Surpassing the Limits [Masuyo]

After a good night's rest and some much needed sleep Rin was back on his feet. Helping himself to a nutritional breakfast to keep his energy up to par given what was expected of him today. Apparently Masuyo wanted to train with Rin to further improve him, however if Rin was going to be honest he already reached his peak. It was just a matter of who he's up against. Still he didn't argue about it other than asking what time and where.

Once he ate his food, Rin made sure to grab his equipment and don on his armor before taking the fuuma shuriken out of his bag and readjusts the hip pouch to be further on his right flank above his rear so the fuuma shuriken can hang onto the side of his belt via iron hook. Then he departed for Grounds 2 of the training field. It has been sometime since the last time he went up against Masuyo. Back when he was first enlisted to her team.

Unless interrupted Rin will arrive at the open fields in Ground 2 with his chakra suppressed and his senses heightened. Using his eagle eyesight to view far distances with great detail while his sense of hearing picks up the nearly silent wind brushing against the soil and rustling any patches of grass that might exist around here. This place was great for long ranged training, and it also ruined little chances of hiding unless they're within plain sight for some reason. Rin stands at 5'7” and despite his age Rin has already attained a muscular form that is a near perfect balance of not too much mass to become a large target, yet not too frail either.

His warm black hair of shoulder length is pulled up into a low tail as it was to keep it from flying all around his vision. Today Rin is garbed in a short sleeved tan colored shirt with the titanium mesh shirt underneath. Over his torso is a leather vest that functions on par to a flak jacket, only the vest doesn't have any pockets to store things in. Covering his forearm to his wrist is a pair of steel arm guards that holds engraving fuuinjutsu markings into the surface. Over his right arm guard is a kunai launching mechanism loaded with a kunai. Equipped on his leather utility belt is his old katana on his left side, a iron wakizashi on his left flank for easy access, a folded fuuma shuriken hanging by a hook on his right side, and his hip pouch which contains the rest of his tools including the small scroll containing his Soul Harvester. It also contains the singular Kokushibyo as well, though Rin has no intention on using it.

His legs is covered by a pair of thick grey paints of cloth and wool to keep his legs warm from the chilly air. Both thighs has a black holster strapped on by a white cloth and each holster contains a kunai in them. The ends of his pants is tucked under the leather shin guards, and finally his feet is protected by a pair of dark green sandals that is open toed on the front. The Konoha headband is worn over his forehead with the steel plate facing forward.

[Used Chakra Suppression -0 Cost]
Perception: B > A
Constitution: B+ > C+

Learning:

It has been some time now as Rin sat on the grassbed. The soft cushion was starting to get uncomfortable as he's waited almost an hour now and still no sign of Masuyo. “I hope she didn't get lost. That would be problematic on its own.” Considering that woman hardly ever gets lost when there is a clear sky with a sun to help determine directions and the weather too. Plus the city folk are friendly enough to point them at the right direction. So perhaps she overslept or is purposely taking her time. Then again Masuyo did seem quite fatigued for the past day or so.

Bored out of his mind, Rin lays down on the grass as he reaches into his hip pouch to bring a shuriken and a ten foot steel wire. Taking the time to loop one end of the wire through the middle gap of the shuriken and then tying it in place. Rin practically played around with the wire as he intertwined them around his fingers. Until each wire looped around his fingers and there was a noticeable gap in the middle. Then Rin tried to lightly pull his hands apart as this was mainly an experiment he was trying to do. Noting how each of the wires were tightening to become straight and how each wire seem to join at the middle with the shuriken acting as a weight that now rests against the back of his left hand.

He can see how he can use this as a wire trap, and maybe see about weaving more shuriken together to add slashing effect. Or to maybe acquire a better material of wires for good durability. But as Rin sat up not minding the blade of grass stuck in the back of his hair. Rin noticed that at the end he would need to set a trigger for the trap. In which case he'll need to cut the wires to set the trap off. If he doesn't have anything to cut the wires then it'll be useless trying to set it up in the first place. In which case he'll need to get a better set of tools including shuriken and kunai.

To this conclusion Rin sighs before untangling himself from the wires. He takes out five kunai and as a test he put the steel wire through the kunais’ ring before throwing them into the ground with the shuriken flying in the midst of them. They obviously didn't go very far as they hit the ground roughly 5 meters away. But what Rin created was a five pointed star design on the ground with the kunai and the shuriken buried partially two of its blades into the soil about 2 feet ahead of the trap. The wires were taut, and with Rin's idea is if someone stepped in that area they'll have wires from five points slashing at high speeds towards the opponent's lower leg. Possibly cutting into the calf, around the shin, and ankle. It'll definitely put an anchor in the opponent's movement, but that'll have to do for now. Out in the open the trap is practically useless as the chances of the opponent coming in range is very slim. Perhaps in a more enclosed space such as the forest or inside of caves and buildings. It'll be a decent trap for sure.

“I have to set about getting better weapons than my scythe… Especially a better katana.” The Uchiha mumbled to himself as he goes over and safely dismantles the trap and stows them back into his hip pouch. “And i really need to find faster ways of retrieving my tools. It takes way too long to reach in this pouch to grab what i need and even then i have to go by feel sometimes.” So many things to do, but either they're out of his range of skill or he doesn't have the sufficient funds to do so.

---

WC: 660

Masuyo's routine similarly followed Rin's with a few exceptions. Naturally she woke up later than he did as she was not a morning person. Given any opportunity she had she would choose to sleep in unless something urgent required her attention. That was not the case. It was given the hour of spare time she found herself stopping by a local candy store spending much needed time picking up various sweets. She stocked up entirely on different gummies as they were her favorite. Aside from the large bag of candies in her hand Masuyo's gear remained relatively the same. Her footwear consisted of standard black sandals fitted for comfort and security. With the toes and heel left exposed they provided additional balance, while the rest of the foot up to the ankle was protected by the thick nylon material of the sandal. The soles of the sandals are reinforced with hardened material to resist heavy impacts and weathering. She wore a pair of loose fitting black pants with the bottoms near her ankles taped securely in white bandage wrap. This provided balance and reinforcement to her ankles while closing off the ends of her pants. In addition, more bandage wrap was wrapped around her right thigh which allowed a navy blue holster to be strapped over comfortably. Around her waist she wears the basic utility belt which carries two green holsters on her right side along with a tool pouch around her back side and a canteen to the far left.

A black mesh shirt is worn under a common long sleeve black top having a red seal of fire placed on the outsides of each sleeve towards the upper arm. Over that was a fitted green flak jacket provided by Konoha's armory. The jacket was zipped up and secure firmly on her body. On both of her hands were a pair of fingerless black leather gloves, each fitted with a steel plate on the backs for protection as well as a means to fortify backhanded strikes. Around her neck Masuyo wears her forehead protector as a collar. The black cloth is tied in a knot around the back side of her neck with the steel plate facing the front for identification. The steel plate has Konoha's emblem engraved on the front. Masuyo has straight black hair which extends down to her mid back. Two strands of hair drop down touching her chest which leads into her bangs, those being cut shorter and swept to the side. She stands at 5'9 weighing approximately 145 lbs. Her fair skin is complimented with her voluptuous form which is completed with a pair of hazel eyes.

