[Nōhime Ouritsu]

bleed it out

It had taken some time but Renge sounded like she was finally beginning to come around on just how useful genjutsu could be, even if the look on her face still showed a considerable amount of disdain. There was little doubt in Ouritsu's mind that the young student's less than stellar views on the illusory arts was brought about by her upbringing in that rough and tumble family of hers. The Okada was the anti-thesis of genjutsu with their inclination towards taijutsu... no, wrestling was a more apt term. They had even been able to parlay those skills into a famous ongoing performance which was impressive.

"There are techniques powerful enough to do so, but most genjutsu are single or double target at most. The more you try to spread your chakra around the harder it is to control and typically those illusions are easier to break out of." The Nohime replied as he chuckled at Renge's suggestion of just sending one genjutsu user out into battle every time. "Genjutsu can be powerful, no doubt, but like every form of jutsu there are drawbacks. For instance most techniques require a level of concentration that prevents other things from being used, and like you've noticed all genjutsu require the target to experience some sort of trigger, so what happens when you fight a ranged opponent? Any number of scenarios can happen in battle, some where genjutsu won't be effective at all, so it's probably best not to limit the team composition."

As much as Ouritsu enjoyed genjutsu he was cognizant enough to know that it wasn't a catch all for every fight, and a good shinobi always had more than one out.

words - Okada Renge - notes

(C) ELLIE @ GANGNAM STYLE

[Okada Renge]

Once again, the academy student pursed her lips while she listened to the wisdom from her elder. By all accounts, it made sense, and her revolutionary ideas as to how to guarantee victory for Iwagakure were quelled before they could even ferment. She didn’t particularly like the idea of fighting through illusions and trickery, it just seemed to lack the proverbial oomph of something like taijutsu, but she had to at least concede that it seemed very useful. Was it more useful than those ninja arts she wished to throw herself behind? Of course not, there was nothing better than doing raw damage with one’s fists, but it certainly had a place. "Makes sense…” She pouted all the same, before raising a finger, "Wait, it takes concentration? So, the same kinda stuff that can be used on yourself to break yourself out of genjutsu, ninjutsu kai techniques, pain, other fancy whatchamacallsit… you could do the same to the genjutsu user, right? The illusions might make it harder to target ‘em but if you can break the stream of their concentration, does that mean the illusion would dissipate?” She clicked her fingers, forming a pair of excited fists, "So to counter genjutsu… I can just figure out I’m in one then beat the other ninja up!”

Nōhime Ouritsu

[Nōhime Ouritsu]

bleed it out

"In theory, yes, if you can disrupt a person's concentration then the illusion will end. But that's easier said than done depending on the genjutsu you're under. You may not even know where the caster is to try and 'beat them up' or your senses are so all over the place it may not be a feasible option." Ouritsu replied. He wasn't trying to diminish the girls ideas --and truth be told they were unique enough to work-- but what he didn't want for Renge was for the Okada to narrow herself down to a single line of thinking on how to escape from genjutsu.

"With that said, you've demonstrated some good ways to disrupt a genjutsu user and I'm sure the Okada have some way of closing the gap on people that you'll learn to incorporate into your strategies." The Nohime added. He felt it was important to impart some words of praise within the teaching so Renge didn't feel like she was getting lectured the entire time. There was an ebb and flow to training and too much negative would have probably made her dislike genjutsu more than she already did. Changing her mind on those feelings was a pipe dream and it also wasn't why either of them were hear today; genjutsu was one of the foundational shinobi concepts and everyone needed to know at least a little something about it.

words - Okada Renge - notes

(C) ELLIE @ GANGNAM STYLE

[Okada Renge]

"Uh huh,” Renge nodded, for once not pulling some sort of face as she spoke. Instead, her mind worked quickly, imparting the concepts that had been taught to her, processing the particulars as set forth by the more experienced shinobi, pieces moved and clicked into place, genjutsu a puzzle that could be solved. Taijutsu had always seemed so much harder, more straight-forward but less prone to creative thinking, at least in her experience. She was weaker, less athletic, clumsier than most of her cousins, and that meant that she lost without the ability to compete. But this, this she could understand. Tactics, creative responses, reducing the ability for others to fight… In spite of herself, she found herself getting excited at the ways in which it could be used. But those thoughts had to be dispelled quickly. She was an Okada. Some people in her clan may have fought with poisons and illusions, but she would follow the path of a grappler, she would fight with her fists and her heart. "That’s right!” She beamed, quickly speaking, focusing on her clan’s history, "Don’t discount the Okada clan, we know damn well how to fight out of any situation! Don’t you worry.” Renge smiled broadly at Ouritsu before inclining her head somewhat, "Thank you for the lesson, though…. I appreciate it.” And, in truth, she did.

Nōhime Ouritsu