Hiro narrowed his eyes at Ume as she spoke, leaning his head back and furrowing his brow. She was too proud to admit it, he thought. He was so focused on her that he didn't pay any mind to his surroundings, so when Iku said something about an ambush, he looked instead her way rather than the said attack. When he finally got the hint, he turned to face the cascade of water headed directly for them.<br/><br/>The ninja jumped up only a few feet, too short, and was caught by the wave. He shut his eyes and his mouth, tumbling through the waters until his back collided with a tree trunk, causing both his eyes and his mouth to open again. Thoughts whirled around in his head... Was this a trick? Had the letter been a forgery meant to lure them out here to be assassinated? Hiro could understand why they'd target him... possibly, but he didn't know what value Ume or Iku had. Then was it a test? Did this new team even exist? Was this their captain?<br/><br/>The technique certainly was Jounin-level... He hadn't seen any sources of water nearby. None of that mattered. What mattered now was escaping. First thing's first, then devise a plan of counter attack. He flipped over, grabbed a hold of whatever handholds he could find, and began to climb out of the water, hanging onto the tree like a monkey.<br/><br/>"Iku!" He shouted, finding a place to crouch upon safely, "It's Daibakufu no Jutsu! The water will destroy everything in its path! We're not safe here!"<br/><br/>"Ume-" He began to say, but she was off as quickly as he could speak. He gave a sardonic smile and then planted both his feet against the tree trunk, propelling himself off of it and clear of the maelstrom a few feet in front of it, crouching. He bit his lip as he looked ahead at their attacker, and then towards Ume. Raiton to fight a Suiton user, he thought... It would make Ume a tempting target, considering she could hit their opponent from nearly any place on the battlefield. Then again, so could Iku...<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">Identify; 35. (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4847353/)<br/>Failed Reflex: (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=78937)  13 Damage.<br/>Free: Activate Speed/Strength Ranks for 8 chakra.<br/>Athletics to swim/climb out onto the tree: 17 (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php) +6 = 23<br/>Move: Jump forward. Jump: 11+8+8+11 = 38 before rolling. (Vertical jump without running start = 19 ft.)<br/>Swift: Enter Suiken Dachi stance for 2 chakra.<br/>Identify Shurai no Jutsu. 24. (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=78940)<br/><br/>HP: 40/53<br/>Chakra Pool: 54/64.<br/><br/>– Speed Rank 4 (Ex): The character gains a +5 bonus to Jump checks, a +4 dodge bonus<br/>to Defense and Reflex saves, and a +2 bonus to attack rolls. The character's land speed<br/>increases by 25 feet, gains a +4 speed bonus to Hide checks, and his attacks have a<br/>kawarimi defense 1.<br/>When not suppressed or dormant, speed rank 4 costs 4 points of chakra every 5 rounds.<br/><br/>– Strength Rank 4 (Ex): The character gains a +2 bonus to attack and weapon damage<br/>rolls, and a +6 bonus to opposed disarm, trip, grapple, bullrush or overrun checks,<br/>strength checks and Break, Climb, Jump and Swim checks. His carrying capacity<br/>doubles. In addition, a character with Strength Rank 4 ignores hardness from objects with<br/>6 or less hardness.<br/>When not suppressed or dormant, strength rank 4 costs 4 points of chakra every 5 rounds.<br/>Whether active or dormant, strength rank 4 increases the character's effective Strength<br/>score to determine his carrying capacity by +4.<br/></div></div>