(The epic Chunin Exam Arc is underway! In the Twenty Fourth Chapter the preliminary matches are over and everyone heads back to their hotels for some rest. come to a close. Each of the remaining competitors has a full month to train for the Third portion of the exam. The Chunin Exams continue! What will be the outcome? I love feedback and constructive criticism, so please leave a review so I can improve my writing and storytelling skills. Enjoy!)
Team 3 arrives back at their hotel and Kayo corners Kuroda in a private room. She gets right in his face, nostrils flaring, and starts yelling at him, "What in the world were you thinking? Do you realize what you've just done? Your actions could have jeopardized the treaty between the Rock and Leaf Villages."
He calmly replies, "Quiet down, Sensei. I knew exactly what I was doing the entire time and everything was under control until you decided to interfere."
She retorts, "Don't be foolish, you would have gotten yourself killed if I didn't."
He leans back lazily against the wall and reminds her, "I shouldn't have to remind you that I am stronger than you are."
Not at all fazed she responds, "You may be stronger than I am, but you wouldn't have been able to kill all of the Rock Village Chunin and Jonin that were in the room. Not to mention the ninja from the other villages, and, of course, the Tsuchikage. Plus, even if you were that strong, I doubt that you would reveal your strength. I've noticed you don't like to use your true powers unless there are no witnesses."
Kuroda comments, "Very good, Sensei, you have been paying attention. You've learned quite a bit about me."
She goes back into her rant, "Now I have to deal with all the fallout from this and then I have to explain it all to the Hokage when she arrives, and it will be virtually impossible for me to lie to her about what happened."
Kuroda questions, "What do you mean when the Hokage arrives?"
"You didn't know? Hmm, I thought someone would have told you, or you would have found out on your own. The Hokage will be attending the Third exams as a sign of good faith between our two nations," explains Kayo.
"Thanks for the info, Sensei," says Kuroda as he moves for the exit, "I might have done something foolish without it."
"Where are you going?" she questions as she maneuvers to block him, "I am not done with you yet."
"I am tired of your lectures," he says casually, "Unless you wish to extend our relationship into something more intimate I advise you to move your body out of the way." Irritated that she cannot tell if he is joking or not she regretfully lets him leave.
He walks down the hall and notices a familiar young female sitting on the stairs leading to the lower level. "You didn't need to wait for me, Sakura," he says.
"I didn't think you were going to be that long," she replies coyly, "You usually don't like to listen to her lectures for too much time."
"An excellent observation," he compliments, "So I assume there is something you wanted to discuss?"
"Yes," she nods.
He grabs her hand and says, "Walk with me then." They make their way down to the main floor and take a seat in a secluded corner.
"So were you disturbed by my actions in the match?" he inquires.
"I wasn't shocked that you would kill an enemy, but the manner that you did it in was surprising," she admits.
"Yes, I guess I could have toned down on the blood," he jokes.
"I meant that you killed that Rock Ninja so quickly and easily, instead of dragging it out," she says.
"I hadn't planned on such a display," reveals Kuroda, "But I was becoming rather annoyed with him, so I acted on a whim."
"So are you planning to do anything else like that while we are here?" asks Sakura.
"I haven't decided yet," replies Kuroda, "But don't worry, I won't drag you into it if I do."
"I'm not afraid to stand by your side," she states.
"A bold proclamation," he responds, "Well then, I think it is time I filled you in on some of the things that happened that first night in the Forest of Lost Souls."
On the first day after the end of the preliminaries, Team 3 sets out to prepare for their upcoming matches. Kayo Yuhi brings them out to a large open area with a stream running by. She sits them down to go over the training plan for the day. "Today you are going to start out by learning about chakra natures," announces Kayo.
"Chakra natures?" inquires a puzzled Jando.
"Yes, chakra natures. Every person who wields chakra has a hidden connection with the elements. As you grow and learn to use your chakra better you would eventually discover your own chakra element. Or, as in our case a teacher will explain to you about it. There are five elements: Earth, Lightning, Wind, Fire, and Water," explains Kayo, "When you get stronger you can learn to tap into your own element and combine it with your Jutsu to make it more powerful."
"Wow, that is so cool!" exclaims Sakura, soaking in the knowledge.
