The Smith's Striking Force

As Zidane became the onlooker, he'd pay close attention to Satoshi as he seemed to form a variety of hand seals before firmly placing his hand on the wall at his rear. And in a resounding cloud of smoke, a human sized monkey would be standing within it. Utterly shocked, Zidane would almost immediately begin to scratch his head in confusion. The ability to summon a monkey...which had the ability to talk was nothing short of remarkable. And the fact that it spoke so freely and disrespectfully towards the Deputy Kage was a trust testament to the monkey's power. It seemed as if the two had a long winded history, that despite bickering, worked well enough for the monkey to shape shift into an entirely different form. Within the blink of an eye, it would transition into a sword of seemingly material features. At first glance, the Genome would have assumed the blade to be made of some sort of stone, but witnessing the interaction which just took place would make that assumption completely bogus.

Regardless the displays which came from Quinn and Satoshi both seemed correct from beginning to end, though it seemed as if Quinn had gotten almost too engaged during their display. Smiling towards both, the Genome would nod and offer a pleasant, "You both did well. And that's okay Quinn, I often do the same."

Quinn shortly after seemed to want the spotlight, calling out their disliking of genjutsu. Their explanation was short, followed by the single formation of the tiger hand seal. And Zidane, watching the blacksmith, would mimic their actions and follow the steps which they verbally outlined. As he did so, the student revealed more information revolving around how the Genjutsu Release technique should be used to help another. His face would subtly sour when Quinn seemed to slap the dummy near them. Perhaps he took the display too literally, assuming that "slapping" an ally would be the only way to free them from the clinches of a genjutsu. And so their subsequent description of it only requiring a slight amount of power seemed to reign in his expectation a bit. Though, Quinn referred to the "slap" as Discipline. The Chinoike knew the meaning of this word, as he had read about it in one of the dictionaries of Otogakure. Since his inception, he needed to study basic books such as those, thesauruses, and more just so that he could understand the dialogue of the citizens better. Though the term discipline in the book seemed a lot less aggressive than what Quinn displayed. With a slight wave of his free hand in the unoccupied space ahead of him, he'd execute this "Discipline". After multiple times of doing it, the motion became natural, and he was a bit astounded that his own hands could serve as viable "weapons" in a way. Perhaps this would give him another field to study intensively, just as he had been doing with Bukijutsu.

As Quinn's turn was over, Zidane would offer a few regards. 

"Thank you Quinn, I'm sure both of these techniques will come in handy. Was there anything that you wanted to teach us, Lord Satoshi? If not, I may have one more thing I can demonstrate."

WC = 541. TWC = 3849
+1 NE Stack; 4 Total

Satoshi would nod in thanks to Zidane for his efforts to enlighten the Sarutobi in the different weaponry arts. These skills were very useful ones to have, each valuable core fundamentals to act as a foundation to build upon. Quinn was also getting the hang of it, though it didn't seem as though she had realized as much. Perhaps they simply sought true mastery and perfection over the techniques, to which the young man couldn't place any issue with. A mastery over the fundamentals truly allows one to flourish in those advanced skills that branch of from them. 

The abilities successfully learned by the pair, it was now Quinns time in the spotlight. She would offer up very wise words. Genjutsu truly was a frightening thing, and to state that it was not fun was putting it mildly. The mind was a powerful tool, and for a genjutsu specialist they manage to pit the mind against itself. Creating all sorts of unpleasant sensory data like feelings or visions (or lack thereof) could cripple a ninja if they didn't have adequate protection against such. Luckily the Genjutsu release technique is a universal tool to strip the genjutsu of its power, outside of some very potent jutsus tied to specific kekkai genkai like that of the Uchiha's Sharingan Eye. Without being in a Genjutsu it was a great deal harder to know that the release was successful, but the fundamentals were still simple enough. Purging outside chakras from you through the use of your own, and it only took a single seal to manifest this ability. Satoshi would duplicate the seal, allowing a surge of chakra to flow throughout his system. It was a great deal harder to witness the effects of this technique, so knowing that it was done correctly was a challenge. Of course Satoshi was already well versed in the technique, his elder diligent in his training as a youth. These lessons were ingrained into The Deputy, so much so that he couldn't imagine ever forgetting them.

