The Beast Within (Training)

Raikou's Stats


The Beast Within

The morning was a rowdy one for those in the inn where Raikou was. The complaints from the neighboring rooms were either answered by bangs on the door or reluctance to try and ignore it. The bangs, the broken furniture, torn clothes, and the screams and grunts that followed filled the night. Any attempts that were complained to his door, Raikou would answer with an angry scowl or a threat-- and what they would see was more than enough to make them retreat.

Though the disruption was not of the nature people would expect, especially with the 'screaming'.

By dawn came, there was very little rest that Raikou got that night.

The hotel room he was in was a mess, with tossed sheets, knocked over lamp, clothing tossed across the room. Laying in bed was Enjin, the sheets covering him as he felt a bit more restful. He had slept a bit, but had been ... distracted by another matter. If it wasn't obvious what was causing the racket and the screams of 'bloody murder' was the woman who was blissfully asleep next to him. Unlike him, she was fast asleep, worn out, and exhausted. It caused a lot of embarrassed faces for the couple of people who complain that night.

It was one way to quell his ... an inner animal that tore at him every once in a while. It beat killing someone. He could of done it to her, but he had more fun this way-- not that he would kill a woman in such a way. Well.. unless he was paid to. That seemed to excite him at the idea of that.

Still as dawn finally came, the whirlwind of fury and bloodlust was died down due to his evening fun. Still, he had work he had to do and wanted to get to training again. He was lucky he found a good source of entertainment in Suna, but he knew he had other self improvements he had to do. He had become involved with a local criminal group, she he had to do something to keep his edge. Luckily, he heard of a place perfect for his training.

He rose out of bed as he proceeded to clean up . He heard the soft moan of the woman behind him as she stirred. "Mmmm... going somewhere?" she asked, half-asleep.

Raikou surpressed the smirk on his face. "Out. I want to get some training in early, if that isn't a problem," he commented.

The woman had long brown hair and a darker shade of skin. A health tan of one who been accustomed to the desert sun. She was an exotic beauty as the sheets hid her luscious form from view. "N... no... just hope you had fun." she commented, a bit confused and sleepy.

He smirked at her as he retreated into the bathroom. After cleaning up, washing up, he returned to put on some clothing, still not wearing a shirt as he secured his belongings. As he saw the woman there, still half asleep, Raikou took out a small bag of Ryo and placed it on the bedside for her. "Thanks for the night. I appreciate it. " he replied. "Maybe we can continue our fun later."

Even though this wasn't the first time he had enjoyed such carnal pleasures, he was still somewhat civil to them, despite his brutal nature. As she sleepily acknowledged him, he left to do some training.

WC: 577

Raikou left the inn and made sure everything was taken care of. He grabbed some rations he had and ate them quickly. He felt he had little need for real food at the moment. It was odd how he had a reservoir of energy in him that rarely felt depleted. He had so much energy at times it just kind of burned in his veins, and it was how he knew he would lose track of his senses and had to work to burn it off. He would go to sleep at times, but it was never truly restful.

He had to learn how to properly use his powers, at least, that was what Augus told him. Sure some wild fun, either fighting in the arenas for money or spending a wild night with a lovely lady-- or more than one at times-- easily took the edge off him. Still, he felt like he was dangerous to just the general people around him. While he could care less to strangers he passed by, he didn't want to draw unwanted enemies to him. He had to prioritize his survival, not just his passions too.

When he was in town a couple of days, he heard of one place that seemed promising. He didn't expect much in this land of sand, wind, and scorching sun. However, he heard that near the spire was a training area. Unlike the other training spots, this one was a nature preserve, surrounding the spire that ran the land of Suna. While he didn't like the idea of going so close to the central hub of a village in the event he was discovered... it sounded compelling. It was a made oasis in the center of the village, containing trees, water, and soil-- a cradle for life to exist in this scorching hell. He knew that water supplies were run under ground and also that there were means to support life in the desert. Still, while it would be dangerous to go into the open like that, and be so close to where 'law enforcement' could be... the chance to see this bit of nature in Suna was something he couldn't resist.

