Months dripped on without any real training; though made significant by the chapters penned through the pen of Kurai. Many were centered around his squad relations and the bundle of bizarre trials they endured during their short stent so far. His heart was constantly nearing content as his passion was being unfolded, to him, in its most purest form. Inspiration flowed through him giving him the eloquence to fully describe his emotions and his ideologies. Among those not ecstatic about his writing spree were the shinobi he trained with. They had grown cold of fighting opponents that were predictable and offered no strategy. When they faced off against Kurai, they may get frustrated, they may lose, they may win, but they definitely improve.

Kurai's trips through the village and meditation had transformed into stagnation. He was now eager to get back in the gym and develop new techniques. Right now, he was confident in his mental residence to resume his ambush of the dogmas of shinobi hood as well as becoming the most formidable Iwagakure shinobi. As of late, he had been seeing many advertisements for the Diamond Heights University. He was intrigued by the notion of gaining a formal education along with honing his fighting skills. Kurai received a very small portion of higher education outside of the academy. He spent a year in and out of Sapphire College located in a small city outside of Iwagakure's gates. 

The idea of attending never settled in until he heard that his squad had an exclusive floor, the lowest floor. That was the major reason why he was now calling all of the squad to meet there. Kurai had been away for a while pursuing poetry and other interests, and he resolved that the perfect place to rekindle their chemistry was in their very own floor. He heard the accommodations were wonderful, so not only would they be able to train but they would be in a comfortable setting conducive to leisure so they could relax and enjoy each others' company. 

A letter went out to all of the members including their sensei and the newest member that Kurai had yet to meet. Harichimo, Yomi, Zaiaku, and Akira were all notified that Kurai would be at Diamond Heights and that their presence was anticipated on their exclusive floor in the afternoon. About an hour before he expected any of them to arrive, Kurai was already there. Just the walk to the University nearly left Kurai in awe. 1 because of the beauty and 2 because he had yet to visit. This would have made a great location for my 8th chapter. 

After crossing the finely engineered bridge, he was inside the main hall. He would tour it later, but right now he wanted to see the last floor. His foot seemed to sink in place as his eyes were seduced by the pearly white setting. He stood still, mouth barely agape. Stricken so deeply from aesthetic, he thought words were of the past. In a million languages he felt he would never found the words to express what he was feeling. He was pass words. He had transcended to a newer more refined realm of self expression that he had yet to fully grasp. Pillars lined the peripheral acting as rails to keep him balanced as he continued through the hall. Sleeping quarters and bath houses were grand touches. I need the architect for this floor to do my house. 

Straight ahead was a set of doors. Within them was an eating area, where food was actually being prepared. That's right. Food is served three times a day I think, this must be one of the serving time slots. Half way through the restaurant one of the cooks greeted Kurai. The Chuunin swung his eyes to the person. His glare pierced into person's soul momentarily as he analyzed the person's face and voice to finally remember him. However, it appeared his stare was too intense and cause the man to cry. No, my stare didn't cause that, he is distraught about something else.  "I've steadily wondered when you would visit." At first his voice was shaky, falling victim to the overflow of emotion he was experiencing. Is he really this excited to see me or is something else the matter. Kurai played along for now. "As you know, my time does not always match up with others. I'm eccentric in that way." He paused for a second. "So... what's on the menu?" 

"Four swordfish for each squad member." 

Four swordsmen times four, that's sixteen foes.

"You know our sensei is joining us?"


"No. We'll have to make more for him."

So he didn't count Akira as a squad member, so there really is sixteen total. 

"I smell something good, but it doesn't smell quite like swordfish. Where is it being prepared?"

"Oh, we only have enough ingredients to make 5 down here, the rest is being prepared by the chefs on the upper floors."

5 are currently in this dining hall, probably in the kitchen hiding and holding the chefs hostage. The other 11 are upstairs. Time is up now though, they have had ample time to size me up. Given my size and that I am alone they should have the information and confidence now to show themselves and attack. Either they'll take me captive or go straight for the kill. Either way, it does not bode well for me. All the chefs are of Special Jounin rank, if they were overthrown then I certainly do not stand a chance against 5 now. Then if more come... it's really over.

The door to the kitchen creaked open. He had to lower his head as he exited the kitchen. Kurai shimmied a kunai down the loose sleeves of his frilly white jacket. He slanted it slightly causing a glare to bounce off and hit the man. It induced a smile. "You're smart. It's clear you have already come to terms with your fate. Continue to use your brains and start by telling us who else is due to arrive in the coming hour. From there, we can get to more pressing questions." 

"Give them what they want Kurai; these men aren't so bad." The chef said with his voice trembling like a rattle snake. Two more men enter the dining hall... in both of their hands, they held decapitated heads. Not so bad huh? "They just want -" While he was fixing his mouth to finish his statement, the tall guy who spoke fixed his knee into the center of his spine. It was a later knee strike either, it was an upward one that drove him almost to the ceiling. He fell down smashing into one of the tables. Instinctively, Kurai's body shifted forward and his arm raised and tensed slightly. The tall foe's eyes darted at Kurai immediately. They were frigid, as if he was seeing through igloos. "Un un" Kurai straightened up. "I'm sorry gentlemen, I have just returned from a writing spree. I have just used up all my words." 

The men were not amused and their patience didn't seem to be in abundance. Who are these "swordfish", and what is so pressing here that they have deemed it necessary to decapitate for????

