[Honō Mako]

Mako stood at the threshold of the Honō clan's training ground for what felt like the millionth time. The early morning painted the landscape with its golden strokes and tenderly kissed Mako's face as he found himself immersed in an all-to-familiar ritual. In a practiced motion, the young shinobi adjusted the long, flowing purple scarf around his neck as he released a long drawn out yawn.

Today marked a pivotal moment as he was set to embark on a new chapter of training under the guidance of his uncle, the esteemed Honō Yoshitaka, known far and wide as the Dragon of the Grasses. Mako couldn't help but hold a hopeful wish that this mentorship would prove more fruitful than the encounters he’d had with previous trainers who, more often than not, ended up singed by the unique properties of his blue lava.

The azure magma that Mako wielded was a unique and potent manifestation of his kekkei genkai, setting him apart from his fellow clan members, and in the grand scheme of things he found himself a bit behind due to the many mishaps that had marred his journey. The scorching heat of his lava surpassed the typical intensity of the clan's techniques, making each training session a hazardous endeavor, especially for the unprepared.

Amidst the challenges, Mako's mother was a steadfast pillar of support. Recognizing the struggles her son faced in finding a suitable teacher, she reached out to the clan personally, seeking a mentor with the necessary experience. Thankfully, Mako's uncle, Yoshitaka, had expressed genuine interest in taking on the task.

Choosing a spot at the heart of the training ground, Mako settled down, cross-legged, and absorbed the tranquility of the morning. The dew-laden grass exuded a fresh fragrance, and the distant melodies of birds added a soothing layer to the atmosphere. Anticipation swirled within him as he awaited the arrival of his uncle.

As the minutes ticked by, Mako's thoughts drifted to the legendary tales surrounding Honō Yoshitaka. The Dragon of the Grasses was not merely a skilled shinobi but a master in manipulating intense and destructive lava. A tinge of nervousness fluttered within Mako, yet fatigue also crept in, evident as he failed to stifle yet another yawn.

Given that he wasn’t all too familiar with his uncle, Mako chose patience as his companion as he waited, his gaze wandering occasionally whenever a sound caught his attention—though, initially, it was nothing more than the rustle caused by a stiff breeze.



Honō Yoshitaka  

[Honō Yoshitaka]

Honō Yoshitaka

Having settled back into Kusa at last, put most of his affairs in order, Yoshitaka had put aside some time to assist a clansman in their training. As one of the elder Yoton users of the clan, he was well aware of all who had developed the clan's Kekkai Genkai, and young Mako was a particularly notable one for his unnaturally intense lava. Unfortunately Yoshitaka had spent much of Mako's life out of Kusagakure, and so his advice had primarily come to the boy via sporadic letters sent by pigeon or courier, but now that he was settled more permanently in Kusa Mako's mother, Mei, had been... rather insistant that he help out in a more active role.

Not that he had an issue with it, he'd just needed to shift some priorities around. 

Yoshitaka arrived at the training ground without his usual subterfuge and attempts at trickery, they were working with lava today and it wasn't the time for those sorts of games. The man was clad in his full armour, knowing that he would need it, and as he entered the training grounds he placed a first aid kit in the protective alcove in case they needed it. Injuries weren't intended in this session, but when working with lava... well, you couldn't be too careful.

For a moment he took in the desolate grounds, noticing areas of volcanic rock that he remembered making in his own youth when training, while other chunks of glassy and porous material were new, signs of the clan members training since his last time here. Instantly spotting the bright spot in the center of the training ground, he made his way over to the younger Honō, arms casually folded behind his back.

"Good morning Mako-kun, you've gotten bigger since I last saw you, or maybe I shrank hahaha," he chuckled, a smile on his face as he offered Mako a hand up, "I suppose it is time for some long overdue training, isn't it? Is there anything in particular that is giving you trouble, or is it just that you haven't had the chance to properly stretch your wings?" 

Yoton was deadly, and if Yoshitaka stopped to think about the people he had turned it against, their agony and horror... it was enough to give the unprepared mind nightmares. Especially the thought of turning such power against those you cared about. It wouldn't surprising him one bit if Mako hadn't really had a chance to truly test his ability in a safe(ish) environment.

