This really isn't good mission conduct.
Yoji and Nagi stay in the tree, the cloud of bugs dancing around the bandit darting back and forth, slowly cornering him.
Itachi drops, Sharingan blazing as the man meets his eyes.
An instant later, the bandit stands still, eyes glazed over.
"So how is it, Itachi-san?"
"... It's good." He doesn't sound satisfied.
-But it can be better.-
Itachi's eyes flicker to him and nods, "Yes... it can be better."
Nagi approach the man, one leg sliding back in a stance as Itachi converse with Yoji about his genjutsu, using the other boy as some sort of sounding board.
Eight trigrams
"... One hundred twenty eight palms!"
Two palms, four palms, eight palms-
The purpose of the numbered palms technique is to eliminate the ability of the target to cycle chakra through their bodies. If the tenketsu in their left arm is blocked, not only can they not mold chakra, that arm also can't be used, numb, as in this world, chakra is integral in the life force. Not quite the life force itself, but interwoven into it enough that they could just as well be the same.
Technically speaking, the complete version of the technique, eight trigrams one hundred twenty eight palms, is neither complete nor incomplete.
One can take it further to three hundred sixty one palms, but you'd have just gone through the trouble. There's no point in going through three hundred sixty one steps to kill someone when it's so easy with just a jyuuken strike to the chakra points to cut off the chakra to the brain.
In the same sense, just because it's incomplete in eight trigrams sixty four palms, doesn't mean it's ineffectual. It takes faster for the target to recover otherwise, easier for them to unblock their tenketsu if the option is possible for them, but channelling chakra will still be difficult, the flow heavy and hardy.
Performing the technique requires some tactic, not even mentioning the speed one has to achieve it by to use it on the field. Unfortunately, it's not just a 'shoot and then let it hit' approach. As she'd previously mentioned, two different people can't have the exact same placement of their tenketsu. One has to look at a chakra system and figure out the doorways to plug to render chakra unusable but not to kill.
Eight trigrams one hundred twenty eight palms aim for a complete immobilization.
Nagi hasn't actually seen the technique in action. As of yet, there are only two people who can do it in the clan, the previous head and the current one, as it's traditionally only passed down the heirs.
But she has the memories from the show and her insight to go off. She's working on reverse engineering it, reading through the Hyuuga scrolls detailing what the clan has on the chakra anatomy.
Her progress on it would go a lot faster if only she doesn't have the need to be sneaky about it.
Since she's taking an orthodox means of training it, she doesn't need to mind the speed in the meantime. Nagi concentrates on hitting the correct tenketsu.
It's like the pin pulling game. The water is just there, you have to move aside openings and closing so, rather than letting it out safely, essentially, the chakra will just be endlessly cycling inside with no way for anyone to pull out even a drop from the pool.
-one hundred twenty eight palms!
Nagi take a step back, watching closely if her chosen formation manage to hold back the chakra from flowing-
No go.
It breaks, moving lethargically but quickly resuming its normal cycle speed, and Nagi sigh, slumping.
"... Sensei is here."
No one really said anything, but somehow, they just end up keeping their antics quiet from Yuki-sensei. As if they've unconsciously mimicked Itachi's distrust of the jonin. Even Nagi can't figure out since when she'd seen sensei as 'undependable'.
... It's honestly unfair on him.
Since she and Yoji have been on the team, every request they have to help with their arsenal is met favourably and efficiently. Despite his distance and hands off approach, Nagi doesn't ever feel as if she left the training ground without gaining something.
Her team still has yet to catch him without getting pulled into a chase but there's world of progress, especially when it comes to their team synergy.
"Quick as always, you three." He drawl out, landing on the edge of the clearing. Yuki-sensei narrow his eyes at the man, "Though, I wonder what kind of trouble a simple bandit really could've posed for both a genjutsu and multiple jyuuken strike."
Just because they don't say anything doesn't mean he has no inkling.
"Well, let's get back to the village."
"Yes, sensei."
XxXxXx
"Something the matter, Itachi?"
Nagi glance between Yuki-sensei and her Uchiha teammate. They've returned to the village, going to the mission desk to debrief.
"What do you mean, sensei?" Itachi looks honestly confused.
"You've stopped talking me into signing you up for the chunin exams."
She return her eyes in front.
"... I know sensei doesn't think I'm ready."
Yuki-sensei scratch his head and sigh, "I don't think you understand. Skillwise, you're halfway towards jonin, definitely chunin already. You have your fire ninjutsu, and I've heard you've been polishing up on your genjutsu. It's your state of mind that's not chunin."
"... I know." He sounds like he means it but doesn't particularly like it.
Nagi wonders what part of Itachi is not chunin level. Especially his state of mind.
He's been thinking like Hokage since seven.
She feels defensive on his behalf.
Teamwork, tactically, strategically, he ace everything and their team has so many chance to play around without having to take any risks because of Itachi. Which part of Itachi is still-
"You know you should be killing those bandits, right?"
Nagi feels like she's been hit over the head.
Her steps don't falter. Her reflex and muscle memory are too trained to do so.
But her mind stutters.
Sensei. What-?
"This mission is supposed to be elimination," he turns to Nagi, "It's about time you get bloodied, have your clans said something about that yet?"
Fuck.
She-
She's been conveniently ignoring that hasn't she?
Blood on her hands, an empty husk-
She is Hyuuga. She doesn't need to see blood to defeat someone. Jyuuken is a proud and clean art.
To end someone.
Like, actually.
"... No one has said anything."
Is- is this normal? Apparently so, as Yoji sign-
-I've already killed.-
Yuki-sensei continue to speak gently, "Itachi. You can't obstruct your teammates for your own preferences."
Is this normal?
Nagi ran through everything taught in the academy. Desensitization, she knows whenever it was happening, if it had been encouraged she should've spotted it-
No. Konoha does not encourage killing.
It does not.
But the curriculum prepares you to be able to when you need it.
So yes, it is entirely normal to be able to kill. It's only worrying when you want it.
Nagi does not want it, and she's yet to come upon a situation where she needs to.
The need to, is entirely subjective, it seems.
You need to be able to kill when the situation arise, but it'd be problematic to freeze up when that situation eventually comes.
So you need to have test runs, need to ascertain your resolve, need to be assured in your willingness before you get to that point.
Nagi feels cold.