Open Cursed Life Sculpting

Yuuto sat in a run down home, the red lights providing just enough space to grant him privacy.

Though the Kazekage had instructed him to remain in the upper levels, the residential districts, looking like this made that impossible.

Yuuto looked like a monster. He was not unaware of his predicament.

He would make it up to the Kazekage, of course, in due time.

For now, he had to focus on the task in front of him.

Yuuto lowered his gaze to the floor where his summoning scroll lay unraveled, its length covered in various monster parts arranged with deliberate care.

He examined each piece in turn. Sand shark hides, rubbery and thick. Malleable bones harvested from their frames. Lunar angelfish tissue. Shockbound eel segments. Pixie remains. Gryphon parts and more.

Monsters that were unique, rare, even mythical. Creatures that once lived and breathed, now reduced to components, sorted and stacked into neat piles.

Yuuto moved to the door and checked the hallway once more.

He leaned out just enough to look both ways, scanning for movement. The large house that had been converted into a hostel served as a temporary base for travelers and mercenaries alike.

The building itself was a piece of trash, rotting wood and filth that had clearly gone untouched for months. The owner had been more than happy to let Yuuto stay the night for fifty thousand yen, on the condition that no one else came near the top floor.

So far, so good.

He would need complete concentration for what came next.

Yuuto closed the door and surveyed the room again, taking stock of the limited space. It was not ideal, but it would suffice.

Along one wall, his puppets stood lined up, compact and motionless, arranged to take up as little room as possible.

He crossed to a cupboard in the corner. Resting atop it was an old wooden box, dark and stained like iron-set cherrywood. Dust and cobwebs clung to its surface, evidence of long neglect.

It had seen the passage of time.

Yuuto carried the box to the center of the room, placing it beside the massive scroll layered with summoned remains.

He opened it and removed another summoning scroll. This one was worn and used, its surface riddled with tears and webbing. He ran his fingers along the top, handling it with care before setting it aside and looking down at it, memories rising unbidden.

Becoming this accursed thing had never been his intention, nor something he had wished for. Still, Yuuto had never allowed regret to stop him.

Only death would do that.

If he wanted to grow stronger, he would have to take greater risks and apply every fragment of knowledge he possessed. He would need to create techniques that truly embodied his evolving power.

He had once been a puppeteer who specialized in ninjutsu and summoning. Though much of his ninjutsu was gone, he had trained himself in every tenet of the shinobi arts.

Adaptation had always been his greatest strength.

This, then, would be another adaptation. No, an evolution.

Yuuto removed the bindings from the scroll and slowly unraveled the aged paper, taking care not to tear it further. Once open, he placed it atop the monster parts and released a controlled surge of chakra, reaching deep to draw out what lay sealed within.

Smoke flooded the room, dust rising as it spread.

When it cleared, a small body appeared.

A brown monkey, preserved in a vat filled with fluid.

Yuuto stared at it, a genuine smile spreading across his face.

Kento.

One of the last gifts his grandfather had given him before he was murdered.

Kento had been more than a pet. He had been Yuuto’s closest companion, a constant ally, one of the few beings in his life that had never betrayed him. When Kento died, regardless of the means, Yuuto had resolved to bring him back.

When he first gained the Dark Sage ability, however, the things he resurrected were always wrong. Twisted. Corrupted by necromancy.

Only those with large, well-developed chakra systems returned intact.

Kento had not possessed that.

He had simply been loyal and brave, dying to shield Yuuto from a fatal strike.

That loyalty burned brighter than anything else.

Now, with few allies and fewer people he could trust, Yuuto needed someone to watch his back.

Puppetry was powerful, but it had limits.

During his journey to the Wind Country, Yuuto had come to realize many things. Chief among them was the need to redefine his techniques and how they would take form.

Cursed chakra had become his foundation. Over time, it felt less foreign, less cursed, more assimilated. To others, it remained ominous and oppressive.

He could manipulate it with ease now, as naturally as his former style.

Through his genjutsu training and his study of The Art of Shattered Reality, Yuuto learned how belief could be implanted into something, anything.

He began extending his will into objects. His chakra, shaped by intent, opened paths he had never considered.

