Starring:
Date: August 21, 2015
Summary:
Nearly a week after an attempted assassination of Kaguya Tsutsuji by her grandfather, Okumo Naoya seeks her out to test if she is viable to Kirigakure.
"Spider's Game"
Kirigakure, near the Kirigakure Academy
'Another one of these, I know.. Silence.. Tsk..' is softly murmured as a young man begins to walk slowly through the village. Glancing around the pathways, Naoya's dark golden eyes shift to one side, settling onto the Academy. "Yes.. Move now" is said some what firmly before the front of his right foot lifts up before slapping downwards, flush with the ground. With little warning, dozen after dozen of spiders, five centimeters in diameter would flow from the young man's pants legs.
Scattering all around the Okumo, the brood would break off into multiple groups their number always divisible by three, only to split into smaller groups of threes the further they move away. Three dozen spiders would surge into the Academy but rarely along the cobbled pathway, largely along the grass and along the walls of the building. Along the pathways that ran through the village they would move into the under growth and almost disappear from sight. Still more would extend out of line of sight, extending for a few kilometers, each one searching for something or rather some one.
Shifting his left hand to a hip pouch, a short scroll could be seen slightly poking out from it, though ant seals along it would be hidden from view. "Shorter than Yu-chan.. The same clan.. Green, not blue this time.. Yes yes, ivory hair like our's. Keep looking for her.. She will be close to here, within three kilometers."
It was only days after Meruin-sama convinced her to step forward, and not backwards, after her grandfather plunged a knife into her back for being outspoken about her clan, and her path within it. One would expect that it might take an Okumo to find her, given the extra care she has put to remain in the shadows as of late. In retrospect, this is likely the most un-Kaguya thing to do. Yet fear is it's ally, the kind of fear like that of a cornered animal. Willing to strike out at anything that poses a threat to their life. That is how Tsutsuji thinks right now.
Never out on the street, not anymore, the young genin finds herself taking paths that until recently, held far more risk than benefit. Yet now that she feels she cannot exactly trust her clan, walking on the streets is no longer the safest place to be. Along the fencing, behind the buildings, and through the back alleys, Tsutsuji walks alone. Her hand is never fall from the Camellia-shaped kunai that is the only tool she could hope to defend herself with at this point. Her eyes dart about the alley with scrutiny, but all the scrutiny in the world would not keep the genin from being spotted by the Okumo's spawn. Her current destination are the training yards the Mizukage allowed for her use, given that the training grounds of her clan was no longer an option.
What were once bright amber toned eyes darken as chakra flows through them to a dark golden tone. A faint smirk appears on his lips as he turns his head slightly to one side, as is watching the young Kaguya though all he could stare at are buildings. "There's the little one.. Follow. No, do not interact.. and stay silent. If you try to speak.. I will silence that group. No exceptions." Closing his eyes, Naoya slips both of his hands into his pockets and leans slightly forward before kicking off with a blurring burst of speed.
As they were ordered, the spiders would not grow closer towards Tsutsuji, but they would keep their distance from her, staying several meters behind her. As her location becomes watched, other spiders hasten their pace, flanking her position, traveling within the academy but also along the near by building's roof along with their host to watch her from above. "Traveling to the practice grounds along.. is unwise. Practicing alone when you know little will cause you to ingrain those mistakes" is said, not as a shout but almost casually but loudly as Naoya walks along the ridge above.
The walk was likely uneventful, despite all of her inhibitions and wariness. Clearly, she needed a shake-up to confirm her suspicions that she was indeed being followed. Yet, she completely expected anyone approaching her to be a Kaguya seeking blood, and not an Okumo tracking her down for some official duty or to feed their curiosity. Thus, even before she looks to see who it was, her hand reached down to her blade to draw her blade and spin it in her hands to confirm to herself it's weight and balance, before grasing it tight. Her body naturally shifts to the basic forms of the stances known to be that of the Kaguya, her sleeves fluttering as they catch up to her quick motion.
