IQ and battle IQ

Yuna was in her usual Anbu attire. Anbu garb with a cloak and hood and plain white mask. To those who only know her as an anbu, would see her as Abyss, the Sennin of the Anbu branch. She was here because she was asked to help out with having a lesson. The topic today will not only be a good start for new students, but also for more seasoned students as well. Yuna has read the roster, and out of habit, done some research on the new academy student that will be coming into class today. The other one, Ryuu Nozomi, has been on her list of potential people to join the Anbu from her interest in the branch to how she works and holds herself.

The new student, from her research, shows promise, holds chakra of his own, but with no training with no awakening, who really knows how their future goes. Part of Yuna feels guilty, she has more or less grabbed two people from the Main branch to personally take under her wing, but she also can't help herself. Building up the Anbu Branch has been a project for her since she became Sennin. She would merely lean against the teachers desk and await for the two arrivals.

(for Nozomi, you can say this is a day or so before the mission)
(welcome Yosuke)

Yosuke walked through the hallways of the academy searching for the room listed on the piece of paper in his hand. His old brown sweater hung loose against his frame, the collar sagged low, revealing the dark t-shirt beneath. His lower half held his better clothes, a well-cared-for pair of fisherman's trousers, and a pair of waterproof leather boots that squeaked as he moved along the waxed wooden floors of the Academy halls. The time he'd spent at the Academy, so far, had largely been used getting adjusted to his new life. Getting set up in his new living situation, learning the very basics of shinobi life, and memorizing all the new people left little time for the little things, such as learning the layout of his new school. Now, he was kicking himself for not doing so earlier as he slowly moved from room to room, checking each sign above the doors. After a good fifteen minutes of searching, he finally found the room he was looking for. He let out a relieved sigh and entered the classroom.

Yosuke moved inside, and his usual tired expression froze in place as he looked towards the front of the class. Leaning against the teacher's desk was a masked figure wearing a dark cloak, an ensemble that hid most of their features from view and reminded him of the shady figures his mother used to warn him about when he went into town for groceries. It took him a moment, but a word floated to the front of his mind that let him make sense of the situation, if only a little.

ANBU

They were a special branch of Kumo's shinobi forces. One of his introductory courses had explained who and what they were, though the exact details of how they functioned were left vague. Seeing the mysterious person in front of him, he figured that was likely on purpose. As his thoughts caught up to reality, Yosuke realized he'd been standing in front of the door for at least ten full seconds without saying anything. Mildly embarrassed, he asked the cloaked individual, "Excuse me, I'm supposed to be attending the special guest lecture from..." he looked back down at the paper in his hand and frowned. The paper simply read 'Special Guest Lecture From: A Very Experienced Shinobi'

Well, that doesn't help me at all.

Recovering from his frustration quickly, he smoothed his features back to his usual tired mask and continued, "Sorry. Is this the classroom for the special guest lecture?"

(Glad to be here!)

[WC: 421 | Post: 1/5]

The academy hall smelled faintly of chalk and the soft hum of old wiring bled through the ceiling as fluorescent lights buzzed. There was one in particular that sputtered at uneven intervals, flashing pale white against the walls. Nozomi adjusted the strap of her satchel and walked in silence as the soles of her boots barely whispered against the polished tile. The morning had started with a summons printed neatly on government-grade paper that contained a stamp with the emblem of the Academy. When she reached the classroom door she hesitated on the handle for only a moment before she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The air was cool in the kind of way that made her skin prickle faintly with static. At the front of the room leaned a figure cloaked in black, with a white featureless mask beneath the hood’s shadow. Even without introduction, her presence filled the room like silent gravity. Nozomi bowed low.

“Ryuu Nozomi, reporting for instruction.”

The words came out in a calm and respectful tone. When she rose, she caught no movement beneath the mask, just a faint nod. She crossed the room and took a seat near the front. The chair squeaked softly as she adjusted herself, setting her clay pouch neatly beside her on the table. The mouth's upon her palms licking their lips hungrily as if they dare to bite the sack open. The door opened again and another student entered. A boy who's about her age, dressed in uneven layers that made him look both out of place and somehow practical. He paused in the doorway, eyes wide as he took in the cloaked figure at the front of the room.

