[Ishikawa Ren]

     The familiar pitter-patter of the city was comforting. It said that some things never change. It said: the earth, the wind, the water, the rain - it was all here before you and this mass of metal. And it'll be here after, too.

     The young man stood in a courtyard, atop a wide gravelly dirt circle which had once housed a grove of trees. They'd been smothered from the sun's light, but it'd been so long ago now that the sloped metal awning far above couldn't have possibly been the culprit.

     The sheets of water that slid from on high crashed into the ground, covering the sounds of Ren's practice. He huffed as he swung his katana down and the gravel crunched as he sidestepped. Swing, dodge, swing, dodge. It formed a rhythmic pattern and it was clear he was trying to narrow the gaps between. He slid to a stop.

     Akirei's on his way, he thought. He's got me beat on speed - and on swordplay. Ren held out a vain hope that his other skills might compensate, but he kept his trump card in reserve for a surprise: he'd been working on his reflexes. Ideally they'd be enough for him to at least defend himself adequately.

     Ren let out an anxious breath of air. It was an exhilarating prospect - whether or not he would end up on his ass didn't matter. He tipped his scabbard up over his shoulder and slid the blade in with a satisfying click. Shuriken clinked together as he rummaged through his thigh pouch. The drink he'd fished out was drained quickly, more so from excitement than exhaustion.

     Almost time, he thought - but he was interrupted by the faintly audible sound of footsteps from over the lull of rain. He grinned as he turned to see his teammate approach.

Susanō Akirei | 304 words

[Susanō Akirei]

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Symphony Op. 13, [break] No. 4

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When a diminutive water droplet collided with a larger one, it merged seamlessly, melding with its more massive counterpart. This process repeated itself, causing the droplet to steadily accumulate mass. Once the water droplet had amassed too much weight to remain suspended in the cloud, it surrendered to gravity's pull and descended to the earth below. This was the unceasing rhythm of rain, a daily occurrence in the village.
[break][break]
Amid the gentle drizzle, Akirei watched Ren from a distance, his face hidden behind the mask he always wore. It wasn't that he didn't trust Ren or their other teammates; it was just a habit he couldn't seem to break. He just couldn’t face the world without hiding behind the wooden plate. Besides, the mask had become a part of his identity over the years.
[break][break]
Ren's practice had always fascinated Akirei. His dedication to improving his skills was similar to one of his previous teammates, Sugita, and it was one of the things that had drawn Akirei to him as a teammate. Speaking of which, Akirei found himself missing his former teammate but he knew this was not the right time for that.
[break][break]
Drawing closer to the courtyard, the rain persisted in its gentle descent. Akirei was determined not to disrupt Ren's concentration, but he also knew that Ren would appreciate knowing of his presence. Deliberately ceasing his flight, he opted for a simple walk, allowing his light footsteps to broadcast his arrival. When Ren turned over, Akirei simply gave him a nod of acknowledgement and a simple, "Hi."
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Susanō Akirei – 258 words | @ Ishikawa Ren

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[Ishikawa Ren]

     "Akirei!" he said, unsurely. Ren still wasn't used to calling people by their family name, nor using honorifics. Back home, he'd always just been 'Ren.' His voice still held a slight country twang to it, despite how much he tried to imitate the city style of speech. He tried to mask it with a wave and a casual "Hey."

     Despite their being squadmates, he didn't know all that much about him. The Paper Knight, he thought as he looked at the younger boy's silvery hair and piercing blue eyes peering out from the mask. He'd never met anyone quite like him before he came to Amegakure. Ren hoped one day that he'd strike as... definite a presence. Sometimes he felt as though he were 'spread a little thin' in comparison.

     Even though his teammate was quite a bit younger and smaller than him, he still looked up to Akirei as an example to follow. Despite his mask and his shyness, Ren could see that he took his role very seriously. Committing to one thing had always been difficult for Ren. Beyond his superior skills, that was the one thing he wanted to emulate the most.

     "Thanks for coming," he said. Usually he was a little more verbose, a little more talkative. But he didn't want to bother Akirei - he knew the biggest favor he could do him was to get right into it.

     "Let's spar." The gravel shifted underneath as he took a combat stance he'd learned not too long ago. With what he'd heard and seen of Akirei's fighting style, he'd need his hands open for shuriken and jutsu to ward off ranged attacks. He watched intently with deep black eyes, ready to spring into action at first notice.