Only then, does her head rise to look at the ridge above. In the haze of Kirigakure, if she even spots him, his hair would be white enough to cause her concern. Her heart-rate jumped, and she clearly had already made her judgement at the shinobi skulking upon the rooves.
Too far for her to recognize any clan symbolism, Tsutsuji replies with a calm voice, with fear and anger both attempting to burst through the facade. "I am sane enough to tell the difference between a mistake and a successful strike. For instance, if you are here to trouble me clan-mate, I will make sure with my last breath that your next actions are mistaken."
clearly she is in need of ease, or perhaps the Okumo could very well prove that he is neither Kaguya nor mistaken by gaining the upper hand.
A soft chuckle bubbles up from his chest though in turn he slips a hand behind himself, slowly drawing a blade, that did not reflect in the sunlight, but it seemed to be made of solid ivory. Shifting slightly to one side, then to the next, from a stand still, his figure began to blur, appearing almost as three different men in motion before disappearing from sight. Slowing, Naoya would land two meters behind Tsutsuji, just outside of a normal engagement range.
At such a range, it would be able to be seen the blade he held was also Camellia style blade, though no markings were upon his brow. Repositioning himself, Naoya adopts a different stance than the young Kaguya, but his stance echoed that of an Kaguya but a defensive one. "Are you sure? Just because the cut is deep, or causes blood to flow freely, it doesn't mean the strike was keen, nor that you didn't overly expose yourself." Using his chin, he nods towards Tsutsuji briefly, not moving from his position, but motioning more exactly towards her blade. "You're too rigid.. If you strike now, you'll lose strength in the second blow, making it easier to push it out, exposing your ribs for a draw cut." Twisting his wrist slightly, the edge of the blade drops slightly, before a faint motion forward, hinting at a press cutting motion without drawing close.
RP: Tsutsuji joins the roleplay.
COMBAT: It is now Tsutsuji's turn.
RP: Naoya joins the roleplay.
COMBAT: Tsutsuji focuses 2847 stamina to turn it into 3000 usable chakra!
COMBAT: Tsutsuji finishes her turn.
COMBAT: It is now Naoya's turn.
COMBAT: Naoya finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Tsutsuji's turn.
The blurring created a situation in which she knew she was outmatched. A Kaguya that could move like that is likely far more powerful than she, but his stance was very sloppy if he was attempting the unique stances of her clan, stances that allow the user to move in any direction with relative ease, and plant attacks at awkward angles that are difficult to predict… Never the less she recalls the Kage's words to her. To 'find purpose in power within you, to stand your ground when it matters'. For this person whom has not told her who he is, whom she assumes is Kaguya, this is when it matters.
"That is why I will not strike, but I gladly await your first blow. Maire(Come at me), and let me prove to you and the rest of my clan that I am not weak." She asks, almost begging you to let her prove the Kage's word's were not in vain.
COMBAT: Tsutsuji finishes her turn.
COMBAT: It is now Naoya's turn.
A soft smile appears on his lips, though Naoya doesn't speak immediately. Slowly shifting his twist, his feet almost dance under him, causing him to sway in an unorthodox pattern, once again appearing as if traveling in many different routes at once. It wasn't until each faux flickers out of sight though a voice could be heard from Tsutsuji's left side. "Show me.." is said more softly, but still it held a hint of amusement.
The broad side of his blade is brought close to the younger girl but something shifts within his stance. Naoya's hold on the ivory blade shifts slightly as he straightens wrist mid slash, attempting to faintly cross cut along Tsutsuji's bicep. "Show me your strength," is echoed, but this time it held the stronger tone of a command rather than an amused request.
COMBAT: Naoya attacks Tsutsuji with BREVITY-STEALTH with a roll of: 39
COMBAT: Naoya attacks Tsutsuji with SHARP with a roll of: 22
COMBAT: Naoya finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Tsutsuji's turn.
COMBAT: Naoya attacks you with BREVITY-STEALTH and rolls a 39. Action?
COMBAT: Tsutsuji defends against BREVITY-STEALTH(39) attack from Naoya with a FALSE-STEP-OF-THE-SEA-BREEZE…30
COMBAT: Tsutsuji loses the roll and sustains 0 damage.