Worst case, he fight them off but it would violate his ability to remain in Suna should that occur. He was starting to enjoy the life in Suna so far, so he best not jeopardize that. Making up his mind, he left the inn and towards the inner core of the Village hidden in the sand.

***

The inner side of the city was much more structured and modern. Paved streets, cleaner shops and clearly not his usual seedy areas he went to in the 'red light' district of the town. He felt more at home there, but this place had a brighter and livelier feel to it. It even took the edge off his bloodlust as he walked. It wasn't long, but he soon could see the spire, and surprisingly the rise of green trees that towered over the smaller buildings around it.

WC: 509

Raikou was mesmerized. Even from a distance, he could feel it. The peace and tranquility of that small oasis within the confines of this bustling city. The closer he got, passing people and buildings, he was drawn to the natural forest and preserve. Even if supported by chakra, it only made it more appeal. LIke another oasis that existed in this one, and one that suited Raikou's tastes more.

It took him a while to get through there, between passing people. Some he rudely bumped into it, and of course, avoided the official shinobi guards of Suna who were to be guarding the spire. He had no business there, today anyway. The last thing he wanted was to draw undue attention to himself. Right now, all he wanted was to explore this pristine nature preserve and take the time to train there. He soon found it after zig-zagging through the streets and reached a Shinto gate that marked the entrance. The moment he stepped in, he felt a change in the air-- moisture. The air was unusually moist and probably done so by chakra. From what he could guess, as it encompassed much of the spire, it was roughly 10 acres around the place, giving plenty of room for training and general visits for people who wanted a change in scenery.  The moment he entered it, it felt cooler and more lively.

He felt compelled to and removed his sandals as he walked through the forested path, feeling the grass below his feet. Even the sound from the nearby cityscape began t o become less and less as he went deeper in. For a moment he feared he fell into some kind of genjutsu that made him drop his guard too soon. Still, he felt so peaceful in this place that even his bloodlust had faded for a bit. It was quiet, and he could relax with ease there.

He ventured deeper in, seeing the large trees and plants growing in abundance. While bits of the city could be seen through the trees and bows of the canopy, he heard the wind rustling through the t rees and the smell of the plants. He even found a series of ponds and made water fountains that poured water into a variety of places. The salty smell of sand was gone as he felt as if he stepped into another world entirely in this small haven in the desert.

"Well, shit... guess the Sand has some good things going for them after all," Raikou spoke to himself as he looked around, getting a lay of the land within this preserve.

He soon flowing stream. While created by probably machine, irrigation and chakra, he appreciated the surrounding water as he crossed it. he walked across it with surface walking without an issue and sat himself down on a rock that protruded from the water. This would be a good place for him to meditate-- to clear his mind and thus begin his training with the best results.

WC: 505

It was an odd feeling to explain. Raikou was a person who always followed his more natural, primal instincts-- not including his antics in the bedroom that of course were clear that morning. He was raised in the wild, and lived on his own long after his parents were gone. He depended on himself, hunted and became more animal than most to survive-- hence his wild-man appearance. He didn't give a damn what others thought in that regard. While being in the wild also calmed his more rampant and violent tendencies, the beast within-- it also invigorated it. Even as he sat there and meditated, he recalled the words of his friend who he now considered his 'master'. The man who taught him how to use all that energy to something else, so it wouldn't him rampant.

He was able to let his muscles relax, his mind wander and his sense of energy flowed with everything around him. It was times like this he felt he could truly put himself at ease. It was a bit boring for him to not move or even just rest, but he was not one who was able to do that well. He was always on the move, doing something to make sure he could go around and have some activity to apply his strength to. He could actually feel like he was asleep, getting well deserved rest, even as he sat cross-legged on the boulder surrounded by the water.

As he rested there, his breathing became extremely soft, almost nonexistent. Eventually, the fish in the water began to move around him. A few birds too dared to get to him. They landed on his head and shoulder, feeling at ease enough with Raikou to make themselves known to him. Their soft tweeting made him a bit annoyed, but he physically didn't even move an inch. It was strange how he could be murderous, wild and untamed... and yet when no one was around, he could finally get some decent rest and be as calm as the earth.

