Back into the swing of things. [Statless Spar]

Clouds hung low over the snow-capped mountain tops in the distance. Their milky forms divided by rocky peaks that jutted into the sky like blades. Inaba sat on a log watching clouds as they passed. The ground below him bare of grass. Thin veins of smoke rising around his face. A Kumo Sizzler hung from his lips—and how many years had it been since he had one? Ten? No twelve years. He had been gone too long from home. Previously, he had worked his way through the Minor countries under an Investigatory branch of ADT. Because of the recent murder of his father, Inaba had returned to his native village. Entering Kumogakure’s Shinobi force once more. It was a strange thing to be a Genin at twenty-seven. Most of the comrades he graduated from the academy with were now veterans of the Kumo force. It really was a troublesome position to be in.

How long had it been since he last trained his body? Years of inactivity had slowly dulled him. Well, the plan had been to break that cycle of inactivity today, but distractions always seemed to... The metal clangor of swords drew his attention to two sparring Chunin in the distance. Inaba watched them dance through a haze of cigarette smoke. They lunged forward at each other, both parrying the other’s strike. Inaba’s dark eyes shifted to a lone academy student that stood vertically on a tree. The boy’s face red from concentration. Awkwardly holding his hands above his head, he hoped that somehow this action would steady himself. The academy student’s foot slipped off the bark, sending him face first into the ground.

“Hah.” Inaba laughed.

The academy student rose to reply, his teeth bared and sharp.

"Don't watch, Idiot! I get nervous!"

"Ah, sorry. I won't." Inaba replied.

[WC: 302]

Ikari was finished for the day, he had been sprinting around the entire village for the better part of ten hours and he was ready for a relaxing night of weight lifting and ramen, until he came across another night owl still training within the training grounds. He was just beside the entrance to the quarry so he was already going to have to pass by, so he figured he'd be nice for once that day. "Hey." That was pretty much all he was able to muster due to how much he couldn't stand small talk. 

He walked into the quarry and he readied himself to find the largest rock that he could find and begin his night cap of workouts. He walked up to a rock that was twelve meters tall and six meters wide. He dug his fingers into some cracks that began showing up after Ikari decided to work on lifting this stone for a few days. He got low in his stance and he began to lift. The entire rock shook and vibrated as it began to lift off of the hard ground that was beneath it. He yelled as he lifted it, wanting to feel that burn that he was already feeling in his legs. 

He could barely feel them because they were on fire, but he pushed and pushed until he could feel his chakra emanating off of his skin once again. His chakra would swirl around his body and his hair would begin to flow as if it was a soft burning candle. Eyes an inferno of crimson within his skull. As he continued to push his body. His chakra would begin to swirl around his body more swiftly and in a more irregular pattern than it was before. 

When he finally lifted the rock, he slammed it back onto the ground. His chakra was still swirling around him as he leaned forward onto the rock that he had just lifted. 

WC:328

There was a sound coming from behind Ikari after he had slammed the rock back down to the ground, it was a voice coming from behind him. He quickly turned around to see what the source of the voice was, to his disapointment it was another scrawny member of the village. While this individual was much older than the others that he had been training with, he was at least the same height as Ikari was. He leaned back against the giant rock that he had just lifted into the air and had a conversation with the individual. He hated small talk, the worst type of conversation in his book, but he was needing some what of a rest after that workout, so he would entertain the newcomer for a few seconds.

The usual questions came his way asking about how he was so strong at such a young age, he rarely answered with words, especially when in the quarry. He simply pointed at one of the smallest rocks in the quarry. It was only half a meter tall stretching out the same in diameter. He decided to use his words this time to add to his explanation, "That rock was the beginning. Started there years ago, then just kept pushing my body to lift the next rock, then the next rock, then the next. After a lot of practice and repetition, you get to this rock." He would point backwards at the giant rock he was leaning against.

The individual would continue to speak to Ikari, who had just forgotten that he hadn't introduced himself yet. His name was Inaba, and when he was finished talking, he had brought up needing a sparring partner. Ikari would smile at the proposition and would stop leaning on the rock. "Well Inaba, my name is Ikari, and if it's a fight you want, then you have come to the right guy." Ikari would walk with Inaba over to the grassier part of the training grounds. He would stop when they were far enough into the grass that there shouldn't be any worry of landing onto the hard stone.

