Gaining an edge

It was early morning when Lightning woke up. Usually too early for her, however she had important plans for today. One of those plans was to train her Kenjutsu. She was quite skilled with a blade one could say, however being skilled wasnt enough for her future plans. Going into the citched she greeted her adopted sister. With both of them eating breakfest and talking about todays plans, it became clear soon that Alice appearently had some kind of meeting with her friends. As happily as Lightning would take her with her to the Royal training facility, she couldnt, simply because of the fact that only shinobi were allowed there and with Alice not showing any interest in becoming a shinobi, she naturally was prohibited from entering. Rightfully so Lightning thought in her head. After all it was a place where serious training were held and people could get easily hurt, even if they were professional shinobis, so civilians didnt have any buisness here. Also she wouldnt be able to stand seeing Alice in pain. Many people often mentioned Lightnings wish, to not kill people unessarily as weird. She however saw it as something every person should do. After all, no fight had a total victor, and killing someone would kill a part of oneself too.

Finally getting ready to go to the training facility, Lightning put on her black jacket, which as usual fitted nicely to her black pants. Pissing the wheight from her sword, the one she had till last week to be more precise, she daydreamed about the story that lead to its destruction. Appearently it was faulty to begin with, and when Lightning channeled her lightning ckakra through the blade it melted its insides, until finally the tempered edge of the blade exploded on her, right as she struck a trainingsdummy. Luckily she was fast enough to cover her eyes before they got any of the metal into them, however her arm still was sore from the fragments being briefly on her skin.

Arriving at the facility, she went over to the ppleatora of different swords that were neatly placed on shelfes. Putting one out of their sheath occasionally, she mustered ite blade. While she far far form an expert in materials, she could see if a material was cheap or expensive, with the latter often also being sharper or harder, and thus more able to survive her training. Lightning actually stood an entire time at the shelves, mustering about 3 dozen of the swords until she found one she was happy with. Cracking her neck she turned to fase the facility as she wondered what she should train first.

OOC:

[1]

Spoiler:

Normally Nagi would have been training with Kenny first thing in the morning, but he was away right now, so Nagi found himself with an abundance of free time. The best way to get any day started, according to Nagi, was to do some training at home after a big breakfast. Nagi lived super far from the village, so Nagi had to start his day before the sun rose to get the most of Nagi's day before going to Kumo. Just outside of the Miura home there was a den filled with massive lizards. They were incredibly fast and could knock down trees with a blow from their tails, but the were generally scared of humans. Nagi was only 1.2 meters tall and looked no older than maybe 10, but Nagi was an absolute terror to these creatures. Since Nagi couldn't train with Kenny like normal, The lizards were Nagi's new tag partners, much to their chagrin.

As the sun rose Nagi would decide it was time to wrap it up. Leaving the lizards some treats, Nagi would change into khaki shorts and a hoodie that was way too long. It was black with the impression of two snake eyes on the side, so that when it was up the hood kind of looked like a snake with its mouth open when paired with the two, little, fang-like tufts of Nagi's side burns. The hood was down though as Nagi sprinted on all fours to the village this morning. Nagi was eager to train, and after having been inactive for so long, Nagi thought maybe it would be fun to try using weapons like so many other ninja did. Nagi knew just where to go to find some training weapons.

That's why when he arrived into the training grounds and there was a ninja already there Nagi wasn't surprised to see another ninja there. Nagi didn't recognize Lightning, but would wave like implying the opposite, "Howdy!" Nagi would bounce over to next to Lightning. Maybe being a little too familiar and peeking around Lightning to see which sword she was looking at. "Nagi was also thinkin' about practicing with swords today. Are you a sword person?" Nagi would swing an invisible sword in the air. "Could ya show Nagi neat sword tricks of somefin'?" There was a genuineness in Nagi's eyes, but it was also paired with a whimsy that implied that this was a for fun thing and not an 'I want to be a real swordsman' thing. Nagi was interested, but more like a child interested in a game than a ninja interested in training for combat. Nagi took games quite seriously though.

Turning around to the sudden voice Lightning hear, she nearly didn teven spot the person in front of her. Looking down she saw the person that talked to her. Blicking perplecely she bit her lips for a moment. She was sure she had a child in front of her, though this was the royal trainings facility, so surely it wasnt a child that actually stood in front of her and instead a shinobi like her. Realising that the other persons neck must start to hurt eventually if it kept looking up to her, she lowered herself with one knee on the ground to they could see eye to eye. Answering in a soft voice she said:

"If i knew any neat trick, then i wouldnt be here training...",

before finishing her sentence with a slight chuckle. Thinking about it, she wasnt just here to train her kenjutsu, but also to train her chakra control, as she was close to being able to use her clans ability. One she had trained hard for, and wouldnt stop until she was able to finally use it.

"Well, maybe we can train together, if you want..."

Laying her head to the side she smiled at Naganori before adding:

"Im Lightning by the way, and you are...?

Leaving her sentence open, it was obvious that it was a question.

OOC:

[2]

As the taller ninja lowered her eye line to Nagi's own, Nagi would excitedly affirm with a head nod. "Nagi would like to train with Lightning very much." The little nin was enthusiastic if nothing else. The Lightning had made herself more diminutive to interact with Nagi, and Nagi took that gesture completely at face value, almost lighting up at the thought of a new friend. Giddy with excitement that was almost impossible to contain, Nagi would begin speaking before the words had been fully processed. "See Nagi was scared that training was going to be super boring today since Kenny couldn't be here, but if Lightning is going to train here with Nagi then maybe it won't be super boring."

Nagi would realize the formatting setup a little late, and with a quick, slight bow and an awkward scratching at the back of Nagi's head the little Ninja would continue. "Nagi's surname is M - I  - U - R - A, Miura." With a very deep, very dramatic bow Nagi would finish the introduction. There would be a singular moment of stillness before Nagi would head over to the rack and grab at a sword, put it back, grab another, return it, grab a tanto, and put it back. Nagi had no clue where to start. "Nagi's probably not gonna train with a sword. They feel too weird to hold." Nagi seemed over eager for whatever was gonna happen next, and was waiting on Lightning's cue.

Thinking for a short moment, Lightning replied in a soft and warm voice:

"Allright then... though i dont have anything good to train with, except for my abilities with a sword... and i cant use that against you..."

After all it was true. Her meiton element still needed a bit more training before it was any good and she didnt use her lightning element chakra too often. Using the sword was out of the option too, as naturaly, she didnt want to hurt her trainings partner. So looking in Naganoris eyes she simply asked him:

"Is there something you want to train?", as she continued her warm smile. For Lightning, Naganori still was a child from the way he talked to his height.

Giving the other person the option on what they would be training, certainly was the easier option, considering that her main ability was taken away from her, and in the kind of training she had to participate to unlock her bloodlines powers and therefore be useful in combat beyond simply engagin with her sword.

OOC:

[3]

With a very curious head tilt, Nagi would give Lightning a very confused look. "Of course you can use your sword against Nagi. How else would Nagi practice against sword people." Nagi's statement was completely earnest. There wasn't any illusion of being invincible in those words. If anything it was the opposite. Nagi thought bad practice made for a bad performance. "Hmmmmm. It's not like Nagi doesn't get what you're saying though." Nagi would perform the tiger seal as a cloud of smoke obfuscated the appearance of a second Nagi quickly dispersing to reveal Nagi's compromise. "Now you can use your sword no problem, and Nagi can practice chakra control at the same time. Everyone Wins!"

Nagi face looked like the two had come to a consensus even though it was very definitively Nagi deciding for the two of them. Both of the Nagis would back up to a more open area. Clone Nagi would exhale taking a low stance that seemed to be inspired by a tiger. The other would hop back further still giving space for the spar that Clone Nagi seemed to have eagerly gotten ready for. The clone would speak, "This is the shadow clone technique. You probably already know that though. It is an super version of the clone technique thatcan punch things." Clone Nagi seemed somewhat embarrassed saying this out loud, almost like the clone was reading a bad script.

Watching Naganori perform the tiger hand seal, suddenly a shadow clone appeared next to him, having the save appearance as the user. Since lightning wasnt too fond of catching a few fists or feet without proper reason too, she asked him:

"Thats a pretty neat trick you got there... mind to teach me that too?"

Seeing as she was a swordfighter, having a copy of her that had her skills and abilitites seemed like a good thing to always have. Especially later, when she would finaly ascend and be able to use her clans gift.

Aside from the fact that hurting each other was a problem, so was size. Lightning was used to fight enemies that were roughly her size, and Naganory bieng significantly smaller, meant that he was significantly harder to hit, or his shadow clone for this instance. Aside from that, Lightning was sure that even with the training sword she would be able to deal damage, as Naganori didnt seem too resiliant, even less so his or her clone. On the contrary, Lighning wasnt too resilinat too so it would be a fight that Naganori would dominate in any way.

Letting her eyes rest on the strange person she waited for the response, eager to learn if he decided that he was willing to show her.

OOC:

[4]

Clone Nagi's eyes would light up. "You. Want Nagi. To teach Lightning. A jutsu?" After breaking each sentence apart to make sure that Nagi was actually understanding, there'd be a small pause. "Nagi must deliberate wif himself" Nagi would turn away from Lightning to go talk to the other Nagi, literally no more than five feet away, who'd also look over suddenly at Lightning in shock. "Yes!" Both Nagi's would high five.  After a not so subtle but quiet cheer, the snakelets would gather themselves and begin to whisper between each other conspiratorially. After a few moments clone Nagi would return.

"Ahem" Nagi would start. "After much careful delibble... deliberation," Original Nagi had walked backwards pretending to not be paying extreme attention while not breaking eye contact at all. "Nagi has decided that Nagi will teach you this super, secret, thousand plus, jutsu." With all the grandiosity that one would award a sacred jutsu like Sage Mode, The Eight Gates, or Kumo's very own Black Lightning Seal, Nagi would slowly put his hands into the tiger seal. "First you do your chakra like this with a Fwoosh and make it in two parts. Thas how you get this Nagi." Clone Nagi would get a little serious as the atmosphere around him would change slightly.

His voice would lose some of its whimsy as he continued. "Then if you'd like, you could insert a little surprise in it. I am a lightning release user so I shall imbue that into my clone." A puff of smoke would appear and the Lightning Clone would swap places with Clone Nagi. The smoke would disperse as quickly as it appeared, and the serious tone in Nagi's voice would likewise disappear. "Thas how you do a Lightning Clone. You try." There'd be a short pause. "I mean try a Lightning Clone but also a Lightning, Lightning Clone." Nagi would be stunned for a second or two more working out the words.

Seeing as Naganori explained the process of forming a clone and infusing it with lightning chakra, Lighning had to think hard to make a sense out of the things he said. After all forming a clone srely wasnt as easy as Nagi made it sound though that was likely becasue he didnt have any better words to describe it. However one part was interesting. Splitting her chakra into two parts was soemthing that she had never done before, let alone control it once it was gone.

Taking a portion of chakra from herself she formed the tiger seal as she concentrated of bringing the chakra out next to her before she cut it off from her. Next part was to give the chakra lightnings appearance and even more importantly the lighning chakra. In her head she could allready see the clones appearance. Turning around she got ready to make her clone.

By the time she released the tiger seal a clone of her appeared right in front of her. If it werent for a minor flaw she would have been satisfied with her work. The only flaw the clone had was, while it certainly had any features that lightning had and her appearance, was the fact that it didnt wear clothes. Absently Lightning immediately swung the sword in the direction of the clone, eager to get it to disperse before nagi saw anything as she said:

"OH NO YOU DONT..."

By the time her sword hit the clone who looked at her horrified and raised its hands up to warn her, it allready was to late. The clone dispersed and released its payload for a split secong before lightning literally caught the lightning, making her body spasm painfully and shortly before she collapsed on the ground. Certainly a feat only lightning was able to archive. Creating a naked clone of herself and while dispersing it, also hitting herself with her own lightning element in the process.

As she got up, coughing, she asked naganori between painful breaths:

"So how is that for a clone...?"

Her muscles were burning as she got up, more from shock then actual damage, and she hoped that nagi didnt see her clone too well.

OOC:
Learned shadow clone (lightning element infused) (350 words)

[5]

Naginori was very rarely surprised for the most part people act in ways that he expected them to. He’d taught people before. He’d even taught people this specific jutsu before, but never had he had this result before. The man hadn’t even considered what had just happened to even be possible. So what was more surprising to him? Was it that Lightning had accidentally misfired her jutsu, or was it that his concentration was so thoroughly broken that his transformation dropped? This technique didn’t even require active thought. It should have been a perfect transformation that he’d be able to perform even in his sleep. Nonetheless it broke.

