[The spar is between Haka and Verdandi. Sero, Nova or other guests may watch but not intervene without OC confirmation.]

Verdandi raised her eye brows. After all the contemplation about art and beauty, Haka wanted to fight. Verd's eyes would gaze about into the room. It was some sort of training dojo after all. A place to fight and train. Verd remembered the first time she clashed with the spider. Well the first time she met the spider. It was by all means yet nothing but a misunderstanding. A normal human facing a huge spider in the swamps with an aura that implied her will and wish to kill. Who wouldn't have mistaken it.

Dandi had seen Haka fight though. Knowing her to be capable of moves yet unknown to the princess. Fearful techniques. There was after all a large difference between the way Haka was being meld into a machine for war, surviving in an environment based on the sole ideals that'd claim the survival of the stronger. An ideal completely unknown to the princess. Pampered by her elders and kept safe and secure as if she was a fragile piece of glass that might break the moment you lose firm grip over it.

But even Verd faced battle, even faced death and potential defeat. She would be reminded that it was Haka who had once before already saved her from defeat or injury. But this match wasn't to be the first spar for her Verd. She did, after all, possess a gift within her veins. An unusual power and a talent for the ways of the sword. Even if by all means of combat experience, one would clearly see Haka as the superior fighter, Verd was yet not of weak character or in lack of natural talent.

She nodded. Agreeing with an emotionless expression. Both sort of curious and slightly scared as to clash blades with someone whom she had chosen to be her friend. Even if the spider's concept of such a relation would probably not allow her to return that kind of feeling. Dandi slowly pushed the wooden machinery that kept the bamboo in its place, back until it'd be slid properly to the wall and out of the way. Taking a little loincloth to clean her blade. Slowly moving closer to face Haka in her simple yet extremely concentrated stance.

Placing her right leg forward, foot slight arched away from the centre. Her other leg pressured backwards to the floor for a firm stance. Moving to her knees for instant reaction. The blade would be grasped firmly with two hands. Showing that she'd be willing to welcome a frontal assault and be able to move against it with her own body's strength. Her eyes, red and blue, fixed on the target ahead. Her breathing becoming calm, heart beat lowered. The blade slowly motioned forward, pointing it's tip in direction of Haka. A sudden burst of chakra would gush from her body into the room, as if Verdandi was showing a similar sort of aura alike to the spiders. Exhaling her determination. Cold, frozen, heartless. She was ready.


510

The training room was not exactly the equivalent of a dojo. After all, Sero's intentions were simply that of trying out his weapons, not that of providing a full-out training area. It was well known among those who lived here, and perhaps those who stayed long enough, that the man preferred to train elsewhere. As such, the training area was a 10 by 10 meters room, 4 meters in height at most, harbouring a couple of training dummies that could be clicked within the wall. It was spacious enough for a trial of weapons, but would it be enough for a trial between two shinobi?

Verdandi had agreed, seemingly a little at unease to face her, but not fearful enough to run away screaming out of Sero's manor. She showed bravery as she had done before, enduring the subconscious desire to run away from the predator. While Verdandi moved to put away the used tools and clean up the blades she was using, Haka moved to the middle of the room, brushing away her white hair. She took her own obsidian kunai, her gaze going about the room to think of a few strategies as she considered herself at quite a disadvantage - Ameya, her summon companion, could not be summoned due to the spider's killing instinct. Unlike Haka, the Spider Clan's assassin would not understand the 'no kill' clause Sero had imposed upon Haka. Ameya lived but for one thing, and that was tasting the blood of the conquered. Nothing else mattered.

Verdandi positioned herself, blades rising, temperature dropping as her own aura rose to the occasion. A mere few seconds of silence as the two gauged each other's strength of will in this fight. Then, Haka would form a series of hand seals as she jumped back five meters, sending three shadow clones of herself to keep Verdandi busy for a moment. Making use of the distraction, she would then proceed to weave another set of handseals covering five meter of the room around her in webs - her half of the room effectively under the effect of her 'Weaver of Fate' technique.

As she would observe Verdandi's approach to her created distraction, a small blob of water would start orbiting around her, ready to anticipate her counter attack. With the web having cut off most of her half, the spider would not expect the swordswoman to jump in as readily for a frontal combat, but she knew enough about the Ice Release to know a melee assault was not the only option she had at her disposal. To Haka, it was an analysis of the human's fighting techniques, much like Sero had requested her to do. She already knew that she was at a disadvantage in melee against Verdandi, so now it all came down to discovering her prowess with ninjutsu in a ranged duel.

