Training for the Genin Exam

Enter Roy Goka.

Roy's journey to get to Hoshigakure had been a long one. From his start in the hidden volcano to the snowy Land of Iron, the scorch swordsman couldn't even call himself that, for his equipment was sold so that he could get to this point. Wearing scratchy linen garments that barely fit him, the 16 year old was the very definition of destitute.

Roy was determined to change his lot in life though, since now that he was here in this sprawling hidden village, the opportunity to grow, learn, and especially earn was well within his grasp. Since arriving in the village Roy had found shelter thanks to the hospitality of the village, but even those accommodations were temporary at best.

The best thing to do now was swear his fealty to this land and it's leader, learning the ways of the ninja along the way, and developing the tools necessary to become the greatest swordsman in this ninja world. Since arriving in Hoshigakure, Roy was enrolled at the academy to study and learn what it took to be a member of his village, but his previous trainings had already taught him much. The academy student was told by his teachers that his already known skills made it redundant to continue his time at the academy, and that he could prove himself by completing the genin exam in a couple weeks.

Roy knew he needed to complete the genin exam with flying colors, otherwise what was the point of coming here in the first place, and to do that, he needed to train to prepare for his upcoming test. Roy would make his way to the gardens, a far cry from the training grounds in soot and snow of his past, and found a nice spot on this busy training day. Though the ninja was alone for now, he would begin his warm ups, eyeing passers by, with the goal of finding somebody of similar skill to practice with. In a village this big, there was bound to be somebody here that was his equal in skill.

[350]

Hoshigakure is a hidden village that sits nestled in a picturesque valley surrounded by towering mountains, creating a natural barrier that helps protect it from outsiders. As the sun rises, the sky is painted in soft shades of pink and purple, casting a serene glow over the village. The air is crisp and cool, and the scent of blooming flowers and fresh dew is heavy in the air, invigorating the senses.
As the
residents start their day, the village comes to life with a buzz of activity.
Vendors set up their stalls in the bustling market, selling everything from
fresh produce to handmade crafts. Children can be seen running through the
streets, playing games and chasing each other with laughter echoing in the air.
A nearby
waterfall provides a soothing background noise that blends with the hum of
conversation and activity. The sound of rushing water is a constant reminder of
the natural beauty that surrounds the village.
The narrow
winding streets of Hoshigakure are lined with colorful buildings made of wood
and stone, each with its own unique style and purpose. Some are homes, others
are shops or restaurants, and some are official buildings for the village's
administration.
As the day
progresses, the village continues to bustle with life and energy. The people of
Hoshigakure are proud of their village and its natural beauty, and they work
hard to maintain it. It is a place where community and nature coexist in
harmony, and where visitors are welcomed with open arms.
The gardens in the center of Hoshigakure were a sight to behold. As Hiroshi made his way towards them, he couldn't help but take in the beauty around him. The narrow streets he walked on were lined with cherry blossom trees, their pink petals softly falling to the ground as the morning breeze picked up. The sound of a nearby waterfall provided a soothing background noise that complemented the tranquil atmosphere of the village.
As he
reached the entrance to the gardens, Hiroshi was greeted by the scent of
blooming flowers and the chirping of birds. The garden was a sprawling oasis
filled with various flora and fauna. Bushes of lavender, roses, and daisies
bloomed in different corners of the garden, and a variety of trees and shrubs
of different sizes provided shade to visitors. The garden's centerpiece was a
large pond with crystal-clear water, surrounded by a lush green lawn where
residents could practice their ninja techniques or simply enjoy a peaceful
moment.
Small
streams weaved their way through the garden, creating little pools where fish
swam lazily, their scales glistening in the morning light. Along the streams,
bridges made of wood and stone connected different parts of the garden, adding
to the garden's charm and inviting visitors to explore.
Hiroshi
found a nice spot in the garden where he could train his skills. Around him,
other ninja were also practicing their techniques, some alone, others in pairs.
But despite the activity, the garden remained a peaceful retreat, a place where
one could escape the hustle and bustle of the village and find a moment of
tranquility.
As Hiroshi approaches the gardens, he notices a young man already there, warming up. Hiroshi observes him for a moment, taking note of his thin frame and the scratchy linen garments that barely seem to fit him. Despite his ragged appearance, the boy seems determined and focused, and Hiroshi can see a glint of ambition in his eyes.
Hiroshi
recognizes the look in the boy's eyes, having seen it in many young ninja
before. It's a look of hunger for knowledge and strength, a desire to prove
oneself in the world of ninja. As Hiroshi watches him continue his warm-ups, he
can't help but feel a sense of admiration for the boy's determination, despite
his humble beginnings.
Although
Hiroshi doesn't yet know the boy's name, he can tell that he has potential. As
a seasoned ninja himself, Hiroshi knows that it takes more than just raw talent
to become a great ninja. It takes hard work, dedication, and a willingness to
learn and grow. He can see that this young man possesses all of those
qualities, and he's curious to see how far he'll go.
Hiroshi would watch for a moment this young shinobi’s practice. In short, he was impressed with how the boy moved with a sword. He would hesitate, but then realize it’s his duty to help the younger ninja realize his full potential. He would approach walking casually over to where the young shinobi was training. “Hey man, I noticed you’re training and I was wondering if you wanted to train with me?” He’d ask as he gained the attention of the young shinobi.

