It was on. Nyguyen found himself gritting his teeth in admiration as Chika popped right back up after Ari's initial assault. The Hyuuga resolved to teach the girl a physical lesson. Nyguyen finally found the courage to take a step forward and then stopped. If he got involved then he'd need to issue correction against Ari and not just Chika. He looked at the young dark skinned Iron native. He could see the fury and determination on her face. There was no bluffing. These two were going to fight unless either he or Ashitaka stopped it. Nyguyen could hear the pain in Chika's voice. The way he referred to himself as a "Living Stain," it almost made the grown man cringe in pity. They all had baggage. Each of them.
Chika had attempted to restrain Ari with a combination of Chakra Strings and Bukijutsu. Ari responded via a torrent of Earth Release Ninjutsu. The sudden display of overwhelming force triggered something inside of him. Ari was like his daughters yes, but he and his daughters were blood. They were kin. He'd never hurt them and they'd never hurt him. They were safe and could trust each other implicitly. They had multiple bonds between them: family, clan country. No matter how paralyzed with fear he was in dealing with them, no matter how insecure he felt as a father, he knew he could always rely on them to love him. Ari didn't necessarily have that. She was a strange girl in a strange land. She was new here and she was carrying some unspeakable burden on her shoulders. If he allowed her to act out of control then she'd learn violence as the only possible coping mechanism. The Konoha military wouldn't tolerate it. She'd be washed out of the village and then god knows what would happen to her from there. Nyguyen wasn't even worried about her per se but those who would cross the path of this jaded and bitter young girl. Ari reminded him of his daughters but ultimately she was a very different person and he'd need to find the strength to treat her like one.
Her skill with Doton was impeccable and he knew that if he let this spar continue, Chika could be seriously hurt. He thought about his brother-in-law, how no one had been there to protect him. How his own family had let him down. He died a miserable death alone and in the forest. An act of cowardice by some filthy assassin. He would not let the same fate befall his comrades.
No.
NO"
NO!"
Nyguyen activated his Tomoe 3 Sharingan and in that moment he set to work. Using the Eye of Insight's amazing predictive capacity, he tracked the trajectory of each boulder and got to work on them with the skill and grace of a practiced surgeon. He dashed forwards forming the seal for Body Flicker to ensure that he got there in time. He'd superimpose himself between Chika and the the now rapidly forming boulders. From there he'd use Arhat Fist and his Sharingan to strike the boulders and knock them off course. Some would crack and shatter while others would merely be thrown off course. The rocks were moving at high speeds and the force behind them was something to behold. Nyguyen didn't care. He'd bruise, break, and bloody his knuckles to protect his student. The speed, force, and angle of the rocks were all calculated and accounted for via the Sharingan, his bones and muscle would do the rest.
"
ARI!!!" he roared over the incoming wave of rocks. Ari would doubtlessly see him in action. Her previously cowed sensei was now standing right in front of her target and his eyes were like nothing she'd ever seen before. The moment her eyes noticed his he'd loose one of the most powerful techniques in his arsenal.
Genjutsu: Sharingan!If successful, Ari would be rendered immobile as Nyguyen initiated the B-Rank version of the technique. With luck he'd catch her before the wave was executed, if not, then he'd grab Chika with his Olympic strength and hurl him to safety before getting out of the way. Ari had not been aiming for Ashitaka so the boy ought to be safe. Any wires and kunai Chika had been manipulating would hopefully be thrown off course. If the boy was smart he'd fail to connect his attack even if an opening arose given Ari's likely paralysis. For if Nyguyen was going to protect him, he should take it upon himself to show restraint.
If all went according to plan, Ari would be be paralyzed, Chika thrown off to the side unharmed, and Ashitaka in his original position, impotent but safe. Nyguyen would be breathing heavy as he mustered the courage to address his own failure and that of his squad.
"
That's enough!!" he shouted. They had heard him yell before but this time there was a level of raw emotion that wasn't there before. When he had lectured them in prior sessions it had been from his head not his heart. It had been what he thought a sensei was supposed to say. He had been going through the motions giving them the same timeless instruction as he gave Yui. That wasn't going to work here. There were some dark times ahead for Konoha and if he wanted their trust he'd need to speak from the core of his being.
"
I will not have you two fight each other under these circumstances. Out of anger, disrespect, and pride. I will not have it-oh!" He snapped towards Chika and glared at him. The crimson eyes seemed to tear into the puppeteer's soul. He was now seeing a side of his sensei he had never seen before.