Much of this came from Nanjirou’s cursed sword, soaked in blood, and the samurai’s lineage within him. It awakened an affinity for weaponry that had always been dormant, something etched deep into his soul.

With new possibilities before him, Yuuto resolved to attempt something revolutionary.

Jusei Zōkei. Cursed Life Sculpting.

In theory, it would function like his Chimera kinjutsu. A synthesis of multiple techniques into one.

He could no longer access the Impure World Resurrection. Severing his connection to the Reaper and being purified by the Lady of Raiden had ensured that. For all the good that did him now.

Still, he understood the core principles. The Reaper grasped the soul. The soul was bound and returned. Flesh was reformed using the corpse as a blueprint, its biological data anchoring identity.

That was the foundation. Yuuto would need to alter it to suit his new abilities.

As a Chimera, he could access and absorb biological data, even entire beings. He could replicate traits and pass along genetic instability through his techniques, something he had only recently discovered.

Kento was dead. His soul was likely gone. So how could he bring him back?

Luck, absurd as it was, provided the answer.

Yuuto had encased Kento’s body in medical ninjutsu immediately after his death, pouring every ounce of chakra he had into preservation until they reached Cloud. With the aid of the medical captain, fluids were used to maintain the body afterward.

So the body remained intact.

But preservation alone was meaningless.

The revelation came from Nanjirou’s corpse. While consuming it, Yuuto had experienced fragments of the man’s life. Flashes of memory that faded quickly, yet left an impression.

In that moment, he had been in perfect sync with the man’s DNA.

So what if he applied Creation Jutsu, as he once had as a Dark Sage, and replaced the soul with DNA?

What if the foundation was biological memory, reinforced with something more stable, more cohesive, infused with countless forms of chakra?

Circumstance had guided him here.

Yuuto began by selecting pieces of flesh from the pile. He approached Kento and gently lifted him from the vat, placing him amongst the pile.

Then he delicately lifted his arm. Being sure not to roughly handle him.

Channeling the Scorch Element into his fingertip, he severed the limb with a clean cut.

He turned to the mounds of flesh and glanced down at his torso. The second mouth salivated in anticipation.

With a weary sigh, he fed the flesh into it. The mouth consumed eagerly, reducing it to a black, viscous biomass.

Memories flickered briefly, but Yuuto rejected them. He could not afford to lose control.

Then he placed Kento’s arm into the mouth.

The flood was immediate.

Memories of Kento and his grandfather surfaced. The academy years, time spent traveling to Cloud. A home they built together.

Then came fear. Tinges of pain, desperation, and anxiety washed over him. The moment of death stretched longer than it should have. Yuuto felt it all, forcing himself to endure it.

At the same time, he activated the Divinity Seal. Instead of a pattern, two eyes opened in his palm, an unexpected evolution.

He initiated Energy Transfer while simulating genetic instability. The technique targeted Kento’s body and the surrounding monster parts. Ordinarily, he used this to prime biomass for consumption.

This time, he redirected it.

Flesh bubbled and forms collapsed. Everything dissolved into black biomass.

Once satisfied, Yuuto knelt and activated the Sacrificial Rite. Instead of extracting traits from another, he turned it inward. His skin blistered and shimmered, as if seared without melting.

He placed one of his other hands onto the biomass.

Drawing upon every strand of genetic data within him, he released it. Millions of sequences flowed into the mass, yokai traits binding it together.

Yuuto shaped the curse carefully, threading his chakra through it and saturating it with belief. Not borrowed belief, not imposed doctrine, but something personal and immovable.

There was no soul for him to retrieve. Nothing waiting in the afterlife to be dragged back by force.

So he would make one.

Not in the traditional sense, not something clean or sanctified. He would sculpt it, layer by layer, from everything that remained. Memory, instinct, biology, and will pressed together into a single form.

A living puppet. A companion.

A cursed life born not from dominance, but from love.

The mound of biomass responded.

At first it only quivered, surface tension breaking as ripples passed through it. Then sections began to rise and collapse, half-formed shapes struggling to define themselves before sinking back into the mass. Yuuto tried to guide it, forcing intent into every pulse of chakra, but control slipped through his fingers more often than he liked.

