[Uchiha Izusa]

Learn from your mistakes

---

Several dull 'thunk's filled the air, a volley of shuriken embedding themselves in a wooden log. Target practice in one of Konoha's many training fields, empty aside for one. A river flowed gently nearby. Providing soft ambience.

A young man garbed in a sage green haori squinted... then shook his head. The grouping of his projectiles was tight— much more than the average shinobi would have been capable of at his level. But it wasn't as close as his brother's. So it wasn't good enough. "Gods, this is frustrating." Wrinkling his nose in frustration, he took one long, deep breath.

Quietly, he approached the log. Taking his time to retrieve his tools as his mind raced. Work had been fairly taxing lately. His 'true' work. Often done under cover of darkness. Usually resulting in violence. It had begun to take a toll on his both his teaching duties and his mental health. He was more tired than normal. More critical. Irritable. 

Compounded by the fact that he was physically unable to talk about any of it. Not even to family. The most he could manage were vagaries and half-truths. Deception came with the job... but lying to his siblings still felt wrong.

It was something he would have to learn to live with. For the foreseeable future at least. Having pulled his shuriken free, he took his time resetting his position. Glancing down to the three stars clutched between his fingers, then back to the log. Gauging the distance between. Predicting their trajectory. Dark eyes settled, then narrowed on his target...

In one fluid motion he reeled back and let them fly. Slicing through the air the sink once more towards his wooden foe. Thunk, thunk thunk. Mere centimeters apart from one another. Better than before... but— "Not good enough."

---

[Uchiha, Kai]

"I don't know, those seemed like good groupings." A voice came from behind, and with it, a male. He leaned on a nearby tree, clad in heavy armor with thick weights under it. More weight training, so it seemed. He adjusted his gear a bit, before stepping forward, looking at the Shuriken.

"Better than me." He complimented with a smile. He didn't know this man well, but he at least knew enough to know he was a fellow Uchiha- And with that came a certain extra level of knowledge that was important for them. Accuracy was obviously a key note, a Uchiha past time if you will, and pulling out three shuriken of his own, he crouched down, spread them out, calculated, and...

Twang twang twang. He was off even further than Izusa, as he let out a smirk and a sigh.

"See?"

[Uchiha Izusa]

In order not to repeat

---

Thoughts of mediocrity were interrupted by a voice, its source earning a sharp, narrowed gaze at first. "Ah." The young man's face relaxed upon seeing who it was. "If it isn't a cousin of mine." Distantly related, but still related.

Enough to bring a bit of a smile to his weary face. Watching with mild curiosity as the younger Uchiha spoke, his dark eyes followed the thrown shuriken. Narrowing as they struck. "Thanks." Still impressive— but the boy was right. Not quite as accurate as his. "That was still a good showing." He said with a nod, walking to retrieve their tools. It didn't take long to pry them loose, and he made his way towards Kai afterwards. "Aiming in armor's always tricky."

He extended a hand to hand the youth back his shuriken. Returning to his original position and once again narrowing his eyes on his wooden target. "What brings you out this way, Kai-kun?" A question, followed by another swift volley. Tighter still, but not to his liking. Izusa pursed his lips, frowning for only a second before shooting a quick glance to the younger Uchiha. "Training?" Judging from the heft of all that armor, it was fair assumption. And this was a training grounds after all. Returning his gaze to the target, his brow furrowed. Only for him to swipe a kunai from his thigh holster. "And how—" A flash of his arm. The knife slicing through the air to strike inside the middle circle of one of his shuriken. Pinning it firmly in place. "...have your missions been going?" A smirk.

Finally... a shot he was somewhat satisfied with. As an instructor, he had access to files on many of the villages up-and-coming talent. It was his day job to keep tabs on them. So naturally he had heard a bit about the boy. His nightly duties also involved a certain level of appraisal... but not for teaching purposes. Izusa moved to gather his tools again.

Waiting for a reply as he pulled them free and examined their edges. At this rate they would dull. But such was the price of training. Izusa returned his kunai to its holster and two shuriken to their pouch. Idly spinning the remaining one on his finger as he waited for Kai's reply. If he was here to train, a partner might make things more beneficial.

---

[Uchiha, Kai]

Related indeed. Kai could feel that sharp gaze hit him, which he didn't quite respond too. He knew his cousins were a little jumpy. It was in their nature. And the smile certainly made it better, as his eyes drifted over the Chuunin's form.

"It's my secondary mastery, behind Ninjutsu." He explained, although the instructor already knew that. "It'd be disappointing if I failed." In his secondary specialization, in a way. And he was right about the armor- The bulky set was weighing him down quite a bit, making it incredibly difficult to hit those shots.