WC: 786

As Roy's warm ups continued he took a little time to eye the various ninja and citizens that dotted this tranquil landscape. The city was clearly a marvel and the long years of relative peace through the land made the village a great place to live to be. Only a fool couldn't recognize the power of stability. Still, Roy knew very little of that growing up and had to run from place to place, perhaps this was a chance for him to stop running and actually plat some roots, but so far Roy wasn't convinced of that yet.

The Scorch Swordsman would would notice various ninja as they walked around or found a place for themselves to train. Some were alone, but even Roy could tell that their skills eclipsed the students. Why would any of them want to spend their time teaching a boy whose loyalty couldn't even be trusted at this point. Some of these ninja were in groups, clearly students among them but part of a ninja team with a strong looking teacher that was there to train them. Roy didn't have a team to rely on yet, hell he hadn't had anyone to rely on for a long time, so going up to them and trying to force his way into their group training would not be a good idea. Still, Roy was confident that his chance to learn and gain some new skills was coming right around the corner.

Roy would spot and notice Hiroshi looking towards him. Almost instantly there seemed to be some sort of connection between the two ninja, a certain intensity that Roy couldn't quite put their finger on. It wasn't long before the the tall man would make their way towards Roy. The swordsman would size the man up as he made his way towards the spot of grass and ground Roy had staked a claim to, stopping his warm ups and putting his full attention towards them. The person that was approaching him seemed very similar to Roy in a lot of ways, revealing a headband that seemed to still be new, perhaps signaling that they too were a new ninja. The perfect person to train with.

"Sure. My names Roy and I'm new here." Roy would reply with a cheerful smile. A drop of sweat would form on his brow, glistening as Roy put his unkempt hair away from his eyes.

"I'd like to focus on my swordplay; but I don't have a sword to train with at the moment, so I was looking to practice my Taijutsu or prepare for my upcoming Exam." Roy would conclude.

