He had lost count somewhere around one-hundred, but he assumed he was near one-hundred and forty. The thoughts of the counts only surfaced after a few swings of frustration. He should have kept count. Raising the wooden sword again, Han swung it downward like all the previous times. The movement of the sword skittering across the air was the only sound heard in that second. But the sound of training academy students broke through his sweat-ridden haze. Han was on the far side of the training ground, where he assumed he could get some quiet for his practice. Guess not.

Standing bare-foot in the dirt, young Han swung again. His headband--which usually hung around his thin neck, now straddle the front of his face, tightly woven around his teal hair. Again he swung. His breathing drastically changed near the seventieth count, though that mark had been far behind him, it still surface in his mind. After a final swing, he went over to his things, and slipped the top off of his water bottle off, and began chugging. Clear rivers flowed down the sides of his mouth.

His white shirt had been dis-guarded, showing only the white bandaging around his torso. Scroll pouches, as well as his kunai and shuriken holsters had been lain aside for this training. His brown-hilted katana lay on top of his shirt. The bokuden was better to train with.

Vox headed for the training grounds. He had been making good progress lately, and was starting to feel up to the challenge of being Keukage. His physiology was an advantage here, he could train himself past the breaking point every day and be ready for more the next morning. Vox was improving at a rate that would be impossible for a human.

Looking around, he saw the usual academy students not far off. He gave a brief wave to the class before surveying the rest of the field. He felt it was good for their kage to acknowledge them like that, it helped cement his position as a leader. Besides, it couldn't hurt to encourage the kids a bit.

This train of thought was derailed when he saw an unexpected face on the field. He recognized the boy from his files, a genin with an affinity for swords. Thinking back, he remembered that this boy had declined to go to the inter-village prom he had arranged. Well, he seems to be using his time well. Vox thought. Kid's training hard. Vox approached, clearing his throat to announce his presence. "Mister Kujira. Training going well?"

The foot steps grew closer, Han wouldn't have noticed them if the person was trying to mask themselves. Sliding the lid of the bottle back on, he turned to face the voice that inquired about him. Keukage! Han moved closer to the hulk of man, standing in his shadow.

"Keukage-sama," Han gave a humble bow, "Training is going well, sir. I was planning to get right back to it." He admitted, not knowing what to really say. The situation was rather strange as Han had never met the top ninja. It was jarring, but Han did well to keep his composure. He looked up at him. He's huge--what could he possibly want from me. Han was no fool as to what he was, a swordsman.

Vox nodded, looking the kid over. He seemed to be a bit tired, but he was determined. "Good to hear. At ease." Vox had never liked the formalities of rank, and his new rank had a habit of making him uncomfortable at times. He would have preferred to blend in a bit more, but his build tended to set him apart from the crowd.

Vox thought for a minute. He was still considering who to add to the team, and this kid could be a good candidate. Sure he was another swordsman, but it could be good to have Kenji's mix of kenjutsu and ninjutsu alongside a more pure close-quarters fighter. He decided to test out the kid's skill. "Would you like a round training together?" he asked, reaching into his coat and drawing one of his swords, offering it to Han. It was surprisingly light, and had an almost silvery sheen to it. "You can use this." The double-edged design was different from what Han was used to, but Vox wanted to see how he could improvise.

When the Keukage let him fall from his rigid stance, Han sucked in a deep breath, letting the oxygen slip through the filter of his mouth-piece/gas filter. His voice usually distorted by the device, now, with his free hand, Han pulled it form his lips, tossing the device aside.

"You train with me--spar with me? It would be an honor, Keukage." Well, that was interesting. Getting to train with the Kage, that was awe inspiring for the young shinobi. How big is the gap in our prowess? Most likely too great to fathom.

The boy stood silently, watching the Keukage go about the business of unsheathing a double edged sword. Han had never used one, and the thought struck him now as amusing.