"I will practice until it is like I was wearing none." He calmly stated. There was a bonus to that as well- When he wasn't in his armor, it meant he'd be slightly faster as well. Something to keep in mind, later down the line, as he moved forward and took a few of the stars out.

"A lot of training..." Kai then explained, as he glanced up, thinking on what Izusa asked.

"My missions have gone fine. I wish I could say more, but..." The nature of most missions that were actually important enough to be worth speaking on were on a need-to-know basis, as it were. And it wasn't like Kai knew just how far up the chain Izusa really was, in that manner.

Still, he returning to standing next to him, arms crossed. Dangerous missions. Kai went on a lot of dangerous missions- If the man had access to files, he'd know as much- Almost as if he was chasing danger like some sort of adrenaline junkie.

Yet, a glance at his form, his body, his stature- It all but showed the opposite. If there was a reason for it, it would need to be asked about, though one could possibly pull from his history.

"Need some help?" He asked, smiling softly. It was as good of a way to help as any- After all, if they both trained, they would learn at twice the normal rate. Probably.

[Uchiha Izusa]

Errors of the past

---

As he listened to the younger Uchiha speak, he nodded and even chuckled. "I know what you mean." He said, glancing to the target for a moment. "With the value our clan places on shurikenjutsu... we have to stay up to snuff."

Many times he had similar thoughts. Feeling of disappointment and doubt in his own abilities. It was why he was pushing himself so hard now. And what made him his own worst critic. "Weight training, huh?" Izusa asked, giving an approving nod at the genin's armor. "A tried and true method." It'd make him faster. Stronger. A fruitful endeavor.

Kai went on to say that he'd been training plenty himself. As he wisely avoiding disclosure of the nature of his missions, a wry smirk crossed the instructor's face. "...but discretion is key. Good on you, Kai-kun." A slight tinge of pride. Not one to brag about the nature of his duties, a bit of humility... it seemed Kai was turning out to be a fine shinobi. Of course that didn't exactly equate to well-being. But he hoped for that too. "How've you been otherwise?"

Instructors weren't exactly therapists... but the role did allow him some experience in counseling. Aside from that he cared about those he taught. And of course family. Izusa would continue to idly spin the lone shuriken on his index finger as he waited for a response. A thought entering his mind as Kai extended an invitation for help. Smart.

Training always worked better with a partner. "You read my mind." He said with a smile, glancing to the star on his finger. Both of them were Uchiha. Both skilled in shurikenjutsu. He had just the technique to capitalize on both.

But first? Something to gauge where Kai was at. "Let's see your Gōkakyū no Jutsu." A request, gesturing to the nearby river. Fire was dangerous after all so best to perform such techniques over water. Izusa began to walk, his ever watchful dark eyes falling on the younger Uchiha's face as he neared the riverbank. "I know a technique that's a bit more advanced... and you might just be ready for it." Teaching might be just the thing he needed to take his mind off of his own lack of improvement. And the frustrations that came with his nightly work. "Up for the challenge?"

---

[Uchiha, Kai]

A soft laugh, and a smirk. There was a truth to his thoughts- Instructors were great counseling, and the care his teacher put in him was enough to warm his heart and make him really feel wanted.

"Mrm... Okay, I suppose." He pondered on what to say next, thinking back on his experiences recently. "I met a very kind girl from Kusagakure. I want to date her." He dropped that line as if it were an afternoon soda, tilting his head off to the side. Want to date... No, no, he WAS dating her, at this point.

"Well. I am dating her, actually." He shook his head, as he glanced forward at the range, hearing him request their clan technique was something that got him worked up and ready, as he cracked his knuckles softly as he walked alongside the instructor.

"Always ready to learn." Lazy. People often called Kai lazy, but there was nothing to say he wasn't unmotivated. Perhaps, before his accident, he was a bit more uncouth, but now- He had people to impress. Reasons to push himself. Working smarter, not harder, only counted if you didn't have a reason to do both.

"I think my sister might be jealous of me." He added, but before he could explain further, not that he seemed like he was going to, he'd begin the careful, yet quick set of seals for the Fireball jutsu. He'd practiced it a hundred times before, he'd practice it a thousand times more. Either way, taking a deep breath, and with a very precise measure of his Chakra...

A roaring flame was released from his lips, the torrent of flame crashing against the water, just barely licking the grass on the other side- But not lighting it- Showing once again the measure of his Chakra Control, measuring the exact amount of effort he had to put into a jutsu to not be wasteful and not do unneeded damage.