COMBAT: Naoya attacks you with SHARP and rolls a 22. Action?
Tsutsuji barely grasps Naoya's attack, because her only indicator of where he was is his voice. Thus she had to rely on her most extensive technique, right off the back. The Kaguya closes her eyes, like in her training sessions, feeling the subtle hints of an incoming attack. Unless the blade was faster than air, she would respond to it. Barely just in time, she moves the arm he was aiming at forward, the blade slicing through her sleeve right where it was tied off by a bow. Attempting to turn herself to face the enemy Kaguya, she brings her un-weaponized hand to attack the Okumo's arm that had just recently attempted to injure her bicep, while sneaking along an indirect strike with her Kunai in order to attempt a counter. Her sleeve hits the floor, baring her arm wrapped in combat tape up to her elbow.
COMBAT: Tsutsuji attacks Naoya with PHYSICAL with a roll of: 20
COMBAT: Tsutsuji attacks Naoya with BLADE-DANCE with a roll of: 15
COMBAT: Tsutsuji finishes her turn.
COMBAT: It is now Naoya's turn.
COMBAT: Naoya defends against PHYSICAL(20) attack from Tsutsuji with a DODGE…34
COMBAT: Naoya wins the roll.
COMBAT: Naoya defends against BLADE-DANCE(15) attack from Tsutsuji with a DODGE…43
COMBAT: Naoya wins the roll.
Stepping into his first draw cut, the ivory blade only manages to slice cloth rather than flesh, which causes a brow to arch along his brow. "Hmm? That movement.. False Steps?" is murred with some surprise. Before Naoya could savor the moment to study her further, he quickly shifts his shoulders, angling his chest to allow Tsutsuji to strike in front of him rather than his arm. With her second blow drawing in close, the young man didn't dodge away from her but continues to move along with her flowing motions, keeping himself away safely.
"Hmm.. That's interesting. I've never seen Yu-chan use that pattern before. Show me more." A light smirk appears on his lips before slashing with one hand low, the shallow blow aiming at the side of Tsutsuji's thigh before skipping backwards. With the distance between them growing, Naoya settles in place, though his left arm became poised, as if contemplating whipping it forward even though he was too far away to stab anything but air.
COMBAT: Naoya attacks Tsutsuji with SHARP with a roll of: 25
COMBAT: Naoya finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Tsutsuji's turn.
COMBAT: Naoya attacks you with SHARP and rolls a 25. Action?
COMBAT: Tsutsuji defends against SHARP(25) attack from Naoya with a DANCE-OF-THE-KAGUYA…16
COMBAT: Tsutsuji loses the roll and sustains 228 damage.
COMBAT: There are no more attacks for you to defend against.
It broke her focus, when she turned to follow up her defensive ability only to see that this was no Kaguya. Thus, she did not sense the air currents nearing her when he strikes her thigh, a visible trail of blood slides down her leg, soaking her tabi the same color as the modified kimono she wears. A mistake like this would have cost her own life had this been a Kaguya actually out to kill her.
She is almost convinced that you are not Kaguya, and while your blow was a learning experience, it was not deep enough to wake her from the adrenaline rush overtaking her. "As you wish…" She says as she takes the offensive this time, unclothed arm holding the dagger, drawing your attention to it. In fact, as she arrives at your location she would strike out with it, bringing a palm up as a follow-up that was the reverse of her previous feint… Her final strike involved the elbow of the arm holding the kunai, as the kunai-strike was actually the feint in this situation, she had enough strength to bring her elbow towards the Okumo's chin. The best part about it was that her attacks never seemed to be all-in, as she plays rather defensively in her combat…
COMBAT: Tsutsuji attacks Naoya with BLADE-DANCE with a roll of: 21
COMBAT: Tsutsuji attacks Naoya with PHYSICAL with a roll of: 18
COMBAT: Tsutsuji attacks NAOYA with PHYSICAL with a roll of: 24
COMBAT: Tsutsuji finishes her turn.
