Name: High IQ
Rank: C
Type: Mental Based
Physical Requirements: N/A
Training Requirements: A 600 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The ninja innately possesses a high IQ which gives them great practical and analytical prowess. They have vast knowledge in nearly all forms of combat giving them a upper hand when faced with nearly any attack with being able to execute split second counters. With their high IQ the user can determine weak spots in attacks and defenses and can overcome nearly any obstacle. Like the obvious benefits of being very smart, the ninja is well regarded for their great mathematical and thinking abilities.

Name: Improved Perception
Rank: C
Type: Mental Based
Physical Requirements: N/A
Training Requirements: A 600 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The ninja trains their skill in perception and analyzing their environment to more distinct levels. Every physical motion is identified to the ninja whether its a movement in a leaf or change in temperature. This skill is handy when faced with genjutsu as it makes the user capable in identifying an illusion of C-Rank or lower. However although they can sense the genjutsu they must rely on other methods of breaking the spell.

Name: Shiro Atsui Raiton - White Hot Lightning release
Rank: C
Type: Chakra Based
Physical Requirements: Raiton & Katon release
Training Requirements: -
Description: After extensive training, one can combine a small amount of Katon, fire release, with every Raiton jutsu they use, causing it to become a heated variant of lightning, becoming white in colour. This intensifies the power of all Raiton Ninjutsu by 25%, at the cost of an extra 2 CP per Raiton Jutsu utilised. However, because this requires Mitsu to actively combine Katon chakra, he can toggle between white Lightning and normal lightning by not utilising any fire chakra nature.

Name: Increased Chakra Capacity
Rank: C
Type: Chakra Based
Physical Requirements: N/A
Training Requirements: A 600 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: Through extensive meditation and physical training the ninja's chakra capacity increases by 20CP.

It has been 30 years since Mitsu was born in the attic of his parents home, which doubled as a shop on the ground floor. A small family run cooking business, nothing impressive or noteworthy. He was the sixth son, one of many; it was a large family and they were hard pressed financially, the establishment downstairs was not a dismal failure but it could not support the demands of six budding youths, all of whom were somewhat impressive in one way or another. His mother kept the shop running, working day and night, laborious chores consuming most of her time. Mitsu's father did most of the child care; he was a retired shinobi, a messy infiltration mission gone wrong had left him with a back that could not take physical strain and a noticeable limp. The pair had met some years before, and their first child, Yoshimitsu, was 12 years older than Mitsu; thus they were nearing the early stages of old age when he was born. They were both 40 when the pair married, perhaps later than a large majority of couples, but the father was unable to marry, or even enter a serious relationship, any earlier, due to his time consuming and life threatening duties as a Shinobi of the village.

Their old age meant that even if they were to die by natural causes, Mitsu would still be young, perhaps even too young to look after himself. With one parent handed the wearisome and taxing task of handling six youthful boys, 5 of whom had incredible records of getting into trouble, and the other engaged with supporting the large group financially, his parents were hard pressed as to spend any bonding time with him. The lack of any parental figures is quite noticeable in his demeanour, he is unaware of social etiquette and the like. He was an awkward boy from his early years, which attracted a large amount of unwanted attention to his quiet self in later life, attention that was not all of a good nature.

Whilst the other five boys took to their father's career path, Mitsu was never particularly enthusiastic about the idea of becoming a ninja whatsoever. They all possessed the muscular and physically orientated build of the man of the house hold, and were a competitive bunch, always arguing and attempting to best each other; yet the youngest of the six was the odd one out, the ugly duckling, as it were. He resembled his mother much more, a scrawny small boy with long hair and academic ambition. He was treated as the lesser son of the family, the butt of everyone's jokes; being the youngest, there was little he could do as to prevent that. Many whom endure such torment tend to retreat to their rooms, in order to be alone in their element, yet in the small flat in which Mitsu resided, he was forced to share a room with the second and third youngest of the children. His bedding was a child sized bed roll tucked into the corner of the room, as far as possible from the others.

Mitsu had next to no interest in pursuing the life of a Shinobi at his young age. Whilst intrigued by the world of jutsu and skills that they adopted and controlled, he did not wish to study such things, or learn about their practical usage; in this sense too, he was as different from his brothers as could be. At 5 years old, Yoshimitsu, his oldest sibling, became a Chûnin at the ripe age of 17; and that was a rank he would never advance from, nor an age he would ever expand upon. He was sent with his cell to traverse the country and into Rice country whilst accompanying a group of traveling merchants, an escort to the convoy. However, a large band of bandits and a small amount of rogue shinobi thrown into the mix were keen to lighten the pockets of the merchants, and were not phased by their guards. The cell managed to retreat mostly unharmed, with but one casualty; that of the cell leader, whom had acted as a diversion in order to cover the retreat of his comrades. A noble death, one hammered into the Ridori family as an ideal way to die. The family were only mildly upset; five sons was more than enough to keep them happy, and they had all been aware of the risk that Yoshimitsu had taken in becoming a Shinobi. Most of the family were nearly joyful he had been taken in such a way, all but Mitsu. Whilst Mitsu had always disliked his eldest brother, he was stunned to hear of his death.

As a child, Mitsu was near friendless; he did not care for social interaction with others, and found what little time he did spend with others awkward and unproductive. Whilst he was more academically orientated and not really enthusiastic about physical exertion, the outside world held many appeals toward him. He would simply wonder away from his house and meander around the village; his parents rarely noticed nor cared, and he began to learn his way around the village at a young age, and became comfortable inside the walls of the village. Spending time outside, alone, was a joy he greatly treasured, yet not one that would last particularly long, unfortunate as it was.

A few weeks after the death of his brother, Mitsu was surprised to find another of his brothers had been granted the same rank as the one Yoshimitsu had been honoured with, just weeks before his departure. He hated the way in which his family did not protest against this; they had lost one son, and were willingly giving another way to the exact same fate. Whilst he held quite an amount of contempt toward his merciless older brothers whom had always been less than pleasant towards him, he knew they were but jesting and could not stand the idea of theirs, or anyone's, life being thrown away without a second thought. And it was these thoughts that finally pushed Mitsu into pursuing the life of a Shinobi; he was determined to become a stronger Shinobi than his brothers, to become more talented than they and make sure nobody else had to sacrifice their life in such a manner; Mitsu was not arrogant but realisitc, he was aware that whilst he physically could not rival any of his brothers, his intrigue and dedication might just prove enough to allow him to surpass his siblings and stop their foolish sprint towards death. It was that day that his father gladly enrolled him in the academy. He seemed glad to be able to say that all six of his children would succeed him as a tool of the village. Mitsu wanted to be more than a tool, however, he wanted to be a protector, a shield.

And so, the one whom had strayed from the path set before him was now to attend the Shinobi Academy in Konohagakure. He was nervous about the whole affair, to say the least. In no way was he physically powerful, and he lacked the cold efficiency possessed by every ninja that was so renowned and feared. However, despite his fears, he was determined to prove himself strong, and so did not allow his mind to ponder such negative things. On his first day, Mitsu found that he did indeed have reason to feel such a way. The other budding Shinobi intimidated him; not just in the sense that they were taller and better built, but the way in which they socialised. He knew from day one it was unlikely he would be accepted amongst them. Observing their behavioural patterns, he didn't think he could ever act in such a way. Standing as an outsider did not bother him in the slightest at the time; he disliked the childish manner in which the others conducted themselves, and strove to strengthen himself as to allow himself to compete with them.

A few months after he had began his long journey, Mitsu had found he was not all around weak. Perhaps he could not hold his own in hand to hand combat, but he had discovered areas in which he excelled, these being those that required the usage of chakra. He was technically skilled in manipulating his power and energy. It comforted him to know that he was not a failure all around, that he did indeed have his own specialities. He was starting to feel comfortable with others, enough to perhaps stage a conversation consisting of unnecessary small talk and idle thoughts. Whilst that wasn't quite enough to have any relations with the other students, it was a step in the right direction for him. No longer was he seen as mute by the others. Things were appearing to be on the up side; of course, that could not last long.

Two of Mitsu's brothers, twins, whom had become the eldest in Yoshimitsu's absence, were the next in line for a long series of tragedies. It seemed that the family were finally distraught as expected for the death of their young. And yet, Mitsu expected, or more, was fully aware, that this was purely because they had not been taken in the same style as his 'valiant' brother, but had their lives claimed by a simple explosive trap. An elementary mistake, or so their cell leader called it. They hadn't even faced any conflict, they'd simply been in hostile territory on a scouting mission. Whilst he too was sorrowful to see two of his siblings fall, he was happy the Ridori family were actually feeling emotion for their losses. No longer could they say 'He died bravely'. They had to come to terms with the fact that lives were indeed thrown away, that perhaps not all this war and bloodshed was necessary.

The deaths of those close to him had made Mitsu into somewhat of a peace lover. Not a pacifist as such, but someone whom aimed to bring about an end to the aimless conflict and hatred between nations; from an early age, he strove for harmony. On the day that he graduated from the academy, Mitsu met the Hokage of his youth for the first time. He felt a certain resentment towards them; they had been the one to issue the missions which had killed his brothers, the one whom did not end this needless loss of life, the repetitive cycle of defeat and disappointment for every family. From the spot in which he was handed his headband, Mitsu had a perfect view of the Hokage statue, renowned faces carved into the mountain. It was on this day that he resolved he would have his face there, that he would take the throne of Konohagakure. He would aim for peace, and not let his subordinates fall over and over without a second thought. Mitsu felt he was being perhaps a bit naïve, that someone of his skill could never become such an important figure in the village; but he was determined to at least attempt to gain the position.

Once the celebrations had ceased, the cells, or squad groups consisting of four Shinobi, were announced. Everyone seemed anxious and perturbed that they would not be selected with their friends, or they might be grouped together with those whom they quarrelled with, or had a negative relationship with. These were not worries Mitsu himself found troubling him. He was more apprehensive as to the type of people he'd end up with. Few around the academy knew his name, for he was a quiet one, and thus went unnoticed by the others. Mitsu felt he would be content if he were to be in a cell with pleasant, carefree Shinobi whom would not pay much attention to him. As for how senseis went, he just wanted someone he would not have to be fearful of. Often young budding Shinobi were told tales of insane tutors pushing students far beyond their limits, occasionally, or often, depending on how many stories you believe, to their breaking points. Hopefully Mitsu's experience would be much less eventful.

His squad consisted of two older boys, one a bulky, intimidating figure by the name of Shinichi, the other being known as Takumi, a slightly more laid back youth. Both were older than Mitsu, to considerable lengths; whilst Mitsu was 12, his counterparts were 14 and 15 respectively. His immediate observation informed him they were some way off the 'intelligent' mark. Yet he made a note not to underestimate them. They were certainly daunting and imposing, getting on the wrong side of them from the beginning might jeopardise his career. Mitsu's sensei, was, if anything, a bit dopey; he seemed forgetful and his eyes almost vacant. Probably some odd ball, most likely not particularly powerful either, which frustrated him, for he didn't see a way in which his skill could progress if he was stuck with these clowns. Yet he gritted his teeth and said nothing, for he knew it was best he did not complain, or go against the choices of his superiors.

The first few days as a genin of the village weren't all too bad. Mitsu failed to build up a relationship with his peers, and his comrades seemed reasonably close already, to the point where they paid little attention towards the youth. Of course, this was ideal for him. Weeks passed as the group skimmed their way through boring D ranks, dull and uneventful missions that didn't particularly inspire or catch Mitsu's interest. He was still learning more and more about his comrades progressively. It seemed like quite a slow progress. As he had at first assumed, Shinichi was thick as the complete works of William Shakespeare, yet Takumi seemed perhaps more smart than he had at first given him credit for. Of course, this happiness was only fleeting, for Mitsu's word would soon be unravelled.

It was all quite unexpected, really. The day before had been normal, as always. They'd been carrying crates of kunai, shuriken and other various Shinobi weaponry from a loading dock into a warehouse; a physical exercise that Mitsu really wasn't suited for. He'd finally been rooted out as weak, but only a few sniggers escaped from the mouths of his comrades; their sensei had been dozing off under a tree nearby, not paying them any attention. He probably despised being assigned to some brats, doing simple missions that weren't even taxing or complex enough to be considered real missions. On the next day, it seemed word of his ineptitude had spread, yet he didn't mind much. He could take being scrawny and weak; if he displayed his real strengths, soon there would be no doubt about his potential ability. As he made his way through the streets, he spotted another cell of Shinobi his age clustered around a street corner; as Mitsu came into view, one approached him, a clunking briefcase in his hand. He greeted the bewildered youth formally, before introducing himself and beginning to walk side by side with him. The Ridori was truly perplexed as to why he was being treated in such a manner. It seemed that the name of the other genin was Rikito; his squad members seemed to be following behind him, both grinning widely. Mitsu was slightly cautious as to just what the odd boy wanted, yet did not want to seem impolite; they walked for a good five minutes or so, chatting idly yet pleasantly. As they approached the place where his cell met daily, Rikito announced he would have to take his leave for fear of being late; yet as he walked of, he offered Mitsu the briefcase. An odd gesture indeed, he though. Why would he want to carry it? He looked apprehensively, and the charming genin smiled, saying simply that his sensei had asked for it to be delivered. Still walking, he reluctantly bought the tale, taking the leather strap; it seemed that Rikito had timed his little scene impeccably. Mitsu was now approaching a staircase that would elevate him toward the meeting place, yet the sudden immense weight of the case sent him falling straight toward the stone steps. Behind him, he heard laughter, his blonde comrade flashing him a smile and saying 'See you around'. Outraged at himself for falling for such a prank, Mitsu tore open the case; its contents were nought but bricks, and more than a few. How had he let himself be tricked in such a way?

The initial prank was somewhat laughable. Despite his anger at himself, Mitsu managed to laugh it off, and it seemed to be the end of that. Yet he had, unfortunately, established himself as a target by allowing himself to be bested in such a manner; the next few days after the incident, he was on edge, not wanting to have such a thing happen again. However, it seemed that they had no plans for striking again. His name had spread among his comrades slightly, as had the story, which was slightly embarrassing, to say the least. No, the real hazing began over a month after his ridicule. It began slowly, gradually gaining size.

It started as the occasional whisper, the small teasing jab. Nothing Mitsu wasn't used to; living with as many brothers as he did hardened one's skin and made them nigh on invincible on such matters. He could take the occasional poke, and smiled at the occasional one, if it was witty or original; of course, from young genin, such humorous content was a rare find. He became accustomed to it after a while, and though nothing of it. It was, of course, when his ambition of one day becoming Hokage became common knowledge from the word of his squad mates, that such teasing intensified. His comrades found the idea ridiculous; he had already been established as the weakest rookie of the crop, which was not a title he valued particularly highly. The once harsh words became physical acts of violence, the occasional jibes now insults thrown about often. Mitsu tried his best to ignore the taunts of his peers, but there was little he could do to evade the physical pain he was forced to endure. Every now and then, he would attempt to fight back, but that simply made his punishment worse. His teammate, Shinichi, seemed to be a bit of an air headed follower, a brute and nothing more, who took pleasure in joining the crowd. Mitsu wouldn't have been too bothered about the whole ordeal, were it not for the fact he had to endure such behaviour whenever he was with his squad. He could not train in peace, every mission he found himself with some injury, one way or another. Team work was impossible between the pair, and despite the fact their sensei had finally caught on to the hostilities, it was too little, too late.

Mitsu's older brother, Mikayaori, the second youngest of the family, had been the only one to pay any attention to the difficulties he was facing. He seemed to be the only one concerned with the matter, yet whenever he approached his younger brother about the issue, he got a door slammed in his face. Mitsu was determined to deal with the situation by himself; months passed in which he put up with the relentless bullying, and everytime, he fought back, harder and harder. The number of his tormentors had increased, as had the level of danger in their antics; Mitsu was irked by the whole ordeal more than anything. He'd been trained by his siblings to tolerate physical pain and emotional assault, but he felt weak being treated in such a manner. The perpetrators seemed to be losing their senses as time went by; rumour had it that the group 'leader' was intoxicated a large amount of the time through some supposedly therapeutic drug. It was likely most members of the group were as well, considering how much they adored him. The tormenting finally escalated to the point where Mitsu decided enough was enough; he would not hide, or let himself be taken as a punching bag for entertainment to be used by some inept drug abusers. What followed his resolution was a very foolish decision. He told the other Shinobi to meet him, to fight each other fairly, to see whom would reign triumphant. Mitsu wasn't sure he could win at all; he was greatly outnumbered, not to mention outclassed. But he would give it everything he had, for the one thing he had despised all his life, that his parents had attempted to instal into him; pride.

Of course, Mikayaori, whom had been paying close attention to the scenario, had caught wind of this event. Although not aware of it, Mitsu was not alone as he ventured into a derelict housing area where the group tended to locate themselves when not on duty. He was, however, fully aware that he would not be given a fair fight, that there was indeed a danger of a mishap; perhaps he would go like his brothers. Mitsu had been against that, yes, but he refused to let the Ridori name be abused in such a way; his brothers had died for something, he now understood. They had greeted death for pride, for honour, to protect their village and their way of life, and to let himself be walked over was to put their sacrifices to shame. Mitsu was determined to fight back, to prove himself strong, and if he returned, to make the village a peaceful place, were lives needn't be thrown away to protect what people loved. He now understood. And knowing this, he went forward.

He greeted his tormentors with a small flash of a grin, his hands balling up into fists, ready to strike at a moments notice, or less. There was no pre-empetive small talk, as always shown in the movies. No pleasantries with underlying hatred. Just a simple flash of light as a kunai was withdrawn from somewhere in the shadows, and a large amount of figures moved forward. Mitsu was tempted to draw upon his jutsu, yet he knew this was a battle of fists. He would have to only use physical blows. Inhaling deeply, he pivoted on his foot, smashing his knuckles into the face of the figure whom had attempted to sneak up behind him. Aware that such a thing would have been attempted, he had been prepared, listening for the lightest footsteps to alert him to his opponent's location. A solid start, it would seem, for Mitsu could feel blood on his fist, drawn from a solid connection with a nose. Yet whilst he believe the conflict had only just begun, it was soon to be brought to an abrupt halt. From the shadows, a kunai was launched; not a fatal strike, for its trajectory was leading it towards his right shoulder, which would weaken Mitsu greatly, taking away his ability to through a solid blow unhindered. Yet that projectile never hit its mark. To this day, he wish it had. but his brother had intervened, the one whom he had been closest to after sharing a room for so many years. The projectile was counteracted by a shuriken, knocking it out of its path. Whilst the kunai went to the ground, the shuriken embedded itself in the beefy arm of another large Shinobi, whom had been lurking. Realising that full on war was about to erupt, civil war, one that would most certainly get all those whom participated exiled from the village, if not worse.

Perhaps it was cowardly to do what he did. But Mitsu ran. He ran toward his brother and tried to tug him away. He could just tell his sensei. Or the hokage. But no bloodshed was required; this didn't need to happen, this was insane. Mitsu couldn't get his brother, or anyone else, killed; not over something so trivial. He had to get everyone out of their. He had to end this responsibly. At no point in the whole affair had he wanted to get anyone else dragged into this; why had he done something so stupid, something that would drag in the people he cared about? Yet as he full on sprinted from the scene, he heard a noise; the noise of a sword being unsheathed. Oh Shit, he thought to himself. Over and over. Mikayaori didn't use a sword, or any blade excluding the standard issue Shinobi tools; which meant this fight had got a lot more serious. Running even faster, Mitsu began to call his brother's name frantically; but there was no reply. A sickening thud informed him of everything he needed to know. Mikayaori gave one small gurgle, as if he was trying to speak, but nothing came. An eerie silence. Then the shouts of the crew, whom finally realised the magnitude of just what they had done. They had killed another Konohagakure Shinobi.

Whilst some attempted to escape, others accepted their fates. Within a few weeks, the ring leader had been executed, as an example against treason and the murder of one's comrade. The others were banished form the village, never to be seen again, their possessions taken and their families dishonoured; and Mitsu was hardly allowed to walk free, either. His challenge to his fellow shinobi took away the thing he had worked so hard for; his headband. He was told he would be given it after one year of staying in the village, in which he was to repent for his foolish actions. Yet Mitsu was not ready to take back his place among the ranks of the village Shinobi. The guilt of what he had lead his brother to do was too immense for him; he retreated to his room, rarely seen again around the village for the next year, or by his family. With Mikayaori dead, he had his room all to himself, what with the other brother he shared it with having moved into the chambers across the hall.

His family had, at first, thought that Mitsu's whole 'locking his bedroom door and not coming out' was simply a phase of mourning. And indeed, at first, it was. The consuming guilt, bottled frustration and swelling anger kept inside the room, which within weeks had been established as a mental prison to him. He kept the blinds shut, the curtains hanging on either side, unused. Over time, Mitsu lost sense of day and night, all things periodical; he simply estimated the time from the clues laid down by the times in which his father deposited a plate of food through a small flap he had installed on the door. The first few days, he had attempted to contact him through the door, yet he had given up when his son had given him no reply. When he was told of his elder brother's funeral, he finally spoke, telling his family to send some flowers on his behalf; he desired the bravery of his brother, the courage to venture once more into the outside world, but he couldn't face it. He felt ashamed. He felt fearful of what the world outside might posses; more of his so called comrades, ready to shove a sword through him? More taunting, doped people slowly driven insane from the consumption of 'medicine'?

Months passed, and the room became the entirety of Mitsu's reality. Dust now coated every surface, hid under every rug and settled on every object; the swirling masses were partially illuminated, the dust seemingly dancing in the half light that filtered through the decaying blinds. A chair sat upturned in the corner, piles of junk surrounding him, giving him only a small amount of floorspace which Mitsu would curl up upon, before drifting off to fitful bouts of sleep. The room was a mess, but it all seemed to make sense to him. He had no idea how long had passed, but he did not think of the outside world anymore. He had forgotten the faces he had once been acquainted with, the village he thought he had known so well.

It was in one of his weak durations of slumber that the wake up call finally came to Mitsu; no, it did not come in the form of a dream. This call came from a seemingly coincidental action. An action which created quite a loud thud, startling the youth and rousing him; he felt slightly perplexed as to the source of the noise, not to mention intimated as to the thought of another being's presence. He sat, motionless, waiting for another to come. But none did. There was but one thud. Bewildered, he rose, wondering what had made the sudden noise. Mitsu slowly crossed the room, feet surely navigating the items scattered across the floor; it seemed that the thud had come from the window. Perhaps some miscreant children throwing rocks? He pivoted on his heel, ready to return to sleep, but his curiosity took a firm grip on his shoulder and turned him back to the window once more. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the blinds, closing his eyes as he pulled them open for the first time in now 9 months.

The light that came through was blinding; it seemed that it was late morning, near noon, meaning the sun was angled perfectly to assault him via his window. After a few moments, his eyes began to gradually adjust. He planned to scan around his viewpoint, but that was not necessary. Upon the glass pane, a spread eagle shape, the mark caused by an intelligent bird plummeting straight into his window; perhaps it was mere coincidence, but Mitsu could not help but feel it was more. A wake up call from the universe? It had only gone and reminded him there was a world outside his door. Taking a seat on the table, he cast his pupils downward, mind racing. There was so much outside he had yet to discover, yet to learn; how had the world changed since he has last ventured beyond his door? Was there still the wasteful bloodshed of hundreds of talented lives? Had peace yet been achieved? Mitsu couldn't quite comprehend just how many questions his mind was conjuring. His thoughts turned to the universe, to life itself. He had no idea what 'life' quite was, for he had not lived; and he could not live if he sat here, cooped up all day, every day; it was then that Mitsu realised his dreams, ambitions and aims were still in place. He could still protect the village, he could still become Hokage. But none of that could be executed within the walls of his room. Would his brothers, whom had sacrificed their lives for his safety, approve of him quietly letting his life slip away in a hazy stupor of guilt? No, he had to go outside and prove himself worse something. He would not let the world get the better of him. Curiosity burning as it would for the rest of his life, Mitsu stood, unlocking the stiff bolt lock, stepping on to the creaking floorboards. He was free.

Mitsu became quite well known in his return to life as normal; the three months before his suspension ended had gone quickly, with him constantly having his nose buried in a book, or observing something he had yet to understand. He had trained constantly, at least, until something caught his attention. The youth was like a child equipped with ADHD, nothing held his interest for particularly long; something in the outside world might seize his amazement and leave him in awe, and he would scrutinise it, before running off to something else and forgetting it. It was as if he was discovering life all over again. Whilst he was still not on great terms with his family, whom resented his cowardice, his life had began to start looking up. Perhaps this time a little more permanently.

And his training did not go to waste. Mitsu did not solely focus on his already skilful chakra abilities, but also intensely attempted to improve his physique, whiling away many the hour undergoing physical exertion. His scrawny figure had deteriorated from a lack of physical exercise and a huge dip in dietaries; it was not a good habit to live off a few meagre scraps and nothing more. Yet he could feel his body slowly strengthening to heights it had not reached before. Now, Mitsu wolfed down whatever food was placed in front of him, and he did so happily. When it was finally time for him to regain his headband, he headed to the Hokage's office, donning a somewhat formal attire, attempting to look at least decent, if not smart. Upon arrival, he spotted what he had come for, what he had gone a year without; the Shinobi's headband, the symbol of his village engraved on the steel that served as a guard to one's head. Mitsu was hardly able to conceal the grin that blossomed upon his face, but with a shock, he saw something underneath the headband. A flack jacket. With a bemused look, he turned toward the Hokage, questioning the item that was not normally handed to genin, and his inquiry was quickly given an explanation.

It so happened that a few days before Mitsu had retreated to his bedroom door after his brother's murder, his sensei had handed in his team's reports. Upon the reports, a detailed account of their latest mission; but apparently, that was not all that accompanied the letter. Also attached was a recommendation for both Takumi, his old squad teammate, and Mitsu, to be promoted to the rank of Chunin. The hokage went on to explain the decision, detailing strategic leadership abilities, determination, ambition and the like, but Mitsu had zoned out. He was a Chûnin. It was his job to lead a cell in their missions, for he was now essentially a captain, a journeyman shinobi, one step closer to achieving his ambition of being at the top of Konoha's power establishment.

Mitsu's cell, known on paper as cell number 12, progressed quite far over the next 2 years in which he was in charge of them. All three of the genin had been in a former squad, the same cell except with a different sensei. Their last teacher had been taken during a failed assassination, perhaps the disadvantage to being such a high ranking figure in the village was you were assigned the most dangerous of missions. Certainly, in his case, this had been a big disadvantage; the Shinobi had died and the mission was rendered a failure. That was a manner in which Mitsu would never allow himself to go. He was quite uncomfortable with the squad at first; the Hyuuga was chillingly cold in nature, the red haired boy whom reminded Mitsu slightly of himself in the thought of his physical puniness, and an overly reckless blond girl, whom seemed to have a knack for mischief. It was tiresome, making sure they didn't do anything too stupid. He really wasn't cut out to dealing with kids, either; why couldn't things be a little more simplistic? They seemed perhaps a little dopey, his words never quite sank in, or had the required effect.

Yet, thankfully, they were reasonably experienced, having a past sensei. They knew a fair few tricks, and they were capable of dealing with some dull C rank missions, rather than the excruciatingly boring D ranks. Mitsu thought back to his old sensei, and he knew now what it must have been like for him, guiding children through such laborious tasks. It took a while for the genin to get used to their sensei's weird personality, his eccentrics, and his insensitiveness; more than once he made the little red head burst into tears, every single time, he failed to see what he did wrong. It was only trail and error that stopped him from making the youngling cry over the same thing more than once. Just as Mitsu began to get used to the squad, however, the Chunin exams rolled in once more, and he decided that they were prepared enough to enter; whilst he would have loved to spectate, it seemed that his duties required him to be else where.

An A rank mission, the Hokage informed him; normally reserved for Jonin, but the current shortage meant that an experienced Chunin, like himself, was required. A scroll had been stolen from the archives, a scroll which contained the details of a forbidden jutsu, and how to utilise it properly; he was told no more than that as face as its contents were concerned. Supposedly, it had been taken by a small group of renegade shinobi. It was his job to dispatch them, or, at least, retrieve the scroll by whatever means required. It was the type of mission that Mitsu felt his genin would love to be assigned, but it was not for them; and if they were to pass the exams they were now undergoing, then they would no longer be his genin. They would be Chûnin of Konohagakure no Sato; maybe one day, they'd have their own cells, too. Hopefully they wouldn't be as awkward as him.

One bloody week later, Mitsu made his return, exhausted and covered in dried blood; a short dip in a lake along the way had done only a little to remove the liquid, and his clothes seemed ruined form the ordeal. It had taken him a while to track down the group, not specialising in such areas after all, but it had been a short affair once he'd encountered them. The scroll bearer had been the first to fall; he was not alone, however, and those whom had guarded him gave chase to the Chûnin. He was outnumbered, but he managed to pick them off one by one as he fled, scroll in hand, until eventually, he had fended off the remaining pair. It had not been a particularly clean affair, but it was done. He had the scroll, and, despite his burning curiosity, had not taken one peek. Reporting back to duty, he saw the Hokage smile, handing him a document. Once again, he had been promoted. To Jônin. He was nearly there. So close.

A summons to meet the council of elders was not particularly common, even among Konohagakure's elite. Mitsu had been a Jônin for two years now, and had not yet taken on another squad, although it was planned he would do so when the next group of academy students turned out. Perhaps that's what this was all about? No, he would not be called by the council for something as trivial as that. He hadn't been last time, after all. His mind flickered back to the current Hokage, the Uzumaki who sat in office. Mitsu had not seen much of him in a while, but then, the leader of the village was probably busy to levels nobody of his rank could even comprehend. Quickly straightening his uniform as to look presentable, he turned the door knob, venturing into the well furnished room where the council awaited his presence.

It was all a bit of a shock, in reality. Mitsu had dreamed of the moment time and time again, and never had he envisioned it quite like this. But what surprised him most was fact that Robin, the current third Hokage, was not aware that this meeting was taking place. Where the council deceiving him? Going behind his back and replacing him? But the fact that they wanted him, Mitsu, his replacement, to go and break the news that his seat was to be taken over as head of the village, seemed insane; when he made an inquiry as to why a new leader was required, his inquiry was waved off, the elders stating that Robin was no longer suitable for the position. This was not the graceful way in which Mitsu had dreamt in which he would become Hokage; and yet, it was real, finally. He had done it. From now on, he could protect the village, properly.

Extracted from a topic with the lovely pair Euphoria [Konoha Version] and Alex/Kyousuu.

The intense warmth of the springs had finally became a natural pleasure, the temperature no longer scalding his skin. Whilst the main purpose of the springs was to provide relaxation and relief, Saitou could find neither in the pool he was currently seated in; there was a degree of tension created by the underlying layer of awkwardness that made him feeling comfortable something that would take great leaps and bounds to achieve. Thankfully, neither of the other occupants seemed too hostile. Over his time, the Chûnin had met a large group of people one might class as insane. Usually for different reasons, but had any of them been placed into this scenario then the outcome would differ greatly to the extremes, perhaps even becoming dangerous knowing some of the lunatics in the village. "But what have you done - and I'm positive you've done something - to earn such a pleasure?" Well, at least there seemed to be no shortage in conversational topics; silence could only prove to worsen the situation, after all. With a small chuckle, Saitou replied to Ōtani-San, the one whom had presented the question toward him. In truth, the training he had undertaken may seem rigorous to the average citizen, but to any Shinobi of any rank, it wasn't particularly extraordinary. Turning to the raven haired youth, he spoke in a tone spurned from the warmths of the water and clouded by the hazy steam rising from it. "Well, Ōtani-San, I wouldn't say I've particularly earned this time of leisure. But after a day of training, there's nothing like a soak in the hot springs to heal one's aching bones; I find it a good way to unwind. It's become a recent habit of mine, perhaps not a particularly good one, but it seems I cannot resist. I'm sorry to have disturbed your reading, I know how important literature is for the mind; I do apologise for my rash actions, I was under the illusion I was alone. Foolish, I know, but I've always wanted to do that!" Saitou smirked as he finished, feeling slightly more comfortable in the company he currently kept.

Yet that too was a luxury that would soon disperse. As he spoke, he became aware of a pair of eyes scanning his features; he reddened slightly, wondering why he was the object of Kyousuu-San's intense gaze. Suddenly all feeling of relaxation dispersed once more, as Saitou attempted to calculate which direction would be the best to cast his own eyes. If he threw them downward, it might be assumed he was looking at areas that were not to be scrutinised. He couldn't look ahead of him, for he was very aware he might make extremely awkward eye contact with the pair of pupils now locked onto him. Still supporting bright red cheeks, Saitou tipped his head backwards, leaning on the tiled floor behind him as his gaze drifted skyward; he felt discombobulated, being examined so closely. An instinctive command told him to attempt to obstruct the majority of his undraped self. However, he did not want to create an even more awkward atmosphere by alerting his fellow bather to the fact he had noticed his unwavering, locked gaze. Relief spread through him as he saw the sharp jerk of a neck that meant the eyes were no longer set upon him; however, Saitou wasn't quite sure what to make of the look on his companions face. Perhaps he'd just been curious, but the Chûnin felt uncomfortable and made note to himself to make sure those pupils didn't drift anywhere that might be considered perverted to look at.

At this point, Saitou's back was tight as a bowstring, his body feeling somewhat abused. He hadn't considered the possibility of such things taking place in the hot springs; normally, he would have just simply let it go and make an effort, perhaps in vein, to forget the whole incident. But Kyousuu-San was not done. The question that Ōtani had directed at each of the teenagers had seemed harmless, and so had the beginnings of its answer; but things couldn't be so easy. Whilst Saitou had known the brunette for such a short period of time, he could clearly tell that he wasn't, well, normal. He seemed to lack understanding of social boundaries; perhaps he had just been a lonely child whom had never taken any time to learn about others and how they might react to public displays of recreated nudity and sexual matters. Whilst the Chûnin didn't have anything against those who partook in activities of that nature, nor people who were far from normal, there was a line that, when crossed, made him very ill at ease. Using jutsu to re-create such scenes... Yeah, that was pretty far over the line. The bizarre story of Kyousuu's banana episode made Saitou chuckle lightly, but rendered him completely off guard for the follow up. In a recounting riddled with 'Ki's and pauses, a tale that was probably not suitable for the ears, let alone eyes, was unfurled.

When Saitou saw just what his companion was using the years of education at the academy in the control of chakra and the utilisation of ninjutsu, he let out an inaudible noise of surprise. He wasn't sure what to make of the scenario. At least the bushins were not being used in the exact same way the humans had manipulated their bodies earlier, but no amount of 'looking on the bright side' was going to prove to lessen the impact of such a vulgar display. Saitou immediately shot out of the water, cheeks flushed red and mouth gaping wide open. One hand was outstretched, pointing at the scene as he scrambled backwards, legs crossed to stop himself from becoming too exposed. He tried to speak, to scold the youth, but all that emitted from his mouth were splutters as he shielded his eyes with his free hand; why would anybody do such a thing? Especially considering that the air was already thickened by awkwardness, this was just stepping it up to an extreme; Saitou wasn't even sure how to react. A part of him wanted to yell at this madman, to vociferate his displeasure as loudly as possible. Yet another part of his teenage mind told him that this was really not the way to go; one could quite easily establish that Kyousuu-San was not a social expert, and that he wasn't particularly usual either. No, the correct way to address this situation was to not make much of a big deal about it. The youth had now dispersed the jutsu and slid into the depths of the water, leaving only a small part of his head exposed; most likely to try and escape the embarrassment caused by his frankly insane actions.

Clearing his throat and sliding back into the water, the Chûnin turned to the partially immersed boy. He attempted to calm the raging blood surging toward his face and return himself to a less flustered state. With a slow pace and a low tone, Saitou spoke to the Shinobi whom had used his techniques in such a way that they had never been intended. The Chûnin had to take large gulps of air in order to ensure he spoke fluently, still being dumbfounded by what he'd witnessed. "Well, Tanaka-San, that sounds like... an eventful day. I have to say however, you really don't need to go into such intense detail, especially not when you're giving a visual representation of such a thing. Perhaps it might be an idea not to venture into such matters and display them, it's a bit... well, it may be considered vulgar. Not that it was intended to be, but um... yeah," Whilst Saitou wished to continue the conversation, he could think of no way to do so.

