The flicker of life in the Kirigakure's fingers earned the genin's attention with a sense of immediacy, though he scarcely had time to steal a glimpse of the sign before she struck like a bolt to appear as an ominous presence at his back. Koma failed to flinch in the woman's presence, scrutiny vague in his eyes as the mild rest of his lips hint toward a frown, disapproval adding some scarce trace of weight to the corners of his mouth.[break][break]
Unlike Seiichi, the genin was not content to have the strange woman positioned in his blind spot, and though he sense no malicious intent in the woman's presence, he saw no reason to humor such a bold request. Near as soon as she'd arrived, the boy disappeared with a splash - sandals kicking to the river rock to try and shoot him aside a ways, hoping to afford some distance between himself and the Hidden Mist jonin.[break][break]
He had an answer for her, likely as simple as the ones afforded Seiichi, but given the man's approach Koma opt to hold his tongue. What question slipped into his stare was slight, the hint of disagreement to threaten a furrow at his brows smoothed away as he followed the towering figure's steps with his eyes. The man had already expressed disapproval in some aspect of the reply given him, and Koma was not keen to let the bear-like man within arm's length of himself.[break][break]
The boy was on defense, taking measure of just how far the man's reach might extend if he exert himself. He wouldn't allow him in near enough to land an attack.[break][break]
Koma's foot edged back in preparation as Seiichi drew near. He was ready to flee, and with what welcome he had received seeming to disperse under the pressure of suspicion to permeate the air, he proved less than approving of the jonin simply stepping forward to stand himself before him.[break][break]
Before the man could move to offer a strike, Koma had dart off, steps skating at an angle along the riverbed to purchase some distance from the tower-like shinobi.[break][break]
"For him."[break][break]
The answer to Makoto's question finally came, the splash of his retreat settling to reveal his being crouched over the water. He looked ready to spring himself away at any moment, not yet electing to flee entirely from the scene. His eyes didn't leave Seiichi, gaze fixed toward him in an effort to gauge whether or not he might give chase. If he did, the smaller shinobi was sure to make a break for it.[break][break]
"I thought he might be a master of taijutsu. And I wished to learn something."[break][break]
Despite the foreboding weight of the tension in the air, Koma had lost none of his calm. Though he kept his distance, fear failed to flicker in his eyes, what focus they offered rendered distant by the aloof nature of his gaze.
Whatever the kid's motives were, he had some decent instincts to get out of the way when pinned between two monsters. Pretty good reflexes too, seeing how he distanced himself from Seiichi before he was knocked out cold. Luckily, Makoto didn't plan on hounding the genin much further than her initial approach, standing back to watch fun with a humored curl to her lips.
After the genin insisted he was after Seiichi, the kunoichi stifled a laugh. "Heh. No kiddin'." So he really was an admirer then? Wow. Talk about creepy. Makoto still had her doubts of course, but she had no urgency to press for answers. Passing a sly grin toward the Cloud ninja, she instead commented playfully, "Give 'im a break. Looks like he'll wet himself if ya try that again."
Words spoken just loud enough for Koma to catch.
Acting all too coy after that remark, the Inuzuka aimed her amused sights back at the genin and cocked a grin. "Ohhh, he's a master alright. If ya think knockin' yer head against some rocks makes ya strong, then ya found the best master in the world!" She jabbed a thumb in the Cloud ninja's direction as she gave that mocking praise, unable to contain her enthusiasm. Obviously Makoto was the best choice to advertise Seiichi's talents, given their storied history. "Yeah, the big muscles might look impressive but he's not so scary when ya get 'im surrounded from all sides ," she added with a crack of her knuckles.