'He wasn’t expecting her either', Nozomi thought.

For a moment, the hum of the lights was the only sound until, “Excuse me...,” he started, voice uncertain, “...is this the classroom for the special guest lecture?”

He looked nervous in a way that was painfully familiar. Nozomi recognized that tension as a mix of curiosity and fear which stemmed from standing too close to someone powerful. It wasn’t weakness, not really, it was awareness.

Much like him, she would wait. Wait for the answer and for the lesson to come.

[Class Requirements: Post 1/5 WC: 373/1,000]

As the two required students entered the classroom, Yuna made it a habit to listen to their blood flow. Her father had taught her many times to listen to one's blood flow to be able to get an idea of how they are feeling. Whilst she still isn't on her father's level, she could tell that the boy must have some adrenaline running through his veins, perhaps a sign of fight or flight? Anyone who isn't a full fledged ninja would see an anbu and presumably be on edge. Even more so if people knew anything about her bloodline.

She would nod to Nozomi and then turn her attention to the boy who had asked if this was the classroom with the special guest. "Yes." Yuna would say calmly, "You may call me Abyss. I am the Sennin of the Anbu Branch." She would give a brief pause before continuing on, "Today we will be going over a lesson about intelligence and battle intelligence. Both are vital in the world of ninja."

She would write down in two columns one for intelligence, and one for battle intelligence. "Intelligence in the sense of fighting is being able to have a pre-planned path and knowing about yourself and what works best for you as a whole. Battle intelligence is being able to think logically under pressure and being able to use your knowledge to counter anything your opponent might throw at you. Because of this, battle intelligence is considered more advanced than just regular intelligence and such a thing can be a make or break for a fight."

"Yosuke, is it?" She would say, "Can you give me some examples of intelligence for a ninja in terms of having a pre-planned path for fighting along with what you think would suit best for you?" She would then turn her attention to Nozomi, "Nozomi. Since you have been an academy student longer I ask you to give me examples of battle intelligence in action along with what you think you would do in a scenario in which you are fighting a fire ninjutsu user who uses the Ring of Fire ninjutsu to encircle it around themselves."

Yuna would wait and see what their answers are. For Nozomi, Yuna has faith in the girl to be able to understand what the jutsu is and possibly even know some ways to counter it. For Yosuke, Yuna knows very little about, but perhaps with his answer not only Yuna, but possibly Yosuke will find something new about himself as well.

(total wc: 636/1000)
(post: 2/5)

"Yes." Yosuke nodded awkwardly, moving towards one of the seats near the front of the class. "You may call me Abyss. I am the Sennin of the Anbu Branch." As he tried his best to memorize the teacher's name he realized there was only one other student in the classroom with him. She looked different from most of the other students he'd met here, more like the pale skinned folk he'd sometimes see at the port. She seemed calm and collected, completely at odds with Yosuke's general nervousness. It was the first time he'd met one of the Sennin in person, and it was kind of freaking him out.

He quickly settled into his seat and began writing down the definitions that Abyss wrote about on the board. Their explanations were terse, but felt accurate, making Yosuke feel like this was an experienced teacher. He'd encountered the two terms previously when studying, but they'd quickly faded into the recesses of his mind as spare vocabulary as he squeezed ever more information into his head. Now, he felt extremely underprepared for the lesson.

Still, this is my chance to correct that. Yosuke barely had time to finish his notes before the masked lecturer called on him and the other student (Nozomi, apparently).

"Yosuke, is it?" His head shot up from his notebook at her address. "Can you give me some examples of intelligence for a ninja in terms of having a pre-planned path for fighting along with what you think would suit best for you?"

"Oh, right. Well, uh, I suppose in terms of pre-planned paths, stealth is probably the best path for a ninja and myself. If you can anticipate or discover an enemies position before you attack, then you can choose both where and how the fight starts, then you have a massive advantage. In my case, I'm still training and I don't know if I'm very confident in my ability to fight. However, I'm pretty good at going unnoticed, I used to have to slip away from people all the time back home. Especially whenever my brother upset the local..." Yosuke paused, and coughed into his hand, embarrassed that he'd almost launched into a tangent about his siblings. "Ahem. I mean, my hometown wasn't always safe so I got good at making myself disappear into a crowd, slipping into a back alley, or rounding a corner and climbing a fire escape. That kinda thing. I'd probably try to do the same, but in reverse. Hide where I know my target is gonna be and then take them out while they didn't know they were being hunted. Yeah..."

