Ring of Steel! [Class]

[Tsukino Dante]

The otherwise empty classroom had been lined with all forms of training weapons; swords, daggers, maces and poles... every type of melee weapon imaginable was represented in the vast arsenal, all placed along the wall in racks, organized by type and style. It had taken quite some time to get all these weapons organized but it was worth it. At least he thought it was worth it.

Yasu Ren [NPC]

Ren stood at the far end of the room, casually leaning against the wall as if he were holding it up against an inevitable collapse. He had gone through the extra trouble to polish off and wear his XM-233 Juggernaut Field Armor (an updated model of the Bushido-Class suits used during the Demon Wars). The great armored man was quite the spectacle to behold. He was pulling out all the stops for today, after all he wanted to make a first impression that wouldn't be soon forgotten.

"Man, it's been forever since I've done any real teaching. I hope these little kids aren't too much of a hassle." Ren said to himself as he waited, his eyes were fixed on the door to the room. He wouldn't give too much of a reaction to the students as they filed in, he'd just smile, wave, and motion for them to sit on the freshly cleaned wood floor. They could mingle for a while if they wanted too, as long as they were ready to learn the second class began.

Ohh yes, it was going to be fun.

Okay, so, sorry for getting this up a little late. Hopefully this will be the only delay I run into (and now I just jinxed it).

- 50 word minimum (the site requirement) for all posts in this thread. 100+ words is preferable, but not required.

- As mentioned in the intro, the classroom is completely bare except for the weapon racks lining the wall. You're gonna have to sit on the floor for now unless you were crazy prepared enough to bring your own chair!

- Class hasn't started yet, so just come in and sit or stand wherever. If you decide to ask Ren any questions I'll respond to them ASAP.

- Don't worry so much about posting order, just make sure everyone gets their posts in. If everyone has posted then multiple posts per round are allowed.

- Next round starts on Friday, or when everyone who signed up has joined. Walk ins are welcome.

- PM me if you cannot post at any point during this class, or if you have any question.

 

[Tsuyoshi Aiko]

Aiko's hand lingered on the door-knob of the classroom for what felt like an eternity. He hoped that this what the right classroom. A bead of sweat trickled down his brow. He took a deep breath and swung the door wide open. There was only one person in the room. A mature-looking ninja clad in jet-black armor. Rows and rows of weapons lined the bare walls of the room. The glimmer of the steel blades were reflected in his eyes. A sense of relief washed over Aiko. At least he was in the correct classroom, but where was everyone? Surely he wasn't the only one that was going to be attending this class? Perhaps he had just gotten here earlier. It would be awkward if he were the only one who was going to be showing up to the lesson because he wasn't very good at talking. Aiko bowed respectfully to the teacher but then- he lost his footing and his feet slid out from underneath him. He landed on his face, sprawled out like a fur animal rug on the floor.

A rush of crimson sprang into his cheeks and for a long moment he lay there motionless. He wasn't sure he could bear to stand the cruel laughter he would surely see in the teacher's eyes or anybody else who was walking in behind him. Aiko quickly rose to his feet, averting his eyes from the teacher to mask his bleak humility. Aiko briskly moved to the corner of the room and stood to the side of the last weapon-stand that was neatly organized with weapons. He kept his eyes glued to the floor and said not a word. Now he really hoped that someone else would come and spare him the embarrassment. He planned on staying in the shadows of the corner until the class actually started or at least until he was told to get away from there and join the rest of the students. He just couldn't stand being in the center where everyone would eventually convene.

