Daraku found some free time in the day to grab a bite to eat. Considering he was in Kirigakure no Sato, he figured he may as well eat something they were known for: seafood. He was too lazy, however, to try and find a lunch place that would seat him--it was near noon and he figured that everyone was probably out and doing the same. Crowds were never his scene, but that didn't mean that he could just not get food. So, the best option was to get it to-go. He traipsed down the streets with both hands in his pockets and his eyes set to the ground, staring at the cracks in the stone of the streets. Tall buildings loomed high above, something he was never quite used to in all of the villages he'd been to. All of the buildings in Sunagakure were just sand monuments shaped like gourds and cylindrical figures, none too tall but just enough to provide shade from the harsh desert sunlight. Iwagakure was similar, though its buildings were made of stone, and Konohagakure was a village with commonplace wooden structures. Kirigakure was truly one of a kind.

The one thing that did irk him was the chilled air and constant fog. Being the heat-accustomed man he was, it was uncomfortable being in such a cold place. Even though the sun shone high in the sky at that moment, the temperature was less than pleasant and the area was lined with a thin haze, which blurred Daraku's vision just a tad. He very breath was visible, creating a cloud with every effort of his lungs that faded away within seconds of its release. He noticed a building that said "寿司" across its side and without a second thought, he ducked in and ordered maki. When he received his meal, he left, offering them his thanks as he headed back out and found a seat on a grassy hill next to the harbor, looking out at the sea. He ate the sushi hungrily, savoring every bite and admiring the quality of the fish here. The fish in Sunagakure were obviously not as good as they were there.

When the Ishido finished eating, he laid back in the soft, dewy grass and looked up at the clouds. Let himself relax for a moment, if anything...It's rare to find a moment of peace in a war-torn place like this, I should enjoy it while it lasts. As relaxed as he was, he felt he should take at least a small portion of the day and dedicate it to training...and what better thing to train in the land of Mizu no Kuni than Suiton Ninjutsu? Daraku rose back to his feet, sweeping himself off to ensure his armor wasn't dirtied. Simple meditation-type things to start with, so that he could practice working with Suiton chakra. It was still an unusual feeling; he was so acquainted with the volatile natures of Fire Release and Wind Release. Having a more smooth and calm chakra nature required more focus than just slinging around wild winds and intense flames. Water, despite being more difficult for him to master, did pay off. It was a way to balance his jutsu use and combat style, sort of.

While building Suiton chakra within himself, he gathered Medical Ninjutsu chakra as well. He did this not for the purpose of healing himself but rather to manipulate his bodily processes carefully. Water built in his system, hydrating him steadily at first, then skyrocketing into extreme overhydration. He expelled the water before it made him sick or worse, and he regained his bearings. He remembered to be more careful when incorporating water chakra into his body...but he felt drained. Something was still using his chakra. He turned around and saw it, a blob sticking out from his back, connected by his pores. It was made entirely out of water. His forceful removal of the chakra had been somewhat successful, but it had not completely disconnected itself from his pores and thus his chakra system. A smile rose to his face. "I've got some ideas of what I can do with this...!"

Training:

Daraku now felt he had a sufficient tactic for finding his way out of tough spots. There was potential in the ability to use his own body as a base for a Suiton jutsu, especially when it didn't necessarily require hand seals at all. He looked to the concentrated water and wondered how he could make the most of it. His mind switched into combat mode as he simulated every possible battle situation he could be in. Close combat was never a problem, between his kekkei genkai and his three swords, but even a swordmaster as proficient as he found difficulty in using two swords at once. If he could somehow manage to maintain an offensive and defensive strategy with this technique in use, he would essentially have no weakspots whatsoever. By applying shape manipulation to the water, he made it take on a more human form, creating a torso, a head, and one arm, but unable to create anything further. That would be sufficient, though; even with just the arm, new possibilities for sword play were opened and that made him all the more lethal.

A noise caught Daraku off guard as a shuriken whizzed past his ear and hit mark in the bark of a nearby tree. He turned to face the direction it came from and found a ninja standing there, wearing a long violet cape and having a red hair and eyes. The most prevalent feature about him was the deep scarring across his face, from his upper right forehead past his eye and to the bridge of his nose as well as a three parallel scars on his left cheek resembling a scratch from a summon. His eyes were focused on Daraku's, and full of rage. "You're him. The pathetic weakling that killed Gaide. I knew he shouldn't have volunteered to be on the Arson Squad, damn it...but don't worry. I'll have my revenge! Get ready to die!" The man was apparently one of the Seven Bells and he was pissed. His mention of the Arson Squad made it clear that this Gaide person was one of the men Daraku had killed, so this was no misunderstanding. It was a hunt, and Daraku was the target. "You're making a mistake, trying to fight me. I'll tear you to shreds."

The rogue ninja made a series of hand seals and caused a pillar of earth to rise from the ground and take position over his head, in the form of a dangerous spear. It remained there, hovering menacingly poised at Daraku's heart. He wasn't worried; this merely was an opportunity to test his new jutsu in a real combat scenario. A sound erupted as the spear blasted, moving fast toward its mark...but Daraku was prepared. Without even a thought to react, he bolstered his chakra and the water from within him returned to his body before re-emerging from his stomach and taking one of the swords from his back. It used the weapon to slice the spear in two, leaving Daraku unharmed as he made a number of hand seals. The rogue ninja seemed a bit unsteady, but he wasn't giving up yet. "Bring it on, Blondie!" He removed the object strapped to his back, which Daraku recognized as a banraku puppet. Before the rogue could attack with said puppet, Daraku unsheathed the other sword, Kage no Ken, and released a blade of wind from it. The wind moved extremely fast, and tore through the rogue ninja, leaving him in pieces by the time it dissipated.

Daraku took a moment to catch his breathe as he put the weapons back in their respective scabbards and released the Suiton jutsu. He was tired of people calling him blondie all the time, it took something that he once had pride in and turned it into a derogatory phrase. He went to the general store to purchase hair dye, with a purpose in mind to end his days as a blondie. It would be a temporary change, sure, but it would be an interesting thing to try and if anything it would help him conceal his true identity further. He made the long walk back to the inn he was staying at, and went upstairs to his room to begin working the dye through his mane, until every last streak of golden blonde hair was drenched and faded to a jet black. A new Daraku was afoot, a badass brunette with an attitude. Difference between that Daraku and the previous one? None besides hair color, but he still felt way cooler.

-Exit, Thread Closed-

Training:

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