[attr="class","APP3"]The jounin felt no obligation to chase the moment Koma sprung to life at their actions, his advance to end abruptly. He was alert, to say the least, and was a proud enough owner of his own senses to not stay in one place too long. Makoto's sudden intrusion of his personal space had signaled off one flag and the deathly tension further propagated by the large steps of Seiichi's natural gait was to raise another. The jounin watched for footwork and looked to the boys undeveloped shoulders, measuring those actions as if he were attempting to predict his next movement. It was a talent he had developed over time as he had always been the purveyor of battles and, naturally, had been in quite the number of them. It was becoming clear that the boy meant to run off if he felt pressured any further, which in itself was a fair response -- but ultimately futile if either of the vetted shinobi felt lusted for the hunt.
Seiichi shot a glance to Makoto, her opinion having the most value considering the decades their exchanges had crossed. There had always been tension and conflict between their nations and, in that time, they had both witnessed their growth as individuals; funnily, this had been the closest he had ever gotten in praise from the kunoichi, despite another quip to follow as surely as the sun was to rise in the east and set in the west. There was no doubting that Seiichi, as commanding as his presence was on the field, also looked for trouble as he slipped deeper than he ought to when lines were drawn by the enemy. Still, with no lost of limb or life, he found his way out of those situations.
". . ."
He took a breath. It was languid and without hurry, his broad chest to expand as he remained where he stood. "Your breathing is poor." He mentioned after a while, a curious thing to point out. However, to truly understand taijutsu, one needed an understanding of elements that supported it-- it was, indeed, more than just punching rocks harder. His stance loosened and his attention remained focus on Koma, who was crouched. "Relieve your tension. It has no place in what I'm about to tell you." Then another breath followed.
Then his hands moved before him. There was an ornateness to their movement, a fluidity that seemed alien to his large and bulky frame.
Slowly and with purpose, acting as if they brought the air in and guided it to his core, sinking to the level of his abdomen before rising and performing those steps in reverse as he exhaled. "It takes finer things to control rougher things," he broke his silence. "Do as I did -- the same to you, Makoto, it may keep you from rotting further on the inside." If they obliged his free lesson, he would perform the steps once again. "It is air that controls the fire and it is air that shapes the earth-- the finer thing over the rougher thing." He brought his lesson around to where it began. "Learning to control this air will teach you to control your flow of power. You'll recover faster. You'll strike harder." There was no truer manner for him to speak, as he spoke from his very own experience. Regardless of form, it was the development of this 'internal power' that improved one's martial art.
"Develop this. When you do, you may find me again."
Last Edit: Sept 16, 2021 3:13:57 GMT by Seiichi Koji
Koma was keeping both of them in his sights, and he was offering no room for an easy approach. Thankfully, it seemed the woman was content to let him scuttle off, and the hornless oni too halt his steps with the boy's retreat. Despite the distance he'd managed to claim, his guard remained in tact, even with the jovial tone of the woman just ahead of him.[break][break]
The cruel nature of her encouragement saw a glance from the boy, the impassive nature found in his relaxed features near the complete opposite of the amused smile to pull at the woman's lips. The jab, either to his age or apparent cowardice, found no purchase upon his ears. She was having fun, or as much as she could between an apathetic pebble and the craggy mountain of the Cloud shinobi, and while Koma wouldn't blame her for it - he seemed uninclined to participate.[break][break]
That he was an amateur was obvious. His shoulders had readily betrayed his escape, his steps failed to gain the full distance for what energy he expend, and though he plot his course with careful attention - his steps lacked the light touch of a more experienced shinobi, stones displaced along the riverbed where his sandals once anchored themselves. He had a long ways to go.[break][break]
The words that rang from Seiichi's lips filled the silence, and with his admonishment, Koma's eyes direct themselves toward the man, fixing upon him. Though some cautious itch kept a fraction of his focus toward the cackling Inuzuka, his attention toward Seiichi was rapt. The instruction to release his tension saw the boy rising to the full measure of his less than intimidating stature, the vague rigidity to cling to his shoulders forced to ease as he watched on.[break][break]
