Name: Improved Strength
Rank: C
Type: Physical
Physical Requirements: N/A
Training Requirements: A 600 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The first level in the art of strength accessible to those who have undergone intensive training in increasing their raw power. The possessor of this talent has an increased strength of 20% which makes them slightly stronger. They can lift larger objects such as large rocks and toss them considerable distances. They can also now naturally deliver more powerful physical blows that can cause agonizing damage to targets

Name: Immense Strength
Rank: B
Type: Physical
Physical Requirements: Must Specialize in Weaponry or Taijutsu.
Training Requirements: A 1200 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The first level in the art of strength accessible to those who have undergone intensive training in increasing their raw power. The possessor of this talent has an increased strength of 40% which makes them considerably stronger. They can now lift greater objects that even a group of men of be incapable of lifting. Because of their strength, everything including their weapons becomes lightweight, and they can perform quicker assaults with their weapons. They can also now naturally deliver more powerful physical blows that can shatter bone.

Name: Improved Speed
Rank: C
Type: Physical Based
Physical Requirements: N/A
Training Requirements: A 600 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The first level in the art of speed accessible to those who have undergone intense training in high speed movement. The possessor of this talent has an increased speed of 20% which makes them slightly faster. They can cross distances quicker than others would expect and outrun others with little effort.

Upgraded Speed
Name: Quick Speed
Rank: B
Type: Physical
Physical Requirements: Must Specialize in Weaponry or Taijutsu.
Training Requirements: A 1200 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The second level in the art of speed accessible to those who have undergone intense training in high speed movement. The possessor of this talent has an increased afterimages in motion. They're body is seen as a blur as they move swiftly and almost unmatchable to the human eye.

Name: Improved Endurance
Rank: C
Type: Physical
Physical Requirements: N/A
Training Requirements: A 600 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The first level in the art of endurance accessible to those who have undergone intensive training. The possessor of this talent has an increased endurance of 20% which makes them slightly tougher. They can withstand greater damage that could otherwise stun them in pain, and continue fighting.

Name: Great Endurance
Rank: B
Type: Physical
Physical Requirements: Must Specialize in Weaponry or Taijutsu.
Training Requirements: A 1200 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The second level in the art of endurance accessible to those who have undergone intensive training. The possessor of this talent has an increased endurance of 40% which makes them considerably tougher. They are now immune to the sensation of pain which allows them to fight under harsh circumstances with normal efficiency.

Name: Evasiveness
Rank: C
Type: Physical
Physical Requirements: None.
Training Requirements: A 600 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The ninja trains their ability in more advanced evasive maneuvers which serves the purpose of avoiding enemy attacks. The survivability of the ninja increases as they are now capable of executing quicker flips and dodging basic forms of physical attacks by reading an enemy’s movement.

“There is always a story to tell. Men do not go on with their lives not telling the tale of how they become the man or woman they have achieved. We may all not want to say what our story is about, whether it is something dangerous to say or rather hurtful, the story will eventually be told. Who are you that do not know your story and who are you that say that stories can hide the very truths that make up that person’s being? A story brings things into existence that had once been lost and is now found. Are you to say that if you do not have a story, you wish to stay lost and hidden forever? Would you do that without purpose or would you do it to hide something that you really don’t want anyone else to know?”

“Or…do you hide your story because the truth has a tendency to burn?”

He felt a muscle literally contort around his rib. He curled his legs up in the corner of the granite room waiting for the pain to subside, waiting for it to pass along like a bad headache. It would go away in less than two minutes he said to himself. It usually did. He counted the amount of seconds had passed as the griping pain would suck what seem to be the life out of his body. The sensation was painful yet Keiro had adapted to it over time. He lived with physical pain all of his life, most of it given to him by his father and his best friend. The pain was sharp at first, a slight tinkling feeling that he got whenever he had overused a muscle too long and he was trying to use it in a normal fashion. The muscle would throb and then pinch at him, almost forcing him sometimes to stop moving or even lay down on the ground. This pain, however, was entirely different. It was a moment of pain that dragged on and on for minutes on end. It would be for three minutes, then four minutes, then five minutes at a time. There would be a pause between the moments where the pain would simply stop but Keiro knew that the pain would come back. He knew it would be back, that dragging pain that lingered there, waiting for the pain to strike him hard.
This was happening during for the last three days in prison. The food they fed the prisoners was not treating his body right, his temple, his one thing he was proud of yet it did a number of things to his body as he lay to waste in a prison cell. He knew that if he didn’t eat, his body would eventually begin to consume the muscle he had left. He hadn’t seen what he’s looked like in four years, the lack of reflective objects were hard to come by in prison that was somewhere off in a distant shinobi country. He didn’t know where exactly ANBU put him and he certainly hadn’t gotten the chance to find out the information about this certain prison when he first got here.

At this point, it didn’t matter whether or not he knew where his location is. It was a matter of when. He knew that for a certain moment, there was a small shift, a tiny microsecond of opportunity for him to move out of this hellhold. It was a matter of patience really. They say it is a virtue for one to have such patience. Four years he thought. Four years of being patient and now the time for him

“Stories tell us many things. The story I tell only tells the truth. If you can read between the lines…well, more power to you. If not…then keep yourself blind to me and let ignorance overtake your mind and soul.”

_______________________________________

Keiro was not born wealthy. He was not born in peace where most babies are usually born during the momentary time of peace between the countries of shinobi. Large countries such as Fire and Lightning felt the large wounds that they left months after the war of these two neighboring countries. Both the Fire Daimyo and Lightning Daimyo had attended to their individual villages both main and minor. Much of the focus was solely for the main villages as they were one with the largest military and hold much of the Daimyo’s economic proceeds. The minor villages, however, was a mixture of attendance and nonexistence. Some of the smaller villages were getting back up on their feet from the mortality of their men and women, their crops, their livestock, their soul of trade. Some villages with these attentive items seem to lack the necessary men to repair the foundation. But0 these villages were attended to mildly. They knew they weren’t going to receive the aid from the big villages unless they had some type of items that would benefit the main villages and if they did have something they deemed important, they would see that they would give their aid.

The many villages that were only home to just farming or smaller city-villages that contained only small businesses did not receive the necessary aid to revive. As they were rightfully lied to, the Daimyo promised them they would receive aid in due time but aid never came. Many days had gone by without a single drop of water or a slither food to supply the villagers. When one finds that their stomachs are not full of food, the thought of rational finds its way towards an abyss where it may or may not return. Humans have the tendency of finding themselves in what people say ‘dire situations’ and result themselves in warring with not only the nearby villages but also to their own self. No one can trust one another because their goal is to mainly satisfied their own needs and make sure it is enough to last to the next day. This type of war is different from the rest of the wars that many shinobi has hand. This wasn’t for the sake of obtaining land or some feud that a clan had once had expanding onto the founding village. This wasn’t a war that was based upon the obtaining of monetary wealth or outright killing one another for the sake of having war. This war was something entirely old and primordial. It was a war of survival, a war where one would kill their own mother for another round of beef or lamb. This is the type of war that a eight year old girl would stab an adult for the small bag of rice in his or her hand.

Many are born in peace. Few are born in war.

Keiro’s mother and father originated from Lightning Country’s Kumogakure no Sato. Keiro’s father’s name was Taka while his mother’s name was Aomone. Both graduated around the same year of the academy. Taka was around nine when he graduated while Aomone was merely seven years old. They were young, the mother of course was the youngest but they showed not only high marks in their grades but showed a great deal of leadership in their respective classes. Aomone was one that topped all in her youth when it came to being outspoken and speaking her mind. She was not one to hold back the things she saw were the truth. Her eyes always had a tendency of seeing past what was real and what was fake. She never once fell for a trap and never once seems to be manipulated through the actions of others. But she also showed kindness, a type of kindness that most children her age did not develop until their teen years of whenever they have first experience the true essence of leadership through battle. The type of empathy she wields was not something a seven year old should’ve developed in such a short period of living. Any normal seven year old child would not have seen such aspects of life, usually keeping their minds narrow to what they thought was true only because their parents or guardians or teachers said to be true. Yet she had developed the skills necessary to see past that which made her both an asset and dangerous as well.

Taka was, more or less, the type of person who was showed leadership whenever it was necessary for him to achieve a goal. When he spoke, he spoke in a wise manor, respectful and was simply a joy to be around. He had a very magnetic personality, one that few children have whenever they are around people. There were very few academy students who ever harassed him or even told a bad comment about him He was a very big child, much bigger than most of the academy student children at the time. Not so much fat as he was muscular for a boy. The teacher had always concerned himself as to whether or not the boy simply ate and trained well or there was something more to it. It asked the question but it never arose to the point of confrontation of the matter to Taka. His size and features made him somewhat intimidating to the other children. His size did not seen to hassle his movements as he excelled very well in the taijutsu ways. He was not an awkward boy, only a silent type. Yet this aspect of him was not met with much hostility. This gave much of the students a type of role model to look upon. Many of the girls in his class began to look dreamy eye at him at some point in time and saw that he was not only a skilled fighter and high marking student, but also a kind boy who showed kindness to whoever it was that needed kindness.
Taka and Aomone did not know each other then. They have been separate for the better part of ten years before they had any type of contact and for that matter any sort of knowledge of each other’s existence. Taka had been with a team that excelled well in solo missions and collaboration type missions involving skills that was for spying and infiltration. The missions were, at times, long and hard for the small team only believing that the mission would take maybe two days or three when it would last a week or more. The intensity of the mission drew away the many comrades that had enlisted to this special unit. Taka seen more people come and go the further his promotions would take him. Taka soon found himself in missions that would lack the complete three. It stringed down to one more that would accompany him until there was no one else would take the mission but Taka.

This didn’t seem to worry Taka for the most part. He prefer the solitude during missions after many missions with his fellow teammates had fallen short or had exceeded past his expectations. When there was a job that it should’ve been done in three days time would end up going two days over past the limit. Taka would not say anything about it, the need of discussing the priorities was much as a hastle as it is to perform these dangerous missions of spying. Whenever they were close to their objective, there was that one person who would hold them back. Either it was that one person’s lack of physical fortitude, ego or an accident that had occurred during the travelling. Some things happen during the missions and Taka knew that it would never achieve the perfect missions. This, however, didn’t change his philosophy and his ideas of perfection in this matter. As he reached the status of Jounin, he did not ask for anyone to come with him during his missions. He never had a choice when he was a genin. He was always required to go in a team composition without any hesitation and Taka didn’t mind that. As a Chunin, there were the few missions where he had the options of a team while others, getting more to higher ranking missions, required him to be top-priority missions. It was then that his sudden repulsion towards teammates accorded and his attitude changed dramatically. His relief came as he turned into a jounin and found the mission that required only one man to do: Assassinations

Aomame had taken up upon the specialty of medicine later into her genin career. She exceeded well into the profession as a young girl growing into a young woman. But growing into this was not the simple growing that most shinobi or even adults go through. The war in Lightning Country and neighboring villages and city-states had created a large surplus of injured men, women and children. Out of the two, Keiro was told, it was Aomame who saw the most in battle. The stories of how she would arrived at the scene of a battle, exploding tags flying down on the earth causing mass explosions and changing the terrain of the landscape itself. She heard the screams of the dead as their bodies met the gentle hands of death. She was afraid of course; she was only a young girl going into a warzone at an early age. The small child inside of her screamed out, wanting to get away, wanting to hide so that she would safe and be in the sanctuary of her mother and father and his family where she wouldn’t hear all the screams of people dying, all the violence that she had seen.

There was that moment where she could’ve ran away from the medical squad but she was the one who ran beside her squad leader and pointed to a man who was lying on the ground, supine to the air, and saw with keen eyes that he could be saved. This was the beginning for her she had told the young Keiro. This was only the beginning of what it be the rest of her life…

Birth Arc

“Three hours left…” Keiro got up from the corner and walked sluggishly to the mattress on the floor. The mattress was filled with open holes with the stuffing bursting out. It had a green, fungus color with the smell to back up with what it might’ve been. Keiro believed the mattress to contain maybe some bed bugs, ticks maybe or some type of lice. His thoughts were answered when he realized that the smell coming off of the mattress wasn’t exactly mold. The smell that came off it was ammonia, bleach perhaps. There was the discoloration of the mattress itself that gave way to the amount of bleach that was used to clean off the mattress. It was like looking into an swamp and pouring in different colors dyes. The dyes would meld together in the water. The brown color would eventually turn into a mixture of brownish red, brownish purple and brownish brown-for lack of a better term besides shit that is-and that was the color of his mattress.

Keiro had slept on this mattress for more than four years now. It took him awhile to get him comfortable, not to mention the fact that the ground was made out of granite which scraped against his skin at night every time he moved in his sleep. He first got scrapes on his sides, most of his back, the front and parts of the back of his thighs and his abdomens but he certainly got accustomed to the pain. This time, he felt as if he didn’t sleep, he wouldn’t have the energy for what was about to happen. He felt antsy yet tired with the complements of pain in the side of his ribs. His body would have those momentary spikes of energy with the withdrawal effects of a drug addict. It was the anticipation that was dragging him into this feeling of addiction. He would just have to overcome this. He’s done such a thing before. He laid down on the mattress and turned facing the wall where he was huddled in the corner

There was sound of something dropping onto the floor. This instantly broke Keiro’s concentration as he saw the little piece of paper roll towards him as he stood on his hands upside Keiro was doing handstand push-ups without attempting to touch the top of the ceiling with his feet. It had taken him a few tries for him to get it right. The length of the room was about seven feet tall. With his arm out stretched, his five foot, eleven inches made him striking taller and his feet would sometimes scratch the ceiling. But it was not that that broke his concentration. It was this little piece of paper that was rolling towards him and right in front of his eyes.

How in the….

He got down onto his feet and rolled out the piece of paper. The legibility wasn’t all that great especially with the lack of light that was passing in the room. There were only two openings. One was the window and the other was the door. The window did not bring in much sunlight. Come to think of it, he didn’t see much of the sun in this place. He hadn’t heard of any prison that could be located with little to no sunlight unless he was at the polar caps. Keiro didn’t think he was otherwise he would feel the brittle winds of the cold coming in. He wondered for a moment but Keiro’s attention came back to the words of the note. The note of what he read was very simple:

“When you hear a boom, Get close to the wall”.

Keiro remembered his father telling him of how he met his mother during a mission they had together. The matchmaking that could’ve been made in hell was actually a good, almost perfect match between the two. Taka was always a person who prefers the company of his own self and only spoke whenever he thought it was necessary. Aomame was the headstrong type, a ‘type A’ personality. That is, she was aggressive and showed that she didn’t take shit for anybody, not even the silent, cooler-than-thou Taka. There was that brief excursions between the two but their partnership turned for the better as the both of them became good friends and eventually lovers.

Keiro was conceived in Kumogakure but was born in Fire Country. It was for good reason, Keiro was told, for him to be born in a place where they weren’t after their heads on a pike. Keiro, being a naturally curious person only asked why. The tale that he was told seem fantastic if not unrealistic from the point of view of the listener. Perhaps if he was able to experience this, it would seem like a fanatic’s tale in itself. Keiro would later find that some things that seem like a lie are most certainly the truth. From the story that Keiro was told, Taka and Aomame were both considered a great piece in the game the Raikage had to offer. At the time, the Raikage had developed certain-qualities that forged an image of his brutality in war and his cutthroat tactics to achieve anything that would undoubtedly grant him power. “Power can change a man” Keiro’s father would say. “If left unchecked, power can turned his allies into enemies and yourself into a creature far out of reach of reality.”

The Raikage had plans on initiated a campaign against a neighboring country. The country entailed of a small military force that was recruiting a supposed larger army consisting of guerilla fighters from regions kilometers from this neighboring countries position. The plan was ideally to make sure this military force would be suppressed so they would not outstretch its position towards other villages and city-states. This would mean sending in groups into this country with different functions including espionage, infiltration, spying and assassination. The Raikage had asked all of the high classed Assassins of his village to take the opportunity for not only for the people of the Kumogakure but also those in need of protection. The villagers the campaign signs would read, the villagers of these countries will thank us for this.

Taka was one of those highly classed assassin’s that was asked to be in this campaign. At this point in time, Taka was merely twenty-eight years old, a experienced Jounin at the time with skills that could rival those of other shinobi and black ops. He was powerful, not just words spoken up like a legend but a force that made him someone who heard his name tremble and weak in the knees. The status came upon him but he did not wish for it for his title to overmatch his skills and this became a problem later on. When he was asked, the amount of questions brought up by him made him weary of this. Being asked to be in a campaign for what now? He had never heard of a military force off the coast of sea country. When did sea country have enough men to launch a force that would start a campaign in itself? They weren’t that large of a group and the country’s wealth was miniscule compared to the wealth and resources of Kumogakure. Have we sent in spies into the country to see if this is true or not? Where is this information that-

He remembered being cut off short. The informant didn’t seem pleased. Taka remembered him with his face puffed and red and his face almost appeared as a blowfish when it expands. Aomame admit she had laughed at the man as he left their apartment. Aomame was eighth going into her ninth month into her pregnancy. She hadn’t seen battle since then but she still tended to the wounded when she had the chance. She was uneasy about this war they were going into and Taka clearly showed that he didn’t believe what the Raikage was preaching. Taka would’ve known information about the country’s military, let alone the regions close to them and sea country. There weren’t that countries with the military might like Konohagakure or Kumogakure, they were the two strongest at time and still are. Kumogakure had no need to intervene into another countries business first off and they had no solid evidence that they were building a large military force.

Taka told Keiro that to make sure his suspicions weren’t just paranoia; he went to a close friend who was a representative of Konoha. Hyuuga, Hitoshi, one of the few taijutsu masters of the Jyuuken style. A stern man, Keiro was told, not much of a joker and a man who talked only business. He wasn’t much a pleasure to be around with his humor being as dry as a grandmothers-Keiro never heard what his father had to say about that only because his mother would slam a hard hand on his mouth before he could speak it out.