Yosuke tried his best to sound assured, but his answer felt lackluster when it escaped his mouth. Of course, he'd considered how he'd kill someone before he came to Kumo. Who hasn't mentally detailed the exact plans needed to end someone's life without anyone being the wiser? However, here, it was a serious consideration given the nature of his future work and something he was expected to become proficient at. In any case, he hoped that his answer was sufficient.

[WC: 519/940/1,000 | Post 2/5]

Nozomi waited patiently for the lesson to start, but she wasn't expecting to be called upon for an answer so quickly. She inhaled through her mouth's and tasted clay on one of her tongues from where it had been digging at a lump in her pocket.

“A ring of fire,” she began, voice low enough to be careful but clear enough for both present to hear.

“Elementally speaking, water should be able to quench such a flame. If you can surround or wash it with a sufficiently large volume of chakra-infused water, it should cause a large enough differential that would cause the Ring to simply destabilize.”

She paused because she realized it was beginning to sound like a lecture.

“But,” she added, and the single word sat between them like a hinge, “I wouldn’t do that. Not at first.”

Nozomi's lips upturned into a smile of bright curiosity. She folded her hands in her lap and let a softer part of her voice take over. It was much less textbook and more internal calculation. As such, her mind ran a rapid checklist. Dispelling the ring would likely require a large, visible swell of chakra. The moment you crease the air with that much water, you’ve telegraphed location, expended chakra in a way that’s easy to read, and given the original caster exactly the kind of opening they want. She then looked to Yosuke, remembering his earlier point about stealth. He had been awkward but honest, and Nozomi liked that. His answer held a truth that she agreed with, and she would utilize in her own plan.

“So instead,” she said, and inclined her head just slightly toward the Sennin as a sign of respect to the lesson, “I’d let them feel safe and I’d keep my distance from the flame itself. I’d try my best to deny line of sight and bait them into showing their next move. From there I'd use traps. Clay explosives such as concealed emitters and timed detonators, that would be able to find their way through the Fires defense. It would be a way to keep control of the battlefield, ignore their strengths, while looking for a weakness to reveal itself.”

Her mind ran the mechanics out loud as if rehearsing them. Clay pouches keyed to pressure points with hidden pins of wet clay that release a cloud of sticky arming gel when warmed. Then, a set of small throwable birds that break into concussive charges away from where she stands would be designed to explode at range. The hope is that the explosive reverberation would ignore the defense provided by the Ring, while not giving away the position of stealth as her defense. It would be like a ghost striking from the darkness.

“I agree with Yosuke in that stealth buys you time,” Nozomi finished, softer. “A water jutsu is elegant and a certain solution, but it is too obvious. Traps make the fight a net the enemy can’t see until it's too late.”

She would nod towards her classmate as if giving him the credit he was due, and then the same to the instructor as she awaited further questions or tasks.

[Post: 2/5 WC: 903/1000]

Yuna would listen as both students would give their answers to the questions that she gave them. For Yosuke, it was a fairly simple answer. Then again Yosuke himself is only starting out on his own journey as a ninja. Growing up and honing your own powers along with having experience will do wonders down the road for a person to really understand themselves.

"Stealth is very important in a fight as a ninja. Sometimes though, it is forgotten, which makes it all the more a valuable weapon to use against your opponents. But know that is only just the start. Once you learn more about yourself as a ninja your own intelligence on how to start off a battle will differ from that of the person standing next to you. Having a preferred fighting style of taijutsu, ninjutsu, or genjutsu. What types of weapons feel the best for you to use. Ninjutsu elemental affinities, bloodline or core abilities, the list goes on and on. Each ninja has their own foundations that if used correctly, would make them lethal."

She would turn her attention to Nozomi and her answer. Nodding she would then say, "Knowing the direct solution is good but would likely be countered immediately by an experienced shinobi. Doing something that you are good at while staying hidden making them act. Having ways to counter someone in ways they haven't thought of would certainly put you in an advantage. But know that other people might also be a step or two ahead of you as well without you realizing it."