[Training Post: 342 Words]

 

[Tanaka Ai]

Kicking the powdered snow from his worn leather boots, Ai strode confidently through the Academy. He was getting to know this particular building fairly well, as he spent much of his free time here. The halls, echoing with footsteps and hushed tones, were now as familiar as the halls of his own house, where he had lived all his life. The boy couldn’t help his infatuation with the place, it was as natural as breathing. For someone who thirsted for knowledge, this represented a watering hole, a gathering place for (sometimes) eager veteran shinobi to pass on their knowledge to the younger generations.
And Ai was extremely thirsty.
Bowing his bald head, the student stepped into the classroom. As expected, a vast array of weaponry greeted Ai as he took in his surroundings. The weapons only held the boy’s attention for a moment, quickly being replaced by a far more commanding presence in the room. A shinobi clad in full armor leaned casually against a wall, and even in his relaxed stance Ai had to admit, he looked impressive. The armor was different than the armor Ai had studied. It seemed to adapt on the standard armor of the Demon War era (a period Ai studied intently).
Lacking any obvious seating, the tall boy assumed a position on the wall, a few feet from the door. It was force of habit the kept him near the exit, a habit Ai felt could save his life someday.
‘And now we wait.’​

[MFT]
[WC: 250]

 

[Bunkei]

A weaponry class was not exactly where the girl wanted to be spending her free time, but she realizes that this is the only way that she could accomplish her goals. Well, one goal mainly: To kick as much ass as she possibly could. This being her first class she did not know how well she would do but no matter what she would put her whole heart in it as she did with everything. Passion was the blood running through her veins.
A thick, broad shouldered lass she was. She was not what you would call much to look at at all. Her hair was dishwater blonde and always flying around her face haphazardly. Her nose was crass and her jawline strong. She wasn’t what most anyone would call pretty. But, she also wasn’t what anyone would call giving a single shit about it. She was who she was and if you didn’t like it then she did not have time for you.
As the young lady marched through the halls of the school, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of nervousness. But, shit, everybody was a student so what was the worst she could do? Face plant in front of everybody? Bunkei found the right door and double checked. Considering it was one of the only classrooms with any human beings in it, she figured it was a pretty good chance. She casually schlepped into the room. The first thing she noticed was the highly apparent armor that the shinobi at the front of room was clad in. It was intense. The second was the extensive weaponry all around her.
Well, no wonder he has all that armor on. A bunch of first timers in a room full of killing toys would prompt me to suit up too! She looked around once more, noticing the two other students in the class room. One was in the far side and the other close to where she was near the door. Bunkei put her hand up in signal to all and offered a mere, “Yo,” before plopping her ass to the ground in the middle of the room with her feet and legs extended in front of her. It was odd. She had not even wanted to come but, now that she actually sat in the midst of it all, she was admittingly a bit excited for class to begin.

 

[Nakahara Kasumi]

Sunglasses? Check.

Comfortable training clothing? Tank top and work pants, about as comfortable as Kasumi got (and proper dress codes be damned).

Name tag? Check.

Well, here goes something.

Kasumi stood right outside the door and took a deep breath, this was her first real class and saying she was nervous would be a massive understatement. After a short pause she slowly pushed at the door and slipped inside. She actually had to put a conscious effort into not tripping on the way in, how embarrassing.

Four other people were already in the classroom: the teacher, one other girl, one boy in the corner, and one near the door. Well, that made sense, it couldn't have been more than ten minutes before class stared, she wasn't expecting to be the first one there. Kasumi politely bowed to the armored shinobi before shyly waving to the rest of the students. As she walked into the room she took a moment to admire the impressive collection of weapons spread out along the walls of the classroom. 'Wow... this guy really likes his weapons.' Kasumi thought, after taking a moment to admire the weapons she moved into the middle of the classroom and sat down a few feet away from the other girl. She wouldn't try to strike up any conversation, in fact she remained rather quiet (Kasumi had become a little conscious of her voice lately... her country accent came across as unrefined to say the least). She would just wait for class to start unless prompted to do something else (and even then she'd stay fairly quiet).

 

[Katsu]

Wait for it... wait for it...

Katsu burst through the door with all the grace of an intoxicated blind man, and rather quickly stumbled onto the floor in a pathetic heap. After a short pause the teenage priest pulled himself back to his feet and dusted himself off before addressing the room. "Hello, Yasu-sensei!" he said, recognizing Ren as a member of the cathedral's congregation. He didn't have such luck with his fellow students, however. They were all new faces to him... not entirely unexpected seeing as he tended to socialize with his peers in the church more than his peers in the academy. After giving a short bow to Ren, Katsu made his way into the room, seating himself behind the girls. While he waited for class to begin, Katsu reached into his utility pouch, pulled out a set of prayer beads, and entered a state of light meditation.

 

[Tsukino Dante]

The first child to come in seemed awkward, maybe even a bit clumsy. He reminded Ren of himself when he was younger; the boy had his sympathy at least.

Next was a bald boy, he reminded Ren of a monk almost. Ren liked monks.

And then the first girl came in, a plain looking one; but that had a beauty in and of itself in this line of work, the plain looking ones could blend into a crowd of peasants without suspect... disappear within the masses of commoners to strike from the shadows.

The next girl, Kasumi, felt like an odd one. The girl seemed oddly like someone he had read about a few weeks ago, he mostly expected her to stay quiet... although if she opened up a little bit, good for her.

And then... there was Katsu, who could only be described as... Katsu. "Hai, Bishop Miyatogi-kun!" Ren said as the boy entered the room. Ren had to admit, teaching the bishop (and possibly roughing him up a little bit) would prove quite entertaining.

About five minutes after everyone had arrived, Ren took an upright stance and walked over to the middle of the room. He motioned for the students to gather near him. Once everyone was together he would address the class:

"Hello everyone!" Ren said, his voice carried a sense of warm welcome, he seemed genuinely happy to be here "I'm Yasu Ren, Jounin of the Main and your teacher for today. And, if you haven't already caught on, we're gonna learn about weapons! As ninja of Kumogakure, you'll have many opportunities to wield all sorts of weapons in the field- and while throwing a fireball at a problem can be an effective solution, sometimes a knife can do the same job for a lot less effort; IF you know what you're doing!" he continued.

"But before we go any further, would you all like to introduce yourselves? You're all probably going to be working together someday, so it'll be to your advantage to at least know each others names."

All right! Almost double what I originally planned on working with (don't panic, Dante)! This is gonna be fun!

Feel free to introduce yourself to Ren and the rest of the class, the next round is going up on Monday EST. If you don't post, I'll just assume your character stays quiet for now. Next round you'll get to pick a weapon to train with, so look forward to that!

This class is no longer taking new students, I'll be coming up with my next class plan sometime next week, so keep an eye out for it!

 

[Tanaka Ai]

‘Now this is group of individuals.’
As his fellow students filed in, Ai assessed them discretely from his post near the door. The only student that was here when he arrived seemed determined to keep a poker face, though the residual blood still making its way out of his cheeks was a fairly obvious tell. Next was a casual, almost simple girl who looked as though she could easily overpower the frail boy, her bone structure hinting as the capacity for muscle bulk. Ai nodded to her as she walked past, doing his best to be discreet in his observations. Then it was the strange girl who didn’t seem to realize the purpose of her eye gear, though there was the possibility she was hiding something behind the dark lens. Last was the fanatic, as the boy couldn’t help but label him, a young man with prayer beads. Ai understood the concept of enlightenment and inner peace; he just couldn’t see any validity in it.
‘Least of all in the lifestyle we all will live.’
It was still strange for Ai, interacting with people outside of his family. Though he was a diligent student, his academic agenda most often involved his nose deep in a tome or a scroll. It was rare for him to have casual social encounters and while it was not a concept he particularly fancied, the Jounin’s logic was indisputable.
"But before we go any further, would you all like to introduce yourselves? You're all probably going to be working together someday, so it'll be to your advantage to at least know each other’s names.”
It seemed inevitable that he would at some point be forced to work with a team. After all, open combat was not a strong suit of the young student, his interests lying in the fields of Genjutsu. With that in mind, perhaps it was time Ai got used submitting to social convention. But what to tell? The only thing that was interesting about him was a secret not even his brother’s knew and the boy certainly wasn’t going to disclose that to anyone, let alone strangers.
‘The basics then.’
Stepping off the wall, the tall, bald student’s eyes rose to address his Sensai, and the back of three of the other student’s heads.
“My name is Tanaka Ai. If any of you have fallen victim to the displeasure of any of my older brother’s company, I feel must assure you that we share nothing but a house and some blood. Should you ever come across one, I recommend a swift kick to the… excuse me… groin area.”
Nodding his head, Ai leaned back against the wall and waited for the next person, his mind replaying his first public speech. It was a very good thing that personal opinions of Ai were not his major concern, even he had to admit that his introduction was far from sophisticated.
‘So this is why I avoid social interaction.’​

