Backstory
The furthest back of backwaters. In the land of the sea, to scavenge is to live. Many boats make landfall on its many shores, but only a fraction of them in one piece. The rest are scuttled, dashed on the rocks or at the hands of enterprising pirates, and find their way to landfall one plank at a time.
It was in one of these shipwrecks that Taihō met his home for the first time, washing up in a tattered wooden box on an overcast day. Yet rather than a piercing wail that could split the swirling canopy of gray above, the only sounds the child emitted were happy little snores.
After all, someone had left a bright red umbrella braced against the box, protecting the boy from the elements.
When the villagers crept out to pick at the wreck's bones, they gawped with astonishment at the sight. What self-respecting scavenger would leave behind a perfectly intact tool to a child doomed to become nobody at all? For the ship had been scavenged, flensed down to its barest skeleton, and nothing left to gather but the boy and his shelter.
A sight that was enough to strike them all with shame.
Swaddled in salty rags, he was brought back to the village and promptly adopted by the community as a whole. Even when it turned out the mystery child held a tailed beast within himself, the village elder forbade anyone from making any hasty judgments or treating the boy any differently. The village hadn't seen a new child in many years, and the sickly, worn faces of its inhabitants always lit up when the boy came stumbling over the dunes towards them.
Meals were a little thinner now that they had another mouth to feed, but somehow they felt more filling.
When he was old enough to talk, the young jinchuuriki was finally given a name: Taihō, for his loud and clear voice that rang out like a cannon fodder
Of course, his status as jinchuuriki couldn't be kept from him forever, and Taihō immediately leapt at the chance to become a shinobi to repay the village for all they'd done for him. But the village's only shinobi, its ancient elder, wanted nothing more than for Taihō to live as a simple fisherman. An energetic child, Taihō took to tagging along after any shinobi who were passing through the village on business, affixing himself to them like a parasite and trying to drain all the knowledge he could. A jutsu here, a tidbit there... Sometimes he'd learn something, and sometimes he nearly got himself killed.
Only when his irrepressible optimism finally wormed its way into the village elder's heart did he relent, and Taihō's training began in earnest. He was finally told the story behind his umbrella, and given it to train in the Bending River style. He found himself above average at almost everything he tried, which is just another way of saying that there was nothing he was truly exceptional at, but he never quite connected the dots on that one.
Years passed, and Taihō's horizons expanded. He learned of the other villages dotted across the islands of the Land of the Sea, learned of the great Shinobi nations across the ocean where no one ever struggled, and gears began to turn inside his head.
Surely a super-awesome jinchuuriki had been washed up here of all places for a reason. It was a sign: he was destined to lead Umigakure into a brighter future! He's gonna become super-kage one day! Umigakure stocks are on the up and up, boys! He's gonna get shinobi from across the world to come to Umigakure, and fix it all up! It's gonna be a true superpower.
So, on another gray morning, Taihō Shiryō waved goodbye to the village that brought him up, flanked on both sides by a pair of twins from another nearby small village named Shi and Nobi. He'd tried asking several times if their names were some kind of elaborate joke, only to get back a blank stare. They still haven't said a single word to him after all this time.
After all, he loves his village with all of his heart. As much as it loves him. And with all that love behind him, what's one measly little chuunin exam?
Strategy
In a fight, Taihō is like a crackhead fighting over the last spoon: fast as fuck and unpredictable. He's basically competent at most things, so he'll do all of them as the situation calls for them. Ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, whatever is needed at the time is what he switches into. This means that the opponent generally gets to dictate the pace of the fight, something emphasized by his ducking and weaving Bending River style as Taihō redirects and harshly punishes with a flick his weight-changing umbrella that can go from light as a feather to heavy as a stone pillar in a moment. Its mirror reflection technique only enhances this mixed style, dancing between offense and defense.
In terms of tactics, though, Taihō can't quite bring himself to think ahead. The closest he ever gets to an overarching strategy is coming in close to fight with taijutsu for a while before fishing for a surprise rupture slash when the opponent thinks he's specialized in close range... A very grade school idea of a ruse.
Taihō doesn't tend to rely on his chakra beast for anything, not even its vast reserves. They're actually on pretty good terms, but Ba spends so much of her time slumbering that Taihō doesn't want to wake her up. Plus, according to him, he shouldn't steal from her while she's sleeping, that's not how a true shinobi should act!
