It's been hours since Akimoto arrived at the designated meeting point, and there was still absolutely no sign of the man who sent him the cryptic letter some time ago. Appearing as nothing more than a blank piece of expensive paper (at first glance), its misleading uselessness had the shinobi consider it trash, yet a trash with an eventual calligraphic use. So when he put the note away, he didn't exactly expect it to soak meaningful words after being submerged into water; the river accident that occurred during Flower Delivery really did open an unexpected door for the boy later the same evening. After coming home, beaten and swollen, Akimoto checked his pack's gear for damage, and surprised by the newfound signs on the previously rumpled paper, he managed to make out the following words: "Your destiny is forged, young Hoshigaki. Come at the swamp at noon on the day of the third full moon after receival...". No name or date were given under the message, yet there was no doubt about the sender's identity. "So...that ANBU fella' kept his promise after all...things are about to get interesting...".


"What a drag...", thought the annoyed sharky, kicking a pile of small rocks in a gush of boredom. "I know he is a big shot or something, but keeping me in suspense like that is really tiresome. Makes me angry and stuff..."  
One of the kicked stones flew straight ahead, flopping into the murky swamp waters nearby.
"I mean...I still don't know how to address him. For all I care, he may be a tailed beast in disguise. Well, that's a silly notion..."
The grey sky roared a promise of lavish rain.
"First he approaches me, then he gibbers about some forests and rescues, bloodlines and nonsense, disappears like a complete idiot and now he expects me to wait here forever? Blah-blah-moons and invisible inks and...I mean...come on, man! You gotta show some style! Even if the ritual..."
Suddenly, the earth began to groan and ramble, marked by the flash of a furious crimson lightning. Short tremors crawled underneath the drenched dirt, forcing a murder of sleepy crows to fly away from the tree crowns in a horrible harmony of squawks and caws. Next to a suspicious puddle of green substance, in an impressive display of fiery bloom, appeared a shadowy figure, which quickly leaned against the rotten trunk of a gnawed centenarian. The figure was wearing smooth black clothes, dry and suitable, and its face was covered by an ivory mask of intricate orange patterns.
"...didn't take so long to complete", finished Akimoto out loud, bedazzled by the unexpected change of scenary. "What the f..., man?! What the f... ?!"
"Yo!", coolly greeted the man in response. "It's been a while, Hoshigaki..."
"It's Akimoto, thank you", puffed the sharky. "What's the meaning of this? Do you have what I want? Why the dramatic effects? You are late! If you only wasted my time, I swear I'll..."
"Calm down, you moron. Geez, I wonder why I even bother..."
Various bubbles dotted the scabby surface of the nearby swamp. A frog croaked.
"Your Akuma no Ken is there, silently waiting to merge with your cells, to bond with your spirit, to taste the drop of your blood. It's hungering. Of course, you'll have to earn its trust before you join forces. "
"And how exactly do I do that now?", huffed the genin.
"It's simple", stretched the veteran. "You just have to pull it out of the depths...and fight me."
Akimoto blinked in disbelief. "Do WHAT?!"


The 'demon swords', also known as Akuma no Ken - weapons of myth and bloody tales, constant object of theoretical speculation and fierce debates among the scholars of the shinobi world - are what makes the Hoshigaki clan so revered in battle. Made out of special steel and organic matter, often having minds and primitive urges on their own, these tools distinguish their wielders, granting them reputable power in exchange for a constant flow of life force. "And now...I am about to grasp the hilt of one...", thought Akimoto while diving deep in the adhesive darkness of the swamp. His gills were twitching, having a hard time extracting air from the dense and polluted matter around.

"...and fight me", had repeated the ANBU. "Otherwise I'll deem you a coward not worthy of the clan's heritage."
"But...", protested the genin...
"That's all I have to say to you. It's your choice now. Dive and claim your path or leave here and never return. Just be certain of one thing - you won't have a second chance. And if you are willing to make the choice I'm so generously offering you...expect a cruel punishment once you emerge from the depths."

"No matter what happens...I can't go back now...it's too late for that. Kisame wouldn't do it, would he? If I want to be like him...I have to push forward regardless of the risk and fight any threat that stands on my way. Hmph! There! The bottom!"
Jabbed in a muddy bed, covered in a shroud of gnarled branches, was Aratarema: The Faceless Devil. It's cutting edge was bandaged and its coral hilt was emanating a weak signal of desperation. Curiously enough, the genin could feel it.
"Don't worry, my sweet little thing...I'm coming for you...they won't hurt us anymore...they won't..."


The training ground was dolefully quiet. No life in its vicinity could be detected. No sign of an immediate attack could be given. Yet Aratarema was nervous, sensing the thin, almost invisible tension in the air.
"I know it. He's around here somewhere...", murmured the Kirigakure genin, trying to locate his nemesis. "But he's hiding too well."
It had already started dripping. Raindrop after raindrop, the native precipitation now seemed oddly agitating. Something was not right; something was different. But what?
"I CAN SEE THAT YOU'VE DONE WELL", boomed the unexpectedly strong voice of the ANBU who was somehow dispersing it through every direction. The echo caused severe pain to Akimoto's eardrums, forcing the boy to squint in displeasure. "BUT COULD THAT BE ENOUGH?!"
"Show yourself!", yelled the genin. "It was you who challenged me!"
"YOU REALLY WANT TO FACE ME THEN?!", boomed the voice again.
"Shut up and fight!", answered the genin.
"AS YOU SAY! IF YOU ARE SO EAGER TO DIE, THEN...simply turn around."
A lowly crescent blade strike wasn't fast enough to wound the enemy who had managed to sneak behind Akimoto. Instead, the attack only met the resistance of the wind since the ANBU was no longer there.
"Blast it! He's mocking me! He..."
"Too slow."
A powerful spinning kick came from behind, knocking Sharky off-balance. Then another kick followed, the ankle traced a fine line before the foot sank deep into the prone genin's chest. Blood gushed out of his mouth as his eyes bulged in shock. The ANBU seemed undisturbed. He casually sat on top of the lying boy's torso and pushed a kunai to his neck.
"Game over."


"The sword doesn't only feed on your chakra, it consumes the passive chakra lost by your opponent during combat", explained the masked man.
"So it's as if our bodies exhale chakra?", Akimoto scratched his head in confusion.
"Well, not precisely, but...you can imagine it like that, yes. It's more like a residue, or a scrap, or a left-over", shrugged the ANBU, nodding in the same time. "It helps your Akuma no Ken grow since it sustains it, incorporates it, makes it a part of its own. Kind of like chewing and gulping."
They were sitting on the grass, the rain had already ceased, although that was only a (rare) temporary event for the land surrounding the Village Hidden by Mist.
"Mind if I ask you something?", said Akimoto after a short pause. "Who are you? Why are you helping me? And how do you know so much about my clan? Are we relatives? Why didn't you kill me? Why were you acting so weird? Why the letter..."
"Woah, woah, woah...", lightheartedly laughed the ANBU. "Slow down, will you? Let's just say that I'm a friend. And I owe something to someone. Perhaps one day I'll tell you more and you'll understand. Until that day comes though, you can just call me Nariaki and rely on my strenght. I won't protect you, no, but I can help you train. From time to time.
"...and by fighting you, Nariaki, Aratarema will get stronger?", asked Akimoto.
"Aratarema, huh? The Faceless Devil? I see you've already given it a name. You two are quick to bind, you know that? But yes, she will (eventually) become stronger as you learn more about your clan's rituals. See, I'm a busy man and I am not your sensei, so I won't babysit you. Who knows when and if we are to meet again...but I can tell you that and that while I prepare you for the real world outside."
"...then what are we waiting for? Let's get up and start clashing...", grinned the excited genin. This day was getting more awesome by the second. "And when we are done, perhaps you can at least tell me your full name."
"Not a chance", sighed ironically the ANBU who was henceforth known as Nariaki. "But I'll gladly kick your ass again, brat..."
"A brat with a sword", grinned Akimoto even wider, his eyes burning with spirit. "And someone who is going to become an expert with it!"
"Is that so? Heh. Well, I would say...a swordless brat no more. Come on then. Let's see what you are made of..."
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

WC: 1664
[Exit]

Training:

1. Akuma no Ken (Aratarema) from E-rank to D-rank (1500 words)
1664 words - 1500 words = 164 words left (0 ryo)

2. Strength from E-0 to E-1: 164 words - 75 words = 89 words left (0 ryo)

3. Perception from E-0 to E-1: 89 words - 75 words = 14 words left (0 ryo)