Training: 1237

There were currently three dangerous men in Kurai's vision. It had just occurred to Kurai that he had gave his squad mates the wrong date... there would be no reinforcement for Kurai. However, the Chuunin had been hatching a plan that did not involve back up anyway. It was rare that Kurai did not have a back up plan... but he was confident that his first option would work. The plan was to defeat these three guys quickly. That alone would be difficult, but with his two tomoe sharingan, it was possible. He did not have a lot of practice with it, but he was banking on his skill with the two tomoe being good enough. Once he toppled these foes, he would use transformation and his acting skills to maneuver through the rest of the building and take out each enemy with stealth. Then, bring all the hostages to safety. One of his more blunt strategies.

The tall man that had spoken earlier drew a katana. The other two men drew sharpened kunai and let the decapitated heads fall to the floor. "Now where were." Before he could finish Kurai used his flickering shift jutsu and two tomoe to aid him in any possible counter attack from the enemy. Kurai deftly arced a kunai across the man's neck. It all happened too fast for the enemy. The tall man fell back, blood gushing from his neck. The Chuunin turned on his pivot, his blazing red eyes glared at the other two murderers. They were in shock. Not only at the death of the apparent leader, but in the glare of Kurai. It seemed they were familiar with his eyes.

"He's an Uchiha!!!!! We'll leave peacefully!" They fled. Kurai considered chasing the men down, but the priority was the chefs that had been held hostage. He checked on the first chef who had been assaulted in front of him. He was barely conscious. "You're really special Kurai... I'm so glad you came when you did..." "I am glad I came when I did too. What did those thugs want?" "We have a special recipe that increases strength by a large amount... they wanted it. I told them I did not know what they were talking about." Kurai nodded in comprehension. "... dangerously played. They were prepared to kill anyone for that secret." "I did not know your eye prowess had improved so much. You're turning into a formidable shinobi." "Thank you."

Kurai was back home. He summoned reinforcements and they followed up on the incident.

What was supposed to be a quiet get together turned into a borderline massacre... Rule#921: Never expect a dull moment... I won't forget that one.

170/200:

Training: 1695

Despite his action packed afternoon, there was still much training for Kurai to do. It was typical for Kurai to have to manage a high level of energy for sustained amounts of time. Emotionally and physically, the ordeal took a lot out of him, but he was on the road to promotion and unlocking the full power of the Uchiha. Such a goal would not wait around for him to recuperate. The shinobi would always have to check to see how bad he wanted to be the best shinobi, the best writer, the most strategic team player. At the moment the only way he knew to verify his drive was to work hard... continue to work. When he could not think of something to do, work. When he wanted to do something fun... work. When he wanted to eat... train instead. When he wanted to rest after being in a life threatening situation... train. Kurai was well off in the perception and speed department, but he was lagging just a bit in strength and endurance. Therefore, Kurai made a trip to the wrestling/grappling gym where he could train his physical strength and ability to endure long stents of physical combat.

Kurai had been to the Namori Dojo twice before. Each time he went up against one opponent for an entire hour. For both times Jutsu or chakra use was not allowed. The first time, he was engaged in a full out taijutsu battle, which was usually prohibited. However, it being Kurai's first time they allowed him to use striking. The second time though, he was forced to grappled, which really challenged his strength and endurance more so than just striking. So today there would be more of the same. The biggest anticipated aspect for Kurai was the opponent he would have. He enjoyed the element of learning about a person and formulating the best method to break them down. He walked up to the head trainer, Zeenwu. They bowed and exchanged greetings.

"It has been some time since the last time you have been here. We are always happy to have someone so dedicated to training fight with us. You have a good record of pushing every opponent to their limit." Kurai bowed once more, "Indeed, it is always a goal of mine to give my best. The key to me pushing my opponents is that I hone in on their weakness. Once I do that, they are forced to compensate in ways they are not accustomed to." "Many people want to know what your weakness is." "I have a minimalistic style, designed to show very little of my repertoire at any given time. This makes it difficult to discern exactly what areas I struggle in, but if you give me enough opponents with varying styles, my weaknesses will surface." Kurai gave a smirk implying that they are not enough fighters in Zeenwu's stable.

Zeenwu called Akata to the center of the ring. Kurai sized him up. Akata was well built, 5 feet and 10 inches, 150 pounds. He was close to Kurai's build, just a bit heavier and more muscular. From his physique a full out grappling duel is going to be in his favor. I also notice a badge... a badge for grappling excellence... so not only is he stronger than me, his technique far exceeds my ability as well being that I am primarily a striker. It will be in my favor to test his grappling as much as possible to get a read on just how much better he is. After that, I am going to have to be sneaky and implement striking every chance I get... no... I do not want to cheat, even for a moment to give myself an edge. I'll just use all my grappling fundamentals and do my best to frustrate him to the point where he makes a mistake, which will likely be a rare occasion so I have to be ready to capitalize in that moment.


His initial analysis was complete, during the fight he would gather more information and perhaps his game plan would change. The fact remained, he was definitely at a disadvantage. Kurai met Akata at the center of the ring. "I have seen you fight two times before. Technically you are solid. You are a perfectionist, and you have impeccable timing and a great eye for seeing your opponents weaknesses and mistakes. I am an expert at picking out strengths, but I am even better at noticing weaknesses, much like you are. You will see soon enough." They both bowed. Kurai was well versed in playing mental games with an opponent, he could not help but think that was Akata's game here. Had Akata really pinpointed his weaknesses???


