A crimson eye surveyed the landscape. It was quiet and warm, or at least it seemed so under the heavy layer of clothing and bandages that covered the young woman. Only her left eye was visible, along with part of her nose and cheek. But she herself was far from silent. Keeping stealth was not in her nature. She was crass and violent, albeit with a sort of entrancing grace that made her unique in terms of the way she fought. She was quick to react. Her timing was impeccable. Her strength was overwhelming. Getting her body to that point had been no simple feat. Years upon years of training and experience and battle had made her what she was now: A machine only useful for killing.

The mud squished underneath her feet as she walked, making no effort to hide her presence. "Come out and play, assholes. I have no time for this crap," she let out, running a hand through her hair. A hammer materialized in her hand, almost half of her size. It was heavy, but it could easily shatter someone's face upon direct contact when coupled with her brute strength. And that was exactly what happened when it hit the first person's face. Blood exploded from the wound in an odd mixture of bone fragments and teeth. The man collapsed in front of her, dead. There were at least three others left. "That all you got?" she let out, her only visible eye narrowing in a glare.

There was silence. Gin was still for a moment, hammer swung over her shoulder, her fingers tapping impatiently on its hilt. "Fine then, my turn," she whispered. The hammer hit the ground with a thundering crash. The ground itself shifted and trembled. A mountain of spikes had risen across the area, making the three shinobi spring from where they were hiding. She leaped into the air, appearing behind one of them and ramming the hammer against his back. He crashed onto a spike on the ground, his body mangled and kept together only by a small thread of flesh on his torso. His guts and organs spilled onto the ground with little grace. Two more left. She landed on the ground. "Make me break a sweat and I might consider letting one of you live," she whispered, a smirk crossing her face.

The young woman swung the hammer in circles by her side. The two other shinobi were in the air, their hands moving, casting a jutsu. Horse, tiger, rat, dog. She didn't recognize the technique, but braced herself still. Two streams of fire curled in the air, coupled with a stream of static electricity around them. Gin dodged. Part of the flame caught onto the loose bandages that covered her face. She was in the air, swinging the bladed part of the hammer against one man's neck. His head tumbled onto the ground, a last look of pitiable fear imprinted onto his face. Blood and grey matter splashed onto her face. "Well shit, she grumbled as she realized that her bandages were both on fire and unsalvageable.

She threw them off with one swift motion. But there was still one shinobi left - one who saw her face and whose eyes widened in response. He ran as fast as he could. He had what he wanted and what he needed. Gin gave chase through the marshes on the island. She couldn't let that man get away for the life of her. She swung the hammer onto the ground once again. The ground shook, creating a line of spikes that chased after the man. He stumbled on himself, the artificially produced earthquake making him lose his footing. It proved fatal.

His neck rammed into a spike. He clutched at his throat as his blood flooded into his lungs, effectively drowning him. Gin frowned. It was an unpleasant way to die.

Her fingers moved nimbly, searching for anything on his person that could tell her who sent them and why. But first thing was first. She removed the white mask with crimson markings the man had over his face and placed it on her own. She looked at his face. He was only a boy - couldn't have been older than fifteen. Gin's eyes softened for a moment. But she felt no guilt or regret. She had stopped feeling that for strangers long ago. She sighed heavily, however, finding nothing useful besides a few kunai.

The masks spelled ANBU operatives, but nothing on them gave the slightest clue as to where they were from. Her guess was Sunagakure. But if that was the case, there were many implications involved that she didn't want to think about. They had found her, or at least suspected her. That was the worst case scenario. Wiping the hammer clean, she made it dissipate. She needed a drink now. The marshes would take care of ridding the bodies for her over time.

[Kyujutsu Training - 858/1500]

The mist seemed to creep along the marshes on the island. It seemed to writhe and spin like some sort of living thing with a personality. A wraith moved through the mist. Slow steps as the individual seemed to blend in and out of vision. As if he was a part of the mist one moment and something else the next. But seeing him wasn't what would draw attention to his presence. Nor would sound or smell. Something about him held a feeling, Like a predator with it's fangs inches from the throat. One could feel him approaching. Like a monster ever so slowly stalking it's prey. The kind of things that haunt and bring nightmares. The opposite of these ANBU she had dealt with. While they tried to hide their presence he could not. A feeling like a slayer was approaching. Who though? What kind of person could of killed so many people that one could feel him coming without so much as a single sensory technique? Surely some sort of beast amongst men. It was then that the young Sero Jr. raised his cold grey eyes. Like the eyes of the dead his gaze took in all of it without much reaction. From head to foot he was clothed in grey. Grey sandals and pants. Along with a grey hooded shirt with wide sleeves that could easily hide his hands within to conceal hand seals. A Kiri head band hung around his neck. But what was most alarming was the amount of equipment on him. Kunai lined his thighs five per thigh in sheaths. Shuriken were attached to his shoulders in pockets for easy access five per pocket. All of which was just Velcrode down. On his left hip was a rapier and on his right hip was a windmill shuriken. Hidden up his sleeves was six Senbon. Hidden behind his collar was one more Kunai. He was armed for anything he could handle.