Despite all the theory, all the preparation, this was still a gamble.

Cursed chakra flooded outward, slamming into the walls and floors like crashing waves. The structure groaned under the pressure, boards shuddering as belief itself pressed against reality. Anyone nearby would have felt it instantly, an overwhelming presence that crushed thought and froze the body where it stood.

Time stretched unnaturally.

Minutes dragged by, each one heavier than the last, until Yuuto could no longer tell whether he was breathing in seconds or hours.

Then everything stopped.

The pressure vanished all at once, as if the room had exhaled.

A violent surge followed. Chakra exploded outward from the center of the biomass, shredding rotted furniture and hurling Yuuto across the floor. He struck hard, the impact knocking the air from his lungs as debris rained down around him.

Smoke swallowed the room.

For a moment, there was only ringing silence.

Then came the sound.

Thick, labored breathing, wet and uneven, like something choking on its own existence. The noise scraped against Yuuto’s nerves as it echoed through the haze.

Slowly, the smoke began to thin.

In the center of the ruined room stood a silhouette, roughly the size of a man. It swayed slightly, unsteady, as if struggling to understand its own weight.

Yuuto pushed himself upright, eyes fixed on it.

“Kento?” he said, barely louder than a breath.

As the last of the smoke cleared, the figure came into full view.

Something was wrong.

Eyes opened across its form, blinking independently, adjusting to the light. Too many of them. Far more than there should have been but all symmetrically aligned.



The creature let out a roar, raw and furious, as if pain and rage had been fused into a single instinct. The sound slammed into Yuuto, not just through his ears, but through his body.

He felt it inside himself.

As though whatever he had created was still tethered to him, screaming through the same blood and belief that had brought it into being.

It lunged at Yuuto grabbing him, its speed and strength was faster than he could anticipate.

The creature gripped him in its arms and spun, disorienting Yuuto. He felt it release its grip, letting gravity do the work.

He had no time to prepare himself, no time to truly piece together everything that was happening.

"Shit" Yuuto mumbled as his body careened toward the wall, blowing through the side of the run down house.

This house was situated in a side road, a place not overly traveled but not empty. People shuddered, on edge and shocked from the apperance of what seemed to be a demon in full view.

Like a hot urge, he felt hostiliy and anger pointed at him, like he could feel the vicious intent towards himself internally. As if instinct, Yuuto raised his hand, summoning chakra threads and pulling Kagami towards him.

The blue Puppet bursted through the other side of upstairs room's wall, coming straight to its master's aid. The puppet extended an arm and raised a shield just in time, as the creature dropped to the ground, slamming Kanebo's body (a large sturdy tank like puppet) at Yuuto like a weapon.

The puppets clashed, while both combatants growled at eachother.

Dominance would be decided here.


[MFT]

Kureji would go about his day, a bored look on his face as he would walk around. Being a missing ninja acting like a mercenary means that he's just waiting for a job to pop up. There were plenty of menial jobs but that doesn't suit him at all. He loves the thrill of a fight and how adrenaline would course through his body. But today has been boring. So he decided to go for a walk around the Red Light District. He was partially doing some window shopping and partially just walking around to stretch his legs.

Hands stuffed in his pockets as he would walk around. He would overhear conversations, mostly of people complaining about small insignificant stuff that can be fixed easily if they just do it themselves. But then.... There was a disturbance in the air. It would seem that even the civilians would feel it as a wave of cursed chakra would flow through the area. He felt the kind before. He smiled. "Now what are we doing here?" He mused the talked to himself.

A couple of seconds have passed by. One... Two.... Three... And someone had crashed out the side of a ruined house followed by a.... Monkey monster? Kureji would casually walk closer as civilians would run away from the scene. As he got closer, he would realize that it was the guy from the gates with the puppets. The monkey monster was using the man's own weapons as a club against him.

Kureji would let out a hysterical laugh as his right hand would reach out to nothing before grabbing seemingly air. The next moment, a guitar had materialized in his hands as he would shred the guitar, making music fill the air. During battles like these, he only does songs that he knows at the top of his head.

