20 Seismic Sense

[Year 52]

"-anaged to prevent their injuries from being life threatening, but the wounds they suffered means they'll no longer be able to fight in the front lines."

Rukia said with a frown on her face as she reported the casualty amount of the recent fight. Out of the 18 Suna ninjas who were injured, only 3 were nursed back to health. The rest were either injured, or suffered crippling injuries.

Blinded due to intense damage on their eyes, broken limbs that were beyond repair, a severe case of blood loss. These are but a glimpse of the intensity of war.

Ishito just nodded as stood by the table at the command center. "Despite the losses, we did come out of that fight victorious. They didn't breach our line and the camp is safe, that's all that matters."

Rukia reluctantly agreed. Honestly, it was a miracle that they got away with just that much. They were surrounded three to one, with the weakest of their enemies being a Chunin. It was Ishito, Souei, and Rasa's efforts that really allowed them victory. Had they not been there, their casualties would've been much higher in number.

"I'll set up an escort to take the ones no longer capable of fighting to the village when the main army gets here. They deserve that much."

Rukia smiled at that. "Thanks sensei." With that, at least one of the things that's been on her mind would be abided. Those ninja gave their lives for the case of the village. The least they could do is make sure their way out the danger zone now.

"What about Rasa and Souei? Any news from them?" Ishito asked.

"They got out of the fight relatively unscathed so I cleared them pretty early. Per your orders, Rasa is now increasing our defenses with his Gold Dust and Earth Release along with a few other Chunin. Souei hasn't come back from the scouting mission you tasked him with."

Her sensei nodded. "Very well. Keep me posted if you sense anything amiss. Otherwise, take a break Rukia. You deserve it."

Rukia nodded with a smile. "You too sensei. Don't overwork yourself, kay?"

He just nodded as he refocused on the map situated on the table. Rukia rolled her eyes at the obvious dismissal before turning on her heel and walking out of the tent. He's always been like that.

"Hey Rukia!"

She didn't take 5 steps out when she heard a voice call out to her. Recognizing it, she looked to the side to see Souei approaching.

"Souei? I thought you were still on your scouting mission." She asked, slightly perplexed.

"I just got back. Listen, there's something I need to talk to you about. Are you free?"

"Yeah, Ishito sensei just cleared me. Why? What did you need?"

"That's perfect! We'll talk later, okay? I have to give my report to sensei first, then I'll meet you at the clearing south of here?" He asked.

"Yeah, that works. See you then."

.

.

.

"That's what you need me for? To help you create your own sensory technique?" Rukia said, mouth agape as she listened to his request.

As promised, they were in a clearing southways to the camp. Souei had arrived just moments ago and dropped the question on her.

"Yep, I was hoping you'd know what to do since I have no idea where to even begin."

She sighed before crossing her arms underneath her blossoming chest . "I don't know how much help I can really be. My senses work by feeling the shifts in the air around me, and that only works because I've had a connection to the wind since I was born."

"What do you really mean by connection? You said that the first time we met, but you never really told us what that meant."

"Well, the wind speaks to me, as if telling a story. All I really do is listen."

Souei hmm'ed at that. "Well considering I don't have an affinity to the wind like you do, what about an element that I'm actually familiar with?"

"Earth and fire right? I don't know how you could use fire chakra for sensory techniques, but earth…"

Souei and Rukia both glanced at the ground they were standing on. They then looked back up at each other, before looking back down.

"What do you think? Worth a shot?"

"Well, we'll never find out if we don't try." Souei shrugged.

Rukia took a few steps backward as Souei took a horse stance before taking a deep breath of air. He stayed like that for a good minute, which made Rukia believe they were actually onto something.

Her hopes were dashed when Souei opened one eye and said in a deadpan voice.

"Nothing's happening."

"Well I figured as much." Rukia sighed. "How far along are you in earth transformation anyway?"

"Honestly, not great." Souei admitted as he stood back to full height. "During my year with sensei, I focused a lot more on fire-natured chakra than earth. But I already passed the second level, this shouldn't be that hard compared to turning mud to solid earth."

"Maybe it isn't about mastery but more towards you not interacting with it correctly?" Rukia theorized with a curious tilt of her head.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, like I said. My senses work because the wind itself speaks to me. Maybe you need to figure out how to do that specifically, but with earth."

"Speak to the earth, eh? Maybe…" Souei muttered as he grew quiet for a second. He then slowly crouched as he put a hand towards the ground while closing his eyes.

Rukia just watched as Souei seemingly went on a trance. It was then that his head suddenly whipped up with his eyes wide that would've gotten her tense and worried if it weren't for the big smile on his face.

"I-I think I did it." He said with a small voice.

She widened her eyes at that statement. "What happened? What did you feel?"

"I felt you, those leaves swaying in the background, and even that small swarm of insects. It's like I could see you with even my eyes closed." he said with slight awe in his voice.

Rukia giggled at his expression. "What was different this time?"

"I think it was me touching the ground directly. Channeling chakra to the earth and letting it expand to my surroundings."

"That sounds similar to what I did." She nodded. "But do you have to always keep in contact with the ground to do that?"

"...Maybe not." Souei then stood back up before he lifted his heel and slammed it down.

Immediately, the world around him was made clear. What was a previously black world had white ripples stream through it. Everything in his vicinity was shaped in his mind's eye, down to the very last detail.

Souei then grinned at that. 'Neat.'

"So did it work?"

"Yep. It definitely did." Souei said before looking towards her with gratitude. "Thanks. Couldn't have done it without you."

Rukia just smiled back. "Anytime. But I didn't really do much though."

"It was better than anything I could've come up with. I think I'll call it 'Seismic Sense'."

"Of course you're gonna name it." She rolled her eyes. Souei has always been somewhat of a nerd when it comes to people's unique abilities. It's where his weird infatuation of naming every single one of his techniques came from.

He had always been the more academically inclined out of the three of them. Anything to do with chakra theory and applications always caught his interest. He still remembered how his eyes shone when they found that book on Yin Yang chakra a long time ago in one of their missions.

It's where his creativity comes from really. Souei is a genius when it comes to finding ways to exploit the properties of his bloodline and use his findings to come up with different ways to use them.

She still remembered how surprised she was when she saw the things he could do with simple strings. He made a seemingly simple and weak Kekkei Genkai into one of the most versatile abilities she's ever seen.

After all, at first glance, the Thread Release seems lacking when compared to the more destructive bloodlines like the Lava or the Storm Release.

"I'm not boring like you. And besides, Aunt Chiyo told me to properly document the things I could do with the Thread Release so future users will have it easier." Souei shrugged. "Guess I got used to it."

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The Seismic Sense is honestly just a too cool ability to not use.

Smaller chapter this time with a bit of bonding session between Rukia and Souei.

Advanced chapters on my pat_reon page! Depending on the tier, you could get up to chapter 26 ahead along with a few other benefits.

P_atr_eon.com/TeemVizzle

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Anyway, that's all from me.

Cheers!

Trivia: What are your thoughts on the Avatar series? (The cartoon one with all the elements and stuff. Not the blue alien people one)