Word Count: 420
Training: 1/7
Tags: Honō Mako

[Honō Mako]

Mako sat amidst the scorched earth of the training ground, the area around him bearing the scorch marks, very few of which actually belonged to him. His blue-hot, molten substance had always been a point of fascination and danger within the Honō clan. It burned with a ferocity that made it nearly impossible to tame, let alone practice with. He had received sporadic advice and guidance from his uncle, Yoshitaka, but most of his learning had been a solitary journey fraught with failures and accidents.

Today was different, though. His uncle had returned to Kusagakure, and his mother, Mei, had been quite insistent that Yoshitaka take a more active role in Mako's training. The young Honō felt a mixture of anticipation and anxiety as he waited for his uncle's arrival. He knew that his uncle's experience and wisdom were invaluable, but he also feared what the day might bring.

When Yoshitaka finally appeared, Mako couldn't help but feel a surge of relief and excitement. His uncle's presence was reassuring, maybe it meant that he’d finally have someone to teach him some of the larger more destructive stuff. Yoshitaka's cheerful greeting brought a smile to Mako's face, despite the mild trepidation that still lingered in his heart.

"Good morning, Uncle Yoshitaka," Mako replied enthusiastically, accepting the offered hand and rising to his feet. "You definitely shrank a little bit, or maybe that's the armor weighing you down." He chuckled emphatically, grateful for the lighthearted tone. "I’m glad that you’re finally back though. Honestly, I haven't had many chances to practice. My lava's usually ends up burning people if they get too close. So I haven’t really had the chance to learn any of the big destructive stuff the clan is known for."

Mako's gaze shifted to the desolate training ground, as he tried to figure out the best way to word his request. "Like as far as projectiles go the best I’ve learned to do on my own is Aichoshukan, which is kinda wimpy in the grand scheme of things," He paused, and let out a bit of a sigh before continuing with what was maybe an unreasonable request. "I was thinking you could maybe start helping me learn one of the bigger ones like Bahamut or something. I might not have a ton of chances to use it, but it’d be nice to have something a little more destructive in my back pocket, ya know. You just might have to stand back a bit if I try to use it."

Of course, there were other lava techniques that he could use, but very few of them were ranged techniques. He’d always struggled with the larger jutsu because any of the bigger techniques would probably burn his trainer and anyone else in the training ground. Luckily with the time they picked the training ground was mostly empty; but even now, standing in front of one of the most renowned Hono in recent history, he was still worried that his lava might burn him. Most of the people he’d trained with left with second degree burns, and he just didn’t want to burn the first person in a while willing to spend the time training him.


Honō Yoshitaka  

SPOILER: Click to show

Just a reminder so you don't have to look up the jutsu he referenced.

NAME: Yōton: Aichoshukan [Lava Release: Weekend of Birds]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Yōton
HANDSEALS: 3
DESCRIPTION:
After performing the needed hand seals the user creates three kunai shaped projectiles made of molten rock in their hand. The user then throws these kunai at their opponent. However, the kunai themselves are very hollow breaking upon making solid contact with a surface. Each kunai explodes on contact releasing a small pool of burning lava poised to burn whatever is within 3 meters of the small explosion.


NAME: Yōton: Bahamūto [Lava Release: Bahamut]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Yōton
HANDSEALS: 6
DESCRIPTION:
The user plants their hands to the ground, creating a lava jet in the form of a dragon that erupts from the ground and moves against the opponent in a cone shape, being effective up to 15 meters. The molten rock is divided to launch left, right and center creating a frontal assault against the enemy.

[Honō Yoshitaka]

Honō Yoshitaka

Listening to the younger Honō for a moment, Yoshitaka considered what he requested as he rubbed absently at his bearded chin in consideration. "Hmm... range huh? Bahamut is a good staple ranged Yoton, not too many handseals, not too chakra intensive, solid range but something less likely to cause collateral damage," he mused, nodding emphatically after a moment, "alright, Bahamut is a good choice if you are wanting to put a ranged ability into your repetoire, and one of my personal go to jutsu for that purpose".

Wandering back over to the first aid kit for a moment, Yoshitaka pulled out a large tube and squeezed the gel-like contents into his hand, generously applying it to his face and hair before coating his hands as well, every bit of exposed flesh that his armour didn't cover. He disliked the gloves and hood that he could tuck over himself in an emergency and didn't want to use them if he could avoid it, but with what he had heard of Mako's blue lava, he needed to be careful.

