Kenji was in one of the many training fields around the Hidden Sand practicing as he always did. His team didn't have a mission today which gave him some free time to train. Normally he would have been up to hang out with his teammates but he wanted to be alone today to clear his head.
Looking at the practice dummy not far from him that was the poor target of Kenji's frustrations today looked like it had been through hell. Closing his eyes he breathed in deep before exhaling slowly. As the last of his air left his body his chains dropped from their place around his wrist as he began to skillfully twist and turn snapping the blades across the dummy in front of him leaving deep cuts in it. After several moves, Kenji came to a stop as his chains returned to their place on his arm.
“Well it seems you have been practicing a lot.” came a voice from behind him
Snapping around instantly knowing whose voice that belonged to. “Dad!?” he asked shocked at his father's sudden appearance.
“What are you doing here. I thought you were all out on the front lines?” Kenji was confused as to why his dad would be here with the war going on. To say the two looked identical would be an understatement. It seemed as if Kenji had made a clone Jutsu slightly taller than normal and put a Jounin jacket on it. holding the same smile and having the same attitude it really did seem as if it were two of the same person standing in front of each other.
With a somber Expression, Kenji's father looked down at his son.
“That's just it son. Most of the jounin have returned to the village for a short time. These first few months have been rough on the village and her manpower.” Resting a hand on his son's shoulder he continued
“To be blunt Many of the jounin have fallen in battle already in the fighting.” Kenji’s eyes nearly doubled in size at the news of the front and how it was working. He knew all too well that war would be costly but to hear that after only a few months most of the higher ranks that had been sent to ‘End the war quickly’ had been killed was like a gut punch.
“What does that mean? What's going to happen now?” he quickly asked trying to wrap his head around the whole decision.
With a somber look in his eyes, his dad continued
“you know how much I don't want to see you out there after..” he seemed to trail off a bit while looking off into the distance. Shaking his head a bit he continued.
“That's why I'm here. You and the other Chunin and Genin are going to be put on the front to help in the war effort.” Looking surprised for only a moment Kenji instantly put on a calm face once more.
“It's fine dad I know. It will be an honor to fight for the village in the war. And don't worry I knew what I was getting into when I decided I wanted to be a Ninja.”“That's what scares me,” his father said with a smile and a small laugh.
“Well since I'm already here and we have some time left what do you say to a little spar to see if you're ready?”“Bring on old timer. Don't be surprised if I beat you at your own game.” Kenji replied as he let the Chain Whips drop from his sleeves dropping into his stance.
Mimicking his son his chain whips also dropped down as he began to spin them slowly getting into a rhythm.
"Glad to see your self-confidence hasn't faltered one bit in my absence." after finishing the whips stopped suddenly before being shot right at Kenji.