"
Chika! You are not a Living Stain....your intelligence, creativity, your ability to manipulate tools in the most heated of situations would earn the admiration of any Uchiha. Our Clans often do not see eye to eye and your kin may not recognize your true worth but know this! From what I have seen today you will shine brighter than any Byakugan can bear to witness! But you must learn to handle people with the skill you handle your weapons and puppets. Your comrade was in a volatile state, and yes she required chastisement, but you had stepped on her honor and where she comes from that is everything!"
Nyguyen snapped to Ari who would hopefully be frozen like a statute.
"
Ari! You are by far the strongest member of this squad. I have never seen anyone perform so many Doton techniques without lifting a finger. You are strong, quick, smart, and you have a pride that refuses to be tamed. We may not be of the same soil but I acknowledge you Ari Dokuma! This country would be blessed to have you fight for us in the conflicts to come. But you bear a burden of anger that is as hot as my Clan's fire. I can see it in your face, hear it in your voice, if you do not get it under control it will consume you and anyone who gets too close to you. You must learn to respect me and the others even if you do not think we've earned it. A military doesn't run on how you feel, it runs on discipline and I will not tolerate any sass from you any longer."
She wouldn't be able to interrupt him due to paralysis but Nyguen hoped with all his heart she'd hear his words. She had so much talent and potential, if she could tap into it she'd possibly surpass all of them. Bloodline or no there was something special about her. He didn't want to make the others feel bad or inflate her ego, but it was a fact he had to utter aloud. They'd need to be honest about each other's capabilities so that they could grow and feed off of each other as a team.
"
Ashitaka! You are the youngest among us and the weakest...but you have shown more bravery than the man who swore to lead you" he was referring of course to himself. "
You have shown more social intuition than any of us and you have acted to restore peace and harmony to your squad when I could not. You will be the captain of this squad answerable only to myself. You lack inner confidence and the skill to back up your ambitions....but you will get there in time"
He had mostly positive things to say about Ashitaka. The child had not gotten the opportunity to formally introduce himself or his skill set but that didn't matter. He had shown the one trait that Nyguyen had been looking for in each of them. At this juncture, one would think that Nyguyen was finished but alas he was not.
"
And then there is me, your sensei, Nyguyen Uchiha. Jounin of Kumogakure. Brother-in-law to the late great Nidaime Hokage Satomi Uchiha. Preeminent Scholar on the Scarlet Kingdom and Uchiha Clan history...." his voiced cracked towards the end but he did not let that deter him. He had torn them to shreds and acted as if he was on some mountain peak looking down at them. The truth was that for all his pretensions he was just as stuck in the muddy trenches as they were.
"
I failed to intervene before this conflict escalated nearly to the point of injury. I let my own insecurities as a father get in the way of my ability to control and discipline Ari." He turned to face her directly. "
I see so much of my daughters in you, its scary but you are not them and they are not you. I let doubt and uncertainty cloud my relationship with you as a student. At home I want to be respected and feared but loved and cherished. I want to guard them from the evils of the world but give them room to grow. I want to let them learn from my mistakes but give them the freedom to make their own. I....I was wrong to bring that baggage to this team and by every ancestor I have going back to Hideshi, I swear to never make the same mistake again. You are each individuals with your own unique wants, strengths, and weaknesses and from this moment on I will respect that and train you to be the best you can be. And if I ever fail you as I have done today, then the weak link is not you but me. Recall that I said earlier: If one of you fails to keep up with the rigors of this squad be it physically or mentally, you will be benched and the fourth member will take your place. So please respect the squad and respect yourselves or I'll replace you with someone who does!
He'd look each of them in the eye and utilize the Genjutsu: Sharingan to literally replay the words he had said.
"
I include myself in that statement. If I prove unfit to lead you on the battlefield then I will remove myself from the equation and the fourth reserve member will replace me instead! I have my own weaknesses to account for and I will work on them. I know its a lot to take in but every team should be founded on trust and honesty....I believe we can do things that no other squad has ever done in Konoha's history. I truly believe that Team Ten can be Konoha's beacon for what a proper squad should be and we can do this...together!"
Nyguyen released Ari from the illusion allowing her to speak and move freely. He had said his piece. The only question left now was whether they shared his vision. If they had no faith in him or this team then they were free to walk away. He wouldn't stop them or mark them as insubordinate. The squad would be dissolved and they could each go their own separate ways. But if they saw, what he saw, he'd be honored to lead them in the battles to come.
Techniques Used:Arhat Fist
Tomoe 3 Sharingan
Genjutsu: Sharingan (B-Rank Version on Ari, D-Rank on Everyone)
Body Flicker
StatsStrength: C-> Arhat Fist -> B
Constitution: C
Stamina: C
Speed: C -> Body Flicker -> B
Coordination: C
Intelligence: C -> +1 Tier Sharingan Genjutsu -> B (Casting Illusion)
Perception: C -> Sharingan-> B (Tracking Boulders)