The smell of blood had attracted him this way. Death before the decay had set in meant something recent usually. Bright flashes of fire in the distance had done little to discourage him from approaching. And now he slowly became visible as he continued walking into the scene as if there was no reason for fear. His expression was blank as he studied the surroundings. Plenty of dead folk. But one remained standing. He looked to the masked individual. The big hammer she held was dripping with the remains of her foes. Impressive to say the least. He did not know that this was a woman who had met his father right before his death. He did not know that to her he was a younger, smaller version of his father. Almost identical. Still his eyes looked to where her eyes should be behind the mask. His cold grey eyes had that same look. Analyzing her just like his father used to. He waited to see if she would make a move against him before he moved over to one of the bodies not next to her and pulled back the collar of his clothing. Revealing the slightly tanned skin. It was then that he spoke coldly. His voice a flat void of emotion.

"That weapon has a useful impact in a fight. Difficult to block and massive damage to the bone structure. Even if it appears a little unwieldy it's results can not be argued. As for your enemies I note they are not Kiri nin. People who lived here long enough to be ANBU usually have a pasty complexion behind the collar where it is most likely sun will adjust the skin tone. These individuals are not pale. What brought on this fight?"

Training oonojutsu 621/1500

Who would have guessed, really, that a small and meek girl, raised as a merchant would become a savage killer, a leader of nations, a perceived traitor? Tucking her braided hair aside, Gin stood only a few steps away from the last body to lose its life. Had she been a religious person, she would have offered a prayer to her deity of choice in condolence for the people she had just killed. She would have likely done something to atone. But Gin had given up on her beliefs many years ago. And yet she still felt like she had to do something to balance what she had just done. Then again, no amount of good would ever balance out the amount of people she had killed over the years. In a sense, only karma restored balance through the happenings of fate. Her innately bad luck was a consequence of her actions. Thoughts along those lines riddled Gin's subconscious mind, riddling her with anxiety and nightmares at night when she lay in bed. She would otherwise be unaware of them. The human mind was such a fickle thing.

Yet another sigh graced her lips as the hammer made out of chakra disappeared from her hands, turning back into raw energy that receded back into the young woman's body. She turned her head slightly as she felt someone coming towards her. It was a small boy with silver hair, not unlike that of Chie and Reiko - the Osada twins that were a product of her brief relationship with their former leader. Upon closer inspection, it was easy to tell who this young boy came from. He was the spitting image of his father. Gin let out an amused chuckle. The universe had a strange way of working. His voice was cold, yet high pitched - that of a young boy. Its very nature drove a slight chill to Gin's spine. Again, she felt like laughing. Had she no known any better, she would have sworn that this was Sero Osada himself, raised from the dead, albeit much shorter.

The old ghost of the mist lived yet.

Gin's body hardly moved and hardly reacted to the boy's presence. Arms hanging loosely by her side, she looked at him through the newly acquired mask. There was a sort of curiosity about him. He inspected the body - torn and mangled as it was - without a drop of hesitation. It was commendable, for someone of his age. When she was about as old as he was, such a sight would have made her vomit. Then again, she had no training prior to the age of twelve. It made her wonder whether it was some experience that had made the boy this way or if it was the simple byproduct of his heritage. Just as she recognized him, she wondered whether or not he would know who she was. The headband around his neck confirmed that he had been raised as a shinobi in Kirigakure. Gin - known as Shinobu - was a rather controversial figure in the village. She was a stranger, given one of the most powerful blades belonging to the village. She was reckless, and yet the Mizukage kept her by her side. There were rumors about her and her origin around the village. She had heard some of them herself from Sanosuke.

Be it whatever it may, her curiosity was momentarily drawn to the boy. And then he mentioned that the operatives hadn't been from Kirigakure.