He finally let out a breath, but the animals didn't retreat. He cracked an eye out at the one bird at his shoulder, which curiously cocked its head at him. "Yeah, what do you want?" he spoke to the bird with sarcasm.

Finally, the bird took off, whether encouraged by Raikou's words or its own volition, he didn't know. Having rested enough, recovering and feeling a bit more looser, he flexed his arms, causing the other bird who made a nest out of his hair retreat. He rose up from the rock and stretched, now ready for more physical exercise.

With a jump, he scaled across the small stream back to the shore and ground. Half naked due to his choice of clothing, he began to stretch his built arms and shoulders, flexing them up. He intended to practice his physical exercise t o sharpen his physical condition, but he knew one thing he had to learn more. Something he knew he neglected. Ninjutsu. Augus had told him his power was meant to be applied to that aspect of ninjas, and he had the potential. He often used it, but more for the use of nin-taijutsu. It was his preferred style of combat.

WC: 548 (double value for Aniversary event) 1096

Combining the raw power of taijutsu with the useful traits of ninjutsu just flowed well to Raikou and something he took enjoyment in. Just as Taijutsu was a form of expression and martial arts, so too was ninjutsu as he learned later. While he still was not the strongest person for developed ninjutsu, he was slowly enhancing his skills in both. Should he come across Augus in the near future, he hoped to further his training with him. Augus was a man he respected, not just as a senior fighter, but also someone who shared Raikou's view of life. TO live, eat, thrive and enjoy life to the fullest, regardless of the options or rules of others. Though he had his quirks and oddities, he taught Raikou how to use the 8 inner gates and to embrace and understand the violence that surged in his body.

Finished with his stretching and his warm-ups, he took a fighting stance on the grass and focused on his form. He would practice on a nearby tree soon enough, but his strength was likely to knock the whole thing down. The last time he practiced on a training dummy in the training grounds here, he used so much force the sturdy, reinforced training dummy was lodged free from the stone slab it was embedded in-- causing the whole platform to break apart like an earthquake. The attendants to that training ground were not happy with it. FOr now, he would resort to practicing in thin air -- till he could find a targetable to take a beating from his raw strength. He disliked the lack of resistance he would not have as he punched, but the goal was to form now, practicing fast punches, stringing blows and kicks while reacting fast for his speed. He dashed, skidded and pivoted to work on his footwork and reflexes. Though he had to imagine the situation, it wasn't time wasted. His blows had started to take an impact on t he physical air, causing minor gusts and movements to help. His kicks alone were causing small blows of air, which gave a good example of the strength he was exerting.

By about a good hour of this, he was dripping with sweat from his body. Ironic, it was a lot more exhausting to use his own strength on thin air than a solid surface to hit. He couldn't gauge his strength, but it tired him and burned off more energy than he thought. As he slowly drew his breath down to a calm pace, he felt he was growing stronger still. He felt the drive in him again, and the desire to cut loose. He looked at his hand, and felt the tremble of his muscles. He loved the feeling of it, the burn. While he wasn't a muscle junkie as some call them, he loved the feeling of aches and 'burn' he got when he trained.

He had reached his goal for physical training. Even now, he could see the sun start to set into the distance, well beyond the rim of the horizon from where he could see in the ring of buildings that marked the city. Despite his own desire and interests, he knew there was one thing he should do. Not that he wanted to, but he should knuckle down and do legitimate ninjutsu training. To refine his chakra and harness the stronger qualities in himself.

WC: 572 (bonus from anniversary event X2) 1144

Raikou recalled the lessons he took with Augus. Despite his affinity for Taijutsu like Raikou was used to, he also was well versed with Ninjutsu and other arts that involved chakra to manifest. One thing he did like was how there was a way to combine both Taijutsu with Ninjutsu what others called "Nintaijutsu". Not the most original name but involved creating t the same powers via enhancing the body. That was something Raikou could get behind. However, that required far more training and focus. It wasn't that Raikou was slow or not smart enough to grasp Ninjutsu. He had performed the basics of it by learning from the shadows of others. Still, it wasn't the same as he had no idea how to properly mold his chakra-- or his inner genergy that made him go so wild. There was one jutsu, however, he did like.

