The White Flash

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Sweat matted her hair to her neck, her shirt dark and sticking to her body. She stayed completely still. Pink eyes opened, passing over the patched training field. Ayumi waited. Her eyes glazed over. She moved. Rushing in low, she raised her kunai towards the assassin's chest. A hand closed around her wrist and pulled her forward, another pressing against the back of her neck she was pushed into the ground. A weight fell on her back, sharp on her spine. "Too slow," she chastised. "The trick to this move is to attack your opponent within a second of their eyes passing you."

            "It's not possible to move that fast," Kohei breathed. He and Hiro splayed on the ground, each in similar states as Ayumi.

            "It is with chakra," she assured. Her knee left Ayumi's back, her hands letting go. She stayed put, her breathing pushing against the grass. "This technique is based off predators. At times a predator can be overlooked by their prey if they remain still enough, but it only works for a second. Most humans are smarter than rabbits or deer, the amount of time it takes for them to register something they overlook is even shorter. You must be able to act in that time to land that killing blow." Ayumi peeled herself off the ground, her skin caked with dirt and bruised by her own volcanic rock. The training field really needed work. "To get the most spring to this jump, you need to focus twenty percent of your chakra in your heels, seventy percent in the balls of your feet, and ten percent throughout the rest of your foot." Hisaya opened a sucker, popping it in her mouth. "This takes intricate chakra control to perfectly execute." Her weight shifted to one foot, a hand resting on her hip. "All three of you are able to climb a tree with your chakra now, so instead shift your focus to climbing other things. Buildings, trees, water, and rocks all need different balances of chakra to climb. When you can climb on these surfaces, you'll be able to divert different amounts to chakra to different portions of your body." Her hands clapped, "who's next?"

            "I think... I'm dead," Hiro wheezed.

            "I can't feel my feet," Kohei breathed. A lighthearted chuckle left Hisaya's lips as she leaned forward, a finger in front of her lips.

            "I guess we can call it quits today, besides I have some good news for you three." Curious, Ayumi placed her hands on her ankles while her head tilted. Her weight shifted once more, twisting the sucker in her mouth, "what do you three know of the Chunin Exams?"

            "They happen twice a year," Kohei informed, "I know they're coming up too. Nee-chan is going to be part of the medical crew for the Chunin Exams, but she won't tell me what they're planning."

            "Chunin Exams?" Hiro questioned, "what're those?"

            "Just as they sound," Ayumi answered, "they're the tests we have to take to become Chunin."

            "That's right," Hisaya acknowledged. "And I've recommended the three of you."

            "What?!" Ayumi exclaimed.

            "I think we're ready," Kohei motioned to each of them in turn. "I mean we took on Zabuza with Team 7 and helped the sand successfully catch escaped Jounin."

            Hisaya nodded, one arm crossing in front of her chest, "this won't be easy. The top Genin of each participating village will be taking part in these exams, your competition will be strong. You three have made many mistakes in each training session and every mission. You are still far from the perfect team." Well, this is encouraging, Ayumi thought with a frown. "But," Hisaya said, "you have grown remarkably from when you left the Academy. This is an experience that the three of you need to have. As I said, the competition will be fierce but you three have the capability to fight towards the top. Each of you have something to prove." Hisaya pulled three sheets from her weapons pouch and placed them in their hands, "it's up to each of you on whether or not you want to take the chance." She stepped back, "if you want to take the exams, meet each other at the Academy in six days. Until then, dismissed." With that she disappeared.