Gin had figured as much herself, though for other reasons. Ayakashi knew who she was. If she had a problem with Gin's presence, she would address it herself instead of sending children to do it for her. The other Kage? Well, she didn't know them as well, not to mention the councils behind them. It begged the question of who had sent them and why. They were scouts, not meant for confrontation, based off of the young boy's impulse to try and run from her. "I don't like it when people follow me," was the simple answer to his question. A hammer is useful, provided you know how to use it and have the strength for it. I wouldn't recommend it for someone your size. The sword on your hip is a better fit, maybe a sickle and chain."

[Kyujutsu Training - 1500/1500]
[Training Lightning Sword Style - Envy - 89/2000]

Sero watched her for a time. His dull grey eyes watching her. Studying her height and weight based on her size. Studying how she stood and how she spoke muffled as it was by the mask. As dull as his eyes looked the intelligence behind them was more then apparent. It was as if with out any sign of emotion his brain was dedicated to processing information. And so it did as he moved his hand over the crushed remains of the mans head. His fingers feeling along the wound and the fractured bone. Analyzing the damage before his voice spoke out loud.

"The brain is the most important part of a functioning target. But anatomy has taught us it is also the most protected vital spot. A thick bone called the skull protects it from almost every direction. Short of going through the eyes and nose the brain is the most difficult vital to hit. But here you have shattered the bone protecting it and crushed the brain in one blow. One would say a hammer is not a good weapon, I would suggest it for such a strike. It's purpose is clear enough. And yet few are willing to master it due to its weight."

With that he wiped his hands off on the body and rose. His pale fingers still stained red from digging around in the wound. But blood was nothing new to him. Having it on his hands didn't weaken him at all. It didn't slow him or prevent him from using jutsu. Blood was just a part of nature, a part of battle. He stood there and looked at the other bodies. Each set aside for display as if art. And yet none of them were impressively armed. Either they hadn't intended to encounter anyone or they were just foolishly optimistic about their own abilities. Still he spoke once more as if this were just another day to him.

"Who ever they are if some one comes across them they will easily note the use of a blunt object. Which as I stated before is a rarely used weapon. If it happens to be something your known to use you should destroy or conceal the bodies quickly. If the information of how they were killed reaches who ever sent them it's as good as confirmation that you are here if they are after you. If they simply disappear then one could easily assume that they were discovered by Kiri nin and wiped out. Might even drive them into hiding."

With that he reached down to search the next body and then the next until finally coming across what appeared to be a flammable fuel for cooking. Likely designed so they could cook while they camped. This was obviously a long term mission. Still he quietly set about gathering every body he could find and piling them together. The weight of the men seemed simple to him. His upper body strength beyond the limits of a normal ten year old. After he piled them up he set about dumping the fuel on the pile of bodies. Before tossing the canister aside. Casually he formed three hand seals in rapid motions. The Ram, Horse, And half rabbit seal. For a moment nothing seemed to happen and then the air seemed much hotter around them. Idly Sero moved away from the pile by a good seven meters before little yellow droplets fell like rain. He had made it rain fire. Upon hitting the fuel the fire ignited it and the pile of bodies burst into flames. It was then that Sero turned to her. Completely unbothered by the fact that he had just lit a group of dead men on fire to burn. He spoke once more.

"Show me how one wields such an unorthodox weapon. What are the proper gripping and striking styles? The proper stance. There is no weapon I can not master."

1279/1500 training oonojutsu

Jutsu used:

140/150 chakra

Gin frowned slightly as she watched the bodies being set ablaze. What the boy had been doing was obvious - he was an Osada, it was safe to assume that he had a decent mastery of fire - ans yet she didn't move to stop him. She watched the tantalizing flames engulf the surroundings in their wicked dance. In about an hour, there would be little more left of the bodies than ashes. "They deserved a burial," she said, in little more than a whisper. And yet she sounded entranced, as if the words had escaped her lips without her having actually meant them. These men had tried to kill her and had ended up dead as a result. In this world, only those ready to die should ever draw their blades. She wasn't about to mourn them. Maybe ten years earlier, she would have. Without removing her eyes from the flames - their heat caressing her skin - she spoke to the boy. "This weapon was a recent acquisition. I have only ever used it once before. Anyone who saw it then is now dead. That makes you the only person who has ever seen me use it. What do you make of that?" Her voice was tense, with dark undertones.

She still didn't turn to the boy, who was now standing beside her. "You know nothing about me. For all you know, I'm a criminal and those ANBU were after me for good reason. But still here you are, asking me to teach how to wield the weapons I use and you don't even know my name. Now why is that?" She would prod. She was curious about how much like his father this boy was and at the same time wasn't. Depending on his answer, she would decide whether or not to teach him what she knew. He seemed adept enough at the use of weaponry to be able to catch on quickly. His build was that of a swordsman and he had the equipment for it as well.