It seemed not a detail of the shinobi's movements would go undocumented. The Amegakure genin searched each one for meaning. The flowing draw of his hands, the measured swell of his chest as he breathed. Koma was taking notes, and before he was even instructed, he was moving to try and mimic the actions himself.[break][break]
Back straight. Shoulders loose. His hands set before him to ape the form of the man just across the water, and with slow, gentle movements, he guide them in toward himself - daring to close his eyes a moment as he guide a deep, slow breath down to the pit of his stomach, hands moved smoothly to aid in visualizing the effect of the excersize. His gaze was quick to crack itself open, watching intently from beneath the pale canopy of his lashes, and as Seiichi's words commit to memory - hands dropping as he bow himself forward in gratitude.[break][break]
"I will."[break][break]
His words resonate as a quiet promise, posture righting itself gently as he further watched the man. Though there was no smile to warm his features, his expression had brightened a fraction - some light of appreciation in his eyes.[break][break]
Makoto crossed her arms in defiance and shrugged dismissively, desiring no part in the bear's supposed generosity. "Blehhh." So what if he could move his arms around and puff out his chest? A newborn pup could do all that and more but that hardly made any difference in a fight. Plus it seemed way too 'thoughtful' to be called training by Makoto's standards, no matter how Seiichi tried to explain it. "Ya call that a lesson? Gods yer borin' sometimes!" the Inuzuka groaned in protest.
To say the jounin differed in their approach to fighting styles was quite the understatement, though it went far beyond their respective jutsu. The Inuzuka simply had no patience for technique -- the technical aspect -- in the traditional sense, much preferring to rely on her primal nature over practiced moves. Years of experience had molded her into a beast more than a fighter, providing all the strength she needed using naught but her will to survive.
"Listen here, pup. Ya'int gunna get any stronger flappin' yer arms around like this big oaf. Whatcha need is plain n' simple - good instinct." Makoto hardened her expression and took a few steps forward, meaning to steal the spotlight away from her Cloud peer. While she wasn't normally so prone to lecture, Seiichi's insistence on giving such ridiculous advice got her riled up today. "Forget all that wavy crap! Dig inside n' grab that feelin' ya got when ya jumped away from 'im. Remember how yer body reacted? That's whatcha need to focus on." The Mist ninja nodded in affirmation to her own words, smiling that fanged smile.
"Once ya can find that feelin' in yer gut, ya can trust yer body to do the rest!"
[attr="class","APP3"]Seiichi swore to himself at that very moment that he would find the secrets to immortality and steal them. He understood, quite well, that the cackling and the quips of Makoto Inuzuka were destined to follow him to the after life, haunting his unconscious spirit for what remained of Eternity and thereafter if chose not to act any sooner. There was no peace with this woman, yet he knew this as a portion of her nature and he still interacted with her. He kept to the breathing she mocked, reminded of the terms expressed to him before his departure. She spoke of action, preaching to the young man that one's focus should be invested into dynamic movements fueled by the unconscious instinct of survival.
". . ."
Silence befall that mountainous shinobi, his form towering alongside Makoto when she had gone to stand besides him in her abrupt explanation. It was legitimate in its own context, certainly, but undoubtedly would plateau in the face of greater challenges-- it was the lack of adaptiveness and the abandonment of technicality that Seiichi recognized as critical faults. "One does not sustain themselves on a single, great blaze," he began, his focus on Koma. "No, they learn to tend to a fairer flame for nurture and warmth." He likened their approaches to a fire, the analogy distinct enough to separate their two ideologies; surprisingly, there was a wizened man beneath that calloused carapace bulk that was flesh. Theirs's was a divide that naturally existed, considering the distinctness in their disciplines: Seiichi had been born with no great name and no greater expectation to be held to and, on the contrast, she had been born an Inuzuka and would draw her very last breath as one. A thought crossed the jounin of Kumo's mind and a creased line mounted his forehead, terse with an unspoken annoyance: had her ninken been present, there would have been no better opportunity to put on display the contrast in their approaches. However, Seiichi knew well that it was in the timelessness in the relationship of her companion that she could draw her finest strengths.
". . ."