"Now for this next part of the class," Yuna would bring out some scrolls all of which had a weapon type in them, one for each type. "Yosuke. You will get to hold some weapons and get the feel of how they work along with perhaps swinging them around. Not all ninja are taijutsu fighters, however, having a preferred taijutsu style is always handy to have. This is part of knowing your own foundations. As for Nozomi. I have another scenario for you. This time, you only know that your opponent is from the Obtenebration branch of the Nara bloodline, along with that their kinjutsu makes them a human puppet. You do not know what weapons that they may have."

For Yosuke, once the seals were released on all of the scrolls, he would see an assortment of weapons all that would reflect what taijutsu subtype that they would belong to; slashing, piercing, unarmed, bludgeoning, projectile, thrown, and puppet.

(total wc: 1058/1000)
(post: 3/5)

The hum of the classroom light pulsed faintly above her. It was one of those uneven currents that buzzed like trapped flies when the voltage wavered and it threatened to distract Nozomi from the question being asked. Still, Nozomi leaned forward slightly in her chair as her eyes flicked across the scrolls that Abyss unfurled. Each one released a faint draft of old chakra as if the air itself remembered the feeling of being buried away in storage. Yosuke was already reaching toward the training weapons at the front, hesitant but eager.

For Nozomi, though, the Sennin’s gaze lingered longer. There was a silent weight of expectation pressing her to think further. An advanced question, of this there was no doubt. She tried her best to envision the capabilities of this terrifying combination. In truth, she had researched much on many Bloodlines and even heard whispers of the powers of a Kinjutsu. However, she had never seen them in practice, and so her analytics may be flawed.

None the less, her mind began building the fight the same way her hands built clay. Taking a base and then layering structure over danger before sealing away the chaos in careful shape. After gathering her thoughts, she spoke carefully.

“If I knew my opponent were a Obtenebration Nara, then I would try my best to not fight them on their own terms.”

She paused, and her voice grew steady but distant, clearly she was thinking aloud and not reciting a memorized response.

“I think they would command the environment and that would become my largest enemy. Every shadow, every movement, and even light itself becomes part of their arsenal. If I were foolish enough to fight them where visibility could be manipulated, I’d be in big trouble.”

Nozomi subconsciously grabbed a pencil to tap against the desk in a nervous twitch of sorts.

“I would use clay charges designed not to explode for destruction, but to alter the battlefield when needed. These could be launched during or buried before engagement. In addition they could be timed or triggered remotely to keep the area in constant fluctuation between light and dark. I imagine that a Nara who cannot predict visibility loses their typical advantage. Ideally if their shadows expand and contract unpredictably, it might cut the potential geometry of their Jutsu.”

It followed the thought process of her defining tactic to 'not allow the opponent to think in straight lines.'

Her tone shifted. She was quieter, but more deliberate now as her thoughts branched out like roots.

“If they are also a Human Puppet then things like poisons or bleeding are useless against them. They wouldn't have blood to affect in such a manner or to lose. That leaves pressure, concussive force, and electromagnetic disruption. The chakra strings they use to control their puppets and even their own body can be dismantled with enough shock to the system.”

Shaking her head a bit she would look up towards the Sennin in a confused sort of fashion.

"It is difficult to know exactly what I would do next. It would take some time to truly scale the opponents abilities to my own, seconds at least, in order to weigh their capabilities and know how best to proceed forward. Especially if I'm unsure of their puppets capabilities and weapons. I would likely revert to these more basic tactics while forming a more conclusive plan of action. Playing defensive seems appropriate in this scenario."

She looked up again, meeting Abyss’s gaze directly this time. “Ideally, I'd try to never stand still long enough to let my shadow settle in one place, while trying to leave myself opportunities of escape until I can properly gauge my opponent's strength.”

Nozomi’s words came calm as her tone softened and she concluded her answer. As she did, her hands subconsciously found her pockets where the mouths would begin to nervously consume and tongue at the clay within the folds of cloth. She had given her best response and still, internally, felt like she was coming up short. She would fall silent now and wait for any correction that Abyss may give.

