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."
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.