Mokuzai had woken up a little later than he had expected too on the day of his first real fight of the Chunin exams, today he would be fighting another shinobi from another village. He silently cursed himself as he rushed to get ready packing away his kunai and six senbon needles into the pouch connected to his left leg, He tightly wrapped his ninja head-band around his head and he was off for what would be a exciting day.

As he rushed to the exam site Mokuzai had envisioned a glorious arena and thousand's of people watching him as he fought for the chance to become a chunin, however his vision was short-lived as once he arrived onto the arena he felt as if he was wearing shade's because the world around him became cloudy and he could see no more than half a meter in front of his face. Mokuzai thought inside his head to avoid making any unnecessary sounds that would alert his opponent any further then he might already have, "What should i do...If i try to fight blindly in this battle im sure to lose, assuming the target is smart they would have already checked out the area so running around checking it out myself would be foolish.." Mokuzai honestly became a little frustrated, the finals for the exam had just begun yet he was already faced with a predicament that unsettled him.

He then sat down on the ground as he started to meditate and think about what he should do, it took a few moments but after a moment of clear thinking among the thick clouds surrounding the arena he recalled his first trial against the Kumogakure proctor with his clone's. It was in that battle that Mokuzai learned that once one of his clone's was taken out any information they learned would be transferred to him immediately, Mokuzai quietly stood up while he had a slight grin on his face that oozed confidence as he weaved the  hand-signs for Water Release:Water Clone Jutsu and six clone's appeared forming a circle around him.

Making sure he kept his noise level to a minimum Mokuzai reached into the left leg pouch containing the six senbon's he had from earlier, he then took three into each hand before connecting the end of them with chakra strings as he quickly throw them one by one in six different direction's around the arena. He then silently nodded to his six clone's before they rushed off following the path of the six senbon's to go find the shinobi Mokuzai was to fight as he stood there silently with his eye's closed as he made sure to focus more on sound then on his eyesight.

WC:471

Chakra: 40/150

Jutsu Used:

There it was. Quiet. There one moment, gone the next. 
It was that singular footstep of her opponent walking in to the arena, only to realize exactly what they were stepping in to. Only to realize.... they needed to be silent if they didn't want to be hunted down like a mouse in a maze. And so like her, he was more careful. More cautions. Ritsu would not hear anymore of his footsteps after that. No, she wouldn't hear him just yet... but now she knew he was here. And so it was, once again, game on. 

Peeking out from behind the rock was pointless. She wouldn't be able to see anything, and who knows what sensory jutsu he might have hidden up his sleeves. Instead, she would wait there with her ears trained on any sound beneath the cover of the cloud. Any footsteps, the sound of lightning or fire crackling away. Water or air disturbing the rocky surface. There was nothing though. He was still... which meant that he was thinking about something. Planning. Or maybe he was just observing her the way she was audibly observing him. Either way, she didn't move. She couldn't. The Genin would hide behind her stone until she could hear something... anything from him. As much as it went against her primal nature to run in head first with metaphorical claws out, she would wait patiently for him to make the first move.... and then she would strike. 

Thank goodness she wasn't waiting too long. 

The senbon literally came out of no where. Shooting straight out of the river of cloud, and ploughing it's tip in to the ground just under half a meter away from her hiding place; it was enough to cause the young woman to startle. Putting her on edge and pulling her lips in a grin. He was clever. Through the fog she could just make out the luminous hue of chakra string. He was looking for her. But in doing he gave away his position. Not just by his strings; but by the trajectory of the needle.  She wouldn't give him enough time to change his position.

As soon as the needle hit the ground to her left, Ritsu spun to the right, breaking from her hiding space and taking off in a silent sprint towards him. Following the line of his chakra strings and needles but making sure to stay at least a meter away from it, as to avoid being seen by him or his clones. The copies he created, seemed to not be as careful in their approach as he was. Having rushed forward following the path he laid out for them with out too much thought. 
Unlike Ritsu whose mind raced right along with her. With stealth, the young female didn't hesitate. As she moved, she grabbed two senbon from her pouch and threw them in his supposed direction, before coming in for a with a strong fist aimed straight for his diaphragm should she reach him.

All this time, she didn't stop smiling. The Jugo had not had this much fun in quite a while. 

