Konoha's Maelstrom

17

With Meiko's warm up done, she waited in Training Ground 3, passing the time by reading her book—it was a book about enemies becoming lovers, Meiko's favourite trope actually, and war. She was only four chapters in, but the enemies had already threatened each other and the woman had already held a dagger to the man's throat.

She sensed Jiraiya coming and placed her bookmark in the book, closing it and sealing it into her shorts. She jumped down from the tree and grinned.

"Hey, Ero-sennin." She waved, naturally grinning wider as Jiraiya huffed.

"Really, it's so early to be this bright." Jiraiya placed the scroll on his back on the ground. "All right, first I need to have a measure of your current skills. This ground is always empty since... I have no idea actually. No one ever uses this ground. "He looked around thoughtfully, then shook his head. "Then after that, I'll help you set up for the things you need to work on, while I do my own work."

"You mean peeping, don't you?" Meiko spoke with a dry tone and Jiraiya looked at Meiko like she was the source of all his problems.

Shaking his head, Jiraiya motioned for his goddaughter to get in a stance. "All right, Gaki! Let's see what you got!"

Meiko nodded and lowered her resistance seals to level 11, though Jiraiya probably didn't know she had any on in the beginning. With those down, Meiko rushed at Jiraiya.

She jumped, aiming a kick at Jiraiya's head. Blocked, which was expected, but she landed in a crouch and tried to sweep Jiraiya. He jumped and Meiko turned, kicking upwards.

One hit, but she needed to be faster. She lowered her seals to level 7 and the effect was instantaneous.

It wasn't that Jiraiya couldn't block her attacks, it was that he was surprised and distracted, so he didn't see the increase in speed coming.

Taijutsu was Meiko's third strongest Ninja skill with Fuuinjutsu first and Ninjutsu second. Shurikenjutsu was probably fourth.

With two kunai in reverse grip, Meiko was quick to start striking high and low. She was shorter, so she had the advantage in hidden attacks. He dodged most of her strikes, blocked several, but some did get through his defence.

Knee strike, low kick, high kick, jump, twist and heel kick.

She moved with speeds beyond normal Genin, speeds Neji would never be able to react to, and Jiraiya was impressed.

The sequence she'd just executed was perfect and smooth. She got in a few strikes.

She slashed at his arm, turned and ducked under the punch, her reply being to kick the stomach.

She's fast and skilled. Definitely better than what I expected, but then again, she is Minato's and Kushina's daughter, Jiraiya thought, blocking another punch.

Her next strike was a palm strike to Jiraiya's back. She made contact briefly, but when Jiraiya threw her back, she landed and skidded to a halt. Oddly enough, she was grinning. It was a sinister, terrifyingly perfect replica of Kushina's grin when Kushina faced her enemies and defeated them with her chains.

Meiko's hands flew into the snake seal and chains of water erupted from her back.

Jiraiya ran through four hand seals and placed both hands on the ground. "Earth style: Earth-style wall." The ground rose to form a wall high enough to stop the chains and long enough that they would stretch past.

Jiraiya sighed in relief, moving to stand. His relief was short-lived when Meiko's form appeared on the top of the wall, well not just her, but like there were twelve Meikos, which didn't make sense, but there she was.