Getting an Edge

The wind whipped around the corner violently, catching Mara's cloak in the process. The sheer force of it almost knocked her off the ledge but she managed to hold tight. This might not have been the best idea, she thought, looking down off the ledge. The journey had been getting even more precarious the farther she travelled.

She'd left the village a few hours ago, taking a winding path up the mountain side. She set out to train, looking to boost her chakra control even higher than she'd gotten it so far. She'd spent the first part of the journey focusing her chakra into her muscles, pushing her limits farther with each minute.

It had been taxing, but satisfying. However, she couldn't afford to expend all her chakra on just endurance training. She'd specifically planned this trip to learn a few new techniques. New techniques that would be a lot easier to learn at the secluded pool she'd once found high up on the eastern peak.

The path had been treacherous, taking her along the jagged, unsteady terrain that she now found herself on. She was genuinely curious how she'd found the pool in the first place. She was struggling with the climb as a Genin. How had she ever gotten there without any training?

She briefly considered simply using her surface running to make the climb faster, but she didn't want to risk it. With how strong the wind was and how unsteady the cliff face was, a simple misstep could send her tumbling to an untimely demise. And she'd rather avoid that, if at all possible. She was rather fond of not being dead...

Grasping the rocky edge, she pulled herself around the corner and into the small cave on the cliff face. She basically tumbled into the cave, landing on her back. Yeah, someone had definitely not been doing her job when she was a child. It was a wonder she hadn't died.

It was probably during one of the times when Dad was in a mood, she thought to herself, remembering the many familial feuds. She didn't miss those days.

Outside the cave, the storm raged. She'd be here for a while now. But she was out of the wind and rain finally. It would do for now.

She allowed herself to lie there for a few minutes, watching the shadows play across the roof of the cave. Even as a child she’d been fond of thunderstorms. Sure, they were scary to be stuck outside in. But watching them? They were always exciting and beautiful. And she’d always felt strangely drawn to them. She wondered if that was just her lightning chakra, or if there was something else behind her fascination.

She propped herself up on her elbows, to look outside the cave. The next flash illuminated the surrounding area, including the distant Kumogakure. She’d certainly embraced her adventurous side again.

Rising to her feet, she turned and faced the small pool in the middle of the cave, the primary focus of this little journey. She removed her cloak and placed it on the ground. It’d be best to avoid getting her main source of warmth wet. On top of it, she placed a small stack with an emergency change of clothes. Without much delay, she approached the pool, stepping right up to the edge of the water. Focusing chakra to the bottoms of her feet, she stepped forward. And instead of feeling the water cover her toes, her feet landed on the surface as if it was solid. She’d never get used to that. Climbing trees were one thing. They were solid surfaces. But water was a whole different animal. It was disorienting and every movement felt like it’d send her tumbling into the murky depths.

She stepped across the surface, making her way to the middle of the small body of water. She settled, planting her feet in a prepared stance. This whole process was about chakra control. That’s why she’d taken a position at the middle of the pool. If she could pull this off, while keeping herself from falling into the water, she could pull this off in combat.

The jutsu she’d come to learn would be her strongest technique yet, easily surpassing every previous technique. And as such, it required very specific training. So she’d scaffold her way to it. First, a simple kunai throw to serve as a comparison. Retrieving one from her pouch, she twirled the kunai into throwing position. She hurled the bladed weapon at the stone wall. It clanged against the stone face and clattered to the ground. A decent first indicator.

She drew a second kunai, but didn’t immediately throw. Instead, Mara formed the dog hand seal. Her chakra flowed into the weapon, causing it to glow and crackle loudly with electricity. This was a stepping stone toward what she’d attempt in a moment. With a flourish, she hurled the blade at the stone. This time it pierced in several inches and stayed. An obvious improvement, she thought. But if I’m right, this next move will blow it away.

It was finally time to try out her new technique, the Raiton: Hell Stab. It was an ancient Kumo technique, dating back to the third Raikage. In theory, the technique was just like her Kunai Cutter, amplifying the sharpness of the blade through the use of lightning chakra vibrations. But instead of her kunai, she’d channel her chakra to her hand. The thought of that was exciting, but she was also worried about messing up and breaking her hand. She grasped her right wrist, sending her chakra into it. For a moment, nothing happened. Then…her hand began to glow. Lightning coursed along it and a blue chakra aura surrounded it.

And then she was suddenly underwater. “Damn it!” she spat as she clawed her way back onto the surface of the water. She’d not been paying attention to her footing. She wasn’t too hard on herself though. This was the point of the exercise, after all. The best way to learn how to do  something  was frequently learning how not to do it.

After stumbling back to her feet several more times after a variety of failed attempts, she finally pulled it together. Her hand began to glow once again, but thankfully she was spared any additional baths. Sustaining the technique, she rushed forward toward the target wall. At the last moment, she stabbed her hand into the rock face. She’d half expected her fingers to break on impact, but the jutsu worked and her hand carved right into the wall. It made the kunai look like child’s play.

But she wasn’t done yet. The thing she appreciated about the Hell Jab was its versatility. She leapt backward admiring the chunk she’d taken out of the wall. Time to intensify it. Careful not to slip underwater again, she once again prepared the jutsu. This time, though, she bent her little finger down, focusing the technique into only three fingers, It was noticeably more draining, but it crackled with more ferocity. She charged the wall again, next to her previous crater, and struck. Bits of stone flew off the wall as she carved her hands path through the rock. The technique was truly impressive.

Resetting, she decided to turn things up to full. She extended only one finger. This was by far the most tiring, but the power of it was plainly visible. Rather than continuing to abuse the innocent stone face, Mara turned her attention to the even more helpless victims, the numerous stalactites and columns in the chamber. With a resonating battle cry which echoed through the cave, Mara rushed from pillar to pillar, swiping her finger through them effortlessly.

Between her yells of exertion, she was smiling ear to ear. This was easily the single most exhilarating moment she’d had since she began her ninja training. Here, in a small water filled cave on the mountain side, in the heart of a thunderstorm, Mara was racing through the pillars and shredding them with a single finger. She was actively channeling a jutsu that had been created by the third Raikage! It was incredible. For a moment, she felt like she was flying.

As the chakra faded, she came to a rest at the foot of the dark pool of water, out of breath, but grinning ear to ear. It was the first time since she’d activated the technique that she noticed just how cold she was. She was still dripping wet. She had fallen into the pool several times after all.

The storm was passing outside and the booming thunder was noticeably receding. She poked her head outside, making certain she was alone, before returning to her pouch. She knew she was miles away from town, but she couldn’t help feeling a bit exposed changing her clothes in a random cave. Getting caught like this would certainly put a damper on a pretty successful training session.

Peeling the soaked and somewhat slimy clothes off, she toweled herself and through on a darker alternative to her usual outfit. A black tank top and shorts, with a red half-jacket over it. She pulled her newly dyed violet cloak over her shoulders, then packed up the grimy mass of clothing. The pool had been a bit more gross than she remembered.

She slipped out of the cave and onto the ledge, wiggling her way toward the slop back home. She’d have to show Zyxis her new move once she got home.  

Looking out over the village, she saw a rainbow forming in the passing light. Things might be starting to look up for her.

[WC: 1616]

[Claiming:
8 Stats (8 Speed)
1500 words toward learning Raiton: Hell Stab (3500/3500)
116 words toward learning Storage Displacement (351/1000)

Hi! I'm going to need you to link me to the previous wc you had for the jutsu.

Oh! Duh. My bad.

Here it is: Could you spar a few minutes?

I'd ask the same for storage displacement too but I'll spare you the bother. Next time keep it in mind though.

Approved.