One hell of a wake-up call. [Masuyo/Hideki]

A message had arrived for him. A sealed letter from the Hokages office. At first, Hideki wasn't really worried. He received these kinds of messages all the time. Usually it was a summons to the Hokages office so that his team could be assigned a mission to complete. And so he had sat down, opened the message, and raised a brow in confusion. Lady Hokage had ordered that he meet her at the first training ground for inspection and training? He had mixed feelings about something like that. He'd obey, of course. And to be trained by the Hokage was a great honor, but he'd be lying if he claimed he wasn't nervous.

Oh well. Getting cold feet wouldn't help. He took a deep breath, stood up, and started getting his ninja gear together for the day ahead. All the standard tools one would need, save for the medical equipment. If he got hurt, the hospital wasn't far. Waving goodbye to his parents, he headed out the door and began making his way to the training grounds as requested. It wasn't a long trip, about five or so minutes by jumping across rooftops and cutting through the village the fast way.

Making his way through the thick brush that surrounded the training area, he came across a clearing. While this training area wasn't as large as some of the others in the village it was still useful for more basic training and it had a small pond nearby that could serve as useful suiton training. Or just to knock somebody into.

But Lady Hokage had yet to show, so Hideki decided to wait. Leaning near a tree, he crossed his arms and relaxed, waiting for his village leader to meet him as requested while still running over in his head what she might have wanted to train him for.

Masuyo found herself out of the office early. She was a fairly proactive worker with enough mental willpower and sense of duty to not be drowned in paperwork. She worked twice as hard yesterday to have some downtime today. 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.

Today she had put in the request to train a particular Genin who, after eighteen years, still can't seem to find the motivation to better himself. Masuyo had not heard of a Genin who was content with their standing making it a life-long career. Most cases, Genin who reached adulthood either joined the program late or had some sort of learning curve which needed to be satisfied. Masuyo was the top in her class when it came to teaching. After all, back when she was still an Iwagakure Shinobi she was granted the title of "Head Instructor" as she was tasked with running the Academy. In Konoha she quickly earned her title as Jounin Commander, which unfortunately resulted in Kageship due to Satomi's disappearance. She rather disliked her new title and the social expectations which followed. She was happy enough in her residence outside of Konoha's city limits in her own peace and quiet.

The first training ground was the easiest to access as it was meant for light spars, thus it was safe to locate inside the village. Passing through the chain-link gate she's shut it behind her. The area had medium growth as trees and vegetation occupied the area, though it was open enough to transverse easily at ground level. She'd follow a small dirt path leading to the heart of the training area. It was a small clearing in the woods; a mere fifteen meter diameter space where the canopy did not exist. White light shined down upon a young man parked against one of the tall Senju trees in this bountiful woodland.

"You look ready!" She called out as she paced herself towards the boy stopping five meters away. She'd rest both hands on her hips standing directly in the sunlight. "Hideki Senju, is it? Starting today I am your Sensei." Her eyes scanned the boy's body proper. She was no looking for physical wellness. No, instead, she was much more interest in the gear he carried. To her surprise he was carrying the basics. "It looks like you know how to suit yourself out for combat. That's a good first sign. Now, I don't intend to spar you today because you won't learn anything from that. It's clear that you're weak and a spar would offer you nothing but a broken body. Instead I intend to teach you the basics in Taijutsu, as well as a few general technique that could be helpful. After today you will be quite capable in self-defense. Do you have any questions so far?" Masuyo offered a last bit of grace before she jumped into the necessary material.

It wasn't long before Masuyo showed up. She was dressed for combat, wearing some light armor and her figure adorned with straps and pouches that held the various ninja gear she would need to complete missions or, in Hidekis case, give demonstrations. He pushed himself off the tree he was leaning against as she approached, a warm smile on his face as his arms uncrossed and fell to his sides. As for what he was wearing, well it wasn't as refined as Masuyos own outfit. It was simple. Stripped-down to only what he needed. A dark green shirt beneath a simple brown jacket. Designed to blend into the environment if needed, and it didn't look half bad.

His pants were simple blue shinobi pants with his pants taped around his ankles at the bottom to minimize tripping and snagging, with two holders for Kunai on his thighs and his shinobi pouch on his rear holding the rest of his items. The back of his jacket had the Senju Clan crest sown into the fabric to represent what clan he was from, and his Shinobi headband was tied around his forehead, for lack of a better place to put it. On his feet were simple blue shinobi sandals, and he lacked any kind of gloves on his hands.