"I may?" He asked just to make sure, but before he could answer, Han took the sword by the hilt, dropping the wooden sword at his feet. Han turned away from the Kage and took a few steps in the direction of his things. The boy began thrusting the sword, then from thrusting to downward archs. It swished so beautifully through the air. THE KEUKAGE'S SWORD!

"It's a fine sword. Worth its metal." Though he said this, the blade felt alien in his hand. Han was unsure if he could wield it to its full potential. Though that was a more trivial thing, the thing that inspired true fear was standing just before him. He swallowed spittle.

Vox grinned, drawing another identical sword. There was an engraving on the pommel, in a language Han wouldn't know. The one Han held said Romulus, and the one in Vox's hand said Remus. He took a stance, watching the kid geek out over holding the weapon. "Oh, definitely. It's a rare alloy, not found around here."

Vox observed the boy's stance. He was clearly skilled for his age, although he was a bit uncomfortable with the choice of weapon. Still, it was a useful measurement. He had to see the boy improvise. Vox held out a hand, beckoning to him. "Let's see your attack first. I'll defend."

Han was unsure how to cope with fighting the man, there was just no simple answer. If they exchanged blows, Han would fall. He was smart enough to know he was outclassed, greatly, but he didn't feel that the Keukage's intentions were malicious in nature. He said "defend" after all. His head cleared after the unhelpful thoughts, his mind focusing only on his sword and his opponent's. The man's girth was large, so hopefully, Han could use his speed to cover more damage over the Kage's large hide.

He moved, body tilting slightly towards the ground; legs pumping strongly forward. A few paces, then one large hop brought Han to Vox. Han's hand moved quickly as the muscles and bones would allow, sword thrusting forward three times. The blade moved quickly--to appear as three separate blades, one aimed for the right shoulder, one to the heart, and the final to the right shoulder. To the untrained eye they would have appeared this way, three blades striking out in unison, but to Vox's eyes, they would no doubt appear as three separate movements.

Name: Smoke Village, Sword style: Chain-thrust
Rank: D
Type: Kenjutsu
Element: N/A
Description: With a single-handed grip, user thrusts the sword thrice consecutively. This technique's focus is speed rather than strength, giving shallower cuts but in higher number. It is not a finishing technique, rather an affliction, weakening the target over time through minor but steady blood loss.

The kid seemed nervous, but he was performing admirably. No doubt it wasn't easy facing off against a kage like this, but he was gathering up his nerve fast. His attack was pretty good, too. Vox recalled that his father was a kenjutsu master, the leading authority on the Smoke Village Sword style. This looked like one of his techniques.

Vox lightly parried the thrusts, just enough so they would miss him. He didn't want to show off too much for the kid, and didn't want to risk hurting him either. It was better to hold back and give him a more even fight, or at least not swat the sword out of his hand. "That's pretty good. Smoke Village Sword Style?" Vox reminded himself to add that style to his repertoire, it didn't seem right for a swordmaster Keukage not to know the signature style of their village.

He's miles above me. Han thought immediately after his thrusts were parried. The blades connecting thrice, giving off glints of light. Han moved back with a jump, standing a few paces away from the Keukage. Faster, stronger, and smarter. Han moved in an instant, stabbing the sword into the ground, his hands formed the ram hand-sign. The instant his fingers gripped the hilt, he flickered to another position on the battlefield. He repeated this multiple times, flashing around the Keukage, threatening to strike, but never doing it.

Then an odd thought ran scantly through his adolescent brain. Combining the flicker technique with his strongest kenjutsu could be especially devastating. That would be his only hope to at least touch the Keukage, but then even, he doubted. He appeared in front of the Keukage now, just a few paces. Holding out the great double-edged sword, Han began to spin in circular intervals of quick succession. He did this until he and the sword melded into a frenzied blur. Manipulating the flicker technique again, he flashed behind the Keukage, spinning into his backside.

Name: Shunshin no Jutsu -- Body Flicker Technique
Rank: D
Requirements: N/A
Type:Ninjutsu
Description: A high-speed movement that allows the user to move short distances at nearly untraceable speeds, accomplished by using chakra to boost the user's reflexes.