Masuyo would begin traveling to the destination she told Rin to meet her at an hour ago. Despite knowing her tardiness she traveled at a casual pace eating a bit of candy here and there arriving at her location half an hour later. She would transverse through the small woods and eventually make it to a large clearing next to the lake which resided in the training area. There she saw Rin geared up equally well. "There he is: Konoha's longest lasting Genin." Masuyo said with her cheeks fully of gummy candy as she dropped the bag at her feet just against a tree. She'd finish chewing briefly before swallowing, patting her hands clean of any residue sour grains before stuffing her hands back in her pockets. "So. Do you know why you failed your tournament?"

Finally Masuyo graces her presence towards Rin. Though it wasn't so much as she was late since Rin knows she isn't a morning person to begin with. His ears honestly picked up the sound of rustling or something that was generating faint noises that probably would've been overlooked if he was in the city. Out here there wasn't much to generate noise aside from the sound of wind combing through the fields and the occasional tree that can be spotted along the meadow. Rin's eyesight looked over his shoulder as he just put the last kunai back into his pouch as Masuyo more or less announced her presence.

Thinking back on it, Rin was only eleven when he first graduated from the academy to a Genin. Here he is three years later, but Rin honestly feels like he hasn't gotten anywhere. This tournament was proof of that as well. As to the question Masuyo asked it was something Rin has been churning over in his mind ever since he forfeited. “Simple. She had access to higher ranked ninjutsu than i did. Additionally she naturally moved faster than i could ever muster even when i struck as fast and hard as i could. I couldn't even nick Nozomi, but that's to be expected i suppose.” Besides he didn't want to participate in the tournament in the first place. For he knew he wasn't ready for that kind of thing. Not yet at any rate, because if he couldn't at least give Masuyo, his own sensei, a decent fight then what kind of result were the other people expecting of him? It was something Rin chose to remain quiet about.

“I also have to be mindful how hard i swing my tools. If i were to use my full strength my katana at least would snap. The only other thing i have that can withstand my strength is this scythe of mine.” To which Rin tapped on the surface of his hip pouch as he admits that he needs to at least find a better kenjutsu weapon. Plus it wasn't like his katana was in a bad condition for it has been taken care of despite the wear it possess. But yes what Rin said was the gist of what happened. Still he never fought against a suiton user before. So far he's mainly come across against people who have katon, doton, and fuuton. “And before you start going off that i had ninjutsu to use. I could throw a drilling air bullet at mid-range, but i didn't know if my opponent had katon or not. I could use sensory, but you should know that it gives me one hell of a headache when i get hit. Because if i used any of the fuuton against a katon user im just adding fuel to them.”

Her question without a doubt provoked Rin. She'd lean against the tree she stood by and crossed legs hearing him out. She intentionally appeared uninterested as she raised on hand to her face and nonchalantly used her thumb to pick at the calloused fingertips and bits of dead skin for years of extensive Taijutsu practice and weapon handling. "Blah blah blah blah blah. I hear a load of excuses. 'Oh the metal in my sword is too soft! My Ninjutsu was inferior! Boo hoo!' Stop this victim mentality. It's effeminate and weak. Accept the responsibility and consequence of your actions. The fact is you were unprepared and out of practice. Every conflict you encounter will not always be on even terms. Sometimes it'll be a landslide in your favor and others you'll be outmatched. You must learn to adapt, know when to flee, and face the consequences of your failure. At the very least you knew when the forfeit instead of foolishly killing yourself. I can't say Yui would have done the same."

Pushing herself off the tree using her arm she'd stand upright on both feet against placing both hands at her sides. "Today I'll be testing your aptitude in each of the essential Shinobi fighting styles. I will be able to accurately judge your weak points with firsthand experience. And I will not be holding back like last time, so be prepared. Masuyo began pacing herself closer to Rin stopping at a five meter mark. "You have bit of an eccentric mind, so I will highlight the expectations of this training instead of assuming you know what I'm trying to achieve here. We will be going over your ability in the three arts: Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and Ninjutsu in that order. Taijutsu will includes ninja tools and weaponry, however, you will not be able to use chakra flow to enhance your tools. This is a test of skill, not a test seeing if you can break my blade. Genjutsu will involve me, the instructor, giving you a Genjutsu drill and seeing how well you can deal with it. And lastly, a battle involving a barrage of Ninjutsu. Unlike Taijutsu, Ninjutsu is destructive and can shift the environment drastically as you will see. It exercises an entirely different mindset for creativity and evasion. At the end I will be able to determine your rank as a Shinobi. If you are as useless as you were when I first found you, you shall remain a Genin."

Extending both arms outwards she locked her fingers together popping her elbows and wrists in a single extension before twisting her hips popping her waist, limbering up for the inevitable combat. "Anyways, that's enough talk. The first trial: Taijutsu." She'd lower herself at her knees having her arms in a loose guard from her body. The moment she was set she lunged forwards clearing the five meter gap in a gust of wind with her fists clenched sending a straight right just below his sternum striking the soft celiac plexus nerve to force a spasm to knock the wind out of him. Her momentum and strength would go into this strike having enough force to knock the man off his feet and down a few meters across the dirt. Her attack was simple and she expected some sort of evasion or follow up. As such, she was well expected to respond to any incoming aggression.

The Stuff:

Of course Masuyo would make light if not downgrade Rin even further. Like rubbing salt on a wound, but Rin wasn't angry or upset as he just shrugged his shoulders. Anything else Rin could say would just add fuel to the fire metaphorically. His hazel blue-green eyes shifted over to the side as a thought occurred to him. ’Nothing has changed over these years it seems.’ Despite him training vigorously over the two years to hone his prowess apparently Rin is still out practiced and not learning enough. When in reality Rin has a small library of techniques he can use because of his training. In a way, Rin can't really see much improvement on his part since Rin felt like he already struck his limit as a human.

Then Masuyo started to explain everything in steps as apparently he's actually being tested. If this was before the tournament Rin would actually be excited, but now Rin doesn't think he can live up to Masuyo's expectations. Immediately ghosts of his past crowd his mind of being told he was weak and a failure as a shinobi. Rin doesn't dare speak for he didn't want to upset Masuyo nor does he display discomfort or sadness. He has always been good at that wearing a mask, but at the same time it was kind of hard to talk to Masuyo about his problems.

“Okay.” Rin spoke rather calmly, just like before, in confirmation that he understood Masuyo. However the instant Masuyo got within 5 meters of him any sense of doubt was washed away like a spark in Rin's mind. His sharp eyes focused on Masuyo before she suddenly dashed to get close. It was a first for Rin since normally he'd be the one to strike first. Still he remained stationary as Rin knew better than to meet her opponent who was naturally faster. Instead the instant Masuyo got within arm's reach as she was throwing a right fist at the center of his being. Rin moves equally fast as he pivots his body around Masuyo's fist over to her right flank. Simultaneously Rin will attempt to slip his left hand over to Masuyo's wrist as he'll grab it. The instant he does, Rin will move to redirect that energy by pulling Masuyo's wrist back as Rin's right hand shot up to essnetially put Masuyo into a wrist lock. Masuyo's energy continues onward, except she finds herself being flipped over before being slammed face first into the ground. Rin will keep his wrist lock with his right hand as he purposely forces Masuyo's right arm, which will be behind her now, to be extended and so Rin will swiftly shift his left hand to press her shoulder blade down. Essentially putting her into a pin as he's down one knee next to her.