[Post 3/5 WC: 1,000+]

Yosuke approached the scrolls, scanning the characters written on the face of the cloth covering. Each character represented a weapon, which he reasonably deduced was hidden inside the scroll's fuinjutsu. Staring at the tubular storage devices, he also noticed slight wear, indicating their heavy use.

They probably pull these out for classes all the time. Must be a thing for more advanced students. He thought absently.

At the same time, Nozomi began answering her question, one that Yosuke was very glad to avoid. Education on the various clans and their techniques seemed to be a loosely guarded secret, something you went looking for and rarely chanced upon. He paid half attention to her explanation, living in a crowded house as the oldest sibling, which produced a wonderful ability to listen to multiple conversations at once

Yosuke decided to check out the first scroll on the left, marked "Slashing". He unfurled it, revealing the delicate calligraphy inside. Remembering his lessons on fuinjutsu, he did his best to avoid staring at the text for too long and simply focused his attention on the middle-most symbols. He focused his chakra, feeling the vitalizing energy flow through his body, a sensation that never ceased to thrill him. He formed a half Ram seal with one hand while touching two fingers to the scroll; his control still wasn't good enough to move his chakra far outside his body. The seal agitated his chakra, and he used his will to push it down his arm, into his fingers, and to the scroll.

A small *poof* of smoke appeared above the scroll, before disappearing quickly to reveal a short sword. A wakizashi, Yosuke recalled. He pulled the blade from its sheath, the whole thing about the length of his forearm and hand. He inspected the weapons carefully, noting the shape of the single-bladed weapon. He stepped back from the table and took a few practice swings, doing his best to get a good feel for it. As he swung it horizontally, he noted that the reach of the blade would make it a good tool for short-range combat. He could get close enough to disrupt someone's guard or deal a few critical slashes to bleed an opponent. This thing probably hurt you pretty bad when it cuts into you; pain was always an efficient tool when fighting.

He sheathed the weapon and placed it back on the opened scroll. Hopefully, Abyss didn't expect him to know how to reseal objects. Moving on to the next scroll, labeled "Piercing", a long spear appeared from its seal, and Yosuke scrambled to pick it up before it rolled off the desk. He flashed an embarrassed smile towards the two others in the room, then moved on to testing the weapon. The shaft was tall, but likely shorter than average to accommodate Yosuke's child-sized body, and ended in a double-sided blade with a nasty point. He had to move further away from the front to practice his thrusts, showing the medium-ranged potential of the weapon. The movements came naturally to him, and he recalled the few moments his father had spent teaching him how to spear-fish.

"We don't use them anymore, haven't since we got nets and boats, but my father taught me, and his father taught him. The eldest always holds onto the tradition."

So, as he swept and stabbed through the air, a strange comfort filled his hands. Enough that he was a little sad to put the spear down, propping it against the wall instead of laying it on top of the desk. He moved through the next few scrolls rather quickly, but none of them brought the same feelings forward like the spear had. Still, as he tested the weapons inside the "Throwing" scroll, a stack of kunai, a similar (if far lesser) sense of comfort came to him. So far, in his time at the Academy, he'd spent more time practicing with these than anything else. At first, it had been because the weapons were tough for him to throw. However, as time went on, he'd grown fond of the throwing knives.

After going through all the weapons, Yosuke saw a potential style coming together in the two affinities he'd felt for the spear and kunai. The spear felt the most natural in his hands, and he felt like it presented him with a wide array of options for keeping his opponents at bay. The kunai could serve as an efficient way to hary his enemies from afar, and would be useful when the spear was too long, plus he could use hand seals with the kunai still held in his hand (something he'd have to figure out with the spear). So, without further available instructions, Yosuke moved close to the wall near the spear he'd set down as Nozomi finished her explanation.

“... until I can properly gauge my opponent's strength.”

I learned a lot there. Yosuke realized he probably should've written down some of what Nozomi had to say. Her answers seemed incredibly insightful. Maybe she'd have time after class today to share some advice or go over her answers with me?

Yosuke waited for Abyss to respond to Nozomi's answer before piping up and saying, "I've finished going over the weapons, Abyss-sensei."

[WC: 881/ 1,821/1,000 | Post 3/5]