This was... Not what he'd been expecting at the start of all of this.
Joe had signed onto the Chunin Exams with the intent to simply be promoted to that eponymous rank, not to make a statement or to overcome some sort of mental challenge to make it this far. He could remember the words of Takao about how all of this was meant to be a learning experience, that no matter what, there'd be no wrong answers here. Joe still believed that to be true, yet even now, as he walked down the stairs within the thick walls of the arena, he could feel as though there was something bigger that was giving him butterflies in his stomach. He felt like even if he bombed this next match and was swatted aside, he'd still hold his head high- he still felt like he'd become stronger than so many others, including himself, ever thought he could. A clanless orphan who started near the bottom seed of the tournament working his way to the winner's semifinals- it was an underdog tale if anything... Still, if there was anything that being an orphan taught someone, it was that everyone was an underdog in their own way.
The Genin walked down the dark tunnel on the ground level of the arena. He never thought he'd ever make it this far, doing that, with so many other people in this year's exams, it was a feat in itself- hopefully his opponent would realize that too. He had defeated Yasube, the living puppet. He'd defeated Yokari, the Senju who'd sent him spiralling into his identity crisis. He'd defeated Ryo, in a grudge match that somehow meant more to him than the semifinals he was about to compete in. He knew Ting was fighting with him, they were part of the final four of the winner's bracket. Win or lose, they were the best of Konoha. There was a new goal in hs mind now, one that felt far away from him- but one that no longer felt impossible. What if he... What if he somehow won this whole thing? What if he pulled it off? The thought stuck in his mind as he walked down the hallway, at last emerging onto the opposite side of the arena from his opponent.
Joe adjusted the large, flowing shawl, that was wrapped from his shoulder to his hip. As he approached the proctor in the center of the arena, and his opponent, he would imbue it with a substitution jutsu, loosening its hold onto his body. He didn't know what kind of of a shinobi his opponent was, even though he was form Konoha. Joe didn't know him. His body was already raging with adrenaline, his hormones raging as he could feel the energy of the impending fight already coming at him in full force. Once the boy reached half a meter from the center of the arena, a full meter away from his opponent, the Proctor would look at them both intently, his voice speaking over the roaring crowd around them. His opponent, Zizan, would formally greet Joe with a traditional Konoha gesture- it was a friendly touch, one that the Genin would replicate. They might have been opponents here, but they were still to be friends and comrades.
"Now then, its the Semifinals, so anything goes. There's no tricks in this arena, no technical wins, just the two of you fighting until a victor can be decided. Ready?" the Jonin asked. Joe nodded, keeping his eyes on his opponent. With that, and a nod from Zinan, the Proctor would give the order,
"Then... BEGIN!".
Instantly, the boy would rocket forwards, activating two of his 'fastest' jutsu to blitz forwards towards Zinan that, when combined with his base speed, would cause Joe to move at 39 m/s. With the 1 meter between himself and Zinan, Joe would close the distance between them both in 0.02 seconds, a point blank rush that would cause Joe to blur out of the other Genin's vision due to the sheer speed difference and close distance between them both. It would appear as though the boy had simply teleported in front of the shinobi at to fast to see. Just as important, the sudden burst of speed that Joe blitzed with would cause the shawl on him to fall off from the whiplash effect, fluttering off of him and onto the ground where he originally was- leaving the substitution primed an ready for use.
As Joe would appear in front of Zinan, the boy's fist would rush towards his lower chest, coated by a swirling vortex of wind and lightning chakra. Joe would strike at Zinan's Solar Plexus with enough raw force to fracture it, causing him to lose control of his diaphragm, knocking the wind out of him as well as causing him to lose control of his ability to breath. Naturally, the strike would be excruciating to take as well, with all those juicey nerves in his chest suddenly becoming ruptured by the concussive strike. The punch would remain low, well below Zinan's eye level with the way that Joe would suddenly appear in front of him already using his speed to unleash the blow with such a small gap between its closed fist and the Genin's chest. If the blow did indeed hit, on top of the catastrophic pain it would cause, the force of the blow would knock him back up to ten feet, launching him airborne whilst Joe would prepare to follow-up.
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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.
Name: Wind Release: Breeze Step
Canon/Custom: Custom
Rank: D
Type: Supplementary
Element: Futon
Range: Self
Specialty: Ninjutsu, Chakra Control
Duration: Instant, effect lasts the same post it was activated.
Cooldown: 3 posts
Description: By balancing the active channeling of chakra towards the feet, as well as honing in on their own chakra control, the user is able to create small bursts of wind to 'step' with. This allows them to run up into the air as if climbing stairs, taking three steps before losing the charge in their feet. Alternatively, this ability can be used whilst on the ground to grant a sudden burst of speed in the desired direction, traveling at 15 m/s up to 15 meters away.
Name: Wind Rlease: Slipstream
Canon/Custom: Custom
Rank: D
Type: Supplementary
Element: Futon
Range: 20m
Specialty: Chakra Flow
Duration: 2 posts
Cooldown: 3 posts
Description: The user opens their tenketsu and uses them to create a thin sheen of air that pushes against the air around their bodies. This, in effect, causes the user to move through the air at higher speeds than would otherwise be possible, removing the air friction that their body causes. Able to move at a speed of 15 m/s, the user can dash towards an enemy, move to dodge an incoming attack, or otherwise obtain a short burst-of-speed to close a gap. This jutsu doesn't directly speed up the user's body, rather, the relation between their body and the air around them, easing it to increase the speed at which they can move. They do not generate any unwanted momentum, and are able to turn on a dime or zig-zag with great ease towards an opponent. This slipstream of compressed air that the user moves in is limited in being able to only move a set distance before fading away, up to 2 posts overall, or 20 meters, and can create a burst of movement once per post.
Name: Falcon Punch
Canon/Custom: Custom
Rank: C
Type: Offensive
Element: Futon/Raiton
Range: Melee
Specialty: Chakra Flow
Duration: Instant.
Cooldown: 2 posts
Description: The user generates a large amount of Raiton and Futon along one of their arms, creating a tumultuous vortex of energy that quickly forms. With this power created, the user lashes out with a furious blow, releasing the built up energy in a single strike. This attack causes the arm used to punch with to deal cutting as well as piercing damage along with the normal blunt, empowered by the dual elements coating it. This punch aims to punch through a target, or a defensive barrier, being delivered at the same speed as the user's basic strikes in exchange for all-out power. On an unprotected enemy, this blow is powerful enough to fracture bones whilst punching an inch into a normal person's flesh due to the hybrid damage of the ability, the sheer force of the blow being enough to knock an enemy back up to 10 meters away, rendering them airborne in the process. The sound of a bird of prey crying out can be heard as the punch makes contact with an enemy, as well as the chakra around the arm taking a shape similar to a bird.