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Words: 533

Mokuzai kept focusing on his hearing for even the faintest sound of his opponent but it was no use, he narrowed down the possibilities of what she was thinking as to think of the best strategy on how to move forward. It was apparently clear thought that the opponent had caught on to him as they made no noise that would alert them of his presence the same as he was doing, a half grin would appear on his face as he became even more motivated to win the match. Mokuzai had used his clone's to try and track the target shinobi down which also gave away his location but he knew this fact very well and was hoping that the shinobi would take the bait, no...he was counting on it.

Mokuzai suddenly felt weak, a good sign he had used alot of chakra then he should have to perform his jutsu, he quickly released the chakra maintain four clone's leaving only two left as well as  Mokuzai feel his strength returned and could now return to focusing .Assuming that his plan worked he imagined the target was now coming to confront him, seeing no reason to keep his chakra strings connected he deactivated the jutsu but quickly made a hand sign creating the illusion of having one clone close to him. He then silently walked behind one of the clone's going about one meter and a half out  before crouching low to the ground, he would then pray that his target fell for his rouse and patiently started waiting.

It wasn't a long wait as suddenly two senbon needles were thrown from the veil of the thick clouds surrounding the arena before piercing through the mirage clone as the needle's kept going through since Mokuzai had been crouched on the ground, The flying senbons went straight through the air as a clone was heading back to Mokuzai's real location before getting pierced with the duo senbon's and disappearing. As the clone disappeared the positioning of the senbon that destroyed it was relayed to Mokuzai as well as the last remaining clone and it begun to make its way back to the original but this time with hastened silent footsteps as he took position within a four meter radious and waited for any type of signal.

Mere seconds after the senbon's had passed him Mokuzai made the ox hand seal before he was was meant face to face with his opponent that seemed to be a female but such things were of little importance in a battle and as she throw what would have seemed to be a serious punch that hit bare air Mokuzai said with a grin

"Nice too meet you."

He immediate slammed the palm of his hands onto the ground turning it into mud that was four meters wide and stretched out ten meters long, the female shinobi had been to close to his jutsu he thought but to not waste the small window of distraction he would not take any chance's as he quickly made a loud whistle alerting the two nearby clone who had taken position four meters away from Mokuzai's current position, the clone on a left weaved quick hand -seals before doing Water Release: Water Trumpet as the clone released a jet of spewing water at the shinobi in hope's that it would connect to them for a direct hit.

WC:536

Chakra: 80/150

Jutsu used:

Jutsu that clone used:

Battle Mod Interjection: Mokuzai, the Water clone jutsu costs chakra for each clone used. 15 for the activation, and 1/10 of your chakra for each clone (another 15 each). That's 90 chakra for 6 clones, plus the 15 activation. Using the puppet strings is another 5. Academy clones cost 5 each, (plus activation, which is another 5) for 30 total. And your earth flow cost 10. By my calculations, you've reached 0 chakra.

If your opponent posts before you edit, then you will be ruled unconcious before your earth flow technique goes off.

His chakra strings faded from sight but that didn't matter. Ritsu had her heading. She had her momentum. Still running at him, she listened for the senbon she had thrown at him. For the sounds of needles punching in to flesh and the cry of pain that would undoubtedly follow. But there was nothing. That was a tell tale sign in itself. Still, she continued with her pace....until she got right in to the face of the one she was fighting... And swung.
Her fist passed straight through it, as if she was hitting air. How irritating. How dangerous. Alarm bells started to go off in her mind. Where was he now? Had he just successfully lured the Jugo in to a perfectly crafted trap? Was he that much clever than her? The answer.... probably not. 

As soon as her fist missed and the realization that he was not there slammed in to her thought processes, she continued to move. Mostly to get out of the area in case of an attack, but she knew he couldn't be far. He was too clever to waste an opportunity..... And there it was. Three sounds: His voice. A sharp whistle. And the sound of hands slamming in to the ground. 
It was more than enough for her to be sure. Ritsu honed in on his location like a missile following a firework. Sprinting silently towards him the second she heard him. But she would only make it a step or two before she pushed off and jumped in to the air, with her knee aiming straight for his face.