The second technique shown was one simply called 'Discipline'. It was another technique to use to allow a target to get out of a genjutsu. It was a simple slap, the idea to simply knock some sense into the target struck. It was almost comedic to think of slapping a person out of a genjutsu at such a close range, as you could instead simply use the Genjutsu release to break another out with a mere touch. Nevertheless, having extra tools in the belt never hurt. Satoshi would mimic the technique, slapping the training dummy lightly, enough to startle but not cause harm to a living target. Satoshi would look to Quinn once complete, ensuring that he had performed the two jutsu successfully. "How did I do?" He would ask, making sure that he had indeed done them correctly. Part of acting as teacher and instructor was making certain that your students were actually learning the material you were teaching. 

It would now be his own turn to demonstrate. Zidane would mention having another technique to show, which brought a smile to Satoshi's face. It would seem that he held just as much desire to make this village of Otogakure flourish as Guren did, whether he consciously knew it or not. "I have a few things I could demonstrate. The first of which is hard to see, but once you get it you will be able to feel it." He would offer, his words not revealing his chosen ability just yet. "I want you to look at one another. You can clearly see the other, right? Now what if I told you that you could close your eyes and yet you could still detect the other through other means?" He would pause, thinking on how best to describe it. "Chakra Sensory allows you to detect large masses of foreign chakra. You allow your chakra to expand from you, the energy pushing out to interact with that of others. Take a deep breath, and then consciously focus your efforts on chakra control. I found that it helps to mentally visualize an expanding dome of chakra pushing out from you in all directions. This will move out to ten meters for as long as you focus, but once you master it you will find that you will be able to detect unmasked signatures within five meters of you without even thinking about it." The technique that he was aiming to teach was advanced, and hard to describe in words. Despite remembering the skill, he couldn't remember exactly how his clan elder described it during his teachings, so Satoshi was simply just trying to do his best. 

"Once you feel like you have it, and can feel the other person, I would like you to close your eyes and try to use it to detect the other person. Simply pointing at them with eyes closed should be enough to demonstrate that you have the basic understanding of the skill." It was not a complex exercise in demonstrating its use, but it would hopefully manage. 

Once the pair seemed to have Sensory down, Satoshi would nod and offer up one more jutsu. "Another jutsu I can offer is that of the Body Flicker technique. It is a useful technique to rapidly increase your speed by flooding your body with chakra focused on locomotion. Every fiber of your being will drastically increase in speed... but be warned. This burst of speed is dangerous if used without caution. During the technique, you will find yourself so focused and set on the movement that you'll be unable to change your course yourself. This is very risky if your opponent knows or can determine your path, as they can capitalize on your inability to properly mount a defense or avoid their assault. While you might learn how to use this technique today, the real challenge will be continuing to study the technique and learning how and when you can safely use it in a battle." Satoshi didn't want to frighten them, but he knew all too well that a botched Body Flicker can result in your demise. 

Once they had this one down, Satoshi would smile and thank Zidane for his willingness to teach even more. "I look forward to seeing what else you can demonstrate."


wc:1056
twc:3573

OoC: Teaching Chakra Sensory and Body Flicker

Watching the two produce the apparent stance and go through the motions, Quinn was satisfied with the ideas and concepts that they presented. There was a smile on their face once the hands came swinging for the dummies. It was amusing and it entertained them a bit as it was nice for the two to listen and train with them. Although, Quinn was positive that the Deputy Kage would be aware of such a technique, though to the extent of usage was unknown. When asked for confirmation, Quinn would offer a thumbs up and a smile. For Zidane, Quinn was appreciative of the commentary prior to the exercise that they guided the others. The camaraderie was not foreign to the Forgemaster though the extent of relating to learning and understanding others much younger than themselves was an odd occurrence but not an unwelcoming one.

