[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Hōzuki Mizuki

Toru had been spending a lot of time training, a lot of time. He was beginning to feel more confident in chakra jamming but it still needed a bit more refinement. Fortunately the amount of training he had received from all the different directions was more than fruitful and thus allowing him to succeed, taking steps further into accomplishing what he had set out to accomplish.

Today there was no real intent to train with anyone, he had sat himself down underneath a tree to meditate and to focus on the internal parts of the training. He would need to do some combat and movement work in the near future, but it was not on today's docket.

Fate would likely have it out differently for him but for now his intention was to sit and to cultivate the chakra within. There was a lot of it, and so he had the unique challenge of having the right amount coming out of him to muffle and disturb sensors. It was a unique challenge because he had to create enough, without it being a flood detrimental to himself. Furthermore the disturbances he had to make in the chakra to avoid being seen in it attributed to the difficulty of this technique since he did struggle with control.

SPOILER: Click to show

1/13

OWL

[Hōzuki Mizuki]

Mizuki stepped out onto the training grounds, the crisp air invigorating their senses with the promise of a fruitful day ahead. They relished the opportunity to hone their swordsmanship, a skill that had taken a backseat in recent days. Determined to refine their technique, Mizuki arrived at the training area with a clear focus on mastering the art of the blade.

As they immersed themselves in their routine, Mizuki's acute senses detected subtle fluctuations in the chakra signature nearby. Intrigued, Mizuki followed the trail, recognizing the distinct resonance of Toru's chakra. The Mizukage's presence always commanded attention, his commitment to training evident in every deliberate movement.

Intrigued by the sudden disturbance in Toru's chakra, Mizuki approached the Mizukage with a sense of admiration. Despite Toru's reserved demeanor, Mizuki had always admired his unwavering dedication to his craft. As they observed Toru's disciplined approach to training, Mizuki realized the purpose behind the fluctuations in his chakra.

Approaching Toru with a small wave, which he might not see with how focused he was, Mizuki greeted him warmly. "Stone Face-san!" they said, their voice tinged with genuine respect. "It's a pleasant surprise to find you here, immersed in training." Noting the fluctuations in Toru's chakra, Mizuki offered a subtle suggestion. "But you might want to try spreading your chakra more evenly. You have a super dense chakra, so i can still kinda tell where you are."


Kaguya Toru

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Hōzuki Mizuki

Toru could smell the new person coming in and it was a familiar scent because he had dealt with Mizuki in the past. Slowly the boy would open one eye and then the other eye as he was referred to by Mizuki as Stone Face-san. One of the only individuals from the past who still called him by that name from the academy days. It seemed so long ago now.

"Hm?" He tilted his head looking towards the Hozuki quietly. He had a lot of different kinds of advice when it was in relation to the chakra jamming. But thus far all of it had been useful to some degree, he was layering the advice little by little.

"I see." Toru remained seated for the time being, quiet as he did staring at Mizuki in his silence for a stretch of time longer.

"You are here to train too?" It seemed obvious, why else would they be here if not to train, right? It was a training field for other's to do so. But, Toru had a tendency to be slightly awkward so of course he was saying this as if it were not the most obvious thing in the world.

SPOILER: Click to show

2/13

OWL

[Hōzuki Mizuki]

Mizuki met Toru's gaze with a warm smile, appreciating the familiarity that lingered between them from their academy days. It was always comforting to see Toru's composed presence. Although he was usually unfazed by most social encounters, he had always been a little bit awkward with people. Despite his reserved nature, there was an undeniable camaraderie that existed between them, forged through shared experiences and perhaps a little bit of respect.

"Yeah," Mizuki replied tentatively, as they expounded on what they were here to do. "I was gonna get a few sword swings in and maybe work on my form a little bit. Not that I’m incapable with a sword, but I’m just trying to get out of the habit of relying too much on my hijutsu." They paused for a moment, taking in the serene atmosphere of the training grounds.

From their shared time in the academy to the present day, their paths seemed to be a lot more intertwined as of late. Yet, despite the passage of time, the essence of their connection remained mostly unchanged. As Mizuki reflected on their shared experiences, they pondered on how they might be able to help eachother.

"I’m not sure how comfortable you are with chakra jamming yet, but maybe we can help each other out," Mizuki mused, their voice carrying a hint of introspection on the current situation. With a faint smile, they turned their attention back to Toru.