---

484
Total: 484


OOC: Agreed to chuunin rank stats.

Stats:

C rank - Obsidian Kunai:

Chakra 165/200:

Verdandi stood ready. She saw the bunshin approach her but couldn't be too sure as to their nature. Many clone variants existed. But for now, it was clear that the dance had begun. Verd stepped forward. Her blade sliced the first clone into dust, she would rotate around her own axis and kick the second clone back to puff as well into thin air and as last move she would send her own kunai flying, not just to hit through the last clone but to also send a projectile directly on confrontation path with Haka's highest point of body mass. In this case her abdomen.

Verd didn't expect to hit Haka and end the spar. But reacting quickly and sending an instant hostile signal the spiders way would force her to react and make sure she wasn't here to relax either. Verdandi's motions were clear and minimalistic. She wouldn't spend even a breath of power more than necessary now. Which also meant that while Haka was building her 'nest' it seemed like a certainly bad idea to just jump into the spider’s web. A smart fly would have to be small, quick and annoying.

While Haka would be busy for at least a second or two with the kunai, Verd formed the seals for her own clone. But instead of sending it to attack it would form behind her instead. The clone's body was clearly rising from thin air and filling itself with water until it completely mimicked Verd as a person. Verdandi herself would remain in defensive position with her blade stretched and her legs returned to the quick reactive pose from earlier, while the clone started to form its own seals and would summon Verdandi's own version of blobs into the world. Twelve of them. Six would stick to hover around the clone while the remaining six would be sent towards Verdandi's real body.

Both sides seemed to have their protection barriers up now. Ready for action. Ready for the collision. If Haka would have suddenly jolted forth in a sudden motivation to physically get close to the blade that could wound her so bad, Verd would welcome it and see if her friend would be able to avoid a direct slice against her. However, the clone behind Verdandi was not completely useless. Any attempt to target Verd head on would make the clone sprint forth and immediately strike ahead as well, two blade attacks ready to hit.

It was more likely to expect ranged attacks. Verd was ready. Inhaling deeply. She had a lot to counter in her pockets. But for now. Wait and observe the opponent. No need to mindlessly charge forth and get yourself trapped in the spider’s web.

460 / 970

Stats:

Verd Chakra 135 / 150 | Clone Chakra 5 / 15:

As expected, Verdandi was reluctant to go into melee now, the distance between the two created by the spider in its web. Verdandi wasn't a dumb fly after all, but Haka didn't mind that. The first time they had met, she had proven to be a fun target to chase, she had not expected the girl to be any different now this time. As the Yuki dealt with the clones easily, she didn't allow Haka any rest, throwing a projectile in her direction that was deflected with a precise strike from her kunai. Were it not that the spar had just begun, the spider-nin would have considered it a desperate means to distract her.

A brief moment of impasse, Verdandi would prepare her own measure of defences. A blob of water formed, then shaped itself into a perfect clone. An interesting use of suiton, though the proper use of a water element clone still eluded the spider. Granted, being with two raised the chances of success but that was the best Haka could currently come up with. Eyes observing the two before her, the clone would ultimately form some hand seals and expressively exhale for some reason, invisible water chakra forming a dozen of bubbles on its own that Haka couldn't spot without proper means, making her wonder what the generally upfront warrior was about to do.

Leaving nothing to chance in turn as waiting would make for a boring game, Haka decided on a double ranged assault at Verdandi. With both of her techniques requiring no hand seals, she was already at an advantage as Verdandi would not be able to read what exactly she had decided on, leaving her guessing until the last moment. Sending the blob to strike at the original Verdandi in the front, she would throw her kunai at the clone at the same time, the chakra strings from the puppeting technique remaining invisible in the process. Knowing that the blob, considering its speed, would not fail to hit its target at such a short distance unless Verdandi figured out a way to block it properly, Haka focused on redirecting her kunai in flight to adjust its travelling path should the clone decide to move away.

With her plans orchestrated, the spider would observe how and if it would come to fruition.

---

392
Total: 876

OOC: Mind if I learn Water Clone from you?

