Hanbei was exited, more than he had been in a long while, it had been some time but he was finally being able to participate in the legendary chuunin exams, he had been training for this moment for some time, but it seemed to be finally dawning on him, excitement overwhelmed the Genin to the point that he almost could not contain himself with laughter as he packed his things. The exams were being stages in Suna, a land of sand and distopia, so, it naturally would pack for himself a reserve water bottle as well as a pack full of lighter silks for the heat and the sun which would be bearing down on him almost the entire time. Kanbei poked his head out from behind Hanbei's door rubbing his eyes and looking to the over excited young boy.

Really Hanbei? At 3 in the morning? We're not leaving until the morning, so, I dont see why you're packing already...

Hanbei smiled and looked back up at his father, zipping up his bag and slamming a sandwich in his mouth before mumbling his sentence before thinking that he can't talk in a means which he can be understood with a full mouth. So, chewing faster and attempting to swallow too quickly he found that the food caught in his throat, coughing loudly, he slammed at his chest with his fisy until he managed to swallow the meat filled savoury.

I know, but i can't help it, the thought of being able to join the ranks of the chuunin is just too exciting, can we leave now? please dad!?

Kanbei could not help but smile at his son's child like nature and inspiration, so, the aged and wise medical master left the room without saying a world, Hanbei's heart began to sink, but that would not stop him, in probably his first EVER act of teenage rebellion at age fifteen, he decided if he was old enough to fight and defeat ninja ranks higher than himself, he was old enough to be able to make his own decisions. Grabbing his pack, he moved to the window and jumped from the second story, hitting the ground and rolling to stand up and his normal, though minuscule height.

It took you long enough to pack Hanbei, you'll find later as a ninja you must always be prepared to leave at a moments notice, lives will hang in the balance of seconds weighed against your actions. So, always keep a pack made.

Kanbei spoke and Hanbei's spirits lifted, the two of them took to the fleet toward the City gate under the cover of moonlight, each of them ready for this new adventure, Kanbei to see his son grow into a bright and glorious ninja, following his shining and luminous destiny, and Hanbei, to reach out and grab it with both of his hands. Grip it tightly and ensure that it is surely his own. As they moved through the barrens Kanbei kept Hanbei up with his astronomy lessons, the mountains gave way to deserts until finally they would come to the gates of Sunagakure early, and ready for the chuunin exams.

Hanbei laughed and stretched up to the bright and shining sunlight, he was glad that the wind was not stale, his light breathable silks making the desert hot temperature many times more handleable than most other ninja who would be travelling here. Looking up as his father Hanbei was proud that he would be watching his progress through the exams, his needle techniques would be difficult ones to beat, and he was already beginning to draft up his strategies against his opponents with the help of his father.

Doujutsu: Can only effect people within their line of sight, so, use blind spots, known exceptions are the hyuuga clan.

Jutsu: Timing is everything, interrupt their cast, fuuinjutsu, attack their symbols, summoning, the summon contract.

Illusions: Genjutsu need a trigger, all my opponents will be using no skill higher than B rank, so genjutsu should mostly be obvious, counter with ki, and then ensure their trigger does not land a second time.

And so he studied, going through all of his knowledge and compounding it before the exams.

Hanbei en route to their location looked over and up to the face of his beloved father as they made their way through the desert of Suna to find their location. The young ninja could only assume his father was aware of their location, as when it came to the more certain points of navigation Hanbei was not the greatest with a compass nor a map. His father had always encouraged him that one’s bearings were an acquired taste, and that he would pick it up when he was older. Seven and a half years later from that fateful comment and Hanbei was little better with the means to navigate, other than the fact he could see above the kitchen table now. His mind floated across the sand, ignoring both space and time as he imagined what the Chuunin exams were going to be like;

He could foresee to a point the entrance way, a courtyard would open up for them as the ceremony began, introducing each of the competitors as if it were some sort of Olympic arena for beginners. The crowds would cheer with each entrant, and roar when the entrant they were to later support would reveal himself to the people and bask in the glory. Then there was each of the ninja competing themselves, each of them divided into various countries as well as emotional states which were painted across their faces, Hanbei would stand beside his fellows from his own country as he looked to the other ones, around him, unable to keep his mind on the present and finding it wandering wildly and inquisitively, scoping out what people from other countries looked like, as well as observing their faces and emotional states, looking for those who were as nervous, or excited, or as confident as himself.

Relaying his thoughts to his father aloud as they moved light footedly across the piques of the dunes, the wind running over them melodically in the far distance every now and then an image of something moving across the sands in the same direction they were could be seen in the vast distance, other ninja who had managed to surpass their own mediocre speed with a pace of excitement and vigour which they had chosen not to match, not this time. Hanbei and his father as the sun rose in the east watched and moved their light bamboo shades over their eyes to protect them from the glare as they made their way slowly, coming to a small oasis which was following the road. The Oasis had a small settlement based around it, trees grew and the town seemed to have limited, but sustainable water which would no doubt be the town’s most valuable commodity.

