[hirana kizumi]

Gure An, Uzumaki Ataru, Kuronmeru Shiu, and Haruno Seiji were the genin assigned to group one. Kumogakure jounin shepherded them in their designated direction into the woods; different paths had been sectioned off for each of the groups to function independently from each other. OOC notes: Your proctor, Nakahara Ichī , will begin the round and your posting timer. Your 72 hours does not start until your proctor posts. Please wait for your proctor to post before entering the exam thread. - You have 72 hours to post. The timer begins after the proctor starts the rotation. - Each player may post once in each rotation. The proctor’s post demarcates the start of a new rotation. - You do not have to follow the same posting order in each rotation. I encourage you to utilize your Discord group chats within the CE server to strategize with your teammates, and to post whenever is most appropriate and accessible for you. - If you fail to post before the deadline, you will receive one strike. Receiving three strikes in total will disqualify you from the remainder of the exams. - The mission objective must be achieved within six rotations. After the conclusion of the sixth rotation, the exams will move on to round 2. - There is no disqualifier round. Just do your best and have fun!

Gurē An Uzumaki Ataru Kuronmeru Shiu Haruno Seiji

LAIKA OF THQ

[Nakahara Ichī]

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Autumn

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]I will lead us to it. Definitely.

[attr="class","skullbody"]Ichi had to admire his handiwork, having turned what was roughly a rather short trip into a rather effective jungle of vegetation. Not visible to anyone from his perch deeper within the path of the team the young man was waiting alongside a number of versions of himself spread among the exam. From there he would pay attention to the shinobi that were going to be walking down the path of his creation. A smile played to his lips as he took a long drag from the pipe that released the pungent scent of fresh cut grass and deeper earthy under tone not unlike mushrooms or cedar wood.
[break][break]

It would be interesting to watch over the group that Kizumi had informed him on, having not recieved a single of his own genin at his request. Instead seeing how shinobi completely unfamiliar to the entirety of tall grass and incredibly fragile trees. He would need to make sure much of what he had done to terraform the path was corrected eventually, but for now it would do to help assist the group in their trials. If they paid attention this would go simply, but that never was fully the case was it? He would have to wait and see how they acted.
[break][break]

Before the group of four was a rather thin forest, the trees, while plentiful were primarily pines and other trees made of fragile branches not truly made to be traversed between, though that was before the obvious stumps that were missing. Beyond the first few dozen meters of vision though was grass, and grass, and more grass yet beyond it. A veritable ocean of grass a head taller then Seiji as far as any of them would be able to see even if one was to climb one of the pines that would let them see further in. The grass itself was thick and resistant to bending with motion past the tips which floated with the wind, moving through it being like walking in incredibly thick mud without the ability to try and truly float over it. Slowing, but not impossible to get through if one just maintained an steady pace and stayed careful, every single blade of grass looking to have a somewhat sharp endge that could cut if you were to slide against it too hard or try to force past it.[break][break]

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]000 WORDS / @tags!!

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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SPOILER: Click to show

Ichi's SA's and Techniques in Use:[break][break]

『Harvest Moon's Child』
Ichi was born to the Nakahara clan on the night of a Harvest Moon. Born with quite the green thumb he was assumed to be an inheritor of the clan's natural talents with plants. The roots ran deeper, however, as Ichi was born with a Kekkai Genkai, being a rare natural occurance of Wood Release outside of the Senju. In learning of this he has trained his kekkai to the best of his abilities. He is no master, seeing as he has no reference of Mokuton, but he has found a way to bring out techniques along side his own talents in a cohesive manner.

[Cosmetic Only: All Mokuton techniques Ichi uses appear as his favorite trees, though it has no real change as is.]

[break][break]
『Weaver of Wood』
Ichi was born with Mokuton, but he was not graced with the same level of chakra as the Senju would be in his situation. Being roughly average for an individual, Ichi instead focused on the skills his birth clan preferred. Practicing his medical skills, he has gained a higher quality of Chakra Control. Ichi is much less likely to leak chakra than the average shinobi because of this.

[break][break]
『The Festival's Atmosphere』
Having practiced his skills with extending his senses outwards with the use of mokuton chakra, Ichi is particularly adept at sensing life in an area. Capable of finding life through the very nature around people. Within [20 meters] Ichi is capable of passively sensing out plant and animal life in a general sense. Able to differentiate it between plant and animal, but no further. Unlike chakra sensory Ichi can not more or less readily sense others based on their chakra, but instead purely senses the 'vitality' in things, though even those with seemingly boundless vitality will read the same as the elderly or a newborn to him. Also unlike usually sensory to actively search out individuals Ichi requires Mokuton, or the use of his pipe (though using it makes his position much easier to locate), as a catalyst to extend his senses, only going out as far as the technique's range, or twice his passive range in case of the pipe. It is also notable that the deceased, and those that feign death in some fashion, as through a poison or a jutsu, are completely invisible to Ichi. Notably the furthest he can extend his senses is [100 meters].[break][break]

『Master of Festival Games』

Ichi is incredibly smart for someone his age, but he lacks the qualifications to be a scholar. This is because his intelligence is not found in understanding of principles and anything so magnificiently deep. It instead lies in his observational talents and ability to react to everything that is going on around him with an absolute calm. Being able to plan and act with just minute details to go off of, Ichi is best described as a schemer and a diplomat rather than a genius. This makes him perfect for roles that are heavy in Tactical and Diplomatic Decision Making, as he grasps larger images and can put together clues better than others. Effectively allowing him to take in the wider picture of everything going on and piece together practical responses in mere moments with little to no hesitation or error.