With that shift being done, Satoshi stepped up to the plate to discuss the concept of sight. Though Quinn was unsure what he meant, they still attempted to the best of their ability. From the instructions provided, Quinn would turn to face Zidane, putting themselves roughly 6 meters apart, and lock eyes intensely with the young man. Mentally picturing the bubble expanding from themselves as Satoshi instructed to get a feel first proved difficult for Quinn. Their knack for channeling their chakra into the hammer or the practice weapon was simple and easy for them but this was a tad more difficult. When they tensed up too much, they would give themselves a clap across both their cheeks to refocus before letting out a large breath. Quinn would then breathe inward and deep releasing the new breath and regulating their breathing from there. This would happen a few times as their attempts to get the just small light in their mind to reach out to Zidane and 'see' him proved futile.

Forging ahead with a determined mind was the best Quinn could offer this exercise. At one point it looked almost as if Quinn had fallen asleep, eyes open, breathing at a regularly slow pace. A groan would be heard at that moment from them as they reset once more. "Almost there. I can do it." They said to themselves out loud before attempting once more. If Zidane had picked up sooner than them, there was a positive fluctuation in attempting the skill. Satoshi would equally recognize the sheer willpower that Quinn was exerting from sensing their chakra. Eventually, an even mental bubble occurred and within Quinn's eyes, there was recognition, realization, and understanding. Focusing hard on that sensation and feeling, the Forgemaster attempted to replicate this sensation and concept a few times while focusing heavily on it. From there once satisfied, Quinn closed their eyes to attempt the next stage and see if they could actually 'see'.

The sensation of reaching out with their chakra mentally, and actually, was weird to them. Visual confirmation was the only truth for Quinn from a younger age. Seeing the product, seeing the customer, seeing the imperfections in the work, none of it was a 'feeling' till later down the road when they could pick up the internal issues through tests and sounds. Chakra Sensory was nothing akin to that while also equally being similar. Both sought to seek and see beyond the limitations of sight, but this was not a test upon steel, or written, to determine the problem. Finding themselves almost lost mentally with their eyes closed, a familiar feeling overcame them when they recognized Zidane. Raising their arm and extending a single finger towards the young man, Quinn would adjust in a small circle, maintaining focus, and their finger pointed where Zidane was, even if he moved as long as he was within 10 meters of them. A small smile crept onto their face once they opened their eyes. "Figured it out." The confident words rang as the pointed finger would remove itself from directing attention toward Zidane.

From there a simpler technique was shown, surprisingly one that Quinn already knew. Demonstrating a level of understanding, Quinn would form the seal before performing the technique to be near a weapon rack within the nearby training room they had occupied (only 55 speed). Replacing the borrowed tool in its place, Quinn would return to the group as it does take a bit of energy to move at such a rate. Once returned, Quinn would look between the two and give a nod of approval once they all were done with the simpler task. Upon completion, Satoshi was excited to hear that Zidane had more to discuss and show potentially. Not having much to offer, silence initially came from Quinn before they chimed in themselves, "All I know. Simple techniques. Nothing special. Already shown important ones."

WC: 800, TWC: 4,200

Zidane relished this opportunity to train alongside others, as his last bout was heavily focused on training by himself. However this time was much different. Now he had been able to learn from Satoshi and Quinn, and teach them as well. It was a rewarding yet humbling experience, one that he wouldn't forget anytime soon. 

