Family Ties: Arui Gobetsu vs Kuuden Shokku

''The landscape of the Land of Lightning was, as always, stormy. The dark clouds hovering the grassy plains predicted rain, and a single lonely figure is seen walking through it. He doesn't run, but simply walks through the landscape, a small smirk on his face as he continues his way to Kumogakure, where he would stay this night.''

The Silent Visitor
The lone figure's name was Arui, the head of the Kirigakure ANBU subdivision named the Hunter-nin. He had just dispatched of a missing-nin who had managed to get all the way to the land of lightning, and was now travelling to the hidden village, looking forward to sleeping on an actual bed instead of the floor this night. He started humming a song whose title he had forgotten, but the melody was still stuck in his mind. Now standing at the top of a hill, he could see the buildings of Kumogakure standing out not so far away anymore.

The Kuuden Shokku current Raikage, left his office of business for a quick whiff of air on his balcony, to gaze upon the village his swore to protect and look upon the horizon where true beauty of nature lyes. Small droplets of water started to fall from the black clouds, quick flashes of light started to dance through the air without making a sound, and the wind blew not rough but smoothly. "Hmm...perhaps I should enjoy myself...only for a minute of course" Kuuden says a he takes off leaving his Kage robe and hat behind.

As Arui entered Kumogakure through it's great gates, he gazed upon the high buildings. This was really the village hidden in the clouds. "Well, they got to make sure their mind doesn't get to clouded.", he whispered to himself, and chuckled. While searching for a hotel to spend the night, his sight fell upon the biggest and tallest structure in the village. Thinking that would probably be the Raikage's office, Arui decided to inform him of the disposal of that missing-nin. After all, that guy massacred a whole town when he was here.

After Arui reached the entrance of the Raikage's palace, and Kumogakure shinobi informed the shinobi. "Lord Raikage seems to have left...his bound to be near Kumogakure, as he tends to leave often.

As Arui prepared to turn around, continuing his search for a hotel, his eye fell on a small metal plate near the entrance of the Raikage building. There was a name, written in kanji carved into the plate. Arui read the plate slowly. "Kuuden... Shokku?!" Could it be? His father had told him often about his sparring friend, a great man of Kumogakure who had adopted a son named Kuuden Shokku. If this man had became the Raikage. he could only be around 16 years old or such. That must have be an incredibly talented shinobi. Ignoring the desires that the smells of food brought with them, Arui ran out of the village, in search for the departed Raikage.

Outside of Kumogakure, Kuuden was practicing his ninjutsu skills, preferably his mastered element, Lightning Release. More lightning bolts flashed through the sky above Kuuden. He started to preform Lightning Release: Self-Electric Rod to attract one lightning current to his body and redirected the lightning back to the sky. This could be seen from a distance, such as Kumogakure.

While he was checking the fresh footsteps of several passengers to find the Raikage, Arui suddenly saw lighting flash through the air. He shrugged and leaped up, running to the source of the lightshow. he would've probably found the Raikage using his tracking skills alone, but this way was faster and easier. The Raikage was probably testing out a new move or something. Maybe one that could come in handy later...

Kuuden was on his knees exhausted from using such a powerful technique. "Still needs work..." Kuuden says as he gets back on his feet.

Seeing the man standing up, Arui though that that had to be the Raikage. He waved at the man and yelled, "Hey, mr. Kuuden?" as he walked closer, his other hand placed deep into his pocket.

At first when he Kuuden turned towards Arui, he smiled greeting him back with a hello. He also noticed he placed his hand in his pocket the smile shortened. "Hmm...his chakra is special...he also seems to be a Kirigakure shinobi" Kudden thought while looking at Arui directly. "Is there anything I can help you?" Kuuden asked.

Arui stood still, and hesitated a second before answering. "Yeah, you see, I'm the head of the Hunter-nin of Kirigakure, and I traveled all the way up here to kill a dangerous serial killer. I was going to inform you about that, because he also killed some people down here, but when I came at your office, they told me you were gone. But then I saw your nameplate, and I recognized the name 'cause my father used to tell me about a friend who had adopted a son named Kuuden Shokku. Does the name Ōchō Gobetsu mean anything to you?", he said with a wide grin on his face. His other hand was now also placed in his pocket, and with his shoulders hanging and his back slightly bend backwards, he gave of a very calm look despite the fact he was standing before one of the most powerful shinobi in the world.

Remembering the name, Kuuden smiled as it reminded him of his stepfather. "Ah..yes...I do remember Gobetsu clan as my father has always talked about your father...they were best friends" Kuuden says as he looks up in the sky remembering all the good times he had with his stepfather. He then looks back at Arui and ask, "You must be...Arui?

"Indeed". Arui was still smiling, but now he shyly kicked a rock before asking his next question. "My father always told me they sparred all the time. Would you like to see whom of the next generation is the strongest?" He looked the Raikage straight in the face, cheerful as ever.

After thinking for a few moments, Kuuden made his decision. "Yes...I would be happy to spar with you" Kuuden replies while going into a fighting style.

The Match Begins!
Arui grinned when he heard Kuuden's answer. He observed his fighting stance closely. "He seems to be a straight-forward attacker, but that doesn't mean he doesn't think. There's no doubt he's a lightning user. I'll go with the common strategy before attacking. Observe and Strike." He pulled out two kunai, but didn't aim them at Kuuden. Instead he threw them into two nearby trees which were standing right and left of Kuuden.

"Hmm what is he planning?" Kuuden says to himself while looking at the kunai's.

Arui formed a single hand seal, and then jumped up. Using the factor that the sun was behind his back and Kuuden would be blinded if he looked at him, he unsheathed his sword and brought it down with enormous force, aiming for where Kuuden was standing. Meanwhile, a barely noticeable sissing sound could be heard, but only by the sharpest ears...

Using his Magnetism Art he stop the the sword in place, levitating it in the air causing Arui to fall on the ground. He then attracted the sword into his hand and pointed it at Arui. "Magnetism...its my specialty" Kuuden says with a smile.

"Interesting. But not good enough". Arui moved his hand backwards, causing the string wire that was attached to the sword to pull it back with his hand. With the index finger of his other hand, he made another movement, which revealed another string wire that caused a chain reaction revealing a bunch of paper bombs that he attached to the kunai before. The explosion was big enough to reach Kuuden, but the trees themselves also plunged down on Kuuden. Meanwhile, Arui used the smoke created by the explosion to disappear from sight.

In a nearby tree that wasn't affected by the explosion, he arranged what he knew. "This probably won't last long, because he's probably a sensor. So, he uses magnetism. That means weapons are no use." He looked at the sword in his hand. "I almost lost Kamishini there. But that trick won't work next time." His katana began glowing a light blue, as Arui made another set of hand seals. "Everything is set up, let him come."

As the smoked in the area started to clear Kuuden could be seen lifting a tree with lightning emitting his body. "Nice trick...but you need to do better to from harm me" He then throws the tree at Arui waiting for it to impact.