Proof of Merit

[C-Rank] Stalking the Stalker
[C-Rank] Passing on the Torch

Ryo Reward: 8,000 Ryo
Total AP Bonus: 40 AP
WC Requirement: 4,000

The ever-growing challenge of business ownership was managing one's time in between doing their work and doing their shinobi work. Quinn Foster was one such individual in the world who opted to work both a regular job and run a business while also becoming a shinobi for their village. The tasks for the day involved two variable distinctions for the village. One involved the reconnaissance of a noble's daily affairs to determine if they were being tracked and followed within the village. This task in particular caught Quinn's attention as they sipped on a cup of black coffee. Reading over the scroll itself indicated that they assumed they were being stalked and thus needed someone to look towards resolving if that feeling in their gut was true or not. The scroll involving this mission was laid on the table before them before picking up a smaller one involving the debrief of the second mission they were undertaking. It was one of heritage and passing along a skill or technique to another shinobi that was up and coming. There was a degree of showcasing talent but it was interesting that the village requested such a mission to be done. Quinn put the scroll next to the other one before finishing their coffee pulling the jacket they recently purchased as their hair length had grown a bit and putting it up into a loose short ponytail, their vest present still as they maintained their attire.

First on the list to do was to just catch up to the noble to begin the stalking. With regard to the process put in place, the mission details outlined their schedule for the day. From meetings and meal plans to even the estimated time to walk from one place to another. It was a rather packed schedule but it would be interesting to see if the individual following the noble was simply figuring out the routine before something else were to occur. Quinn has their suspicions on what was going on but it would need to be found to be true through good ole hard work. The need to get into the groove of the schedule was something that felt the importance would be to allow the day to proceed briefly and not start with tailing the noble in question. Considering if the person following was tracking from the start, stumbling upon them in the middle of the day was likely a better avenue for the genin to proceed with. Their own attire was distinct and different so with that in mind adjusted their headband to their upper left arm as before, before departing to catch up after a few hours of managing Fosters' Forge.

Catching up to the noble proved no difficulty to Quinn with such an outline itinerary presented to them. Thus they took the leisurely approach to have it appear distant from the affairs of the individual. They effectively needed to tail them themselves to get an idea of where the individual was. This was where Quinn took the approach to focus on their sensory skill to see if there was anything distinct they could determine or focus on. There was a little bit here and there, touch and goes as the day continued and progressed for the genin. Starting roughly a couple of hours before midday, the Forgemaster would have their work cut out for them. Although there was a schedule that was being adhered to, to a degree, there was always something that bumbled it in some fashion. A sale at a store on the street they walked on, an old acquittance running into them and conversing for a while. Multiple distractions were present to the noble as it appeared they too were trying not to rouse suspicion from the believed stalker. Quinn kept a steady distance of about 20 meters away to keep a line of sight as any further would prove a challenge with the busy streets of Otogakure being the true obscuring measure for the wandering noble.

The day progressed slowly from there however once the first destination of importance was made, it was a simple meeting with a few other merchants within the market that was going to take a couple of hours. This was a prime moment for Quinn to really showcase the capacity they possessed for taking in their surroundings and investigatory skills. There was already one situation that they had to deal with playing bodyguard for a foreign architect who was coming to visit the village to see about making some changes to improve some of the older structures but this situation was a bit different. The noble was a native who was concerned about their own safety. It was a wild concept that someone within the village was stalking someone such as a business tycoon but stranger things existed in the shinobi world well before Quinn came into the picture. They had read and found out some information of a world that seemed only of mythical proportions but it was not that wild to consider it a possibility. In a world where people could produce wild effects of the elements, the idea and concept that subterfuge and issues could exist within their own safety net is more likely in some of the novels that existed.

It was at this point that Quinn started to notice the trends that the noble was likely spotting in the routine that he had set out. It appeared others were equally attuned to their own rhythms in the village of sound. Taking notes at this point, the Forgemaster observed the tendencies that were being shown by the shopkeepers nearby alongside their interactions. If there was someone who was not a regular it would be obvious to spot them thus either giving more insight on the stalker as someone newer or affirming that the people were just doing their own thing giving a slight illusion of consistent motions that one could confuse with the idea of someone tailing the noble. It was an interesting exercise for them to consider as they looked towards the idea being presented. It was possible that there was not a stalker amongst the various crowds as the hour elapsed it was time to be on the move once more with them trying to catch back up to the noble as their day out and about was beginning to wind down and then Quinn would need to report back to relay what they learned and discovered.