But if she wanted to teach him, she would have to show him by example. She supposed she could modify Jishin's size to fit him. As it was now, the hammer was almost his size, if not taller. There was also Hachidori - the snake blade that she owned. She discarded both as options. They were too complicated for a beginner to use. She supposed she had to have something else sealed inside of a scroll somewhere. She might as well use this time to learn something new herself. But what did she want? Staves? Bows and arrows? She had never really gotten around to diversifying. Then again, there were also several jutsu that she had designed that needed to be put into practice. She would ponder over her decision later. For now, waiting and staring at the flames was enough.

"And yet I know a lot about you. Your father was Sero Osada, making you about 10 years old if you estimate the time of his death with the time in which you could have been born. Consequently, you can manipulate Boil Release. You are also a genin, of the Hidden Mist, evidently. As it stands, you are at a disadvantage."

[Training Lightning Sword Style - Envy - 655/2000]

Sero raised a single eye brow as she spoke. But that was the limit of how much his expression changed. Was this what people meant by being bated into a situation? Still his grey eyes didn't reflect any fear at the indication he was the only remaining witness. Still he forced his hands away from the hilt of his sword to cross his arms. If anything he was showing impatience at the line of questioning. Standing there making no moves to run or escape. Even so his mind was racing on plans to escape if the situation evolved into something hostile. The Mist was thick and if he covered his escape he could make some distance from his would be attacker. He needed a good twenty meters to become enveloped in the mist. If need be he could switch with one of the burning bodies. He would suffer some burns but it was better then death. Not that he would feel it really. But that meant seeking medical attention. A skilled warrior could easily approach him there. But that would be within the confines of the village. His ideal positioning if he needed reinforcements. But he only had that plan in case of the worst case scenario. Still he spoke calmly. No hint of fear or hesitation to his tone to her first question.

"Yours is not the first Hammer I have seen. And I just burned any evidence to support any claim I might make. So one witness with no proof? Anyone I could report to has no time for that. Nor would they care that some one killed ninja who snuck into our territory. If anything it would launch an investigation into who was sending them. But I doubt anyone would waste their times on the claims of a genin. Even being who I am. So there is nothing to gain from reporting this."

The second question didn't bother him. His grey eyes just watched her. She must be baiting him again. Looking to see how his mind worked. Regardless he walked forward so that he was just out of reach of her. At least based on the length of the hammer he had seen. He watched her movements carefully. Any shifting in footing. Any changes in stance to suggest a strike. He was analyzing her for a threat assessment. But at the same time he spoke again. His voice cold but honest as if stating how the weather was.

"Hunting Criminals is not my job. Nor were they allies of mine. The only fact that matters to me is you possess a skill I do not that I need to have in order to progress. I seek to learn what I can and use you. Nothing more matters. I don't need to know the name of some one who has something I will obtain."

And finally her assessment of him registered surprise for a moment across his otherwise stoic features. But that emotion rapidly faded from his features as he began studying her once more. Only two people he had met actually knew who he was. Or spoke of his father at all. But this woman knew a great deal more then he had let out. His age and his name. His ability to use boil release which he had yet to demonstrate. Well informed indeed. But he spoke once more as if to answer her questions.

"If you intended to harm me I would not have survived beyond revealing myself. Much like them. But if it is your intention to change your mind. Then you know little of me and my capabilities. I have no qualm with battle. If I am to be pushed I shall not crumble and fall like a coward. I will push back to the best of my abilities. And if possible I will mark your memory with my name."

1500/1500 Oonojutsu trained
427/1500 Kenjutsu training.

Gin burst out laughing at the unexpected answer. It wasn't every day that she ran into a Genin that stood his ground like that. She even gripped her sides as she burst in laughter. It would be a bit before it died down. This made her interest in the boy spike. She smirked underneath the mask. The young woman reached into the pouch where she usually kept her sealing scrolls - with a large array of weapons inside of them - and her erotic novels, which she had read more than ten times each. Make Out Paradise and the series behind it were classics. Anyone who said otherwise could go shove it up their own asses.

The former Kazekage pulled out one of her scrolls and stretched it out in front of her in one swift movement. A light puff of smoke signaled a seal being undone and revealed a basic scythe. It was slightly too large, but it would do for now. She tossed it at the boy and went to move a few steps back so that he could have enough space to feel comfortable with the foreign weapon. He would have to swing it around himself in order to learn anything. "Weapons like that one - unconventional weapons - all vary in shapes and sizes, but the way to wield them draws on the styles of other weapons. A scythe handles similarly to a staff. It is an extension of your own body," Gin explained. She would watch him intently in order to be able to correct any mistakes that the boy initially made. However, she would keep walking away from him, until she was far enough for her purposes.