Susanō Akirei | 290 words

[Susanō Akirei]

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Symphony Op. 13, [break] No. 4

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If there was one challenging aspect to Ren, his new teammate, it was his relentless drive for self-improvement. Right after Akirei's arrival, Ren wasted no time in suggesting a sparring session. While it had been their plan all along, the transition from casual conversation to combat readiness was instant. Beneath his half-mask, a faint smirk was visible on Ren's face. Why? Because it was clear that Akirei shared the same fervour for personal growth. Without hesitation, Akirei nodded, entering his battle mode, causing paper sheets to peel visibly from his skin.
[break][break]
Summoning all his strength and focus, Akirei uttered a few words, "Here I come." In a split second, he fashioned a paper shuriken secretly infused with concealed explosive tags in his palm. He did it fluidly, which was the fruit of his hard work on honing his chakra control. He then quickly launched it towards Ren with calculated precision. If Ren dared to engage the shuriken in close combat, it would detonate, posing a threat. However, Akirei had taken precautions, ensuring he used the least powerful explosive tag for their friendly spar.
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Akirei then exploited his remarkable speed, darting behind Ren as soon as he threw the paper shuriken. He lunged with a metal shuriken in hand, attempting a melee strike. It would be a letdown if Ren failed to react, but if that were the case, Akirei was ready to cease his assault immediately upon the small metal weapon making contact with Ren's shirt. In his mind, Akirei silently urged, "You better not."

[break][break]

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Susanō Akirei – 255 words | @ Ishikawa Ren

[attr="class","credits"]made by gimmick

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[Ishikawa Ren]

     Ren stood poised, like a cat ready to pounce. The instant the paper shuriken flew out at him, his hand flashed down to his thigh pouch and in one fluid movement launched a kunai on a collision course.

     It only required a momentary lapse in attention, but Akirei had already flitted away. Ren barely saw him exit his periphery vision. Behind. Instinctually, he dropped to the ground and launched forward (where he knew Akirei wasn't) in a twisting motion that ended in him skidding backward in a kneeling position facing his teammate.

     Btoom! Ren felt the heat of the explosion on his back, saw Akirei illuminated for a brief moment in time by the flash of light. The force of it had almost thrown him back into that empty space, where his teammate's metal shuriken's point waited.

     Using the momentum, he lurched downward and - with his right hand - scooped up a mass of gravel and wet dirt and launched it up at Akirei. With his left, he formed a one-handed seal and turned the thrown earth into loosely-formed shuriken of his own that darted at his opponent.

     It'll only buy me a second - maybe less! he thought as he quickly stood up and darted to Akirei's left - taking a chance that he was right-handed in the hopes of gaining a few more much needed moments. As he moved, he tipped his sheath up and grabbed the hilt of his katana.

     Ren was well aware he was on the backfoot and hesitated to draw the blade in the anticipation he might need to use the initial motion of it as a defense. He kept his eyes trained on Akirei, ready to react as quickly as he could.

Susanō Akirei | 286 words

[Susanō Akirei]

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Symphony Op. 13, [break] No. 4

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As Ren's kunai struck the paper shuriken with the hidden explosive tag, a controlled explosion ensued. It wasn't a powerful blast, but it exerted enough force to push Ren slightly forward as he turned to face Akirei.
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Just when Akirei believed that Ren might be vulnerable to the shuriken in his right hand, Ren executed a quick and fluid maneuver. He neutralized the impending attack by hurling a mass of mud, infused with chakra, which he promptly transformed into shuriken. Seizing this brief opening, Ren swiftly veered to his left, the exact opposite of where Akirei had to focus.
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Akirei couldn't help but be impressed by his teammate. Ren's battle instincts and speed had evidently improved since their last encounter. Privately, Akirei lauded Ren's strategic thinking. The plan was solid, but there was one factor Ren hadn't accounted for - Akirei's unique hijutsu.
[break][break]
As Ren shifted to his left, Akirei responded with a sudden swing of his left arm. It was clear that this arm alone would not pose much of a threat to Ren, given its limited reach. However, if Ren assumed that he could evade it without consequence, he was about to be proven wrong. As Akirei's arm swung through the air, hundreds of paper pieces began to detach, quickly reforming into an elongated katana as he continued his motion. In a split second, the length of the katana was now sufficient to reach Ren.
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However, his attention was diverted from the shuriken attack on his right. Whether the sudden katana swing would land successfully on Ren or not remained uncertain, but Akirei was certain it could buy enough time for him to block the impending shuriken attack without getting attacked from the left.


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Susanō Akirei – 255 words | @ Ishikawa Ren

[attr="class","credits"]made by gimmick

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[Ishikawa Ren]

     The moment he saw movement from Akirei's left arm, Ren swung his katana out from its sheath in a tight arc and was barely able to get the blade between himself and the oncoming attack in time.