Name: Smoke Village, Sword style: Wild top
Rank: C
Type: Kenjutsu
Element: N/A
Description: The user spinning on their heel, pivots in three-hundred degree cycles. Sword held outwardly to cut with the gained momentum; the user often appears no more than a spinning blur.

Vox kept a close eye on the kid's movements. He was pretty sharp. He'd recognized a direct assault wasn't working, and was switching to a more unpredictable pattern. That sort of adaptability was a lifesaver on the battlefield. He also provided a good contrast to Kenji's more direct style.

The Keukage's eyes and ears followed Han as he flickered around the training field. He was trying to find a good angle, but was having little luck so far. He seemed to be blinking away whenever Vox turned to look at him, trying to find a spot to launch a surprise attack. Finally, he sprung into action. The boy started spinning, launching into another Smoke Style technique. Vox was just about to make his move when Han vanished, reappearing behind him. All of his instincts were telling him to counter, but Vox jumped aside. A hard block against a technique like that could hurt the boy. Evasion was a better tactic here. He took up a stance a few meters away, sizing up his reaction.

In the fervor of his spinning humidity, Han was beginning to get irrational. That damnable temper flared, not materializing into words of a inner monologue, rather a rage that was wordless. From his spin, he expelled his body in the direction of the Keukage, landing just before him.

"RRRRRRaahhh!" His mouth let go of this roar. His face red.

Feet digging into the earth, both his hands clenched on the sword. Han swung it downward, putting all his strength into this swing.

Name: Smoke Village, Sword style: Beheading
Rank: D
Type: Kenjutsu
Element: N/A
Description: The user takes an offensive stance, both hands raising their blade above the head. Then swings the sword in a powerful downward arc. This technique's focus is on strength rather than speed, giving a robust wound through a singular movement. It is ill advised to use while in motion, because it loses some potency when every muscle is not in sync.

Well, this was unexpected. The kid seemed to be getting a bit too much into the spirit of things. As soon as he recovered from his attack, he was charging with a bestial roar. Vox filed this information away. Maybe the kid had a temper, he would have to keep that in mind if Han was put on the team. Perhaps Kenji's more gentle attitude or Yuuki's incessant calm would rub off on him. At the very least, those two could keep him in check.

It was a bit alarming when Han dug in his feet and brought his sword down. This attack was far more brutal than his previous attempts, and he really seemed to be trying to do some damage this time. Vox brought his sword up in a light parry, pushing Han's sword to the side so it sailed past him and bit into the ground. He took a few steps back, settling into a stance again as he let the boy recover. "Pretty good attacks. Ready to show some defense?"

Han's rage rushed out of him when his sword struck the ground. He released all the tension in him with a large exhale. Not one attack had met the Keukage. He would have to train harder still. Han couldn't yet fathom the depths of his opponents physical powers. They were only swimming in the shallow end, but hopefully with time, Han could go to the deep end. Han looked up to the Keukage, his sword half in the dirt. Removing it and distancing himself two steps, he replied:

"Yes, I'm ready."

Taking a two-handed, defensive stance. The sword perfectly centered on his body, ready to deflect blows. After swinging the sword all those times, it was beginning to feel more natural in his hands.

Vox noted Han's stance. The Twins had been designed as hand-and-a-half swords, allowing for either one-handed or two-handed stances, but the kid seemed to be more comfortable two-handed. He had probably been trained in a two-handed style, not to mention that the sword was easier for his smaller hands to grip that way. Vox took his preferred one-handed stance, leaving the other hand open for unarmed attacks, and moved in.

Vox was quick, but he kept himself slower than normal. Slow enough that the kid could defend, but fast enough to put him on his guard. He felt he had a good sense of Han's speed by now, enough to set a pace at least. He swung his sword out in a horizontal sweep, slow enough that Han should be able to block it. If Han didn't manage to block, he was ready to stop the blade short before it made contact. If he did block, Vox would follow up with two more quick strikes against his guard, aiming to drive him back.