Techniques Used:

Stats:

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It didn't take long to clear the distance, and to the untrained eye they would engage in the instant Masuyo moved. Arm cocked and ready she executed her punch while fully observant of Rin's counter action. As expected he did react, and rather instrumentally as he combined an evasion with a counter attack involving a Taijutsu technique she taught him personally that she created. Gentle Way was a technique which based its style around using the opponent's aggression against them while being simple enough for untrained Shinobi and civilians to use as self-defense. It was essential a Taijutsu which was designed to be anti-Taijutsu. A well-lined attack with much dedication put into it could be used against you. Masuyo had to keep this in mind as using Arhat or even advanced Strong Fist technique could be devastating against her. The one glaring flaw in the fighting style is that it forced the user to remain stationary. It was essential to transfer the enemy's energy requiring the user to have a solid foundation.

With all of the technique's information in mind Masuyo retracted her arm to her left as it would appear Rin was about to succeed, yet managed to miss just a few centimeters short. This was coupled with a bit of light footwork to change her course following Rin's evasion attempt to step to her outside. A slight pivot and she was back on a collision course. This time she led with an elbow thrust, her left hand grabbing the wrist of her right as she pointed the blunt, hard bone to the right side of Rin's rib cage. She stayed low, the top of her head roughly where Rin's upper pectoral was. The small, dense approach made her a much more difficult target to work with. She had very little protruding from her body making grapples all the more difficult to execute. Her attack would throw Rin on his arse, though not powerful enough send him across like her initial attack due to how focused this was one in comparison. Even through the leather vest he wore, providing minimal protection in its efforts, the damage would be something to reckon.

The Stuff:

It would be ironic if Masuyo was taken down by her own technique. The gentle way was something Rin never really got to use often since he was always on the offensive. In this particular case for once Rin was on the defensive. With Masuyo slipping her fingers from Rin's grasp he already knew what to do next. Masuyo opted to maintain melee distance as she had begun to spun around her student.

During the beginning part of her movement Rin continued to quickly spin low counterclockwise utilizing the Strong Fist style and using the leaf great whirlwind. By the time Masuyo reached to attempt to jab at Rin's side the boy would also attempt to make a swift low kick at Masuyo's legs as an effort to sweep her off her feet. At the same time Rin's left hand would already be in a defensive position to smack Masuyo's elbow strike inward of her body and effectively missing Rin's ribs as he uses his own strength to push it away and from any minor adjustments to alter her aim. Should this connect Rin's spin continues as his second kick would be aimed straight at her gut and upon impact will send her higher in the air by a meter given Masuyo wouldn't hit the ground just yet. Upon the third kick in a rapid succession Rin leaps up with his standing leg while maintaining his buoyancy as launches the third kick at her ribs on the frontal side driving the external force from Rin's leap and his own strength to consider. Upon impact Masuyo will be launched for two meters higher putting her at three meters total above ground. Additionally his kick towards the ribs on top of the kick towards the gut would've knocked the air out of her lungs if not briefly stun her long enough for Rin to drive his last attack.

Should the three consecutive kicks be successful Rin will spin once more as he converts the buoyancy is converted to pure strength as Rin will attempt to drive a powerful heel drop aimed directly at her upper back. Upon impact the driving force will send Masuyo downward to the ground at high velocity. No doubt her hitting the ground at that force will be a damaging blow as Rin's attack will probably create a small crater with Masuyo being at the center. Rin looks down as a thin cloud of dirt had erupted from the crash and frankly he did not want to truly hurt Masuyo. Then again, as she had taught him, never underestimate the opponent even if it is someone you knew. And Rin descends back down to the disturbed earth roughly at the edge of the crater. Where he'll observe what was to come next.

Tech Used:

Stats:

Through brief judgement Masuyo collected that Rin's response time and overall agility improved greatly since she last sparred him directly. Not only that, but his actions made sense too. Often times Yui made moves that were either poorly planned or yielding no result. Rin made sure to clear himself from any harm before executing a counter attack. Trading blows was a fool's game and one only applicable in an arena for entertainment purposes. Masuyo was here to realistically test Rin's combat prowess against Jounin-level obstacles. As Rin would sink down into a lower posture she would change her assault once again. However this time contact was inevitable whether she continued or she was thwarted and Rin's leg connected.

Masuyo extended both arms quick to snag Rin by the neck guard on both sides. She would hold him in place, though he did not have many avenues of escape given his position. She would leave the ground with both feet with her right knee leading her other, slamming into the bottom of Rin's chin. She would time this by letting go the moment of contact to allowing the boy to free fly back several meters and make contact with the trunk of a hard oak tree. He would not plow through this or even leave an imprint, but the contact would be hard nonetheless and add to the damage. If successful her feet would make contact with the ground again shortly after Rin was launched away. Reaching back into her hip pouch she'd follow up Rin's recovery by skillfully grabbing three kunai, one between her fingers, and slinging them across her horizontally as they left her hand in a group all aimed at the boy's torso. Given the boy's armor they would still manage to penetrate an inch into a flesh at most. They would deal pain and nothing more.

The Stuff:

Much to Rin’s efforts Masuyo reached over to grab for his vest to stop him from continuing on. Even with his leg sweeping over the air as Masuyo evades the kick and follows up with her own attack. This was one thing that Rin couldn’t dodge, at least not to what Rin could do. However if there was one thing Rin was good for is to brace himself for the brunt of the force while rising up with a step forward against Masuyo now that she was in the air. At this close of a range throwing a punch would be hard to pull off, however Rin unleashes great strength from his arms as his hands had come together. Using his left arm to support his right facing the brunt of his elbow at Masuyo’s gut as Rin makes the attempt upon his step forward. This time, Masuyo would do more than just hit Rin’s chin, instead she’ll hit the left side of his face leaving a noticeable mark.

If his elbow succeeds in colliding against Masuyo it’ll be pretty brutal given the destructive force behind it. But tactically Rin wasn’t left with too many options here; so rather than escaping he just took the moment Masuyo’s feet left the ground to make his strong attack. However the knee on his left cheek certainly done its job as Rin is sent flying a good number of meters off towards a strong oak tree. With a flip of his body Rin touches his feet onto the ground and slid the rest of the way to slow down the momentum before he lightly bumped against the tree. Given his body’s resilience his recovery time was remarkable as Masuyo goes to throw three kunai in a single group at his upper body. Seeing her reaching for a kunai made Rin reach down to grab one of his own kunai from his left thigh holster. It was easy access same as Masuyo’s draw, but she was naturally quicker as she threw the trio of kunai at him.

Still Rin deftly threw his single kunai at the trio specifically the one at the middle with a particular angle. Given the projectiles were moving roughly at the same speed, Rin’s kunai strikes at the middle kunai as the angle forces the middle kunai to quickly divert over to the right while Rin’s kunai also diverts over to the left in hopes of clashing against the other two kunai. As it was an attempt to force the thrown kunai into the ground without using chakra as instructed. Even if it fails Rin side steps to the right side evading the thrown kunai so that either way he wouldn’t get hit by them. Causing the kunai to pierce into the tree and in which case Rin will simply pluck two of the kunai from the tree to hold one kunai in each hand. However he opts to observe what Masuyo does especially after taking that attack of Rin’s if it connected.