At the same time, she could hear water coming towards her, but it's origin was alteast a couple meters away and she was moving. At one point she felt the chill and maybe even spray shower her back as it came close, but Ritsu was focused on her next move. 
Should her knee connect, Ritsu would follow through, using the momentum and the force of her attack to ride him to the ground where she would hopefully land on his chest... but only for a moment. Ritsu would then vault off of him so she was positioned a little behind. And then she would give her own whistle. But her's would have devastating affects. 

Should her flying knee miss though....then she would drop forward in to a roll and perform that same high pitched technique. After a small series of hand signs (she had done whilst moving) she would let out short, sharp almost playful sound that would explode from her lips in a cone of pure destruction that would shred through everything in it's path. 

"Nice to meet you as well" 

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Words:451

Chakra 155/170:

Once the girl had punched his clone he made the assumption that she would be to stunned by the trick to react fast enough but he was wrong, immediately after she had punched Mokuzai's doppelganger he spoke a quick sentence but it seemed to have been the failure for his attack as he slammed his palms into the ground activating his jutsu but it was too late as she had already got away from it's reach. The table's had turned, not only did he waste what precious chakra he had on a attack that had failed due to his own confidence but he had also given away his position as well.

Mokuzai immediately pulled out the the only kunai he had on him and held it in his right hand as a way to defend himself from the girl who had escaped and was now silently moving around the thick clouded arena, He scanned all around for any approaching movements but he could see nothing as he cursed his own capabilities at such a defining moment. Suddenly he could hear the sound of two footsteps coming straight at him from right in front, then moments later the female shinobi appeared out of the veil of the clouds with her a knee pointed right at Mokuzai's face as she was mid-air.

Mokuzai realized immediately that her own momentum can be used against her so he immediately thrusted his right hand that was holding onto the kunai tightly and aimed it directly at the center of her knee, As the kunoichi came closer the kunai seemed to have stabbed into her knee like he had planned but at the speed she was going at he couldn't stop her movements completely and the back was shoved back into him hitting him in the face directly on the nose causing a painful grunting sound to imitate from his voice but as he took the forward force of her knee attack the kunai had only pieced deeper into her flesh and for added damage Mokuzai made sure to slightly twist the kunai around while it was still imbued inside of her before the force overtook him making him fall backwards

As he was falling he activated a hand sign and made a single chakra string that connected it to the kunai as he yanked his hand back pulling the kunai out from the kunoichi's leg so she could not use it against him before he fell to the ground completely, Mokuzai having more stamina then the average genin quickly shrugged off the pained feeling of the hit to his face. He wiped his nose only to see the slight dripping of blood as he stood back on his feet again as he thought to himself while returning the kunai back to his pouch on his leg "That was some move, i shouldn't have underestimated her"

WC:488

Chakra: 75/150

Jutsu used:

So far, everything had gone exactly to plan.
From arriving to the arena before anyone else in order to get a better idea of it's design, to finding a suitable hiding place to await while he made the first move... the first mistake. To following his steps right to his location where she executed a brutally coordinated attack. All of it, every step went exactly as Ritsu Kasen had intended. Well, that was... up till now.

Her reaction was well timed. As soon as her fist swung through the mirage, she continued to move. And then as soon as she had heard him perform the jutsu, she had jumped. However, just as her knee connected with his skull, there was a sudden, sharp, horrific pain shooting through her leg. Extending down from her mid thigh to her shin bone, centering just below her knee; It was a pain akin to having a hot poker being jabbed beneath the patella bone and it was bordering on excruciating. But Ritsu had suffered pain before, even to this extent. So even though her leg was less than stable when she landed, shaky even, and though she had to take in a sharp breath in order to handle the pain, the deep gash cutting through flesh, grazing across bone, wasn't enough to cripple her. 

It wasn't enough to stop the woman from making the hand signs while landing, facing him, and letting out a sharp whistle that would send viscous shock waves in his direction. Waves of pure sound that would put tremendous pressure on his bones and lacerate his skin. But this wasn't all. See... now the Jugo was in pain. And that made her angry... 