[Uzumaki Ataru]

Ataru had met his team, getting on with some more than others though firmly believing they had all come to the determination that they would need move past or at least suspend the differences held between their respective villages for the sake of the exam. He still wasn't sure as to the true leader amongst them though favored Seiji during the initial meeting where it was outlined one might be needed, but then again perhaps they didn't need one after all. Maybe such a thing would rob them of the potential of working together conducively, shaking such thoughts to the wayside their group would continue on without confirming or actually deciding it one way or the other - for now. As the four find themselves in the precipice of an endless expanse of tall grass, Ataru wades through the mud-like expanse of vegetation spotting a barren freshly cut tree stump, not sure what to make it at first tapping it along its smooth with his hand and counting the rings before realizing that whatever was here before had been uprooted in favor of establishing what now laid outstretched before them.

It was purposeful and difficult to muck through but not impossible, realizing if he moved with any real degree of urgency and speed through the twisting tendrils of grass it would cut him into ribbons. Deciding to see how far this went on for, Ataru approach a long thin pine tree extending upwards seemingly scratching at the blue expanse that was the sky overhead. Having practically growing up scaling trees and using them as a regular means of travel throughout Konoha these were unlike anything that he was used to. Using the Tree Walking technique as well as his own physicality and experience the boy leaps and makes his way up to the zenith of the tree, gazing out over the landscape of seemingly endless verdant bramble. Taking in the sight as a gale of air buffets his form, the boy takes in a deep breath before moving back down in an effort to relay a report back to his teammates. "It's a sea of tall grass for as far as the eye can see, made purposefully by the looks of it. I can't see an end but it holds a smattering of trees like these all throughout. They're too fragile and spread out for us to reliably move between them though. Is there anyone that can scout or sense things ahead somehow, besides that we need to figure out a direction head and keep to a steady pace while remaining close enough to help one another. Deciding on a formation might help too... especially given the terrain. Does anyone have any ideas?"

[Gurē An]

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Upon careful examination of the information presented during the opening ceremony, An, accompanied by three other individuals, cautiously made her way to the designated location. The group comprised two older males, a third whose age remained uncertain to An, but seemed similar to hers, and herself. An, with an uchigatana of similar proportions strapped to her side and a palpably nervous heart, introduced herself, highlighting her proficiency in ninjutsu and bukijutsu. The snowy path beneath their feet crunched, signaling the winter season, as they traversed a seemingly ordinary landscape until an unusual sight caught their attention – towering grass, surpassing even the tallest member, Seiji.
[break][break]
Despite An's reservations about working with shinobi from Konohagakure, Seiji did not evoke any real animosity and the mission took precedence. The presence of a fellow Kirigakure shinobi, Kuronmeru Shiu, evoked mixed feelings due to past encounters with his clan members. An acknowledged the necessity of collaboration, though a lingering distrust lingered, especially toward the younger Konohagakure shinobi.
[break][break]
When Ataru took the initiative to climb a tree for reconnaissance, his findings yielded no additional information. An, driven by curiosity, approached the unusual grass. Its atypical properties became evident as the unbending stems and razor-sharp edges left a small cut on her finger. Returning to the group uncertain of the group's receptiveness she spoke up, "The grass is unusual. The edges are sharp, while the main body is unmoving." An decided to propose a strategy. "As I have a sword," she began, her gaze fixed on the towering grass, "wouldn't it be fine to just cut through it? I could lead and cut the grass, being the shortest here, with my lower cut range." She looked at Shiu, another with a katana, "The rest of you could follow behind. I think the grass can sustain our weight if we move slowly, given how unmoving, packed, and thick it is. Another option would be to use a jutsu I know to scout and gather information ahead of time. While the rest of you move forward, I can move up to 1km (~0.6 miles) forward; perhaps Shiu-san could cut the grass for you, though I'd be alone, and we're not even sure if the grass is gone after 1km (~0.6 miles)." Having laid out her idea, An left the decision to the group, her respect for seniority restraining further argument.
[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

真菌操作| Shinkin Sōsa [lit.Fungal Manipulation]
[break][break]
An can grow, shape, and manipulate all forms of fungi, including but not limited to yeasts and mold, along with poisonous and non-poisonous mushrooms, thanks to the Gurē clan's KKG. An has the ability to grow fungi on just about any surface. Because An’s genetic makeup is more similar to that of fungi than that of humans, she can use techniques based on Fungi anatomy, such as secretions or enzymes from various Fungi. She can easily generate or grow any part of a Fungi's anatomy from her own body by using chakra to further alter her own cells. Finally, because these techniques are made from her own cells or bodily fluids, such as converting her saliva into a specific Fungi secretion, An is immune to their effects.
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共生遺伝学| Kyōsei Iden-Gaku [lit.Symbiotic Genetics]
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As a member of the Gurē clan, An has gained the potential to combine her body with flora and the ground itself because of the similarities in her genetic makeup to fungi. She is able to link her chakra to the underground network of organic matter, which includes plant roots, water veins, and decomposing materials. For example, An can hide in things like trees, shrubs and roots, soil, and so on. Once fused, not only is her presence completely hidden and only felt by those with chakra recognition, but it also allows her to travel within the subterranean web of organic matter up to 1 km before needing to emerge.
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蒼波| Sōha [lit.Blue Wave]
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An possesses significantly larger and more formidable chakra reserves compared to her peers. This advantage enables her to execute various jutsu without rapidly depleting her chakra, granting her a distinct advantage in combat situations and the capacity to maintain prolonged, intensive chakra utilization. Consequently, she can employ advanced techniques for extended durations surpassing the capabilities of most individuals within her rank.

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Uzumaki Ataru Kuronmeru Shiu Haruno Seiji
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[1/6]

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[Haruno Seiji]

Discomfort, more than any other feeling, welled within the oldest of the four team members as the group coalesced before the verdant jungle. What at first glance seemed a simple hiccup on the path to their 'destination', was soon identified as a barricade, fully halting progress.

