More Training for Young Nobu (IO)

Nobu takes the keys he had received from the Kazekage and found his new house. It wasn’t anywhere as large in size as the Akari family home, but this was now something he could call his own. He didn’t have to worry about bothering his host or wearing out his welcome. No, this was something to call his own. This was his home now, here in the Sand Village. This only gave Nobu even more resolve to protect the village, for it was now officially his home.
 
Nobu opens his eyes, a weariness in them. He hadn’t been doing as much training as of late, but he was still tired. His nights were filled with unpleasant dreams. No, dreams was not the right term. These were nightmares, keeping Nobu from properly restful sleep these past few nights. Slowly pulling himself from the bed, he stretches and begins his morning routines despite the fact that he should be sleeping right now. It was still rather early in the morning, the sun not even out yet.  He slips into the shower, gets dressed, and heads out for the village.
 
His survival training hadn’t been as fruitful as he had hoped, but recalling the injury he had received, it might be for the best to remain in the training grounds. It would likely would not have the same life or death challenge of the desert wilderness, but Nobu could not afford a serious injury now, it being so close to the Jounin exams. Stepping out, it feels like it is a cooler day, at least cooler by comparison to a usual Suna day. Nobu wondered how much it would change once the sun had risen.
 
Nobu didn’t have as much time to prepare for the exam as he had hoped to have, but he was just going to have to make do with the time he did have. He had been prepared to train all day long if that is what it would take. Heading through the town in the dark was rather unusual. The whole place had a different feel to it. Less commotion to be heard, but at the same time it was a tad lonely. Sakaiza was likely still asleep, and with him training as much as he had been, Nobu thought it would be best if he got to rest.
 
Nobu slowly makes his way through the village to the training grounds. He would normally run or do other types of exercises on the way, but he didn’t want to wake any of the townsfolk up from their slumber. He reaches the training area, far enough away from the houses that he no longer has to worry about the noise. So long as he wasn’t planning on generating large explosions or something similar he should be fine.
 
Stretching out and then running several laps around to grounds would be what Nobu would warm up with. Nobu then sprints over to a large pillar of stone that had sat in the area. Picking it up, he would immediately begin doing as many squats with it as his body would be able to take. He knew that his legs would burn by the time he was done, but the pain was nothing compared to some of the things he has endured. Jolts shot through Nobu’s leg as he works the muscles until adequately torn and ready for repair. He needed to strengthen his body, both in the power behind his blows as well as readying it for receiving hits. He had trusted his Taijutsu abilities to be able to dodge a great deal of attacks, but the only thing certain in combat is uncertainty. Sooner or later he was going to be struck, and his current durability just would not suffice. Nobu was going to have to work on defense as well as offense if he had hoped to succeed and best the competition. All of this had hinged on whether or not he actually would be going, as he may not end up passing the written portion of it. Nobu didn’t think about such things though. He instead focused on advancing his abilities so that he can enter with true confidence.
 
Giving his legs a quick break, Nobu sat and relaxed for a minute, rubbing the muscles with his hands in attempt to increase blood flow and ease some of the pains. It was still early, the sun still not on the desert horizon. Nobu thought about how cool it was, and wondered why he had not though of training during the cold of night before. The only downside to it is that the training wouldn’t accurately represent the situations the shinobi would be in while actually fighting in the heat of day. This little detail didn’t concern Nobu at the time though. He enjoyed it, and he had no intention of being picky as to when he can get quality training in.
 
Well, time was up for resting. Leaping up to his feet, Nobu would begin training once more. What kind of defensive abilities would be most useful? Well, it was going to be rather difficult training any defensive abilities if he didn’t have someone to spar with. Since it was still really early, Nobu just decided to work on offense. Some do say the best defense is a good offense, but Nobu had his doubts.
 