The Uchiha decided to play to one of his own strengths first, speed. He thrusts his left hand at full speed for Akata's wrist, looking to limit him early and get control. Akata barely moved and seemed to allow Kurai gain control of his wrist. This was not exactly the mistake I was looking for. A massive impact hit Kurai's neck. Akata had slammed his own left hand into Kurai's neck. It was so unexpected and powerful Kurai wrist control weakened and Akata reversed the control. The combination of Akata have control of Kurai's left wrist and the force driving into his neck, the physically superior Akata drove Kurai's face into the mat. He really did notice my weakness... I do not do well when I am caught truly off guard. I was going against a superior opponent and never expected any true advantage early on. Therefore, he made it so that it appeared I had an early advantage. A moment of uncertainty and confidence was all he needed to jump out in front for this match... I am really impressed... but it is far from over. If he knows me as well as he claims he does... then he knows that too.

Kurai's legs had flung in the air. He wrapped his legs around Akata's left arm that was still in contact with his neck. He tightened his grip around his arm and extended his hips lifting Akata's left hand from his neck. Kurai then rolled and tossed Akata into the air. Akata was not bothered and landed on his feet with ease. Akata faced a kneeled Kurai. "Weakness number one, overconfidence in analytical ability, to the point that anything too far from your analysis causes hesitation. Your fourth weakness is my favorite." Kurai felt a tremble go through his body after Akata spoke in such a sinister tone. Also the idea that this guy had knew at least four of his weaknesses caused him to worry as well.

Training: 2832

Kurai stood up slowly. He was not only in a physical bout, but a mental war as well. After two fights, Akata had apparently constructed a sophisticated analysis. This was more than impressive to Kurai. It was apparent, that Akata looked deeper than Kurai's action in the ring, but somehow saw Kurai's personality and attitude underneath. However, Kurai was not totally convinced that Akata had him pegged. He was still leaning towards the idea that Akata, for the most part, merely had theories. Kurai being the perfectionist that he is, was going to air on the side of caution and proceed as if Akata really did have his number. Both Akata and Kurai bolted towards one another and locked onto each other. Kurai broke the grapple and went for a single arm choke. Akata went into a descending spin and reached for Kurai's leg. The smaller man lowered his level quickly and engaged Akata in another struggle.

Akata popped up using his legs and showed that his strength was too much. As Akata stood up he brought Kurai with him and tossed him to the floor of the ring. This was the second time Kurai had been sent to the mat now. He purposefully brought the fight to a lower level, so he could use his strength advantage. Knowing that the legs are the strongest muscle in the body, he was able to use the low level to implement his leg strength.... Both of his major attacks have been strength and strategy based. Akata implements powerful, lateral, straightforward attacks. Let's see how it adapts to quick angle changes and if he can fight off balance.


Kurai sprinted towards Akata , in a crouch and at an angle causing Akata to turn and look down. Kurai at full speed rolled in front of Akata then jumped over him. Kurai swiftly landed behind him. Akata responded by quickly spinning around too. Once Akata made a 180 degree turn, Kurai had manage to mimick him and stayed behind. Kurai delivered a palm right to the spine stunning Akata. He then picked him up and piledrived him into the ring. Akata let out a grunt of pain and grabbed a hold of Kurai's shirt with both hands and tilted over to his feet. He began spinning Kurai over his head. Kurai chopped Akata's hands breaking rhythm, as he fell he grabbed Akata's head and DDT'd him. Kurai did not stop there, he saw this as his chance. He continued the headlock and transitioned into a guillotine. As Akata tried to rise, Kurai heeled him in the spine, taking a lot out of Akata and bringing him back to the mat.




The two combatants had attracted quite the crowd. The audience was buzzing. They had never seen either of the two fighters in their respective predicaments. Also, the match had escalated very quickly and was looking like Kurai had taken over the bout and was moments away from winning from Akata tapping out from the choke. Most matches lasted around an hour, and they were rooting for the norm after the exciting action so far.




Akata rolled over to his back, which was actually an even dangerous position for him but the motion gave him a small window of space and he pried his hands in and broke the choke. Both fighters jumped to their feet and stared at each other. The favorite, Akata, wiped the sweat from his brow. "Weakness number two, physically weak for your rank. Apparent from how I was able to break your guillotine despite giving you a positional advantage. I am still warming up. Let's move onto weakness number 3." The two combatants would clash for another 30 minutes without either one really establishing an advantage.
Training: 3466

The fight was starting to take a toll on Kurai. He was nearly doubled over and sweating. Kurai was in phenomenal shape, but it was different sustaining physical activity while having someone toss you around repeatedly and vice versa. It was clear what Akata's plan was. It was to exploit his non elite stamina. That was obviously the third weakness he was targeting. The way to answer would be to attempt to end the battle as quickly as possible but Kurai wanted to know the final weakness. It is his favorite. No one has ever targeted Kurai's style like this before. Akata has broken him down almost perfectly. Kurai could find no flaws in  his overall strategy. Akata was a worthy opponent. The Uchiha had been in so many fights, he was bound to lose some, he was bound to find challenging opposition, but he had to admit, out of his countless opponents, in terms of strategy Akata far exceeded the rest. There were shinobi who had immense chakra, blazing speed, brute strength, devastating jutsu, impeccable fitness, but Akata is the most keen and intelligent opponent he's ever faced.

