[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

It was finally the day that she had been waiting for. A day wher her sinkingh or swimming was going to be decided. A time in which she would either join the ranks of the snake sages and coil her hands around the inheritence to power, or fail to shed herself from the mortal coil of mediocrity. It would be different this time, however, as Yakitsukeru was not looking to play around, and due to her being relinquished from the grasp of the Kage to the jurisdiction of the Snake Sage, Mitsuda would be her proctor today. She couldn't particularly say that she was the largest fan of the snake sage, but he was not an awful mentor. Rather he was enigmatic and seemingly as deceptive as he came off as vindictive. Brutal and a perfect portayal of the term 'tough love'. Though maybe love was a strong addition to that sentence. It didn't stop her from speeding through the woods towards the Snake Den. Today she had released herself of the weight of her Haori to arrive ahead of schedule. A good few miles travel from the village to where he stayed, it was a good show of speed for someone to begin the trails ahead; after all, this would be different. Yakitsu had no clue what the man planned to test her on after the basic techniques, but it was likely to be nothing related to normal genin procedures. In fact, it would be weird if she was allowed to demonstrate only the normal academy skills, something was likely fishy with this, but she would face it head on. There were many things that she needed to continue on, and being able to participate in harder training with the sage more regularly, as well as, be included in missions struck her as a neccisity for her goals. Today she was going to graduate. TAGGED | Kekkan Mitsuda NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Kekkan Mitsuda]

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[attr="class","mitsuda"]There was a bit of pride dwelling inside the Sage, something he wasn’t sure he quite understood. He had trained many people into fine Shinobi in the past, but never had he put such focus on a predecessor for his own position in the world. With any luck one of these two apprentices would take his place, and maybe by then Mistuda would be allowed to finally retire and relax. He mused at the thought of it. How long he’d wanted to not worry about protecting the village and its future, but simply enjoy the remainder of his life in peace within the woods of the village.

As much as Yaki seemed to be his ticket out of the life of a Sage, he couldn’t help but become fonder of the thought of watching over her and ensuring she did not simply settle for being on par with himself but surpass him tenfold. Mitsuda did not have an instructor. Not really. He’d trained himself and it was hard, gruesome work. His power was earned over the years, and he would make sure Yaki wasn’t coddled into free power, but that she was determined to earn it just as he had. With that being said, he wanted her to succeed, and he would ensure that she had every rightful chance to do so.

Mitsuda would not wait for Yaki to arrive at his hut, but instead he would meet her halfway. They were not going to his hut, after all. They were going somewhere much more important in order to perform her exam. His eyes would meet hers as she had been making her way to his home.

He would look down at her and in a serious but also curious tone he would question, "Do you believe you are ready?” A simple question that was somehow not rhetorical. Believing you were ready for something meant all the difference. Just how confident was she?

Tateyama Yakitsukeru

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

This was a surprise that would have made the girl grin if she was ever truly showing her mouth to others. Even if the man didn't find her scaled face unsightly, Yakitsukeru did find it to be a distraction. So under the fold of her scarf she would smirk with the sort of knowing that came with either narcissism, or pride and confidence; for the young viper it was somewhere in both. Look the sage with eyes that read much the same she would crack her neck in a way that could only be considered cheeky. "I would not be here if I had not the underssstanding that I wasss ready Sssage-Sssama," The girl would reply with something between a snide remark and sarcastic humor in tone. She was more than ready for the exam that was ahead of her, it was just a matter of beginning. Having replied she would give the sage a slight bow in greeting respect to her master, but no more than that. Any deeper would imply regrets and she had none, only a burning fire to become more. She would break the stage of mediocrity for something within the higher plane. "Ssso what isss firssst?" She would ask, her eyes steeling into concentration as her mindset switched from relaxed to readying for the first step. TAGGED | Kekkan Mitsuda NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Kekkan Mitsuda]

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[attr="class","mitsuda"]Mitsuda would scoff. So, she was confident. Very confident. While he encouraged a certain level of this confidence, knowing limits was also just as important. He would see just how ready she was today. If she continued to live up to her bark, Yaki would earn his respect quickly.

"Very well.” He would pause, turning his back to Yaki, gesturing for her to follow. He would lead her quietly and without explanation. If Yaki truly wanted to become a sage, she would need to trust him and listen to his advice without question. Mitsuda was not all knowing, but his wisdom was not often questioned.

