A Genin plays with Dirt

Aki regarded the validity of Toneri’s “offer”, it could be genuine offer to help, or it could be that Toneri just wanted to one up his sister. Either way Aki did not see a good method to get rid of Toneri without posing further offense, and despite Toneri’s words on not letting names bother you he seemed highly strung and sensitive himself, and it would not do well to make an enemy of him.
Still Aki could potentially gain something from it, but what could Toneri help with that his sister could not? Either way Aki resolved that he should make it a simple technique to get it over with quick, one sprang to mind

“I need to learn the Genjutsu release technique, would you be able to help me with it Lord Toneri?”

WC 134
TWC 1687

"Very well. I will teach you the jutsu named Genjutsu Kai or Release. It might save your life at some point, and then you will remember it was I, Toneri Hyuuga, that taught you." He pushed back a golden lock of hair with his hand. "By using this technique, the user can escape Genjutsu they are placed under. Executing the tiger seal will make chakra flow rapidly through your body, thus breaking the opponent's hold over your chakra flow, which is how the art of illusion works. “Toneri would pause for a moment, put his hands in front of his chest, and then speak again. “The most difficult part about Genjutsu is actually to realize you are placed under one.” 

The golden Hyuuga's idea of teaching the Genjutsu release was to trap the man at arms in an illusion and force him to break out of it independently. The Hyuuga executed the handseals for the Mist Servant, and eerie black illusions of himself started to emerge one by one from trees and rocks. They were twelve in total, surrounding Aki Yamanaka in all directions.  They moved slowly as if there were ghosts from a theatrical play of horror. The phantoms under Toneri's complete control approached the Genin, yet their dead eyes would make him unable to read their intentions.

"Show me."

WC: 220

“Tiger seal? That it?” Aki wondered if this was some kind off trick, he had heard the technique was basic but one seal? was Toneri playing a trick on him? As the shadowy figures began to close in Aki shoved the thoughts out of his head and decided to just do as he was told. He locked his fingers together, forming the tiger seal, and increased the flow of chakra. The outlines of the figures seemed to become more solid before ripples ran through them like a reflection on disturbed water. Then all of a sudden they vanished entirely leaving Aki alone with Natsuki and Toneri.
 
“huh…it really was that easy?”
 
Aki turned to Toneri and gave a short bow, “Thank you for your help lord Toneri, thanks to you I am now a little more stronger and have taken yet another small step to becoming a true shinobi”
 
Aki knew he was laying it on a little thick but hopefully it would satisfy Toneri, and get him to leave without incident. There was one more Jutsu he wanted to learn and he hoped Natsuki could teach him.

WC 188
TWC 1875

Aki Yamanaka’s fingers formed the handseal of the tiger as indicated by the superior officer that was Toneri Hyuuga. The result will, it would only be defined by his reaction. The eyes of the former men at arms locked at something the Hyuuga second on wasn’t privy to. He knew the image of the ghost-like figures, but he wasn’t seeing them himself. And this the only way to tell if the Genjutsu was active was to keep the energy expenditure on it and see if the one whose effects were bound to manage to break it forcefully.

Toneri did not need to see the Byakugan see that the bald Genin was beginning to focus the chakra of his inner system. And the next minute, or perhaps a moment that felt like a year, Toneri realized he had been relieved of the upkeep cost of the Mist Servant. And it wasn’t his doing.

“Sometimes, when you work hard in silence, the result makes the noise for you. Good job.” The Golden Hyuuga recognized and turned his back. “I’ll leave you to my sister's capable hands. And do no more shenanigans else I’ll be right back.” Toneri formed ram handseal and disappeared in a blur, and a wave of red leaves took flight behind him.

WC: 213

Aki took a little peep outside the training room to see if he could see Toneri, assuming he sees nothing, Aki then tried the Genjustu release technique, finally if that generates nothing Aki will then return to Natsuki
 
“Sooo, that’s Toneri Hyuuga….he seems a little intense”
 
Aki turned to Natsuki and bowed low again “Sorry if I put you in an awkward position just now, it was not my intent”. Straightening up Aki spoke again. “Lady Natsuki, you have done a lot to help me so far, if I could ask one more thing of you”
 
Aki fidgeted nervously, his mouth a little dry “I -I need a ninjutsu technique that can kill, could you teach me one”

WC118
TWC1993

Kill someone? That’s a heavy word.” Said Natsuki, who did not share Aki’s excitement for killing intent. Not that she hadn’t done it herself, and she had watched many people die over the years as a medical ninja. Albeit, the way she used Iryojutsu was different than most. Used to harm or protect others instead of healing them with damage reduction and chakra scalpel.

“I specialize in different arts than ninjutsu. However, that doesn’t mean I’m without them. You might want to take a step back for this one. More than a few, actually.” Suppose that Aki did as he was told. Her lotion hands came together and moved at extremely high speed that defined her. However, not fast enough that the slower man at arms would be unable to follow.

She slammed her hands on earth with significant force, and spears grew out of the earth, five in total. Two meters in length and 50 cm in thickness. She was careful that they wouldn’t slam on each other or harm anyone around her.

“This is rock pillar spears. Using terrain manipulation is always important in combat, and you can capture someone off guard by spawning them. Additionally, you can launch them.”  With Aki behind her, she angled the end of the spears towards the empty area of the water gardens and fired one with a mental command. It did not travel at extraordinary speed, but when it landed on a red oak tree, it sent pieces of wood away in a loud crack.

