[Yoshiko]

Second Exam: Team B Stone & Cloud @ 1st Ascension Hastening their journey was wise, as they'd already sacrificed decent time on one plan. A plan which would almost make the following one worst, but at the same time there was a certain logic that needed to be applied, which would matter far less now. Though the pace of cloud shinobi would be great with the effects of shunshin, it'd be at much higher drain with the stone shinobi on his back. The coals still enough to char the shoes of the boy, but it'd be the fire wall that'd do the most. The more rampant flame was harder to read and jumping over it would be impossible. As physics would take over and drop the shinobi down the tree. Instead they'd be having to shoot through it, a task made much easier with the near instant looking motion. Though the wild flame would still light the very edges of Reiki's clothes, as well as burn away some of the bottom of his shoes. Fires weren't the greatest walls and they worked best when something was stuck in them. Neither shinobi would find themselves stuck in that bind. Maybe a joint effort would be needed to put out what little fires started on Reiki, but it wouldn't be too serious. The shinobi who shot the fireball would move out of the two shinobi's path, they'd instead move over to the other side of the yellow tape lines. They'd done their part and now the two shinobi merely had the platform to enter, as with the other one it had an opening at the bottom to let the two in on it. Unlike before a fire ball would not be hurled down upon them. There'd be a much different obstacle before the two now. Looking up the tree now the two would see another platform? It'd be different though, there'd be no doorway and the yellow lines which designated the boundaries of the raceway would go around the outside of the platform. It was clear the obstacle here was quite literally a wall this time. A wooden one, but what the two couldn't see was this wasn't the only one. There'd be five of these walls equal distant up the tree, so a single projectile wouldn't likely effect all five. Each wall was the same size and thickness, but all could be broken by pure raw force. The only problem is that even a strong shinobi with no technique or plan would be spending a decent amount of time kicking boards out of place to get through. SPOILER: Click to show Due to you moving two people with the shunshin, I'm going to say you drained at least a medium amount of chakra. Also try to remember that the maze you were in previously was actively draining your chakra. So neither of you will have lots of chakra at this point.

[Omori Reiki]

Team B

So many flames, but they made it through to the end. The worst thing to happen might be a few flames around his body, but Ouritsu could see them all and possibly swat them away from him with his jacket. Assuming he got off of Reiki's back, Reiki will throw the jacket around his waist towards his partner so that they could dispel of the remaining flames. They made it through without damage, this was perfect. But now was not the time to gloat about such things, they were still in the exams after all.

The next trial seems to be the illusion of the start. No doors to enter, it is as simple as that. The obvious answer would be to surface walk past this. Naturally, stupid yellow lines were modified to make sure that was not the case. Fine... Fine fine. So they needed to create a small hole through the wall. And for the sake of testing out the durability, Reiki proceeded to raise a right fist before lightly pressing it against the wood. There was some thickness to the wall, breaking the whole thing down would be unwise. It was also unwise to be wasting more chakra. While he still had plenty thanks to his chakra control, there was a third part to the exam.

"If this is the only wall, we could have a repeat with that technique you used before. Cut a door into it and crawl our way through." Reiki announced as he tilted his head to the side. A few seconds passed as he gave it a little more thought. Maybe this was just a trial to get to the trial. Maybe there was danger on the opposite end of this. With that in mind, he would raise his tanto obtained from the previous portion of the exam before he had a realization. "Or... Maybe not..."

Were the flames in the previous trial still active? His eyes saw little tampering to make that not the case. So the projector was still erupting in it's "Double or Nothing" phase. Fun times. He proceeded to advance towards it before reaching the blade of the tanto over it, though he still left plenty of room between his hand and the flames in case they wanted to misbehave. If Reiki could take the projector with him, he would. And of course, an attempt would be made, because he would try to bring them over, tilt the projector towards the wall and let the massive eruption open up a hole for them to advance through. And why the hell would he leave the projector behind once he noticed yet another wall? He'll let that eruption handle each and every one for him.

But there was always a way for the exams to say no to thtat, so in case that happened here as well, he would proceed to heat the tanto until the blade was covered in red. It may be set on fire, which is a risk to the blade. But that fire will soon be gone. Now to climb back upwards towards the wall with a red tanto that looks like it could cut steel. "Don't get in the way, this is gonna hurt like hell." Reiki warned as he lifted the blade like a throwing knife.