Next, he would splice the music with his chakra, making genjutsu. He would focus on the monkey monster as he would cast two genjutsus, ocular assault to cause damage to the eyes and in turn, hopefully distract it enough so that when it is swinging its new club puppet weapon at the dude, it will miss. But just for good measure, Kureji had also decided to take away its hearing too with deaf to cause the creature to be hard of hearing, and in turn, be less aware of its surroundings.

Whether or not the genjutsus were effective or not against the creature, Kureji would yell out to the other guy, who he doesn't remember the name of, "Hey Bro, you trying to have to have all the fun here? Lemme join and rock out while doing it!"

Right now, the other guy was too close to the monster for Kureji to think of using his own puppet taijutsu or even some ninjutsu. He would stick with genjutsu for now.

(hello. Casted two genjutsu that are linked up in their names. You can choose whether or not they were effective. Also as Cadency, Kureji is able to cast genjutsu thru his guitar)

The thing that was supposed to be Kento was enraged, drowned in a storm of negative emotion.

Hate, fear, anger, confusion, all of it churned beneath its scaled, hardened hide, bundled together like a living knot that refused to settle.

Chakra gathered at its fingertips, a warped mixture of cursed energy. It was not refined or controlled, but raw and primal, overflowing with ferocity.

Another strike came from above. Yuuto deflected Kanebo and took the brunt of the attack with Kagami. He considered counterattacking, but for the first time he hesitated.

Hesitation was something foreign to a puppeteer.

The sound of strings strumming slowly filled the air, cascading through the space and brushing against his ears like a dark melody. The creature’s eyes blinked in response, drawn toward the sound despite itself. Then pain set in.

Its face twisted, two of its eyes squinting as if something unseen was assaulting them.

Genjutsu.

Yuuto understood immediately. Illusion was taking hold, warping the creature’s perception as it struggled to orient itself within a shifting reality.

He glanced back and saw Kureji, the oddball from the gates. Of all the timing, another puppeteer had arrived to perform. How fortunate.

Kureji’s notes shifted and intensified, the tune growing heavier as another melody layered over it. The creature gasped, its head snapping from side to side, disoriented by the sudden loss of its senses. It dropped to its knees, curling inward as if trying to hide from the world itself.

"Hey Bro, you trying to have to have all the fun here? Lemme join and rock out while doing it!"

Click to expand...

There was that casual tone again. The man was genuinely himself, unfiltered and unapologetic. Yuuto had met people like him before. It was easier to accept them as they were.

A rebellious soul, through and through.

“Appreciate it. I see what your abilities are now,” Yuuto replied. The skill set was familiar to him. He had once used something similar, a trick absorbed through his Chimera ability back when the mutations first began.

Yuuto stepped closer, never taking his eyes off the creature. He could feel something swelling within it, a pressure that mirrored his own, as if the two were still connected.

The air was thick with the smell of sweat and fear. Screams from civilians echoed faintly, muffled by static until they blurred into white noise. His eyes burned. Pain welled up unexpectedly.

Why could he feel this?

They were not his sensations.

Cursed chakra began to pour from the creature. It was not actively using chakra so much as feeding on it, drawing it in greedily. Drawing in Yuuto’s.

He glanced at Kureji. “Keep the support going. I’ll stay within its range.”

Turning forward, he advanced with purpose, Kagami hovering behind him as he formed a hand seal. From within the building, one of his puppets answered the call.




Yasakani, the Magatama. A treasured creation and a symbol of what he intended to achieve.

Without looking back, he spoke again. “No lethal attacks. He’s frightened. Confused.”

There was a cold edge to his words, coiled and restrained. Not a threat, but a certainty.

Yuuto was deadly serious, wholly absorbed in the moment, his awareness tangled with the beast’s boiling rage.

The creature stirred, the effects of the genjutsu beginning to break. A piercing shriek tore through the air, its fury magnified by the assault on its senses.

It lunged toward Kureji, claws extended with murderous intent, aiming straight for his throat.

Yuuto dashed forward, intercepting the beast with his puppet. The masterwork tirred with chakra, showing one of its many wonders.



Kagami’s gauntlets segmented and expanded outward, forming a shield just in time to absorb the impact as the creature crashed against it in a frenzy of violence.

Yasakani opened its hands as small holes parted at the center, each extending a narrow tube. In a swift motion, gas expelled outward, billowing a cloud of lullaby powder over “Kento.”

The creature wheezed, its body lurching as the powder took hold, gas spilling from its mouth as it struggled to draw breath. Yuuto waited patiently, careful to keep his distance from Kureji’s range while leaving his ally a clean opening to act.

Kureji would shrug as the man noted that he understood Kureji's abilities now. He doesn't really care about that sort of thing. In fact, he'd be more surprised if people didn't guess what he could do even if they first met him. Well, at least the Cadency part would make sense very easily for people. The other part... Well, let's just say, unless he either gets serious or someone ends up on his bad side, then they won't see him using his Chaos Witch powers all that often.

Then he asked for just support and to not try any lethal attacks. Which made him raise his eyebrows but decided not to question it. He did however, ask a question, "So your friend does this from time to time? I understand wanting to give the middle finger to the world every now and then, just that I'd rather keep the civies out of harms way."

Yeah, he knows all about the supposed middle finger. He himself has done some crazy things in the past. Had a full on rave in Moon Country. The religious officials were all on edge for the months that he and his mates were there. It was so funny to see people who loathe chakra users try and keep control. Yeah... Control. Kureji didn't know much of the people there, but behind a contentment and abiding the law, merely because they had to since they live there, there were some people who just wanted nothing more than to scream out at the hand that they were dealt with.

Kureji would flash a smile at the monkey monster as it closed the distance between him and it. And it seems that Bro, Kureji can't remember this guy's name for his life, intercepted it and used one of his puppets to block an attack, then used another to gas it. Kureji would merely take a couple steps back. He himself knew about the poison used in the gas attack. He is not ready to go to sleep yet. "Nothing too lethal eh? Not my best way to dance but I'll tango anyways." He would shred the chords of his guitar as he would weave another genjutsu into the mind of Bro. But first, he would ask for permission, "Hey Bro. I can use my genjutsu to also kinda heal and power you up. You down for that?"

While he shredded his guitar, chakra strings would fly out of his hands and a poof of smoke would appear by him. It was a stuffed teddy bear that stood to be about four feet tall. Chakra strings were attached to it as it moved gracefully in front of Kureji to brace for any attacks aimed at him.

"If your monkey friend has a problem, then maybe my teddy bear can give him a hug to wash away all his worries." He flashed Bro with a smile. It probably won't work, but it would surely be funny to see what would happen. And Kureji was always one to just do a full send on things just to see how it will end.


(EDIT made only to add in if you wanted me to or not use a genjutsu turned buff for you)

"So your friend does this from time to time? I understand wanting to give the middle finger to the world every now and then, just that I'd rather keep the civies out of harms way."

He's right, I haven't even stopped to think about these people.
Though he’d managed to parry the vicious swings thus far, he hadn't exactly planned this out.

He had scouted the surroundings. This run-down shithole of an alley tucked off a side street seemed safe, but none of that had stopped the situation from spiraling off the proverbial rails.

"Hey Bro. I can use my genjutsu to also kinda heal and power you up. You down for that?"

Yuuto wasn't entirely sure what Kureji meant by that, but before he could offer a reply, a heavy, wet wheezing erupted behind him.

"Kento" gasped for air. His lungs worked with such violent force that his neck began to mutate, the flesh splitting into raw, gill-like slits.

A piercing shriek ripped through the air.

Thick smoke billowed from the faux-gills like exhaust from a failing engine.

Damn he's good

Lullaby Powder was no longer an option. The beast would soon expel the toxins through those vents. Plus, with the cocktail of other creatures fused inside that frame, there was no telling what kind of immunities were taking root.

"Yeahhh... whatever you're going to do... d-"

The beast’s mass slammed into Yuuto, tackling him hard into the dirt.

It mounted him instantly, a snarl fixed on its face, entirely overcome by primal rage. It thrashed wildly. Its fists enlarged as if the muscle were swelling in direct proportion to its anger.