But because of business like nature, he was a man who made sure his awareness was at a peak. This not only meant in battle where he could strike a group of men with pinpoint accuracy with just two fingers, he was always a very keen analyst in politics. He was a travelling diplomat, going to different countries and to their respective village to see about the current situation, whether it was high in income or low, which resources were running row, what crops was on the high end and which was on the low end, what the market for stocks were and a whole entire list of things that Taka had forgotten. Taka knew Hitoshi would know anything about a warring nation that posed a threat to any villages. He knew it before any other informant or spy could even get a small whiff of it all. Hitoshi was in the village that day speaking to a large corporation stationed in Kumogakure. He remembered it had something to do with finances but that was beside the point. He asked if they wanted a drink together and Hitoshi agreed. Taka didn’t have to tell him about the campaign but he tell Hitoshi about the assignment he was given.

“I had a feeling.” Hitoshi said, sipping at his beer “It wouldn’t been long before they asked one of their prized shinobi to off and kill some military group that will put up little to no resistance.”

“So what I was thinking-“ Taka said

Hitoshi nodded “It’s all been fake Takashi. All of it has. The campaign that The Raikage is spilling has been a fake and been in the process of being made for maybe ten years now, longer than any one of us have even heard. The process took maybe two years to develop. They knew they had to create a good story in order for their plan to actually work. Shinobi of the higher ranking would be blind to this or be like you, question it to see the truth behind it. But the lower shinobi and citizens? They wouldn’t even know the difference and would probably not believe anyone if they said otherwise about the campaign.”

“Would it be safe to say that if I spoke up against this, they would try to shut me down?”

“No doubt about it Takashi. They would certainly not hesitate in silencing you either temporarily or permanently. It wouldn’t be safe for you to be here for very long. My suggestion would be for you to leave while you still can.”

“I can’t just do that. I’m a known shinobi of the villages, everywhere I got they’ll know who I am. I wouldn’t be too conspicuous if I’m a well known shinobi. And besides, Aomame is pregnant and is about to have child. I don’t know if leaving now would be the wisest option for me to take at this moment.”

Hitoshi became silent. He took another sip of his beer before setting it down. “I wasn’t going to move you now. I was going to wait till Aomame have her child before letting you sneak into Konoha.”

“Konoha?” the puzzled look on Taka’s face made Hitoshi take another sip of his beer. Something told Taka that he was making this plan up as he was going along, quickly devising a plan so he could help his friend. He saw that empty glare he would get whenever he was thinking of probabilities in his mind. He could see why he was a good analyst because he came out with an answered not a second after

“Let’s say that you ‘die’ on a mission. It would be tragic yes?”

“Very much so…” Taka said wearily

“I suppose they wouldn’t propose an autopsy if said body were to disappear around the borders of sound country yes?” Taka nodded so Hitoshi continued “So let’s say that your body was never found and their prized shinobi was never buried in Kumogakure but gotten in the hands of some bandits or the sound village shinobi.” He shrugs “Who knows…death happens to the best of us. Even if the best just so happens to toy with Death, she would bite back.”

“She would indeed…”

Hitoshi set a hand on Taka’s shoulder. His voice was more of a whisper than anything. Taka really had to listen to him so he would hear what he had said. There was no one left in the bar but two patrons in the bar on the far off corner. Their conversation had led the two into tunnel vision, no longer seeing anyone but their two selves. “Take the mission my friend. There is no harm is accepting the task at hand. Just-make sure you don’t’ go into the direction of Sound Country. There are a group of men who are surprisingly powerful and will gang up on you if you do. My advice is to avoid this place…”

“How long do you think the mission would take if I were suddenly ambushed then by this group.”
“A little less than a year…”

This wasn’t something Taka wanted to hear. At the very least a year before he could have any contact with Aomame and the baby. It was painstakingly difficult to decide whether he wanted to do this or not. A year of being away from his family or a lifetime spent dealings with the lies and inner dark workings of the Raikage. He wouldn’t know that the Raikage would pass and a new, kinder Raikage would take his place. Unknowingly, he decided the best choice was to take the former path…

Not a week after that, Keiro was born in the room he was conceived in with two of the best medical ninja of Kumogakure and Aomame’s close friends. It was the moment after his birth when Aomame had decided to tell the two that she would be leaving soon and would probably not come back. She was told that her lover would disappear for a year by a very close friend and it was his last wish for him to leave Kumogakure under the shadow of night and make their way to Konoha. Naturally the stubbornness of her ego was about to barge in but it was Taka’s voice that soothed that beast inside of her-and her child. She couldn’t believe that her, of all people, was about to be a mother to a baby that she never thought she could bring into this world. How it all happens so fast when she first met Taka and saw this cooler-than-thou attitude and how he was a loner. God, that pissed her off she told Keiro. Pissed her off good and yet somehow she fell in love with the man. It seemed crazy to her that someone who was almost the opposite of her would make her go crazy. The thought of him, she remembered, made her heart race and she would be so flustered. That love manifested itself into the being that was formed in her womb. It was close now. It wasn’t the medical nin inside her that said this but rather the human being, the mother side of her telling that she was closed. She wanted Taka to stay, at least till she gave birth to the baby. He could’ve at least done that. But he couldn’t he told her. The Raikage wanted him sent on the mission right away and if he were to stay any longer, the period of time would not of fit very well on the time schedule. He would have to leave now.

Knowing this, her heart sank but it was Keiro that gave her hope. The small child in her arm let out soft, almost soundless breathes. She could feel his little head nestle on her neck and could feel the tiny warmth of him resonating through her. She could be no more at peace than ever. “My little Keiro…” she whispered and kissed the top of his head before she fell asleep. She knew she would need the energy for the task at hand tomorrow. Regardless if she was drained or not, she was a stubborn woman after all and not a damn thing was going to stop her.


Keiro turned over on the mattress. There the granite scratched his body yet again. He ignored it as he always had since he’d arrived in this God-forsaken place. His face now turned to the granite wall where the note that came out of and rolled towards his face when he was training his body. He felt the scruff of his unshaven face. He wondered in the beginning if he would grow out a beard during his time in prison. He would feel the sides of his face and could feel the mild stubble of hair coming out. He was eighteen at the time of his incarceration so the first two years, he counted, he didn’t grow any hair. He appeared young at the time when he passed the inmates that have been in here. Some of them were looking to be in their thirties or forties when he arrived and he was just a whelp of a kid to them. He didn’t have much hair on his face. Like his father, he only had a five o clock shadow by the way he felt it. He didn’t have to see to know the look. He remembered as a tiny boy in Konoha where his father would pick him up after he had fallen or something that you would do when a kid fell down and he could sometimes feel the stubble on his father’s chin. It was a nostalgic feeling really. He could say feeling because his memory was vague back then but his senses could hold in the memories for him. He measured the amount of days he’s been in here and the day in which he received the first note on day 2076. It would seem impractical to count the amount of days he’s been in prison but it should be realized that-he was in prison. Not much he could’ve done but count, sleep, eat the shit food and do bodyweight exercises so he wouldn’t lose his strength. He did a lot of the last thing listed and he had the hands and knuckles to prove he’s been mistreating his hands. They were scarred up on the back of the hand and on the palm. His knuckles were a bit larger than they were before, harden by the constant pressure he put on his bones with each push up and handstand push. His knees, shin and feet took a beating for kicking at the walls. They were impenetrable, something Keiro figured out but it would toughen his bones in those particular spots. It was something he wanted to do since he had the time.

He wondered why his father would come to the decision so quickly to leave the village of his birthplace. It would just seem so quick to do seeing that his mother’s and father’s family still resides in said village and their friends too. To abandon without a second hesitation was something he didn’t see his father and mother to do. He had, for the longest time, believed them to be from Konoha. He felt his eyes grow heavy at the thought. Before long, he fell deep into the arms of sleep.

The story went on as he was growing up in the Hyuuga household with Hitoshi and his wife Kana and his daughter Amaterasu. The days as a young child living with the large section of a clan that looked nothing like him made him wonder who his family really was. Like his father promised to his mother, Taka returned back a year later to be reunited with Aomame and Keiro. Keiro, only a year old at this point, did not know this strange man at first. He was still just a baby comparably and could only muster simply that this was not his mother but someone else. But he simply grew towards his father when he was first embraced by him. This was probably his first memory. Most children don’t usually have a sense of memory until they are four years old. Three is the earliest from tales of others but Keiro was only one years old when he remembered his father and mother embracing him with their bodies. He could hear his mother’s and this man’s heartbeat almost sync with each other. He remembered hearing his mother crying but it was not out of sadness. He didn’t understand the meaning of tears of joy, not at that early of an age. There was no sadness in it, not the tears whenever he fell down the stairs or bumps his head down on the ground. It was pain and it wasn’t sadness either. He remembered that memory fairly well in his life and found it difficult to forget it.

Keiro had found himself to be quite a playful person which seem much of the opposite as suppose to Taka’s cool-than-thou attitude and Aomame’s stubborn than a bull persona. He would eventually grow into a bit of his mother’s and father’s personalities but as a child he was more so a playful trickster than anyone. He was a smiling chap, one with a cartoon smile and always in a happy mood most if not all the time. The Hyuuga family knew him well with his small little antics that would readily put him into trouble. If it wasn’t for the strictness of his mother’s discipline, he probably would’ve been a nuisance towards the Hyuuga and the rest of the Konoha community. He would learn his lesson by doing menial chores to pay for the amount of damage he’s done to someone’s property which Keiro became use to. He would become older and will keep much of his habits of being a playful trickster from time to time.

He didn’t enter the academy at a young age. He was instead being taught by his mother and father, more often his father. His father may be a father to the young Keiro but he was still a former assassin who revoked his own name to escape Kumogakure and those who would eventually conspire against him. He knew the teachings of taijutsu for academy students lack something that most children beginning to learn to fight and that was realism. The dummies and sparing partners was a good way to get valuable experience and fundamentals in fighting but it did not give the child a good spot in realism. Fighters did not learn from the dummies, they learn from fighting against someone who is equal or stronger than are. Taka instilled in Keiro the necessary tools to learn Taijutsu and would definitely be the foundation that would later make Keiro a shinobi who would be revered in his Taijutsu styles.

Needless to say, Keiro wasn’t all too ecstatic about being trained by his hardcore father at the time. He started his training at the age of four, the same age Taka started training with his father and he found out the first meaning of pain.

He did attend the academy around the age of seven years old. Already three years ahead in the mastery of martial arts, he excelled well in his taijutsu classes. He showed very much promise as a ninjutsu user getting As in whatever he did. This was simple to the young Keiro, simplicity didn’t really match his style at the time. He was aiming to go for the more complicated objectives. Perhaps this would instate his small curiousity phase he had as a child and showed how he was beginning to develop the characteristics of his present self. As a young boy in the academy, the teacher who trained the students notice he had a very bright mind. Of course, this was not the same notion in saying that he didn’t have any other bright minds in the class but what Keiro was a unique case.

He notice how he would get an answer wrong on purpose knowing full well that he could of completely answered it right. Simple answers he would get completely wrong but the most challenging of questions were always answered right and with explanation to boot. This did bemused the teacher seeing how he was purposely getting the answers wrong. This period of thought happened for more than a month until the teacher talked to him about it. He asked Keiro as to why he did. Keiro’s answer “I don’t want people to think I’m too smart” he said mildly “If people do, they’ll come for me for answers and all that. I don’t want that attention.”

“But you answer all the difficult questions with ease. That would certainly-“ he was cut off by Keiro nodding his head almost imperceptibly. The teacher tilted his head, utterly confused by this.

“I make it look like I wrote notes on it as we were talking about the lessons. I look down at my paper and make it seem like I had the answer down or someone else had the answer and I just happen to grab it before class.” He shrugged with no perceptible emotion on his face “They think I cheat during those types of stuff and I don’t care if they do or not.”

“You could graduate early you know?” The teacher openly admitted “There is nothing holding you back from graduating and be a genin earlier than any-“ again, he was interrupted by Keiro’s shaking head.

“I want to be with my friends…I don’t-“ he paused. He turned his head away from the teacher’s gaze “Sometimes-“ he said in a soft whisper “Sometimes it’s hard to be alone…”

Keiro never clarified what he meant by this to his teacher. His teacher didn’t understand how he could be alone. He seemed like a popular student, the guys seem to enjoy his presence and the girls had a mild infatuation with him that was giddy. In honesty, his teacher’s inner child was sort of jealous of Keiro as he never once experienced something like that during his younger years.

He did grow up in the Hyuuga household under the protection of Hitoshi Hyuuga. He remembered Hitoshi well; knowing he was not one to be messed with. Keiro remembered calling him Uncle Hitoshi and Aunt Kana but he especially remembered Amaterasu. She was their daughter, born around the same time he was. He only learned to find out that she was two months older than her but she was, for the longest time, taller than him and it made him feel a bit like a little brother to her. She was stubborn, just like Keiro’s mother and much hot-headed as an egg on the sidewalk on a hot Friday morning. She could easily lose her temper just as quick as she was able to compose it. Perhaps what made her much scarier was the fact that she had that type of swiftness that made her unpredictable.

She was a scary friend but she was a good friend to Keiro. She was a valued friend to him; even after putting up with all of the hassle he would sometimes put her through, Keiro never lost that connection between her. Keiro had realized that he even got closer to her in their friendship before the days of ‘the beginning’.

Keiro never once knew about the conspiracy his family and Amaterasu’s family had gone through. Not when he was a small that was. Keiro understood that his father knew Aimi’s father and that they were good friends. He didn’t know for the longest time that he was originally born in Kumogakure and his element had only transpire later to be of the lightning element instead of the fire classic of Konoha’s shinobi. Keiro didn’t know this at first but he eventually found out about it all when ‘the beginning’ happen.

Hitoshi Hyuuga had left Konoha for another diplomacy trip to Kumogakure. It had been a decade or so past the time his last trip had been to Kumo. Konoha and Kumo were on shaking waters at the time and because of it, diplomacy did make it difficult for Hitoshi’s job. He knew that he would have to return to Kumo one day, knowing full well he would be in danger if anyone were to happen to know that it was he that put their best assassin into Konoha now and steadily put Kumogakure in the water internationally.

When Keiro was five, Hitoshi began his own campaign against the administration of the warring Raikage. He had no issues with Kumogakure or lightning country itself but he did not wish for death upon those who did not deserve it, Kumogakure or any other country they were trying to war against. Hitoshi was not a violent man but rather a man of business. He knew sometimes that business would also mean crushing those who were in his way and it would bring a bit of stir towards some people. He knew that his only way of bringing down a business was not from the outside but rather from the inside out and destroy its foundation. His idea was truly simple: To create a large report that would detail the amount of political corruption, financial fraud, and false wars against the administration of the Raikage (now former Raikage). He also put in personal interviews with a few of the country’s main support lines of families who would give a part of their wealth towards the country. One family, who was eventually destroyed by the administration, was the one who initially destroyed the Raikage’s image but also his credibility as well. The news would shock the world as it would.

And it did. To no surprise, the moment the report was made to the public, the outcry was phenomenal in the shinobi world. The event was simply something that the public did not wish to know but the power was so deep that it put a huge dent into Raikage’s career and his life in general. He had no way of recovering from. Those who were also underneath the shadow of that administration also fell as well. This was a victory for both Hitoshi and Takashi but this was also the beginning of the end for Keiro.

Hitoshi did not return the following week to Konoha. There was the proclamation that he had died during his way to Kumogakure by a group of high ranking Nukenin and did not stand a chance as it was during the night and he was highly outnumbered. Keiro remembered hearing this outside the house of the informants who told Aimi and her family. Of course it was tragic but the suspicion only began with the deduction of Hitoshi’s skill and his reasoning and awareness. Keiro understood that Uncle Hitoshi had the necessary skill to kill a multitude of people without hassle if he was cornered. It was his forte, his main thing that his father admitted made him a threat and completely dangerous against. Secondly, it was the fact that he was travelling to Kumogakure for business and seeing how there was a large administration that was now targeting the person responsible. Takashi knew that no one knew who it was that exposed them. He remembered hearing Hitoshi that they were not even certain as to who it was and that their secret was safe with him. Taka was a tad bit worried but he had faith in his friend and faith that no one would ever come to harm them.

Hearing about Hitoshi’s death was not a saddening day for Taka but rather the beginning of his worries and the end for both Keiro and Hitoshi….


“Revenge…” he whispered as he opened his eyes. He sat up on the mattress and looked up at the ceiling. His mind hadn’t lost track of the time. Even as he slept, his brain kept the time as to how long he slept. He kept track so he would know if it was day, noon or night, he would set it so he could exercise accordingly and not be too exhausted knowing full well how long his muscles needed to heal. He knew when to eat and when not to eat seeing this prison system likes to keep their three square meals-a-day bullshit. If it wasn’t for the meals, he probably would’ve lost track by now.

It was simply by clockwork. He had another hour before they would send in his dinner. It would be some sort of protein mixed in with some soggy gravy that lacked any nutritional value, wet, soggy bread and sour milk for them to drink. He would eat the protein but skimp out on the bread and milk. As much as he knew it, the only thing that kept him running was the damn meat he was try to eat. Sometimes their meals would come with vegetables and during which he would save those up for later days. They were actually really cooked because they had a garden in the prison somewhere. He knew it wasn’t half assed knowing that someone in the prison actually kept up with the vegetables at least.

He did all of this so he wouldn’t lose his mind. It was already hard enough not to lose your mind here. It’s not difficult to lose it once you were in this system but Keiro had understood clearly that he wanted to escape this place. He knew that staying here would eventually make him lose hope of what his aims were. He wanted to put balance in order.

