Clash at the Barracks [EVENT MISSION]

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Shouts echoed through the endless halls. An unidentified figure walked through the small wooden corridor with puny wooden support beams that served as an entrance to the tunnel. The tunnel in question was just carved into the Inari Mountain, it lead straight to the barracks that were used as service building of the guards protecting the Daimyo during his numerous stays in the safe-house or just watching over the mansion, protecting it from looters and watching so that bandit gangs do not form in the mountains used by the Daimyo and his personal servants.

The opponent of these brave men today was no mere thug, the figure threw a strange spiky shadow on the walls right before the blood of the enemy covered it up on the same wall. It rarely took more than one swing of the weapon to dispatch of these men standing in guard of the tunnel. Protection of the Inari mountain, working here as watchdogs must’ve been a shameful position where only the worst guards and shameful ninja were sent. These men were afraid, they will grow even more afraid once their attacker gains access to the tunnel. Death of these guys means nothing – news of the figure’s assault will only reach the Inari mansion once she will be almost out of the dark tunnels of the mountain.

There it was, with an X shaped swipe of her swords made several days earlier from the natural Kirikuzu alloy the figure kept slicing people in pieces and sending them down in agony. The men died within seconds of being cut down in agony, the most terrible sensation of seeing their bodies split apart into many pieces. The attacker showed no restraint – it was shameful to kill rightful people as she liked to kill bad guys much more but… If she kills these men with maximum brutality maybe the few idiots standing in the Parabrahma’s way will back down. They really should have killed that girl in the snowfield. Her survival made things much more complicated, many more innocent people will have to die now, the attacker had a specific gripe with her.

The attacker stopped and looked over the entrance to the dark tunnels, she spent so much time in absolute darkness, in the cell when she was imprisoned by Kumogakure – her fellow ninja. Imprisoned for going above and beyond in her mission approach, killing too many people, killing people when she didn’t need to just because to the attacker they seemed evil. The attacker’s fist clenched. She looked over the tunnel and closed her eyes, those will be of no use to her anyways – in total darkness one had to have some sort of source of light to see anything, it was just one of those obstacles that made attacking this place not worth the effort.

“Khi Khi Khi Khi”

The woman taunted the few brave men that stood protecting the tunnel by laughing out in an almost seductive manner as their blood soon colored the walls again. Few of these men were ninja, they knew how to wield a weapon, swing a sword or a staff but they were nowhere near the woman’s level of expertise and devotion to the cause of vanquishing evil. As far as she knew there were only two evil targets in the vicinity: Daimyo and the girl who lived to raise all of this ruckus. Once these two are slaughtered in as much pain as possible, so that the message is clear, it will all be okay, fewer and fewer innocents will have to die.

A young woman was shaking with her entire body, she pointed a sword forward and kept frantically turning around as the attacker’s sword pierced her chest from behind. The woman’s scared face turned sideways to see the face of death – a pale skinned face of a woman with the most excessive headdress ever witnessed. A finger as pale as the woman’s skin moved to overly painted lips that stood out even more due to woman’s already pale skin as the killer whispered a silent “Shhhhhh, it will be over soon” looking at the young woman’s eyes as her life left her body.

Niku kept making her way through the tunnel until she saw the light. By now the barrack guards must’ve known something was wrong and called help, that was troublesome but the woman had it in her to kill everyone in the barracks before the party of ninja sent to deal with her arrives. After that it will just all be in her approach to the situation. The attacker once again quietly disposed of each and every guard in the barracks leaving no one to hinder her battle in the future. Niku made a handseal transforming into an injured version of the girl she saw earlier, the one she killed in the tunnels. The plan was to play an injured victim, she crawled under a bed and curled into a ball spilling some of other man’s blood on the area beforehand, even if the party had no sensors they’d notice a tremendous pool of blood from under the bed, it’ll also make Niku’s act more impressive.

If it fails and Niku is recognized she can always still use the tunnels and take these enemies out in the darkness, sure she’ll probably be as blind as they are but she’ll be in no hurry. Time works to her favor as Tenma was planned to soon join her, two of them would’ve had no trouble at all dealing with these guys. Niku closed her eyes and started weeping, quietly but also loud enough for a careful ear to pick up, if things work out well she’ll be done in just mere moments!

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Age : 32 Posts : 1495

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Finally, the day of battle came. Not that it meant much for everyone prepared to put their lives on the line to protect the biggest rich douchebags in the world just because those douchebags were important to the world. Most of the ninja have arrived to Inari Mountain Camp long before the faithful day. The Lightning Lord was a quite strange fellow, the magician had imagined him to be different but he had some certain amount of honor and presence to him. He was not goofy nor did he ditch the threat Parabrahma posed as “miniscule” or something, he did not enjoy his sophisticated richboy habits. On the other hand he requested Mana specifically to stand by his side and guard him.

That was the only thing that annoyed the magician, she had prepared such a good strategy for approaching the enemy’s siege but it was all sent to shit when the Daimyo requested that she protected him instead of being there, in the battle. The young woman understood the man’s pain – an organization wanted to take his life and he wanted someone who went halfway around the world to protect him to be by his side but this also meant that Mana won’t be able to protect the other ninja. She trained so hard these past several months, was it all for nothing?

“Mana-san, would you like some pomengrate juice?” the man asked extending her a glass with a purple liquid inside. The girl shook her head, her face was sad. She wanted to be out there, to fight the enemy and not stand around guarding someone.

“That’s a pity, pomengrate juice takes quite the effort to obtain, the edible part is nothing but a small layer around the seed… I see you are sad, you wish to be out there, to fight, right?” Daimyo asked the young woman as she turned around to look at the other side. Some part of her was angry at the man, how could he have been so selfish? The strategy Mana had initially crafted was supposed to work and here he was, hoarding her all for himself letting younger and less experienced ninja possibly die because the magician won’t be there to watch over them.

“Lady Mana, I need to see her!” a voice echoed through the hall outside the door, from the long corridors that lead to the Daimyo’s room. It was a troubled messenger. Despite the attempt to stop him the man barged inside, he wore the serviceman attire, the same kind that builders at the other side of Inari Mountain range wore, the ones handling the mines and the wall on the other side. “Lady Mana, the wall’s been broken, the barricades are down and the guards are being slaughtered, we fled to the mines, others stayed behind so that I could deliver this message! The Parabrahma are making their way through the mines, soon they’ll be at the barracks and from there the yard isn’t too far away.”

Mana jumped up, she had no right to stand around here, she looked at the Daimyo, almost daring him to say something to stop her but his face was now more depressed than hers. “Go… Go, Mana-san, I trust you know what to do.” the man ordered, Mana’s face lit up with a smile as she pointed at the lower ranking guards in the room. All of the ninja here were well briefed on all the protocols, all the possible scenarios, they had information on all the possible Parabrahma members. Identifying the member in question was the sole trouble.

“It’s just one member, the mines and the barracks are small enclosed spaces and the Parabrahma have amazing but destructive abilities, they wouldn’t send a group of people through such a small route. Let my team know I am moving into the barracks, I can’t afford losing more lives, let them assemble and join me as fast as possible, I can hold my own for a while and keep the Parabrahma from taking more lives. Tell them I appointed Wakizashi Meiko as Sub-Captain until the team joins me.” Mana ordered as she bolted forward. She knew that this was just about the dumbest plan, this wasn’t even a plan technically – she just ran towards the danger. For all she knew she could’ve been going to a trap, either way, maybe there were still people hiding in the barracks, maybe someone was still alive, hiding for their lives and Mana couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

Some of the ninja have spent many days training in this camp, even now as Mana ran by the chambers where most ninja stayed for the time they stayed in Inari Mountain camp she could sense them meditating, preparing for a battle for life or death. Battle for the fate of the world, battle for the future. Mana’s body trembled for a second as she realized that this was the moment, the big moment. This was the moment she’s been training for all this time, this was the time she swore she wouldn’t let anyone die and already she failed someone – so many people died already! Mana stopped and leaned towards the wall coughing up some blood – she strained herself a bit too much. Whatever this thing was, it made the magician really angry. She had no time to deal with her body’s shit.

“Please help me get to the barracks!!!” Mana yelled out to some random guards she met as the two joined her and directed the young woman as she ran towards the large camp comprised of eight buildings, each hosting people: servicemen, guards, ninja etc… Mana closed her eyes and opened her sensory, no, her Shingan. At this moment she wanted to live, more than anything and so she had no trouble opening Shingan – there it was, that tremendous chakra… And nothing else – everyone was dead already. Mana knew that chakra, she’s sensed it before – Kirikuzu, Niku! The woman with Tetsuton abilities.

As sheer rage filled Mana’s heart she couldn’t help herself, she couldn’t restrain herself, she couldn’t hide and wait until the rest of her team assembled, she wanted to kill that woman. She wanted to kill her so badly that she shouted that rage out into the air as she flashed through the handseals.

“Katon: Zukkoku!” she yelled out not hesitating for a moment, leaving nothing to chance she fired the fireball at the whole damned building as she planned to blow the whole thing up, this Mana was different: no restraints, no concern for her opponent’s health, just sheer rage over the lives needlessly lost, lives she was partially responsible for because she decided to babysit the Daimyo. The fireball quickly made its way to the small building, had it made contact successfully it’d have blown the entire building up and damaged the others.

“I just hope Meiko and the others don’t come here, I don’t want them to see me like this…” the magician thought right before the fireball left on its destructive pathway. It was quite likely that the explosion and the emanating firestorm would’ve helped the rest of the team by guiding them to the mission location if they assembled fast. An explosion and following firestorm of such magnitude was hard to miss even from the safe-house which was just three kilometers away from the barracks. Part of Mana just wanted to settle this alone, with this murderer who thought it was fun to kill those innocent people just to draw out a reaction.

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Posts : 811

It had been a few weeks now since Meiko had come to Kumogakure in anticipation of the attack. By now she had settled in enough to be comfortable walking the streets at least. These last few days however, had thrown that comfort out the window. The air was tense as information of the attack had spread to the civilian level. Most people refused to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary nowadays, and those that did hurried about, wanting to get to cover as soon as possible. By this point, Kumogakure was practically a ghost town. Any business that could afford closing for an indefinite amount of time had and any that remained open were cautious and suspicious of outsiders. Even Meiko had been affected by this, not wanting to suffer the hurtful glances of the locals, she really only left her hotel room for training and patrols.

A few days back, the Daimyo had summoned Mana to become his own personal bodyguard. Being on her team, Meiko had been moved to a more appropriate location. There was still some distance between her and the Daimyo, but it was still close enough that she would be able to respond to a threat in time. For the moment, she was in her room, sharpening and polishing the Phoenix Pinion, her newest sword that, as of yet, had been untested in battle. The blade had been nearly completed when she first left Konoha. Thankfully, a local blacksmith had granted her access to his forge which had allowed her to finish it. The blade shimmered in the midday light. To date, it was her greatest work. She had tried a new technique during the forging. Inscribing seals into the metal as it was worked, they became part of the blade itself. It was quite a sight, upon completion, Meiko placed the blade into the forge for one last time and watched as the fires of the forge were absorbed into the blade itself, becoming one with it.

Taking one last moment to look over the sword, Meiko was satisfied with the polish and in an instant it was gone. Vanishing into a cloud of smoke as Meiko returned it to the seal on her chest. Stretching out, she moved towards the window overlooking the village. It was quiet as usual, the only moment she could see was that of a few passing Shinobi out on patrol.

That was when the explosion erupted. Off in the distance, a gigantic fireball erupted from the barracks. "Looks like it's starting." Opening the window, Meiko kicked herself out and into the open air. Before leaving to guard the Daimyo, Mana had told Meiko about their objective and their current team make-up. Their job was to protect the Daimyo, each member of the team would be placed in separate locations surrounding his mansion to ensure that, if anything were to happen, at least one person could be on the scene immediately. Meiko was the closest to the source of the explosion and thus, would likely be first on the scene. The other members of their team were Kiyomi, who had arrived just days ago, Mugen, a Genin of the village and Rukasu. The criminal who's betrayal had nearly driven Mana to suicide. Why that bastard was on their team baffled Meiko. Still, the fact that Mana was able to accept him for this simply proved how dangerous the Parahambla were. Of course, if he tried anything, Meiko would take him down personally. She too held a grudge for letting him escape.