Taken from a topic with Klown and Sora.
It was a superlative day to most, those whom enjoyed and revelled in the 'glorious' rays of the sun. Saitou, however, disagreed with this general opinion, believing the sweltering heat was hampering to all those whom had to perform physical tasks daily and thus must do so in a furious sweat. Of course, the weather would never be an excuse to not partake in such activities. Training could not take a break for anything, let alone a lack of cloud cover; it appeared relatively quiet in the ground, one occupant occupied with physical exertion, the other seemingly half asleep. Resting did indeed seem like quite a leisurely pursuit, but not one that Saitou would allow himself to undertake. He was anxious to get going, being lethargic or indolent would not do for someone whom was so determined as to improve his weak self as him; whilst there was no particular hurry to do so, he was feeling surprisingly impatient. Perhaps that could be put down to the anticipation of a long bathe in the hot springs when his skill conditioning was concluded. Yet whatever his motivations, it was a form of inducement and such things could never pose a negative effect. After all, ambition and drive made one strive to excellence, and Saitou was feeling ambitious, characteristically odd for him, but an improvement from his usual idle self.

As he limbered up his honed muscles, he inhaled deeply, wondering what the others were currently doing. At the turn of his neck, to throw his gaze behind him, he saw little had changed; the young girl was still lazing about idly, the older boy engaged in some physical exercise utilising his feet. One discipline the Chûnin had never thought much of was Taijutsu; whilst the physical skills of a Shinobi were important, he had never been to adept at utilising the body art. It seemed the most brutish of all fields, whilst areas such as Ninjutsu felt graceful and finessed. The female didn't seem to have quite the idea of training, nor the purpose of this area. Of course, she was but a junior Shinobi and training was not mandatory unless ordered by a sensei; whilst Saitou was senior in rank, how a genin spent their time was none of his business. He did not need to bother himself with the day to day life of a newly graduated youth, whom appeared to be little more than a child. The Chûnin would do better to focus upon himself and his actions. After all, what did the daily life and self strengthening of two young genin have to do with, or affect in anyway, the matters of his own?

Of course, that was a question soon to be answered. Withdrawing a single kunai from a pack of over a dozen, Saitou twirled it around his index finger, one hand in his pocket as his gaze wondered slightly. He didn't have a direction in mind yet, a way to go with his day. A part of him considered following the lead of the male youth he had passed on his way in and attempting to develop his physical prowess. Yet this notion was ruled out almost as soon as it came by the knowledge that such an area was not his chosen discipline, and he would be better off expanding on his already built up skills. Depositing the kunai once more into the depths of one of his pouches, his ears caught sounds that were oddly like words one may hear spoken in a more hostile situation. It seemed that some sort of commotion had broken out, a confrontational interaction between the two younger Shinobi whom also occupied the training ground. Saitou realised that it might be necessary for him to inquire further about the scene in order to make sure nothing escalated to a point of danger. However, he wasn't entirely sure that was wise. He didn't want to seem like an idiot to these younger comrades of his by disrupting a game of ninja, or the like; it was no difficult task to imagine the other two engaging in a make believe battle 'to the death'. Yet what if the scenario was something more? It wouldn't do to ignore any malicious intent. With a single stroke of genius, Saitou turned on his heel, facing the direction in which he had last seen the girl. She was absent. He pivoted once more, now facing where he had last seen the youth lashing out with his legs; his line of sight was obscured slightly, yet he could make out two figures. The scene didn't seem particularly pleasant. Taking hold of his kunai once more, he threw it in there rough direction. There was no intent behind this action, in fact, he had aimed it exactly where it landed; the thick trunk of a tree a few meters from the pair.

Now having an excuse to traverse the ground in the direction of the two, Saitou sprinted toward them, skidding to a halt as he reached the spot where his blade had implanted itself into the firm wood of the tree. As he had neared the center of commotion, his arrival imminent, he developed a much clearer sense as to what they were saying. It really didn't seem particularly... Well, pleasant. At all. The Chûnin watched as the male discarded his kunai into a body of water; the liquid seemed to turn red, like a painter spilling ink across his work. It was obvious that the intent of the knives being thrown into the water was indeed this effect. How would the girl react to this? Was it a provocative attempt to anger her, an effort to extract a reaction from the girl whom had seemed so riled at the initial capture of the raw fish that appeared to have caused the argument. This commotion really wasn't ideal. If Saitou could have it his way, he would currently be immersed in his own training activities; not busying himself with the quarrel of two younglings. He didn't wish to have to deal with such petty matters, and yet he realised that he may have something just a tad bigger on his hands when he heard the words the older of the two spoke somewhat menacingly.

"Your hand is bleeding, you nervous young one? Ever been in a fight before now!? GET READY FOR MY BLADE!"

Did he have a complete mentalist here? This was not good; the smile he had mustered a smile that displayed a show of pure cruelty. Saitou was perplexed as to how someone so young could act such a way, so malicious and devil-like, yet he would not let the other simply taunt the young girl, whom he had realised now carried a Katana. Perhaps she wouldn't be completely defenceless against this monstrous Shinobi, but there would be no intense fighting whilst he was around. Retrieving his kunai, the youth stepped forward, placing his lanky frame betwixt those whom had begun to bicker; hopefully both were all talk. What if both were to strike out at him? No, surely that wouldn't happen; he was a senior Shinobi breaking up a fight, they wouldn't dare, and besides, he was confident in his own abilities. He could take them. Right? He felt quite reassured, standing so high above both of them. One hand held in front of him, the other clutching his kunai, Saitou spoke, brow furrowed at the male.

"You are Shinobi of Konohagakure village; you are comrades. I wish not to see you quarrel in such a manner, we respect our fellow peers and we do NOT threaten them; you would do to rethink your ideals. If everyone behaved in such a manner, the village would be in chaos. My name is Masaki, Saitou, and you will not act as such whilst I am present, nor at any other times. Tell me, what do the pair of you go by?"

As he spoke, Saitou felt an odd strength inside him; the feeling of authority. Any fear he might have harboured as to a full scale fight breaking out was now gone; in fact, some small part of him wanted that to happen, wanted them to engage each other. After all, what better way to teach the runt a lesson? No, he could not think like that. He was being stupid. Saitou would not harm another like that, it wasn't in his nature; he would break up the fight, go back to his training and keep an eye on them. Then he would be on his way. That was that; there was no need for unnecessary violence, not to mention his superiors would think him a reckless imbecile for attacking a young genin. With the authority the village had granted him came responsibility; he would not do such a thing. If it was required, Saitou would defend himself and restrain the youth. Nothing more; it would simply not do if he were to go overboard. After all, he had come here with the intention to stop any fights breaking out, not to go and start one of his own. He would have to act like the adult he nearly was.

Name: Bunshin no Jutsu • Clone Technique
Rank: E
Type: Genjutsu
Range: N/A
Medium: Optical
Element: N/A
Description: This technique creates identical clones of the user. However, they hold no actual substance and will disperse upon impact of an attack or contact with an opponent. They cannot disrupt the area around themselves with their movements; won’t kick up dust, crush grass, etc. They are simply optical illusions used to momentarily fool others.
Chakra Cost: 1CP per 5 clones

Name: Henge no Jutsu • Transformation Technique
Rank: E
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: N/A
Element: N/A
Description: This technique transforms the user’s appearance to that of another object or person. However, it is not a permanent transformation and a mental image of what they are transformed into. Certain aspects of a ninja will not change merely by transformation, these things may include injuries, tool pocket placements etc. The jutsu will dispel should the user be injured. The user does not gain the properties of their transformation (ie. horse like strength), and may only transform into something ranging between 1/2 of their regular size, to 2x their regular size. Thus one cannot transform into large creatures.
Chakra Cost: 1

Name: Kawarimi no Jutsu • Body Replacement Technique
Rank: E
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: 10 meters
Element: N/A
Description: After performing a tiger seal, this technique allows the user to alter places in a speedy manner with another nearby object. This is done mere seconds before an attack lands, thus making the attacker believe his or her attack was a success. Whatever object was used to alter places will receive the brunt of the enemy’s attack instead. The object that the user switches with must be preset somewhere else in the thread, meaning that the object must have received specific mention previously in the thread.
Chakra Cost: 2

Name: Explosive Tag: Activate
Rank: E
Type: Fuuinjutsu
Range: N/A
Element: N/A
Description: This technique allows the user to activate an explosive tag they have planted somewhere. Preferably they should be within close to mid range and visible to the user. You cannot activate another persons explosive tags unless your chakra has been channeled into them beforehand.
Chakra Cost: 1 (per 3 explosive notes)

Name: Kai • Release
Rank: D
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close (0m - 5m)
Element: N/A
Description: By stopping the flow of chakra in their body, and then applying an even stronger power to disrupt the flow of the caster's chakra; the user may dispel the effects of a genjutsu. This can also be used on another individual that is stuck in a genjutsu by preforming the necessary hand seal and then touching them, although it consumes half the chakra cost of the Genjutsu.
Chakra Cost: Cost of Genjutsu + 2CP

Name: Nawanuke no Jutsu • Escaping Skill
Rank: E
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: N/A
Element: N/A
Description: This technique allows the user to free themselves should they be tied up. It is extremely basic. Using their physical training, the user will twist and contort their body to loosen their bindings, effectively relieving themselves of the tightness of their bindings and slipping through the restraints. This technique can only be used if the user is of equal or higher rank than their captor.
Chakra Cost: 1

Name: Chozou no Jutsu • Storage Technique
Rank: E
Type: Fuuinjutsu, Supplementary
Range: Close (0m - 5m)
Element: N/A
Description: A simple jutsu that allows a ninja to seal or unseal any item, mostly weapons, from scrolls or from their body. After forming the necessary handsigns, the ninja will seal the item into a scroll etc. Scrolls can also be used as ammunition for other weapons or have other seals inside of them, which expands the number of potential tricks a shinobi can use. The items themselves are unaffected by time. Ninjutsu can also be stored in scrolls, to be released when the scroll is opened, but require another person to cast said Ninjutsu; else it cannot be sealed.
Chakra Cost: 1 to seal; 1 to unseal.

Name: Suimen Hokou no Waza • Act of Water Surface Walking
Rank: D
Type: N/A
Range: N/A
Element: NA
Description: This technique allows the user to balance themselves on water by focusing a constant and steady stream of chakra to the user’s feet or hands. Because of water’s nature, this requires the user to be quick to adjust the amount of chakra they must emit to their feet in order to maintain a constant balance. Users may also walk, run and “skate” across the water when using this technique.
Chakra Cost: 1 (1 per post)

Name: Kinobori no Waza • Act of Tree Climbing
Rank: D
Type: N/A
Range: N/A
Element: N/A
Description: This technique allows the user to balance themselves on trees and vertical walls by focusing a constant and steady stream of chakra to the user’s feet. Gravity can easy be defined if this technique is mastered, allowing people to even stand upside down. If too much chakra is exerted the user will be pushed away; bark breaking and causing the user to then fall. If not enough chakra is exerted the user will lose their footing and fall.
Chakra Cost: 1 (1 per post)

Name: Sugi Bana - After Burner
Rank: A
Type: Genjutsu
Medium: Single Target
Range: Close (0M ~ 5M) Mid (5M ~ 10M) Far (10M+)
Element: Katon
Description: After making direct contact with his opponent, the victim will feel as if he is being burned badly periodically, causing them to be unable to function unhindered by pain. The pain is an illusion and they will see flames every time they feel the burn; they may also start to feel as if their skin is irritated and itchy. The pain of the burning will feel real and the flames will also appear real; the only way to escape the jutsu is to utilise Kai, or inflict a wound.
Chakra Cost: 20

Name: Jounin Kit
Rank: A
Quantity: 1
Contents: 14 Kunai [14], 24 Shuriken [12], 15 Senbon [5], 20 Makibishi [4], 10 Exploding Notes [10], 6 Exploding Pouches [2], 6 Smoke Pellets [2], 21m String [7], 1 Windmill Shuriken [5], 1 File & Scissor [1].