A form of 'jab' that was wrapped in lightning-- capable of boring through solid objects. Looking around for a good target, Rakou sought something to use the jutsu on. He had only performed it a couple of times with Augus as he encouraged him to learn it as his 'affinity was to lightning'. The hardest part was to remember hand signs, and rather how to perform it right. His hands were quite large and not all that dexterous as he glanced at them. He let out a sigh as he tried to focus. He felt his blood boiling already at the desire to strike something, so hopefully, this would sate his 'bloodlust'.

He soon found a large boulder which barred a nearby tree. The boulder was quite big, even for him if he tried to lift it as he was now. The goal was for him to make a dent into the big rock via this jutsu and not his raw strength alone. He soon recalled the hand signs. "Monkey... Dragon... Rat... Bird--- wait how was the bird again?" he spoke to himself as he fumbled with his finger positions. The Bird was a bit hard t o manage for his hands, but he soon found the right one and held it a bit to memorize the sensation where his fingers had to go. He wish he didn't need hand signs to wield chakra but it was how one focused chakra.

He tried again. Monkey , Dragon, Rat, Bird, Ox and Snake! That was the ones. As he then made the final gesture as he extended his right hand. Electricity crackled, similar to other ninjutsu he had done with Raiton-- however, the charge intensified and gathered to the point of his palm. It soon grew and extended on his hand, forming a powerful charge of electricity. The charge built up with each second, growing stronger with his chakra flowing into it.

Holding the charged-up fist, he turned to the rock and took a low stance, preparing to charge. As he did, the charge of lightning in his hand intensified. Now arcs of lightning began to give off, striking parts of the ground around him and scorching the ground below him. From what he learned, this jutsu would not only deliver a penetrative blast of lightning on impact, but it would also increase his speed as well, but only in a straight line. Meaning this had to be a finishing blow...

WC: 556 (X2 from anniversary event) 1112

He felt his muscles tense as the electricity continued to circulate in his body. The lightning was strong as he fed his extra energy-- the nature energy-- into the lightning style Chidori. His eyes narrowed on the target, and with his focus the lightning intensified. With a final shock-- he took off in a sprint. He moved like a bullet that caused a small shock wave with his movement. He moved right into the boulder and thrust his lightning charged arm forward with a roar.

CRACK! BOOOOM!! The bang of thunder went off as the Chidori struck, causing a massive eruption. The 'boulder' that was there crumbled into pieces. He wasn't even sure if it was just cause of his raw power or the Chidori he used on the object. The resulting literally caused the boulder to explode. His eyes widened at the result. He had expected to merely put a hole in it cleanly, but instead, it just gored and exploded. He wasn't sure of the intended effect he was expecting, but it was powerful, as with most lightning style jutsu were. He was surprised to see the result, to say the least, and saw as the bits of rubble clattered and fell from the air around him.

The peace of the forest scattered as the birds and little animals scurried away from the resulting destruction. He felt his arm start to relax, and with it the last bit of lightning fade from his limb. A long, held breath was released as he shook his arm, feeling a tingle there as if his arm had fallen asleep for a bit. After his meditation and exercise, he probably shouldn't be surprised that surging chakra into that limb would tire him a bit. In fact, he felt satisfied for his use of the jutsu, opposed to his desire to destroy and fight that was normally overpowering for him. He even felt his own chakra take a dive as the Chidori required a great deal of chakra to pull off.

"What was that?" a voice called out.

Raikou grew more alert as he heard the voices coming from the direction of the spire.

"I don't know," another voice answered. "There was some sort of explosion in the gardens. "

"There is no smoke. You sure?"

"That's not the point. The sound was definitely from here," the other voice spoke, "So quit complaining. We need to make sure the area is secure. It's probably some genin practicing but better safe than sorry. "

Raikou grimaced. He didn't want to deal with more official sand shinobi than he had to deal with. He just made progress, so he didn't want to have to deal with stick-in-the-mud shinobi. Realizing he had finished what he came to do, he quickly gathered chakra-- and took off with a burst of speed via Bodly Flicker.

