Shifting Forms

Mamoru ran through the halls of the Grand Training Facility, his arms packed with Scrolls, outlining different taijutsu and kenjutsu styles and techniques. After a long night of reading through the library, Mamoru was bursting with inspiration. He read from an exert "A shinobi could learn to hundreds of techniques. A thousand ways to do the same seven or eight techniques." So he wanted to try to get a grasp on different styles, so he could hopefully develop his own in the future. A style that would fit him. One that he could master and be well known for. Later on, though, he wanted to also practice shifting into each Taijutsu Style he knew. That way, if he needed to go from Arhat Fist, to Brute Fist, to Dancing Blossom. Or in scrambled or it, his body wouldn't be confused. It would be a perfect dance

As of right now, he wanted to learn this new style, which was a combination of power and speed. One technique in particular would be more useful than having to rely on Body Flicker. Mamoru peeled open the scroll and unraveled it across the table. With both hands on the table, his arms propping up his body, while he leaned over the scroll. He studied the contents for a long moment, memorizing the placement where each limb, trying to understand the reason for each position. It was similar to the Arhat Fist Style, which he was familiar with now, but less brute strength and more about a balance of both strength and speed. Reading further there seemed to be some preciseness to it, having to strike the weak spots of the opponent, using both strength and speed.

"Right. Time to learn" Mamoru said to himself as he turned to the open space of the room, a wooden humanoid puppet placed across from him, but he wouldn't be using that yet. Right now he just needed to repeat the steps of the style, so his body would just flow into place without thinking about it.

The first few times, his limbs were sloppy, as he figured out the placement, until the form was decent. But he didn't want decent. He wanted perfection. So, for over an over, Mamoru stood in place, going from a similar pose to the anatomical position. His posture was straight, before sliding each limb into position of the style. Each time he would be smoother and much quicker
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Word count: 367

Style Learned: Chikushou no Ken [畜生拳 lit. Brute Fist]

A few hours had passed. Once he was more comfortable with the Style, Mamoru stopped, and stepped over to the table. Examining the next section of the scroll, Mamoru's spirits lifted. This was the technique he was eager to learn. Quick Step. With precise chakra control, taking the Surface Walking Techniques to a new level, Mamoru committed the process to memory.

Once again, he stepped away from the table and to the center of the room. Focusing chakra to his feet, Mamoru lifted his left and, at the same moment, push the small amount of chakra in a miniature invisible blast, but he didn't get thr timing right. Hell, he wasn't even sure that the chakra was propelled out at all. Chakra control was always a bit tricky. It was like trying to split your focus, one part inwardly to guide a stream, while another part focusing outwardly to control the physical body itself. It always took him a bit longer to grasp the concept when it came to chakra control, but he knew he would eventually get it.

About thirty minutes had passed of him finally figuring out that he needed just a tad bit more chakra in his feet than he did with the Surface Walking Technique. But he felt as he managed to get the timing right, his foot propelling a little faster than it normally would. Of course he was standing still when he did it. Some more time had passed and he dashing around the room, moving a bit faster, with each small blast of chakra, just as his feet would leave the ground. Excitement filled him as he triumphantly leapt, propelling himself higher in the air with the help of the chakra. Mamoru landed, panting, and wiping sweat from his his face and the back of his neck. He really needed to work on his chakra control.
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Word Count: 316
Technique Learned: Quick Step

Once Mamoru was finished with the Quick Step, he stepped back over to the Table. Rolling up the scroll containing the Brute Fist Style and Quick Step, and set them off to the side. He grabbed the scrolls containing the techniques for the Body of the Bear and Counter of the Ram. Two that would help him out tremendously. Since, aside from his bone bloodline, he didn't really have anything for defense.

Mamoru pushed off of the table and took a few steps back. These two were going to be very easy for him. Working out so much, his muscle mass were already solid and toned. He figured he just needed to stimulate them with a small flow of chakra to harden them even further. He stood there, muscles flexed, circulating chakra through each and every muscle fiber. As the stream of chakra flowed through, he could feel his muscles become more dense than they were a moment ago.