     While he'd reacted quickly enough to block the swing, it wasn't enough to stop the force. There hadn't been enough room to properly guard, and his own katana slammed against his chest while Akirei's sliced gingerly into his upper left arm. The attack, and Ren muscling against it - one hand on the hilt, one on the tip of the blade - caused him to skid away.

     When there was enough space, he jumped back and swung his blade down on Akirei's construction in an attempt to shatter it. His eyes darted back to his opponent, who'd already dealt with his earlier shuriken attack. Ren anticipated he'd need some kind of trickery, since the odds of a direct confrontation already seemed to be in his teammate's favor: he'd struck first blood.

     The cut was hardly much to worry about since it was shallow, but Ren's hand darted into his thigh bag to - ostensibly - grab a bandage roll. Inside, his hand hovered around an explosive tag, smoke and flash bombs, and his shuriken. The bandage roll wasn't even in this bag, though Akirei couldn't have known that: much as he couldn't know Ren's hand was formed into a Fuinjutsu seal.

Susanō Akirei | 234 words

[Susanō Akirei]

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Symphony Op. 13, [break] No. 4

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With a deft flick of his right wrist, Akirei effortlessly deflected Ren's mud-made shuriken using his metal shuriken. He quickly pivoted to face Ren, but he sensed a slight resistance on his katana before fully turning. It wasn't a significant resistance, but it indicated that he had managed to slice through something. By the time his head turned, Ren had leaped backward and swung his blade toward Akirei's katana.
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Akirei's paper katana crumbled immediately as Ren's sword sliced through it effortlessly. Though, it was clear that he did not even attempt to block or avoid the attack. The reason had to do with his paper weapon manipulation ability, known as Nyūjinkyoku [Entrance Song], a ninjutsu created by his mother, which was intended to be single use attack. Unlike its parent technique, Idaina Shūkyō Geijutsu [Great Sacred Art], which was stronger but enduring, Nyūjinkyoku traded endurance for speed and reduced chakra cost. While it couldn't last for an extended period, it suited Akirei's preference for agility and flexibility.
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However, just like its parent technique, Nyūjinkyoku required exceptional chakra control to bring its full effectiveness. The strength, shape, and speed of formation all depended on the user's chakra control ability. Unfortunately, Akirei had missed seeing whether his attack on Ren had succeeded or not. It was a missed opportunity to learn from any imperfections from his last attempt, which he suspected there were many.
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With both of them now standing at a distance from each other, Akirei took a deep breath to recover. He watched Ren as his sparring partner delved into his bag for something. Rather than making a next move, Akirei chose to remain still this time. However, it was evident that chakra was flowing throughout his body, as his entire form, including his attire, began to slowly transform into pieces of paper, hinting something big was about to happen.

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Susanō Akirei – 310 words | @ Ishikawa Ren

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[Ishikawa Ren]

     Gotta get in close, Ren thought. Akirei would always beat him at distance. He released the Fuinjutsu seal: his previous plan wouldn't work without getting in close. Instead he pinched his two smoke bombs between his fingers.

     Ren watched as sheets of paper began to lift from his opponent's skin. He wasn't familiar with Akirei's repertoire but suspected it must be something ranged. If he could close the distance, he could press his advantage. He was taller, older, bigger, and more physically strong than the masked teen. He liked his chances if he could get his hands on him.

     With a flick the smoke bombs flew out and landed on either end of the circle and began to release their billows. It would take a moment, but before long a decently large cloud would cover the training ground with opaque but harmless gas. Whatever Akirei had planned, he had to defend himself until then.

     Ren tightened his grip on his sword and held it in a defensive stance, waiting for the smoke to fill the area or for Akirei's next move. At least with the smoke he could potentially hamper his ability to target him with attacks. If he stayed inside the cloud, within Ren's reach, he could attempt to close the distance and engage in taijutsu combat.

     He focused his eyes, honing his reflexes so he could burst out in any direction at the first sign of an attack.