"Now, as you grow stronger and become Chunin and Jonin you will be able to learn a second element," reveals Kayo, "And, if you are especially gifted, you might even be able to learn a third."
"Wait a minute, Sensei, I have a question," says Jando.
"Go ahead," she replies.
"If Genin are only supposed to have one element, how come Kuroda has two?" he asks.
"I don't have two," comments Kuroda.
"Yes, you do," counters Jando, "You can use that Earth Jutsu and Ice Jutsu."
Kuroda sighs, "Well, first of all an Ice Jutsu would be made up of Water and Wind element, so by your logic I would have three elements."
"See, how come he has so many, Sensei?" demands Jando.
"However, just because I can use an Earth Jutsu does not mean I have the earth element," explains Kuroda.
"Umm...what?" asks Jando, utterly baffled.
"Yeah, can you explain that, Kuroda?" asks Sakura.
"Do you mind, Sensei? I wouldn't want to intrude," says Kuroda.
"Go ahead," she says, "I'll be sure to jump in and correct any mistakes."
Kuroda smirks at her remark and then begins, "When you add your element to a Jutsu it strengthens the power of the Jutsu and can also give it added special effects based on the element. Let me use that ninja Funimo, who we encountered in the Land of Snow, as an example. He used a Jutsu called the Swallow Blizzard that basically fired small icicles in the shape of birds. And let's say I somehow learned the same jutsu and we both fired it at each other. Assuming that our aim, chakra power, and number of icicles were the exact same the attacks would just cancel each other out. Now if Funimo had water or wind chakra and combined it with his jutsu, then it would overpower mine. The wind element gives a cutting property, so the icicles would be sharper and more deadly. The water element would allow him to manipulate the water better, so he could create the icicles faster and they would be more durable. And if he happened to have both elements, then his Jutsu would be very difficult to deal with."
"So a Justu with a chakra element incorporated into it is superior to one without it," surmises Sakura.
"For the most part, yes," says Kayo, "There are some exceptions, but you don't need to worry about those at this point in time. Now if you consider that an element infused Jutsu beats one that does not have an element, what do you think happens when you have two element infused Jutsu?"
"Wouldn't they cancel each other out?" asks Jando.
"Yes, and no," says Kayo, "Each element has a specific strength and weakness. You'll notice that earlier I listed the elements out, and I did so in a specific order. The first element was Earth; it is weak against the second element of Lighting, and strong against the final element of Water. Lightning is obviously strong against Earth, but it is weak against the third element of Wind. And the pattern continues like that until it comes full circle. If an element goes up against itself, or something that it is not specifically strong or weak against then they will cancel each other out. That is why most ninja choose their second element to be a complement of their first."
"What do you mean by that, Sensei?" inquires Sakura.
"Well, let's say that my original element was earth. I would choose my second element to be wind. That way I would be able to protect myself against an opponent who used Lightning element," explains Kayo.
"Wow, that makes sense," remarks Jando.
"Sensei, how do figure out what our base element is?" asks Sakura.
"In our village there are special chakra trees that we make into paper. You pour your chakra into them, and depending on the outcome you can determine your chakra nature. Earth will turn the paper to soil, Lightning will crumple the paper, Wind will cut the paper, Fire will burn the paper, and Water will soak the paper. I have no doubt they have trees here in the Hidden Rock that would do the same, but I doubt we can get access to them," says Kayo.
"I guess we will have to wait until the exams are over to figure out what element we have," sighs Sakura.
"Actually, I believe your element is Fire," reveals Kayo.
"How do you know that, Sensei?" asks Jando.
"Some ninja have the ability to sense the chakra of other ninja. They can also determine their chakra nature. I have a slight affinity for this, but I have never been able to extend it to its true potential," reveals Kayo, "For instance, Sakura's fire nature is fairly clear to me, but I cannot determine yours or Kuroda's nature."
"If we don't know our chakra natures, how are we going to train today?" asks Jando.
"We are not," reveals Kayo.
"What?!" exclaims Jando.
"You are still Genin. Most Chunins still have trouble using their basic element. You are not advanced enough yet," explains Kayo.
"Then why did you tell us about it?" asks Sakura.
