Cursed Blessings [Yuurei]

I stood in an abandoned warehouse, several large spikes with chains attached were nailed into the floor just as they had been back in Chikagakure when I took the time to master the first level of my inner beast. The power I now possessed after taming it had made me realize that perhaps the curse of blackened blood was a blessing which required a test of faith to be had. I walked away from this set up though and laid down on a pile of crates, popping the cork on my gourd of sake and downing a sizable percentage of the contents. I had asked my unofficial student Yuurei to join me here today. No doubt this would seem out of place as all of our previous meetings were shrouded in shadows and mystery but this was a different sort of day as both of us would soon come to find out.

I had received notice from Shinobu to meet him at an abandoned warehouse not long ago, so I assumed it was another part of my training. I got out of bed, pulled on my black skinny jeans and black v-neck shirt, then laced up my boots and set out the door, slipping Borei into my left boot as I did so. I was just being cautious seeing as that bastard put me through a living nightmare the last training session. I hoped this time it wouldn't be so bad. I opened the door and walked into the warehouse and took notice of large chains and spikes. Oh boy... this was gonna be fun.

As he walked in I corked my drink and replaced it to my belt before getting up to greet him, "Don't worry about those things, they may not even be used today. All that depends on how the events of the initial test go." I would lay a hand over the hilt of Rakuen as I walked towards him slowly.

I sighed in relief and answered the Old Man. "So whats on the agenda today then?" I wasn't at all nervous now, I was just glad that the chains wouldn't be used. Those looked slightly painful. I was quite curious as to what he had in store for today's training regimen. With the chuunin exams growing closer, I could use every last bit of training.

Without warning I took off at my full A rank speed and jumped slightly into the air to reach him. As I was coming down from this jump I pulled back my fist and let loose a powerful blow aimed at his clavicle.

I was taken off guard with Shinobu's surprise attack. He was much faster that I was, so even with him being possibly intoxicated, I was still going to be unable to avoid the impact. I crossed my arms and braced for impact. Not long after, I felt a solid punch connect with my clavicle and I flew backwards, skidding across the floor.

The hit landed and the boy went flying backwards, lucky for him to as the motion absorbed the majority of the punch and would leave him with only minor bruising. I would return to my normal upright position, my hand once more laid on the hilt of my blade. "I have a gift for you should you pass this test, simply keep fighting me with all you have until I say stop. Try to run away for even a moment and you fail, begin." I would walk in his direction slowly again, this time my speed gradually growing over time, the distance between us wouldn't allow for top speed but it would be enough. One hand laying limp on my hilt while the other pulled back to deliver a blow just like the last but on the opposite side.

As I skidded, I did a backward somersault onto my feet and drew Borei, shining a light from the ceiling directly into Shinobu's eyes, which would compromise his vision. I then began to charge chakra into my hands and mouth as I stood up, holding Borei in a defensive position, waiting for Shinobu's next move.

90/100

Name: Blinding Flash
Rank of Jutsu: D
Element Affinity: -
Type: Kenjutsu
Distance: 0-25 meters
Description: Passive. The user unsheathes a blade that they have slightly. By doing this, they angle the blade just right so that the blade creates a blinding flash. This flash can be seen up to 25 meters from the user and lowers ocular power of those inflicted by 10% for 2 posts. Cool down of 5 posts.

He drew his blade and reflected light in a fashion to blind me, so far so good as he was dealing with an opponent leagues above him with wit rather than force. Even so the demons would never let up on him should they invade his soul and thus I would not either. With my eyes still recovering from the blinding effect I hadn't noticed where he placed his blade and simply leaned backwards to shove my heel straight up, aimed directly for his jaw.

As Shinobu aimed a kick directly at my jaw, I dodged the the left, slicing at the bottom of his foot as I did so. After this, I finished charging charka to my mouth and readied my attack. I unleashed a barrage of 5 softball sized water bullets from my mouth. These would slam into the chest of Shinobu and leave some considerable damage. I then jumped backward and remained at the ready for another round of attacks from the Old Man. I was out of his league, but I felt like I was holding my own.

80/100

Suiton: Gunshot Technique

Rank of Jutsu: D
Element Affinity: Suiton
Type: Ninjutsu
Distance: 30 Meters
Description: The user kneads chakra, and converts it into water, and then spits it out in the form of condensed balls. The high-speed waterball attack possesses enough power to considerably injure an opponent. While this is a water release technique, it can still be employed someplace where no water is available, which is a great advantage. It's also possible to increase the power of destruction of the balls themselves by building up the chakra inside of them. The number of bullets is determined while kneading chakra. By taking advantage of gravity, the bullets can brutally increase in power. Each about the size of a softball, shooting at a speed of 65 mph. The effects change when how much chakra is put into it changes. As follows:
10 chakra: Softball sized waterballs, Contusions, 5 'bullets'
This jutsu has a 3 post cooldown.

The sound of a blade, something I knew all to well, I pulled back my foot before it was injured and was pushed away from the kid by balls of water. After landing I got back to my feet and once more went after the kid, he was doing well so far but his reliance on his chakra pool was a short term aid. After I got within a few feet of him I ducked to the side and shot out a low kick aimed at his shins to knock him off his feet to prepare for my follow up attack

I grinned as I sent Shinobu backward with my water, but kept my guard up. He quickly turned back and began another assault, trying to sweep my feet from under me, but I jumped diagonally backward to the left. As I did so, I launched a kunai in the direction of his kick, aimed in front of the leg. It was more a prediction of where the leg would be, hoping the kunai would connect. I landed and held a defensive position.

As he threw a kunai I snatched it out of the air and threw it into a far corner, he was crafty for using weapons but foolish for letting go of them. I would then roll forward to launch myself at my student, aiming to catch his arms with my hands and connect our foreheads for a headbutt.

Shinobu rid me of my kunai fairly quickly and grasped at my arms. He only got the right one. As he moved for a headbutt, I moved my body to the left, then slashed at his chest close range with Borei. That one might hurt a tad.

I took the slice across my chest and continued on to grab at his left arm again, it seemed his power might be at the proper level for the amount of blackened blood I had thought about giving him but we would see what all happens soon enough.

I smirked as the slice landed, and jerked my arm away from him. I'd only be able to fend him off for a little while longer. I then forced another slash across Shinobu's chest. If this hit landed, I'd make an "X" shape across his chest. I wondered what he was testing me for though.

As he went for a second slash I used my chakra to increase my draw speed and used my sword to block him. I would hold the blade there for a moment and then pull away to replace it within the sheath at my waist. "That'll do. It may a bit early for the full process but I think you can handle the early stages."

I sheathed Borei after Shinobu called the fight. I was curious as to what he meant by "being able to handle the early stages" so I asked. "Old Man, what do you mean? What are we going to start working on?" I wouldn't lie, I was a bit nervous, but I trusted Shinobu with my life, so if it was part of the training, I'd deal.

I shook my head as I looked at my bleeding chest and moved so the sun hit the wound, to his surprise he would see that my blood was black and looked foul. "Something I have been carrying around for a long time, a sort of cursed blessing if you would. I've considered sharing this with you though I had to assess your strength first but Im sure you want an example of it so watch this." I got on one knee and slammed my fist into the stone floor, this caused a bit of pain on my end but also creating several small cracks to form around where my knuckles landed. "And now, with the power of the black blood." My chakra swelled up into the tattoo on my back, the kanji for mountain glowed a burning red and I got ready to use this power for the first time in a while.

A look of awe struck my face as Shinobu revealed the black blood. What what wrong with him? I'd never seen anything like it. All the medical knowledge I had, I was baffled by this. I watched him punch the ground after talking about testing me. I grew worried and asked "Uhm, are you alright Old Man? That doesn't look healthy."

As I punched the ground a series of arrow tattoos covered my body and the ground shattered into a small crater around my fist. "Now then, since you've seen what this power can do as well as proven that you can contain it would you accept this cursed blessing?" I stood up on my feet and crossed my arms as I waited for his answer. As I stood there the arrows would pull back on themselves and seal away within the mountain kanji on my back.

I watched as the old man's skin became covered with a bizarre tattoo. He then asked me the question to end all questions. "I accept." I uttered the words and stood up straight, unbuttoning my coat. I then took off my white shirt, exposing my chest and back for Shinobu to plant the seal.

I nodded to him as he accepted the mark, exposing his back for direct placement without even having to be asked. I pulled one arm out of my robe so that it and half my chest was exposed as the dark energy of the mark focused into that limb to start transforming it. The arm grew in muscular density and general size for a mew moment before my hand twisted about into a giant three clawed monstrosity. I gasped for air when this was done, letting the black energy flow through my veins so freely was always exhausting.

My Arm:

I watched as Shinobu prepared for the ritual or whatever he wanted to call it, I was taken back by the horrific transformation of his arm. It went from a normal arm to that of a complete demon within a matter of seconds. It weird-ed and freaked me out, and quite honestly, I had no clue what to think. Was he going to use that to plant the seal on my?

I was breathing heavily as the demonic arm sapped away at my strength, this inscription would need to be quick so I held out my hand to hover over my student's shoulder blade. One of the finger's shot out and buried itself an inch and a half under his skin, a dark chakra dripped out like water from a faucet and slowly the taint spread across his body. This process was agonizing for me but it would be almost unbearable. This process would last just over a minute at which point the arm would fade and reform back into that of a human, leaving my open palm pressed against the wound of where the finger had been. I chanted a phrase from my home world that would sound foreign and demonic to Yuurei but when that was done I removed my hand to reveal a newly formed tattoo in the shape of the kanji for mountain. The inscription was finished and I fell on my ass from exhaustion.