Techs Used:

Stats:

Masuyo's rising knee made solid contact with her target. Ironically her opponent opted to attempt to trade blows as a desperate attempt to get even with Masuyo. It all played by a game of speed which Masuyo was undoubtedly superior at. Rin began to accelerate in the opposite direction just as his elbow made contact with Masuyo's abdomen. His attack could not be executed with maximum efficiency due to this as his strike would be shallow before he was no longer in striking range. Her abdomen clenched as the blunt impact made contact with her flak jacket, which was modified with reinforced steel inserts to provide additional protection. Despite not being something like a breast plate offering rigid defense the steel plated inserts offered greater protection on top of the leather helping to reduce the damage. However, with her armor considered, she could help but acknowledge the sharp pain in her abdomen as she was forced back to the ground with her feet regaining balance.

Continuing with her plan she flung the kunai at her target observing Rin's response. It was expected for him to acknowledge them, however perhaps giving a bit too much attention as he reached into his own tool pouch to attempt to deflect them. It was a wasteful action to parry when evasion was available. On top of that it worked as a distraction as Masuyo's eyes could tell where his were focused. This gave her the opportunity to blindside her opponent. Speeding to the left she would slip out of Rin's peripherals in a blackish, faded flicker giving no cue what direction she went.

Shrouded behind a large oak among vegetation she held the Shadow Clone seal to create a replica of herself which would immediately begin a charge up the tree and around the trunk to face back towards Rin. The clone would stop when it was facing the clearing again staying suspended on the tree truck using chakra on her feet to keep traction. Reaching into the infamous hip pouch the clone retrieved a kunai in each hand, both of them rigged with a red explosive tag by a small bit of wire on the pommel. It would throw both of them simultaneously at the ground around Rin equally five meters apart from each other. The goal was to combine both of the blast radius from each kunai putting Rin sandwiched between a total of a twenty meter blast bubble. The clone, four meters up the tree and seven from Rin would be in a safe position to not be injured. The tags burned as they left her hand detonating the moment they made contact with the earth.

The clone would enjoy the fireworks as well as analyze Rin for his next move. There was a good chance Rin had a means to remedy the explosive field. The clone knew it had to be ready to move when a vulnerability opened up. If not Masuyo's opponent would be crippled by the explosion. Certainly not out of the fight, but injured nonetheless. The real Masuyo kept her cover behind the tree remaining vigilant as well.

The Stuff:

The Clone Stuff:

With the two kunai flying past him Rin finally noticed that Masuyo was no longer where she was. Immediately Rin looked behind him in a rather defensive manner expecting some kind of back attack of sorts. Surprisingly there wasn't one, or at least not right now. Granted he didn't see Masuyo go behind him, but if he couldn't see her in front of him then chances were she was behind him. Rin plucks the two kunai from the trunk of the tree before he begins to hear steps rushing up along the tree.

Lifting his gaze up Rin sees Masuyo emerging from around the tree. In her hands were two more kunai, except when she threw them they held a surprise on them. Rin's movement was simple and efficient. Rin quickly leaps back a good ten meters away, and during the beginning part of his leap Rin threw one of his kunai at Masuyo's kunai. Using the same tools that Masuyo used against him, and given that his travel slightly faster the kunai clash against the singular kunai of explosive. With a metallic clash they bounce off each other while the other continues downward to the ground. Given of the time of one explosive kunai detonating Rin would be at the edge of the radius. As the radius is not instantaneous Rin is able to avoid the explosion. The other explosive kunai had also exploded as intended, but it was a little off course and closer towards the tree sending shrapnel into the bark. This perhaps has a possibility of sending a shrapnel or two at the clone's direction, but otherwise they just fall harmlessly to the ground. At the end of Rin's movement he draws out his wakizashi with his now free left hand as he's roughly eleven meters away from the tree itself.

Stats:

The clone threw its kunai at Rin which was met with a conscious response to avoid their point of impact while doing everything in his power to shorten the distance between him and the explosion. It was an action that made sense. Explosives are a pain to deal with in most combat situations without proper cover. The blast radius was the first threat where maximum damage was to be expected. Its secondary threat was the shrapnel it threw, which in some cases can be lethal out to thirty meters. These were under rare circumstances and should not be looked forward to. Flak jackets were provided for the mere purpose of protecting one from shrapnel. Of course they did serve their other purposes as well such as providing defense against some physical trauma, weaponry, and the elements. Both tags would detonate provoking a response from Masuyo. Although the explosion kicked up a lot of dirt and smoke they did not prohibit her from tracking down Rin.

The clone would pounce from its position making its way through the cloud of smoke ascending to the upper canopy of the woods. She'd turn herself to where she clung to the bottom of a tree branch being in an upside down position. She'd reach for Black Tongue, the ebony Chokuto strung to her left side. She'd wield it with both hands and spring off the tree branch making a vertical descent towards the boy. Masuyo would make a powerful lateral slash right her right hip to her left. The blade would create a deep slice across Rin's chest practically ignoring his leather vest.

The Clone Stuff:

The explosion thankfully was avoided as Rin created some distance from the tree. With his wakizashi in the right hand and the kunai on the other. Rin's vision was shrouded by the smoke cloud that the tags had created, but Rin's perception is still keen enough to hear a solid sound on wood a few meters above him. As the consequence the leaves on the branch rustled each other for a brief moment. Rin assumes that, since he can no longer see her from this cloud, Masuyo would be above him where the source of the sound is at.

Casting his eyes upward as the grip on his wakizashi tightened, Rin sees Masuyo descending upon him with a chokuto. A blade that was dark as the night itself. To be fair Rin has never seen Masuyo using other weapons that wasn't the basic shinobi tools. Still, Rin did not falter as he takes on the stance of the Red Tiger style while backstepping just enough for Masuyo's Black Tongue cutting into the leather vest, but no deeper than that. Simultaneously his wakizashi lashes downward at Masuyo's right forearm on the palm side. Not only was his reaction precisely on point but his strength behind it will make its mark known to Masuyo. This might be enough to make the clone disperse, but on the chance that the clone exists and Rin's blade hit its mark. The instant Rin's wakizashi slides over (or into) Masuyo's right forearm the boy steps forward with a thrust that will be no more than two centimeters from Masuyo's arm as Rin will attempt to pierce through Masuyo's right forearm and pierce halfway into her left elbow on the palm side.

Additionally if the clone is not dispersed by this point, Rin moves his left hand that still holds the kunai downward towards shoulder the meets the neck on her right side. Where Rin will attempt to pierce into Masuyo's shoulder that would normally have a high lethal rate. However there is a catch, because if it seems obvious that Rin's attack will hit Rin stops the kunai to where only the tip of the kunai would pierce Masuyo's skin. As it'll mark that he would've won this round.

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Masuyo's Chokuto carved into the boy's leather like it would his own skin. His vest, much like many flak jacket, were made of basic leather and insulation. They provided great protection against shrapnel from explosions and light projectiles such as thrown shuriken and kunai. It even serves to shallow some slashes and piercing attacks. Otherwise it did offer at least partial damage to blunt impact. It was great armor all around when combined with the nimble work of a Shinobi. However, against legendary craftsmanship it was just tissue paper. Masuyo realized this when she picked up her weapons from Kameko which prompted her to add plated reinforcements into her plate jacket to have it almost double as a brigandine.

Rin was certainly quick on his feet to avoid the slash. He stepped back almost preemptively to make it on time letting the blade graze his armor and allowing him to attempt a counter attack. Masuyo was an experienced weapon master in her own rights next to being at least proficient in swordsmanship. Although she preferred the flexibility ninja tools and other weapons offered they did not compare to the overall killing potential a sword offered. The Chokuto served as her secondary primary weapon preferring the spear overall. However at the end of her match with Ryuko her spear was out of commission until she had a replacement shaft made.