He listened to the words she spoke, though she could've been less blunt about the whole affair. But she was right. He had a lot of catching up to do to get as strong as the other Shinobi of his age. He couldn't deny what she was saying and was certain that if he did his family would disown him. She seemed satisfied with what she had seen, though, and that was a good first step. Now on to the second one. When she asked him if he had any questions, he brought his hands together and squeezed his knuckles on each hand, letting lose a few pops as he loosened the joints.

"Only one," He began, a confident smile and a fire behind his eyes flaring up. He was determined to live up to her teachings. After all, she had decided to take time out of her busy schedule to train him. He couldn't afford to let her down. "When do we start, Sensei?"

"We start now, of course!"

She said enthusiastically. She'd pinch the zipper on her flak jacket before undoing it completely. Her hands would work the snap-on metal buttons which secured to shoulder pads in place. They were surprisingly difficult to undo, which was good given the abuse they were expected to go through. But in the end she had no problem undoing her flak jacket tossing the thirty pound body armor to the side as it lazily collapsed against a tree. Her hands worked down to her utility belt and unclipped them from the front tossing those to the same pile. In the end, she was a good sixty pounds lighter which was a substantial difference. She wore her armor and weapons daily and worked in them long enough to have them feel apart of her. Although the weight loss would not actually enhance her performance she did feel more agile and thus more willing to get down and dirty.

She was left in her basics. Sandals, pants, long sleeve, gloves, and forehead protector. She kept her thigh holster on containing a single kunai for emergencies and convenience. He'd pull a couple twists with her back to limber up while stretching her arms up in the air. "Must better. I'm going to teach you the very fundamental Taijutsu shared among Konoha Shinobi. It is called Strong Fist. It's a very basic concept. Before we get into any details about it I want to know where you currently stand." Masuyo approach Hideki closely until she was feet away from him. Grabbing his right forearm she'd extend his arm to get a feel for his range. Fixing the distance from the boy she'd stand still. "I want you to give me your best punch. Whatever you are capable of, I want to feel it. In the abdomen, if you will." Masuyo would brace herself for impact, which wasn't hard to do given her experience. She would be surprised if her was capable of causing any real sensation besides a little discomfort.

The Stuff:

UAs Used:

She replied that they'd be starting now, and Hideki too began stretching when she did. Bending his knees to get his blood pumping and stretching his arms over his head, he twisted his back as well to loosen up all the joints and prevent cramps. There was nothing worse than getting a cramp during your training. It meant you'd have to sit down and wait for it to subside, which loses out on valuable training time! And they couldn't have that, not today.

He didn't object when Masuyo stepped closer, gripping onto his arm and extending it to get a feel for his figure. It made sense. She had to know his proportions if she was going to show him the proper forms necessary to use his taijutsu to its fullest potential. "The Strong Fist, huh? I've heard of it, but I don't believe I've ever actually seen it in action." Or at the very least he was never told of it. The Strong Fist, as the name implied, was the opposite of the Gentle Fist the Hyuuga were known for. All about brute force and shattering bones rather than disarming or tripping up your opponent.

When she asked him to strike her in the stomach, he nodded. She asked for his best punch, so he had to do his best. Feet apart, he bent his knees and got into a fairly decent stance. It'd be hard to knock him over for most people of his strength level. He brought his right arm back, let out the breath in his lungs, and flung his fist forward as hard as he could, aimed right at her abdomen!

Masuyo allowed a direct hit with her body poised enough to budge minimally during impact. In short, his strike did not cause any reaction. She felt a slight nudge like a toddler pushing at her abdomen but nothing more. No pain receptors fired off. Masuyo would shake her head and click her tongue. "Tsk tsk. This is worse than I thought. Look at me." She said, positioning herself. She got in her basic stance, which was fairly flexible allowing her to perform multiple actions at will. With her knees bent and hands splay she kept them at mid torso level having them equally far from her tool belt to her face if she needed to guard. "Like I said: Lead with speed and follow with power. Think like a snake. You want to be able to bite first before injecting venom. A properly executed punch should be your first goal. After that, power should naturally follow. Let me demonstrate!" She said joyously, not hesitating to use Hideki as a dummy. Her left hand clenched into a fist before sending straight towards the boy's abdomen.