COMBAT: It is now Naoya's turn.
COMBAT: Naoya defends against BLADE-DANCE(21) attack from Tsutsuji with a DODGE…29
COMBAT: Naoya wins the roll.
COMBAT: Naoya defends against PHYSICAL(18) attack from Tsutsuji with a DODGE…43
COMBAT: Naoya wins the roll.
COMBAT: Naoya defends against PHYSICAL(24) attack from Tsutsuji with a BLOCK…23
COMBAT: Naoya loses the roll and sustains 87 damage.
Despite drawing blood, Naoya's poise didn't seem to shift in joy or regret, he simply continues to watch the younger girl as she moves with him. The report on the other hand, causes the smirk on his lips to soften into a light smile, reaming silent while flowing with Tsutsuji's flurried dance with her dagger. Just as before when the blow rounds to strike him with her palm, only air was pushed though the faint seemed to hold much more ground as he moves to block the kunai strike prematurely. The sudden elbow strike would cause the young man's face to be forced upwards and off slightly to the side.
Weaving his steps, Naoya retreats a few steps only to bring his blade holding hand upwards, using the back of his hand to rub against his chin faintly. "Hmm.. I think I started to under estimate you after all. Kaguya-san.. or should I say Tsutsuji-san?" Slipping his blade holding hand to the side, the flat of the blade is left facing upwards while the tip still points towards the girl. "I am Okumo Naoya, Chuunin of Kirigakure. I acknowledge the fire in you burns, even if the flames are still low." Even after speaking and his stance relaxes, it was easy to see he was far from a laxed position, prepared to accept an additional barrage.
COMBAT: Naoya finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Tsutsuji's turn.
"What?" she asks the Okumo, and herself in part. "Okumo… Naoya?" she narrows her eyes. "Meruin-sama said that he would make sure that the Okumo watched over me, he did not say they would attempt to attack me. Why are you doing this, Okumo Naoya?" She asks. "Does my pain bring you pleasure?" She proposes, and her stance too never dropped. She even attempts to step forward, but she had exhausted herself just attempting to land a single blow on the Okumo. Her muscles were already aching, she just didn't notice it yet as the adrenaline flowed through her blood. "Am I curious to you?" She also asks. Yu-chan was one of the names he mentioned, but that was rather open ended. She is still so heavily in the dark. "I've been through enough!" She says rather loudly all of a sudden, as she pants. "What do you want?"
"The Mizukage has yet to speak to me about you. You are a young one, and young ones must be tested to see their worth." Closing his eyes, Naoya smiles softly as his left arm is lifted up, allowing him to use his white sleeve as a cloth to wipe her blood off and onto. "I could ask you to show me what you could do.. but you wouldn't show me everything quickly. You assumed your fears onto me.. form how I look no less." Turning the blade's edge towards the air, he quickly slashes downwards, slicing the air once before slipping the blade behind himself, sheathing it.
Opening his eyes slowly, dark golden eyes stare out towards Tsutsuji, unblinking. "Fear.. fear caused you to strike as if I was a threat, that is good for my research, though it's clear you still need time to grow, as I did soon after graduation." Extending his right hand, Naoya loosely motions for her to lower her hands before continuing to speak, "Breath deeply.. Once you've calmed, we can continue to the next step of this evaluation.
It is clear the Kaguya is not one hundred percent trusting of the Okumo. Thankfully, it is not because Okumo have a reputation for being untrustworthy. The truth was that he pushed her quite far already, and he had no more tide-turning tricks up her sleeve. "…" For a moment she felt like lashing out again, reguardless of what he said, but then again it would go against her will to be different than those of her clan. Thus she does cool-down, taking a moment to catch her breath. "Meruin-sama would know if you were the one to draw my blood after his promise. Therefore, I trust you will honor that promise, but I will not let me guard down. If you feel like toying with me after knowing this, then I will entertain you." She says as she attempts to ease her stance and display a peaceful facade.
"What is your next test?" She asks, as she steps back to the sleeve she had lost, gathering it while keeping her eyes trained on he whom she is yet to trust.
