Sato Hibiki - All it takes is to Dance

E-rank mission: All it takes is Dexterity
E-rank mission: Why Don't we Dance (Pt. 1)

Hibiki had been wandering through the village when he had spotted the challenge notice nailed to one of the notice boards. The notice was an open challenge from a local hunter that claimed to be the greatest marksman in the village. He had even been willing to place a reward if someone could beat him with their choice of ranged weapon. Hibiki had not been planning on challenging someone to a kunai throwing match but he was interested to see if he could win and even if he lost it was good to get some throwing practice in. Recently he had been much to focused on learning his puppetry techniques as well as trying to get to grips with the new chakra element he had very recently been able to access. Hibiki decided it would do him some good to test out the more mundane skills as he never knew when it might come in handy. Hibiki headed towards the location where the challenge notice stated that the marksman would be waiting for challengers but took his time getting there.

Hibiki was currently wearing a large wooden box with makeshift straps that held it to his back. The box was about half the size of a coffin and earned him many looks as he cheerfully wandered by with a youthful spring in his step. Inside was stored his first successful puppet the Jorogumo. His parents had been shocked when he first brought it home and at first had wanted him to throw it away. Some how old man Amaya had spoken to them and convinced them to let Hibiki keep it. Hibiki’s mother had even agreed to adjust an old yukata in order to dress the puppet and Amaya had helped paint its face to look more realistic. Hibiki had in fact been on his way to help out with a local troupe of entertainers to debut Jorogumo as a performance puppet when he was waylaid by the notice.

It didn’t take long for Hibiki to find the location and spotted an arrogant man that was perhaps mid-twenties. Hibiki called out to the man. “Are you the best marksman in the world? I saw this notice and thought I would try my hand at beating you with a kunai, I am pretty good at throwing it you know.” Hibiki moved closer and unslung the large box and lowered it to the ground, taking a moment to stretch his back now that the weight had gone. “Really need to find a better way to move it around. Phew. So are you the guy or not?” The man watched and listened to Hibiki with puzzlement clearly on his face. He considered his words before answering. “I am indeed the greatest marksman in the world! But I am afraid I have no interest in competing against children. Send for the greatest marksman in the village. Perhaps then this will be worth my time.”

Hibiki considered the request and shrugged. "Well I don’t know the best marksman in the village but I think I am pretty good. If you beat me I can get the best marksman I know? Well I choose this box as the target.” He slapped the storage box he had been carrying. “Hold on let me place it a bit further away.” Hibiki unlatched the catches that held the lid shut and attached his chakra strings to Jorogumo making it move itself out of the box and unfold into its full height. With several deft finger motions Jorogumo picked up the box and carried it as Hibiki followed a short distance behind. The box was placed and Hibiki walked back with Jorogumo before setting it down in a seated position before he detached his chakra wires.

Hibiki took up his position and threw his kunai easily hitting the box and the marksman likewise matched him. After several rounds neither of them had missed so they adjusted the target and tried again. The so called greatest marksman in the world slipped slightly on his last throw and the kunai bounced of the target landing on the floor. Though unhappy at the genuine accidental slip he honoured the agreement and admitted his defeat before swearing to improve and to challenge Hibiki again one day. Hibiki agreed enthusiastically and thanked him for the great match before storing Jorogumo back in the box and rushing over to the troupe to carry out his performance. Hibiki arrived and apologised for being late before unveiling Jorogumo, much to the delight of a pair of puppeteers.

He began practising with the pair, learning and matching the movements, as well as helping to advise on smoother motions or slightly more precise handling styles and movements to create a more fluid performance. He was personally surprised by how adept he had become even with normal strings, though it took more effort to keep them from getting untangled than when using chakra strings. Hibiki also demonstrated the kinds of movements capable with chakra threads as he made the smaller puppets spar and fight each other, similarly to how he and Amaya battled. It did not take long for the display to attract other practising entertainers, who clapped along and watched with interest.

Hibiki then joined with a group of dancers and asked them to show him some basics steps he could practice with Jorogumo. He replicated the movements with Jorogumo and after a short while had managed to replicate the basics steps and almost matching the skill of the dancers themselves, though this was only because Jorogumo could be so finely controlled and had the benefit of being able to glide just above the floor. Hibiki kept this fact hidden from the dancers, however, and was sure that the long yukata hid the actual footfalls of Jorogumo. Hibiki returned to the puppeteers as he had failed to keep up with the more advanced steps of the dance and decided to quit whilst he was ahead. After a few final comments, Hibiki was thanked for his assistance and sent home, so they could make the final preparations before the performance began. Hibiki was however invited to come and watch.

WC: 1000

Claiming mission rewards:
- 2,250 Ryo
- + 11 AP
Claiming stats:
- +5 speed
- +5 Chakra

Claiming Jutsu:
- 350 for Storage Displacement - 500/500 - 350/1000
- 300 for Body Flicker - 500/500 - 650/1000
- 350 for Puppet Flicker -350/500 - 1000/1000

Sato Hibiki wrote:E-rank mission: All it takes is Dexterity
E-rank mission: Why Don't we Dance (Pt. 1)


WC: 1000

Claiming mission rewards:
- 2,250 Ryo
- + 11 AP
Claiming stats:
- +5 speed
- +5 Chakra

Claiming Jutsu:
- 350 for Storage Displacement - 500/500 - 350/1000
- 300 for Body Flicker - 500/500 - 650/1000
- 350 for Puppet Flicker -350/500 - 1000/1000

Approved