Crack.. Crack.. The sounds of bones breaking weren't new to him. He had done far more worse. Stabbing right through hearts and other vital organs weren't even close.. Ripping heads off? Maybe that was some level of brutality. Burning bodies to ashes may also count but the options he had right now were limitless.
The jounin stood his ground, fully clad in his own personal ninja wear, his legs apart, blood dripping down the blades of the weapon in his right hand, his wooden dragon coiled around him with blood stained wooden fangs. The pose was epic but it wasn't only for show. Countless bodies had fallen behind him and most of them had ended their lives at the edge of his blades and many more would do so too in a matter of seconds.
He had been ambushed for no reason and starting from a group of just ten men, the number of attackers had risen to an army and they seemed to have no end. Left and right he swung his blade with each strike falling an enemy. The adrenaline that was flowing was slowing the rate at which he would get exhausted. He pressed on, slaying more souls in his wake with both weapon and jutsu. The fight was never ending but he wasn't planning on giving up too. He put his hand to his mouth and spat out an ocean of water, drowning most if not all of the enemies. Little did he know that this was more than just a fight and it had only began..
Thunder roared and lightening sparked. The trees billowed to the wind and everything that had life wimpered in fear. The clouds opened and it came down. It looked totally out of this world at first but then it began to take on a more human form until it was fully visible. Eagle feet, lion tail, man body and three wolf heads. It roared and the echo reached to the ends of the world. It charged for Syn and the jounin's dragon raced forward. With a single swipe of the beast's animal claws, the dragon was shattered into a thousand wooden pieces. Syn activated his sharingan and sprinted forward, gathering chakra in his palm in the shape of an orb but before it was complete, he lost sight of the man- beast and even his sharingan was perplexed.
Swipe! A strike through his guts from an unseen force and he could only fall to his knees with a cry of pain.

The senju woke up only to realize that it had only being a bloody nightmare. He shielded his eyes from the bright sunlight penetrating his window signifying that it was already morning which implied that the young man had overslept. Two nightmares in a week.. Pretty disturbing.. He rolled out of bed in a silky pyjamas, going down the stairs and into his living room. Walking up to the dining table, he picked up the green file that lay there. He hadn't had time to speak with the raikage officially about certain matters but work kept coming at him from the raikage. Out of the blue, the raikage had given him a duty.. More of a burden which was to take on a student. He had always done things alone until recently when Lin had been required to tag along on his missions so she could gain more experience. Anyway, Syn would accept this duty and make a man out of the boy as fast as he could so that he move on.

Ukari Markus, the name on the file. A seventeen year old male from the Raiu clan, very fascinating group of people that utilized the ranton element meaning the boy should have raiton and suiton elemental natures. Pretty tall one, not too much on weight. Red hair, blue- grey eyes and some other blah blah in there.. Enough of written information, he had better see this kid for himself. The night before, he had located the kid's whereabout and had hanged a scroll on the window pane where the boy was most likely to see it. Within the scroll, he wrote; "I'll be waiting at the tropical zone" -Sensei..
He was aware that the boy had already being notified at the administration building that he was going to be put in a squad so Syn's message shouldn't surprise him much. Kumo didn't have too many tropical zones infact Mt.Ikkyu could be classified as the only tropical resort the land of lightening had so the boy shouldn't have a hard time locating their meeting point.

The jounin would freshen up and change into his usual black knee length coat and black pants having worn his camelio suit underneath. Pouch on person, scythe strapped to back, sword at his side and head band over his left eye, he would exit his home and then head towards the mountain. Walking at a steady pace, he would still get to the location on time. The area sure brought back some memories and Syn could not help but smirk. He would walk past the small restuarants and hotels and bars that had already been built for the satisfaction of whoever came there. Walking around the corner and closer to the mountain foot, he would take the stairs and arrive at the top of the mountain. Resting against the railings made to ensure the safety of anyone walking close to the mountain's edge, Syn would wait patiently for his student. Perhaps he wasn't the punctual type.

As the radiant rays of gold and yellow peeked their way into Markus’s room his eyes opened suddenly. He saw the rays glide across his bare chest, and frowned. Once again, he found himself wondering just what the heat of the sun, or a cool gust of air felt like against his skin. Markus was slow to rise, as far as he knew, he had no prior engagements for the day and as such felt no need to rush. He knew from his meeting in the administrating building that he should expect information any day now on his new squad assignment, and as such stuck to waking up at the crack of dawn, just in case.