"Drawing blood is a state of life within this village. Do you think the Mizukage would permit anyone to be a daunted child rather than a honed blade?" A faint smirk appears on his lips once again before Naoya lightly shakes his head from side to side. Turning away from the younger girl, he begins to walk towards the training field that he had found her walking towards. "If he wishes to punish me, he will.. no matter my reasoning behind my actions."
Shruggins his shoulders lightly, Naoya lifts his left hand, raising it over his shoulder only to motion for any behind him to follow, silently but he did not call anyone out individually. "If I were to toy with you as well.. I wouldn't use such shallow cuts, not would I cut without lacing it with my toxins to see how you react to being boiled within and bound." Slipping his right hand behind himself when Tsutsuji asks about another test, only to pat his blade's hilt. "I don't dance as a Kaguya, but I was trained to use this by the Kaguya.. I will make sure you flow truly, and know how to fight proudly, without fear."
Tsutsuji grunts. She does not doubt based on what she saw that Naoya was a dangerous person. She followed, but remained far enough that at least if she knew he was absolutely going to kill her, she'd be able to retreat. Her bright green glare bore holes into the other shinobi's back. "Boiled and bound." She says with a clear frown. "If you think I'd scream for you, you'd be mistaken. I don't fear you." She says, though inwardly that was about as much as a lie as it could get.
"Scream? Screams don't amuse me Tsutsuji-san. Screaming wouldn't be a choice either. You're wound.." Falling silent, Naoya lowers a hand to lightly pat at his thigh, echoing where he managed to slice into Tsutsuji's thigh enough to cut flesh and not just cloth before lifting his hand higher to slip into his pocket. "It hasn't healed yet. You've only begun to master your body, haven't you?"
Turning his head to the side slightly, naoya turns his head, angling an ear towards the younger girl as they pass through the narrow length of the alley before opening into the wider training area, though it wasn't as large as the academy's outside training field made it fit many individuals practicing as a unit. "My toxins were made to even leave scars onto those who have mastered the 'Dance of Clematis'.." Stopping suddenly, a faint grumble rumbles as he begins to focus, 'Yes.. No, it wasn't Larch, No.. only her Itoko showed Seeds but she..' is murmured to himself before he shakes his head clear before walking once again. "Yes, Clematics is what she called it."
Turning on his heel, Naoya faces Tsutsuji before settling into position with his hands drawn form his pockets but extended out, exposed to her, showing they were empty. "Now.. while your foot work is rather exceptional, your offense was not as skilled, but it didn't seem you were holding back, but simply lacking in live combat. Am I wrong?"
It is true, that the bloodthirsty Kaguya only truly awaken when they've killed another. "The Dance of the Clematis is a very advanced skill. It is the turning point, where a Kaguya distinguishes themselves from the 'rabble' as I have plainly been called. It functions in two forms. A form to bind the opponent, with one's back-bone, before making one's entire arm an instrument of the Kaguya's wrath." Tsutsuji looks at her wound, eyes closing. "I have not even mastered the first dance, the dance of the Camellia… I may never master it." That is why she is persuing a more elemental style of her clan's taijutsu, which may not be the best idea…
"I have yet to experience taking a life, but I have trained vigorously against my peers." She says, trying to keep a confident air. At least she's recovering a little. "… You are not wrong." The walk has brought her to this training ground, one that she has never been to. It feels like Naoya's every move is an attempt to unsettle her. Attacking her. Bringing her to a place she has nver been. Pointing out her flaws. Making her feel vulnerable…
"Yes.. I know of the 'vine' and the 'flower' very intimately. The third time I most died.." is said some what flatly, though without much though, Naoya's right hand moves around to his stomach, slowly clutching at it. Lifting his hand up, two fingers extend and are waved from side to side lightly. "If you lack faith and will, even if you could tap into your natural gifts, you won't. You'll cause yourself to fail, which will result in your death sooner than later.."