Jutsu used:

The Genin was ready for anything, but from the look of Vox, he didn't seem the type to sneak around. He would face his opponents head-on. Like the bull he was. Han's estimation was right, as Vox came charging at him, sword in hand. The first strike was parried, Han matched the blow with equivalent force. Then as the two quick swings came, Han guarded against the first, bringing the sword up to meet his opponents. Though he jump back to avoid the second. His feet sliding across the ground, while still managing his balance.

"Again!" The boy echoed.

The clangor of swords was a beautiful song. A light smile broke over his lips.

Vox grinned, pondering his next move. This kid was good, matching his attacks and giving ground when he had to. Even holding back like this, the third hit could have knocked him off balance if he'd tried to block it head-on. It was good for him that he had the sense to evade instead. He seemed to be enjoying himself, too. That could be good, but it could also be cause for concern. Enthusiasm was good for training, but could cloud one's judgement in a real fight.

Readying himself, Vox moved to attack again. This time it came from above. He leaped into the air above Han, letting loose a quick volley of jabs at him. He was carefully monitoring Han's movements, ready to divert any attacks to miss or fall short if they passed through the genin's defenses.

Jutsu used:

Is the Keukage taking me seriously? He seems to only be playing. Well, I'm only a Genin after all. These thoughts came coursing through as there was a brief interval of silence and non-combat. He wanted to prove he was more than just an average Genin, but he couldn't, because that was exactly what he was.

When his opponent launched into the air, Han readied his sword, bringing it up to defend. The opponent's assault consisted of numerous thrusts in quick succession, but what made it dangerous was its advantage from above. Han parried a couple strikes and tried to jump away to the right, but the Keukage didn't seem intent on landing the blows, instead, moving the blade away from the boy before they could make contact [trying not to control your character, but I'm going off your post of "ready to divert any attacks to miss or fall short if they passed through the genin's defenses"]. Han stumbled catching his breath.

"Dangerous." His listlessness was showing.

Han imitated the technique used by the Keukage, jumping up and thrusting forward numerous times. He practiced a couple times before returning to the initial situation with Vox.

"More." Was all Han said.

Vox chuckled, watching the genin take a few steps back and try to mimic the attack. "You know, I could teach you that." he said, settling into a fighting stance again. The kid was getting tired, but his enthusiasm was keeping him going. Han was a bit unsteady on his feet, but he seemed to be pulling himself together for another round.

When the genin asked for more, Vox decided it was time to show him the big guns. His pupils dilated for a moment, and the ground warped under his foot as he sprung into action. He dashed past the genin five times, passing around him in a star-like pattern. With each pass his blade just barely brushed past him, coming close to his skin but not making contact. A few cut strands of teal hair started to fall to the ground as Vox appeared in front of him in a blur, making an upward strike. He stopped the attack before it could hit, leaving an upward gust from the force of it. Stepping back, Vox sheathed his sword. "Sorry about that, guess I got a bit showy." He was interested to see how the kid would react. He'd been fascinated by the lower-grade kenjutsu, how would he handle the heavy stuff?

"Keukage-sama, not to be rude, but I'm not interested in the techniques you want to teach me. I want to learn the ones you don't want to teach."

The Keukage was ready for the next phase, and when he charged, Han attempted to follow the movements. He couldn't. Han brought the sword up to guard his face and torso, but he couldn't see; the Keukage was just showing how much further above him he actually was. Han was unsure how many times the Kage had went around him, bringing his blade within a inch of Han, but then falling back. This man was dangerous! Though who better to learn from?

"How long did it take you to get such speed?" He asked, credulous. Awe struck by the movement, Han brandished a smile.

"Teach me. I have no interest in Ninjutsu, so, I must surpass the parameters of this body to keep up with the others."