Seiji had spent much of their journey thus far studying his companions. It was a cruel joke to pair two leaf nin with two of the hidden mist; he imagined the two foreigners held no shortage of hatred for Seiji and his younger peer, so it was to be a shinobi. But that animosity was something wholly rejected by the young man. The mist duo would detect not a shred of disdain, or even unease, emanating from him. Quite the opposite, in fact, as he conducted himself with supreme patience and compassion.

Talk about him being designated as a 'leader' would be quickly dismissed. The group was here to demonstrate how prepared they were to be chuunin. While someone who deferred to every order obediently would make a fantastic genin, they would struggle to show any leadership potential in doing so. In turn, someone who barked directions at subordinates who bowed their heads and behaved was just as incapable.

Though, Seiji had to admit some surprise. He'd expected every one to be trying to outshine one another, to do as much as quickly as possible to show their proctors that they were the best and deserved the highest marks. That was usually how these rounds went, from what he'd seen. Inevitably the group would devolve into chaos and nothing would be accomplished save for a spectacle of a shouting match.

The makings of some of that disarray were clear in the initiative taken by Ataru and An, the former in action and the latter in suggestion. The boy would do what he could to rein it in early, if at all possible, without stomping out the impressive drive in the two youths. As the two spoke, sharing their thoughts, Seiji listened attentively. "That's a good call, Ataru." Seiji began, encouraging his fellow leaf nin. "I think sticking together is the best bet. We're dealing with a complete unknown here; I doubt this is here by accident." He gestured toward the beast of flora before them. "If one of us gets lost, there's no guaranteeing we'll be able to find each other easily."

His assertion that staying as a unit was preferred, by him anyway, would serve to answer An as well. "I like the idea of you cutting us a path, if that won't slow us down too much; we're still chasing someone after all." He nodded, a warm enthusiasm coloring his words as he tried to encourage An as well. He deliberately avoiding speaking with a patronizing tone whenever directing his voice toward Ataru or An, the two were younger, sure, but these were his peers after all. He assumed they were just as capable as him, if not more so.

"Ataru," he started, turning his attention back to the boy. "If you want, you can sit on my shoulders. The weight won't bother me at all and you'll be able to keep your head above the grass to look ahead." He turned his attention to the boy who was closer to his age, Shiu. "Would you be willing to scan within the grass at the same time? We would have a pretty solid coverage that way."

Uzumaki Ataru , Gurē An , Kuronmeru Shiu , Nakahara Ichī

[Kuronmeru Shiu]

♔

Shiu stared ahead at the towering swath of grass laid before them. His lips quirked in a dissatisfied frown, much as they had been for the entire time since he had been assigned his group.

There had been cursory introductions on the way to their destination. Shiu had given little more than a name, because of all the genin he could have been stuck with, there was An, who he had only seen in passing in the village and thought he knew her to have been an academy student, this red-headed boy, who also looked like he should have been inside of a lecture hall rather than selected for the roster of the chuunin exams, and some vaguely androgynous teen, who may have been the only other person to have a shred of competence in their group save that he wore a Konoha headband tied around his arm. After having spent an entire week in little company other than his twin’s, it was jarring how this group seemed designed to set him up, specifically, for failure. The two infants weren’t worth his attention, let alone respect, yet An was a Kirigakure kunoichi, however it was that she ended up being here. In spite of himself, he felt a grudging sense of duty to make sure the girl didn’t get herself killed, if for no reason other than it’d be an embarrassment to their village.

The pipsqueak from the Leaf, though, he couldn’t care less about, and Shiu made no effort to hide this in the incredulous look he gave the kid once he started speaking.

Terrain? Smattering? They were words he’d barely ever heard and only knew what they meant from context. A part of him wondered if the kid was even real, or if he was from some weird clan whose entire hijutsu was to shrink down its members to munchkin size. How would this boy be of any use in combat? Their target could sit on him and that alone would take the kid out of commission for the rest of the fight.

Shiu shook his head subtly, deciding to ignore him altogether, whether it be his suggestions or any questions the shrimp had, and instead focus on what he could do for this seemingly impossible objective.

His conclusion was similar to what the others had assessed before him. Shiu had never thought of grass as something that could be an obstacle, but the healthy strands had coalesced in such a way that they’d be slowed down significantly when pursuing their target. Not only that, but he saw the tiny cut An came away with when she put her finger to its blades. He was apprehensive that the young girl had the upper body strength to swing her sword through the vegetation long enough for them to make the progress they needed to find their target, but after some brief consideration, he decided it was better for her to tire herself out battling against grass stalks rather than an actual enemy that may be able to cause her harm.

The androgynous teen then addressed him, asking him to scan the grass as they moved forward. Shiu considered ignoring him too. The teen must have been pretty stupid to actually be taking anything the other two had to say seriously. Yet for that exact reason, it may have been for the best that he was designated the duty of looking for their target through the grass. None of the others could be relied on to not mess something up so important.

"Sure,” he agreed, interested in giving no further commentary, but hoping that would be enough to get their group moving forward. Shiu would do his due diligence in checking their surroundings, having committed the image and information of their target pretty confidently to memory before arriving, but he also intended to keep a watch on An. If she tired out from cutting the grass for the rest of them, he would step up to take over with his own blade, Or if the initial efforts to mow down a path turned out to be too slow to begin with, and he determined it would be faster for them to just walk through and brace themselves for every tiny cut made upon their person by the sharp grass, he would assert as much to try to stop her from wasting the energy.

coded by pinn @ thq

Nakahara Ichī Uzumaki Ataru Gurē An Haruno Seiji

[Nakahara Ichī]

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Autumn

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]I will lead us to it. Definitely.

