Not Such A Good Escape... {C- Mission}

Age : 29 Posts : 3640

Mission Description:

Mission Link

Mission... start!

Age : 29 Posts : 3640

Being a trusted Chuunin seemed to be getting Kimiko some points in the good books recently. Having completed many B-Ranks by now, they were still being fired at her. The more missions she had, the more credibility and experience she gained, the closer she was to Jounin rank. Many have said that she should already be a Jounin at least, but with her modest outlook on things she’s not for a reason and thus will work for it just like anybody else would do. Her apartment was surprisingly quiet today, as of late it had been loud with the oh-so familiar shouting/ loudness of her younger adoptive sister, Aya. The girl had decided to come and take refuge more and more in Kimiko’s office, or spare bedroom. Having claimed it to be hers, the green-haired midget rarely spent any time at home with the pair’s father anymore because of her Onee-chan. Thankfully, the busy Katsumi had been spared the… delight of her boisterous younger sibling’s presence. She had a peaceful jaunt around the village yesterday, and upon arriving home she found a green mission scroll left outside her door, addressed for her attention. She had read over the mission description last night, of course, but also had the scroll open in front of her now while she planned for the day (or days) ahead. Namely, she was deciding on what outfit she should wear, because goodness knows that was so very important in any and every situation, especially for a girl. By the sounds of things, it would entail moving rocks, which was a more practical activity, so that ruled out most of the outfits Kimiko owned. She pushed the unpractical (yet very pretty) kimonos and dresses to one side, looking at the remaining amount of shorts, skirts and practical dresses (yes, it was possible to find dresses that were practical) that she had to choose from.

After much deliberation and imagining how some scenarios would go depending on the outfit she wore, Kimiko picked out something that she saw to be a simple choice. It consisted of a long-sleeved black mesh shirt, over which she wore a dark blue t-shirt that was cropped slightly to just above her belly button, a short black skirt bandaged over with white in places, dark blue elasticised shorts and a pair of very sturdy black shinobi sandals. She pulled on her Chuunin flak jacket and left it unzipped, attaching her Konohagakure forehead protector in its usual place around her upper right thigh, just visible below her skirt. She quickly and expertly plaited her hair over her left shoulder, securing it tightly with a typical white hair band. She gripped some bangs off her face, one of which had a string of multi-coloured beads hanging down from it. She looked over her outfit and general appearance in the mirror, and when she had decided that it was acceptable, she rolled the mission scroll back up and placed it in one of her hip bags which she quickly strapped around her waist, along with the other one. With the black straps crossing over one another so that the bags sat comfortably at her lower back, Kimiko then attached the red leather strap of her trusted fan over her back. Securing the other strap around her waist, she was ready.

She made her way out of her bedroom and set about preparing the apartment for her departure. Her pet falcon wasn’t home at the moment, so she left the window open a little bit with a small dish of uncooked chicken for him to eat. When she had tidied her breakfast things up, she unhooked her keys from beside the door and locked up after herself, swiftly turning and heading down the corridor that ultimately led out of her apartment block. It would only take her ten minutes at her normal pace to reach the village gates, and after that probably a couple of hours to reach the designated mission point in Hi no Kuni. So, she started running over in her head what could have happened to the couple who were now effectively stranded, and why. The mission description had given her the needed details, but she couldn’t help but wonder why and what was at work. Depending on where they were, rock falls didn’t happen very often whatsoever, so Kimiko was led to believe that perhaps something other than a natural occurrence had happened. It was highly possible… bandits and shinobi roamed the Land of Fire as their home, so upon seeing two prime, possibly well-off Konoha citizens enter their territory, they could have easily moved a few rocks here and there, causing a rock fall where they pleased. Or, if it was a shinobi they were dealing with, they could have used a Doton Ninjutsu to make it all the easier. Even if they couldn’t perform Doton Ninjutsu, it wouldn’t take a lot of effort for a shinobi to use their regular chakra to kick or punch rocks to get their way.

It was a troubling thought, but a thought that Kimiko had to consider nevertheless. She soon reached the village gates, and after showing the mission scroll to the guards Daisuke and Reiko, she was allowed through and out into the Land of Fire. ‘Hold on, you two… I’m on my way…’

Age : 29 Posts : 3640

“Okay, so… the cave should be somewhere around…” Kimiko was too busy examining the mission scroll to pay any attention where she was walking, and thus when she bumped into a rock that was surprisingly very hard indeed, she was snapped back into reality rather quickly. She cried out as she had managed to hit her face on the rock, and she pouted as she rubbed her nose which had taken the brunt of the impact. “Stupid rock…” She muttered miserably and surveyed the situation she was now in. Piled high in front of what appeared to be the mouth of a cave were dozens of rocks, each one being a different size to the next one, but all of them appearing way too heavy to move. If walking straight into one had told Kimiko anything it was how sturdy the rocks were, and how she really should have been watching where she was going so that she didn’t have to injure herself before the mission even really started. “H-Hello? Is anybody there?” A concerned voice called out from within the mass of rocks, followed by a weak cough. It sounded like a male, and something clicked in the Katsumi female’s mind that she had reached the place detailed in the mission description. “Yes! Not to worry you two, Katsumi Kimiko, Konoha Chuunin, is here to save you both!” She claimed proudly, instinctively striking a pose despite them not being able to see. Some more coughs were heard from inside, and Kimiko frowned to herself; it must be very dusty in there, probably where the rocks were grating on each other and from when the rocks themselves had fallen. “Thank goodness…” A relieved female voice remarked from inside the cave. “We thought that you’d never come.” The male said, almost in a snide tone of voice. “Of course I would! That’s what I’m here for now, right?” The young Katsumi claimed brightly, and moved backwards a little bit to inspect the rocks in greater detail from a bit more of a distance.

This cave appeared to be natural, but the way in which the rocks had fallen didn’t match. Number one, Kimiko noticed that there weren’t any rock formations on top of the cave that could have caused a rock slide. Number 2, there weren’t any cliffs nearby either that could have created the rock fall. And number 3, the way in which the rocks were broken reminded her of the way a chakra-enhanced kick or punch would break rock. ‘Hmmmmm… looks like there’s more to this than meets the eye…’ She pondered to herself, moving forwards again closer to the rocks so that her voice would be heard by the two teens trapped inside. “I want you both to move back, okay? When I’m getting rid of these rocks it could get a little messy!” She advised, and her ears picked up on the tiny sounds of movement inside the cave as the boy and girl shuffled backwards a fair distance. There wasn’t a response, so Kimiko took that as a confirmation that she was okay to proceed with breaking down this mass of rocks. “Alright then…” She muttered to herself, thinking about the best way to do so. She could attack the rocks with jutsu, but she would be restricted to the Katon variety due to the fact that Fuuton was weak against rock in any form. There was the possibility of using explosive tags also. Or she could attack in the same manner that somebody else had to break the rocks in the first place, using chakra-enhanced strikes. The latter wasn’t one of Kimiko’s specialties, however, and she wasn’t sure how it would turn out if she tried it. Thus, she was left with either her Ninjutsu or explosive tags for this task.