The nearly six foot tall man stood there where the innocent child he’d been masquerading as had been mere moments prior. His face clearly laid out that he was utterly confused, “H… how did you eve…” Normally quite secretive of his identity, Naganori was dumb stricken by the clone, and Lightning’s reaction to the threat. The ruthless abandon that let her quickly slash through her clone. No moral dilemmas. No existential crises. No compunctions. It actually spoke volumes about her potential as a martial artist.

This is why he didn’t notice when his two clones would deck him in the face for staring too long. In a burst of speed, the two clones would leap up to the man’s full height and with two powerful swings their punches would send him spiraling upwards in a vortex.

The two clones would turn and salute Lightning. The lightning clone would speak up. “Your secret will die with us, clone Nagis.” Lightning Clone Nagi would solemnly place its hand on the shoulder of the other clone and the two would erupt in blue flame. They left no trace. It was around now that the real Naganori would come crashing down. He would begin standing, his face swollen beyond recognition.

[OOC]
Clones dispersed with the Body Elimination Technique.
Naganori transformed from Nagi[Chrysalis] with UA: Master of Forms.

Coming back to her senses, the numbness she experienced earlier now wearing off, Lightning asked between painful breaths: "W-who are you now?", as she looked at the transformed nagi.

After all the person that moments ago was considerably smaller then Lightning, seemed to be much larger now. Had she been tricked? Too many questions were open in her head as she got flooded by the pain that her nerves registered. Like a battleship her body was in damage control mode now, assesing potential damage and bringing her slowly back to a combat ready state.

Looking back at the swollen face of the person that wasnt there before, Lightning elaborated further: "So... explain yourself... . I guess you used a transformation technique there?"

What was the goal of making Lightning belive he was small? Or was it a tactical advatage? Whatever it was, this could be either very bad, or just awkward. In any case she needed to adress this somehow. And if she kept him talking while she was recovering, this was even better for her.

Standing to his full six foot, the barefooted ninja was also doing damage assessment. His right eye was swollen shut. He had cartoonishly large swelling above his left brow. His tongue would explore his mouth. All of his teeth were there. No wait, second molar left side was cracked. That was going to need healing. Obviously his clone’s had thought there was a reason to do that, but everything pre-punch was a little foggy. This felt mostly superficial which was nice. On his left side he had a crack in one of his ribs as well as on either his ulna or radius, the pain was too general to tell.

“Who are you now?” Naganori would dismiss this question as he was standing up. Compared to his previous firm he was dressed slightly different which became apparent as his clothes settled and he now had long black pants to go with a slightly loose hoodie. A single question was going through his head. Can this woman live now that he has revealed himself to her? He spent so much time hiding behind a mask that for a moment he almost felt relief the thought of being able to give up this rouse, but, at the same time, he knew that discretion was his greatest tool. 

“Whether by means of transformation, intrusion, or illusion, whether I am who I was or if I am now someone new, I guess those are things that you’ll have to decide on your own Lightning.” He’d slowly raise his mask to his face, though it wouldn’t quite sit right be cause of all of the swelling. He’d spend a little more time than normal with it so that he could see out of it adequately. This definitely wasn’t his ideal set of circumstances. There was no need to reveal anything unnecessarily, but his manner of speaking and his pitch had certainly changed to reflect that of a man in his mid 20s. 

His joints would pop one at a time as he decided that the damage he’d taken wasn’t really all that bad. “Now I guess you can decide how things go next.” Naganori would take a notably neutral stance. “Do you continue on learning from me pretending I am the one who was here before, Nagi,” He would slide into a more combat oriented stance. “Or will you get to test out those sword skills of yours?” The threat in Naganori’s question was very thinly veiled, but his decision was simple, he was simply going to leave it to Lightning. He had no real intentions of permanently hurting her, but it would probably help with the illusion.

His posture would lower like he was ready to pounce at a moment's notice. He was excited that this genin was possibly licking her wounds to prepare to defend herself. Having found something desirable about this encounter he was going to see it through. If he were to start attacking and Lightning didn't defend herself, she could be in very real danger. It would invite a smile to Naganori's face.
"Raise your blade Lightning."
"If you want the truth,"
"Carve it from me as we dance."

