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The Race - [Trial 2 | 1-2] Wed Feb 14, 2018 5:14 am
Ritsu Kasen
D-rank
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1-2. Rite of Ascension.Four ninja, one pyramid, and a race to claim one of only three prizes at the top. Beginning at the base of a four corner pyramid, at each corner one ninja from each village will ready themselves to race to the top. However, it won’t be an easy run. Traps lay in wait up the surface of the pyramid, from low grade bomb seals, false tiles and other means to knock the other ninja down the almost fatal tumble back to the base of the pyramid if one’s not careful. Also, after half way, each of the ninja will be able attack one another with ranged jutsu before even potentially able to fight at the top.
There were four of them all up. The first that she saw arrive was a young woman from the village of Kirigakure. She had dark hair that reminded her of deep ocean waves, cold eyes and very pale skin. Traits Ritsu had once associated with someone who utilized water, back before she knew better. Still, she couldn’t help but notice the menacing way in which the Kiri woman looked at the world and how she briskly brushed past to stand at her place on the left most corner. This was clearly someone who didn’t appreciate small talk. Unlike the next contender that walked up. He was fair and almost as short as she was, with sandy hair and a light smattering of freckles. Ritsu instantly liked him. He looked to be someone from Suna but he had an edge. A spark that had her hair standing on edge. He was from Kumo for sure. As for the third: Ritsu Kasen only saw him for the briefest of moments, but it was more than enough. He looked exactly like the kind of person that would fight for Love and Friendship. And they were, of course, from Konoha.
As different as each player was; they each, in turn looked up at the towering pyramid before them the same thoughts playing across their mind. At the very peak of the enormous structure were three prizes. All those who entered were to race up it’s side, avoiding the traps and torments, unpredictable hazards and unstable ground; those who could survive the battle from beyond the midway point, would claim one of the coveted awards and move on to the next trial. But for that other ninja, the last to make their way to the top. Their time at the exams would come to an abrupt and embarrassing end. This... was not going to be Ritsu’s fate. She was having far too much fun. And so the real challenge begun. “Game on”
ON YOUR MARKS
GET SET
GO
She was ready. As soon as the proctors voice echoed around the arena, the Jugo was focusing her chakra. At his second word, she was forming hand signs. And then, by the time they were set free, Ritsu had coated her feet in a jutsu and was soaring up the slanted edge of the massive structure. Legs pounding, heart racing. Thoughts spinning at twice the speed. How did the others fair? Were they securing their footing as she had? Did they get a head start using some technique she had not yet been taught? Was she right about them? There was only one way to find out. Get to the halfway point. Fast. But it wouldn’t be easy.
She couldn’t have been much more than ten meters up when the first trap sprung. It was subtle and terrifying. She had just been running up the side of the monument as fast as she could, when something gave way underfoot. A small square of stone not set as strong as the others. Then all of a sudden the ground before her gave way, caving in on itself. Crumbling down in to a pit, breaking apart on the metal spikes hidden deep below. But the genin was fast to act. Forcing her muscles to work harder, Ritsu bursted forward, racing the chasm as it opened out in front of her, before suddenly leaping off to the side...only to trigger the bomb to her right, causing it to explode. Showering her with dust, debris and a light too bright. If it had not been for the meticulously maintained chakra beneath her soles, she would have been thrown from the angled surface. But no. Instead she kept going. With dark spots dotting her vision and travelling a step slower than before, Ritsu continued up and up and up. Through another cloud of smoke and sand, over stepping stones and around suddenly erupting pillars. Just as the ninja thought she was clear of the obstacle course for a moment, she caught herself having to dive quickly to the left as giant slab of stone came rocketing down towards her from somewhere up above. However, it seemed that the pyramid was far from finished with it’s array of death traps.
“Oh you have got to be kidding me”
She smelled it coming rather than saw it. The halfway marker was just up ahead and perhaps that thought had given her false hope. Breathing deep, she sprinted forward… and that’s when the acrid stench of oil hit her senses like a tidal wave. Twisting her gut, irritating her lungs. Then she saw it. Just past halfway was a series of holes spread across the side of the pyramid. From these, came a sickly stream of oil. A horrific medieval substance, that, upon reaching about a third of the way down, would come in to contact with the small, ground embedded flames. And then… well, everyone knew what happened when flame meets flammable. It would be the end. There would be no laughing at the face of this challenge. Even for someone as confident as Ritsu Kasen, she was worried. She couldn’t just power over it could she? Her technique was well practiced but it wasn’t that strong. There had to be another way. There was always another way. Just keep moving.
