The warmth of the early morning sun was just beginning to drive away the chill of an early autumn. Around Shakai stood large metal girders and stacks of lumber which would in the next year be used to raise another district into the already sprawling village of Konoha. Shakai rolled his neck from side to side easing out the strain of sleep and causing the ligaments to crack in a satisfying fashion.

Today he was called upon to keep his skills sharp and ready. Though the tactician was almost constantly reading through manuals and treatises on the art of war as well as pumping iron to keep his form in shape he had to admit that actual combat practice was somewhat lacking.

This had been anticipated by some of the higher ranking ninjas in Konoha as this was a problem for more than just Shakai himself. Indeed many of the younger generation had yet to see real combat and thus it was imperative that they came prepared. That this was considered active military duty and thus paid work sweetened the proceedings just that little bit more.

Stretching out to his full height and flexing his considerable physique Shakai adopted a stance with arms folded in front of his chest. Not the stance one might expect for combat but one that displayed his utter confidence in his own abilities.

Now all that was needed was his sparring partner.

Ayabozu had woken up the night prior to a startling discovery, tossing a pill back into his mouth, he waited for ten minutes for the effects of his medication to wash over his body, not liking the effects particularly, though as they came over him, he looked back to his bento box and began to fill it with various sushi of every flavour and thinkable texture, from trout to marinated beef in small stacks, knowing that he was going to be snacking over the course of most of the day, the small seaweed wrapped savouries would prove more than useful. Stopping for a moment he through to himself for a time, he had, had one of those dreams again last night, one of the ones from the time he was forced to leave his home...

The faces, the people awash with the flames as he ran a scenario through his head over and over again to convince himself of the truth before running through his morning obsessive compulsive routine of facial exercises and stretches to warm himself up and get ready for the day that was lay out before him. He had liked it here in konohagakure, the people here were inviting and welcoming, though the ninja were the least discreet of any country he had ever been to, genin ran across the rooftops of the town as other members of the public shouted at them as they dislodged the tiles from their roofs. Shaking his head to and fro, he remembered his own time at the academy, and though he had never trained past the rank of genin himself, he had no real want or love to continue with his training.

Ninja in this world lived their lives too fast, using up all their years in only a few before expiring young and before their time. Ayabozu liked to take things slowly, he liked to pack his bag and with it, walk down the middle of the street with the people in the everyday world. Visit the markets and see if any of the noble families of Konoha and their famous farms had anything for sale. He thought about the use of the Senju outside of the ninja path they seemed to have resided themselves to, one senju could assure the success of every crop in an entire farm, which could provide for hundreds of people every day, but they didn't and people from other countries went with little because of the way of the "ninja."

Alas, this was the world he lived in, and even he needed to eat, so reluctantly he moved over to the bulletin board looking for a job, looking over them he found one which would pay well, and he only had to do something for the afternoon, which was a pleasant surprise. It was a function for training someone else who needed a lesson, and needed a training buddy, though it would more than likely result in a one on one spar, Aya took down the piece of paper from the board and looked for the address which was posted on the piece of paper. Finding a small agency which were the people who had posted the add on behalf of the Daimyo and the Kage, forwarding Ayabozu to the location of his first job under these guys... he had to go to the construction area.

As he walked he remembered how on entrance to the village he had given the name Ayabozu Chikamatsu, a name which had obvious connotations, but it was enough for him to be able to get by... Taking the map which the agency had given him, he finally managed to find the opening he was looking for, a wide area where there stood a man with rippling muscles, vastly larger than his own, but that was neither here nor there. Looking at the man, he scaled his eyes up to meed his, waving awkwardly as he presented himself holding out the piece of paper in front of him as if it were a badge of purpose given to him by the state to conduct himself here.

Yyyooooo, I'm here to answer this add. You would be... Sssshakaiii riiiight..? Yyyeah, I'm here for the whole, like... training, thingie-ma-whats it... The thing in the letter by the, people... I'm here to help you train.