Spending what seemed to be the remainder of the day within the comforts of the location, Hanbei and his father moved out towards the grassy green oasis park area which was central to the town, and took up the means to practise before the exams. It had been a long time since his father and himself drew their needles together and actually just spent an afternoon running through their combat forms. The young boy slipping back his silks to nothing but a slim singlet which still oddly enough, with his slight sum of child fat still on his body, as well as his hormonal form, still managed not to break the illusion of his femininity, allowing the remainder of his clothes which were bound by his belt fall backwards, tying the silk sleeves around his waist and revealing the straps of needles which were wrapped around each of his wrists. Each of the holsters held twenty of the deadly guanyin throwing needles per arm band, slotted nicely and pointing down so that they could be slid into the user’s hand with the correct movement.

Closing his eyes the two of them stretched, before sitting down in the lotus position in meditation, saluting the sun with silence and focusing their thoughts and calming their minds. Hanbei always found this meditation difficult, his young and childish mind was restless, keen to learn and impulsive, but he was actually able to combat the feelings and the need to open his eyes and take in the world, conquering the urges to move, and instead sitting still with little movement what so ever. Half an hour became an hour as Kanbei rose from his position and took out two of his own needles. Each of them bore engravings of the most intricate nature down their length, and each of them was as long as knitting needles. Hanbei drew his own, but in his own throwing style he use the tiger grip on his needles, clenching three in each hand between his knuckles, supported tightly the two of them moved not in unison, but together none the less. Kanbei’s movements on observation were poetry, like a dance as his control over his needles was brush-like, painting a symphony of motion to those who watched.

Hanbei however was many times less practised, his eyes were on his master, as Kanbeis soft poetic words spoken to hanbei as their bodies seemed to almost wave in the wind as he would continue to inspire the young Genin to correct his mistakes and motions which were improper to the style, emphasising fluidity as well as constant current like motion. Saying how the water in the stream was not the only element which a current flowed through like the veins and nerves of a living body. “The entire world has its arteries flowing through it, through the air, the earth, sea and the fire. All of them bare a current, which cycles through them, convection which rotates through them and gives them motion. These motions are never rugged or forces, but they flow with natures pace, and move mountains…” Hanbei found solace in his words, his motions moving a little more cleanly as he focused on them, relaxing into his motions as he continued his forms, imagining and pretending many opponents surrounded him, like a shadow boxer practises his skills.

After some time Kanbei turned to his son and began to teach him some of the principles of a new technique, involving how not all combat is won with the strength of a jutsu, but the effect that the jutsu can apply. Creating a needle of crimson red not unlike the Drakpo needle of their clan, he asked habei to defend himself. Before thowing the jutsu lightning fast into the arm of hanbei as he attempted to summon his own chakra needles to defend, the needle had already hit the child’s arm. Though hanbei felt no pain, the attempted chakra needles he had created disappeared as he was unable to control them or mould them any longer. The needles disintegrated and scattered to the winds as Hanbei was left struck dumb by the single needle which seemed to be able to cut off his chakra. But it was not long before Hanbei figured out the skill behind the attack.

“You use the negative energy of our clan to make a Tiny Drakpo needle, and then throw it hitting one of the meridian paths in someones arm or leg or neck, and that cuts off the user from their qi. That’s amazing…” Hanbei spoke, as he picked out the needle from his arm, and was also interested to find that there was no wound. After being told he was correct, Kanbei spent some time with him teaching him how to devise the needle necessary for chakra acupuncture. The needle was made of chakra, which did not effect the physical body, meaning it was more ethereal than physical to begin with, so giving it form was difficult, but not impossible. The two of them trained by throwing the needles at a tree, until Hanbei throwing the crimson red needle did not so much as scratch the bark it connected with.

After learning the new technique, the two of them had dinner and decided it was time to move on after they had a long nap, awaking close to eleven thirty in the evening, the stars peaked out from behind their cover of the days light and began to shine brightly, Hanbei though a terrible navigator during the daylight, took command of the direction they were heading, able to navigate perfectly by nothing more than the stars in the sky, the constellations were his guide through the darkest of nights. Smiling with his father, they left the small township long behind them, leaving tracks behind them as soon enough within the early morning of the next day, they could see the large canyon which marked the entry into Sunagakure. Two jounin of the village awaited them as they knew with their leasurely attitude they were most certainly not the first ones to arrive, and would more than likely not be the last.

Looking over his back he saw other people, wearing many different colours from many different villages coming toward the only entrance into the esteemed city hidden in the sand. This, was going to be a month to remember…!

training jutsu complete 1500/1500: