Keep on Keeping on

Raphael would have his eyes closed as he sat in a meditative position within the center of the rectangular training arena within the Uzumaki district, facing the large apple tree that sat near the training area. Normally only the Uzumaki trained here as it was where they trained their clan's secret techniques, today however was a different case, Raphael made it known that the training area would be his for the entirety of the day. This was not for himself however, he had no need for privacy in his training, in fact he rather enjoyed an audience. Today was not about him, it was about one of his students. Dante was the only one left of the three that he had picked on the beach, it wasn't because he had eliminated them either, they fell victim to the same plague that was spreading and affecting shinobi all across the world, and it was unclear whether they would wake or not. To say that weighted heavy on him would be an understatement, but in his despair about his two fallen students, Raphael had been neglecting the one that was still around. He was ashamed of himself but he was looking to make it right, having heard that Dante had just returned from a mission out of the village, Raphael would take the time to send a messenger his way and ask his student to join him today at the clan district training area.

Having already been given such a great responsibility from the village in his time of reclusion, Raphael wondered if Dante even really needed him as a sensei or if he had moved to where Raphael should consider him more of an equal as he did Raika. Dante would get the chance to prove it to him or to ask Raphael to continue training him, ultimately it was up to Dante how this day would go, but no matter what the other man chose by the end of the day, the male would have some more taijutsu maneuvers under his belt. The sun would just be coming up on the horizon, its rays not yet cutting through the mist that encompassed the village, and yet within the Uzumaki district there was no mist at all. This was due to the fact that the Uzumaki had special seals placed all around the district that made it feel as though it was always good weather, it was why the Uzumaki clan district was the only place in the village one could find a live apple tree. Raphael would wait patiently for Dante to arrive no matter the time of the other man's arrival, if he arrived at all. He was in no rush, though if Dante did not show up by noon Raphael was likely to move to beneath the tree to sleep as he waited.

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OoC Special Note:

Dante looked at the messenger and back at the Uzumaki Compound. “Hmm.. Uzumaki, eh..?” He would raise a brow before placing a hand in his pocket and sighing. Their last interaction didn’t go well and unfortunately it wasn’t all Dante’s fault but he felt partially to blame. His pupils would thin as the weather seemed to change as he entered, making it bright and sunny. He would cover the sun with his arm and wince from the light that even wrapped around his arm, impeding his vision just a bit. “Geez.. this is how sunny it gets?” He huffed before walking further into the compound, soon picking up a familiar scent or two. One was long gone but stayed around while the other was currently here. His tail wagged with excitement, specifically from the lingering scent. It was Raika’s scent and she had been here quite a while so her scent never really left the grounds. The other was Raphael in which his tail slowed down and his face got a little bored. ‘Right..’


Coming closer to the training grounds, Raphael was seen underneath the tree in which it was past noon. Dante was a bit late but fortunately he was there in general. “Morning..” He called out to his old Sensei. His ears went back, remembering their last time with the other two but alas they had fallen ill. They haven’t woken up for some time but he hoped maybe they would soon. They had made a great team. “You called me here?” Dante asked, now staring over Raphael’s body.

Raphael's eyes would open sleepily as he heard Dante's voice, a small smile spreading across his face as he looked at the odd fox man's face. "Yes, thank you for coming, Donatello." Raphael stated, using the man's full name as he remembered from their last encounter that the man did not like it. It was just one of the things Raphael did to others, to see how they would react, like him calling Raika 'little' despite the fact that they were nearly the same size and age. It was nothing personal, it was just his personality. His words even holding a hint of his jovial nature in them as he spoke, even while being serious, Raphael would find some way of making light of a situation. "I know I have neglected my duties as your sensei and I would like to make that up to you if you would allow me that is," Raphael stated as he leapt up to his feet from his seated position. Once on his feet he would point over to the training arena, a raised 100 square meter platform that was made of Adamantine. Four pillars standing in each of the corners, each of them raising 25 meters into the air made of the same Adamantine. It was as if it was a sculpted piece of art, at least to some.



Assuming Dante agreed to allow Raphael to make it up to him, Raphael would begin walking towards the Arena. "I created some Taijutsu maneuvers that are compatible with any fighting style, I would like to teach them to you in hopes that it improves your own taijutsu abilities. Perhaps one day they might prove useful to you." Raphael would move to the center of the arena before turning to face Dante. "Now if that sounds like something for you, then we will start with the basics. First the controlling of breathing and learning to master your own body. Control is the most important thing when it comes to fighting and if you don't have control over your own body how can you hope to win." Though his statement was rhetorical with no need for the other man to answer, Raphael would pause briefly to let his words sink in. "Now what you need to do is focus your chakra, allow it to flow through your body and stimulate your muscles to allow yourself to move faster than you normally would be able to. It all comes down to the controlling of your breathing and the flow of your chakra." Raphael would add before giving Dante a small demonstration of what it was he meant, though it would be hard as there was nothing physical to see from the chakra with the exception that Raphael was able to move around faster.

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Teaching Mastery of Body: Control (Multi-Rank:300wc required)

Tech:

Dante nodded to Raphael, agreeing to have him teach him again. His teammates weren’t around anymore so maybe he’d take advantage of this opportunity to learn techniques, especially from an Uzumaki, unaware that Raika herself was an Uzumaki. Hearing about the new technique, watching Raphael give a demonstration that seemed like nothing but to someone with Taijutsu, he could tell something was different. Dante would attempt to learn the ability but each time felt like a waste. Like his stamina was being over used and the inability to gain control. Was he not ready yet? He continued to try over an hour, panting and exhausted, just about ready to give up. He’d fall back and land on his bum, his back hitting the ground shortly after, panting from exhaustion. “S-Sensei… I.. think this is… too hard..” He’d say as he tried to catch his breath. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. “Alright…” Dante forced himself up from laying down by crunching up and hopping onto his feet, his tail flicking from the sudden difference in balance. “Do you have anything else for me to learn? I feel as though I can’t learn that one just yet.” He explained, visibly feeling bad that he wasn’t able to grasp it just yet.

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Dante failed at learning Master of Body: Control.

Raphael would frown slightly when Dante seemed unable to perform the technique, though he wouldn't say anything about it. It wasn't Dante's fault that he couldn't do it, Raphael should have known more about his student to know that he did not have the energy level needed to perform his mastery of body techniques. "Right, sorry about that. Let's start small, try this." Raphael would state as he demonstrated an Axe kick, "focus just a small amount of chakra toward the heel of your foot when you are coming down to increase the power of the kick. This type of kick is universal in almost any fighting style and while I use it for my Clan's fighting style most often, it can also be used in styles like Arhat Fist." Raphael would explain as he demonstrated, it was a rather simple technique that he felt would be easier for Dante to learn as it did not require as much chakra as the mastery of body techs did. "Once I teach you a few more techniques like this, I will also show you how you can use them together to make a powerful combo."

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Teaching Crashing Wave (C-Rank 150WC required)

Tech:

Dante nodded in response to Raphael to let him know that he was listening. Watching Raphael’s demonstration, he would take notes on how to perform this specific action. It seemed pretty powerful, leading to even greater combos as Raphael suggested he would teach. He would put his hand on his chin and cross his other arm under it, thinking for a moment. How could he replicate this perfectly… He shook his body a bit to let out any anxiety and started off with a neutral stance. Nothing special, just a comfortable stance to start learning in. Dante would practice raising his leg a few times before raising his right leg 180° into the air performing an Axe Kick and dropping his foot onto the floor with devastating force. This maneuver made it feel like Dante’s strength was a bit more powerful upon strike the strike. His ears would flick for a moment before his head turned to Raphael, cocking his head a bit while remaining in the finishing position. “Like that?” Dante was a particularly fast learner when it came to taijutsu techniques but for some reason lacked in control of his stamina. Maybe he should focus on his chakra pool after this.

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Dante learned Crashing Wave. 150/150

Raphael would watch as Dante performed the Crashing Wave with ease before asking if he did it right, "yes, just like that, that was very good." Raphael would reply with a smile, though not trying to sound patronizing as he actually meant that it was very good that he was able to perform the technique. Raphael would then move on to show him the next technique.

"This next one I call the Undertow sweep, but in reality it is just a leg sweep. Meant to knock your opponent off balance but no guarantee unless your quick enough." Raphael would explain as he then demonstrated the technique just as he did with the crashing wave, dropping low to the ground and sweeping his leg out in a wide arc as if he was trying to trip someone. Like with the crashing wave, the chakra use would be small, but it would help in its effectiveness.

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Teaching Undertow Sweep (C-Rank 150WC required)

Tech:

Dante watched the man demonstrate a new move, saying it’s best to be quick enough to use this, that way it’s be to catch your opponent off guard. A simple, yet effective maneuver in which the he would attack in a sweeping motion with his leg in an attempt to knock their opponent off their feet. Dante would mess with his legs, getting the placement down as he did mock attempts before really attempting. During this maneuver the Dante felt as if his kick was a bit faster when performing this technique, catching Dante off guard himself. After he attempted the move, he’d stand back up and looked down at his legs, thinking as to how this can be used as a precursor to another maneuver that attacks from a low stance. Would it work in regards to how fast he could make it or if it would make the opponent second guess what he’d do? He would simple think about it later and continue training and focusing on Raphael now.

“What’s next teach?”

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Learned Undertow Sweep. 150/150

"You are picking up these moves quite nicely, Donatello." Raphael replied with a smile, "This next one I call a whirlpool kick, though it has many names. Roundhouse or even shark kick, like with the undertow sweep it is a simple maneuver that focuses upon the pivoting of the body, however you don't crouch low for this one." Raphael would finish explaining the technique before giving Dante a demonstration of the technique that he was talking about, he would actually demonstrate it multiple times in various ways to show the different ways in which the technique could be used targeting different parts of the opponent's body both high and low. Once he was done with the demonstration, Raphael would turn to Dante and motion for the other man to demonstrate it for himself. He had no doubt that the other man would be able to do this one as easily as he had done the last two techniques that he had shown him.

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Teaching Whirlpool Kick (C-Rank 150WC required)

Tech:

“Whirl pool kick? I think I see a theme coming on. What are we, some teenage ninja sea creatures?” Dante would ask while chuckling as he began to make a few practice kicks. A Standard Reverse Roundhouse kick or Spinning Heel kick seemed pretty easy enough. Dante would eventually use the protruding point on the backside of his heel to strike with, the kicking leg coming from around the Dante’s back as he would pivot and the knee remaining relatively straight on the follow through as he aimed for a make believe opponent, imagining the mid to upper body. Dante would wonder if there was a way to manipulate what angles he could use this with, like making this strike be aimed at a downward angle to the anterior side of the knee. Dante would take a step back and wipe the sweat from his forehead while glancing over to Raphael and giving a thumbs up with a toothy smile. “What’s next?”

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Whirlpool Kick Learned (150/150)

Raphael would chuckle at Dante's comment, if anything he could see what the man meant, but that was not the case. "This is my personal fighting style, like you have a connection to Katon, I have a connection with Suiton. As such most of my techniques are named after water related things, so yes there is a theme going. However, when I made this fighting style, I was young and had no intention of teaching others. Time changes everything," Raphael would explain. "This next one is called, Tsunami Strike." Raphael would then demonstrate a simple butterfly kick, though manipulating chakra to increase the strength of this kick so that it caused small cracks to form in the ground from impact. Motioning to Dante to attempt to do the same.

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Teaching

Tech:

“Tsunami Strike,” Dante looked at Raphael and raised a brow, shrugged his shoulders and lifting his arms upward. “Don’t be mad when I start calling these things something else in a fight.” He would chuckle before prepping his kick to attempt this maneuver. The maneuver is done by doing a large circular motion with both feet in succession, making the combatant airborne. Dante made note on how he did this and thought it there were other variations of this kick. The kick looked like a slanted aerial cartwheel and at the same time, Dante’s body would spin horizontally in a circle. It began as a jump with one leg while kicking with the other, then move the kicking leg down and the jumping leg up into a kick, landing with the first kicking leg, all while spinning. He looked at Raphael for a moment and scratched his head before asking. “Hey, mind if I adjust these a bit with my fire? I think I could make these pretty useful with my Katon energy.” He’d ask while producing a small flame in his palm.

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Learned Tsunami Strike 170/150
Learned

"You may call it whatever you like, I am just telling you what my name for it is." Raphael replied with a smile, "their purpose is to be adaptable, so feel free to adjust them however you want to suit your fighting style."

Raphael would then move to put a little distance between the two of them once more, "this one is a simple uppercut that I call Erupting Geyser." Raphael would continue, "now the key is to focus chakra into your fist. There are two ways to execute the attack, the first is to release the built up chakra at the second of impact that will cause the opponent to be launched upward leaving them vulnerable to a follow up attack. The second way is to use that chakra you focus into your fist to strengthen your strike to try to finish your opponent off and hopefully end the fight by knocking them out."

Raphael would give a small display of how to perform the uppercut as he explained how to use the chakra during it, "the flowing of your chakra to your fist and how you use it could determine whether you win or lose in a fight." Raphael would finish before moving so Dante could give it a shot.