From the same scroll, she drew a weapon that she had recently acquired. It was a long bow and a quiver. She had used them before and knew what she was doing, but thought it was best to practice. Seeing as she had yet to perfect the trade, a blow from the arrow wouldn't fatally wound the boy. "Use the scythe to block. Every time you dodge, I will break one of your bones," she explained simply. If he did dare challenge her threat - which was by no means a bluff - she would appear behind him and break one of his ribs.

The young woman returned the scroll to its pouch and drew one of the arrows from the quiver. She placed it on the string and took aim. Only a few seconds after, she would release the arrow towards the by, aiming for the center of his torso and would immediately prepare another arrow to follow suit. This was only the beginning.

[Training Lightning Sword Style - Envy - 1099/2000]

The woman was laughing at something. Really what concerned him about that is he was sure he didn't say anything humorous. He had seen others laugh before. Each time directly as a result to something he had seen called funny. He looked the word up in a dictionary. It's primary definition was causing laughter or amusement; humorous. Though thinking back it had a second definition, difficult to explain or understand; strange. Likely she was laughing because she found him strange then. Most did. Still his expression did not waver. His flat gaze watching her for the extensive time she spent laughing. He must be very strange to her indeed. Still after it stopped she began digging around in her pouch before finally fishing out a scroll. This peaked his interest as he had yet to use scrolls. Other then the test he perfected on his 5th summer. He didn't really know his exact birthday but he knew he had lived through five summers at that point. Each one easier to survive then the last. Still he shifted his stance at the sudden poof of smoke. He was cautious still at such visually impairing things. However from out of the poof of smoke came a rusty scythe. It's condition was poor but no less or more then his current weapon collection. All of his swords had a layer of rust on them.

The Scythe fell towards him and he reached out. Able to easily tell where the dangerous part was. Once upon a time his father had been rumored to own a scythe. Still as he caught it he quickly had to shift into a different more balanced stance. The weight on the weapon was anything but centered. He noted that almost all the weight was at the top with the blade. So he moved his hands to the most natural feeling positions. Spreading his feet and moving until it felt right. Then he began to spin it. At first he failed on his first try. But he analyzed the data from that and switched how he held it and how he spun. Using the weight of the blade as a forward balance. He slowly began to spin it and soon was talking while spinning it.

"What has more cutting power? A heavy weapon like this or a traditional Samurai weapon?"

Still he noted that she was suddenly holding a bow. And had walked away. She called out to him to block and threatened him should he try and dodge. She intended to push him into blocking arrows. But suddenly she was letting one loose. Only the fact that he had been spinning the scythe allowed him to bring the blade up like armor over where his eyes calculated her aim to be. She was aiming low but not too close to the ground. So not his legs or head. A torso shot. Still as the first arrow slammed into the scythe blade it's impact lifted him off the ground. The second arrow slammed while he was in the air and set him flipping backwards. As he flew backwards he threw the scythe out to grab the base of the handle the blade pointed down. An anchor slammed into the ground. He still slid backwards a couple of feet. Holding onto the scythe and his feet digging in. It left three lines in the dirt. HIs grey eyes watched her. He however didn't show any fear, No hint that blow had done anything to him. While it had actually put a small amount of bruising on his upper body he could not feel it. Instead he yanked the scythe up out of the ground. Changing his stance into one holding the blade closer to the body for a quick shield. Before suddenly he was dashing towards her. She had told him not to dodge but never to simply hold his ground. Already he was attempting to cover the distance between them before she could draw another arrow. It was futile, especially if she moved. But he had read that getting right next to an archer exposed a weakness. So he would try it. Less she instructed him otherwise.

1124/1500 kenjutsu training.

Gin didn't really bother to answer his question. It was one that only experience could answer, really. It varied from one individual to another. For Gin, because of her brute strength - a mixture of both her natural ability and years of training - a large weapon held more power in terms of what it could cut through. The way it handled and how gravity added more of a kick to it during the weapon's downward descent made it so that she could virtually split a rock in half. However, a traditional katana was much more swift, graceful and light. It could cause just as much damage if used appropriately. Was this the boy's way of asking her whether she would teach him how to use a blade? Possibly, though not likely. From what she had seen thus far, he had no qualms about being straightforward.