[attr="class","skullbody"]Ichi had to grin at the indent slowly being cut into the grass from his personal position. It was an incredibly practical response to the seeming problem, it showed caution which he approved of. If they expected that to get them through the full way, however, then they may find issue in the rest of the exam, which he simply would not subject upon the youths of the exam. Standing and going on the move to greet the group, not with himself, but one of his clones - best to not risk his own neck in case one of them was particularly trigger happy after all.
[break][break]

It would be some time into cutting the grass that the group would likely notice the folly of their current approach - the density of grass upon the ground was seemingly insufferable and as the grass was sliced through with practiced ease, it would often take two or three strikes to create what was effectively only a few feet of movement - an incredibly slow pace to keep, and one that would likely be exhausting to the group as a whole from the constant slow progress straining on the mind, or the physical exhaustion of their two sword users.
[break][break]

It was sudden then that anyone on a higher alert from the seemingly constant hack-and-slash sound of cutting the massive blades of grass that some loud rustling came from a few directions around them. The figure of Ichi appearing roughly fifteen meters behind the member of the group taking the rear, a giant of stature that smiled politely at the group a pipe in hand that was unlit despite it looking like, and smelling, as if he was smoking it. His expression an eerily calm one naturally Ichi spoke, "Quite the strategy, truly a marvelous approach! I can't say I would recommend you keep it up though, the grass goes all the way to your destination and you're not going to reach it at this rate though judging by my senses no one did try to simply take a walk in the meadow, as a small tip I would simply walk through for now lest you not finish the trek."[break][break]

The smile continued to the Kusa Lord's silver eyes as he peered onto the group of four, his tone having been genuine and jovial at a glance. His posture, unconcerned completely by the group, not in disregard, but simply a lack of tension. Someone who was in a position to negotiate and not bother with anything less, "Normally I would begin with an introduction, but that would waste more of your time then I think should be allotted to the unimportant part of this. Care for a conversation?"

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[attr="class","skullinfo"]000 WORDS / @tags!!

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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SPOILER: Click to show

Ichi's SA's and Techniques in Use:[break][break]

『Harvest Moon's Child』
Ichi was born to the Nakahara clan on the night of a Harvest Moon. Born with quite the green thumb he was assumed to be an inheritor of the clan's natural talents with plants. The roots ran deeper, however, as Ichi was born with a Kekkai Genkai, being a rare natural occurance of Wood Release outside of the Senju. In learning of this he has trained his kekkai to the best of his abilities. He is no master, seeing as he has no reference of Mokuton, but he has found a way to bring out techniques along side his own talents in a cohesive manner.

[Cosmetic Only: All Mokuton techniques Ichi uses appear as his favorite trees, though it has no real change as is.]

[break][break]
『Weaver of Wood』
Ichi was born with Mokuton, but he was not graced with the same level of chakra as the Senju would be in his situation. Being roughly average for an individual, Ichi instead focused on the skills his birth clan preferred. Practicing his medical skills, he has gained a higher quality of Chakra Control. Ichi is much less likely to leak chakra than the average shinobi because of this.

[break][break]
『The Festival's Atmosphere』
Having practiced his skills with extending his senses outwards with the use of mokuton chakra, Ichi is particularly adept at sensing life in an area. Capable of finding life through the very nature around people. Within [20 meters] Ichi is capable of passively sensing out plant and animal life in a general sense. Able to differentiate it between plant and animal, but no further. Unlike chakra sensory Ichi can not more or less readily sense others based on their chakra, but instead purely senses the 'vitality' in things, though even those with seemingly boundless vitality will read the same as the elderly or a newborn to him. Also unlike usually sensory to actively search out individuals Ichi requires Mokuton, or the use of his pipe (though using it makes his position much easier to locate), as a catalyst to extend his senses, only going out as far as the technique's range, or twice his passive range in case of the pipe. It is also notable that the deceased, and those that feign death in some fashion, as through a poison or a jutsu, are completely invisible to Ichi. Notably the furthest he can extend his senses is [100 meters].[break][break]

『Master of Festival Games』

Ichi is incredibly smart for someone his age, but he lacks the qualifications to be a scholar. This is because his intelligence is not found in understanding of principles and anything so magnificently deep. It instead lies in his observational talents and ability to react to everything that is going on around him with an absolute calm. Being able to plan and act with just minute details to go off of, Ichi is best described as a schemer and a diplomat rather than a genius. This makes him perfect for roles that are heavy in Tactical and Diplomatic Decision Making, as he grasps larger images and can put together clues better than others. Effectively allowing him to take in the wider picture of everything going on and piece together practical responses in mere moments with little to no hesitation or error.

[Gurē An]

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The team found themselves in a never-ending sea of grass, with An tirelessly cutting through it. However, fatigue caught up with her, and Shiu unexpectedly offered to take over. Despite the shock of such a gesture, An graciously accepted the assistance, "Thank you, Shiu-san." As they continued alternating, an unforeseen twist occurred when their target, the proctor, appeared some distance behind them.
[break][break]
An's initial confusion turned to suspicion as the proctor advised them to abandon the futile effort of cutting the grass and instead navigate through it. An couldn't shake the nagging doubt – why would their target provide seemingly helpful advice? Her grip tightened on her katana as she contemplated the situation. Voicing her concerns, she questioned the team's trust in the proctor, "Isn't he the target? Should we trust him? What if he is saying this to hinder us?"
[break][break]
Seiji, emerging as the de facto leader due to his age and experience, became the focal point for decision-making. An eyed him, waiting for a consensus. The dilemma lingered: adhere to the original plan of cutting through the grass, follow the proctor's advice, or entertain the idea of the proctor being a potential threat. An's uncertainty hung in the air as she scanned her teammates for cues, ready to adapt to the collective decision, whether it meant continuing their methodical approach, heeding the proctor's counsel, or, in the worst-case scenario, confronting their target directly.
[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

