After training all day with the old man to unlock his taijutsu abilities and talent, Shihouin's last leg of long training would be the stretch to learn the water element. It seemed so unlike him to try to learn how water worked at this late in his stages, and after training a slew of fire techniques as well. His level of fire release was his primary form of elemental ninjutsu, his highest way to manipulate the elements. A more fitting offensive style would require him to learn another element that was much more dangerous, something like lightning or wind that would complement his offensive style more.

However, Shihouin provided great skill in his offensive abilities and they were not all based on his elemental prowess. There was still ninjutsu, and now taijutsu, and of course genjutsu which he could use in combat. What allowed him to remain a trained and well rounded shinobi was his versatility. The ability to change between attack styles or more importantly to him, the ability to allow him to remain flexible in battle under any type of situation. "Self-proclaimed" combat specialist at such a young age had now been attained, and the flowing water element was a complete embodiment of this style of training.

The element of water and its meaning, its representation in nature was something that would add to his overall demented personality. Water could flow, or it could crash and it was shape-fitting, sound and calm, yet dangerous as any other element. The philosophy alone behind water itself was interesting alone, and in this forest there were plenty of rivers. Murky ones with dead animals like wet stone and ones with clear waters and shiny rocks which glistened as they slowly flowed around the banks of a many tree. For the forest of death, this place was calm in some parts.

"Lord Shihouin, are you ready?" Shihouin heard his name come from the right of him and he looked over in conformation. He was in some clothes with his shirt and shoes removed, stomach deep in rushing water from a river that ran down hill, which pushed the current on his body. He had his wet hands pressed together tightly, focusing his chakra on the element that surrounded him. "You may proceed." he responded.

The ANBU member with him had a scroll of old training styles which were kept tucked away in the vaults deep within the libraries of Konoha which needed at least Jounin-level clearance to access. There was nothing specific for someone Hokage level, but Shihouin figured that he would be able to learn from this specific one. The ANBU member tucked his gloved fingers around the scroll as he sat relaxed perched on a tree. He pulled and stretched the dusted scroll, cringing his mask-less face from the dust as he read. "The first step here is called the "Elemental Realization." More clearly put it's coming to the knowledge that you are now capable of realizing that you have the water element. You've already wet the chakra paper, which is a prerequisite that we've met. The next step is to manipulate water by coming up with a way that you can manipulate it yourself. This manuscript isn't written in common language, it's that old. So I'm thinking that it says you need to come up with your own way of manipulating a change in nature, with your thoughts and mind."

Shihouin nodded slightly, he understood what he had to do. The ANBU member was in ecstasy, he even had his shoes off as well. The fact that he had been permitted to take this S Rank mission of assisting the Hokage's training method was an honor enough, but Shihouin forced him to relax himself. More easier on him and the both of them.

He refocused himself, dipping his hands int he cool water, realizing the flow of the current around him. The fish, the plants, the rocks, they all felt the current in a different way he did. He could feel the wet tingle of the water as he dove a little deeper in it, relaxing his body more and more to the feel of that cool touch. Focusing his chakra into his hands he squatted low, with his hands and chin completely submerged in the crystal liquid. He envisioned his chakra flowing out rapidly forth, like a wave of power with the force of a strong current, yet tranquil and calm enough to be soft and smoothing.

His hands glowed blue from chakra activation, but no dice. His inner median chakra network had been on full blast, the results of a burning passion for fire release messing up his training. Refocus, understand the situation, he thought. Come to the realization that power isn't necessarily the fiery burning desire that you always want. Understand that ebb and flow of natures juice and come close to it. Bathe in it and feel it flowing deeply. Just like fire is apart of your burning desire to become stronger, understand that the flow of water is also the ability to wait, plan and think. To let go, and let the current flow and shape the speed and swiftness of it. He thought all these things not realizing that the quality of his mind had been previously affecting him.

It was weird to admit, but Shihouin didn't actually know how to manipulate fire release at all. The elemental arts and styles of fire were something that came to him at birth. More correctly put, he had forgotten how he'd done it. To manipulate fire, to breath like a dragon of the Uchiha, was as simple as walking or blinking or using Sharingan. He was prepared at birth. But now so more than ever, reflecting on the training and philosophy of the elements he realized his burning passion of strength also had a soft side to it. He wasn't one to put all his peas in one pot and crank up the heat. He could wait, and he could flow smoothly.