In the second the cone of sound came rushing towards him, Ritsu formed a second set of hand signs... or rather, two sets in very close and fast succession. The first would come with a surge of chakra that was almost reminiscent of what one would feel when being in deep commune with nature. The second would fall to a hum that immediately followed the sound of the whistle. A hum that would cover her body, coating it in a layer of vibrating chakra a small amount away from her skin. This, her near impenetrable barrier would stop what happened from happening again. Ritsu didn't like pain. It was this sort of thing that brought our her less pleasant side... and she never liked that. 

And so, now, if he happened to recover fast enough after being knocked back by the impact to his head. If he survived the concussive cry and got away. Then once again, Ritsu Kasen would grab out two more senbon, throw both at his left thigh, and as they were in mid air she would run after him (ableit a little slower than before) and attempt to plant a fist solidly in to his ribs. Hoping to incapacitate him as she had intended before.

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Words:497

Chakra 135/170 :

Once Mokuzai had gotten up after stabbing his kunai into the kunochi's leg she made a quick rebound as she landed and then turned to face Mokuzai before letting out a sharp whistle, in that moment Mokuzai felt the intense pain that brought him down to one knee as starting screaming from the sensation of the strange technique. He felt as if a tremendous amount of weight was put on his body as his skin randomly begun to lacerate in some area's causing a excruciating pain during it's process and some amount of blood lost from the wounds.

Once her jutsu ended Mokuzai breathed heavily from the stinging pain of the laceration's across his body as he looked up towards the sky as his hands laid to his side dripping blood, his clothing had been left mostly intact but he had lost a bit of blood and he had already used half of his chakra. Mokuzai was definitely in a pinch and although he hated to resort to such tactics he decided it was best to hide among the protection of the arena, with the kunoichi's damage leg she would not be bale to follow very well he thought.

Seconds late he realized he could not hear a thing, his body was in really bad shape to the point he felt like he could barely stand on his own legs let alone make a run for it to try and think of a plan but one thing was certain. Whatever jutsu she used it temporarily disabled his hearing and  he knew  after a attack like that  he couldn't waste any time in trying to get away, Mokuzai looked up in trying to locate the female kunochi but the arena worked against him as did his own body at this point, he slowly stood up on his legs but in mere seconds two senbon flew through the air piercing both his thight's at once briinging him back on his knee's as he looked at the two senbon lodged into his legs.

Mokuzai with shaky hands slowly removed the senbon's causing intense pain in the form of a grunting sound escaping his lips before they were fully out and he tossed them to the side, if he was gonna escape he needed to do it now so he then started to try and stand back up but failed the first time, then the second but by the third he was on his feet very unbalanced. He then made the Dragon, Rat, Horse and Tiger hand seal and as he touched the ground as his chakra spreaded towards the tile's that the arena was made off before they lifted off the ground floating in the air while being compressed and sharpened by his chakra before a total of ten was in the air and they rushed forward towards the  kunoichi.

Using the cover provided by the tile like shuriken and the cover of the arena Mokuzai slowly walked away, he didn't have to try very hard to make a sound as by this point his steps barely had any real weight too it as he made his way deeper into the cloud fog, once he was  five or six meters away he removed his shirt latching on some of his chakra before throwing it on the ground to be useful for later.

The lacerations that were on Mokuzai's skin made him feel numb from the amount of blood lost of all the cuts on him,thankfully this proved to be a slight bonus as by this point his body no longer had the ability to register just how close he was too passing out. Mokuzai walked through the cloudy arena as his blood dripped on it's tiled floor before finding a small spot between two leaning rocks he needed to rest only for a few moments so he layed against the rocks holding on as long as he could but he was gradually losing consciousness.


WC:675

Chakra 60/150

Jutsu Used:

She could feel it. Coursing through her muscles and bones, her veins, infecting her heart, her lungs; every cell in her being. All of it, the anger, the hunger, the determination. The idea of her prey... her victory being within her reach, made the jugo ravenous. And it consumed her.

The unique mix of sound was unmistakable. The sharp whistle that seemed to part through the fog like a cold razor and the roaring cone of wind that followed. The pained scream of the one that had been caught within it's merciless claws and the low hum that somehow managed to still be heard under this chaotic symphony. There was steel spikes sticking in to flesh, feet pounding stone, blood dripping, tiles breaking, frustrated screaming, curses, bones cracking, rocks breaking....

