[Miyamoto Ikana]

Ikana had been exercising her analytical prowess as of recently, meaning she'd been paying a great amount of attention to details. Every pre-meditated or otherwise slight subtle shift as to better predict the movements of others, and read their intentions. Ikana today found herself headed to one of the training grounds, mainly because there was notice of some Kirigakure genin whom was lacking a sensei. Someone that could stand to learn a few things. Considering Ikana more or less had time off and had completed more than a few missions in her time, she was a pretty alright person to go to. What more, the person she'd be training in question was a member of the Hozuki clan. People that she frankly didn't think very highly of in her past.

Then again, Ikana didn't really think all that highly of clan people in general. Considering their general tendencies to express the powers and techniques they were born with or given as if they were gifts from a God, a further favortism that separated the mediocre from the exceptional. Though, that was enough said. As Ikana came, with her headband adorned upon her forehead, her flak jacket adorned on her side, Ikana seemed incredibly bored. Though she'd come a few minutes before the meeting. There was an old saying when it came down to work. There was no early when it comes to work. It's either on time or late. So Ikana made sure not to be the latter.

"Ohayo." Ikana says halfheartedly, looking the boy before her over. "I'll be your instructor today. My name is Kyobona Ikana. We'll be here to train today, and I'll be aspiring to make you into a better ninja. As best I can I suppose...But I know next to nothing about you beyond your general file. So, that's what I'll be working with you today." She exclaims, shifting her head from side to side "We'll be having a spar." 

[Hōzuki Keneō]

Whenever Ken got the option to train or spar with someone who was equal to or above himself in station, he felt he owed it to himself to get out there and do his absolute best. While obviously being entirely too limited in terms of the techniques he currently possessed, he was told time and again that he possessed the talent for being a shinobi. More than that, that he possessed the talent to become a really capable shinobi if he survived long enough to reach that point. Since he became a Genin, he had removed himself from the clan compound in order to live in the house his parents had left behind when they died during the Sanbi's rampage. If nothing else, it had allowed him to become more sociable with the inhabitants of Kirigakure that weren't from the clans and born into wealth.

On the subject of clans and wealth, it seemed that there were some things even those could not buy. It was not so much a secret that Ken's Genin team lacked a full-time sensei, which was why an attempt was being made at getting those that wanted it trained by other shinobi. Chuunin and Jounin alike seemed to be willing to take on this level of task, though none seemed to be willing to take them on wholly. While it made Ken feel like they were lacking something in their further training into becoming fully fledged shinobi, mostly from the lack of any actual social engagement outside of training, at least it presented him with the opportunity to get stronger. There was only so much to be gained by constantly practicing against the same person, or so he believed.

Though he would take that same person over not having anyone at all. Truth be told, there had been times where Ken had believed himself to be the reason why no one bothered to sign up as their Sensei. It further added to his need to become a better Genin, a better shinobi, even when it came at the cost of putting everything else on a back burner. It was why he wanted to come across as a fine shinobi and as someone who was worthy of being trained, who was worthy of the time of day he was being given by one of his seniors and superiors. It was also why he had quite recently put in a request to join the Kirigakure police force as a Junsa, essentially a beat cop. Aside from being a shinobi that protected the country, it would allow him to also try and maintain stability and security on a village-wide scale.

Pondering on all of the things he wanted to do with himself, the things he wished to get better at and the reasons why he wished to get stronger, he made it onto the training field. With his trusty wooden training sword on his back, complete with the break that had been filled in with Toru's resin-like Coral, Ken aspired to do his very best today. Bowing before the young woman after walking up to her to show some respect, he raised his back up straight.

"Pleased to meet you, Ikana-Sensei. My name is Hōzuki Keneō, but you may call me Ken, everybody else does."

[Miyamoto Ikana]

"It is good to see you've arrived on time. Hozuki-San." She'd spoken formally, and with it, she'd proceeded to set the ground rules. "I need an assessment of your talent and skill. And while normally, this would be reserved for more senior Jounin, I'd like for you to come at me with the full intention to kill." Ikana proclaims, as she makes her way casually towards a small wooden bridge pass with a running stream down below. "Just one caveat." Weaving a singular hanseal, she'd proceed to call out to him.