He turned toward Inaba and got into his fighting stance, releasing his anger through his chakra. His chakra would swirl around his body with a crimson hue to it, glowing around his body. His hair would begin to sway like a fire and his eyes would glow with a blazing inferno colored red. He was now ready for the fight to come.

WC:418

Inaba raised an eyebrow at the boy’s explanation. The contents of his training method were on full display before Inaba. Each rock and time investment required to reach each new level fully articulated. The older Genin could only shake his head. There’s no way I could follow such a linear training style. I’d want to jump off a bridge by the end of the week. Too many repetitive motions, and not near enough variation in skills. The boy’s training style was not suitable for Inaba, that was for certain, but regardless its results were indisputable. He was built like a tank, and when Inaba stood next to him, he felt odd. His skinny frame looked sickly and weak compared to the boy who was twelve years his junior. Inaba blew smoke rings.

“Ah, Ikari, huh? Well, nice to meet you.” Inaba said as he followed Ikari to the patch of grass.

It had been relatively difficult to find a sparring partner in his rank range. Inaba was starting to worry that he may have to train with academy students. That would have been another blow to his ego—much like being a twenty-seven-year-old Genin was. Though that was all done. He had found someone. Inaba stood in front of Ikari, arms akimbo as he stretched the muscles of his back. He quickly stopped the action, dark eyes darting to Ikari. The air had changed around him. He was capable of expelling this much chakra at his age? What the hell was this? A physical enhancement? Whatever it was, it looked troublesome to deal with. Though Inaba knew his limits—as he only possessed knowledge of the basic jutsu, he would have to take his opponent head-on. The corners of his mouth sank.

“I’m not sure what that ominous chakra is.” Inaba mentioned his chakra aura.

“Truth be told, I’m not suited for head on fights…” He finished the sentence in his mind, not wanting to divulge where his skills lay.

He’s a powerhouse, that’s indisputable, and I’m not in possession of anything that will give me a range advantage. I must play his game for now. If I use my wits and draw his power out, I may have a chance. Inaba’s hands began forming signs: Ram. Snake. Tiger. His chakra surged as two clones split from his silhouette. The three Inabas charged Ikari, and in perfect synchronicity they raised their right hands, threatening a high punch to the opponent's face. Five paces away from their opponent, the clones exploded in puffs of smoke that veiled the real Inaba. In the haze's midst, Inaba lowered his fist and lept out of the smoke, aiming a kick at Ikari’s abdomen. It had all been a feint to throw Ikari off his real intention.

Jutsu Used: Clone Technique.

[WC: 460]
[Total WC: 1,043]

Ikari stood there, chakra still swirling around his body. His eyes would stare down the grown man Inaba with the crimson in his eyes glowing like an inferno in the desert night. All his life he had been picked on when he was far to small to protect himself, so he learned how to take punishment. But more importantly, he knew how to read an individual's body to see where and when an attack was coming. Ikari stood there, his anger swelling within him. His chakra emanating out of his body would begin swirling faster and faster. Finally his chakra would explode as his straight stance turned into his fighting stance. He had his fists clenched and would yell at the top of his lungs, having his chakra look like an actual blazing inferno surrounding his body.

Inaba would create two clones to attack first, fists lifted high and were headed directly for Ikari. The enraged one watched their movements with his peripheral vision, but his main concern was the main Inaba. Inaba left his position and began sprinting up directly behind the clones, Ikari knew what the plan was, but he wanted Inaba to believe he didn't. He stood there, waiting for the actual attack to come. As the clones faded away, Inaba would come straight through their previous position with a kick headed straight for him. Ikari was relieved that he finally decided to perform the actual attack.

Moments before impact, Ikari side stepped the initial kick, grabbing onto his foot and dropping to the floor. He would wrap his legs around the exposed leg that was going to be used for a kick to Ikari, and he would twist the foot to provide Inaba with an excruciating jolt of pain coming from his ankle. He would not put enough pressure on the joint to break it, but he would hold the ankle in the lock until it was broken or until Inaba would tap out from the lock he would now be in.

WC:336

Ikari saw through the triple attack with the images and he landed his attack. Then he got up and left.

WC:20
TWC:1102

+11 stats
+1102 towards Earth Release: Shadow Clone (1102/1500)

Approved @ Ikari