Goro gets built!

Mission Details:

Goro stands in the middle of the Advanced Training Facility, peering up at the obstacles and platforms above him. He looks discontent with his assignment. What the heck does this have to do with striking first, Jiji?! Goro thought to himself. He thought it unfair that his sensei didn't understand his plan during their training when they last met, and now he has to do what he's probably worst at. Exercise. Well, if Goro is anything in life, he's definitely not a quitter. He walks over to the button near the entrance of the room. All right, it's just twenty meters, no big deal, right? Wait, how high is twenty meters?... 60 feet?! Well... I guess I better get going. Goro then presses the button to begin the course. The first obstacle is a ramp leading up to a jump that was about 5 meters in length. He takes a running start before trying to long jump over this gap, and watches in slow motion as he gets close to making the jump, but instead face plants into the edge of the platform! Goro falls onto his ass. He then gets up and dusts himself off before trying again. And again. And... Again... This isn't working. He's not sure what to do next, he can't even make the first jump! Goro doesn't like this thought, but he is afraid he will actually have to start exercising regularly. He walks out of this room of the ATF.

Goro enters a gym, in use by many others that are easily twice his size, both in height and in muscle mass. Why couldn't have just been reading a book?... But he hears an unfamiliar voice speak out to him. "Are you lost, boy?" Is asked in a polite tone. Goro turns to the man who spoke to him and sees a rather large and muscular young man, easily identified by his grey tank top and blonde hair. "Uhm... No? I'm here to get big! Who are you?" Goro would ask, seemingly impressed by the physique of this large man. "Oh, my apologies. I'm Josh. I frequent this gym with my pals over there." He points to a group of other large and masculine men, who all share their separate ways of saying hello. "Anyway, do you need any help, little buddy?" Goro responds "I'm Goro. And no, I don't think I will! I can probably figure out the trick you all used to get big quick!" All of the men laugh in unison. "Aw, bud, I don't mean to rain on your parade, but there is no trick to getting big quick! It takes lots of hard work and dedication to get where we are!" Oh, goodie... Goro groans. Working hard isn't the issue, but he's always hated exercise. And having to do it every day for however long? That's just not what he wants to be doing. He supposes that this is what he signed up for when he became a shinobi. "Oh... Then I guess I would appreciate the help. Jiji sensei is making us have to do some parkour thing for homework, and I can't even make the first jump!" "Oh! Well, you should treat your teacher with more respect. Calling him 'old man is completely disrespectful, and he's just trying to make you better so you can be the best ninja you could possibly be!" "I... Guess." "Anyways, we can help you out, little buddy!" The conversation continues as they enter a room with a track, and Josh hands Goro some underweights. "What are these for?" "To help you build muscle to move faster and jump higher." Goro slips them onto his arms and legs. "So I just have to run around this big circle a few times?" "That's right! But it's not going to be as easy as you'd think. You've got this though!" Goro then gets ready to run the track... He takes off like a speed train for about 12 seconds before he starts to become exhausted and begins to falter. He eventually falls over, about halfway through the course, and lays down on the ground. I... I can't do this... It's too hard! He thinks to himself. But then he hears voices calling out to him. "C'mon Goro, you can do it!" "Get up little man!" "We believe in you!" This is enough to get Goro back on his feet again, and finish running the lap! Everyone cheers Goro on as he runs past the finish and falls over again. "You did it! But don't push yourself too much, I think this was enough for today. Go ahead and get some rest, and get ready to come back here every day until you're strong enough to finish the course!" Goro lies there in a pool of his own sweat. This is going to be a long few weeks...

About a month or so passes, and Goro shows up at the gym every day to keep training until today, the day of the deadline for his homework. Goro only has a few hours before the time is up, so the pressure on him is pretty big. He enters the room again to face the challenge, the group of muscular guys watching from outside. "You got this!" Josh says giving a thumbs up as the rest of the men echo his encouragement. Goro looks back at them before nodding and moving to press the button, beginning the countdown. Goro runs up the ramp to the first jump that defeated him before, and he leaps in slow motion as everyone watches him fly through the air, and make the jump! The next obstacle is a gap that's too big to jump, requiring him to run across the wall, which he does with grace. Next, he has to run up a 5-meter wall with an incline of 90 degrees. He is able to do it before seeing the next challenge. He looks a little intimidated, even... Five platforms he needs to hit from different angles that will drop from under him if he stands on them for more than one second. Then, Josh shouts up at him "Goro! Take them off! You can do it!" Goro gives him a thumbs up as he rolls up his pants, revealing he is still wearing the weights. He drops them onto the ground, putting into perspective how high he is - 15 meters. With an unseen burst of speed, Goro leaps from each platform just in time and makes the final jump to the button on the ceiling, as the course's lasers follow him. He has no choice but to end the course now before they catch him. He leaps from the final platform through the air, and time slows once again as he jumps for the target. The lasers almost hit his shoe as he smacks the target, which emits a loud horn sound through the room, as he falls back to the ground. The guys are there to catch him, however. They throw him into the air as they cheer, saying things like "I knew you could do it!" After the celebration is done, Goro gathers his things, and prepares to leave. He waves to the guys who all wave back at him as he leaves. "Thanks, guys! I couldn't have done it without you! He yells. Josh returns with "It was all you, buddy!" As Goro walks off to his team meeting that starts in a few hours, Josh says to himself "Go on little guy, you'll be Raikage one day, I know it."

TWC: 1265

[Exit]

Claims (Y'know, two months later):

1265 - Chakra Strength

Stats:

6 - Chakra
6 - Vigour

Approved