Building up strength

Tengoku was in a small section of the grand training center. A konoha specific facility that held everything someone might need to train including miles of different rooms and terrains including every type of setting one might wish to train in. From a spring glade next to a lake to a snow covered mountain top. There was even rumors of an underground cave with lava running through it. He had spent several training sessions between the glade and a dojo but for now he was spending time alone. He had just been promoted to Jounin not long ago and he was still discovering what that meant. Was he strong now? How did he compare to the fighters of the world? He remembered the video clip from the lady that stole from Konoha. Threatening people and revealing the location of more than one village so they would have to fend for themselves against the world. At the time he hadn't seen the world as such a dangerous place but he had found himself educated since then. As if a dark veil had been brought down in front of him when he had to fight for his life. When mans greed almost took his right eye.

For now Tengoku was working out in a gym setting towards the back of the facility. Most people didn't bother with lifting weights and focused more on jutsu but Tengoku was different. He found that having a physically capable body without having to rely on jutsu was the basics he would focus on. If he was stronger than the enemy to begin with, jutsu would simply act as insurance. So with that focus in mind he had come here alone today. Along the walls were mirrors showing the entire room with a series of any kind of weights both free and set there. A simple white room with a padded floor and some training dummies scattered away from the weights themselves. Tengoku himself was wearing a pair of black shorts with white stripes down the side hanging just below the knee with a black tank top. Some old scars decorating his arms. Small things from his childhood mostly. The prominent scar was down his right eye. Which for the moment he kept closed. His white hair hung about his face wildly with wolf like ears sticking up out of the mess. His silver eye stared blankly at his reflection as he went through the motions of his work out.

For the time being Tengoku had strapped a hundred pound weight to each ankle and each wrist. Beyond that he had a two hundred pound weight belt around his waist. He was moving through the forms of Konoha's strong fist. Punch punch elbow knee high kick switch foot and low kick. His movements seemed slow but he was pushing his body with those weights. The dummy in front of him slammed with each impact but bolted to the floor. Each time he connected there was a burst of wind like a light breeze. He was pushing his body now. Thirteen out of fifteen minutes of this. The watch on his left wrist counting down the last hundred and twenty seconds. His bare feet and knuckles connecting over and over again as his black tank top with a wolf head on the front became more and more soaked with his sweat. His muscles tensing and glistening as he pushed through the exhaustion and controlled his breathing with each hit. Inhale and exhale with practiced precision. His lungs didn't burn like they used to this early into training. Good, this was progress.

Akihiro had to admit as he inspected the facilities, that despite her youth Akari had done a tremendous job in getting this facility up. It had everything a shinobi could ever need for training and more. In fact he wasn't quite sure why this thing wasn't full of training ninjas all the time. When Akihiro had done most of his training, he and his team mates had to improvise a lot. Use rocks, logs, set up their own traps for each other and always be careful of not overdoing it in the limited space the training ground held. Otherwise one always risked cooking up or frying an innocent bystander who happened to be doing shurikenjutsu training in the way of your fireballs. Now I'm not saying this ever happened to Akihiro. I'm just saying if it did, it was 100% not his fault.

Alas, he kept walking and inspecting the building. Not that he had any authority to order renovations or even reparations, but if he was going to unleash hell training more advanced techniques he needed to be the sure the thing could take it. It took him a while to see a major part of the building and he certainly wasn't there to inspect everything. Akihiro ended up in one of the backrooms where a young man was training taijutsu against a training dummy.

He could never get into Taijutsu. He understood how it worked and why it could be useful but... he simply didn't have much talent for it. His body had always been frail and small and while he had definitely had a growth spur in the last couple of years, it had been too late. On the bright side tho, Akihiro was far more talented in other arts.

Nevertheless he leaned against the frame of the door and casually watched the man train for a bit. Eventually he would notice Akihiro's presence but if not the simple "crunch" of the apple he bit would certainly catch the man's attentions.

