Journey's Beginning

Sometimes in life there are point where the future is so uncertain that it ends up effecting your perception of the present. There is always uncertainty when it comes to the future and what it holds or what could happen but even that uncertainty is minor in most cases until you begin to go farther out from the present than you normally would. After all, you generally know what will happen the next day as most people have some sort of routine and with that routine is the false sense of security from the uncertainties that could happen.

The farther out you go from your day to day routines and actions the harder and more uncertain things get and that can be stressful and hinder your actions in the present. These moments in life can sometimes be so rare that some individuals never experience them, then there are those who have experienced these moments so many times that it has already become the normal for their lives. There is a strange beauty to those who have not exactly tamed the chaos of uncertainty in their lives but have become so desensitized to the event that its just another moment to be lived and not worried over.

There is a saying about chaos that has always been true when discussing things like this and that saying is, “What is Chaos for the Fly, is just another meal for the spider.” For these saying truly shows how no matter how much randomness, stress, chaos, good, bad or otherwise that happens in a lifetime there are people who are so use to these moments in great amounts that its just another day in the long line of days of their already established routine. So is there truly any kind of actual chaos in the world if someone somewhere has grown so use to what one person would consider chaotic that it hardly phases them? Or is there just a subjective viewpoint on each individual experiencing the moment.

For quite a time Manjiro thought about things like this as he approached the temple nearby. He had been raised in a family, a clan or as some would call it, a Cult, that worshipped a higher being a deity if you will that taught them very minor things but these teachings weren’t minor as if it was just someone telling you how to dress yourself or how to hold some silverware but minor in the sense that it was something that people generally were born with wanting and doing from the moment they opened their eyes or took in that first breath out of the womb. To wish for something and do that something as soon as they can.

The Deity of Manjiro’s Clan is a being named Janshin, This god to them and false god to others, simply taught the clan about how to do what you wished and how to obtain the ability and strength to do just that. There were many things in the world today that held back those who simply wanted to do whatever came to mind and acted on those urges, like rules, laws, morals, ethics, a thing called society and villages. Janshin’s teachings were simple that were offered freely, what Janshin required from those he gave said teachings to was a show of respect and devotion. Sacrifices and honoring of the Deity in combat and by the spilling of the life force in every human’s body and even animals. Janshin didn’t wish for followers that only followed and bent the knee he wanted, strong and capable people that could spread what others would consider chaos and destruction and death around the world.

To bring the words of Janshin to the masses, allowing them to no longer fear the coming of death, to no longer restrain themselves by the laws made by weak individuals that couldn’t handle the effort needed to be put in to claim what you wanted and make it yours. These were the people that Janshin wished to enlighten and those were the people that Manjiro planned to meet and teach. There was a not exactly a saying but pretty close to one inside the Clan and that was that you should always give the blessing to your neighbors first then to strangers, what this meant was you should always share with those you are close to and give to them the teachings of Janshin first then worry about those you don’t know second.

This is why sacrifices of family members and friends were typically the people chosen during rituals, elder’s family, chief’s loved ones, the list goes on and it only skipped around so that everyone could give to the their Lord Janshin equally. Of course there were those who spewed blasphemous words about Janshin being an uncaring and cruel deity and that sacrificing your friends and family was monstrous but those are just the ramblings and screeching of the unenlightened sheep of the world.

Manjiro was at that age of his life where he was ready to set out and be his own person, to undertake the task given to him by his Lord and live his life to the fullest of Janshin’s Teachings. It was why he left the Clan not on bad terms or disavowing them in any way but in the sense of departure like a baby bird leaving the nest to spread their wings and make their own place in the world. It was this decision that brought Manjiro to the Temple of Janshin deep within the Valley of Hell. Here was the most influenced place by Lord Janshin where you could learn the deep secrets and teachings that only those who proved themselves could get access too. How much more could Manjiro learn? What else could Lord Janshin show him? He had already learned about the freedom and power that came with living by Lord Janshin’s Teachings and he reveled in the joy it brought him with every gift he gave back to his Lord.

Manjiro’s Interest carried him here to this place as it had carried him to a multitude of others, his interest and Lord Janshin’s teachings were what pushed and pulled him from one subject or activity to another, his desire to learn and consume anything that caught his eye only made his desire to see the world and those that inhabited it that much stronger. Manjiro wasn’t one that only knew what the Clan had told him or what Lord Janshin’s teachings had told him, he knew of the Major Shinobi Villages, he knew of the Konohagakure the Village in the Fire Country that was being ran by a former Missing Ninja Aokidanza, a person so well known that most would be surprised if you didn’t know of him. Manjiro knew of Hoshigakure, lead by a man who has kept his village safe from harm and those who wished to destroy it on a number of occasions Ayato Hyuuga. Manjiro knew Kumogakure, the village of shinobi known for their combat prowess and of their former leader Noboru though there has apparently been a replacement for that leader that Manjiro did not know of yet as the Clan simply hadn’t been able to update that information before he left. Manjiro knew of Kirigakure though he had little interest in it as their leadership seemed to change like the wind but he knew of their history, just like he knew of Sunagakure with their focus on science and the allowance of criminals to come and go as they pleased.

That was a village that Manjiro wished to see at some point, then there were the more “new” villages that had been popping up and establishing themselves like Tanbogakure a small farmer’s village famed for its rice and sake, or Ketsugakure a village seemingly established by Manjiro’s own rival clan the bloodsuckers themselves. There is a long history there about that clan and Manjiro’s as they are said to have gotten their abilities from devouring one of Manjiro’s own clansmen, with Lord Janshin bestowing them the abilities their bloodline now enjoy. Manjiro didn’t hold anything against these people as Lord Janshin himself didn’t seem to do so either, to be sacrificed or killed for their lord was an honor.

So many places in the world and it didn’t even cover the possible things on the whole other continent just a boat trip away from the mainland. There was something promising about the other continent it seemed as if only people came from there and made moves on the mainland and no one wanted to do anything on that side of the world, it piqued Manjiro’s interest greatly and was certainly something that he wanted to explore until his interest was satisfied but for now he wished to learn more about Lord Janshin and his own clan, to prove himself as more than just another member of the Clan and Faith. Manjiro had no evidence that he would ever amount to anything more than another member but that wasn’t going to stop his attempts at becoming something more. He wouldn’t let himself be the obstacle in the way of his own wishes as so many others in the world did to themselves.

If anything that would be like a spit in the face to Lord Janshin’s own teachings, how could you not try and strive for more when it was the only thing in your way? If your only wall to climb was the amount of effort you put in yourself then why on Janshin’s blood soaked earth would you not just put in the effort and reap the reward all for yourself? Maybe it was his youth speaking or his inexperience or even the fanatical teachings of his clan but Manjiro just didn’t understand why people didn’t just do what was needed to get what they wanted. Maybe it was truly the fear of death that people kept to themselves and would rather be subservient instead of rocking the boat in any form, another thing that Lord Janshin taught was to not fear death and to welcome it to everyone including yourself it was just another start of another journey.

Though there are talks about how some members of the Clan had been able to circumvent death completely as long as they pleased Lord Janshin, becoming as close to him as possible. The drive of possible immortality has lead many to be greedy in their search often times forgetting who provides such a reward and what it costs. Some end up thinking themselves as gods or more only to be slain all because they had forsaken the one who had granted them the ability, to think they are above the one who gave it to them. A mistake that costed them everything they could have had, though it did set them on track to begin their next journey and one that everyone at some point in life partake in.

What’s the point of being fearful of death when all things end, even some great star-readers and those who claim to be scientist say that the universe as we know it will end at some point so to be fearful of the end was a wasted endeavor. Living in the moment all for your greatest desires and wants and achieving everything you possible can by putting in the effort needed to claim it with your own two hands whether bloody or clean should be the drive of all people. If only they had the teaching of Lord Janshin maybe the world wouldn’t be so chaotic. These are many of the thoughts and understandings that Manjiro has come to during his short lifetime and it has clearly corrupted his mindset when dealing with others.

There was a change in the wind and with it came the view of the very temple that Manjiro was traveling too, a slight twinge in his eyes gave him a surprise it felt like something had changed thanks to this journey and the visual intake of the temple itself. Finding a nearby stream and looking upon it he saw his reflection but it was slightly changed. His eyes now bright red like the color of freshly spilt blood from a wound. It seemed he was correct in coming here as his first stop of his hopefully long and eventful journey as he had awakened his clan’s Dojutsu the Ketsuryugan, a dojutsu that is said to be linked greatly to their Deity one that only grew and granted immense power to the wielder. Looking around the area, Manjiro was able to see more than he had been able to prior. His sight had not widened in any way but he could see a form of energy, he molded chakra and moved it through his body into his hands and watched as it moved now able to see chakra’s movement. It was insightful to say the least in the matter.

This would greatly improve his ability to train and develop his own abilities as he grew his connection with Lord Janshin and the teachings he provided. Manjiro’s own excitement of the awakening of his Ketsuryugan was his new interest, for he needed to understand the flow of chakra in greater depth now that he could see it. It was one thing to feel the flow of chakra through your body as you worked it to activate various techniques and jutsus but to see it while you did it was another thing and it helped with the young man’s understanding as he formed the needed handsigns for first the Transformation Technique, a technique that would allow him to transform himself into another object or thing within limit. Seeing the chakra move through his body as he focused made him realize his prior mistakes on earlier attempts with the correct paths he was able to fully utilize the technique to its intended purpose as he turned himself into a log similar to one that was laying in the grass nearby.

He dispelled his technique and it was now time to retrain his Clone technique, these were meager imitations that had no physical ability and no ability to think or act on their own a simple reflection of the caster on the most basic of levels. Forming the needed handsigns Manjiro activated the Clone technique forming a reflection of himself as it stood there unmoving beyond “breathing” he looked at his clone with interest as he saw what his eyes really looked like with his Ketsuryugan activated. They were shining slightly as if an inner glow was there. With a touch and dispel the clone was gone, as if it had never been there in the first place which it barely had.

With these growths in his own abilities it seemed that his arrival here at the temple was one that would provide only benefits to the young man and Manjiro himself was greatly appreciative towards his Lord so much so that he gave thanks in that moment in prayer to Lord Janshin. Today had been a great and eventful day.

[EXIT]

WC: 2521
Claims:
+25 Stats [+15 to Chakra, +10 to Vigor]
+2000 WC towards unlocking "Awakened" Ketsuryugan: 0/2000 > 2000/2000
+250 WC towards Clone Technique 0/250 > 250/250
+250 WC towards Transformation Technique 0/250 > 250/250

Approved