After firing both arrows, the former Kazekage watched the boy block and charge towards her. Bold as it was, it was an idiotic move for someone who had held a new weapon for barely over three minutes. Extra points for courage, though that would most likely do nothing more than get the boy killed in the battlefield if used so rashly. Gin anticipated the pending charge, but spoke in the meantime. "A scythe isn't a shield, it's a weapon, boy!" She barked at him. The young woman held her bow steadily in one hand. The boy's grip was decent, but his posture was off. She was much faster and stronger than he was. Virtually, there was no way that he could fend off a head on assault by one of the Legendary Swordsmen of the Mist, and the former Kazekage, no less.

Gin extended her hand and sent a stream of chakra through her body, into the bow that she was holding. She would use the bow to block the boy's strike, releasing the accumulated raiton chakra into his weapon. The result would be the loss of one rank in power in the already low ranking weapon. However, this was meant mostly to teach the boy the consequences of impulsiveness in battle. Barely  second afterwards, she would aim a kick straight at his gut. The rules she had set earlier still held true: should he try to dodge, she would break his ribs one by one. "Do you realize the size of the thing you're carrying? It's weight? Stand your ground and counter! You're a shinobi, aren't you? I shouldn't have to explain how you should fight. Combine the power of everything you know!" She instructed as she did so.

[Training Lightning Sword Style - Envy - 1545/2000]

Sero watched as she brought the bow up to block like some sort of staff. It should of been awkward to block a scythe with a bow, Seeing as how they were both awkward weapons for melee. However he watched with those grey eyes that seemed to take in everything as she brought the bow up. Using it to block the blade, After all it was the most dangerous part of the weapon. He thought to himself that if she managed to block the blade itself he would follow through with the staff end of the weapon. But something else caught his eye. A flash of raiton energy erupted the moment the weapons collided. He watched as it corroded the blade. The pure energy of it causing extensive damage to his weapon. He rapidly judged the damage and noted how brittle the scythe now looked. The blade chipped and blackened. Before movement caught his eye. He moved the staff part of the scythe down to cover his gut from where it was in his chest. But still he heard the crack as her boot planted firmly into it and sent him backwards. Had that been him he would of had cracked ribs. Still he slid back and watched her. His expression didn't change. No frustration or anger. Just concentration. Those grey eyes didn't show excitement or fear. Just those cold calculations. It was then that he spoke.

"You say to block with it and then reprimand me that it is not a shield. Your teachings counter each other. But if you want to see a weapon. A proper attack. I shall grant you that desire fulfilled ."

With that he moved again. This time he started off in a full spin to add power. The same speed as before. Watching for her to prepare to block it again. Swinging it high. But at the last moment regardless of whether she raised her weapon to block he would let the weight of it drop the blade like a rock. Gravity take a rapid decent and in a split second changing it from a high sweep to a low sweep aimed for her knee. But he wasn't done. He sent a wave of boil chakra into the weapon at the moment to dropped to her knee level. Suddenly there was a loud bang! Like something smashing against metal. A burst of steam flew out of His right wrist just above where skin was exposed. Still it turned the skin where it was used red. But doubled the force behind the swing. It was a technique his father had passed down called steam burst. The damaged scythe now had so much force behind it that whether it hit or was blocked the weapon would snap at the blade and where her foot had hit it. But if it hit the weapon would pierce an inch and a half deep even in its damaged state before breaking off. He didn't mind that she might be injured by the sudden last second change in where he was aiming or the added force behind it. Training meant going to extremes for him. If she wasn't trying to hurt him and him to hurt her the training meant nothing.

1500/1500 Kenjutsu trained
165 words left over.

Jutsu used:

chakra= 130/150

The former Kazekage watched as the young boy reacted to the charge of raiton that had just run through his weapon. She wondered if he was at first confused, seeing as it didn't hurt him or even touch his skin. Then again, the weapon began to visibly corrode rather quickly, adding a thin layer f rust to the already old and weathered scythe. One strike even at less than a quarter of her full strength would shatter the weapon.

Gin shook her head, mildly frustrated by how the boy had interpreted her words. She hadn't exactly meant the order so broadly, but had rather criticized his exact reaction."That's because it isn't a shield. It's an extension of your body - a part of you. If you don't see it that way, you'll never master any weapon. You have to use the energy that your opponent projects towards you and divert it, not stop it, otherwise you won't be able to get out unscathed from more powerful attacks, understood, kid?" She said, discarding the bow while she spoke. She had trained enough with it for the time being. In one swift movement, she had returned the weapon to the scroll where she kept it sealed in.

