"Uhm, we're already ninja," pointed out Naruto, a little less subdued than he'd been.
"You notice how everyone around us has a 'class'?" asked Jiraiya. "It's more than just a profession, which apparently is something altogether different. The way this world runs, the class determines exactly what one can do. Someone who detects as a Hunter can't wear plate armor. They just can NOT do it. If you stuff a Hunter into a suit of armor like that, it just falls off immediately."
"Weird," noted Naruto.
"You have no idea," said Jiraiya. "Anyway, ninja are different. We determine what the rules are, then we choose which rules we break."
"I don't get it," said Naruto.
"What kind of armor can we wear?" asked Jiraiya.
"We don't normally wear armor," noted Naruto.
"Which is what they call 'Cloth' here," said Jiraiya, plucking at the sleeve of his shirt. "Which is normally what their jutsu-specialist types use. Priests, Mages, and Warlocks."
"So we're jutsu-specialists?" asked Naruto, as that was something that at least made sense.
"Maybe," said Jiraiya, standing up. He extended one arm and pointed a palm at one of the targets in the yard. "Pyroblast!"
A streak of flame set the target ablaze.
Jiraiya shifted two fingers inward. "Inferno Blast!"
The fire quadrupled in size, swallowing the targets on either side of the one he'd targeted.
Jiraiya took a deep breath, then brought his hands slapping together. "Rain of Fire!"
The entire area became awash in flames as streaks of fire from above added to the effect.
Naruto blinked. "Okay. That wasn't too bad."
Jiraiya held up a hand, closed his fingers, and the fires died down.
"Done yet?" asked a nearby Mage, who set his water elemental to quenching the remaining fires.
"Not quite," said Jiraiya. "Penance!"
The energy bolt smashed into one of the remaining targets, then Jiraiya turned towards his student.
Three more bolts hit a screaming Naruto before he noticed there wasn't any damage being done.
"That was two Mage spells," said Jiraiya. "One Warlock spell. One Priest spell. Penance hurts enemies and heals allies. Very useful thing to have I'd think."
Naruto said a few things which were neither polite nor particularly enthusiastic about the demonstration.
"When you get your book and advance in your skills, you'll have to choose a specialization," said Jiraiya. "There's mine - ninjutsu. You learn 'spells' quickly, face restrictions in armor and weapons, and can do some really nifty things with space/time apparently. There's also a melee combat specialist ninja, taijutsu but also kenjutsu. Dual-wielding, able to pick up new weapons and equipment techniques. Finally, there's -"
"Genjutsu, right?" put in Naruto.
"Good guess, but wrong," said Jiraiya. "Last choice is summoner."
"But... you said you were a ninjutsu specialist, right?" asked Naruto.
"That's right, and I still have the Toad Contract," said Jiraiya. "My understanding is its a bit like the Hunters already are, but more into some other kind of summoning. Unfortunately, as I'm already a ninjutsu specialist - I don't know the full range of capabilities of either of those other two specialization paths."
"So you can do everything those gals can do?" asked Naruto.
"Nope," said Jiraiya. "I can only copy some of their stuff. Bits and pieces. And I'm told they're better at the techniques - but by mixing and switching off - I'm more adaptable. Now, while you continue to heal up, I'm going to learn more about this 'Inscription' skill. Unless you're ready to try and learn a 'class' while here?"
"Ah," said Naruto, thinking about being out there where those "Horde" people could try and grab him. His stomach pulled a now-familiar sinking sensation. "Not yet."
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(Posted Sat, 08 Jun 2013 18:48)
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