With his instructions, a puppet construct animated to life, wood clanking as it strode over to Mamoru's position. He took a few steps toward it, his breath held, trying not to lose the technique. The puppet stopped a few feet from him, wound it's wooden arm back, and it's full body surged forward, delivering a full force punch to Mamoru's chest. It his him in the left bulging pectoral muscle and then shattered into splinters. Exhaling a heavy held in breath, Mamoru felt his body loosen. He surged with excitement. This was definitely what he needed
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Word Count: 260
Technique Learned: Body of the Bear

After replacing the limbs of the puppet. Mamoru moved back to the table and examined another scroll. Now it was time for the Counter of the Ram Technique, which was just an extension of the Body of the Bear. A counter maneuver, delivering the most focus of chakra to the point of contact, being the shin or forearm. More importantly the Tibialis Anterior Muscle, for the shin; the Brachioradialis and the Flexor Carpi Ulnaris Muscles, for the forearm. Making those muscles unnaturally solid. This could potentially harm the attacker, giving them false sense that those muscles wouldn't be as solid as they usually are. As if they were striking stones attached to the user's body. At least that's what Mamoru interpreted it to be. He still needed to actually perform it

Stepping away from the table, once more, Mamoru took his place in front of the construct. Once it animated to life, his awareness moved inwardly, pushing chakra through his body, stimulating his muscles. Instead of his chakra moving throughout his entire body, though, he coursed the flow to those three muscles, just before the puppet struck out with several of it's limbs. Mamoru threw up both of his forearms, blocking four of the puppet's arms, shattering them on impact. His torso was showered with wood splinters. He lifted each of his legs, bending them at the knee, and blocking the two thunderous kicks the puppet delivered. There was two loud 'KAKs' as the limbs of the puppet struck his shin muscles and split in two. Those two pieces of wood were pretty damn thick and solid, too. He let out a whistle of surprise as he looked down at the dismembered puppet. "Hell yeah. Now this is what I needed" Mamoru said to himself, moving back to the table to put away the scrolls. It was time to put them all together
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Word Count: 321
Technique Learned: Counter of the Ram

For this next part that he had planned for his trained required him to shift between the different styles he now knew, as his they were forms of a dance. He needed to the balance of strength and speed, Brute Fist. He needed to deliver a powerful blow, Arhat Fist. He needed to to be more coordinated and unpredictable, he had his clan's taijutsu style, Dance of the Blossom. Or if he needed to quickly defend himself, He could now have a defense and counter. He was swelling with pride as he now felt like he was actually becoming stronger. It was just exercising everyday to make his body more solid, he had actual styles and techniques to learn. He felt growth.

Mamoru stepped to the center of the room, his body straight, arms at his sides. He inhaled deeply, held it for a moment, and then exhaled. 'Dance of the Blossom' He thought and he body reacted, each limb moving to their respected positions, providing him balance and maneuverability. 'Arhat Fist Style' Mamoru's body reacted to his thought once more, shifting to a more sturdy grounded form, that would provide him brute strength. 'Body of the Bear' This time his body reacted more defensively, tensing up, and pushing chakra through each of his muscles. He could feel his body become more sturdy through muscles and bones. 'Brute Fist' Again, his body shifted to a form that would allow him the speed, but also to be able pack a forceful punch. Not as much as the Arhat Fist Style, though. He went through this exercise for forty-five minutes, changing the order of the Styles each time, until he felt confident that his body could mechanically move, in sync with his mind.

The was a surge of chakra from the room as several of the puppets animated to life, their wooden limbs clanking as they scampered towards him, moving to surround him. Mamoru watched each of them in a neutral form, not quite sure how to react just yet. Suddenly, one leapt at him and his body shifted to the Brute Fist Style, as he weaved through two of the puppets limbs, staying on the inside of them, and delivering a quick punch to the center of the puppet. The puppet went limp and Mamoru was ready for more puppets. This time very short bones erupted from his knuckles as he shifting his stance to the Arhat Fist Style and delivered a powerful punch to one puppet, sending it flying back backwards into another. Both of them lay motionless on the ground, the first puppet on top of the other with a gaping hole in it's center. It was time for Mamoru to go on the offensive. His body shifted to the Brute Fist and with a burst of speed, with the help of chakra in his feet, Mamoru was in front of three puppets in a breath. Two short sharpened bones emerging from his palms as he shifted to the Dance of the Blossom. With a few quick palm strikes, before they could even react, the bones skewered through each of the puppets' torsos, his aim on point, as more puppets stood motionless. As he turned though, his vision of the room was completely blocked as five of the puppets moved on him. He cursed and his body reacted defensively as wooden limbs flew at him. With a tense as his body braced for impact and surge of chakra stimulating the muscles in his entire body, the wooden limbs struck, but shattered. He was covered in splinters. Some of the limbs were sharpened and pierced his skin as they glanced off, but it wasn't serious injuries. Just minor cuts. He looked around expecting for more, but only saw the floor riddled with motionless puppets.

Feeling satisfied with himself, Mamoru walked over to the only table in the room, his breathes were heavy as his body tried to feed it more oxygen. He grabbed the towel and wiped the blood and sweat from his body. He turned with the towel on the back of his neck and looked at the heap motionless puppets. The sight made him smile as the accomplishment that he was able to effortlessly move between different taijutsu styles settled on him. He grabbed his kimono and slid it over his head, pulling on the waist to straighten it, and exited the training room.

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