Multitasker SC

135/200:

Verdandi didn't really know exactly what was coming for her. Two projectiles launched forward. The second one had to come flying in a curved angle as, the clone standing behind Verd, it seemed to wish to avoid Verdandi in the front and get to the clone in behind. Dandi calculated quickly. The technique she wanted to use next anyway would hopefully serve her well. with both projectiles. So while Verdandi was forming the seals, the clone would step two steps forward and get back-to-back with Verdandi, basically creating one person, or one point of target instead of two.

While both ice princess's raised their swords to potentially deflect anything that would come past the next move they would keep their 4 eyes at the incoming targets. Wild Water Wave was formed within Verd's palms and a sudden, rather large jet of water with the power of a C-Ranked suiton. Verdandi moved her head left and right to cover the potential field of incoming projectiles. The blob's munch would collide within the water stream and perish. The kunai would prove to be more of a wiggly target but considering the small room they were fighting in and the huge area that could be covered with Water Wave, the kunai would be forced back towards it's owner as well. On top of that, all defense motions were aiming towards blob and kunai, but ultimately also towards Haka.

Haka would have to decide. If she desired to strike past the water wave she'd have to use her concentration to properly influence her kunai and make it's way towards Verdandi and the clone. Where she would also have to make it past their shield of blades in order to land a hit. But this would probably force her to take the full bruising hit of the water directed at her. Verd guessed it'd be more likely that she'd reposition herself to avoid the full damage of the wave.

Hence, Verdandi's strategy wasn't over. If Haka would move away from the water impact, Verd would jump forward and launch her close combat attack. A straight slice from above aimed at Haka's biggest point of mass again, the stomach. Closely followed by the clone who would watch Verdandi's back in case the Kunai returned to haunt them, defending Verd's blind spot.

If Haka would not move from her position and was willing to take the hit. Verd would stay with her clone exactly where they were. Considering that bruising your target without sustaining damage yourself would be a good move.

Uncaring which of the two ways things would proceed towards. Verdandi's six orbs of seafoam would explode within the room. Causing a huge surprising mess that would complete block vision between both of them. This would either aid her attack on the evading spider or shield Verdandi from many potential incoming attacks by next round. Leaving spider girl to deal with what's happening in the first place.

OOC: Please do <3

510 / 1480

Verd Chakra 120 / 150 | Clone Chakra 5 / 15:

Full on defence, the Wild Water Wave, generally used to create distance between two targets, was now used to secure safety within the training room. The eager blob and the kunai were deflected, but the power of Haka's own C rank jutsu was enough to stop the flow of water from doing any further harm. Indeed, the Wild Water Wave had protected its practitioner against a dire threat and flooded the entire room in the process.

Then, suiton bubbles exploded throughout the room to cover both their vision, it's startling effect lost in the situation as Verdandi didn't follow up for the offence, deciding to remain where she was with her clone as Haka had not moved positions as far as Verdandi could tell. Their vision blocked by the lingering seafoam, it looked much like the two would be bound to a small pause considering the defensive plays the two had been relying on so far. As such, Haka pulled back her kunai with the aid of the chakra string about the same time the blob reformed from the water nearby to orbit around her once more.

Deciding her ranged approach would do her little good now, it was time to change her strategies. Dropping the web she had kept up to keep Verdandi at a distance, she aimed to lure the swordswoman into melee combat instead, hoping that an invitation to make use of her melee superiority would drive her to jump through her own seafoam. As the webs would die off, Haka jumped up and made use of the Unmei's inherent ability to climb the walls to stick to the ceiling with her hands before lifting herself up entirely so that her body would cling to the ceiling.

From this new vantage point, should Verdandi decide to barge in, she would be able to simply drop on top of the girl with her kunai at the ready in a surprise attack of her own. If Verdandi would remain waiting for the seafoam to disperse, the spider would not be feel bad about this either.

---

350
Total: 1226

130/200:

Verdandi had charged forth past the bubbles but to find the web of the spider withering and dissolving. She couldn't feel her presence touching the water on the ground, which basically was a waiting trap to form itself into ice at any given second now. Clone and original would part to search for the spider within the seafoam that was continuously building up still. Filling their surroundings in an almost annoying amount of it. Since Haka was in a corner, there were not many direction options to search her within and one was already covered the moment she had charged in from her previous position.