The proceedings after the meeting were more deviant than intended. The schedule provided to Quinn was basically derailed at this point as a conversation during the meeting brought the focus away from the normal proceedings apparently. A slight grunt came from Quinn once they bumped into an individual who wore a cap on their head. It flew off unleashing long raven hair down as the woman she bumped into fell to the ground. Very quickly they grabbed the cap and began to run. Quinn noticed the direction of where they came from and shifted through their mind if they had spotted anyone like that before beginning to follow the noble and catch back up. It was an off moment but the hair color was distinct, more of a rich black than a faded or matte style. It remained in Quinn's thoughts as they proceeded forward with the process. Tracking and following the noble became more and more difficult through the process of tracking since the itinerary was irrelevant at this point.

Stuffing the scroll with the information into their pocket, Quinn began to jump towards the rooftops to get a better vantage point while also maintaining their stealth. The sounds of the village echoed as their focus felt a familiar presence reenter nearby. The cap that they spotted on the ground earlier had been reclaimed properly now and was adjourned to the head of the raven-haired woman. Her hair was neatly kept within the cap's brim giving a more androgynous appearance to the woman. Focusing their gaze on the individual as they moved about their day, Quinn's thoughts began to consider the schedule for the next event that was planned was originally going to be a concert in the amphitheater but it appeared the deviation was for an explicit purpose. Quinn smirked a bit at that when they recognized it was likely to help Quinn get into a groove of the commonalities before making that common factor less common and more distinct. The noble was a cunning individual and the Forgemaster had to respect the tenacity and determination they presented to catch whoever was following them.

Without missing any more beats, the raven-haired woman began to make their approach more directed towards the next location following the intended concert goings for the afternoon, an afternoon cafe meeting. The noble relaxed daily and regularly at a cafe that he was approaching. The Forgemaster took this as a chance to get a step ahead as they took in a deep breath before bolting forward at incredible speeds towards the next location. Getting into the cafe before the merchant even did so, sat right inside the entrance to the right with a sight of the various entry points. The noble subsequently followed behind and then the raven-haired woman did so as well. Minding themselves with a cup of coffee once more the day was beginning to come full circle right before their eyes as the black coffee graced their lips, their eyes looking towards the noble enjoying a cup of what sounded like chai tea upon the order. The raven-haired woman simply remained vigilant and said they were waiting on someone and would order later.

That was going to likely be more than enough information to bring the noble as Quinn purchased another cup of coffee from their table as they waited for the two they were keeping an eye on now finish or better said start something for the woman in particular. There was a large degree of curiosity that began to eat at Quinn but that was something to handle and deal with at a later time. The biggest thing was to identify if the woman was indeed stalking the man or not and depending on if she simply left or had to be excused out of the cafe it would be more than telling for the debrief at the end of the day for the Forgemaster. The noble eventually finished their time there and the woman stayed behind for a bit of time it was then that Quinn took into consideration the likelihood of it all. Leaving a sizeable tip for the waitstaff, they departed leaving the raven-haired woman in the cafe without the noble or Quinn. Catching up for the debrief now, there was a small task they needed to accomplish afterward that they knew would be a good example as they wiped the blood that came from their nose.

At the designated location to meet up with the noble, a look of surprise came across their face as they did not even realize that Quinn had been the shinobi tailing him for the mission he requested. Given the information that they tracked down and took notes on, there was not much more for the two to discuss further as it was clear that if there was an individual tracking or following them it was the raven-haired woman that Quinn spotted who was keeping their identity hidden. However, it was apparent that there was no clear connection between the two from the one day of tracking produced from the genin. There was much to consider and options present that could be a coincidence but without additional tailing or subsequent attempts, that was the information that was gathered and provided by the Forgemaster. Thankfully the noble was satisfied with the information provided by them and then it was onto the next step of the journey for Quinn for the day. Thus they made their way to the practice grounds near the academy and their shop.

Walking back to the training grounds, Quinn knew that the best technique they could hope to showcase to the student requesting and looking to inherit their abilities would be their breathing skills. It was a powerful technique and one they knew they needed to reel in a bit to not become as potentially problematic for the future of them too. There was always some catch and some degree of sorting through the arsenal that made Quinn reconsider teaching the Total Concentration Breathing technique but they knew it was a vital technique that led to a plethora of options for those who delved deeper into that branch of Bukijutsu techniques. Considering it was a skillset the genin was known for it only made sense to provide and showcase that talent towards the next generation.