 

[Tsuyoshi Aiko]

It didn't seem like anyone had taken any notice to his clumsy failure. The teacher was kind enough not to say anything or laugh about his embarrassing mistake. Aiko silently looked up every now and again to survey his surroundings and observe the new faces walking into the classroom. To his dismay, there wasn't a single person who he could actually recognize out of the entire group. Since his brother Junko was off doing something else, he didn't have anybody who he could talk to in the class and he definitely didn't want to start a conversation with any of the other students. Communication wasn't something that he was very skilled in at the least.

The class was beginning and Aiko gripped the fabric of his black summer yukata anxiously. The teacher introduced himself and then stated their first assignment would be to COMMUNICATE and introduce yourself to everyone. Aiko was drowning in a sea of anxiety. What should he say? He didn't want to do something stupid around so many people. He had already made the mistake of falling flat on his face in front of the teacher. Luckily for him, he had time to calm down because another boy introduced himself. He was sort of vulgar and odd. Did he really just suggest that they strike his family members in their jewels? Aiko definitely wanted nothing to do with that boy. He seemed very violent and bitter. He couldn't imagine disrespecting his own family like that considering his brother was all he really had.

There was a silence after the other boy stopped talking. It seemed like it was his turn. Aiko exhaled a shaky sigh and gripped tighter more on his yukata. He opened his mouth slightly and paused, trying to think of how he would word it. He'd make it really simple. Yeah that sounded good. "I..-uh- my name's- my name's Aiko- Tsuyoshi. It's a pleasure tih- to meet you all." Aiko quavered and hid behind the safety of his long snowy bangs. Even though he couldn't see everyone, he could still feel their eyes burning into his very core. They were probably all looking at him and judging him this very moment. He gave everyone in the room a thin, forced smile that didn't even show his teeth. His lips twitched and the tint of humility was present once more in his face. Aiko silently begged someone else would say something.

 

[Bunkei]

So, he wanted the kids to introduce themselves to one another. That certainly seemed easy enough. But......apparently, it was not. The first boy to say anything went above and beyond and made sure to mention his family issues proceeding the information actually asked of him. Bunkei raised her eyebrow in jest. Nobody knows your nobody brothers, I'm sure. Then, the second boy introduced himself with so much effort that she was surprised he had not broken out in a sweat. She could appreciate social anxiety but, that didn't mean that it didn't still annoy her.

Nobody was stepping up next so the young girl figured she could go now. "Alright, then. I'm Bunkei. Hope we can learn some bad ass shit today." The young girl knew it was just starting up her old ways again. The ones she knew she should try and counteract. She just wanted to start fresh and not be annoyed and dislike everybody for once. Other people liked other people...why couldn't she? Although she could not say that she was envious of caring what other people think. I mean, look at how much this Aiko kid cares about what we think of him. He can't even talk without spazzing. He just needs to realize that at any given moment, nobody gives a fuck. Just say and do what you want.

 

[Katsu]

An introduction, eh? Well, Ren did like it when everybody got all social. Katsu didn't mind being sociable either, but he tended to be just a bit... odd when doing it.

As soon as Bunkei had finished her introduction Katsu started weaving a few seals with his off hand while remaining in his meditative pose. Once the seals were finished a small puff of smoke would appear in front of Ren, and in the cloud's wake was left a mirror image of the teenage priest.

"Hello, everyone! I'm Miyatogi Katsu. I look forward to working with all of you!" the Clone Katsu said blissfully, after giving a short wave and a bow to his classmates, the clone was dispersed.

 

[Tsukino Dante]

Predictably, Kasumi (or shall we call her 'cute-farmer-girl-with-the-name-tag'.... actually, yeah, Kasumi) decided to be rather nonverbal. The rest of the class seemed to be far more cooperative, however (even if Bishop Miyatogi had an... odd way of introducing himself). Ren chuckled to himself, oh how he envied their youth. He remembered his own academy days, when he went through training not quite unlike what he was about to put them through. He hoped they would appreciate it.