"Heh!" he muttered to himself. The chakra that surrounded his hands wasn't invisible from lack of control, but rather the clear waters that tugged it and masked it. He moved his hands up from the water and stood up straight, playing with the water that he somehow caught to his hands. "Let's move on to the next phase!"

1061

The next objective in water release training was now upon him. This was progressing the way he wanted it to. In order to make things better, he had the aid of ten shadow clones with him at this point, all capable of doing this without destroying their selves. At Kage level, one might question the waste in chakra, but Shihouin's added experience at the end of the training would matter to something more than just learning it. In a way, the shadow clones were there like glue. All that he learned would gather together and make the whole process stick and stay permanent within his mind. It was there as a fail-safe even though he knew at this point his interest level alone in water elemental would be enough to keep him in the game.

The relaxed and highly satisfied ANBU member opened the scroll up more. With the brains in ANBU, he could read the old manuscripts and translate them into common language without a pause at all. "The next step is to achieve a greater change in chakra nature, or rather to specifically manipulate water in some type of realized format. For instance, the example here is similar to the wind release training. In the wind release training you release a high amount of water chakra after focusing it within yourself first. A good example would be for everyone to create a ball of water with chakra under water and rise it forth above the water and maintain its shape." Shihouin was a bit confused. "So it means to teach me how to learn to better control my change in chakra nature by using a large amount of water? Change in form is next right." The ANBU nodded. "Leave it up to Lord Shihouin to be ahead of an ancient manuscript." Shihouin smirked softly and nodded.

He turned to the water and dunk his hand in, just like the ten copies of himself. He focused on his thoughts and training, building up the water within himself and taking his time to pattern it after his thoughts and the physical representation when he had first changed his chakra into water. Releasing it into the water, he could feel his hands push back a bit from the current, like miniature spring jets in a high class hotel washing tub. He tried to control the output of chakra through his hands to 'pick up' the water, but it was to no hope. Just like two of the clones around him, all he got was a blast of water spit in his face. Luckily the sun was cracking through the thick canopy, so the water was cooling them from the hot rays of yellow heat.

For hours they continued to try, over and over again with progress that seemed to be at a dead end. Each of the clones behind Shihouin himself thought the same thing. Already? Was this the progress of an Kage? Was this slow moving training going to be the end of him? Or did he always need to be dependent upon someone to be out in the field and teach him like the old man. No, of course not. He was an Uchiha foremost and he had the skill of a thousand Kage's and the potential of a great power beyond which his eyes could see. Yet he still felt a bit stumped and slow, things were moving... slowly.

Even though after ours they could keep the water from spitting at them, none of them could necessarily create the water in more than what looked to be an overgrown speed bump. The training was progressing badly and Shihouin along with the rest of the clones felt like they were at the tip of the tongue at this. "Is there anything left in there that we could possibly have more to go off of?" The ANBU drew the scroll again and looked for some better information. "Ah, I'm sorry here it is. Once you have come down with the basic training and you understand the way to get your chakra to change in nature to water, you need to achieve a greater transformation. This is to say that you need to understand the scope of the element." He muttered. "Good here's a bit that relates to fire release training. In fire release training you actively figure out the concepts of burning and life through realizing the flames of fire. Yet, that doesn't allow for all your fire to be hot. The deeper your desire to understand fire and to use its power, the hotter the flames. The same is for water, understand its flow and realize it, physically." Shihouin gave a slight nod. "Well that helps."

With the clones and his self showing a renewed faith and understanding they took towards more hours of developmental training. They thought the same things. To understand the power of water, to understand the flow, shape, and ebb. To realize water for its true potential and to understand the vastness of its versatility. It is no more a hostile element than it is an element that can kill. It is no more push, than it is pull, and no more yin than it is yang. Water is the power of the moon, yet the shining surviving force in the sun. And with all that realization going on they began to understand and to slowly achieve a better change in chakra nature to water.

Shihouin's clones were the first one to get it. He slowly pulled up a large basketball size of water which began to pour and seep out at the sides. It looked like humongous bubble, but with more manipulation it began to slowly change into what looked like an ambient dance of nature, with the ripples bending around the ball shape. It was far from perfect. However, the clones began to do the same thing, each one of them including Shihouin. With more training on the minute rather than the hour they all began to pick up on the water release, each holding a large ball of water the size of their chest in width and from their chin to the water itself. Shihouin smiled, releasing the jutsu and barked. "Next!"

1041

Halfway there and this time he kept out twice as many clones as last time. With his first change in chakra nature down, he could at least take his skills to his desk and figure out an elemental form of training and apply it to his jutsu that way. Water was an element he didn't have much skill with practically, so it would be something new that he could add to his combat ability. Ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, katon, doton, and now suiton to top it off made him more well-rounded than he thought it he would be. Even now he was already thinking of ways to add suiton into his combat.

This time he was forced out to the bank of the water into a thinner part of the Forest of Death were there was not a good amount of moisture. Normally the training would separate this into being a harder ability after training without water first. Shihouin knew that he had the skill level to completely skip this part and his ANBU had no obligations as well. In this forest dry heat, the air tasted like paste as the skin felt thicker and harder to bend here. The sweat off his back trickled down quickly to cover himself in cooling liquids, but it didn't do much to hydrate him enough so he could relax.

Luckily there were a few shade spots for the ANBU which he quickly took too, sitting in the corner of the dark trees as he overlooked his Hokage out in the center of the heat. "We've already covered the basic and advanced skills you need." He unrolled the scroll once again and went past his last marker. "You picked this training for a reason because you figured that it would give you better results. Here's how it is different from normal training. At this stage, you want to pull water from everything conceivable, or imagine trying to. In a sense, you want to tap into waters 'dark side.' Instead of giving life, you want to envision taking it by force and not giving it back, using the nature itself around you and even the air at all times. Rob it of its water and discard it. No longer life, but death. When you use your water release you want to note that trees and grass die. Note that even the air becomes dry." Shihouin nodded. "Good good, that's what I had in store. Depending on the battle I can use my water release to enhance my fire release and make myself that more dangerous. In a forest setting I can use suiton and pull from nature and then use something like Enyrujin and beef up the burning power of the technique to make it stronger." The ANBU nodded and tacked on. "Which makes earth release a lot more easier if there isn't muddy footing or thick roots in the air. You've picked great offensive and defensive possibilities for yourself Lord Shihouin."

After their short chat, Shihouin dove right into to training. If one was able to manipulate moisture to pull out water from the air itself, he knew it would be easier to pull it from some areas which already contained water. Trees, grass and other plants which were near some of the shade areas of the heat-clearing that he was in. His clones moved, half of them remained in the heat to practice suiton without water along with him, and the other half remained in the shaded areas attempting to pull moisture from things containing it.

At this rate, the training was moving faster than he thought it was. After the first few tries the clones near the shade began to produce an obvious pull motion with the trees. The leaves and branches would shake and bend under the attracting forces, and the clones that were in the sun could gather tiny mist balls that were no larger than half a cup full of water. The concept behind this level of destructive training was great and he was catching on to it.

One of the clones after a few hours was able to completely pull water from a leaf branch, leaving the entire branch and tree dry and crackling under the pressure of even faint winds. The water he pulled wasn't exactly pure or water-like, but it was definitely water at the end of the day. Enough water to form a good two or three needles which he could use in battle, or enough with some good shape manipulation to hurl off as a kunai.

The hours continued, one after another until the clones in the shade and the clones in the sun were able to pull water out of thin air it seemed, manipulate it into various shapes and sizes. Water release seemed to be the more easier elements to manipulate into different forms, definitely easier than fire and similar to earth in some ways. They all practiced different forms of shape manipulation since elemental manipulation of water seemed to be the most easiest aspect. Before they knew it, they had spread out farther than before, and the range of the forest had been reduced to nothing but death. Trees were withered and grass shrunk and crunched under their feet. The air was considerably hotter than before, enough that animals or bugs did not cross into it. With this training on top of one another and the accumulated experience for each one of them, Shihouin dispersed the clones. Of course the fatigue hit hard, but he was ready to move on to the next and final lesson. With only a little bit more training to go and a spar to fight in, Shihouin could now call himself a water release user and join the ranks of those who specialized in elements.

967

So after all this training the final test had come down to this. To be able to put all the previous practice to use and use Suiton release in an actual fight. Since he had dropped all the previous clones and gathered them for their experience, Shihouin felt he was skilled enough to do combat now. With his current skill level he could pull of more water release techniques than he thought possible by using some of the basis for his fire and earth ones in the same manner. For instance, the objective behind the Goukakyuu technique could easily be applied to Suiton.

