Retirement needs hobbies.

Tengoku had helped organize some of the repairs needed after the bijuu attack but in the end he had given complete authority back to Airi. It felt a little like dumping a load of shit on someone else's plate but there was never not a load of shit to dump. It had been that way for him before and the same the last time he had tried to give her the hat. However this time a lot of damage was done and why had not yet been discovered. However Airi was much smarter than him and honestly more suited for the job. He had just been muscle and ideals. That had done some good for the village but ultimately he wasn't designed to lead. That had always been his sisters dream and he had done it for her. Sadly he had made some poor choices when it came to Raijins head and had left the office with red on his ledger for it. Iwa had paid the price because he wanted information they had not managed to gain from his brain. So many people dead including the Tsuchikage for his greed. There was a squad tasked with hunting the man and to inform Tengoku when he was found however. 

For now Tengoku was keeping all of his gear nearby in a scroll. The room he was in was essentially a boxing gym he preferred when training taijutsu. It had a series of weights, treadmills, assorted work out equipment, punching bags and a up to code boxing ring in the center. Tengoku's scroll was in one of the lockers connected to a locker room for the men and one for the women with a unisex bathroom in between. There were showers in there too. He could get to his scroll within seconds if he needed it. For now Tengoku had changed into a pair of black shorts with red down the sides and tight red strings and a black tank top to match. His fists were wrapped as were his ankle's though he was barefoot. His form was slender but incredibly well built. Equivalent to an olympic athlete. His long white hair was tied back in a ponytail while a couple strands had escaped and framed his face. However there were a total of three things that made Tengoku stand out from the norms as recognizable. Three things nearly impossible to miss. 

First were his canines. Despite how almost natural his face still looked his teeth were shaped like the canines of a dog. Second was the wolf like ears poking out of the top of his head. An oddity of animal like features his sister and he shared. He had heard the source of it was their mother. A woman he had never met but was considered a witch of the deepest parts of the woods. A druid of sorts that had attempted to gift them with the gifts of the wolf as they grew in her womb as twins. Others said she had laid with a spirit of the forest in the shape of a wolf. Though that one was more to tease him he supposed. However the final noteworthy difference about Tengoku were the eyes. The whites of the eyes had long since turned pitch black. At their center was a glowing golden cross. A dojutsu no one else in the world shared that gave him control over gravity. Simply increasing and decreasing so not on the same level as the alien but still potent enough to challenge a Bijuu. The golden cross iris seemed to glow like a forge at its hottest point. For the moment though Tengoku was simply going through strong fist forms against a training dummy slowly. Keeping up with the basics despite his known prowess with taijutsu.

The member 'Tengoku' has done the following action : Dice roll

---

'Bunny Arrival' :

Nao would walk in a daze, his mind reeling from the discovery he had made, it only took a few moments for everything he had known about the world to flip and get turned upside down. His whole life had been a lie, but the worst of it all was the fact that it was his mother that had done the lying. She had passed on several years ago, but Nao could never bring himself to remove her things from the house. Everything she had owned was still within the house, in the bedroom he never opened, locked behind the door that he never touched. Now he wished it had stayed that way, that he could go back and stop himself from what he had done. Even now, he had no idea what it was that had compelled him to open that door, why now, why did he do it at all.

The day had started out like all the rest had since the Bijuu's attack on the village, he had planned to go and help where he could in clearing out the rumble and damage and to try to get the village back to normal as he had done for the days before. Yet something seemed to call to him, something drew him to the door and when he opened it everything changed. His eyes scanned his mother's bedroom, noticing the dust that had settled over the room in the years since she left him. It wasn't the dust that caused him to enter the room, no it was something else that he noticed setting upon his mother's desk. Tilted against the lamp so that it was in plain view when the door opened was a thick envelope, even the thin layer of dust that coated the envelope could not hide the word written on it. Clear as day, Nao would see his name on the envelope, written in his mother's handwriting. Taking tentative steps into the room, Nao would slowly approach the desk before picking up the envelope and opening it.

What he read was a true shock, enough so that the world around him seemed to just wash away. The more he read the more his anger grew, and yet at the same time a peaceful serenity would overwhelm him as tears would run down his face. The letter, as the handwriting on the envelope would have suggested was from his mother, written before she passed away. In it she talked about how she carried a secret, and that she couldn't bare to tell anyone not even him, but she knew her time was coming to an end and he had a right to know the truth. He was not a pure blood Hyūga as she had claimed, the mutation that was within his blood, the thing that caused his Byakugan to appear purple instead of white, was due to his father who was a Mikiri. The note went on in more details about his father and how they fell in love and their story together, and how he was the product of their love, as well as why he was the way he was. Nao would drop the note, his eyes falling upon his hands that both had strange marks upon them. His mother told him it was because when he was really young he had burned his hands, but now he knew that wasn't true, his eyes would fill with tears as he ran from the room. He didn't want to believe it, but why would his mother lie in a note that he was meant to find after her death, why did she lie to him while she was still alive. It all suddenly made sense as to why the Hyūga had always looked down upon him as if he wasn't pure, because he wasn't.

Nao rushed out of the house, leaving his jacket behind. Dressed in black pants and a black sleeveless shirt, his headband covering the mark upon his forehead that had been placed by the elders of the Hyūga Clan. Nao had not planned to go to the training facility today, there was still much work to do around the village, yet when his mind came back into focus he would find himself standing within a room full of training equipment with a large boxing ring in the middle of it. Nao's eyes would fall upon the lone individual within the ring with training dummies practicing the style of fighting that the lead was best known for, the strong fist. Nao would watch him for a moment, noticing the strange animal ears on the top of his head as he realized he had seen the man before. He has been one of the defenders that had fought against the Bijuu when it had attacked, fighting along side Airi and the others to protect the village the best they could while he and the other Genin and Chuunin had been evacuating the area of the civilians.

Nao would not say anything, he simply stood where he was against the wall by the entrance and silently watched the man. Still slightly lost in a daze after what he had discovered, he had no idea how long he had been standing there before he became aware of his surroundings, but he would try not to interrupt the man's training. Of course, if the man noticed him and stopped his training, it would be a different story. He did not know why he was here, only that he was. If he had not think that it was somehow important he would have likely left the moment he had become aware, but something had drawn him there. Whether it was an outside force or something inside of him or both, he did not know, but he was determined to find out.

The member 'Nao' has done the following action : Dice roll

---

'Bunny Arrival' :

Tengoku would not fail to notice someone else enter as his golden eyes only shifted to take the man in a moment between strikes. He was still moving at a D rank pace as he shifted through the forms but it was not like it was in slow motion. Well for him it was but it was as fast as the average citizen could move. Still he would mind his business a moment as he continued to control the speed of his thrust. Relaxing his muscles and completely restraining himself to a certain speed. Practicing adjusting in a C rank jab here and there but keeping it to a specific speed. Control was every bit as important as speed. Without precision sparring could lead to dangerous outcomes. Still this was a more basic practice and merely a bit of a work out. However for a couple of minutes he would primarily mind his own business. This guy was clearly troubled and spacing out. Not even really working out but just hanging in the gym quietly. People didn't often do that unless something was on their mind. Since this facility was only for shinobi he had to assume leaving things as they were could have the potential to be disastrous. 

Tengoku would finish off his own set though. He wanted to get in the minimum workout which included going through all the forms of Strong fist. He was a master of Arhat and Spring Step as well but for now it was just the Strong Fist. A cornerstone of Konoha martial arts and supposedly the opposite of soft palm. It was in the name after all. Still he would take a breath in the final form before placing his hands together and bowing his head to no one in particular. Maybe he could join a taijutsu tournament somewhere? Something to pass the time after all. However he wasn't even thirty yet and retired. Arguably he had a ton of life left to use up. Still he would glance to the young man again. Tengoku barely had increased breathing pattern and not a drop of sweat on him. What he was doing was simple and barely keeping the muscles warm. A light stretch in comparison to a real workout. Still he would place his hands on his hips Before he would purse his lips and let out a gentle but sharp whistle to get the kids attention. 

"Hey. Whatever is on your mind take it out in the ring. Talk if you need to or just try some combinations to get out of your head. I will just defend and help let off some steam. C'mon kid try me."

The member 'Tengoku' has done the following action : Dice roll

---

'Bunny Arrival' :

Nao would snap out of his daze as the man within the boxing ring let out a whistle, his purple eyes slowly turning to look towards the man as he spoke. Nao didn't know how the man seemed to know something was on his mind, though he suspected that it was written plainly on his face. The man would offer an outlet for Nao to get it out, to blow off the steam that was building within him. Nao would look down to the ground briefly before looking up at the man within the ring and nod his head. "I am sorry, I did not mean to interrupt your training. I don't actually know how I got here or why, I was just lost in thought and the next thing I knew I was here." Nao would state as he approached the boxing ring and climbed into it, he didn't know if the training would actually help with what was plaguing his mind, but he was willing to try it nonetheless.

Once he was in the ring, Nao would take on the gentle fist stance as he looked the man over. The man was definitely one of the ones that he had seen fighting the Bijuu, so he doubted he would even be able to land a hit against the man, but this was not the time for him to doubt his own abilities. With a slow deep breath, Nao would activate his Byakugan as the veins along his temple bulged slightly and a small nearly unnoticeable purple pupil would appear within the pure purple irises of his eyes. Though as he readied himself to strike out at the man with his thirty two palms technique, he would stop as he saw a small spark of electricity move across his fingers. It was something that had never happened before, though he would quickly toss it up to ambient static within the air. Shaking both of his hands slightly, in an attempt to loosen them up before launching himself forward to strike the man thirty two times in different Tenketsu throughout the man's body. Considering the man had taken on one of the Bijuu, Nao assumed that the man would either have a way to block the attack or dodge it entirely, but that would not stop him from going full throttle in his attempt.

The member 'Nao' has done the following action : Dice roll

---

'Bunny Arrival' :

Tengoku would settle back as the young man explained he had essentially just blacked out and ended up here. Certainly not a healthy reaction but one that could be expected with some heavy trauma. Perhaps a teammate had died or some real combat had happened. Sometimes the shock of a life and death situation stuck with people. Still Tengoku didn't pry yet as he moved to one side of the ring. Letting the young man enter the ring and let his black and gold eyes take him in. A hand rising to scratch at some stubble on his chin under his bottom lip idly and slowly. As if contemplating something to himself before he would place his hands on his hips. However he would raise an eyebrow in surprise as the Byakugan activated. Partially because he hadn't been expecting it due to the clarity of the Iris. Secondly was because he wasn't suppressing his chakra yet. For Nao the moment he activated his dojutsu the room would seem to flood with emerald and gold tinted chakra. Like a wave of it was crashing against all the walls at once and threatening to drown everything. Nearly eight hundred chakra was pouring out of Tengoku.

"Oops lets take care of that for now."

Tengoku would smile as it all seemed to suck inwards into his body before suddenly there was no chakra signature left. All that massive chakra source and then it was suddenly gone. To sensory it would seem like he wasn't there at all. Still he would let Nao make his move. A series of combination attacks by the look of it. For Tengoku he seemed to barely glance at each attack as he would use his hands to turn away each attack. Shifting it passed him each time and moving around the ring slightly to avoid some of it too. For Tengoku this was just a normal practice. A light attack and defend training session. It was interesting that Nao would give him full force so quickly though. What was on his mind was simply heavy. However no matter how much he delved into his attack not a single blow would land. Instead he would defend in silence until the first combination was over. He had taken on a Hyuga student before and that worked out. He was sure the two of them probably had something in common. Still he would speak up after the first combo. 

"Easy, if you force it your body doesn't respond well. Keep your shoulders up and stance wide. It is a martial arts that flows from form to form with ultimate precision. You cannot flow if you do not breath."

The member 'Tengoku' has done the following action : Dice roll

---

'Bunny Arrival' :

The man had an impressive amount of chakra, more chakra than he had ever seen in one person before. It was no wonder he was one of the village's defenders, it would be hard to match someone on that level. Then just like that, the wave of chakra would subside as he suppressed it. His Tenketsu points looking more like that of an average civilian compared to the powerhouse it had been only seconds before. It was an amazing feat to say the least, not only did he seem to hold enormous power, he was able to hide it as well. As Nao launched himself to attack, the man would dodge or redirect each one of his strikes. He might as well had been standing still compared to the other man, with how quickly and easily the man maneuvered around his attack. It was extremely frustrating for Nao, as if he were a child trying to fight an adult, and in many ways it was the case. Not because the man was so much older than he was, but because the man had the wisdom and experience of years in combat. That however, did not help any with the frustration that was building within Nao, and it did not take his mind off of what he had been dwelling upon since he found the letter from his mother. It was like when he was younger, when his training had first started. His mother had done much the same thing to him, to show him that he was not ready for the more advanced techniques that the hyūga clan possessed.

The other man's words, though deep down Nao knew were offered to provide guidance, did not help matters. Anger would flash across his face as a red glow began to emanate around him, activating the Accretion technique that Airi had taught him in a fit of rage. "Don't treat me like I'm a child!" He would shout out in frustration, and while he may have been yelling at the other man, the only thing Nao saw before him was his mother as he launched forward again. This time with the stimulation of Accretion his body would move faster than it had the first time, though still not fast enough that he would be able to land a blow against the man. His attacks erratic and blind with rage, he did little to help his case of not being treated as a child, as he threw a tantrum like a five year old. After the failure of the second attempt at hitting the man with the 32 palms technique, Nao would do the exact same thing a third time as if there was going to be a different result. If he had been in his right mind he would say he was, at least in that moment, the definition of insanity. After the third attempt, Nao would crumple to his knees as tears welled in his eyes. "Why? Why did she lie to me?" The question was asked though he really didn't expect the man to know the answer or even know what he was even talking about.

Tengoku would go quiet as the young man seemed to enter into a rage. This was what he wanted to get out here in the safety of a training room with a capable instructor. Letting his frustrations out and screaming and shouting. Though it wasn't a very effective attack against Tengoku it likely would have been against an opponent on more equal footing. If that had been the case some serious injury may have occurred. Still it was easy enough for Tengoku to deflect each blow given the difference between them. He would be careful not to hurt the young man even as he continued a chain of exhausting attacks. Tengoku himself had thought he was giving simple enough instructions for anyone but it would appear the young man thought he was being treated like a child. It was an unfortunate way to view the training but Tengoku would keep in mind not to take it personally. He had trained a Hyuga before so he was somewhat familiar with this style already. These families sure were twisted with their mothers it seemed though. Airi and now this young man. He watched him collapse in tears as his frustrations finally came to light. 

Tengoku would not approach him to comfort him. He wasn't certain the tantrum was over yet and there had been that hint of raiton before. He was well aware of how dangerous raiton could be. If he were to be paralyzed or even stunned for a moment with what had just occurred before he would be in a world of hurt. Instead Tengoku would lean back against the ropes with his arms over the top rope and his elbows wrapped around it. Leaning there a moment as he contemplated the question. He had never known his own parents. Rumors had spread about his birth being an unholy combination of witchcraft and adultery. Along with his sister. He knew she had told him lies once or twice. He had even felt a grudge in his heart when she went into a coma. Leaving him to deal with all this by himself. His head would lean back as he talked with his eyes closed at the ceiling. His sensory still keeping tabs on the kid. 

"I don't know your relationship with your mother. I never had one with mine. However if she loved you she was probably trying to protect you....What from I haven't a clue. You just have to trust it was from an act of love. Now...dry your face....introduce yourself and tell me what all this is about. Oh and I am fairly confident you already knew this but I am Shinku Tengoku. Please...call me Ten."

Nao would wipe his face with the back of his hand as Tengoku spoke, realizing how embarrassing it was for his little outburst just now in front of a complete stranger. Standing back up, Nao would wipe what tears remained on his face away as he straightened himself before looking back at the man. "Apologies, my name is Nao." He would say in a soft voice that was barely above a whisper, he still felt the frustration within him but it was not pulling at him as strong as it had been before. "I discovered today that my entire life has been a lie, my mother told me that I was just as much a Hyūga as the main family. That my eyes did not mean I was an abomination, like all the Hyūga said I was." Nao would inhale a deep breath before slowly exhaling it in an attempt to not let his emotions get away from him again, "I found a letter today that she had written before she passed. The letter spoke of my father, a man who was not a Hyūga like she had told me my entire life, but a man from another village and another clan." Nao would stop again as he stifled back more tears at the thought, taking in another slow breath before he continued. "I am the product of two bloodlines, two families. It is the reason my eyes are purple instead of white like the rest of the clan, everything they had said about me is true. I am an abomination, my bloodline is not pure. She knew this and she never told me the truth, she waited until she was gone, because she couldn't face the shame of me." Nao would look down to the ground as he finished speaking, his thoughts trailing of to that of if the Hyūga had been right and he should never have been born.

After several minutes of looking to the ground, Nao would finally look back to the man. "If it was a lie out of love, why would she tell me in a letter? Why couldn't she just let me believe the lie? What am I to do now that I know the truth? If the main family figures it out, they are more likely to activate the seal on my forehead and end me than they are to ever accept me. How could she do this to me?"

Tengoku would rest his hands on his hips and puff out his cheeks as he blew air out threw his lips. His eyes a little wide as he realized just how much shit this kid was going through. Well it wasn't like he hadn't gone through similar as an orphan. Still clan business was beyond him. It had been just him and his twin since they were kids and now...now it was just him. He didn't have family or a clan of some sort. Far as he knew he was the only person with black blood in the world. Somehow changed from an artificial bijuu. Like some plague that had granted him power over gravity. So the idea of a new bloodline suddenly being a part of your life and wondering if you were an abomination...yeah he checked those boxes too. Still he would remain quiet a moment before rolling his tongue along the inside of his canines. This kid was baring his soul out here and honestly Tengoku wasn't sure comparing stories would do any good. Instead he would slowly speak up after a minute. Almost hesitant to answer and feeling an uncomfortable awkwardness in the room. 

"Well shit uh.... That is a lot. Listen Nao I don't know your mom or think I can speak for her. That said if you're clan won't stand behind you the silver lining is it turns out you have another clan out there. Truth is the only person you need to make sure has your back is you. If you are just your clan and what they want from you then be that. Sounds like a shitty life to me but what do I know? On the other hand...."

Tengoku would seem to close the distance between them and throw an S rank coord punch passed Nao at B tier speed. The wind from his thrust shifting the whole room of everything not weighted as it created its own gust from the sheer speed of it. Missing his face enough to burst off some hair as Tengoku attempted to shock him out of his depression. 

"You can decide who you want to be. Not as a Hyuga or whatever else. Who Nao wants to be with nothing owed to nobody. Reach this level of mine like I did and no one will question if you're an abomination. Oh and lastly.....I assure  you that technique isn't getting used lightly. Airi would murder the person who activated it. I'm certain of that."  He would state the last part as he stood up. Hands back on his hips. A smile on his face.

Nao didn't know why he just pour his soul out to the other man, maybe it was just because he felt overwhelmed and needed to say it out loud, or maybe there was another reason that he just didn't fully understand. The other man tried to cheer him up by saying that there was a silver lining, but it would fall on deaf ears. He didn't know the first thing about whatever his father's clan was or how to find them, there was also the matter of them being in another village. There was no silver lining in Nao's opinion, because even if he wanted to try to connect to his other clan, he simply couldn't. It wasn't until the force of the punch next to his face, that Nao began truly listening to the other man. It was clear to Nao that Tengoku held a great power, with everything in the room shifting just from him punching the air. He wanted to believe what Tengoku was saying, but at the same time he doubted that he would ever reach the level the man was at. Nao would straighten himself up as he looked back towards the man, his last words about the technique not being used lightly didn't matter too much. Even if Airi killed the one that activated it, he would still be dead. His only choice was to make himself valuable, if not to the clan then at the very least to the village, at least then there would be less of a chance of them using the seal on his forehead.

"While I appreciate your attempt to cheer me up Tengoku-Sama, I am afraid it's not so simple. I know nothing of my father's clan or traditions, all I have is a name and that he came from another village. That alone makes it impossible for me to find them,as I am not supposed to leave the village due to it not being safe. Even if I wanted to search for this Mikiri Clan, I have no clue where to start or what to say to them, I don't even know if my father is alive or dead. Even if I did somehow manage to find them, there is no guarantee that they will look at me any different then the Hyūga do." Nao would let out a small sigh, looking around to the equipment that had been in the room that was now piled against the wall behind him. "You are right however, if I could reach even a fraction of the power you hold then I wouldn't have to worry about the Hyūga activating the seal. I just have to prove that I am valuable to the village, then whether they accepted me or not they couldn't get rid of me. Will you help me reach a higher level then I currently possess?"

Tengoku would straighten up as it seemed his shock attempt had worked. The young man was talking again normally. It was a relief since Tengoku wasn't all that good with adults crying. Children he could comfort easily enough. Their tears were usually over trivial matters but adults...it was a heavy thing. Still the seal to prevent his eyes from being stolen....he would need to speak with Airi about it later. He wasn't a part of their clan and by no means would the clan as a whole listen to him. However Airi was his student and would likely hear out her once upon a time master. At least he would hope for as much. His eyes shifted to the mess he made. All the tools piled up on one wall. He was sure the staff would fix the room after the use but he wouldn't be surprised to see a bill for damages. Still he would smile at the mention of the clan the young man was concerned with. Tengoku had studied the clan as his own entity Roen had strong connections to them. Providing all the same abilities and a couple more. His voice would be a little amused despite the weight of the subject.

"The Mikiri is based out of Kumogakure. Once you are strong enough to hold your own I suggest going there and checking for yourself. As for the jutsu they use in the meantime..."

Tengoku would lift up his hands palm forward. Focusing inwards as he felt for Roen. He wasn't tapping into his chakra so much as simply touching it so it wouldn't weaken the seal, Roen had been more satiated as of late and simply liked napping. To which when Tengoku was done with his daily upkeep training he would abide. Taking nap time into their retirement seemed to have Roen growing more comfortable with him. Still he would remain fairly still as the dark release symbols formed on his forehead and palms with a shift of green chakra. Holding for a moment but fading quickly after. If he used it much more it would weaken the seal. He would need to be cautious about it. Still it was enough for him to reveal his ability to harness dark release to make his point. He had been using their techniques after all. 

"You will need to master both bloodlines first. Here there are Hyuga to help you master your eyes....but I can help you master your dark chakra."

Nao's eyes would widen slightly as it seemed Tengoku had knowledge of his father's clan, making a mental note to himself to speak to the Hokage about him possibly traveling to Kumogakure after the exams to see what he could discover about them. His eyes moving from Tengoku to his own hands as the two overlapping diamonds would appear on the man's hand and forehead that matched the faded markings on his own palms.

He had thought them to be simple birthmarks, as that is what his mother had told him they were, but it seemed to be yet another lie he was told by the woman. His eyes lifting back to Tengoku with a questioning look in his eyes as Tengoku stated he could help him master his dark chakra, it was something that his mother had mentioned in her letter to him though he had not known what that meant when he read it. "Are you a Mikiri as well?" Nao would ask as he thought how fortunate it was that he found another member of his unknown clan within the walls of Konohagakure and that he might not have to search them out after all.

"I don't know what dark chakra is, though my mother mentioned it in her letter that told me the truth of my father. If you can help me master such an ability, I would be extremely grateful to you. All I know is I got my affinity for Raiton from his side of the family."

Tengoku would shake his head no. Unfortunately for the young Hyuga Mikiri he was born without a clan. His powers and bloodlines were from interactions with things far more powerful than most single shinobi. However he would answer him instead. His voice calm as he tilted his head to the side thinking through his words. 


"I am not by birth. The dark chakra release is given to me through what was probably the source of the Mikiri bloodline. An ancient creature known as Roen. Something akin to a bijuu once sealed in lands to the east of Kumo. As for teaching you to use it...my understanding of the clan techniques was more inherited through my connection to Roen than learned...but I understand the basics. We can delve into it of course. Just know that it's a double sided sword. Dark release can not be used while walking or running. You have to stop yourself momentarily to absorb non physical chakra. Constructs created from chakra won't absorb so don't try to catch a boulder. However it can do more than just absorb. You can also at a higher level return that chakra back in the form of a blue flame. As for raiton."

Tengoku would hold up his hand and a golden spark of electricity would arc between his fingers in a controlled manner. Shifting from finger to finger and back again. Raiton was the only element in his blood and he had mastered it a long time ago. For him rolling the electricity between his fingers was more of a fidget practice than actually difficult at this point. He would finish by angling his fingers together and creating a ball of raiton for a moment before releasing it in a shower of sparks. 

"Raiton is incredibly versatile and flexible. Able to bend around or transfer through some objects. For instance most weapons and armors are based on a metal component. Most metals are conductive so you can still harm your opponent who is using those. I have several raiton techniques for taijutsu, Ninjutsu, sensory and Kenjutsu. Any of these you wish to learn I can teach as well. I suppose first we need to work on the basics. Activating your dark release or your raiton at will. You need to be able to access them reflexively. It might be a good distraction from your problems. So young Nao, Where would you like to start?"

Nao listened intently as Tengoku would explain dark release before a small show of Raiton and an explanation of his mastery of it. Nao hung on every word the man said, mentally drilling the words into his head. When asked the question of where to start, Nao would think for a moment as he contemplated where to begin. He already understood Raiton, at least the basics. Learning how to use the dark release might help him feel easier about it all, he might even be able to use it in the Chuunin Exams. At the same time learning Raiton from a master was better than learning them from a scroll, it was a hard choice to make because both would help him in the exams. Nao would contemplate the issue for several minutes before finally reaching his answer, "let's start with the dark release. I already have a basic understanding of Raiton, I would like to learn how to use the dark release so that I can use both."

Nao positioned himself in a militaristic pose in from of Tengoku, like a soldier coming to attention when a superior officer enters the room. Mentally he was doing backflips from the excitement, he could not have found a better Sensei, at least in this manner. Airi was still his proper Sensei, but Tengoku offered insight into matters that Airi couldn't like learning how to harness whatever it was that is his bloodline. Not to mention the fact that Tengoku was Airi's Sensei, so it was like learning from some kind of grand-sensei, which made it all the more exciting. He would fight the urge to move until instructed, still standing at attention while he mentally celebrated. Once he had an understanding of how he could use dark release, then Tengoku could show him some moves with Raiton. Nao will be a force in the exams, and his excitement about it could let go.

Tengoku would wait for the minutes to pass. This kid was putting a ton of thought into what he wanted to do. It wasn't like they were going to get one shot at this but he wasn't taking chances either. It was a little boring but he would lean back against the corner pillar and cross his arms as this kid would go on about wanting to work on dark release. He would nod a little to himself as he contemplated how to go about it. There was a fairly simple ninjutsu technique that while uncomfortable it wouldn't do much damage. They would need more space though. Besides that it was a good chance for him to recover some nature chakra. 

"Alright then, cmon kiddo. We need a better space. If this practice is going to work."

Tengoku would hop over the ropes before collecting his things in a gym bag with a strap over his shoulder from his locker. He would wait for Nao to be ready before he would turn to leave. heading down the hall a while before coming up to another room. Opening the door he would walk into some flat plains. Dead grass was short so he wasn't worried about a fire. Just open ground. Still he would drop his bag. Instructing Nao. 

"Alright walk about fifty meters ahead. I am going to fire a raiton flare at you. It won't be pleasant to get hit with it but for now, focus on the idea of forming the symbols on your hands. Picture absorbing the energy and attempt to soak it in."

Tengoku would wait until Nao followed instructions if he did and walk the fifty meters. Once he made some sign to acknowledge he was ready Tengoku would adjust to a one handed dragon seal and aim his palm at the young man. From his palm a burst of raiton energy would fly forward the fifty meters at C rank speed. Easy enough to avoid. Though if it hit him instead of being absorbed it would burst into sparks and do D rank damage. Not much of a combat jutsu but since Tengoku could fire it off for one chakra it was best suited for this practice. To get him to be able to use dark release at will.