真菌操作| Shinkin Sōsa [lit.Fungal Manipulation]
[break][break]
An can grow, shape, and manipulate all forms of fungi, including but not limited to yeasts and mold, along with poisonous and non-poisonous mushrooms, thanks to the Gurē clan's KKG. An has the ability to grow fungi on just about any surface. Because An’s genetic makeup is more similar to that of fungi than that of humans, she can use techniques based on Fungi anatomy, such as secretions or enzymes from various Fungi. She can easily generate or grow any part of a Fungi's anatomy from her own body by using chakra to further alter her own cells. Finally, because these techniques are made from her own cells or bodily fluids, such as converting her saliva into a specific Fungi secretion, An is immune to their effects.
[break][break]
共生遺伝学| Kyōsei Iden-Gaku [lit.Symbiotic Genetics]
[break][break]
As a member of the Gurē clan, An has gained the potential to combine her body with flora and the ground itself because of the similarities in her genetic makeup to fungi. She is able to link her chakra to the underground network of organic matter, which includes plant roots, water veins, and decomposing materials. For example, An can hide in things like trees, shrubs and roots, soil, and so on. Once fused, not only is her presence completely hidden and only felt by those with chakra recognition, but it also allows her to travel within the subterranean web of organic matter up to 1 km before needing to emerge.
[break][break]
蒼波| Sōha [lit.Blue Wave]
[break][break]
An possesses significantly larger and more formidable chakra reserves compared to her peers. This advantage enables her to execute various jutsu without rapidly depleting her chakra, granting her a distinct advantage in combat situations and the capacity to maintain prolonged, intensive chakra utilization. Consequently, she can employ advanced techniques for extended durations surpassing the capabilities of most individuals within her rank.

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Uzumaki Ataru Kuronmeru Shiu Haruno Seiji
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[2/6]

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[Kuronmeru Shiu]

♔

As An thanked him for taking over the duty of cutting the grass, Shiu barely did more than glance in her direction. It was hardly something to be thanked for, he felt. Had they continued on as they were, the young kunoichi would have only slowed down their already agonizing pace. That, and if he were to be honest with himself or any of the others, he felt awkward in present company. Shiu knew at any point they could be under watch, not only by the proctors in charge of running this exam, but anyone tuning into the televised broadcast, and the rest of his so-called teammates that he was expected to cooperate with for this round of the exams were more or less complete strangers to him. The only thing keeping him from being able to project his straight-backed faux air of confidence was ingrained habit.

The act itself of cutting into the grass did little to assuage his frustrations with their circumstances. He found himself having to hack at the same segment of grass more than a few times, which was infuriating. Grass was grass. It was not meant to be this difficult to kill. He nevertheless continued, pushing through the burn of exertion that had begun to heat the muscles in his shoulders from the effort. Even with the short breaks taken between him and An, the soreness in his limbs remained a nuisance. Shiu had been on the verge of putting an end to their arrangement altogether, attempting to order An to put away her sword as well, when he tuned in enough to their surroundings to catch the tail end of the rustling in the grass around them.

Shiu ceased, turning to look around them but unable to pinpoint any specific direction for the noises to have come from, then finally behind him when the voice of a stranger floated up. He let his katana fall to his side as he took in the sight of the ridiculously tall man. He recognized him immediately from the picture they had been presented, the hideous lopsided haircut, the ugly scar and everything. In spite of the jovial tone, the first words out of this man’s mouth chaffed him. Was he mocking them?

Even without the provocation, intentional or not, Shiu understood one thing: this was their target, and he had appeared right in front of them. He saw no reason not to attack.

Shiu shook his head at both the man and An’s inquiry. There was impatience in his step as he stepped around the girl, not wanting to entertain this man’s efforts to seemingly waste their time and mislead them. Without any concern for what the rest of his team may want to discuss or other courses of action they may want to take, Shiu twisted his wrists to sheathe his sword. He remained somewhat cognizant to the noises he had heard earlier, where something unknown to them may jump out from the sides or back at any given moment, and so instead of charging the man, he stamped himself to a halt just before their group. With practiced movement, he slipped his now-free hand down to withdraw three shuriken from his thigh holster and chucked them in a horizontal spread towards their target, spacing them just wide enough it would take something other than a simple sidestep to keep from the shuriken sinking into him. Shiu watched with attention to see how the man would react, and whether this action would provoke something or things to jump from the grass around them.

coded by pinn @ thq

Uzumaki Ataru Haruno Seiji Nakahara Ichī Gurē An

[Uzumaki Ataru]

Watching as the young mist girl made her way back to them with a blading finger, the boy grew quiet as he listened to her own words of warning about the grasses' properties. As she proposes to begin cutting through the sea of grass, the boy initially liked the idea though chewing on it a bit more even with her and the other nin of their respective village it felt like it might take forever but also proved worth attempting at least. As Seiji pipes up the boy exchanges focus to the older Konoha shinobi, he addressed them both and wasn't dismissive of either him or Gure despite their age, as he proposes for him to take to his shoulders and keep a lookout the boy contemplates for a few moments and nods before giving a verbal response to the shared discourse. "You can count on me, I'll make sure to keep watch!"

Upon the signal being given, Ataru would hop up onto Haruno's back, his legs posited over their collar as he firmly seated himself along the length of his shoulders. Gazing out over the billowing sea of verdant greenery, Gods this was tall and yet the boy proved able to look out and over the ocean of grass. Wondering idly if they could perhaps walk along the expansive curl situated at the top of it like a glimmering wave. "Hey, do you think we could just maybe walk through and make better time at a steady pace. Though we'd be sacrificing visibility... maybe we could tree walk along the top!? I mean just look at how closely packed all this grass is." At this point, he was just shooting out possible ideas that might be worth attempting after some consideration.