It was funny though, because in actual combat, he was a bit of a show off, going a bit harder then usual, dangerously letting flames lick his legs- He enjoyed causing panic in his opponents. Keeping them on their toes. So showing off this more perfect control was really just to show one of his teachers that he was skilled in Katon- His Ninjutsu was his primary mastery after all, and it showed.

As the fire died down, he continued his line of thought. "Whenever I practice with my Sharingan, she looks at me with disdain. Like I'm undeserving." He calmly explained. There was some truth to it. His sister was a Chuunin, and a few years older than Kai, but had yet to unlock her Sharingan. She was always the 'prodigal' child and he was always the lazy bum, so for him to succeed where she was failing, in any sense of the word, was an easy way to form sibling jealousy. Not that Kai really understood that. Every time he activated his Sharingan, he only saw the screams of his teammates in his head- A scar that was far deeper than the wound on his chest could ever cut.

[Uchiha Izusa]

Across the river

---

Talk of dating caused him to raise a questioning eyebrow. "A girlfriend, huh?" He asked, smiling softly. Good news to be certain. "Good for you, cousin. Nothing's promised in this life so... cherish that." It was the truth as he saw it.

Shinobi didn't typically have the highest life-expectancies, and Kai already knew that anything could happen while out on a mission. Like him, he too lost comrades at a young age. The same catalyst for the awakening of their clan's dōjutsu that he had. Many called their eyes a blessing... but he'd always thought it a curse. The price was too steep.

Vision at the expense of loved ones. Like some deity above had played a cruel joke on their entire clan. Izusa watched intently as the boy took on his request, nodding at him in approval as he approached the riverbed. Mention of a jealous sister made his smile waver for a moment, and he decided to wait until after to respond. So as not to distract.

Dark eyes followed the boy's hand movements, watching as he ran through the necessary seals and molded his chakra adeptly. A great gout of flame was expelled from his lips, and Izusa could feel the heat even from a distance.

Good. As with anything it could always use improvement... but it was sufficient. "Decent flame, no cracked or burnt lips— excellent work, Kai-kun." He said, quieting down as the younger Uchiha explained more about his sister. Envy could be a powerful motivator... so Izusa hoped it was as simple as that. "It's a rare trait, even amongst the clan." The instructor began, his gaze falling out to the flowing water. "My father, older brother, and I had the luck to be born with the ability to awaken ours. But my younger siblings most likely don't have the Sharingan." Gaze shifting to the singed grass, his eyes narrowed. Memories of Matsura and Tatami both complaining about their lack of dōjutsu coming to mind. It was foolish. "They look at us the same way at times... I think many who envy these eyes of ours only do because they don't know the cost that comes with it." Death. Suffering. An intense, burning hatred.

Izusa's was focused inward at himself... but others were not so fortunate. "Give her time. Maybe try speaking to her about the downsides of our Kekkei Genkai. I'm sure she'll come around." He could only hope. The last thing anyone needed were Uchiha at each other's throats. And that went for his younger siblings as well. If only he had the time...

Shaking his head, he returned to the present. They were supposed to be training. "Now, then." He began, moving to collect the dummy from earlier that they had been using for target practice. "This technique combines both shurikenjutsu and our clan's talent for Katon." Isolating some chakra to the soles of his feet, he carried the log across the running water's surface. Only to set it down in the shallows on the other side of the river. After that, he returned to where Kai stood. "You'll need good aim, speed, and plenty of dexterity to pull it off." Slipping the shuriken from off of his index, he shuffled it between his fingers before returning it to his hip pouch. "Watch my hand seals carefully and mimic my movements to start." His fingers moved. Ne → Tora → Inu → Ushi → U → Tora.

Slow enough to follow, but still fast enough to seem an actual application of the technique. Izusa's right hand swiped three shuriken from his hip pouch, the first two fingers on his left arching to form a tunnel for his chakra. Inhaling, he molded a fair amount of superheated chakra in his lungs. And as he tossed he breathed three separate small fireballs onto each shuriken, latching onto them and causing them to burn white-hot as they shot across the river.

Hurtling towards the dummy like miniature comets of flame. Upon impact, they embedded themselves within the wood and scorched the surface black. Blazing bright despite stopping. "The Katon: Hōsenka Tsumaben." He said.

Clearing his throat as he stood up straight. It was a tricky technique to get right, but he had faith. "Give it a try."