Finding a trainging dummy, Nobu would strike it as rapidly as he could, focusing more on accuracy and speed than power. If he were to strike the thing at full power it would likely be destroyed by the impacts. Well placed shots to the head would likely disorient the target, causing impared vision and hearing. The only downside to this would be that the disorientation might cause the next blow to not be as painful. Nobu then moves down to the body, placing ten or so strikes to the torso in a matter of seconds. Striking in the center of the chest can wind an opponent, their distraction only opening them up to more attacks because of their lowered defenses. Their gasping would also increase the likelihood of them inhaling Nanabi’s powder. Of course, that would not be something he would do during the exams. Still, he wasn’t training only for the sake of the Jounin exams. He had to train in order to properly protect those he cared about, and that would require the use of his unique abilities. These were thoughts for later though, as he would need to focus on the here and now.
 
Nobu still had not perfected his Axe heel kick, and so that would be what he would train now, shifting from punches to his kicks. He would need to focus on developing proper speed with these strikes as well. They were much more forceful than the punches he could dish out, but they seemed to be more televised. Chaining strikes together had seemed to be the most important aspect of his offense though. Blocking all of the strikes would likely cause an opening to appear in their defenses. This opening is what Nobu sought, as if would allow a powerful blow to connect. He felt as though he would only need a few strikes to connect in order to truly down an opponent. Readying himself, Nobu begins.
 
He begins with a solid hit, kicking what would likely be the collar bone region on an opponent with his heel. Nobu could barely feel the sting of his strikes anymore, each one day of training causing less pain than the last until eventually Nobu’s body was dulled to the pain of it. Striking harder and faster with each passing moment, Nobu quickly found himself seemingly damaging the dummy. He realizes this was the first time he had stuck a training dummy like that. It had busted up the dummy, and the practice target cracks down on the arm joint, breaking it off in a splintery mess. The force of each hit was causing too much strain on the dummy Nobu almost destroying the base post it was attacked to.
 
Nobu thought for a moment that he should take a break. His control over the power of his strikes was becoming less and less, the force now destroying the target. Maybe a moment to rest and meditate would be best. It would calm Nobu down a great deal, but he had no time to rest. In order to get stronger he would have to train harder. In order to be able to stand toe to toe with the Chuunin of both the Sand and the Leaf he would have to become a true force to be reckoned. Nobu would have to change his method of practice now though. It would not be fair to any of the other training shinobi if he broke all of the equipment. Maybe he would just continue to practice in the air, focusing on more muscle memory and speed. This continued for what felt like an eternity, Nobu’s speed not increasing by much at this point. He was already moving as fast as his body was currently allowing him to. The whistle of the kick was music to his ears though. Each strike would be a legitimate threat to an opponent, and that is what he had been hoping would happen.
 
“Let me test this move on a rock once more. Last time it had damaged my foot, but if I have truly mastered this technique and my own body, I believe it will no longer have that effect. I no longer feel the pain of striking, so let’s see how far that extends.” Nobu would silently move over to a large stone. It would likely cause a bit of noise if he managed to shatter it, but he had been training long enough now that most of the shinobi would be waking up soon anyway. Finally reaching the rock, Nobu focuses all of his strength into this kick. He felt more than strong enough to succeed this time, and so he would put his all into it.
In a large leap upward, Nobu swings his left leg up high, fully extended and over his head and brings it crashing down hard on the center of the large stone. A loud BOOM followed by a crunching sound can be heard, as Nobu crushes the stone beneath the raw power of the kick. A smirk can be seen on his face by any who might have been watching. He was truly growing a great deal in a short period of time. Some might attest this to the power of Nanabi within, and Nobu would have no retort. The only thing was that Nanabi and Nobu were essentially the same being, nothing that Nobu had control over. He couldn’t choose to not have the beasts power and chakra within, and so he disregarded such negative thoughts. He would master Nanabi, he would master Taijutsu, and he would be the best. That was his goal, alongside protecting those he had truly cared about. At first, that list was limited to Koroshi, but after joining up with the Sunaga Seven and meeting with several other members of the Sand village he had grown to truly love this place. He had no intentions of letting it fall to enemies of the Sand. This was why he felt he must grow so strong. He had to protect each and every citizen of Sunagakure that he had the power to.
 