Some would say that his motives are simply an act of revenge and maybe that’s partially true. They had did him wrong, they did his family and his friend’s family wrong by trying to eliminate not only him but the fathers as well. They succeeded that day…succeeded in killing his father by execution and him by simply arrest and imprisonment. Smart of them to kill the father but not the son. Sure, one could say he was on a mission and so was the father and make it all appear like an accident. But that would’ve been a bit too easy wouldn’t it? No, of course it wouldn’t of. By simply killing the father, who they could proclaim was a high ranking Nukenin or an escaped war criminal was simply justified by them. By killing Keiro, however, who was supposedly born in Konoha and was an official Konoha shinobi. Killing him because he could’ve been a conspirator was even better and it would look good on the people who might’ve sold them out.

It was all so simple wasn’t it….all so very simple…

Keiro graduated from the Academy at the age of twelve and was brought into a team that Keiro actually didn’t mind who they were. The two genin, Kudara and Sanji, were both brothers, both Taijutsu users. Kudara was the older of the two, appearing wise and thoughtful to the group. He was indeed a person who was the team leader because he was initially older than both Sanji and Keiro. He was the one who could initially think for not only himself but could help with the team’s composition if needed. Sanji was probably the one who was opposite to his brother. But he was the one who was essentially uptight about most things and can come out as much of a pessimist as a man discussing the remedies of killing kittens for food.

The one who was lackadaisical and relaxed all if not most of the time his brother Sanji. He was a man who was full of jokes and probably one of the sarcastic ones underneath Keiro who sometimes just spilled out sarcasm at most situations. Sanji was indeed one who appeared to show off his skills rather than apply it to real combat which made him quite easy to defeat whenever the three of them would spare. His eventually show-off attitude would fade in time as Keiro remembered him beating him so bad that Kudara got on him for doing it so much.

Ideally, the relationship between these three was what made them a very powerful team as a genin. The three of them did not look at each other as friends or as teammates but they looked at each as brothers. What was funny about the two was it was not the sensei they had that taught him the skills he would posses today but rather the two brothers. Their situation was something similar to Keiro’s. Both of them were taught by their parents before they even reached the academy. Their father was one who was their skilled shinobi at the time, a jounin the last time Keiro remembered it and from their experience learned a style of martial arts that changed Keiro.

Keiro's place in missions was the person who hid in the background. In their usually formation, it was Kudara or Sanji (most of the time Sanji) who was in first and ahead. They were the ones that stood out the best. Sanji would be out in front as a means of distraction, his skills in dodging and evading the enemy targets exceeded Kudara's rigid style. Sanji had the distraction going on while Kudara would be the center of the three. His ability to lead and create plans while moving back and forth in either manipulating the landscape or damaging the enemy target had left the impression of leadership. Keiro had remembered Kudara being the first out of th three to become a jounin before Keiro was sentenced to this god forsaken prison. He imagined him being a good leader to other jounin and a great teacher to his students. He wondered if he was still as stuck up as he was when he was a young kid.

With the two in front, Keiro was the more of their 'ace card' if they needed him. His intelligence wasn't what made him shine, he didn't want to be in the role of leader and planner. His role was to keep in the back and strike whenever it was appropriate. Kudara always had a problem with this mentality but rather than arguing it, he would rather see what if this methodology was as effective as Keiro placed it. He proved it to his genin leader more than enough times that he didn't mind having him in the back as the ace or the 'back up plan'. What placed Keiro and Kudara differently were two things. The first was intelligence. Keiro had beaten Kudara many times in the game of wit. The games of chess were he defeated him countless times shows how Keiro was not an dumb individual. The team leader of the three had taken notice how he was intelligent. Incidences where he took IQ test and exceeded past the normal limits of the test and figuring out puzzles that normaly takes different means of solving. He showed promised of skill in leadership when there was a incident where Kudara had been incapcitated. His means of execution was flawless and his skills with people was astounding. The question arose why is it that he never took the lead when he had the chance.

It was simple to Keiro. Keiro had no intention of leading anyone. He was a boy who did his own way. He looked at things at a distance and kept it that way too. Why try to lead when there is a person who is more capable than he was. Keiro always had the mentality of staying in the background in terms of planning saying it would be too much of a bother if he were to "get too involve" with folks like that.

Keiro remembered that he would soon become a chuunin at the age of fifteen. The formalities of the forest of death, test and then competing was not memorable for him during this time. Keiro could swear now that anything he did as a genin did not benefit him well later as a chunin. He began to see that there were things changing for the worse. When it was usually for the worst, scary things began to change….

And it was then that he would know the true meaning of pain…


He didn’t know where to begin with this part. He told the story of his past and how there was a conspiracy that would rise against him. He supposed it would best to start there and not his adventures as a chunin. He knew that telling the story would be a bit of hassle for him to tell knowing what memories it brought upon him.

The only fond memories would be that his relationship with Amaterasu started to change a bit. He wanted to think of them as friends and only friends but he began to realize that he was starting to develop something more than that. He realized that he wanted to be more than friends but didn’t have the necessary push to go further in that path. When she started to date one of the guys in his graduating class, he didn’t know whether he was happy or sad about that. Was he jealous that Amaterasu was with someone or was he relieved that he didn’t have to break the friendship they had since they were children. Perhaps the thought of all of broke when he was accused of conspiracy against the leaders of fire country and his attempted assassination.

How did it lead up to this point Keiro, he figured out during his time during his arrest and his apparent ‘trial’. He wasn’t that all officially aware during this time. He was in the void of all, his mind drifting after hearing his father had been murdered in his own home while he was asleep. His mother, who hadn’t fought for a decade or so, had seen this incident and was completely mute to it all. He deduced that it hadn’t had started a month or a year ago. This accumulation of it had to have started before he was born or until at least he was a few months old.

Someone had known about their existence in Konoha. There hadn’t been that one mastermind in the world that didn’t see past Hitoshi’s deception. He knew Hitoshi’s deception was powerful, probably on the level of genjutsu that could deceive anyone. He made sure that Taka and Aomame in the public. They would change their names, their identities, their entire lives all changed in a matter of a year and it would fool most of the public. The Hyuuga clan, the one who gave them the support, didn’t even know who they actually were. Keiro admired Hitoshi’s skills even after his death. It was probably that that drew the attention of those who were a part of that particular administration. They were skilled in deception, very much so that they fooled an entire village and country for their own gains. They had the necessary resources to put in spies and even their own leaders into a village without arise of suspicion.

Makes sense. Keiro had no trouble in believing that they had intended to kill his father only because he was not the same man he once was. He was older, sure, that goes without any certainty when one is human. People age and they began to have dull senses to things. He wondered why his father didn’t take the necessary precautions in order to stop this from happening. He wondered whether it would’ve been wise to actually live outside of the village instead inside where they would risk being killed. He knew it was risk, he told him this when he was sixteen years old but he began to love this village just as much as he loved Kumogakure. Some things were different, yes, but he began to have an extended family with the people that rescued them from the horror of the former Raikage’s administration. He probably even guessed that they would eventually find him and seek him out for ruining them. Perhaps that is why he didn’t fight them when they came for his head. Keiro remembered that vividly, remembered how when he saw the body of his father it was cut from the neck. The head had been taken and hanged from the ceiling of their home, the eyes plucked out of its skull and the tongue removed from the mouth. He remembered seeing his mother on the ground covered in his father’s blood.

He walked to her and called out her name repeating out mom. There was nothing left of her. Her eyes were blank, almost as if she was blind of it. She probably was blind too. Last time he remembered her she was mute as well.

He wondered what Konoha told them. He had doubts, severe doubts, that the Hokage was in on this conspiracy. No, the Uzumaki had no idea about this. He made some probabilities as the percentage of him having any idea that he was in on it. He came to an answer of 42%. It was quite high seeing that Hitoshi had the necessary skill and resources to hide the identity of his family but it was low enough that made him pass him up on people on his list. It would have to be someone on the inside, not a public figure like the Hokage but had the power and resources to complete the task at hand. It had to been someone in the shadows. Not ANBU deep but some organization even lower than that that had the intention of not only causing war on all country fronts but profiting from it too.

He felt like there was nothing he could do at the time as they put him in the transport with a blindfold on and carried him far off into a region he had no idea where. That was smart of them too, they probably had enough information on me to know that I could locate where we were and could determine the type of prison we were going. He had some indication that it would be a prison somewhere in earth country but they had a great deal amount of prisons there and which one it was did not put ease on Keiro’s mind….

And so…here he was now upright on the mattress with one leg outstretched. Five minutes until dinner time Keiro counted. Five minutes until his freedom would come and he would take the chance to escape. It would just be like clock work. A riot maybe would start and the calamity would certainly put a number on the amount of guards here. He could say that there were probably a low number of guards here, it was high security but it was also probably one with a lot of secrets kept here. It was a place where secrets would never be able to be released ever into the world and expose those who made sure it would kept safe. The best place to hide something was to make sure it disappeared completely yes? Keiro knew that was the answer. It had to disappear forever. A good disappearing act requires a good magician. If the act is good and it made to believe to be real magic, how can you question it? You can try and question it but in the end, it leaves you to wonder whether or not it was real or an illusion. How can one even decipher whether or not it is real. What if that magician was never seen again in the public? One could say that he never made a public appearance again and made that act his final act. But how can you know?