---

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Katon: Hōsenka Tsumaben [Fire Style: Art of the Phoenix Flower]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Katon
DESCRIPTION:
After six handseals, the user unleashes a volley of shuriken with one hand, and at the same time, exhales fire-infused chakra onto them in order to increase the weapons' destructive potential by making them capable of inflicting severe burns upon direct contact with either the intended victim, or any other object caught within their trajectories.

Due to the chakra-based nature of the flames that surround them, the shuriken will continue to burn after impact, regardless of the flammability of the object that they ultimately collide with.


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

JISEISHIN - ENHANCED CHAKRA CONTROL

"Self control." Possessing only average chakra reserves, Izusa learned early on to keep his energy expenditure minimal. Using only the required amount of chakra and nothing more to perform his jutsu. This allows him to not only ration out his chakra more efficiently, but to remain active in battle for longer periods of time without tiring. Restraint is vital to any ninja.

SHARINGAN - KKG

Wielder of his clan's legendary dōjutsu, the Sharingan gives Izusa incredible sensory awareness. Color springs to life in vivid hues and his clarity is enhanced, making even chakra visible to his red eyes. Still incomplete since its awakening, it requires further improvement. As his one tomoe spins, his eyes allow him to perceive his opponent to an enhanced degree and follow their movements with more ease. Understanding firsthand the great cost that comes with furthering one's Sharingan, Izusa is in no rush to develop it soon. Instead utilizing it only when necessary and treating his Kekkei Genkai like any other skill. Notably, his dominant right eye has a tendency to activate first on its own when his emotions rise.

ONKOCHISHIN - INTELLIGENCE

"Review past, know future." An avid reader for as long as he can remember, Izusa is ever thoughtful. Scrolls on poetry, life, war, tactics, human nature— all providing him keen insight into others. Making him an experienced tactician. Applying this to his shinobi training, his sharp mind allows him to read situations and opponents expertly. Concocting masterful plans even in the midst of combat to compensate for his own shortcomings and capitalize on weaknesses in their defenses.

[Uchiha, Kai]

A curse. A blessing. In Kai's eyes, it really wasn't either. A curse would imply they had to lose- That was simply not true, and to lose things in life was natural- Nothing was infinite. But to call them a blessing, considering that the only way their potential came to be was through great pain and loss- That'd be a lie as well. No, it was somewhere in between, in his mind.

Loss and gain... Not many could say they gained something from loss in the first place, but the Uchiha came with the unfortunate added point of being far more emotionally attached to those they cared about- Making the pain of said loss even greater.

Not something to think about though, as he watched his flames dissipate, and his elder give him compliments. Could Kai say he was really proud of how far he'd come? ... He wasn't really sure. In truth, there were still some days he woke up and wished he were the one who died, not his comrades. Living on for someone elses sake... It was a heavy weight. Far heavier then the weights he trained with.

But for now, eyes focused on his companions line of seals, their dexterity, and of course, the tool they were using. Katon and shurikenjutsu... Quite the powerful combination. But Kai had to wonder of the true utility of this technique, as it flew forward and slammed into the dummy, lighting it ablaze.

It took a moment for it to settle in, but he realized that it was likely not very taxing on ones chakra reserves. So, comitting it to memory, he began to repeat the seals to himself. It was a crude replication, but it held a strength to it.

Of course, he wasn't going to get it on his first try, and despite the appropriate amount of chakra being condensed for the jutsu, he missed the window of opportunity- And his set of Shuriken were sent flying over the water, sans the fire.

"Hrm... I see. And... Yes. I know." He nodded. To which comment? It was unclear.

"I'll talk to her, I suppose." He shook his head for a moment. "It probably won't change anything." He pulled out another set of Shuriken, intent on practicing it again.

"She was meant to be perfect. I was meant to fail. It's simply how our parents saw us." He said it with a neutral tone in his voice, as if it didn't bother him. It bothered him a little. But not enough for him to worry too much about it. He was more worried, in the moment, about his sisters feelings.

[Uchiha Izusa]

Flames of envy grow and burn

---

Just as he had expected, Kai's eyes were keen.

Emulating his hand seals with little trouble, molding the prerequisite amount of chakra— but the trick of the Hōsenka Tsumaben lied in the timing. Sleight of hand was difficult, especially in the heat of combat. It took practice.

Something he was sure his cousin was aware of and had the work ethic to acheive. Watching his first attempt, Izusa nodded encouragingly. "That's about how my first attempt went too." He said, a smile flashing across his face. "Try starting with one shuriken first. Once you're able to breathe fire onto it during your throw add another." Slow.