The young woman didn't bother to change her stance - if it could even be called that. She stood rather lazily, feet spread apart slightly wider than her shoulder length and her arms hanging casually by her side. All he while, she saw the boy begin to charge towards her. If anything, he was stubborn and hardheaded. Those were two things that Gin could definitely appreciate, seeing as she shared those two traits with the boy. As he approached her, she simply extended her arm towards the already weak weapon. One eighth of her strength, along with her rather impressive endurance, would be enough to stop the attack. The blade would shatter in her hands if she made direct contact with it. If the young Sero managed to somehow change his attack's direction at the last minute, She would aim to shatter the weapon's shaft instead. Either way, if she made direct contact, the result was the same.

Assuming that was what happened to the weapon, Gin would quickly shift her stance to thrust her other hand into the boy's stomach in order to send him flying backwards several meters. If she managed to land the hit, the boy's ribs would crack under the pressure of her brute strength. She would then proceed to unseal a katana from her scroll at toss it in the boy's direction. "Do you know how to use one of those, boy?" She would ask without preamble. A smaller weapon like that was more suited to someone with his size and strength.

Though the size and reach of a scythe were formidable, its maneuverability was limited. But a katana - by far Gin's favorite weapon - was quick and versatile. When placed in the right hands, it could be as deadly as an S ranked technique. It had a perfect balance between defense and offense and a shape that was perfect for both slashing and stabbing through the weak points in a person's armor.

[Training Lightning Sword Style - Envy - 2000/2000]
[Training Reaction Timing E - E1 - 75/75]
[Training Reaction Timing E1 - E2 - 17/150]

Sero watched as the weapon shattered when aimed at the woman. It's dull blade to worn to withstand the force of the impact. He watched as the blade shattered and all he was left holding was the shaft. But his silver eyes noticed further movement beyond the initial defense. She was preparing a counter attack. The part of the scythe that was typically used for cutting was gone but he still held the handle. He quickly brought the handle about to that he could brace it with his left knee, his left hand and his right hand along with his right shoulder. A solid guard over most of his vitals and it paid off for a moment. He saw the blow coming and lifted off the ground with the smallest of hops. The Remainder of the scythe getting slammed by Gin's hand. The shaft itself broke in two but it also sent most of the force into letting his light form already begin moving away from the blow before it could hit him as well. Lowering the force of it considerably. Sero was able to feel out the situation with his perception and predict an attack was coming. He chose a defense that covered most of the likely area's to be hit. His reasoning was that a blow to the head could end the training early. A blow to his legs or arms would also not help much. But a blow to his body was more then likely given the data in his mind

he had watched her toss away that bow. And he had watched how she had handled it. He had observed how she had aimed and fired. If nothing else he had the general gist of how the bow worked. The tight string being pulled back to provide pressure on a fixed point where the projectile was fitted. The arrow resting against the bow itself at level with the shoulder. How one directed the aim and let the pressure of the pulled back bow string launch the projectile at where they wanted it to go. A simple mechanism. All he needed after understanding how it worked was to practice it. Practice over theory when it came to actually using something in the field. That was his belief. But for now it was obvious that he had other things to worry about. Other things to maintain his focus.

With a slight adjustment he landed lightly. He felt no pain, he never did. But he figured that aside from getting a sense of how to wield a weapon the practice was primarily to show her dominance. He felt underestimated. His jutsu had failed. So the quick thrust of it was a failure too. She had been able to react to the adjustment and counter attack before he could. And now she tossed another weapon too him. Most would back away from a weapon flying through the air but instead he waited. His dead grey eyes watching it descend towards him and how it fell before he suddenly reached out and snatched it by the handle. The first thing he observed about it was how it was a one sided blade. However it was thicker then his cutlass and rapier. Its handle guard was also smaller so he would need to keep his fingers more in check like with his bigger blades. He lifted it getting a feel for its weight. It was actually smaller then his bigger weapons. And lighter as well. He would assume for the time being it was some sort of medium type weapon. Heavy enough to cleave right through a limb but light enough to move quicker. The handle could be held with either one or two hands but for now he would grip it with both hands. it was then he would look at Gin coldly.

"There is no weapon I can not master."

Gin let out a chuckle and smirked underneath the bandages that covered her face. This boy was proving to be entertaining - worth her time, even. She eyed him closely. It was her standard practice to treat children and shinobi of lower levels like little more than dogs until they proved that they were worth more. She would never address them by name, calling them "boy," "girl," or "kid." Whether she did it consciously or not was something that she really couldn't pinpoint. It had possibly started off as a conscious decision that later on became reflex after to much execution. The reason why she did it, though, was something that she knew quite well. It was her way of goading people into proving her wrong and showing her what they were capable of. In her time, she had seen many people change and evolve from weak and frail to strong and determined in a matter of seconds because of the circumstances surrounding them. It was a sight to behold. If she could recreate those effects in a smaller scale, she would consider herself satisfied.