Hiroshi nods understandingly as Roy speaks. "I see," he says, "Well, I'm not much of a taijutsu practitioner myself, but I can certainly help you prepare for your exam in other ways."
Hiroshi looks at Roy more closely now, taking in his scruffy appearance and the
determination in his eyes. Despite his rough exterior, there's something about
Roy that speaks to Hiroshi. Perhaps it's the fact that he's so eager to learn
and improve, or maybe it's the glimmer of potential that he sees in the young
man.
"I'm Hiroshi, by the way," he says, extending a hand. "It's good to meet someone who's as dedicated to their training as you are." 
"Sure, I can teach you the clone technique," Hiroshi said with a nod. He took a few
steps back, creating some distance between himself and Roy. "The clone
technique is a basic jutsu that creates a copy of yourself. It's a good way to
confuse your opponent and gain an advantage in battle."
Hiroshi performed a set of hand seals at a rapid pace, and suddenly, two identical
copies of him appeared on either side. "This is the clone technique,"
he said, gesturing towards his clones. "To perform this jutsu, you need to
focus your chakra and mold it into a physical form."
He paused for a moment to allow Roy to take in the information before continuing.
"To create clones, you first need to perform the Ram hand seal, like
this." Hiroshi demonstrated the Ram hand seal, folding his fingers in a
specific pattern.
"Next, you need to focus your chakra and create a clone. The more chakra you use, the more
powerful your clones will be." He performed the hand seal again, and two
more clones appeared beside him.
"Remember to keep your focus on the chakra and form the hand seal properly. With
practice, you'll be able to create multiple clones and use them effectively in
battle," Hiroshi said, finishing the demonstration.

WC:327

Roy would appear crestfallen in learning that Hiroshi did not have skill or seemed to desire to train in Taijutsu. The Student would kick his feet a little at the ground as the genin continued to offer different training ideas.

"Thanks for approaching me, Hiroshi. Taijutsu is fundamental, but I suppose not everyone is willing to get their hands dirty. If you'd like to help me prepare for this exam, I could help you train in other ways. I'm a skilled fighter, especially with a sword." Roy would say before starting any other training.

While Hiroshi walked back, Roy would inspect the genin further. His garments appeared to be well made and the ninja held a certain air of dignity about themselves. Perhaps this was a symptom of living in Hoshigakure or just the confident nature his training partner had. While Roy hadn't said anything yet, his goal now was to see what this ninja was truly capable of, and perhaps learn a thing or two about the power and tenacity of this one.

"My training is necessary in order for me to reach my goals. Right now, my goal is to pass the genin exam, and I'm eager to learn what tips you may have."

Roy would listen intently as the white haired ninja would perform the hand-signs necessary to complete the clone technique. He would watch as the ninja effortlessly created clones of themselves. A basic but effective technique. Roy would fumble a bit weaving the hand signs together on his first attempt. The result was a clone that was still translucent, even Roy could tell that this attempt was a failure.

"Damn!" Roy would say. "I never had much training in hand seals or chakra control. I just barely learned all the hand seals from the academy, but let me try again." Roy would say, continuing the practice just by making one clone. Sweat began to drip down his brow after a few more attempts with marginal improvement.

"How do you focus on your chakra without something in your hand? It's like all that power flows there but I can't control it."

[356/

Hiroshi could see Roy's frustration with his chakra control and would offer some suggestions to help him improve. "Roy, it's normal to struggle with chakra control at first, but with practice, you'll get better. One exercise that could help is meditation. By focusing on your breath and maintaining a steady rhythm, you can become more aware of your chakra flow and learn to control it better."
Hiroshi would
then guide Roy through a simple meditation exercise, encouraging him to sit
comfortably and close his eyes. "Start by taking a deep breath in through
your nose, and then slowly exhale through your mouth. Try to keep your breaths
even and steady, and focus on the sensation of air flowing in and out of your
body."
As Roy settled into a comfortable seated position, Hiroshi continued to guide him through the meditation exercise. "Now, I want you to imagine a small ball of energy in the center of your body, just below your navel. This is your chakra, and it's the source of your ninja abilities. As you breathe in, imagine that this ball of energy is expanding and growing brighter. And as you exhale, imagine it contracting back to its original size."
Hiroshi
paused for a moment to let Roy focus on the visualization. "If your mind
starts to wander, just gently bring it back to your breath and the image of
your chakra. It may take some time, but with practice, you'll be able to
control your chakra more effectively."

WC: 250

Roy would listen and was prepared to practice with Hiroshi in this guided meditation, though he wasn't very sure that this will work. While the training continued, Roy would look at his teacher with a visible puzzled expression as he tried to understand what he was being taught.

"The source of my chakra in my stomach. Ok..." Roy would say in a determined but unenthusiastic tone.

"Meditation never crossed my mind. I've never felt like I've had the chance to just sit down and think of nothing, there was always something to be done: Running, Training, Fighting. I never felt like I had a real chance to clear my mind. Perhaps training my mind is the next step in my growth." Roy would continue, finding a comfortable position in the grass around him and closing his eyes as he let Hiroshi start his meditation.

The toughest part of this exercise was closing his eyes and letting his guard relax while doing it. At first, Roy couldn't help but feel like his teacher was up to something, and was on high alert to make sure they weren't going to do anything harmful towards the student. As the meditation continued, Roy realized that he wasn't threatened here. There were many ninja and citizens walking through the gardens, it would be difficult for Hiroshi to harm Roy without anyone noticing, and Roy wasn't about to let that happen regardless. His mind began to calm and his focus went towards the chakra points in his stomach. Roy never much thought about his chakra points or how to control his power from within without a sword.

As the lesson continued and the thoughts in Roy's head began to calm, he began to hear the soft voices of those around him, the water from the nearby streams, the peaceful tones of birds singing in the afternoon daylight. After a while longer, Roy began to focus inward, emotionless, simply navigating through his body and being mindful of the many chakra points that were around his body. After a deep breath, Roy could feel a fire in his body starting from his stomach and pulsing around to his torso, arms, legs, and head. As he continued to breath he could feel his body temperature rise as his breathing became more intense. There was, energy being made inside him, and he could feel as though he knew where it was coming from and where it could go.

Roy would open his eyes and stand again, weaving the hand seal and focusing in on his chakra from within, travelling to his palms, the heat almost uncomfortable as he channeled his chakra through the seal as a superheated puff of smoke formed next to him. A few moments later, Roy would turn to see a perfect replica formed next to him, a clone of himself, who looked forwards towards Hiroshi for a few moments before dissolving. The grass under Roy's feet would be exhausted, as though the moisture it once had now removed, dehydrated and limp.

"That's incredible... I could feel the chakra forming in my body and releasing through the seal. It's almost as though the seal is the conduit for my chakra and all I had to do was lead it there."

[1682]

Hiroshi smiled at Roy, impressed by his progress. "Excellent work, Roy. You've made significant progress in a short amount of time.” Hiroshi would stand up from meditation and would suggest Roy do the same. “Exactly the seal is the conduit for your chakra and all you have to do is lead it there.”
Hiroshi would take a few steps back and allowed Roy some room, “I want to see a clone, I think you’ll be able to create one.” Hiroshi would wait for Roy to perform the clone jutsu. There was a feeling of kindred spirits between the shinobi and the student. Hiroshi couldn’t put his finger on it, it was either how this kid put in one hundred percent effort, but it felt like something else.

WC:127
TTWC: 1490

Roy smiled as Hiroshi validated what he thought was the right way to go about this training. He knew that he still had a long way to go become a master of chakra control, and perhaps perfect chakra control was never in the cards for him, but he could one day get to the point where he could better manage his chakra reserves. He always knew that in order to become the best swordsman it took a mixture of both skill and talent; learning how to complete the clone and transformation technique was just a small step in order to complete that goal.

With another breath Roy would try again, this time he would focus his chakra on not just one clone, but making two clones side by side next to him. He had already used up a considerable amount of chakra to get to this point, but Roy was determined to show his teacher today that he had learned something today. With a deep breath he would release his chakra and hand seal and with a puff of smoke would reveal his result. Sweat was now clearly attached to his body, with pit stains now growing under his arms and neck of his line shirt. But turning side to side he could see that he created two perfect clones of himself, ready to disorient the enemy.


