[Senju Family Home] Katsuro's Mind Palace(Private; Training; Flashback)

Training:

Katsuro could be considered a savant when it came to using the special element he was born with.  Mokuton, and ninjutsu by default, came to him as naturally as breathing did.  Of course this natural talent could be related to his extensive training he received as a child in the use of his natural gifts.  He still remembered the training as if he had occurred merely hours before.

The sleep child felt a hand roughly shake him back to the waking world.  With a half-lidded eye, a single glance towards the window revealed that it was still dark outside.  With a groan, he rolled over and buried his head back underneath the covers.  Why did his father insist on waking him up at such an ungodly hour to train in something he already knew how to control.  For crying out loud he wasn't even old enough to go into the academy and yet he started training before even most adults were awake.  And suddenly his body suddenly got cold.  It took his brain a second to realize what had happened but when it did he couldn't breath.  Not only had his cover been snatched away from his sleeping body but at the same exact time a bowl of icy water was poured over his entire body.

Like a firecracker, he exploded into action.  In a millisecond he was off the bed and standing next to his bed, shivering violently.  It was winter outside and there was still no fire to warm him.  He feared he would catch pneumonia from the cold and thus he once again exploded into action.  A few minutes later he emerged from his room, hair still wet from the water, but now he was warmly wrapped in his winter clothing and cloak.  It wouldn't be long before his father ushered him out in the cold so he could begin that morning's training.

Walking into the dining area, he was met with the glances from his cousins and his mother who sat before several bowls of steaming rice.  He was curious as to why his cousins were already here but he did not care enough to talk instead of eat.  immediately upon sitting on the pad, the chopsticks and rice began disappearing into his hungry maw as he built up the calorie intake to make sure he stayed healthy for that day's training.  He barely paid attention to the conversation that picked up after he started eating.  What he did hear, though, told him that his cousins would be joining him and his father on that day's training exercise, probably to test his abilities.  And then came the noise he dreaded.

The sliding door was thrown open and a few flakes of snow flew in as his father quickly ordered the small group out into the snow.  Katsuro quickly finished his bowl of rice before standing and kissing his mother on the cheek as he walked past her towards the door.  Today would not be a fun day.

As soon as he walked out into the cold a paper was quickly thrust into his hands.  He immediately knew what the paper was.  It was chakra paper meant to tell you what your chakra nature was.  Without even thinking, Katsuro focused chakra into the paper and nearly immediately felt the moss grow along the paper's surface.  It was a weird thing when Mokuton chakra nature was used with chakra paper.   No two people had the same reaction with the chakra paper.  One person would find bark growing on the tree while another would see it start to smell like a random flower.  Katsuro's moss was the first time anyone had ever seen it react like it did.  Most were uncertain as to whether it was a good thing or a bad thing but they could all agree Katsuro had a gift when it came to Ninjutsu.

"See, boys.  Our Katsuro has a very unique Mokuton chakra signature.  I've never seen chakra paper react like it does.  The paper is growing moss on it instead becoming rough or smelling like flowers.  My boy is truly special.  It's why I asked you all to come here for the next few days.  We need to make sure he knows every aspect of Mokuton to make sure he lives up to our expectations of becoming the next Clan head.  Now,  I'll be pairing you off for a few hours so you can impart your wisdom onto the boy but we must finish this quickly.  His time to join the academy is fast approaching and I want him to have a leg up on the other students.  First is Takeshi.  He will teach you how to form the chakra into jutsu."

Katsuro bowed towards Takeshi, who was old enough to be his great uncle, before walking behind the blind man towards the training spot the man had picked out for them.

"There are seeds planted throughout this field," the elderly man said, "and you shall force your Mokuton chakra into the earth to help the plants grow.  We shall not stop until you can grow every plant to adulthood on the first try.  Don't let my blindness fool you, little one, I will know if you succeed or not.  Now begin."  He chuckled as he sat cross legged next to the furrows, obviously getting ready to meditate or whatever it was that old people did to pass the time.

Katsuro sat next to the the first seed and closed his eyes.  He wasn't sure how he would do this but he was not gonna fail.  Not when he was likely to be disciplined for failing.  He brought his hands over the dirt and focused on his hands to begin focusing chakra into them.  Soon he felt them become warm and radiating energy.  He then began focusing on the seed that was placed in the ground and began forcing his chakra into it.  And focused.  And focused.  And focused.  He focused until he felt his head hurting and had to stop.  Upon opening his eyes he noticed that the sun had risen above the horizon and he could hear the sounds of the village through the mist.  The village was now awake and he had yet to get the seed to even break through the dirt.  Then he heard the old man's voice break him out of his reverie.

"You won't be able to go home until you get at least one seed to break out of the soil.  After that we will keep coming back until every single one of these seeds becomes a full fledged plant."

And they didn't go home that day.  Katsuro sat on the upturned soil for hours pouring Mokuton chakra through his hands and into the seed buried in the ground.  He kept his eyes closed and his body tense from the strain until the migraine from exhaustion would penetrate through his brain and cause him to cry out in pain.  Every time that happened he would open his eyes and rest until the migraine receding back from where it came from and he would start again, which just as much conviction as before.  He kept this routine for several hours, even as he felt the sun descend from the heavens and the air become colder and colder until his breath was visible even in the mist that covered the village.  Unbeknownst to him, his food would be brought to him at the normal time he would eat and warmer clothing would be brought to insure the young shinobi would not freeze to death before he accomplished his task.

At some point in the night the migraine returned and forced him to take yet another break before the pain became unbearable.  When he did he noticed the metal thermos of soup and the twin thermos of tea that was still warm to the touch.  Folded underneath the thermoses were a heavy blanket and heavier jacket, complete with gloves.  All of these things would be quickly donned before frostbite began eating away at his extremities.  He took his time eating the soup and drinking the tea, knowing that it would have to last him the night as he didn't dare sleep lest he freeze to death while unconscious.  In the darkness he could barely make-out the shape of his elderly cousin who was still watching over Katsuro in his meditative state.