So when the young boy make his remark, Gin smiled outright. "You're a cheeky little bastard, aren't you, kid?" With a katana now in hand, Gin sank into a basic stance. her blade was poised in front of her, held by one hand. It was tilted slightly to the left while her feet were spread apart at the length of her shoulders, her left toes at the level of her right heel. She hoped that he would mimic the way she stood. The katana that she held in her hand was almost a decade old. Over the years, it had somewhat lost its edge. She had re-wrapped the hilt, but the old tsuba was still the same one.

The sword brought back memories - both good and bad - that left a bittersweet taste in her mouth. To an extent, she hated it. The sword was a gift from a traitor, someone who she had placed all of her trust and confidence in, someone that she thought would stand by her side for the rest of her life. Someone she loved. It was rather strange how such a bond could be shattered in mere seconds. Maybe it had never been as strong as the former Kazekage perceived it. Maybe she had been deluded by the idea of being cared for, as she had been so many times before. Or maybe - and more frighteningly so - it had all been real.

It was odd that she could not bring herself to part with the old thing. She kept her eyes locked on the young Sero. "Say, boy, do you want to make this more interesting?" She asked, before he could rush towards her. "There must be something you want to know, or have. I'll grant you a wish, if it's in my power to do so, should you manage to disarm me. If not, you'll be in my service for a month. Use any methods you wish. What do you say?" Gin offered. She could never resist a good wager. And the ones she proposed were hardly ever as straightforward as they seemed. She always tested for cleverness. It was always to her delight to see people realize that there was more than one way to accomplish things.

[Training Reaction Timing E1 - E2 - 150/150]
[Training Reaction Timing E2 - E3 - 225/225]
[Training Reaction Timing E3 - D - 222/300]

Sero watched as Gin spoke. She spoke of him being Cheeky or something of the sort. He had read the term once in a book but he did not think that he was being sassy with her. He was merely stating what he felt confident in knowing. He could feel the way the sword was weighted. He could feel how it wasn't balanced. How it was well made but aged and the grip was a little loose. Time was one of the few things that effected everything. He remembered back when he was a child. When he would cry at the darkness while looking for some comfort. How the seclusion slowly molded him into something that belonged in the darkness. They said that he was a great deal like his father but he never thought that he would be so weak. He had let go of pain both in the physical and mental sense. His body pushed to such mind numbing lengths that he no longer felt anything he touched. But he could still measure the balance of the weapon he held. Adjusting his own grip to compensate based on how it shifted when he held it. He was more alone then ever these days. But the tears were long gone.

He shifted his stance into a two handed stance with the Katana held low. The tip pointed to his left and slightly behind him. He was seeing the stance she took to be one for speed and so he took a heavy swinging stance. A sword was easier to land a deep impact with two hands. And the handle on the Katana easily made room for both his hands. His feet spread as he knew he would have to move to her. His mind molded the distance between them and the time it would take him to cross it. The length of her reach placed into his own. She had a longer reach and so he would have to find a way to get within her range to effectively use his own. With her using a faster stance and the greater range he would need to do a bit of thinking on that one. Still he responded to her thoughts on the practice at hand. His voice was as cold as ever.

"I am no dog to be leashed. But once I disarm you. I will claim that Katana. Or this one and add it to my arsenal. Because if I land a blow. You won't be able to stop me. It will be my payment for dragging you to the hospital."

And with that last word he was moving. He was faster then usual. Moving rapidly towards her range and to the hand she wasn't using to hold the sword. It appeared to be just another straight forward charge. A low slice incoming for her to try and bring the blade up from her waist to her shoulder. His right foot planted and his arms shifted. It looked like he was about to swing. But the moment he entered her range and signaled like he would go for the low cut he launched of his back heel instead. His body lifting up to spin with his stance shifting into a one handed swing. It was a feint! The sword that looked like it would be an upwards power slice was now being given momentum from his spin in mid air for a downwards rapid slash at Gin's neck. A rapid shift in stances to try and move her guard away from the actual target and then aim for the open vital. That was his strategy.

1422
Speed
D ~> D-1, 325/325
D-1 ~> D-2, 400/400
D-2 ~> D-3, 450/450

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