"You shouldn't hear anymore on the matter," that great and grizzly voice of his began, an attempt to bring closure to the subject as the jounin's eyes shifted to Makoto with a narrowing glare, perhaps an all-too-familiar look. "Make a pillow of the words you've heard and sleep on it. Find me when you've found the balance in that duality," he issued his new expectation. "Now that you've heard it from us both, it's up to you to make it your own." His assignment was amended, updated with terms that regarded Makoto's outburst with some degree of respect. The shinobi looked onto Koma and, despite a stoic expression much unlike the youthful glimmer in a genin's eyes, Seiichi could recognize that subtle change. Should he live long enough...
"Now go. I'll take your appreciation as a promise."
With those words he would send the young genin off, a boy from a different village and perhaps an adversary come the test of time. What remained was to dissect what drove Seiichi to afford the young man the advantage of knowledge, the very bane of fear and nightmares. Was it out of sympathy? Was it born of his own selfishness? Given his nature, it was bound to be a secret that would join him in the grave.
"There's something about that boy..." Something 'off', though he wouldn't go as far as to disclose his full thoughts on the matter. All this was only mentioned if the genin had left.
Last Edit: Sept 17, 2021 2:38:01 GMT by Seiichi Koji
By now it was no surprise that the Hidden Mist sound out with complaint. Koma had the respect for the woman to offer her a glance as a curious light overtook his stare. His gaze turned to search over her posture as she groan her disagreement, head canting a bit before her command for his attention. Koma gave it without argument, disregarding her insult to her fellow shinobi to focus instead toward her advice.[break][break]
He was processing, though more than just her words. Her energy, her tone, and the fanged smile to bolster her assertion with confidence. He didn't move, studying her a moment longer before Seiichi spoke up to grant his own thoughts on the lecture, though that his eyes turned before he turned his head to fully face the man suggest he might merit some consideration to the woman's words.[break][break]
"Yes -"[break][break]
The genin spoke up gently on the mention of promise, still granting some focus to the altered flow of his breath. Slow, deep, and steady - as he'd been instructed a moment ago.[break][break]
"Thank you both."[break][break]
His gaze turned decidedly toward Makoto with his second offering of thanks, and after holding his position for only a moment to ensure the sentiment set with the woman, he was off.[break][break]
There was no effort to conceal the movement, sandals sounding in quick succession of gentle splashes as he dart for the treeline to take his exit. The boy wasn't keen to keep the pair waiting for his departure, and should he be left to cut through the brush, they would find his presence gone, lost to the shadows of the wood.
Although she was glad to be acknowledged in some regard, Makoto still didn't approve of the bear's constant interference. All the big talk he wasted about flames and balance were pure nonsense. None of it would help in a real battle. If the kid wanted to know how to fight, he needed raw experience to hone those inner instincts.
Hell, Makoto had half a mind to drag him back to the river and prove the point herself. Yet she showed a surprising bit of restraint, feeling somewhat humbled by the genin's thanks. If he really took nothing away from the encounter today, she hoped the youngster would at least forget the drivel about waving arms.
"Yeah, there's somethin' alright. Somethin' wrong with his head if he's takin' yer advice," she shot back to Seiichi. Perhaps the stranger had potential but he wouldn't make any progress following a bear's instructions. Makoto shook her head and gave a frustrated sigh, continuing with a dismissive tone, "Why go fillin' his head with dumb ideas like that?" The genin may not have been from either of their respective villages, but the Inuzuka couldn't hide her concern for the younger generation either. It felt wrong to lead them astray.
"Practice wavin' yer hands a hundred times - or a thousand, whatever - an' it won't make a difference when yer squarin' up against me. Ya'd think after all these years ya'd understand that by now."
The Kiri jounin turned on her heels to face her peer, black mane fluttering briefly as a challenging smirk stretched across her lips.
"What's the score again? 'Cus I'm pretty sure I was in the lead last I checked."