Turning and walking away from Tsutsuji again, Naoya makes his way over towards a standing out three section training dummy with rotating sections, along with suited with light armor. The armor of the dummy was plate and clearly worn down, repaired and reinforced countless times before. "Comparing yourself right now to others.. will not matter. Many of them will die before the next winter settles and takes hold." Shifting his weight, he rests some what onto the training dummy, allowing his eyes to settle onto the young Kaguya while speaking to her. "Do you wish to compare yourself to a corpse or have others race to follow your steps?"
Lowering his left hand, Naoya would begin to point at several points, each time, his fingers would linger for several seconds, "Windpipe.. major artery.. heart.. lung.. diaphragm.. kidney.. intestines here.. to here.. When you strike, these are what you focus on. You don't need to strike with excessive force. A clean cut, a single one, can be enough to kill your prey painfully, and likely slowly, even if you have to retreat for a time."
Tsutsuji has to admit, forcing a slow death seems… rather Okumo. Tsutsuji places her ruined sleeve aside as she approaches the padded-armored dummies. As much as she doubts the younger shirayuki wouldn't last the winter, she has become envious of her abilities enough that she clearly wishes to surpass her. While her distance from the Okumo is still not 'close', she is close enough to the dummies to watch his display of rather basic academy doctrine.
"Prey is a rather demeaning thing to call one's enemy, though slightly better than trash as my branch likes to call them. Why are you reciting basic anatomy to me? I know where the vital areas are, Okumo Naoya." She glances at the dummy, before returning her gaze to the spider. "I feel the next step will require me attacking the dummy in some form, for your enjoyment."
Shaking his head lightly, Naoya lowers a hand to lightly stroking them along the lower ribs of the dummy. "Prey is anyone that I hunt.. If your enemy isn't prey, then it is your hunter, which you must avoid until they are your prey." Lifting his fingers lightly, he taps along the dummy twice before looking up, his eyes shifting tone once again from a darker golden tone to a bright amber as a soft smile appears on his lips. "You were told where to aim before, yet you never did when you fought me, not even when you thought I wished for your life. Why not?"
Moving his hand upwards, Naoya curls his loose fingers into a tightened fist before striking it against the chest plate of the dummy's breastplate. "I was assigned to evaluate you, and to have you improve. Now, your confidence is weak, you doubt yourself before anything began.. how will you take a life at that rate?" Lifting the left hand that had just stuck the breastplate, he uncurls free fingers, wiggling them lightly towards Tsutsuji, trying to make them stand out. "You have three chances to flow and kill this dummy, that's if you actually wish to be strong, or if those words were hollow. If any strikes are poor or half hearted, you will be punished for each offense."
Tsutsuji places her hands on her hip, sighing as she watches him strike the dummy's chest. It… looked like a sturdy doll for sure. "My clan never taught me to strike those places, no matter how hard the academy reinforced it." She informs. Tsutsuji closes her eyes, cursing inwardly as she shifts a little in her spot. One hand slides down her hips to the wound that was placed on her earlier, a cut that sliced into her thigh through her waist-cloth. "It's built into my muscle memory…" All those days of training, and her elders never taught her one strike that would amount to a killing blow?
Tsutsuji approaches the dummy, as she begins to feel slightly more at ease around the Okumo, mostly because she believe she'd already be dead if he wanted it. She slips back into her stance, grabbing her blade as she does. How was she supposed to strike whole-heartedly, when her elders trained her as half heartedly as she was going to strike. She stepped close, bringing her forearm to strike against the doll's neck, partly to obscure vision, though not strong enough to do more that tickle someone like Naoya. Like all her moves, it was a feint, her blade flipping in her hand as she reveses it, and slips it into the doll's under-arm, when she draws the hand that had sunk the Kunai into the doll moments before, she thrusts it into the doll's chest, which was meant to push it away, but it stood still. She then backs away.
She tried her hardest, truly, but she never went 'all-in' as if giving her the opportunity to move away if there was retaliation…
With Tsutsuji approaching with an forearm chop rather than her blade, air rushes from his nose as Naoya began to sigh from boredom. When the strike is drawn back, shifting into that of a blade, not against the armor plate but into the unguarded point under the arm, a twisted grin spreads across his lips. "One.." When the next strike is leveled against the dummy's chest, he arches a brow slightly while watching the younger Kaguya began to slip backwards, gaining distance between herself and the dummy.