For now they had moved to an area thick and full of forest life and vegetation. No animals had dared bothered them at this point, due to Sharingan and the tremendous aura and chakra output that the both of them could easily release. The ANBU had been a few notches below Shihouin's own level but was capable of putting up a good fight. It was a shame too that such talent had been hidden deep within The Foundation, which he couldn't reach into all the time. With both of them prepared to engage in active combat, they positioned themselves 10 meters apart and locked forms in combat.

The ANBU member spoke up. "The last part of training is to be able to use Suiton effectively in combat. You've achieved enough skill to pull off some moves, but you don't know any actual techniques at all. However, I don't actually expect you to use Suiton here in this fight. The instructions don't necessarily say that." Shihouin was a bit confused. "Then the purpose for training all of that before was to get me ready for combat? Training for that moment when I will need it?" The ANBU member shook his head in agreement. "Exactly. You will battle me who uses Suiton primarily and understand the way water works in battle. Just like when you could use genjutsu and then taijutsu. You realize how you can supplement all of your other skills more now that you have it available to you. Ready?" Shihouin flicked his fingers. "Come."

10 meters apart. ANBU vs Hokage. Suiton vs Katon. Ninjutsu vs Ninjutsu. Shihouin opened sharingan straight off the bat and dashed towards his opponent. Each barefoot seemed to barely hit the ground as he rushed over the distance, covering a multitude of ground with jutsu his barefeet and speed alone. Now more than ever he was definitely faster and had more control over his body. At the 5 meter mark, his opponent counteredd with ninjutsu, holding his stance and ejecting a pure volume of water out of his face, similar to Goukakyuu. "Suiton: Mizurappa!"

The flowing mass of water rushed out at him like the name implied, but Shihouin's counter hat not been his speed, but Sharingan. The moment before he could exhale the technique, Shihouin dodged to the left, putting him out of the range of the technique just barely. He could feel the flowing mist around his naked top half, and the water which easily could have reached him if he wasn't prepared. The 'chakra' covered his dominant hand, as Shihouin closed in for the measly few meters that were still left between him and his opponent who had dedicated himself to his move-set.

Before he could actually trust his hand down on his opponent, he noticed that he had not decided to move. Taking advantage of his immobility, Shihouin thrust Enryu towards him, and his opponent countered. His body seemed to turn into liquid, covering Shihouin in a wave of heavy liquid. Before he could realize what had happened, a hand and a scream cried out. "Suiton: Suirou no Jutsu!!" The clone from the water replacement technique dispersed and rushed over his body, and a hand from behind him materialized along with some mist making it impossible to see. Caught up in the technique, Shihouin's Sharingan had trouble seeing his way out.

Without silence and from a good distance, the originator of the technique was obviously on the move, but however suiton allowed him the versatility Shihouin so obviously lacked. With the water being easier to use for killing trapped opponent's Shihouin's obvious defense method was none other than his own technique. He didn't need hand signs or anything, raw chakra manipulating by pressing his hands together. A shock wave burst out in the water, pushing the waves out to the outermost edge of the ball, stretching the entire sphere he was trapped in.

It seemed like the water was bubbling... no boiling for a second, before the chakra flow calmed rapidly and then expanded upon itself rapidly as if the force was multiplying by each meter. A super sonic whistling raced out like jet streaking across the sky as the sphere burst into nothing but mist. The mist the opponent used and the clone were dispersed in the shock wave and didn't stop there. The ground cracked under the pressure of the fire and the weak trees were reduced to smoldering kindle or worse, along with all the moisture in the air around him. Luckily, his ANBU member had replaced again, or suffer getting caught up in the attack. After the blaze settled for a few minutes, the ANBU member crept slowly into the destroyed area. "I can no longer use my Suiton, but I think now we can call it quits."

Shihouin stood calmly in the area and gripped his hand flowing a bit of water chakra to it. "Yeah, thanks. I'll have to switch up my tactics, but I can mix my Water Release and then my Earth Release interchangeably. For instance, using Water Release and Earth Release to make something like Enryujin that much more powerful. I can uproot and loosen debris to make myself untouchable or to force my opponent to guard or to retreat, and in doing so I can attack with shadow clones and close the battle. I'll have to find another plan to get my opponent to substitute quicker though. Thanks for helping me, everything you gave me is greatly appreciated."

[End training]

Approved water release!

[Topic Completed]-Archived