Despite the praise Kurai was granting internally, he would not accept a loss. That meant, he had to finish this fight soon before his inferior endurance began to surface too much more. The challenge was exhilarating to him, but he wanted to win more. Plus, there would be other opportunities for them to test each other. How do I finish an opponent with a style he is far better at? It seems highly implausible. Usually I would just wear an opponent down in a situation like this, but with him, that is not an option. He is too fit, too skilled, too cold, too disciplined. What about me? I am too fast, too crafty, too resilient. Kurai was leaning towards using his strong will to just exploit his own strengths until Akata faltered. Kurai's key strengths, speed, creativity, and attention to detail. Would that be enough???

Kurai took a deep breath and began to slowly walk towards Akata. As he neared closer he took his long sleeve shirt off and tied it around his waist. He could see the wheels turning in Akata's mind. It was extremely difficult to induce such an effect when you are participating in a match with so many limitations. There is less to work with, so there are fewer options to try and trick or unnerve your opponent. Kurai had managed to do just that though as he continued to walk towards Akata. The grappling champion began to frantically look Kurai up and down trying to figure out what he was up to. He was stumped. He did not know whether or not Kurai wanted him to attack so he could be countered, or if Kurai was betting on him being absolutely fluster and launching some surprise attack that he had never seen before. Then the tables were turned, Akata cooled down, and he had that cold expression back on his face. It seemed that he remembered that he was a grappling champion and Kurai was not even close and this was purely a grappling match, thus he had nothing to worry about.

Kurai smirked, as this was what he wanted... he dashed from the left then to the right, opening Akata's stance as he tried to account for both angles. Kurai then charged head on. He took advantage of the more open stance and slid under his legs. As he was sliding he untied his shirt and wrapped it around Akata's leg and yanked up putting his airborne. Kurai proceeded to tie the shirt around neck. Akata was now stuck in a scorpion position. The Chuunin grabbed both arms so he could not untie the shirt from his neck. "I am sorry I had to finish this so abruptly.  I know the third weakness was my endurance which you exploited, but what was your favorite weakness of mine." Akata growled in anger. "With the limitations of the contest, I just knew that would stifle your creativity enough to allow for my superior skills to give me the victory. However, that was not the case. Your fourth weakness... I thought was your fear of losing. I was sure after having three weaknesses exposed for all to see you would become desperate, and you would comitt a fatal mistake... but your fear just made you stronger and see things even more clearer." "You have my respect. Your theory on my fourth weaknesses and you idea that I would not be able to overcome the contest limitations were your only miscalcutions. I would enjoy another fight with you, perhaps next time we can use our full arsenal, or are you only good for grappling and talking like the coolest person alive." They both laughed a little. Zeenwu was standing off to the side with his arms crossed. Kurai untied Akata and walked over to him. "Be honest, you gave Akata the game plan." Zeenwu smiled. "I gave him the first 3 weaknesses, and I told him that would not be enough, you're too resourceful and that a fatal weakness was necessary to defeat you. He thought your fear of failure would lead to a breakdown of your resourcefulness causing you to become more reckless when in actuality it made you more keen." Kurai shook his head, "Regardless, it was a tremendous effort. I commend you both. I will make sure to come back stronger next time. Who knows what else you are brewing." They laughed.

Training: 4401

Kurai was brimming with happiness and exhaustion after his visit to the Namori Dojo. There was a lot of reflection to be done. If he wanted to achieve a more convincing win over the rising stars of the Namori Dojo he would have to improve. The first step was to acknowledge his weaknesses. He could not argue with the fact that he had become overly confident in his analytical ability, making him inflexible in moments of miscalculation. Strength and endurance were always on the radar. Those deficiencies were the reason he was at the Namori Dojo working on grappling in the first place. The fight definitely had many elements to it that would keep him revisiting. Kurai just arrived home. His body ached and was sticky from sweat. While he showered, he thought about how Zeenwu had analyzed his style almost perfectly. Perh'aps he is someone I should train with more. The Chuunin looked at the clock on the wall and saw evening was upon him and he had yet to have dinner. After a full day of training, a good substantial meal is a must.

I am in the mood for 'Everything on the Rocks'. It was nice restaurant near the center of the village. Without a doubt one of the more popular places to eat in all of Iwagakure. Kurai did not eat there often, but that was because he usually preferred to eat in, but he had so much energy after all the action his day has been packed with, he wanted to be around people. Energy sparked from everywhere on the streets of Iwagakure. People were really enjoying their evening in Iwa, Kurai was ready to join in by getting some delicious food. Sunlight beams were still raining down strong. After a peak up to the skies, Kurai's vision was impaired. Colorful spots were splattered across his field of vision. Then he felt himself bump into something. A grin appeared under his paint splattered vision. His eyesight cleared, and the person was gone. Only thing left was a crowd of people walking around him. Kurai shook his head at his carelessness. He got back in the flow of the streets towards his destination. The last time I went, the dessert was phenomenal. More of the same was anticipated.

So many layers of exquisite artistry ordained the front. Kurai could not help but smile at the fine artwork. A mostly clear white sky with mountainous shaped clouds drifting in the vast. Two golden doors greeted Kurai. As soon as he walked him he was welcomed by a smiling face. Despite her bubbly disposition he could not help but to notice an ugly scar on her neck. Her smile flickered away for a moment and resumed her welcome. "Just you?!" Kurai looked around for a moment, then nodded in confirmation. Her head tilted to the side. "Follow me." The young woman was much taller than Kurai, she had shoulder length blonde hair and her eyes were a serene green. The key feature was still the ugly gash on her neck that he spotted earlier. What kind of situation could such a beautiful friendly woman have gotten herself into to get a scar like that? That smile... there is something eerily familiar about it. I must've had her as a server the last time... Kurai was in such a deep contemplation that he accidentally walked into the hostess. She turned around with that same smile. Kurai's mind began spinning. This is the person I bumped into earlier?? How???? This day just keeps getting more weird.