Because he did throw it, full-strength and everything. The tip of the blade flew towards the wall before jamming deep thanks to the heavy levels of heat, the wood seemingly looking like it could melt under such heat. But not only that, with how wood is susceptible to fire, there likely would be flames coming out as well. The beginning of their second source of flames. He just had to take the handle before the flames reached the handle and slice make the weak point bigger with the burning tanto. It shouldn't take too long to make a crooked door with this method, and if successful, they'll make it to the other side... Only to realize that there is a second wall. Of course there was.

SPOILER: Click to show

Active Abilities

Enhanced Eyesight
The user's eyesight is heavily enhanced, even without the use of the Tennogan. The smallest details could be observed as if it were in front of the user should the distance between them not exceed 30 meters. Peripheral vision also seems as clear as if it were the main sight of focus.


Moderate Chakra Control
Reiki now understands how chakra flows and how to send it through the chakra points at a decent speed. On top of this, he minimizes the chakra burn when using his techniques to a point where he can last longer than the average shinobi of his level and give his techniques the maximum effectiveness in doing so.

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[Nōhime Ouritsu]

i think you're slipping

i bring you pain, the kind you can't suffer quietly

The sensation of moving at such a speed was difficult to keep up with, even with Reiki moving a tad slower because of the extra weight. One second they were staring down a path of burning coals and the next, well, it was all in the rearview. The duo's worries of whoever had sent the fireball attacking them was quickly extinguished when nothing of the sort came, and it seemed they'd passed this obstacle without too much trouble; well aside from the small flames dotting the Kumo shinobi's jacket.

Wait... Flames?! Ouritsu quickly hopped off the boys back before helping him remove his jacket and stomping out the small flames that had hitched a ride. Another small tunnel would lead them to the next platform where a large, wooden wall would be there to greet them. It didn't seem out of the ordinary at first glance but there surely had to be some kind of trick waiting for them. Reiki suggested that another jinton attack could create a path for them through the wooden obstacle but also mentioned the possibility of there being more than one of these. Ouritsu was already pretty taxed at this point and so he honestly didn't have too many more of them in him, or the desire to for that matter. There was still another part to this exam, after all, and being too tired to even compete would annoy him more than failing.

Thankfully his partner had come up with another idea and made his way back.. down.. to the second obstacle. A confused look crossed the face of the shinobi as he wondered why --in a race to get to the top of the tree-- would Reiki want to go backwards? After a few moments the answer would be revealed in the form of a super heated short sword, the one from the end of the maze to be exact, and the attempt to cut a hole in the wood with it. Ouritsu honestly wasn't sure what to make of the idea other than it was either going to save them a lot of time or be a colossal waste of it, but either way they'd find out shortly.

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PYXIS ★

[Yoshiko]

Second Exam: Team B Stone & Cloud @ 1st Ascension Attempting to play clever and avoid anymore unnecessary drain, Reiki would concoct a plan to proceed with less chakra. He'd super heat the tanto he'd gotten from the maze earlier, then by throwing the tanto up to the wooden wall above attempt to burn it. There'd be a small list of challenges though to this plan, there was the platform between them and the wall. So he'd have the window of the platform door to nail his shot, he'd have the whole distance to throw, as well as to wait for the blade to heat up. If the blue flame had still been a present feature of the fire jet the process would be faster, but the likelihood everything would work flawlessly was low. So much so the plans would start to fall apart as the handle of the blade heated too. The fire to uncontrolled and violent to not be feeling the burn and be effectively heating the blade as it was quite short. There'd even be a risk of sleeves burning, but as soon as the handle was a little too hot to hold, it'd be likely then Reiki would have to throw it. Pain being a serious distraction towards aim, but throwing through the doorway would happen. In it's fast paced throw though it'd be cooled through the velocity. Not enough to be cooled or not still 'super heated', but as soon as the tanto hit the wooden wall a final flaw would show itself. Despite piercing the wall, it's heat would burn the very edges the blade touched. Quickly, prior to the wood simply bursting into flame, the part holding the blade in place would burn first. Loosening the weapon to simply fall back out seconds after piercing in. Not enough time to catch anything a blaze, another travel through the air cooling it. Despite the platforms and walls being made of wood, it wasn't incredibly dry or brittle wood. SPOILER: Click to show Plan B!