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Tech:

Dante’s ears would flick quickly, his eyes watching closely at Raphael’s demonstration. He would explain the two separated ways of using Erupting Geyser, either with his full strength or with a quick power move at the last second. Based off of Raphael’s explanation, Dante could gather the info see Erupting Geyser as a simple uppercut maneuver, often used as a set up maneuver for a follow-up attack. When focusing chakra into the knuckles as one would get low, they would deliver a punch that is aimed for their opponents chin, Releasing the chakra upon impact to cause the target to launch in the air. Dante would look to be lost in thought, still thinking about this move.


‘This would seem to tend to leave the an opponent vulnerable in the air which could allow me to use a follow up technique that requires my opponent to be in the air.’ Dante’s ears would pin back before being snapped back to reality (ope there goes gravity), nodding in understanding and followed his directions. Dante would perform the Erupting Geyser technique in succession, although he would instead boost a bit of flames out of the punch, as his way of trying to make an adjustment on it. “I can make my own twist on these, right? I was thinking on maybe adding fire to my punches, quite literally at that too…” He’d give an innocent smile before waiting a bit for the next move.

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Erupting Geyser (250/250[?])

Raphael would watch as Dante performed the technique, surprised by the small bit of fire that the other man added to it, but he would make no comment. He was slightly concerned when Dante would ask a second time if he could do his own flare on the techniques, having already answered that question just before this last technique, Raphael was concerned Dante might have a forgetful memory. Perhaps they were pushing too hard and he wasn't getting the necessary blood flow to his brain, or he was overheating or something. Even though these techniques were basic maneuvers in their own right, the requirement of chakra can cause strain on the person's body if they are not careful and use too much of their reserves, he had to remember that the other man did not have the same deep reserves that he did. Raphael couldn't be sure; he wasn't a doctor. He was quickly wishing Hayami was here to check on the other man to make sure he was ok, but considering the other man seemed to be looking forward to the next technique Raphael decided to dismiss the thought.

"Yes, well as I said. You are welcome to adjust them however you like to suit your needs." He would reply with a smile, "this next one is the follow up to the erupting geyser. It requires you to use a bit more chakra than the other techniques I have shown you, but once you launch your opponent into the air, Falling Rain will put you in a position to where you can strike them on their way down. You gather chakra into your legs to launch yourself upwards, further than you could normally jump. Then once your next to your prone opponent in the air you can perform a series of strikes against them as they fall then you use them to cushion your fall so to speak, for this demonstration I am going to use a dummy." With those words Raphael would perform the demonstration of Falling Rain, first creating a water clone of himself before crouching low and uppercutting the clone with erupting geyser. Once the clone was launched into the air he would focus chakra into his legs just as he had told Dante, launching up 15 meters to be next to the clone as he delivered a large series of punches to it before kicking off the clone in a backflip. The Clone plummeting to the ground at a higher speed than before, crashing into the ground with a splash as it reverted to its original water that made it up. Raphael would land lightly on his feet as he hit the ground not far from where the clone splashed down, forming the handseal to make another water clone, Raphael would then motion to Dante to do the same with the new dummy.

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Teaching (200WC):

Dante would flick his tail from annoyance, seeing his sensei question his memory. He would look at his master and shrug it off, listening to the new technique he would be teaching. “Hmm..” Dante would eyeball his demonstration and his ears would pin back from the amount of flurries that would come from this move alone, whether it’d be in conjunction with it or not, it was certainly potent. ‘As Raphael stated and showed, it seemed like this maneuver can only be used on a target that is airborne. So channeling chakra into my feet would launch myself a maximum of 15 meters into the air.’ As he would come to this consensus, Raphael would jump up, almost at the same time of his though process. ‘It’s an attempt to get close to said target where I would and or could deliver a series of punches as both of us fall to the ground before kicking off the target to land on his feet as the target crashed into the ground.’ Just as Dante finished his next thought, the two would come crashing down, Raphael landing perfectly fine.

Dante would glance to him as he motioned to try on the new dummy in which he’d get in a proper stance of the previous move. Already, Dante would be on his way to the dummy, performing the erupting geyser uppercut, sending the dummy flying into the air. He’d bend his knees, channeling most of his chakra into his feet and jumping when he felt it was at its fullest potential, jumping up to about 10 feet, and performing multiple strikes, including a simple kick to jump off the dummy and land like a cat on his feet. Yet, he would stumble a bit before catching himself from falling over. “That is pretty strong… oh.” His eyes would glare to Raphael while knocking on his own head. “I was confirming so I didn’t have any issues with you later about it. I wanted to make sure we were on the same page.” He’d give a snarky grin before crossing his arms and being in a wide spread stance with his legs. “What’s next?”

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Learned falling rain 384/200

OoC: Exit

Sorry, I died

exiting thread due to raphs death