“But that’s not all.” Natsuki continued and touched the ground once more. The angle of the earthy proportions shifting once more and forming around her into a makeshift wall.

WC: 283
TWC: 2021

Aki watched carefully as Natsuki performed the technique, trying to keep his emotions detached form the whole thing. He was a shinobi, he would likely have to kill someone at some point, and he might as well learn this so that it would be the other guy who died rather than him.

This technique was very versatile, Aki could use it to both attack and defend, simultaneously launching spears as an when they were needed for offense and using the remainder as cover against other attacks.

When it was Akis turn to perform the technique he cleared his mind and performed the seals, slamming his hands into the ground and summoning 5 spears in a circle around him the points arrayed in every direction
 
“Erm, whoops, sorry let me try that one again” Aki apologised ending the jutsu the spears retreating into the earth.
 
Focusing harder this time on the form he wanted them to take Aki repeated the hand seals and slammed his hands into the earth again the spears appearing in a tight formation in front of him their points angled in the direction Natsuki shot hers. Aki then altered the flow of chakra he was pouring into the earth and the spears changed their angle forming a wall, shifting his chakra the spears then started to spread out, then forming a wall and spreading out. They reminded Aki of great fingers of earth, with sharp nails, and moving them around was a lot easier and quicker than Aki thought they would be.

Tightening the spears together Aki then did Natsukis final gesture to launch the spear. However he misjudged the flow needed and launched all but one of the spears into the water garden the 2 of them burying themselves soft lawn, another spearing a flowerbed, and the last finding its mark shattering itself against Natsukis spear

“I umm, launched a little to many, sorry lady Natsuki” Aki apologised pushing his last spear back into the ground “I think I can control it better now that I have tried it the once”
 
Aki looked around at the damage he had inflicted on the garden, his face beset with worry. He wasn’t too concerned about the damage to the plants he could fix some of it. He instead stared at his hands, hands that didn’t quite feel like his own anymore, these hands could wield deadly Justus now, and in truth Aki was a little frightened of them.

WC408
TWC2401

The boy did seem impressed by Natsuki's execution of the technique. It was a magnificent jutsu, to be sure very versatile, as was the truth for most techniques involving terrain manipulation. That was unique to Doton and some advanced elements that contained it, the Hogokage had told her once, when it was he who was in Natsuki’s current status as a tutor, teaching her how to execute it.

He was a brother so cold and distant at times. Even though he wasn’t basing his combat style on ninjutsu Ayato Hyuuga had made sure to learn as many ninjutsu as he could to share it with shinobi of Hoshigakure. Ayato appeared to love the people of this city more than his siblings and sometimes more than himself. 

"Well done!" Aki Yamanaka’s performance was acceptable, albeit a bit rough around the edges. The man at arms had ruined a flower bed, a tree, and one of his rock pillars once it collided with the one Natsu had conjured earlier. Yet, the technique was still a success. However, the Yamanaka’s reaction was not a woot of excitement or a smile of success, or even a silly prank like before. No, this time, it was something else entirely. Brooding. The boy was looking at his hands as if he was seeing them for the first time.

“Something the matter, Aki?” The silver Hyuuga asked, not unkindly.

WC: 232
TWC: 2,253

“Something the matter, Aki?”
 
Aki was snapped out of his trance, and looked to Natsuki “No- no nothing’s wrong it’s just…well up until now I haven’t had so many techniques at my disposal.” Aki half smiled and shrugged a little self-consciously “It’s a far stretch from what I used to be when I on the city watch, I feel a little  ...different”
 
Aki looked to the garden “I should probably work to clean that up” he said busing himself with removing the earth spears he created and filling in any deep holes with mobile core before patting the soil and damaged turf down with his hands.
 
“Natsuki, could I ask a personal question, you don’t have to answer it”
 
Assuming assent is given Aki will then ask the following, avoiding eye contact and continuing his work repairing the garden
 
“You have been a full shinobi longer than I have, have you ever been forced or instructed to kill another person? How do you….deal with it?”


WC 165
TWC 2566

The former City watchman reassured her everything was fine in terms of his mentality. Even though his eyes clearly did not share that sentiment, as far Natsuki could tell anyway.  He began cleaning up after himself and the damage he had done in learning new techniques. The Chuunin appreciated tidiness a lot. No wonder she and Aki clicked so fast.

It was then that Natsuki sensed a question on his lips. Which he then confirmed. “By all means, go ahead. Barely anything you’d ask would offend me.” Natsuki said. But admittedly, part of her was dying to find out what was going on inside the naked head of Aki Yamanaka. Even Toneri's presence did not rattle Aki as much as the prospect of asking this question, it seemed. 

The subject of life and death. It takes a certain to bury a kunai into someone’s guts. However, it is the duty of shinobi, who take missions from babysitting to assassinations.

“I’m not a killer; I’m a doctor. But my hand has been forced before. if the life of one of our people, like you, is on the line, I have to choose between that and the life of a rogue shinobi cutthroat. “ she paused for a moment, her hand touching underneath her chin. “Then I would sooner see you live another day than hesitate.”

WC: 224
TWC: 2,477