Vox shook his head at Han's first request, becoming suddenly more serious. "There are some techniques I have a very good reason not to teach you. Some were designed with me in mind, they would kill anyone else." He left it at that. He couldn't tell the kid why he alone could survive them, but with how starstruck the boy was so far he probably wouldn't question it too much.

"The speed took a while to master. The real trick is controlling it. You need to get your mind up to the point that it can keep pace with your body. If you have the speed but not the reaction time, then you'll end up hurting yourself. If you have the awareness and reactions but not the speed, then when you go up against someone with both you'll just watch yourself humiliated in slow-motion." He had some personal experience with that. He thought back to some of his earlier gen-aug training, when some of his more experienced comrades had made a show of batting the newbie around. "I can teach you, but I'd also like to learn. I've never learned the Smoke Village Sword Style, maybe you could teach me a few tricks."

Good reasons why not to teach me? Will I become a monster? Maybe they're just to far out of reach, though I cannot imagine I would fall too short. Would I? He pondered in the midst of conversation. He listened on through Vox's talk about physical speed, for which, Han studied earnestly, trying to keep up with all the information. Trying to keep it preserved in the back of his mind.

"You wan't to learn from me, but--you see--I'm--I'm not really fit to teach. I can help you on the basics on the style, but you must discover it from there. That's what my father always told me: make it your own."

Han handed back Vox's sword, and then, immediately after, journeyed over to his equipment. Strapping his sword belt around his waist, Han drew the katana from his right hip. The thin blade gleamed in his left hand.

"You can use the double-edged swords for this, but its original format, was of course, for the katana. Though I've seen plenty variants of the style. Essentially, the style is based on gathering momentum, and unleashing that through your blade. It's not meant for prolonged combat, rather quick skirmishes. There are different ways to gain the momentum: I prefer to spin my body, then unleash it that way. As you may remember from my previous technique. My father on the other hand, rotates his swords between his fingers. It is a strange sight, but he is quite skilled."

"Watch my feet, see how I place them?--notice how my body is all wound up, and ready for the rotation? Make your body a knotted yo-yo string, once you drop, you'll spin powerfully."

Han walked over to a training dummy set up on a wooden wooden post. He motioned for the Keukage to follow. Han set his stance, most of the power being placed on his ankles and feet. They were the main source of this technique. Then, Han began to spin. After the first rotation, he sunk the blade into the dummy, effectively cutting through the wooden pole as well.

"See." Han said.

Name: Smoke Village, Sword style: Wild top
Rank: C
Type: Kenjutsu
Element: N/A
Description: The user spinning on their heel, pivots in three-hundred degree cycles. Sword held outwardly to cut with the gained momentum; the user often appears no more than a spinning blur.

Vox listened and watched carefully while the kid explained. He normally didn't feel as comfortable with the acrobatic moves, but he'd been learning since coming here. Used properly, they could be quite effective. Things had been different back home. The fighting styles there had mostly been designed by unpowered humans, for unpowered humans. Here, with all this chakra flying around, there was more room for physics-defying displays. The quick skirmish aspect still bugged him a bit, though. He'd been trained for sustained combat. Fights with others of his kind could really drag on, so he'd had to learn to conserve his strength and outlast the enemy. He supposed that the other style could have its uses, though, especially here. Few if any shinobi had the sort of resilience he had. A quick decisive blow could handle things quite nicely.

There was, however, one thing that caught his interest in Han's description. The adaptive nature of the style suited him well. It had been hammered into him from his earliest days in the military that adaptation was the way to go, and this kid seemed to agree.

Vox drew one of his swords, carefully copying the boy's stances and movements. He was impressed at how much power Han had been able to put out. Taking a deep breath, Vox launched himself into the technique. The first attempt was done on the air, not aiming at a target. He needed to get the movement down before he tried using it. It took a bit of getting used to, spinning like that. It would be tough to aim like that. He gave another try, this time with more control. He was starting to get the hang of it. It was still a bit clumsy, but he was learning. He tried again. He spun in the air, sword out, and landed neatly on his feet.

