Kenji was running madly as his life was in peril, “Crap! I guess I could’ve asked them in a more polite manner!” Kenji yelled as he sprinted along the mountain range, where he was conducting training and experiments. The severe uneven terrain forced the nimble shinobi to constantly perform great feats of agility as he moved fluently on the terrain as well as in the air. It was fear that was driving his coordination. All of a sudden the culprit doubled and there were two of them, one almost ripped Kenji’s arm off. “Those damned mountain lions.” Kenji went there to gain a contract with the mountain lions but they deemed him not worthy and chased him away after a few choice words from the arrogant shinobi.

After his last meeting with Ooame he received a great deal of information of the abilities that lied latent within him. Apparently Kenji was one of the strongest Chikara that had ever lived, or at least he had the potential to be. Kenji possessed the latent abilities that were prevalent in his ancestors and has been dormant for a long time, waiting for someone who was capable of controlling such great power. “You have the ability to become one with nature, I know you want to learn summoning but it’s simply not your path. Your path is to become the third Lion Sage.” Kenji, upset stormed out and refused to give up on summoning and that was when he made his way to the mountains to force the mountain lions to cooperate with him.

“Looks like its sage for me.” Kenji said disappointingly as he maneuvered his way down the mountains safe from the vicious lions. Now on even ground, Kenji trudged along through the frozen ground. Kenji was now heading back to see Ooame who was smiling as he sat and waited for Kenji’s return. “So you knew… they would chase me huh?” “No, but I know you.” Ooame replied as he stood up and grabbed two huge books that read Sage vol. 1 and 2 on the front. “Starting in a few days I will train you in the basics of Senjutsu. Then, if you do well, I will escort you back to the great Mountain ranges and introduce you to Kas’Lam. He will complete your training as a Lion Sage.” Kenji with labored breathing, “I read about Kas’Lam, he’s the big super mountain lion. I thought he was a summon creature.” Kenji accepted vol. 1 and opened it up to the first page, as Ooame placed the other volume on the table, “You’re referring to Kasfar, Kas’Lam’s grandson, and yes “Kasfar” is a summon creature. Kas’Lam however is actually a regular sized lion with blue fur and mane. I’ve personally sparred with him three times, he currently has the lead 2-1, he wasn’t fighting at full strength,” Ooame chuckled, “But I was.” Kenji looked at Ooame with a blank stare as he didn’t quite know what to make of all this.

Ooame stared at Kenji and his appearance began to change. Startled, Kenji took a few sudden steps backwards, “What’s going on?” He had read about how a sage’s physical properties change as they enter sage mode, but… Ooame, “Are… are you a Sage, the second Lion Sage.” Ooame’s appearance reverted back to normal, “Yes. Now take these books and review them. I want you to be familiar with the basics in three days.” A cocked eyebrow and slow turn was all Ooame got as a response, Kenji never took to showing much respect, and that’s probably the reason he almost was eaten alive earlier.

The weather was bitterer than usual today in Kumogakure, not a soul could be found outdoors, and if you were so lucky to find someone, they had on enough layers to suffocate and seemed incredibly uncomfortable. Kenji had recently moved out of his one bedroom apartment into a two bedroom house near the center of the village, as he entered his partially furnished home he swung off his stiff clothes and even stiffer body on his favorite blue couch. “I would get a coat rack if it wasn’t so convenient to just throw them on the sofa.” his backpack, which had the two massive books on senjutsu inside lied on the floor. Kenji’s face was sunk in the cushion; he lifted it up for a moment and shot a glance at his book bag. “Familiarize myself huh? After some hot chocolate I suppose.” Kenji struggled to sit up in the sofa, getting up was an even greater obstacle. First, he changed into something more comfortable; sweat pants and a turtleneck. He then made his way to the kitchen to prepare a steaming cup of rich hot chocolate smothered with mini marshmallows. The tired shinobi took time to take in the sweet aroma generated by the flavored boiling water, “Such a weird combination can create a wonderful product.”


Word Count: 843/5000

SAGE TRAINING: (2) WE’RE HAVING KENJI FOR DINNER?

Ever since Kenji saw Ooame briefly go into sage mode he has been looking forward to seeing Ooame in action. Neither Kenji nor any fellow clansmen he knows has ever seen Ooame fight, let alone fight in sage mode. So not only was Kenji looking forward to possibly seeing Ooame use jutsu but also see a sage in general in action. Overall, the skilled shinobi didn’t know what to expect, honestly he didn’t know what Ooame’s purpose was in his sage training. If Kas’Lam was the one to teach him senjutsu, what in the world was Ooame going to do. Kenji sheathed his katana and equipped himself with his belt that held his ninja pouch with his kunai shuriken inside, and on the side of his belt was his smoke bomb. The conceited shinobi looked in the mirror and made sure he saw perfection. Before exiting he scooped up his backpack that had a snack and the two books on senjutsu inside. “I can’t wait to return these things.”

Kenji was to meet Ooame in his office located near the rice paddy fields. The Chikari took his usual route to the place where he spent his child hood. “I would be content if I never saw the inside of his office again.” He said under his breath as he stood outside Ooame’s door, he then initiated a soft knock and proceeded to walk in. “Good afternoon Kenji, how are you? I take it you followed my instructions and read the two books.” Kenji squinted at the tall and solid man that currently sat in his huge leather chair with the clan symbol on the arms. “I’m fine, and yes, I did just as you requested.” Kenji mumbled more or less and he was getting the vibe that Ooame was taking pleasure in having Kenji admit to being obedient. He then raised both hands in excitement, “Shall we start” Ooame arranged and tidied a few papers on his desk and shot his head up, “Yes we shall, have a seat.” The impatient shinobi glared at Ooame then broke out in laughter, “I said let’s start, not sit. Seriously, we should begin, I promise I’m ready.” The head of the Chikari had a light smile on his face, “I know you are; we shall begin as soon as you take a seat. We’re meeting to have a consultation.” Face twitching, muscles tensing, Kenji was almost irate. And if he was a little crazier he would’ve expressed it. “I thought we were done with talking.” “We are, I assure this will be the last mandatory meeting we’ll have, but it’s imperative that I express what I am to express.” “…Just express it already!” Ooame chuckled at the youth’s impatience. “Have a seat.” Kenji placed his bag beside the chair he was to sit in; he removed the books from it and placed it on Ooame’s desk with a thump. “Is this the seat I am to take?” Kenji said sarcastically. “Now that you know the dangers and difficulty of obtaining Sage hood I will not have to emphasize the importance of obedience, patience, and at times being serious.” A look of disdain was shown as a reply; Kenji was moderately insulted that he was perceived to be so brash and imprudent he couldn’t understand the magnitude of being turned to stone. He sighed to let Ooame know he was not going to reply verbally and urged him to continue. “Kas’Lam has no intentions on babysitting.” Ooame’s tone was back to its solemn nature, “He’s not like other sages, and he has no stock in seeing you succeed; meaning, if you for one moment show signs of your colorful character… he might kill you for ostensibly wasting his time.” Time stopped as the stakes of his ensuing training took on another level of jeopardy. Kenji spoke with escalating tone “Let me get this straight, not only do I have to worry about becoming a statue, but I also have to take in account some overly sensitive fur ball. Who, on a whim, might lose his britches and attack me with intent to kill. Is that about right?” Kenji stared at Ooame with disbelief and anger, he awaited a response. A few moments went by that felt like eternity. Ooame responded plainly, “Correct.” He placed his elbows on his desk and interlocked his hands so he could rest his chin there; leaning in, “Now can you understand why this is an important portion of your training?” Kenji didn’t bother to answer the rhetorical question, but yes, he could. He was actually quite grateful. “If I didn’t have this warning, if I didn’t have the opportunity to prepare… I would be getting picked out of the teeth of a lion.” Thoughts of death and his alternate future swarmed around his head, he broke the loop by speaking aloud. “Well, I never took to kindly to lions; I suppose it’s only fair.” He joked to alleviate the tension of his would be imminent death; even Ooame allowed himself to chuckle quietly. “Frankly, the Kasfarian lions do not like the Chikari. We are the only people, who can tame them, but we do it with genjutsu, and as fearsome fighters they don’t take too kind to ‘trickery’. They commend those who are excellent in hand to hand combat, but no one can beat a battle savvy gargantuan mountain lion who can shoot bolts of lighting from his mouth and move with blinding speed with those tactics.” Kenji laughed at the idea of anyone beating such a beast, but supposedly Ooame had gotten a win over one. “I concur, but you said Kas’Lam was a regular size lion.” “He is, but what he lacks in size he makes up with his chakra control. Kas’Lam is the only one of the Kasfarian giant lions who has become a true sage. That is because of his smaller size, which makes it easier to balance his physical, spiritual, and natural energy. The majority of Kasfarians; due to their immense size, expectedly have incredible physical energy, and also have incredible spiritual energy as they are able to use powerful elemental ninjutsu. These huge physical and spiritual energies make it almost impossible for them to add natural energy to the mix. However, Kas’Lam being a sage grants him the same strength and speed as his counterparts, making him the ultimate Kasfarian and has held the title for centuries. Also, the Kasfarians in general have given up on becoming lion sages themselves seeing as they are already extremely powerful.” Reveling in the information he was gathering, “I’m glad we had this meeting, this has been the most significant seeing as my life was salvaged as a result.” The two exchanged smiles as Ooame seemed to be impressed by Kenji’s ability to sustain such a light disposition while knowing the danger he was soon to confront. “And I indeed do comprehend the severity of what is to come, I will act accordingly.” “You do not know how glad I am to hear you say that.” The two continued to talk a little bit more, about Kasfarians and Cha’lamians, as well as trivial conversation. The meeting was soon concluded. Kenji was notified he was to begin his voyage in a week to the highest mountain range to meet Kaslam, he assumed it was sky point, but there was apparently another mountain range that is secret. It borders the rice paddy fields, it was the mountain range that he was on a few days ago when he was being chased by some Kasfarians, but Kenji thought he had reached the peak when he spoke with some of the Kasfarian representatives. To his disbelief, there was another 4 kilometers that has been shielded from the eyes using a powerful genjutsu that is nearly unbreakable, this was another reason only the Chikari could communicate with the Kasfarians, as they had the ability to cancel any genjutsu with their kekkai genkai. If Kenji had went a little further he would’ve entered the genjutsu and felt the disturbance in his chakra. But he hadn’t even made it far enough to get caught in the vision impairing genjutsu due to the lions attempting to rip him to shreds. Now, Kenji didn’t want to be a sage so much as it would increase his overall ability in battle, but more so to defy the almost insurmountable odds that had been set before him. Becoming a sage was already a difficult task, proven by how few sages existed, but now he had to deal with a particular sensitive and bloodthirsty lion sage that happened to be a wild and ferocious lion. The motivated shinobi began making mental preparations for what was to come while he made his return to the gates of Kumogakure.




Word Count: 3434/5000

SAGE TRAINING: (3) A LION SAGE’S MUTUALITY

Kenji had a whole week to back out of his ambition to be the Third Lion Sage, he constantly evaluated the idea of being a sage, and risks he was going to have to face in order to achieve said goal. “Anything worth having is not going to come easy” Kenji often resorted to clichés when nervous or unsure, and having his life on the line in more ways than one was more than enough to cause him to be a little apprehensive. Ooame was going to make a rare trip to the village, well the outside of it anyway as he was set to meet Kenji outside the village gates. The two Chikara were going to hike the formidable mountain range that was home to the “Great King of the Sages”, that was the name Ooame told Kenji Kas’Lam demanded others call him. “He’s not only sensitive, but conceited; we’re definitely not going to get along.” Kenji finished packing his duffle bag with a weeks worth of clothes. He had a few snacks, but they would only last a few days, other than that, he’s was going to have to eat like a lion during his stay. He of course equipped himself with his weapons and the like just in case he had to defend himself obviously. And like Ooame told him, the Kasfarians hate genjutsu, and Kenji was indeed a genjutsu specialist, but he was not quite good enough to hold off giant mountain lions; therefore, it was still in his best interest to lie as low as possible. The exact name of the location Kenji would be undergoing his sage training was, “Kasfarian Den”. “Very inviting” Kenji said to himself sarcastically as he went over the name to make sure he had the right pronunciation. Kenji was told they liked to hear the name of their home as much as possible, it was becoming clear that all the Kasfarians were very arrogant, much like Kenji, from this point on Kenji made a point not to be as arrogant, as he never wanted to be compared to a giant furry lion. “Looks like it’s time to head out, no need waddling around anymore.” The shinobi slid on his backpack and placed the strap of his duffle bag over his left shoulder. As the sun illuminated the young shinobi’s face he relished in the near perfect weather, a bizarre occurrence to say the least in the chilling environment of Kumogakure. “A sage huh, I wonder how people will treat me; probably no different… Nah, they’re going to be praising me, I’m sure of it. I just can’t wait. What will I call myself, maybe the ‘Ultimate Sage’ or ‘Kenji the Third Lion Sage’, no matter, I have time.”

Waiting for the ever confident shinobi was the head of the Chikari. Ooame waved him on, “We have to move, we’re already running late.” Just as he said that Ooame was gone and already several meters up ahead. Never one to be outdone in speed, Kenji matched him and sprinted alongside his ‘mentor’ and made their way to the Kasfarian Den. “Ooame, why have you decided to accompany me.” Ooame gave him a puzzled look, “Because of what happened recently with you and the Kasfarians of course, the Kasfarians are very stubborn and tend to hold grudges. That being said, they’re not going to be happy to see you.” Kenji scoffed at needing protection from a few lion cry babies. Kenji was well aware that they were at least 3 times his size and thought it wise for now to comply with their wishes, whatever they may be. That in itself might turn out to be the most difficult aspect of his sage training. The two quickly reached the visible peak, on the way Ooame had to calm several Kasfarians, and he even restrained one by going into sage mode. Anyway, they were at the genjutsu that made the rest of the mountain range and the Kasfarian Den invisible. Instead of using my kekkai genkai, Ooame used his precise chakra control to free Kenji from the genjutsu by touching his shoulder.

What appeared short after was nothing short of spectacular. The den seemed to stack up to the heavens. There was also a silver and gold sheen to the exterior of the place where Kenji would train to become a sage. It was truly grand with statues of the past Lion Sages carved into the mountains that surrounded the magnificent and enormous den. The den had several floors visible from the outside; it had an apparent rigid surface with very few smooth surfaces. Near the top floors was a flat arc that extended way beyond the highest stack of the den. Kenji stood and gazed in awe with his mouth gaping, and almost drooling. He shook his head as he became aware of his unbecoming state, “If you think this is impressive, wait till you see the inside.” Ooame said with an indifferent expression, “This is as far as I go, my last visit left a sour taste in Kas’Lam’s mouth, and he’d probably bite my head off if he caught a glance of me.” Kenji nodded his head, and as their presence became known, the giant lions peeked their heads out of the even larger den to see who had dared to come this far. A few jumped out of the openings of the den and let out ear shattering roars that brought Kenji to his knees in agony. Out of the corner of his eye he could see that Ooame was relatively unaffected by the staggering outburst of raw vibration. He then gestured to his ears, “I’m partially deaf.” he said with a shrug. Kenji smirked in response as he gripped his ears and pressed them as tightly as he could. Then extended his left arm and announced with a booming voice of his own, “Kasfarians of the Kasfarian Den meet your newest Lion sage trainee, he honors and respects the magnificence that is the Kasfari.” A loud purr of acceptance swept through the area and all of a sudden the pain to his ears was healed and he had no effects of the previous roar. “And I am.” Ooame interrupted him with a forearm to his back that sent him back to his knees, he then crouched down, “Do not speak, even when spoken to, use body language, not words. They will often find some flaw in your speech and take it as disrespect. And do not make any sudden movements.” “I thought you were one for details, how did you let that little piece of information slip your mind.” Kenji whispered angrily. Kenji stood erect and made his way inside, Ooame watched as he approached the doors of the den.

The doors were as gray as thunderclouds, it was more of a passageway than a door given the size of them, and just by looking at them it was obvious to Kenji he did not have the strength to open such a monstrosity. There were two gold rectangular plates where knobs should be. Out of nowhere a Kasfarian flashed in beside him, Kenji was tempted to reach for his sword or at least jump back, but he remembered what Ooame told him, so he used his nerve to remain still as the lion that stood about 3 feet above his head while on all fours breathed over him. The giant lion put one paw on the plate with seemingly no force and the doors flew open causing a resounding noise. A shimmering floor complemented by a glossy ceiling as well white walls with weird and unknown symbols. There was a hole in the middle of the ceiling that peered into the next floor that had from what Kenji could see, an ominous yellow glow. “This place sure is appealing, unfit for a bunch of…” Kenji couldn’t believe he let those words slip out aloud, every giant lion, about seven, stared into Kenji bare soul, “for a worthless and incompetent sack of camel dung like me.” It looked as if they were smiling, “That was close.” A hatch was lifted and from it raised a rather small lion compared to the giants; he had a smooth and blue coat that shined gloriously. “That must be Kas’Lam, don’t look like much.” Kas’Lam suddenly vanished. “Where did he go?” Kenji thought in a perplexed state. Kenji then felt a nail scrape across the back of his neck. Right before he was scratched he knew there was only one place he would appear and thus braced himself for whatever Kas’Lam did, for his sake it was just a scratch. “You are dull enough to know that the main weakness is the back, therefore assumed that’s where I would be. But as an expert hunter I just need to be close, it’s irrelevant if you know where I’d be; now you are at my mercy; mainly because you didn’t take your chance to leave your current position.” He circled Kenji and then stopped in front of him, “Eat him, he’s not worthy.” Kenji used the scratch earlier to trigger a substitution and was able to delay it long enough to hopefully fool Kas’Lam into thinking it was too late to use, but he was surely unaware of the substitution he placed on the door when he walked in. A puff of smoke appeared, and in an instant Kenji was on top one of the giant lions’ head with his weapon drawn, “Eat me? Go ahead. But you’ll have to sweep up your buddy’s head first.”

Kas’Lam lifted his paw and Kenji could sense a powerful wind stirring up, Kenji with his wind affinity sensed it and used his agility to propel himself through the hole that led to the next floor, the burst of wind toppled the giant lion he was standing on, it didn’t hurt that mammoth lion, but that was sure to break several of Kenji’s bones if he was hit. He was now on the second floor, the ambiance was almost eerie. A smirk came onto Kenji’s face as he realized what this room was for. This blue light that filled the room was thick, and was actually some sort of mist, “This substance is the same shade of blue that Kas’Lam’s fur is, he uses this room for stealth. Let’s see what you got Kas’Lam.” As soon as he felt a hint of the Lion sage attacking he slipped back through the hole and as he slid down he left The Great Lion Sage a present. Kenji was falling to the floor of the den, and above him, a great explosion. But now, Kenji was in the center, surrounded by10 Kasfarians. Kenji would dash at one and drew his weapon once again to threaten the lion, as soon as the lion prepared his attack Kenji leaped out of the way and the pulverizing lightning bolt headed and hit another lion. At this point Kenji was a little less than 5 meters away from another giant lion, “Why do they have to be so massive?” This particular Kasfari was opening his mouth but there was no lightning chakra being built up, “Oh shit! It’s that deafening roar.” Kenji quickly released two kunai into the lion’s mouth that caused him to cancel the jutsu as well as choke for a moment. “What’s that sound, another lightning bolt” After leaping straight into the air he spun around to find the culprit, he then launched two exploding kunai. The Kasfari sent it back with a roar that caused the shinobi to be thrown back into the wall. The explosion did cause a bit of commotion; in it Kas’Lam fell down and cleared the smoke, and unleashed an upward roar that that lifted the Kasfarians off their feet, and lifted Kenji all the way to the ceiling. “That’s enough. You’re stupid, but your confidence is baffling.” Kenji fell on his butt, “In order to be a Lion sage, you need supreme confidence in your abilities. And you have that. There can’t be a shred of doubt or fear, you must be able to go up against giant lions and expect to win.” Kenji smiled, “Ooame told me all that stuff to see if I really believed in myself, or if I would change because of some grumpy lions.” The Great Lion Sage snarled, “Even though it’s a requirement, doesn’t mean we don’t have a bit of a temper, and we have no intention on changing.” Kenji stood up and met Kas’Lam’s stare. “I take it you already know the basics, we’ll go to the third floor so you can practice your meditation and chakra regeneration. If you succeed you will have an increase in your chakra reserve.”

The third floor was the plainest so far; the floor, walls, ceiling, was all a bright and endless white. There were a few monuments that resembled other big cats. It took Kenji four days to successfully mold sage chakra. Every time he almost lost the balance completely he was struck with a bullet of wind right to the back of his head. Kenji knew it was going to be difficult but he expected to get it soon. Kenji had to clear his mind and his body, and truly concentrate on what was going on around him, but not with his eyes, but with his being. While Kenji practiced his meditation and balance, the lions mostly ate and slept. Ooame was honest when he said that they don’t care to see him succeed. The lions also made a plethora of sly remarks that hinted to their hatred of genjutsu. However, on the fourth day Kenji was able to successfully control his natural energy in unison with his spiritual and physical energies. When he became one with nature he felt like everything was slowed down, and his body was able to react so much quicker to things around him. “As predators, strength is only part of the battle; it is indeed, speed and anticipation that gives us strength, the faster the strike, the stronger it is. All lion sages are granted with an unbelievable sense of their surrounding allowing them to respond to threats almost automatically, and in addition to that, they are also gifted with incredible speed allowing them to pounce on their prey with alacrity.” Kenji spent the next few days increasing the rate at which he could mold his sage chakra. His training had come to an end and he was now a sage, not a powerful one, but a sage none the less. “I must say, you achieved unity with nature easily. It took Ooame three times as long to get to this stage. Anyway, you will come back here a month from now, where we’ll meet on the fourth floor and then we will work on your chakra regeneration rate, and get you a step closer to tapping into the ultimate talent of a Sage, Sage mode.” Mild disappointed covered Kenji’s face, as he was not truly content on his progress thus far, and wanted to keep training immediately so he could reach Sage mode. But through his training, Kenji has involuntarily become more patient and cerebral in general. “I don’t mind the wait because I know when I come back I’ll be more than ready to tackle any task, nothing is going to stop me from becoming one of the most revered sages.” Kas’Lam smirked, “Spoken like the first Lion Sage.”


Word Count: 5000/5000
+938 Leftover (To be used for C rank)
Senjutsu Training> D rank Complete!!!!!!!

SAGE TRAINING: (4) WHAT’S TRUTH GOT TO DO WITH IT?

Kenji had concluded the beginning of sage training, and he was technically a sage, the Third Lion sage. Despite this monumental occasion Kenji wanted to know more of the history of the Lion sage and what else Ooame might have embellished. His last day in the Kasfarian Den was a day of rest; he gathered his belongings and made his way down the cumbersome terrain of the mountain range. He actually got along with a few of the Kasfarians, not all of them were uptight. “I’ve never travelled across a mountain as a Sage before.” Kenji said to himself as he began his trip back home. Now that he was a sage he wondered if Ooame might agree to a spar so he could see Ooame’s sage mode in action. They were both lion sages, he had to agree.

The wind began to pick up as he approached the base of the range, now that he was a sage, he was has found himself unbothered by conditions that usually made him cringe. Kenji already loved nature before he became a sage, but there were certain idiosyncrasies that nature had that even annoyed him. Like when a blistering wind stirs up and numbs his ears and other limbs, but ever since becoming a sage, his natural energy as well as his kekkai genkai had made him much more resilient to such conditions and many others. That level of adaptations should have taken years of exposure to become immune, but when it came to things related to nature, he always had a fast learning curve.

Kenji decided to head home, get some rest, and some delicious food before confronting Ooame; demanding more information. The shinobi was almost ecstatic to enter his relatively empty two bedroom house. The den was a wonderful and almost fantastical place, but it wasn’t the most comfortable, upon reflection, it was really just a luxurious cave. It was indeed a place for lions not humans. By time he returned, it was late evening, Kenji was glad because now he didn’t have to sleep in the day time. When he awoke, after a long and exhilarating shower, he went out to treat himself to a fine breakfast at one of the most prestigious breakfast diners the village had to offer. He had only eaten there once before, and it was amazing, he had to save up his money from 5 missions to have enough to eat there. Kenji was quite the chef himself, so he often prepared his own meals, but every now and then he chooses to go out for sustenance. He didn’t stay out long as his anticipation to learn more about the history of the past Lion sages began to reach a crescendo.

Ooame was standing outside his office and waved at the incoming Kenji. The shinobi halted as he didn’t expect Ooame to waiting outside, he then revved up and approached Ooame with purpose. The tall Lion sage gestured Kenji to stop, “I know, say no more. I am more than willing to accommodate your thirst for knowledge. But please, let’s do this among nature; it is growing quite stuffy in my office fellow Lion Sage.” Kenji chin rose at the proposition, he nodded in acceptance and allowed his mentor to take the lead. “I take it your training went well. I presume you are interested in the Lion Sage before me and my own journey to achieving the title of Lion Sage.” “Yes and why only the Chikari can be Lion Sages.” Ooame nodded and began the expository. “First, Chikari are not the ‘only’ ones who can become Lion Sages. Actually, the first Lion Sage was not of Chikari lineage. However, today Chikari are the best candidates due to our ability to endure the harshest conditions of the Kasfarian Den, their deadly high altitude, the altitude of the Kasfarian Den makes Sky Point feel like sea level, yet we feel no difference. Other than that, we are naturally in tune with nature due to our ancestor’s extending stay among the highest peaks of the mountains here in Kumogakure today.” Kenji was satisfied; he stuck his hands in his pockets as he walked along the courtyard. Kenji squirmed a bit as he felt vulnerable without his katana or any of his other ninja tools on him. “Don’t keep me waiting, who was the first Lion Sage.” “Honestly, not much is known about him. Most of the things we think we know are mostly myth and legend. Kas’Lam knew him personally, but always berates me and says I am not worthy to know of such a great man. If you really want to know who the first Lion Sage was, I suggest asking Kas’Lam. He seems to have taking a liking to you. Your quick ascension to reaching unity with nature was impressive and that should be enough to gain you favor with him; and as a result he will most likely tell you whatever you want to know.” Kenji stopped and Ooame soon followed and looked back at him with a blank expression, “When I finished my initial training, he compared me to him, he said to himself, but I was able to hear him, ‘Spoken like the first Lion Sage.’ At the time I didn’t know what to make of it and simply took it as a complement.” “Wow that is the highest praise you can receive from Kas’Lam other than being compared to Kas’Lam himself.”

Once the two finished their conversation and walk and said their farewells, Kenji was more eager than ever for the month to be over so he could return to the Kasfarian Den. He had researched the myths Ooame alluded to, the first Lion’s Sage’s family history was obscure; in terms of his strength, he was revered as the strongest sage to ever live and actually fought alongside Kasfarians and was able to match their ferocity while in sage mode. Kenji while at the den learned to read their handwriting that covered the walls of the first floor, and it stated roughly that the most elite and talented Lion Sage’s were accompanied by a Kasfarian, they would receive the Kasfarian when they’re a cub and raise them and build a rapport. Now that Kenji thought he saw several Kasfarian cubs that have, and for ages the cubs have stayed with their parents and such since there hasn’t been a Lion sage who has proven themselves worthy. Adjacent to the den was a compound where all the Kasfarian lionesses resided; non Kasfarians were not allowed to see them.

Kenji had yet to try out his increased chakra pool and Sage abilities, and he didn’t necessarily want to as he was still a novice sage, and he wasn’t quite ready to go around bragging about his achievement, as other than the hype of being a sage, he didn’t have much to show for it at the moment. That was his motivation, he wanted to be the greatest sage ever, and before he even left the Kasfarian Den he began intense meditation routines. He was determined to do whatever it took to become skilled sage. Ooame told him everything else he wanted to know about being a Lion Sage could be acquired from Kas’Lam, so he would have to wait until he traveled back to the den to gather the rest of the information pertaining to being a Lion Sage.


Word Count: 2210/6000

Being a sage definitely had its benefits, even though Kenji couldn’t enter sage mode yet and access the true power of a Lion Sage, his increased chakra pool which slightly circumvented his below average stamina and the chakra regeneration ability was useful in combat. He tried his best to utilize those skills in a subtle manner so that it wouldn’t be obvious that he was a sage, he didn’t really want to announce it until he had finished his training. However, everyday he took out time to meditate in the wilderness of Kumogakure to prepare himself to advance as quickly in his sage training as possible. He would spend hours in the presence of nature, which wasn’t really new to him; he had always felt a strong connection with nature. With his eyes closed and completely still he would tap into his sage chakra and utilize the natural energy to augment his physical capabilities. Not quite “utilize”, he could feel the power surging through him but he couldn’t quite use it because he had to remain still, and he wasn’t good enough to remain one with nature while moving.

If was just another day of meditation for Kenji along the mountains of Kumogakure, then while meditating he heard a disturbance. “Someone’s in trouble!” Another scream echoed, he was able to locate where the sound came from, he quickly ran in that direction. Within moments he was able to see what the problem was, some bandit group was terrorizing the people of the rice paddy fields, the other Chikara must have been on their weekly hike, and they obviously knew it. “That’s not an adequate introduction.” There were about 8 bandits total, they all turned to look at the shinobi standing atop the roof of a house. One pointed a kunai at him, “Stay out of this, we’re going to take what we want, and if you care about their lives and yours, you’ll keep your stupid blue-haired self out of it.” Kenji was extremely proud of his hair and he began running his fingers through it. He knew that the bandit must have been jealous because there could be no flaw found in his blue hair, which was one of life’s certainties. “Alright, alright relax.” Kenji reached in his pouch that was on the back of his waist; he jumped down and took out a smoke bomb, with Kenji’s speed all he needed was a minor distraction to ravage anyone in a 10 meter radius without them even knowing it. He twirled the bomb around in his fingers and slammed it into the ground, when his body concealed he made the hand seals for his “Heavenly Spiral” genjutsu and sent it for one of the bandits, he then followed up with a kunai aimed at his chest, in the same motion he drew his weapon and blitzed another bandit to his far left. He delivered a vicious slash to across his body sending him to the ground, and at the same time the other was also falling to the ground. “Hey, I was able to beat the kunai.” There were six more, and they were now huddled together planning to attack Kenji all at once. He swiftly strung together his hand seals for his “Fantasy Mirror” jutsu, a genjutsu that reversed everything in the foe’s line of sight. He extended his Glove of Reflection and upon the bandits seeing their reflection they would be caught in his genjutsu. Soon after he unleashed four kunai at four of the bandits, they would see the kunai flying in the opposite direction so they wouldn’t dodge. He then blitzed the other two with his katana and kunai. He purposely missed their vital organs; all the bandits were now lying on the ground moaning in pain. “Aw shut up, I didn’t even hit you guys that hard.” One of the bandit took off his shirt and revealed some type of armor he had underneath, “Dang it. I shouldn’t have used so many jutsu in succession.” Kenji threw a flash bomb to temporarily blind the resilient bandit, he used the opening to hide behind one of the homes, there he meditated and was able to regain some the chakra he had spent. The bandit took so long to even approach his location he was able to regain 15, chakra. As the bandit was rearing the side of the building he was on, he jumped straight up to the top of the building without making a sound and then jumped off to land behind the bandit, the criminal saw it coming. The thief put a side kick right into Kenji’s stomach. As Kenji hit the ground he rolled to his feet and dashed at the assailant in a zig-zag pattern he hit the culprit and used his “Phantom Strike” to decrease his reflexes for the next several minutes. “It sure is great being a sage; I can use so many jutsu without worrying as much about chakra.” Kenji acrobatically leaped backwards, he then launched his last kunai at the last bandit standing, and due to his decreased reflexes he was just unable to avoid the projectile. “Who are you?” The bandit said in disbelief. Kenji drew his katana preparing to deal the final blow, “I’m just a shinobi.” Kenji said nonchalantly. “I suggest you and your crew start running now, you don’t want to see me get serious.” The bruised and battered bandits struggled to their feet and used all their strength to flee the rice paddy fields. The bandit that lasted the longest was the only who didn’t flee, “Just a shinobi huh?” Then surprisingly the bandit performed a shunshin and vanished. Kenji smiled, “So he knew ninjutsu, why didn’t he use it?”

After the skirmish, he stayed around to calm the locals, whom many were close friends of his. “Kenji when did you become so strong?” Beginning to blush, he lowered his head to conceal it, “That was nothing, they were just a band of thugs, plus I would never let anyone hurt you guys.” The exchange was followed by a warm embrace; he consoled all that had to endure the ordeal. Kenji finally got a chance to use his sage technique of regenerating chakra in combat, and it was a situation where it was critical that it was successful. Kenji now felt for the first time he made the right decision in deciding to become a sage.


Word Count: 3292/6000

Kenji had been meditating and practicing his chakra regeneration, but his run in with those bandits a few days ago was the first time he actually fought since becoming a sage. Kenji was interested in the other things he could do with his new chakra. A plethora of ideas bombarded his brain: Running elemental sage chakra through a katana, Extend sage chakra into someone else’s brain to use powerful genjutsu, he soon denounced most, as achieving sage mode was his current priority, that and learning more information about the first Lion Sage.

Time was flying, he was only a few days away from visiting the Kasfarian Den once more, this time he wasn’t going to leave until he unlocked sage mode and became a true Lion Sage. This time he didn’t pack much even though this stay was going to be much longer than the last. The reason being, the Kasfarians have clothes for those who train to be Lion Sages, now are they stylish, or even comfortable, NO! But he figured if he was going to become a true Lion Sage he might as well dress like one and possibly eat like one. He was going to be gone for about four months, which made it necessary to formally say goodbye to his friends and family as this would be a long time he would have to spend where his only socialization would be with giant lions.

“I’m back.” Kenji announced as he walked up to the massive doors, he used a little trick he developed, he channeled lightning infused sage chakra through his katana and it forced the doors open. He proceeded to strut into the first floor. “Hey, Kasfara” “Kenji, you’re back. How have you been?” Kenji looked up, “Fine, just fine. I’ve been spending most of my time meditating strengthening my link with nature.” “That’s great, I must admit, I have yet to see a sage as determined and skilled as you.” Kenji laughed, “Cut it out, I can’t even use ninjutsu, all I have really is speed and illusions.” Kasfara crouched down, “Yea, but you have great aptitude in senjutsu, your spiritual energy is average, but your ability to control natural energy is something special.” Kenji, despite all his arrogance never considered himself ‘special’, he just was confident in what he ‘knew’ he was capable of. He was competent in general ninja skills, but he was apparently gifted in sage skills. Kenji reverted back to his brash self, “I keep trying to tell people I’m something special.” They both laughed, they went on to greet a few other Kasfarians, and he was informed that Kas’Lam was currently waiting for him on the 4^th floor. The eager Sage master in training threw his bags in the corner of the 1^st floor of the den and fervently rushed to the 4^th floor. This would be his first time on the 4^th floor; this was where he would take his ability to regenerate his chakra to the next level. Kenji had already become skilled with regenerating chakra while in combat and knew he was only but a few steps away from taking his skill even further. Kenji passed through the glowing blue second floor that was intended to increase Kas’Lam’s ability to ambush opponents; then he went through the plain white floor where he obtained the super human concentration and balance needed to mold sage chakra. When Kenji left the Kasfarian Den last, he perfected those skills the best he could by himself.

The 4^th floor was dark and mesmerizing, as the walls were sprinkled with some lustrous material, a similar substance swam through the air as if they were walking among stars. Periodically a massive light would be emitted illuminating the entire room. When the flash happened Kenji could see cracks in the walls that due to their shape let in a whistling wind that serenaded everyone in the room. This was apparently Kas’Lam’s sleeping quarters. Then, suddenly all the twinkles gathered at the top of the ceiling, and waiting for them was a crystal ball that absorbed the light and provided constant light for those in the room. “That’s better.” Kenji said to himself.

From what Kenji had been told, he was going to learn the more specialized uses of being a Lion Sage. After Kenji had greeted his teacher, he began his lecture. “The Lion Sages specialize in chakra flow, when in the hands of a mere human; they can utilize this ability to channel senjutsu chakra through their body or weapon.” Kenji face lit up as that is exactly what he intended use his senjutsu chakra for. “For your case you will be able to perform tremendous feats with your weapons that will make you a force to be reckoned with. Also, as a Lion sage if you learn ninjutsu, once you acquire ninjutsu you will have access to a unique set of ninjutsu. Finally, just by using natural energy you will be able to perform immensely powerful genjutsu.” “That’s awesome, well; I’ve already begun using my senjutsu to augment my Kenjutsu.” Kas’Lam appeared to be impressed. “By the way, I been thinking and would like to know more about the first Lion Sage.” Kas’Lam growled, it sounded like it was a growl of sadness. “Kaliji, he was truly a great sage, greater than me.” Kenji was shocked, “Greater than Kas’Lam, Kaliji was his name.” Kas’Lam cleared his throat, “How about we save the story of Kaliji for when you gain sage mode.” Kenji wanted to know now, but he thought it wise not to pry at the moment, heck, he would have months to learn about Kaligi. “For now, why don’t you head out to the training ground and spar with a few Kasfaris and warm up.” A petrified look was on Kenji’s face, “He said it so casually, my last encounter with those giants was fluke. Get a grip, he likes confidence.” “Alright, no problem” As Kenji turned around his face was completely flushed.

The training ground was one of the few flat and smooth surfaces of the mountain peak; the field was about 25 meters in radius and 50 meters from one end to the other. It was a circular field that had been seemingly carved into the mountains. There were a few spots on the plateau that were rough around the edges and had an elevation from the ground of about 5 meters. Kenji strolled over to the training field and swaggered onto the stage with his katana sheathed on his hip. His blue hair flowed in the sporadic bursts of wind. As Kenji waited for a Kasfarian to join him he examined the surface by stomping the ground and sliding his feet across the plain. The temperature suddenly dropped and shiver ran through Kenji as he disregarded the cold as he no longer bothered by such minute flares in the weather. It was going to take something much more extreme to fluster Kenji at this point. Then, in the blink of an eye a Kasfarian appeared. Just like the rest, he was gigantic, and most likely possessed incredible speed and strength. Kenji placed his left hand on the handle of his katana, “Are you ready?” The lion threw his head back as he laughed hysterically and then shook his head in disbelief and replied, “I think so…you?” Kenji moved at impressive speed, but even at this pace it was still dwarfed compared to the speed the Kasfarians were capable of. The lion in one lunge launched himself at Kenji, he leaped over him. While he was out of sight he transformed into a giant lion. When the lion turned around he squinted at Kenji, as he was now just as big as he was. Kenji jumped over the lion and while above the lion he undid the transformation and sent his katana at the middle of his back. The giant lion had a look of apathy on his face, “Very well, come get it now.” He crouched down, Kenji leaped onto his back and removed his sword; the sword barely penetrated the skin.

If the giant lion would have used an ounce of his speed or any ninjutsu he would’ve torn Kenji apart. “If I achieve Sage mode will I really be able to hold my own against one of these beasts.” He sure hoped so because if he could defeat an animal like this, he was sure to be able to protect his village. Kenji was unsure why he had chosen to become a sage, his mentor saw something unique within him, and so has the other Kasfarians including Kas’Lam. “I guess they know something I don’t.”

Kenji climbed the den so he could go straight to the 4^th floor, where Kas’Lam was lying down sleeping. “WHAT’S NEXT?!!” Kas’Lam didn’t even move an inch; instead minutes went by before he slowly rose up and began to yawn. “Begin meditating” Kenji followed the instructions given to him. He sat on the ground and crossed his legs with his eyes closed. “What you want to do is mix your natural energy with your other energies faster, it will take much more control and concentration, once you get the hang of it you will be able to mold the senjutsu chakra at this rate with ease and regenerate your chakra at a much greater rate as a result. And you just repeat this process when you want to be able to regenerate more chakra at once.” The blue-haired sage nodded and began altering the composition of his chakra by taking in natural energy. He began mixing and balancing his energies with skill and precision. It was due to the impressive concentration he had acquired, he was slowly truly becoming one with nature, and he could feel the increase in his strength. Every time he repeated the process he could innately feel himself getting close to becoming a senjutsu master. Kas’Lam stared at Kenji in awe as he was progressing so fast, “Ooame was right, this kid is special. He will surely surpass Ooame, but if he will be as great as Kaligi is still to be determined.” There was some type of festival going on in the 1^st floor of the den; roars were going off in harmony as they celebrated something. “What’s going on down there?” Kenji asked, “We do this every Friday.” Kenji looked down and then back up at his teacher, “Can I join?” Kas’Lam shot an angry glance at Kenji, “Not until you fully master regenerating your chakra at a faster rate, you’re still too inconsistent.” Kenji actually wasn’t but Kas’Lam didn’t want Kenji to slack up, and wanted him to stay motivated no matter how easy this was coming to him. Kenji meditated for days as he mixed, balanced, manipulated, and tapped into natural energy, his senjutsu chakra; he actually enjoyed the act of just sitting and concentrating on a single goal. But as he meditated more, he found himself able to focus on the process of extracting natural energy as well as other things. While he gathered senjutsu chakra he also took the time to contemplate where he wanted to go, and what he planned to do with his power, and what his clan would think of having another sage.

A week later, Kenji had a few questions regarding restoring chakra while in battle. It seemed difficult and inconvenient to meditate while in the heat of battle, Kenji’s school boy tactic of using a flash bomb when he was back in the village against those bandits wouldn’t be nearly enough against a skilled shinobi. “If you had ninjutsu, it would be rather simple. Just make some shadow clones and they would protect you while you molded your senjutsu chakra. But seeing as you do not possess ninjutsu yet, vision or sensory impairing genjutsu should give you the time you need.” Kenji was satisfied, and he had a few techniques in his arsenal that would do just that. The following day, Kenji went up against two giant lions and engaged in a battle of attrition, a test to see how skilled Kenji had become at regenerating chakra while in combat. The novice sage performed wonderfully, as he used his agility to constantly force the giant lions to collide with each other; and in those moments used the time to regenerate his chakra. He would use the restored chakra to last him the rest of the fight. The next few days spelled the same routine, only difference was on the last day of his sparring, he went up against three giant lions, “This is going to be exponentially more difficult, all the third has to do is keep his distance or minimize the damage he may suffer from his peers; that is all that’s needed to prevent me from successfully molding senjutsu chakra.”

Kenji unsheathed his katana, Kas’Lam was watching this one. Kenji began to sweat a bit, as the pressure was on now, he quickly gained his nerve. “Kenji; get it together, it’s just a match of agility, they’re not using ninjutsu.” The sage charged with his katana drawn, his weapon clashed with the claws of a giant lion, he used the impact to propel himself on top of him. Kenji’s feet shifted while planted in the fur of the beast, after a buck Kenji was catapulted off, landed on his feet, there was a lion already in the act of pouncing, Kenji dug his right foot into the ground and blasted himself backwards to avoid the lion, now it was the third lion’s turn, but he was currently in a position to trade with him because he was behind Kenji and he wouldn’t be able to successfully avoid the attack. Therefore, Kenji sprinted to the edge of the training field where he began. After a brief moment used to catch his breath, he resumed his plan. Kenji lodged his katana inside the ground. He then charged at the lions with no weapon, “I have to get all three of them to attack, all I need to do is regenerate my chakra once to win this.” Kenji used his genjutsu “Sea Sick” that caused the three mammoths to stumble but the technique wasn’t nearly strong enough to hold them, he performed the jutsu just to use some chakra. He followed the insignificant jutsu up with a few hand seals and a graceful soar through the air; he quickly positioned himself on the head of the lions and punched him on top of his head triggering his other genjutsu “Phantom Strike”. He jumped off and landed in the middle of all three of the Kasfarians, they looked extremely annoyed. “This is it; I have them just where I want them.” Kenji would dodge the first attack, and then let the second land. The Kasfarian pounced with paralyzing speed; Kenji reacted just fast enough to get out of the way, and from the side came a swiping paw that would have leveled a small house. His claws shimmered in the sliver of sunlight that penetrated the clouds. His vicious teeth bore signifying the force that was behind the swing. Kenji simply turned into the blow, he imagined the pain and what would happen if a mere mortal was actually hit by such an attack. Fortunately, his sword took the brunt of the attack, as Kenji vanished and manifested behind all three beasts. He wasted no time initiating his meditation to begin regaining the chakra he had used. He was able to restore his chakra just in time before he was located, a wide grin was there awaiting the lions, “Too late.”

Kenji had reached the end of his wardrobe and he was now going to have to wear the lion’s cloth that was displayed for him. It was a giant blue fur coat and some ocean blue fur skirts. Kenji’s face was lifeless, “Get rid of the skirt, sew them up and turn them into shorts or something and where are the underwear?!” The lions looked at him as if he was speaking a different language and they said in unison, “Underwear?” Kenji collapsed as the horror of going months without underwear, or constantly washing out the same three pair set in. Lying on the ground with his face twitching, in a raspy voice, “I need some hot chocolate.”…“Hot chocolate?” “No...No.n…” Two hours passed before he was woken up by Kasfara, “Kenji what’s wrong?” Kenji slowly sat up from his bed made of fur and feathers, “It’s nothing, just need to get used to a few things is all. Being a lion isn’t easy you know.” Kasfara smiled and sat down beside Kenji with his wild blue mane accidentally brushing Kenji’s face. Supposedly Kasfara was one of the weaker Kasfarians in due to his inability to use the most cherished elemental ninjutsus that they are known for, but he is still quite powerful and extremely fast. He was also among the youngest; technically he was still a cub, despite his age he was still much bigger than a regular lion. “The clothes look quite comfortable, I’m sure you’ll get used to them.” They stared at each other in silence, “Maybe not” Kasfara finally conceded. After a few moments of lying around looking at the ceiling and Kenji asking a bunch of stupid questions about lion life, “Tomorrow is your last day of training before you start learning how to enter sage mode.” The shinobi popped up as he had almost forgot how much training he has already completed and how soon he was to mastering senjutsu to the point he could use sage mode, upon becoming a master sage, he would get to learn about the history of Kaligi the first Lion Sage. It was also bitter sweet, even though the clothes and bedding was uncomfortable he has grown quite attached to the Kasfarians, as weird as that sounds. Kenji had only been there for two weeks but it felt like a year. “Yup it is. I can’t believe I’m almost done with this phase of my training this soon.” Kenji’s friend nudged him, “I told you, it’s inside of you to become one of the great sages.” Kenji nudged him back, “Oh yea, I forgot you said that.” The duo went out to get something to eat; the lionesses were preparing a meal over a humongous pot of boiling seasoned water that had a mixture of meat and vegetables. It was served in a giant bowl made of bones and stone, Kenji received a custom bowl that he wouldn’t have to swim in. The meal was scrumptious, it was a beef stew with fresh veggies and the beef was seasoned to perfection. “Give my complements to the chef! The Lionesses are amazing.” “Yes they are; they are incredible cooks, just don’t waste any of it, if you do you’ll see their more predatory side.” After lunch Kenji went to meditate and practice gathering natural energy once more, it was starting to come to him as naturally as blinking. He was going over everything he had learnt preparing himself for tomorrow, where he would most likely receive congratulation and an introduction of what he was to he was to face soon. The majority of his stay here was going to be spent training to become a master sage, which is what he expected and what he wanted. He didn’t spend those hours and days meditating to be able to regenerate more chakra but to enter sage mode; now the time was upon him, this was sure to be the most difficult thing he would ever have do.


Word Count: 6000/6000
+580 Leftover (To be used for B rank)
Training Senjutsu D>C, Complete!!!!!!

“Congratulations Kenji, you are officially ready to being the final phase to become a master sage and solidify your rank as the Third Lion Sage.” Kenji’s eyes welled up and he promptly dropped his head in an effort to fight the tears, he was unsure of why he was becoming so emotional, maybe it was the relationship he had built with Kas’Lam, Kasfara, and the other Kasfarians, but he was feeling unusually sentimental. He stuck out his chest and raised his chin, “I am ready to commence the next level of training, and thank you for training me.” Kenji then rushed Kas’Lam and tried hug him, as his arms wrapped around him he was electrocuted. He was thrown back about 5 meters, “I’m sorry; I got a little excited.”

Friday had come and he was able to join the weekly celebration, this time it was even more vibrant due to the acclimation of a new lion sage. The lions made music by purring, growling, roaring, and sliding their claws against the walls and other surfaces. These mini festivals were also the only time the lionesses were allowed to come into the den, Kenji danced on top of the Kasfarians heads and was even aloud to lead the lions and lionesses in dance with him making the music. The sage clapped his hands and stomped his feet to a rhythm that was danceable. Kenji spun around and attempted to break dance, but after landing on his head and making all the lions laugh he decided to stick to his one-two step. Kasfara tackled him, “You did it! Give a speech.” The music slowly came to a stop and he was climbed atop the tallest lion and cleared his throat, “I LOVE LIONS, LET’S PARTY!!!” the den erupted and everyone started dancing in an absolute frenzy. There were also some party games the Kasfarians did on Fridays; the first one was when the giant lions went outside and battled to see who could stand on one leg the longest, Kenji was extremely amused to see giant lions trying to stand on one foot. The next was a race to the training field and back, the next one Kenji was able to participate in. The final party game of the night was a freestyle rap battle. Kenji couldn’t believe giant lions enjoyed rhyming and making poetry. After the first two lions were booed, Kenji was urged to go, “Ok; I’ll go. Check me out.” The lions began tapping the floor as Kenji danced to the center, to his surprise he wasn’t nervous to rap while giant lions surrounded him. “I love lions lions, I am lyin lyin, if I said I didn’t, I am tryin tryin, to become a master sage flip the page, meditation concentration everyday y’all say ayy.” “AYY!” All the lions cheered; they almost jumped on him but realized he would be flattened into a pancake if they did.


Word Count: 1078/7000

The festivities came to an end, and Kenji was grateful as he exerted a great deal of energy trying to keep up with the Kasfarians. Kenji would take a few days off to restore his strength as he would be embarking on a physically and mentally draining test. The road to becoming a master sage was coming to an end, and an emphatic one at that. To enter sage mode, to obtain all the power of a sage and be able to wield it in battle was truly significant, and he was looking forward to facing any and all obstacles. There was a part of Kenji that didn’t want to take the time off, but he was encouraged a little break would do him some good after all the hard work he’s put in. Also, no matter how good he thought he was, becoming a master sage wasn’t going to happen over night, so there was no need to eager to start at the very moment. Kenji was going to be taking a 3 day trip to the “Suite of Treasures” they called it, it was supposedly a place that Kaligi in order to better accommodate visitors, but Kas’Lam has never until this point found anyone worth of staying there. Apparently Kaligi was a very ingenious man and was way ahead of his time in terms of the inventions he created. He built several things that were thought to be exclusive to this era, and many things were there that Kenji had never even seen or heard of before. The open entrance was guarded by two Kasfarians; the structure was a dome that had a peak of about 30 meters, and was located further down and below the lionesses’ compound. The dome had a simple black sheen that rolled over the dome. On the dome was also beautiful drawings and figures that decorated the outside, giving the eye even more to awe at. Once again, the drawing and art was said to be done by the First Lion Sage, and it was rumored that it only took him 3 days to complete the entire suite. The Dome was truly a masterpiece and he couldn’t imagine the First Lion Sage to be anything less than an expert architect. Kenji turned around to look at the Den in comparison; he was only able to see an insignificant portion of the Den so he turned back around and visualized the Den, which he had no choice but to commit to memory due to its extravagance. The structures upon reflection were quite similar, they had a similar quality and he would see if the Dome had more than just space and decorative walls to offer.

He thought back to when he first laid eyes one the Den and how it stacked to the heavens, and the mesmerizing and fantastical sparkle it had about it. The entire area was never short of beautiful scenery, magnificent structures, and glorious beasts. The Den towered him and the doors of the sanctuary were too heavy for him to open, but now he strolls around like it was his second home; with every passing second Kenji grows more happy with his decision to become a sage, and most of all his decision to become a sage under the tutelage of the Kasfarians; who have produced shinobi such as Ooame, the head of the Chikara and Kaligi, a legend, who he still knew very little about.

The two guards moved aside and permitted Kenji to enter the Suite of Treasure. Kenji couldn’t believe his eyes, first the base where he stood was rather small but as one looked up the dome was carved out deeper and deeper giving creation to several rooms that from just looking were indeed a comfort. The base had several chairs that looked to be of leather material, they were lined up and nearby was a pool that had unique shimmering black stones inside that seemed to provide the water with the steam that was generating from the surface. In the far corner Kenji saw his greatest companion, a fountain built into the wall that produced pints of chocolate. Off to the right were grains that never stopped growing and with them, someone could plop them into the primal oven to make bread. The grains had a special extract inside of them that allowed them to spawn several types of delicacies just from heating them up; anything from bread to cracker, or even cookies and pie. Combine that with the chocolate, you have paradise. Kenji jumped to the next level; each level resembled a wider balcony. It was a unique building, the dome on the outside would lead one to believe as you went higher, space would become smaller, but once inside, it was like an optical illusion the way it seemed to never end and become more and more spacious. Actually, Kenji wasn’t so sure this wasn’t some type of genjutsu, but he decided not to activate his kekkai genkai as he was really interested if it was or not, he just wanted to enjoy the spoils. The Den got smaller as the height increased, which was what you would presume form the outside. The only real thing he preferred over the dome was as you ascended, the rooms were sound proof allowing for impeccable concentration and meditation. The dome had so many pleasures and comforts already on just the first level, he couldn’t see himself doing much of anything that wasn’t either resting or eating. But he put it in his mind to overcome the urge to be lazy, yes this was supposed to be a mini-vacation but Kenji was not truly interested in the idea; he had come too close to slack up now, but he knew it would only be polite to enjoy the spoils for a little bit.“Three days in complete bliss, being a sage sure does have its perks. I wonder if Ooame has at least seen the outside of this glorious place.” Also, so Kenji would have someone to talk to and show him around, Kasfara would also join him during his stay. “Do you come here often?” Kasfara played with one of spiraling and elastic structures that consumed the second level, “On average, twice a month.” Kenji slowly turned around to shoot his buddy with glare that could cut a ham, as he was insulted at how nonchalantly he said, “This place, it is magnificent. Have you also been to the top?” Kasfara began rolling around as he viciously attacked the toy, “No. The top is extremely thin, it can not support our size, not even Kas’Lam can go up there, and if one of us did it would destroy that part of the structure; and the fall would probably kill us.” Kenji began rubbing his chin, “So, someone like me could go up there and be safe.” Kasfara nodded, “If you go, let me know how it is.” Kenji was speechless and simply nodded his head inattentively as he was entranced by going to very top, where no one has been. And also the speculation of what was up there, if the low to medium levels were this great with the treats and comforts and all, who could even imagine what one would find at the peak. Kenji was suspicious of the top, a place built that not even the leader could go to seemed a bit precarious. It spawned a variation on his perception on Kaligi, were there secrets up there; or was it just another aspect of this unorthodox training method; Kenji was alert and was not going to be thrown off so easily by the Kasfarians.

Kenji spent most of the first day on the first level, as he enjoyed the chocolate fountain and other desserts; the chocolate gave Kenji a slice of home, where he often indulges in chocolate. He had arrived at the dome rather late so he would explore the rest of it tomorrow. The magical pies and cookies with chocolate were delicious, as he was a glutton for a day; they weren’t just easy to make but had a surreal taste. They were naturally better, the ingredients used made the dessert virtually undeniable. Kenji got creative with the sweets; drowning his cookies and pies with chocolate and other combinations. His partner was on the second level which was a lion play room with several toys that would keep a giant blue lion occupied; he heard the lion rolling around causing a great ruckus that seemed to never cease. A few timed he even had the nerve to jump which resulted in the entire dome shaking uncontrollably. Kenji used his newly acquired concentration ability to ignore the noisy lion. Kenji lied on a wonderful bed that was near the back of the ground level he thought about what his master sage training would be like, would it be just more meditation and more balancing and drawing of natural energy. He knew there was a good possibility it could be just that, Sage mode was really just an even higher level of concentration and natural energy control really. It was the ultimate balance and control of natural energy, so it was only right that it take a higher level of meditation and concentration to obtain it. So while he relaxed, he meditated and drew in the natural energy from the plants outside, and even his companion; mixing and balancing becoming one with nature and soon; one step closer to becoming a master sage.

“Aren’t you tired yet Kasfara?!” Kenji yelled to him from the ground level to Kasfara who was still on the second growling and tumbling around. “A little bit, but this spiraling super stretchy snake is so annoying.” Kenji sighed, “Lions…” The walls of the entrance was made out of a blue lustrous material that converted the moon light that slid into the dome into a wonderful sequence of rectangular sheets of hypnotizing blue light. Kasfara jumped down, “I love this time of night when the spirits of past Kasfarians enter the dome.” Kenji looked at the lion with an inexplicable expression, mostly blank as he didn’t know what to make of the statement. “Kaligi who built this place was so in tune with nature he was even able to communicate with the lions that passed, by drawing in their energy from inside us and from the soil.” Kenji was amazed at how he could possibly further control natural energy by taking the energy from a living being and access the parts of that being that is connected to past beings, their DNA and other substances that lied within them. “That ability gave him unbelievable power in battle, as he was able to use all that energy to perform several acts of fantasy, like building and crafting this entire dome in just three days.” Those words made Kenji even more eager to hear the entire story of Kaligi which he would learn when he began his master sage training. Even though he was already progressing extremely fast in terms ho his chakra regeneration he was looking forward to increasing the rate he restore his chakra. So far being a sage had its benefits, Kenji was able to train with some of the most skilled and knowledgeable beasts in the world, he also had more chakra as well as the ability to regain chakra, and now he was on the door step of utilizing all of his skills related to connecting with nature, and draw in that energy to increase the magnitude of all his techniques. Kasfara curled up at the foot on the floor near the foot of the bed as the shards of blue light seeming sung a lullaby only he could hear. However, he soon heard the melody and drifted off into a replenishing sleep like none he ever had. He dreamt dreams of fighting along Kasfarians like Kaligi had done, building magnificent sculptures like Kaligi, and finally gaining the utmost respect of Kas’Lam; Kenji was actually content with his relationship with his mentor, but he wondered what it would be like to be ‘equals’, not just someone with great ability but truly be equal to Kas’Lam like Kaligi was. As he dreamed the words of Kas’Lam swam through his dream world, ‘Kaliji, he was truly a great sage, greater than me.’ Kenji remembered the effect those words had on him when he first heard Kas’Lam utter those syllables.

Kenji woke up to Kasfara splashing in the hot tub bathing him, “You’re woke, ready to explore more of the dome.” Kenji smiled while his eyes were still partially closed, “Yea, after some sweets.” Kenji always had a sweet tooth and loved anything that was sweet to tongue. As he walked outside to a spring to wash his face as he didn’t want to use the hot tub water, not with lion fur all in it. He looked off to the horizon, and for the first time he allowed himself to be engulfed by the beauty of the place he was undergoing his sage training. The height of the Kasfarian Den was so great it was only natural that an inspiring view accompanied it. The sun was within arms reach as it was shrouded by several wispy clouds but the rays still persisted to adorn the surface of the mountain range and all its amazing structures. His breath was stolen from him in a way that the altitude never could replicate. He marveled over the wondrous environment the Kasfarians dwelled in. “Being able to train here has been a real pleasure, and an honor.” Kenji said as he heard Kasfara prowling behind him, attempting to startle the shinobi as he often did. A look of embarrassment was all over Kasfara’s face, “It’s been a pleasure having you; not many people can win the hearts of the Kasfarians with such a passionate spirit, that doesn’t lend itself to absolute obedience.” It was a dubious relationship that had spontaneously sprung at the Kasfarian Den, a brash ninja who didn’t take to authoritative figures, and a pack of lions that loved to exercise their power and dominance. They didn’t just get along; they thrived and gained quite the rapport with one another. After the moment of reflection, sentiment, and solace Kenji rose to his feet determined to enjoy the rest of what the dome had to offer. Kenji was positive that this ‘vacation’ had another purpose other than to give Kenji a break; there was something else he was to take from this retreat, he was unsure of what it was but it was not going to distract him from the superficial pleasures and trinkets that were right in his face. The outside of the dome was a masterpiece; before going back in he concentrated chakra in his feet and walked on the exterior of the building to examine the art that gave the dome its esteem. There was one particular drawing that stood out to him; it was a depiction of a man who was sitting in an obvious meditative state. And walking towards him was a lion, the man depicted also had traits that of a lion. “Congratulations on achieving sage mode, hopefully I’ll be able to do that soon.” Kenji scoffed at the boastfulness of the picture, he wanted to be a master sage and gain sage mode so bad he was likely to be envious of any true sage. There were also sharp and distinctive shapes that ordained the rest of the dome, with other sketches that told parables and such. Another drawing showed a man standing on top of a circle; this was positioned before the other. There were a plethora of other drawings that Kenji wanted to critique but a growling stomach interrupted. “I’m becoming more of a lion everyday.” He leapt off and headed inside to cook up some bread.








Before he went to eat he figured it would be a good challenge for him to attempt to gather sage chakra while hungry. Kenji didn’t do well when hungry so if he could oppress his hunger and still be able to focus on gathering the natural energy around him; that would mean Kenji had not only achieved the ability to block out the most pestering of distractions, but it would also speak to his control, allowing him to gather sage chakra much easier while he wasn’t in such a state.

A strong, cold, and bristling wind accompanied him on his march to the outskirts of the dome. His stomached roared the whole way there, Kenji was starting to not even notice it as he was so focused on his training to come. He knew gaining even greater prowess with his sage chakra would put him that much closer to achieving sage mode, and thus become a master sage. Kasfara did not join him, as Kenji often chose to meditate alone; the sun was high in the sky and provided some shelter from the cold. The sun beams that bombarded his body created a weird combination warmth and chill; however, the wind carried the coolness to override the temporary sensation. It was true Kenji was somewhat arrogant, eager, and at times foolish; but when he became dedicated, when he chose to care about something more than himself; he was capable of doing things outside of his character. This whole experience has caused Kenji to reevaluate some things; it was through discipline that he had put him on the brink of accomplishing something grand. Not his flare, disobedience, or his lone wolf tactics; the only trait he felt should persist was his confidence. It was necessary for him to believe in himself; to be his own motivator, That along with his new concentration and discipline, the sky was the limit; and from where he was standing the sky wasn’t so far.

With the help of the gust he arrived to his destination faster than he would without, the dome sat next to a gradual slope, and that is what Kenji just finished walking down. It was a long declining path that led to an area of severe erosion. The stone that protruded from the terrain seemed unstable and frail. A shade was over the place making it much colder than the rest of the Den. The growling of the stomach turned into more of a purr, to his confusion, he was starting to find it calming; he figured it was related to suppressing an urge he never attempted; if he was hungry he ate, but now he was exercising some control over the impulse and it felt empowering in a way, almost spiritual. If hunger couldn’t drive him to extreme discomfort and nothing could he supposed. Also during his stay at the den, Kenji learned much from Kas’Lam, Kasfara and the other Kasfarians about battle tactics; not that Kenji lacked in the area. Nonetheless, he acquired a lot of valuable information on how to implement weapons and distractions in the most beneficial way. Kenji had built a reputation for being straight forward at times, and now he was beginning to adopt a more subtle style. The lions were truly fierce, but they were also savvy; they made sure to utilize every natural skill they were born with to get the job done. There were ultimately two styles you could find amongst the Kasfarians: Savvy; and the other was ferocious and high octane; using their incredible speed and strength to simply overwhelm their opposition. Both were naturally predatory in nature. Kenji essentially was innately drawn to the more discreet and strategic style; as a Genjutsu specialist he felt it complemented his greatest strength. Before he even began his sage training after many spars and discussions with Ooame and his father; he had already began leaning more towards a more cunning approach. Eyes watering because of the swirling wind brushing the surface of his eyes; as the water from his eyes trickled down it slowly hardened froze to his face. In the shade that prevented any life that the shinobi could discern he found a flat spot to sit.

This would arguably be the most difficult meditation environment and circumstance Kenji could imagine. Firstly, he was hungry; a state he was steadily overcoming. The grumbling had almost stopped completely as its murmuring was falling on deaf ears. Kenji was finding sustenance in the air as it filled his lungs; it acted essentially as a snack and was supplementing the hunger. It was a weird feeling. Secondly, the whirling wind was whipping wildly across Kenji’s face biting and scratching; causing his eyes to water due to the high activity and its lack of boundaries. Then as his eyes watered the result were patches of ice burning his face. Thirdly, there was no plant life in this area; eliminating one of his favorite sources of natural energy. Despite the obstacles, this was what Kenji wanted. He wanted to test himself; and like earlier, he knew if he could effectively gather natural energy in this setting, not only would he succeed in a more favorable area, but he would excel. However, he wasn’t going to assume that would be the outcome, he had every intention on making sure of his hypothesis. Anyway, with all these hindrances, Kenji was tasked with clearing his mind of the nuisances; and to focus on the natural energy he had access to and adequately mix it with his spiritual and physical energy, changing the composition of his chakra, creating sage/senjutsu chakra. Achieving said goal; would also catapult him that much closer to becoming a sage master, which would enable him to use sage mode. He remembered that Ooame said to him that he could only partially transform into sage mode for long periods of time; but if he was to full enter sage mode, he could only sustain for 5 minutes maximum. Kenji was startled by the difficulty Ooame admitted to having with sage mode. It sounded incredulous; Ooame the spiritual leader, the head of the Chikari, the monk, the knowledgeable one couldn’t even “fully” master senjutsu. Kenji also recollected when Ooame for an instant entered sage mode in front of him, and as soon as he entered he deactivated. Kenji thought he was showing off, but that would be unlikely for someone such as Ooame. So it became more possible that he indeed struggled greatly with this particular aspect of being a Sage. He divulged he was competent in gathering natural energy and regenerating chakra, but he was unable to take the next step. Ooame, much like Kenji had no quit in him; but Kas’Lam demanded he end his training as his control over the chakra was becoming weaker and weaker with every time he failed to sustain sage mode. Meaning, if he kept pushing himself; he would have slowly transformed into a lion then stone, involuntarily and there would be nothing anyone could do. Therefore, he urged Ooame to be content with his partial transformation and move on. Ooame was proud of what he had done, but nowhere near content/satisfied. A man with very few regrets said that failing in his sage training was almost regrettable, but it actually enlightened him even more leading him to his position to diplomatically act on the behalf of the Chikara with Kumogakure/Raikage. Failure for Kenji wasn’t an option, and he had the up most confidence; he had put in the work and he had the knack; it was like he found his niche. This was for him and he wouldn’t be deterred after coming this far. With that being, he proceeded to adjust himself in his seated position and clear his mind of anything and everything that wasn’t relevant no matter how persistent the thought was. Kenji’s skin had become much paler ever since his stay, his hair also got darker and longer. Kenji crossed his legs making a triangle base; he extended his arms to his side with his palms up. His haired was being swung sporadically by the gust that was being held hostage, and retaliating violently. The shinobi had his head down as to protect his face as much as he could from the nipping draft. After minutes of sitting in complete silence and stillness a weird and sudden transformation took place. The hunger was no longer, he was more so fulfilled. The ice on his face was no longer bothersome, but shielded him from much of the pinching air that filled the arcing region. The parts of his face that were still exposed to the wind, the wind felt like it was caressing his face, not assaulting it. It was calming and welcoming; nature was giving him grace as he felt her movement. Now he just had to corral her and incorporate her into a new place, then get her acclimated to spirit and physical. Starting to feel distant from his body he was able to become closer with nature, but there was something that was preventing him from going all the way; and truly leaving his being allowing him to flow freely with nature. He wasn’t interested in going that far at the moment as he was gathering quite a bit of natural energy; almost more than what he was usually able to conjure in near perfect conditions.

Once he gathered a sufficient amount of natural energy he decided to go through the mixing and balancing process slowly, as he knew speed wasn’t a factor; he was being forced to access the highest level of chakra control, and concentration as well as senjutsu prowess in order to gather sage chakra from such vast distances. He knew if he could create sage chakra up here, he would be able to accomplish the same feat much quicker, and he would back that claim up with results. Now adding natural energy to his system he churned the three energies, he also made sure not to take in too much natural energy, despite how tempting it was. He juggled the three energies as he mixed them together, achieving stabilization like never before. He went on to mold the chakra throughout his entire body but soon brought it back and settled for the feeling of it. The shinobi knew he wasn’t ready to wield it yet. The sage chakra was however involuntarily running throughout his body seeing how his regular chakra had now been converted to sage chakra, but to mold it was different; utilizing the chakra could mean easily losing control and with no one around it was likely to be fatal. At this point, his chakra regeneration rate was sure to increase; and that was good enough for now. But there was plenty to take away from his session that could assist him on entering sage mode later. All in due time…

Not ready to succumb to hunger yet. Excited by accomplishing what he did giving the difficulty that the environment should have presented. Now he was ready to do the same thing inside the den on the fifth floor where no sound entered, and plant life and other critters ran around. This place was perfect, and would be his second time in the room. Kas’Lam was off tending to a cub that had injured himself while playing around on the training field. He was hoping to catch when he was not so busy, but he’d see him later. He also wasn’t supposed to be out of the dome, but he had to see if he had taken his chakra regeneration to the next level. He would have to make it fast, but if he was as quick as he thought he was that would be no problem. He sat on the ground in his customary style, and immediately went into a deep serene state. All the natural energy around him made the process almost trivial, making it even harder not to take in too much natural energy, but he couldn’t be too tentative and take in too less. This was an easy task for him at this point, measuring the amount of natural energy taken in; he had gotten it down to a science. As he went through mixing the energy the power surged through him as he could feel his chakra strengthening at a rate unbeknownst to him, the chakra was flowing through him so fast and effortlessly. He knew now he could regenerate a significant amount of chakra during combat in a short amount of time, considering the skill he was now displaying with creating senjutsu chakra. When back in the desolate area under the Dome, when he began to mold sage chakra for that brief moment, the power, the awareness, sage mode was upon him and he was ready to wield it, he was positive. Kenji sat on the floor of the top level of the Den, smiling foolishly with joy, his stomach let out a sound that would rival the meanest lion. “Ok, that’s it. It’s time to eat.”

Kenji would have to take evasive maneuvers back to Dome, as he didn’t want to get in any trouble before starting his training to learn sage mode. Kenji walked in a crouch along the surface of the fifth floor of the Den; he slid over to the opening that displayed the entire Kasfarian Compound, it was glorious, “Snap out of it, no time for that…. Here’s my chance” Kenji leaped out the opening on the exterior of the Den; he then darted all the way to “ground” level. The lions were below the compound guarding it, in a similar position when Kenji had tried to gain a contract with them and they chased him away. All the others were at the Training Field which was in the complete opposite direction of the Dome so he didn’t have to worry about them. However, there were always a few gathered in the first floor of the Den which he was now standing right outside of. Thinking about his first encounters with the great lions made him shiver as he once feared them in way and now he takes naps with them. He ate with them, he hunted with them, and he even rapped with them. A smile washed over Kenji as he quietly moved further away from the first floor of the Den back to the Dome. “Hehe, and they have the nerve to call themselves big cats.” He whispered tauntingly looking back at the Den. The shinobi’s legs were moving but he wasn’t going anywhere and he weirdly felt fur on the side of his face. He slowly turned his head and it was… Kenji jumped back and fell on his butt, “HEY, don’t scare me like that.” Kenji growled at Kasfara in a raspy whisper. Kasfara just dropped his head to one side, “Where you been?” “Nowhere” Kenji said as he jumped onto Kasfara’s back, “To the Dome!” The giant just shook his head and took off arriving to the Dome in less than 10 seconds. The two rocketed through the compound; the effervescent terrain and ridges was a mesh of blue, white, and yellow. The sky seemed to collapse around the two as the speed drew them closer to the heavens. Even at the astonishingly high altitude there were still temples of rock that towered even the Dome and Den.

Years ago he would’ve never expected to be training to become a sage, and now he was on the brink of being one of the most powerful ever. Kenji thought about others, and was very loyal; but it was always to satisfy his own personal reasons; the once guilt ridden shinobi had finally put the past behind him and he now cherished the bonds because it was in his latent nature to do so. He loved the village and the villagers; he vowed to protect the ones he loved, not to make up for what he had done, but to uphold what he did. Despite the outcome it was the right thing and had to come to terms with that. Now he had a plethora of new bonds to uphold and protect and with the power he was obtaining he would be more than able to accomplish the task.


Word Count: 6471/7000

Kenji and Kasfara went to enjoy their last succulent meal, "I have to tell you Kasfara, we make a really good team; after I leave here you should come down to the village and train with me some time; there's plenty to do in the village and it's a lot different." Kasfara smirked as he was well aware that he was a bit of an outcast, similar to Kenji, but if he was going to leave the Compound it wouldn't be becasue of that, it would have to be because he seriously felt he could help Kenji further develop and at the same time learn from the human as well. "We'll see, a Kasfarian has never left the compound before, unless they were summoned; and as you already know summoning really isn't your forte. So yeah, we'll see." The conversation ended there and they went and collected then warmed the treats from the fourth level along with some desert.

~~THE ADVENTURES OF KASFARA & KENJI

One day along the outskirts of the compound where the sight of the compound was hidden; the Kasfarians guarded the outskirts of the area for their safety and the unwelcomed travelers. If anyone was to proceed past this point they would surely fall, slip, trip, and that would most likely lead to their death. What was projected in the place of the compound and the rocks that led to it was nothing, just clouds and wind. On duty today was Kasfara so Kenji decided to join him, "This my first time guarding the outskirts of the Compound." Kenji looked away from Kasfara, "The guards usually do a very fine job, they almost killed me." Kasfara chuckled as the memories of Kenji being chased down the mountain obviously resurfaced. "Anyway, with you being a sage and me, a Kasfarian whoever dares step on this territory will regret it." "That's the spirit," they arrived at their post; in Kenji's backpack were snacks and nothing else, the importance of not having distractions was emhasized greatly.

In the history of the Kasfarians guarding this area, there has been a grand total of 11 intruders or aimless wanderers, and it was just their lucky day... Kasfara was able to sniff out and sense a person from about 20-30 meters and approaching fast. "No time for snacks?" Kasfara just shook his head as he was furious that of all the times a person had to intrude he had to be on duty. Kenji casually wielded his katana and waited patiently for the person to come into view, Kasfara dug his claws into the rock, "So this is why he keeps them so sharp, good gracious." There was a gentle fog that obscured the person's figure but out of the film flew a kunai with a tag hanging from it. Kenji discerned that the tag was an explosive tag and quickly released a shuriken to deflect it; as a Bukitjutsu specialist his aim and power was adequate. The opposing kunai exploded on impact; emerging from the smoke was a rather big black panther but no where near the size of the Kasfarians or Kasfara.

"Who are you!" Kenji then looked at Kasfara as he was unsure if the animal understood or could even speak, but if he was intelligent enough to wield an exploding kunai he could probably talk. "You know what this is about Kasfarian, how dare you bring a human here!" He hissed; "Activate your kekkai genkai he uses Genjutsu" Kasfara whispered so that only Kenji could hear. "It doesn't matter what you told the boy, I'm going to kill him then use him for floss. If you stand in my way, I'll have to kill you too, oh yes, I've heard about you and your inability to use elemental ninjutsu; you're quite the misfit weakling aren't you." Chakra emitted from all of Kasfara's body and within a second he was inches away from the panther's previous position. Right before Kasfara attacked; with his kkg active he felt a slight disturbance in his chakra that was rejected clueing him that an illusion was attempted. The real panther was flying through the air for Kenji and Kasfara was obviously attacking someone that wasn't there. "Damn you Cha'Lam"

Kenji spewed a cloud of chakra and Cha'Lam fell right into it; and right into the Genjutsu as well. The black panther winced, but after that he felt his control over his chakra relinquish; "Not bad, but greater discresion and strength is needed to trap me" "Who said I was trying to trap you?" Rotating violently through the air silently Kasfara ripped through Cha'lam and sent him tumbling along the rough rigid terrain. Cha'Lam's eyes began to glow red, "You Kasfarians won't get away with this" the panther then faded away.

"Alright, who was that" "Just the nemesis of the Kasfarians; it's a long story, the relationship between us and them. I'll tell you it while we resume our post; good work by the way."


Word Count: 7000/7000
+328 leftover (to be used for A rank)
Senjutsu Training: C>B rank COMPLETE!!!