Markus walked to his “desk” if it could be called such. It was more of a coffee table, which held an assortment of random, and seemingly unorganized papers, weapons, and leftover plates. To Markus, everything was in order, and it didn’t take him much searching to find what he was looking for. The paper held a picture of a man, green hair, and eyes. The man was taller than Markus, yet looked thinner. Syn Itami was his name, the jounin who was to be Markus’s sensei and squad leader. The paper which he was given did not have much information on the man, just enough to know him by sight, it was enough for Markus, he was certain he would learn more as the two worked together.

Markus started to walk to his fridge when a change in the light caught his eye, the shafts which pierced into his bedroom seemed to be held back by a scroll which was placed on his window pane. Walking over to the window, he looked outside, seeing no sign of the person who placed it. Markus cautiously grabbed the scroll and opened it reading its contents.

“I’ll be waiting at the tropical zone” – Sensei.

Markus looked around suddenly, the day just got much more important, and he wasn’t even dressed. He located his gear, and grabbed a quick meal from his fridge. Scarfing down the meal he prepared for his meeting.

He donned his traditional outfit. He wore a light sleeveless tunic, open in the center reviling a fishnet undershirt. Just over his heart an observer would notice a dark black marking, this was a tattoo in the shape of his clans’ emblem.
Markus wrapped both his hands, starting at the thumbs, and ending up to mid elbow. Along his left shoulder, one would see a lighting-like design of black ink which disappear over his shoulder and back into his tunic. Much like his arms, he wrapped his legs, starting at the ankles and ending at some point under his black pants. He wore the traditional sandals of a ninja, a black garb which allowed freedom of movement.
The final pieces of his outfit were thrown on last, first adorning his right arm, just below the shoulder sat his hitae-ate, the band which marked him as a ninja. Then, a long black scarf wrapped around his neck, a memento from his childhood. Finally, he filled his bags placing his Kunai, and Senbon within his single bag, which was held on his right hip. Markus berated himself, he still had yet to purchase a Jiǔjiébiān, or chain whip, his weapon of choice. Surely, he wouldn’t need it yet. He assumed this meeting would be more routine… Or at least he hoped so.

Markus reread the scroll. “tropical zone”, it did not take him long to determine where his Sensei was intending to meet. Kumogakure did not have many, well any true tropical zones. As far as the ninja could remember, the only one with that classification would be Mt. Ikkyu, a tropical resort within the land of lightning. Markus had never been there, though he had heard good things about the place. This intrigued the genin, he wondered what his Sensei had in mind, perhaps a relaxing bath…

Markus then left his home, being certain to lock up behind himself. He decided to go a little faster than he normally would, he had already wasted time, and he wanted to make a good impression. His clan held themselves to a high regard after all. Markus would pass his normal stops along the way, restaurants, and shops. As he ran, he heard cheers that signified the battle arena, but he ignored them. At times, he would be in the walkways, while other times he would be on top of a building, his pace however never slowed.

He would stop once the mountain destination was in view. Looking up he could see the railing, all of which was in place to protect against an accidental fall. Heights never did bother Markus, in fact he always loved standing on the edge of a cliff the wind blowing through his hair, and moving his scarf. He would frown again, still wishing he knew what that wind felt like. As he looked around, he saw a man dressed in black at the top of the mountain. Markus could only assume that was his sensei. Having no doubt the man knew he was there Markus went in a straight line to the man, not wishing to waist any more time.

Once Markus reached his sensei he would stop and bow, after being certain the man was the one from the picture. The genin had very little experience with higher ranked ninja, especially those outside of his clan, and as such he was not certain what he was to do. Respect was always the easiest, and Markus had no doubt of the man’s skill over his own.

“Good Morning Sensei”, was all the genin would say, his voice was calm and respectful, but not much more. He respected the man as his appointed sensei, however anything more would have to develop in time.

[Word Count 990]
[Total WC 990]

He checked the watch on his right wrist, the boy was running late. His hands stretched out a bit and resting on the railings, he took in a long breath of the mountain and slowly he exhaled allowing his body to feel more relaxed though still fully aware of his surroundings. The wind as soft as it came still caused the trees to bow as it wafted the sweet smell of the resort across syn's face. The wind coursed through his teal green hair as his coat billowed behind him and the hairs on his skin slept like they had been sung a lullaby. The view from where he stood was nothing but perfect, he could see the various hotels, bars, restuarants and even the smoke escaping the several hot water baths available. This mountain was really one of a kind and it did bring back memories that made him smile a little.

He remembered his second meeting with Fukai Fantomusodo.. Another phantom eye warrior like Karumo Sekuro. Their first meeting was more of a spar than friendly talk and both parties did sustain injuries though he had the edge in the fight as he was faster and stronger than Fukai was. The young man did impress him anyway regardless of the fact that if the fight was to be judged, he would have failed. His bravery was surely surprising and Syn had to acknowledge that. Their second meeting happened at this very spot, resting against this same railing.. So funny.. Fukai hadn't noticed him at first due to the change in his appearance until he opened up to the shinobi who had also increased in strength and skill though they did not test it out so as to avoid damaging this beautiful and serene surrounding. They talked better this time and both parties parted cleanly. It was a meaningful talk indeed.

The jounin sighed as he looked up to the sky. He wouldn't be wrong if he described his life as a fucked up series of events. So many shit had gone down and here he was, still standing and very much alive. Tortured much, maimed countlessly, dead once.. That's crazy, no denying it yet he smiled once more as he remembered Daraku Ichido. Fighting the man was as if he was on drugs especially when he saw his attack pass straight through the man like he wasn't even real. Really, if he was a drug person he would have believed that it was something he had taken earlier but it was real. An attack phasing through a man like he wasn't even there at all. This shinobi world had so many confusing and weird stuffs, one just had to be careful. Atop this mountain, he gave the man a hard time and it took a while before the man broke a sweat but in the end, he learnt something of value.

Moments later, he looked down and in the distance was a red haired male. Fitting the description of the one that was assigned to him, he watched as the fella approached him by taking the stairs. On getting to him, he bowed and spoke.. "Good Morning Sensei" ..
Syn would gesture for the male to raise his head showing that his greeting had been accepted. "You don't seem like the punctual type I suppose, Markus.." He would say once his head was raised and their eyes were locked.
"So we know already.. Me, Sensei.. You, student.. Let's begin by... Getting to know you." He would continue as he folded his arms to listen.

TWC:1542

Markus stood strait when he saw his Sensei’s gesture. They locked eyes, the wind was blowing, Markus knew his scarf was swaying in the breeze, he could see the trees also moving in the corners of his vision, though he did not look away from his Sensei as the man spoke.

“You don’t seem like the punctual type I suppose, Markus…” The man in front of Markus started out with. The genin would sign, making a mental note to wake sooner, but otherwise did not speak.

“So we know already... Me, Sensei... You, student…” As the Jounin spoke, Markus wondered if the man was also slightly uncomfortable, or if the pauses where just for emphases. Markus couldn’t help but be curious, wondering if he was his Sensei’s first student. Already the genin was bubbling with questions. “Let’s begin by… Getting to know you.” The man finished.

Markus took a second before responding. He didn’t know if his sensei wished to know his capacity as a ninja, or about him as a person. Maybe the Jounin didn’t have access to much information. Maybe they were both in the dark. Markus decided to play it safe, almost as if he was in an interview he started with his capabilities as a ninja.

“Well… I am of the Raiu clan, we are users of Raiton, and Suiton. Which we can combined to make Ranton.” He started, wondering if he needed to explain more, but deciding there was no need, even academy ninja should know their elements.

“I am strongest with Ninjutsu, and proficient in weapons.” The genin said, with no lack of confidence. It was obvious by the tone in his voice that he was confident in his abilities. He paused, then thought to add to the statement. “I favor the unorthodox weapons, primarily the Jiǔjiébiān, or nine section chain whip. I would have to say; my best trait is my ability to multitask.” Markus finished, before looking away from his Sensei.

“If you know about my clan, then you know that I have passed my trials.” Markus said, not really wishing to go into detail. He was still in the clan, and allowed to continue as a ninja. He was not expelled, and that should be all that is important. The Raiu clan trials were not some secret, however many did consider them to be barbaric. Either way, they were personal, and affected him as a ninja even to this day. Markus places his hands on the railing, having no idea if it was cold to the touch. He knew the surrounding mountain was supposed to be beautiful, and any other time, he would enjoy the scenery. However, there was one thing for certain that his Sensei needed to know, if he did not already.

“Also… I cannot feel… Touch mean...” Markus said, in a hushed voice, not sure if he was explaining it correctly. Although he had finally accepted his affliction, he still did not know what others would think about it. After all, how would one look at someone who could not feel physical stimulation. Could they understand?

[Word Count = 528]
[Total WC = 1,518]

The young boy's eyes did not waver from Syn's gaze. He wasn't sure yet if this was fearlessness or overconfidence but whichever one it was, he was liking it. Much like a deja vu, the situation reminded him of his first meeting with the raikage. How the raikage's predatory eyes pierced into him like laser beams and attempted to incinerate his very soul but still he did not melt under the pressure because back then, his soul was long lost and the common sense to hide underneath rocks when terror came had been stolen from him. He was no more than a mercernary that only took orders from himself, locked away from all social life and the world at large.. He was almost far from the gates of redemption and if not for the miraculous turn of events, he wouldn't even be standing here at the moment.

The young man took a second as if hesitating before he spoke. The question Syn asked might have been uncalled for afterall he was the sensei here and he must have gone through the young man's files. This was true but rather than going by what the files said, he wanted to hear what the Markus had to say for himself. Things weren't always as they seemed in most cases and something that had been put in writing can as well be interpreted in more than one way.
“Well… I am of the Raiu clan, we are users of Raiton, and Suiton. Which we can combined to make Ranton.” That checked out well so he didn't interrupt but listened on. He hadn't met anyone from this clan but having subtle knowledge about most things, he could detect if something was not correct. “I am strongest with Ninjutsu, and proficient in weapons.” He continued, the confidence in his tone becoming more visible. “I favor the unorthodox weapons, primarily the Jiǔjiébiān, or nine section chain whip. I would have to say; my best trait is my ability to multitask.” So the boy did practice onojutsu just like he did... Hmm.. Its amazing to know that countless weapons are used within this specialization and these weapons often serve certain different and important uses. The boy sure had made a wise choice. On the mention of his clan trials, he was glad that the boy did not go into much details and he had only said what was needed. He wouldn't want to dig into his personal life so early, he certainly knew what the trials entailed and what people said about it.

He had almost ended and Syn was about to make an assessment when the boy spoke in a low hesitating tone with breaks in his sentence..
“Also… I cannot feel… Touch mean...” He said as he shifted away his eyes from Syn's unwavering gaze. For the boy to have said this on their first meet was an interesting choice. For all he cared, he could have let Syn find out some other way but he had chose to tell probably because he was planning on being dedicated to being a perfect student. This information wasn't included in the files and if he hadn't asked his question earlier, this probably wouldn't have come out. He couldn't exactly tell the boy.. I know how you feel.. And expect everything to be alright. Sure, he had been somewhere similar before. A stage of his life where he couldn't feel anything emotionally and he felt like a different person. He figured this was no different from the boy's version only that his own was physical. Sure, it could be seen as an advantage, he wouldn't feel pain or suffering but then people's view of him would change.

The jounin exhaled through his mouth. One of the reasons he had refused to take on a student was the committment involved but this scenario was proving to be different. He had only just met Markus yet he felt like some part of him was no different from some part of the boy. He wouldn't give in yet, there was still more to see.
"It's good that you felt I should know this, Markus. The work of a sensei is to guide and teach. Sure, I would have to report to the raikage on your progress and I would be praised or scolded based on how you perform but know this, I won't.. I repeat.. I won't be seen as incompetent by the Raikage due to the fact that you have refused to yield good results after I must have trained you to the best of my experience. Now that we both know you can't feel pain, no easy training method for you. Thanks for that bit of information. I hate it when I have to hold back." He would say to Markus. His tone might seem a bit cold and commanding but it was intentional. He would build up Markus under the disguise of a sensei that gave no bull shit. Few years ago, he would have been able to pull off this cold hearted act without breaking a sweat but things had changed, he had changed but when it came to duty, he would do it to perfection.

He knew this resort well and he knew that behind the mountain they were standing on was level ground where they could train. It was more like a little forest where they wouldn't disturb the peace of anyone else.
"Your training begins in few minutes. Let's go!" He would say and without wasting any time, he would make a move.
He would draw the demon's fangs strapped unto his back as the three blades of the large black scythe would glisten in the sun. Jumping over the protective railings, he would bring down the scythe in an arc form as he jumped and lodge the blades into the rock as he would stable himself on the pole of the scythe and glide down the mountain. Once he got to the base, he would turn to his left and make his way into the forest and as soon as he got here, he would hop into a tree and hide behind it. The boy needed to keep up.

The genin didn’t have to wait long for his sensei’s reply. Although the time still felt like an eternity, with the world almost standing still. The wind still blew his scarf, and were he to feel cold, he would probably have shivered. Markus just stood still as he heard the older man take in a breath of air, and waited for the verdict.

"It's good that you felt I should know this, Markus.” The man started out, Markus would look back at his sensei. Markus had regained his composure, and steeled himself for what his sensei would tell him. It didn’t seem like he had much to fear, that or his sensei was hiding his true feelings.

“The work of a sensei is to guide and teach. Sure, I would have to report to the raikage on your progress and I would be praised or scolded based on how you perform but know this, I won't.. I repeat.. I won't be seen as incompetent by the Raikage due to the fact that you have refused to yield good results after I must have trained you to the best of my experience.” Markus had to think about this one, he doubted either of them would be seen as incompetent. But, then again, he had never met the leader of his village. He had no idea what sort of man the Raikage actually was. He only knew what others said. Markus would train harder than ever before, if nothing else but for himself.

“Now that we both know you can't feel pain, no easy training method for you.” Markus wasn’t curtain what his Sensei meant, however he knew he liked it. He felt the same, and would hate to hear he wasn’t being given a worthy challenge, after all he was a ninja of the Raiu clan. He had a reputation to uphold.

“Thanks for that bit of information. I hate it when I have to hold back." His sensei said in a commanding tone. Another statement the genin agreed with, he felt no reason to give in every ounce of training. If he didn’t, he would not succeed in his goals. He knew this meant his endurance would be tested at every step.

"Your training begins in few minutes. Let's go!" The man said with certainty before pulling his weapon from his back. The man seemed to move with incredible speed, as he jumped over the railing and used the weapon as a method of transportation to descend the slope of the mountain. As soon as he reached the base, the jounin would turn to his left and head towards a forest. Markus knew he needed to be fast.

Markus followed his sensei at full speed, he would jump over the railing, however without a weapon such as his sensei’s he would have to rely on his chakra to keep his balance as he ran down the slope. It was tricky, and he felt himself almost fall once, however he managed to reach the bottom just as his sensei disappeared from view, he still had some way to go.

Darting to the left Markus followed the older man. Having never been to this location, as such he had no idea what secrets were hidden behind every tree, nor what trap could be behind any bolder. As such he was certain to keep his guard up, and his eyes open. He knew his sensei would test him to his limits, however he would never give up. If nothing else, his condition would help him to stay standing, up until the last minute. Besides, his ego would never let him stand down from a challenge.

As soon as he entered the forest, the genin reached into his pack pulling out his kunai. Being armed was never a bad idea, however being alone was. This was something he would have to fix. He didn’t know his opponent’s true skill level, nor what jutsu he might have hidden behind his sleeves, so he had to play smart.

Glancing side to side, not sure where the jounin was. Markus used his spare hand to form a series of simple hand signs. With a puff of smoke, on either side of him two forms appeared. Both of which looked exactly as Markus, if nothing else, maybe they would give him a fighting chance against his superior opponent.

With a smile the three stopped within the shade of a tree, making sure even the real Markus's shadow was hidden. Each of with turned to a different direction, waiting to determine the next plan of action. He knew neither of the clones could take a hit, being only doppelgangers, but they had their uses.


[Word Count = 800]
[Total WC = 2,318]

Chakra 140/150:

Well hidden high up in a tree, he would stretch out his feelers and wait for the boy. He was far too experienced for the young boy to stop him but then he wouldn't underestimate this male, the boy showed no signs of fear or weakness and such a student looked promising. He had a responsibility now which was to train this boy and the only thing that motivated him was that when the boy got better, Syn would have become a vital part of him or so he thought. While the were speaking earlier, Syn was quiet and he used that period to study the boy based on the way he spoke, the little gesticulations he had and even his facial reaction. There was some bit of ego, probably due to the clan that he came from and he felt he needed to do well in portraying the name of this clan. It was a nice feeling but Syn on the other hand could not go about boasting of being of the senju clan. He knew that he was far from his origin but whenever the worst scenario presented itself, he knew that there were some extreme measures that would have to be taken.

The heavy foot steps and rustling of leaves announced the boy's prescence. Such an amateur but he wasn't to blame, he had no idea Syn was going to go into hiding and so he felt there was no need to be subtle about his own approach. Anyway, this was something that he was going to have to learn, to be cautious in his every move though he would also learn not to mistake this for fear. Syn on the other hand had erased himself from sight so as to get an element of surprise. From where he stood, he could not see the boy yet but it didn't matter because he was more than sure he could handle him. So the boy could not feel pain but he couldn't go all out on him, not yet. He needed to start from scratch, Markus needed to pump his energy and also overcome some obstacles. This idea was meant to give the boy more confidence and to prepare him for greater things to come.

Syn would activate the chakra ability of his camelio suit. The suit would bend the light around Syn causing him to become invisible to all and sundry. From behind the tree, Syn would jump into another tree that would allow him to see Markus and what he did. In the time that the boy had arrived, he had created two clones. A brilliant idea that could confuse someone other than Syn. The jounin would not even need the help of his sharingan to detect which ones were clones and which one was Markus. The boy already knew the weakness of the dopple ganger technique and he had managed to hide his shadow since the clones naturally did not have any shadows but he had not covered all of their weaknessess. Skilled in the art of analysis and detection, it didn't take long for Syn to notice that only one of the three Markus' was armed with a kunai. It couldn't be that the boy had only one weapon, no. The academy level dopple gangers simply could not hold weapons or items because they had no mass and this knowledge also led Syn to discover that regardless of the fact that all three Markus' were standing, only one of them was actually stepping on the grass and the remaining two on the left and right weren't pressing the grasses beneath their feet and if one would look closely, it would appear as if they were floating atop the grassess.

"Nice try Markus but you have to do better than this against me." Syn would call out. With Markus' current rank, Syn was sure he couldn't yet correctly discern the point which the voice was coming from but he could try and locate the area roughly and even if he did, he wouldn't see Syn. Producing a maximum of five wooden knives from his palm and holding them in the other hand, he would throw two at the first clone and jump into another tree to throw another two at the second clone and then into another tree to throw the last one at Markus himself. All this to show that the knifes were coming from different angles. The boy needed to learn how to analyse and not just judge based on how things presented themselves to him. This was his second lesson even though he did not know it.

WC:785

wooden knifes:

Markus looked around him, glancing from his left to his right. The forest wasn’t too dense however it held moderate amounts of protection, he knew his sensei could be behind any tree, or in any shadow, and as such made sure to check everything thoroughly. The wind blue slightly, and he would use that to his advantage, watching how the trees moved, and in which way leaves fell. So far, nothing would stand out.

"Nice try Markus but you have to do better than this against me." A voice called from the forest, the sound seemed to come from all around him, despite how much the genin tried, he couldn’t determine the source of the sound, however he recognized the voice. His sensei had just let Markus know, that the ruse would not work. Not that the genin had high hopes either way, despite what he knew, he couldn’t tell where the voice was coming from, nor what would happen next.

With a puff of smoke Markus watched as his first clone was taken out, he could see the two projectiles as they passed. Markus knew then, that there was no hope in an easy combat, nor in walking away unscaved. Thinking fast, Markus knew he had to find his opponent, and keep himself hidden. If clones wouldn’t work, maybe he could hide his tracks and movement.

Markus wondered how the sensei had known which were clones, and which to attack first. As far as Markus knew, he had kept the largest weakness to the jutsu hidden, he could only assume on what could have given him away, as he prepared. Markus started forming and condensing the chakra inside his body, all while calling upon his suiton element.

However, he knew he wouldn’t be fast enough, as with another puff of smoke, his second clone disappeared, in rapid succession. He again, saw the two shuriken’s and tried to determine what he could. The attack, based on the angle of the blades, must have come from another location. This meant one of two things, neither could be out of his sensei’s skill range.

Markus knew, one of the easiest ways to accomplish the task was through more clones, a jutsu which would be far above the genins skill level, however, he doubted that was the case, based on the speed he saw his sensei move, the second option seemed much more likely. His sensei could be moving through the trees, silently unseen. With that in mind, Markus finished his justsu and looked to his left and right.

He knew based on the first two attacks, there was no way the third could come from behind, unless he was incorrect on the clone idea. His sensei would have to hop from between the trees. This however, meant nothing if he couldn’t find the attacker. Markus saw, with just a moment’s notice as the projectile came straight for him. However, he wasted no energy or thought in dodging the attack, he knew he had no need to fear the pain, and doubted he was in mortal danger, at least not till he lost too much blood. Many would look at this tactic as foolish, however Markus couldn’t understand why, after all he might as well make some use of his condition.

As the attack hit him came for him, he kept his eyes on the trees, seeing nothing. His last though, was how two could play it this game, and just as the attack hit him he opened his mouth, not in pain, but instead to release his jutsu.

With his mouth open, a thick mist starts to form, kneaded with his own chakra into the mist he allowed it to form, and obscure his vision. He only hopped it hid him from his sensei. Markus however, didn’t wait to find out and already started to move. He had a general sense of where he was going, he knew the half of the forest his sensei should be in, and he attempted to head left of where he though the man could be.

As soon as Markus broke free of the mist, he chose a different method of attack, hopping into the trees he only hopped he had bought himself some time to find his sensei, while also keeping himself hidden. Markus took a second to assess his injury, he noticed the weapon was made of wood, and unlike the other two attacks, there was only one projectile. The damage however, wasn’t severe yet, it seemed the attack had gone approximately half an inch into his side, but had hit nothing fatal, at least without pain that was what Markus assumed.

He had waisted enough time, and he knew his sensei was probably on the move, possibly already watching him. Using the hand not holding a kunai, Markus reached once more into his pouch. He selected three of his senbons, or ninja needles, and started heading through the treetops, this time only hopping to get the drop on his sensei, he would watch the area around him, not yet sure what to expect.


[Word Count = 862]
[Total WC = 3,180]

Chakra 130/150:

The knife hit the first defenceless clone causing the boy to trace the point which the knife came from as the clone disappeared with a cloud of smoke. He set his eyes keenly on the surrounding as he saw another knife hit the second clone and he seemed to prepare himself for the one coming for him. Impressively, he had managed to discern that the probability of his attack coming from behind was very low and so he focused on his front waiting for whatever would come his way with his kunai in hand. Just as he had thought, a knife was heading straight for his center. Rather than move out of the way or raise his kunai to parry the incoming projectile, he stood still locking his eyes on the direction the weapon had come out from. Surprisingly, the moment the attack hit the young man he opened his mouth as he let out a thick mist that he had kneaded with his own chakra. Incredible, the hidden mist technique. Syn knew that the boy wouldn't be able to see in this mist so why put himself at a disadvantage? If any, the one with the upper hand in this situation would be Syn but he would wait in the tree still invisible and see what Markus had up his sleeve.


As the mist formed to encompass the area, Syn peered from where he was as he tried to locate the boy but then it occurred to him that the motive behind this move was to obscure Syn's vision for but a moment from the boy's actions. Well done, he had to give him credit for this plan. Syn looked but the boy was already gone. He had locked his eyes on Syn's direction even though he couldn't see him and by now, he was probably already in the trees looking for him. It was time to draw out his student. Syn would alter his cells into vegetation as wood would form from his body and take the shape of a human -another Syn. Having almost no visible different to the eye, Syn would send this perfect copy of him to bring out Markus. The wood human clone would begin travelling the trees, stepping on tree branches and rustling leaves loud enough for Markus to hear. The genin if eager would most likely take the bait and hunt down this person he thought was his sensei.

WC:412