Michiya ducked another kick. Then another, and another.
"That's it! that's it!" Taiki shouted from his tree branch. "There you go! Keep dodging! Make him tired!"
He was running a hit and run drill. The drill was more like a game of tag. Once the person who was attacking connected, they became the target, and had to dodge attacks. Taiki threw kunai in to spice the activity up.
Shun swept low, hoping MIchiya would jump. She did, but she jumped backwards out of his range. Takumi watched nearby at the base of the same tree. Shun again persued, jumping over a thrown kunai, then got an idea. Michiya backflipped, then ran straight at Shun, forming a hand seal.
"Replication!" she split into three, still running at Shun. He held the kunai, not sure which one to attack. The two clones slid at Shun. Not to attack him, but to kick dust in his face. The real MIchiya used this to buy her some time to catch her breath. She took a few steps to take refuge, but a kunai blocked her path. It wasn't from Taiki though.
"Not this time." Shun formed a hand seal staring right into Michiya's eyes. "Burning Fist!"
He ran toward MIchiya, his left hand flaming. Michiya ran at Shun. Taiki watched intently at Shun's right hand.
"Taiki-sensei, doesn't Shun use his right hand with that technique?" Takumi asked. Taiki concurred. Michiya leapt over Shun's head, and Shun dove – to the kunai, and threw it with his right, falling to the ground.
"Ha! I wo – " Michiya's victory was cut short by the kunai which had lodged itself in her left calf.
"Your move." Shun said.
"MIchiya," Takumi asked. "Are you – " she nodded. For a girl, Michiya was always tough and had a habit of sticking her neck out. She could recover from pain at a very quick rate as well.
"I'd say that's a pretty nice group you got there."
Taiki turned, recognizing the voice. He saw three tall young men and a shorter young woman.
"Jiro Ito." He said, coming down from his perch. Jiro walked over and they shook hands.
"Look, Taiki-san. I hope you don't mind if my genin can train here." He said, crossing his arms.
"Well … I guess. Why do you want to train here when there are so many other spots?" Taiki asked.
"I want to challenge someone." Goro immediately spoke up. Taiki turned to Takumi, who stood at the ready.
"Sure." Taiki said.
"I want to fight you." Goro said – to Taiki.
"What?" Taiki's three genin seemed to say together in unison.
"I want to be the strongest, so I can't just set my sights so low. I want it all. I want the best." Goro said, stepping forward.
"Hmmm... since you've insulted my genin, I'll take your challenge. And because your siblings are here, I'll take it easy on you. The chunin exam is four days away." Taiki said confidently.
"No … give me everything. It makes no sense if you don't give it all you've got. I may as well fight your genin for that." Taiki snorted.
"Okay." Taiki said, his eagle flying to his shoulder. "Let's do it."
The six spectators watched as Taiki held his hand out to Goro, who stood about twenty feet away.
"Your move first." Taiki said.
"You'll regret it. Shadow Imitation!" In an instant, Goro's shadow fused with Taiki's, and Michiya gasped.
"Michiya, calm down.' Takumi said, watching as Taiki gave a smile.
"I was expecting you to come at me, but since this is your move …" Taiki whistled, and Taru flew at Goro.
"I'll have to disrupt it."
"Oh no you don't." Goro said, yanking his head from side to side, hoping to dodge Taru. "I''ll keep my hands right here so you don't move."
Taiki laughed a little to himself as his head went from side to side as well. He glanced over at Jiro, who looked seriously and nodded every few seconds. The Ito Clan was good at learning about other attacks, just not good at physically reacting to them. Their knowledge came from hard work and discipline. Every time other children played, they were taught to constantly study the scrolls and books, expanding their knowledge of the jutsus.
Goro, irritated by Taru's constant swooping, swatted at it. Taiki whistled and didn't give Goro a chance to use his shadow move this time.
"Convocation!" Taiki exploded into his mirage of eagles. Goro flinched, then looked around, wondering where Taiki went.
"Falcon's Talon!" Taiki rushed in on Goro's side, kicking him in the midsection, then vanished coming in on his other side, rising with another kick to his waist. Goro winced.
'Urghh…" he moaned. "I should've held my guard up."
Taiki rushed in head on with Goro, landing his palm squarely in Goro's midsection, sending him sprawling ten feet to the ground.
"Goro! Get up!" Jiro said, his arms crossed. "Do you now see the level of preparation you'll need?"
"Ugh. Yes, brother. I mean, sensei." He picked himself up, looking at Taiki, who still stood in his attack stance.
"Taiki. You still use that move?" Jiro laughed. "It's good to know it still works on the youngsters."
"Well, you know." Taiki smiled, easing his muscles. "I can't show them everything right off the bat. See you at the exams."
"I'll see you there." Jiro said.