In the events of a successful hit Hideki would notice a shift in the environment as the sensation of being struck by a sledgehammer drove into his abdomen. Masuyo would shrink as the environment around him blurred. Reality would set in once again, harshly, as his back would slam into the face of a tree seven meters down range. His impact would leave a mark as a small imprint of his body dented the surface of the tree. "Now, do you have an idea? Or do I need to demonstrate again?"

The Stuff:

Hideki was not ready for what came next. He had expected training like the teachers from the academy. That she would show him proper the proper form for mastering the Strong Fist stance and maybe have him test his techniques on her. But when his fist slammed into her abdomen, pain shot up his arm like he had just punched a brick wall. But he didn't show it, aside from surprised look on his face. He said nothing, however. She knew how tough she was and confirming it would be a waste of words.

Next, however, she began showing him the proper stance. He looked her up and down, taking note of the stance she was taking. It was better than his, to be expected of someone of her status. Thinking like a viper... It made sense. He had to strike fast, he had to strike hard, and he would have to build his body up to do that. But when she mentioned demonstrating, he quirked a brow. "Wait, demonstrate on wh-" His sentence was cut short as she slammed her fist into his gut.

The pain didn't hit. Not at first, anyway. The first thing he felt was his body being lifted up, feet leaving the ground, and being thrown back. Then the impact into the tree. Then came the pain. His limbs fell slump as his body slid down the bark of the tree to the grass below, before his hands came up to clench his gut. It took him a moment to process what she asked, and he opened his mouth to speak. "Yep." He spoke through pained breaths. "Yep. I think. I got it." Speaking hurt. Breathing hurt. Moving hurt.

What the hell was Masuyo thinking?! He could have died from that! Was she here to train him or torture him?! His angry thoughts were drowned out by another pang of pain from his gut. He wouldn't be getting up without assistance.

Feeling the boy's body against her knuckles and his body's reaction to it gave Masuyo a negative foresight on the damage done. She figured given his years as a Genin he would have been a little more durable like Hiroshi. Masuyo stood where she was as Hideki writhed in pain on the ground. It allowed her to reflect on the disparity of power a Jounin had over, what would be, a mere Genin or a civilian. They were no match to a seasoned Shinobi. Hell, even a Chuunin would make short work of them. The learning curve was sharp but given time she was certain Hideki would be Chuunin material in a few months.

"Oh, hush. That wasn't so bad. You're alive, aren't ya?" She said nonchalantly while approaching the boy. She'd stop before him practically hovering over him as she blocked the sunlight from his face. "Get up, boy. You still have work to do. Punch me like I did you. If you can't manage that I'll take it you need another demonstration. Once we get the basics over with we can do something a little more fun."

The pain had began to fade by the time Masuyo walked over to him. Hideki opened his eyes and stared up at her while she spoke, and he clearly wasn't amused. He sat up, slowly moving his hands down to the ground to push himself back up to his feet. She spoke about giving him another demonstration if he couldn't pull off the punch she had hit him with, and he raised a hand in panic for a moment. "Oh, no no! That won't be necessary sensei, I think I've got it down." His voice was laced with nervousness. The last thing he wanted to do was take another punch like that. He wasn't sure he'd be able to get up again if he did. He took a deep sigh, and nodded. "Alright, here I go." To give her time to prepare herself if needed.

Taking the same stance that Masuyo had taken prior, feet apart and hands at mid-torso to attack or defend in an instant, he balled his right hand into a fist. Taking a step foward, he drew his arm back and threw his punch forward as hard as he could, aimed right at her abdomen a second time.

If the punch connected, Masuyo would find that it hit significantly harder this time than the last. So much so that it would lift her off the ground for a moment, before throwing her back about a foot. Though with her bodies natural toughness it would hardly do any real damage.

Afterwards, Hideki would raise his left arm to his right shoulder, rubbing it. While he had learned the form, the punch had left his arm sore from the impact. His body wasn't used to using the style yet, so he would have aches and pains all over, he was sure. But nothing a trip to one of the healers couldn't fix.

[329/150 words, Strong Fist learned. Strong Fist style punch used, effectively C-Tier punch.]