[Nōhime Ouritsu]

i think you're slipping

i bring you pain, the kind you can't suffer quietly

Reiki's plan was... interesting and Ouritsu still wasn't quite sure what his teammate was planning to do, but considering it involved the tanto and going back to the jets of flames from earlier it couldn't have been conventional, and as instructed the boy would stand clear of whatever was going to transpire. He'd watch as the now heated short sword careened through the air and stuck into the block of wood causing a flicker of flame upon impact but little else before falling out harmlessly. Well that was short lived. "Ok, time for plan B."

The genin sighed internally as he sized up their surroundings. The way the yellow lines surrounded the block meant that they'd have to go through the wood instead of simply up and over. Of course, couldn't be that easy. Regrettably, the Nohime didn't carry much in the way of explosives in his munition pouches so blasting their way through wasn't an option, at least for him. Perhaps Reiki had some on his person, though if he did then the flaming sword probably wouldn't have been his first plan of action. Well shit. Their options were dwindling and the longer they contemplated the more time was being wasted.

While he didn't want to continue using his remaining reserves of chakra with one test remaining they were out of options and needed to move quickly. A few hand seals would precede a small cube being formed between his hands. Ouritsu would expand his hands until the cube was of a size just big enough for a couple of average sized genin to fit through. The Nohime would send out the cube until it was half way "submerged" into the block of wood then detonate the jinton chakra that was inside said cube. Assuming that the wood held no special properties a good chunk of it should have been turned into nothingness creating a hole for them to travel through.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Jinton: Genkai Hakuri: Busshitsu [Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World: Substance]


RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium


CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu | Kekkei Tota
ELEMENT: Jinton


DESCRIPTION:
By increasing the containment chakra and limiting the Jinton chakra center the user of this jutsu can create a three dimensional shape (cube, cone, sphere, cylinder, etc) with a small Jinton chakra sphere within its center. Whatever is within the three dimensional shape will lose their substance become a shapeless mass of dust. This jutsu is too weak and slow to effect living beings and is used mostly for inorganic matter such as kunai and other small substances. This jutsu was created to teach one to use Jinton without a high destructive property that could cause younger users to cause accidental damage or death to themselves or others.

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PYXIS ★

[Omori Reiki]

Team B

His eyes could see the second wall behind the hole his tanto created, noting that another wall was right behind it. Ouritsu needed to be aware of that. "Seems like there is something made of wood behind that hole. So... We're going to have break through things like this more than once..." His voice was bleeding with a dull tone to show how much he dreaded the thought.

Screw this whole attempt at trying to be clever. At least he didn't lose his tanto, catching it upon it falling back down towards him. It didn't take long for them to force themselves to re-evaluate the situation. Plan B, according to Ouritsu. A usage of unique chakra was used to break down the wall. How considerate, and if it did work, then they'll have more to deal with. That was just how the exams wanted them to do it. How much chakra could they spend before they make it to the top? Well if one was willing to spend, the other must be ready.

The thing was, Ouritsu has the most effective and quickest method of breaking through the walls. There was nothing he could really add for the moment since he wanted to let Ouritsu's technique go through. "If that thing works, it would be the best method of getting through this quickly. But if you can't." Another sacrifice, but most of the chakra was bound to return to him anyways. He placed his hands up yet again, this time two shadow clones showing up by his side. On top of this, their unnaturally high speed enhanced by his ability helps hasten these blows and movements to allow the next to strike.

They were going to follow up the instant Ouritsu decided not to use that technique of his. The original Reiki could pierce a weak point into walls with the tanto, then pull it out so that the they can strike swiftly and heavily against the weak point to break through. Three Reiki's with heavier punches to their names attacking a weak point, that was his method of taking down walls that Ouritsu was not handling with his technique.

They can alternate with each other in fact if Ouritsu was willing to follow the pattern. Ouritsu, Reiki, Ouritsu, Reiki, Ouritsu. They could repeat the cycle until nothing stood in their way. "I'll take on the next one. Think you can follow-up if there are any more?" Reiki asked, looking for the both of them to minimize their time. It was a race, after all. And so he would handle that second wall with the weak point shadow clone method. Brute force with heavy punches with a little method to help weaken the wall beforehand. Perhaps they could do this?

SPOILER: Click to show

Active Abilities

Enhanced Eyesight
The user's eyesight is heavily enhanced, even without the use of the Tennogan. The smallest details could be observed as if it were in front of the user should the distance between them not exceed 30 meters. Peripheral vision also seems as clear as if it were the main sight of focus.


Moderate Chakra Control
Reiki now understands how chakra flows and how to send it through the chakra points at a decent speed. On top of this, he minimizes the chakra burn when using his techniques to a point where he can last longer than the average shinobi of his level and give his techniques the maximum effectiveness in doing so.

Quickdraw
The user is far more aware of their surroundings, reflexes being enhanced a mighty amount. On top of this, their body is designed to be more swift and prepare to carry out quick tasks that the normal body may not be able to do in time. As the user learns more about physical combat, their movement speed and attack speed will be even more advanced. Though the difference is barely noticeable at the start, the gap between the user and an average ninja will grow tremendously.

Techniques

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu [Shadow Clone Technique]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [General]
ELEMENT: None
DESCRIPTION:

Kage Bunshin is a Jounin level Ninjutsu technique. The normal Bunshin technique creates a copy of the ninja that lacks any substance. The Kage Bunshin distributes the ninja's chakra evenly among the clones and creates a real copy with form and substance. The clone itself can also utilize any jutsu the original ninja knows, as well as their kekkei genkai. When the clone finally disperses, any new knowledge it has gained along with it's remaining chakra are passed back to the original ninja and any additional clones. This makes Kage Bunshin an excellent training method if the ninja has the chakra capacity and stamina to maintain the Kage Bunshins for an extended period of time. This allows the ninja to essentially reduce the time it takes to train and learn with each clone added. This is especially true when used with Tajuu Kage Bunshin.

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[Yoshiko]

Second Exam: Team B Stone & Cloud @ 1st Ascension Cutting through the wood with Jinton wouldn't be illogical, it'd certainly work to the Nohime's avail. However this wasn't at all an extremely fast or chakra effective manner to travel, as the cube reaching a size large enough for them to fit through would amplify the drain it put on it's caster. Though the two shinobi weren't quite in a position of having a ton of options. Reiki barely carried anything as far as shinobi gear went and the one tool that'd be most effective wasn't held by either shinobi. A lesson to pack more supplies? Seeing the effort and drain of Ouritsu, Reiki would offer to bust the next wall. He'd do this through pure force, but he'd not do it alone. He'd summon a clone the two wouldn't move faster than Jinton, but they'd in fact require much less actual drain. The inanimate object lacking the ability to defeat the clone and without further jutsu, as soon as they'd broken the wall then the clone could be dispersed. However noting another wall followed it'd be a decision between speed and cost, but maybe the two would simply continue going back and forth. SPOILER: Click to show

[Omori Reiki]

Team B

The clone's chakra would come back, leaving him with most of the chakra he had when he didn't use it in the first place. Tree-walking and whatnot, but it wouldn't take much for him to summon yet another shadow clone back into the scene. This wasn't something new to him, so he knew how to keep the chakra at a minimum while keeping maximum effectiveness. It was simple, they could just keep going through with this plan until there were no more holes to be made. It wasn't the swiftest, but it was certainly the most effective when it came to preserving energy. But they had to collaborate on this, hence the rotation. Reiki offered to start on the third one.

"I'll handle the third board, get your technique ready in the meantime if there is a fourth, then follow up." Reiki explained to his partner, not wasting anymore time to do just that. As long as they kept on going with the momentum, they would be able to get past whatever this was supposed to be. He and his shadow clone did not hesitate to move forward immediately. One simply slammed the tanto into the wall, creating their weak point before the both of them went to work. If Ouritsu went through with the follow-up plan, it shouldn't be long before the potential fourth wall was down.

After all that, if Ouritsu would handle the fourth wall, Reiki would handle the fifth wall the same way that he did the first and the third, most of his chakra should be intact by then thanks to his clone's ability.

SPOILER: Click to show

Active Abilities

Enhanced Eyesight
The user's eyesight is heavily enhanced, even without the use of the Tennogan. The smallest details could be observed as if it were in front of the user should the distance between them not exceed 30 meters. Peripheral vision also seems as clear as if it were the main sight of focus.


Moderate Chakra Control
Reiki now understands how chakra flows and how to send it through the chakra points at a decent speed. On top of this, he minimizes the chakra burn when using his techniques to a point where he can last longer than the average shinobi of his level and give his techniques the maximum effectiveness in doing so.

Quickdraw
The user is far more aware of their surroundings, reflexes being enhanced a mighty amount. On top of this, their body is designed to be more swift and prepare to carry out quick tasks that the normal body may not be able to do in time. As the user learns more about physical combat, their movement speed and attack speed will be even more advanced. Though the difference is barely noticeable at the start, the gap between the user and an average ninja will grow tremendously.

Techniques

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu [Shadow Clone Technique]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [General]
ELEMENT: None
DESCRIPTION:

Kage Bunshin is a Jounin level Ninjutsu technique. The normal Bunshin technique creates a copy of the ninja that lacks any substance. The Kage Bunshin distributes the ninja's chakra evenly among the clones and creates a real copy with form and substance. The clone itself can also utilize any jutsu the original ninja knows, as well as their kekkei genkai. When the clone finally disperses, any new knowledge it has gained along with it's remaining chakra are passed back to the original ninja and any additional clones. This makes Kage Bunshin an excellent training method if the ninja has the chakra capacity and stamina to maintain the Kage Bunshins for an extended period of time. This allows the ninja to essentially reduce the time it takes to train and learn with each clone added. This is especially true when used with Tajuu Kage Bunshin.

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[Nōhime Ouritsu]

i think you're slipping

i bring you pain, the kind you can't suffer quietly

The satisfaction Ouritsu got from seeing things literally turn to nothingness before his eyes was always great and under normal circumstances the boy would have been glad to keep utilizing the technique, but he had a lot riding on these exams and couldn't afford to burn himself out halfway through the second test. No, he had to be smart and conserve his chakra where he could, though to be honest he was only in this position due to his lack of proper shinobi tools. A handful of exploding tags would have saved the duo both time and chakra, and there was really no reason the young Nohime didn't have any on hand. He'd have to be sure to rectify it once he returned home.

For now, however, the boy would watch through heavy breaths as Reiki and his clones went to town on the second wooden slab. It'd take longer than Jinton, for sure, but it did give Ouritsu a chance to catch his breath. As before, there was yet another wooden slab behind the second one, just great. For a moment Ouritsu wondered if they had been placed in a genjutsu, similar to the end of the first exam, but considering their attacks had worked for not one but two wooden slabs that probably wasn't the case. If anything it was just an excuse to get the participants to waste their chakra or find an ingenious way through.

Reiki and his clones would take the charge for the third wall as Ouritsu would prepare his technique should their be a fourth wall waiting them, which of course there was. Once they made it through the opening of the third wall the Nohime would cast his cube once more on the fourth, detonating the small orb of chakra within to create an opening for them. The boy really hoped there weren't too many more of these walls left as he wasn't sure just how many more of these jinton cubes he had left in him.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Jinton: Genkai Hakuri: Busshitsu [Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World: Substance]


RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium


CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu | Kekkei Tota
ELEMENT: Jinton


DESCRIPTION:
By increasing the containment chakra and limiting the Jinton chakra center the user of this jutsu can create a three dimensional shape (cube, cone, sphere, cylinder, etc) with a small Jinton chakra sphere within its center. Whatever is within the three dimensional shape will lose their substance become a shapeless mass of dust. This jutsu is too weak and slow to effect living beings and is used mostly for inorganic matter such as kunai and other small substances. This jutsu was created to teach one to use Jinton without a high destructive property that could cause younger users to cause accidental damage or death to themselves or others.

notes go here • tagged/open • word count

PYXIS ★

[Yoshiko]

Second Exam: Team B Stone & Cloud @ 1st Ascension Through pure will power and the stone shinobi's jinton, it'd be a harden, but well earned journey through five wooden walls. The two likely working up a bit of a sweat, but all in all achieving the goal placed before them. A scheme devised prior, but not all plans work. Sometimes it's more important to be creative and make decisions. Though other times it was likely safe to evaluate ones own inventory, a lot of what could make a shinobi great was often on them and not in them. Though nothing carried could quite match the true will of a shinobi. Upon breaking the fifth wooden wall, there'd be a new platform. It'd be decorated as though it were a finishing flag, it had the same doorway as the other platforms. However upon passing through and onto it, the two shinobi would be greeted by a familiar face. The man who'd lead them out of the maze and explained the task of tree as well. He'd smile at the two contempt with the fact an ally and neutral body found their way to the top. "It always prides me to see genin strive so far." He'd state in attempt to bolster their spirits. As things were about to get their most serious. A pause was given the man giving both shinobi a chance to breath, as well as trade any last words if desired. After this there was a good enough chance the two would be enemies. Traditionally the exams ended with one on one combat after all. After they'd been given a moment to speak with each other, the man would gesture the two to follow them. "Come, there's only one more round remaining." He'd state before leading them up a spiral staircase into the tree's thick branches. The world left lost in the midst of the massive tree, both shinobi heading towards the center of the bulb-esq tree top. SPOILER: Click to show