Tengoku would hear someone coming well before they got into the room but for him he was there to mind his own business. His forms couldn't allow himself to be distracted. With the weights it could prove hazardous for him to lose focus. He could feel the electricity building in his forms as he built up to his limits. Each shift bringing him closer to that limit but the electricity building in his system was bringing him passed it. His thoughts drifting to his recent promotion. He was strong now. A new Hokage had made him jounin and recognized him so he needed to accept it too. He would take a breath and steady himself before the crunch of an apple brought his silver eyes to the door. His eyes shifted to look at the man standing there watching him. However being under Tengoku's gaze was a unique sensation. It was like they saw everything. Those silver eyes seemed to look through the outer appearance and into the soul. Like no detail could be hidden from him. As if at a glance he knew more than one might wish him to know. However he would avoid eye contact. Too shy to keep eye contact for long. His greatest weakness.

Idly Tengoku would stop training. He couldn't really bring himself to concentrate with someone watching him. He knew it was dangerous to lose concentration with the weights he had on so the first priority was removing those. He would undo to straps on his ankles first and let those drop to the floor before doing the same with his wrists. Those would hit the floor with a bit more of a heavy thud than he intended. He would glance to the man again before moving to the wall to grab a towel and wipe off his face and arms. The smell of the apple popping in through the scents of the work out room and his own scent as well. His wolf like ears would twitch almost uncomfortably. He didn't like confrontation so he would put on a friendly smile before turning back to the man in the doorway. Speaking in a soft tone. His voice hesitant as he never really got over the child hood bully trauma from most of his youth.

"I...I'm sorry sir....did you need the room? I can um...I can put away what I used and leave the uh...the room to you if you like."

(Completely forgot about this thread, I'm so sorry xP)

"Hmm? Oh, no. It's fine. You can keep on practising if you'd like, I'm simply observing . Or...am I somehow bother you?" Akihiro had never considered this. His practice sessions were rarely ever done in public places so having people watching had always been a non-issue. could this be considered perhaps rude? The Uchiha Clan leader was left with little choice but ask, so he did. He could understand if the ninja had been preparing some sort of secret technique unique to him, which he'd like to keep a low profile on. But from Akihiro's perspective it was hard to consider whatever this person was doing a secret ultimate technique.

"Perhaps you should use this opportunity to train, then? It seems it is not often you get to practice under watchful eyes." Alas, Akihiro had a bit of time to burn. And this was a nice opportunity to see whether the youth of Konoha was growing strong or not. Maybe he could even use this opportunity to dist off his taijutsu skills! But Akihiro wanted to make sure Tengoku knew how to hold back before engaging. After all, Akihiro was frail.

The mystery man would mention that he didn't really need the room and inquire on if he was bothering Tengoku. To which Tengoku would stutter and mumble out a series of unfinished apologies and reassurances that the new mystery man was in no way hassling Tengoku. Most of it difficult to hear but for Tengoku it all sounded as if he was speaking plainly. His dog like ears twitched as he rubbed the back of his neck with the towel and averted his eyes. Swallowing quietly. He wasn't sure about himself clearly yet to a trained eyes his body was no joke.

Tengoku was clearly a taijutsu specialist. His muscles were toned and sleek for agile strikes and movements. Yet based on the ridiculous weights he just dropped they packed some power too. His fingers and knuckles were calloused from hours of intense training. Endless hours. Still those silver eyes shifted to the man as he mentioned training under watchful eyes. Tengoku looked a bit like a hopeful puppy after a treat. Speaking hesitantly again.

"Well Mister I sure would appreciate it.....though...I um...I am training a particularly potent technique I designed. I wouldn't want you to get hurt if I messed up....again.. Oh! My name is Tengoku....please pardon the late um...introduction."

Akihiro raised en eye brow at Tengoku's muttering. It seemed odd that a man of such strong physique a bulkish appearance would lack confidence. Then agin if there was someone who knew just how deceiving appearances could be, that was Akihiro. The mentioning of a particularly strong technique peeked his interest however, and he decided to pursue that line of conversation.
"Well this is quite a large training room isn't it? You seem well versed in physical combat, I'm certain that that you'll be able to direct the hit somewhere that isn't in my direction."

Akihiro was still by the door. He was confident he'd be able to dodge any potential debris caused by Tengoku's jutsu or even the jutsu himself and at this point curiosity trumped over safety precautions. "C'mon then, show me what you can do. I'll admit I'm curious." Perhaps he should've introduced himself like Tengoku did, but his eagerness to see this tecnhnique got the best of him.