Hideki rose to his feet himself as he toughed out the pain. He was already showing signs of willpower at an early stage of development. Most people would cry for medical care and remain bawling on the ground. Although he was still quite shabby he could at least pick himself back up on both feet. A small grin made its way across her lips as the boy recovered, preparing his stance, and then following through with a straight punch. Masuyo noticed quite a difference in this attempt than his previous. It caused her belly to budge slightly and a sensation of discomfort tingled at the point of impact. Masuyo was poised enough to not be affected by it greatly, which was to no surprise.

"Very good! That's the basics of it. The Strong Fist style is applicable everywhere from knees, palm strikes, elbows, and all in between. You have the foundation of the Taijutsu style, but to actually become experienced in it you need to practice lots. You won't get any benefits from sparring me, as I'm way out of your league. Try meeting up with the other Genin in your class and
requesting a spar."

Masuyo ran her hands down her shirt to straighten out the slight wrinkles formed by Hideki's punch. She was a bit surprised how quick he was catching on. Even though it was just a basic straight punch, it was the first step to becoming a Taijutsu master. "Let's work on some more advanced technique. I have a treatise I keep in the jacket. Be back in a sec!" Masuyo trotted over to her gear cache where she bent over working one of the scroll pockets. After a good ten seconds or so followed by a short bit of mumbling frustration she came back with a small scroll in her hand. "Here is every advanced Taijutsu move for Strong Fist. Pick out however many you think you can handle and I can teach them to you. I won't demonstrate them on you, as they could actually put your life in serious danger. Once you pick the technique you want I will explain to you our next exercise."

His punch had certainly hit harder this time. He could feel it in how she reacted, but she had hardly taken any damage. Though he supposed that was to be expected. She dusted off her shirt and smiled at him, stating that he had done it correctly and that he was doing well. Good thing he was picking it up quick, the last thing he wanted was to take another blow to the gut like that. Still, despite this... he was smiling. He was genuinely beginning to have a good time.

She walked over to her jacket and grabbed a scroll out of one of the front pockets, before she returned to him and asked him to pick a technique and she would then demonstrate it to him. Not on him, thankfully. Raising a brow, he took the scroll when she handed it to him, and slowly began opening it. There were a bunch of techniques, but he figured the most logical way to handle this would be to go down the list. "Hmm..." He hummed out as he thought.

"What about this one?" He asked, turning the scroll to Masuyo so she would be able to see. "Leaf Great Whirlwind... it seems like a pretty solid technique. Why not try that?" He wondered how far he'd be able to push his body to use these techniques, though there would be no telling if he'd actually be able to make them work in a battle setting without practice.

Spoiler:

After handing off the scroll to Hideki she leaned over his shoulder to see what sort of techniques he was finding interesting. Seeing his eyes work the page she knew what technique he wanted before he even spoke. She nodded, taking the scroll from him and rolling it up before tossing it aside. "Leaf Great Whirlwind is a solid four-strike combo. Speed and Strength are paramount for this technique. You want to assault your opponent quickly to keep them investing in your attacks and hit them hard enough to wear down their defenses. This lets you line up the final heel drop with greater efficiency letting you better break through their guard. Now, to help you practice the technique we are going to have a little 'spar.' I'm going to play strongly on the defense, occasionally throwing you a punch or kick to keep you on your toes. I will put on the kiddie gloves so I don't injure you. I want you to set up the Leaf Great Whirlwind in real time and in a real situation. You may get the motion down if I just stay still and take it, but you will never know how to apply it outside of a training ground or demonstration."

Masuyo stepped back three meters away from Hideki and resumed her previous stance. She was curious to see how well he was strategically in a fight. She constantly reminded herself to soften her speed and impact to make the spar a much more enjoyable experience. Closing her eyes for a moment she passed the thought through her mind. When they opened, she was ready for the spar.

The Stuff:

She explained the technique to him, and he nodded his head. It seemed fairly straight-forward. Crack open their defenses like a kunai to a tree nut. Then go for the final heel-drop strike. It would be an excellent addition to his arsenal should he prove himself capable of actually mastering the technique. But when she said they were going to 'spar' Hideki felt a nervous pang flow through him, flashbacks of moments earlier playing through his mind. Though his fears were put at ease when she explained she was mostly going to be on the defense out of concern for his own safety.

Her training method made sense. He had to practice for a real battle. And while a spar was far from the real thing with neither party trying to severely injure the other it was at the very least better than solo training or attacking a wooden dummy. Allowing her to step back, he would roll the scroll he held in his hand back up and place it into the tool pouch hooked onto his belt for safe keeping. The last thing he wanted was for it to get scuffed or damaged by the dirt.