Her student was keen on taking advantage of the missed attack much like any experienced fighter would. He'd stroke his short sword in an attempt to cause a superficial cut to the inside of her forearm. It was an add choice of target, she had to admit. It the clone was not a clone it would be a simple flesh wound. With enough luck he may be possible to severe an artery, though it was very unlikely considering Masuyo was wielding the sword with both hands allowing her other forearm to shallow the cut greatly. It was only a useful attack considering Masuyo's clone was indeed a clone which meant it was fragile to the slightest physical damage.

The clone would respond with a solid block using the side of her blade. By twisting her wrists she'd swing the blade like a windshield wiper with enough speed to catch the swinging short sword before it got past her defense. It was a rigid defense that did not offer much give on Rin's end. Given his blade was of inferior quality it potentially suffered some edge damage, but nonetheless the majority of his power was rush into the clone. It was not damaging in the least but got her a taste in the man's physical strength. The clone had little to lose but disbursement and had no method of executing technique. It was simply a distraction and nothing more. The clone had served its purpose the moment it finished identifying Rin's actions.

The clone would make a simple maneuver to step back clearing space between Rin and herself, but still within striking range. At least for her. The clone wielded a longer blade allowing her to strike Rin before he could with his short sword in theory. She'd perform a simple, powerful downwards chop at Rin's wakizashi. Her plan was to destroy his cheap blade and have the remainder of her energy slice into his wrist which would help make that hand unusable and promote bleeding.

The sound of close quarters combat alerted the real Masuyo, who was still taking cover behind the tree, that Rin was indeed distracted. I think it's time to move onto phase two... She'd smirk as she peeked the corner just enough so she could see the status of her clone and Rin through a single eye. Confirming the distance she realized she needed to close in just a bit. Staying low behind the vegetation she'd sneak around the clearing staying well within the coverage of the woods. Rin was distracted enough with the clone to waste his time making a perception check. If he were foolish enough to distract himself again the clone would wisely capitalize on his mistake. The real Masuyo snuck around the clearing to being almost five meters where the two were fighting. Masuyo cleverly put herself behind Rin allowing her to communicate with the clone from over his shoulder. She'd stay behind the tree until she knew the time was right.

From spying on her clone and seeing how the battle was unfolding she began forming two hand signs slowly. Stealth was a game of being extra cautious. Even performing hand signs too quickly could compromise one's location as the slight friction between fingers or gloves could alarm a sharp, experienced Shinobi. After the Snake and Rat signs she'd send her chakra towards Rin and with enough luck succeed in connecting. Her chakra would slowly work to seep into the boy's brain if successful and begin shaping reality for him.

The Stuff:

The Clone Stuff:

In a fight nothing was as simple as swinging an axe at a tree. Rin knows that much and so with his sword creating a shallow cut into Masuyo's forearm. It felt like something was off that he couldn't exactly place. Rin opens his sensory field and expands it outward to 125 meter radius. In doing so the senses on his body sharpen and enhanced. At the same time the dull ache that was on the left side of his face became more apparent to him. However it wasn't anything that he couldn't handle.

It was at this point that Rin detected that there are in fact two Masuyo. One stood before him, and the other was more towards his flank that seems to be gradually moving to his rear. Seeing Masuyo, the clone, took a quick step back before going to swing the chokuto down at his own wakizashi. With little difficulty, Rin simply retracts his sword arm while taking a guarded step back as he moves out of the sword's reach. Causing Masuyo's chokuto to pass through the air and possibly downward towards the ground itself. Simultaneously as Rin stepped back, with a flick of his wrist he throws the kunai directly under the clone's chin. No doubt this attempt is either evaded or blocked in some method, as it was only to serve as a distraction. One that would hopefully cause her to focus on evasion/blocking.

His now freed hand curls into a fist as the muscles around his body tightened and becomes dense. From behind Rin can feel chakra being built up, and since it didn't hold any element it was either a non-elemental ninjutsu or even genjutsu if Masuyo was going down that order. Meaning that time was precious as Rin crouched down as he hurls a fist with monstrous strength building up from within at the very ground that they were standing on. Upon impact sharp pain immediately erupted from his knuckles as the earth cracked like glass in the form of spider webs. Cracks widen into small fissures as chunks of earth upheaval creating obstruction as kicking up a lot of dirt cloud within the area. This spreads out to roughly 20 meter radius as the tree becomes unstable with its roots torn apart and starts falling down potentially landing on Masuyo if she wasn't careful. Additionally the point of impact first 5 meters looked like it sunk a single meter like the form of a crater. Anyone deciding to measure the depth of these fissures seem to end at 10 meters yet the fissures are 2 meters wide.

The result of this attempt is to thwart whatever tricks Masuyo had up in her sleeves and the clone would experience uneasy footing like a earthquake with a strong magnitude that might even force her to the ground. As for Masuyo herself it's possible the vegetation either tangled her up and/or the tree attempts to fall on her form. A risk for both is one of the fissures attempts to open up beneath them threatening to take them both down. The dust cloud that's kicked up covers at least 30 meter radius shrouding most of what is happening from visual contact. Standing at the center of this is Rin as across the knuckles of his left hand held small scratches that already clotted. However the multiple sharp pains in Rin's head was painful to say the least. A tiny drop of blood drips from his nostrils and splatters on the sundered ground. In the case he was under a genjutsu, the excessive pain from this will hopefully be enough to dispel it before it even started to take into full effect.

Techs Used:

Stats:

Masuyo's missed her sword stroke as Rin retreated a shorter distance back. Unlike the morbid fantasies Rin had about her swordsmanship she knew to keep guard and never overdraw one's attacks. As such, dealing with the incoming kunai was light work. One major weakness with kunai was their design. They packed a powerful punch but lacked flight complexity when thrown. This meant all thrown kunai were stuck in a linear path with no room for change. The clone would swing its blade in front of it to parry the thrown kunai effectively destroying it by shattering it into many pieces where she cut. The iron was brittle compared to the ebony long sword she held. Rin did not hesitate to make his follow up but neither did the clone. Rin clenched his fist and drove it into the earth. Likewise, the clone foresaw his movement and deduced what his plan was.

It was an odd choice of action. Changing the terrain through raw strength was one of those tactical moves she could understand when used in the right context. This was not one of them. There were no threats underground and the environment was not hazardous like a canyon, cliff, or a city. They fought in a flat clearing in a woods. As Rin's fist hit home the clone was midair towards Rin shutting the small few meter gap in a heartbeat. She had her sword at her right hip again sweeping a powerful lateral slash from the outside of his across his chest. Masuyo purposely targeted the arm striking the earth knowing it would be a weakness regarding response time and defense. Additionally she utilized the length of her blade to strike Rin while out of reach while in part keeping her slash shallow to not maim the boy.

The boy would suffer some minor injuries due to his recklessness. It was nothing game ending, as he was only striking the soil and nothing with pronounce hardness. He'd face broken skin, a cracked knuckle, and a strain in his arm at most. Despite what Rin face he did manage to achieve his goal, which was warping the terrain into a field of cracked earth and upturned stone. The real Masuyo took evasive measures different than her clone opting to plant her feet on the face of the tree she took cover behind. She'd be unaffected with her feet no longer on the ground, using chakra to keep steady on the tree. Though as a result the tree began to collapse as did others in the vicinity which were influenced by the upturning earth. Masuyo would hop off the tree as it fell landing back on the earth seeing as the shifting was over. "Can't stop hurting yourself, can you?" She'd remark identifying the wound conceived by his own actions. The clone would dismiss itself whether it succeeded or failed in its assault. Masuyo would appraise Rin's condition and receive knowledge gained by the clone whether determining to continue or not.