"I am so sorry sir." Kurai shook his head. "No, it was my fault, thank you so much for your hospitality." Kurai accepted the menu and started his order with a glass of water. "It will be right out. Also, I really like your eyes. We all do." Kurai's eyes shot towards her, but she was already gone. That is that speed that I experienced earlier. Something is really off about her, and the fact that she is here gives me a peculiar feeling about this place too.


That scar... NO WAY????!!!!


Training: 5094

It was obvious to Kurai now... the "waitress" was the same person he fought earlier, the same person whose throat he cut. That guy was now parading around as a woman. His cover was certainly blown now, and he was going to reveal himself and his intentions any moment now. He and the rest of his gang saw the powers of his eyes first hand. It is becoming more likely that their true purpose this whole time, was not a serum, but my eyes. Kurai frowned at his own recklessness. He knew this would always be a reality for him, which was precisely the reason why he used his doujutsu as less as possible. He made it a conscious effort to only use his Sharingan when he absolutely had to. He was now questioning if the situation earlier was a certified circumstance. I think it was... but now I have to deal with these foes again. I can not stand this posturing anymore. His chair slid back, and what followed was his ascension. Kurai looked back towards the entrance and he saw the same tall man from earlier, he was no longer transformed. The Uchiha nodded. He briskly walked to the back of the kitchen. "Kurai! What brings you back here. We love but this is--" Kurai held his hand up. "I am about to get into a serious fight in your establishment and I have not had dinner yet. Please." The chef's looked at each other. "Okay, we have something delicious already prepared. We were about to test it ourselves but we will let you have it. Kurai sir, please be safe, but if you can help it, would it be possible to move the duel outside." Kurai bowed. "Thank you very much and I will do my best." The dish happened to be one of Kurai's favorites... a well done steak seasoned so well no sauce was needed. Lining the outside of the steak was viscous river of mashed potatoes. The steak was ribbed with carrots and string beans. Off to the side was a cool glass of sweet tea with a lemon on the brim of the glass. "This guy does not stand a chance now." Kurai demolished the food. The cool sweet tea was just the perfect quencher. His eyes were shut in bliss. Every bite was, despite the speed, was relished. His eyes sprung open and a red glare filled the room. His eyes imitated the bloodlust that was inside him. This enemy, this swordfish had interrupted his day for the last time. A look of determination was set and accompanied with a desire to foil this foe's plans once and for all.

The kitchen door flung open from Kurai's thrust. The seating area was empty. Left was several goons scattered across the place. Some standing, some sitting in chairs, some sitting on tables and still by the entrance was the man whose throat he cut. "I thought I was resourceful, but here you are, still prancing around after I put that gash on your throat. I am embarrassed really, as a trained shinobi I should have finished you easily, but I was careless." A burst of laughter came from the dead man. "You did fine really. Your sharingan has come along nicely, but as I saw earlier, not nicely enough. So I am back to see if I can help your development. From what I have heard about you, I expected a three tomoe from you at this stage in your training. You see, you did not make a mistake, it's just that my Sharingan is more advanced. I activated it at the last second to determine the minimum amount I needed to move in order to avoid an absolutely fatal blow. It was so quick and so subtle, your mere two tomoe simply could not detect it." What is he talking about... his Sharingan... he could not possibly be an Uchiha. "I can not blame your look of shock, there are not many Uchiha to speak of in Iwagakure." If his Sharingan is truly superior to mine, the outcome of this bout might be inevitable. Not to mention I am severely outnumbered. "Please, show me your creativity again. I found it incredibly amusing last time. Certainly you have more tricks. Also, do not worry, I doubt you can push me to use my Sharingan." What have I gotten myself into. 5 shinobi, including an Uchiha who has a far more advanced Sharingan than mine. With his two tomoe Sharingan active, "I do not usually do this but---" Kurai took off for one of the enemies. As he charged all four of the henchmen were now standing. He had decided to use pure Taijutsu, speed, and his Sharingan to overwhelm his opponents. Like a bird, Kurai soared through the air with his leg extended with plans of driving it through one of the guy's chest. He used the impact to transition into a roundhouse kick to the chin. The blow knocked the man out. Kurai landed in a crouched position. One enemy rushed Kurai, his Sharingan made his opponents movements a little more clear. He could not predict his movements perfectly, but he had a better perception than normal pertaining to where his opponent was going. Kurai executed a quick side step and then side kicked his knee. As his opponent fell to one knee in pain, Kurain unleashed a vicious left hook to the nose. Two down! The last two attacked together. Kurai's eyes widened. The Genjutsu master executed an illusion that gave both opponents the pretense that they had landed strikes, in that moment Kurai knocked them both out. Counter Vision is still a useful jutsu it seems.


