Chapter Text
Konoha was a village of survivors. Some came from fallen clans; others, from lands that had vanished entirely. Tián Mì was one of them. Once a citizen of Chin—a land that no longer exists—Mì found a new home in Konoha. And she took pride in being an exceptional Konoha kunoichi.
The Land of Chin was once vast and prosperous, but internal and external conflicts led to its destruction. Only a handful of survivors managed to escape, scattering across various lands. Among them were four families who found refuge in Konoha: The Lee, Maito, Wu, and Tián families. Although Chin had once been vast, its people were all connected by blood in one way or another. As a result, the four families were also distant cousins.
Mì arrived in Konoha at the age of ten with her parents. Like many from Chin, her family had a natural aptitude for Taijutsu and Bukijutsu, each developing a unique Qian (technique) based on their Jia (family). In Mì’s case, her family specialized in a Qian known as Hung Jia—more commonly called Hung Ga. The name came from their ancestor, Hung Hei Kung, who developed the style by blending the family's combat techniques with temple-based breathing and strengthening methods he had learned during the First Shinobi War.
Though she had been just a child when Chin fell, its memories shaped her deeply. She carried its traditions with her, training relentlessly to ensure her family’s legacy lived on.
Mì was small but fast, like many girls from Chin. Her striking gray-blue eyes on the other hand were a rare trait. Though her family trained her in all aspects of Hung Ga, she specialized in two of its five animal styles: the Serpent (She) and the Crane (He). Hung Ga was a powerful Taijutsu system, built on strong stances, brutal strikes, and a balance of finesse and power. The five styles—Tiger (Hǔ), Dragon (Lóng), Serpent (Shé), Crane (Hè), and Leopard (Bào)—each emphasized a different approach to combat.
The styles she specialized in were designed for smaller fighters to counter larger, stronger opponents—making her both fast and deadly.
The Serpent Style (She Xing) 🐍 embodies fluidity and unpredictability, using whip-like movements to weave around defences before striking with precision. Instead of brute strength, it emphasizes finger jabs and palm strikes aimed at weak points. A practitioner moves like a snake, dodging attacks with swift body angling before countering with rapid, pinpoint hits.
Crane Style (He Xing) 🦢 is the embodiment of grace, strategy, and precision. A practitioner moves with effortless balance, staying light on their feet, always poised to evade and counter with calculated efficiency. Like a crane standing in still waters, they wait for the perfect moment to strike, their movements appearing almost delicate—until they unleash an attack with deceptive strength.
Their arms flow like wings, deflecting incoming attacks before snapping forward with sharp, precise strikes. Unlike brute-force styles, Crane Style relies on refined control, using an opponent’s aggression against themself. Fighters of this style master the art of reading their opponents—waiting for an opening before striking with precision and finality.
While Hung Ga is known for its grounded power, Crane Style is the exception—light, evasive, and precise. It incorporates fluid aerial maneuvers and swift downward strikes, like a bird swooping in for the kill. This adaptability lets a fighter control the rhythm of combat, shifting between defence and offence with ease. What appears elegant and controlled hides a deadly precision, making Crane Style one of the most formidable techniques in close combat.
Mì was proficient with all weapons, but her jiàn (剣) felt like an extension of her body. In Chin, there was a saying about weapons:
刀如猛虎，剑如飞凤，枪如游龙。
Dāo rú měnghǔ, jiàn rú fēi fèng, qiāng rú yóu lóng.
It means that: the Dao is like a fierce tiger, the Jian is like a soaring phoenix, and the Qian is like a wandering dragon. To better explain it:
- he Dao (刀) is a weapon of sheer ferocity. Designed for aggressive combat, it delivers overwhelming speed and power, always seeking a decisive blow. Just as a tiger pounces on its prey with precision and force, the Dao’s wielder dominates the battlefield through swift, forceful movements that leave no room for hesitation.
- The Jian (剑) embodies elegance and adaptability, moving like the Feng Huang (Phoenix)—graceful, ever-shifting, and elusive. Unlike the Dao, which dominates through strength, the Jian redirects, evades, and counters. Its movements are precise, never rigid—just as a Phoenix glides effortlessly through the wind, the Jian wielder flows around their opponent, always in control yet never fully predictable.
- The Qiang (枪) is the weapon of fluidity and unpredictability. It coils and strikes like a serpent or dragon, constantly in motion, never static. A spear’s reach and flexibility allow it to attack, withdraw, feint, and redirect seamlessly. Like a dragon dancing through the skies or a serpent weaving through grass, the Qiang is both offensive and defensive at once, shifting between piercing thrusts, sweeping motions, and sudden, unpredictable redirections.
Each weapon embodies its corresponding animal, shaping not just movement, but also the wielder’s mindset. The Dao demands boldness and aggression, the Jian requires finesse and strategy, and the Qiang thrives on adaptability and flow.
This just reinforces that Mì was all about finesse and strategy. By the age of 12, Mì had already graduated from the Konoha Academy and earned her Genin rank, taking on missions with her team. Where she showed that mastering these styles was not just about combat—it was about survival. On more the one occasion, she used her crane footwork to evade big guys and snake stealthy to save comrades.
Times were not peaceful, and like many in Konoha, Mì became an orphan. Though the pain of losing her parents never faded, and loneliness often crept in, she refused to be helpless. Instead, she dedicated herself to training tirelessly, honing her body and mind, determined to become an unshakable force on the battlefield. Determined to become a formidable kunoichi—one who would never fear defeat or the loss of her comrades.
As Mì grew, she became a great asset for Konoha, her fluid style of Taijutsu made her an excellent assassin and infiltration specialist. She was also highly skilled in cryptography and intelligence gathering. Mì was truly exceptional—not just as a kunoichi, but as a person. Fierce, kind, and unshakably loyal to Konoha, Mì earned the respect of all who knew her.
No matter how much she lost, she would keep moving forward—because she was a shinobi. And shinobi endured.
Through her missions, she worked alongside many talented shinobi, but one name always stood out—Hatake Sakumo. Though their paths had not yet truly crossed, fate was already weaving them together in an unexpected way.
combat.