Leaping over the buildings, two servants were rushing towards Meiko's location. Halting herself the two approached her with urgent looks on their faces. "Wakizashi, Meiko? We have an emergency. A member of the Parahambla has infiltrated the barracks. Nakotsumi, Mana has engaged the enemy by now. You are to act as sub-captain for this operation." With that, the two immediately broke off in separate directions to rendezvous with the other members. "Sub-Captain? Sheesh Mana, enough pressure?" Instinctively, Meiko wanted to rush to the battlefield with Mana. However, it was more important the team be together. That meant the first person she had to find was Kiyomi.

If memory served correctly, Kiyomi was located to the west of Meiko's hotel. Turning, she could already spot the building. No doubt the blonde was readying herself to leave. Mustering all the strength her legs could provide, Meiko kicked off the rooftop, clearing several streets before she landed on another roof. With this, she was able to reach the building in a matter of seconds. Knocking on the window of Kiyomi's room, Meiko made sure it was loud enough to be heard throughout the entire floor. If Kiyomi was still around, she would hopefully answer.

"Hey Kiyomi, it's happening. I need you to contact Mugen, Rukasu and Mana. Tell them to convene on the barracks grounds. Mana is engaging a member of the Parahambla right now so we need to get moving." As the two would make their way to the battle and Kiyomi's mental link established, Meiko would attempt to set up a battle plan. "For now, I want everyone to play it safe. Mugen, you hand back and work as artillery for now until we learn just who this member is. Rukasu... You take the front with me. Let's see if that sword of yours isn't just to compensate for something. Kiyomi, you run support from the shadows, look for any openings and lock the target in Genjutsu if you can." Meiko had never taken the lead of an operation before, much less something of this scale. She just hoped they would not be too late to help Mana.

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Age : 33 Posts : 544

Kumogakure had proven to be a lovely village. Despite the danger approaching the Land of Lighting Kiyomi had taken the time to look over the village on her patrols. The mountains were truly breath taking as was the architecture. Despite being from a rival village the civilians and shinobi had treated her well. She doubted their courtesy was there simply because of the impending danger, they were all just pleasant people. Many of which would soon be dead because of the insane bastards coming to reap death and destruction. Kiyomi herself knew she could very easily die in the coming battle and it was a frighting thought.

However, her old team was here and if she was to face death there was no one she'd rather go down fighting with. Plus the odds of survival would go up for all of them since they had worked together for so long. The trio of friends had been through hell together already so hopefully this trial would end in success for them as well. The problem was the fact they had two people they had never worked with before. Mugen who Kiyomi didn't doubt would become a fine shinobi, she just wanted someone more experienced on the team. Then there was Rukasu.

If it wasn't for the fact she was in a foreign land and he was seemingly required to help complete the mission Kiyomi would have tried to kill him on sight. She was certain Meiko felt the same way, for he had nearly driven Mana to suicide. He had also killed a genin for no reason other than to kill. He was a mad dog that should be put down, but sadly there was a pack of bigger and madder dogs to deal with first.

The Yamanaka was in the middle of stretching for a morning work out when the explosion was heard. Without any hesitation she got dressed in her jonin outfit and placed all her gear on. By the time Meiko got to her room Kiyomi had just tightened her headband around her forehead. She opened the window for her friend and merely nodded. As much as she was loath to link minds with the slimy fuck Rukasu she'd do it for the sake of the mission. With a single hand seal Kiyomi created the telepathic link and followed behind Meiko.

"The link has been established. Mugen and Rukasu to speak to us merely think that you're talking. It's very simple once you get used to it. Mana hold on until we get there." Meiko's message was put through for all in the link to hear. However, Kiyomi sent a private message to Mugen warning him about Rukasu and the man's past. Then she sent a message only Rukasu, Meiko, and herself would hear. "Rukasu. While you are needed for this mission due to the grave nature of this threat know this. If you so much as show any hint of betraying us I will kill you. No trial no hesitation nothing. You'll simply cease to be. Do I make myself clear?"

She had included Meiko in this so she'd know if Rukasu suddenly flopped over dead she'd know why. Plus the bastard was slippery so to make sure the deed was done Meiko's aid could be required. As she ran along in the rear Kiyomi kept out of sight flitting from shadow to shadow all the while keeping up the telepathy and relaying messages between her team and another other guards that were in the know.

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Age : 33 Posts : 510

Before the battle started, Rukasu walked by the guards that were guarding the mountain. They were going to refuse the criminal entrance because of their own opinions. The guards had orders to let the criminal; Rukasu Hebi, pass through but many people did not like the idea of working with a criminal. However, after a long talk with the guards, the criminal was able to pass through. Nothing they said to change the mind of the criminal but they knew the price at hand. Rukasu convince them that without him this world would be doom. The guards were still skeptical but they figure why not since Mana ordered them to let him in, and they want nothing more than to see Rukasu dead on the ground by the enemy. Once he was in his room a messenger walks in very shy about approaching the insane criminal, and he told him whom he would work with. The messenger also told the criminal to be ready for the signal.

"So I will be working with Meiko, Kiyomi, Mugen, and Mana. What an interesting set up." Rukasu said as he was not that great with names, but he knew faces very well. The criminal never heard of the name Mugen but he has had a conversation with the Kumo shinobi but Mugen had informed the criminal a false name. Rukasu was not going to mind at all since he figured after this day people may look at him differently or still want to kill him. Meiko was a name that sounded familiar but he could not match the face to the name at all. Rukasu could not see into the future on how this battle was going to end but he did know that with the three Konoha and one Kumo Shinobi that he will be working with might have a problem with him, well most of them. Rukasu was going to have fun his way no matter what they had to say. His main priority was the safety of Mana. The criminal wished that he were able to learn medical techniques that he could use to save Mana when the time needed.

Rukasu's life was on the line, and even after battle, he would not know if his new teammates would attack him or not. Rukasu needed to figure out what he was going to do but it was all depending on if his teammates were going to cooperate with the criminal. Rukasu needed to be ready so he wondered what weapon he was going to use for this battle. He knew he could use his giant sword but at the same time, he knew he could use his new blades but when it came down to it all he wondered if his new power would be enough to help. The criminal was extremely strong, and he could use his scythe with no problem at all. It was obvious Rukasu had put a lot of thought into this but this is the first time he would have to work with different shinobi from different villages. He would have to fight alongside them and prove to them that he changed for the better for Mana's sake.

Rukasu had his weapons sharpen, his mind calm, and his determination ready to go. The criminal was going to show Mana how much he grown and no matter what he was, going to make sure that his new teammates weren't going to do anything to hurt him. In his nice clothes and trench coat, the criminal smiled as this battle was going to excite him. He was more than ready as he was getting bored because the fight has not started yet. The criminal then thought back when he was talking to Mana about this mission. She told him that he was going to be in her team, and Rukasu told her that he was going to make sure that they both made it out alive no matter what. Rukasu knew that this battle meant a lot to her and he was going to make sure that they win no matter what happens. Rukasu then thought about right after she left he knew that there was something wrong but he should of stopped her then. The criminal could still feel her pain and he wanted to save her from that very pain that haunted her. He could not be the one to stop her from doing what she needed to do, but what he could do was to protect her until the end.

While Rukasu laid on his bed waiting for the signal he heard a loud explosion, a smile appeared on his face. The time has come for the criminal to show everyone what he can really do. Rukasu slowly walked outside as he noticed the fire that was not too far but it was faster to get there by rooftop. The criminal was more than ready as he ended up choosing his giant sword to accompany him during this mission. The criminal did not know Mana had already gone into battle, nor he knew what was going on until he heard a voice in his head. "The link has been established. Mugen and Rukasu to speak to us merely think that you're talking. It's very simple once you get used to it. Mana hold on until we get there." Someone said in Rukasu's mind as he smiled evilly because it was interesting how things work now a days, but then he heard the message from another, "For now, I want everyone to play it safe. Mugen, you hand back and work as artillery for now until we learn just who this member is. Rukasu... You take the front with me. Let's see if that sword of yours isn't just to compensate for something. Kiyomi, you run support from the shadows, look for any openings and lock the target in Genjutsu if you can." Once that messaged, relayed to Rukasu his anger raised a little. He now realized that his dear Mana was now fighting the enemy by herself. He could not believe she threw out the plans, just to go one on one against the enemy. Rukasu was now using his anger as his source for excitement and then he was about to leave his room though the window until he heard another message. "Rukasu. While you are needed for this mission due to the grave nature of this threat know this. If you so much as show any hint of betraying us I will kill you. No trial no hesitation nothing. You'll simply cease to be. Do I make myself clear?"

His evil smile showed once again, they knew who he was and this was going to make it more fun than he thought it would be. Rukasu knew that he should say something back just to be on the safe side of this mission no matter how long that would last. "Well, well... Hehehehe.... I can see you guys want me dead... Well It is not going to happen... I was asked by Mana to join this mission... Don't question your captain... Hehehe I already promised Mana that the only people I kill are the bad guys... So you do not need to worry about me... Think of me as one of you... hehehehe that is if you can... HAHAHAHA" Rukasu thought to himself so they could all hear this message, his voice was still as sinister as ever so he could not blame them for not trusting him.

The criminal now made haste as he rushed over to where Mana was fighting. "Don't worry Mana, I am here to protect you with my life." Rukasu yelled a loud as he rushed to her position as fast as he could. The battle was about to begin, and now the criminal was going to have to show them all that he changed. Now the battle has begun, will his teammate play nice and let him fight or will they try to falter his movements so he would die easily? The criminal would have to find out during his upcoming battle.

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Age : 34 Posts : 718

This assignment was strange. As an experienced Genin, eager to prove himself worthy of promotion, Mugen Kousen had much to gain from his latest mission. A notorious organization's plans to kill the Lightning Lord had been uncovered and Mugen's task was to accompany a team tasked with guarding the ruler's very life. The prestige he could win for completing such a mission would surely help the boy mend his broken image among those of his clan whom though Mugen to be a traitor. Yet even so, the details of his team and their "plan" had Mugen worried. He was the only shinobi among his team that actually hailed from Kumogakure. Most seemed to be from the leaf and one was even a criminal! When Mugen read over the dossier with information on his allies he had almost spoken back against his superiors to insist there was some kind of mistake.

At least one of the names, their leaders, was one of great fame and renown that even Mugen had heard tales of. Mana, the Sorceress. But even having a well known name among the party didn't change the fact that all of them were foreigners Mugen had nothing in common with. The Kousen could see how it might be beneficial for inter village relations to send him into a team full of Konoha shinobi. Perhaps it was his duty to ensure they did not betray Kumogakure's interests during the mission. But even so, to add a known criminal into the mix? Mugen couldn't fathom why mercenary of such low regard was hired on to assist in the protection of such a vital VIP. By chance Mugen had actually met this rogue, Rukasu, in passing not too long ago. The stranger had an oddness about him that the boy was unable to pinpoint back then which was similar to another killer he'd known in the past. Only now was Mugen realizing that it had probably been his instincts trying to tell him that he had crossed paths with yet another psychopath.

After a night of little to know sleep due to all the concern his strange mission brought about, Mugen awoke to depart from the hidden village. With all of his weapons and equipment in tow, Mugen proceeded to the Inari mountain range and the designated meeting point for the group. It was immediately clear to Mugen upon arrnival that he was simply one small piece of a massive effort being made to ensure the Lightning Daimyo's safety. There were shinobi all over the place and the compound where the Lord was being held had an impressive retinue of guards. He had almost gotten lost among the busy clamour of preparations being made but eventually Mugen found his way to the gathering spot denoted in his briefing.

There, Mugen briefly met with his team mates only to find himself dismissed to a room where he was supposed to wait for orders. With a sigh, Mugen found himself a comfortable place to sit and meditate. The enemy they were waiting for was like a phantom to Mugen. He knew nothing of their form, powers, or even their gender. So instead of a clear opponent, Mugen fought shadows in his mind's eye. One by one, the shinobi was playing out scenarios in his head based on the lay out of the little base they had here in the mountains. Different ways to attack. Different ways to reach the Daimyo's chamber. Mugen had limited battle experience and his mental scenes played out with an amateur's perspective every time which often led to him thinking up opponents he had no answers for. It was in the midst of one such mental defeat that Mugen heard the explosion.