Due to the fatigue that was plaguing his body Katsuro chose to take a longer break than usual and when he woke up several hours later he was freezing.  Shivering, he pulled himself upright and brought his hands around the still warm thermos of the tea before opening and drinking some, letting the warm liquid travel through his system and begin warming him from the inside out.  And then he set to work again.  This time, when he opened his eyes due to the emergence of the migraine, he noticed the small green leaf of the plant that was now growing thanks to his assistance.  With a shout that startled the sleeping elder awake, Katsuro announced his accomplishment to his watcher.

"Takeshi-senpai, I did it.  I actually did it.  I got a leaf."  The joy was nearly infectious as the older shinobi smiled and nodded.

"I guess it is time to go home young one," Takeshi said as he pulled himself into a standing stretch.  "Let's get some rest before we come back and you grow each seedling into a blooming plant."

The pair trudged through the forest created by Senju until they at last arrived at the walled compound that was the home of the Senju of Kirigakure.  By the time Katsuro arrived at his bed, he all but collapsed into his bed from the cumulative effect of the constant use of chakra over a long period of time.  And the rest, though lasting until the next morning, made Katsuro feel as if he was dead by the time he awoke from the slumber.  And even then he did not get a large amount of time to eat before he was ushered back out of the door by his elderly cousin to begin the final part of the exercise.  Now he had to make each plant grow until he was fully mature before he would be allowed to go back to his room.

This time instead of a single night, Katsuro sat hunched over each seedling for several days until finally the different types of plants grew into full maturity.  One by one, taking nearly twenty-four hours at first to grow into full maturity, he felt the plants grow with the help from his chakra until finally he was down to the last row.  He had cut the time down by nearly half but he was mentally and physically drained from the exertion.  He had used most of his meager chakra supply in his endeavors to grow the plants and now he was feeling the full effects of the exertion.  Still, he would not be outdone by a plant or his own body. That is until he felt his head become liquid and blackness overcome his senses.  Later he would wake up in the hospital suffering from extreme chakra exertion and just back from the danger of death.  Of course he would not fail his trials and attempted to rise only to be forced back into the bed by his father.

The two talked briefly over what had transpired over the previous days of his coma-like state and then Katsuro finally understood.  His task was to not only grow the plants, which even some highly ranked Senju couldn't do, but to also prove himself and his willingness to go to the extremes to prove himself to both himself but to also his family and village.  Without that force of will, his father said, he would never accomplish anything as a shinobi.  But having seen him overcome the cold and chakra exertion, his father was all too proud to admit that his son would one day become very famous for his actions as a shinobi.  And as a Shinobi.

{{Words:  2021/2000}}

Training:

Katsuro was excited for the day. Just yesterday he received an invitation to practice with this newly opened Shinobi Battle Dojo. Of course he didn't know what was going to go down once he entered but he was hopeful it would allow him to vent some frustration he had bottled up lately, mostly due to the new 'protective measures' the Mizukage implemented. He understood the positive effects the new mist had but he also could understand what a lot of people where worried about the mist doing. This could potentially allow the Mizukage to spy on the citizens and arrest them for doing nothing wrong. Of course if that happened, Katsuro may just sneak out of the village to avoid being associated with such a negative thing but his umpteenth great grandpa, Katsuro had a code of honor and a deep love for his village so that was not likely to happen.


All of a sudden his reverie was broken by the sudden realization that he had arrived at his destination, and the thought that maybe the Mizukage was spying on him right then. With a visible shiver, he stepped through the entry and towards the location where his mission was to take place. As soon as he entered the Dojo he was met with a cacophony of noises that would have reminded him a battlefield, had he ever been on one, but more likely reminded him of his days at the Academy. He stood at the door for a few seconds watching the brawling that was happening on the inside when the Master of the Dojo approached him.


"Greetings, Katsuro-kun. We have been expecting you. For your first time here, I have paired you with one of our older students to acclimate you into our regime. First thing is first, anything goes. Real weapons are used to simulate a real environment with real consequences. But once blood is drawn by a weapon, the fight ends. However when fighting with our fists, the bout isn't over until one of you is unconscious or surrender. You are free to choose your weapon of choice." The old man's words seemingly flowed like a sap down a tree. Each word was slow and carefully enunciated so as to not make any mistakes. Katsuro's own reply was poorly executed in compare to the elderly man's.


"Thank you Sensei. I would like to use my Katana for today, as I am the more comfortable with it than I am with my fists. May we start immediately? I'm too excited to simply watch."


With a simple wave of his hand and a soft laugh, the Master of the Dojo sent the young Katsuro scurrying to where his sparring partner was waving at him. After a brief introduction between the two, Katsuro pulled the three foot blade from it's scabbard and held it in front of him with both hands spaced. He then moved his left foot backwards but kept his body facing his opponent. The Sagan no Kamae was his favored stance and it was this reason that he chose it over the others. And then in a blink of an eye the fight started.


A simple stepping thrust was all it took for the first round to be over for Katsuro. As soon as his foot left the floor and he moved forward, his opponent was beside him and his sword was no long in his hands. Then it was only a matter of synapses latter that Katsuro's nose was bleed and he was on the floor, nose first. But it only took a matter of seconds for a medic to heal the break and to stop the bleeding, though the blood was still on his clothes and on mat. It didn't seem to matter to his sparring partner as he motioned for him to continue the bout unless he wished to call it quits already. With a big grin that showed off bloody white teeth, Katsuro stretched and retrieved his Katana from the ground.


He assumed the same stance as last time but instead of a simple lunge, he feinted forward and then did a diagonal slash that resulted with his sword being dropped as soon as he felt the fist that impacted his ribs and the subsequent cracking of said ribs breaking. This time he was on his knees gasping for breath as he waited for the medic to arrive to heal the breaks. Of course that didn't take too long and he was back at it. This continued for several hours until the Master of the Dojo finally said that the training day was over and that it was time to return home. Katsuro thanked his sparring partner profusely before he moved to leave but before he could make it out the Master of the Dojo waved him over.