Susanō Akirei | 241 words

[Susanō Akirei]

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Symphony Op. 13, [break] No. 4

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Both Ren and Akirei exercised caution in the aftermath of their initial exchange. Ren decided to introduce an additional layer of strategy by tossing a few smoke bombs onto the ground, shrouding the area in thick smoke. It was a wise move, especially considering that Akirei's attacks primarily relied on close combat and precision. This would forced Akirei onto the defensive and disadvantage… if only he was a normal shinobi.
[break][break]
With the preparations complete, Akirei muttered, "Dance of the Shikigami" and two large paper wings suddenly sprouted from his back, transforming him into a peculiar "angelic" figure. Without hesitation, he flapped his wings, dispersing some of the smoke around him, before ascending into the air. The technique he just displayed was the signature hijutsu of his clan, granting him the flight ability but it was a skill that required utmost focus and chakra control. Despite the difficulty, it seemed like Akirei had done a lot of training to maintain the technique.
[break][break]
Elevated above the battlefield, Akirei gained a tactical advantage, though he still couldn't see Ren's exact location within the smoke. However, for the moment, he was safe from ground-based attacks. His inability to unleash powerful ranged attacks left him somewhat frustrated in this situation, and he sighed in acknowledgment of the limitation. "After this I will definitely need to train some powerful range jutsu…" he thought.
[break][break]
In an attempt to disperse the smoke and potentially locate Ren, Akirei formed a ton of explosive paper shuriken with his wing. He hurled them into the smoke, along with a few regular paper shuriken acting as decoys, hoping to strike some luck. However, as he initiated this attack, a wave of fatigue and nausea began to wash over him. It became increasingly evident that he was approaching his physical limit as the paper sheets of his wings started crumbling apart. "Crap. I probably have one last try after this." he muttered under his breath, recognizing that he needed to unleash everything he had in his next move before surrendering to his weak body.


[break][break]

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Susanō Akirei – 341 words | @ Ishikawa Ren

[attr="class","credits"]made by gimmick

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[Ishikawa Ren]

     The cloud seemed to Ren to be more like the cold fog on a winter morning. He could recall many days such as that, and the smell of syrup briefly passed by like a phantom. The flapping of wings broke the silence.

     Cutting through the whiteness came a rain of shuriken like giant snowflakes. Instinctually, Ren deflected one with his katana and it fell lifelessly to the ground beside him. Emboldened, he struck another.

     The explosion threw open a window in the smoke, exposing Ren for a brief moment. His shirt had been singed black all along the front and his arm was particularly burnt. He gasped, but then vanished back into the cloud.

     The hail exploded like fireworks, one after another, creating a number of new pockets. Some revealed nothing, others revealed Ren dodging away back out of sight. Then it was quiet.

     Most of the smoke had been rendered thin though a few groupings of denser cover still remained, connected by that which had clung to the ground. All was still save for wisps of smokes.

     Ren hurtled out from hiding with a slide. His katana was nowhere to be seen, instead he had formed a Genjutsu hand seal - with both hands - which contrasted off the charred background of his shirt. Double Vision technique.

     Hoping the trigger had landed, Ren grabbed all 10 of his shuriken from his pouch and quickly launched them in succession in a loose and wide cloud up at Akirei.

Using Double Vision technique, very low cost.
Susanō Akirei | 273 words

[Susanō Akirei]

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Symphony Op. 13, [break] No. 4

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[attr="class","colorfield-2"] explosive paper shuriken

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The dozens of paper shuriken hurtled toward the dissipating smoke, but either they missed their target or were effortlessly deflected by Ren. The shurikens that got deflected were the normal one. If they had been the explosive version, Ren might have been caught in the ensuing explosion upon striking the projectile. Akirei briefly considered whether Ren had discerned which shuriken were decoys and which were explosive but ultimately dismissed the idea. His method of attaching explosive tags to ranged projectiles was subtle and secretive thanks to his hijutsu; with everything being paper, the integration could be done seamlessly and in one fluid motion. "Nevermind, let's focus back on the spar." he reminded himself.
[break][break]
The smoke had now thinned out, but some denser pockets still lingered. Ren remained nowhere to be seen, well, until suddenly he dashed out from one of the more distant smoke clouds. He swiftly formed a hand seal and hurled shuriken toward Akirei. In response, Akirei tried to rely on his agility to deflect the incoming projectiles, but his vision began to blur unexpectedly. "Eh? Did I overwork my body?" he wondered briefly, but he couldn't afford to dwell on it as the shuriken bore down on him.
[break][break]
Spreading his wings apart, Akirei veered to his left, attempting to evade the shuriken. However, his last second change of direction and worsening vision caused him to be struck by a few shuriken. The injuries, while not deep, were still notable. But as a Susanoo, Akirei was blessed with a quicker healing ability, and he muttered, "Such light injury should not be a big deal."
[break][break]
Still in the air and after taking a deep breath, Akirei summoned his last reserves of strength to prepare for his final assault. With a swing of his right arm, a large amount of paper was shot out from his body. With extreme focus, the huge stack of paper gradually separated into eleven spherical balls, ten of which quickly transformed into paper falcons. The remaining one took a bit more time to take shape but eventually forming another Akirei. Each of these creations was secretly imbued with explosive tags. "I hope you're ready." Akirei finally spoke, mustering a grin on his fatigued face despite his exhaustion.