Looking open and opening his eyes at the sound of the blast, Mugen stood pushing himself off the wall into a sprint out the door to see what was going on. It wasn't long before the other members of the team assembled and a mental link was established between them. Once his orders were given, Mugen focused on the mission at hand and tried not to think about how little he know his team-members or how they had a killing among their numbers. There was more important things to think about, like how he was supposed to act as artillery. "A-Artillery? I'm not cut out for that kind of role." Mugen would speak up to the vice-captain when an opportunity arose. "About seven meters is as far as I can be effective." Despite these protests, Mugen would be on to move following the others to the battle site and maintained a position near the back of the pack as he'd been instructed to do.

The secret intel he'd been given about Rukasu was making his former concerns exacerbated by quite a bit, but until the unknown enemy was dealt with, it seemed like they had to trust this known evil for a time being.

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Niku kept lurking hidden under the bed. Wondering if the team sent after her will even find her. The woman wondered if perhaps the team sent after her didn’t even have a sensor who could sense her chakra or someone who could find her. She was growing more and more bored. What if Tenma killed his pursuers faster than she had predicted and tried to rejoin her in the barracks and wouldn’t find her? No. Tenma was a skilled sensor, he knew how Niku’s chakra felt like and would have been able to pinpoint her location. Speaking of sensors… Wasn’t the Sorceress one? She faced the Parabrahma before so she probably knew all of their signatures, right?

Suddenly Niku realized the flaw in her plan – if the Sorceress is sent after her she’ll be able to track Niku, her disguise will not matter. That troublesome brat, the Kirikuzu woman hated her so much! How dare she be so insolent, how dare she just exist? Her very existence was putting sticks in the wheels of the Parabrahma, she supplied the defending countries with information, she knew their chakra signatures, she could identify each one of them based on their abilities or their faces. She’s just such an annoying little bitch! No. Niku will kill her. She had to be around here somewhere, right? Their objective may have been to kill the Daimyo but Niku will make sure to also murder that brat. She’ll take so much pleasure from that.

“Heh, even if the kid does spot me, what is she going to do? She’s a little useless pacifist, she will be too afraid to act because she’ll be afraid to hurt me… What a pathetic child…” Niku thought to herself giggling into her fist. It was then that she heard a loud shout outside, that voice… It sounded strangely familiar… Did she say “Katon?”, shit, can someone believe Niku’s luck? It was the goddamned Sorceress! She did see right through Niku’s plan! Almost instantly after hearing the words Niku tried to protect herself but she sort of already was protected. A loud boom echoed knocking the bed from above Niku and tossing her around for a while. It felt like she was in hell itself for a moment, had Niku not been under a cover she’d probably been either really messed up or dead. If the Sorceress wasn’t playing around Niku may have had a problem.

“The Sorceress by herself is not dangerous” Niku remembered the briefing, all of the Parabrahma had information on most ninja involved in the defense, information acquired through countless double agents, spies and bandits working for the soon to be New World Order. “She is only dangerous when she is protecting someone important to her, under any other occasions she is unwilling to use her full force and she is about as potent as a B rank ninja. Just take her out quick, don’t let her realize what she’s fighting for and you’ll have an easy time.” Niku tried to push a bunch of rubble off her chest. The bitch blew up the goddamn building. “I think at this point it’s too late, she’s already pissed…” Niku thought as her Kirikuzu alloy blades cut through the rubble and the woman appeared from the rubble, rising through the fire in all of her glory.

The woman wiped blood and dirt off her face, this brat dared scratch her beautiful face, the gorgeous shade of pale beauty that the woman took great pride in. Niku’s face was surprised and a bit scared initially, Sorceress when she was serious has been described to be quite dangerous, she has taken out a Parabrahma member alone before and has taken on all ten of them and held her own for a while until all ten of them got serious. Then the woman’s face shifted to sheer rage, Niku’s teeth drove into her lip sending squirts of blood all over the lower part of her face and down her chin. The woman shouted out of sheer rage. Both of the two females were angry at each other.

Niku’s dress was torn up, she had burns all over her body and several wooden shards were driven into her skin making painful wounds. The Parabrahma member’s impressive armor plates were bent up and her chest plate oppressed her breathing so with a careless motion she removed it, some spikes off her headdress were broken off or bent up. How dare this bitch hurt her like that? This young girl kept being this pretentious and annoying know-it-all, little miss Perfect. Even more, Hell knows who she was paired up with! There could be more people heading her way right now!

Niku kept grinding her teeth, that was all, she’ll skewer the body of this bitch, stab it with her Tetsuton until the mush that remained was one with the dirt. No one who will find the body of this little girl will recognize her, the world will keep thinking, keep having hope that perhaps the little wench survived but only Niku will know the truth. These little pipsqueaks defending her target had pissed her off for the last time! Shiny grey dust appeared out of nowhere surrounding the area, it was almost like the minerals themselves rose for the Earth to destroy this pretentious and annoying kid. As the woman’s teeth grinded so hard that they started aching and probably weren’t too far away from breaking the dust formed weapons.

Niku formed twelve 1.2 meters sized katana shaped blades, attaching chakra strings to them to absolutely murder this kid. “So, you’re pissed for all those people that died here, huh? Well guess what, brat, they’re all your fault, if you just died back then like a good little girl, if you accepted the leader’s deal and didn’t play this “Protect the World” game, only the Daimyo and the Kage would’ve had to die. IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT, AND YOU WILL DIE KNOWING IT!!!” Niku screamed sending the blades towards the Sorceress, if the girl dodged the initial assault, Niku would’ve manipulated all of them to keep relentlessly slashing the at the girl. As skilled as this kid was, no one was skilled enough to fight back against twelve swords attacking at once, right?

Techniques:

Age : 32 Posts : 1495

Mana observed the barrack building going up in flames. This was one of those rare moments when she lost control of her power and just let it break out. Something inside of her kept yelling at her to control herself but there would have been none of that, truth be told Mana was still keeping it back, restraining herself. She knew that as powerful as the shockwave and the fiery inferno was it couldn’t have killed Niku, that woman had the ability to manipulate some strange steel alloy dust and shape it into solid incredibly hard objects, if she wanted to she’d have shaped it into shields to protect her from the blast.

Strangely enough, that was not the case, something flashed in the rubble – blades of strange almost silver-like steel alloy color cut through the rubble as if it was paper and then disappeared into dust. Those blades must’ve been the things that claimed the lives of all those poor guards… Just thinking about them made Mana wish to kill, to yell and scream and start firing ninjutsu in all directions, she needed someone to express her rage on and part of her was glad that Niku was still alive.

The woman busted out of the rubble, she didn’t look too good – she must’ve been reserving and keeping some chakra for the future as she didn’t bother forming any sort of shields to protect herself from the blast. She just took it all which proved strange to the magician. The woman looked really angry, almost as angry as Mana felt, both of the women looked like they were about to explode out of sheer power of their rage but Niku’s rage was much more personal, much more selfish. She thought herself to be above any morals, any laws and she despised the idea of being opposed.

Iron dust started appearing from the ground forcing Mana to get on the defensive, it was Niku’s infamous Tetsuton. This attack, despite all of Niku’s rage was much less impressive than the one she showed in the Snow Country – she was still keeping chakra back, even when completely out of control and angry beyond any restraint. The woman formed twelve swords and sent them towards Mana using strings of chakra, just like a puppeteer would control their puppets. Had Mana been the young woman that fought the Parabrahma back during her travel to the Lightning Country she’d have probably died.

Now Shingan was there to protect her, she could sense all of the sword strikes before they were made, even more efficiently than she would sense actual opponent’s strikes because the swords were pulsing with chakra, the amount of chakra inside them was incredible. This woman had a signature of chakra rivaling that of Mana herself. The magician leapt sideways to dodge the first two blades, ducked to avoid four others spinning like a buzzsaw to cut her down, backflipped to avoid the two lunging at her location in the ground. Then she realized that she’s ran straight into the two katana placed like scissors, the girl’s heart started pounding as she took a powerful leap back as her Shingan told her that the two would use the scissoring motion to behead her.

Sharp pain and cold sweat ran through Mana’s body as she realized that the two katana just barely missed her vital arteries and she just barely avoided death. The young woman grasped for her bleeding neck and felt the warm blood going down her wrist. It wasn’t a dangerous wound, it just barely scratched through the skin and only inflicted so much damage because of how sharp and tough the alloy of the katana was. It was most likely hard enough to cut through any ordinary weapons so Mana will have to warn Meiko to not clash with Niku’s weapons and to dodge them instead.

“They are moving… They’ll get here soon…” Mana felt her friends moving close to the battlefield as she closed her eyes. The girl picked herself off the ground and looked at her opponent angrily. “Don’t you think I know?! Don’t you think I don’t blame myself every goddamn day for every lost life that I was responsible for!?” she yelled out angrily. She couldn’t let Niku attack again, twelve swords was too much to keep track of even for Mana’s Shingan, even if they were flooding with chakra when Shingan was at its peak. Shingan was designed to predict a single opponent’s actions first of all, it could keep track of as many as one wanted but one’s own brain couldn’t process the information too efficiently on more than a couple. Plus Mana still wasn’t nearly experienced with it enough.

The woman’s swords attacked again, moving like the legs of a spider, lunging at the ground and piercing through the dirt, Mana kept leaping back to avoid it but it was an endless chain – as she kept moving back one sword replaced the other and eventually she’d have ran out of breath and got skewered. The magician could not allow that, she leaped up in the air quickly flashing through some handseals and keeping herself up, she felt a sword following her so she twisted around in mid air to avoid it. Unfortunately once again the magician was outwitted, the second sword was covered up behind the first one and because the swords had no protectors they could pull stuff like this off easily. Mana grunted out in pain as the sword went through her back, slashing and leaving a painful gash.

The girl just barely kept herself slightly floating in the air. This woman wasn’t giving her a chance to think this through, then again, why the Hell was Mana even thinking? No! No more thinking, no more protecting her enemy from her own strength, Mana was about to let herself loose. All twelve swords rushed at the girl again, in a straight lunging manner but she made a handseal before jumping sideways, Mana created a clone and both she and her clone made flashy handseals with all of her hand weaving speed. As a stage magician Mana’s hand seal speed was unmatched, it only took her a fraction of a second to finish the seals.

Mana’s clone created a large twister that went towards Niku, the woman would’ve had little time to control her swords with that coming at her but that was nowhere near the end, the final part of the plan was the fiery dragon circling around the real Mana. The dragon circled around her burning up and damaging Mana’s clothes but also cauterizing her wounds.

“Now for my next trick…” Mana’s lips uttered from that silent anger that only a woman scorned could have had “I’ll make you disappear…” she finished as the dragon made of solid fire chakra roared and charged towards the vortex. The resulting explosion would’ve annihilated the entire barracks area, leaving nothing but ashes from it, not a single rock, not a single plank of wood would have remained, even the mountain itself with the entrance to the mines would have been damaged and even better – the only escape from certain disintegration was to hide in the mines but the explosion would have caved them in making Niku have no way to re-enter the barracks and leaving the Inari Mountains as another obstacle in the woman’s way to reach the Daimyo. She’s have to climb over the mountains to reach the yard.

Obviously Mana herself would have been blown back from the shockwave, her clone would have been dispelled but there would have been no time for Niku to cash in on the opportunity, she had to think fast or die. It was probably the first time in her life that Mana cared so little about her opponent’s life. At least the gigantic follow-up trail of destruction would’ve left a clear indicator for her friends of where to find her. The magician could feel them being close, still, she hoped to resolve this all alone so that she didn’t need to place her friends and Rukasu and that brave Kumogakure ninja in harm’s way.

Lightshow N Cheap Tricks:

Posts : 257

Mod Post: Niku avoided the explosion by fleeing into the mines right before the area was destroyed. She took some damage from the cave in and is injured. Any arriving sensors can reflect on how her chakra signature dipped. You can also start planning on how you are going to pursue her further into the mines, how to access them with the cave in etc... She also took some minor damage from the tornado so if someone wants or they have any use from it they can find some blood around.

Also the location of barracks is completely devastated and destroyed. It has been replaced with a wasteland of rocks. Something on the likes of:

This mod post is made to make it easier for the others to make up proper post by giving them a more clear picture what they'll be arriving at. Also feel free to form an actual response team and reconnect.

Posts : 811

Kiyomi's skill had certainly grown over the years. Meiko could remember way back during their time as Genin, Kiyomi could barely extend her mental link beyond ten meters. Now, she was connecting with people so far apart that even sensors could not find them. Within moments of the two leaving Kiyomi's room, she had managed to contact both Mugen and Rukasu. Mana however, had yet to be contacted, most likely due to the fact she was in the middle of combat and all her concentration was focused on that. Hopefully Meiko's detour to collect their allies wouldn't prove to be a mistake. If Mana was lost, so was all their hope. Even if they repelled this attack, the Parahambla could regroup and they would have no idea what their next move was.

