, the countdown had already begun. As the water still roared up, Sho dropped the technique, using the brief moment after it was done to conceal the secondary jutsu he was manipulating - "vomiting" a thick sticky syrup into the spreading water, disguising it amongst the other water.

Meanwhile, Uemon's eyes were just where Sho expected them to be - on the clones themselves. With a quick burst of futon chakra, the three were indeed slightly lifted off of their feet. They weren't pushed back all that far due to their comparative weight to a normal shinobi, but it was enough to push them back from his location, to give him the space needed. But what Uemon had failed to calculate was where the threat would be truly coming from - below.

As Uemon shot across the field, he would find the ground underneath him suddenly change, his feet beginning to stick and aim to catch him in motion. In the meantime, all three of the clones turned, charging towards him in a flurry of motion.

Unless Uemon had some final clever trick, some way of escaping all of this, he would quickly find himself being surrounded on all sides, the three clones having morphed their bodies to turn one arm each into an enormous, jagged blade, like stakes of wood pointed directly at the wannin.

"I would advise giving up, Uemon." Sho said, his voice one of calm confidence. There was a smug smile spread across his face, no longer quite able to suppress it. "I think its fair to say that this little exercise goes to me, no?"

It was a strange sensation - usually this technique worked on maintaining contact with hard physical subjects. Though Uemon was standing on the water, the water was a moving, flowing substance. It felt almost like looking at a tv through static, able to just about make out outlines but not a great deal of detail. Were it not for the information being formed from the other clones that he would be able to get a fully painted image.

518 words | Muramasa Uemon

SPOILER: Click to show

Mizuame Nabara - [Starch Syrup Capture Field]: 9/9

Jutsus Used
Name:Mizuame Nabara - [Starch Syrup Capture Field]
Rank:C
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
Type:Ninjutsu
Element:Suiton
HANDSEALS: 2
Description:
Mizuame Nabara is a Ninjutsu utilizing the Water Element. After forming the needed handseals, the user will expel a sticky liquid from their gullet. This liquid can cover approximately 20 square meters. If the target runs on top of the liquid, their feet will become glued to its sticky surface. If the ninja focuses chakra to their feet before touching the surface, they can hover above and move over it without hindrance. This allows the user or a comrade to charge and attack without fear of becoming bogged down as well.

[Muramasa Uemon]

lessons learned, skills honed

---

Game, set, and match. It had been a revealing little exercise but by all rights he was caught.

Though his Fūton technique had created a bit of distance between him and the Moku Bunshins, the Kumo-nin's ability to use Suiton proved too flexible for his movement. Contingencies swirled about his head as he sprinted.

Attempting to dart away but in the end to no avail. The flood was added onto, some sort of sticky, sap-like substance flowing forth over its surface. He was already funneling chakra to his feet to water-walk and it would only take a slight shift to adjust... but he decided against it. Experience was enough for him and he was fine with a loss.

Shosuke deserved it and Uemon had taken away the lesson he needed to. The sap immobilized him which allowed for the clones to surround him. Weapons formed and pointed in his direction. Of course he had cards left to play...

But this training session had served its purpose and there was no need. "You're right, I surrender." He said, half-heartedly putting up his hands as he glanced down at his feet. Uemon tried to wiggle his legs but he was firmly held in place by the 'syrup'. "Handy little technique." Typically, he did not use elemental Ninjutsu much himself. Along with his future plans to construct some new puppets he could probably do with learning some sort of jutsu like this.

Suiton seemed like a natural accompaniment to his own attunement to both Fūton and Raiton. As he glanced up, he noticed Shosuke's smile and the corner of his own mouth perked up a bit. "Certainly fair to say. Well played."

A bit of sweat fell from his brow and he raised an arm to wipe his brow with his sleeve. "That sense of yours really is something." Missing his jacket, stuck ankle-deep in a starchy goop, and an aching right hand... he was more of a mess than he expected. "Now that all's said and done... I think I need a bath." He said, waiting for the doctor to release his technique. If he did would gather up his discarded coat and rejoin Shosuke. Assisting with any needed tidying up before they left. "Do you know where I can find an onsen?" Hot springs sounded good.

To wash away the grime from today and help clear his head. If this had shown him anything it was that he had much more planning to do. Additions to his own repertoire of tricks, concepts to draft, and improvements to make.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

SUPPORTIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Suimen Hokou no Waza [Act of Water Surface Walking]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [General]
ELEMENT: None
DESCRIPTION:
A slightly more advanced version of the Tree Climbing Skill, this technique allows a shinobi to walk on water as if it were a solid surface. What makes this so difficult is a very precise amount of chakra ust be applied, as balance is harder to maintain on a not so tangible and even moving surface.


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

KASHIRA-WARI・首割り - ENHANCED CHAKRA CONTROL
Puppeteers must maintain expert control over their wide selection of puppets, and so too must a shinobi with their chakra. Necessary for his Puppet Ninjutsu and applicable to his other techniques, Uemon has trained extensively in order to mitigate the amount of chakra he uses with his jutsu. Compensating for his average chakra reserves this allows him to stay in the fight that much longer.

TSUKURIMONO・作り物 - INTELLIGENCE
Stage and setting can make or break a performance. A director needs vigilance and flexibility to ensure all the moving parts of a play go off without a hitch. A learned strategist with a quick mind, Uemon is always observing even in the midst of combat. This allows for him to find gaps and weaknesses in his opponent's techniques easier than some, and allows him to formulate strategies and deceptions to take advantage of these shortcomings. A knack for tactics cues him on which approach works best depending on his target.

ASHIZUKAI・足遣い - SPEED
Operating the legs of a puppet requires dexterity and agility. Much like moving one's own body. As a child in Tetsu no Kuni Uemon trained in Jujitsu and Kenjutsu, finding his aptitude for speed rather than strength. Honed after years on the road with his mentors, Uemon is surprisingly light on his feet and his hand-to-hand strikes are faster than most expect. Able to strike and weave with deft swiftness he is capable of holding his own against Taijutsu specialists of his rank and outright overwhelming those of lower ranks in terms of speed.

SHOMEI・署名 - SENSOR TYPE 
Lighting is a crucial part of any play. Identifying the actors and drawing focus to them in the dark. With much training Uemon has become a Sensor Type, able to detect and hone in on chakra signatures akin to a sixth sense of sorts. A useful tool when it comes to tracking or surveillance. As of now, he is capable of passively sensing chakra up to one hundred meters from his body, or one kilometer if actively searching. This also allows him to more efficiently utilize his puppets without needing a direct line of sight to his targets. Knowing the placement of actors on stage at all times is essential.