The Forgemaster was acutely aware that not everyone was like them in terms of heritage or background but that did not sway them from the fact that everyone in the village aimed to improve the village and themselves. That was more than enough merit to make it a point to teach and showcase and relay the information they have gained thus far to the next generation. It was a weird thought to consider as the oldest genin to their knowledge was of a newer generation than some others within the village. They were fresh from the academy to this point in time and they were more than happy with the results so far. A smile crept onto the woman's face as they made it to the training grounds with a spunky new genin swinging on a swing set at the playground next to the grounds. It was a shift in tone for the space as the genin jumped from the swing set and landed into the training ground space ready for Quinn's next lesson. The young teen smirked and gave a thumbs up towards them which Quinn returned the gesture in kind.

The genin was fresh out of the academy and was a student who came from one of the classes that Quinn taught. Although the situation was a tad different, Quinn was not one to shy or back from their cadence within the village of sound as they drummed to their own beat and the teen boy followed true to that too. They greeted each other in a more informal manner than when they had been within the academy walls as previously it was Quinn as an absolute superior to a student but now it was just seniority that Quinn possessed to the young greenhorn genin. A quick showcase was more of Quinn's style to this but the two were not going to be done with just a presentation as they were shinobi, there had to be actual practice and execution to properly teach the young blood of the village how to do their breathing correctly which is why Quinn started with a swift palm strike to his lower abdomen knocking the wind out of the teen causing him to stagger backward from the sudden strike but the power was held back to make a point.

"Breathing is hard. One must breathe to live." Quinn began. "Deep breaths are one thing. Total Concentration Breathing is different."

"Well duh, how else could one breath? We either think about our breathes or we don't." the Genin chimed back.

Quinn shook their head, "Then breathe like me. Watch and replicate." They indicated before beginning to breathe using the technique in question.

Confusion laced the genin's face, "What? You're just breathing..." He began as Quinn moved to a practice dummy that was present.

"Focus. Concentrate." They indicated before unleashing a flurry of strikes. Although the power was vastly different in scale now that it was against not a member of the village, Quinn knew that part would be obvious. The true showcase in this moment was how much faster Quinn was moving. They used their full speed against the boy before and then to go even faster against the training dummy was more of the point of how potent one's breathing could be for the shinobi of the village. Their body raised and lowered between strikes as the took in air and released it steadily. There was fluidity in the rigidness of the Forgemaster's form as more and more strikes came from the body of the older genin. There was even more of a point made once Quinn stopped breathing that way for proper comparison for the young genin who watched. Their movements slowed and their strikes did not hit the dummy in the same way. The sound was different, the air wooshed slower and even Quinn's body lost fluidity in its motions. The distinct difference was subtle to most that did not listen to the world around them like the shinobi of Otogakure no Sato.

"Form and practice. Strength and speed. Deep and full. Conscious and intentional." Quinn began to rattle.

"Okay okay okay, so you are mindful of how you breathe and take breaths. I get that part but how does that even do that?" The boy asked the Forgemaster as they drew their bat.

"Better breaths provide more. The body requires more. Our bodies need to breathe. We breathe to live. This is breathing to survive." Quinn elaborated as they took more breaths to reregulate themselves.

"Breathing like this. Just a stepping stone. Leads to more. Leads to power. It comes with responsibility. One must be mindful." They added in.

Quinn would then showcase some of the expanded capacities they had with the technique to show how important and vital learning its power could be influential to the development of one's abilities. From the first forms they presented including the cloak of concentration imbuing it with their Dust Breathing. The showcase of techniques that came from the one was a dazzling display of earth, fire, wind, and dust. Encompassing all that Quinn had to offer, they made a note for the young genin that there was still more out there one could learn beyond what they had. It was a baffling concept to consider especially when Quinn only touched the surface of elemental techniques and capacities. They wished they could have developed a sound-based breathing style but it was something that was in the works in the back of their mind it would be interesting to see how one could make it a reality for the village.

As wandering their mind was the genin before them had wide eyes at Quinn's showcase. It was a resonating moment for the genin seeing why the importance of breathing was so important for the execution of such a variety of techniques in rapid succession. There were always personal differences that would impact what techniques they learned after learning but that was when Quinn brought a different reality back to the genin as they indicated such techniques require more specialized training. Explaining from there the importance of breathing and showing where it can lead, Quinn's approach to explaining the differences was a more lecture-oriented direction. Sitting the genin down and grabbing a stick to draw in the dirt of the outside training grounds, Quinn placed the primary elements in a circle as an expanded teaching of the basics. From there Quinn indicated that each base element had a breathing form that allowed the growth and flow of the techniques to come from as a grouping.