Taking the same stance she had showed him earlier Hideki readied himself for the fight. He knew she was faster than him and stronger than him. And had more experience. He doubted that he'd be able to 'crack her defenses' going head on. He'd need to be clever. Come up with something that she wouldn't expect. But the most important thing would be to keep his feet on the ground.

But he couldn't do any of that without finding out just how fast she really was. He had to gauge her strength just like she was gauging his. And with that realization Hideki began running towards Masuyo after she had readied stoping arms-length from her, bringing his left arm back and aiming a punch straight at her left shoulder.

Not the most damaging of places, for sure.

But he wasn't aiming for damage. He had to knock her off balance if he wanted a shot to use the jutsu she was challenging him to use.

Spoiler:

Masuyo waited for Hideki to get into his position before tuning her focus into battle. Sure he was only a Genin, and a rather weak one at that, but Masuyo wanted to make a convincing opponent without appearing too powerful or weak. It was significantly hard for her to do given her naturally gifted upbringing. She was a mountain girl after all, born and raised in the Land of Earth. Iwagakure, nonetheless. Like most of the Academy Students in her class they practiced sparring and played outside. Of course the difference was the terrain. Konoha was the luxury of relatively flat land with trees to play in and soft, loamy soil. The kids in Iwagakure pounded up steep mountains, keeping their balance on gravel during incline. Falls were stopped against stone, not soil. It was a harder upbringing and injuries from broken bone and torn muscle were much more common, but that's what made the Iwagakure Shinobi superior. She daydreamed of a scenario where her Genin self were to meet Hideki. Odds are I'd probably pick on him and beat him mercilessly...I think I've shown some mercy so far...

The pleasant thought was interrupted by Hideki's assault. It was Sensei time. His first attack was very open. As he wound his fist back Masuyo knew he was going to throw a punch before he actually executed his attack. Given her perception and quick intellect he could tell where his attack was heading and set up countermeasures to negotiate it.

It was an odd location, sure. It was not a notable weak point and had no potential to incapacitate or cause physical damage. But at the very least he had his posture correct. With short footwork she stepped to the outside of Hideki's arm while simultaneously placing her left hand at his elbow, gripping tightly, to further guide his attack away and prevent it from coming back her way. "Don't wind your attacks. Too obvious." She'd follow up with her free hand as it balled into a rigid fist, her knuckles bony and pronounce stretching through the leather gloves she wore. Using her hips are torque she'd throw a single body shot towards his exposed left side. In the events of success Hideki would be pleasured to know she significantly reduced her power but still troubled by a solid pounding to his ribs. Anywhere the skin meets the bone is a solid target!

The Stuff:

It didn't take much for Masuyo to stop Hidekis attack in its crib. With a deft move to the left and a strong grip on his elbow to keep his arm from moving, he was thoroughly stuck. She instructed him that his attack had been too obvious. Too telegraphed. It should've been obvious, but he supposed he was falling back on training forms too much. Real battle experience was the only way he was going to get better.

Though it wasn't long before he noticed her muscles tensing. His left arm instinctively bent up, moving in between her punch and his ribs, causing her fist to nail him right above his bent joint, in the most malleable part of his arm. There was pain, of course, but not nearly as much as there would have been if he had been nailed in the ribs.

This was his chance! He had to change the flow of the battle right now! With a quick change to his chakra flow in his muscles, his body surged in strength! It wasn't a massive difference, but it would be enough to be noticeable. Pushing his left arm out and upward against her fist, his plan was to push her fist out of the way enough to leave her open, if only for a split second.

If that maneuver worked, he'd begin to pull his captured arm free from Masuyos. If she didn't increase the strength of her grip she would only be able to continue to hold it for a moment before her fingers were overwhelmed and his arm found its way free. He'd jump back about three meters, aiming to 'reset the battlefield' as it were. With her level of experience she'd be far too risky to fight head on like that.

He had to be smart.