While Haka was preparing her defences, she would suddenly see Verdandi break past the seafoam from below. She was ready and the kunai that was waiting for her opponent would directly sink into Verd's stomach. Verd's blade would hit Haka's cheek only slightly as it stuck itself into the ceiling. It was about that moment when Haka was still dealing with what was happening as the body slowly began to dissolve into water and the seafoam bubbles around the clone exploded into a complete mess around Haka. A diversion. The clone had been turned into a suicide bomber of sorts and despite the seafoam doing no damage it would put Haka in a miserable disadvantage. Cause right now. Verds real body knew exactly where Haka was, but she did not.

It all would depend on Hakas ideas to escape the coming move since Verd charged forth barely a second after her clone had found its prey. Her blade would directly aim to slice into the puddle of foam where Haka's position should be at. Even if it didn't hit her stomach it had a good chance to slice the spider girl while she would try to escape. The blade was hungry for its opponent’s blood. Seemingly not picky with its colour. She was tired of this game of tag. Her Kenjutsu soul was aching for blades to cross each other and for fists to be thrown against. She wasn’t losing her cool but she could feel the burning need in her core to make her power strike onto her opponent. Adrenaline rushing through her veins. She wasn’t just a princess. She was the crimson frost with a hungry blade. This battle wouldn’t end between friends without some bruises. They were required. She even longed for it in an almost masochistic instinct.

410 / 1890

Verd Chakra 120 / 150:

Simple but efficient. Her surprise strategy had succeeded, to some extend. She certainly hit a Verdandi, just not the right Verdandi. As the obsidian kunai sunk into its flesh, the clone splashed open and Haka hit the floor, kneeling, and slightly twitchy at the idea she had taken out the wrong target. The last seafoam bubbles burst open, the already concealed sight refreshed to remain even longer now. But was this any different than hunting within the mist, visibility low? No, it wasn't. Though it annoyed her not to be able to use her eyes, it didn't worry her.

The splish-splash of rushed footsteps in the water followed directly after the disappearance of the clone and the explosion of the seafoam and at a sudden point they'd halt. That moment was the moment, Haka, who had remained kneeled, rolled to avoid an expected attack but was a fraction too late to fully avoid the cut the blade. No lethal damage done, the blade nonetheless wounded her right shoulder, slicing a little more than 2 inch in length. Deeper than should have been the case as her arachnid nature was not meant to deal with the claws of man. Colourless blood would splash out, dragged out by the cut and her own motion, Haka now at about a meter away from the real Verdandi yet invisible due to the seafoam blinding the entire place.

It would be a strike of good measure. Immediately jumping up from the position where she had rolled into, Haka crossed the 1 meter instantly, her obsidian kunai ready to strike back at the girl in retaliation. Even if sight was not what one could rely on, her ears would certainly be able to hear every step taken to move her position. Knowing Verdandi was superior in melee combat, the spider-nin didn't fail to keep a defensive measure in the back of her mind, just in case...

---

326
Total: 1552

125/200:

Verd was perplexed by the situation of her blade actually hitting. Her bloodlust instantly vanned at the sudden prospect of actually harming Haka. After all. While Haka had a very simple and sober outlook on their relationship. Dandi was emotionally attached to that weird creature. But Haka wouldn't leave her much time to worry. She charged in while Verd was still in confusion. Their blades clashed but Verdandi was unprepared. She could feel a very simple cut past her right palm, barely an inch deep, but blood would still drip. The pain wasn't too much it was probably simply the shock of the moment that would leave Verd to lose grip within her blade. Haka's pressure remained and Verd would jump backwards. Eventually losing the blade in the process it would fly to the next best wall and get stuck against it.

Once Verd disappeared in the seafoam mist. She'd form a couple of hand seals to create a whole bunch of shadow clones. Five in total. It wouldn't take too long for the seafoam to disappear. So, they would have to be used wisely. Sending two of them a bit back for later use. She sent three forwards to search for Haka. With the Katana gone she'd draw the wakizashi from her belt. Well, all of them would. The close combat wasn't over yet. She had to get a grip. They wouldn't kill each other. But she clearly underestimated how serious either of them could become in this spar. It was a silly notion to not think that far ahead. Possibly cause in most spars she had fought so far, neither of the participants had spilled much blood yet.

In that sense Verd was psychologically at disadvantage. Haka was a born predator and she was an emotion ridden human. Far from being completely free of her own feelings affecting her movements. But she had to learn it. She had to prove that her bloodlust could be useful and that she would be able to stop herself before it was actually too late. A proper battle had to be handed. She owed Haka a proper fight. She wanted to prove her strength to her. To show the dominant power that was inside the frozen princess. It was about time. Time to make things go to the last phase. While she was still running, she did the hand seal for Hyouton and exhaled her breath to the ground. While she and the clones were charging. The floor would begin to freeze. It was all over the room. Haka would know what this meant. Ice pillars in form of spikes would start to rise all over the floor. Perfectly aimed to not hit the own clones. Slowly covering the small battlefield.

As a last potential prediction. Haka might be startled by the ice and search to flee towards the ceiling again. To somewhat cover that prospect the three clones and Verdandi would throw their Shuriken upwards. If they wouldn’t clash with Haka, nor the ice pillars. Maybe the Shuriken would hit her and show her location… or even harm her if the real shuriken were to hit her. Many options. May ways to possibly harm the spider.


540 / 2430

Verd Chakra 100 / 150:

Second surprise, second success. While she hadn't delivered the same sort of blow as she suffered, Verdandi had lost a weapon and had been wounded even if only lightly. So the weapon specialist could be defeated in her own game? No, Haka didn't believe so. Her observations had already proven that Verdandi couldn't so easily be beaten in a duel between weapons. Haka, who could barely grasp the basic use of her own kunai, would never be able to defeat a human who was trained to make use of these unnaturally created claws.

It looked more so that Verdandi wasn't used to fighting within her own created terrain. She lacked the hunter's instinct that Haka had by nature. The human had tried to be smart by blinding the two of them, but had instead dug her own grave by creating an environment that Haka could put to good use. Spider Island was always shrouded in mist, so the Spider Clan had to learn to make use of other senses than eyesight when they were blinded by the rising fogs. A miscalculation from Verdandi's sight that was making her lose her advantage.

That didn't mean Haka could get cocky though. Pressing her left hand against the bleeding wound, the sense of having her colourless blood wet her hand nudged at the instinctive idea of using her own wound to her advantage. Rather than to make one, the blood already liberated would just as much make the ideal fuel to summon Ameya, but Haka's rigid logic pressed that instinct away. Sero has said not to kill Verdandi, and Ameya was far from a creature she could trust to contain a modicum of self-control. She would have to find another way.

Having held still in the seafoam, ears open for the slightest sound in the area, Haka had been unable to spot the incoming clones as the shadows they were did not impact the world around them. No water would splash up, no wind would be created by their movement. As such, the first clone suddenly showed up, fist supposedly hitting her face, yet 'failing' to hit in the strangest ways and instantly disappearing in a puff of smoke at that. A strange experience if the spider ever saw one, but she recognised that jutsu all too well - shadow clones. The question was, how many more?

A second would come in, but the prepared spider stepped out of its line of attack and rammed her knee in its stomach. Another puff of smoke. These Verdandis were too easy in comparison to the real one, and it annoyed her to have to bother with such laughable versions. As the third one then found her, Haka blocked its attack with her arm, somersaulted and kicked it down into what little water filled the room. No splash, though the strange crackling of water turning into ice came rapidly in her direction.

The real Verdandi was about to make her entry.

A pity crackling ice made so much noise. Commanding the blob around her, it would form a screen in front of her to stop the rapid advance of the ice spears. They hit. But would not continue their advance as the defensive technique proved superior in power than the Ice technique. The barrier would not come unscathed out of the clash, the lower section having turned into ice and cracks and rime visible onto its upper part. No matter, it had served its purpose, all that remained now was to deal with the incoming troops - a challenge that would prove harder to deal with.

Verdandi and her clones would be able to pinpoint a general direction of her presence and shuriken would be thrown at her as such. As the barrier didn't stop simple weaponry, the shuriken flew through the chakra barrier, hidden from her vision still by the seafoam. While the first one completely missed its guess, the second one bore itself into her leg, leaving a small wound, before she plucked it out and returned the favour by throwing it back from where it came. By the time the seafoam would be lifted, the spider would be ready to receive them.