When he does, though, Taihō is a true shinobi's shinobi and plays quick and dirty. At his peak this means barriers within barriers, setting up as many water turrets as he can hide within the raging downpour that his barriers eventually become while mixing into the chaos of raindrops another rain of cursed energy that Taihō can only stand under with his umbrella. If he ever got to a more advanced level, he'd be able to utilize Ba's KGs and the canopy method barrier to maneuver wherever he wants while being aware of where each individual drop of rain falls, all while trying to harry his opponents to where he wants them to be with coral and the bringer of darkness technique.
But above all else, he only fights while holding onto his umbrella. It's everything to him: physical proof that there are good people in this world, that he's loved, that life is worth living. It's hope, and the same hope that he wants to give back to the village. To turn his back on his umbrella would be like spitting in the face of everyone that raised him, and Taihō would rather die that do that.
His two teammates, Shi and Nobi, are completely average for their rank at every single aspect of being a shinobi and possess no special attributes or hidden techniques, making them even bigger jobbers than Taihō. They mostly back him up while he tries to smash things on the frontlines. Taihō rejects the numbering system that has been foisted upon the three of them, stubbornly only answering to the name Team Umi (Team Umai when he feels particularly egotistical).
Of course, none of this matters because he's going into the blender.
Relationship Chart
Natsuo
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Another Jinchuuriki, huh...? Ba can sense it, but she says he's kind of a bitch anyways so it's cool. Ah, I can keep it a secret if you'd like... But really, think about how invincible we'd be together! It's like my infinite awesomeness, plus your own nearly-as-big infinite coolness. That's at least two infinities! We could definitely make Umigakure great together."
D
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! How are you gonna wear sunglasses all the time and not go to the beach, man? You might be the fastest on land, but I bet I can swim AND fight circles around you! Umbrella versus sword, how do you think it'll go...? I'm dying to find out!"
Himari Miko
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! So, come here... Uh, often, babe? Sorry, that's rude, I'm sure you're not retaking the exam. Even if you look it. A-and stop telling people about the confession! That's meant to be a secret, S-E-C-R-E-T! Aren't shinobi supposed to be silent?! Don't go spreading my personal goals all over the testing grounds...!"
Takeru Suzuki
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! You'd make for such a great delivery man, has anyone ever told you that? Who needs ships when you can just fly over the water! And I bet whenever you finally land a punch on someone after all that wind-up, you totally paste em! Hope I get to see it one day, after I scout you over to Umigakure."
Osamu
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Another Konoha team? Well, no worry, no problem! You're supposed to be some kind of super-smart genius guy, right? Do you think you can find a way to help raise Umigakure up to the level of the five great shinobi countries? Politics, science, it's all basically the same thing to me. I'm a total natural-born supergenetic genius who could do it all if I really wanted, but I don't really care about that kind of stuff. Still, I bet you'd be a huge asset! I can pay you in fish, when do you want to start?"
Shimabukuro Fumio
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Ah, sorry honored elder, my gramps is a little hard of hearing so I... uh... Wait, you're one of the GENIN?! W... Well, we could still use your vast reserves of experience in Umigakure, old man! What's one more geezer for the pile, right? You'd fit right in, my village is like a retirement home!"
Kichōna
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Huh, you seem... completely normal! Phew, what a relief. I was starting to think that everyone taking this exam was a total freak. It's nice to see that there's some nice, normal girls trying to become chunin too! Hey, if you ever need help keeping up, you know where to find me. I'll always lend a helping hand to anyone that acknowledges my infinite power! I'll even let you land a free hit on me if we both make it to the tournament."
Nodao-Douji
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! H-horny...? Sorry! I bet you look really normal wherever you come from! This is actually my first time ever leaving Umigakure, so I've been learning a lot about the world as I go... You seem pretty cheerful at least. Maybe if I drink you under the table, you'll warm up and come home with me! Just as long as I can avoid the blunt side of that kanabo..."
Kamiko Karatachi
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Wow, another jinchuuriki? But how come you're all so... Old? Or older than me, I guess. Ah, wait, that just means I'm a total prodigy, right? Checks out! And you're another medical nin, right? I bet we could really use your help. Oh, not for injuries or anything like that, it's mostly just starvation we have to worry about, not physical wounds. Nah, the biggest threat we need you to fight in Umigakure is seasickness! Are you up for the challenge, lady?"