Their progress was incredibly slow and though the two Mist nin were efficient wielders of the blade, it was like trying to churn through a bale of hay with a measuring cup. Not to mention that given enough time even with them alternating the two would grow tired from the sheer volume of cutting they would need to do, as shown by the mounting frustration and difficulty of such a tedious nature of such a task. "We should probably switch thi-..." As he was about to proffer up a few more words, it came interrupted by a shuffle amongst the tresses of billowing weeds that surrounded them. Silencing himself by tapering off from the flow of words he proceeds to unsheathe a Kunai upon hearing the initial rustling only growing louder and with increasing sources, staring out with discerning eyes having already kept his head on a swivel and keeping up situational awareness throughout their stunted journey until they were alerted.

Hearing the words from over both his and Seiji's shoulder, turning to take in the sight of the Proctor. Silver eyes clashing against an amber yellow. Taking in the extent of his words the boy narrowed his eyes somewhat in suspicion of them but nonetheless the context of his dialogue wasn't wrong in the slightest. They were massively hampered by how they currently approached tackling this incessant obstacle. "He's right, we're moving too slow right now and ya'll are tiring yourselves out. But if we rush we'll be cut to pulled pork, we need to find an even pace." He didn't trust the opposing man whatsoever, yet he decided to make his opinion known. Wondering if they should indeed make further conversation with the Proctor to see what else they could gleam or engage what was likely a copy of the man they were tasked with seeking out.

[Haruno Seiji]

The two younger shinobi continued to impress Seiji as they worked tirelessly to progress. Their eye for detail and ability to quickly evaluate new situations was probably more advanced than Seiji’s own and he would feel ashamed if he wasn’t so proud, falling naturally into the mother hen role. But, as they progressed, the young man began to worry about An getting fatigued and the overall pace they were moving at.

And he would have said something, had their target not descended upon them. Seiji turned to face him, their proctor for this leg of the exam, their target, and the Kusa Lord. As An and Ataru shared their thoughts, Seiji was stunned at the thought these two couldn’t recognize the leader of the Village Hidden in the Grass. Ataru especially; this was a dear ally before them. But maybe they were just too young for politics; Shiu would certainly- what- what was he doing?

Seiji watched, baffled, as the swordsman moved to the head of the group to face their target and, without a word, tossed three shuriken his way. Well, that answered the question of whether or not the older Kiri nin knew who this was. Reflexively, the boy’s hand reached out, his jaw slack, in a nothing attempt to halt the other older kid. "If it comes to that, Shiu, I’ve got your back.” Referring to a potential fight. "But this isn’t a one man show… we should communicate before jumping into an assault if we can help it.”

Especially following the Kusa Lord’s words, it seemed communication was their only reasonable course of action. They weren’t going to beat this guy in a fight and would instead more than likely have some kind of puzzle to solve. His words hung in the air, regardless of the result of Shiu’s attack. "Our destination…” He started, looking at his peers that remained at his side and seemed more inclined to use their heads. "But isn’t he our destination?”

Seiji reached up to rub his chin, maintaining a grip on one of Ataru’s legs to keep him steady on the older boy’s shoulders. "I think we should listen to him… for now. At least, until we come up with something better, we should at least try proceeding as suggested.” His tone was questioning, unsure of himself, particularly following their teammate’s aggressive display.

If Ichi remained before them or had disappeared with the revelation of his clone, Seiji would speak to him regardless, assuming the man was nearby in the latter case. "What did you want to talk about?” There was a veil of confidence over Seiji’s words, casual and almost flippant, but he knew who he was talking to; what this exchange meant and could mean in the future. Still, he tried to keep everything at least somewhat cohesive and moving forward. For now, he wanted information. They were working with almost nothing so far.

Uzumaki Ataru , Gurē An , Kuronmeru Shiu , Nakahara Ichī

[Nakahara Ichī]

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Autumn

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]I will lead us to it. Definitely.

[attr="class","skullbody"]Ichi's eyes glinted as he caught onto the subtler language of the eldest boy, and was already shifting before the shuriken had been thrown. The calm in face of the blow was almost far too so, the giant simply taking the one shuriken that would have stayed on course had he moved to dodge. The shuriken simply embedding itself as the lord of grass shook his head. The entry would seeming to squelch for a moment before the wound simply settled. Holding his position mostly the tranquyil giant simply glanced at the wound before looking back to the group.
[break][break]

"Wrong answer my friend. I suppose you took target to mean a hostile entity, but you were never given the thought that the encounter was one of combat. If your mission had been to meet a target carrying information within their mind only on a recon and you simply attacked them you would not only fail your mission you would likely lose rank depending on the severity of the situation. Personal inference is wise, but to not assess all information being given before assuming hostility begets your career as a shinobi," The, now slowly melting clone would seem to talk as their body slowly melted into earthen clay. Having spent its time repremanding Shiu for his action rather then anything else, though with clear intent to teach rather then berate the young man for his actions.
[break][break]

A few meters closer on the path a slow breeze seemed to rustle the tops of the grass as Ataru would see from another direction another Nakahara Ichi appear from the grass holding a pipe and the same utterly calm expression of cheer. Looking now to the group as a whole, "Allow me to clarify your mission, violence will not be tolerated here forward if you wish to not fail. I am your courier, but not your enemy. The only enemy here is the clock, though attacking me again will likely mean you will find yourselves without a scroll. The sea of grass is my domain, and within it you will likely never find me within the time you need should we not cooperate," Ichi would explain without even a hint of hostility to the way he moved. The image of a fastidious and collected man that Seiji would have at least an inkling of, if not dripped in some amount of unease given he was barely older then the two older boys, and barely above them in rank.[break][break]