She reached into one of her weapons pouches and pulled out a small wad of explosive tags, and she leapt upwards to the topmost rocks covering the entrance to the cave, attaching the tags to every couple of rocks as not to overkill on the ensuing explosion. When she had done that, she landed back down softly on the ground a good couple of feet from the rocks. She raised her hand up to make the required hand seal to detonate all the tags, but before she could, she was interrupted by a strange voice behind her. “Now then, girly, I know that you really don’t want to do that…” It said before chuckling, and when Kimiko spun round to see who it was, she couldn’t see anybody. She growled and spun back round, looking all around the area she was in and finding no one. “Show yourself!” She claimed fiercely, and in a flash without raising any smoke or dust, a lone black-swathed figure appeared on top of the cave, standing with one foot on the topmost rock there was. “You should feel lucky… Katsumi Kimiko… I rarely show myself to people I kill.” The figure claimed, and obviously by the deepness of their voice it was a male. “You obviously know me, so what might your name be?” Kimiko asked coolly, her gaze narrowing on the man as he disappeared and reappeared again directly behind her. She barely felt anything and had to rely on the fact that she suddenly felt a cool blade pressed hard against her neck to know that he was there. “Oh, you’re quite well known around these parts. Even if you didn’t brazenly reveal your identity I would have known.” The man said slowly, obviously quite amused by how rigid Kimiko’s body had gone after realising that she was in danger at that moment. “But what about me, you ask? They call me Issen.” He explained, and with that things started to make sense. His name, of alias more like, meant ‘flash’. That explained his unbelievable speed with performing what Kimiko thought to be an upgraded Shunshin no Jutsu. “So, Issen… how and why am I known ‘around these parts’?” She asked slowly, keeping her eyes on the blade that she recognised to be a kunai pressed against her neck.

Issen saw this and smirked behind his half-face mask, rolling the kunai upwards and downwards on the female’s neck, considering an answer to her question before speaking again. “Us criminals don’t like heroes… and that’s what you are, as you’ve proved on many occasions around here. Some of my old friends have been turned to the good side by you. Know someone called… Komo?” That name… it was the medical ninja that Kimiko had met along with Toshiro that time on their first mission together. She didn’t answer, simply growling lowly while she thought about what he would continue to say. “Oh yes, you know him alright. He used to be the leader of our criminal organisation. When you met him he was in the process of ‘seclusion’ that all of our leaders go through. When a stupid fisherman appeared in the cave he was under obligation as a Medical Ninja to heal him. That was until you showed up…” Issen put extra venom into the word ‘you’ while he had been speaking, lifting the kunai up an inch at an angle that it pierced the skin only slightly. A single bead of blood trickled down Kimiko’s neck, and she could only stand still in the hope that no more blood of hers would be shed. “With your heroic attitude of saving everything and everybody, he had a change of heart. We received word from him that he wasn’t coming back, that he was to be journeying to the West where his home village was in Sunagakure to become a lawful shinobi again.” He snickered, leaning forwards until his face was mere inches away from Kimiko’s, his dark eyes appearing black in this light while he scrutinised every inch of her, sensing her fear, seeing her building rage. “Aw, what’s up? Kimi-chan lost her tongue?” He pried further, only increasing Kimiko’s anger. Being insulted was one thing… being held back from her obligation as a shinobi was another… but threatening her life was too far. Although it wasn’t as important to her at one point, she realised that she had to live for the people she held dearest in this life rather than die for them. And here was this man with all his nerve and cheek threatening to cut short Kimiko’s dreams and to severe her ties from those she held dear.

An animalistic snarl slipped from her lips as her fists clenched and the ground beneath her began to crack loudly. In her rage, her chakra was building and building, surrounding her in a bright blue cloak as it started to create a small crater beneath her feet. Her chakra became much more erratic in its swirling destruction with the angrier she became, and by the peak point it had knocked Issen flying backwards into a waiting tree. Near said tree was one cut down and chopped into segments that Kimiko made a mental note of. Certain things like this could save her if things went horribly wrong. She turned on her heel and glared at him, chakra still expelling itself from her as it continued to build. “Are you quite finished?”

Age : 29 Posts : 3640

The reaction that followed was quite a strange one indeed. Issen, despite being flung backwards into a tree, was sat on the ground laughing. His laughter continued and built, growing and growing until it was the only sound Kimiko could hear echoing inside her head for what seemed to be an eternity. “What’s so funny?” She demanded when an answer wasn’t given to her question beforehand. The strange man slowly got to his feet, but stood there next to the tree with a wild glare in his eyes as he looked at the Katsumi before him. Still, he didn’t answer her, and just kept smirking beneath the mask that covered half his face. She opened her mouth to demand an answer once more, but a loud, booming sound echoed inside the cave behind her. She gasped and swung round, about to run for the cave, but decided against it when pieces of rock shattered and burst apart, bringing forth a huge shroud of dust with the explosion. She coughed as said dust found its way into her lungs and she was left squinting to see what had happened. There was no way that the two teenagers could have done that; they weren’t supposed to have any explosives or anything about their person, and they weren’t shinobi either. The mission detailed the fact that the pair would do something radical, but that involved moving the rocks by hand which of course could kill them, but this explosion… didn’t make any sense. As the dust settled, two figures were visible walking towards Kimiko, but as far as she could tell, both were built like males with their broad shoulders.

They now stood before her, and her assumption was right, both were men and both were shinobi. “An ambush…” She cursed, slowly backing away and in a direction that didn’t involve Issen or the two strange men that had burst forth from the cave. It was obviously an ambush, but it didn’t make sense. Both of the ambushers were male, and Kimiko definitely heard a female voice before when she was speaking to the people inside the cave. “Help us, Konoha shinobi!” The taller of the two males squeaked, his voice sounding exactly like the female-esque one Kimiko had heard before. So that explained that part… his partner started howling with laughter with a literal animalistic tone as he stared at the female in their midst, eyes wild and teeth bared, which she noticed appeared to be fangs. “Heh heh heh… who would have known that thish would be sho shuccessful?” He spoke with a lisp, probably because of the sharp fangs that he had to avoid biting his own lips with when he spoke. “Don’t worry, Kimiko… this wasn’t launched on you personally…” Issen explained briefly, advancing a few steps towards the retreating girl with a hand outstretched to her. “No matter who would have come we would have taken them with us… they would be so very important to us for our plans… but now that you’re here…” He paused and the three men started laughing simultaneously. “We have a bone or two to pick with you… and you’re wrong if you assume it’ll be short and painless.” He concluded, and the man who looked like a wolf howled with what could be interpreted as delight. Already it was quite obvious what the three intended to do, and Kimiko was already shaking as she felt physically sick from the thought of it. “You’re all monsters!” She shouted at them, her fists balling up as she continued to back away in order to keep her distance from the foul trio. “Why did you set this up in the first place?” She asked, keeping an edge of fear and defiance in her voice. “We want a Konoha shinobi as ransom material for when we start attacking the village…” The tall male snickered. “If they give us the money we ask for, we’ll leave and use the money to gather resources and new members to come back and crush Konoha once and for all.” Issen finished, obviously having the role of leader in the group. “And what better ransom material than you, with your rich boyfriend wanting oh-so desperately to get you back.” His tone changed to that of a higher pitch, obviously mocking the relationship that Kimiko and Toshiro shared.