The Sparrow would watch attentively any move made by Tengoku.

Tengoku would blink a moment as the man wanted to see it. His hand rising to brush the back of his head as he looked around himself. There were weights and everything in the room. Well they said the facility was designed to withstand anything. Surely he wouldn't be able to actually do anything they couldn't repair. He swallowed a moment to get rid of his doubt. His silver eyes would glance to the man in the door way before he nibbled his lip. He was concerned of course but he would nod to the request. Slowly he would turn and head to a further spot into the room. Careful to make sure his back wasn't facing the man. Keeping him to his side. Behind and in front of him just wasn't safe. He would take a breath as he steadied himself. He needed to be careful with this one because turning wasn't a huge option. He could but just barely. If nothing else this was a very straight shot attack and extremely straight forward. Still he was a little nervous which would be plain for how long it was taking him just to prepare himself. It was a pretty quick technique to use after all.

Tengoku would shift down into a running stance. Both hands pressed forward with his finger tips to the ground with one foot forward and one foot back. Toes dug in on both. He would glance back to the man a moment before speaking. "Just prepare yourself alright? The technique isn't aimed at you but there are typically side effects. So watch out for debris please." With that Tengoku turned his attention back to what he was doing. Twenty meters ahead of him was your typical kicking bag. Hung on a chain attached to a drag line on the roof that went on for another twenty meters. Tengoku would take in a breath before suddenly electricity was visible arcing around his body in blue arcs. The sound of it crackling filling the air before suddenly he was moving just under S rank speed. His push off from the ground cracking the ground and sending weights flying. His passing knocking over the set weight machines as the mirrors shattered as he passed. An arc of electricity following him as he launched into the air and delivered a flying straight kick to the bag. The bag surged forward and flew down the line before catching at the end. The chain strained and one link broke before the whole thing went flying and rolled to a stop of the floor. An indent in the bag folding it in half still. Tengoku would stand where the bag had been and let out a breath filled with steam as electricity continued to arc around him. That speed wasn't a one shot and done...he could maintain it.

Akihiro activated his Sharingan the moment Tengoku got into position and warned him about the debris once again. The way he talked made Akihiro take certain precaustions and usually things were easier to dodge if one was able to see it coming. He saw the way Tengoku began molding Raiton chakra inside in order to boost his physical abilities and instinctively began doing the same. Perhaps it was due to the nature of the Sharingan or perhaps due to his own curiosity but as Tengoku achieved full speed and power, completely destroying the punching bag with...well a kick, Akihiro too achieved the full potential that this technique could provide him.

He was able to see weights coming in his direction, but surprisingly he was able to dodge them with much less effort than it would have been previously required. The electrical current running through his body boosted his speed to another level and the weights simply couldn't catch up. After the dust settled not only Tengoku but Akihiro as well held an an arc of electricity flowing around him. He would look at Tengoku and then at his own hands, seeing a similar current running through both. "This is....quite an interesting technique. Reminds me of Lightning Release Armor but with a lower current and less chakra density. But I'm afraid I cannot reach the level of speed you have." He would bluntly state that last part. Despite having copied Tengoku's technique, Akihiro's body simply wasn't the body of a Taijutsu master. And since the technique merely amplified the physical abilities of its user it was only expected for Tengoku to be able to reach greater heights with it. Akihiro wouldn't even try to punch anything, since there was a technique level to even the most basic of punches which he did not feel comfortable with.

Tengoku would sigh out a breath of steam as he let the jutsu slowly release. He could feel the power like a tingling sensation in his fingers and if he felt out he discovered he could feel it along his skin. He always wanted more power to defend what was right but now he wondered if he was closer than he had ever been. Having defeated a couple other people and being praised by them had boosted his confidence. However his silver gaze shifted to see the sharingan and his own technique that he had spent painstaking hours designing and training being used so easily. He would blink a couple of times before his shoulders slumped. The man had mastered his technique in the matter of a few seconds. He would sigh and let the jutsu go completely before looking around at the sheer destruction he had caused. They would repair it shortly but he had no doubt the attendant would have some choice words under their breath for him. He would move to begin righting some equipment as he spoke. His voice disheartened at the idea of someone accomplishing his technique so easily right in front of him. It was a little depressing.

"Well I suppose the ability to pick up on techniques easily is another thing that makes the Uchiha so fearsome. I've only sparred with one of you and he almost ended the fight with a single touch. People with no ties to a bloodline like me just can't match up."

He would right a large set weights machine that was easily over five hundred pounds with one heave as it crashed back down into it's proper place with a shaking motion. Moving to the next and doing it again. For such a shy person without any jutsu boosting him he had some incredible strength to top it off. Yet he didn't seem to recognize his prowess. He was constantly comparing himself to the ever present Uchiha around him and for that he doubted he was much of a capable warrior. Still his ears would twitch at the loud noise before he moved to the next one and set it upright much more carefully. He glanced at the shattered mirrors and rubbed the back of his head. He could do something about the scattered weights but the shattered glass not as much. He wondered if they might ban hi from this room for a while. Or ask him to keep to the open rooms the Senju could repair easily. This particular room would take some manual fixing.

[This post is a flashback since Akihiro travelled after this thread began]

Akihiro couldn't help but smile once he heard Tengoku's words. It was clear to him that the boy was feeling hopeless and Akihiro could understand that feeling. It wasn't the first time he saw this reaction and while it pleased to see it on his enemies, he wouldn't want his Sharingan to be the cause of demotivation in Konohagakure no Sato's youth. "That's not true." He'd say, swiftly but assertively as well. "Some of the most powerful Shinobi in the world have no ties to any bloodline, and that's precisely why they're so powerful. In fact, a few years back when I hosted the 1st Shinobi World tournament near Kumogakure no Sato, Nozomi Himitsu became the champion. You might recognize her name now that she's famous, but if you look through the records of history you'll be hard pressed to find anything about the Himitsu Clan...precisely because they don't have a bloodline."

None of what Akihiro had said was a lie. He'd spoken nothing but the truth. Nozomi Himitsu was a formidable kunoichi, the only one to have ever escaped the wrath of his Mangekyou's amaterasu and while he questioned her life choices, her abilities as a ninja could not be denied. and if Nozomi could do it without a bloodline, then certainly so could Tengoku. "Don't give up." He'd say, deactivating the technique around him. "Remember that it's not about how many techniques you have, but rather what you choose to do with the ones you have. Of course having more techniques is always good but as you might have noticed I wasn't able to match your speed at all despite using the same technique. Your training isn't meaningless. Keep practicing, and one day you'll find a technique that even the mighty Sharingan can't copy." It was true that the Sharingan couldn't copy all the techniques in the world. A select few were simply too strong or too complex to replicate even if the eye understood how they worked. From Flying Thunder God to the Lightning Release Armor, every single one of these jutsus was dangerous in its own right. And if Tengoku kept practicing, he was certain there would come a time when even Akihiro wouldn't be able to replicate his jutsus.

"Well, duty calls. I have to go. It was nice to meet you, Tengoku. My name is Akihiro. I hope we'll be able to meet again soon." And with that, he would leave.

[Exit]

Tengoku would listen to the mans words of encouragement and smile to himself slightly. It was nice to be encouraged by someone so powerful. It was true he had doubts up until that point but for now he would bow his head to the man as he wished him well and faded from sight. He had no idea that the infamous Nozomi was without a blood line as well. It encouraged him greatly of course. He held hope for himself if someone so potent didn't have some super powered genetics. Still only once the Uchiha was gone would he rise from his bow and sigh. His hand rubbing the back of his head as he looked around. Man this was a mess. Still he would pick up a little bit more as he hoped he could ease some of the irritation with him. However once the clean up team came in to survey the commotion they just stared at the destruction before laying eyes on Tengoku who was frozen in place like a deer in headlights. For a moment there was silence before there was a great deal of yelling and Tengoku rushing out of the room like a dog with his tail between his legs. Heading home for the day to rest and contemplate the mans words.

Exit thread - 6 posts at 25 exp a post = 150 exp