Kaguya Toru

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Hōzuki Mizuki

There was some merit on not having to rely on hijutsu or kekkei genkai. Toru though quite sturdy had only used what he had as part of his fighting style. To trick opponents or when he had no other choice, he preferred to keep the reality of his durability mostly under wraps with his opponents. It was much easier this way to insure that they had no way of knowing what was coming next, or what would happen if they did inevitably land a hit on him.

"It is coming along, not perfect," He remarked slowly standing up. Much of his movement was even and measured, he didn't waver it was if he moved like water with an exhale, flowing but precise.

"Perhaps. I do need to work on jamming while moving. Much of my training has been stationary. It may be of use to have you attack me and I in return defend... But you should rely on your chakra sensory to find me and I will attempt to obscure your attempts." It seemed a fairly sound plan for the two of them to meet in the middle in terms of what they were both hoping to do.

After all good sword practice should come naturally, and the forms came with balance - something that was extra difficult with closed eyes.

SPOILER: Click to show

3/13

OWL

[Hōzuki Mizuki]

Mizuki nodded in agreement as Toru spoke, recognizing the value in diversifying their training methods. With a focused gaze, they scanned the training grounds, taking in the familiar sights and sounds of their surroundings. The rustling of leaves, the soft hum of chakra in the air—it all contributed to the serene ambiance of the moment. They needed to take in the general layout of the environment before they started, chakra sensory was

The suggestion to work on jamming while moving made sense, keeping the chakra output evenly distributed would be a lot more difficult than doing it while sitting still. It wasn’t like jamming would be particularly useful if he could only us4e it standing still, especially when faced with unpredictable opponents. Toru's methodical approach to training was evident in his movements, each action deliberate and precise, like water flowing with an exhale.

"I think that would be great," Mizuki acknowledged, their tone reflective of both respect and readiness.

With a subtle shift in stance, Mizuki prepared for the exercise ahead. They pulled out their sword, closed their eyes, and took a relatively open one-handed stance. Normally in a real fight Mizuki would use a quickdraw technique to catch the enemy off-guard, but given the spar-like nature of the current situation they didn’t want to use any jutsu that could kill Toru in a fight like this.

Mizuki affirmed, their voice carrying a quiet determination. "I'll rely on my chakra sensory to find you, and you can work on jamming while moving."

With a nod of determination, Mizuki gestured for Toru to begin, "You go ahead and start, as long as you don’t get too crazy with it I should be ok.” It was time to put their skills to the test and push the boundaries of their training further than before. As they awaited Toru's response, a sense of excitement and anticipation filled the air, propelling them both into the heart of their training regimen. Given the fact that they had already pinpointed his location via sight, Mizuki could probably reliably locate him unless the jamming field he made was massive.



Kaguya Toru

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Hōzuki Mizuki

Toru had no intention of 'going crazy' as Mizuki had implied, in fact he was intending on working Mizuki on very simple kenjutsu related kata's. Not because Mizuki likely did not know the basics, but because even the basics could be difficult with closed eyes and Toru also believed that there was nothing better than returning to those basics. They were preferred.

So he waited for the Hozuki to close their eyes and then he would draw one of his more basic katanas that he used - Blue Mist - and begin to move towards Mizuki. He did not run he moved silently barely brushed up against a blade of grass to make noise as he moved. It helped to have silent killing in this kind of situation.

His slow movement would help him focus on continuously jamming the area with his chakra so that he could distort or obscure his presence entirely. Though, right now he was hoping mostly on distorting as he moved.

Presuming he got close enough to Mizuki without getting immediately noticed he would swing his sword from overhead with a very basic head-on swing, there was still some distance between them though, as the sword was meant to come together with Mizuki's sword instead of hitting the Hozuki head on.

SPOILER: Click to show

4/13

OWL

[Hōzuki Mizuki]

Mizuki's senses heightened as Toru drew closer, their focus sharpening with each passing moment. With closed eyes, they relied solely on their chakra sensory to detect his presence, attuned to the subtle shifts in the surrounding energy.

Unlike most shinobi there wasn’t even the slightest rustle of grass as Toru approached, his movements deliberate and calculated. Mizuki marveled at how silent his movements were, recognizing the mastery of his technique even in the simplest of movements. As Toru closed in, Mizuki remained poised and alert, ready to meet the challenge head-on.

With how slow Toru was moving at the moment it was relatively simple to keep up with him. The jamming was good enough that Mizuki couldn’t locate his exact position within the cloud, but there was a brief moment when he stopped to swing his sword that Mizuki could tell that an attack was coming, it was just a matter of what kind of attack he was performing.