Turning to the dummy, Vox decided to put this technique to the test. He approached, measuring his distance. He put himself about as far away from the dummy as his last jump had carried him, giving a little extra room in case he overshot it. Taking the stance, he jumped. He didn't put his full power into it this time. It was just a test run, measuring accuracy. The blade bit a few inches into the dummy's torso. Vox frowned. It was too low, he would have to adjust. The Keukage stepped back again, getting the distance right. Leaping into the air, he twirled into a second practice attack. This one was right on the mark, cutting a little bit into the neck. Vox allowed himself a smile. Now for the real run.

Taking his stance, Vox let out a deep breath. Then he was in the air. The world around him melted into a blur as he spun. In an instant he was landing in front of the dummy, his sword slicing through its neck. The wooden head flew into the air, bouncing to a stop a few feet away. Vox sheathed his sword, surveying the damage. It was a good technique, he reminded himself to practice it some more. “Pretty good.” he said, looking over at Han. “So what do you want to learn first?”

[Words: 538]

Jutsu Trained:

Han watched how quickly Vox picked up the technique. The boy was impressed, but he expected as much, he was the Keukage after all. When the Keukage posed the question of what he wanted to learn, Han rushed with excitement, but he kept it hidden from his exterior. He had plenty of his own things, he had to learn, but he didn't want to show the Keukage everything. He didn't want to show the Muttsu Hoshi or the Secret technique he had stolen from a scroll of his fathers. Han had to have his own secrets, and with the Chuunin exams upcoming, he would need those to trump his opponents. Though he doubted the Keukage would leak such information, he needed his privacy in those matters, Han wanted to astonish in the Chuunin exams.

"Whatever you wan't to teach." Han said at last.

Vox pondered for a moment. The kid seemed to favor the more acrobatic techniques. That could be good, but it would probably be better to teach him something more grounded first. He needed more balance and versatility in his techniques. So far Han's ground game had relied mostly on quick harassing attacks with little to no follow-through, or slow, heavy strikes. He needed a balance between the two. "Let's start with the Lateral Moon."

Vox took a stance, demonstrating the move slowly. "The main strength in this one is in the follow-through. The first strike is just a regular horizontal swing." He swung the sword, cutting into a dummy. "The next ones are different. You need a lot of force with not a lot of distance, so you turn your whole body into it. Turn at the waist, like a taijutsu attack." He brought the sword back about a foot, then turned his body into the second attack. It bit deeper, shaking the dummy. The third attack repeated the movement, cutting all the way through. "Now you try."

"The lateral moon? The technique you used earlier? I've seen a lot of others use it. Not to be rude, but It's easily replicated." He pondered on this a moment. Realizing he had most likely offended the Keukage.

"I suppose if I want to master this," He waved the katana about, "I'd better learn all I can." Han didn't appear too thrilled. The technique was a baser one, he wanted to learn the hard stuff, the things that would make him stand above other swordsman. Though he went along anyway.

He had watched the Keukage use the technique, and now as he approached the dummy, Han readied his katana. Both hands griping the sword, Han took the large horizontal swing that Vox has showed, and re-forged it now. His hands brought the blade across the stomach of the doll, slicing through its already tattered body. The next attack was quicker, using his body weight behind his weapon, Han drove it into the stuffing of the figure. Then another, unsheathing it from the body and repeating, this one going all the way through, as Vox had done. He sheathed the sword after the blow, letting the katana "click" into place. His eyes grazed of the dummy, it would need to be replaced now. From Vox's attack and now his, it was ribbons.

"Done." He said stiffly.

Han looked on the Keukage, wondering of his thoughts. The Keukage won't take me seriously, no--not until I push the bounds on my own. These trainings are a guidelines by which I should emulate him.

[Word Count: 256]

Jutsu Trained:

Name: Yoko tsuki [Lateral Moon]
Type: Weaponry
Sub-type: N/A
Rank: D
Orientation: Offensive
Effects: The user swings their weapon horizontally after which they use two quick blows to try and knock the enemy back.