[attr="class","APP3"]There was a breed of insolence in her words, one even rare for herself as she managed to bring an ugly twist to the Kumo Jonin's brow. There was no getting around the fact that Makoto Inuzuka was fiery and had the most utilized foul-mouth Seiichi had ever bore witness to, but to speak so crudely on something she had no understanding on? Well, that should have came as no surprise either, but that was a poor excuse and it made Seiichi no less angry, let alone any less furious as his brows furrowed. The boy, brittle in frame and insignificant in structure, would do little good harnessing his fury and whipping it forth if the first punch would shatter his knuckle or prod him into an indefensible position. By the way which the bear recognized it, he saw that Makoto failed to realize that; though, be it from the blinding light of her own hubris or by ignorance, he was unsure.
"Only dogs begin with running. Man is not born that way-- he must be taught to crawl.." Her rival rebutted, a man she had encountered numerous times over the decades. Without the basics, such as recognizing the value of full and powerful breaths and the methods heightened circulation and bodily awareness brought, he was bound to fly to close to the sun under her guidance. There were numerous benefits, far too lengthy to preach to the woman, when it came to achieving bodily control that Seiichi himself utilized in existing through the grueling existence that was his training.
"You speak like breathing is all he'll ever do. Think ahead. You might see clearly for once." He fired a quip back to the woman. The sentiments she delivered weren't alien to her person. What Makoto did lack in technical technique, she had often made up for with the devious combo she made up with her ninken; it was for these disadvantages that Seiichi had, that he trained so hard. There was no doubting that burdening a ferocious assault was stunning and being backed into a corner, all the while, even more so. With the pressure she undoubtedly produced, there was no doubting her ability to command an overwhelming presence-- he had seen it before, after all.
"Depends. On your own? Not even close."
He rumbled, glowering with narrowed eyes and a well-worn crease in his forehead. He recognized that smile, that teasing grin of a predator all too confident in what they'd make of their prey. Somethings never changed.
". . ."
But, seeing as it was Makoto, that was ok. There was no better person that he could expect to deliver his eulogy -- that'd practically grown up besides each other, fighting opposite to the other.
Last Edit: Sept 20, 2021 7:51:42 GMT by Seiichi Koji
Makoto stepped closer to the Cloud jounin, a fearlessness shining in her eyes as impulse took control. Despite the way Seiichi towered over her, the kunoichi was accustomed to being top dog and asserting dominance. This was no different. "Oooh? That so?" she responded with a sly chuckle, hands planted on her hips. "Sounds like yer scared to me. Like a frightened lil' cub." A childish provocation perhaps, but the Inuzuka was oozing with confidence in every little move she made.
"Wanna put those ridiculous muscles of yers to some good use then? See what a real fighter is like?" Poking a clawed finger toward Seiichi's chest, she continued to test the limits of his composure. Makoto was well aware how much her relentless nature could sway him - poke the bear enough and it'd lash out. Getting the chance to taunt him in the process was just an added bonus. "I'd be glad to drill some reminders into that thick skull," she snarled with satisfaction. "Doubt anyone else is gunna interrupt us. So no need to hold back. An' no excuses when I finish trashin' ya."
The Inuzuka locked eyes with the giant, piercing blue orbs widening with heartfelt anticipation.
[attr="class","APP3"]She had sized him up from the very beginning. This time and the last-- that time and the time before that, even. The Inuzuka was an avid stoker of flames, maybe a junkie addicted to that rush brought on by facing adversities in a manner most dire. To her breed, there was no greater satisfaction than tackling attrition head on while discarding their well being, so long as they seized the moment. His bloated muscles meant nothing to her as she prodded at his chest, quite literally poking at the bear with her claw-like nails as she seized every last inch between them. Seiichi would be faced with Makoto just inches from his frame, prodding still and looking up with a challenging grin and a deathly hunger in her eyes. There was no disregarding a twisted smile that had been beset on her wild features. It was no less earnest than the grin of a child as they anticipated reward for their hardwork. Despite her initial detest for the alcohol he offered, having set the gourd on the ground at some point, she had become far more drunk off something else: her confidence.