"I like your perseverance young one. It reminds me of myself when I was much younger. Back when I was a Jounin and a young hothead mind you. That's why I would like to invite you again, if you like, tomorrow to attend again. This time though, lets try going back to the basics so leave your weaponry behind. We will be using our fists. We would like to see how you operate if you were to be disarmed without suffering broken noses, arms, or ribs." The old man gave a small chortle before allowing Katsuro to speak.


"Thank you Sensei. I like that a lot. It was really fun getting clobbered like that. Do I get to spar against him, like I did this time? I would really like that. I need to get a few hits on him." Katsuro's own hyperactivity seemingly got the better of him as he spoke, jumping from one topic to the next giving no time for the ears, or tongue, to rest.


Of course the soothing voice of the old man quickly calmed the young Genin. "Of course young one. Tomorrow it is then. Same time tomorrow as today. Now run along." With a kind smile on his face, the old master dismissed the Genin with a wave of his hand before closing the door to the Dojo.


After that it was only a few streets from Katsuro's house from the Dojo. He almost sprinted home until he felt the bruises forming on his ribs and arms and face from all the broken bones and cartilage suffered under the masterful touch of his opponent. By the time he arrived home he could barely eat before he decided to turn in, with hopes that the pain would be gone by morning.

Despite the agony he was in Katsuro was ecstatic for the coming day. He was to return to the Dojo to test his might against the student who thoroughly thumped him the previous day. And he was glad for it. It showed him holes in his attacks and his defenses. He was sure his umpteenth great-grandpa, the White Fang some called him, was looking down on him with pride for his perseverance and pride to not call it quits despite receiving a few hard knocks. Of course, despite his discomfort with using his fists, he was more than ready for the challenge ahead of him. He was sure the day would end with him with quite a few more bruises and his mother confronting the Master of the Dojo about the possible implications of abuse and subsequent beating of the Master by his mother, which Katsuro hoped would not happen.


It wasn't until after he ate the breakfast his mother forced him to eat that he was able to wince out the house and up the street towards the Dojo. He honestly was entirely sure why he was so happy about getting the shit knocked out of him but he found it enjoyable, not sexually though cause that was just weird. Especially to the young Katsuro who was just discovering what kind of girl he liked. Of course he wasn't thinking about that as he walked towards the Dojo with a permanent wince on his face as he cradled the bruised ribs with his seemingly permanently black arms. Despite the bruised bones and muscle, by the time he arrived at the Dojo he felt invigorated. The pain seemingly melted away as soon as he saw the smiling face of the Master of the Dojo waiting for all his students to arrive, including Katsuro it seems. Of course Katsuro was one of the last to arrive, as per usual, but that meant he didn't have to wait for that many people to arrive, three to be exact, before the class started. That didn't take long at all. Unlike the previous day, there was no speech just an order to pair off and begin sparring between one another. This time Katsuro was the one waving his opponent over to the same mat, minus the blood stain.


Of course, with his previous wounds, Katsuro was not at one hundred percent but he was going to fight like it. Of course this time, because he react to close quarters combat, Katsuro fair a bit better over his opponent, even scoring a few hits before being put on the mat with a simple hip throw. Of course this was just a warm up. Katsuro needed to conserve his energy and health if he was to make it through the the session without another visit from the medics. First he would assume a defensive posture with arms and fists covering valuable ribs and face from attack, at a sideways stance so he can rotate into his punches. Of course against the excellent strikes and form of his opponent he wasn't able to put up much of a fight against his opponent. Though he was able to, luckily, win a round by catching his opponent's nose with a right hook, breaking it and splattering blood on him and on the mat. This caught the eye of the Master of the Dojo as he did not expect the Genin to be able to land a hit on the Special Jounin that was his opponent.


The exchange of beatings between the Genin and the Special Jounin continued for several hours until it was time for them to stop for a lunch break, mainly to give the shinobi time to rest from their exertions of the previous five hours. After a brief thirty minutes spent drinking green tea and eating rice cakes, Katsuro was back at it on the training mat with his opponent.


With the delicious meal he felt his body fill with more energy than he had when he woke up that morning. He didn't know what was in those rice cakes or that tea but he was pretty sure by the time he was finish training with the Dojo he was going to need more. Of course he wasn't able to think about that due to the fact the continual ass whippings that kept getting handed to him by his opponent. Their skill levels were vastly different but he was still able to get a few licks in before he was put back down on the map.


By the time that days training was finish, Katsuro had only suffered a few minor contusions and a dislocation or two. Nothing that needed the healers to reset bones and then heal, much to his delight. The feeling of bones knitting together after being broken was excruciating to say the least. Of course, Katsuro was able to break his opponent nose twice, in a row, before said arm had been dislocated. As he cradled wounded arm and felt his pride soaring, the Master of the Dojo pulled him aside just before he could get through the door to head home. With a forlorn glance at the setting sun, he turned to face the Master as he spoke to him.


"Ah, young one. I was wanting to talk to you before you left and lo and behold here you are. Now, classes are over for a few days to allow the bodies of those who train here to heal before we begin again. In four days, I want you to come back. As you might have noticed those shinobi around you utilize a special fighting style that I designed to be deadly to those that need to die and painful for those that don't. It's an ancient fighting style that has been passed down from master to apprentice for over a hundred years. It's time for you to learn it as well and become an official member of the Dojo. Now hurry home and rest up. I shall be anticipating your return in four days time."


Katsuro nodded with a beaming smile on his face before uttering a single word response. "Osu!" His arms were brought out to his sides with fists clenched as he said it. Then he was gone, running down the street to his home where he family waited to eagerly listen to his stories of his abuse at the hands of a Special Jounin.

The four days of recovery after leaving the Dojo were tough ones for the young genin. He had extreme damage to his muscles and ligaments from all the hard work but he was able to heal in time thanks to the help of a cousin who worked in the medical corps. Of course even if he wasn't fully healed he would have went back to the Dojo anyway. He found the constant fighting and beatings to be calming, and useful for him to learn how others fight. Of course now that his body was one hundred percent healed and the four days were over he was going to return to the Dojo and hopefully impress the master enough to end up becoming an official member. Of course not everything worked out as planned.