Despite more and more light being shed on the situation, that didn’t mean it was making more sense. Generally, what was this hatred that the group had for Konoha in particular? They were prepared to fake a mission request in order to lure a shinobi of a moderate rank out into seclusion, capture them and then attack the village while offering the shinobi they captured as a ransom to stop the attack. When the money was paid, the group would go off and gather more resources/ members to come back and finish the job they started. More specifically, why were they so hateful of Kimiko? Well, from what Issen had told her, she had converted their ex-leader to the good side. In her eyes that wasn’t enough for somebody to conspire against you and plot your slow, painful demise. What else could she have done for the group to hate her? She was left with many more questions than answers. What was perhaps even more disturbing that she had been monitored and watched because Issen especially seemed to know a great deal about her. She felt uneasy while she looked at the males still creeping slowly after her, keeping a distance between them but still reminding her that they were there. Kimiko gritted her teeth and wondered what she should do. She didn’t know about the ranks or skill levels of these shinobi whatsoever. Literally all she knew was that Issen was nicknamed ‘flash’ for a reason; he was incredibly quick. The other two were a mystery to her. It could be far too risky to fight them all at once, and Kimiko’s mind started to work over time to think of a way to beat them and get away safely. “Do you know of Cheena and Kato?...” Issen suddenly spoke up once more, and Kimiko’s blood ran cold as her heart literally stopped for a millisecond before continuing its steady beat once more. “Maybe, or maybe not. What do they have to do with anything?” She spat, venom clear in her tone. The three males all looked at one another and took a small step back, making a comical move out of the sheer hatred that Kimiko held for the two aforementioned names. “They were a part of our group before you killed them both.” The wolf-like one snarled slightly, his black irises narrowing dangerously at the female before him. “We helped them with their research of the human body and modification.” Issen said calmly, at which point Kimiko’s blood had begun to boil all the more.

She didn’t know whether to be scared or really angry. They obviously had been monitoring her for some time now, for the incident she had in regards to her little sister’s biological parents was almost a year ago. But the anger continuing to grow inside her at the mere mention of financial support for the monsters that were Cheena and Kato was over-riding her current fear levels. “Such a pity they didn’t get to put all of their work into practise…” The taller male prompted, prodding deeper into Kimiko’s subconscious rage and only sparking an even bigger fire. “How about a girl called… Hinamori Asusha?” Issen asked, which immediately earned a loud roar of anger from Kimiko. Even the female who was her boyfriend’s sister had been involved with this group? “We provided her with support when she defected from Konoha, and we helped her get back on her feet when she was found alive at Demon’s Rest…” His taller companion stressed, and finally the cold fear that ran in Kimiko’s veins became obvious to her. This group… was no laughing matter. Despite being un-named to her, they had been associated with three strong shinobi, four if you counted Komo who had long been back on the good side. “Stop it! Stop it!” She screamed, her hands flying to either side of her head while she despaired about how much the trio knew, about how much they were getting to her, about how much they instilled raw fear into her very being. This had to be the first time in Katsumi Kimiko’s life when she was legitimately scared…

Age : 29 Posts : 3640

‘So this… is what fear feels like…’ Kimiko thought to herself, slowly casting a glance at her arms that were shaking slightly. She didn’t know it, but her face was contorted in sheer terror, her chocolate brown eyes wild and darker than usual, reflecting the bad situation she found herself in at present. ‘These shinobi… must be of a high rank to have their own criminal organisation… chances are… I’m done for if I engage in combat with them…’ This thought was heavier than a tonne of bricks, and something that she shouldn’t be thinking of right now. The three males who were still advancing on the girl before them were all sharing the same expression. Even though the lower part of Issen’s face was hidden, the smirk on his lips was evident as it was reflected in his eyes. The other two, who were un-named, were also smirking, their eyes screaming with unknown emotions all mingling together with a mutual desire to kill, or maim Kimiko. And then… there was the disgusting possibility of rape at hand here too. They had hinted at it before in a way that showed they were telling the truth, and either they were brilliant liars, or quite literally speaking their minds. The young Katsumi was hoping it was the former, and she continued to try and keep her distance from the males, making no sudden movements apart from her feet slowly moving backwards barely an inch at a time. The silence was deafening, and somehow Kimiko wished for it to be noisy, for the men to be talking at her about something. This quiet was even more disconcerting than the awful speaking before. “Ookami…” Issen suddenly muttered, and the wolf-like male looked towards him. “Takai…” The ring-leader spoke again, and this time the taller of the males looked round. So far there was a literal meaning behind each of their names; ‘ookami’ meant wolf, and ‘takai’ meant tall. Issen, as was revealed earlier, meant ‘fast’. They weren’t too creative with their nick-naming… Despite Issen not saying another word, the other two seemed to know what he was implying. Their smirks grew even wider, and the one name Ookami howled loudly in a way that could be interpreted as delightful. Kimiko was about to open her mouth to ask what they found so exciting, but she soon saw it for herself. Or rather, she couldn’t see it coming because her attention was on them. When she took her next couple of steps back, she felt cool, hard rock press against her back. She craned her neck round and gulped audibly as she saw a natural ledge of rock, stretching away as far as her eyes could see on both sides, and too tall to be scaled.

She was trapped.

‘Now it looks like I have no choice…’ She grimaced, faced with the steadily advancing figures of the three men before her. Her mind started to work frantically for answers that she couldn’t find, and slowly but surely, she started to accept what would happen. Her tense body relaxed suddenly, and she closed her eyes as she slouched back against the wall, sliding down it a fraction as she gave up. ‘It’s no use…’ She thought despondently, trying to fill her thoughts with things to occupy her, to immerse herself in. Her father and Aya. Toshiro and his family. Konoha and the Hokage Monument. The cherry blossom trees in full bloom during springtime. Autumnal weather in the training grounds. Winter snow like a blanket in the garden. Summer heat at the lake. All these wonderful images, with memories associated with them, played through her mind in flashes. ‘Is this what people mean when one’s life flashes before your eyes?’ She questioned inside her thoughts, watching as the faces of all the people she loved flashed so quickly, almost slipping away, when she felt a hand grip her shoulder. Too scared to look at first, she kept her eyes screwed shut, but slowly and surely, when nothing happened, she opened one eye, and then the other. She was in a strange, secluded space, filled with emptiness and nothing. It was hard to tell where above and below ended as they met on the horizon in a single black line of continuity. It was almost like a vacuum, Kimiko couldn’t hear anything, not even the sound of her own breathing. When she glanced to the side to see who had grabbed her shoulder, she was met with the all-too familiar sight of her mother. Sora was smiling, and she was wearing the clothes she had been in on the day she died, as she was whenever else she appeared to her daughter in these strange glimpses of her consciousness. Not a word was spoken between the pair, their eyes boring into one another’s in a way of communicating through silent means. And then, “You, of all people, are about to give up.” Kimiko raised her eyebrows at her mother simultaneously, seeming to be lost for words for a brief few seconds before she hung her head and stared at the black ground beneath her. “But there’s no way out… I’m sure you know full well that these men are highly ranked. I nearly died fighting two shinobi of my own rank, let alone three shinobi above my rank.” The girl stressed, using her hands for emphasis while speaking.

Her mother shook her head slightly, gently moving one hand to run a hair lovingly through her daughter’s long black hair. “A rank is just a letter. Without it, we are all equal and able to defeat who we see fit.” She said, her tone deep and thoughtful. “In my own time as a Chuunin, I was able to fight and win against some Jounin. Of course there will be others out there who are worthy of the rank they hold, but that’s not to say you are unable to beat them. These men… they are threatening to hurt all those you hold dear in your village, your home. Their manipulation is working on you, and you must not allow them to win before the battle has started!” The last line, as though perfectly scripted for this very moment, stirred something in Kimiko’s being that was there all along. She used it on a day to day basis, until today when it escaped her in the face of greater power. Her courage. Her determination. Her strength. It was all resurfacing when only seconds ago it had been lost to the awful emotion that was fear, and although it was normal, it was consuming, and if you allowed it to take hold, all was lost. “Y-You’re right, mother…” Kimiko said, clenching her fists tightly and looking up at Sora who was now smiling even more than she had been. Seeing the daughter she was used to, the fighter, the one who never gave in on anything, the saviour, was a relief. Without another word, the dream-like state started to fall apart, bits and pieces disintegrating to nothing in a gradual disappearance. Kimiko was left almost grabbing onto the final fragments of her mother, knowing that Sora could give her the inner strength she would need to defeat these men, the ones who were not only her own enemies, but enemies of Konoha and her loved ones. As it all faded to nothing, she was left with the words, “Don’t give up…” before her eyes flashed open in the real world to be met with the sight of Issen, Ookami and Takai still closing on her. They were within two feet of her now, not too close and not too far away. And now was the time for her to fight back.

She started scanning her surroundings with greater detail than she had done before. The forest on her left included a felled tree which had been cut into segments, obviously for villagers who must live close by. She had noticed this before, and it didn’t slip her mind now. Kimiko appeared outwardly that she had given up, holding her arms out to the sides to show that she had nothing about her person to harm the approaching group of males with. When their guard was slightly down, her left hand flicked into the hand seal required to perform a Kawarimi, swapping her body with one of the tree segments that she had seen. As soon as she felt her feet touch the ground again after the technique, she was off like a shot, running through a sequence of well-known hand seals to her by now. While running, she transformed using her Lion Transformation Jutsu, and thus had taken on her lion appearance. Whisker marks were now scattered on her face, three on each cheek. A pair of lion ears protruded from her hair atop her head. A swishing lion’s tail was visible at her lower back where it connected to her backside. Her hands had semi-transformed into paws with the main addition being long, sharp lion claws, and the same had happened to her feet. The claws weren’t as obvious here for they were hidden a little inside her sandals. And her eyes that had previously been chocolate brown were a glowing amber colour having widened a fair bit also. With the aid of her transformation technique, her speed increased dramatically while she ran, and with her sharp hearing she heard the cries of frustration behind her from her attempted captors while she ran away. Soon they were in hot pursuit, following close on her tail but not being able to catch her up.

It was almost like a cat and mouse game in reverse…

Jutsu Used:

Chakra Remaining:

Age : 29 Posts : 3640

{Had to post this seperately because of the character limits. Don't count this post as a mission post!}

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NPCs

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Name: Issen (Real name unknown)
Letter Rank: A
Specialty: Taijutsu, Ninjutsu
Elemental Affinities: Suiton, Raiton
Combat Style: Issen relies heavily on his speed in combat. Despite being a Taijutsu specialist, his techniques don't rely solely on strength. They are more dependant on his speed and execution of the technique. As a user of Suiton and Raiton Ninjutsu, he first soaks his opponent before electrifying them for added damage/ effect. He only fights if an opponent pushes the boundaries, but otherwise likes to let his cronies do the work for him.
Special Characteristics:
Name: Flash Speed
Rank: A
Type: Physical
Physical Requirements: Must Specialize in Weaponry or Taijutsu.
Training Requirements: A 1600 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The final level in the art of speed accessible to those who have undergone intense training in high speed movement. The possessor of this talent has an increased speed of 60% which makes them remarkably faster. At this stage their speed has transcended so high that their movements are essentially instant, being capable of enclosing short distances in a blink and moving at undetectable levels.
Name: Blurred Hand Movement
Rank: A
Type: Physical
Physical Requirements: Requires no specific specialization.
Training Requirements: A 1600 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: A skillful and convenient characteristic that is learned to those who have practiced in the art of hand speed movement in nearly all forms. There are many uses for this characteristic as it can enhance nearly all forms of specializations. It is essentially the practice of moving and manipulating your hands with expert efficiency to the point where they become a blur. With this special characteristic a ninja can perform any number of hand seals within seconds or instantly depending on the amount of seals necessary. This allows them to execute techniques faster than the opponent can perceive providing unsuspecting attacks. This technique also allows the user to draw seals and perform attacks with their weapons quicker. Lastly it allows puppeteers to maneuver and manipulate their puppets in extremely high speeds where their hands become a blur.
Name: Dark Chakra
Rank: B
Type: Chakra Based
Physical Requirements: N/A
Training Requirements: A 1400 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: A characteristic given to ninja whose path in life had led them to darkness and destruction. Baring malevolent thoughts and and a merciless personality, the ninja's chakra reflects their dark nature and now takes the appearance of a sinister purple and black energy. Those who look upon the ninja can sense their dark chakra and can be awed by the demonic sight. Not only does it effect visuals, but provides some other protection as well. Those who try to sap the ninja's dark chakra will be struck with immense fear and dark emotion.
Description: Issen is the 'leader' of a currently unknown and unpublicised criminal organisation that runs operations in many countries across the shinobi world. They seem to help cast out Missing Nin and give them support to take revenge, or even give them resources to do so. Their plan is to destroy Konoha for unknown reasons using a Konoha shinobi as bait for a trap.
Jutsu:

Spoiler:

Quote :

Name: Ookami (Real name unknown)
Letter Rank: B
Specialty: Fuuinjutsu, Ninjutsu
Elemental Affinities: Doton, Katon
Combat Style: Ookami is a mid-range fighter who is often forced into close combat by his lazy 'leader' Issen. His wolf-like appearance intimidates many, and the teeth he has aren't just for show. He fights dirty, and will sink to any means in order to win a fight no matter how shameless it may be. His specialisation in Fuuinjutsu makes him the group's sealing expert, and for this reason alone he is a valued member for their 'bigger picture' plan involves this directly. He has little to no comprehension or care for chakra he is using, and thus spams many techniques at once to try and overwhelm an opponent.
Special Characteristics:
Name: Improved Endurance
Rank: C
Type: Physical
Physical Requirements: N/A
Training Requirements: A 600 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The first level in the art of endurance accessible to those who have undergone intensive training. The possessor of this talent has an increased endurance of 20% which makes them slightly tougher. They can withstand greater damage that could otherwise stun them in pain, and continue fighting.
Name: Doton Prodigy
Rank: C
Type: Chakra Based
Physical Requirements: Must have Earth Affinity
Training Requirements: A 200 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: A trait given to ninja who posses a natural talent for earth manipulation and has trained thoroughly to improve their skill. Their power over the earth element becomes so talented that the ninja is now considered a young prodigy in the wind element. Because of this, the user's earth techniques are 20% stronger with an increase in strength, durability and power.
Name: Large Chakra Capacity
Rank: B
Type: Chakra Based
Physical Requirements: Must have Increased Chakra Capacity
Training Requirements: A 1200 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The ninja continues their mediation and physical training which further increases their chakra capacity. Ninja with large chakra capacities have an increased chakra of 35CP
Description: Perhaps the one who looks the most intimidating of the group, Ookami is very loud and openly threatening to everyone he meets. He also has great perversions in regard to most things female. He is subservient only to Issen, but is otherwise really unruly and comes over as a monster.
Jutsu:

Spoiler:

Quote :