He would lead the girl quite a way away until they reached a rocky area, void of trees which was an oddity for the village. The ground seemed to be dried and dead, poisoned by something otherworldly.

"We are standing at the birthplace of the Manda.” While not in a literally since, a great battle occurred here between the Manda and a great, ancient beast. It was said that this is where the Manda showed its greatest strength. The battle left the land scarred and devoid of life. "Let this be the birthplace of your Shinobi and Sage life.”

He would lower his eyes to the girl. "Show me what the Academy has taught you. One at a time so that I can assess your accuracy.”

Tateyama Yakitsukeru

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

Yaktsukeru woiuld follow without a word to be said until she was spoken too. Which was a time later as Mitsuda had lead her in silence. The location had been one of historical significance however as Yakitsukeru found herself fascinated by the world. A forest become an open field, and then soon a crevice like nothing she had ever seen before. It was gorgeous to the girl, and as Mitsuda spoke of why it was like this a wicked grin would grow hidden beneath the red scarf the girl wore. The birthplace of the strongest of the current snakes in the contract was a place that those moron kids in the village could only wish was their testing grounds. This was where she would become a sage, and where she would begin her growth, not just as a shinobi but to surpass the expectations placed on her. The shedding of her limits would begin in this place. "I will begin with the more mundane abilitiesss then," Yakitsukeru would say as she pulled out rope from under her haori where she had carried it, holding it to Mitsuda as she needed someone with thumbs to tie her. Someone who also wasn't going to allow her to cheat upon the Rope Escape Technique. As she exhaled only moments later the rope would loosen and the girl would escape from the binding as if it had never been on her in the first place. Though it was observed by someone which was not the usual intention. The girl would look to her mentor with a look as if to say next, but she wouldn't speak quite yet. TAGGED | Kekkan Mitsuda NOTES | Nawanuke no Jutsu [Rope Escape Technique] MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Kekkan Mitsuda]

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[attr="class","mitsuda"]Mitsuda would not notice the Yaki’s fascination hidden underneath the scarf, though he could only guess what it would be like to be in the presence of something this significant in such a vital part of her life. A part of him hoped that it would inspire her, though she seemed committed to the lifestyle as much as he had been.

As she pulled a rope from her haori, Mitsuda would take it, wrapping it tightly around her and ensuring that it was tightly knotted. Someone without the rope escape jutsu would have no hope of escaping from the hog tie. He looked down at her, watching her progress as she escaped from it effortlessly as if it came as naturally as breathing.

"Very good.” He would say with a pleased nod. She had obviously practiced it a good many times to be able to escape with just a controlled breath. Some would at least attempt to wriggle before their escape, so he was impressed by her ability.

"You can proceed to the next jutsu.” He would say, stepping back a moment to watch which one she would attempt next. He left the order up to her. So long as she preformed each, he did not care.

Tateyama Yakitsukeru

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

With the sage's approval to the progress that she had made over the course of the last few months on her academy ninjutsu it came as no surprise that she was skilled with the basic techniques enough to use them properly at a genin level. Although to some degree the techniques themselves were useless to her, or at least in her opinion they were. At least two of them were, the one she had planned for display next, and the following jutsu after that, though it was at least a precursor technique, unlike the one she would begin to prepare. Pulling out a cloak and covering herself in a brown tinted cloak and forming a single handseal as she held still. The Invisibility Cloak was largely considered just a basic technique that made for a good way to learn stillness and chakra control, it had been one of the harder techniques for the viper because of that second conditioning that the technique did. Her massive reserves making more precise control harder to manage, and even more so as she had learned to further exploit her massive reserves. It was as good as such a basic and weak could display. Being impossible to even fool academy students really, but it had to be shown either way. Awaiting confirmation, she would move onto the next technique when she was told to do as much. Discarding the cloak before she would do so. TAGGED | Kekkan Mitsuda NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Kekkan Mitsuda]

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[attr="class","mitsuda"]Mitsuda would continue to watch over Yaki’s progress. The first Academy jutsu was performed flawlessly, which he fully expected to see. He was curious about some of the more advanced jutsu such as the clone technique and transformation techniques, however. They required a greater finesse of chakra control. He had already witnessed Yaki use the Body Replacement technique while under pressure, so he knew she would perform that would without any issues.

