Sharpening the Mind [Training, Solo]

Yudai was sitting in his old apartment, wearing the typical ANBU vest and black undergarments. He held his mask gently in his hands, brushing his fingers over the material. He mouthed a word quietly under his breath, saying it ever so softly, “Saru.” It had been the name of the mask he was given, and his code name on secret documents and missions he received. It was the only way to protect his identity on paper, even if he wasn’t required to wear the mask in the field.

A knock on the door had interrupted his train of thought, and Yudai offered his guest entrance to his home. “Door’s open,” he said. Another ANBU member, who he was unfamiliar with, had entered with a red scroll in her hand. She approached, and handed the scroll before turning quickly. Yudai was never a fan of those who didn’t respect his seniority within the organization, “What, not even a kiss good bye,” he joked.

With that, the female member took off her mask, revealing a beautiful kunoichi. She took a few steps, closing the distance between the two ninja, and gently placed her lips on his cheek. “Don’t ruin your streak,” she whispered into his ear, caressing his face with her hand, “this will be one of your toughest yet.” With that, she placed her mask back on, and pulled up a piece of fabric to cover up her mouth, and rushed out the door.

Yudai began to unroll the scroll, wondering what his latest mission was to be. It was typical to receive orders from the Kage or the Sultan, and the mark on the seal was customary of their high office. Apparently a noble had begun to start practicing some underground activities, selling illicit goods in the marketplace, and using the profits to fund covert affairs. However, this would be more fun than just the usual capturing of nobles and bringing them to the Kage. The orders dictated a complete destruction of the noble’s home, and the assassination of all related personnel. To say the least this noble must have really screwed up.

That night, he was sitting on top of a building, his feet dangling over the edge, looking down at the noble’s estate. The quick breeze past his face meant the rest of his squad was behind him, Takato, Izumi, and Rikudo. All of them were dressed in their combat vests, black coverings, and to his liking, Izumi had pulled her hair back, and was looking quite good in her uniform. He got up from his stoop and gave a nod, meaning he was ready to move out, and silently following their leader, the team dashed into the shadows towards the noble’s dwelling.

They had already climbed the wall, taking out two guards quickly and quietly, ditching their bodies underneath the brush, and continued down a series of corridors. Winding all around the house, they had finally reached the doorway to the master bedroom. Yudai had placed his hand on the doorway, and pushed it open, only to find it empty, with no sign of anything misplaced.
“Yudai!” Izumi screamed.

Their fearless leader, always cool and thinking, had turned around to the most horrifying of sights. His squad was grappled by guards, who clearly had outnumbered them and had them captured, and the guards were continuing to close in on him. He held up his fists, ready to strike only as the guards were ordered to stop their advances, “Now, now, you should have let me know you were coming over. I don’t do well with unexpected guests.” From behind the rest of his squad, a little man, no taller than five feet, had spoken in the most annoying tone. Guards stood at either side of him, making it impossible for Yudai to make a move.

“I wish your Kage had just come to talk to me. It would have been much easier just slitting his throat, but now I have to go through the trouble of sending him a message that is both bold and concise,” he laughed. “You seem to be like a good errand boy I think,” pointing at Yudai. By this time the guards had restrained him, and no option seemed like a good one. “You can report back to your Kage what happens when you come to kill me. Get rid of his squad mates, and throw this one out into the streets, but make sure he sees every drop of blood spilled.”

As the noble exited the room, the guards took their swords and sliced the necks of his companions, first Takato, and then Rikudo. The two men now lay on the floor, surrounded in their own blood. Izumi had managed to bite the hand of the guard who was muffling her and managed to say, “Captain Yudai!” only to be silenced forever. The entire room seemed to fade to black as she fell to the floor, and the guards were captivated by their achievements.


Yudai seemed to have awaken from the worst dream of his lifetime, viewing a story that he never could have thought imaginable, but shaked him from the very core. He looked around him, only to find the smooth walls of the underground oasis, and Omi, a former member of the ANBU. The young Kage was breathing heavily, and grasped the chair he had been sitting on tightly. “What did I just witness?” he asked.

Omi had just sat there, grinning a bit at his former colleague, “That my friend, is the power of one of the weakest genjutsu in my arsenal. Since you were so taken back, let me just give you the refresher of why you are here. You asked me to teach you genjutsu, and the best way to learn is to experience it, counter it, and then develop your own techniques.” He had moved in the room, grabbing for a glass of water to quench his mouth before returning to his speech. “You just underwent what we call the Demon Hell Viewing Technique. Now you know why we gave it that name.”

Genjutsu Training
WC: 1018/3000

“So you’re telling me that was a genjutsu? It seemed so real, like it was actually happening to me,” the young Kage said. The entire time, even though he hadn’t been a ANBU Captain for about 7 months, he felt as though he was right there with his squad, as if it was real. Without someone telling him that it was a mind technique, he would have truly believed that it was part of his past, a nightmare that had gone completely wrong.

“Yes, and now my lord, I think you see how powerful genjutsu can be. While taijutsu and ninjutsu are full of flair and can be physically devastating, genjutsu is able to disable your opponent from within, and prevent them from even making a move.” By this time the two sat down at a table, and the wiser ninja had brought Yudai a drink from his chill chest. The master of illusions continued to try and provide helpful insight to the Kage, “If you are able to master the art of illusions, there is no telling what new powers you may ascend to. I know it is difficult and not exactly the kind of training you are used to, but this will make it much easier for you to learn different techniques and be able to counter other techniques if you fall prey to them.”

These words seemed difficult to comprehend for Yudai. He knew that this new style of jutsu would help to augment his already existing powers, but it sounded as if his old friend thought that he could gain powers even further with this new style. Whatever the case may be, he figured he should at least indulge him and agree, hoping that he would soon be able to start learning some practical techniques. By attaining genjutsu, Yudai could be a long range terror, something that many ninja would not be accustom to fighting against him.

During this time, Omi had gotten up from his seat, setting his drink down, and went upstairs. After a few minutes, he had returned to the table with his son, a Genin by the name of Hirosuke. As the teen sat down in the chair, Omi began to speak, “Since both of you have about the same experience with genjutsu, I figured you two could train with each other. The rules of this challenge are simple, you can only use genjutsu techniques that you know how to use, and you may not stand up from the chair, or attempt to strike or interfere with your opponent in any way. How does that sound?” he asked.

The Kouyakage felt a bit bad for the child, as he did not want to overwhelm him with his large reserves of chakra, but at the same time, he felt a bit underestimated by the fact that he was going against a mere student. However, being one to never back down, he offered his response, “Your terms are fine Omi, let us begin the challenge.” Hirosuke gave a simple head nod in affirmation of the challenge, and the two scuffled in their chairs before looking at each other across the table.

The two sinobi, ready for their challenge in wits, closed their eyes, awaiting instructions from their sensei, “On the count of three, both of you should lock eyes with your opponent, and attempt to put them under your jutsu. I hope both of you are ready. One, two, three!” he cried. Their eyes, now wide open, looked straight through each other in a heated stare. Each one was trying so very hard to warp their illusion around their opponent. It was so heated, that Yudai heart rate began to beat faster, and his muscles tightened in the chair.

Before he knew it, his mind started to drift, back to his first day at work as the Kouyakage. He had taken off the ANBU coat and vest that was issued to him, hung it inside the closet, and tucked his now retired mask on a shelf. Replacing his clothes would be his new and more formal attire, a long white coat, and the traditional hat marked with the kanji of his village. He buttoned up his robes, and placed his hat on his desk before sitting down in his cushioned chair. Looking around, Yudai had remembered that his scrolls needed to be delivered to cover his shelves, and that he needed a couch to really complete the space.

His two elder adviser and liaisons to the sultanate had entered his office, a little bit early for Yudai’s liking, and began to work out the finer details of the village and the secrets that had been kept by the previous Kage. However, the conversation seemed to take an intense turn as the elders began asking more serious questions, “Lord Yudai, do you think this is some sort of joke? The last Kouyakage was thrown out by the sultan for not being able to provide the security necessary for the village’s safety. If you don’t act now you’ll look...”

He had to interrupt now, “I’ll look conceited, unappreciative, as if I do not care for the sultan. However, if I was concerned with what the sultan thought, I would have all of our shinobi down in the marketplace, protecting all of the nobles, escorting every merchant and their goods, and having our forces make an appearance of looking strong. You know as well as I do that this strategy would protect no one but the royal family.” The two elders began to rub their chins and scratch their heads, attempting to find the point of his argument.

“Instead, I will be sending our ninja out on missions that allow us to protect the common good. I’m in the market for preventative measures rather than reacting to petty theft. Let the sultan worry about the boy who steals an apple, let us worry about the squads that come for his head.” The two elders had agreed with him, and began to bow most gratefully in respect, but their disagreement did not stop there.

Unfortunately for the trio, a quick gust in the air, and the brief dimming of the lights only sounded trouble. Yudai looked behind him, hoping to find the source of the problem, only to turn back to the advisers, finding them detained by a squadron of guards. These guards seemed quite familiar to the Kage, but he couldn’t quite place them. “I hope your Master has sent more than four guards to dispatch of me in my office. You’re all fools if you think you can take me.”

From outside of his office, among the hallway, he could hear the familiar snickers of a pompous lord. The slight crinkle in the floorboards and the scrunching of fabric was heard with each step as he approached the doorway. The familiar hat and robes were clearly recognized as the small lord waddled his way past the door and into Yudai’s office, centering himself among his captives.
Yudai clearly knew this man as the lord who he had tried to assassinate before, the same one who had ordered the execution of three of his closest comrades and allies. Among his snickering, he began his speech, “And so, we find ourselves in a familiar position, do we not Lord Kage? If I do remember correctly, you had tried to have me killed before, and did so quite unsuccessfully. I hope you don’t blame me for what happened to those other operatives, I simply needed them gone, and I needed you to deliver a message.”

Yudai would not still silent, “What you did was tyrannical and treacherous. You’re days of feeding off of this village in order to help our enemies ends today.” This only led to more snickering followed by a quick gesture of his hands. The set of guards unsheathed their swords, and stabbed both of the advisers through the stomach before running to their escape. However, before their master could leave he called out behind him, “Better luck next time,” he laughed.

His two advisers, both tenured and wise men that were to help him on his path to leading the village now lay on the ground, slowly losing their blood to the cold hard floor. He collapsed near one of them, hoping to comfort him in his last moments, only to hear his final words ever so faintly. “Protect, the village,” he whispered. His breath began to grow weak, and his pulse had been difficult to detect, until everything in that office stopped. Yudai simply stood up in awe of these moments, and was couldn’t seem to move himself from his position.

It was this very paralysis that triggered him out of his thoughts and back to reality. This scene had never happened, and if it did, Yudai would have clearly called in his ANBU forces and chased after the fleeing noble man. These false scenes had to have been placed by Hirosuke, and he realized this meant his defeat in the challenge. He needed to get out of this trap quickly, and tried to recall how to counter this technique. He placed his hands together, in an attempt to regain control of his chakra flow. He closed his eyes, and focused his mind, before saying to himself, “Kai.”

As he opened his eyes, he was now back in Omi’s home, sitting across from the Genin who had bested him in this challenge. The teenager was grinning from ear to ear; boasting that he had won in this competition of wits, and his father had come behind him and gave him a few pats on the back. “Are you eager for another chance to prove yourself Yudai? If I remember right, you’re not one to give up so easily after a loss.”

This was true. When Yudai lost, it only urged him to try harder to win. It was once said that he had challenged a Jounin thirty times before he finally won, mostly due to the senior ninja being fatigued, but he did not rest until he was able to defeat him. “Of course! I hope you’re ready Hirosuke, I won’t go down so easily.” After a quick drink of water from their glasses, they soon readied themselves and began their long eye stare. Each one was eager to take victory, and to show their abilities off to their respected friend, whether that be a colleague or a father.

However, it was this time that Yudai was able to initiate his technique. Slowly but surely, Hirosuke’s eyes had begun to shut and grow ever calmer. His face had begun to relax, and it seemed as if he forgot entirely about his true goal. Over time, his heart rate grew slower, and his breathing had become much more rhythmic and effortless. It was clear his technique had really taken hold as the boy’s face began to change as if reacting to fear. Soon he cringed, scared of what the visions he was seeing in his mind, and pulled in his legs only to grasp them tightly with his arms. It was at this point, that Omi had given a gentle nod to Yudai, urging him to stop the technique. The Kouyakage was sure that the senior shinobi did not want to see his son ridden with such fright.