"Alright, first lets see what we are dealing with. I want you to use one of your other Yoton jutsu ok, so I can get a feel for the heat you put off. Best not go blind into this haha" he was cheerful and obviously unconcerned despite the worry that Mako was giving off. Yoshitaka was counting on his attitude hopefully alleviating the anxieties of the younger male. If he wasn't worried, then it should make Mako more confident, and that was important. 

It wouldn't do to have a Honō scared of their own lava. Respectful? Always. Never scared.

Word Count: 276
Training: 2/7
Tags: Honō Mako

[Honō Mako]

Mako paid close attention to his uncle, Yoshitaka, as he shared his insights on Bahamut and how useful it was. His description made Bahamut seem like a good choice, and Mako couldn't help but appreciate the guidance from a seasoned mentor like his uncle. With a nod of agreement, he expressed his gratitude, "Thanks, Uncle Yoshitaka. I guess, Bahamut it is."

As Yoshitaka reached for the first aid kit and meticulously applied the gel-like substance to shield himself from the searing intensity of Mako's blue lava, a mix of gratitude and apprehension welled up within the young special jounin. The calm and nonchalant demeanor of his uncle served as a reassuring presence amidst the nervousness that lingered in the back of his mind.

Consciously aware of the formidable heat that his basic jutsu could unleash, Mako took a few measured steps back away from his uncle, ensuring that he remained well out of harm's reach. Safety was paramount, and Mako roughly knew the range that his lava could leave significant burns on the body, so he stayed a little over a meter away from his uncle.

When he felt adequately prepared, Mako psyched himself up with a few energetic jumps, allowing the surge of adrenaline to sharpen his focus. He then conveyed his intent to his uncle, saying, "I use Singe most of the time, so that’ll give you a good baseline I think."

With deliberate concentration, Mako began to channel his chakra, directing it into his hands, manifesting the jutsu without any handsigns due to his wraps. The blue lava within him seeped outward, enveloping his hands in a scorching hot, ethereal blue magma. The surrounding air began to ripple with the intense heat, and tiny embers danced around his fingertips, creating a mesmerizing and surreal display for such a weak jutsu.

Mako maintained his control over the jutsu just in case his uncle wanted to get closer to see how hot his lava was, but Mako was prepared to end the jutsu if it burned his uncle too much. It was a calculated and controlled demonstration that charred the ground around him black out to about a meter away. He maintained the jutsu as he tried his best to speak casually to his uncle, "How’s this? This is like the coolest my lava can get. If you get too close it might leave second degree burns, which is why I usually use genjutsu or something else when I have close range allies.”

Granted his uncle already knew that he didn’t get much yoton practice, but it was pretty unheard of for Honō that had been gifted with the kekkai genkai to be a well rounded shinobi. Why would you practice genjutsu or fuuinjutsu when you have something so destructive at your beck and call? For Mako, funnily enough, that destructive nature of his lava actually caused him to feel like it was less safe to use around allies. In the grand scheme of things he’d likely only utilize Bahamut in fights when there were no other close range fighters.


Honō Yoshitaka

SPOILER: Click to show

Just a reminder so you don't have to look up the jutsu.

NAME: Yōton: Kogasu [Lava Release: Singe]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Low, Very Low (Drain)
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Yōton
HANDSEALS: 1
DESCRIPTION:

By using the Honō Clan natural immunity to their own techniques, the user coats their forearms and hands with a thin, yet burning, layer of Lava. This supplements the user's physical attacks usually performing taijutsu, with the added effect of causing minor burns on their opponents, that are more superficial in damage as opposed to being devastating burning.

[Honō Yoshitaka]

Honō Yoshitaka

Yoshitaka's eyebrows raised slightly as he watched blue lava bubble up around the younger man. Hearing about it was very different from seeing it, and it was quite fascinating to see such an unnatural colour forming from the Yoton. Flames could burn blue naturally, but never had he seen something like this before, it was a curious thing, almost enchanting for someone whose career had involved utilising molten rock and flames to fight.