"First of all, you need to be aware of it. If you do become Chunins, then you might go on a mission where an enemy ninja can use their chakra nature. So you need to be able to recognize that. It is also possible that some of the other candidates in the exam can already use their chakra natures. Secondly, I told you so that you could experiment on your own. As your Sensei I have a good idea of what you are capable of, but there is always the possibility that you will go beyond my expectations," explains Kayo, "And finally, I told you about chakra natures because it goes hand in hand with the main lesson of today."
"And what is that?" asks Jando.
"All advanced Jutsu are composed of two things. Nature manipulation and shape manipulation. Shape manipulation is the changing of the shape and movement of chakra, it involves governing the size, range, and purpose of a jutsu. You may not have known what it was called, but you have already been using shape manipulation," reveals Kayo.
"We have?" asks Sakura curiously.
"Yes, when you make your Shadow Clones, Sakura, or when Jando uses his special Taijutsu, or when Kuroda shapes his ice into various weapons it is all the result of shape manipulation. The better you are at shape manipulation, the more effectively you can use your chakra. The best example is a medical ninja, because you have to be very skilled at controlling your chakra in order to use medical Ninjutsu," says Kayo.
"Okay, but I still don't understand how it works," comments Jando.
"Shape manipulation is based on two principles, molding and controlling. Molding your chakra is the essence of making your Jutsu. It should be obvious that Kuroda is the best at controlling chakra," says Kayo.
"Thanks for the compliment," says Kuroda slyly.
"Why is he the best?" demands Jando.
"I don't doubt you, Sensei, but could you explain it a little more?" asks Sakura.
"Yes, I was going to anyways," she replies, "As an example, let's say you were all doing a clone Jutsu and you all had the same amount of chakra. Kuroda would be able to make the most clones, Sakura would make the middle amount, and Jando would make the least. This is because Kuroda can control his chakra more effectively. It takes Jando a lot more chakra to make one clone than it does Kuroda, because he does not waste as much chakra in the process."
"Okay, I get it," says Sakura, "So what about molding? What is that?"
"Molding concerns the quality of what the Jutsu creates. This time we will say that you are each making one clone and you can use as much chakra as you need. Kuroda's clone will look better and more realistic, because he is superior at molding the chakra into the shape he needs it to be," says Kayo.
"Okay okay, Kuroda is good. So how are we supposed to get better?" asks Jando.
"Well, I have previously taught you how to walk up trees by molding the chakra to the bottom of your feet. Now we are going to extend that to the next level," explains Kayo.
"What is the next level?" asks Sakura.
"Walking on water," reveals Kayo. She stands up and goes over to the nearby stream. She places her hands together in the traditional sign and concentrates the chakra onto her feet. Then she steps out onto the water and walks around for a while, then returns to her students.
"Amazing!" remarks Sakura.
"I want to try!" proclaims Jando, standing up.
"You might want to let me explain it first," warns Kayo.
"Oh, yeah," says Jando sitting down sheepishly.
"Your chakra molding has already been improving due to the tree climbing; you are much better than when you started out. This will add to that, but it is more focused on controlling your chakra. If you can master this, then you will see the results in your Jutsu," says Kayo, "For instance, Sakura, if your chakra control was better you would not have been exhausted after your match and passed out. And Jando, you will be able to sustain your Byakugan for a longer period of time. Now, water walking is not different from tree climbing because one is a liquid and one is a solid surface. The difference is that one object is stationary and the other is in motion. Even if you are standing on a clear undisturbed pond, the water is still in motion. In order to walk on water you not only have to concentrate chakra to your feet, but you also have to regulate the amount of chakra in order to retain buoyancy. This is chakra control. Eventually you will become good enough so that you don't even need to actively think about it."
(That is the end of the chapter, what did you think? Team 3 starts their month long training by learning more about the nature of chakra and how to use it more effectively. What are the other competitors doing to train? Who will attain victory in the third stage of the exams and be elevated to Chunin rank? As usual, if you want more information on my characters you can see their bios on my profile page. Be warned, there may be some spoilers. Also I'm in the process of getting pictures drawn for the characters, but I have no idea how long that will take. If you're interested in drawing and have a DA account then send me a Message. Enjoy the next chapter, and please review.)