"You talk too much. You always have," the cloud jounin scolded the Jounin of the Mists with a tone nothing short of disapproving, voicing his ire for those monologues she dared fringe upon in her her endless barrage of taunts. Befuddling to the jounin, she seized every opportunity to stab at him as if it were her tax to earn breath. He took a step back and created the first amount of distance from his sturdy statuesque to her petite frame. Then another was taken, follow by one more until he comfortably separated himself from the Inuzuka at aboout 5 meters. If she'd given him time to step back, as opposed to assaulting him at the cue that he'd accept her challenge, he'd begin shifting into a classical kata of the varied martial forms he practiced: Seiichi postured with both his left arm and left foot lead forward and his right drawn back in a tight fist, his right foot was placed further back to solidify his core or to break forward should he need to sprint.
"I'll knock words of your speech, for the next time." He promised with confidence, the jounin prepared to advance when he recognized she was ready. His strategy was set: to be quick and overwhelming. He'd grown considerably more powerful in their time apart, his strength and speed echelons above where it had once been. Had she, too, gotten considerably stronger?
A wolfish grin cemented on the kunoichi's features after she heard exactly what she wanted to hear. Submission. Kind of. The bear would at least humor her request it seemed, stepping back to ready himself properly. For all his rigid principles and stalwart attitude, he sure was easy to coax when the promise of a good battle loomed overhead. How adorable~
"Let's make it a good one," the Inuzuka chuckled excitedly.
With no words left to say after that, Makoto backed up to assume her own position, arms stretching casually overhead followed by a deep exhale. She hadn't intended to get much of a workout today, though now it was practically guaranteed she'd be sore come tomorrow. Crouching down on the gravelly shore, the Mist ninja adopted her clan's signature form as chakra rippled through her body. Claws sharpened, fangs gritted, eyes narrowed into slits, and a low growl rumbled from her throat. The deeper she sunk into that bestial posture, the less human she appeared.
"RRAAAAAHH!"
The Inuzuka took the initiative without hesitation, bursting toward Seiichi on all-fours like a rabid animal. That small space between them meant little compared to her raw speed, the blur of black and red that was her wild form reaching arm's length in the blink of an eye. Predictably, she charged in low, telegraphing her intentions to strike at the closest part of the bear - those trunk-like legs. Claws slashed in a criss-cross fashion when she was close enough to strike, but hit or not Makoto went barreling by.
Somethings didn't change with time. Across from Seiichi was the Inuzuka whose stance lowered instinctively and her form warped into something bestial: her eyes sharpened to a knife's edge, her appearance turned feral and from her maw ambitious teeth were bared and gritted while her claws sharpened to daggers. It was déjà vu for the kumo ninja as he resumed his own stance in preparation for her advance. Despite her formless stance, there was a methodology to the Inuzuka clan's techniques that he'd come to recognize after their numerous encounters. There was a focus on her shoulders as they would telegraph her movements far before anything else, a heavy reliance placed upon them as they were front and center on her approach whenever she'd decide to break forward. The rumble emitted from her throat was a brontide, the quake of thunder that warred in gray clouds off in the distance. He'd only begun adjusting his own posture, lowering it as he'd silently commit to seizing his victory by new means--
And then the thunder came.
She dashed forward like a manic beast as her sudden thrust forward kicked up dirt in her wake. Makoto's movements were telegraphed no differently than the mad-dash of a feral creature aiming to strike until they could seize the kill. She had gotten faster, no doubt, but so had he as the benefit of his hellacious training was found in his drastically improved physique. Despite the speed, her attack was simple and straight forward and as she closed in to land to first blow with her barreling strike, he'd side step to the left-- her right side. It was a quick and efficient movement, timing her plainly read attack unless she had prepared misdirection and drew his attention elsewhere. With confidence in his timing, he reached forward with a mighty, calloused paw and attempted to grab her. There was little chance in escaping his grasp unless she had the talent within herself to pivot aggressively. If he succeeded, she'd feel the clamping force of his machine-like grip on her upper-right arm and a tug on her clothing by his left hand as he seized that too. Seiichi would grunt violently and, with all his might, the bear attempted to redirect her force with a swift twist of his torso as he'd lift her off the round with a spinning step and let go.