He spoke with a slight accent but dully, as if though he was speaking his mind was somewhere else, lost in contemplation he looked around for something of which he would be able to use as a weapon. Though he was falling back on himself vocally, he didn't manage to fins what he was looking for. Looking to the hulking manner of the man before him, he could tell right now this was going to be bad for him... But first he wanted to know that if everything was going to be okay with them.

Yeeeah, like, jutst don't try to kil me a'ight? Like... Might not be a good thing... I font wanna die, I just want food... He chuckled somewhat pathetically, unsure of himself as well as his position here. But one thing was for sure in his mind...

He shoulda left the bloody add alone...

Slurred speech  with a distant demeanour, these factors along with the bright colours of the clothing - highly telling. As Shakai suspected that the villages magisterial body were not in the business of employing halfwits to help train their troops it left only the possibility of opium addict. Doubtlessly this ninja had spent the best part of his night in the pleasure quarters drifting away on a poppy fuelled dream to Shambhala. Now that the cruel ravages of daylight had bathed the earth the dual problems of hunger and funding for the next hit had arisen.

"I shall try my best to keep my vassals and myself from doing any major damage. And while I ascertain that you would rather be elsewhere the village councilmen are correct insofact that my practical skills do need honing. So let us start this bout and you can introduce yourself to me afterwards."

Shakai held forth a hand. Esoteric symbols began to etch themselves into the air drawing as if on an invisible slate.

"雷獣. かむ ・ふぉーす ・"

Words spoken that resounded through this reality and right into the next. A place where what is and what may be are not so well defined and where the logic between truth and fantasy are inseparably blurred. A call to one of the creatures that served Shakai as soldier and sentry.

The raiju manifested in a haze of static and burnt ozone. Around the size of a Tibetan mastiff but with huge mole like claws and insectoid mandibles it was an odd beast to be sure but then most things that came from the other-world were. Small jolts of lightning danced from the spiny hairs that covered the beasts back and it let out a vibrating wail challenging Ayabozua and what little resolve he appeared to possess.

Letting the hand that was previously used for the rite extend Shakai motioned to the other ninja with two fingers.

" I have made the first play. The field is now yours"

Ayabozu looked at the man and cocked his head as he painted the symbols in the air, insinuating that he was summoning a Raiju even before he needed to see the mythical creature before him. Ayabozu knew the symbols well as well as the ability to read the language of the more traditional mystics which lived around this area, he wondered if this man had anything to do with the fire temple or any of the monks who lived there.

The lightning which danced over the creatures back as it apparated into the world drew the attention of Ayabozu as the colours of the creature were enhanced thanks to the effects which had overtaken him. Looking at it, mystified by the dancing lightning yellows which snaked between its hairs, he was entranced for but a moment. As it seemed the two of them would have to fight.

Ayabozu could not help but think of what he had gotten himself into, not knowing how to fight an opponent who was proficient in summoning off the top of his head he drew a kunai in one hand as well as two shuriken in the other, hoping that either of the pieces of equipment would be of any use to him, he had no idea how he was meant to make his first play... but there was one idea...

Putting down his bag, the Chikamatsu looked up to his opponent and placed his hand on the ground behind his bag, hidden from sight, unknown to his opponent, he would have just placed a large five meter symbol on the ground in front of him, one which would entail that the creature would not be able to cross to make a bee line toward him. Opening his bag with the other, he took sushi from it, and with a simple toss from his hand with the shuriken, he lobbed one of the seaweed covered treats for the beast while he ate another himself, shortly after skidding his bag off to one side for safety, throwing a third off to one side, away from the trap, almost as an offer for the creature to 'not' take the direct route, a taunt, a trick, foolery and a double feint to make them over think his trap.

By luring the summon to a location, one would normally think that there would be a trap there. The guy he was fighting sounded smart, and would not be fooled by such a simple trick... and that was exactly what he was counting on.

With the two shuriken he threw one of them ten meters to the side of himself, landing slightly sticking out of the ground ten meters to the left. Moving his eyes back to his opponent, and readying himself with the one knife the academy had given him, this was going to be an interesting fight, even though the entire process was somewhat of a drag.

Holding his kunai in a reverse grip like a combat knife Ayabozu was ready to fight with everything he had, looking to his opponent, his eyes still dreary and tired looking, shying from the bright radiance of the sun and occasionally drawn to the flickering lightning of the beast. The other shuriken in his hand, he had his eyes on the summon, looking at it intently as he slowly rose his arm, and his aim with it, not making any sudden movements so to start combat just yet.

Before with a single downward chop he let the spinning shuriken fly, curving with the wind as it flew directly for the summon, but, as the spinning weapon span like a beach ball vertically, the wind current pushed it up, curving the strike upward from the Raiju to aim for his opponent square in the shoulder. A lazy thought slightly skilful attack, but one to signal the beginning of the fight.

Shakai didn't move as the projectile struck his shoulder. A small thud was the only recognition of impact as a tiny prick appeared where the throwing star was. There were some clans whose kekkei genkai were flashy and aesthetically impressive. The Nemeterru Ryu had no such traits but rather one utterly practical characteristic - they possessed unnatural endurance far beyond the normal man and the shuriken which would have embedded itself firmly in another man shoulder did little more than a pebble skipped across water.

The trick with the sushi was more interesting than the shuriken feint Shakai wondered if the opium addict was going to attempt a sub utilising it.

That would be .... inadvisable.

Mustering his will he commanded to the raiju to transform right as it was darting for the second piece of thrown sushi. Whatever tricks the drug fiend had up his sleeve were probably not designed against aerial opponents. The Yokai's sparks intensified till remarkably quickly it morphed into a hovering ball of energy floating just above the ground. Discreetly in hopes of avoiding Shakai's gaze a tiny lick of electricity shot out of the ball snatching up the sushi into the whole. This sly action achieved the ball began to fly towards Ayabozu's side aiming for a collision course.

Lightning began to crackle in Shakai's right hand and a stream burst forth scorching the grass as it arced to trap Ayabozu in a pincer maneuver with the raiju assistance.

Ayabozu didn't smile as the creature turned into a ball of lightning and shot across the battlefield, instead he turned to his opponent, who levelled his hand out to one side, there was something he could do to avoid it, but, it was risky. Taking a step forward as the bolt of lightning was swung in his direction Ayabozu looked directly into the eyes of his opponent as he clapped his hands together, substituting with the shuriken which hadn't even managed to penetrate his skin.

Appearing low and sliding along the ground before his opponent he aimed to baseball slide between the man's legs, aiming to plant both of his hands on the ground behind him, from them, a two meter wide circle of symbols would appear on the ground around him hidden only slightly by the dust as Ayabozu would shy away from the trap he had disguised. Moving away from his opponent, he managed to find what looked to be a lead pipe lying on the ground. Picking it up in lieu of the kunai, which he doubted would have much effect, at least the lead would insulate the lightning a little.

Ayabozu had to keep a clear clean mind, and resist the adrenaline which his body wanted to pump through his veins, so he seemed a little more distracted than usual in this bout, like his heart wasn't into the fight, distant, and introverted as his eyes though they stared directly at the hulking muscled man, he looked to be staring through him, the way a person focuses on something which in in their peripheral vision without actually staring at it.

Should aya be successful in his attack with a click of his fingers the trap would activate, the symbols at his opponent's feel would light up, and lift off the ground like an anti personnel mine, each of the symbols turning into a scalding hot chakra wire before retracting and wrapping and tangling around everything within the surface area of the symbol, but still giving things within it a little bit of time to react.

Aya didn't want to hurt the man, but he seemed tough, tough enough to deal with these burns and more, so he would have to prepare his other weapon for this occasion, looking on the summon and seeing if it was routing and coming for him yet without the orders of its master, attempting to notice whether or not it was something of an easy thing to fool...

And so the fight began.

Shakai did not move. Subbing to the shuriken was the logical move in this situation and the focus of the shift appeared not to be about initial attacks but rather the set up of a long term strategy. Cutting the flow of raiton chakra to his palm Shakai ended the beam. Constant maintenance would be too draining with his chakra being used to anchor the summoned Raiju to this plane of existence.

His opponent had either laid a trap for him or had used his abilities to passively enhance his own physical abilities. He was now at a tactical disadvantage due to his position and proximity. Subbing out would be the safe thing to do but it was time to take a risk.Waiting the extra moments would mean that the opponents possible trap had the chance to spring on him but if he remained in place it would make his foe more confident to go in for a close range attack which could be countered by specific jutsu. Conversely if the opponent took more notice of the situation the generated threat of both the raiju and more ranged lightning from Shakai would keep his attention divided and thus easy to dupe.

Time for a feint. Shakai lifted his right hand which he had used to cast before and began to make the gestures involved in a devastating raiton blast jutsu. . This was of course a distraction as the act itself was a a fraud with no actual chakra of note being put forth into the Jutsu. However at a distance it would appear as if he was about to let forth another direct lightning strike. In actuality Shakai was preforming the signs necessary for the surge sphere jutsu with his left limb which was obscured from view down at his side.

The Raiju still in ball mode hurtled towards the opponents side. He would have to avoid or block the creature with that pipe of his. The attention used on this and watching Shakai would make it far to difficult to concentrate on the orbs of electricity that would form around and home in on his position.

Your move.

Ayabozu was fooled by his feint, he was certain he would be able to dodge and avoid the attack he was preparing, and he had, had enough of the jetting Raiju which was rocketing across the battlefield for him, as he clicked his fingers the Katon strings whipped up and surrounded his opponent, constricting his movements as he had not made any intention to move.

Ayabozu was fooled by the feint... at least he would have been.

The tendril like fibres would grip every limb and every edge of his opponent's body as it would be tied to the ground, breakable with ease and conscious effort, though as his opponent did not seem to see the web of symbols which had expanded at his very feet. They executed beautifully.

Ayabozu looked to the flying Raiju and with a wind-up curved the lead pipe in his hands like a bat to collide with the flying electric ball, taking some of the electricity to his hands, but the shock caused his fingers to clutch the pipe tighter, causing come minor burns as he aimed the direction of the beast for the pit fall trap he had laid down earlier. Should the beast meet the ground, the ground would collapse and swallow it entirely.

The battle for the most part was either over or prolonged, it was up to his opponent to decide, but as the fibres burnt into his seemingly heavily fortified skin, burning even him with the C rank strings, A part of Ayabozu hoped that it would be enough to contain him, but he had been wrong before... The ninja didn't like this breed of combat, it didn't sit well in his stomache, open fighting, open conflict, it was what had created a world of chaos...

His only wish was to end it.

The strings broke one by one. He had been a step behind. The activation was too prolonged and thus his attack was two slow. Should he have connected first or even at the same time he would have considered it a victory but his judgement had been off and that was inexcusable in his line of work. A near perfect muscle structure bulged and the remaining cords popped with a snapping noise. Small red patches of irritated skin marked where the cords once restrained him.

The raiju sped towards it's master but was dismissed in a flash of light. Shakai had enough chakra left to call on more powerful beasts and enough stamina to enter into hand to hand combat but this was not the point. He had made a judgement call and it had failed.

"This victory goes to you. It would seem the Kage's decision to put me in the heat of battle was a prudent one. I will re-evaluate my tactics and then take to the field of battle once more."


As the great sage said 'Real knowledge is to know the extent of ones ignorance'

Learning from ones mistakes was as integral as the study of the past in both scholarly pursuits as well as on the battlefield.

More words sprang to his mind.

"There is the love of being benevolent without the love of learning;-the
beclouding here leads to a foolish simplicity. There is the love of knowing
without the love of learning;-the beclouding here leads to dissipation of
mind. There is the love of being sincere without the love of learning;-the
beclouding here leads to an injurious disregard of consequences. There is
the love of straightforwardness without the love of learning;-the
beclouding here leads to rudeness. There is the love of boldness without
the love of learning;-the beclouding here leads to insubordination. There
is the love of firmness without the love of learning;-the beclouding here
leads to extravagant conduct."

Shakai turned to leave the construction site.

(Total word count: 1507)