His speed allowed him to clear through the forested area fast. He hated to leave, but he didn't have any real option either. The more he interacted with the 'law', the more risk he had of being identified as a wanted target-- even among Suna he wouldn't take that risk.

WC: 526 (X2 from anniversary ) 1052

His burst of speed from Body Flicker allowed him to get out as fast as lightning. After weaving through enough trees and branches-- he soon shot out into the open air and towards the city. He soon saw a large building right in his path. Any normal person would have crashed from it and probably risk injury, however, he merely shifted his momentum and landed in a crouch upon the wall side. He clung to it like a spider, his chakra via surface walking allowing him to cling to it as easily as any other surface. He was clear from the area and soon didn't hear any sound or sensation of an enemy following him.

The enemy might have been a sharp use of the word, but he didn't care for Suna's shinobi-- or any nation's for that matter. His sense of trust in them was not something he was going to risk. He knew many nations would love to get their hands on him for merely the use of his abilities. But he was the one who said where he go and what he did. If someone wanted to control them, he would either kill them or make them wish he did.

With the coast clear and the initial training done, he let out a sigh of relief as he looked up to the top of the building. With a quick sprint and burst of acrobatic speed, he ran and swung himself up on the rooftop. He could soon see the wide view of the nature reserve, along with the spire in the center of it. He would have loved to see the tower knocked down. He would spend a little time glaring at it, and felt the strange feeling that it was staring daggers back at him. He gave a final scoff to the building and turned away, to head back to the hotel he took a residence in.

Sunset soon had returned as Raikou returned to the hotel, and gave a bit of money to cover a few more nights there. He was happy to keep on paying so long as he could have a decent residence like this. He walked down the lit highway, finally feeling a bit tired from his training and travel to that part of town. He felt satisfied and feeling less wanting to slaughter things. He might of had the will to get some sleep.

He soon stopped short as he came close to his room and soon saw someone. The woman he had slept with last night, waiting at his hotel room door. She was leaning against there, waiting and almost seeming impatient. Raikou raised a brow at this, unsure why she was there. He stopped about a meter away as she cast her gaze at him. "Hey there, handsome. Have a good day?" she asked in her sultry tone.

Raikou blinked a this, curious as to why she was here. "Um... is there a problem? I didn't think you would still be here?" he asked.

"Hmm... If my company is so bad, perhaps last night wasn't that much fun for you." she replied with a mock-wounded tone to her.

"That isn't what I meant," Raikou replied with a sigh. Women, always were crafty ones when they wanted to be. "What brings you here then?"

She folded her arms against her chest, making her breasts stand out a bit more as she looked to Raikou. "Oh, nothing. I had a good time last night, so I figured you might want to have some more fun, hm?" she said with a seductive tone.

Raikou was no fool on this as he was glad he left a 'lasting impression' on her. Still, not only was he finally feeing tired after a long time, but he also had one detail he couldn't ignore. "That would be fun... but sadly, I do not have the money to properly express my gratitude to you," he said carefully, rather than being blunt on who she was and what 'services' she was requiring.

The woman almost snorted in laughter as she took a step towards him. "Oh, that?" she asked, her eye low to gaze upon his body and physique, slowly up to his face with a glazed look of desire. "Don't you worry. This is purely a... social visit. Well, interested?"

Raikou was surprised by her interest in him. He did leave a lasting impression on most women. He would have otherwise appreciated the night by himself and to just get some sleep.

"Hmmm... Oh what the hell," he sighed.

Needless to say, despite it all-- neither one of them would get much tonight, and neither would the neighbors again.

END.

WC: 784 (X2 from anniversary) 1568
TWC: 6491

Stats: + 24 to Vigor, +20 to Chakra, +20 to Speed
Jutsu Learned: + WC 3696 to 8 Inner Gates Jutsu already learned (Complete)
+ WC 2500 to Berserk Sage Transformation

Alright, Approved