[break][break]

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Susanō Akirei – 372 words | @ Ishikawa Ren

[attr="class","credits"]made by gimmick

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[Ishikawa Ren]

     Ren glanced around, crouched amongst the last transparent blanket of smoke. The rest has dissipated enough that they would only offer poor cover if any at all. Those'd been his only two smoke bombs, so hiding of any kind was out.

     Ten eagles, he thought. And another Akirei. Too much to hope they're not explosive? But he knew acting on a vain hope like that would never work, especially not in a real battle.

     His thoughts zipped through his remaining options. Flash bombs? A false summon? Try to jump up there? I'd never reach - and even if I did, they'd explode. If only I'd had an opportunity to apply Senkin! I haven't learned enough! Ren wanted to squeeze his forehead.

     There was only one thing he could do left, though it wouldn't defeat Akirei. He quickly formed four hand seals and three identical versions of himself appeared around him. The 4 of them weaved around each other like a human sized watch-the-ball game, but without the cup. It wasn't much of a 'plan' but Ren hoped the genjutsu, which he was still up keeping, might obfuscate which the real one was.

     The four of them scattered to each corner of the circle, trying to split up Akirei's attacks - with the real Ren on the northern side. He was hoping the explosion wouldn't be too bad. The burn on his arm stung, but it wouldn't leave a permanent scar. The shallow cut on his arm might, but Ren thought they added something to his looks anyway.

     The fight was really over at this point, in Akirei's favor. But Ren would have felt bad if he didn't get to use his final jutsu. Besides, surrendering was so anticlimactic.

Using Advanced Clone Technique, 3 lows. Upkeeping Double Vision Technique, very low.
Susanō Akirei | 285 words

[Susanō Akirei]

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Symphony Op. 13, [break] No. 4

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[attr="class","colorfield-2"] explosive paper shuriken

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As the lingering smoke continued to dissipate, Akirei's vision remained blurred, and he deduced that he had fallen into a genjutsu. However, this realisation mattered little to him at this point, as his upcoming attack was set to inflict substantial area-of-effect damage. As soon as Ren initiated a hand seal, Akirei immediately responded with a burst attack, flying swiftly toward Ren alongside his clone and the paper critters. He used his exceptional speed to minimise Ren's reaction time, making it challenging for his teammate to counter or evade the impending assault.
[break][break]
Everything appeared to be going according to plan until the paper critters suddenly exploded in mid-air, knocking Akirei out of the sky. The surprise of the explosion caught him off guard, and his minor injuries took a backseat to his realisation that he had pushed himself too far and lost control over his "summons". Chakra control was theskill he had been diligently working on over the past year, as it was vital for his paper manipulation techniques, from shaping weapons and forming critters and clones to secretly embedding explosive tags into paper. Unfortunately, he had pushed his limits beyond what he could manage, but that was still a good training session for his chakra control, he thought.
[break][break]
Akirei soon descended to the ground, his critters and clone crumbling one after another, causing explosions as they did. The impact on the ground was eerily silent, but that was to be expected since he was composed of paper. Lying on the ground, he felt exhausted and apologised to Ren, acknowledging that their spar might need to come to an end for now. "I'm sorry, but I think I ran out of energy…" He said that while struggling to catch his breath and gradually healing his injuries.


[break][break]

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Susanō Akirei – 295 words | @ Ishikawa Ren

[attr="class","credits"]made by gimmick

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[Ishikawa Ren]

     The explosions, though distant, dispersed his clones. When he saw Akirei float down Ren plucked from katana from the spot he'd stuck it into the ground, wiping the edge on his sleeve and sliding it back into its sheath. His squadmate lay on the ground a short ways away and Ren came over him kneeling. Fishing his roll of bandages from his waist pouch, he cut a length for his arm.

     "Aw, you had me!" he laughed as he snuggly fitted it into place around his cut, cinching it tight with a bow. "Your technique is seriously strong! If those explosions had been full-strength, you would have taken me out for sure."

     Ren rolled his shoulders, feeling himself out. He was a little tired physically, but hadn't used much chakra - far less than Akirei anyway. His arm hurt though, and his other had moved onto a dull malease. That was a good spar, he thought. Most of the focus of his training lately had been about enhancing his reflexes, which he felt had been pretty good during this fight. That said, they didn't compensate for Akirei's greater speed.

     He glanced his teammate over. "Need any?" he said as he offered the roll, unaware of his enhanced healing.

Susanō Akirei | 207 words