~

Everything was distorted. She could remember the sounds and scenes of it all, but it wasn't until she had stopped for a moment, that she remembered how it all happened properly. 
The rippling cone of sound had torn through the river of clouds and just for a moment they would both be able to see each other as clear as day... but it wouldn't be for long enough. As the technique faded, the Jugo had formed two more jutsu, so by the time it had completely vanished from the area and the fog had flowed in once more, Ritsu had drawn two more senbon, and thrown them with precision at her opponent. Hoping to disable his legs as he had done to her. But that wouldn't be enough. No, she needed to take it one step further.  Following the trails of the metal implements, the genin silently sprinted after him, her hands balled in to white knuckled fist, ready to be swung in to his ribs....  but it wouldn't be that easy. 

Not even a couple steps closer and suddenly there were pieces of rock in the shape of tiles coming straight at her through the haze, in an attempt to slow her down further. Not good enough. With her animal tainted blood flowing through to her skin, the young woman held up her arms in a cross across her face and powered straight through them. The stone pieces shattering against the vibrating barrier that shielded her form. 
And so she rushed forward, following the scent of blood to the place where she had left him bleeding and wounded. There she would plant her foot, tense her arm and swing with the intent of breaking bone... but he wasn't there. All that was there was a shredded, stained shirt...

Ritsu was furious. Victory only steps away and it had slipped through her fingers. Just like that. She wanted to kill him. She wanted to kill them all. She wanted to tear them apart. Rip and claw them in to bloody shreds until all she could taste was... The Jugo let out an enraged scream, and slammed her shaking fist in to a nearby rock, so hard that chips flicked off it's other side. She was so... angry that she didn't even care that she had maybe cracked a couple bones, that her skin had split against the rough surface, and let out another stream of curses....

Then. Silence 

It was over. Darker eyes lightening, muscles relaxing, she took a deep breath and shook her head. As if to shake loose a caught memory. 
Slowly, she would then look down at the blood trail by her feet and followed it, hopefully to where her opponent had gone to hide. 
Should she find him, the genin would approach him with her hands raised, an honest, apologetic expression across her features. She knew very well that he couldn't hear her due to her jutsu but she would crouch down before him and speak anyway. To him and to the proctor who had tentatively crept closer, in case he had to quickly intervene. 

"No. It's over" she would say softly "It seems I am not as strong.. as ready as I thought I was... So this will be it for me. I forfeit. Here, is your winner"

To some, it would look as though she was taking pity on him. But to others, it was an honest surrender. He was the better fighter. A young man who came in and fought with his own strength. Who thoughtfully planned tactics and executed attacks with his own strengths and limits in mind. Unlike her. 
Who allowed herself to be pushed in to abusing a power that came from a side that she was not proud of. Who just reacted and acted with little control. No. If she wanted to win this tournament, she would do so as herself and not as the monster she might, someday become.... 

Next time she would tell her self. Next time I will be better. 

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Words:815

Mokuzai was layed against the rock with his eye's half-open as the numbing sensation got a little worse as time passed, he thought to himself "I dont have alot of time left, if i keep this up ill bleed out. If im gonna end it i have to do it quick or ill lose alot more than just this match."

He slowly attempted to get back on his feet but then he felt a sharp pain and went back down, he could still not hear anything or see anything and he thought he was screwed.Suddenly out of the cloud's the kunoichi had walked forward towards him causing him to raise his hands to cast hand seals, but he was thrown off by the genin approaching him with her hands raised, and a look of someone saying sorry from the heart. And he thought "Is she...giving up? Why else would someone who's suppose to take me out let their guard down during a match.." She then crouched down and Mokuzai saw her lips moving so she was talking, she appeared to be talking to the proctor who had showed up just encase the kunoichi killed him.

Once her lips stopped moving the kunoichi started walking away, Mokuzai didn't hear for what reason she decided to forfeit making him the winner. But it was clear by the way she walked away that something was troubling her, he wanted to talk to her but his body was already near it's limits so he remained quite as two medical ninja's came out with a stretcher. As they moved Mokuzai on it he decided to just rest his eye's and let the medical nin do what they do best, but he couldn't help wondering "What was that girl's name? Ill have to find her next time for a rematch"

-Exit Thread

WC:322

Chakra 60/150