Her legs ached but the young shinobi pushed hard. Sprinting up the edge with adrenaline fueled vigor, she kept going. Up. Up. Up. Until Ritsu hit the oil.
Almost instantly she could feel the chakra struggle. Wavering under the sudden change of surface below her feet. She could feel it try to find that balance and adjust but it was failing. She was failing. That didn’t stop her though. Ritsu kept going, kept pushing until her feet suddenly slipped out from under her, and she started to slip… started to slide. Down it’s edge. Down to her end.. Losing ground by the second. Then stopped! There was no time to think how lucky she had gotten pulling out exactly what she needed from the pouch at her side. No time to dwell on the searing pain of her strained shoulder when she caught herself or how the senbon in her hand was only just holding on between the cracks on the stone. Once again, she had to climb. This time, slower. With a needle in each hand she would find every crack between the slick stone. Each hole, each minute crevice that she could dig the needles in and drag herself up. Clawing her way up. Ever mindful of how damn flimsy the metal was and how easily she could slip. How bloody close the oil was to the fire.
“Nearly there. Damn it! Almost”
FWOOF!
Like a match to kerosene the side of the pyramid erupted into flames… just as Ritsu rolled on to the ledge above. Coughing and chest heaving, hands bloodied. For a moment he didn’t care about the sound of her blood pumping in her ears or the screams of one of the others getting caught by their own personal death trap. She needed a moment to recollect, to breathe. There was still more to go… and now she wasn’t alone.
They were all about neck and neck here. Probably needing a moment as much as she did. But everyone knew that, that was all they had. Any second now, someone was going to realize that the people on either side were in reach. She had to put her exhaustion aside and be ready. The next phase was about to be begin. Be ready.
On your your marks. Get set. Go!
It was just like back on the ground. First, focus your chakra. Hand signs. Then suddenly, the genin was surrounded by five identical copies of herself. None of them with shadows but each more than enough to do what needed to be done. And so up they went. One of the doppelgangers running on ahead, kicking up dust, while the others followed close, yet quietly, stealthily behind. Using the traps as cover while the other made their way ahead. Watch this hand while the others worked.
It was working… for a while. They made their way up with relative ease, the six young women. Listening to the sounds of the others fight, crackling lightning and exploding water. And that’s when the Kiri woman turned her attention on the Jugo. Out of the blue, a water bullet shot from the edge to her left and slammed into the first clone. Instantly dissipating it in a puff of smoke. But as that happened, the second clone who had been just behind, suddenly leaped left and back down, giving the illusion of a hit. That the woman successfully had hindered the smaller ninja, prompting her to move on to someone else. In the meantime the second clone would get back up and keep going. The others though, never stopped moving.
And this process would repeat a couple of times.
Once again, the Kiri woman attacked. This time a singular water spike plowed into the earth where it was, but the clone dodged to the right just in time, only to get shocked by an out of the blue lightning bolt thrown from somewhere below. This took the second clone down, only to have the third take its place. Giving the illusion that it fell a goodly way down before getting back up and carrying on, even slower than before.
However, throughout all this time, Ritsu did not attack once. She would fall back, and then keep moving. Try again. Not a threat but a small annoyance to be knocked back every now and then. A little girl just trying to keep up with the big kids. By the time they realized just how wrong they were, it would be far too late. The end was in sight.
Once again it was the water user who attacked. This time taking a different approach. It was very clever really. Guessing the path her clone was going to take and then waiting for it to hesitate. Because, at that very moment, she opened up a water hole right below it’s feet; not only destroying it one fell swoop, but also sucking away it’s smoke cloud. Revealing the trickery behind her strategy to all those who watched. Letting them learn of the fourth clone hiding in the pit of a trap, ready to spring up at any moment to take the fall. The true genin up much higher than what most would expect and maybe even one more clone higher up.
It was like a switch had flicked. Both Kumo and Kiri ninja sped up and aimed attacks at the fleeing Jugo, firing a deadly mix of lightning and water. Elements that struck their target with a horrible clash...just as Ritsu Kasen had planned. Because then, just as they hit, Ritsu executed a flawless substitution, changing with her clone and projecting her higher up.