It was difficult to say whether there was a moment that Toru’s jamming faltered for a moment, or whether Mizuki had panicked and just made a decision; but as the swing of Toru's sword loomed closer, Mizuki's instincts kicked in. With a quick and fluid motion, they’d bring the sword up to intercept the strike, their own blade meeting Toru's with precision and control. Despite the simplicity of the kata, Mizuki appreciated that they had started slow, because it was incredibly difficult to fight blind.

The clash of steel echoed through the training grounds, a testament to the dedication and skill of both combatants. Mizuki remained grounded, their senses attuned to Toru's every move, determined to meet the challenge head-on. Due to not understanding jamming in its entirety, it was likely something that Toru would have to feel out as they trained.

Kaguya Toru

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Hōzuki Mizuki

Their swords came together and Toru applied some pressure into Mizuki's holding hand testing the durability of that grip. It would be something for Mizuki to take notice of as well if they were to improve their swordsmanship the right positioning of the hand and wrist was vitally important in these kinds of situations. And it was better to figure it out now, and not later when one's life was on the line. At least right now, nobody was in danger.

After applying pressure he would release the collision entirely, which could set Mizuki off balance if they were not prepared for the sudden release. All of it was just Toru's way of testing Mizuki's technique in very simple ways that he hoped would be useful for Mizuki as well.

The boy took a few steps back after, and lowered himself this time, he flipped the katana so that he was using the blunt edge to attack now as he expected going faster would make things a little more difficult for Mizuki - for him as well as his jamming would likely struggle the more aggressive he got.

But he needed the practice.

So, Toru would move forward and swing horizontally with the blunt edge towards Mizuki's knees.

SPOILER: Click to show

5/13

OWL

[Hōzuki Mizuki]

As Toru applied pressure to Mizuki's grip, they adjusted their stance accordingly, placing a second hand on the grip to help counteract Toru’s height and weight advantage. His subtle test served as a reminder of the importance of proper hand and wrist positioning in swordsmanship.

As Toru released the collision, Mizuki remained grounded, their senses attuned to his movements. With closed eyes, they relied on their chakra sensory to track his actions, anticipating the next move with heightened focus.

As Toru stepped back and prepared for his next attack, Mizuki braced themselves. With each swing of his katana, they felt the disturbance in the chakra field, a testament to the fact that he was still working on the technique so it had its imperfections still. Despite the interference, Mizuki remained steadfast, their determination unwavering.

As Toru flipped their sword and swung the blunt edge towards Mizuki's knees, they reacted with a swift movement, Mizuki pivoted on their heels, bringing their own sword down and to the right, executing a simple block with both hands on the guard. Mizuki didn’t want him to take advantage of his weight and strength advantage in this position so instead of just blocking the attack they’d try to execute a low sweep with their left leg aimed at breaking Toru's stance.

It was difficult to tell where his legs were at the moment, so it was impossible to tell how effective the move would be. Given their height difference and the fact that Toru’s jamming made it difficult to tell where his legs actually were, it was likely that Mizuki’s sweep would miss entirely, opening them up to a simple counterattack.


Kaguya Toru

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Hōzuki Mizuki

A sweep like this was best to be avoided as Toru's legs were sturdier than any average human and such a collision could cause at minimum bruising. But it required minimal effort on Toru's part when his sword was blocked to step aside for the sweep to miss entirely. He pulled away the sword then and regained his composure. He needed to focus back on his jamming, he had to remember what he was doing here. If he kept going in without focus the entire exercise would fall apart. So he recentered himself quietly and took a moment to breathe to allow the chakra to start flowing out of him again to really try and jam Mizuki out of any way to get information or location on him.

He was able to tell that this was not turning out to be as easy as he hoped it would be, but that just meant more practice. So, with himself recentered he would throw a good diagonal attack another fairly basic kata towards Mizuki in a reverse grip, however still with the blunt edge of the sword aimed at their right shoulder hoping to make blocking just a little bit more difficult.

SPOILER: Click to show

6/13

OWL

[Hōzuki Mizuki]

As Toru smoothly evaded Mizuki's sweep, his fluid movement demonstrated either his agility or the fact that without the use of their eyes Mizuki was doomed to miss from the start. With minimal effort, he sidestepped the attack, avoiding any potential collision that could have caused discomfort or injury.