Steady. To him, it was the only way to train. Like Kai, Izusa was never much of a prodigy either. All of his skill took years of training and dedication to acheive. And still... he could not best his older brother. Always one step ahead of him at every turn, better in taijutsu, ninjutsu, genjutsu, and shurikenjutsu. A fact that could have easily led to a similar sort of resentment that Kai's sister seemed to have. Luckily he had enough foresight to see the futility in it.

Izusa could only hope that she would too. "Talking is always a good place to start, cousin. A gesture of good will can go a long way." 'Can' being the operative word there. He only knew as much about Kai's situation as the younger Uchiha was willing to tell him, so it was quite possible that his sister was unreasonable. Still... family was family. Best to try to mend divisions before writing them off. "Jealousy is a poisonous tree." Izusa said softly, turning his gaze once more to the dummy. Flames licking at the wooden target and charring it black. "If left to grow unpruned..." Trailed words as he simply shook his head. It didn't need saying out loud. Their clan was known for their powerful emotions.

Envy could only lead to bad things... some of which had surely already happened in their family's history. Among siblings, parents, and cousins. Darker things best not dwelled upon. "Expectations like that can easily foment hatred... and unfortunately are the norm for many clans." Not only the Uchiha, though they did have a knack for placing unrealistic standards on their children. His own father included. "Still, many of our number have become excellent shinobi even without the Sharingan. Something for her to consider, maybe?" In the end, it would be up to Kai to try and mend that bridge. If he even chose to do so. Izusa could only offer guidance and insight. While lacking context...

...it was clear from his tone that he was familiar with this sort of thing. Personal experience, most likely. "In any case, want to give it another go?" Some more training to take his mind off things, though of course he was more than happy to continue should Kai wish. Family strife was a sensitive subject. He would not press. But he could advise.

No matter how distant he or any of his relatives were, he cared for them all. Just as he cared for his students. If there was even a chance that he could help he would always do so. And if he couldn't... he would at least be there to assist in picking up the pieces. "One shuriken, one fireball." He said with a nod. "Mold your chakra, throw, breathe."

Dark eyes continued to watch closely, interested to see how quick Kai was on the uptake.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
N/A

SPECIAL ABILITIES:

JISEISHIN - ENHANCED CHAKRA CONTROL

"Self control." Possessing only average chakra reserves, Izusa learned early on to keep his energy expenditure minimal. Using only the required amount of chakra and nothing more to perform his jutsu. This allows him to not only ration out his chakra more efficiently, but to remain active in battle for longer periods of time without tiring. Restraint is vital to any ninja.

SHARINGAN - KKG

Wielder of his clan's legendary dōjutsu, the Sharingan gives Izusa incredible sensory awareness. Color springs to life in vivid hues and his clarity is enhanced, making even chakra visible to his red eyes. Still incomplete since its awakening, it requires further improvement. As his one tomoe spins, his eyes allow him to perceive his opponent to an enhanced degree and follow their movements with more ease. Understanding firsthand the great cost that comes with furthering one's Sharingan, Izusa is in no rush to develop it soon. Instead utilizing it only when necessary and treating his Kekkei Genkai like any other skill. Notably, his dominant right eye has a tendency to activate first on its own when his emotions rise.

ONKOCHISHIN - INTELLIGENCE

"Review past, know future." An avid reader for as long as he can remember, Izusa is ever thoughtful. Scrolls on poetry, life, war, tactics, human nature— all providing him keen insight into others. Making him an experienced tactician. Applying this to his shinobi training, his sharp mind allows him to read situations and opponents expertly. Concocting masterful plans even in the midst of combat to compensate for his own shortcomings and capitalize on weaknesses in their defenses.

[Uchiha, Kai]

Kai chuckled as he looked down at the Shuriken in his hand, gently tossing it in the air before expertly catching it again. It'd be a lot more impressive if he didn't have his Sharingan activated, but still. It was a cool trick.

"Mrm... I'll speak. But keep my head low." He explained as he drew the Shuriken back, crouching down as he kept his eye on the prize. There was a lot of truth to Izusa's statement, especially on the jealousy front. Kai would prefer not to take any more verbal beatdowns, or physical beatdowns from his sister. But he was right about one thing, even if he didn't say it out loud.

Family was a complicated thing. Families were complicated. There was a certain level of respect Kai still had for his family, even if he absolutely hated their guts. You don't get to choose who your family is, in his eyes. They are there, with you, love it or hate it. And that meant looking out for them, even if they didn't look out for you.

"Who knows. Maybe she'll awaken her own one day." He tossed the shuriken in the air, forming the seals in quick succession once again, before he caught it, spun, and flung the Shuriken forward, fire atop it.