"If you all leave here having learned 'bad ass shit', then I've done my job; Bunkei-chan." Ren said, grinning widely. He took a few steps back towards the wall before reaching back to retrieve a katana from a weapon rack on the far wall and unsheathe it, the weapon was notably different from the other ones in the room; this one had seen live combat, and had all the wear and tear expected of a weapon that had been used through years of warfare. If the samurai-esque appearance of the class' sensei wasn't obvious enough before, there was no missing it now.

"Time to state the obvious; if you're going to learn about a weapon, you need a weapon. Also obvious; I kinda got that issue handled and then some." Ren talked to the class as he paced around the back of the room, "Different weapons have different uses; small weapons like daggers and shortswords are good for close range and confined spaces, larger weapons like spears and halberds are better for open combat. A good longsword, or a weapon of similar length, can be a good compromise and is a decent weapon overall- BUT, you aren't quite as maneuverable as the guy with the dagger, and you don't have quite as long reach as the guy with the spear. Jack of all trades, master of none." Ren explained, it was a very dumbed down explanation of the strengths and weaknesses he had learned and observed from experience, but it was good enough to (hopefully) give the students a good idea of what kind of weapon they might want to look into. "Now you'll choose a weapon, I'm familiar enough with everything in this room, so rest assured I'll be able to teach you the basics once you've decided- and ask me if you think of something that you can't find here, I might have put it somewhere odd. Don't feel like you have to rush, take some time to handle the weapon, test it's grip. If the grip is uncomfortable, you're just gonna end up dropping the darned thing and landing yourself in a heap of trouble. If you want any suggestions about your choice of weapon, feel free to talk to me. Once you have your weapon, spread out- make sure you're far enough away from all the other students that you won't hit them with your weapon. They're all practice weapons, but even an edgeless sword can break skin and shatter bones if used carelessly." with that instruction, Ren ended his pacing in the far corner of the room and returned to the casual stance he had taken before the class (although his sword, the only sharp weapon in the room, still rested in his right hand).

Okay, now the real meat of the class begins;

- Kasumi elected to remain silent, because she's chill like that.

- During this round, your character must select the weapon they will train with for the rest of the class.

- You're free to choose any melee weapon for your character. If you don't have a weapon in mind, send me a PM or find me on IRC.

- If your character asks Ren for help, I will interrupt the round to answer next time I log on. Feel free to make use of this resource.

- This round will last through Thursday.

Final Note: I will be out of town this weekend, so Ren will be unavailable for input next round.

 

[Tanaka Ai]

Without hesitation, Ai moved towards the rack upon instruction. This was not his area of expertise, but luckily he had already put some thought into what he would do in a melee situation. After only a moment of searching, the boy spotted his weapon of choice. Reaching out, he wrapped his right hand around the smooth, sleek surface of a Bo staff. The smooth wood pole was about as long as Ai was tall, perhaps plus a few inches, its weight easy to manage even for the frail student. Stepping back to his spot by the door, making sure he had plenty of clearance from the wall and fellow students, Ai practiced moving the weapon about, wielding it with both hands then switching from his left to right, using his respective hip as a leverage to swing it harder and faster as he moved the staff around his body. As the boy was already somewhat familiar with the weapon, he already felt fairly comfortable with it in his possession. What concerned him was what came next.
Open combat being a subject of discomfort for the student, he couldn’t help but be a little worried. What if the teacher had them clashing? The tall boy was no stranger to body wounds, but it didn’t necessarily make him eager to receive a few more.
[Sorry for the short one. GTA V has most of my attention right now.]​

 

[Nakahara Kasumi]

A weapon... yeah, time to find a weapon.

Kasumi stood up and looked around the room; with so many weapons to choose from it was going to be a rather daunting task to decide on just one. Nevertheless, she took the task enthusiastically and began to search through the impressive collection.

The first weapon she found was a small war hatchet, it felt pretty good to her- but the balance was off, and it was awfully short. Maybe not.

Next was something fairly traditional, a broadsword; fairly well balanced, a good weapon overall, but it just didn't feel all that great to her. Not that one either.

Third time was a charm, maybe? She grabbed a staff off the rack where Ai found his, this was a lot better, but she didn't want to be a total copycat- so she put the staff back.

Finally, she found something that really sparked her interest; a naginata. She grabbed it off the rack it rested on and immediately gave it a few light swings- it was just right, the pole was long enough, and the blade on the end added just enough weight to put some real force into an attack but not enough to unbalance the whole equation. The relatively plain polearm seemed like a true work of art to Kasumi. She grasped the weapon in both hands, her triumph in finding such a suitable weapon made her as giddy as a sugar-high fangirl. She quickly darted over to a corner to further examine her weapon of choice.

 

[Tsukino Dante]

Pah, a disturbance so soon? Ren hated it when things got in the way of his work- doubly so when it was his work getting in the way of itself.

"Yes?.... Roger, I'll be right there." Red casually said while broadcasting from a hidden headset on his ear. What could be done about it? It would seem he'd have to leave the children to themselves.

"Alright, students. I'm needed in a different part of the academy. Go ahead and keep trying out the weapons. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Would they try anything stupid? Maybe, so just in case he made a few quick seals and set a few barriers in place. It wasn't anything fancy, but those training weapons would break before they drew blood now.

The round has been extended through Sunday. A new round will be posted on Monday.

Ren has left the classroom, destroying the classroom or finding a way to murder your classmates while he is gone will result in a negative mark on your final grade. Followed by death. [/portal]

 

[Katsu]

'Time to get myself a weapon, then...' Katsu thought, he had spent quite a bit of time just observing, but it seemed like no one else was looking for a weapon. Was he the last one to pick? Well, not that he minded. No, it looked like at least two students had yet to pick their weapon. Oh well, hopefully Ren would help them out if they really had trouble deciding.

As for Katsu's weapon... well, he still wasn't sure what weapon to pick. 'Something simple... that'll do, nothing too fancy.' he thought, searching through the large collection of weapons. It took a while, but eventually he found something that suited him; a simple staff a bit shorter than he was tall. The weapon had enough good reach, but it didn't feel awkward for him to hold. It felt good.

Taking his weapon in hand, Katsu pulled himself into an improvised guard and tested out a few quick jabs and swings. Just as he had hoped, the weapon actually proved quite easy to maneuver.

Now that he actually had a weapon in hand, Katsu was actually looking forward to this lesson. He never was very comfortable in a fight, but his curiosity got the better of him. 'It's not like I can ignore this stuff forever, at least I'll have a good teacher.'

 

[Bunkei]

Bunkei felt dumb for not thinking ahead of time of what kind of weapon might suit herself. She eyed the other students around her as they chose carefully. She changed her gaze to the walls of the classroom also trying to be meticulous. This was a weapons class after all. If she picked something that did not work for her, she was bound to look foolish. As the young girl scanned the area, her eyes fell across exactly what she wanted. She took no time to make her way over to the weapons.

This type of contrivance was everything she was thinking. A pair of chakrams. She did not want something large and that would make her sluggish. These would be easier to tote around and she could let them flow with her own hand movements. Just thinking about it made her excited to messing around. She gripped them and her finger tips met the handles and it sent a rush of goose bumps up her arm.

 

[Tsukino Dante]

Ren returned to the classroom a few minutes after he left; it seemed that the situation had improved slightly- Aiko seemed to be the only one without a weapon right now. Of those who did choose a weapon, three of them chose weapons from the pole category 'Well, that makes training them easier, I suppose.' Ren thought as he made his way back to the center of the classroom.

"Well, someone felt a little unorthodox today. I'll need to pull out some manuals on that one." Ren said, nodding slightly to Bunkei. He quickly made a few handseals and summoned a small book. "Here, this might help." he said, tossing the book to her before addressing the other students.