Quinn followed it up that it was possible to create and develop more unique facets of the breathing styles by combining features of different ones together such as the Dust Breathing form that they had showcased. Indicating that it was still in development to their knowledge as it was a wild concept that began to grow from the understanding Quinn had. Expanding one's understanding of how the forms worked and operated was a great ending point for the more knowledge-based portion of the teaching of the technique itself but more of a future show of what it led to. With that, it was time for just practice and questions for the genin with Quinn as a guide now more than an instructor. One had to learn breathing from their own body and how it felt from personal experience. The Forgemaster would have the genin take a more relaxed stance as it was important to recognize that the feel of breathing should feel natural once more adjusted to the shift in the body from such a different breath that it was not used to.

The development of the youth of Otogakure no Sato brought warmth to Quinn's body that they were contributing to the betterment of the village. Even though from a business point and perspective Fosters' Forge was a huge influence on the development of different parts of the village, Quinn was happy that there was more than just one avenue they had to help. The passage of time was something to consider when one's heritage and background had a huge impact on the future one strived for. It was a great moment in Quinn's life to recognize and help teach the future something they themselves worked hard towards. The smile that Quinn gave was typically small and gentle in nature but in this moment a grin was seen on the mostly stoic Forgemaster as the genin tried and failed to adjust their breathing accordingly. "Ease and relax. There's steps. Take them one at a time." Quinn chimed as they took the stick they used to draw in the ground to smack the small of the genin's back to straighten his stature.

A yipe could be heard from the teenage boy as the sudden shock brought breath into their body they could feel a bit more exertion towards the end goal that was presented which was learning how to fully concentrate on their breathing. Quinn was happy with the progress as the sun was beginning to crest and set for the day. As much as there was still more work to do for the greenhorn to be able to produce the effect in its entirety, Quinn would classify this as a fully successful mission. They remained as long as their student for the day remained there to practice and made it clear they were not going to depart part way through the process of their learning. As the genin continued to try he could feel lightheaded and other woes of his body not being acclimated to the shift and change in how he was attempting to breathe. With thoughts and consideration that Quinn simply breathed like this normally and only when needed expanded to the full capacity was astonishing to the young genin. Especially considering the age that they were at brought intrigue to the young greenhorn.

Wrapping up the training once he had a few breaths under his chest, the Forgemaster patted him on his back as his focus was disrupted by such an action bringing a light chuckle to the older woman. They pointed towards the now early evening night sky that encroached on the last remnants of light that began to fade from the horizon. It was time to wrap up for the day on two very successful missions in Quinn's book. Cleaning up after their training exercises, Quinn let the boy go home so he could rest as he felt the aching of his bones for how much physical prowess was needed for such a technique. The Forgemaster took it upon themselves to make sure it was left in good shape as they stood in the training grounds alone before walking to the swing set that was apart of a park adjacent to the grounds. The stood before the swings before giving a light sigh and looking upward toward the rising moon. "Another day. Another future. Another one to grow. Otogakure is my home. My village. Our Future." They declared quietly to themselves before going towards the forge, excited for what the new day would bring to them.

WC: 4,002, TWC: 4,002 | TMWC: 4,002 / 4,000

[exit]

Mission Rewards wrote:+8,000 Ryo + 2,000 Ryo = 10,000 Ryo
+40 AP, Max AP Bonus converts at 50:1 Rate, + 2,000 Ryo

WC Claims: 4,002 wrote:25% Max Stat Reduction
63 + 2,000 / 2,063 Towards First Form: Fission Cresent Speed Mastery
1,313 WC Towards Rupture
1,313 WC Towards All Father's Voice
1,313 WC Towards Cloud Shotgun

Quinn Foster wrote:

[C-Rank] Stalking the Stalker
[C-Rank] Passing on the Torch

Ryo Reward: 8,000 Ryo
Total AP Bonus: 40 AP
WC Requirement: 4,000

WC: 4,002, TWC: 4,002 | TMWC: 4,002 / 4,000

[exit]

Mission Rewards wrote:+8,000 Ryo + 2,000 Ryo = 10,000 Ryo
+40 AP, Max AP Bonus converts at 50:1 Rate, + 2,000 Ryo

WC Claims: 4,002 wrote:25% Max Stat Reduction
63 + 2,000 / 2,063 Towards First Form: Fission Cresent Speed Mastery
1,313 WC Towards Rupture
1,313 WC Towards All Father's Voice
1,313 WC Towards Cloud Shotgun

Approved