_

Inari stared down at the floor as his father paced the room in front of him. The clan head’s face was impassive as he moved, more focused on what was about to transpire. The man stopped pacing and turned to Inari.

“Do you believe yourself to be truely ready for this write of passage?” He asked, a mixture of worry and seriousness coating his voice. “You can wait if you’re not. If you fail this you will no longer be heir.” At these words Inari gave a sad smirk and lifted his head to look at his father.

“Would that really be a bad thing?” He asked, his voice matching his expression. His father sighed, he understood Inari’s reservations to becoming clan head however this was not the time for silly responses. Noticing this Inari schooled his expression and toned his voice. “I’ve trained for this moment all my life, I was not ready now I would never be.” Accepting of this answer the clan head nodded.

“Then you have ten seconds to get ready. I will be fighting at a low Chunin pace. You must land a hit on me or you fail. ” With these words Inari jumped back and got himself into a ready position.

“Here.” His father said, throwing him a scrap Tantō. “Use it well.” With that the ten seconds had ended and Inari was dodging out of the way of his father’s fist.
_

Removing the tanto from it’s sheath, Inari swiped up at the older ninja. The head easily dodged out of the way and replied with a swift kick to Inari’s stomach, sending him flying across the room. Twisting awkwardly in the air the genin managed to land heavily on his feet. Rushing forward, the man continued to dominate the fight. Landing kicks and blows that left the boy bloodied and bruised.

Lifting himself from the floor Inari wiped away the blood on his face with his arm and placed his hand on the flat of his blade. Placing a seal on the metallic surface a sudden piece of chakra extended along the edge of the blade. ‘Just one hit.’ Inari thought, charging towards his opponent.

Shīru shikō (140/150):

His father ducked and weaved under the blade, the extruding chakra making it more difficult for him. Using what remained of his stamina Inari continue his assault stopping at nothing to try and land an attack. After what felt like hours of bloodied effort, his enhanced blade finally nicked the skin of his opponent.

“Oh thank god.” He said collapsing in a heap on the floor, relinquishing his hold on the Seal Enforcement technique and catching his breath. His father in acknowledgement of the hit gave the boy a nod. After a couple minutes of recovery Inari returned the borrowed tanto to his father and sat kneeled before him.

“Congratulations, you have passed the first portion of this trial. Do not mistake me when I say this was the easier of the parts.” Taking out a sheet of chakra paper, the man held it down to Inari. “Take this paper and push chakra into it. This will tell you your natures and is vital in succeeding the next part of the trial.”

Looking up at the paper held in front of him Inari nodded before grabbing and channeling his chakra through the paper which wrinkled and burnt to ash.

“Good now we move to the forge. Once we enter only the sounds of the forge are to be heard or you will fail. No voice, no movement, no screams in pain or anguish. You must surrender yourself to the forge, become one with it and accept your place.”

“Yes sir.” Inari said, his father turning and leading him from the dojo towards the hot springs of their property. A small crowd of clan members stood watching from their balconies, silent as no-one was allowed to interfere with the trials. As they arrived at their location Inari looked on in confusion as his father water walked to the back wall of the small spring.

Channeling chakra, the man activated a large seal that caused the waterfall on the Eastern outcrop of rocks to stop falling, revealing a slowly opening metal door. Following his father through to the door, Inari took a few calming breathes before following his father inside.
_

In the door was a cascading set of stairs leading in a spiral deeper into the earth. Silently Inari continued after his father as the man ghosted his way down the stairs into what started to feel like a burning inferno. As they entered the large cavernous room Inari realised why.

The room was surrounded on both sides by a moving stream of lava, pouring in from what looked to be deep vents covered in white hot seals and leaving through small holes in the opposite walls. A forge set up was designated in the middle of the room, with a pool of water located not to far from it (also covered in seals).

With a flourish his father turned to him nodding before tying his hair back in a tight bun. Inari followed his lead, doing the same thing with his own now sweat soaked, messy locks.

From their they worked, tempering the steal, quenching it, shaping and sharpening it, then working on the seal itself. It was hot, dirty, tiring, and painful work; every day they spent in that forge was spent in hell. They spend 3 days in the forge most of which was spent silently designing the sword seals to properly integrate with Inari’s chakra.

As the man had said this was no easy task. Finally at the end of day 3, Inari now with his sword in hand began to channel his chakra into the blade. Slowly it drained at him and reserves, a parasite that offered protection in exchange for energy. With a silent breath Inari held out his sword, willing it to hover above his hand.

The blade (an Odachi) floated in front of him. With a smile he sheathed the sword and waited for his fathers final, silent instructions. With a lifting of his head the Clan Head moved towards the exit followed by the ghost like movements of his son. As they left the forge and the cool night air met them Inari finally allowed himself a sigh. His father now standing at the entrance of the onsen, looked back at his son, gave a rare smile.

“Go get some rest.” The head said, surprising his son with the sudden noise and then his expression. Giving his father back a smile Inari nodded and moved back to the main house, greeting his clan members as he went.

[Exit]

Total WC = 1127 Words
Clan Trial = 1000/1000 Words
Speed E-0 -> E-1 = 75/75 Words
Remaining WC = 52/1127 Words