Gauging the reactions of the group as closer to what he had wanted for practicality of teaching alone the Ichi clone would take a hit from the unlit pipe, most certainly out of habit, and grinned, "Physical skills are important to a shinobi, but being a chunin is not just a test of your body, it is a test of character and your mind. Lacking thought leads to deadly bouts with carelessness. I personally never thrived in the physical, but I could perform quite well in the mind capacity. It is how I got where I am after all. So I ask you to test your mind instead of your body, its no secret as it were that the chunin exam always devolves to battle and perhaps it is proctor bias but I would gladly see all four of you far more rested then the other groups," Ichi again paused to hit the pipe for a long drag even without being hit, a slow exhale coming alongside it with nothing but air - it was certainly sheer muscle memory, "I will ask you a single riddle and if you can answer it I will get you that scroll you are after. Regardless of whether you like riddles or not this is your only way to the scroll to be clear again. With that said your riddle - You cut the grass, to a fine trim. It happens without a cry or squirm. Maintain around it a clean area, or others could notice, and despise you. You can paint it any hue red, pink, gold, or blue, and when the grass finally meets its fate. It won't turn brown, but desaturate. What am I?"

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]000 WORDS / @tags!!

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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SPOILER: Click to show

Ichi's SA's and Techniques in Use:[break][break]

『Harvest Moon's Child』
Ichi was born to the Nakahara clan on the night of a Harvest Moon. Born with quite the green thumb he was assumed to be an inheritor of the clan's natural talents with plants. The roots ran deeper, however, as Ichi was born with a Kekkai Genkai, being a rare natural occurance of Wood Release outside of the Senju. In learning of this he has trained his kekkai to the best of his abilities. He is no master, seeing as he has no reference of Mokuton, but he has found a way to bring out techniques along side his own talents in a cohesive manner.

[Cosmetic Only: All Mokuton techniques Ichi uses appear as his favorite trees, though it has no real change as is.]

[break][break]
『Weaver of Wood』
Ichi was born with Mokuton, but he was not graced with the same level of chakra as the Senju would be in his situation. Being roughly average for an individual, Ichi instead focused on the skills his birth clan preferred. Practicing his medical skills, he has gained a higher quality of Chakra Control. Ichi is much less likely to leak chakra than the average shinobi because of this.

[break][break]
『The Festival's Atmosphere』
Having practiced his skills with extending his senses outwards with the use of mokuton chakra, Ichi is particularly adept at sensing life in an area. Capable of finding life through the very nature around people. Within [20 meters] Ichi is capable of passively sensing out plant and animal life in a general sense. Able to differentiate it between plant and animal, but no further. Unlike chakra sensory Ichi can not more or less readily sense others based on their chakra, but instead purely senses the 'vitality' in things, though even those with seemingly boundless vitality will read the same as the elderly or a newborn to him. Also unlike usually sensory to actively search out individuals Ichi requires Mokuton, or the use of his pipe (though using it makes his position much easier to locate), as a catalyst to extend his senses, only going out as far as the technique's range, or twice his passive range in case of the pipe. It is also notable that the deceased, and those that feign death in some fashion, as through a poison or a jutsu, are completely invisible to Ichi. Notably the furthest he can extend his senses is [100 meters].[break][break]

『Master of Festival Games』

Ichi is incredibly smart for someone his age, but he lacks the qualifications to be a scholar. This is because his intelligence is not found in understanding of principles and anything so magnificiently deep. It instead lies in his observational talents and ability to react to everything that is going on around him with an absolute calm. Being able to plan and act with just minute details to go off of, Ichi is best described as a schemer and a diplomat rather than a genius. This makes him perfect for roles that are heavy in Tactical and Diplomatic Decision Making, as he grasps larger images and can put together clues better than others. Effectively allowing him to take in the wider picture of everything going on and piece together practical responses in mere moments with little to no hesitation or error.

[Gurē An]

[nospaces]

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Unlike An, Shiu took immediate action by throwing kunais toward the proctors, which seemed to be an ill-conceived idea. Simultaneously, Ataru explored alternative options for traversing the grass, while Seiji opted for a conversation with the proctor in front of them.
[break][break]
It soon became apparent that the individual they faced was a clone. As Shiu's shuriken reached it, the clone melted, offering Shiu an unexpected piece of advice. The assumption of a hostile encounter was challenged; the nature of the challenge had never explicitly been stated as combative, leading to a moment of reflection for An.
[break][break]
As the grass rustled, another proctor emerged nearby, prompting uncertainty about whether it was the real proctor or another clone. Nevertheless, combat was explicitly ruled out, and any aggression could jeopardize their chances of success. An, though still cautious, loosened her grip on her weapon.
[break][break]
The proctor, taking a smoke from his unlit pipe, initiated a riddle. An, not a proficient riddle-solver, found herself contemplating the clue. Cutting to fine trim, dying any color without turning brown, and desaturating over time—all clues pointed to hair. Without consulting her teammates, An blurted out, "Hair!" Recognizing her error in not discussing the answer with her teammates and uncertain about the number of chances they had, An hoped her response was correct and hadn't compromised their opportunity.
[break][break]
"I am sorry," she apologized immediately.
[break][break]