After finishing his breakfast which consisted of rice and dried fish, he was immediately out the door running down the street towards the Dojo. He was excited that he was finally going to get back into the action of such amazing training. It was the only training he found that he actually enjoyed. Which would probably seem weird to some but to him it helped him understand other people. People who didn't hold back in a fight, even a friendly one, wanted to be seen as powerful. Someone who held back was confident enough in their abilities that they didn't need to use their full force. Katsuro alternated between both of these tactics to insure his opponents wouldn't know what he expected to do.

Upon arriving at the Dojo, he was quickly met with the other members arriving around the same time as him. Some were surprised to see the young genin had chosen to return after the beating he received the first two days. Most were not. They had seen the determination in the young Genin's eyes during his bouts and they were pretty sure that the Genin would be back as soon as that four day rest period had ended. And they were right. And boy was he eager to get right back into the action.

As soon as he stepped in he was met with the smiling face of the Master of the Dojo and the face of his opponent, the Special Jounin. After a brief conversation, Katsuro came to the realization that the Special Jounin was the Master's great grandson. Just how old was the master. He didn't get long to dwell on that thought before the Master sent the teams to begin sparring. This time, however, Katsuro was not fighting the Special Jounin but he was going to be fighting one of the actual members of the group. A jounin master taijutsu user.

With a smile plastered on his face, Katsuro entered the circle and took his fighting stance, fists low and forward while his body was position with his right foot behind his left. And then it happened. Rather fast as well. In a blink of an eye, the Jounin was gone from his position and in front of Katsuro throwing a punch straight at the Bukijutsu users face. Then there was the smack as skin and bone hit skin and bone. With bruise already forming Katsuro entered the fray with a knee to the jounin's side which responded with a cracking sound of ribs possibly breaking. This resulted in Katsuro getting another fist to the face, this time it resulted in his nose splattering blood everywhere thanks to it breaking under the strength of the jounin. And then things began speeding up. Punches were swapped with kicks were swapped with punches. Soon what was once a nice face of a jounin and and genin, was mush. Eyes were partial closed and blood was coming out of places it shouldn't have. Of course they didn't stop until they both ended up on the mat. Apparently the Master grew tired with their display of skill and this resulted in him ending the fight rather unceremoniously.

After about twenty minutes of healing and other stuff, Katsuro found himself being brought before the Dojo master. He didn't know what to expect but he could only think of two outcomes from this meeting. Either he didn't do good enough and would be ejected from the dojo or he did good enough to get an official membership there. His worries, however were short lived as he saw the smile plastered over the master's face. He actually did it. He had officially joined one of the most prestigious Dojos in Kirigakure and only as a simply Genin. Could this day get any better.

{{2955/2950 Basic->A3 Taijutsu}}

{{OOC: Do not Lock.}}

Training:

He still remembered his first training session as a genin.  His jounin sensei had gathered his squad around and told them the true reason they had all been lumped together.  He had requested that the three genin who appeared to be the best candidates for ANBU recruitment be assigned to him to help establish a first rate strategic strike force that the ANBU were known as.  To accomplish this goal he had chosen to pass on one of the best techniques someone wishing to remain anonymous could use.  Hidden Mist Technique.  The jutsu would leave them virtually invisible to the enemies and allow them to attack at will, as well as lift the mist at will.

They found themselves on the misty training ground that inhabits the middle of Kirigakure and is used as the primary location for shinobi of all ranks to train their jutsu.  At first his sensei showed them several times how to create the mist using a pre-existing source or by expelling it from their mouths after doing the hand seals.  And how to control the thickness by how much chakra is kneaded through it.  Eventually, though, they were instructed on how to do it themselves.  The genin picked it up quite easily, taking only a few dozen times until mist covered the area that was just a few moments ago clear of mist.  And then their sensei showed them how they would be able to lift the mist and bring it back without too much difficulty.  For a mear eight hour training session, the genin seemed to advance quite fast.

{{265 Words}}

Training:

As a chunin, Katsuro had joined the ANBU and found that he had a natural disposition to Earth release just as he had with Water and Wood release.  It was then that he pulled aside his old genin sensei and asked for assistance in learning earth release.  Instantly agreeing, the two shinobi set off to the training grounds where the instruction began.  After several days of learning Katsuro finally learned how to utilize earth release and then started working on Earth jutsu.  The first was Double Suicide Decapitation Technique.  It was a rather simple technique that the ANBU hopeful would have great use for should he should he actually get through the rigorous selection program that was the Kirigakure ANBU group, also known as The Organization to those who were, or are, apart of the secretive organization.

First thing they duo did was return to the training grounds where Katsuro was educated on the jutsu and to what would happen when he used it.  Upon doing the hand seals, invisible chakra would coat the users body allowing them to disappear underground and travel to where they opponent was.  Upon reaching the opponent they would be able to drag their opponent under the ground up to their neck.  This could be used to end an attack but it could also be used to make information gathering easier.  Hours was all it would take the young chunin to master the jutsu enough to be able to use it effectively in battle.  Which was more than enough for the new chunin to be accepted into the selection program for ANBU.

{{267 Words}}

Training:

Retreating back into his mind palace, Katsuro's memories took on a life of their own. This time they landed him back when he was a fresh Chunin in the Senju Training Dojo developing his first ever martial arts form. He had dubbed the name Neutral fist. It was an adapted from Strong Fist style and was designed to be able to adapt to different situations from Peace Keeping to all out war. It was a difficult time developing such a martial arts form. Lots of trial and error would be needed to insure that it had a well-rounded offense and an impenetrable defense. Which was what he was currently doing. He was utilizing the newly built art against two attackers. One trained in Judo, the other in Kendo. One was for peacetime, the other for war time but used at the same time. It was a difficult match to be sure but Katsuro was already an accomplish shinobi at such a young age and was ready to meet the challenge ahead of him.

The battle was hard on the bodies of all three shinobi. Starting out, it took Katsuro too long to become used to the stance and took several blows from both wooden sword and fists. he would need to adapt this martial arts form to be able to adapt quickly. To insure he was able to kill one opponent while also taking another captive at the same time. To be able to take out an uprising while also pacifying a protest. He would accomplish it. But as the fight wore on he was able to adapt quicker and quicker until finally he perfected it for the moment. He could switch between the bone crunching attacks of the offensive style and the limb dislocating locks of the defensive style in an instant.