Tragically, it only made it around halfway across the river before it sputtered off and fell, hardly the intended result. Even with his level of Chakra control and abilities, there was still a certain truth to the situation- He was a genin, and skills of that level required more than just a little work.

"If I practice it enough, I should get it down." He said, standing up, no disappointment in his voice. He was understanding of his limitations, as he turned towards his teacher.

"Would you like to help me with another technique I've been practicing? I haven't shown anyone yet- But it's taken the better half of three months to figure it out." He calmly explained. He almost had it. Almost.

[Uchiha Izusa]

Consuming us all

---

Hearing the younger Uchiha's words, the instructor could only nod.

Keeping one's head down was always smart and he was certain there were dynamics at play here that he wasn't completely privy to. Hopefully Kai would know best how to proceed and he didn't seem like the type to instigate.

Izusa wished nothing but the best for his situation... but only time would tell if it'd work out. Another nod as the boy spoke of Sharingan. "It's possible." He said, flashing another smile. "That'd probably get her off your back." An awakening of her own could certainly have an effect on some of that jealousy she was harboring. And yet...

He had no idea of the actual likelihood. Most of the wielders of their clan's dōjutsu that he knew first unlocked its power at a young age under immense stress. Late bloomers were a possibility... but he didn't know how likely it was.

Still, he didn't want to throw cold water on the idea so he kept his thoughts to himself. Instead watching Kai's attempts at the Hōsenka carefully. Closer the second time around— but not on target. "I agree." Izusa said with an approving nod. "Now that you know the seals and the concept, you'll get it with time." Kai was sharp. And clearly a hard worker despite what his demeanor showed or how others thought of him. A rising talent to watch for sure.

One technique in the process of being learned... and another suggested. "Another technique? Of course." Izusa said, curiosity plain as day on his face. "I'm here to help... now what's this ougi you have in the pocket?" A joking smirk crossed his face as he spoke. It might not've been a true secret technique, but three months was a fair bit of time.

Needless to say, he was interested. And ready to assist however he could.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
N/A

SPECIAL ABILITIES:

JISEISHIN - ENHANCED CHAKRA CONTROL

"Self control." Possessing only average chakra reserves, Izusa learned early on to keep his energy expenditure minimal. Using only the required amount of chakra and nothing more to perform his jutsu. This allows him to not only ration out his chakra more efficiently, but to remain active in battle for longer periods of time without tiring. Restraint is vital to any ninja.

SHARINGAN - KKG

Wielder of his clan's legendary dōjutsu, the Sharingan gives Izusa incredible sensory awareness. Color springs to life in vivid hues and his clarity is enhanced, making even chakra visible to his red eyes. Still incomplete since its awakening, it requires further improvement. As his one tomoe spins, his eyes allow him to perceive his opponent to an enhanced degree and follow their movements with more ease. Understanding firsthand the great cost that comes with furthering one's Sharingan, Izusa is in no rush to develop it soon. Instead utilizing it only when necessary and treating his Kekkei Genkai like any other skill. Notably, his dominant right eye has a tendency to activate first on its own when his emotions rise.

ONKOCHISHIN - INTELLIGENCE

"Review past, know future." An avid reader for as long as he can remember, Izusa is ever thoughtful. Scrolls on poetry, life, war, tactics, human nature— all providing him keen insight into others. Making him an experienced tactician. Applying this to his shinobi training, his sharp mind allows him to read situations and opponents expertly. Concocting masterful plans even in the midst of combat to compensate for his own shortcomings and capitalize on weaknesses in their defenses.

[Uchiha, Kai]

For now, he discarded the thoughts of the technique and his sister, as he turned towards the male. He unsheathed his massive glaive, showing it forward as he concentrated on it.

"It's not exactly an uncommon technique, but... It took me a while to master it." Specifically, due to his level of skill- Being a Genin meant that techniques of the B-Rank, like this one, were very difficult to learn and master.

Still, with a deep breath, fire would blaze to life across his weapon, the Dragon's Bite glowing red hot with katon chakra flow.

"With this Chakra flow, I can finally utilize the true nature of my weapon." He explained, as he swung the weapon in an arc towards the river. Following with it, however, was something a bit more surprising. Instead of it simply being a katon enhanced swing, it created almost an extended weapon of pure fire, which crashed into the water with such stunning power it threw it high in the air, as he nearly lost his grip on his weapon in the process.

"I can... Use my weapon to attack opponents further away than my reach, as a surprise. But... It's hard. Even now, I'm still not sure if I'm molding my chakra right- It's really hard to control..." He said, not quite understanding the finer details of chakra flow. Without a proper teacher, it wasn't exactly something you could easily learn on your own, and he didn't know of anyone to help him in the village, so he'd done most of it himself.

[Uchiha Izusa]

Like a current flows

---

Watching with a discerning gaze, his dark eyes squinted as the younger Uchiha drew his glaive and began to demonstrate the progress he'd made so far. "Ah... I've seen this before." He quietly said with a nod.

Chakra flow was a difficult thing to get the hang of especially for genin. But Kai seemed determined and he had already shown himself a rather quick study. If the Hōsenka was on the back burner for now he could at least assist in this endeavor. He continued to watch as the boy reeled back and swung, flames on the edge of his blade extending.

Sputtering and crackling as they connected with the river, sending water splashing and kicking up a good bit of steam in the process. "A glaive with some added Katon reach would be useful." Izusa mused to himself, placing a finger to his chin in thought. From what he'd seen Kai seemed able to channel his chakra properly, but the control aspect was a bit lacking. "I can help with this." Reaching behind his waist, he swiped a lone shuriken from his pouch.

Lacking the larger reserves of some shinobi meant that he had to make up for it in other ways. Izusa took the star between two fingers and held it up so Kai could see. "The Hōsenka uses the same principle, just more advanced." He said, allowing some of his own chakra to flow into the star. Not superheated like Kai's had been, but instead having a faint blue glow. Subtle, but steady. "Chakra flow can be tricky. It might sound a little counter-intuitive for fire but... I like to imagine parallel rivers. One flowing in, the other out." Izusa moved his hand closer so that the younger Uchiha could see more closely. It was a lucky thing that their dōjutsu allowed them to see. "Pay attention to the way the 'current' goes. Into the weapon, along its edge, around, and back into your hand." With his Sharingan active Kai would be able to perceive the flow of his chakra. Its pathing along the shuriken, the way it remained constant at all times, and how it flowed back into his thumb. "Its important to keep the flow steady and even at all times. You already have the nature transformation aspect down, so just focus on your control." A small nod followed his words.

Izusa took a moment to glance at the boy, keeping his chakra stable the entire time. This sort of thing took time, but the younger Uchiha was already further along than most. "Forming half of a Hitsuji seal with your free hand could help to regulate your chakra. At least until you get a better grasp on it." With his left hand, the instructor extended his first two fingers. A seal commonly used in the activation of Ninjutsu. His flow was already relatively stable, so it didn't change it much. But for Kai it could be a valuable learning tool. "Give it another try. Take your time."

---

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
N/A

SPECIAL ABILITIES:

JISEISHIN - ENHANCED CHAKRA CONTROL

"Self control." Possessing only average chakra reserves, Izusa learned early on to keep his energy expenditure minimal. Using only the required amount of chakra and nothing more to perform his jutsu. This allows him to not only ration out his chakra more efficiently, but to remain active in battle for longer periods of time without tiring. Restraint is vital to any ninja.

SHARINGAN - KKG

Wielder of his clan's legendary dōjutsu, the Sharingan gives Izusa incredible sensory awareness. Color springs to life in vivid hues and his clarity is enhanced, making even chakra visible to his red eyes. Still incomplete since its awakening, it requires further improvement. As his one tomoe spins, his eyes allow him to perceive his opponent to an enhanced degree and follow their movements with more ease. Understanding firsthand the great cost that comes with furthering one's Sharingan, Izusa is in no rush to develop it soon. Instead utilizing it only when necessary and treating his Kekkei Genkai like any other skill. Notably, his dominant right eye has a tendency to activate first on its own when his emotions rise.

ONKOCHISHIN - INTELLIGENCE

"Review past, know future." An avid reader for as long as he can remember, Izusa is ever thoughtful. Scrolls on poetry, life, war, tactics, human nature— all providing him keen insight into others. Making him an experienced tactician. Applying this to his shinobi training, his sharp mind allows him to read situations and opponents expertly. Concocting masterful plans even in the midst of combat to compensate for his own shortcomings and capitalize on weaknesses in their defenses.

[Uchiha, Kai]

While Kai had a grasp on chakra control- His mastery was not on the level of a chuunin or jounin yet. No, it was far more still that of the level of an advanced Genin, and as much as he could say it was a specialty of his to have such a powerful control over his chakra, one could also argue that he was not a master of it.

So, when he received the advice to perform a Hitsuji seal alongside his weapon, he nodded firmly and prepared himself. He wasn't going to expend a bunch of Chakra to attempt the same attack twice- That didn't really do anything for him. Instead he'd practice what he could with the Chakra he had, forming as his Sensei spoke to him.

With this, he let the chakra flow like a gentle river into the steel. Izusa could see it, of course- Above the level of Sharingan, it was very easy to tell that there was a lot of effort put into this weapon- It was extremely well crafted, and took to chakra like a knife to butter, as it slowly extended the blades edge in flames.

He spoke, finally, when he had it under control. "The idea... Behind my fighting style, is slow, but powerful attacks. My opponent will be able to see them coming, this is true- It's a large weapon, after all- But... They will be constant, and defensive as they are offensive. A lack of openings created by a strong weaving stance- With powerful attacks that build distance between myself and an opponent." He verbosely explained his fighting style, as he slowly let the Chakra flow out of his weapon, taking a sigh as he looked over.

"That... Felt a lot better. How long should I hold the seal? I doubt I can do that while I'm, say, fighting." He smiled.

[Uchiha Izusa]

So to, does chakra ripple

---

Taking a long, deep breath Izusa closed his eyes for a moment. Heat bloomed behind his eyes as he funneled a negligible amount of chakra to the nerves there... and when he opened them his irises had gone red.

A single tomoe spinning slowly in each eye, his Sharingan focused on Kai's weapon as he studied the boy's molding of chakra. Like this, he'd be able to perceive exactly where the hang-up was occurring. Normally he didn't like to rely on his eyes unless absolutely necessary but in this case? It would aid in the younger Uchiha's development.

Nothing wrong with using what you have, he supposed. "I see." Izusa spoke, glancing to Kai with a smile as the boy explained the concept behind his fighting style. "I prefer speed myself, but with your weapon that approach makes a lot of sense." There were many ways to do battle. A more defensive posture was just as valid as a swift offense, and of course they weren't mutually exclusive. "For a glaive, making full use of your superior range will have to be a priority. Keep them away and don't let them get close." Kai would certainly know better than him about this from having actually used the thing. If he had to work up close, Izusa preferred shorter blades. Quick and controllable.

But polearms were some of the most effective weapons around for a reason. "Luckily with your eyes you'll be able to find those openings in an opponent's guard." He nodded in approval as he watched. "Very well thought-out, cousin."

More and more he was finding himself impressed with the younger members of his clan. Lots of potential and a promising lack of foolishness. If only he could say the same for his older clansmen. Using the half seal like he'd suggested seemed to stabilize the boy's flow of chakra, resulting in a much more consistent flame. "Excellent."

Glancing up from the well-made weapon, he met the boy's smile with his own. "Hold it until you feel you have a grasp on the direction the chakra needs to go. Once you do, try again without." Izusa paused, thinking back to another example that might give the younger Uchiha some perspective. "You know the Kinobori no Waza and the Suimen Hokou no Waza, yeah? Think back to your practice with those." The instructor glanced to his own shuriken, keeping his own half seal steady for a time before lowering his two fingers. Chakra still glowing subtly on its edges.

It took effort and concentration, but with enough practice... "The idea is to make your flow as natural as breathing."

---

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
N/A

SPECIAL ABILITIES:

JISEISHIN - ENHANCED CHAKRA CONTROL

"Self control." Possessing only average chakra reserves, Izusa learned early on to keep his energy expenditure minimal. Using only the required amount of chakra and nothing more to perform his jutsu. This allows him to not only ration out his chakra more efficiently, but to remain active in battle for longer periods of time without tiring. Restraint is vital to any ninja.

SHARINGAN - KKG

Wielder of his clan's legendary dōjutsu, the Sharingan gives Izusa incredible sensory awareness. Color springs to life in vivid hues and his clarity is enhanced, making even chakra visible to his red eyes. Still incomplete since its awakening, it requires further improvement. As his one tomoe spins, his eyes allow him to perceive his opponent to an enhanced degree and follow their movements with more ease. Understanding firsthand the great cost that comes with furthering one's Sharingan, Izusa is in no rush to develop it soon. Instead utilizing it only when necessary and treating his Kekkei Genkai like any other skill. Notably, his dominant right eye has a tendency to activate first on its own when his emotions rise.

ONKOCHISHIN - INTELLIGENCE

"Review past, know future." An avid reader for as long as he can remember, Izusa is ever thoughtful. Scrolls on poetry, life, war, tactics, human nature— all providing him keen insight into others. Making him an experienced tactician. Applying this to his shinobi training, his sharp mind allows him to read situations and opponents expertly. Concocting masterful plans even in the midst of combat to compensate for his own shortcomings and capitalize on weaknesses in their defenses.