Competition 62 (NK, Private)

The morning was young, the sun had not yet peeked over the mountaintop, Ryu was relaxing on the roof of the dojo after a long night of training, the heat recently made training in the day too tough on his body, not fully used to the humidity up in the mountains. The Hayate dojo had move
4d to this new location high up in the mountains a few months ago after the last one was destroyed by fire, The build had been long and was completely manned by the students and master of the dojo. 

"Raise Ryuuzaki" A voice called from below "We have work to do!" 

Pushing himself up Ryuuzaki rested his arm and his bent knee. looking down to see is master Tendo Hayate. A smile crept into the edge of his mouth, he could sense a competition coming, and that was what he lived for. "Today will be the day" Ryuuzaki parsed as he landed in front of his master. 

163 words

The wind was almost non-existent at this point, Ryuuzaki began stretching his body to prepare for whatever Tendo had in store for him. "Good," Tendo said with a half smile on his face "Always believe that you can win, visualise success" Tendo brought out his jo staff. "Of course you have no chance today" Tendo's smile crept across the rest of his face "I'm feeling particularly focused." Tendo reached down to his feet and picked up a half-filled bucket of water. Placing it on his head Tendo lowered into a stance "Knock this bucket from my head, ranged attacks only." 

Ryuuzaki reached down into his pouch for a shuriken, as his hand entered the pouch he drew quickly and snapped his wrist to throw a shuriken directly at the centre of Tendo's body, almost like a western quickdraw. The speed and placement of the throw were good, it careened straight for the centre of Tendo's body. Without moving his feet Tendo leaned to the side, the movement so quick it was hard to follow, the bucket tilted as he angled his head to keep the bucket planted over the same surface area. The shuriken flew under his arm and he snapped back to his original position, the bucket intact, only a slight sloshing of water to be heard. Ryuuzaki grinned, knowing it would not be so easy. 

Reaching into his pouch again Ryu brought out a shuriken on his index and forefinger, with the same motion as before hurling them towards his mentor, this time they were aimed at either shoulder, his master effortlessly leant back so they just grazed his gi. "You are a shinobi" Tendo joked "A head-on attack like this will never work... Speed is the key"

290 words
453 total

Ryuuzaki rolled to his left both hands digging into his weapon pouches, each bringing out two shurikens on his index and forefingers. as he completed his roll he threw all four shurikens, one aimed at each knee and the other two aimed just below his shoulders. Tendo ducked forward as he spread his legs, dropping below the two shoulders aimed shuriken and allowing the two aimed at his knees to pass over his legs but below his arms. Ryu was already moving, knowing the attack was unlikely to be successful, using it as a distraction he grabbed a kunai in each hand. Tendo reached the floor, the bucket still perfectly placed in the centre of his head. Ryu sprinted around Tendos right side flinging both kunai at once, aimed a metre above each other, one at Tendo lowered position and one above so he couldn't spring over it. Tendo was quick, however, and inch-perfect on his dodge. Dropping his jo staff Tendo planted both his hands on the floor and pushed upwards, the kunai flew under him and pierced the ground. The force he had used allowed the bucket to separate from his head, Ryu started to smile as he saw the bucket leave his head "Fin..." he began thinking he had finally bested his master.

The bucket flew upwards, narrowly missing the second kunai, if it had connected maybe Ryu would have knocked it to the floor. Tendo allowed the second kunai to pass above his head before shooting upwards, then slowing his momentum, allowing the bucket to reach the height of its climb, as it started to lower he settled it back on his head, the water spilling over the side, but staying majorly intact. Ryuuzaki lowered into another stance "That doesn't count." Ryuuzaki allowed scenarios to race through his head, trying to find the right series of attacks.

A smile crossed his face as the master and student stared at each other for a whole minute, subtle movements trying to feign the start of an attack, something they had gone through thousands of times. Ryu was the first to move, knowing his master had endless patience and discipline. Ryu fired off two projectiles, Tendo was done making it hard for himself, this time using his re-equipped jo staff to deflect the incoming kunai, each one sticking into the ground to his sides. ryu continued his attack, projectile after projectile flying towards his master, all of them on the move, Tendo stayed planted only turning to keep Ryu in his front arc. All of the projectiles were deflected, but Ryu could feel his movements improving his speed increasing, but it was not enough. Tendo was too far above Ryu for the time being.

After another hour Ryu fell to the floor exhausted, the number of ninja tools laying around the floor uncountable, he had nothing left to try. He allowed his breathing to slow and his heart rate to get back to a resting rate before he sat up, his master still in front of him in a ready position, bucket on his head staff behind him and other arm outstretched. "Next time," Ryu said as he fell back onto his back and allowed sleep to come, he had trained all day and night, but there was more to come.

552 words
1005 words total + 5 speed