{{303 Words - Neutral Fist Learned}}

Several hours of practice lead to the discovery of the main defensive attack of the Neutral Fist martial arts. It was developed to help him take someone down without killing them. Killing was easy it seems but mercy was not. Of course it would take several days for the full move to be finished but once it was done he needed to practice it in combat scenario. And thus his old opponent were summoned with sword and fist. This time he wouldn't take as many hits as he did last time. He was more than ready to dislocate his allies' limbs to make sure he was able to disarm those who needed it while also protecting himself and his comrades. Of course even in a practice scenario wounds would be received.

The first use of the attack worked perfectly. The hip throw landed them both on the mat with Katsuro's arm wrapped around the opponent throat as he choked the man into unconsciousness. What he didn't expect was how open he would be in the midst of this. A wooden sword to the temple was more than enough to cause his eyes to become fuzzy and him to lose his grip on the man's throat. Just enough grip to allow the man to free himself and send a dazing blow to Katsuro's forehead. This ceased the hostilities long enough for Katsuro to regain his composure and begin again. He doubted he would be able to find a way to close the opening to the attack but he doubted he would be sent to take someone hostage by himself if there were other enemies nearby. At least he wouldn't use the attack if he was.

{{284 Words - Ground Game Learned}}

Training:

Fear and pain mingled over his body as he felt blood begin to cascade down his face and pool on the floor beneath him. Despite knowing he was dying, he was not afraid. Some would call him courageous for his actions and fearlessness but he was simply ready to move onto a new life and into a new form. Be reincarnated as someone who wouldn't care that he was leaving his daughter an orphan and unknowing of their true relationship. That he was leaving his village unprotected from the horrors of the outside world. Someone who enjoy the fact the blood that pooled around him was not just his but also in those he had been sent to kill. He didn't feel disgusted in the sticky wetness that smelled more like metal than what a human does. He didn't care that his mask was nearly fused to his face from the last blow to him. Wolf face cracked in half, embedded part of the way in his nose and the rest of his face. At that point in time the only thing he could bring himself to care about was the face of his daughter and what it would look like after she found out he had died an honorable death in the field of battle. How she would curse at the men and women who informed her. How she would wear the black of mourning as they stood before the memorial as yet another name was inscribed upon it. He didn't care that he was Katsuro Senju. Head of his family in Kirigakure. Father to Kiyoko Senju. He didn't care that this was how he was going to die.

The mission was supposed to be routine. A simple assassination that his unit within the ANBU were overly qualified for. What they didn't account for was the misinformation spread by their enemies and supposed allies. What they really didn't account for was an entire division of soldiers ready to do battle with a handful of ANBU who had nearly two decades of combat under their belts. Nor did they account for the fact that a ex-Kirigakure ANBU was leading the division of soldiers in battle. One of Katsuro's mentors within the Organization and someone who he thought was a friend. Of course the shinobi didn't get a chance to dwell on the mistakes and backstabbing that was done, as the entire division was upon them. And then they fought.

Performing a single handseal, Ram, Katsro quickly formed a spike of wood from his arm before using it as a makeshift rapier in the defense of their perimeter. They had walked into a trap and the only thing they could do was fight their way out of it. That was until they found themselves trapped against a wall and so many soldiers they lost count. Luckily for them for every thousand soldiers there were only a dozen shinobi who weren't that well trained. He lost count of how many times he had to form another spike in the battle after one had to be thrown at an approaching Shinobi. Luckily for Katsuro he was good enough that he was able to hit most of his targets with the Jutsu's special ability before they could get close enough to do any harm. Occasionally he would cast a glance at his fellow shinobi who were fighting just as fiercely as him. The shinobi wearing a Bear mask, who had a physique to match, had just split the earth in two and then collapsed it back down killing a score of shinobi. The Cat wearing shinobi had just broken the neck of two men with kicks. And then he saw the battered bodies of Snake and Falcon being trampled underneath feet as their enemies flanked around the sides of Bear and Cat. Katsuro wouldn't be able to get a word of warning out before he felt a fist impact his mask. He was done. He saw his eyes go red, either from anger or blood, he didn't know which, and then he was back into the fray oblivious to his allies. He was no longer content with simply being overrun slowly. He was going to kill as many as he could as he moved towards the leader and towards home.

Tiger. Dog. Snake. That was the next sequence of hand seals that resulted in the creation of a wooden clone of himself with just as much capabilities as he had. The clone's sole job was create enough of an opening that Katsuro would be able to get a few more hand seals done to give him some breathing room. His mind was racing with tactics as well as watching for opponents attacking. He no longer cared. He no longer cared that he was screaming with bloodlust as he mercilessly impaled soldiers on the ends of his spikes before activating them and ripping their chest cavities open. He loved it. And then he saw his opening. Tiger, horse, tiger, snake. And then the ground rumbled and out burst a line of tries that were not mere trees. The branches were no longer simple wood but death dealing spikes that impaled the current advance. What the trees also accomplished was funneling his enemies through one alleyway that also limited them to less than a dozen at a time. Easily manageable if you knew what you were doing. Which Katsuro did. He had a plan that would end the battle once and for all. He had a jutsu that would render the soldiers and shinobi little more than fodder for cattle. And now was the time to put that plan in action. Performing the Ram sign several times in a row, he watched as a combination of spiked and blunt pillars erupted from the ground in front of him keeping the soldiers at bay while also making the shinobi think twice about encroaching on him. Just enough time to do the final set of hand seals.