Shifting his focus back to training he would look to growing even more powerful. He would need to master as many taijutsu techniques as possible. Thinking back to driving the air from an opponent, he wonders if he could truly master such a strike. It would likely leave the opponent quite open as they gasp for air. This would only leave them open to a flurry of nigh unstoppable strikes. It seems as though it would be a key move in besting any opponent, from another Genin all the way up the ranks. Air is pretty important for anyone, and so this would be Nobu’s next focus during this training session. It would be much more difficult to practice this move, as the training dummies didn’t respond in the same way a person would as they lacked a humans physiology. He would continue to hit the dummies with strikes that he had thought would be properly placed, switching between strikes with his fists and rapid knees to the same areas. The training dummies were starting to strain, and that is when Nobu would consider holding off on continuing.
 
He had practiced many different techniques, but it was still early, the sun barely rising above the horizon. Nobu still had a whole day to train, so he began to practice his upper body strength. He would again go to performing a handstand and walking around the area on it. Every time he completed a lap he would stop, do twenty or so full body push ups, and then continue back around the grounds. This continues for another fifty laps before Nobu feels it has been enough. Sweat pours from his body as the heat in the area keeps getting hotter and hotter with the rising sun.
 
It was honestly still early, so Nobu still had the majority of the day left to do something else, or maybe even rest for a bit and continue training. Nobu would then do lunges as he heads back into town, all the way to his house. It was a good bit farther away from the training grounds than the Akari household was. He didn’t really notice it before, but now that his body was worn down the fact was quite apparent. Reaching the Sen Katto house, Nobu picks up the mail and sits down for a while, relaxing. Filling the bathtub up with water and ice, Nobu sits in it and relaxes his burning muscles in hopes to cool them down rapidly. He still intended on training more eventually, but he would need a moment of rest and a good meal in his stomach before doing any more strenuous activity. After about a half hour of soaking like this, Nobu gets out and heads to his kitchen. It wasn’t heavily stocked, but the first thing he grabs is the orange juice from his fridge. It was just him here, but he still pulled out a glass and poured himself some before returning it to where it goes in the fridge. Sipping it slowly, he begins to think and reflect.
 
Should he head towards Sakaiza’s house? Nobu knew that his friend was normally up for a good sparring session, but at the same time their familiarity with each other would show itself in their combats. This was a bad thing in some ways, as they would start to use this knowledge of the others combat style to make combat decisions. This could also lead to them forcing one another to change up and tweak their style to overcome any flaws and weaknesses the opponent may find. Nobu wasn’t sure if it would be a better idea to go up against a different opponent though.

He would just think it over, not deciding on anything for the moment. Instead, he would grab a bit to eat and wait for his subconscious to mull it all over.


Pouring a large bowl or cereal, Nobu then grabs some milk and pours it over it, along with refilling his glass with a big cup of milk as well. Milk was both tasty and had a high protein content, so it would greatly help in the rebuilding of his worn muscles.

WC: 2619
Claiming:
13 Stats
727 words towards Drunken Fist (727 +3273 = 4000/4000)
184 words towards Heavenly Foot of Pain  (184+1816=2000/2000) 
1708 words towards Sucker Punch (1708/3000)

OoC: Not exiting as I may invite another player to train.

Finishing up his meal, Nobu decides it to be best to continue his training. He wouldn’t have time to sit around any waste any of his precious time. Sakaiza had still been a good bit stronger than he had been, and so his training would not be over. He intended on being the best Taijutsu practitioner ever, and Sakaiza would be the first stepping stone to overcome on this journey. Nobu grabs his water bottle, fills it with water from the sink and heads back out to the grounds.
 
His journey was rather boring, not seeing anyone he knew on his way back to train. This was a bit disappointing, as Nobu liked to train with others. It helped him push his limits against another person, and react according to their actions. Training with a sparring partner would always be a better training exercise than training solo. That didn’t matter now though. Nobu had not found a partner, and so his training would have to commence alone.
 
His break refreshed his body, but it also took away his “sweat”. He would have to warm up again before going into the harder training. Reaching the grounds would happen quickly, as Nobu was fast enough to get there in no time despite the distance. It was now starting to grow dark, the night air crisp in Nobu’s lungs. The moon hung high in the cold night’s sky, shedding more than enough light to allow the boy to continue his training.
 
Nobu would start with a series of intense, high velocity cardio in order to build up his heart rate. This went on for quite some time, as the youth had been growing stronger and more enduring each and every day of his training. It wouldn’t be long before he felt strong enough to consider himself at the first step to truly becoming strong so that he can truly defend Suna from its enemies.
 