Yudai had gotten up from his chair, and placed a hand gently on the boy’s shoulder. His other hand had formed a hand seal, and once again, had mouthed under his breath, “Kai.” Hirosuke, realizing he had awoken from a terrible sight, was startled a bit after he opened his eyes, but soon realized his loss in the challenge. He looked admirably at his Kage, even though he was disappointed he had lost in this round. Among the trio, Omi was very most pleased, seeing both of his students excel at their techniques. “Do we think a tie breaker is in order?” he joked.

With Omi’s prodding, both Yudai and Hirosuke were eager to try and have one last chance to prove themselves. In one final round, they both went back and forth, only to find that Yudai would prevail once again. He had been quite happy with the knowledge he had learned, and the technique that his mentor had taught him. However there is one thing that seemed to tickle his mind.

“Hirosuke, do you mind sharing what you saw in the illusion?” Yudai asked. Although the technique was the Demon Hell Viewing technique, he wasn’t aware of the sights and scenes that the individual under his control was witnessing. Maybe he was supposed to be, or that he should have been capable of, but that was for another day and another teaching by Omi.

The boy had gulped before answering the question, “I saw myself, up in the canyon overlooking the village, but something was wrong with Yokuchigakure. Buildings were on fire, and shinobi were fighting one another within the city. All the while I couldn’t move, and I couldn’t join the fight to protect this place. I guess my fear is not being able to help the village.”

How interesting, Yudai thought, the fear of this young boy with his entire life in front of him was that he wasn’t able to provide for the village, and his fear had been that he couldn’t protect those who were closet to him as well. The similarities between these two ninja were remarkable. Among their differences in experience, missions, memories, and abilities, both Yudai and Hirosuke shared the same fear. They may not be strong enough for when the time comes.

Omi was not the biggest fan of awkward situations, and the resulting silence was too much for him to bare. “Well, it’s almost halfway through the afternoon, and I’m sure you have things to take care of back at your office my lord. I think Hirosuke and I will take an afternoon among the marketplace while we still have the chance. If you’ll excuse us,” he said, taking his boy with him up the stairs.

Yudai had seen himself out of the home, and begun to make his way towards the surface. He had just hoped that his training today had been enough to get him started. He had practiced ninjutsu and taijutsu for many years, mastering the inner workings and details of most techniques, knowing them so well he could act on them without thinking. He could not say the same however for genjutsu. To him, the art of illusions was very different to his flashy and aggressive style of fighting, and instead relied on misinformation, confusion, and deception.

Yet, he knew that this new found power also held great promise. With a simple stare, or the swift movement of a finger, he could hold an entire group of shinobi in the palm of his hand. What had been the simplest of jutsu had brought a young shinobi into such a fright, quivering with inaction and indecision. As he walked, he thought to himself, imagine what he could do to an entire squad of shinobi, if he continued at this art.

WC: 3545/3500
Genjutsu: Nothing to D-Rank (3000 Words)
Training for Demon Hell Viewing Technique (500 Words)

On his way back home, Yudai figured he might test his new found abilities on another shinobi. Fortunately for him, on his way back up to the surface and his office, he saw a small child headed his way. He thought it might be a bit cruel to use the Hell Viewing Technique on such a small child, but he needed some way of proving himself. Maybe he would try to mask something in the area.

On a nearby table sat an entire stack of apples, and so he thought he would use his genjutsu to mask the presence of this pile. It took him a second to focus his chakra, but he believed he had managed to conceal the pile within his technique. He went up to the small boy and asked, “Excuse me sir, do you know how much it costs to purchase one of those apples over there,” he said, pointing towards the apples.

The kid started laughing at him, which he didn’t appreciate, and said to him, “Old man, you’re crazy. There aren’t any apples on that table.” It was really Yudai who should be laughing, as he walked away from the table. He had truly fooled the child, and it was funny to see his reaction as he dispelled the technique. The boy had coming looking for him but was too late, as Yudai made his way back towards his office.

WC: 3545+236 = 3781 Words

After a few days of toying with his simple genjutsu techniques that he had learned, Yudai grew more and more eager to continue his training. Simply fooling the children of the village by concealing objects or making imaginary objects seem real had been a good way to pass the time, but it would not due for battle. The possibilities that illusions could provide him in battle seemed endless, but he needed to continue his training in order to access more powerful maneuvers. He would just have to hope that it would be something more difficult than mind sparring with his teacher’s son, Hirosuke.

Yudai had descended underneath the village to the underground oasis, looking for the apartment of his sensei, Master Omi. Underneath the sands, the buildings were carved into the rocks of the cavern, and were colored by the reflective hue of the waters. Things seemed very active here today, with the sounds of conversations echoing throughout the walls of the chamber. As he wound his way around the crooked streets, he finally found the home of Omi and Hirosuke. With a few knocks onto the door of their home, he heard the familiar voice of his old friend saying, “Come In.”

He put his hand on the door as he let himself in, finding the senior soldier and his boy sitting in what was their living room. Two white fabric couches sat nestled together in the corner of the room, along with a wooden end table and a small potted desert palm. Yudai stood in the room and calmly spoke to his mentor, holding back his anticipation, “Master Omi, I have done a lot of thinking over the brief lesson I had the other day. I’m very interested in continuing my training of genjutsu to a higher and more lethal level. What kind of training should I do to further develop my skills?” he asked.

Master Omi began to scratch his head in thought, before coming upon the answer. “My Kage, you are one of the bravest warriors we have ever had. Strong, loyal, and triumphant like the lion, but there is another aspect of the shinobi that we must develop if you are to further your abilities. Ninja must also be cunning, strategic, and deceptive like the fox. Therefore, we must develop your mind to the level of your physical strength, and then a great power shall be awakened. Let all fear the day when you reach that kind of power.”

The Kouyakage did like the sound of that. His old colleague had envisioned a day where he would ascend into a new class of shinobi, revered on an international stage. It had been his goal to rise above his ancestors and demonstrate the world his capabilities. The entire village was supporting him so that he could lead the village into a new era, and raise the army that they so desperately needed. If he was not as mentally strong as Master Omi had alluded to, how could he train and mentor the next class of shinobi.

“I will warn you though; my training that I have prepared for you is quite difficult. It’s not impossible, but many people have needed to request my assistance, and were not able to get to the end. At any time, if you wish to give up, simply whistle and I will stop the training and take you back to the entrance of the grounds. However, if you do not make it to the end of the training, I cannot allow you to return to the training grounds, ever. The final chamber contains secrets that are only for the eyes of those who have made it through once. Should you prove successful in your endeavor, I will then meet you in the final chamber and reveal you the secrets of the room.”

The way the lesson was outlined had caused a bit of anxiety inside Yudai. Should he be unable to overcome all of the challenges he would never know what his reward would be at the end. However, fearless like the lion that he was praised to be, he would never back down from such a challenge. “I accept your terms sensei. As you know, I’m not one for backing down when the stakes are high.” His quick remarks had even gotten a chuckle out of Omi, as his sensei knew this very well.

“Well, I suppose I should describe the challenges now for you.” He pulled from his pocket a piece of parchment that had been rolled up. Clutching it firmly, Yudai accepted the small gift from his teacher, and unraveled it in his hands. Sketched on the worn paper was a sketch of the area surrounding the house, what he could make up as some of the older streets of the underground oasis, and a clear “X,” what he could only assume to be his next destination. Taking it, he rerolled the map and placed it within the folds of this clothing.

“Shall we?” Master Omi asked. He gave a quick farewell to his child, before giving him a list of chores for the day, and the pair set off across the underground oasis. Weaving through the older streets, indicated on his map, they eventually reached the end of the cavernous enclosure. Two stone pillars had been carved out, with a small opening left in between, and two unlit torches were left in holsters along the walls. He grabbed one, and using a small fire jutsu, spit out an ember into the kindling, bringing light to the darkened room.

The torchlight had revealed a long hallway with sandstone bricks covering the walls. The hallway had seemed endless, but Master Omi had urged him to continue on. “This is the right way, don’t worry. Your test has not begun just yet.” Finally, the hall had opened into a large opening room, with carved pillars extending to the thirty foot ceiling. All along the walls were inscriptions and depictions of people or past events, from what Yudai could interpret. He would have asked a question, but Omi beat him to it. “Lord Kouyakage, welcome to the Cave of Wonders.”

WC: 1029