After a moment, he stepped forward, getting closer towards Mako, his armour protecting him from the vast majority of the heat that the blue lava was putting off, and the thick layer of protective gel that coated the rest of him was working to keep the heat at bay for at least the moment. Only a Yoton wielder would be able to benefit from the gel that enhanced the natural resistance he had to his own techniques, which meant for the moment he was able to get closer to Mako's lava than anyone else ever had.

"Hmm..." he mused, stepping around the other Honō as he considered what he was experiencing. He could feel his face warm even with the gel, though not nearly bad enough to even redden his skin just yet. He had time before it became a problem, and in the worst case scenario he might be able to...

Flipping through a trio of handseals so fast they would seem a blur, he slammed his hands together, suddenly coating his lower arms with lava as he utilised the Yōton: Kansho technique. Immediately, the heat from the blue lava became even more tolerable compared to before, protected as he was by his own Yoton technique. He didn't doubt that Mako could overwhelm him if he put the same amount of power into his techniques, but for the moment he had something to make sure that he wasn't going to accidentally get hurt.

"Well, that is something, looks like I'll be alright though. I'll be able to hold off your lava long enough to get to safety should you lose control. Feel alright about continuing to practice?" he asked cheerfully as he shook the lava from his hands, letting it fall to the ground and spit and sizzle as it slowly cooled into another layer of volcanic rock.

"Confident you can get some practice in now?"

Word Count: 390
Training: 3/7
Tags: Honō Mako

[Honō Mako]

Mako observed with keen interest as Yoshitaka's eyebrows raised, a subtle indication of his intrigue at the sight of the blue lava. It was probably a first for him; at least as far as Mako knew he was one of the first shinobi to present with different colored lava. Despite his casual-looking stance, Mako’s body had an incredibly evident tension in it. He held as still as possible as he maintained his lava to ensure that his uncle remained outside of the danger zone until he was absolutely ready.

As Yoshitaka stepped closer, however, with his armor and protective gel shielding him from the intense heat emanating from the blue lava, Mako kept his eyes on Yoshitaka, making note that not only had the weird gel he had held up, but for the most part he was relatively unphased by the heat. Uncle Yoshitaka seemed to be pulling out all the stops to protect himself from young Mako’s lava, and perhaps the fact that he didn’t underestimate its heat was the largest reason we was so successful.

Once Yoshitaka was comfortably within the danger zone, Mako would finally speak up. "Wow," Mako breathed a sigh of relief, a sense of awe coloring his tone as he watched Yoshitaka shake the cooled lava from his hands. "That must be some crazy ointment."

Yoshitaka's cheerful inquiry about continuing the practice filled Mako with a renewed sense of determination. "Absolutely," he replied as he stopped pouring chakra into the lava in his arms and prepared to start learning the actual Bahamut technique. "We should probably start with the hand seals, right?" Once the lava on his own arms had cooled he’d shake off the cooled remnants just like his uncle and take a step or two closer with a much more relaxed posture.

The prospect of refining his Yoton techniques under Yoshitaka's tutelage filled Mako with a bit of excitement. With his uncle's support and expertise, he felt confident in his ability to master the intricacies of his unique abilities. "Or am I getting ahead of myself?" Mako asked as the tension in his body practically melted away.

There was still an underlying apprehension just from his experience of burning teachers and teammates in the past, but now that his uncle had shown that he could withstand the heat of his lava he felt a bit more comfortable. His lava would really only be an issue if it touched his uncle at this point.



Honō Yoshitaka

[Honō Yoshitaka]

Honō Yoshitaka

"It is, and hard to make, so we only really use it to help with training, not enough right now to make it a proper combat item," the elder man said with a shrug, "also it's really hard to clean off and smells, so not so good in the field." At his level he could have trained most others in Yoton without it, but Mako's blue lava was too strong even for the clan's most senior Yoton wielder to get close to. Still, his eyes watered slightly from the fumes of the gel that coated his skin.

"Handseals are a good starting point, Bahamut is comparatively simple for a Yoton jutsu, so it should be an easy enough step by step process," Yoshitaka stated, holding his hands out clearly as he went through the seals that would be needed for the jutsu. "Much like other Yoton jutsu we start with Tiger, then Snake, Dragon, Dog, Rat, and followed up with a reversed Dragon seal," he explained, showing Mako the way the final dragon seal was mirrored, with the right hand higher up instead of the left.

"Once you've finished the seals..." he bent down enough to plant his hands on the ground and with intentional slowness so that the other could see properly, he performed the jutsu, the ground cracking open to unleash a dragon of lava that shot out across the training ground, limbs spread wide to form a cone type area of effect, splattering harmlessly into previous layers of volcanic rock and sizzling slightly as it began to cool.

"Don't rush it though, the dragon shape will likely take some time to get right, but it's not just because dragons look scary, the shape manipulation helps serve as a focus for you, without it the jutsu just sort of... blobs out, and isn't nearly as effective."

Word Count: 308
Training: 4/7
Tags: Honō Mako

[Honō Mako]

Had Mako been less worried about how his uncle would fair so close to his blue lava, he might have laughed at Yoshitaka’s eyes watering due to the smell of the gel that he’d applied. Rather than approach with the boisterous nature he and the other Hono were known for, Mako rubbed the back of his neck and apologized, "Sorry for putting you through this, it’d be much easier if I could just control the heat of my lava.”

Mako listened intently as Yoshitaka explained the intricacies of the Bahamut technique, absorbing each detail as his uncle started with the idea of the hand seals. As his uncle demonstrated the hand seals with practiced precision, Mako followed along, mimicking the movements with his own hands just to help him memorize the order of the handseals that his uncle was utilizing. For now he’d keep the seals in mind as he watched his uncle finish the jutsu, planting his hands on the ground before a lava dragon lept out and splattered the training grounds with a fresh coat of sizzling magma.

With a deep breath, Mako prepared to execute the jutsu, his hands forming the intricate sequence of seals with deliberate care as he talked through the process, "Alright, so it’s Tiger, Snake, Dragon, Dog, Rat, and finally, the reverse Dragon seal.” Each seal flowed into the next seamlessly, his movements fluid and controlled. Mako was unsure of how much chakra the technique might take, so rather than use a small amount and risk it bubbling out like his uncle had said would be the biggest problem, he molded a massive amount of chakra into the technique.

"And after molding some chakra into the technique I just place my hands on the ground and mold it into a dragon.” As he finished the final seal, Mako's heart raced with anticipation. With a surge of chakra, he placed his hands on the ground. The initial response was similar to what Yoshitaka had described with the ground bubbling with blue lava. Rather than fizzle out, however, the technique erupted with an explosion knocking the young special jounin back onto his ass and blue lava spraying in every direction practically uncontrolled.

"Holy shit!” Mako exclaimed. Luckily for him the technique practically had no shape, so there wasn’t much for his uncle to worry about once the lava began cooling down. "Like obviously that was way too much chakra, but what else did I do wrong?" Despite his setback, Mako was quick to get back to his feet and wipe the dirt off his ass, and hopefully his uncle would maybe have some instruction that might help him reign in the jutsu a little bit.




Honō Yoshitaka

[Honō Yoshitaka]

Honō Yoshitaka

Waving away the apology, Yoshitaka took position near Mako to watch as the other man gave the jutsu a try. The handseals were done well, which was expected by the time one reached Mako's rank anyway, though there was an understandable hitch with the reversed dragon seal, since it went against muscle memory, but not enough for there to be an issue with the jutsu itself.

When it backfired, he was read enough to respond, lava bubbling up on his armour that he used to knock aside some of the blue magma that came too close, slapping it aside before it could do more than warm him up a bit. Beyond that, the stout elder Honō seemed completely unperturbed by the backfire, looking down at his younger kinsman with a calm and non-judgemental expression as Mako got to his feet.

"Well, you are right that there was too much chakra," he began with a slight chuckle, considering his own struggles with jutsu where he had used too much chakra, "but I may have been remiss when I said don't worry much about the shape manipulation. You won't get a dragon straight away but you should definitely apply at least a little bit of the shape to the technique or you get that," he gestured to the cooling blue lava around them absently. Forming the jutsu into a dragon made it much easier to aim, and it seemed that Mako had just... not done that at all.

It seems Yoshitaka would need to be careful how he phrased things to avoid such misunderstandings, because it certainly could get worse. It had been a while since he'd had to teach Yoton after all...

Word Count: 281
Training: 5/7
Tags: Honō Mako