When Satoshi's turn came to instruct Zidane and Quinn on the techniques he knew, the Chinoike would follow the instructions as he said them. And so the Genome began with centering his body and aligning it across from Quinn's. He'd stair at the red head, unsure of what exactly Satoshi seemed to be hinting at. Though as the Deputy Kage went on to describe the process of sensing chakra, the swordsman's eyes sort of widened in astonishment. It hadn't been something he was very aware of, as he sort of understood chakra itself as something that wasn't tangible. So how could he sense it? He'd shrug off this internal line of questioning, realizing the thought was foolish but continued to listen to the Sarutobi. As he was instructed to, Zidane took a deep breath and closed his eyes. In the process he sort of closed off his mind and senses to only the sounds from Satoshi's voice. And slowly he'd begin to focus his concentration on nothing more than the general area which he had last seen Quinn standing within. Resultantly, as he followed Satoshi's directions, Zidane would begin to "feel" Quinn's presence more. He'd open his eyes, and begin to imagine this so called dome of sensory based chakra which the Deputy described. And following this, he began to actually sense Quinn's own chakra nature. It seemed to be similar enough to the chakra infusion's aura that they had demonstrated previously. 

Ironically enough, when Satoshi instructed them to close their eyes, Zidane had already done so previously so this effort was not so strange to him. He was able to point at Quinn with relative ease.

"This is...different," he'd say aloud as he opened his eyes again and offered a smile to Quinn. They also seemed to be getting the hang of it, which was encouraging to say the least. It was unlike anything that the Genome had trained thus far, so he was appreciative of the lesson. 

Next came Satoshi's instruction of a jutsu called the Body Flicker. He described it as a chakra fueled burst of speed, which essentially locks the user into whatever motion they had cast it for. Immediately, Zidane's thought process returned to his training session with Hanzo, where the Uchiha tried to attack him with a chidori. But his "tunnel vision" had sort of locked him into place and make him reckless in a sense. This body flicker technique sounded like it was relatively similar. After hearing about it, Zidane wondered if Satoshi aimed to demonstrate it. If he did, then the Genome would attempt it himself. But otherwise, the conversation would eventually segue into a discussion on more techniques. Quinn seemed fresh out of ideas, whereas Zidane had just one left.

"Well stand back," he began while taking some steps back to distance himself. Turning in place, he'd face the dummies in the room with nothing in between himself and them. "This technique is called Earth Shaker. I guess it's also quite simple, where you begin with funneling chakra into a limb or a weapon, and then forcefully strike the ground with it." Assuming the area around him was clear of Satoshi and Quinn, he'd swiftly draw the katana sheathed on his back, and violently lower its tip until it struck the gorund. In an instant, a rippling effect would ensue the immediate area around him and the dummies before him which were not fastened to the ground would be launched up and into the air. He'd sheathe his blade and describe it a little further. "It transfers the force from the user into the ground and into those within its vicinity. If the target is...frail, they'll be shot up and into the air and find themselves a bit weakened in the pro-" he'd pause as he felt a sudden surge of chakra overcome him.

Falling to his knees, he'd clinch his chest as he immediately remembered what this feeling was. In recognition of the nature chakra swelling within him, he'd muster up enough strength to let out a few words. "Please...forgive me, I must go..." he'd say, fighting the demon within him so that he could rise to his feet and dart from the room. He knew that his exit was abrupt, but it would be far less catastrophic and consequential than what would happen if he allowed this chakra to continue to accumulate.

WC = 788. TWC = 4637
-Exit

ATF Training: 75% Discount, learning the below from Quinn and Satoshi
- 63 WC to Discipline
- 63 WC to Genjutsu Release
- 63 WC to master Genjutsu Release
- 125 WC to Body Flicker
- 500 WC to Chakra Sensory

ATF Training: 25% Discount
- 1598 WC to Mature Ketsuryugan

Zidane wrote:WC = 788. TWC = 4637
-Exit

ATF Training: 75% Discount, learning the below from Quinn and Satoshi
- 63 WC to Discipline
- 63 WC to Genjutsu Release
- 63 WC to master Genjutsu Release
- 125 WC to Body Flicker
- 500 WC to Chakra Sensory

ATF Training: 25% Discount
- 1598 WC to Mature Ketsuryugan

- 750 WC taking First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter from B to A

- 750 WC taking Second Form: Earth Splitting Smash from B to A

- 725 WC taking ANTifier from B to A (25 remaining)

Approved, young man.