Moving a hand under the dummy's arm, Naoya tilts his head to the side, pressing the tip of his finger along where the new crevice was formed. 'Hmm..' "Tell me now, were you making this blow to kill, to wound, to disable them? I'm curious." Slipping his hand away and points out towards Tsutsuji with two fingers before moving his hand to her hand which held a kunai rather than her personal blade. "You're skill with the kunai, how does it fair compared to the Camellia that you were holding a few moments ago? The longer blade would give you more leverage, also the thinner point would allow you to slip even deeper before the base widened too much and caused resistance."
Taking a sidestep away from the dummy, Naoya exposes his back towards the younger Kaguya though, it would reveal several spiders began to crawl from his neck and move to his shoulders. Over half of the spiders would turn around, facing behind their host, most of them seemingly watching Tsutsuji carefully. "Also, why did you back away, wasn't your strike true? Not confident they one blow would be enough to kill them outright?"
Her lack of use using her main camellia knife was simply because she wasn't attempting to kill the individual. "… My branch of the Kaguya clan has a penchant for toying with their victims, thus I was taught me how to disable them rather than kill." she looks over at Naoya, as she brings her finger to the point at the arm that she sunk her broad-edge blade.
"This is the site of a nerve that runs underneath the bone…" She looks towards it as she slips her finger down the dummy's false-arm. "Striking a Kaguya means without certainty that there won't be a clean strike all the way through the arm. It is more important, then, to cut off all individual's attempt to strike back in the event that they are Kaguya" She turned her back to Naoya, knowing all to well that those spiders are the true technique of the Okumo. "While this is the most effective way of disabling a Kaguya, it applies to any other individual"
Her fingers begin to follow the path of that nerve, from the wrist, all the way to the underarm. Her finger then slides down the dummy's body, before her finger presses squarely against the inner-thigh, where the pelvis would meet the humerous. She has to crouch to explain. "Severing this nerve located here, causes leg function to decline. Thus, the victim will be restricted to one leg, heavily decreasing his effectiveness. Keeping cuts shallow, and striking these locations, allows one to remain on the defensive. It's part of one of Kaguya Yasushi's doctrines of combat.
The smile on his lips remains for a time, but then he slowly begins to step forward closer towards Tsutsuji until a hand would come to rest on her shoulder. "No.. You don't have the skill yet to try such a game of cat and toy with a live opponent yet." Tensing his grasp onto her shoulder lightly, Naoya doesn't look towards her but focuses onto the dummy. "This tactic, in live combat while both bodies shift and pivot.. how easy was it to focus on any of my tendons, let alone my nerves?"
Moving his right hand over to his left side, he slips his hand under his arm before saying, "Striking here is a good 'theory' as well, but relying on a shallow cut, aimed perfectly to a point while trying to avoid a down slash or a knee to your own ribs is wasted energy." Moving his hand away, Naoya slips a hand into his thin overcoat, revealing a black undershirt. When he presses the overcoat fully out of the way, he shows Tsutsuji his armpit area, though quickly white silk begins to wrap around the area only then for it to harden into a dark golden tone. "Stab me there.. now, just as you did the dummy." From his tone, no fear could be noted, nor any joking undertones.
The question as to whether it was easy to hit Naoya was almost rhetorical, but she answers reguardless, "It was difficult to strike you at all, which is why I improvised." She says with a grunt. Her eyes widen though, as he removes his coat, to provide a clear opening. "You're rather confusing." She says.
Though, she'd do as he requests. This entire time she has been frowning, but when you leave an opening, she does clearly attempt to take it. When she moves forward to thrust her fore-arm against your neck, using her thick flowing sleeves to block your sight, she drops the Kunai and grabs her Camellia blade. She then reverses it in her hands and uses that to strike into his under-arm.
Her smile might turn into a surprise when the blade breaks, even though she put a lot of force behind it.