---

707
Total: 2259

60/150:

Verd's tactics were far from over. She could feel the seafoam slowly subsiding but it also meant that her chakra was ready for another round of true clones. She'd use the moment it'd take for the seafoam to dissolve to create two new water clones. During her seals she could hear the noise of her own shuriken and thankfully to the seafoam dissolving she could move her head just as it went by her, leaving a gentle little cut on her cheek as a soft reminder that the Spider girl was pissed off. Verdandi wanted to make clear that she could be far more annoying than any kind of fly the spider ever encountered in terms of escaping her net or even starting to set it on fire.

The last of the ice spikes would rise from the floor in an almost film worth moment of dramatics. It would punch against the shield Haka was using to defend herself. But the beautiful part was. The very moment the seafoam finally subsided completely. The whole room would be covered in frozen floor, ice spikes all over the place and a total of 5 Verdandi's at the end of the room. Two normal shadow clones, two bodied water clones and one true solid princess. All of them began to move their palms in almost perfect sync. They were still at advantage and would use it as such. Even though making hand seals while being wounded sucks.

Four of the five Verdandi's had formed the seals for Water trumpet. Aiming it towards the shield to blast it away and eventually blast the person behind the shield back to the wall. Despite four water pumps being shot at Haka, only two of them were real. The two actually hurting ones came from her water clones. Verd had a different technique to show off at last. Water Palm Blade. The clones that were gushing the water trumpet streams at Haka would stride their aim a bit to the side, creating a free path in the middle. The idea was to lure Haka on a moment’s notice to charge for the middle in an attempt to escape the water being spat at her.

It wouldn't matter if she wanted to go up, down, left or right. Wherever she was and if so visible. Verdandi would toss her Palm blades at her best possible accuracy to intercept Haka and hopefully bury themselves into her flesh. Despite doing all this. Verdandi wouldn't really move as she was exhausted from the rather large chakra surge. But her advantage was. Haka had no idea that two of those clones were real and if so, she would need time to figure out which ones were fake and which ones were real bodies and well... which one was the only true original. Probably the one with the blades?


480 / 2910

Verd Chakra 55 / 150, Clones:

Like a curtain lifting to reveal the stage, the seafoam's disappearance revealed five Verdandi setting up for their own show of power. Would this be the climax of the battle? Gritting her teeth against the pain that throbbed in her right shoulder, Haka prepared to receive the worst. Five Verdandis moved to form a trumpet around their mouth, all seemingly intended to deal with the barrier standing in their way. Under loud noise, the last fragment of her shield shattered and disappeared as the chakra scattered to nothing, the blob reforming to orbit around her but a moment after as it rose from the icy cold near the frozen water floor.

It wouldn't stop there. One of the five Verdandi decided to throw in crescent shaped water slashes. Haka, who had expected it to be a shuriken, jumped to the side but as the first one cut off a few strands of her white hair, she understood it was worse than that. Knowing she was too fatigued to keep jumping back and forth, she commanded the blob to attack the origin of the water slices, forcing it to clash with the remainder of the incoming threat and nullifying both techniques in the process.

Now all that remained were the five Verdandi. A slow sigh could be heard coming from the spider, her breath forming little clouds due to the cooled air the ice floor had come to create. She had no direct means to deal with so many clones. Even if her own shadow clones could even out the fight, they were no physical manifestations and would thus only distract rather than harm. Her only advantage, and even then some, was that she knew which were shadow clones as they were unable to reproduce the trumpet technique, nor left a shadow behind in this real world. That still left three of them to deal with, of which two had to be 'real' clones.

There was but one way to deal with this. Taking out her senbon, five in each hand, she would throw them at the group, allowing them to fan out so as to strike the five Verdandi at the same time. This, at least, should clear out the shadow clones as they would either be hit or be forced to deal with their allies, possibly being pushed or knocked aside considering the small area of movement they would have in the room. As for the other three, Haka would observe their reactions in hopes to discover which one the real one was.

---

426
Total: 2685

OOC: pointers given on cooldowns, clone use of jutsu, jutsu interaction and adding of new jutsu during combat in DM.

40/150:

E Rank - Senbon:

Verdandi was already charging for her opponent when the senbons were thrown. This gave her little time to really defend against it. Verd lifted her right arm pointing at her sword in the wall. One of the water clones would thus not only avoid the senbon but also break formation and run towards the sword instead. The senbons blasted the two shadow clones into a puff of nonexistence. The water clone that was now charging ahead got hit by it but the damage would only half his durability. It however passed through the water-based body and thus made it clear to Haka that from the two Verdandi's now charging for her, the one in the front would be a damaged water clone while not far behind would be Verdandi's real body.

Verdandi's plan was easy enough. While the one that charged aside was about to haul her sword. The damaged clone would jump at Haka in another suicide move. Eventually clashing into one of her weapons and disperse. The splash of his body dissolving would cause a very short distraction as Haka would probably have to shield herself against the impact, eventually even close her eyes or squint them to not get the water clones body of fluid splat into her face. Within this distraction, Verd had pulled her Wakizashi forth and would charge in trying to slice from below left to top right, aiming at belly and arm.

By the time of impact between the two. The clone that moved aside would have reached the sword, taken some time to pull it out of the wall and return to its path in order to help the original body with the big fetched weapon. Both contestants seemed exhausted and almost empty of chakra. Verd could feel that all of her suiton techniques were depleted. She had but a last minor 'spell' left in her cards but it seemed like the finish of this battle would eventually be drawn in close combat battle.


330 / 3240

Verd Chakra 55/150, Clones 5/15:

Two clones turned to smoke. One more was hit by the senbon but its watery body didn't stop the projectile from passing through. And the last one was ordered to get her sword. The Ice Princess had commanded and the servant would follow. Haka knew enough. A swift stab from her obsidian dagger would end the clones existence as it willingly jumped on it, water splashing over her and wetting her long, white hair in the process. Water dripping from her face, the distraction was hardly sufficient to divert Haka's attention as the spider relied more on sound in this combat than sight, hearing Verdandi's feet get closer.

Isolated from her clone, and identified by the spider, Haka would not even wait for the two to clash. Molding chakra in her rmouth, she spit out her web jutsu, trapping the real Verdandi considering the close proximity and the speed of the technique. The girl would find herself clinging against the wall by the impact, her offence rendered void and the strings too strong for her to move freely or tear through. Having taken her sparring partner, all that left was a menial clone. Haka would dash up to him as it was still pulling the sword and by the time she arrived, she would launch herself at the clone, shifting to her spider form in the process and colliding with it. 44 Kg of arachnid terror would drive its fangs into the clone, forcing it to splash into water considering the strength of her bite, before she landed on the wall even more soaked than she already was.

Turning around to face the webbed Verdandi, Haka would have had all the time to finish her off now, but the exhaustion of the prolonged combat, the wound and the extensive chakra use forced the spider to remain still, eight legs trembling ever so lightly from the extensive training. She was at her limits and she knew it. As a spider, she was well aware that not all hunts succeeded and so not being able to finish this one was not something she was bothered with. In fact, it might have been better like this, since Sero had told her not to kill her, and so the spider preferred to opt out of the feast in favour of the healing baths.

Just for this moment... she needed to rest some.

---

401
Total: 3086

20/150:

As Haka impacted onto the poor little clone, it yet used it's last 'breath' to do finish the job she was asked for. The sword had been hauled from the wall and sent flying. Be the time Haka turned around she could see it fly towards Verdandi. With a simple spider like motion Verd would intercept the weapon with her puppetry strings. Making sure it got pulled back into her palm as Verd stretched her arm from between the holes in the web caging her. Normally it'd probably not be as easy to use a meagre blade to cut your way out of a situation like this. But while Verd was sawing her way out of the trap. She could see Haka slowly stumble in her step. Exhausted by their fight.

Having cut herself out off her sticky cage she was panting as well. Her palm wounded still giving her a rather unsure grip on the weapon she was holding. Legs trembled along. Her bloodlust that spiked during combat had been sated many minutes ago. Her chakra pool was emptying itself. She probably had another suiton and maybe some wind blowing ideas up her sleeve but at this point it'd be just two hurt people eventually hitting themselves until exhaustion would claim the both of them. It was over. There was no sense in trying to prove anything anymore. Verd sheathed the blade she had gotten from Sero's armoury. It really was a good one and it certainly took a bite out of Haka's shoulder.

There were many ways to end this now. She could have kneeled and negotiated. She could have admitted to a loss in peace to end the fight politically. She could have complimented her way into making Haka feel better or whatever. None of these ideas were befitting their situation nor their personalities. Verd figured that sheathing her blade would say more words than necessary. There was no need to strain the pride of either the contestants. She would however make her way towards the door. Humping a little. Expecting for Haka to follow. If she did, Verd would casually ask. "Where did you say was that healing bath you spoke about?" and would probably be unable to keep herself from laughing as they went out to search for it.

It was a good fight. Certainly, one that complimented their abilities so far but would also show them their imperfections. Something they would have to work on. To become the predators they aspired to be, in their very own ways and ideals.


430 / 3670

Watching how Verdandi was slowly trying to saw through the chakra web in quiet amusement, the spider gradually regained her breath. There was no need to say the two could no longer move on. One was stuck against a wall, delivered to the mercy of a natural predator, the other was too tired to move, lulled in a sense of pacifism due to the lack of life-threatening danger that came with the no killing accord imposed by Sero.

Eventually, after a long effort, Verdandi would break free from her little prison and Haka would assume her human form again. Verdandi would sheathe her blade, signalling on her end that she had enough of it just as well before moving to leave the training room. Haka would start to walk as well, hearing how Verdandi asked her where the baths were exactly, and as the two left the room, servants would walk in to clean up the mess they had made. Though it was mostly just water, cleaning up a 10 by 10 room would take up considerable time nonetheless.

Moving down the dark hallway of the manor, Haka turned right, continuing the hallway rather than returning to the entrance. The healing baths weren't too far off from the armoury. Haka remembered the first time she had been there. She had met Sero for the first time in the armoury, where she had tried to stab him with a kunai he had offered her as he explained the 'claws of man'. He had not taken kindly to this disrespect, pushing the spider-nin out of the armoury, through the air and slamming against the wall with the barest of movements before he explained her his wishes. He had then lead her to the same healing baths the two were now moving to.

Reaching the baths, the room revealed four large baths filled with cold water hiding under a layer of a wax-like coating. Haka would lean on by example, taking off her clothes and stepping into the baths. The layer of wax broke without resistance as the spider-nin's body vanished with everything but her head under the water, allowing the cold waters to slowly restore the wounds she had suffered from the blades' bite. Relaxing her body, the spider would close her eyes and soak until she was healed, her thoughts drifting to the battle that had just come to pass - the mistakes, the weaknesses, the strengths. All information reviewed and processed as the restorative liquid would do its job.

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424
Total: 3510

[EXIT]
OOC: Fast forwarding three posts, I guess :P

Training:

Verdandi could tell that Haka seemed amused by the way she had to break out of that technique. She probably could have gone with a technique but they were already exhausted as things stand. She couldn’t help but thwack Haka on her head on their way out for making fun of Dandi. Once they reached the baths, Verd would undress as well and slowly slide into the liquid. The strange wax looking kind of disgusting but healing baths didn’t have the word ‘spa’ or alike in it. So they would have to deal with the slightly less comfortable bath. Sinking in as the liquid was cold. Wonderful. Despite enjoying warm baths, cold was her natural habitat and it certainly helped her mend her wounds.

Verd would sometimes dip her head under water, at least enough to let the liquid get a proper burning sensation to her cheek. The cuts she had sustained were bearable. She was pretty sure that Haka had it worse on her shoulder. So either of them would stay in the baths for a long time. Maybe even meditate or… nap in Verdandi’s case. Dreaming of the way she fought and eventually trying to learn about her own mistakes in this battle. Trying to figure out what she should have done better. Pretty sure that she needed a proper weapon now too. Sero’s blade would have to be returned soon. Her power required a weapon that would reflect on the way she was now. Something that would compliment her. Something chilly and cool. Literally. She remembered auntie offering her a new toy if she ranked up. So hopefully she’d get it in time to have some fun with it around here.

After the baths. Sero had called for them. Invited the two younglings to join a game of sorts? Verdandi didn’t really understood the contents yet. They would get out of their baths, slip into clean clothes. They didn’t talk much since their spar but Verd kept a content smile on her lips. This was certainly useful for their own weird kind of relationship. Having beaten each other up once in a while has to strengthen the opinion of the other about one’s skills. Verd certainly wouldn’t underestimate her spider friend anymore. Not that she did before but now there was a clearer picture as to what she was capable of. Verd would grab her belongings and head past the door, towards the location where Sero seemed to have amassed a crowd for his speech…. What is Death Camp?

[EXIT]

430 / 4100

Training: