The Next Level.

Salzem smashed the head of a wooden dummy to splinters with a simple right handed palm strike as he went about his daily training rounds. Today, he felt.... stronger than usual. His senses were more acute. He could smell, hear and see much better than he could before.... Surely, he was just having a good day. Nothing to unusual. He picked the splinters out of his gauntlet, musing on about the conversations happening around him. At this time of day, there were so many genin and academy students trying to prove themselves, either through study or physical prowess. One was talking about fire jutsu. Another to his right was muttering in frustration about his boots slowing his movements. There was one behind him, a girl, trying so hard to keep herself from damaging her dress to severely as she trained her taijutsu. He tsked to himself silently. Such impractical combat wear. He sighed and then obliterated the lower half of the wooden dummy with a straight-kick to the torso. Splinters flew this way and that, some lodging his pants. Only a minor annoyance really, their serrated edges only making his pale flesh itch. For reasons unknown. Salzem just wasn't into his daily grind. Kira has been accessible, and there was hardly anyone here that he knew about that was a match for him. Especially today. He felt great... He smashed the remaining foot of wood with a curb-stomp, sending the remaining splinters around the sand. Perhaps he should have been more gentle for youngster's sake. Sunagakure was going to need to import more of these if Salzem goes through them any faster. He stuck his steel-coated hands in his pant's pockets and stared at the blue, cloudless sky of the desert. Boredom. It was a thing. Strength was fun and it was useful, but that all seemed pointless when there was nothing to hit. He kicked some sand, dissatisfied with his lack of opponents. He wanted something he could sink his teeth into. Literally. Someone that could challenge him. Oh sure, he could go out into the desert and slay it's monsters. Suna was home to giant monster ant-lions and Sand spiders. Not to mention death cults, but none was very smart. How he longed for his Kono days where he had ample amounts of opponents.

It was about mid day when Jay finally tore himself away from his workshop in his apartment. Pieces of hidden weapons and half together puppets were strewn all over the place. When he wasn't out on missions or drinking at the local bar, Jay was usually in his apartment working on his medical research or tinkering with his puppets. Today was no different. He had been working on an idea for a new puppet. He only had two complete and battle ready puppets at the moment and felt like it was time to increase his inventory. However, as exciting as it was for Jay to be immersed in his puppets, he was a naturally social person and couldn't stand being cooped up inside for long periods of time. That was why, after working on a single puppet for almost six hours straight, he decided it was time to stretch his legs. Getting up from his work station, Jay would grab two large scrolls and strap them to his back before heading out of the apartment and into the street below.

He could feel the immense desert heat instantly as he stepped outside. The warm air brushed across his face as a soft breeze swept past. Looking up, his black goggles keeping his eyes protected from the sun, Jay admired how blue the sky was. There were no clouds to be seen on this beautiful day. He pushed the hood of his gray jacket back off of his head. He had already begun to sweat from the heat. Sure he was used to the climate here in Sunagakure, but that didn't keep his body from sweating on days like this, especially with the outfit he normally wore. His black pants attracted the suns rays and the layers he had on his upper body were not meant to be worn in the harsh weather of the desert. Still, he wore his standard Jounin flak jacket underneath his long sleeved hooded jacket anyway, mostly to keep his insects sheltered from the weather. He took a deep breath before heading out, his destination being the village's training fields. Perhaps he could find a decent sparring partner there to help him stretch his muscles.

By the time he got to the training fields, Jay noticed it was full of what looked like Genin and Chuunin practicing various techniques. Some were using puppets much like himself while others still practiced their ninjutsu on each other. In an area near the middle of the field Jay saw a small group practicing their taijutsu on some wooden dummies. A lone boy near the group had caught the Jounin's attention. He had decimated the wooden figure with merely one punch and kick each to the upper and lower regions of the training dummy. He seemed to be a good candidate. The Aburame slowly made his way over to the boy, not wanting to disturb his training, and stopped a few meters to the boy's right so he could watch for a little longer. After a moment or so it seemed the boy had decided to take a break. Jay watched him stick his hands into his pockets and kick at the sand in front of him. Actually, the kid seemed to be quite bored. At this point, Jay decided he would speak up and make his presence known.

"Hey kid, you seem to be pretty strong. What's your name?"

Salzem had caught the scent of the approaching human long before he heard him. At first, he mistook the scent for Yen's. Perhaps thats what he would've wanted. At least then, he could make the bug-freak pay for his imprisonment. Instead, however, his enhanced senses detected small differences, enough to convince him he was not who he smelled like. Then, there was his voice. Salzem turned his attention to the male in front of him, what with his flack jacket covering his black jacket not unlike that of Salzem's. Black glasses covered his eyes, aggravating Salzem slightly.Those who's eyes he could not see, those who he couldn't pierce if necessary annoyed him like an itch he couldn't quite reach. He also sported a trim beard, completing his "I'm-obviously-superior-to-you and-I don't-even-need-to-prove-it" look. He was about 5-9 or 5-10, an inch or two shorter than the lycanthrope, making the way he addressed him more funny than serious. Salzem raised an eyebrow at his comment, wondering what exactly he wanted. He looked to be somewhat experienced and with that jacket, he was probably Chuunin or Jounin so.... What was he here for?

"My name is Salzem. What do you want?" He asked, guard raised. He hadn't forgotten his village-less status, nor had he forgotten that he is here with the blessing of the Kazekage. Perhaps he should have been more polite. The wolf told him otherwise, though. It praised his guarded, edgy behavior. Salzem stared into the black frames of this... watcher, ready to move if necessary.

(Just exiting considering this topic to flop)

(exiting too)