Standing still, Naoya doesn't seem to move at all when his vision is blocked once again though when Tsutsuji moves in closer he leans in slightly, into the blow. The blade would quickly come in contact with the hardened material for a moment but with much of her force behind it, it would crack the armor plating and slip into his flesh that was hidden underneath it.
A mild glare fills Naoya's eyes but it doesn't last for longer than a passing moment. "Look.." is said slowly, though, his tone was more tense then before he was stabbed. "Even putting in your weight.. a slight shift in weight, and a thin barrier.." Naoya's left arm that had been struck, quickly bends down, grasping onto Tsutsuji's bicep, holding onto it strongly. "You missed.. with such a small target.. you will almost always miss when striking someone as skilled.. or more skilled than you."
The movement would cause something else to happen, blood would begin to trickle down and along Tsutsuji's blade as it still shifted around under the Okumo's skin. "You toy with a lesser, not with someone you are sent to kill, not to someone that could likely kill you in turn.. Do I make myself clear?"
Tsutsuji's stronges thrust managed to break the barrier, and draw some blood… Yet even after she sacraficed the durability of her blade to do as he asked, with her full strength and with her camellia blade, she was still unable to sever the nerve, and thus it has allowed his hand to grasp her own. Her smile fades, as she comes to an understanding. "… I… I understand now."
Her smile faded into an almost sad look. "… Now I understand clearly, Naoya-san. All those times that I was replicating everything my grandfather taught me, when he injured me each time in our sessions… It's… clear that he was less interested in training me… and… more interested in toying with me." Her still-sleeved arm acting as a distraction drops to her side as she sighs. Was her grandfather's sessions meant to train her at all? Did she learn anything from him that she did not deduce herself? It's a terrible thing to realize… Her glance breaks off from Naoya's.
"Those who are weak yet are prideful, find those weaker to keep low in fear that they will become their greaters," is stated dispassionately. The hand that held onto Tsutsuji doesn't relent or relax but Naoya maintains a firmed grip. "Do you still wish to be the weak one, seen as a toy.. or do you wish to become one that they regard with reverence? It's a choice.. a chance.. nothing else." Leaning forward, he softly says "Please remove that blade, it is starting to wiggle in funny ways in there, the brood is annoyed that I haven't removed it yet for them to tend to it."
"If you wish to continue with their lessons, thust your blade further into me.. be know for stabbing a Chuunin, or, withdraw it and we will find time to give you proper lessons." Relenting his grasp on her arm, Naoya leaves his arm in the air, leaving it still at a dangerously exposed point if Tsutsuji continued to thrust as she was already past the armor he had shaped to guard himself. "Don't answer with words.. words are useless, actions.. results.. those are the only things that matter."
"… Naoya-san. You have not heard, have you? The reason I came to Meruin-sama for protection." She draws the blade away and throws it aside. "I will spare you from needing to know, if you do not care." She says as the blade hits the ground. "… I'll simply say that my grandfather no longer has the wish to toy with me any longer, and leave it at that, if you wish." She turns away, moving over towards the garments she would need to repair on her off-time.
"You're actions are all that I care about little one.. The Mizukage has yet to issue me orders. So his comments to you, in private are that.. hear say." Looking down at his side, Naoya tilts his head to one side as half a dozen spiders begin to surge around his arm from under his shirt, bandaging him from under his clothing. "You answered to me.. you wish to be greater. I shall honor that comment." Just as suddenly as the bulges in shirt appeared, they seemed to reenter the Okumo's skin once again after the blood flow ended.
Flexing his hand slowly, he lowers down his arm, letting it settle to shift his over coat, causing it to become neat once again. "There.. settled. You're Kenjutsu lessons will begin next sunset, along the shore of the Mist Lake," is once again stated with utter casualness, as if ti was a given fact. "You shall become a shinobi worthy of note and respect, or remembered as a honored shinobi that gave her life for the village." With his answer given without even checking with the young girl, Naoya prepares to depart. "Kaguya Yuriko might be needed to teach you more how to dance properly.. I only echo what she has taught me."