Masukuda Rarime
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! S... Scary... But I could still take her. One hand on the waist, another hand in hers, and she's like putty in my palm! Romance is how a real shinobi defuses a kunoichi, no shuriken necessary. Ah, and don't think going invisible helps! I'll annoy Ba until she lets me use her canopy method barrier. Go see-through all you like, you're not getting away from Umigakure that easy!"
Ichika Chinoike
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Thank goodness, another normal girl. Wait, is this supposed to be a medical nin team or something...? Ohhhh. I've never actually met a medical nin before, just a normal doctor. How is it any different? Do you, like, substitution jutsu the diseases into and out of people or something? Maybe you can show me firsthand?"
Kita
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Poor kid... You need a big bro to look after you, don'tcha? Don't deny it, I can see it in your sad puppylike eyes and slouched posture! I don't have any baby brothers, but I'm probably a natural genius at it anyways, so just leave everything to big bro Taihō, ya hear. You eating well? Getting in your daily fish supplement? Not getting too much sun? Hitting the waves? Uh... actually, how are kids outside of Umigakure supposed to get raised, again?"
Kiko Inuzuka
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Um... Konoha sure has a lot of teams this year, huh...? Th-that's fine, though! It just means more fertile soil to plant the future of Umigakure in! And speaking of, you look like you could use a seaside vacation, lady. But not too relaxing of one or you'll probably start going stir-crazy, I'm thinking one with hard work to keep your mind engaged... Ever thought about spending a few weeks on a fishing trip? Soothes the soul."
Remilia Orochimaru
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Didn't realize Konoha had such a high amount of cutiessss. Haha, sorry, I'll be good, I'll be good...! So, what's with the numbers? Are they sixes, or nines, or... Um... Both...? Kinda hard to tell... Uh, either way, Umigakure's got some super mega poisonous sea snakes in the reefs around the islands. Wanna come out and go for a dive with me to see em in person?"
Itami Nanae
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Another Konoha cutie! No wonder my village was so empty growing up, you're hoarding all the girls! Either way, Konoha sure seems like the home that stray dogs like you always wind up crawling into, huh? Why don't you come and build a real home for yourself by the sea? It'll be way cooler than Konoha, they call it the land of fire but stuff isn't even actually on fire most of the time! Talk about a letdown when I first saw it."
Kazen Uzumaki
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Huh... Uzumaki, Uzumaki... I think the old man told me they're pretty important bigshots, right? But I can't really remember exactly why. Well, whatever, if I can't remember, it probably wasn't too important anyways! And you kinda look like a shrimp too. I bet I could take you with one hand tied behind my back!"
Ezaki Tuto
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Are the bandages just for show, or do they actually do something? Other than, uh, bandage. Anyways I gotta admit, I'm a little jealous. That umbrella of his is pretty cool! Not as cool as mine, duh, but it's still nice to see a fellow appreciator of the umbrella arts. Maybe I can use that to get him a little more on my side...? Worth a shot, at least!"
Jin Hyuga
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Another big, fancy family. The Hyuga... I remember a little more about these guys. Their thing is that they have special eyes, yeah? Yeah! Something like that, I remember a lot of talk about eyes for some reason. Looking into his eyes is kinda like staring into a mirror... A handsome, handsome mirror... Listen, don't be so touchy about jujutsu, okay? Ba can be sensitive to rejection."
Shinrō Kamotai
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! A priest? What a pain... Not against the religious types, but whenever they start trying to sermon about things I just start nodding right off. Helps me get my beauty sleep (not that I need it), but a shinobi should be alert at all times! Maybe you can try pelting me with your balls when reciting sutras as endurance training to try and keep awake. Don't worry, I won't die!"
Yuma Kouda
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! H-hang on, is that uniform regulation? I don't think a girl should be wearing something so... Risky. Shut up, no, I'm not looking, these eyes are reserved for my true love...! Stop laughing, this is serious! How are you so smug?!"
Tsugumi
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! A librarian, huh? Guess it's a good thing you're here to record history in person. Better drink it all in, babe, cuz you're looking at the next super-Kage! That's a level above kage, by the way. I'm gonna bring up Umigakure to the same state as the five great shinobi nations, and then bring it even higher once I unite all of them under its banner! Hope you're ready for a show, because the rest of my story starts here!"
