The Circle of Life, Bakuto's Training

In a meditative state, Bakuto Harī sat with his eyes closed and his legs crossed. As he did so, he appeared to be in harmony with the nature around him, also noted by the expression of serenity on his face.

"Master Bakuto!" chimed a young adolescent voice. The voice chimed once more, causing Bakuto to open an eye.

Watching the bush opposite of him, a young boy draped in a gray uniform popped through the bush and waved a hand. "Shinji, do you need something?" asked Bakuto, attempting to keep in his meditative pose.

"Junan-sama says she wants you home soon, she's worried" Shinji said, trying to pull himself out of the bush. His pants leg quickly stuck to the branch, bringing him to the ground quickly. Lifting his head, he saw Bakuto standing above him with his hand out stretched.

"Shinji, stand up" he said as he grasped the boys hand and pulled him to his feet. Wiping the boy's jacket, he placed his hand onto the boys head and said "Tell Junan... I'm going on a little 'trip'. I'll be back in three days... give or take" Bakuto said turning from Shinji.

"Three... days?" Shinji repeated quite slowly. "But Master Bakuto! You are the leader of the Hidden Sound you cannot just go on a trip whenever!" Shinji called flailing his arms.

Letting out a sigh, Bakuto clenched his forehead with two of his fingers. Inhaling a deep breath, he rubbed his head and said "This vacation is more of a training session, if I am to lead this village then I must be strong enough to protect my people" Bakuto chimed. "Let me demonstrate to you, what I am seeking to master" Bakuto continued.

Examples of Power
Falling to a knee, Bakuto swiftly clapped his hands and closed his eyes. "First..." Bakuto chimed quietly. "I must commune with nature and the chakra around me" he said.

Shinji was shocked as Bakuto's hair quickly rose up, from the sheer chakra build up around him. "Woah..." he managed to muster.

"Next, I must flush out my own chakra network" Bakuto said releasing the seal he made with his hands and re-clapping once more. As his hands touched once more, Bakuto opened his eyes. Once dark and dreary, they now appeared to be glowing and bright.

"Amazing, Master Bakuto has cleansed his chakra of negative emotions and any emotional burdens" Shinji chimed, sensing the rise in chakra emitting from Bakuto.

"The final step, young Shinji is the most difficult" Bakuto said standing up. "I must channel the absorbed chakra through each part of my chakra network, in narrow bursts... doing so will simulate me opening the without the draw backs" Bakuto chimed as he dropped his hands to his side.

"Hmm?" Shinji chimed. "Master Bakuto, why have you not done the last stage?" the boy asked.

Bakuto sighed and crossed his arms. "It seems that I cannot properly let out the built up chakra, when I let it slip out from my chakra netowrk the entire system cannot take the sheer force and backfires on me" he said lifting up the sleeve of his kimono. His arm was scathed and wrapped in bandage. "This is the result of attempting to do so improperly" Bakuto remarked.

Shinji stared blankly at Bakuto, before quickly shaking his head. "I will inform Mistress Junan right away, she will understand the severity of your duties!" Shinji called saluting the Samurai. Quickly about facing, he leaped through the bush he arrived through back towards the village.

"The kid is insane" Bakuto sighed with his arms folded.

The Third Stage
Hours had passed and Bakuto remained in his meditative state, with his legs folded and swords stuck into the ground. "Okay, once more" he thought clapping his hands. Chakra began to swell around him and when he opened his eyes, they were in their "pure" state. Standing up, he quickly grasped the hilt of his sword and unsheathed it before he took off.

Running towards the large tree opposite off him, as he grew close he quickly spun around and slashed vertically into the tree. An explosion occurred when the sword sliced into the tree, turning the age-old oak into pieces of wood and bark that covered the ground.

Bakuto stood, panting and grasping his arm. The sword dropped and Bakuto did as well soon after. "This is getting to hard, my body can't take it" Bakuto thought. "There has to be a trick to this..." he thought.

He laid across the ground, unsure of what to do. "The Leader of the Village... the one who guides them and protects them can't even master a technique" he thought, unsure of what to do. He glanced at Akuma, which was laid out across the ground. "Master's sword can utilize any chakra nature it comes in contact with and Konsō was forged by me, with the bond that me and Bee formed from out fight... yet I can't master a simple technique" he said dropping his head to the ground.

Suddenly, Bakuto remembered something from his youth. The image of his former Master, who saved him from the Land of Sound appeared before him. "Bakuto, this necklace here is worth a fortune..." the samurai said placing the necklace into Bakuto's hand. "Its value is not its only greatest feature, but in its ability to act as a 'medium' for chakra which makes it special" the man chimed.

Bakuto had a smile on his face, as he attempted to push himself off the ground. Grasping Akuma off the ground, he wrapped his hand around the necklace that sat on his neck and yanked it off its string. "Master... this is my last memory of you" he said as he spotted another large tree in the distance. Closing his eyes, he quickly went through the first stages of the Rinjutsu without taking the meditative stance.

Tightening his grip on the necklace, he lunged at the oak tree, giving a quick spin before his blade connected. Energy wrapped around his blade, creating a large chakra explosion that shattered the tree into tiny pieces. Bakuto stood, unharmed with a smirk on his face. No wounds came from that last attack and he properly used it. Placing the necklace inside his kimono, he smiled as he looked down at his blade.

Suddenly blood spurted from his mouth, causing him to fall to his knees. "Dammit" he thought, slamming his fist to the ground.

"Don't strain yourself..." a voice chimed from behind.

Bakuto turned his head to see a familiar face, with medium-length purple hair and an emotionless face. Managing a smile she placed her arm over him an helped him to his feet. "No matter what, I am always at your side" Junan said as she laid her head into his side.

Smiling at his wife, he embraced her with a hug and said "I'm glad I have you" Bakuto chimed.