They don’t question it so they’ll never know. That’s the thing. If something so true could turn the face of the world with simple truth, then it is made to be hidden. The hidden truths of the world simply makes it so the lies can overrun the world with no way of knowing the truth.

Three Minutes.

“They will know the truth” Keiro said softly. Keiro could hear something behind the lock door. Was that yelling he heard? No, that couldn’t be-

“They will know that the lies cover the truth and the truth hurts sometimes. The sting of it all will put people into reality….reality is something that comes off as harsh and savage. It is in there foolish ideals that make them fear reality, fear the truth of reality and face that there is nothing to fear…that there is no fear….”

There was definitely sharp screams coming from outside. He could hear it more audibly now. He knew those types of screams well, one that let out their final breathes and their screams of the hell they were about to endure. Keiro didn’t move his spot. He kept on talking, not stopping to know what was going on outside. He didn’t need to know, he just understood

“My father sacrifice his life for me as well as my uncle…I loved them both as I loved my mother and as I loved his family as well…I will make them pay for what they have done…”

One minute…

“They will know that when they increase their knowledge….they will increase their sorrow…”

There was a large explosion that boomed in the sound of concrete exploding and shattering. He could hear metal being twisted, the eeeerrrrrr sound of metal scratching against one another and the scraping noise it made when sliding across the concrete. The door shot open. The hinges that held the door together came out ripping out the concrete wall like it was paper. The door went straight past Keiro, the door not three inches from his position on the mattress. He turned his head to the door, looked at it as if bemused that it didn’t him hit him in the face and looked at the opening of a hole that the door once was.

“Happy Birthday…” Keiro whispered and he got up from the mattress.

“Ten against two” Dante told Dime, back to back to each with Rebellion in one hand and Ebony in the other “I have to say, the odds are in our favor.” Dante’s response was met with a grunt, a sarcastic one at that, and a jingling of rings “I feel like kicking all of their asses but you seem to want in on this action.”

“I intend on taking their blood for smashing in my work. It will be then paid in full.”

Dante grinned wolfishly “Damn, you’re the type that don’t fuck around. Wouldn’t want to get on your bad side.”

“Trust me, this isn’t my bad side. You wouldn’t want to see that.”

The large Godzilla like monster had regained itself just a few moments before, wincing at the pain before lowering its head to Dante’s and Dimes height and let out an dangerous roar at point blank. Both of them stood there, letting the shock wave from the war, the harshness of its breath and the wads of saliva move past it. They both looked unimpressed and they both sighed unanimously. Both of them cocked a fist back, both of them shouting “Shut up!” and launching a devastating uppercut into the creature’s lower jaw. The combined strength of the two had lifted the creature off its feet. It let out a sharp yelp and landed on its back causing the ground underneath them to shake.

Both of them dusted off their hands. Dante pulled out his claymore and spun in a few times in his hand. Dimes grabbed his fist and begins cracking his knuckles, the latter seeming to have cold, feral eyes. Didn’t he want to capture the thing? He thought that is what he said, maybe he heard that wrong.
“So how you want to do this?” Dante asked, assuring that that was what Dime wanted to do “I could cut him up into little pieces. Makes dissection easier.”
“I don’t think I can dissect something that big unless I have a big place to lay it down.” Dimes began to rotate his shoulder and crack the one side of his neck “I’ll examine it as I start beating it-“ the creature had begun to shudder. Both Dante and Dime stopped as they saw the creature begin to glow an ominous purple light. They both could see the skin of the thing begin-to boil. Boil didn’t seem like the right word to use but the skin was bubbling up like water would boiling. The creature had begun making incessant, loud roaring sounds that began to sharpen in note. Dante heard something odd from the creature. Something he wasn’t expecting at first. It was laughing. The laugh was mixing in with the roaring of its voice.

“I didn’t know getting punched in the chin was something funny” Dante said, spinning Rebellion in his hand again “Maybe cutting you up will be a comedy goldmine for you.”

“No” the large creature bellowed. The creature seem to have a heavy Irish accent. Its laughter was that heavy, bold voice that boom that old demons have yet underneath that was the Irish. It was still laughing, although it came to a muffled chuckle underneath his voice. Dante thought that he was hearing things but it sounded as if there was a voice underneath the voice speaking. That voice was the one doing the chuckling. “It’s just, I haven’t felt this much pain in such a long time. Indeed, I find that fighting the young son of Sparda would bring some difficulty to my existence.” Its voice was low, not animalistic as both Dante and Dime was expecting. It has a low, almost seductive tone. It stood itself up, using the buildings as to regain its balance “After finding your scent, I had to see if you were the real son of Sparda and not some fake. After you punched me, I knew full well that I was dealing with a demon.”

“Half-devil,” Dante corrected “and I’ll be honest. You could’ve just asked to die rather than ruin this guy’s apartment. I’m sure I could’ve schedule in somewhere in my weekly appointments.”

Dime didn’t seem to hear any of this. “Split apart creature” he said “I know you can. You were just about to when you were bubbling up so do it now. Can’t fight us when you’re so confined, it would be foolish on your part.”

“I have no quarrel with you boy-“ he seem to retract, looking at Dime with a mindful glare-well as mindful a ancient demon could gather-and grin showing all the sharp, human piercing teeth “You are far older than you appear. Much older than many of my kind that have existed in this realm. I wonder if you are a demon…or a god of some sort.”

Dante turned an eye to Dime. He looked at the giant creature with his arms folded, and Dante saw no sign of waver in his eyes.

The creature extended his hands and bent them; growing out the sharp claws he had “No matter. If I kill you and the son of Sparda, I’ll be legendary. I’ll feast upon your power and gain what I want.”

Dante let out a very unnerved sigh. He put a finger into his ear and began to dig “God, I should start counting the ways you devils decide to threaten me. I think that’s the 127th time some low life demon decided they were cocky enough to fight me. I might as well be wearing a sign saying ‘I’m the son of Sparda, please fight’ around my back because clearly I want to hear this every day.”

Dime didn’t seem to have the patience for this anymore. He put a hand up and gesture him to come “Split apart you pseudo-Godzilla.”

“As you wish!” it shouted. The creature skin began to bubble again. This quickly changed from his outer skin to the inner layers of his body where muscle, organs, and all those other good qualities that make up the body began to bubble. Dante was reminded of how milk curdles up when lemon is added into the mix. The milk just turns sour and all the proteins just seem to clump together. The demon had clumped itself together then untangled into separate selves. The creature was originally fifty feet tall, now they were sized down to a mere seven feet of itself in a smaller version. There were ten of them altogether, all of them landing around Dante and Dime surrounding them both, all of them laughing that cold laughter.

Dante and Dime stood back to back. Both of them had a look of readiness in them albeit different in every way. Dante had cocked a smile on his face, licking his lips out the excitement contrasting with Dime who looked expressionless and entirely void of emotion. Both of them looked as if they were about to compete on who was going to kill the most of the ten. Both of them smiled at the same time.

They both charged moving at the opposite direction, Dante going right and Dime going left. The creatures followed suit as five was moving to Dante while the other five moved to Dime.

Two claws on Dime’s side were ready to strip him down. Two creatures both roar the same roar, aiming at Dime’s head for an instant kill. Dime had jumped up and landed on one of the creatures that had tried to strike him. He quickly had his legs wrapped around the creature’s neck and leaned back so that he could flip it down on the ground. The movement was in one go and the speed of it put the large creature’s head into the street making a hole where the head had impact. Dime rolled onto his feet and could see one of the demons lunge forward. This superman tactic was met with Dime’s jumping over it but the demon had spun itself so its back was to the ground. A long arm grabbed one of Dime’s legs. It held on like a vice grip as they both fell to the ground. Two of them were already charging with their claws extended ready to pierce. The one that held onto Dime’s had bit down on Dime shoulder now having one hand and one mouth holding him down.

Dime grunted. He felt that sharp, jarring pain in his shoulder for a quick moment. He had his left hand on the creature’s stomach and then jolt of bit his will into one of his rings. The demon had a moment of surprise when it felt its entire midsection blown away by some ghastly energy. He had his right hand out and put some will into the ring that had casted the shield earlier. The shield appeared blue and triangular. The claws had only inches to reach before it reached its target only to meet the shield. The claws of the demon shattered into tiny fragments. They let out a howl of pain, just like a person would howl when they chipped a tooth. This gave him a quick distraction to put a bit more will into the shield and in doing so caused the shield to burst sending the two targets back into the building. He tightens his hand into a fist and rammed it into the dead demon whose teeth were still sunk in his flesh. The head did burst with some of the teeth still remaining in.

So annoying he thought pulling out all three of the teeth that were still in. His flesh began to mend itself together, the muscle fibers reattaching to one another, then the skin closed itself up. He looked at the three remaining lizard demons, one let out a hasty roar while the other two were just covering from the trip of the exploding shield. Hand to hand would be effective but the claws had to go. He pulled off a ring on his right index finger and began to form an image in his head. He imagined a katana; a blade he preferred was one that was sharp, too sharp to even be forged by man. The ring glimmered a shining blue transforming into a long, four and a half inch katana with red laced trim around the grip. On the end of it was the signature ankh he had.

Name: Kunai Kit
Rank: C
Type: Supplementary
Quantity: 2
Contents: 15 Kunai (30 total), 2 Exploding Notes (4 total)

Name: Bunshin no Jutsu • Clone Technique
Rank: E
Type: Genjutsu
Range: N/A
Medium: Optical
Element: N/A
Description: This technique creates identical clones of the user. However, they hold no actual substance and will disperse upon impact of an attack or contact with an opponent. They cannot disrupt the area around themselves with their movements; won’t kick up dust, crush grass, etc. They are simply optical illusions used to momentarily fool others.
Chakra Cost: 1CP per 5 clones

Name: Henge no Jutsu • Transformation Technique
Rank: E
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: N/A
Element: N/A
Description: This technique transforms the user’s appearance to that of another object or person. However, it is not a permanent transformation and a mental image of what they are transformed into. Certain aspects of a ninja will not change merely by transformation, these things may include injuries, tool pocket placements etc. The jutsu will dispel should the user be injured. The user does not gain the properties of their transformation (ie. horse like strength), and may only transform into something ranging between 1/2 of their regular size, to 2x their regular size. Thus one cannot transform into large creatures.
Chakra Cost: 1

Name: Kawarimi no Jutsu • Body Replacement Technique
Rank: E
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: 10 meters
Element: N/A
Description: After performing a tiger seal, this technique allows the user to alter places in a speedy manner with another nearby object. This is done mere seconds before an attack lands, thus making the attacker believe his or her attack was a success. Whatever object was used to alter places will receive the brunt of the enemy’s attack instead. The object that the user switches with must be preset somewhere else in the thread, meaning that the object must have received specific mention previously in the thread.
Chakra Cost: 2

Name: Explosive Tag: Activate
Rank: E
Type: Fuuinjutsu
Range: N/A
Element: N/A
Description: This technique allows the user to activate an explosive tag they have planted somewhere. Preferably they should be within close to mid range and visible to the user. You cannot activate another persons explosive tags unless your chakra has been channeled into them beforehand.
Chakra Cost: 1 (per 3 explosive notes)

Name: Kai • Release
Rank: D
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close (0m - 5m)
Element: N/A
Description: By stopping the flow of chakra in their body, and then applying an even stronger power to disrupt the flow of the caster's chakra; the user may dispel the effects of a genjutsu. This can also be used on another individual that is stuck in a genjutsu by preforming the necessary hand seal and then touching them, although it consumes half the chakra cost of the Genjutsu.
Chakra Cost: Cost of Genjutsu + 2CP

Name: Nawanuke no Jutsu • Escaping Skill
Rank: E
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: N/A
Element: N/A
Description: This technique allows the user to free themselves should they be tied up. It is extremely basic. Using their physical training, the user will twist and contort their body to loosen their bindings, effectively relieving themselves of the tightness of their bindings and slipping through the restraints. This technique can only be used if the user is of equal or higher rank than their captor.
Chakra Cost: 1

Name: Chozou no Jutsu • Storage Technique
Rank: E
Type: Fuuinjutsu, Supplementary
Range: Close (0m - 5m)
Element: N/A
Description: A simple jutsu that allows a ninja to seal or unseal any item, mostly weapons, from scrolls or from their body. After forming the necessary handsigns, the ninja will seal the item into a scroll etc. Scrolls can also be used as ammunition for other weapons or have other seals inside of them, which expands the number of potential tricks a shinobi can use. The items themselves are unaffected by time. Ninjutsu can also be stored in scrolls, to be released when the scroll is opened, but require another person to cast said Ninjutsu; else it cannot be sealed.
Chakra Cost: 1CP to seal; 1CP to unseal.

Name: Suimen Hokou no Waza • Act of Water Surface Walking
Rank: D
Type: N/A
Range: N/A
Element: NA
Description: This technique allows the user to balance themselves on water by focusing a constant and steady stream of chakra to the user’s feet or hands. Because of water’s nature, this requires the user to be quick to adjust the amount of chakra they must emit to their feet in order to maintain a constant balance. Users may also walk, run and “skate” across the water when using this technique.
Chakra Cost: 1 (1 per post)

Name: Kinobori no Waza • Act of Tree Climbing
Rank: D
Type: N/A
Range: N/A
Element: N/A
Description: This technique allows the user to balance themselves on trees and vertical walls by focusing a constant and steady stream of chakra to the user’s feet. Gravity can easy be defined if this technique is mastered, allowing people to even stand upside down. If too much chakra is exerted the user will be pushed away; bark breaking and causing the user to then fall. If not enough chakra is exerted the user will lose their footing and fall.
Chakra Cost: 1 (1 per post)

Name: Swing
Rank:C
Type: Taijutsu
Range: Close
Element: N/A
Description: This technique can be applied to give the user movement where would normally seem impossible. This also gives the opponent the ability to lunge forward at top speed, but in short bursts and not for that long. Says it works within only two meters range. This also is done with no footwork, so the user appears to just “move”. However, the drawback is the limb or body used feeling numb. This effect is similar to when your foot is a sleep, or you’ve held your hand up for too long. Upon throwing your hand down the blood rushes to your finger tips and you get that surge of energy back. What happens in this case is you get the surge of energy first, and then you lose the feeling if used too much. Obvious detail of the jutsu being used is the ground underneath the user's feet will crumble. This technique has been known to increase the momentum of an attack (usually a punch) for better results in terms of external damage.
Chakra Cost:6

Name: Grab
Rank: C
Type: Taijutsu
Range: Close
Element: N/A
Description: A simple grab which requires the opponent to be caught off guard, either by a set move or military tactic or something like an explosive. The user will reach towards the opponents throat in a very fast grab, hold it and choke the opponent. This choke is very painful but doesn’t have the ability damage the user’s throat -however it does make it sore-. With this grab the user can simultaneously perform another attack and perform a string of combo’s after, if applicable. A skilled user can use this grab can perform a fatal blow, if prepared.
Chakra Cost: 5

Name: Crushing Hand
Rank: B-S (At the moment, B rank)
Type: Taijutsu
Range: Close
Element: N/A
Description: By focusing chakra into their hands with key control, once the user makes a grab onto the opponent’s body, they can easily crush or fracture even the strongest bones in the human body. At B rank, the most that can be made is a small break or fracture depending on the bone and at A rank bones like the shoulder etc can be crushed. (This must be used on areas were the bones are not covered by tons of muscles, for instance, it cannot be done on the thigh). If the user has a dominant taijutsu specialty, at S Rank, a tremendous amount of chakra can be used to crush bones where thicker muscles are and can completely crush the human skull. Due to the high amount of chakra placed in the hand to create power, the effects on the joints of the finger can damage the user. At B rank it can be used three times successfully, but only resulting in moderate fractures or breaks (broken rib), at A rank it can be used twice successfully, but only resulting in high damage breaks around areas with a lack of protective muscle. At S Rank, it can be used on anywhere in the body, but only once. This is all done assuming that the user can legally grab an opponent.
Chakra Cost: B-rank:12, A-rank:21, S-rank:27

Name: Konoha Senpuu - Leaf Whirlwind
Rank: D
Type: Taijutsu
Range: Close (0m - 5m)
Element: N/A
Description: A taijutsu where one launches a succession of high kicks and low kicks. Firstly, the opponent's evasion margin is restrained upon seeing the high kick, thus augmenting the chances for the low kick to hit the mark.
Chakra Cost: 4

Name: Konoha Kage Buyou - Leaf Shadow Dance
Rank: D
Type: Taijutsu
Range: Close (0m - 5m)
Element: N/A
Description: Konoha Kage Buyou is a Taijutsu technique that is used to position a ninja's opponent into a vulnerable aerial position. The ninja will first quickly appear below their opponent, then with a switch upper kick they will launch their target into the air. The ninja will then jump into the air to "shadow" the target with the target's back to their chest. This move is used before preforming "Omote Renge - Front Lotus" or "Shishi Rendan - Lion Combo".
Chakra Cost: 4

Name: Konoha Dai Senpuu - Leaf Great Whirlwind
Rank: C
Type: Taijutsu
Range: Close (0m - 5m)
Element: N/A
Description: A series of kicking attacks, starting from a low kick and linking into a middle kick and high kick then finishing off with a heel drop. As the rotation speed picks up the user gains buoyancy, which they use to shift into gradually higher attacks.
Chakra Cost: 5

Name: Konoha Kaiganshou - Leaf Demolishing Rock
Rank: B
Type: Taijutsu
Range: Close (0m - 5m)
Element: N/A
Description: After bracing his or her forearm, the user will launch themself towards his or her opponent and deliver a powerful elbow thrust. This can send the target flying back a good several feet.
Chakra Cost: 10

]Name: Chimei-teki Fera - Fatal Blow
Rank: C
Type: Taijutsu
Range: Close (0m)
Element: -
Description: Chimei-teki Fera is a taijutsu technique. After charging a small amount of chakra towards the dominant leg, the user will try to use their speed and strength so that they can perform a sideways kick to the opponent’s ribcage. In order for direct contact to be made the shin, where most of the chakra is stored, will hit the centre of the ribcage forcing a shock wave of pain to make its way across the body. If the technique is performed correctly, they will be able to force their opponent to the ground and possibly even stop them from being able to stand back up.
Chakra Cost: 7

Name: Hiraishin - Sparking Electric Needle
Rank: B
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close (0m - 5m)
Element: Raiton (Lightning)
Description: After coming into physical contact with the opponent, the user raises their arm into the air, generating a powerful bolt of electricity which will travel through their body into the body of the opponent.
Chakra Cost: 10

Name: Lightning Grenade
Rank: B
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close-mid (A total of 7m)
Element: Raiton
Description: The user condenses the power of the lightning into a small and contained ball that is no bigger than a baseball. Once the user throws it, those within the target vicinity will receive an explosive shot of lightning that will expand outward. What this jutsu sacrifice in accuracy and free manipulation and leans more towards crowd control . The amount of damage, because of its explosive characteristics, has certain damage ratio. The closer the target is to the grenade, the more damage it causes more external damage (flash burns, ) and mild internal damage (temporary blindness, mild involuntary spasms). Those who are at the blast out radius only suffer the mild of tingling sensation. The grenade's effective role is when used on object that can easily be used as shrapnel in the vicinity. Objects such as glass, thin layers of concrete etc can make the grenade far more effective. This attack is most effective against multiple enemies in close vicinity.
Chakra Cost: 12

Name: Shockwave
Rank: B
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Mid (A total of seven meters)
Element: Raiton
Description: The user concentrates there chakra into the hands. Once the user claps the hands together, the chakra releases a small shockwave towards the opponents (ideally in a straight line). This is a type of jutsu that can be used to stun a large wave of enemies. It's potency doesn't come from the amount of damage it causes. When one comes in contact with the shockwave, they receive the tantalizing sting of a mild inducing taser volt. Literally like the title states, the jutsu releases a wave that shocks a multitude of people rather than one person. The stun last for single post just for the body of the opponents to readjust itself.
Chakra Cost: 11

Name: Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder
Rank: C-A
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close (0m - 5m), Mid (5m - 10m)
Element: Raiton (Lightning)
Description: This technique allows the user to create a wave of electricity from their hands. The user can vary its power from a small surge to shock an opponent to a powerful stream of lightning capable of ripping through solid rock.
Chakra Cost: C (5), B (10), A (20)

Name: Bureijinguhitto - Blazing Hit
Rank: D
Type: Nin / Taijutsu
Range: Close (0m)
Element: Katon
Description: Bureijinguhitto is a ninjutsu and taijutsu combination utilizing the fire element. By charging a small amount of chakra to the dominant fist, the user is able to ignite their hand so that it's enveloped in a glove of fire. By delivering a punch to their opponent, the user is able to add on a burning effect equivalent to that of a scalding tea kettle to the location that has been hit. The fire will only be visible on the top of the hand, covering the top of the fingers, knuckles and hand.
Chakra Cost: 3

Name: Honoo Ha - Flaming Leaves
Rank: D
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close (0 - 5m), Med (5 - 10m)
Element: Katon
Description: Honoo Ha is a ninjutsu technique utilizing the fire element. After performing the required handseals, the user will be able to launch out three oak tree shaped leaves made up of fire from their mouth. It takes a triangle formation, one fire leaf at the front and two following behind it. The leaves are capable of burning the opponent and their clothing, however, the user must ensure that they are within ten metres of the opponent. For once the fire leaves pass this limit, they will simply fade away.
Chakra Cost: 4

Name: Shōmei Heirō - Illuminating Halo
Rank: C
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close (0 - 5m), Med (5 - 10m)
Element: Katon
Description: Shōmei Heirō is a ninjutsu technique utilizing the fire element. After performing the required handseals, the user is able to call forth a ring of fire above their head. This halo - like ring has the same circumference as the users head and is also able to light up a ten metre radius around the user. It's often called a golden ring, due to the perfect ring having golden - yellow flames occupying it. At the centre of the ring an oak tree leaf made of fire is found, it's used for a sequence attack.
Chakra Cost: 7

Name: Goukakyuu no Jutsu - Great Fireball Technique
Rank: C
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close (0m - 5m)
Element: Katon (Fire)
Description: Katon • Goukakyuu no Jutsu is a Ninjutsu technique utilizing the Fire Element. The ninja does the necessary hand seals, draws chakra from their mouth into their chest and them immediately exhales it. They then blow a stream of fire which erupts into a large sphere of flames. To better manage the flames the ninja will bring their hand to their mouth to control it.
Chakra Cost: 5 (2 per post)

Name: Gōruden Ikari no Ha - Golden Leaves of Fury
Rank: C
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close (0 - 5m), Med (5 - 10m)
Element: Katon
Description: Gōruden Ikari no Ha is a ninjutsu technique utilizing the fire element. After having the Illuminating Halo active the user is able to perform the sequence attack in case of danger arising. In order to do so, the golden oak tree leaf made up of fire, will rise up from the centre of the halo and begin to launch seven copies of itself towards the users opponent. After preforming the tiger seal, one can direct the leaves by a simple point of the finger. If hit, the target will be met with minor burns on the skin and possibly have their clothes set alight. Once the technique has been performed, the golden leaf will settle back into the centre of the halo where it must recharge for two posts.
Chakra Cost: 5 + 2 for recharge

Name: Kasumi Enbu no Jutsu - Mist Waltz Technique
Rank: C
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close (0m - 5m), Mid (5m - 10m)
Element: Katon (Fire)
Description: After performing the necessary hand seals, the user is able to create and blow a flammable gas from their lungs. Once it comes in contact with fire or sparks, the gas ignites into a large fireball.
Chakra Cost: 8

Name: Konoha no Hōkō - Konoha's Roar
Rank: B
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close (0 - 5m), Med (5 - 10m)
Element: Katon
Description: Konoha no Hōkō is a ninjutsu technique utilizing the fire element. After performing the required handseals, the user will be able to launch out a lions head made up of fire at their opponent. Only one head can be shot out at a time and a maximum of three per post, the head also takes the appearance of a lions with it's mouth open, giving it an intimidating effect. If hit, the target could be met with severe burns and their clothes set alight.
Chakra Cost: 12 + 3 per head after the initial

Name: Gouryuuka no Jutsu - Great Dragon Fire Technique
Rank: B
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close (0m - 5m), Mid (5m - 10m), Far (10+)
Element: Katon (Fire)
Description: The user compresses a large amount of chakra built up inside their body and changes it into a dragon-shaped fireball. The user then skillfully manipulates that great fire, and attacks their opponent. Even outside of the attack range, its power and reliability are stressed. The flames have a high temperature, as they can create an upward movement of air currents which in turn can give rise to thunder clouds. A master of this technique can fire off several flames in succession and anyone caught in the technique could be severely burned. No more than 3 extra fireballs may be created.
Chakra Cost: 15 (+5 for each additional fireball)

Name: Haisekishou - Burning Ash Accumulation
Rank: B
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close (0m - 5m)
Element: Katon (Fire)
Description: After forming the needed handseals, the user will expel a Chakra-altered gun-powdered ash from his/her mouth. This large cloud begin to envelope his/her foe and when the user clicks his/her teeth, the cloud will ignite in an explosion.
Chakra Cost: 12

Name: Hibashiri - Running Fire
Rank: B
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: Close (0m - 5m), Mid (5m - 10m)
Element: Katon (Fire)
Description: This jutsu will create a pair of jets made from fire that can be manipulated into several forms before striking the target and surrounding them. This fire can be made more powerful with the introduction of wind from a wind element attack.
Chakra Cost: 12 (3 per post)

Name: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu - Shadow Clone Technique
Rank: B
Type: Ninjutsu
Range: N/A
Element: N/A
Description: Similar to the Clone Technique, this jutsu creates clones of the user. Unlike the Clone Technique, these clones are actual copies, not illusions. The user's chakra is evenly distributed among every clone, giving each clone an equal fraction of the user's overall power. The clones are capable of performing jutsu on their own and can even bleed, but will usually disperse after one or two solid blows. They can also disperse on their own. The clones will be created in roughly the same condition as the original. Because the chakra of each clone is evenly distributed, the user and each clone will contain the same amount of chakra after deducting the initial chakra cost. All remaining chakra on the clone after it is dispersed is refunded to the user. Clones automatically disperse if their chakra supply hits zero, but are not influenced by the 10 chakra minimum for survival.
Chakra Cost: 15 (Per clone)