"You've all picked weapons of somewhat similar construction, although there are differences a lot of the basics translate quite nicely." Ren said, reaching for a spear on the nearby wall. "First off, unless you opponent gets in close to try in-fighting, you want to hold the weapon by the end- not the middle. Use every inch of pole, keep your opponent out of your face. If you can use the length of the weapon to your advantage, then you can fight them without exposing yourself to their attacks." Ren said, taking a few simple stances with the spear while marching around the back of the classroom.

"Your most basic attack is a simple lunge, don't underestimate it! You want to extend your arms, but don't lock your elbows! And keep your guard up so your opponent can't attack through you! Once your weapon is extended you can step into the attack to deliver." as Ren described the attack he made several lunges with his spear, demonstrating the proper technique for the entire class to see. "A blunt staff can break bones and cause severe bruising, and putting that sort of force into a blade is a rather good way to impale someone. Now, practice with your weapons for a while, if you need a target just tell me and I'll summon a dummy. Bunkei-chan, I'll be with you in a minute."

- Aiko went poof.

- You can all RP training with your weapons for this round, if you ask Ren to summon a dummy one will appear right in front of your character (he has plenty of them stored in hammerspace, so don't be afraid to bust them up). Ren may interrupt the round to comment on a certain character's techniques.

- I'm not familiar with Chakram fighting at all, so I'll have to do some research this round. Sorry, Bunkei.

- Next round will be ready on Friday unless I receive a PM requesting an extension.

 

[Tanaka Ai]

Ai was took care not to hit the teacher upon his reentrance to the room, holding his weapon off to the side as he passed. That was not an incident the boy needed on his record, though he had faith that the armor encasing the man would be more than a match for any melee attack the student could attempt. Resting the weapon for a moment, Ai took a moment to focus on the other students once again. One of them seemed to be off in their own little world while the others had all moved on to practicing with their respective weapons of choice. Luckily for the teacher, a majority had chosen pole-class weapons with the exception of the simple girl, who had chosen two unconventional looked metal disks. Even their Sensai seemed to be lacking in knowledge of them, resorting to a weapons manual to aid in the lesson.
“A blunt staff can break bones and cause severe bruising, and putting that sort of force into a blade is a rather good way to impale someone. Now, practice with your weapons for a while, if you need a target just tell me and I'll summon a dummy.”
Without hesitation, Ai raised his arm and addressed the Jounin. “I’d appreciate something to solid to swing at, please.” A moment later, a wooden dummy poofed into existence in front of the boy, close enough to pose a theoretical threat to the student. Responding quickly, the lanky boy turned his left shoulder to face the target and took a wide step away, leaving a healthy gap. Judging his distance carefully, he leapt forward, holding the smooth staff in his right hand positioned to about a third of the staff. Pulling his arm back, he viscously jabbed at the wooden target, throwing all his weight into the attack. Upon impact, however, the target refused to budge, causing the flustered student to drive his ribs into the edge of the staff, winding him for a moment and causing him to grunt quietly.
Embarrassed, the bald student wasted no time in changing tact, spinning around with his arm extended, the staff pressing on his forearm and up to the elbow. Just before impact, Ai brought his other hand to staff, his palm slapping against the wood as he drove the assault home, splintering the ‘head’ of the dummy and rattling it to its base.
Fueled by pain and a little shame, the normally collect boy finished his assault by once again stepping away from his target and lunging in, this time using both arms for stability as he smashed the tip of the staff through the damaged wood, effectively splitting the solid dummy from its head to its upper torso. Taking a moment to inhale a calming jet of air, Ai admired his handiwork.
‘Honestly, I didn’t think I would have it in me.’
A ghost of a smile passing his lips, the teenager once again addressed his teacher.
“Sensai… Could I get another?”​

 

[Tsukino Dante]

Ren grinned at Ai's first 'kill', not bad for a rookie, not bad at all!

"Sure thing, don't hurt yourself." Ren said, walking over to Ai and using a minor restoration jutsu on him before summoning another dummy.

"If you're gonna put both hands into a swing, try using a lever motion. That gets the most amount of force with the least effort. Keep up the good work, Ai-kun!" Ren explained, giving a few demonstrative swings with his spear before moving back to an unoccupied part of the classroom.