The Stuff:

The Clone Stuff:

The clone, be it real or not, still held all capabilities Masuyo is normally capable of. Rin had a feeling that the kunai would barely faze her, but it was one obstacle for her to face before she could press the assault. Which gave Rin the time to take the defensive back step and proceed with warping the field before them. During this motion Masuyo’s clone leapt forward using her high speed to her own advantage. Rin took note of how careful she was to stay out of his reach yet still utilize that weapon of hers to her own advantage. He wasn’t having any of it. For if Rin’s blade was going to snap, it’ll be either to kill his opponent in the process or saving his own. Rin’s wakizashi swung through the air as Masuyo swung her’s.

With a loud clash Rin’s blade will attempt to connect against the Black Tongue, the feeling like the blade is about to shatter in his hand reminds Rin of training the other day. Still the goal was to parry the incoming attack even if it meant snapping Rin’s blade in the process. The Black Tongue snaps the iron clean through, but the resisting force behind Rin’s blade should be enough to threaten the chokuto to fly out of her hands. Rin was even to go as far as to prepare to use the other half of the wakizashi should he ever need it. Strangely, the clone did no more than that attempt as Masuyo evaded the collapsing tree.

Masuyo remarked about his hand that hurt from the knuckle to the outside of his forearm. Blood had already clotted around the wound to prevent excessive bleeding to occur. “At least this time it’s not hindering anything. If chakra was allowed I’d sustain little damage from that, but i’ve been true to your restriction.” In short this was done by pure physical effort, but that’s not what Rin was aiming for. As he raised up to a standing position, with a strong stomp of his foot on a slab of stone, Rin forced the 5x5 chunk of stone to suddenly raise up like a protective wall in front of him before Rin slams a mighty palm against it. The sheer force behind his strength seems to shatter the stone into multiple smaller chunks of stone that sprays outward towards Masuyo in high speeds. Kicking up more dust cloud in the process. The way the man-sized pieces of stone are being thrown it spreads outward like a cone radius as it covers more ground yet is not as much damaging.

This wasn’t meant to be damaging, but rather buying him some time to drop his wakizashi while reaching behind his right flank. Where his karambit rests in, and drawing the iron blade out Rin had gotten the feeling of how to use it. Holding the curved blade knife in reverse as it curves up towards his arm. A singular ring that allows his right index to comfortable slip through for a reinforced grip on it. With his index finger hooked around the ring, Rin envisioned how to perform with this knife. How to move as his arms started to move with grace like he was slicing the air with his karambit. The other arm that had struck against the stone moves along with it that can be used for either defensive or offensive purposes.

Taking a deep breath, Rin’s eyes focused as his mind’s eye pictured Nozomi’s fighting prowess. The question is if Masuyo will allow him to put this inspiration into action or not. The empty palm is extended outward with the elbow bent allowing for either defensive or offensive strikes to occur at any given time. The right hand that holds the karambit is kept closer to his form inches from Rin’s chest. It is the first time Rin is putting his inspiration into action, and frankly he would’ve appreciate it if he could practice the form first. But this may be giving him the edge that he needs for even if ninjutsu is needed some fuuton can be used with just a single seal or none at all. Rin’s footwork is strategically placed to fortify his balance that adds a light bounce. Allowing him to bolt to maximum speed at any given moment.

---

WC: 725/650

Learning Techs:

Techs Used:

Stat:

With just Masuyo and Rin on the field she gathered the intelligence her clone served. What her clone yielded allowed her to properly judge Rin's Taijutsu prowess. Masuyo also gauged the boy was competent in dispelling Genjutsu questioning her whether his self-harm attack was intentional or if he knew the Genjutsu Release technique. Regardless of the dispelling method she recalled his skill as a sensor which was exceptional for breaking Genjutsu. The skill he had allowed him to detect chakra. This even went as far as detecting disturbances in themselves and allies. Masuyo's body began to awaken with powerful chakra flow as she channeled her energy for Ninjutsu. "Alright then. Stage Three: Ninjutsu." Following Rin's attack Masuyo extended her right arm as the boy slammed his palm against the standing piece of stone.

Her response would be Ninjutsu. Rin was somewhat creative to use the broken stone as a type of flak attack, but what he could accomplish with strength and stone did not compare to chakra-based attacks. A spiral of visible blue energy surged from her forearm and palm exponentially growing into what appeared to be a large arm with viscous looking claws molded entirely by energy. This was not regular chakra, however. It was fortified with Wind Release increasing its overall sharpness and destructive power. The arm moved out in a palm thrust at breakneck speeds. The rocks being sent her way would be decimated by the moving arm into small bits of gravel. It would relentlessly ram into Rin at full force. He would feel an incredibly dense force rush into his body. Fortunately for him she had no intention of killing the boy by avoiding to use the actual claws which were the namesake of the technique being capable of eviscerating anything in its path without discrimination. Masuyo expertly controlled the attack ready to adapt to Rin's attempt of evasion.

The Stuff:

’Ninjutsu… This is gonna hurt a lot, so i’m gonna have to plan my next course of action wisely.’ Rin is confident that he can withstand with just about any attack that comes his way and can still put up a fight. In a sense Rin feels that Masuyo is taking him seriously, but in a way Rin has a vague belief that she’s been holding back on him at the same time. Alas that was for another time as Masuyo was producing some strong amounts of chakra around one of her arms. Rin is no fool as he knows that these are just simple rock that could crumble quite easily with the right amount of strength. Still this reminds the Uchiha of a powerful fuuton technique as it was supposedly devastating.

Using the same hand that Rin used to slam against the rock while Masuyo was charging her chakra. Given his shifting footwork that he was doing, Rin forms the half tiger and pours the molded chakra into his legs and feet. With a light step, Rin dashes the fifty meters away from Masuyo as her technique fired and threatening to sweep him up. Considering that Rin was already roughly at five meters and that charging for this technique requires lesser amount of chakra than her own technique Rin should be able to outrun of the devastating wind technique especially at moving with the same speed unless the wave of destruction hastens its pace somehow. Now for the part that Rin is gonna have fun with.

With a light flick of his wrist the karambit flipped around his hand yet still held by his index finger as it now rests against the back of his right hand. During this process Rin only forms two seals, Bird and Snake in that order as a powerful surge of chakra cloaks his body. It will be the largest technique he’s ever done before as wind picks up strongly around the Uchiha as he molds the fuuton chakra within his body. Even when he held enough chakra to fire off the technique, Rin poured more molded chakra and refined it as small gusts of wind lifts up every strand of his hair and his clothes ripple like water. “Wind Style: Air Bullets!” With a exhale of his lips, fifteen condensed orbs of fuuton chakra rapidly shoots out from his lips and towards Masuyo. It is a volley of blasts as each holds a devastating power within them and because of their trajectory evading would be difficult. Note as Rin fired only half of the molded chakra and that is because he briefly paused on purpose so he can gauge if Masuyo evades or blocks. Either way Rin will take a five meter leap to the side as the ground cracks under his feet. Then he fires the rest of the fifteen volley of powerful air bullets at a slightly different angle this time towards Masuyo.

