It was a hot day in the forest. The air hung heavy with no breeze or gentle wind to refresh it. Birds were loathe to chirp, squirrels hid in their hovels, and the larger forest animals laid low in the shade and cool earth, looking for anything to fight against the heat. One forest denizen, however, defied what nature, and his body, told him was sensible. The sounds of wooden impacts thudded into the trees that surrounded a small clearing, just inside the the walls of Konohagakure; it was one of the many training grounds that were tucked away inside the village's interior forest. A man, shrouded in a flowing black cloak, twisted through the air. Flashes of bright red broke the raven facade as the man's tunic was revealed and hidden in his flurried movements.

There were three flashes of light as the man released shuriken mid-flight. The shuriken thudded into three wooden and hay dummies. All three protruded from the dummies' heads. The man finished his twirling flight with a dusty landing, with his right left forward and bent and his left legs straight out to his side. He steadied his landing with his left hand, as it reached out and touched the ground in front of him. His right hand held a tantō, in a reverse grip, behind him.

Finally, the rest of the man's appearance became visible. He wore full-length pants, which matched his cloak in color. These were strapped down at his ankles with black fabric wrapping. The man's hands were wrapped in the same type of cloth wrapping, concealing all but his fingertips. He was a pale man, whose raven black hair and beady eyes made him seem more gaunt than he truly was.

Zinan straightened his posture and stood. He could feel someone watching him. It was not unusual to be observed while he was training, but normally that was because a higher ranking shinobi was assigned to monitor him. It was not unusual for chūnin or tokubetsu jōnin to be assigned an older genin for mentoring. He had been assigned to a shinobi in the police force for some time, but that assignment had ended a short while ago. Zinan truly wanted to be a chūnin himself, so he would feel less like a failure. The rest of his Academy mates had already been promoted chūnin or even to tokubetsu jōnin, while he was still a genin. This lack of promotion gave his father and elder brother all the fuel they needed to insult Zinan and his abilities.

Zinan scowled. Such negative thoughts would ruin his day. He slowly turned to observe the tree line. He was off duty today, so no one should have been assigned to him. Yet, here he was, feeling watched. "I know that you are there. You can come out." The genin did not want his observer to believe that his sensory skills were sub-par.

---

WC: 500
Total WC: 500

There were always those who dwelled within the woodlands of Konohagakure no Sato for a variety of reasons. Some hid among the leaves for reasons of self purpose, waging wars with individuals in bloody combat to test their strength and further their own agenda. Some went hunting, and others just went for a stroll. It would be hard to figure out what reason the Hyuga child that roamed was out and about however, who always seemed to find himself drawn to the areas concealed by woodland. Embracing the deafening silence, the chuunin roamed with an almost ominous expression, one that was devoid of emotions, yet seemed entirely at peace. While normally he roamed the woodlands of the outskirts, outside of the walls of the village, on this day, he had opted to study and inspect that of the interior, the ones used often for training purposes.

Clad in a white and blue kimono, the boy walked, his hair tied neatly behind him in a ponytail. Empty eyes gazed around, taking in the sights and the lack of sounds. At his side was a pouch, within which were his basic equipment in case of attack, although aside from this, his appearance would be soft, as if unclean from malice or cruelty. Allowing his shoulders to be slouched and without attention, Izayoi simply roamed. Yet, the silence was broken from a nearby sound.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Pausing so as to avoid being detected, Izayoi began focusing his chakra into his eyes, activating the signature ability of the byakkugan to see around him. The world became clear, and through the foliage and trees became apparent the chakra network of someone. Perhaps someone here to train? He smiled to himself, moving closer to the tree and leaning against it, keeping his body obscured but watching. Whatever if this person was doing, it was certainly training. A smile that broke through the innocent façade crept along his face as he made sure to take note of this person’s posture, wishing to learn. To know. To discern any weaknesses and strengths should he require to take use of this person for the better of the village.

Yet shortly this thought process was broken, the posture of the stranger growing to one more formal as their back straightened. With a voice that broke the stealth of the boy, the stranger spoke up, declaring that Izayoi’s presence was known. So, did this person know sensory ninjutsu? Or perhaps, they were simply one of keen instincts? Regardless of the answer, the sign was good for the potential uses the person may hold. Allowing the strain and chakra from his eyes to fade, Izayoi returned his facial expression to one of neutrality, stepping out from behind the tree and slowly walking towards the stranger, allowing himself to get a better look of the shinobi as he offered a slight smile and wave. “Ah, my apologies. I did not expect to find anyone when I went for my walk this morning, but, when I heard you training, I will admit my curiosity got the better of me. My name is Izayoi, and I am of the Hyuga clan. Might I ask your name?” he asked, tilting his head to the side somewhat, his voice bittersweet, like the tingling of glass when struck for musical purposes.

554

Chakra: 190/200 (-10 for C rank byakkugan)

There... Zinan thought as his observer stepped out from behind the tree that he hid behind. Immediately, even before the younger man spoke, Zinan recognized him as a Hyuga. Those eyes could never be hidden. Perhaps the Hokage was interested in having Zinan observed, even on his days off. The Kumonosu listened to the younger man explain that he was on a walk. Sure you were... the genin thought, bitterly. Then the Hyuga introduced himself and Zinan recognized him as a chūnin.

Zinan punched his left palm with his right fist, and held the two, clasped, in front of him as he bowed. "It is nice to meet Hyuga-senpai. I am Kumonosu Zinan." He straightened up and observed the other man. He seemed to be dressed formally for a simple walk. "You were simply out for a walk, senpai?" Zinan had a hard time believing that there was no other, ulterior, motive to showing up here. "This is a strange place for a walk, being so close to a training ground."

It struck him as odd. Zinan trained in this opening frequently, yet he had never come across this Hyuga. Others, sure; there was always a chance of another nin attempting to use the training grounds. If they had a legitimate and official claim to the location, Zinan respectfully abdicated the space. If not, however, he would not leave; sure, he would share the space, he wasn't a bad person.

Zinan nodded towards Hyuga-senpai in apology, after which, he turned and retrieved his shuriken. He stowed them in his tool pouch and returned to his original position. He would, of course, continue to listen to the chūnin, if he decided to respond to Zinan. He resisted the urge to scratch at his forearms, as his web glands, which were hidden by his robes, itched. As always, they produced his clan's webs.

---

Spider's Silk - 3 Meters:

---

WC: 317
Total WC: 817

Izayoi continued his soft smile as the other person spoke up in reply. He had not heard of the Kumonoso before, however, he made a mental note of the name regardless, as well as the intonation of the voice used by this stranger. The doubt was obvious, and he couldn’t help but find the use of the suffix senpai as amusing. Still, there was no need to lie in this instance. While indeed Izayoi held ulterior motives, roaming to know as much as he could about those who he would serve alongside, there was also no true motive for this location specifically.

“Ah, I can understand your confusion. I will admit, to me, the definition of walk is an odd one. I like to walk to see those around me. To have hopes that I can see those I work and serve the village alongside. Think of my reason what you will, I did not come to cause stress, nor to judge. We are both Konoha shinobi, no? To that degree, we are allies and friends. Both working for the better of the village.” He paused, not wishing to over embellish in his point and cause suspicion. He wasn’t exactly lying, but that wouldn’t stop the need to watch his words. People were always such fickle things in his mind.

Maintaining a careful posture, with slow movements so as to not make the situation tense, Izayoi leaned backwards against a nearby tree, relaxing himself and simply watching the stranger. “So, Zinan. Do you mind if I ask what you have been practising? It always fascinates me to see what people do, and I’m always happy when I find people working hard. Of course, you’re welcome to not tell me. I am merely curious and trying to start up the spark of conversation. Ah, and while I remember, I can assure you that you do not need to call me senpai. As far as I am concerned, we are both of equal footing.” He nodded his head slowly as if to go along with his words, eyes nearly closed with a smile that seemed almost too natural. Thus, Izayoi waited. Truly, he was curious, even if he was lying about them being equal. Not that this Zinan would need to know. Given that Izayoi was a mystery factor, he wasn’t expecting a fight. If it came to it, he felt confident he could fight. But that mattered not. For now, he indulged himself in the pleasures of conversing. Or something along those lines.