Training: 6057

Accomplishment coursed through his body. The henchmen were defeated, and now the only one left was this guy who claimed to have a 3 tomoe or greater sharingan. It was exhilarating and scary at the same time to think about it. Kurai had never seen a 3 tomoe sharingan before. Kurai confidence was certainly running low, but he knew all too well that fighting in the shinobi world was more about just jutsu and ability. There was an element of perseverance and creativity that played a role in the outcome of a battle. The young Uchiha had demonstrated this on numerous occasions including today. Now, to some degree, he would have to do it again. He did give the chefs a message to inform other shinobi so he could have back, in the case things escalated too far for him. I can not let my ego cloud reality. Yes, I will give this fight my all, but I must always remember all my resources, including retreat and comrades. However, since Kurai was in his own village, retreat was unlikely, as leaving might just endanger more people. There were only three likely outcome: Kurai would win on his own, lose on his own, or win with assistance. He was eager to learn the answer.

A deepened sense of urgency began to rise inside Kurai. This clash would be a pivotal one for him. It was important to his development. Not implying the Chuunin had a lack of battles with serious implications, but his perspective was to never devalue the next. This next important battle would determine a lot, and if he survived, a lot could be taken from it as well. At the moment, there was not a lot of information about his opponent. All he knew was he likely had a three tomoe sharingan, was very cautious, and persistent. Those three qualities was what Kurai had to lean on when going in for his first strike, well... second strike. He contemplated using the same attack as before, to draw out his sharingan, but then again, Kurai was not sure if his attack earlier forced him to use the sharingan or if he used it to bolster the strength of the illusion that Kurai had killed him. The latter was seeming to be more plausible. Kurai's brow furrowed. He was becoming frustrated as he racked his brain on how he should proceed. I do have skills that will hold against just about any opponent. Firstly, my taijutsu. Strength and speed wise, I could still very well be outmatched, but technique wise, I rival Jounin level shinobi. I would propose implement Genjutsu to aid me in any physical disadvantage, but if he has a three tomoe sharingan, he will be able to see through my level of illusory techniques with ease. Hmm, for now, I will try one of my standard deception strategies.

A small amount of chakra began to swirl inside Kurai, he made use of one of his academy techniques. 2 meters on each side of him, from a giant plume of smoke appeared a doppelganger, two in total. This caused no reaction in his enemy. The two clones and Kurai in the middle rushed forward. Kurai had not noticed how impressionable the floor was, it was becoming painfully obvious that the other clones were mere clones with no physical mass. Almost immediately after this realization a kunai came flying at the real Kurai in the center. Kurai created a boulder defending all three, the two clones and himself. The kunai bounced off the boulder. As the three were hidden behind the boulder. Kurai created another clone, and then all three clones leaped in the air. The three clones would now be very difficult to discern if they were real or not, as there was nothing for them to really disturb. The real Kurai slid from behind the boulder and used his Flickering shift jutsu. This time it would be even more effective. Not only would Kurai be moving at a fast speed with his sharingan active, but his opponent was also genuinely distracted.  

The foe's eyes were bouncing from each airborne clone. He was under the pretense that one of them was real, as he did not witness the creation of an extra one. A deft dip of his hand resulted in the retrieval of three senbon, he decided to target all the three since he could not discern the real one. Once the senbon were launched, Kurai stealthily stepped from behind the boulder. Chakra poured into the bottom of his feet. The chakra fused with the floor below him changing its property to a very non viscous material allowing Kurai to propel himself across the floor with minimal resistance. Kurai's target did not even witness the propulsion, but he did hear him, and Kurai could since a reaction from his opponent. Kurai once again went for a slash to the throat, but just as Kurai predicted, his opponent was more than capable of dodging the strike without the sharingan being active. However, his opponent ducked underneath, Kurai was ready for this response. The Uchiha struck with a slashing cut with a kunai in his right hand, but he simulataneously had a left uppercut loaded with earth chakra coming from underneath, and it was set to collide with the chin of his target. Kurai's punch was devastating in general, but since his opponent's momentum was going down and into the punch, the impact would be amplified.

The three senbon pierced the clones above, causing them to disperse. When attention is panned below, a fist lined with hardened earth chakra rammed into the chin of the man that had pursued Kurai. Such a timely punch amplified with earth chakra was sure to break the jaw. The intensity tingled all the way up to Kurai's shoulder, but he held on to unleash the full brunt of the strike. The victim of the punch went spiraling into the air. His body bounced and slid across the restaurant's floor. Kurai's left fist reverted back to normal. The man's head lifted. A pair of squinted eyes were aimed at Kurai. "You have not failed to impress me yet. You used your taijutsu prowess well against my underlings and with me... your timing and execution alone are near perfect, making almost any strategy dangerous. It was in your plan that I would easily discern that you were using bunshin instead kage bunshin and you had your defense prepared, in that split second where your defense obscured my vision allowing you to create an additional clone and immediately sending them airborne, making it impossible under my given time constraint to know the real one before you attacked. Then for you to predict, with the help from your sharingan I am sure, that I would duck below and have another attack planned simultaneously. Hmph, indeed, even at my level, you are a very dangerous shinobi to take lightly and challenge without any form of my sharingan. However, as I am sure you noticed, I am cautious and have been standing back this whole time---" Blood began to pour from his mouth, and his head dropped. A puff of smoke followed. Left was a chair. Very smart substitution choice, but even more impressive is how long he held the illusion. Kurai sensed his opponent just in time and intercepted the punch. A smile crept onto Kurai's face as he caught the punch on his forearms.

125/200:

Training: 7314

Using his forearms typically would not be enough to thwart a punch from an opponent of this caliber, but Kurai had a technique he had been keeping to augment his close range prowess especially against opponents physically stronger than him. However, even with the help of the technique he would still take damage, but not only would he take less, he would give a little back as well. Once the knuckles dug into his forearms, again chakra began to seep from Kurai's skin. This time, it was not doton chakra, but katon chakra instead. Katon infused chakra engulfed his opponents fist inflicting 1st degree burns. A grimace ran across the face of his opponent, but the burns did little to slow him down. He did retreat his punch but he followed up immediately with a knee to Kurai's abdomen. His eyes warned him of the blow just in time for his body to be able to keep up. Both his palms intercepted the knee. Not satisfied with just stumping the knee, but he used his opponent's strike as a prop to propel himself into the air. It happened in quick succession and Kurai attempted a split kick. A slight shift of the head foiled Kurai's strike, and he was left vulnerable. An intense taijutsu clash ensued. Kurai made sure to stay low and constantly gave his opponent different angles and attacked at various speeds, anything to throw him off. No punches of Kurai's were thrown at full power. He was focusing mostly on speed and defense. Each strike was pulled back quickly to retreat for defense. This was necessary because even the strikes he blocked were doing significant damage. Taijutsu alone would not win this fight for him. Just like he landed his attack earlier on the substitution, it was because he backed his attack with strategy and deception. Then an idea came to him... he has not activated his claimed sharingan yet, so he should still be susceptible to Genjutsu. My illusory techniques still have an edge in terms of a surprise element, unless he noticed the Genjutsu I used from earlier. How should I go about executing an illusion and which one.

Kurai was still holding his own in close quarters combat, but the scale was tipping out of his favor. The pace was starting to be more than he could handle. "You are holding up quite well. Your strength and endurance is not too shabby, even though your real strengths are your speed, perception, and reflexes." He dares engage in conversation while fighting at this pace... is he even trying??? "Your technique is stellar as well, perhaps that is the most impressive aspect of your taijutsu. There is still a lot of room for you to grow though." Out of no where, when Kurai's opponent seemed to be dodging, his opponent was actually flanking a punch. I see it. But the foe's plan was not to land but to use it as a springboard for a barrage, as a kick was coming as well. I can handle this. Kurai blocked the punch and intercepted the kick with a kick of his own. What came next was a move he had never seen. This zombie looking guy reclined backwards almost to the floor, using his right arm to keep him leveled. He used his hand a pivot, the torque he was able to generated with only his wrist in that position was startling. He generated enough torque to deliver a power kick to the leg Kurai had used to block. This threw Kurai drastically off balance. The now more serious opponent continue to spin and came around full circle to deliver an up kick to the off balance Kurai lifting him off the ground. As if mimicking Kurai, he quickly ascended too, only to inflict a sharp elbow to Kurai's cheek. As a result, Kurai was cannon balled into the floor leaving several tiles cracked.

Standing over Kurai, "My name is Whale. I cannot tell you why my parents chose such a name. Honestly, I am just sad that I could not live up to the moniker. You see, I am quite a slender man." Kurai did notice his physique, which caused shock when he felt how strong he was physically. His long brown hair was messy and covered most of his face. Still the focal point was the scar on his neck. "To not disappoint my parents too much I have developed into quite the close combat specialist, focusing mostly on strength. However, an ability of my that brings me closest to my name is my water style ninjutsu. Not as great as the hype, considering my name, but it tends to get the job done." Whale clapped his hands together. A rumble could be heard in the distance... where is that tremble coming from, is this his jutsu... the kitchen!! Gallons after gallons of water rushed from the back of the kitchen and began to fill the dining hall.

Right now Kurai's ankles were submerged. If he puts the entire battlefield underwater, how will he fight? "What are you doing?! Suberging me will submerge you too... how will combat me?" He close his eyes and his cheeks began to expand. Is he undergoing some type of change?! "I am glad you asked. You probably noticed that my transformation technique was quite impressive. However, I have a special transformation technique... I can take on all qualities of any mammal I can imagine. Can you guess what mammal I am thinking of?" No way, that kind of power is uncanny!? How will I manage?!!!!

105/200:

Training: 8259

I know he does not want to kill me... if that was the case I would already be... However, I am still seriously at risk of being severely injured and captured. Most likely I would be held prisoner, and experimented on. This is unacceptable Kurai! Think!!! There has to be a way out of this... Reinforcements should be coming soon, but just in case...


On the brink of panic he watched as gallon after gallon of water ran in from the kitchen. A brisk sensation of joy as he saw the droplets of water suspend in the air. The specs of small quantities of water was a desired sight for him at the moment. He thought the amount of water sloshing over the battlefield could not compare to the magnitude of his tears. The ones that welled up inside when he was face to face with his mortality, by the hands of someone that was supposed to protect. The tears that welled up when he had to shatter the barriers of his assumed potential and reach for heights he had yet imagined. Could this aqua avalanche and its strength really compare to the strength of a liquid he possessed, the strength of his blood. The strength of his sweat. The strength of his bile... wait, rather the strength of the dammed tears. After several duels against strong opponents, no, he could not imagine an experience as such. It was too bizarre, too absurd. His will and courage would not be derailed by the tainted words of his foe. His throat was already punctured, the words leaking out had no meaning. He was simply spewing the sounds of an animal now. Kurai's eyes swung back to his opponent at hand, "I thought I took your voice."