Right. To. The. Top.
And then everything stopped. The young woman with deep ocean hair and pale skin joined her in seconds, a look of fierce disappointment and anger, darkening her eyes. Followed by the sandy skin boy with his smattering of freckles and a smile that spoke of more relief than happiness. The Konoha nin however was no where to be seen. Though she could tell that he got close. They all… had come pretty close.
The Konoha ninja, as it turns out, was a Senju. Branches could be seen protruding from all up the side of the pyramid, their leaves dripping with water. But not as much water as that which covered the Kiri woman’s side. It looked almost like she had surfed up the beginning of it.
The Kumo kid’s one however looked as plain as hers did. Just with a clouds of dust still settling and the flames slowly dying down somewhere in the distance. They were along way up and all three of them just sat at the peak in silence looking down at the chaos they had caused. Eventually they would all get up and slide down one by one, back to their starting point. Ritsu would go last though. She liked the view from here. It put things in perspective.
She had come a long way. But she was far from done.
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Words:2079
- Chakra 135/150:
Name: Supernatural Walking Practice (Shūgyō'shikachō ~ 修業歩然超)
Canon/Custom: Canon.
Rank: E.
Type: Supplementary.
Element: None.
Range: Self.
Specialty: Taijutsu (Chakra Flow).
Duration: -5 chakra every 3 posts (every 2 posts if using on water).
Cooldown: None.
Description: Supernatural Walking Practice is a basic ninja technique. It involves using chakra flow to channel chakra to one's hands or feet, allowing him/her to walk on, or cling to, surfaces that normally do not allow it. This includes, but is not limited to, walls/ceilings, trees, and even water. Should the flow of chakra stop for any reason, the user will immediately fall off of the surface they are walking on, or plunge underwater
Name: Doppelganger Technique (影分身の術 ~ Bunshin no Jutsu)
Canon/Custom: Canon.
Rank: E.
Type: Supplementary.
Element: None.
Range: Clones can go up to 15 meters away from the user before dispersing.
Specialty: Ninjutsu.
Duration: Clones last until dissipated or cancelled.
Cooldown: Five posts after all clones are dispersed.
Description: Using this technique, the user can create up to five intangible clones that appear physically identical to the user; these are created within 3 meters of the caster. The clones do not disturb the area around them, don't have shadows or body heat, and as such, in applicable situations, ninja can pick them out with varying difficulty. The clone has no physical form, and as such cannot attack. When any foreign presence passes through the clone, be it physical (a fist, a rock, a sword) or an opponent's jutsu, the clone will dissipate. It's mainly used to help mask the user, helping them attack an opponent who is superior at dodging. It costs 5 chakra to create clones.Name: Substitution Technique (変わり身の術 ~ Kawarimi no Jutsu)
Canon/Custom: Canon.
Rank: E.
Type: Supplementary.
Element: None.
Range: One prepared item in the user's clear line of sight.
Speciality: Ninjutsu.
Duration: 1 post preparation. Infinite postponement, Instant activation.
Cooldown: 6 posts after activation.
Description: The Substitution Technique is an age-old skill which enables the user to evade the effects of an attack by switching with an item in the area. (The item---or substantial clone---used for a Substitute must be as large as the user's torso, and must be prepared at least 1 post in advance by infusing it with 5 chakra.) Activating this jutsu for another 5 chakra, the ninja moves at untraceable speed for just a moment, and the item does so as well to take the user's place; the ninja leaves behind a flickering after-image for a second, which, if damaged, releases the chakra which holds it in place in a small smoke cloud, revealing the nature of the technique and the item they have switched with. Higher-rank ninjas' afterimages are able to show some of the signs of natural impact as if it were an actual human, if only for a very short period, before 'poofing'. The user coming out of the technique creates a similar audio and visual cue with a small cloud of translucent smoke and a 'poofing' sound on appearance in the location of the item they Substituted with. This technique causes the user to move at speeds untraceable to human perception, and therefore even the user cannot coordinate attacks during the Kawarimi, or activate any other jutsu. They, however, can maneuver near someone and then attack them after the fast-movement is finished.
Hokage: 
Kazekage: 
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Mizukage: 