Snake. Ram. Hare. Dog. All hand seals were performed in a blur of motion almost invisible to the normal eye and then the ground began rumbling, just as he knew it would. Then, in a sudden explosion of rocks and dirt and massive wooden dragon emerged from the ground and lowered its head. Then, with a roar that made a noise that was more close to massive trees falling than a roar, the dragon attacked. First it circled around Katsuro crushing the soldiers and shinobi there before it maneuvered to where his team was. Bodies were flying through the dust and hitting fellow soldiers or impacting the ground in a sickening crunch. Katsuro didn't care. He pressing the advantage in an attempt to end the battle once and for all. He pulled the dragon back to him, causing it to send more bodies flying in several different directions before the duo began moving their way towards the command center of the army. To where the Kirigakure shinobi was who had forsaken everything he pledged to protect. And to Katsuro's demise. At any point when Katsuro crossed the threshold of the Dragon's movement range, the Snake, ram, hare, dog, series was performed again and another dragon came bursting out of the ground as the first sunk back into the ground. As the dragon killed massive swathes of forces, Katsuro moved through the soldiers like a blur performing the Ram hand seal as many times as was necessary to end the threat that was around him. If he cared, which he didn't, to look back there would be a long line of impaled soldiers. He knew the enemy's morale was broken yet that persisted in the defense of their leader. The man that had betrayed him inspired the same loyalty in these men as he did when he was a member of Kirigakure. That only made him even angrier. Angry that his village had lost such a great leader and left them instead with an untested woman who could barely keep up with the demands of her family. He was furious. And then he made it through. Chakra nearly depleted and dragon at its range of movement but he made it. He now stood before the man that was his teacher and already beginning to feel the pain of wounds that covered his body and fatigue of having little chakra remaining.

It was here that he realized his mask had shattered his nose and imbedded itself in his face. He knew he wouldn't be able to be the victor for this fight but he was going to fight anyway. He had tunnel vision and his hearing was focused on one thing. So much so that he didn't hear the Kirigakure army arrive to provide assistance. Nor did he hear the command to charge or the order to retreat. He was focused solely on the man before him. Ram. Wooden spike was quickly formed out of his arm and broken by his hand. He had his preferred weapon and he would have vengeance. Vengeance for all his friends who now lay battered and torn back at the wall. And then he went to one knee. No longer able to stand he found his vision going black and the sound of battle coming back to him. That was when he finally smelled the metal smell of blood. And it made him sick.

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Training:

He didn't remember when he first noticed the change happening. He wasn't sure he even noticed until he had actually done it in the middle of a fight to the death. One arm shattered and of no use to anyone until he could get to a medic, the other arm hurt but still useful. It was purely a reflex. Muscle memory. One hand formed the hand-seal while the other didn't budge from it's limp position next to his body. And yet, the pillar still formed from the ground and crushed one side of the skull of his attack. The noise was sickening but he delighted in it. He had just become even better at killing the enemies of Kirigakure and he loved it. More than anyone would ever know. Despite being only able to use one arm, Katsuro was able to to maneuver through the battlefield utilizing the unique ability he seemingly developed in time to save his life, though in quite a fair amount of pain. That was until he couldn't. In the middle of the counter-attack the ability seemingly disappeared as if it had never been there. This made Katsuro check his sanity as he glanced over his shoulder to see that he had indeed been able to use Jutsu with only one hand. Now he was back to square one and now with less chakra and more heavily fatigued. Then came the sound he had been hoping for the past two hours. Kirigakure's call to arms and the sound to charge back to back. He knew who was leading the charge and he knew he had nothing to worry about. He just had to hold the line long enough for the rest of the troops to arrive. Using only Taijutsu. And he did that. Just long enough for the army to arrive and push the invaders back with the might that only Kirigakure could muster. Still, he didn't last long enough to witness the complete destruction of the enemy. At some point during the final he lost consciousness and woke up a week later with a freshly healed arm and several new scars. Kiyoko would not be happy with him. Still he could do nothing about the duties Kirigakure places on his shoulders. The defense of the village was the second highest objective in his life that also helped accomplish the highest. He would not let any harm come to Kiyoko even if that meant he had to kill every last person on the planet. Still, he was oblivious to the pain he was causing her in his absences and the continual threat of death that hung over him due to his work with the ANBU. Yet, he refused to quit as he saw it as a way to accomplish his goals, as well as letting him legally sate his thirst for the blood of his enemies. Something he could never admit to anyone. One quick look around the waiting room showed that his Kiyoko was clearly mad at him.

Despite the light duties he was placed on after waking from his coma, Katsuro would not cease his training. And that included finding out more about this special ability he had apparently developed in the heat of the moment and lost just as quickly. At first he went to the library and searched through the books existed only there. The limited editions and one of a kinds held no answers to his questions. He read nearly every book within the library, save the ones for children, in the hopes of finding one that held the answers to performing jutsu with a single hand. And yet there were none. The library in Kirigakure was a great building that housed thousands of books and yet there appeared to be nothing that included answers. Only posed more questions. Maybe it was just a fluke. Maybe it was something only Senju could use. Maybe it was related directly to his family. Maybe it was a new development in his genetic structure that would pass onto his children. That's it. Maybe Kiyoko had experienced the same thing, Unlikely as she was still in the academy but it was worth the questions. The light duty allowed him to watch herclosely for several weeks. Any time he went to the doctor he would complain of intense pain that he had not felt since the fight months ago. This bought him time to watch Kiyoko closely enough to find out that she was acting out through vandalism and other petty criminal acts that would get her in trouble once they got home. Of course, the weeks of watching ended without anymore answers and only the disappointment that his Kiyoko would resort to random acts of violence to entertain herself. He was not happy in the least. And then it hit him. May it was just a rare Senju specialty that only random members got, Katsuro didn't considered himself to be particularly special in regards to skill. And thus he began reading the many scrolls that lay secreted inside his family home that they brought when they left Konohagakure. Inside the scrolls detailed many things that Katsuro had yet to find out about. Such as the technique Wood Human that was said to be on par with a Bijuu wrapped in whatever a Susanoo was. That knowledge would be particularly useful in the future if he ever felt the need to fight a bijuu. He also found a family history that seemingly linked him and his family to the founds of Konohagakure directly but he could not account for the authenticity of the document despite it being housed within the Senju vaults. He was at a loss. He had no idea as to what he would do to find out more. And he wouldn't have long to think about the feeling of loss as he was soon sent on a mission, having been deemed physically fit by the doctors of the hospital. His ruses had finally ended and he was back into action.