If all went according to his plan, he'd launch her high. She'd be speared into the sky without an idea of how high she'd truly fly. It was a hurdle only made possible by the redirection of her raw power and his powerful trunk, leveraging the strength found in his twisting step to finalize the send off.
Dammit. The bear was quicker than she remembered! As soon as one of those meaty hands clenched down on her flesh, Makoto tensed and widened her eyes in shock. Not only had she left herself open, but the bear was able to redirect the charge with sheer strength alone. Clever bastard! Before she could react, the kunoichi was met with a rush of weightlessness, her figure tossed effortlessly overhead.
What a gentleman, giving her the height advantage!
Shaking off her disorientation as she reached the apex of the throw, Makoto twisted in midair and howled at the top of her lungs. "TSUUGA!" With that, her entire body became a churning cyclone of wild fury which she hurtled right back down to the earth. Makoto's aim wasn't perfect however, and she barely skimmed the Cloud ninja's left side, kicking up dirt and loose pebbles when she impacted the ground.
A little crash wouldn't slow her down though. Quite the opposite - she was almost building speed. The Inuzuka was on the move the moment she hit the dirt, jumping right back into the fray with a spinning lunge. She anticipated the bear's deadly grasp now, specifically raking her claws at his arms while diving, dipping, and dodging around his sides. Each little movement she made seemed to propel her faster, claws driving in quicker succession at anything within reach.
[attr="class","APP3"]She had gone sky high, going so far as to almost pierce the very heavens until...
She turned her disadvantage into an advantage. With a shout that rang from her lungs and a mighty whirl of her body, she was soon homeward bound as she returned to the ground like a dervish dropped from the Heavens themselves, the scorn of her fury quite unknown. She missed him on her landing, the Jounin having no issue with reacting to her speed given a generous warning. However, a mass of dirt and dust were kicked up on her crash, clouding her form briefly. He had already taken several steps back as she was landing, his feet quick to take their steps as she was due to come at any moment.
And she had.
And like a harbinger of destruction she tore forth with the dust-wrapping around her like chiffon. The cloud dissipated behind her, the rest blown away as a result of the Inuzuka's speed; she'd only been on the ground for moments before she engaged those well-tuned joints to shift her forward into a breakneck lunge. Seiichi had only created a minor amount of distance between the two of them as preparation for the oncoming onslaught. He tucked quickly into a roll to the right as she lunged at him, recovering swiftly as the pair moved in and swiftly dissolved the distance that was between them. Analytical eyes watched as her shoulders moved, refamiliarizing himself with her formless style of combat, her aggressiveness no different than that displayed by the Inuzuka branch long-established in Kumo. As she went to rake at him with those inhumane claws, assuming her movements were meaning to span the entirety of his massive chest, she'd find that Seiichi moved in quickly to parry. Having followed her telegraph and committing to his timing, he expected to succeed in the parry of her blows with open palms that slapped hardly her forearms with his superior strength, aiming to null their momentum as Makoto remained at a range Seiichi was most effective in. Giving her no moment of respite, the jounin moved to strike quickly with a hellish combo that contained a blow with his right hand to her left shoulder, his left hand attempting to chain with the strike as he committed to her right hip and then, finally, a kick from his right leg to her left, meaning to break her balance and spill her to the ground. It was a quick and successive combo and, if it were successful, he'd hunt he even as she laid there with a powerful punch intended on ending the brawl by leaving her reeling for breath and blinking the Cosmo's into existence with the stars she'd see.
However, if his timing were off, he'd brave her rending and wear fresh wounds from those razor-like claws, backing up to reassess the situation and lesson more mortal damage.