Spoiler:

Masuyo secured a grapple on the boy's elbow which was shortly broken by a surprising burst of strength. She'd let go of his elbow as she had little chance to resist it given her current strength she set herself at. If she were to try and resist she would possibly lose balance. After wringing his arm back he pulled it just in time to stop her counter-strike. She'd hit the outside of his elbow versus the sensitive rib cage she was hoping for. Nonetheless, a hit was still a hit. Although it performed with significantly less damage it was much better than wasted effort. At full strength it would have hurt the boy much more, and some legendary Shinobi were strong enough to make blocking not even an option for most.

Both of her arms coiled back in her regular guard away from Hideki as he attempted to force some sort of opening by trying to push her arm outwards even more. This defensive maneuver worked against the boy as he once again exposed his side. Masuyo took a different approach. Twisting her hip she'd take her right leg off the ground and bring it around at its full extension. Her shin would inevitably slam into the boy's lowest rib, or his "false rib" as the legitimate medical term would state. The lower rib made it increasingly more difficult to block as it would require him to bend in that direction for his elbow to successfully reach his lower ribs. In the events he failed he would be greeted with a vigorous sting as her shin struck his bone. And just like her knuckles, despite her feminine appearance, her shin was as solid and rough as a hardwood club. Her leg would return to her stance as she snapped back her leg quickly to base.

The Stuff:

Dammit. Her arm had pulled back before he could throw her off balance. She took up a defensive stance, and in a quick moment brought up her right to attempt to slam into his rib. His body, though, moved on instinct. His knees bent, dropping him down as low to the ground as he could go, all the while spinning on his left leg as his right leg extended, aimed at knocking free Masuyos free leg all the while dodging her own kick. He was also faster for this drop than usual, as well as for the following kicks.

What came next would be crucial. If Hideki was successful in knocking Masuyo off balance, he would push himself off the ground with his leg, unleashing another kick straight to her chest with his right leg once more. This one would keep pushing her back as Hideki lept off the ground and spun clockwise in the air, aiming a kick at her head with his left leg.

Afterwards, as he completed his spin, his right leg would come up and slam down hard on Masuyos skull, aimed at disorienting her and completing the 'spar' she had challenged him to. Though the Heel Drop would hit a hell of a lot harder than his previous kicks.

[Learned Leaf Great Whirlwind]

Spoiler:

The torque of Masuyo's hips was enough for Hideki to pick up an inbound kick. It was due to that did he decide to attempt to pull off the Great Leaf Whirlwind technique. It was not a bad call on his end. Any kick was a weakness since it forced the attacker to remain stationary and on one leg. Leaf Gale was a very popular technique to be utilized in this fashion, but the Leaf Great Whirlwind would serve as a more advanced version of that. Her eyes followed the boy as he sunk down and even changing his posture a bit to dodge her attack by a hair-- literally. Masuyo's leg swished through his golden hair as it follow through instead of being stopped by his ribs. There was another problem to deal with, too. The boy's leg was racing towards hers in a low-sweep motion. If it weren't for her sharp awareness of the whole situation she would have fallen a victim. But today was not the day he was going to succeed. At least not without a fight.

Masuyo left the ground and out of harm's way by lifting her other leg up. She was airborne for a moment, and it was in that moment would Hideki's leg pass under her clipping the grass she once stood on. Her own failed kick's momentum allowed her body to perform a semi-corkscrew as she no longer had her other leg on the ground providing balance and stability. She would be sideways in the air just by a few feet and descending towards the ground before her arms pushed out making contact with the ground first. She was granted a moment of stability which was all she needed to extend the leg she took off the ground which had been coiled up the entire time ready to release its stored energy. Her leg would extend outwards and target the boy's nose. It was an attempt to stun him just enough to either fail his technique entirely or allow her to get back on both feet and resume a proper defense. If she had success both legs would swing around 180 degrees turning her body so she was facing Hideki once again. From there she would stand on both feet and resume her neutral guard keeping her promise to stay on the defense during this exercise.

The Stuff:

She dodged that initial kick, preventing him from knocking her off balance. Dammit! He'd been so close! If he were only a little bit faster he'd have been able to nail her with his kicks no problem. But he had no time to complain. He had to think. She bent her leg, putting her into freefall. Her arm shot towards the ground, and her leg shot forth like a loaded spring to aim one of her feet right at his face. If he didn't do anything he'd be getting real dizzy in a moment.

Luckily both of his arms were still free. The moment she aimed her feet towards his face he began bringing his left arm upwards. His palm was open, fingers curled in the traditional strong fist stance. His palm would slam into the side of her foot, sending her kick heading straight up and above Hidekis head while also knocking her further off balance. I Now he had another shot. If his deflection had proven successful, he would follow up with another series of kicks.

Pushing Chakra into his legs he shot up again, loosing forward another kick from his right leg, aimed at her stomach, then raising his right leg and following through with a heel drop onto her chest while she was still sideways in the air, before she had a chance to recover from her failed kick.

Spoiler:

Hideki managed to execute a successful parry in the situation. Instead of blocking he played smart by shifting her leg out of range through a forceful palm. This put her in a handstand position. Her senses were signaling her of an incoming attack but instead of attempting a reaction she braced herself for impact instead. His leg slamming into her abdomen dealing some minor damage. It was the fact that he was utilizing a kick, where the leg naturally had more power than any upper body strike could achieve. On top of that, though, he utilized the Great Leaf Whirlwind technique properly as he achieved speeds faster than what she reduced herself to. The velocity amplified his attack making a slight discomfort to a much more moderate discomfort as her celiac plexus contracted ever-so-slightly hinting at the sensation of being winded.

She'd flop over to her back facing the sky as Hideki's figure blocked out the sun. She'd cross her arms out in front of her to intercept the kick before it touched base. She focused on not resisting too much trying to keep the simulation real. As his heel made contact with her arms they were pushed back being cushioned against her ample bosom. The Senju's heel partially broke her guard with his heel digging into her flesh just below her sternum. This forced a grunt from the Jounin as the boy's dropping kick actually hurt her. It was enough to cause some soreness the following day, that's for sure. But just like any physical contact the sensation was over not long after. It was a direct hit, and a hard one for sure, but she was built for battle. It would take a lot more than that to slow her down. "Well done! You held your own pretty good for a flunkie. I think I might feel that one tomorrow."

Masuyo rolled on her face to push herself up a little easier. She'd give herself a quick pat down brushing off any loose dirt and grass which stuck to her back and bottom. "I'm assuming you have some military ration pills in your pouch. If not I can lend you some. Snack on those a bit to restore your stamina. It's important to keep your mind and body at full performance when learning new material. Eat however many you think you need, just don't go above three within an hour otherwise you'll get sick."

His attack had landed! His heel connected with her sternum, breaking through her defense. With his mission accomplished, he stepped back, giving his sensei time to stand back up. She complimented him saying he did well, though she tacked on 'flunkie' at the end. He looked less than amused at that, but said nothing. No point in getting into an argument over it. She was teaching him too much to really be bothered by the notion anyway.

She stood back to her feet, dusting herself off in the process. When she asked him to take a food pill, he waved a hand. "I don't think I need to. Not yet, at least. I've still got plenty of chakra to keep going." He was hardly tired and hadn't even broken a sweat yet. Despite his flaws he had always had a large chakra pool for someone of his age and rank. He still had a good three quarters of his chakra left.

At this rate, he had another hour or two before he would be too tired to continue. So he decided to reach into his back pouch, pulling out the scroll he had put away earlier and opening it again. "Hm... which one next... Any suggestions, Sensei?" He figured this time it might be best for her to choose, given he picked the last one.


[Chakra Pool 92/110 due to a calculation error previously]

Hideki declined to eat food pills stating he still had plenty of energy left. It was clear that he was not winded nor did he look sweaty. She believed his statement and nodded in response. He is a Senju after all. Instead the boy returned his gaze to the treatise as he searched for something to learn, though after a few moments he had a hard time deciding what he wanted to do. He asked for Masuyo's suggestion, which she was more than happy to share. She gave it deep thought, stroking her chin as if she had a beard. "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm." She'd snag the scroll out of the boy's hand and give it a quick look over. She memorized all of the moves by heart but being able to see them made it easier to process her thoughts. After a few seconds she'd close the scroll and hand it back to Hideki. "I know what I'm going to teach you. It'll be four technique which work hand-in-hand. One of them is a bit out of theme, as it is a Ninjutsu. But the rest will be standard Taijutsu technique from this treatise. In short, I will be teaching you the Lion Combo. As its name suggests it's a very powerful technique. It requires planning and vulnerability in your opponent. It is a dangerous technique, so be careful who you practice it on if you end up sparring."

Masuyo would back pedal a few meters before stopping giving a bit of space between her and the blonde Genin. "The first technique I need to teach you is the Temporary Paralysis technique. It's a fairly basic technique you may have heard of. You achieve it by applying your index and middle fingers against your target's spine, eyeballs, or anywhere on their head. You release a bit of your own chakra into their nervous system which puts their body into shock. As you would imagine this is only a reaction, thus it only serves as a short-term paralysis. However this will give you enough time to complete your combo. I'm going to demonstrate on your so you understand how it feels. Then you can try it on me." Masuyo casually strolled around to Hideki's flank. She'd place both fingers against his spine and released her chakra. "Try to move." Assuming her technique went off without a hitch Hideki's body would be solid stiff unable to even budge. But of course this only lasted for a few seconds. In about five seconds after diagnosis he would remain motor functions as usual.

"Not so bad? Now, you try. Let me know when you think you got the technique down. I will try to elbow you in the gut. If you succeed, I will fail. Otherwise...well, you know what happens when you fail." Masuyo said chuckling mischievously. Masuyo took jabs at her students when she could during physical training. It was helpful for them to develop a solid immune system and tolerance to pain. Moderation was important.

The Stuff:

She grabbed the scroll for a moment, picked a few techniques, and began explaining them to him. They seemed fairly straight forward. The Lion Combo... from what he had heard it was some sort of aerial technique. And a hard one to pull off at that. She rolled up the scroll again and handed it back to him and he slid it away back into the pouch once more. She then explained the technique she was going to teach him to help him pull off the Lion Combo, though it sounded useful for all sorts of Taijutsu abilities.

The Temporary Paralysis technique. A technique which, well, caused temporary paralysis. Seemed straight forward enough. When she demonstrated it on him he tried to move as best he could but his muscles simply wouldn't move. He couldn't even speak or breath during the duration. When freed he regained his balance, and took a small gasp. "Yeah, that works. It didn't hurt but it locked up my whole body." It paralyzed him for a few seconds. And in a real battle a few seconds could spell death.

She instructed him to try the technique on her and warned him of what would happen if he failed. He recalled the instance with the tree... "Yeah... I know." He said in a defeated-sounding voice. His back still hurt from that impact. He'd need a trip to a healer tomorrow for the soreness. When she was prepared he'd let out a sigh as he focused his chakra into his right hand. "Alright, I'm gonna give it a shot."

He'd stand in front of Masuyo, holding up two fingers and tapping her forehead. In that instant she would feel her whole body lock up, if only for a moment. He had successfully used the technique.

[306 words, Temporary Paralysis technique learned. 89/110 Chakra remaining.]

Temporary Paralysis was a technique Masuyo had mastered some time ago. She reckon it was when she was a Genin as well. It had many tactical applications and was useful for detaining in a pinch. Her execution was flawless. The real question was if Hideki was capable of pulling it off. Masuyo had faith in him. He mastered two C-rank technique so far. The paralysis technique was D-rank and the two Taijutsu following that were C-rank. The Lion Combo was the one she feared he may have trouble with. Even Chuunin typically have trouble with B-rank technique requiring weeks of dedicated practice to master.

It was his turn to practice on her. She stood still waiting for him to practice it on her. There was no doubt Hideki under her lead was able to pitch the technique in one try. It was a very basic technique, after all. He had displayed basic chakra control area. Temporary Paralysis was just injecting your chakra into the nervous system of your enemy causing a 'hiccup' in their movements. "Very good. The other three technique are going to be practiced in the same sparring format. I will be a little more tough this time. It seems I was a little too soft on you last time." Masuyo backed up three meters from Hideki. She would ready her stance and be ready for another assault. This time. she was ready to use Strong Fist and some technique of her down.

He had pulled the technique off flawlessly with no issues what so ever. With all this learning that Hideki was doing today he was beginning to feel a bit confident with himself and his abilities. Perhaps all he had needed to catch up to his peers was the right teacher. Masuyos teaching seemed to be working wonders for the late-blooming Genin, and if this kept up he would make one hell of a student.

She spoke of the other three techniques and how she was going to teach him them. The same way -- demonstrate them on him and then he uses them on her in turn. He nodded as he stepped back, taking a simple defensive stance and ready for her to come at him with whatever it was she was prepared to show him. At her taunt Hideki smirked confidently. "Then I suppose I'll just have to try and not let you hit me." A joke, of course. Without hitting him he couldn't see how the technique was supposed to work.

But a little bit of banter never hurt anyone.