Ghidorah
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Woah. Maybe I can see why there's like twenty medical nin here, now. That poison's potent stuff... Wouldn't wanna be caught within it. Or within your totally dark aura, man. Don't be such a frowny-face! Downer as hell. Come on, chin up, I'll take you out to a real dinner after I ace these exams. My treat! You kinda look like you need it, no offense."
Junki Takenaga
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Water AND earth natures? AND he can talk to birds (probably)? Actually... Wait, it's kinda sad if you can't talk to birds, man... You need a friend...? Maybe an albatross or two?"
Sen Yamamoto
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Smart girls are kind of a rarity where I come from... Come to think of it, smart guys too, haha! Apparently you're a stalker, but if you are, you're a damn good one because I haven't noticed you taking any notes on me. Or maybe you're just intimidated...? Or shy? Hah, don't worry, I don't bite! But that's probably smart, there's no point in taking notes on me since I'm invincible so they'll never help you win."
Darkbone
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! You... Seem like you need a break. Or maybe to get out more. Or both? Listen, I'm a magnanimous guy, you don't have to get on your knees and prostrate yourself in thankfulness that I decided to take the time outta my day to pity you. Why don't you just take a seat over there, and I'll get you on a boat back to Umigakure later?"
Ahiratsu Ōtsutsuki
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Uh, hey. Are you lost? These are supposed to be the chunin exams, I don't know why you're here. Man, I'm so polite and cool, I didn't even point out your freakish extra eye... Taihō Shiryō, the man of infinite tact, baby!"
Kuro Blackshadow
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! I know... I know it's a bad idea. It's stupid, foolhardy, totally insane. But... But I really wanna fight you under the Bringer of Darkness technique...! I'm not one to usually sandbag or give my opponent a handicap, but I just wanna see what would happen! How far can I go? How much higher can we lift each other in struggle? Aren't you curious? Don't worry, you don't have to hold back. I'll live no matter what you try!"
Kijyo-Douji
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! B... Big... Alright, listen, I know it's a little brash. It's a little bold. But think about it: Konoha's Hokage leaving the village to totally kickstart another ninja paradise! Konoha's doing fine on its own, right? You've got like fifty different abandoned clans kicking around in there, they'll find someone to replace you if you come over to Umigakure and help out a little. I mean, seriously, you're the Hokage, what can't you do if you really want to? I'll prove it! I'm gonna pass flawlessly and carry you back home bridal-style, just you wait!"
Kamare Hozuki
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Jack of all trades, huh? Too bad you're going up against a MASTER of all trades! Don't worry though, I'll spare you. Umigakure's got no use for a dead genin! Maybe I'll give you some pointers after I totally thrash you though, you look like you need a guiding hand. Got those lost doe eyes."
Daiki Ueno
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Hey, I've always wanted a twin! We could be like Shi and Nobi, the other two genin coming with me, they're twins too! Don'tcha wanna have a copy of the most handsome face in the world on top of your skull? Actually, if I put it like that, it sounds kinda creepy... And what if my crush falls in love with you instead of me, thinking you're actually my excellent self?! No, no, never mind, it'd never work."
Barou
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Pff...! AHAHAHAHAHA...! H-HE'S... He's SO...! SNRK! I can't look at em, I can't... It's nice to see another jinchuuriki my age, but man oh man, why does he look like THAT?! None of the other jinchuuriki look like that! I don't look like that...! Wait, do I? Hold on, I need a mirror. Seriously though, please join my village, man. You'll blend right in with the catch of the day!"
Engetsu Bōfū
"JOIN MY VI.... Gh...! No, no, wait, hold on. Nobody told me that the second coolest man in the world was gonna be overseeing the exams. Second to me, obviously. But what if I get stage fright?! Even my backwater got war stories about the 4th Raikage, I practically grew up idolizing him...! Maybe it's destiny... If I'm going to overcome this exam, I need to prove to him that I'm worthy as his replacement as the world's coolest man. Fine, challenge accepted! I'm gonna become a chunin with flying colors!"
Fujiwara Nobutake
"JOIN MY VILLAGE! Wait, huh? What? No, speak slower! Okay, not that slow! It's... Ugh, talk about impossible to communicate with! All he does is use these pointlessly big words. I think I managed to eke out that he's from some kind of samurai clade, or something? It's definitely interesting, but I need the old man or someone around to act as a translator."