"Wait, no stones that are scraping the earth beneath me, or soaring at a high speed through the air against my head? What's going on?!" Said Darui, obviously confused about nothing hitting him.
As he hears what his sensei asks of him, he starts to respond.
Earth, is one of the most fundemental things that is present in the place we call "the earth". It is solid, yet at some points it's stability can be broken down. Earth is, in some way, at the foundation of almost everything we know. We build houses made of earth, or modifications of this earth. We also plant vegetables on it, and gather resources out of the earth that are precious to us.
Earth, and of course the manipulation of earth, is a very vital thing for any ninja who is able to wield it. It is used for offence, but also for defensive measurement. It can create shields, walls, even mud-like rivers that are very hard to avoid or break, considering the fact that earth is a solid element. As for the offensive aspect of earth, you can make items out of it, spikes and a large amount of other things that can take the opponent by surprise. You can also change the consistency of the earth, making it very dangerous.
When we talk about the defensive abilities of earth, we mostly imagine the idea of rock solid walls, defending us from incoming attacks. We can also hide in and under the earth as a way of defending ourselves, or hoping to avoid incoming attacks.
"I can't really come up with more at the moment sensei, that's everything I seem to know without cheating and extracting information elsewhere. I'm sorry if I disappoint you." Said darui, apologetically.