Group Training (Open)

Another wobbly step forward. It was like walking on ice, Ishii's legs trying desperately to fly out from under himself. His feet naturally shifted away from one another on the ice, and the man had to try desperately to keep his lower body locked in place. His knees shook, and concentration was easily visible on his face. Yet as he took one more step, then another, slowly drifting closer to the center of the little pond, it got easier and easier for him to remain aloft. A light chuckle escaped from his lips as the water rippled around himself, balance becoming easier and easier to find.

"I'm surprised that I've never tried this before... Now that I'm here, it feels so simple."

Ishii lifted his foot, testing the waters so to speak. He raised his leg higher, up until his thigh ran perpendicular to his hip. He balanced there for a moment, letting himself rest serenely against the water's edge. He gave a deep and contented sigh. It was growing easier by the moment, becoming more and more like second nature to him. It was a lot easier than he thought it would be. Ishii sat in wait, calmly resting on the surface of the water to make sure that he got the training done correctly.

Tsunayoshi left soon after, leaving the other two shinobi alone. It was a nice time, and one that Ishii spend in a semi-meditation. Inhale, exhale, Ishii let all thoughts drift away from his mind as he attempted to catch whispers of more voices like the one that spoke in his head. His disembodied companion seemed silent through this process, content on letting the man determine things for himself. He let his senses fade away, let himself soak in the world around himself. He felt the breeze in the wind, the sun on his skin, and the smell of the water vapor from the pond evaporating. It was... peaceful. Though it couldn't last forever. Eventually, Ishii had to say goodbye to Ise, and head on his way. He thanked the boy for his time and his training, and hoped to see him again. Though in his heart, Ishii wondered if he ever would. It was a big world after all, it was possible they would never cross paths again.

Eventually, they went their separate ways, with Ishii heading off back towards his house. It had been a long day, although a bit of a productive one. The man was confident in his ability to balance on water, and he felt a little bit more fluid in his chakra control. Perhaps the most important part of his training though, was the increased energy reserves he felt he had acquired. Ishii rolled his head around as he walked through the streets back home, slowly working out the cricks in his neck.

"I see that I still have a good deal to learn. Though I must admit, it became easier than I had anticipated as time went on. I wonder what I'll be able to accomplish at the peak of my abilities. What can I achieve with the greatest level of chakra control I can muster? I suppose that I'll just have to determine that when I get to that point. The journey along the way though... that will be a tough one."

The voice within Ishii's head laughed lightly, seemingly amused by his comment.

"Well, you're not wrong about that. It's a long way to the top Ishii, and you haven't even climbed the bottom rung of the ladder. You've just accomplished a basic feat in the shinobi world. If you want to surpass your peers, you'll need more than this. It takes combat experience and powerful jutsu to make it. Although if you learned to master the powers bestowed to you by your blood, that certainly wouldn't hurt your cause..."

Ishii gave another sigh, talking aloud to the voice that only he could hear, much to the ire of those he passed in the street, wondering if Ishii suffered from a case of derangement.

"Believe me, I'm aware. I don't know how often that I tell you, but I'm trying. I just can't seem to grasp what it is that I'm supposed to do, what it is that I'm supposed to accomplish. I've mastered this moon release that you speak of, despite the fact that I can't seem to utilize it in any form or scenario. I'm trying to determine what other powers are within my grasp. You don't have to worry yourself however. It's only a matter of time before I stand tall on my own as a shinobi."

With that, Ishii reached his apartment, done with training for the day.

Word Count - 786

Total Word Count - 3038

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