Retreating briefly, Toru took a moment to regain his focus, recognizing the importance of maintaining his concentration during their training session. With a quiet resolve, he centered himself, allowing the chakra to flow freely as he resumed his jamming efforts.

Despite the initial challenges he faced, Toru remained determined to refine his techniques. As he prepared for his next attack, he channeled his energy into a diagonal strike aimed at Mizuki's right shoulder. After Toru had refocused his energy back into his jamming this attack was almost impossible for Mizuki to sense. They would try to rotate and duck under it, but ultimately the blunt edge of the sword would find its way to Mizuki’s head.

At the moment of impact Mizuki would change the top half of their head into water to avoid the head trauma. "There seems to be a massive difference when you’re focusing,” the words found their way out as the top half of their head reformed, "You just have to make whatever you’re doing now a habit.”

Before the top half of their head reformed completely Mizuki would sneak in a little horizontal strike on Toru with the back of their blade. It was maybe a little dirty to hit him with praise and then try to get a swing in, but given their difference in skill it probably didn’t make much of a difference.



Kaguya Toru

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Hōzuki Mizuki

Toru admittedly also had the added advantage of actually being able to see Mizuki with his eyes so it was perhaps a touch unfair that this was how things were going. But at least Mizuki was taking some initiative to attack Toru, which was good since thus far he had been the one primarily on the offensive. It would be good to switch it up for Mizuki to search for Toru while he was trying to block them out at the same time. Find and attack.

The sword would glean through Hozuki water sliding out cleanly before Mizuki reacted - after speaking - to try and hit the Mizukage. Toru did not parry with his sword but rather would bend his back slightly to avoid the swing, allowing the blade to move just over him his nose mere centimeters away from the swing itself but it was just enough to get out of the way. He used that momentum of his back bend to do a back handspring and land a little ways away from Mizuki.

"Find me and attack me, but properly."

He would move a little bit after he spoke so it wasn't immediately obvious what his location was, but for now he was going to stay still and hope that his jamming was working - either way Mizuki would need to find him and try to land an attack with proper form to get good training out of this.

SPOILER: Click to show

7/13

OWL

[Hōzuki Mizuki]

Mizuki acknowledged the shifting dynamics of their training session as Toru evaded their attempted strike. It was indeed a challenge to locate and engage with Toru while he maintained his chakra jamming, adding layers of complexity to their practice. There wasn’t all that much information to go on in the grand scheme of things, but it was apparent that not being able to see their opponent was a massive hindrance.

With Toru's prompt to find and attack him properly echoing in their mind, Mizuki centered their mind on the task at hand, and before moving they focused on their chakra sensory to determine where the jamming field as a whole was moving. "I'll do my best but that's much harder than you make it sound," Mizuki would chuckle at the absurd difficulty of actually fighting blind with only the aid of their chakra radar. Despite the added difficulty of navigating through Toru's chakra interference, Mizuki was simply trying to determine where the center of this field was.

With each movement carefully calculated, Mizuki advanced with purpose, their determination unwavering as they sought to locate Toru and execute a precise and effective attack. Rather than take it slow Mizuki would run towards the location where Toru should be located. Given the lack of information horizontal swings would be more fruitful in this scenario.

It was tough, because the jamming field made it tough to pinpoint the exact location of Toru on the field of battle. As a result, once the distance was closed Mizuki would make a measured horizontal swing at the location they thought that Toru was in. This type of swing would hit a larger area and hopefully make up for the fact that they had their eyes closed.

Kaguya Toru

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Hōzuki Mizuki

Toru watched Mizuki try to navigate the area blindly - literally. He realized the difficulty of the request but to some degree there would always be the possibility that in battle one might fight blindly and so as a result this was really just good practice for the Hozuki to navigate and find the target without ones main senses... Plus it also inherently slowed the process of swordsmanship down. It was often a fast paced area of study but Toru preferred slow and methodical training for what would ultimately become great speed and strength.

This was a practice in that slow down.

He continued to jam though as a promised part of his own training, he would take careful steps away from Mizuki if they got close, making sure to keep his breathing as silent as it was possible especially when Mizuki got particularly close - in some cases it was as if he were holding his breath, but in truth his breathing had just become quite shallow.

Toru tried not to disturb the blades of grass beneath his feet, but a sheen of sweat had appeared over his brow. It was not easy work focusing on his distortion of the area and it was likely that occasional ripple and falter in his work caused him to fail and reveal his position.

Thus when the Hozuki swung their sword horizontally, he had to duck.

"Close."

SPOILER: Click to show

8/13

OWL