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Grains of rocks bit through his pants into his knees. According to his expression, it was more like they were massaging him. An item that had great influence sat snug in Kurai's palm. The oval object, had two oblong figures protruding from the rounded ends. No one knew what religion Kurai practiced, they only knew he took it extremely serious. Many wondered was his faith the source of his ingenuity, courage, and dedication. Many tried to pin his positive attributes to him being from the infamous Uchiha Clan. However, that could not be further from the true. Eyes only able to scan the back of his own lids, he was able to seen more than ever. His eyes could see his breathing, he could taste his heart beat, he hear his eyes pivoting. Fear struck him, just as he was about to voluntarily run from the sensation of his senses meshing... 

"For someone who prides themselves on appearance, you sure are eager to get dirty." She shook her head. Kurai exhaled, a single bead of sweat had formed. He composed himself and slowly pushed himself up. "I like you. You're always pointing out my contradictions. Just spend more time with me. Then you will find that what you see on the surface can actually be opposite of what you perceive." She threw her head back, "You always talk like this after... praying?? Is that what you were doing?" Kurai smiled, from his jacket pocket he took out his mini notebook and began writing in it. Her eyes got big. She nearly leaped towards Kurai, just to get a peak inside. "YOU HAVE TO LET ME SEE INSIDE!!!" A struggle followed, Kurai slipped the notebook in to his jacket pocket. She continued to tug at the leather jacket, but Kurai only wore the best, and it was extremely durable. She started to breathe heavily and her strength waned until she was left were her arms dangling by her side. "Elana, my leather is too tough. It can endure a Tsunami. Do you figure yourself more destructive than a Tsunami." Elana scoffed at his remark. "Your jacket may be tough enough to endure a Tsunami but is your mind. I will get into your head for sure, and you will practically force me to read your notes!!" Kurai straightened his clothes. "That is wishful thinking. I will show you my mind too, can withstand a Tsunami. Just wait."

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My body is surely up to the task to hold out long enough, but it is time show that I have the will to stand up. If I will it to be so, my body will follow. Or is that just wishful thinking too??


The water level had now greeted Kurai's knee. Kurai lunged out of the water, and landed atop of it. With the supernatural water technique he was able to walk on the surface of the water as if it was no different the ground that was trampled upon. In the midst of his jumping, he had lost sight of Whale. He could see his chakra slithering the shallow water. The water level was rising at a faster rate now. I have to be careful not to let his sneak up on me and pull me underneath. 


A tremble scurried across the water's skin. Kurai looked around scanning, and he noticed multiple disturbances forming. Are these... whirlpools. And each one is inching towards me as they expand. Indeed. Vortexes of water were forming all around Kurai as Whale swam under the water. It appeared there would be no avoiding being submerged now. Before he would allow himself to collapse under the pressure of Whale's watery assault, he had a plan. A deep seeded happiness bloomed as he remembered his teachings from Akira, Nanashi, and his collisions with his squad mates and several enemies. Soon a giant unavoidable whirlpool would form, but Kurai was strutting a face of confidence. 

Each of his finger tips began to emit a red hue. His eyes did the same. Soon after, long fibrous chakra strings flowed out. Kurai expelled the chakra strings to all plunge and attach to the same spot on one of the whirlpools. Kurai body began to vibrate violently as the torque of the whirlpool grabbed hold of him. Kurai was now being whipped around in the air, similar to a high velocity horizontal Ferris wheel. This would prevent Kurai from spiraling underneath. But that was not all. Kurai was going harness the incredible velocity to catapult himself at Whale. His eyes would allow him to pinpoint with great accuracy. I might actually kill him with this.


Whale floated under water with a perplexed look. The exact mechanics were a little complex and required some understanding. A whirlpool does not really have any stationary points. This is what drives its prominent suction ability. The perimeter of the whirlpool is constantly moving toward the center creating great pressure in the center, contributing to the concentrated suction at the center. Normally, a person is not moving when they whipped underneath from the spiraling body of water, so they do not descend that quickly. Kurai placed his chakra strings on the perimeter of the whirlpool to build up velocity. So that once he moved to the center he would be yanked under at nearly the same velocity. Kurai had noticed that Whale was staying near the center as well, constantly applying chakra. It seemed the vortex had to be maintained. It seemed to be very useful, as Whale would normally be in position to strike his target as they're pulled under since he is already in position, but he would not be expecting his target to be arriving as fast as Kurai would be nor would he expect a prepared descending foe. 

Whale's mind was clearly turning, it appeared that he had arrived to Kurai's plan. However, everything transpired to quickly... Kurai dispelled five of the chakra strings and drew a kunai. He then rocketed underneath, with the kunai extended. He brought it down in a slashing manner as he flashed in front of Whale's face. After the flash of Kurai, the gash on Whale's neck opened and began to recolor the sea. He tried to talk, but his neck was gushing blood and he was underwater.

The body of water was now unstable and began to seep from the building, and started to put a lot of pressure on the structure. Then suddenly, all the water began to move unnaturally. "KURAI!!! GET OUT OF THERE!!!" Reinforcements had finally arrived and they were going to move the water to a safe area. The Iwa shinobi literally picked up and moved the water as if it was a box. Kurai swam out of it and descended to the ground. The building had crumbled by now, but considering the expert earth shinobi, reconstructing building and renovation was never an issue. The water was successfully transported. 

"I have never you all to show up this late... but, I was forced to kill the attacker right before you arrived." Whale's body had fell out of the water too. "Kurai... you went up against a guy capable of this jutsu and not only defeated him... but killed him. Your body has certainly gotten tougher." "On the contrary, it was my mind and will that has grown in strength. I think now, my mind could withstand a Tsunami."

65/200:

Training: 9800
Trained all stats to C-3: 9800/9375
Words Left: 425