The wind could be heard outside of his window causing it to shake ever so slightly. It wasn't the noise that startled him. A thump in his apartment disturbed him. The loud sound caused him to propel himself out of his bed with his sword in tow. Tomohiro drew his rusted blade from its bamboo scabbard. He held the blade downward with the tip facing toward the floor. He opened the door to his bedroom as he walked barefoot into the hallway of his small apartment. The hallway was cold as he noticed a window had been cracked. Tomohiro closed the window with his free hand. He then started to make his way to the front of his apartment having flipped a light switch when he got there..

He looked around to nothing. There didn't seem to be anything out of place, but he knew what he heard wasn't normal. There weren't too many strange noises that happened at night even though his apartment was cheap. He sighed as placed his blade on his table. There was a deep inhale from his lungs as he opened the door to his fridge and went to reach for a bottle of water. Attached to his bottle of water was a note. Tomohiro picked the note up and began reading it silently to himself:

Tomohiro's eyes squinted at the note with a grim look of disdain. Ishino couldn't be kidding. He looked at the clock above his fridge and it tentatively read 2:00am.  He figured that nothing could be that important that he needed to be up this early. Tomohiro had only been asleep for the past three hours. What possibly could his brother want this early? Ishino was very impractical when it came to a variety of things. Tomohiro figured that it was probably better that he go than wait for his brother to come hunt him down. He did wonder how he figured Ishino knew that he would open his fridge. Tomohiro figured that he was more predictable than he thought. Well, he did like to maintain a certain order on how he handled things.

The young Nakir went back to his bedroom and opened his closet door. He put on his standard black body suit and poncho. Tomohiro didn't even want to bother with his kasa and instead threw his hood up. He grabbed his bamboo sheath and sheathed his rusty weapon as he returned to the front of his apartment. Tomohiro wasn't thrilled at all. It was a long walk from his apartment to the mine and he knew that he wouldn't be able to take his time getting there. There were too many decisions that he wanted to make, but whatever his brother wanted would probably be worth his time. His brother had pulled some crazy shenanigans in the past. That's was part of what he was worried about.

The walk to the southside of Kumo didn't take that long. He actually made pretty good progress as he traveled. The cold wind pressed against his body as it began to rain. A few streaks of lightning could be seen moving toward the direction of the Thunder Grounds that followed with loud clasp of thunder. Tomohiro looked to the sky as he picked up his pace. He was mostly used to the weather, but the lightning did rub him the wrong way. It was a sight to behold, but he wasn't a Raiton user and never could be. No one in his clan had ever been as far as he knew. Katon was his element and the heavy rain was just as problematic than the lightning. The air was already cold, but he hoped he wouldn't catch hypothermia just trying to make it to the old mine.

Once he arrived, he shook his hood first before the rest of his clothing. He started to walk through the dark mine as he saw a faint glow from one of the tunnels. A single torch was ablaze giving light to the portion of the tunnel. He continued to move forward not knowing what he was to expect. The Nakir tunnels were usually based off of similar systems and he traversed through this tunnels time and time again. Though, there were some that were more difficult to traverse depending on how deep it went. The walk wasn't as bad as he thought. That was until the temperature started to rise. It was a dry heat that could possibly be felt in a desert. Tomohiro continued to walk further down under the earth as the heat continued to rise. He started to sweat a bit from the heat, but he continued. Having been mostly in a colder climate all of his life. The heat was almost unbearable.

As he made it into the deep depths of the mine. He entered a large training hall. The walls of the hall seemed to be ablaze with burning coal. The red flames were small and didn't seem to give a lot of light. He figured that it had to be lit with some type of ninjutsu he hadn't been taught. A steel replica of his clan's emblem had been crafted into the ceiling, but he could barely make it out without staring for a long period of time. Tomohiro took his torch and set in an iron bowl on the floor. There were a few barrels of water spread at the very outskirts of the hall. He walked passed one and immediately dunked his head in. Even the water was hot. He felt a hand grab his poncho and pull him out of the barrel. The yanking feeling made him reach for his blade as he heard a tsk tsk.

“About time you got here, boy,” a voice sounded with disapproval.

He knew the voice all to well. The voice was deep and almost made him tremble. It was one he didn't expect to be here. The voice that came with a set of eyes that pierced through your very being. A set of eyes that you didn't want to see before your life crumbled in on itself. The voice was almost like a hammer regardless what the level it had been speaking at. The voice that he grew up with that was never satisfied. One that came with everlasting torment and haunted your very existence.x

“Father...” Tomohiro whispered in a monotone.

His eyes met his father's though he didn't want them too. The older Nakir's eyes were cold but hot at the same time. His father's red eye's held an almost indescribable darkness. The man's pupils were permanent slits as if he were an ancient dragon or a serpent. They slightly were glowing red and seemed to be one of the brightest things in the hall outside of the flames. The man's eye's were blinded to conventional sight of ordinary humans. He was now only able to see thermal images, but his sight was beyond most shinobi. Tomohiro's father possessed the ultimate evolution of the clan's doujutsu, the Iroaseta Netsugan. Tomohiro wasn't given much information on the clan doujutsu, but he felt that he was soon to find out as time progressed.

“I'm glad you received your brother's letter. It's time for you to unveil your eyes,” Tomohiro's father stated as he pointed further into the hall which Tomohiro himself really couldn't see.

Three clansman about his age dressed  in old garbs. They resembled monk's robs. Tomohiro's father let go of him of his poncho and pushed him forward. Tomohiro knew them, but wouldn't recognize them until he got closer. The four shinobi that stood before him were genin like him. They were those he considered brothers in combat and by blood. Tomohiro was confused and refused to look his father in the face. He wasn't sure of what his father's expression was going to be and he didn't exactly want to find out.