Rin empowered this technique from normal to expand the all aspects of it. The range is noticeably double than what it should be. Additionally they travel at a speed far higher than what they should be with near equivalent firepower behind them. Now Rin waits upon the results as he ponders on what other techniques he could use depending on what is happening.

---

568/200 WC

Learning Techs:

Techs Used:

Amplified Tech:

Stats:

The stones were a distraction of sorts, much like thrown shuriken would be. They packed a heavier punch, as being pelted by a whopping big stone would have over a four ounce star of iron. They were no match for Masuyo's Wind technique, as molded Ninjutsu were destructive enough to overpower the environment in most cases. Rin would retreat, but not without being pursued by Masuyo. Although she was more than capable of cutting him off she chose to stop just twenty meters from Rin still giving quite some space between the two but being within a more practical fighting distance. The claw of wind chakra she had created would fade freeing up her hands. As Rin began to perform hand signs she'd place both palms on the ground. She read his body language timing her counter attack perfectly. A ten meter chunk of earth, which Rin happened to be at the center of, would suddenly drop away from its surroundings as Rin's vision would darken suddenly. In the events he was a victim to the shift in his environment his Air Bullets would strike the walls of earth surrounding him and not his intended victim. Such result would be almost inevitable given the Jounin's insight on the boy's actions.

Rin would be pulled thirty meters, sixty meters, ninety meters, and one-hundred thirty meters below the surface before taking a hard stop. If Rin had went under as planned Masuyo would follow up by raising up one hand weaving Tiger, Horse, Rat, Dog, and Tiger while the other palm remained on the ground to keep pulling Rin under. Masuyo would spit a pellet of fire out a couple meters in front of her as the resulting action would create a large, six-legged arachnid standing three meters tall and four and a half meters long. It was spawned roughly eight feet before her, and despite being her own chakra nature she felt the intensity of the heat almost singe her face. In its wake a ring of fire would follow from behind Masuyo and surround the hole Rin would be trapped in as well as cutting into the tree line beyond. This arena of flames would begin to set nearby woodland ablaze in its presence.

The flame spider would dart towards the hole, unintelligent but instinctively knowing its prey. The spider would climb in halfway illuminating the pit acting as its own sun. Using one of its arms it would reach into its mouth and throw what would appear as bolts of fire, much like a tarantula would fire quills to pin its foe. These bolts of fire were apart of the flame spider, but naturally the fire would be replenished as long as Masuyo fed chakra into the technique. This gave it countless fire pellets to throw at the boy who would most likely be trying to find a way out.

The Stuff:

Precog Used:

With a sudden change of events the ground itself seems to have gave out from underneath Rin’s feet just as he was about to release the built up chakra. His air bullets struck with great force against the walls of earth shattering the rock and dirt as fractures web through the surface. Some of it at Masuyo’s area collapsed as the air bullets battered with intense velocity as the bullets made large craters on the wall that only went deeper and bigger. The sudden drop caught Rin by surprise, but not without merit on his part. Large chunks of earth falls inward into the hole, and this only gives Rin an idea.

Rin formed a Tiger seal to conjure a Shadow Clone next to him as both of them are falling at the 30 meters mark. The clone immediately reached over to grab Rin by the arm and with a swing of his arm Rin was being thrown back up. Rin magnetize his feet and hands as he quickly flipped his body to plant one foot against the falling chunk of rock. The force from his presence spins the rock, and due to Rin magnetized his foot he spun with the rock until Rin could launch himself further up and closer to the side. With his clone dispersed now, Rin proceeds to mix of leaping from rock to rock as he ascends higher until he magnetizes his feet on the frontal side wall at 10 meters from the surface. Rin forms the tiger seal once again to conjure three shadow clones as they immediately dashed up the wall to leap a good 5 meters above the hole. Meanwhile Rin remained where he was and pressed his form against the wall. As just poking his head out now would just be asking for a beating and even if Masuyo reshapes the land to how it was Rin would be ready.

As the three shadow clones of Rin emerge from the hole and seemed to have leapt to ascend a tad bit higher for safe measure. The three of them are holding the tiger sign, as their real task is to just wear Masuyo down and create an opening for the real Rin to strike. Two of the three shifts their form as the third one at the middle halfway extends both hands. Clones 1 and 2 place a foot against each of Clone 3’s palms. In synch as Clone 3 pushes forward to give them momentum Clones 1 and 2 leapt with it. This pushes Clone 3 across the 10 meter hole as he lands on his feet to a sliding halt.

To put it simply both Clones 1 & 2 would leap towards Masuyo as she was still occupying with one hand on the ground. Clone 1 purposely lowers himself close to the ground before spinning his body with an extended leg that will be aimed at Masuyo’s upper body. Clone 1’s left arm raised up almost like in a defensive manner, but it is actually to serve as a jump platform in case Clone 2 needs to suddenly change in direction or to go further. As Clone 2 is coming at Masuyo above Clone 1 with his arms poised like he’s about to swing that karambit for a nasty gash. But instead Rin’s clone will attempt to slam onto Masuyo to disturb her concentration with the aid of Clone 1 to both distract her and hopefully imbalancing her. If it succeeds both Masuyo and Rin briefly flies backwards before they begin tumbling along the ground. That is of course Rin’s Clone will attempt to follow up with a pin by placing himself on top of Masuyo ending their tumble short. With his left hand attempting to place firmly on Masuyo’s right arm and his right knee against her left arm roughly by the bicep and shoulder area. All while Rin’s karambit in his right hand merely a centimeter from Masuyo’s neck pressing against the steel plate of her headband.

Used Shadow Clone x4 (1 dispersed)
Used Base Stats

Throwing/Leaping Speed: B++

100/160 Stamina

Rin fell into the pit without fail. It was to be expected given the precision timing of her attack. And like her timing she did not waste a second of opportunity. As Rin's head dropped below the surface she began weaving the hand signs for her follow up technique. The sound of Rin's air missiles striking the earth was much more destructive than she had initially thought. It worked in her favor as it caused the walls of earth to collapse on top of him adding a hazardous factor to her originally defensive maneuver. In the end she would continue through with her planned actions even as Rin did attempt to create a diversion with his Shadow Clones. It would occur to Rin, oddly, as one of the clones never made it to life. Laying next to him in the pit in an almost chibi-form Rin had insufficient chakra to successfully create a third Shadow Clone. Two of them did continue to carry out the set plan as Masuyo's eyes focused on the two boys emerging from the pit. Masuyo knew Rin enough that he was only capable of one elemental nature, which was Wind. She did not expect an Earth-based assault but did not ever rule out the potential of one.

She had to assume Rin was one of the two emerging from the hole or still willingly chose to stay in the pit. The two clones were exposed in the air which made them prime victims to any Ninjutsu. The fire technique Masuyo had prepared did not take long to make itself apparent. The large fire spider was created before her following the arena. The spider would dash forwards as full speed with a different objective in mind which was to first dispatch the tree present threats before investigating the hole. If the two clones still planned to carry out their initial plan the spider would stand up on its hind legs appearing taller than it initially was. The extra height gave it everything it needed to block the path of the thrown clone with its extending legs in the air. This would result in the clone's incineration.