Sweat now pours from his brow, and the boy was ready to begin his training. He rapidly begins shadowboxing at full speed, not actually connecting with anything but the air. A flurry of punches and kicks appear as a blur to all but the most perceptive of shinobi. Nobu would begin to practice each move in his repertoire, starting with the lowest ranks and working his way up. He wouldn’t be using them particularly quickly, instead focusing more on the motion of the techniques. Nobu would jump fluidly from move to move, not stopping for even a moment as he performed them. Anyone watching would notice that he would not be using his normal methods. Normally Nobu would push himself to the maximum, moving with such intense speed that he would wear out quickly. This was not the case this night.
 
Focusing he felt almost at peace, the night air filling his lungs with each deep breath he took. After going through each move twice, he swigs a large mouthful of his water bottle before stopping to think about what to practice next. He wasn’t sure of too many more Taijutsu moves to learn, as he had mastered quite a few. He would sit down and think for a moment, lying back in the sand and looking up at the sky. Continuing practice on Evening Elephant could work, as he had been particularly fond of the technique. Just working on that move wouldn’t be enough, though, Nobu would think to himself.  In the distance Nobu listens to the howls of some type of canine from the desert sands, likely a hyena or something.  As he delves into his mind, the darkness seems to set in. Nobu isn’t sure what is going on, but darkness fills his eyes, and voices can be heard in his head, one voice standing out from the rest.
 
… You sit there, enjoying your peace….
…So Naïve, boy….
…Your weakness disappoints me…
…You cannot compare to those that came before…
 
Pain shoots through the head of Nobu, much like that of a migraine. Visions begin to rapidly flood into the closed eyes of the young boy as he flailed around in the sand, his closed eyes rapidly moving as
 
Nobu sees flashes of battle, flames everywhere as a strange man with eyes not unlike those of Lord Koroshi. Burning red eyes seemingly pierce into the soul of Nobu, gazing at him with a never before seen fierceness. Before him stood a mountain of a man, long dark hair flowing as his chakra sends waves of power ripping through the area, the Sharingan not moving from him despite his movements. It didn’t take long before Nobu realized that he wasn’t able to move this body, and once this happens the point of view from which Nobu witnesses this battle shifts. Now he watches as a dark cloaked man flies with large blue wings of what is likely chakra in a faceoff against another unknown shinobi. The battle rages on for seemingly an eternity before the vision fades to black.
 
… You don’t even come close boy….
 
Nobu wakes with a cold sweat, the moon nowhere near where it had been when he had been in the sky before. This means that he had been out cold for at least a few hours. What the heck did he just witness though? The only person with eyes like that were Koroshi, and that man looked nothing like his Lord Kazekage, and an unpleasant feeling washed over the boy any time he thought of that man. Who was he? And who was that winged man?
 
Using his cloak to wipe the sweat from his brow, he would begin to train his jutsu again, hoping to take his mind off of what he had seen moments ago. Each move had been executed at least fifty times before he would move on to the next. No matter how much he had trained though, his mind still kept shifting to those Uchiha eyes, and each thought of them made something inside him stir. They were not like those of Koroshi, not at all.
 
Nobu finally got to his most powerful techniques, and instead of practicing the form slowly for them, he would let some of his frustration vent by using them at full power. The air whistled as each strike would blast the air from the strike zone, causing a vacuum like effect. Nobu was still unable to take his mind from it. Koroshi’s Sharningan Eyes never made the boy feel uneasy or unsettled, but there was something about that mans eyes…
 

Nobu would finish off his water before running home to get some proper sleep. He would likely ask Koroshi about some of what he had witnessed the next time they would meet, as the young boy felt as though he needed at least some answers, and who better to ask than the Kazekage.  Was this something that had happened, something that was bound to happen, or something that was all made up within the mind of the seven tails? This didn’t seem like something it would use to upset the boy, at least not directly. And what did it mean, Nobu had not been worthy enough to compare to those that came before. Who had come before?

Exit

WC: 1207

Claiming:
6 Stats
632 words towards Evening Elephant Mastery.
Rest towards Rising Leaf Wind