Beginning Analysis [1/2]
Chakra [133/185]

"Y-You know... this seems like a bad idea... M-Maybe i should go..." As lightning said that she slowly madea few careful steps backwards, not keeping the newly appeared different form of Naganori out of her eyes.

After all, not only did the person she talked and agreed to train with, a person that was small and cute, disappear, but also was not a man standing in front of her, provoking her to attack, while speaking in mysterious sentences. Lightning ususally wanted to train today, however she felt strange when looking at the man. After all, if he had transformed to the little nagi before, who was saying that he hadnt watched her before? With so many thing wandering through her head the best course of action would be to retreat for now, best where other shinobi were too, unless he attacked her, in which case she would have to defend herself.

Grabbing the sword, she had used to disperse the lightning clone earlier, a bit more tight she eyes the door that was a few meters away from both of them as she waited for the reaction of her new conversation partner. The least thing she wanted to do right now was to turn her back on him, no matter what his goal was in the end.

The genin of this generation were utterly different from the ninja he'd grown up with. Naganori would slide his right foot to his left pulling himself back into a neutral stance. A sword held without conviction was milquetoast in Nagi's eyes. He'd lightly tap on the bottom of his blank anbu-like mask, a little disappointed. He'd followed Lightning's eye line to the door. He thought, for a moment, of stopping her from leaving, but that would also paint a poor picture. "Whether it's a bad idea or a good one, whether you'll sharpen your blade or leave it behind, all of those things are yours to decide. Raise your blade with conviction or leave it where you found it." He'd raise his hand pointing at Lightning. "If that kind of 'Halfway In' mentality is a part of your Nindo, it's not an aesthetic path at all."

The excitement in Naganori's posture had discharged as quickly as it had built up. It was obvious in his posture. It was obvious in his gaze. Whether she left or stayed, Naganori seemed more disappointed at her inability to choose one. 'Halfway In, Halfway Out': Hesitating to commit to something while also being too afraid to take the alternative route. The man's hands moved to the pocket of his hoodie. That was nothing like the will of the generations that taught him. Maybe things were different for swordsmen. He certainly knew very little about the way of the blade. He had been completely consumed with excitement just a moment ago, but now he watched Lightning, still attentively, but with none of the enthusiasm from before. He thought back to HerOni and the horse rider whose name he couldn't remember, and thought that things in this peaceful land were a little tepid for his taste. Honestly though this wasn't his squad, so he had no business to interfering in this woman's life.

Forgetting the caution she had from the man that changed places and was now there instead of Nagi, Lightning countered: "And if your mentality is to hide as a child, someone innocent and vunerable just to get a reaction that you wouldnt get otherwise or to creep up on other people, that isnt aesthetic at all too!" Getting lectured by someone who relied on the fact that he needed to decieve even his allies surely wasnt a thing that lightning was about to let happen. After all, who was he even? Was his name really nagi? Was there even the slightest bit of truth in what he had told her so far?

Her face had gotten red from rage and the feeling of being betrayed. When she first saw Nagi, she really thought it was a cute little shinobi that really wanted to train with her. What made her even more angry was the fact that if he did this here, in the royal training grounds, then he likely also had the guts to do that somewhere else too and with other people. If she heard that alice was decieved like this she would have personally ended the offender right then and there.

He would wait, not interrupting Lightning as she spoke. He would pull this string, and see where it went. "One can't both be a ninja as well as innocent and vulnerable. Would you resent me, Lightning if you had stumbled into my genjutsu? Or if perhaps you had ran into my blade would I also be at fault? My relationship with little one is my own, but yes I do rely on other's perceptions and preconceptions. Such is my path." The distance between them, to Nagi in this moment seemed insurmountably far, was this someone who he could reach, who could reach him?

Over that vast distance, Naganori beckoned Lightning closer to his solitude with another question? "What do you wield a blade for? Or even for Whom? Is it wealth? Power? Fame? Prestige?  Family? Your village?" lingering on that last one, Naganori would be carefully watching how Lightning responded to his pretentious question which slightly deflected the conversation away from Lightning's point. "I see no room for you to judge me with that half-baked motivation."