Name: Takai (Real name unknown)
Letter Rank: B
Specialty: Genjutsu, Eijutsu
Elemental Affinities: Fuuton, Suiton
Combat Style: Takai is a long-range fighter who supports his partner Ookami in battle. He is proficient in Genjutsu that he takes great pride in, and his Medical Ninjutsu is invaluable to the team. He will avoid hand-to-hand combat at all costs, and as such his evasion is overall quite good. He also has the ability of a Sensory Ninja which only aids him in avoiding all forms of physical fighting.
Special Characteristics:
Name: Sensor Ninja
Rank: B
Type: Chakra Based
Physical Requirements: N/A
Training Requirements: A 1200 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The ninja awakens a dormant talent they've possessed and develops a new type of sensory. Now being classified as a "Sensor Ninja" the ninja is capable of detecting the presence of other people through their chakra. A sensor can detect their targets from a great distance which can extend 100m, as well as differentiate the characters by their signature chakra alone. They can pin-point any individual within their sensory limit even if they are surrounded in a crowd and even locate other sensor ninja. A sensor can determine a persons location, chakra capacity, chakra type, and even emotions when in a locating position.
Name: Evasiveness
Rank: C
Type: Physical
Physical Requirements: None.
Training Requirements: A 600 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The ninja trains their ability in more advanced evasive maneuvers which serves the purpose of avoiding enemy attacks. The survivability of the ninja increases as they are now capable of executing quicker flips and dodging basic forms of physical attacks by reading an enemies movement.
Name: Yin Release.
Rank: D-S.
Type: Chakra Based.
Physical Requirements: Must have Genjutsu specialty.
Training Requirements: 700.
Description: Genjutsu is a notably skillful specialization that requires great intelligence and chakra control in order to perform. Those who have attained this special characteristic have met those criteria which has allowed them to take their illusions to the next plane. Genjutsu fittingly falls under the broad category of Yin Release and it has been revealed that those with superior talent in Genjutsu likewise have greater mastery in Yin Release. This type of mastery allows them to more accurately manipulate the victim's chakra flow to their brain and stimulate more powerful illusions, making you're illusions more realistic and bypassing a persons perception. Because of your more powerful illusions, it now takes double the chakra cost to perform a Kai Release than it normally would for targets.
Description: Takai, although extremely sadistic, is the quieter, less willing one of the group. He doesn't openly speak very much, and if he does it is mainly to cause pain to others rather to make an actual input. He takes delight in seeing others experiencing great pain, and as a huge contrast to this he is a Medical Ninja, the only one within the group's organisation.
Jutsu:

Spoiler:

Age : 29 Posts : 3640

Without any indication of any hand signs being made or any increase in speed, Issen appeared in front of Kimiko with a hand outstretched, aiming to grab her by the throat and immobilise her. Having seen this change just in time, she ducked below Issen’s arm, planting her hand on the ground and swinging her legs round to keep momentum, also striking a blow where men were weakest. Issen cried out and sunk to his knees, cursing loudly and shouting at Ookami and Takai to restrain their escaping bait. The two males sped up their pace, but so did Kimiko. She veered off into the trees and hopped up tree branches until she was running in the canopies. With her zigzag movement it would hopefully keep her pursuers off her trail, or at least disorientate them a bit. Also with her heightened senses, she was able to use her nose to smell if they were near, or use her ears in order to hear. Almost straight away, however, Takai leapt down in front of her, blocking her pathway forwards. He smirked at her, and she noticed that his hand was formed in a way that would resemble a starting hand seal. ‘How strange…’ She thought as she pushed back off the tree branch she was standing on so that she wouldn’t get caught by the tall male before her. Doing so unfortunately brought her within a snatching distance of Ookami who had just appeared behind her. She yelped as she saw him just in time, spinning her body round sharply and only just finding a tree branch to support her weight as she went flying off to the side in a skilful dodge. She was now faced with both men who had been tasked with finding her, and they were closing in pretty quickly now they knew about her ability to run away. Issen was still nowhere to be seen, and Kimiko had to wonder why he wasn’t taking the forefront of this assault. But such thoughts could be continued when she was out of this predicament.

Ookami moved in front of Takai, an obvious sign that he was aiming to attack Kimiko in close combat. The wolf-like man snarled as a smirk slowly overtook his face, his dangerously sharp teeth protruding over his bottom lip menacingly. Kimiko returned the animalistic snarl with one of her own, baring her sharpened canines at him also. He started making a rapid set of hand seals, at which the Katsumi leapt backwards in preparation for the incoming attack. A loud groaning sound was heard from below her, and when she looked down briefly to see what was happening, she was met by a rapidly rising earth spike coming straight at her face. She moved backwards just in time, the spear shaving off a couple of her hairs. If she had stayed there a moment longer, there was no doubt it would have impaled through her face. ‘A Doton user…’ Similar earthen spikes had risen all the way around her, crossing above her head in a tepee fashion, trapping her and Ookami inside. “Well this is a pretty crap fight arena.” She said coldly, staying on her toes while crouched on the tree branch. He laughed at her, slowly edging forwards. “Then in that case it’ll be a pretty crap death for you.” He retorted arrogantly, repeating Kimiko’s words to patronise her. And then, he launched himself forwards as he aimed to punch the girl in the face. She was ready and sprung up into the air to avoid it, aided by her crouched position earlier. While she was up in the air, she was careful not to get caught on the earthen spikes above her head, and came crashing down with a hard kick which she aimed at the man’s head. He dodged backwards, and Kimiko’s foot collided with the tree branch they were fighting on, causing it to crack and groan. Sensing the way in which the branch would fall, she jumped backwards to the tree trunk, but Ookami wasn’t that lucky. He stumbled and fell before he could get to safety, and landed along with the branch on the floor where his earth spikes had risen from. Upon closer inspection, she saw that said spikes were quite brittle, especially since they had risen quite a fair way from the ground below them. She brought her arms in to her chest, and threw them outwards again while expelling some chakra, effectively snapping all the spikes around her to give her free reign again.

She noticed at this point that Takai was quite far back, keeping his distance from the earlier fight between his team mate and their target. While she was looking at him, however, the world she was in started to dissolve around her. ‘A Genjutsu?! How careless of me…’ She cursed as it appeared around her again, this time with a red sky and nothing for miles around. Suddenly, the tall figure of Takai started moving towards her, and he was smirking with delight at something. He didn’t speak, and when Kimiko herself tried to open her mouth to shout at him, she couldn’t say anything. It was almost as though the oxygen had been taken away from the atmosphere and she couldn’t speak, nothing was heard. She gulped and started to back away, all the while in her conscience trying to pull herself out of the illusion. Her back was met with something cool and solid, and when she turned around a tree had appeared behind her. Its branches moved wildly, capturing Kimiko’s arms, legs and body to stop her moving. The branches bound her so tightly that she felt as though she couldn’t breathe, the breathlessness affecting her in reality as she slumped against the tree behind her so many feet in the air, clutching at her throat as though she was unable to breathe here as well. Takai was right in front of her now, holding a kunai in his hand and moving it towards her chest. She attempted to thrash about and get free, but managed to move no more than an inch if anything. Reality hit her hard when she felt something sharp pierce her chest. With the illusion broken only by the pain inflicted on her, Kimiko slowly looked up at the steady arm that belonged to Takai. He had thrust the kunai into her chest, where her heart should be on the right side. It was obvious they didn’t want her killed, they wanted to capture her. Blood flourished from the deep wound, and Kimiko found her limbs going limp, her breathing slowing to a dangerous level, and her vision already going hazy…

Suddenly, Takai cried out and doubled over, and when Kimiko looked at the tall man properly, she spotted a new addition to his abdomen; a katana. The sound of metal sliding out of flesh was heard, and Takai fell from the tree branch, landing with a thud on the ground below. With her vision fading and knowing she was about to pass out, Kimiko had to really strain to see who it was that had saved her. The figure moved closer and knelt down on one knee. It was a male, quite well-built and clothed in a long-sleeved mesh shirt (of which one sleeve was ripped off), black wraps around the bare arm, a black t-shirt over that, cropped black trousers with bandages wrapped around them in numerous places and black shinobi sandals. He started talking to her, but she was too far gone to hear what he was saying. As he leaned in closer, it finally dawned on her through her misty eyes who it was, and had to reconsider many times before comprehending that she had been right. “K… Komo-san?!”

Kimi's Jutsu + Chakra Count:

Ookami's Jutsu + Chakra Count:

Takai's SCs, Jutsu + Chakra Count:

Age : 29 Posts : 3640

Komo:

Issen:

Komo smiled at her as he made a couple of hand seals and a green aura appeared around both his hands, performing the Mystical Palm technique to heal her wound. “Please, Kimiko, didn’t I tell you not to be so formal with me when we first met, hm?” He asked with a chuckle, concentrating on the wound while he healed it. Slowly, Kimiko’s vision started returning, and she sighed with relief as she propped herself up better on the tree trunk behind her. “And didn’t I tell you to call me Kimi?” She asked in return, raising an eyebrow and grinning at him cheekily. The dark-haired man sighed and shook his head, returning his different-coloured eyes to the job at hand. “Ah, you haven’t changed a bit. Apart from in appearance; I must admit I’d never have thought you of all people could grow up so much from looking like a young boy.” He mused with a smirk while Kimiko frowned and attempted to move in order to smack him on the head, but he stopped her with a playful glare in her direction. She noticed that a Sunagakure headband was tied around his neck loosely, showing his affiliation to the Sand Village. “You don’t scrub up too bad yourself… tramp.” She came back at him quickly afterwards, the grin from before infecting her features even more. He laughed and removed his hands from over the wound, and now there was no longer any trace of it being there apart from the hole in her shirt and blood on her clothes. She thanked him and got to her feet, politely declining the help offered to her. “So I assume you’ve heard the story since you’re caught up in this mess?” He asked, looking sideways at her while she nodded her head silently. “I see. I am very sorry for lying to you and Toshiro back then, Kimi, but it had to be done. And as things turned out, it was for the better as you reignited my passion for being good.” He finished with a smile that Kimiko happily returned. “There’s no need to apologise, Komo. I’m just glad that I was able to save you before it was too late.” She said firmly and then looked him in the eye. “I take it that since you rescued me we’re going to team up now?” She asked with a grin, clenching her fists and holding them ready for a fight. He nodded at her, matching her grin with one of his own. “That’s correct. I know quite a lot about these three’s fighting strategies which would be useful for us as well. We should go to find Issen right away; going against those two wastes time and plays right into his hands.” He pointed at Ookami and Takai when he mentioned them, both on the floor and not really moving, the former because of the tree branch on top of him and the latter because of the deep stab wound in his abdomen. “Right. I’ll see if I can find his scent.” Kimiko nodded in understanding, and eagerly started sniffing the air, making the whisker marks on her cheeks twitch. Although it was faint, she caught a whiff of Issen and turned in that direction; even further into the forest. “This way!” She claimed and took off, bounding across the tree branches with ease, Komo following slightly behind her.

While they moved to find Issen, Kimiko turned to the man beside her with a curious expression. “If you’re a Suna shinobi now, what are you doing in the Fire Country?” She asked, and Komo slowly nodded as if he had expected that very question. “We started having reports of our shinobi going missing around these parts, so I took up the gauntlet to find out what was happening. Due to the nature of the disappearances, I knew who was behind it and it became personal for me. I found out about you being here upon catching word of it from Issen while spying; they were very excited that it was you who accepted their fake mission.” He explained to her while they were moving. “I followed you, Ookami and Takai when you broke off into the woods. Nice hit on Issen, by the way… even if I did cringe upon seeing it.” He chuckled and Kimiko laughed sheepishly, turning to the left and following the more potent smell of the man they were discussing. “Sorry about that… but it was a weakness I definitely knew of.” She shrugged a little. It went silent for a while afterwards, just the sounds of the passing air and quiet steps on tree branches as they ran. “So I heard Toshiro and yourself are together now.” Komo said to break the silence, smiling round at the girl who now blushed a little. “It seems that everybody knows that.” She laughed, but was unable to stop herself smiling upon thinking of the very male she loved dearly. “But yes, we are.” She confirmed, at which her new partner started chuckling to himself. “I knew it would happen from that day you both appeared in the cave. He obviously saw something in you even then, which I find very hard to believe because of your boyish appearance at the time. He might even be gay, you know…” He was met by a hard smack to the back of the head for saying that, and an enraged glare from Kimiko beside him. “But of course now he’s the luckiest man alive.” He added quickly, flinching in preparation for another smack that didn’t come. Kimiko just sighed and shook her head, rolling her eyes and focusing ahead of them once more. “Maybe you should quit before you dig yourself deeper into a hole.” She advised with a little smirk.

Kimiko held up a hand suddenly when her nose had effectively found their target, signalling for her partner to stop. He did so quickly, and the pair looked down into the clearing they had found themselves in. Issen was sat with his back to them on a rock, one leg crossed loosely over the other. He was humming to himself tunelessly, to the point where Kimiko’s sensitive ears started to ring. They pressed down on her head while she squinted one eye trying to bear it. Issen suddenly stopped his awful humming and turned round, smirking as he saw the pair confronting him. “Ah, so nice of you to join me. Komo-sama… long time no see…” His voice was sickly sweet, and a sudden rage started to build up inside Kimiko the more she looked at the hateful man. She hadn’t really noticed beforehand, but the chakra he radiated was scarily… dark. Never before had she encountered anyone with such a dark chakra; such an evil aura. Now that things were still and not all action/ fear, she could sense it better. “So the other two weren’t too much of a bother to you?” He asked, but despite being met with no answer continued anyway. “Such a shame. But let’s forget about them for now. Taking down my old sensei and the one who corrupted him… should be interesting, don’t you think?” Again, he was met with silence. He had briefly taken his eyes off Kimiko, and he was only alerted to her presence again when she struck the ground where he had been stood. An almighty crash filled the clearing, and a crater was formed in the ground. Chunks of earth flew up, covering Kimiko for a second or two while Issen was in the air in mid-jump. When the earth fell away, he was aware of the large, venomous amber eyes glaring at him. Kimiko straightened up and stood with her paw-like hands curled up into fists. “I didn’t corrupt anybody… it’s you who is corrupt!” She shouted at him, pointing an accusing finger topped with a very sharp claw. Issen played innocent, holding up his palms in a placating manner as he continued in a calm tone, “There’s no need to point, my dear Kimi-chan…” But he was cut off before he could finish. Kimiko had launched herself from her spot high into the air above Issen, and came crashing down on him, or rather a piece of tree trunk that he had replaced himself with. Yet another crater was created from the sheer strength of the impact, and she crouched low on the tree trunk, the claws on her feet protruding even longer and shredding through her sandals to scrape on the log. “I don’t even want to hear your evil voice saying my name!” She roared, sinking her claws into the log below her as she threw it with alarming speed at her target.

It struck a tree behind where Issen had been, smashing it into tiny pieces that filled the whole clearing. Komo hopped down from the tree where he had been stood, moving beside Kimiko and placing a hand on her shoulder. He didn’t know whether to be scared or impressed when the girl turned to look at him with such anger and hatred in her eyes; the extreme emotions were making her so much stronger. And for that he was thankful. They would need every ounce of strength in order to beat this man so famed for his speed that allowed him to dodge any attack thrown at him. Where Issen had reappeared, he looked slightly flustered. He threw the long black cloak he had been wearing on the ground, symbolising that he was about to get very serious indeed. The rest of his clothing was black to match his attire and dark look, his clothing consisting of a black shirt which had the sleeves ripped off, full-length black trousers and black shinobi sandals. His black half mask covered his neck also. He wore a pair of frayed black fingerless gloves, and around his waist was an old forehead protector proclaiming that he was from Konohagakure no Sato. A large, black cross had been scored through the symbol, however, showing that he was a Missing Nin. His somewhat long, dark purple hair covered his right eye, but the left was glowing a bright green. “So if this is how you want to play it…” He started, standing in a position that said he was prepared to fight. Kimiko and Komo stood side by side, determination plastered on both their faces. “This all ends here, Issen!” The Katsumi shouted, punching a fist forwards in the male’s general direction to show that the gauntlet had indeed been thrown down.

Kimi's Jutsu and Chakra Count:

Age : 29 Posts : 3640

{Same as the last post of NPCs}
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NPC
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Quote :

Name: Komo
Letter Rank: A
Specialty: Eijutsu, Ninjutsu
Elemental Affinities: Fuuton, Doton
Combat Style: Komo is a typical battle medic. He is able to hold his ground in a fight situation and still be able to heal his allies. He has strong Ninjutsu, and due to his medic training his physical combat is also quite good. There aren't many attacks that can hit him with the intense training he puts into his evasiveness abilities also. When fighting with an ally, he provides support rather than dominate a fight.
Special Characteristics:
Name: Medical Chief
Rank: A
Type: Chakra Based
Physical Requirements: Must have Experienced Medical Nin
Training Requirements: A 2000 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: A ability acquired to highly experienced medical ninja whose power in healing could be considered legendary. Through intensive training and studying the medical ninja has attained near superhuman knowledge of the medical field which includes but not limited to; anatomy, biology, chemistry and toxicology. With their now flawless chakra control and vast knowledge, the medical ninja's eijutsu potency is increased by 40% which allows them to rapidly heal wounds and heal through injuries others would deem impossible. They can identify injuries a person possesses from a single glance and can treat them accordingly. From their knowledge of poisons the medical ninja now has enough skill to create antidotes for virtually any poison given a sample and proper supplies.

Name: Fuuton Master
Rank: A
Type: Chakra Based
Physical Requirements: Must have Fuuton Prodigy
Training Requirements: A 1600 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: The title given to those elite ninja who've become legendary for their power and skill over the wind element. Being classified as a prodigy during their early years, the ninja has now mastered the wind element and attains great power from their continuous training. The ninja's wind techniques are now 40% more destructive, which is measured via the increase in pressure, size, and slicing ability. The user can now naturally produce wind chakra around them which can deflect small things such as weapons and create small gales. Through such mastery they also gain the ability to access a sub-element from the wind element known as 'Sound Release'. This allows them to create specialized jutsu under this sub-element.

Name: Elite Evasiveness
Rank: A
Type: Physical
Physical Requirements: Must specialize in Taijutsu, Weaponry or Medical.
Training Requirements: A 1600 word training post is required to gain this special characteristic.
Description: With further training and a now natural instinct to keep oneself alive under all circumstances the user now gains this characteristic. The ninja now has perfect evasive talents which allows them to perform a limitless array of stunts and maneuvers to escape physical attacks. Their movements become so fluid and precise that they can even dodge dozens of weapons from all angles by performing quick maneuvers that can range from somersaults, black flips, and other forms of physical motions. Essentially only unavoidable forms of attacks can hit a evasive expert in their prime.
Description: Not long ago, Komo had the appearance and demeanour of a tramp. Back in his normal self, he looks polished and sharp. At one time, he had been the leader of the still un-named criminal organisation threatening to take down Konoha, but upon meeting Katsumi Kimiko his passion for good was reignited, and he went back on the honourable path of a shinobi. His village of origin is Konoha, but after the crimes he committed he went under a new identity to Suna to ensure he wasn't recognised.
Jutsu:

Spoiler:

Age : 29 Posts : 3640

No retort was given by Issen, at least, if he was going to give one it was cut off swiftly by a fist to the face. He dodged just at the last second, jumping backwards and stumbling with a muttered curse as he watched Kimiko who had just moved with such speed to attack him, and the more he dodged the more she looked as though the rage was building up inside her. Komo moved to her side, gently nudging her shoulder to get her attention. “Kimi… just wait for a second… you need to know some more about Issen before going in to blindly attack…” He said quietly enough for just the designated listener to hear, and Kimiko seemed to calm down enough to stand still and look at the man addressing her. With her attention on him, Komo nodded his head a little and continued. “As you can probably tell, his speed is the main issue. No matter what you throw at him, he’ll be able to dodge it. That’s why we need to work together on this. I’ve found that he will try and single out an opponent due to the fact that two people against him is his downfall when they alternate attacks; he can’t dodge everything, no matter how fast he may be.” He told her, all the while watching his old student with an unreadable expression in his eyes. At the time he was teaching Issen, he was still a Konoha shinobi, and both of them were going to leave the village after the youth’s parents were put in exile. Upon finding out more on the incident, Komo found that Issen’s parents had been behind a plot to leak information to Kumogakure, and were single-handedly responsible for the Third Great Shinobi War breaking out. It was expected that the pair would be exiled, and he was surprised they weren’t killed over the incident. Kimiko nodded her head in understanding, turning back to watch her opponent’s movements. “Okay… in that case… follow my lead.” She stated simply, darting off with her own alarming speed towards Issen.

A chuckle was earned from the purple-haired man before her as she rushed at him, and his attention was solely drawn to her. He forgot for a second that Komo was a threat, and that would ultimately cause him some pain in the near future. “You know it’s pointless, don’t you?” He said, an amused smile playing on his lips as Kimiko launched strike after strike at him. At times her claws got a little too close to comfort for him, and he couldn’t hide the surprise in his eyes while he continued to dodge. Eventually, he was intimidated enough to lash out, ducking beneath a palm strike aimed at his face and swinging his leg round in a low kick in the aim to take Kimiko down. Caught unaware, her legs buckled under the impact from the kick and she stumbled to the floor, sustaining multiple hard kicks to her right side. Issen leant down and picked her up by the collar of her shirt, holding her face inches from his while he clenched his other hand into a fist. “Heh…” He mocked, although a little out of breath by the rather over-the-top show of physical prowess. He had gotten riled up and irritated, which was something that rarely ever happened to him, and truth be told, he was scared, annoying himself even more and thus slowly giving way to his emotions. “You, Katsumi Kimiko, are a pest, a pest that needs to be stamped out and dealt with.” He spat venomously at her, tightening his grip on her shirt and shaking her a little. “And I’ll do just that.” He chuckled deeply, his dark eyes widening while he looked at the rather terrified-looking face of the girl he was holding. Before he could do anything, visible Fuuton chakra appeared behind him, and thus was only seen by Kimiko. As it gathered into a compacted state, it was sliced down Issen’s back. The wind had taken the form of a beastly claw, and after it had struck its target, the Fuuton chakra exploded. All that was heard was a cry of pain from Issen, and Kimiko shut her eyes tightly as she felt the grip on her shirt collar release and the wind reach her. When she opened her eyes, she was held in Komo’s arms a good few feet away from where Issen was now partially knelt on the ground with blood dripping from the wound on his back. Three claw-esque marks showed that Komo’s jutsu had been successful. The explosion of chakra had blown away the young male’s half mask, but his longish purple hair was masking the lower half of his face while he stared at the ground. Heavy, angered breathing could be heard from the male as he slowly got to his feet, arms hanging limply at his sides as his dark eyes focused on Kimiko and Komo.

A wordless thank you was given to Komo as the Katsumi female was put back down on the ground next to her partner, and they assessed the condition of their opponent. To say that Issen was furious would be an understatement. His dark chakra was now visible, swirling madly around his body. A deranged smirk covered the man’s face, reaching his eyes and making them flicker strangely, and Kimiko couldn’t bring herself to look into them. She felt that if she did, she would be sucked inside the depths of hell, never to return. “We need to keep to the strategy… now more than ever…” Komo muttered to the girl beside him, who nodded her head in acknowledgement. She knew this. Having already experienced fear for the first time in her life today, it didn’t feel strange to her when she felt it now. She gulped somewhat inaudibly and straightened up, her feline eyes flicking up and down Issen. “How cowardly… attacking a man’s back… now, face me head on!” He screeched, his dark chakra peaking at his point and flaring up into the sky as he dashed forward, arms behind him to increase his streamlining. “Here he comes!” Kimiko shouted, leaping to the side as she realised Issen wasn’t going for her. He was going straight for Komo. The man was prepared, however, and when Issen threw his fist outwards to punch his old sensei, a punch matched his. The bright blue chakra of Komo and the dark black chakra of Issen clashed in the connected punch, spiralling out of control until it created a huge explosion, sending up dust that covered the whole clearing. The two men continued to fight one another at close-range, Issen using Taijutsu techniques and Komo using strikes fuelled with chakra. Kimiko stayed back for now, moving round the clearing and sliding up to Issen’s left side. She was noticed, but a little too late. She had already struck him hard across his left arm, her claws sinking into his flesh and tearing at it until he pushed her off with a powerful palm strike that hit her square in the chest. She was sent flying backwards and through two trees before her momentum stopped, leaving her in a heap beside the last tree she had been launched through. She got to her feet, her limbs shaking and her breathing ragged; that strike felt as though it could have broken her ribs.

She gingerly placed a hand on her chest, pressing down and moving it around to check. It felt sore and sensitive, but not broken. She was used to broken bones, and this pain didn’t come close to that level. She ran back to the clearing to almost be caught up in a fierce battle of Ninjutsu between the two men. Issen had used a Suiton technique that soaked Komo, and to follow it up a Raiton jutsu was following close behind. The black-haired man swiftly countered with a Fuuton jutsu that easily overpowered the lightning, and with excess power continued to knock Issen back. Kimiko performed a succession of rapid hand seals that she knew well, spewing forth a large lion’s head as she used her Konoha no Hōkō - Konoha's Roar technique. She controlled the lion’s head and lined it up to hit Issen, an unexpected gust of Fuuton aiding her jutsu from her partner in mid-execution. Issen, who was still recovering from being knocked back, was caught unawares by the jutsu until the last minute as it brushed past him and set his clothing alight. It turned his shirt and half of his trousers to a crisp instantly, and the embers continued to burn his skin, leaving minor burns as he patted them down and cursed loudly. The battle between both sides raged on, Kimiko and Komo versus Issen. It slowly reached a point where each person involved had considerable amounts of wounds, were almost exhausted and almost literally fighting on will power alone. Kimiko panted while she tried to catch her breath, holding a hand on the deep slice wound on her left leg that had been inflicted by Issen’s Raiton jutsu. Her body was covered in scratches and bruises of varying severity. Blood trickled from both sides of her mouth, and her nose. Her clothing had been burnt, or soaked, or ripped apart, leaving only just the right amount to keep her modesty. Her long black hair was matted with dirt and blood. But her transformed amber eyes burnt brightly with determination. They would win this fight, they had to win this fight. For Konoha. For her loved ones. And for her dream.

Komo was badly wounded, but perhaps not as much as his partner. His evasiveness made sure of that; he was able to dodge more than Kimiko, who, despite the aid of her transformation jutsu, had taken the brunt of Issen’s powerful attacks. And the evil man himself had sustained many awful wounds too. Not as badly injured as the Katsumi he was facing, he was also less injured than his old sensei. And he was getting cocky. “What’s the matter, you two? Had enough?” He taunted, looking first at Kimiko and then at Komo. “I could keep going all day!” He cackled, earning a sharp glare from the black-haired female opposite him. “Yeah, well, so can I!” She shouted, shooting a glance at her partner with a look that said ‘let’s finish this, right now’. She charged straight at Issen, ignoring the screaming pain in most, if not all, her limbs and went to attack him with a flurry of high kicks, low kicks and punches. He dodged them with relative ease, but finally she got the hit she was hoping for, straight in the stomach with a strong kick. He groaned and doubled over slightly, biting his lip until he drew blood as he tried to resist his natural instincts. But the pain… he slowly succumbed to it. Kimiko reached her hands up high above her head, bringing them down hard to the back of Issen’s head and grabbing chunks of his hair to pull his head up again, at which point she swiftly kneed him in the face. “Now!” She screamed, her voice breaking but she didn’t care. Komo appeared from behind Issen, and launched swift, high kick at the evil man’s back, sending him flying into the air. Kimiko made a series of rapid hand signs and pushed her right palm up into the air. Komo threw six shuriken into the blast of wind made, and the jutsu made contact, obvious by both the screams from Issen and the new height to which he ascended. Komo took this as his chance, making hand signs of his own and immediately afterwards the ground beneath them began to groan as pillars of earth shot up to meet Issen’s rapidly descending body. The pillars wrapped themselves around Issen, encompassing him inside. With the new weight that the heavy rock added, the coffin-type container hit the ground, burying itself in the earth. “This is your grave…” Kimiko muttered, making a few more hand signs and punching a hole in the top of the earthen coffin, spewing forth a fireball that entered the hole.

At first there were blood-curdling screams, and then there was silence. Kimiko sighed deeply, her legs giving out from underneath her as she stumbled to the ground beside the upright coffin. “Haaaaaaah… haaaaaah…” She breathed deeply, her breath raspy and hoarse from the exertion she had used. She dispelled her transformation jutsu then, her regular appearance replacing that of her lioness one. She looked up at Komo who was half-smiling at her. The pair stayed silent, looking at the coffin as if expecting it to burst open at any second. When they had waited ten minutes at least, Kimiko collapsed fully onto the ground beneath her, laid on her back with her arms stretched out to the sides while she looked up at the darkening sky. “Mission… accomplished…”

Kimi's Jutsu, SC and Chakra Count:

Komo's Jutsu, SC and Chakra Count:

Issen's SCs and Chakra Count: