Starring:
Date: January 28, 2012
Summary:
In the final days of the exam Keiji and Kaydin fight, not for scrolls but to scout each other.
"First Promotion Exams - Preemptive Scouting: Kaydin vs. Keiji"
Shiren Caverns
East Shiren Caverns [Land of Wind]
*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*/
The eastern area of Shiren Caverns is hot and, surprisingly, humid. Geysers and hot springs dot the tunnels, which are larger and fewer in number than the northern ones. The surfaces are slick with moisture, trickling its way gradually down into the southern regions. Some forms of vegetation — moss, lichen, algae, etc. — grow about the small pools, as well as fungi.
*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*//*/
Contents:
Kaydin would move about the cavern, setting his backpack aside as he would take a break, resting his legs as he looks about. It was impossible to tell the time outside but according to the Hyuga's internal clock, it should be about noon. So he rests for the moment.
Keiji was just waking up from a nap. Soon the boy crawled out from his hole in the dirt. His dark eyes scanning the area for any immediate threats. After a few moments the boy stands up and begins moving towards a large rock. The boy moved to the top so that he could get a better view of the cavern. There was not a whole lot going on just yet.
Kaydin would continue to walk around the cavern for the most part. He would look around once more before focusing on the road ahead. He would look towards the big rock to note a guy on it. "Hello!" He calls out to the guy.
Keiji saw the boy as soon as he yelled out hello. The boy slowly built his chakra before waving at the guy. He then hopped down from the rock to the floor of the cavern, his pincered finger held outwards. "Who are you?" he asks as he looks the boy over once.
"Hyuga Kaydin, of the Hyuga clan's branch family. I am here taking the exam." He says calmly. Despite the boy's wary actions, Kaydin seemed to be unphased, as if this stranger was simply a normal everyday villager. Inside however he was tense, ready to fight.
"Shippodoku Keiji. You are not the first Hyuga I have met. The last one was not exactly a decent fighter." Keiji then glanced towards the hands of the boy. "You interested in a test of ability?" He was not sure just which branch Naoki was from.
"Despite how weak the last Hyuga you met was, The clan is formiddable." Kaydin says as he would nod. "Sure. I wouldnt mind a test. I assume your after my scroll?" He asks as he begins to raise his hands, moving to a Juuken stance, but the Byakugan wasnt active yet. He simply watched and waited.
Keiji nods his head. "I have heard of the Hyuga clan before. Like most leaf clans the stories about them are numerous." Keiji then shakes his head. "I have no intentions of taking your scroll. I have my own." Keiji then moves forward aiming two light pincer attacks towards the boy. "This is just a test to see what the competition is like. Consider it scouting."
Kaydin would lean back and shift, the blows avoiding the Hyuga as he would spin and send an empty palm, without the chakra to the kid's chest as he would then watch Keiji. "I see. Does this mean you wish me to come at you with full force?" He asks as if the actions were simple movements.
Keiji planted his feet and bent his torso out of the way of the palm. "Sure. Full force would be nice." Then the young Shippodoku closed his eyes and focused for a moment, soon his body sprouted four extra arms and and tail. "I suppose it only fair I show you mine as well." The boy then rushed forward attempting the same two pincered finger strikes he had before.
Kaydin's eyes widen slightly at the extra arms and tail, but as the blows come in, he dodges, barely moving just out of reach of the blows. "This was not something I have seen or expected." He says as he would close his eyes. Veins would bulge all around the sides of his head and upon opening his eyes, his white eyes become more piercing and he moves to a more refined juuken stance. "Lets try this." He says calmly as he views the chakra circulatory system of this being and would send a two fingered strike for the being's shoulder, the upper one.
Keiji simply backed his shoulder away while keeping his feet planted. "No one really expects this. Eyes view me as a freak until people come to know me." The boy then rushes forward aiming a similar two strike combo, though this time he was aiming towards more pain inflicting areas such as the ribs. "I took on a giant spider the other day to save some people from Konoha. At first they saw me as a freak. They were unsure of who to help."
Kaydin would begin spinning, pumping chakra out of his chakra pores. At first the first blow does punch through and stop the spinning but the second blow seems to be pushed away as he spins, stopping to take a step back and focus his stamina to chakra for use. "My Eyes reveal to me you possess the same chakra as a human. This is just a Kekkei Genkai, nothing more." He says calmly, not seeming shocked or afraid of him.
There were a few thoughts that Keiji had about what was said, but he was more happy he had landed a strike against his opponent. "You may want to tell the people of Sunagakure that my chakra is human. They seem to believe due to my black eyes and this form that my people are some hybrid off spring between a drunken man and a giant, overly excited scorpion." The boy then lunged forward attempting two more of the same strike, even to the same place.
Kaydin would continue spinning and the chakra becomes stronger with each spin, pushing the scorpian man back. It wasnt until he pushes out more chakra to send a spinning blastwave around him to try and hit the teen. "Would they believe a Konohagakure nin? The Ninja villages arent exactly most trusting of each other completely." He says calmly.
The young Shippodoku simply side stepped the spin from the young Hyuga. "You raise a valid point." keiji stated as he pondered the difference in how defensive the boy's physical actions seemed. Then again his own offense was not out shining his own defense. Keiji once more rushed forward, this time he lunged forward attempting to pass the boy, but at the same time he reached down aiming for a pressure point in his ankle. His tail would try to follow through and slash the boy.
Kaydin wasnt expecting this attack and thought he could dodge it, but he wasnt fast enough and is slammed and ran through. He coughs as he shakes his head. "Eight Trigrams…Thirty two palms." He says as he would move to a stance. It was then he moved with increased speed to send two strikes for the teen. He would go through the pattern, from two strikes, to four, to eight, to sixteen and finally thirty two but where he would normally stop and send the oppenant back, he moved in again, and begins to repeat the process all over again, two strikes, four, eight, sixteen, and finally thirty two.
As Kaydin burst forth and let go the extremely fast palm strikes, Keiji's torso would match the speed and dodge each palm. Most of which were just barely. He had seen the strikes before, but these were much quicker. "You do not look so good. Should we stop?" Keiji asks. He was not taunting, but this was just scouting, not a battle to the death.
"Yeah. That last attempt was to try and inflict some damage. Now I need to rest and heal up. You are indeed quite powerful. Despite this, your chakra is still human." He says calmly as the veins vanish from the sides of his head and his eyes return to normal. "My eyes reveal many things to me. I intend to prove the Byakugan is the most powerful Doujutsu, but it would seem I need more training." He says calmly.
Keiji nods his head as he desists with the attack. "Do not feel bad. In general there will always be someone above and below. There are those stronger than me in this competition. From the horror stories I have heard, there are those much stronger than me. There were also contestants weaker than both of us. The goal here is to make the cut to be in the upper portion." The boy's body then turns back to normal. The tail and arms vanishing.
"Agreed. Even a fool knows that we cannot reach out and touch the stars but that does not stop the wise man from trying." Kaydin says as he would get his backpack. "Lets share a meal, I have some food still left, My team leader comes from a clan of big eaters so I been making enough to sate even his hunger." He says calmly.
There is no arguement from Keiji. The boy moved towards Kaydin and nodded his head. "Team leader. Must be nice. We randomly go on missions with our jounin council members. I hope after being appointed to chuunin I can start my own team up." In truth the boy had never really learned to cook. He learned how to feed himself in a desert but the food was not tasteful. It was very bland. He was happy to share a meal from someone who knew how to do more than throw meat over a fire.