Still, even though he was running clandestine missions for the Mizukage, Katsuro did not stop his search. Any downtime he found while in a foreign village he would inquire about shinobi who were said to use one handed seals. Most ended in falsehoods while others gave a few answers, but he usually asked more questions than he got answers. A few historians recalled stories of a shinobi from the time of Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha who used a special ice release kekkai genkai and was able to utilize one handed seals. This brought some closer to Katsuro as he was certain that it wasn't a rare Senju technique that had no hope of being fully trained. Someone, even though that someone was from over 200 years ago, had been able to utilize the seals effectively in battle against the famed Jinchuriki, Naruto. This gave him some hope as being able to train it but he wasn't so sure he would be able to unless he received instructions from someone who was also able to do them. He would continue to search for several months in the hopes that he would be able to find someone or something that would assist in his search for information on the ability to form hand-seals with one hand. Slowly but surely he was losing hope in his search. Losing hope that he would never be able to perfect the ability that seemingly came to him intermittently, completely unaware that he was slowly but surely training it by himself. He would attempt to use the one handed seals by focusing both forms of chakra into a single hand instead of splitting the chakra between his hands. He would rarely be able to get it correct and be able to perform the jutsu but he was slowly, and unwittingly, getting better at it. He'd be able to do it a fraction of a second faster than two months prior but the difference was virtually unnoticeable. Had he payed slightly more attention he probably could have noticed the difference but that was difficult to do while in the middle of a mission to kill a high ranked member of a foreign government. Still, he was slowly getting better at using the one handed seals without extensive training, though he didn't realize it, and soon thought of searching slipped his mind as he got busier and busier with ANBU work. Eventually he even started forgetting about testing his ability by using the one handed seals in combat. And then even in private. That was until he received word from one of his little intelligence bees that a man had been seen performing jutsu despite only having one arm and Katsuro immediately requested leave for personal issues. Thankfully the Mizukage was kind enough to grant him the leave and he immediately left the village with word to Kiyoko that he was going away on a long mission but he would return just as healthy as he left.

He only had a rough idea as to the mysterious shinobi's location and it was quite remote to be sure. Up in the mountains of the Land of Lightning was the apparently Hermit's home and Katsuro was definitely going to find him. Even if it meant he lose one of his arms in the process, though he was sure his Kiyoko would kill him if he did return home missing an arm. Still he could take the disappointment and anger from Kiyoko if it meant he brought another weapon into Kirigakure's, and his, arsenal. Still, those thoughts didn't distract him of his current goal to actually find the man. Because if he failed to do that, then he could kiss his goal to learn more about one handed seals goodbye as well as his career in ANBU should his failure to find a single man become known. He could not let that happen. Not yet at least. Not while he still had to protect Kiyoko from the dangers of the world. Or at least teach her to protect herself. He thought over this many times as he traveled through the Land of Lightning. What would become of his darling Kiyoko should he perish on his journey to understand himself more. What would become of her should he return to her even more damaged than he was then. Even as he thought of the turmoil he felt those weeks he subconsciously traced the scars that dominated one side of his face. And then he arrived at the mountain described to him by his spy and looked up. It was a steep mountain that probably held more secrets than Katsuro would ever find out in this brief foray into its heights and he doubted he would ever have the need return to seek them out unless ordered to by the Mizukage. And thus he began climbing. Climbing ever higher to the heavens as his body slowly became exhausted. The scale of the mountain was simply massive to say the least. After over a day of climbing Katsuro has only arrived at the midway point exhausted to the point of collapse. And collapse he did. And sleep he did even more. The next day, by the time he awoke from the deep slumber it was mid-day as he would see had he not been tied up in a damp cave somewhere higher up in altitude. He could tell due to his difficulty in catching his breath. The altitude combined with fatigue must have allowed him to be captured by someone or something. And then he saw him out of the corner of his eye. A man with only one arm wearing a headband that bore hundreds of scratches on its surface but no mark to show that he had abandoned his village. This hermit was someone who was still loyal to his village despite leaving it behind.

"I see you are awake, Senju." Those were hte only words the old man said before a bowl of food was shoved into his bound hands. "Apologies for the bindings but you can never be too careful, eh?" Katsuro's mind was still reeling over how the man knew he was a Senju and how he ended up bound in the hermit's cave. Still, questions would wait as he found his stomach grumbling for the sweet smelling stew. At first he was cautious over the food. Smelling it several times before he even brought the spoon to his lips. The first bite of the food quickly warmed his entire system. He hadn't even realize but the dampness of the cave and forced him to begin shivering but now he found his body warming. He knew the food was probably spiked with some kind of drug to get information from him but Katsuro knew the best way to avoid suspicion was to immediately bring the subject to hand and talk about it. He hadn't come to kill the man but to talk to him. Though he was prepared to take a more difficult form of talking should the man refuse to answer his questions, though now he found himself on the opposing side. "I just came to talk. I heard you were able to use hand seals with just a single hand," he motioned towards the man missing arm with the bowl of food, "and I wanted to talk to you about it. I found myself in a fight a few months back which resulted in one arm being put out of commission but was still able to perform jutsu with my non-broken arm. I was able to hold the line long enough for reinforcements to arrive but I wasn't able to use it for that long. Just as reinforcements arrived I found myself unable to perform jutsu anymore. I figured it was a one time thing but a few months later I found myself able to do it again on an assassination mission. I won't tell you who it was unless you have truly drugged me or if you haven't already probed my mind while i was unconscious." Katsuro paused for a moment to take a bite of the stew and swallow before continuing. "Simply put I wanted to learn from you on how to use these...'One handed seals' effectively so that I may protect my daughter from the dangers of the world. Or at least help her protect herself from them. The man sat in silence for a long time as he mulled over what was said by the bound Shinobi before pulling a kunai from under his robes. Katsuro, feeling that the end was there he simply set the bowl down and stood up. If the man meant to take his life, he would not let him do it willingly. Then, with an arthritis riddled hand, the man bade him to calm down and then the bindings were cut with a simply flourish from the knife.