"YES!" Roy would exclaim as he released the jutsu. With another deep breath he would return to center looking to maintain his chakra reserves for the rest of his training. 


"I'll have to continue training it, after all it's one thing to do it in training and another entirely to do it in combat" Roy would say. "I wonder how I could effectively use it in battle. Perhaps I could create clones of myself that could do different sword strokes, distract the enemy from the real blow.


"The next technique I have to learn is the transformation techinque, but that one I've been practicing already. Tell me what you think." Roy would say, taking a few steps back as to get a good look of Hiroshi from top to bottom. After a few moments Roy would weave the dog hand seal and, using the techniques learned to him from his teacher, would control his chakra until he was ready to release it. A puff of smoke would rise around him and a few moments later Roy would make what he assumed to be a identical transformation of Hiroshi, but his master would be the judge.

Looking at the ground, Roy and Hiroshi would see the grass around Roy's feet completely singed, the once fertile patch of land had become parched before, but through excessive use the 1 meter area around the student became brown and dead. Nothing but the parched dirt remained in the area. Roy knew of his fiery chakra before this moment, but he had never been in a situation where he could see it so utterly dececrate a piece of land such as this.


"Um, the village won't mind, right?" Roy would say, still transformed as Hiroshi.


[517/2199]

Roy would continue his while the genin of hoshigakure watched him. This new perspective on how to control one's chakra was definately a game changer for the scorch swords man and he looked to find new ways to us it to great effect. Of course this training had only been a few hours long at this point, so the amount of growth that Roy was going to do in this time wasn't going to be spectacular, but he could feel himself growing as he continued to meditate further on his chakra next work.

Roy would stop his transformation and take a bit of break, walking towards a nearby stream and splashing water accross his face. Interesting as Roy began to pour the water down his body he could hear and see steam begin to form on him as the water touched his superheated skin. His body and bones didn't seem hot, but Roy knew that he ran at a temperature much higher than most. Perhaps it was his firey chakra or his unique bloodline, either way, Roy knew that it could one day raise some eyebrows. He also wondered if he could one day learn how to use this extreme body heat to his advantage. 


As Roy returned, He could see Hiroshi also doing some training of his own, but decided that for the time being he would let the genin be.


"I'm going to work on my clone and transformation techniques, if you see anything that I can do to better, let me know." Roy would say, he wasn't going to wait for Hiroshi to give him direction, he knew what he had to do, and now there was a clear path to mastering it. 

As the day progressed, Roy would continue to take breaks periodacally as he learned to control his chakra further. The training was tiresome and at times boring, but Roy was determined to get both the transformation technique and the clone technique down before ending his training today. 


Roy would continue to do the clone techinque several times during this period. Sometimes they would get distracted while molding the chakra in his body and the clones would come out looking strange and not passable. As his training continued, the chakra control part of the clone technique still was the hardest part of training, but now the Goka had direction.

As the sun set on the day and Roy's clothes and skin were soaked in sweat, the student would look around at the now nearly vacant gardens and understood that it was time for rest. Carrying nothing with him, Roy would look around one last time, look towards Hiroshi and greet him with a smile. 


"Thank you so much for the training you gave me today, maybe the next time you see me I'll be a genin, just like you! See you later, Hiroshi!" Roy would say, giving him a wave and a nod as he walked away from the training grounds, ready for the genin exams. 


[501/2700

Exit

27 Stats - 15 Chakra, 12 Vigor

Transformation Techinque - 63 WC (250 - 75% training ground discount)
Clone Technique - 62 WC (250 - 75% Training ground discount)
Kashogan - 1500 WC (0/5 fire or scorch techs used) (2000 - 25% training ground discount)
Chakra Infusion - 1075/1500 WC (2000 - 25% training ground discount)