Bookkeeping for me:

"We can always find a reason to project our weaknesses and shortcomings onto someone else. If that is your path, then sure. Go ahead. But dont have the audacity to think that this makes you superior. A king that hides his crown is no king, and just a pretender.", Lightning angrily responded, as she answered the strangers ah he told her about his motivation. Abou this path. He was speaking as if it was destiny itself that guided him, speaking as if he wasnt the one that forged his path and the perception other shinobi had of him. Yet, at teh same time he spoke like someone who was above and beyond all. Judge, jury and executioner. Two sides of the same coin coming back to the excample that Lightning had used before: A pretender.

As he, whoever he was, now asked about her motivation, lightning put the tip of the blade on the ground as she started, quieter, more focused: "I carry a blade to protect the little things i have left. I carry my blade as a memento about the things i have lost and sacrificed. I carry my blade to seek my destiny. What is your reason to hide? Family? Money? Power?" pausing shortly she added: "You see no right for me to judge you. And yet you are the very same thing as i am. Our difference however is that i know who i am, and who my allegiance is with. Can you tell teh same about yourself? I doubt it."

As she ended her sentence, Lightning waited for the other person to answer. Regardles of what would follow, she owuld remember this day.

Despite any changes in volume from Lightning, as Naganori was getting more invested into the conversation, he’d be picking up on each mannerism trying to predict the very ebb and flow of the conversation. “Indeed your blade does seem to bear a heavy burden, but it is not simply ‘their path’ or ‘their blade’ that makes one shinobi better than another, that makes them ‘superior’. I don’t dislike like that name, ‘pretender’.” Naganori would pause his hand slowly raising before an unfurling finger would point to the tip of Lightnings blade. “Tell me then, oh King of Names, what do you call a swordsman that can’t handle the weight of their own blade?”

His question bore the slight vitriol of antagonism, but there was something else beneath the surface of it. There was a genuine curiosity in Naganori for some future. Naganori, wouldn’t deny the accusations thrown his way parts of them he actually saw as strengths. Some of them though he entirely dismissed. One thing that Lightning said cut at his heart with a bitter blade. Though all of these things would be lost behind the mask not only on his face, but they hid themselves from even his own heart. What is Lightning made of? That was the question on his mind. For now, he would let her show him.

"Simple. A failure. However: To whoever you are implying is a failure, they are still more man or woman or whatever than a pretender. The difference is that one accepts his shortcomings and still tries, while the other one doesn't even try and instead goes the easy way."

Whatever the other man's argument was, her answer should have been enough to shatter it into pieces. Relaxing the sword in her hand, Lightning went through this encounter in her head. It was better to not play a rigged game, then to mindlessly run into something one didn't know a thing of. Neither the rules nor the outcomes were clear, however, Lightning wouldn't fall for so easy tricks.

That look. That was the look that Naganori was looking for. Naganori would respond with words no longer. He'd give no warning. Quickly he'd reach into his left thigh holster, and a throw a bamboo tube at Lightning's head the tube would be moving at B-Rank speed. It wouldn't be difficult to dodge or block the tube, but that wasn't Naganori's goal. If it was cut it'd easily come apart and the ink within would maintain its momentum. He'd close the distance between the two of them behind the ink well getting into close quarters with Lightning. He wanted to see what she was made of. He'd begin with a rising side kick to Lightning's head. He would be moving speed, coordination, and strength.

Seeing as the other man now went in to attack and threw something at her, Lightnings training kicked in as she tried to decipher the thrown thing. Seeing it as some kind of tube, she immediately threw one of the stones she kept in her pocket at it, hitting it mid air and bringing it off its course, while making it significantly slower. For all that she knew, it could have been anything ranging from distraction to a live explosive, with the latter being something she didnt want to have near her.

Seeing as the attacker now went into the offensive, seemingly eager to take initiative, Lightning threw a second small stone, aimed for his face. While it certainly wasnt meant or able to cause damage, it would be a potent distraction in case it hit. As nagi still managed to get closer and went into the motion for a kick, Lightning raised the trainings blade she had found, guarding her upper body and head with its blade as she let chakra run through the blade, giving it a lightning chakra flow.