And Katsuro ate his fill of the stew as he conversed with the man. He found out that everyone held the potential to learn One handed seals but most don't realize it unless something like what Katsuro went through occurred. Heightened sense of fear or an impended sense of death often help a person realize that could perform the technique, that is if they were skilled enough to mold chakra with a single hand. He also learned that few could actually train it to the level of mastery that someone could use it in a battle and survive. But that was why Katsuro was there. He would not fail in his task and the Hermit had decided to do his best to help Katsuro achieve that goal. And thus an unlikely friendship was born. A Sunagakure shinobi who had left his village but still maintained its loyalty began teaching a Kirigakure shinobi who would always return to his village. Even in death the shinobi would find a way to return to his Kiyoko. The first round of training that the duo would perform was modified chakra molding technique. Instead of using both hands to mold elemental chakra, Katsuro would use one hand for water while the other would be used for earth. If he could successfully maintain chakra in each hand independently, then he would pass to the next step.

A week. That was how long it took for Katsuro to master the chakra training. A week filled with chakra deprivation and sleepless nights was what it took to pass one phase of training and was clearly the easiest. The next thing he needed to do was mold the chakra into one hand enough to perform the jutsu. That was extremely difficult as he had to maintain enough chakra to perform the jutsu but not actually commit to the usage of the jutsu. It would take even longer to finish that phase in the training. Nearly a month was how long it took him to be able to maintain that level of chakra use without actually performing a jutsu. He didn't know how but the hermit always knew when he was using too little or too much chakra and would correct him. The old man was truly a master of Ninjutsu. He had a lot to learn from this man but their time together would not last long. Another month of training saw Katsuro be able to use basic jutsu at first and then, as time went on, able to use more complex jutsu. He was able to use many of the higher ranked jutsu for Earth and Water and then he was informed that the next portion of the training would take the longest and be the most difficult. Some had even died during the training due to chakra exhaustion. He was worried. He already dipped dangerously low to his chakra usage during the other trainings and he always felt exhausted. It would definitely be a difficult task but he was prepared. This time he repeated the first two phases but instead combined them together, though altered. He would focus his twin chakra types into his right hand, and alternate with his left when he felt he was getting somewhere, until finally he was able to do the most basic of Senju jutsu. He made a small wooden flower that immediately reminded him of his daughter. Two months had passed by the time he was able to make the massive Wooden Dragon that was on of the most powerful Senju techniques in his pocket. Then the hermit clapped. Katsuro had finished his training and was now heading home. The two men spent several months together had become friends and both were sad to see the other to go but Katsuro needed to go home and the Hermit needed to fortify his home form the coming winter.

{{3,145 Words}}

Training:

It had already been a long day of training with his sensei when the older man had decided to introduce something new to their regime. He still remembered the man's reasoning behind the additional training. "Strength and speed don't mean dick when you can't even ambush your opponent appropriately. That's why I'm gonna teach you another one of Kirigakure's signature jutsu. Hiding In Water technique. It allows your body to blend into a pool of water as small as a puddle. There is always water around. The world needs water to survive. The more water you have the stronger you are. It's why Kirigakure is so strong and that's why you gotta learn to use everything the earth gives him. Including this lifeblood."

And so the training began and persisted until far into the next morning. First they would focus Suiton chakra around the body and step into one of the many puddles that inhabited the land of Kirigakure. At first all he would do was stand on it. Well, for a majority of the time he would simply walk on the water instead of sinking into it, unlike his sensei who simply formed into the puddle and disappeared from sight. Not even a single trace was left of him until he decided to reveal himself. Then, Katsuro finally managed to sink into the puddle. Then the final part of the training began. Katsuro would hide in one of the puddles and attempt to catch his sensei unawares. And he did, eventually. With Kunai to his throat, Katsuro had learned yet another jutsu that would help him become the monster he was today.

{{273 Words}}

Training:

It was a bright morning on that day of learning.  It had been a week since he graduated from the academy and became a Genin and he was just simply ecstatic about learning from a real life Jounin as famous as his new Sensei was..  Ever since he first started the academy, and began his shinobi career, he had excelled at few things but two of those things was Ninjutsu and Bukijutsu.  And today was Bukijutsu training.  His sensei had decided to teach the three genin under his tutelage a couple jutsu that would assist them in their endeavors as shinobi.  The first of which was apparently Shadow Shuriken Technique.  A technique where you throw two kunai under each other in an attempt to hide the bottom.  It was said to be an effective technique when dealing with opponent who didn't pay attention.  Still, Katsuro was glad to learn from someone such as he.

And then he arrived at the training ground with the rest of his team but his sensei was nowhere to be seen.  It wasn't long after the last Genin arrived that the former ANBU rose up from a puddle and scared the daylights out of the children.  They hadn't even heard the man materialize behind them but when he spoke they jumped.  And then they began the training.  It was a relatively simple technique to perform.  Simply layer the Kunai over one another and throw both at the exact same time.  And they did.  Over and Over again until they finally were able to perfect it.

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That same day the trio of genin were taught another technique that would be extremely useful in the field of battle, as long as one had a wire and shuriken. Manipulated Shuriken Technique was a technique where threw a single kunai with a wire attached to it and then the user manipulated to their advantage. Even if the kunai was deflected, it could still be used with great effect. Or that what his sensei told the genin as he explained the jutsu and demonstrated it. It could be used to ensnare an opponent in the wire, could be used to distracted the opponent, could be used to have a hidden attack. Of course the actual outcome of the attack depended on the user and his ability to use subterfuge.

And so they began the training. At first they practicing throwing their kunai in a way it made it seem they missed but in reality were simply making it seem that way. It took time to get that level of accuracy in those genin but Bukijutsu was always a specialty for Katsuro. And then they learned to throw the heavier shuriken and manipulate the wire. That part of the training took the longest as even the slightest twitch in the wrong way cause the shuriken to move in the wrong direction. Eventually, though, the genin would finally get the hang of the training and finally accomplish their goal of learning the technique. As a final test, their goal was to catch their sensei in a trap using the shuriken. That took several days for them to finally succeed in the capture.

{{270 Words}}

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