The Sage would watch as she pulled out a cloak and hid herself. He had sat and watched her, but the she seemed to do a very good job with making it a believable and workable hiding place given the level of the technique and its intended use. Mitsuda would nod, "That’s as good as that technique will ever get.” He would say, giving her the confirmation to rise. He watched as she discarded the cloak. He wasn’t sure that he ever actually used that technique in his 157 years of life, which surprised him as to why it was still taught to this day. Perhaps it taught them more about being aware of their surroundings and how to hide in sometimes uncomfortable and quickly sought places mores o than actually using it.

"Please proceed to the next.”

Tateyama Yakitsukeru

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

Yaki was glad that she was probably done with the invisibility cloak for the last time in her career. It made the burden on her as an individual to track all the basic techniques far simpler in her opinion, but she had no reason to show further worry on the matter. It was something that she had a profound confusion from. Why teach your youths a jutsu that did nothing for them? It was like wasting time on the trivial to teach them something mundane, it made little sense to her. The academy was very old though, and its methods just as ancient. Forming the handseals for the next technique in a fluid order, the young viper would suddenly poof as before the ancient man was a perfect replication of himself. From the way his hair sat unkempt to his mismatching red and white eyes. By all means Yaki had managed to nail him for a Transformation Jutsu and it was just what the technique wanted one to be able to provide. Looking to Mitsuda again she would again poof up in smoke and return to her natural form, "Thisss leavesss two jutsssu, but I am curiousss if you would prefer to sssee the one you have not watched me ussse or both Sssage-Sssama?" TAGGED | Kekkan Mitsuda NOTES | Transformation Technique MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Kekkan Mitsuda]

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[attr="class","mitsuda"]Mitsuda would watch Yaki’s handseals closely. She performed them quickly and without much effort as if they had already become second nature. It was a good show of knowledge and a clear sign of repetition and daily practice from within the Academy. A puff of smoke would then surround her, and she would appear before Mitsuda as a perfect copy of himself.

The old sage would take his hand to his chin, circling the altered form of the young girl as he inspected what was essentially his own body. No one knew it better than he did. She seemed to have made a perfect replica. It was not mismatched in size and the proportions were on point, displaying his natural physique and anatomy, including the scar that sat at his forehead and his mismatched eyes.

"Very well done. There are quite a few oddities in my form, so for you to pull it off on your first try shows good attention to detail, and a good understanding of the technique.”

He would pause and listen to her next question. "I don’t care what order you preform them in.” he would say with a shrug. "I am most curious to see how you prioritize your abilities. All of them will be needed to be seen anyway. You can proceed to the next technique.”

Tateyama Yakitsukeru

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

Earnestly speaking, Yakitsukeru had not been 'first trying' this transformation she had gone through. Hours had sunk into specifically learning to transform and look like Mitsuda did. She hadn't actually known that he would be the one that was in charge of her examination, but she had practiced using his crazy appearance as a base line for what she needed to be able to accomplish. Mitsuda would go on to confirm that he didn't care for the order, but he did need to see all five and that was enough for her to go on. "Very well then, I will ussse them all," the young viper would hiss to the man. Performing the next handsign she would have a puff of smoke appear next to her as a shadowless clone spawned itself beside her. It would imitate her in look, but as it glared from above the scarf the girl would look at her clone. Appraising it herself before nodding, deciding it was adequite enough for her. As Mitsuda would finish his own inspections of the clone she would swipe it away evaporating the intangible clone. Sighing she would form another five handseals and look over the Mitsuda. Having attached herself to a stone that was nearby for replacement with herself, "Hit me." TAGGED | Kekkan Mitsuda NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Kekkan Mitsuda]

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[attr="class","mitsuda"]Mitsuda would nod. It was expected that she shows all that she had learned in the Academy, and he would do his due diligence to make sure she was prepared for the world that was out there. As he had experienced, it wasn’t a very kind one. Even people you thought you trusted from your own village could turn against you, and it was vital to be prepared for quite literally anything. Someone as young and inexperienced as Yaki would be a prime target for someone of higher rank to take out if they truly needed to. In Mitsuda’s experience, attacking a child was something that had been a norm in his life growing up. He, himself, was proof of those evils.

As she prepared the next jutsu, Mitsuda would do as instructed, for now. He had no qualms about hitting a child if they so requested it. With that, he reached out to strike Yaki. He was careful with the power and speed behind the attack at this point. His level of power would likely not allow her enough time to react, and the point of this exercise wasn’t to push her limits, but for her to show her strategy and understanding of the techniques she’d learned. If his fist made contact with flesh, she would fail this portion of the exam.

Tateyama Yakitsukeru

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

Contact was a subjective thing where the Substitution Technique was concerned. Mitsuda would connect and Yaki would be thrown back away from the man as one would expect, her limbs spreading wide before a puff would signal that she was completely displaced from the blow since first contact. The blow revealing a scratched stone where Yaki should have been. Forming the handseal for it she would then form a single clone and round the sage in a flanking motion as she ran around in sync with the clone to stand in front of the man. Both unhurt, but seeming to wrinkle her nose as if she had phantom pain from where she had almost been struck. It was not her favorite prospect certainly. "You could have hesssitated a bit at leassst Sssage-Sssama," the girl would hiss at the old man in front of her. It wasn't exactly like she had actually been hurt in the exchange, but a girl could dream of having an adult who wasn't actively trying to work to her detriment couldn't she? Yaki would steady her crimson gaze onto the man as she huffed, "Honessstly, anywaysss I believe I have at leassst passst the basicsss with thisss. Unlesss you are unhappy with my usssage of the basssic clone." TAGGED | Kekkan Mitsuda NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥

[Kekkan Mitsuda]

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[attr="class","mitsuda"]Holding back wasn’t really Mitsuda’s thing. He would shrug off the thought with a bit of cold expression, but very subtly hidden underneath was an impressed expression. She certainly knew her jutsu from the Academy well and had more than proved herself as being capable of handling the requirements of Genin life.

Mitsuda would step backward a bit. "You definitely show clear understanding of all of the Academy jutsu, and I’ve seen you use them in combat.” The Sage would let out a half smile. "Yes, I’d say you’re more than ready to become a Genin, Yaki.”

He would pause, taking out a rather interesting scroll that was oddly hidden underneath his robe. Wrapped around the edges was a rather small green snake that angrily eyed Yakitsukeru. As Mitsuda stroked the long spine of the snake, however, it would uncoil as would the scroll. The snake would slither up to Yaki, his eyes not leaving her form.

"You think you’re worth, neeee? You think you’re good enough to become one of us, neeee? Hmmmm?” His shrill voice continued on and on. The small snake would judge Yaki, waiting for her response as it would be the final judgement. He could easily peer into her soul, see her intent, and his eyes were bright and wise and seemingly all knowing. "I don't know, Mitsuda, what are your thoughts, neeee?" He would slither behind her and back to the front.

Mitsuda would let out a gruff noise. "She has more than proven herself. No need to be so picky. You are the final say, though. Manda has already given his approval...at least he didn't eat her."

The snake would look up at Mitsuda. "Manda, neeee? Hmmm...What have you to say for yourself, neee?"

Tateyama Yakitsukeru

[Tateyama Yakitsukeru]

A grin would grow across the girl's scaled face as the news of her success. She had completed the hardest part of the trial and honestly it had been anything except difficult for her. That was how it felt, then Mitsuda would pull a gasp from the young apprentice as she recognized to ornate scroll without any introduction, the names inside being names that she recognized across the board. The grin would become wickedly wide showing off the slightly too long upper canines in the girl's mouth. If she was being judged then she had no qualms, as there was no snake who wouldn't find her amiable to begin with, and less who wouldn't side with her when given the chance. From there she would be looked over more like a snake appraising food than a snake appraising one who would not just be an ally but a master to the contract that held the scaled creatures. Her red eyes would peer back to the small reptile with a mix of confidence and greed that held no distinct seperations. The devilish smile being replaced by a thinner one, "It isssn't a matter of thinking that I am good enough. I am good enough, and if you can't sssee it now, I will make you sssee it clearly later." The girl would leave the words on the air with a confident hiss that reached out to the area in an almost domineering fashion. She would break and bend everthing that didn't yield. She would create the progress that she desired. The ascetic path of the sage was a way to power, and the would tread the path only in the creation of her own way. That was her resolve. TAGGED | Kekkan Mitsuda NOTES | Here MUSE | Sealing You In Sound

AI ♥