Should nagi not have some kind of ability that forced Lightning to move or made him stop his attack mid air, he would ram his foot into the blade.

Naganori would lean his head to the side slightly to dodge Lightning's stone. He'd continue forward to meet Lightning head on. As he went in for the kick he'd see the blade come up and stop his kick halfway losing momentum a little slower than normal, and causing him to have to adjust his center of gravity. Fighting weapon's users was always difficult in this way. Naganori would come back with a series of jabs at C-Rank coordination with his fingers extended forward like a spear. In the first jab he'd try to rotate all the way so that he was at Lightning's side, something she could easily deal with by turning and tracking him, as his hand lunged for her obliques. Three more jabs would come aimed at her neck, shoulder, and hip. For the four jabs, Naganori's Nails would extend four inches, now being able to clash with the chakra flow enhanced weapon.

Analysis 2/2

OOC:

Seeing how Nagi was able to evade the blade infused in chakra by simply stopping his attack mid-air, Lightning made a step backwards, keeping her eyes on him. As he used his fingers and thrusted in Lightnings direction, a plan began to form in her head.

Taking the seemingly more or less harmless fingers head-on, she evaded the first 3 jabs by sliding underneath his arm with her chakra infused blade close to her, not noticing how claws formed out of Nagis hands. Bringing herself upright in front of him, she tried to stab him in a non vital area up close.

Should nagi not have evaded or blocked in some kind of way, stopping his 4th attack, Lightning would have brought her blade into his stomach, impaling him and causing a non vital wound, while at the same time being on the receiving end of Nagis claw that would find her way into her flesh, producing a considerable amount of blood to gush forward and Lightning to fall into the impaled nagi.

Should he have evaded or blocked however, Lightning would have jumped back, readying herself for another attack.

With each stab, Lightning ducked and weaved away from Naganori's grasp, and as Naganori went for the last jab he'd notice that he'd been leaving an opening he hadn't meant to. As the fourth jab with Naganori's right hand began towards Lightning's left thigh, he'd do a maneuver that was probably only feasible because of he was very coordinated, though the speed of his jab stayed roughly C-Rank. With his right hand Naganori was still mostly going for a jab it would open up as if to grab Lightning's knee, while with his left he'd pull out a tube of ink. His left hand would come up and meet the tip of the blade as Naganori twisted slightly away from the blade and take a full step back with his left foot to give himself the room he needed. He'd lift the ink well up to the point of the blade being thrust at him.

This ink well was sturdy enough to take a hit from either the sword or the lightning chakra flow technique, but this was no normal sword. It could easily pierce through the ink pot. While Naganori assumed this would happen it, it would be able to pierce through the ink pot much easier than the snake anticipated. If Naganori successfully blocked it Lightning would have to deal with two things. With his right hand, Naganori's hand would still be getting closer to grabbing her knee even though he'd backed away as he used Soft Body Manipulation to extend his reach faster, at C-rank speed, than he'd was backed up, D-Rank speed for a step. With his right hand he'd quickly apply torque to the sword by using the Ink Pot to apply force to the side of the blade as well as the flat back to guide it away from his core splashing ink on the ground. This would ideally push the Blade down and to his left. If the ink pot missed Naganori would cheat a little by increasing the tempo, and he'd dodge the sword with B-Rank Coordination.

Either way Naganori would approach with a partial front flip slightly above Lightning's eye line, keeping his own eyes on Lightning as he rotated 180 degrees craning his head back far further than his body should allow. His right foot would extend up, reaching the apex of his jump, and he'd pull himself in towards Lightning letting go of her leg and aiming an ax kick at her left shoulder. His arms would come back to a neutral position as the kick hopefully landed.

OOC:

Seeing as Naganori was able to evade her attack seemingly without any trouble at all, Lightning jumped back and prepared another strike as a few things happened at the same time. Seeing as Nagi brought up one of the same containers he had earlier, Lightning raised her sword, cutting through it with ease as she noticed his hand had grabbed a hold on her knee, making her fall to the ground.

Raising her sword as she fell in a protective stance, the next thing she saw was nagi performing an ax kick aiming at her, which she barely evaded. However, this was leaving her open for further attacks, so raising herself quickly into a somewhat prone position and raising the sword again, this time with the point shaking from exhaustion.