“Father, what is this?” he asked.

“You are here to unlock your En Netsugan. This is the first level into gaining eyes like mine. The doujutsu that was considered a curse and now a blessing. Not many know and/or understand our gift. You showed enough potential that you have earned the clan's respect to taking your first steps. You are to fight the four of them. You don't have to win. Just fight as best you can, boy. There's a set of robes on the alter and also put your sword their as well,” his father pointed at a rack near the entrance of the hall.

Tomohiro gulped slightly, but didn't change his emotionless expression. He removed his poncho and let it sink to the ground. The young Nakir took off his boots and walked barefoot on the hot dirt. He picked up the set of monk robs and dawned them. He unlatched his sword from his waist and placed it on an iron alter. He picked up a wooden katana soaked in water. Though, it seemed to dry as he picked it up from the heat. Tomohiro wiped his brow before getting into his stance when he became within four meters of his would be opponents. He lifted the wooden blade above his head. What would have been the sharpened end had been raised facing the ceiling. He stood in position until his father snapped his fingers.

The four Nakir clansmen in front of him had already charged at him with their wooden swords drawn. He dodged the first strike from one by jumping backward a meter. He shifted his weapon slightly to the left to redirect a stab. One of the Nakir genin had jumped behind him. Tomohiro realized that they were trying to pin him in. He knew that two of them were in the same shinobi squad. That put him at a slight disadvantage. That wasn't even including being outnumbered. The genin were about the same age, but at least three of them were fresh out of the academy. They didn't have as much experience as he did, but their numbers made up for it.

Tomohiro leaped to the side trying to avoid getting pinned in between the group. The lack of light made it difficult to see. Tomohiro did his best to try and keep his distance, but his opponents were getting too close for running to do any good. He tried the best he could to avoid the attacks by mostly sound, but took a few blows to the gut and shoulder while attempting. Tomohiro became angry and didn't like the fact of getting pushed into a corner. He would need to do something they they weren't expecting. Tomohiro then jumped into the air at an angle he tried distancing himself from the others. One of them had started to give chase. Tomohiro had already expected that and took his weapon and swung it. The wooden sword met his opponent's and caused him to drop the training weapon. Tomohiro then sent a kick to his opponent's stomach causing him to fall down. Tomohiro sheathed his wooden sword in a strap that the robe that he wore and formed the Tiger Seal.

The young genin inhaled and took a deep breath as he quickly coated his throat and lungs with katon chakra. Two large fireballs emerged from his maws and struck one of them dead in the chest. The other genin looked confused. They weren't sure what to make of the attack. Father said to fight them, but he never specified how. He didn't like the idea of attacking his own clansmen with a jutsu like that at close range, but he wanted to win.

The fight stretched on for a while as Tomohiro had taken less damage as time went on. It seemed like the other genin started to move slower. He was able to more easily dodge his opponent's techniques without having to try hard as he had been. Tomohiro became more attuned to his surroundings. His eyes began to improve and it seem like his body started to move easier. It was like a whole new experience. He wasn't totally sure of what was going on, but he liked it. The heat was still bothersome, but he continued to press forward.

After about fifteen minutes had passed, Tomohiro's father had stopped the ritual. The two groups seemed to have been exhausted. Tomohiro still wanted to press on, but couldn't find the strength to keep going. The heat of the hall started to make it more difficult to breath. Tomohiro had focused fire chakra through his wooden sword. He had caused a bit of burn damage to his opponents over time, but he wasn't totally unscathed himself. Light brusies lined his torso and a slight minor burn here or there. One of his clansmen had caught him off guard with a katon technique, but some medical ninjutsu would fix him right up. His eye's were definitely sharper than they were before. It was almost like a predator seeking prey.

Tomohiro dropped to one knee and began panting. He began rubbing his eyes and took a deep breath. After rubbing his eyes, he opened them and his gaze instantly met with his father's. Though, his eyes seemed to be back to normal.. His father nodded his head before saying anything. For the first time that he saw, his father seemed to be pleased. The feeling made him a bit uneasy. The look on his father's face was the closest thing to a smile he had seen in years.

Tomohiro stood up on his feet and forced himself to walk over to his father. His father just stared at him with his arms crossed. For a few moments, they didn't exchange verbal words. It was like the looks they gave each other had been enough speech. Tomohiro pursed hims mouth to speak before the hall started to get cooler. Breathing started to become easier as fresh oxygen started to flow into his lungs.

“Boy, you have unlocked a gift that will help you as you blaze the path as a shinobi. The Netsugan is a very important doujutsu to our clan. This means that you have to protect your eyes as if they're your life. Don't dishonor our clan by losing your eyes or your sight in battle. For years the clan has lived underground and these eyes became a result of that. Keep training and you'll see even more than you have today. You'll start to see heat of your enemies. Get stronger and traverse through the shinobi world with the clan Nakir on your back. Make the clan proud!” his father said with a hint of enthusiasm.

Tomohiro's father then walked away and exited the hall. Tomohiro sat down on the floor for a few moments. As his father left, the hall started to become more illuminated. Tomohiro changed back into his clothes and prepared to make his way back into the village. The other genin had already started to changing as well. They started to talk among themselves and reminiscing on each others attacks that they could see. Tomohiro enjoyed the conversation with his clansmen before he bid them farewell. Tomohiro felt exhausted, but he was glad that he had the chance to attempt to make his father and clan proud.

WC: 2674
[EXIT THREAD]

En Netsugan Training [2000/2000]

563/563 [D-Rank Jutsu Training ~ Fire Style: Ashen Haze/-25% clan reductions for katon WC]

111 unused words