"Suiton: Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu." The water lifts and rises, taking form, before in a singular moment, a duplicate of Ikana stands at the ready, with a Wakizashi soon drawn from their scabbard in one hand. A kunai drawn in the other. "You'll just need to get past them first. For a clan Shinobi such as yourself? I shouldn't imagine it to be too hard." She exclaims, stepping forward and patting her clone along the back. "I'm sure they can provide...sufficient challenge." She exclaims, patting them a few times. Though in reality, she subtly plants a low powered explosive tag along their back.

"Now then...If you excuse me." Ikana finds herself seated along the far back, atop a log as she rests leisurely. Her clone standing atop the bridge itself, weapons drawn.

SPOILER: Click to show

Name:Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu - [Water Clone Technique]

Rank:C

CHAKRA USAGE: Low (per clone)

Type:Ninjutsu

Element:Suiton

HANDSEALS: 1

Description:

Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu is a Ninjutsu that utilizes water to create a Bunshin clone. Unlike a normal Bunshin, the Mizu Bunshin has the ability to interact more with the environment due to it having physical substance. This allows the clone to carry out limited attacks on its target. The range of the clone is limited however, it can not travel very far from the original body. If the Mizu Bunshin is injured, the clone will usually revert back into its natural water state.

[Hōzuki Keneō]

While there was a potential for him being entirely wrong, there was something about the way she spoke to him about his origins that made it sound like there was a certain level of animosity there. He wasn't entirely sure whether it was truly there or if he had made a mistake in what exactly it was that he sensed, though he was sure he sensed something. Ken wasn't exactly what one would consider a people person due to the expression on his face or the way in which he spoke, but he wasn't an idiot. He had emotions and could pick up on them too, just not as well as some others might. For the time being though, he would just stick to what he knew and keep it to himself.

"Understood, I will do my best."

And there it was. Just as had been the case when he had been sparring with some of the village's Jounin, he had been asked to come at someone with the determination and will to kill. This for him was an incredibly difficult thing to conjure during something such as a spar as he had no reason nor motivation to bring that level of thing out. The best he could do was bring about an intent to injure, though that was more or less the best he could do. While it wouldn't have been the first time he killed someone, as he had unfortunately been pushed into killing a child trafficker during one of the missions he had undertaken, aiming to kill someone from his own village just felt like lunacy.

A water clone.

Seeing its formation and the weapons it was holding, he could tell that they hadn't been given to it by its creator, meaning they too were made of nothing but water. Though still posing a threat, they would be considerably less dangerous than a real weapon made out of steel. That at least was something he could work with. As this was all a training, he hadn't come armed, save for the fact that he had brought his wooden training sword with him. Watching as the person he was supposed to reach moved further back, Ken gripped his Bokken with both hands. The only way to reach her was to first go through her clone, so that was what he would aim to do. Closing the distance as fast as his feet could take him, he aimed a horizontal sideways strike from left to right, aiming at the clone's waist.

[Miyamoto Ikana]

It was then and there that Keneo had rushed forth with his wooden blade, aiming for a horizontal strike, only for the clone to cross blades with him, angling their shortsword and kunai in such an angle that the sword rested in a crux between the two weapons. "Forward. Blunt." The clone says, and with it, looks to break their hold, lunging in closer towards his range as it begins to release a rapid flurry of blows with its dual weapons, rapidly slashing and thrusting with one blade after another, the kunai in its left hand rapidly lashing out as soon as the right weapon fell.

Not so fast as to overwhelm the boy, but certainly fast enough to provide him an adequate challenge to adjust and move with his sword as the blades nicked and cut along his bokken. Ikana all the while assessed his movements and looked to see his capabilities, to see his reaction times, as well as his capacity for combat. For at the end of the day, above all else, that was what they were. Soldiers. And their ability to adapt and overcome their opponent in battle was paramount. Eventually though? The clone would leap backwards, resting atop a guard rail, giving the clone the higher ground, and whilst doing so, hurls a kunai straight downwards towards Keneo's chest.

Regardless if it was successful or not, the clone would enter a crouch, making their body smaller as they leaned in their resting position, wakizashi held in hand. "Come now...Don't leave a girl waiting." 

[Hōzuki Keneō]

Clones carried a good deal of the original creator, that much wasn't lost in him. In fact, because he had been using water clones for a while now, it was perhaps the one type of clone he know a lot about through first hand experience. So while his blow hadn't landed the way he would've enjoyed it, but that did not matter, not really. The goal was to get in close enough to get a hit or two in. Listening to the clone as it spoke, it didn't exactly tell him anything he did not already know. His attack had been straight forward and blunt, as had been the weapon he had decided to use. It made him wonder if that it had been intended as a provocation.

When the water clone came at him, Ken let go of his sword by lightly tossing it up as he allowed himself to turn into water, allowing the approaching clone to pass right through him. Reappearing almost instantly behind the clone, he would attack it from behind with a downward strike at a mostly exposed back by picking up the sword he had let go of temporarily. But just as he was about to bring the blade down, he noticed the paper tag attached to the back of the clone. It seemed that perhaps this had been the plan, to let Ken believe that he stood a chance, only for them to have the tag go off right in his face. But there was nothing to be done about that now, as he had already begun his attack.

Besides, if he managed to take down the clone before it exploded, maybe he would have been able to earn at least some praise. It didn't matter, the fact that he had managed to maneuver behind the attacking clone meant that he was more than likely going to land his blow. The question was, would he manage to do it before the tag exploded?

SPOILER: Click to show

Profoundly Gifted
Keneō possesses a very high IQ, putting him within the 'Profoundly gifted' category. This is what allows him to quickly process information, making his capacity to quickly gain an accurate and deep understanding of a subject and its functions well beyond that of the average shinobi. Based on the information he processes, he can run various scenarios through his head to come up with the best possible solution to a problem he faces, whether it be in or out of combat. As his time in the field and his rank increase his ability to use his intelligence only grows as experience becomes wisdom.

______________________

NAME: Hozuki Kōshiki: Saisakusei Gazō [Hozuki Formula: Replicated Image]

RANK: C

CHAKRA USAGE: Low [low drain][per clone]

CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu

ELEMENT: Suiton

HANDSEALS: --

REQUIREMENT: Requires Hydrification Technique [Hozuki] and possess a basic understanding of the Replacement Technique [Kawarimi].

DESCRIPTION:
This technique was created by Keneō to combine the signature Hidden Mist technique with the Hozuki's Hijutsu. After using the Hydrification Technique to turn their body to water, they erupt over a small area, after which a water clone is produced that moves straight into battle. The Hozuki themselves remain liquified as a puddle of water on the floor, giving the idea that the clone is in fact the original. Due to the user turning into water before the clone pops out, said clone can head into the fray with one or multiple weapons the caster had on their person, lending further credibility to the fact that this is the original Hozuki and not in fact a clone made out of water and chakra.

While the average water clone is fragile, the fact that this clone is being directly controlled by the Hozuki in hiding allows them to flow water back into the clone in order to make up for most superficial and average damage such as getting punched or stabbed. Should the clone get hit with an explosive tag, a disruptive or explosive ninjutsu technique or other forms of force that would cause the clone to disperse, it can no longer be repaired. Until the main user reforms, they can manually control the clone due to the direct link between the two, with it otherwise maintaining/regaining autonomy. As far as damage goes, this clone can attack with weapons and hit people for however much the original body could physically. They can however not perform bukijutsu techniques or utilize ninjutsu, genjutsu etc.

[Miyamoto Ikana]

The moment he threw his sword up into the air, the clone Ikana was well aware of his opponent's intention as she came to slash through him. He wasn't the first Hozuki she'd fought, and if nothing else? Their hydrification jutsu was a great nuisance. However, it was in that moment that the real Ikana found herself acting. As he'd slipped through her clone's strike, his blade poised to strike? He'd swung down. Slamming the wooden blade along the back of their head, causing them to vanish and disperse in a cloud of water. The paper tag sogging and...never burning in the first place. A fake?

In that moment, when he'd turn to face Ikana, she'd already sprung from her place and with a burst of speed, she'd extend her right hand outwards, each of the fingers glowing a mysterious flame like color, before she'd seek to slam her fingertips along his person. Presuming she was successful? He'd find a burning, almost searing sensation of something wrong, as a burning, almost searing sensation might linger for but a moment. "...That should fix that." Ikana would declare, striking him with a powerful sealing technique she'd learned just for occasions such as this one.

"Rather predictable that one of the first things you'd do is turn towards your clan's Hijutsu...That near intangibiity being a crutch of yours." Ikana slowly tugs along her fingerless gloves, tilting her head from side to side. "Rule number one. Don't turn your back on an enemy." That said? She wondered how he'd take that surprise. For if he tried to turn himself into water now? Beyond sporadic bursts? He might find it next to impossible, presuming he lacked a fine tuned chakra control. Something Ikana banked on. How would he fight now? Without the most powerful asset he'd had at his disposal? Could he? A test of his adaptability. 

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Kasoku Suru [Accelerate]

RANK: C

CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low

CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu

ELEMENT: -

HANDSEALS: 0



DESCRIPTION:

A very simple technique, by using chakra the user is able to instantly accelerate their selves to their max speed. This can be done in just about any condition, but any techniques that slow the user's movement (such as armor from jutsu or most jutsu that might slow an individual) will still affect them.




NAME: Gogyou Fuuin - [Five Elements Seal]
RANK: A
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Fūinjutsu
ELEMENT: N/a
DESCRIPTION:
The user forms an elemental seal on each of his fingers, one for each of the following five "elements": water, metal, earth, fire and wood. The odd numbered seal is used to disrupt the spiral core of one's chakra circulatory system, essentially embargoing the release and control of chakra in a shinobi's entire network. For shinobi of high chakra control, this limits their ability to wield the chakra as expertly as before, while those who lack such refined control seemingly have no way to even wield the energy outside of burst-like techniques such as Kage Bunshin.

[Hōzuki Keneō]

It had been a while since he had actually been made to fight against a water clone, though to the think that it would let itself get beaten like this proved only one thing to him. The goal had likely been to set the explosive off if he were to try and rely on his water hijutsu. However, as the clone dropped down to the ground, increasing the size of the puddle that was gathering along the ground, to his surprise, the tag wasn't set off. That was when he realized that this whole thing was likely to have been a distraction. Most people in the village had at the very least heard of the Hozuki clan, while a good majority of the actual shinobi had likely met one before.

As he turned around, he recognized a technique he had seen once before. It allowed someone to essentially reach their maximum velocity, thus closing a distance faster than he would be able to turn himself around. Noticing the odd flickering flames on the tips of her fingers, he'd try to make the turn but couldn't. Dropping his weapon as the odd sensation ran through his body after being struck in the back by the woman, he wasn't entirely sure what had happened as he looked down at his hands. They were trembling. He hadn't been hit hard by some kind of taijutsu technique, but rather something by a technique that seemed to scramble his chakra network like an egg.

Stumbling forward a bit as the attack shoved him, he collapsed to his knees as he was unable to hold his form. Starting to convulse a bit, he fell face first into the ground before he fully broke down into nother more that water, adding to the large puddle they had been standing in.

But just as Ikana had planned for all of this to be a ruse by which she'd attempt to catch Ken off-guard, the boy had taken a precaution and a gamble all of his own the moment her clone had attacked him. At the same time when the convulsions started, Ken would rematerialize from the puddle, picking up his sword in the same attempt to attack a presently unarmed Ikana who at this point might still have been wondering what was wrong with the boy that had started convulsing. It had all been an elaborate ruse, as the person that had been struck by the sealing technique had not been a person at all, but a water clone of his own creation. So as he came up from the large puddle, he aimed a broad horizontal strike from the right in an attempt at striking her right across the back.

[Miyamoto Ikana]

Something wasn't right. In the next moment, when she'd struck the Keneo present, he'd burst forth into water. Mizu Bunshin? She'd found in the next moment as the puddle, the water shifted and vibrated, she looked downward into its surface and saw the boy swiftly reforming behind her. To which she'd immediately twist, and then lunge inwards, making it seem as if he'd gotten her. As if he'd get his swing off before she could touch. Only for the young girl to vanish in a burst of speed as his swing travels through. But where? In that next moment, appearing just below Keneo, in a pseudo crouch, she kicks straight upwards towards the pommel of his sword, looking to wrench it from his grasp and send it flipping far away, soaring through the air as she performed the Dancing Leaf Shadow.

Presuming she was successful, she'd found herself perhaps underestimating just how crafty this fighter was. At first, she'd thought he was like all of those other Hozuki, relying on their intangibility as a crutch. Only to see he had some more sly maneuvers within his grasp. Immediately following her kick, she brings her leg further upwards as she flips backward into a somersault on her feet, her sandals skidding through the water as she slides her right hand along the water's surface, her fingers glowing in that bright flame again. Dashing straight inwards towards the boy. She'd told him to come with the intent to kill didn't she? What was a bokken to her back going to do?

This wasn't supposed to be an oh so casual training exercise. This was supposed to be him giving it his all with the legitimate intent of killing her. As if people hadn't before. As she came lunging towards him with a swift speed, what was he to do then? Though, there was something that even Ikana had to admit? So far, from his application of techniques? She was impressed. 

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Kage Buyou - [Shadow of the Dancing Leaf]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low
CLASSIFICATION: Taijutsu
ELEMENT: N/a
DESCRIPTION:
The user swiftly gets below the opponent and launches a swift yet powerful kick up into their body, sending them flying up into the air. In the blink of an eye, they will maneuver themselves in the blind spot and 'shadow' of their opponent as to not be seen while seemingly "floating" beneath them, allowing them a chance for a follow up attack.

NAME: Gogyou Fuuin - [Five Elements Seal]
RANK: A
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Fūinjutsu
ELEMENT: N/a
DESCRIPTION:
The user forms an elemental seal on each of his fingers, one for each of the following five "elements": water, metal, earth, fire and wood. The odd numbered seal is used to disrupt the spiral core of one's chakra circulatory system, essentially embargoing the release and control of chakra in a shinobi's entire network. For shinobi of high chakra control, this limits their ability to wield the chakra as expertly as before, while those who lack such refined control seemingly have no way to even wield the energy outside of burst-like techniques such as Kage Bunshin.

[Hōzuki Keneō]

With his attack seemingly being succesful, the young woman responded to his technique by crouching down to the ground in order to evade the initial attack as it soared over her. While the technique was fast, it was by no means teleportation nor instant, allowing his eyes to perceive the movement in and of itself quite well. It was, after all, just her crouching in place really quickly, rather than maneuvering herself around or away from him. When she kicked towards him from a downward position, it seemed that the kick itself did not get sent towards him but towards his sword. Whether the goal was to weaken his footing or to disarm him, he did not know. But he did not intend to find out.

Utilizing his sideways momentum through the horizontal strike he had attempted to lay on his opponent, he chose to keep going and bet on it instead of breaking off the swing. Switching up his footing ever so slightly to allow the strike to go from being a mere sideways strike to a full three sixty one, the kick would hit only air as Ken would come around the other side with another follow up strike as he finished making his spin. However, with a swift somersault, she managed to move herself over his blade and put some distance between herself and the Hozuki. It was a good move which, like his own spinning strike, brought with it a bunch of openings of their own in life or death situations.

But he was not going to wait for the girl to just do a backwards leap in the air and not capitalize on the time that gave him to set up a response, he performed the same technique again, though this time there was more to it. Turning himself temporarily into a burst of water, that same burst quickly dispersed at a high speed, adding more water to the puddle that already existed along the ground while also creating a dense fog bank around the two. Reforming himself a little ways from where he was, he could sense through the mist that the girl had landed and continued her attack towards him. It was at times like these that his combination of the two techniques really got a chance to shine.

Knowing where she would be even through the mist, or perhaps because of it, the moment she came into visual range, he had already planned a reprisal. Aiming a downward strike from right to left against the incoming hand holding the odd flames on their fingertips, he was going to make sure that the hand in question was either injured or at the very least deflected. Because while he did not know the exact output of the technique, he had seen how it had affected his water clone, which was leading him to believe that it wasn't just a simple seal anyone could pull off. Which meant that it likely drained quite a bit of chakra on use. And since this was already her second time using it, he was confident that her body would end up feeling the toll of it soon enough.

SPOILER: Click to show

NAME: Hozuki Kōshiki: Saisakusei Gazō [Hozuki Formula: Replicated Image]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Low [low drain][per clone]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Suiton
HANDSEALS: --
REQUIREMENT: Requires Hydrification Technique [Hozuki] and possess a basic understanding of the Replacement Technique [Kawarimi].
DESCRIPTION:
This technique was created by Keneō to combine the signature Hidden Mist technique with the Hozuki's Hijutsu. After using the Hydrification Technique to turn their body to water, they erupt over a small area, after which a water clone is produced that moves straight into battle. The Hozuki themselves remain liquified as a puddle of water on the floor, giving the idea that the clone is in fact the original. Due to the user turning into water before the clone pops out, said clone can head into the fray with one or multiple weapons the caster had on their person, lending further credibility to the fact that this is the original Hozuki and not in fact a clone made out of water and chakra.

While the average water clone is fragile, the fact that this clone is being directly controlled by the Hozuki in hiding allows them to flow water back into the clone in order to make up for most superficial and average damage such as getting punched or stabbed. Should the clone get hit with an explosive tag, a disruptive or explosive ninjutsu technique or other forms of force that would cause the clone to disperse, it can no longer be repaired. Until the main user reforms, they can manually control the clone due to the direct link between the two, with it otherwise maintaining/regaining autonomy. As far as damage goes, this clone can attack with weapons and hit people for however much the original body could physically. They can however not perform bukijutsu techniques or utilize ninjutsu, genjutsu etc.



NAME: Hozuki Kōshiki: Kirigakure no Jutsu [Hozuki Fomula: Hidden Mist Technique]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Suiton
HANDSEALS: -- [Though any number could be used to give the false idea that one is conjuring the original Hidden Mist Technique]
REQUIREMENT: Requires Hydrification Technique [Hozuki] and must have knowledge of the Hidden Mist Technique [Kirigakure Shinobi].
DESCRIPTION:
This technique was created by Keneō to combine the signature Hidden Mist technique with the Hozuki's Hijutsu. After using the Hydrification Technique to turn their body to water, the user can split some of their water form into a thick fog covering a fairly large area making visibility extremely low. Due to their own chakra being dispersed along with the moisture making up this fog, it will become very difficult for sensors and certain Doujutsu to locate the user. While the Byakugan can still penetrate this mist, Sharingan-users only see the fog muddled with the users chakra, completely hiding the user from the Sharingan.

Due to this mist making up part of their being, they can control certain areas by making it thicker and thinner, thus creating the idea that someone might be moving in a certain location by creating what could be mistaken as a 'presence'. In addition, and perhaps the most useful angle of this technique is the fact that those moving through this mist are not hidden from the Hozuki. In fact, moving through this moisture is similar to moving through their water, allowing them to know where their targets are should they remain within the fog bank.

[Miyamoto Ikana]

They had a brief exchange, closer in contact between one another. However, it was here that she came to question what she'd seen. His jutsu. It was abnormal, something she hadn't quite seen before. Another burst of water spread along the ground, and with it, she stopped. Skidding as her instincts told her that not everything was at it seemed. As Ikana absorbed and reflected on Kenneo's assault, it truly was a nuisance. That Hozuki-Clan jutsu. Why, it was easy to imagine how they were one of the mightiest clans in Kirigakure. The special power and technique that enabled them to be free from the constraint or fear of harm.

"...Tch. This is even more tedious than making tags for Shibuki." She'd said to herself, as she lowers her hand, instead, she'd decide to take a different initiative. He was one of those kinds of fighters that liked to play tricks. Utilize cunning as opposed to raw power or rampant strength to achieve a result. Understandable. However, what would he do when Ikana begins to pull backwards? Take on a more passive role? Would he be able to come at her and still make an effective measure without his opponent acting as the aggressor? Making gradual movements, she'd find herself looking to make her own opportunity then.

Slowly. Hone her senses. 

[Hōzuki Keneō]

For the time being, his counterattack had been mostly evaded, though that wasn't much of a surprise. He was dealing with a Chuunin after all. And in most cases, Chuunin were ahead of Genin in a lot of things such as combat experience. But they weren't so far ahead that a Genin wouldn't stand a chance against them if they knew what they were doing, it was just going to be an uphill battle. But that uphill battle had seemingly flattened out a bit as Ikana seemingly chose to back down for a bit and wait for Ken to be the one to come in with an attack. That alone was rather telling, as it was usually the more confident party that chose to be the one doing the attacking.

But that was fine. Given the fact that they were inside of Ken's mist, which allowed him to sense where Ikana was in spite the two not being able to see one another, it also meant that the water along the ground was plentiful enough to obscure the attack more. So while he was not audibly called in to perform an attack of his own, that was exactly what he was going to be doing. Reforming most of his body, he left enough of himself in the air to keep the mist nice and thick. After all, ever since he had been able to get a glimpse of what the Sharingan had been able to do during a joint mission with a Konoha Jounin of the Uchiha clan, this technique he had devised was thick enough to keep even that doujutsu from picking him up.

At the same time, the particulates in the air allowed him to 'feel' exactly where people were that existed within his technique, meaning that at least for now, he held all of the cards. Wielding his wooden sword with one arm, which was fairly in line with the Ittoryu style Sora had used against him during their spar, he would move himself towards Ikana in order to attack from the rear. Given the fact that he'd be able to keep track of her while her vision would be immensely dampened, the water clone that was hiding in the water would engage her from the front, remaining hidden until Ken was ready to strike at her with his Bokken. Only then would the clone come out to attack the girl with a low kick, while Ken himself would utilize a downward strike from the side.