422 + 554 = 926

This young man was an interesting one. He seemed to be refraining from waxing philosophical about his walk. An intellectual mind, perhaps. Those were far and few in between in the shinobi world, where, most of the time, might is right. Zinan listened as the Hyuga explained that, since they were both shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, they were allies and that Hyuga Izayoi was simply wanting to observe the shinobi that he would be working with.

He watched as the younger man slowly leaned back against a tree, attempting to make himself seem calm and relaxed. Zinan could respect the gesture, but it did not make him any less suspicious as to why he was here. It was not as if the Kumonosu had anything to hide, but the life of a shinobi was always clouded in intrigue and deception.

The Hyuga man decided to cut through any sort of intrigue in an attempt to dispel any attempt at deception from Zinan. He asked Zinan directly what he was practicing as a part of his training. While in actuality, the Kumonosu was developing new ninpo using his clan's kekkei genkai, he knew that at first glimpse, it seemed as if he was training in bukijutsu, utilizing the ninja's main tools: shuriken and kunai. Unwilling to reveal all of his clan's tricks, he decided to tell the man only part of what he was doing.

"I was simply working on retrieving my tools quickly, so I would not lose them in the heat of battle." He opened his tool pouch and retrieved a spool of wire. He held the metal string out in front of him to show Izayoi. "Right now, I was warming up and making sure my aim was on target, but I was planning on attaching wire to the tools. Not only would this let me retrieve my tools, but I would be able to manipulate their flight towards the targets."

It was a simple technique, the "Manipulated Shuriken" jutsu, and one that he was already proficient in. It would serve as the basic foundation for a jutsu that he was developing using his clan's Silken Glass webs.

He stowed the spool back in his tool pouch and looked at the Hyuga. "It is something that I already know how to do, but it never hurts to refresh on some basic training." Zinan raised a hand up and brushed a lock of his pitch-colored hair off of his face. It was matted and sweaty, which was irritating to the man.

---

Spider's Silk - 3 Meters - Total: 6 meters:

---

WC: 431
Total WC: 1248

Izayoi watched as the training Zinan revealed what he was practising with, some steel wire in hand. What Izayoi witnessed was merely warming up and preparation for his real training. Interesting enough. Nodding slowly in understanding, Izayoi muttered his thoughts quietly beneath his breath. “An interesting technique for sure.” His words were simple, and more meant for himself, for once a transparent moment in the usual network of trickery that was Izayoi’s speech. There was a subtle nuance to being honest every now and again, and as Izayoi heard the words that suggested this was someone that specialised in shuriken use, the thoughts of potential uses ran through his mind. He so far knew a medic and a canine specialist that would be willing to help him. Perhaps growing close to this shuriken user would prove… effective.

As he finished speaking, Izayoi found himself continuing his smile, appearing as friendly as he could, before saying his piece in return. “Utilising wires to redirect and control, as well as recover. A good plan, a good plan. You may want to be careful with that technique style though. It’d be a shame if the wires were to get caught, or perhaps be used to your disadvantage. For example, say the shuriken hit the target, but the target then attacks through the wires. If I can offer a small amount of advice, you may wish to think about that. Otherwise you would have to let go of the wires, thus defeating the point of having the wires in the first place. At least, that’s just my take on it.” As he spoke, the boy made gestures with his hands, as if doing so would emphasise his point.

“Ah, of course, I could just be giving poor advice. I will admit that I am not a weapon specialist. I focus more on my taijutsu, so, that is an area that I find myself worse at. If you don’t mind though, I would love to stick around to watch. Perhaps through viewing that which I am weak to, I can improve myself as a shinobi. Of course, this is only with your permission. If you so wish, I can leave. The last thing I would wish to do is intrude on personal space.” He declared with yet another nod, waiting now silently against the tree for a response. Giving positive impressions was a good way to get allies, at least in his mind. So all he would have to do was see how the Zinan person took it.

423 + 926 = 1349

The Kumonosu genin listened to the Hyuga chuunin as he spoke. It was a good analysis of his technique, that is certain, though it was not something that he had not thought of himself. "Yes, I had thought of the possibility of a counterattack through my own wires. There are ways, though, that my clan can manipulate filaments without being fully bound to the strings that we work with." Zinan flexed both of his hands, the cloth material that bound them stretched. Though they were hard to see with the naked eye, Zinan felt the minuscule hairs on the tips of his fingers separate with the motion. They provided the dexterous touch needed to work his clan's special web; they also aided in controlling wires and strings that were not of their own creation.

"The trick is to not be attached physically to the wires; some shinobi tie the ends of the wires around their fingers." Zinan adjusted his posture, placing the majority of his weight on his back, right foot, and cocked his left foot slightly out the side. He rested his fist on his right hip and motioned with his left hand. "The problem with this, in relation to the technique that I am working on, is what you have already pointed out. It makes the shinobi a sitting duck for a counterattack through, or with, the wires themselves."

He paused for a second before responding to Izayoi's second part of the inquiry. Zinan rarely let anyone else intrude upon his training time. It was something that he found personal and, ultimately, secretive. He did realize, however, that training without criticism may develop poor habits. He looked the other man in the eye. The genin was trying to size up the Hyuga's integrity. It seemed as if the other man was being true to his word. "I do not normally, willingly, let others pry into my training time, but, you seem to be willing to give helpful criticism from a outside view. I will allow it." He was not trying to be rude or standoffish; he was just a blunt man.

---

WC: 356
Total WC: 1604

The words that his current conversation partner had spoken intrigued the young Hyuga. So, the thing his clan specialised in was that of manipulation of filaments? At least, he had a technique for the nature of that if nothing else. He wasn’t too sure. Still, it fascinated him. The extent of this mastery of threads was an unknown, but if it was enough that this Zinan was sure he would not face problem against conductive techniques, then it was enough for Izayoi’s interest. As he looked at the flexing and motions, it wasn’t something he could figure out. The temptation to active his dojutsu was there, however, doing so would be obvious, and perhaps rude. So, there was no need to in his mind.

After elaborating on the techniques with the strings, Zinan addressed Izayoi’s second query. Albeit with as much subtlety as a brick, his current conversation partner agreed to allow the Hyuga child to stay and watch. Bowing his head, Izayoi replied, voice soft. “Thank you very much. I am most humbled by your acceptance sir, and should you wish me to, I will leave.” Having said his piece, he stood back up straight, smiling, before looking at the posture of Zinan, watching up and down.

“This could be me saying from a taijutsu perspective, but, do you mind showing me how you throw shuriken? When I throw projectiles, I tend to do it as a part of my body, moving my whole as a fluid motion.” As he spoke, he moved his arms and body in emphasis, making clearly over exaggerated motions, yet smooth, like a swan spreading its wings upon a still lake. The picturesque posture with which he held himself was held for a few moments, hand extended as if it had thrown a weapon, before just as gracefully and in a singular motion, he withdrew to standing at attention as he was prior. “Just, out of curiosity, since, in battle, it helps to be fluid, at least in my opinion.”

336 + 1349 = 1685

Zinan watched as the other man asked his question and moved about. He was, indeed, quite fluid and swan-like. His style for throwing shuriken utilized his whole body and would surely keep the momentum of the body high. Zinan nodded in appreciation when Izayoi stood back up. "Being fluid in battle is truly important, but one must be aware of their own body. My understanding is by overreaching with one's throws, they could put themselves off balance and into danger."

With his left hand, the Kumonosu reached into his gear pocket, which rested above his left buttocks,  and drew three, stacked, shuriken. With an upright posture, he snapped his arm towards the targets to his left, without looking. The three stars separated in the middle of their flight and slammed into the same target, dead center,, all within mere inches from each other. There was no lean to his throw, no fluid movement, but a simple, swift action.

Zinan looked towards the target, down the length of his still outstretched arm, and smirked. That could not have gone better. Looking back at the Hyuuga, he lowered his arm and spoke. "I prefer crisper, snappier movements. My throws may not be as powerful as someone who puts their whole weight behind the projectile, but I do not run the risk of accidentally placing myself in a position that I do not want to be in. Fluid movements can end up being uncontrolled and dangerous."

He took a moment to retrieve his tools and returned back to where he stood previously. "That being said, I do prefer to do combat at a distance. Someone who is more practiced in taijutsu would be more comfortable in the heat of battle and would be less likely to end up in a position where they are at a disadvantage."

He spun on his heel to face the other man. "But, I have revealed enough of my secrets today. So, I will bid you adieu." He bowed to the man and turned from the training field.

[EXIT]

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WC: 342
Total WC: 1946