With the apparent teachings of Satoshi finishing, Quinn prepared to wrap up the teachings that had been given for their business would need to be attended to by now. Quinn was quite the lackadaisical individual but their hyper-focus ability when driven was relatively unparallel compared to some others their own rank, though that seemed to be given. With the equipment borrowed now placed back where they got it, the Forgemaster readied themselves to depart but there appeared to be more in store. Zidane had stepped up once more to showcase his repertoire with the technique being named 'Earth Shaker'. The technique presented was super impressive to cause such an effect to occur. Watching the dummies nearby bounce into the air, the Forgemaster would slowly assess the technique itself before the stirring of events that resulted in Zidane's brief showcase and departure.

Quinn wishes to press and hold the boy, nothing comes good from feeling ill. But with Satoshi letting him go, Quinn figured it was best not to press. Hearing a vocal confirmation of the concern, Quinn would nod in response. "Best leave to family. Imagine brother is aware." The thoughts of family came to mind and made them ponder for a moment before thinking about the technique that was presented, their eyes going to the cracks that would have formed from such a rupture in the ground. "Too advanced. Can't perform that." They would murmur under their breath before returning their attention to Satoshi undaunted by this.

Watching as he gave respect to his summon, Quinn would think to themselves about the prospects of their own progression and status. The village was growing based on the ambition of the young and the wisdom of the old, and Quinn had the latter’s designation while working in the former group. It resulted in a weird conundrum for the Forgemaster to consider. There was growth that Quinn indeed presented that would indicate a degree of ambition but they were fully aware the end goal was Not inherently to become anywhere near the leadership of the village, at least not currently. The youth they encountered thus far were as far ahead as Satoshi and Guren while others were learning like Zidane and Hanzo. Quinn felt that there was plenty to learn and develop still to make sure the needs of the shinobi of Otogakure were accommodated adequately by the forge.

Satoshi’s words of wisdom being directed to Quinn through their thoughts, brought the reminder of rest. As a blacksmith, Quinn understood that rest was key in tempering the blades they made. With any training, rest was equally important for the body when working out and learning new techniques. Quinn nodded in agreement and affirmatively to the statements. “Indeed. Much to learn. Rest is needed. Thank you. Trying hard.” When the commentary of the slew of titles that they usually ramble off came from the Sarutobi, the Forgemaster let out a lightly bellowing laugh. “Master indeed! Master not yet. Of the forge? Of course!” They would retort with a smile and laughter offering the Deputy Kage their hand, “Thanks for teaching. Maybe more balls destroyed in the future.” Their stance remained informal as such their attitude matched it. Almost in contrast to how they operate their business, Quinn was still respectful of their superior in this impromptu training session.

If Satoshi accepted their hand a firm shake was present and ready for them. Quinn would return the bow thereafter the handshake to show respect to their superior, even if he was younger. Age to the blacksmith was simply a measuring stick for how long they have been around as experience and wisdom were the metrics to really be gauging individuals off of. If the village's leadership saw the value of the young Sarutobi operating as the 2nd in command, it was no business of Quinn. Shortly after, the Forgemaster would depart and give many a thought to what transpired today. Learning and teaching was an interesting concept in the shinobi world to the once student and teacher of blacksmithing. Today was a good day in Quinn's eyes as their journey, ever moving and developing was nothing that they nor their family would believe.

[Exit if not stopped]

WC: 700, TWC: 4,900

Claims:

Stats:

Techniques/Skills:

Quinn Foster wrote:

[Exit if not stopped]

WC: 700, TWC: 4,900

Claims:

Stats:

Techniques/Skills:

Approved