As for the remaining clone that would inevitably be pushed back from the force of the other clone propelling itself it would be licked by the walls of fire surrounding them all. The spider would approach the outskirts of the hole after dispatching the threats with Masuyo. It would follow the same procedure assuming Rin was still in the pit, first spotting him before flinging bolts of itself into the pit to catch him and eventually the entire hole on fire like a giant clay oven.

The Stuff:

Conjuring up a dud clone was something Rin personally frowned upon, but it just meant that he didn't have that much chakra left. He gauged himself to hold roughly above half of his chakra reserves. Which means his next choice of actions will need to be planned more carefully. When the clones see the crimson spider they took a different approach. As they are propelling themselves forward at the spider's direction. Clone 2, who was slightly above Clone 1, proceeded to charge his body with fuuton chakra as he flipped his body to plant one foot against Clone 1's forearm. Clone 2 leapt up higher to gain better angle as he takes a deep breath. Given his height and angle Clone 2 releases a chest sized ball of condensed wind at Masuyo's location in hopes of knocking Masuyo off.

As for the Clone 1, being used as a jumping platform he was forced to go down to the ground which he still runs directly at the spider. With one kunai easily taken out from his left pouch as the other reaches in his pouch for 3 shurikens. In the case of it was going to throw spits of fire at either of the clones’ direction Clone 1 will either evade the projectiles coming at his direction by maneuvering in a zigzag pattern or throw his throw shurikens to intercept the spits coming for Clone 2. The sheer intense heat is enough to make anyone sweat and try to shield themselves away from it. Clone 1 throws the kunai directly at the spider's mouth in hopes to lodge into it temporarily as it'll no doubt disperse from the damage. Then the shadow clone will flow fuuton chakra through the karambit that it still carried generating a 3 foot length of pure fuuton howling into existence.

Rin's clone times it just right as Clone 1 nears the spider at roughly 2 meters before the next step goes differently. The clone takes in the Selou Won fighting style to suddenly increase in movement speed and coordination equally. So Clone 1 can take this spider by surprise hopefully as he immediately closes the gap before utilizing Shred. Rin spun his form to earn a curved motion as he attempted to spin around the large spider while using his karambit to slice into the spider not just once, nor twice, but three times on it. First strike goes towards the spider's front leg on the left side, second causes the wind blade to slice deep into the belly of the beast, and third assuming the arachnid comes down from the sudden imbalance Rin will slice into the spider's mid-section from the rear as the fuuton chakra cuts and tears through the fire and rock effectively splitting the creature in half.

Mind the elements clashing against each other as naturally the katon has the advantage over the wind blade. However as Rin's wind chakra flow bites into the spider's body it'll ignite the karambit and the wind chakra. Consequently burning Rin's left hand in process, but Rin kept his focus and pressed onward utilizing the now flaming enhanced blade to make short work of cutting through the rock. When Rin cuts the stomach region pebble-sized rock that glowed orange smacks against Rin's cheek on the left side. Causing intense pain as it leaves scratches and burns on the nearby skin.

Keeping the steady flow of fuuton chakra along his karambit to keep the flames burning as it continues to burn his hand. To the point where it is turning red as wounds are opened yet not blood because it evaporates upon the exposure to so much heat. The Clone 1 knew that he didn't have much time before he dispersed, and despite the intense pain Rin reaffirmed the grip on his karambit as Rin takes the Reap at the end of his spin. Mainly so that Rin can quickly turn to face Masuyo before utilizing the footwork to pursue Masuyo at a fast rate. In short of a blink an eye Rin will be upon her as strong gusts of wind seemed to flatten a portion of the ring. But in doing so Clone 1 plunges through the ring of fire with his right hand covering half of his face using the steel plate to ward off the intense heat. It still burned Rin's right hand and from his elbow to his shoulder as well as his thighs. By now the leather vest was incinerated that it just simply fell off. His shirt mostly burnt off and his pants was turned into shorts with holes along his thigh. The headband that holds Konoha's symbol falls to the ground as the cloth burned to ash. Yet Rin proceeded to dash towards Masuyo hoping to use his newfound speed to his advantage. And when he was in range the clone swings his flaming karambit at Masuyo from her lower right stomach to her left shoulder. As it would be an attempt to cut through the armor and perhaps do some damage to her. In truth Rin thinks that this is taking it a bit too far, but Masuyo wanted to see if he was ready and as such Rin wanted to prove that he is.

Regardless if both clones’ attempts succeed or fail, Rin's real body climbs into the hole in the wall that he created from his air bullets and once the clones completed their actions both dispersed. He felt drained as it was like using an A rank technique in equivalent cost. By now he was starting to find himself lightheaded and with the memories flooding his mind Rin winced from the intense burning sensation on his left hand. Fortunately those flames did not transfer back to him as well, but still that was simply excruciating to experience. Even if the spider regenerates from Masuyo feeding chakra into it, Rin would just keep his distance at least 5 meters and evade its spits since Rin can easily move at the same speed as it can move. Of course he'll be staying out of the pit as he'll try to maneuver around it. Of course Rin has his sensory field up so if Masuyo keeps feeding chakra into the spider not only does it tell Rin this fact, but it gives him an idea that he could just wait it out to evade until she tires out. Although given her current chakra reserves and the rate this spider is taking that could be a while. However Rin plans to wrap it up quickly if he sees an opportunity to get around this spider.

Regardless Rin moves underground as he is capable of digging and since this was broken up earth now Rin can easily remove chunks to the size of boulders out of the way. Granted he made a note to be careful as one wrong stone to pull would cause everything to collapse on him. With his sensory field active Rin will attempt to position himself underneath Masuyo's location and if need be he can burst through the earth for a surprise. However the whole purpose is to reposition that is at least favorable, and the tunnel he made is not exactly straight as it is quite serpentine so the spider would have a rough time crawling through it.

Clones Tech Use:

Clone 1 Stats:

Rin's Stuff:

Note:

As the clone sprung up from the hole with its partner Masuyo noticed one of the clones elevating itself above the other by springing off of it. The clone put itself in a position above the spider's range which allowed her to speculate he planned an aerial attack. She did not let this distract her from the clone which was still on the ground, who was the bigger threat as Rin could potentially utilize his speed to flank her if she chose to distract herself with the airborne clone. The fact of the matter is the airborne clone was the least threatening out of the two. As the clone performed hand signs Masuyo expected a Ninjutsu targeted at her specifically. She could appreciate the fact that Rin understood the spider was merely a distraction. The real threat was Masuyo herself. He made a simple attempt at keeping her preoccupied, but simple attacks required simple responses.

Exiting the clone's mouth was a small melon-sized volley of compressed air. It was hardly visible to the untrained eye, but Masuyo's eyes were certainly trained among her other senses. She'd avoid the air missile by dashing to the right roughly three meters staying within the ring of fire she had created. The air missile would strike the ground where she stood creating a decent crater as bits of gravel and dirt were throw up from its position.

The other clone made an assault on its own trying to take out the fire spider before them. A single thrown kunai at the spider's mouth would prove futile as Rin would notice immediately it was unphased by the physical attack. The kunai would zip through its mouth and out the back of its abdomen. It was clear that the fire spider was an elemental; simple fire shaped by energy. As the clone pursue the flame spider with its karambit knife it would be met by it lunging forwards. Mere contact with the spider was enough to cause the clone to disperse. Whether the clone was hit or not the spider would explode attempting to catch both Rins in the flames. The fire rind around them would drop. "I think that's enough of an assessment. Come on out."