Nao had not brought anything with him, so when Tengoku stated to they needed better space he would follow Tengoku to the lockers and quietly waited for him while he grabbed his stuff. Following Tengoku down the hall to a room that was more of a field, the amazement of this facility never escaping him. He couldn't imagine the time and work it took in order to manage such a place, let alone the cost of everything. Listening as he was instructed on what to do, Nao would nod before moving to approximately fifty meters away from Tengoku. Turning to face Tengoku, Nao would plant his feet firmly on the ground. Having remembered what he had said about not moving while using dark release, he would do his best not to move from the last spot. Once he was in position he would look back to Tengoku and giving him a nod to show that he was ready, Nao prepared himself for what was to come. As soon as he saw the dragon hand seal, Nao would form the horse, hare, bird hand seals as quickly as he could before holding out his right hand and focusing his chakra to absorb it. He knew the technique that Tengoku was using would sting if he got it wrong, but it wouldn't hurt him but that didn't make him try to absorb it any less. As soon as the flare got within twenty meters he would feel the technique drain into him.

Looking to his right hand he would see the mark no longer dim, but as dark as a tattoo on his palm. A smile forming on his face as he realized he got it right, as the mark slowly faded again back to what it had been before, Nao would look to Tengoku. "I got it, but it feels as though it used more chakra than I absorbed back. Is that usually how it works?"

Tengoku would watch as the small spark of electricity would sail the distance between them and the young man would raise his hand. He could sense the dark chakra forming in the young mans hands as he braced himself. The crystal formations forming as he easily absorbed the lowest rank jutsu Tengoku could manage. Tengoku would smile a moment before he would lower his own hand to his hips. Walking forward as he would glance over the young mans slowly fading marks. Nao was a natural with his bloodlines it seemed. Still he had a long road of training ahead of him. A hand would pat him on the back with a solid thud as he chuckled. 

"There ya go Nao. Unlocking your potential already. Get a feel for it and be able to pull up dark release at will. It felt like you absorbed less because there was simply so little chakra there. For larger techs it will be the opposite. You have some self reflection to do. For now come find me again when you can turn it off and on as you see fit. We will move onto some taijutsu training. I have a Jounin tournament to prepare for so you should head home. This entire room is about to become a dangerous space while I train at my best."

He would smile but that chakra the young man had felt earlier...how it was suppressed now meant Tengoku wasn't playing games. The sheer amount of power in the paladin was enough to suffocate most genin if he wasn't careful. Still he would step passed Nao as he made the seal for a shadow clone. A piece of himself rising from out of his shadow as the two would move to stand opposite each other. He was going to train in his base form and conserve his sage chakra. However the air crackled as some of the ceiling lights mimicking a sky flickered. He was preparing to remove his own chakra restraints when Nao left. A duel with himself in hand to hand. The moment Nao would close the door behind him the entire area would shake under the pressure of the training. The door locking as an emergency preventative system to keep those unable to withstand the training from entering. The lights flickering as Tengoku dueled himself and gravity shook the entire room he was in. 


Attempted exit

Nao stood before Tengoku, his mind abuzz with the intricate explanations of the dark release technique. Though a tinge of disappointment flickered within him as the training came to an end, he understood the necessity of it. Tengoku had his own preparations to make for the impending Jounin tournament, and Nao himself had the Chuunin Exams looming on the horizon. With a respectful bow, Nao expressed his gratitude, his words carrying a weight of sincerity. "Thank you for what you have taught me today, Tengoku-Sensei," he said, his voice reflecting both appreciation and understanding.

As he made his way out of the training room, Nao couldn't help but reflect on the knowledge he had gained. The mysteries surrounding the Mikiri Clan seemed to unravel, unveiling secrets that could potentially provide him with an advantage in the exams. He made a mental note to delve deeper into these newfound techniques and incorporate them into his own arsenal. Despite the disappointment of the training ending sooner than he'd hoped, Nao found solace in the realization that Tengoku's guidance had equipped him with valuable insights. Now, it was time to return home, to rest, and to contemplate the kind of shinobi he aspired to be. With Tengoku's words echoing in his mind, Nao knew that introspection would be key in his journey towards becoming a formidable ninja.

Exit Thread