As Meiko gave out her orders, Mugen was the first to reply, not feeling confident in his role as artillery. "Sorry, I was not aware of those limitations. New plan then. You'll run distraction alongside Kiyomi, but more actively. Use your jutsu to create openings for Rukasu and I to strike." Meiko had wanted Mugen to stay as far out of the battle as possible, for his own safety. However, due to this new bit of information, he needed to be at least within seven meters of his target to be most effective. Right now Meiko was just improvising, more than likely all her orders would mean squat once they encountered their enemy. At this point none of them even knew who their opponent was.

As Meiko was adjusting Mugen's orders, she was listening in as Kiyomi threatened Rukasu to stay in line. Rukasu of course, responded in kind. He assured them that he was on their side for this, although not in the most encouraging manner. "Why is he laughing in his mind?" Meiko mumbled to herself to ensure it would not be transferred through the link. "Kiyomi, that's enough. Rukasu, forgive her for that. We're all on edge here, but right now we are a team. Regardless of past misgivings, we have to act and think like one."

With that sent, the area was rocked by yet another explosion, this one dwarfing the last. Ahead Meiko watched as a tornado was formed, only to be struck by a dragon of fire. The blast was so enormous that even from this distance, Meiko could feel the heat wave wash over them. "MANA!" Meiko screamed as she crouched down on the roof where she stood. "Rukasu! However fast you're moving, double it! We need to get on the scene now! Kiyomi, Mugen, group together first, then join us! I'm going on ahead!"[/i] With that thought sent, Meiko released all the strength in her legs and shot off like a rocket.

While not the fastest shinobi, by releasing her strength in massive bursts like this, she could cover a lot of ground at speeds rivaling those who had trained themselves in speed. It of course had its downsides, she was airborne for the entire trip, making it extremely difficult to maneuver and very easy to overshoot her mark. Landing on a rooftop several streets over, Meiko ran across to the edge before crouching down and launching off again.

As she neared the battlefield, Meiko was offput by the sudden silence. Had Mana won? Had she lost? Were they too late? After that attack, the barracks were nothing more than smouldering ruins. The cloud of ash ascending to the sky. By now she was close enough to see a single figure standing before the burning rubble. Even at this distance, she new that silhouette. Landing nearby, Meiko ran towards her friend, only then noticing the wounds. "Mana! Oh god those burns!? Are you alright!?" Having no medical skills, Meiko did not have the faintest idea as to how one would go about treating these burns.

Of course, she could not worry about that anymore now. The issue of the Parahambla was still at hand, although she couldn't see anyone else nearby. "So, where's the opponent? What happened and who are we dealing with?" With the link still connected, Meiko would transfer any and all information to her allies.

Rukasu would most likely be the next person on the scene. At his arrival, Meiko would order him to start searching the ruins for any evidence as to where the Parahambla member went. Meanwhile, over the link, she would ask him and Mugen to give some more descriptive details on their abilities. If they were going to put any sort of effective plan together, Meiko and Mana needed to know the capabilities of their members.

Meanwhile, Meiko would be staying near Man for the moment, ensuring that there was no counterattack made against her. "Kiyomi, you need to contact the medics. Get some field agents here. We need to treat Mana's wounds fast."

SC Used:

Spoiler:

Chakra Remaining: 149/150

Age : 33 Posts : 544

"You're just a weird fuck wad ain't you snake eyes? Like anyone would or should trust a promise made by a murderer." At Meiko's request Kiyomi stopped speaking to the criminal. For the moment. If she truly wanted she could have carried on the conversation in private. Not that she had an inclination to since the weirdo was laughing inside his own head. The mad dog would have to be put down at some point. When she didn't know, but it would have to happen eventually.

"Just try to stick by me Mugen. Be my back up. Throw tagged kunai where you think the enemy will dodge. You look like you've got the arm for throwing projectiles pretty well. If an enemy comes at us just try and kite them because they are likely far stronger than you." Mugen's lack of range was slight set back, but he was still useful. She didn't know the full extent of his abilities just yet, but there had to be a reason a genin was placed on a team full of jonin ranked and higher shinobi.

Her pondering ceased when the blast went off. The power of the explosion was frighting and Kiyomi had no idea who had caused it. It could easily be Mana for the woman had Katon and knew how to use it, but it could also be the enemy. Had her friend been on the receiving end of that? Mana had survived so much, but despite that Kiyomi felt a twinge of fear for her friend. Before she could ask Meiko what they should do the strong weapon user rocketed off towards the site.

Meiko would arrive well ahead of Kiyomi so Meiko's message about medics had her worried. She contacted the medical team and told them to come towards where the explosion happened. No need for real coordinates because she doubted anyone could miss the smoking ruin. She then made a private connection to Mana. "Mana are you alright? Tell the truth this is a private link so tell me if you're really alright and who did this."

The medical team told her their estimated time of arrival just as Kiyomi arrived on the scene to find the injured Mana. "The team is on their way. They should be here within a few short minutes so just hang tight Mana." It was clear from the look on her face she wanted Mana to let the team heal her before she went off, but Mana generally didn't do things that benefited her health. Now she awaited orders from either of her friends hoping that whomever attacked didn't try to finish the injured Mana off.

Jutsu active:

SC's Active: Same as before

Age : 33 Posts : 510

Rukasu was getting closer to the battlefield as he noticed the giant wind and flames that covered the area he was supposed to go to for this mission. He knew that something had gone wrong. The criminal was not sure yet but he knew that he must hurry in order to save the women he loved. Rukasu knew that this battle was going to get worse if the criminal could not get there in time. As he was getting closer to the area, he heard in his mind what Kiyomi had to say.

"You're just a weird fuck wad ain't you snake eyes? Like anyone would or should trust a promise made by a murderer." Kiyomi said as the criminal smiled because it was funny that some people could not look past at the fact that they had to work together in order to win. Rukasu wanted to say something but to keep it safe he did not say a single word.

"Kiyomi, that's enough. Rukasu, forgive her for that. We're all on edge here, but right now we are a team. Regardless of past misgivings, we have to act and think like one." Meiko said as this was the right thing to do, and Rukasu agreed because he did not want to do this by himself. He knew that it was a bad move to do anything reckless in this mission. More flashing lights were coming from a certain area. "Rukasu! However fast you're moving, double it! We need to get on the scene now! Kiyomi, Mugen, group together first, then join us! I'm going on ahead!" Meiko said as the criminal nodded, formed a seal as he used his sensory abilities to find them faster. It only took a few seconds to find Mana's chakra and someone else, which was Meiko. Rukasu was indeed close, as he used his speed to the next level to get their faster. By the sound of his teammate’s voice, it was not good. Rukasu could not waste another second as he was going to fight for his life just to protect the women he loved. He knew that it was worth dying for no matter if others would not believe so.

A few minutes passed as he reached the area where Mana lied on the ground, and Meiko was right next to her. His eyes widen, as his blood boiled, he promised himself he would protect her with the rest of his life. Once he got close enough so he could listen to Meiko's orders to search the rubble he looked at all the burns on her body. He could not believe that the women he loved were badly hurt to this degree. Blinded by rage, a tear fell down his eye, "Please take care of her." Rukasu said as he went ahead. Holding his giant sword in one hand and forming a seal in the other hand. Rukasu was using his sensory abilities to search for the women and make sure that she was not trying to escape. Rukasu knew his powers capabilities, and he knew that he was going to fight for his life in a few moments. The criminal was more than ready as his anger started to change into insanity. Slowly his emotions were seeping out of his body; his aura was showing in a violent rage. It seemed that the criminal had lost control of himself but this is who he truly was a killer. A killer with a motive to protect the women he loves, Now his aura sky rocket out of proportion, as he focused his sensory abilities about fifty to one hundred meters by now. It took some time but the criminal was not going to give up at all.

Rukasu noticed the cave in full of rubble, as he was able to sense her chakra. It also seemed that her chakra was lower. Now with this information he could use to inform the others. Rukasu was also a bit hesitated but he knew he must inform the others so he could figure out what they wanted him to do next. "Meiko, and Kiyomi, I have information. I was able to sense her chakra; it seemed to me that she has retreated into the mines. A fight down there is not going to be easy unless we have a plan. So what do you suggest that we do or would you like me to go right ahead." Rukasu said in his mind as he backed up a few feet just to make sure he was ready for anything that was going to come his way. Rukasu knew that he should prepare himself for anything but he trusted his sword to do the technique. The criminal braced himself for his orders and anything attack that could hurt Mana even more. Rukasu was so excited that his aura kept on going crazy an evil smile appeared on his face. He knew he was going to have fun in this battle; He wanted to show Mana what he could really do. He will be able to show her how he truly felt about her in this battle. Rukasu was not going to let anyone else hurt before he hurt himself.

The criminal's started to dimmer down some more as he was getting more focused in this battle. "I trust that you three have my back, and I will guarantee your safety as well. Today we are a team and I am sorry if we did got on the wrong foot, but I owe my life to Mana. I will protect her until the day I die." Rukasu said in his mind between the four in the link. He knew words were not going to help the situation but he was willing to try. Rukasu wanted to go after her but he knew it was too risky. Once Meiko showed up, he would follow her to fight alongside her until the end of the mission.

Chakra: 150/150
SC: Speed, Strength, Extreme Charka Aura [for like half the post]

Age : 34 Posts : 718

Being the least experienced and perhaps the slowest of the group, Mugen would be the last to arrive on scene where the injured Mana awaited back up. The second blast that sounded while he was in enroute served to hasten Mugen's approach but even so he could not get there in time to witness the devastation that had taken place. Let alone stop it from occurring. The destruction of the barracks was thorough and vast, imprinting a deep seated realization within Mugen. These people were far beyond his league. Mugen simply stood staring at the rubble and remains of the building that had once stood not so far from where they were now. It was as if a monster had swept through and wrought chaos in its wake. Monster. That was the only word he could think of to describe the kind of beings involved in the clash that resulted in this burning scene.

Mugen grit his teeth and clenched his fists to try and stop his hands from shaking as he mentally absorbed the situation and further accepted how out of place he felt. What kind of impact was he supposed to have on a battle between people who could reduce an entire building to ash in mere moments? It was a sharp blow to the young boy's morale and the world around him seemed to fade out as his senses dulled. Neither Kiyomi's words nor Rukasu's reached Mugen. Their comments fell helplessly against an iron wall of contemplation and inner thought. The genin's mind tackled the useless feelings of inadequacy that were smothering his ability to function. Mugen was weak. This fact was accepted and self admitted he moment Mugen realized how far beyond him his allies and enemy both were. A primal and instinctual fear had him by the neck and was strangling the air from his lungs. Weakness assaulted his nerves and wracked his body with a shaking that would not stop.

This wouldn't do.

At this rate, Mugen really would be useless to the entire team. Thoughts of failure and how his clan members would gain one more reason to hate him for it filled the Kousen exile's thoughts. More than death, Mugen feared further loss of respect and pride. Mugen latched on to this desire for acceptance among his people and breathed life into that spark. An iron will demanded Mugen take a deep breath. Oxygen filled his body and fueled that spark into a flame that began to burn in his belly. With a slow exhale, the shaking stopped. Mugen's fists unclenched and his eyes opened as his body relaxed. First he looked at their wounded leader, Mana, seeing the burns on her body. Then he looked at their worried vice captain, fraught with concern for her friend despite maintaining a collected appearance. The girl named Kiyomi also seemed upset by her allies injuries and seemed unsure of how she should act. Finally, Mugen's strange haloed eyes looked to Rukasu to find a personification of death lingering in the killers expression.

Another deep breath filled Mugen's lungs and he took a step forward. The mind rush that had rendered him deaf vanished as quickly as it had come and an air of unnatural confidence surrounded the boy as he walked past the group towards the rocks blocking the entrance to the mine. The cave in was large, but Mugen had a technique well suited to making a path through the earth. The only words he gave to explain his actions were the following, "...I'll clear the way..." and he would not accept orders to do otherwise should they be given. If Mana or the others wanted to stop him, they would need to do so by force.

Assuming he was not prevented from proceeding, Mugen would walk up to the mountain's earthen wall just next to the cave in about two meters away. There, Mugen would perform a set of hand seals before placing both of his palms forwards open and against the wall. "Rasenden..." The name of the ability was muttered low under his breath. Mugen was technically forbidden from using the Ranton as doing so pretty much declared to the world that he was a member of the Kousen clan. But this was no time to allow such limitations to hinder him. The jutsu formed as a spiraling beam of sorts between his palms at first. Then a pulsation of chakra fed the technique and it surged forth as a large three meter long spiraling drill that easily chewed into the ground as if it were made of paper. Using this drill, Mugen would dig out a small pathway for the group to use which would bypass the cave in. He proceeded in to about one meter past the rocky barrier before arbitrarily deciding now might be a good time to turn. Then he began to lightly curve his little passageway until he came within one foot of breaking through to the other side.

It would be here that Mugen ceased his drilling so as to avoid breaking through and allowing light in to give away his position for an attack. Instead, Mugen retreated back out to fresh air to inform the rest of the team that their entry path had been secured. "There's only a thin wall of stone to break through." Mugen stated mentally through the Yamanaka link binding their thoughts. His stoic expression had some dust staining his face and clothing but he did look somewhat pleased with himself at the fact that he'd managed to do something useful. "But I managed to drill us a way in. Be careful about breaching through though. Be too rough and we might cause another cave in."

CP = 106/115

Active SCs:

Jutsu:

Haha! People said my silly drill jutsu was useless! That I'd never get a chance to make practical use of it! Well, I showed them! HAHA!

Posts : 257

Niku couldn’t even believe it! The little bitch was dodging her attacks, almost as if she knew when and where her blades will strike before it happened! How was this even possible? Perhaps that was the extent of her sensory? Maybe she could sense not only the presence of chakra but also its movement, its very flow within something that had chakra and Niku’s blades were chakra itself, chakra kept them from being a pile of dust. The woman cursed, she landed a good blow or two but nothing more than just cuts and scratches. A weaponry expert manipulating twelve swords should’ve left her in pieces by now… This was just pathetic, this girl was making fun of her!

Even worse – twelve weapons was the limit to how many Niku could control at once, this girl was taking on Niku’s full strength with just her sensory alone! This was the very definition of mockery, this girl was completely dwarfing Niku, how could’ve she had gotten this good in just couple of months? What sort of training grants one this impossible kind of sensory? It was almost like this kunoichi had the ability to see into the future as long as the future had something to do with chakra. Still, perhaps knowing this ability from long range is better than being surprised by it close range, plus, Sorceress was not a sword-user herself, this ability would’ve been lethal in the hand of a swordsman or a martial artist but for a ninjutsu and genjutsu user it was purely defensive.

Then… The little bitch acknowledged the fact that she was just making fun of Niku, that she was just toying around and made a joke… A JOKE! Niku kept chewing her lip in rage, she would’ve sold her soul to the devil to see this girl die in horrible agony now, she dodged her attack by making a clone, she and her clone made different handseals and Niku knew what was coming – Sorceress finally got serious which meant that it was time to scram and wait for Tenma to join her. Damn this kid… How could one person just bully her around like this, a single person could stand up to a Parabrahma member which was ridiculous by itself!

Without giving her much time to react a small whirlwind was hurled at Niku, picking up dust and rubble, Niku jumped back but she could only barely avoid it, once the whirlwind expanded into a colossal dragon shaped out of futon chakra she was in awe, awe filled with anger. It was like being bullied in school by the most popular girl in the class, it was like being a rival with the teacher’s pet. It annoyed Niku to no end. It annoyed her that she had to wait for help to take on a child. She also knew that this child will soon get help, how was she supposed to take them on knowing she is being toyed with by the Sorceress alone… Those other guys could’ve been just as good!

Pain took over Niku’s body as her arm was cut up by the roaring winds as she jumped back, she noticed the fiery dragon circling around the Sorceress – that was her cue to get out. If that fiery beast collides with the wind dragon it will be destruction incarnate, who could’ve known that ninja had the power to decimate entire battlefields, maybe Kijin had such power in his giant puppet form but definitely not Niku, Niku was more delicate, more personal and intimate kind of killer, this was out of her league. The woman roared as she tore her hand out of the wind opening up even more violent wounds and fleeing into the caves. A chilling silence set in – she didn’t have much time…

It was then that an explosion unlike any other set in. A devastation, a firestorm of destruction that blew everything out of its way. Had the bitch added another element to this destruction she could’ve probably leveled the mountain pass itself without the need of a passage, if her teammates arrive and get her back on her feet and the little brat decides to blow up the entire mountain – Niku’s as good as dead! Pain, something hit her, then again. Must’ve been the rocks from the cave in. The entrance to the cave was downed due to the destruction, the entire mine was shaking, it was a miracle that Niku wasn’t buried inside. Shit, she needed to scram and hide, play it silent and safe and wait for Tenma, yes, just wait for Tenma…

Niku clenched her bleeding arm and grunted in pain, she had her butt handed to her by a kid, that kid probably got reinforcements, for the first time in a while she felt vulnerable, this could’ve ended in her death if she had gotten arrogant. If she underestimated the kid she’d have been dead. A Parabrahma member… So the girl taking down Kijin was no fluke. Just what sort of power her teammates had? Were they as strong as the Sorceress was? Were they also powerful enough to make a Parabrahma member run for their lives? Either way, they’ll have to split up to find her in these mines, that will be when Niku will take them down. The woman clenched a kunai, she won’t be using her Iron Release, she’ll be using a weapon so that Sorceress’ stupid sensory ability is limited. Still, Niku had chakra herself, damn… That kid is troublesome, as the woman wandered through the mines she hoped that the girl was out by her own explosion, no way she could live another clash with her. Then again, if her teammates are as strong as the Sorceress, Niku won’t live through an encounter with them too.

This mission got to shit so fast!

Age : 32 Posts : 1495

Mana felt pain as she remained down on her knees, she could feel needles poking inside of her lungs and breathing was impossible. Did all the hot air from her fire dragon caused those lung burns? No... It had to be that coughing thing again... The young woman coughed before the cough grew into a full out vomit of blood. A large amount of blood got puked out of the woman‘s throat and she wiped it before grunting and noticing her swollen and burnt skin. „Shit...“ she thought, Mana’s body fell forward, her head was stopped from a direct slam to the ground by the young woman’s elbows.

She flipped on her back, voices could be heard faintly, Shingan told the Sennin that her enemy ran away, not completely unscathed, her chakra took a huge dip and she must’ve been really hit hard but she retreated and got trapped in the mines. That meant that their mission was mostly complete – the enemy was almost beaten and too injured to fight with full strength, she also was now blocked off from her target and with her abilities she couldn’t really find the Daimyo. Still, the team will have to break through to the mines to take her out which will open up the entrance again.

The magician could hear Meiko talking to her, she seemed horrified by Mana’s burns, they couldn’t have been that bad, she was mostly embarrassed because of her torn clothes. The burns weren’t permanent, nor were they deep enough to do significant damage, healing wasn’t really necessary for her, she only took the blunt force of that explosion, the burns couldn’t have caused more damage than swelling and irritation of the skin but it probably looked a bit bad, Mana was embarrassed by her looks but the blush probably wasn’t visible from all the swelling.

“It’s okay, it looks worse than it is. It’s mostly self inflicted, good thing I held back, huh?” she tried to laugh before coughing up more blood before she sat back up. “This isn’t because of the wounds, it’s from the training, I swear…” she calmed her team down. The New Team Hokage, people that meant more to Mana than anything else, even this young Mugen boy whom she had never met before – he symbolized to the magician the strength and bravery of the Kumogakure people to face an enemy such as this while being so young and unprepared… Mana bit her finger and made several handseals before slamming her palm to the ground and making a gigantic rabbit appear.

The rabbit was so incredibly huge that he could’ve probably peeked from the top of the mountain range, he peeked at Mana with the side of his eye and grumped for a little. “Shiko-san… Could you please heal those burns, there’s a man I like among these guys and I’m a bit ashamed to walk around burnt like this…” she giggled as the rabbit placed his gigantic ears at her and started pouring chakra into the young woman’s injured body. Mana then closed her eyes and answered Meiko’s questions, “It’s Niku, just like I predicted, I managed to drive her away into the mines, she ran away and I sensed her chakra taking a dip, her hand is really injured and she’s roaming the mines now, I can sense her really well, my Shingan reaches well over the mines and the wall beyond so I can keep track of her perfectly. She’s not going anywhere, don’t worry.”

Mana grunted as she vomited up some more blood, her skin however started looking more and more like that of a young woman’s who takes care of her looks. Usushiko’s healing technique healed not only the burns but Mana’s own recent neglect of her own body like all the training scars etc. The rabbit grunted and mumbled something under his own nose, “Nakotsumi, you have something in your lungs, did she hit you with something?” he grunted out loudly, Mana shook her head “Nope, she does control the Iron Release but I didn’t breathe it in… I’ll have it checked once the fight is done, can you do something about it?” the rabbit laughed “Nope, not until you’re willing to stay still for an hour or two, even then, I’m not sure I can remove it completely.” Mana stood up and stretched out.

“Well then… I guess we shouldn’t hold up, let’s finish our mission!” only then did Mana notice Kiyomi’s link, there was something that the magician wanted to talk about with her “Onee-chan”. “Yeah, there’s something… I know you’ll be mad but, I was thinking… I think I’m going to try to go on a date with Rukasu once all of this is over, maybe settle down for a bit and stop chasing those bad people, stop putting myself at risk and live for a while. The thing is that Rukasu has killed people, I don’t know if I’m objective enough about him, I may be in love and all that, I’m not sure yet. I’d be really glad if you kept an eye on him, you’re much more objective about it than I am. Plus, I have all this mess to worry about so I might not always have time to track him.”

Mana then sensed a spike in the young Kumogakure ninja’s chakra, she looked at the mine and noticed a huge hole just near to where the entrance was caved in. The magician walked up to the young boy and nodded her head to him, she then smiled gently. “Thank you, it means a lot to me that you are willing to lend your strength to us in all of this. I know quite well how it feels fighting in such a battlefield and feeling completely overpowered, I’ve fought against S ranked ninja ever since I was a genin and I know the amount of bravery it requires. You’re a brave ninja and your bravery brings honor to your village and your name, thanks for your help.” she gave him another smile before turning away and jumping onto Usushiko’s head.

“You guys go on ahead, smoke her outside to the other side of the mountain. I’ll report her location to you guys using Shingan if Kiyomi keeps up the link. Don’t split up or she’ll pick you off one by one, as I’ve said I’ve severely injured one of her arms, she’s probably only capable of fighting at half the capacity, she’s already shown me her full strength which means she’s capable of controlling about six weapons at once at the moment. I’ve been holding back up to now but just as she leaves the mine I’ll blast her with just a little bit more than I've been using until now, I’ve wasted too much chakra to fight at full strength too but I am still able to beat someone like her. Just be careful and drive her to the other side.”

Mana ordered as she patted Usushiko at the back, the rabbit then breathed in and jumped up into the air, rabbits had an incredible jumping ability, if a rabbit is a hundred feet tall they will only increase the maximum leaping distance accordingly. The way he was Usushiko was easily able to jump over the Inari range to the other side. Mana held her breath and kept her grip, she was probably only able to withstand one or two jumps up and down like that even at her healed state. She sat down on Usushiko’s head and took a meditational pose, the young woman thought of her life, thought of the future and willed to live – the Shingan roared open revealing every chakra within a kilometer, the magician filtered it out to just the four of her team and Niku.

“Okay guys, she’s about fifty meters north, she’s heading through the southern tunnel. Be careful, she’s losing chakra which means she’s wounded really badly, at this point she might be as dangerous as a wounded and cornered animal so don’t get too reckless. Keep pressuring her and drive her forward, I’ll keep reporting the changes in her location.” Mana transmitted through the mental link. The mine itself wasn’t too long but it had a dozen of tunnels so it was more wide than lengthy. Still, the young woman was worried of her friends and her team, will they be able to do their part? Will Niku really get intimidated by them? What if she silently takes them out? The mines are dark and scary… If there was one point in her life when Shingan was needed it was now, it was tough without her acute sensory, it didn’t work in this distance, but for now this will have to do.

Spoiler:

Posts : 811

"Training my ass." Meiko thought to herself privately so as not to alert anyone on the link. If your training resulted in you puking up blood, it was time to find a new way to train. Meiko's knuckles tightened until they were bone white, her nails nearly piercing through her palms. "This is my fault, isn't it. Even after all this time, she still wants to protect me. I'm still not strong enough so she has to push herself harder and harder. She's going to kill herself at this rate and all I can do is watch." It was unbelievably hard to hide these emotions from Kiyomi's link. She had to practically choke herself to keep as stoic an appearance as possible, both inside and out. She was the sub-commander in this operation, she could not show any weakness.

As Meiko helped Mana to stabilize herself, Rukasu arrived on the scene. Upon seeing Mana's condition, the criminal was thrown into a barely sustained frenzy. Collecting herself, Meiko was able to put on a mask of stability as she looked to Rukasu and issued her order to search the area. Once Ruksasu began, Mana began her summoning jutsu. In an instant, a gigantic rabbit materialized, the fuzzy beast easily dwarfing most of the mansions in the area. Meiko remembered this rabbit well, her healing abilities were second to none. Simply touching her fur was enough to cure most basic wounds and all but the most terminal could be cured by merely laying on her back. "Hey, long time no see." Meko called out to the rabbit in a friendly tone, although she doubted the beast would have cared to remember her.

As the rabbit placed her ear on Mana, the magician turned her attention to Meiko. By her statement, their opponent was Niku. Meiko recalled Mana's descriptions of the Parahambla members. If her memory was correct, Niku had the ability to manipulate a sort of iron dust to create a multitude of weapons she could control at range. A tricky opponent to be sure. Still, knowing her opponent's capabilities was an extra card in her deck. Mana continued to explain how Niku had been driven into the mines and that she could track her movements even from here. This Shingan was a truly remarkable ability, to sense someone that far away and through so much rock.

As Mana coughed up more blood, Meiko could not hide the worry she felt for her friend. The rabbit spoke of something in her lungs, likely the cause of this vomiting. Mana did not want to hold up the mission and, honestly, Meiko could not stop her. They needed her Shingan abilities to catch Niku, without them, they would be blind going into the mines. At this point, Kiyomi and Mugen arrived. Through the link, Kiyomi informed them that the medics would be arriving shortly. "Change of plans." Meiko replied "Have the medics on standby near the entrance of the mines. We will likely need their assistance once the battle is over."

"Mana, after this fight is over, you will treat any and every wound you have. Especially whatever is in your lungs. If our friend here can't remove it, we will arrange for surgery if need be." The lung trouble did come with a benefit however, the notion that the iron dust could be inhaled posed a significant problem. Weapons could be dealt with, but floating dust was practically a poison. Meiko would have to warn the team before going in. Hopefully this iron dust was thick enough that they could wrap a cloth around their mouth and nose.

A loud drilling noise began to echo throughout the ruins of the barracks. Looking towards the source, Meiko spotted Mugen, the Kumo Genin, working away at a pile of rubble that likely lead to the mine shaft. He stopped short of breaking through before turning and warning everyone that it was likely to still be unstable. Mana was the first to thank him for his efforts and praised his bravery for even being here. Meiko was in agreement and was kicking herself for underestimating the kid. It wasn't so long ago she was like him, although he had a lot more confidence than she ever did at that age.

With most of her wounds healed, Mana began explaining her battle plan over the link to everyone. She would ride the rabbit over the mountains to the exit on the other side, there she would wait for Niku to be flushed out while using her Shingan to guide the team towards their opponent. At this point, Mana was physically out of the fight. She planned to use a chunk of her remaining chakra to finish off the woman should she emerge on the other side. It was up to Meiko to guide the team into the mines and flush her out.

With that, the rabbit hopped over the mountain with a single leap, leaving the group in Meiko's hands. "Alright, you heard her. Our opponent is Niku, a woman who can manipulate iron dust to create weapons and control them from a distance. We need to stick together as a group, otherwise she will pick us off one by one in the mines. Now, she is injured and the narrow tunnels will limit her weapon's capabilities, but she is still a very dangerous opponent. Also, it is possible to inhale the dust, so I suggest everyone find some cloth or something to cover your face. It might not work, but better safe than dead. We'll move in single formation into the mines, Rukasu will take the lead with Mugen following directly behind him. Kiyomi will follow Mugen and keep the link established so Mana can update us with her position. I will pull up the rear in case she tries to flank us."

With her orders given, Meiko would form the team into a line at the entrance just as Mana chimed in with Niku's current location. "Open it." She commanded Rukasu. Once the tunnel was open again, she ordered the team to enter the darkness. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she approached what could be the fight of her life.

Age : 33 Posts : 544

A sense of dread was filling Kiyomi as she neared the site of the battle. The appearance of the giant rabbit was both reassuring, but also worrisome. Kiyomi had never met the rabbit summons Mana had, but she knew about them. The appearance of one meant Mana was alive and well enough to summon them, but if she recalled correctly the giant rabbit was used not only for Kajuu battles, but also healing. That meant Mana had to be pretty hurt to summon the beast. She arrived onto the scene and barely managed to keep from groaning aloud.

There was so much blood on Mana and the ground around her that a slasher flick could have been filmed here. She did not however repress a groan when her magician friend mentioned wanting to date the murderer that nearly drove her to suicide. In the private link between them she spoke to the sennin. "Mana, by the love of all that is holy if we weren't on this mission we'd have a long talk about all the reasons this is a terrible idea and me trying to convince you otherwise. Sadly we have to complete this mission first. I'll keep an eye on him, but you must promise me to focus on healing and that you'll actually listen to what I have to say. None of that bullshit "Yea oneechan I'm listening" and you go ahead and ignore all my advice. Deal?"

She then relayed the message from Meiko to the medics while Mugen drilled through the stone. "Good job Mugen. I'm glad you were able to do that for us. Earth is kinda a pain in the ass for me." Over a private link to only Meiko and Mana she added. "Have I ever mentioned that I'm not a fan of going into dark enclosed spaces with a crazy person and a Niku?" Her elements weren't exactly great at plowing through stone.

Keeping up the link Kiyomi steeled herself for entering the mines while Mana went over the plan. Her Shingan was truly something to be jealous of. That degree of sensory made in nearly impossible to escape from the magician. If Kiyomi could use Shingan and her telepathy together no one would ever escape from the village again. Sadly, she wasn't the sensor type so Mana couldn't have a break.

Giving an affirmative that she understood the orders Kiyomi fell in behind Mugen and was glad to have the snake leading the way. Maybe if they got luck he and Niku would kill one another. She gave Mugen a friendly pat on the back before following him into darkness while keeping up the link. As she followed along she made no sound and seemed to blend with the shadows.

Justu/SC's Active:

Age : 33 Posts : 510

Mugen created a hole using a drill like jutsu, which was clever and the criminal was indeed impressed. However, Rukasu knew that there was no time to admire other jutsu, as that was going on he turned his head back to see Mana off the ground. She was alive after all, and this made the criminal very happy. She summoned a giant rabbit, probably one that Rukasu had met in the past. Rukasu could see how strong she has become and this was amazing but something was wrong. He could sense her chakra and just something felt off about her. He noticed the blood all over her which was strange as Rukasu did not see that much blood before when he past her. He felt that he could of have been here sooner to fight this person. The criminal felt so much anger through his body, as he could not take it anymore. He had yet to do anything but he was going to figure out his plan.

Rukasu was closest to Mugen as he watched him prove to all of the team that there was a place for a kid like him. Rukasu knew at that moment he could be someone bad and say something to break his confidence right after Mana and the others praised him. However, the criminal was not going to do that today. For some reason the criminal was on the good side for a first which will soon affect him. He did not know how to react and he hopes he could get more allies after this mission is over.

Rukasu heard the rabbit talk about something in Mana lungs and this was something that bothered the criminal. Rukasu wanted to make sure that this enemy does not hurt Mana anymore. After a few moments, the rabbit leaped over the mountain with Mana on top of the animal. They were heading to the other side of the mountain to corner her. For a moment, the criminal thought about something as he knew that there could be a way to make sure this woman does not come back.

"Alright, you heard her. Our opponent is Niku, a woman who can manipulate iron dust to create weapons and control them from a distance. We need to stick together as a group, otherwise she will pick us off one by one in the mines. Now, she is injured and the narrow tunnels will limit her weapon's capabilities, but she is still a very dangerous opponent. In addition, it is possible to inhale the dust, so I suggest everyone find some cloth or something to cover your face. It might not work, but better safe than dead. We'll move in single formation into the mines, Rukasu will take the lead with Mugen following directly behind him. Kiyomi will follow Mugen and keep the link established so Mana can update us with her position. I will pull up the rear in case she tries to flank us." Meiko said in the link, as Rukasu's mind thought of something great. The criminal was going to use one of his clan jutsus and this would help everyone to avoid fighting in the mines.

“Okay guys, she’s about fifty meters north, she’s heading through the southern tunnel. Be careful, she’s losing chakra which means she’s wounded really badly, at this point she might be as dangerous as a wounded and cornered animal so don’t get too reckless. Keep pressuring her and drive her forward, I’ll keep reporting the changes in her location.” Mana said as Rukasu smiled, knowing that she was alright help his situation so much more so he could control his emotions. The criminal looked up at the sky. "I am glad you’re okay Mana, Don't worry it will be over soon." Rukasu said in his mind almost forgetting about the link but he knew that Mana would hear so he did not care what the others thought about him. All he really cared about was Mana's safety. The criminal was going to do anything that he could to make sure that she is alive and well.

"Mugen I would like you to stay behind me, This is going to get pretty crazy. Once I finish you and I will enter the mines and meet up with Mana. What I have planned will force Niku out of the mines." Rukasu said to Mugen as he closed his eyes for a moment then after he opened his eyes while he walked to the whole where Mugen left. The criminal laid front first on the ground as he had already been building his chakra since he arrived. The criminal opened his mouth and then in an instant one thousand snakes forced their way into the mines. These snakes were not large at all, only five feet long but they packed a hell of a bite. Rukasu knew that there was a chance that Niku would most likely try to fight them off but there was also a possibility that the enemy would run out of the mines, which would head straight to Mana. If she fought through the snakes, there was no way she would be able to defend against a torrent of mad, biting snakes.

"This jutsu will take a few minutes, so please prepare everyone, because I will charge into the cave, better me than you guys. Meiko if this does not work then I will capture her myself in the mines. Trust me I have a way but if I fail then I am sorry. I will show you guys that there is more to me than an evil look." Rukasu said as this determination to keep Mana safe just boosted him further. the criminal would not stop expelling all of those snakes. Since Niku was located, about fifty meters away then the snakes would reach her in a matter of minutes, but when they get to her, she would have to act quickly because since she is injured it would seem logical to rest for a moment. This meant war in his eyes as he was not going to rest until he killed Niku.

Chakra: 115/150 [-35 for 1000 Snakes]
Jutsu Used:

Age : 34 Posts : 718

There was no returned smile or otherwise positive response from Mugen when the team leader made her way to his side. Her expression was gentle, her touch on his shoulder reassuring, and yet the words she spoke had the opposite of their likely intended effect. From Mugen's perspective, every word had reeked of sarcasm and pity. It was just the genin's own thoughts warped by the situation, but he couldn't bring himself to think the same way as Mana, nor believe her words. Bravery? There was little bravery in digging a hole. It was also a mockery to suggest that he had any strength to lend this group. Mugen's eyes narrowed slightly and his lips bent into a subtle frown but he said nothing. Silence was his reply.

Instead, Mugen turned his attention back to the cave entrance, weary of their enemy making a sudden surprise attack to send all that rubble flying towards him. It didn't take long for Kiyomi to share some words of praise towards Mugen as well, but they fell useless against his ears just as Mana's speech had. At least this time he spoke in return voicing a small fraction of how he really felt about his accomplishment. "It was nothing. If I hadn't done something, someone else would have." There was a sharpness to his voice, but it wouldn't be identifiable as the deep seated frustration Mugen held. It wasn't really any of these Konoha Kunoichi at fault though, and Mugen was all the more angry at himself when he realized that he was taking out personal frustrations on them. He'd take some time to apologize later, but for now there was more important work to be done.

When the plan was laid out and expressed to everyone, Mugen nodded and affirmed that he caught the orders over the mental link with a stoic, "Understood." He then moved into position after Rukasu and filed into the passageway he'd mined out. With each step, Mugen thought about how unsatisfied he still was with his contributions. 'This was only the beginning' the genin told himself as he tried to keep his senses sharp. Mugen didn't want to miss a chance to be of use again. He was broken from his internal manta of "I'm not done yet!" by Rukasu's words. The boy nodded in reply and stated, "Don't worry. I'll follow my orders." Letting the criminal know that he'd stay behind him for as long as that aligned with the team leaders commands.

There was little for Mugen to do as he watched Rukasu produce a torrent of snakes which broke through the remaining 1 foot worth of cave wall and flooded into the mine. For now, the boy waited and molded chakra in his belly to prepare for the next act.

Posts : 257

Niku continued to lurk inside the caves, she did not proceed further, did not try to leave the mines. Normally Tenma needed to rendezvous with her in the barracks but he’d certainly have sensed her chakra once he entered the mines. Niku was willing to wait it out, but she was very tempted to murder those impudent brats that dared to stand in her way. She wanted to kill that girl most of all. Kill her slowly, intimately, looking in her eyes while she did it. Niku wanted to kill the Sorceress so badly that she was almost tempted to walk over the Inari mountain once she left the mines and find her knocked out body in the barracks.

“No… Don’t get reckless… That bitch will get hers… Just… Wait… Breathe and wait…” Niku thought to herself. She’d have needed to luck out a lot. What if the Sorceress didn’t knock herself out, what if she acted to be hurt by the shockwave of utter destruction just so Niku didn’t run? What if her teammates were waiting for Niku to become reckless to kill the woman? No, Niku had no right to fail, not now, her murder will have to wait a little bit, until Tenma joins at least. Together they’ll kill that kid and the Daimyo and whatever insignificant speck they send at them.

Niku breathed slowly, she was used to the darkness, more than half of her life was spent in a dark cell so the woman was as close as it got to a bat. The murderous woman knew how to rely on other senses inside a dark environment which was why the moment she got a scent or a noise of those teammates of the Sorceress inside the mine she’d kill them. Silently, pick them out one by one. Pierce their hearts from behind them when they least expect it. As the drops of her blood silently tapped on the rock alerting Niku the woman imagined killing those annoying men and women as a mean to calm down.

Before she had some problem killing people who weren’t bad, who had nothing to do with being bad. Now she was just pissed, pissed that she’s been made to bleed by a snotty little girl who thought she knew better. Pissed that people rallied and helped out that stupid girl than her, that they didn’t understand the good that the Parabrahma was doing. She was so pissed for that last one that she’d have killed those reinforcements without much problem. Niku breathed in and out listening in and waiting to hear the ninja enter the caves.

What she heard weren’t footsteps, it was hissing. “Hissing? There are no cave snakes in Kumogakure!” Niku thought to herself as she activated her Tetsuton dust wielding the less injured arm, she could only wield six blades using that arm but she only needed one to kill a snake. The hissing intensified however, Niku’s eyes opened wide as she realized that an entire torrent of snakes, a whole crashing wave of them was coming her way which made her even more pissed. “Rukasu the Snake King? Huh… Wow, the little bitch really scraped the bottom of the barrel…” the woman smiled as she formed the dust into blades and started swinging them wildly like a propeller.

The improvised use of the technique only took four swords to use but it sliced and diced through each and every snake, each slithering reptile was shredded to millions of pieces as it passed through the invisible propeller wide enough to cover the entire cave. The technique was an impressive attempt, but ultimately she was underestimated. Niku wasn’t too far away from the supposed cave in, Snake King and his crew must’ve opened the cave in again which meant that perhaps she could rush at the Daimyo once she murders those lapdogs of that little bitch.

Niku screamed out of the depth of her lungs, acting out a reaction of pain and fear, imagining that soon that little brat will be screaming similarly to her. The murderess then hid in a small room etched into stone and awaited for a party to confirm her death. Without a doubt that party will only find theirs in the process! All will die, Niku will spare no one that stands in between her, that annoying little brat and the Daimyo.

Spoiler:

Age : 32 Posts : 1495

Mana sat silently on top of Usushiko’s forehead. Being so high up on this colossal ninja animal extended the distance she was from the mines but luckily at her maximum concentration she could still sense Niku inside the mines. It was simply incredibly hard to miss such a high chakra signature which was so slowly fading away. Niku was like an hourglass with a small speck of sand falling off her signature every moment, the woman must’ve been really injured, no surprise about that – Mana thinned the limits of how much force she used like she rarely ever did before.

“She is lurking in the mines, I think she’s waiting for someone. Probably her partner, I can’t really tell what she’s doing… Maybe if Shiko-san eased up on the cabbages and lost some weight… I think she’s looking for a place to hide in the eastern parts of the mines, I’d suggest concentrating your assault there.”

Mana spoke on the mental link.The range of the young Yamanaka’s link extended so much that it was now barely a struggle to keep it, the team no longer had to stick together close to maintain the link – it’s incredible how skilled her friends have gotten over the years. Remembering all those struggles they’ve faced, Kimiko-sensei would now be found with little to no struggle, that large “Hachi” guy that Mana and Kiyomi once struggled against would fall with ease against them. It’s really amazing how time flies, how much things change.

Meiko is also no longer the person she once was: the armored juggernaut needed no more encouragment and had no doubts of her worth in the Team Hokage, instead she stood proudly and was ready to punch anyone in the face who berated her. Unwillingly a smile came to the magician’s face, she didn’t yet know what the team had planned, how they intended to scare Niku to the other side where Mana could settle the score with her but… People as amazing as Meiko, Kiyomi, Rukasu and Mugen were sure to succeed.

“Oy, Nakotsumi, you listening?” Usushiko grunted out, his voice was incredibly loud but unlikely to reach the other side of the mountain. Mana gently tapped his head with her heel to alert him that she was but wanted to stay concentrated on Niku’s location. The rabbit breathed in and out, it was clear that he wanted to talk about something but wasn’t sure how to go about it. “You do realize that when you breathe like that I will notice it, I go up in the air at least five meters…” Mana softly mumbled out, the rabbit just wriggled a little bit shaking the magician on his head.

“What kind of act was that back then? Couldn’t you sit still for an hour or two to let me check you? I mean… Sure, that Niku person would’ve joined with her pal and all but. It’s the Team Hokage we’re talking about, you three could pick on two of the Parabrahma easily. The other Kumo kid and Rukasu are just cream on the cake. Unless… You know what’s in there, don’t you? You don’t want me and in terms others to know, am I correct?”

Mana wriggled uncomfortably and updated her team on Niku’s location with a couple of sentences. Why was Shiko so worried all of a sudden? Why did he have to be so pushy? “Back when I fought Ayushi-san, after the battle I was so injured that the medical ninja told me if I wasn’t careful I wouldn’t survive another fight like that… After that day I consistently fought the worst of the worst and every time I almost died. I believe that the doctors’ words weren’t vain, they are all amazing specialists and knew what they were talking about. All those fights: Moosehorn, Hachi, Diamond Hand, Honda, Ayushi, the Leech twice, Parabrahma, the whole month I spent on the run getting beaten everytime I fought Leech… It’s all catching up now. That’s what it is, Shiko-san, I don’t need to know the details.”

Mana felt pressure in her lungs, that desperate need to cough up blood, those painful needles etching right into her body forcing it to cough. Just barely the young woman held that back. She didn’t want Shiko to get another reason to bicker around, to tell her things she already knew. Mana felt it – Rukasu used his snake techniques, similar to that clone of snakes that he used against her just so much stronger! That young man was growing up so fast… Just about a year ago when they first met he was just barely strong enough to notice, Mana felt bad fighting him so she simply left the battlefield bringing shame to the young man, it was something she felt bad about still.

Now the Snake King was able of such an amazing jutsu that made the entire caverns light up with chakra, small and amazing little creatures filling the mine. They were likely to drive Niku away, Rukasu really did become strong, he finally stood out enough for Mana and whoever else he wanted to impress to notice. The magician couldn’t really sense those snakes accutely, just pinpoint their location and sense them as separate signatures but they were too far away to use Accute Sensory on them. All she could pick up was their presence and then – sudden dissapearance.

A loud scream came out of the mines, without a doubt her team heard it too. Mana extended her Shingan to look for Niku’s signature, concentrating her effort to sniff the woman out, even if she couldn’t sense her accutely perhaps her presence could still be picked up? There she was!

“Guys, that scream was fake! She’s luring you to a trap acting like she’s injured, she’s alright, she used that Weapon Manipulation technique somehow – her chakra dropped a lot but… She’s okay and she’s waiting for you guys to enter the mines. She’s still in the eastern side of the caves, if you’re going in – be careful.”

Usushiko wriggled again, that gigantic rabbit must’ve had trouble standing still. “You know… When we first met… I didn’t know what kind of a person you’ll end up being.” The rabbit spoke, his voice was strange, Mana had never heard her partner so sad, “I acted all high and mighty on you, spoke in third person and all that stuff… You also called me “Usushiko-san” and respected me like your superior. I told you that I’d sometimes help you, when I deem the fight worthy. At some point it became different, it became so much different… I started just healing you to save your life, because I kind of liked you, what you did, the kind of person you were.”

Mana’s eyes shot open from tears bursting out, she made the handseal and kept the sensory going but it was incredibly difficult to keep track precisely. “The stuff you did for the rabbits: recovered the contract scroll, enrolled our best and strongest warriors to aid you, calmed down that terrorist idiot Usujitsa and even made him help you… You saved me out of that doorway I was stuck in in that ruined palace. You did all those things because… I don’t even know why, but you didn’t do it for yourself. People kept calling you stupid and idiot for being nice to other people and even to monsters in some cases in a world such as this… Then they all changed, at some point they started calling you a hero, they started wanting to be more like you. Some ninja followed your example and stopped killing, some started to be nicer just because you did so.”

“Initially you were an odd person in this world, an element that did not fit in but you weren’t killed off by the cruelness of this world – you started slowly changing it even if you never wanted that. All I’m saying is… If you let that thing inside you kill you, if you ignore whatever sickness you’ve got and die… There’ll be no one like you anymore, the world will return to being how it was, that magical dream of a changed world will end. The rabbits will once again become forgotten, ninja will stop giving two shits about people they kill, I may as well shove my head back in that doorway and get stuck for fifty more years…”

Mana wiped the tears with her sleeve and flicked gently on the rabbit’s forehead. “Don’t get all soft on me, you may need to tackle someone pretty soon…” she spoke through the tears and laughed out. “Don’t worry, right after the world is saved I’ll get checked, but even if I get killed off by the Parabrahma or the disease, everything you spoke about won’t get forgotten. You know why? Because there were people I loved who loved me back, they won’t let everything I lived for go to nothingness, I believe in them to handle this new world we’re about to win for them just fine. Meiko and Kiyomi will see to it that everything in Konoha is alright, Rukasu and Hiruzen will be the independent swords of justice fighting all the evil ones to fuel their own desire to fight, people like Mugen will see to it that Kumogakure prospers and will elect a new Raikage – better one than this one that hides while his village weeps and lets a filthy foreigner do his job in protecting the Daimyo. I believe in all that, I really do. But for all of that to happen we need to stay focused, get ready, when New Team Hokage drives Niku out, I want her down but not out, I want everything from that head of hers on our intel files and her body back in the Kumogakure cell."

Mana’s tired body almost slipped down Usushiko’s head when he nodded, she kicked around and laughed out, the rabbit let out a brief apology. The young woman got back to tracking the movements of her team and Niku. She believed in her team, she believed in her rabbit partner. That was all that mattered now.

Posts : 811

Just as the group was about to enter the cave, Rukasu called for them to halt. He had a plan to try and flush their target out of the mines and leave them open for Mana to finish. Personally, Meiko would have preferred not to rely on Mana more than they already did. She was hurt and exhausted enough already. If it was possible to take down Niku without resorting to that, Meiko would take that chance. That said, she allowed Rukasu to go through with his plan. An opponent like this could not be taken down with one swift blow. They needed to be whittled down bit by bit. Moving a bit deeper into the entrance, Rukasu spewed forth a torrent of snakes. Hundreds of the serpents slithered from his gullet, disappearing into the darkness. If Meiko were allowed to speak honestly, she would have vocalized her disgust at the technique. She did not even want to imagine what that much have felt like. That said, in the confined space of these tunnels, this would prove to be a highly effective jutsu.

With so many snakes that close together, they had no choice but to climb on top of one another. Moving more like a wave of water than animals, they vanished into the dark, only their hissing echoing off the walls lingered. Rukasu stated it would take a few minutes to find their target and until then they should wait. Considering their target was currently trapped and with Mana able to sense her movements, there was no fear the woman would escape for the moment. Of course, when Rukasu said he would charge into the cave, Meiko had to step in. "I don't think so. This is no place to be playing the hero. Mana did that and you saw what happened to her. Like it or not, we're a team and we will move as such. If you want to die, then feel free to ignore me and run off. If you want to be smart about this, then you just need some patience."

Meiko's ultimate goal, above even the defeat/capture of Niku was to ensure everyone under her command made it back alive. That included Rukasu, as much as she disliked the man. Mana trusted him and for the moment he was her subordinate and teammate. Regardless of past transgressions, that took precedent. should he attempt to run off on his own, Meiko would restrain him personally.

The next few minutes were spent in silence as the group waited for the snakes to find their target. Their hissing had long gone silent, having moved too far in for the sound to reach them anymore. Meiko was half expecting Rukasu to speak up anytime now, under the assumption that he could sense what his snakes were doing. It was his jutsu, so to her it made sense. Then again she was never good with ninjutsu so it was simply a guess. However, before Rukasu made any mention of something happening, a blood curling scream echoed from the depths of the tunnels. "Sounds like they found her." Was Meiko's first thought. Before anyone in the group could move however, Mana's voice resounded once again in Meiko's head, stating the scream was a fake. It was all an act to lure them into a trap.

"Thanks Mana, we'll proceed in now." That ability of Mana's was truly something special. To be able to analyze her opponent's actions to that depth through solid rock, even the greatest sensor nin could not reach that level of competence. "Okay, you heard her, everyone move out. Single file and keep sharp. She will be waiting to ambush us. Mana will keep us informed as we get closer." With that, the group began its descent. Rukasu still had something up his sleeve as well as the desire to be the one to end this. Hopefully he wouldn't do anything rash and put everyone at risk.

As for herself, Meiko was ready to spring into action at any moment. Her chakra was focused into her chest so she could release her weapons the instant trouble started. Her first priority was to defend Mugen and Kiyomi. Those two would be the most vulnerable to attack. Mugen's attitude worried her, he felt worthless on the team. While it may be true that in terms of skill he was outclassed, if he allowed those doubts to consume him he would hesitate when action was needed. Even a Genin can beat the best of shinobi if they're underestimated. There's always a chance. She just hoped the boy could see that.

Age : 33 Posts : 544

Mugen's less than stellar attitude made Kiyomi feel a little bad for the young genin. One didn't have to be a mind reader to know he felt awkward around all of these powerful and high ranking shinobi. It was how she felt when she had first met Kimiko. For now she'd have to leave the kid alone, but perhaps after the mission they would have a word. A bit of encouragement could go a long way.

As the team went deeper into the tunnel her distaste for Rukasu only grew. When he vomited up the snakes Kiyomi was reminded of some horror movies she had seen as a child. "Great taste in men there Mana. He just vomited up hundreds of snakes. I can't begin to tell you how gross this is. I'll wait till later, just keep taking it easy and tracking her." Said Kiyomi through a private link that only Mana could hear.

She kept relaying the information and when the scream was heard Kiyomi almost scoffed aloud. There was no way this mission could end that quickly when an S-rank criminal with such a powerful bloodline was their opponent. So many things could have transpired, so many traps laid, so many clones made. Until the body was right in front of her and confirmed dead Kiyomi wouldn't believe it. Still relaying information Kiyomi kept her senses strained for the slightest bit of sound while masking her own presence.

"If you want me to scout ahead give the word. I'll be fine, but really Mana's technique kind of eliminates the need for scouts save for detecting booby traps."

Jutsu/SC's active:

Age : 33 Posts : 510

It was clear that Rukasu was still enforcing his jutsu, he felt that these snakes would push her hard enough so that Mana would do the finishing blow, but that was not the case. His attack made contact because of the loud scream, however Mana told the team that the jutsu had no effect on her. It was merely a waste of time to try something like that. This quickly pissed off the criminal since he was trying to show the group how good he is and now he could have messed up the whole operation. People knew that Rukasu, the Snake King used many snakes, so there was a chance that Niku knew who she was dealing with. Rukasu slowly got up from the ground as his anger almost had him rushing into the cave. However, Meiko said some words that saved the criminal from making a harsh decision. He knew that if the criminal went on ahead it would cost him his life and that would not be good since his death would affect Mana the most. Rukasu hated the fact that one of his good moves had failed so now he would have to stick to his other skills in order to trap the disgusting piece of crap female that shows no signs of caring about fashion. Rukasu always looked great in his tuxedo but at the same time, he wore clothes that no one has ever seen him in. Those clothes being the regular ninja clothes he used to wear when he was young. In the world of Rukasu, his clothes should represent himself in a way that shows others he has power.

Rukasu wondered about how he was going to understand his opponent and figure out a way to defeat them. Rukasu grew a smile as they entered the cave he knew that there was a chance to finish her off. A new plan had surfaced his mind, and he knew that there was a chance to do it but he needed to figure out something first. "Everyone, I need to know if there is a path that half of us would use that will go around to either corner that women or at least come out from behind her so we could attack her from both angles. If there is a path then me and Meiko could go further up ahead to stop her from getting out. I have the perfect jutsu in mind to trap her but there is one problem with this jutsu. I need to know that you all trust me, because if you are near me then this jutsu will trap you as well with the enemy for the time being. Then we will be stuck fighting her head on. If you guys don't like that plan then let me know. I also have a backup plan. I figure that I should kill her since I rather not have Mana do the final blow. That would not be a good idea for her to kill her. This will affect her emotionally, and I rather not live with myself knowing I could prevent that.” Rukasu said as they continued to walk into the mines. Rukasu knew that they were going to enter the battlefield in the mines and that was something that would be difficult since it was dark and somewhat hard to see. Rukasu footsteps were silent as he knew that he was going to have to surprise her before she had the upper hand.

Fighting someone this strong boiled Rukasu’s blood, however this feeling was different. He had never fought for someone in his life. He wanted to protect Mana with all of his life. He did not care what the others thought of him, but there was this feeling growing within his dark evil heart. The light that Mana had forced her way in was growing more as each moment he was near her. He wanted her to live through all of this and he knew that those snakes weren’t going to push her through but at the same time, he hoped it would stop her. Having all his snakes destroyed really pissed him off. He was going to make sure she paid for making Rukasu look like crap. This embarrassment was not going to slip Rukasu’s mind, nor was he going to rush into battle. At a certain moment, he thought that there was a chance that he could be over stepping his spot in the team. He knew that Meiko was in charge but the criminal continued to try to make his voice heard. This was odd since Rukasu had never worked with anyone in a long time.

In this mission, Rukasu almost tried acting as if he was in charge, however that wasn't the case, he knew that he should say something before the others would suspect him of over throwing the mission for his own pleasures. “Meiko, I would like you to understand that this team is new to me. I never worked with anyone before nor have this urge to protect someone. I will follow your command no matter what. As for everyone, I don’t want any of you to think anything badly about me. I promised Mana that I will help her but this is something I been planning to do. She told me she forgave me but there is still this guilt in my heart and I must atone to my sins. I will kill Niku with everything I got and I know I won’t be able to do it alone. With that said Kiyomi can you do me a favor if you can. Is it possible to connect a private link for me and Mana alone. I must tell her something.” Rukasu said as he knew what he wanted to tell her but there was this feeling that he should not say a single word. He knew that there was a chance that Mana already knew what Rukasu was going to say but Rukasu needed to make sure. The criminal ventured further into the mine as he knew that he should prepare before he met up with Niku.

Keeping his footsteps as quietly as possible he also suppressed his chakra. He was going to use himself as the decoy if the time needed him to do so, he knew that as they walked closer to where they needed to be that the women would hear them by their footsteps. The criminal knew that if he could get close enough just to trap her then it would be game, set and match. Rukasu was ready for anything even if he stared death in his face, he knew he died protecting the women he loved. A smile appeared on his face, and this certain smile was not evil or good. A facial expression showed he was willing to die for the team, in order to protect Mana. The team was about now about twenty meters in the mines, and there was still forty more meters to go. Will the team accept Rukasu before the mission ends or plot to destroy him when he is weak?

Chakra: 115/150
Sc Used: Black Ops Stealth

Age : 34 Posts : 718

If there were any signs of the other's concern about Mugen's state of mind, the boy didn't notice them. All of his attention was focused on Rukasu's back as the snake king performed his jutsu and sent a slithering vanguard to feel out the mines. Mugen's nerves were on edge and being stretched to their limits. The soul crushing reminder of his mortality from before had been overcome, but its effects still lingered in his body. As he waited for the snakes to do their job, Mugen found his hands doing a quick double check pat down of his body. He was feeling for each of the weapons concealed beneath his hoody, eager to be sure that he hadn't forgotten anything. That every tool was present just in case it could serve as the deciding factor between survival and a gruesome death. Everything was there, he hadn't left so much as a senbon back at the slummy box of a room he currently called "home for the week" in the village.

Thinking of that meager lodging, Mugen wondered if success on this important mission would earn him enough pay to rent out a proper room even if only for a little while. One with a warm futon and nice big soft blankets as opposed to a hard floor made bearable by a few layers of cloth. Running water would be a nice treat as well. Mugen couldn't remember the last time he had that luxury. The only running water he'd seen in almost two years had been in rivers after all. The remaining precious seconds of mental reflection were filled with fantasies of splurging money on some expensive hot meals. You know the kind. That sizzling steak that is really only worth 3000 ryo but you spend 4500 ryo on it anyways because it makes you feel important. The genin's mouth was practically drooling at the thought. A snapshot daydream image filled his mind as he shared the meal with his friends. Yuu-chan, Naraku-kun, Akane-san, and yes, even "crunchy" as the young kesshou maiden liked to be called. All of them gathered around a table enjoying their successes...it was a nice thought.

Alas, nice thoughts had no place on the battle field. It wasn't long before Rukasu's jutsu bore results in the form of an anguished scream. A warning from their leader came to inform them that it was likely a ploy, however this only made Mugen confused. He couldn't fathom how Mana was able to hear a shout like that through a mountain. Had her rabbit summon truly moved so fast so as to have already reached the other side? Mugen pushed his doubts about what the sennin was capable of when he remembered the scene of destruction he'd gazed upon but moments ago and instead listened to what the others had to say. The plan of action was a bit too straightforward for his tastes. Move out and proceed forward in a single file line? Were they TRYING to all get taken out from a single ambush? The Hebi Ou had his own plan that he tried to suggest. Flanking the enemy by splitting up and taking different paths. Mugen wasn't a fan of this idea either. "I'm not drilling another tunnel..." Mugen plainly stated over the mental link after Rukasu mentioned the first part of his plan.

The following words from their criminal companion only made Mugen further eased by the prospect of working with him. There seemed to be an obsessive desire driving his motivations and whatever history these girls had with the young man was affecting their judgement on how to deal with him. Mugen hadn't been made part of the private words exchanged regarding him so all he had was their warnings about Rukasu and the danger he posed to go off of. So far it seemed to him like they were letting a wild dog roam on a rather long leash. Regardless of the potential threat from the snake user, Mugen was probably most worried about the team's leadership. Mana was leaving things in the hands of her vice captain, Meiko, and Meiko appeared to lack the confidence to take charge without Mana's input. Mugen had intended to follow his orders like a good shinobi, but so far it seemed to him that doing so would only lead to an early grave for everyone. So without permission, Mugen decided to take things into his own hands.

In all his inexperience, Mugen knew almost nothing about sensor nin or the capabilities of their target beyond what he'd been told. So he thought himself rather clever as he made a hand seal and created a shadow clone at his side. "If we know we're walking into a trap, why not trigger it on purpose?" Mugen said mentally over the Yamanaka's communication line. As he said this, his shadow clone nodded and began sprinting ahead of the stealthily moving Rukasu. The Genin clone would be anything BUT stealthy in his pursuit of Niku. Rushing on ahead of the group, the clone sought to find their opponent and trigger any traps she may have set before the real team could arrive. Reaching into it's jacket, the clone would pull out a Dagger and a Bowie Knife in his left and right hands respectively. Holding these modest blades at the ready, the Mugen clone would blindly rush in until he caught sight of Niku.

If the enemy didn't hide from the genin's clone, he would lunge for her the moment he saw her and got within range; aiming to stab the woman in the gut with his dagger and slash at her eyes with the bowie knife simultaneously.

Chakra: 46/115
Clone Chakra: 45/115

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