[Omori Reiki]

Team B

Freedom! Freedom! At the end of this, it was a simple step up onto the final platform. His partner was sure to come, right? What reason was there not to? Regardless, it was effective enough to prevent themselves from lagging too far behind, and now they were at the finishing door. All that was left was to push through it annnnnnd... Success! And wouldn't you know it, the man from the end of the maze was there to greet them, truly the end of this second game. It wasn't hellish, discouraging would be the best term for it if that was even a thing.

The words he let out were caring and sweet, genin progressing. But there was more to be done. Hopefully he had the reserves to continue, but at least there was a small chance to catch their breath now they didn't have to hold themselves up to the tree anymore. By technicality, Ouritsu was no longer an ally, but yet again another bit of competition. Four genin fell to the fate of the maze, but at least these two were both able to make it to the top of this stage.

"One point for you then, we made it to the top." Reiki announced to his former partner, looking up towards the staircase. Now that he had a moment to catch a break, he would place his hands in his pockets. Only then did he realize that he did have some items of interest, though those were going to be held for what would likely be the third trial, assuming this isn't some elaborate trap. And up the stairs he would go. Off to the top of the tree they go.

SPOILER: Click to show

Active Abilities

Enhanced Eyesight
The user's eyesight is heavily enhanced, even without the use of the Tennogan. The smallest details could be observed as if it were in front of the user should the distance between them not exceed 30 meters. Peripheral vision also seems as clear as if it were the main sight of focus.


Moderate Chakra Control
Reiki now understands how chakra flows and how to send it through the chakra points at a decent speed. On top of this, he minimizes the chakra burn when using his techniques to a point where he can last longer than the average shinobi of his level and give his techniques the maximum effectiveness in doing so.

Quickdraw
The user is far more aware of their surroundings, reflexes being enhanced a mighty amount. On top of this, their body is designed to be more swift and prepare to carry out quick tasks that the normal body may not be able to do in time. As the user learns more about physical combat, their movement speed and attack speed will be even more advanced. Though the difference is barely noticeable at the start, the gap between the user and an average ninja will grow tremendously.

template by pillow @ nfb

[Nōhime Ouritsu]

i think you're slipping

i bring you pain, the kind you can't suffer quietly

The duo would stick to their plan of alternating the slabs of wood until they finally broke through the fifth and final board. To say he was tired would be an understatement, but the relief of having gotten through this stage of the race was more important. Making his way to the third and final platform the duo would be met by the same guy who had greeted them at the end of the maze; whether this was a clone or not didn't really matter so long as he was truly the herald to the end of this stage of the exams.

Words of praise for the two genin making it to the next stage were just what Ouritsu wanted to hear, and probably what Reiki needed to hear. The kid was a bit sheepish and unsure of himself when they were at the base of the tree, but he had taken some initiative during the race in an attempt to get them through the quickest. Not all of it worked --and some of the ideas made things worse at times-- but for the most part they had made good time if not exhausting themselves in the process. The Iwa shinobi would take the most of the time given to catch his breath, though the chances of any meaningful amount of chakra being returned were slim to none.

"Yep, just gotta have some confidence." He'd reply to his... former... teammate. The boy doubted that there would be another team exercise for the third part of the exams and pretty much the only thing they hadn't done yet was fight one another, which was exactly what he was waiting for. Ingenuity and problem solving were good and all, but being able to show that one could handle themselves in the heat of combat is what made for a great shinobi, at least in Ouritsu's eyes. While he hadn't planned on utilizing jinton until it was absolutely necessary fate had other plans, but even with his trump card known to at least one of the competitors and whoever was spectating from the arena, the boy still had some other skills that would prove useful.

notes go here • tagged/open • word count

PYXIS ★