SPOILER: Click to show

真菌操作| Shinkin Sōsa [lit.Fungal Manipulation]
[break][break]
An can grow, shape, and manipulate all forms of fungi, including but not limited to yeasts and mold, along with poisonous and non-poisonous mushrooms, thanks to the Gurē clan's KKG. An has the ability to grow fungi on just about any surface. Because An’s genetic makeup is more similar to that of fungi than that of humans, she can use techniques based on Fungi anatomy, such as secretions or enzymes from various Fungi. She can easily generate or grow any part of a Fungi's anatomy from her own body by using chakra to further alter her own cells. Finally, because these techniques are made from her own cells or bodily fluids, such as converting her saliva into a specific Fungi secretion, An is immune to their effects.
[break][break]
共生遺伝学| Kyōsei Iden-Gaku [lit.Symbiotic Genetics]
[break][break]
As a member of the Gurē clan, An has gained the potential to combine her body with flora and the ground itself because of the similarities in her genetic makeup to fungi. She is able to link her chakra to the underground network of organic matter, which includes plant roots, water veins, and decomposing materials. For example, An can hide in things like trees, shrubs and roots, soil, and so on. Once fused, not only is her presence completely hidden and only felt by those with chakra recognition, but it also allows her to travel within the subterranean web of organic matter up to 1 km before needing to emerge.
[break][break]
蒼波| Sōha [lit.Blue Wave]
[break][break]
An possesses significantly larger and more formidable chakra reserves compared to her peers. This advantage enables her to execute various jutsu without rapidly depleting her chakra, granting her a distinct advantage in combat situations and the capacity to maintain prolonged, intensive chakra utilization. Consequently, she can employ advanced techniques for extended durations surpassing the capabilities of most individuals within her rank.

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Uzumaki Ataru Kuronmeru Shiu Haruno Seiji
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[3/6]

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[Kuronmeru Shiu]

♔

Shiu’s focus was trained on the shuriken, their adversary, and the potential for more to come out of the proverbial woods. He watched as, to his surprise, the ridiculously tall man neither flinched nor seemed to give much of any indication that he was in pain as the sharp edge of his weapon embedded into him. As the figure’s frame distorted and lips muddled into impossible proportions, it only just then occurred to him that the man was a clone or part of a greater genjutsu, and likely those were clones that had disturbed the silence of the grass moments earlier.

He listened to the scarred man’s rebuke only just enough to get the gist of what he was saying, being much more interested in whether he would hear the beginnings of some form of retaliation from whatever else was hidden in the grass. Shiu was unsure if he was relieved or disappointed when an identical copy of the billboard of a man calmly stepped out of the grass, continuing the conversation as if nothing happened at all.

He relaxed, marginally, slackening his posture as it seemed their target had no intention of fighting them without further provocation. Shiu did not fully trust him, nor his promise to hand over the scroll if they solved his stupid riddle, but there was no harm in waiting to see what he would do next following An’s answer.

He took a brief moment to cast an annoyed look in the older Konoha-nin’s direction. While on a logical level, he felt it was very likely he alone would not be able to take on the Kusa ninja on his own, the suggestion that he would need, let alone want, the help of someone from such a lesser village felt like an insult. Not only that, but he thought the suggestion was stupid. If their enemy was standing right in front of them, what was the point of trying to talk over what it was that they were going to do to try to coordinate an attack? If this entire trial had not been a simulation to begin with, they wouldn’t have the time.

Instead of challenging the older shinobi though, he instead looked back at the impractically tall Kusa shinobi. "We already knew that you were going to be carrying a scroll with you. This isn’t a recon mission. Don’t lecture me with random scenarios that don’t even pertain here.” Pertain being a word he’d heard his father use, and he felt using it gave some weight to the air of sophistication he was trying to project.

coded by pinn @ thq

Uzumaki Ataru Haruno Seiji Nakahara Ichī Gurē An

[Uzumaki Ataru]

Ataru laxes somewhat from his seated position across the shoulders of the older boy, noting that given their situation and surroundings as well as what they gleam from the context of the Kusa nin's demeanor. Lowering his Kunai long before words are shared by the Proctor that serves to defuse the tense atmosphere glaring somewhat at the gung ho Shiu as he leaps straight into action without second thought, taking in a deep breath and sighing in order to reset themselves even as the "enemy's" form slags into clay. Their next string of words affirms the nagging suspicion that lingered at the back of his mind, no one did say this was a combat encounter and considering the sheer volume of green grass sea between them and their objective - it made a certain sort of sense. Establishing what he had helped deduce in the beginning stage the swaying barbed greenery was no natural formation instead a home field advantage that was cultivated; one prepared to ensnare, slow, and confuse their actions and what they could reasonably do within the given time frame.

"Please, stand down." He speaks with a more level serious tone towards Kuronmeru, exuding a calm and even handed attitude. Radiating between the gentle breeze and words of acknowledgment from the Kusa nin. Disappointment and a tinge of anger flared within Ataru's gut as the clone dissipates only to reveal another one emerging from the eclipsing forest of tall grass. A sigh of relief comes born from the boy's lips taking steady heed of the man's words seeking to mull them over and analyze their context. As he cements a new rule that any and all violence from here on out would not be tolerated he hoped the Kiri nin would follow along with the recommended course of action. His tongue forks past his lips as he hears the challenge levied against them, a riddle of all things... having the presence of mind to reflect internally attempting to work it out in his head within the few moments of silence they share within the aftermath of his summary.

It all boiled down to one answer really, after agonizing over petty details he decided to rely on gut instinct though his fellow teammate blurts out her response shortly before he can give his own. He blinks and goes silent, happy and somewhat worried to a degree about his own matching hers. "You don't need to be sorry, ya did good! My answer is hair too, Sensei." Perhaps it was dumb of him not to speak things out, but in his mind this didn't need to be overcomplicated. It was an answer that satisfied him, one he had come up with at the same time as Gure and seeing as they had both landed here on the same team together why not respond in the same vein. Show a bit of support while also speaking his mind freely, he too wasn't sure if they all needed to unite towards a singular response or answer individually but this one reflected his own thoughts - for better or worse. The man before them was trying to teach them something he felt and Ataru was open to the lesson...