Despite the danger, Yuuto couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer, finite muscle control.

Every hammer-like blow rained down with the weight of a falling boulder. Yuuto threw up all four of his arms to brace; two simply weren't enough.

He felt his forearms blooming with deep bruises. The sickening creak of bone became audible over the roar of the fight.

Strangely, every blow reinforced by "Kento’s" cursed chakra felt as if it were creating space.

It was as if a pressurized aura of chakra was hitting him just before the physical strike landed. In brief, flashing moments, it felt like the creature was instinctively carving out its own techniques.

It was drawing on its genetic memory and stabilizing itself through the violence.

Kureji's music swelled, growing louder and more rhythmic.

For a moment, Yuuto saw a flash of light that quickly warped and reformed. Kureji was altering the genjutsu, reshaping the very lies the illusion told.

Suddenly, Yuuto’s vision sharpened.

A soothing, revitalizing energy wrapped around his limbs, knitting tissue back together. This was unlike any genjutsu he had ever experienced.

Yuuto smiled.

The thrill of it was starting to take hold. New jutsu were being tested on him even as his own creation evolved. This was more than he’d anticipated, but he had no time to marvel at his allies' skills.

Freeing one arm from the assault, Yuuto snapped chakra threads back onto Kagami.

He commanded the puppet to rush the beast, barreling into its side. Kagami’s block-like armor shifted, revealing bundles of thick, coiled ninja wire that lashed out.

They bound Kento as the beast struggled to maintain its mount.

Yuuto freed a second hand, flicking his fingers to pull Kanebo toward him.

The tank-like puppet slammed into the monster, knocking it back. Its wooden limbs extended mid-flight.

The bulky puppet was built with a bullet-like frame beneath a heavy mold. It was designed to be a thick, rushing juggernaut.

Even though this version was still an incomplete prototype, the Iron Maiden trap held firm. The monster was still, if only for a heartbeat.

Yuuto stood, slowly regaining his balance.

Two of his arms were mangled, showing twisted bone and a wrist turned the wrong direction. "Kento" had certainly done a number on him.

He began the Angelic Blessing jutsu.

It was an A-rank medical technique, the signature of a man who had truly dedicated himself to the healing arts.

Bones crunched and snapped back into their proper alignment. Deep purple bruises faded into clear skin in seconds.

He glanced around.

The civilians had scattered, though a few still peeked from the shadows in the distance. If he wanted to avoid further complications, he had to end this now.

The beast stirred. Its muscles bulged against Kanebo’s restraints. It wouldn't be long before the wood splintered.

---

Yuuto turned to Kureji.

"Thanks. Despite how much of a weirdo you are, you're pretty thoughtful. I'll cut him off before he gets loose again."

Yuuto walked toward the struggling "Kento" while weaving hand seals with two of his four arms.

Cursed energy bled from his form, manifesting as spiraling purple flames. The fire grew, climbing into a towering wall that encased the road.

It sealed Yuuto, "Kento," and Kureji inside a private arena of violet heat (If Kureji chose to stay within range).

With a roar of brute force, the creature dismantled Kanebo. It sent wooden pieces flying as the puppet was flung from side to side. Slammed into the dirt with hatred.

It turned, its six eyes locking onto Yuuto.

Menacingly, it stalked toward its summoner.

Yuuto met the beast head-on, keeping pace while summoning his three treasures: Kagami, Yasakani, and the red-horned Kusanagi.

Tenrai appeared near his hands. This was his personal artifact, an enabler for battle.

The two stopped inches apart.

The creature was a mountain of expanding muscle and radiating rage. Yuuto, by contrast, simply smirked. He tilted his head to maintain eye contact.

He gestured for the three puppets to move to the side, then raised a finger, pointing at them.

"Pick one up. The right way, this time."

The creature stared in confusion. A low growl vibrated in its chest as saliva dripped from its jowls.

"Yeah, yeah. Hurry up and pick one while I'm being nice."

The beast jerked its head back, unsettled by the unflinching shinobi.

Yuuto’s finger didn't waver.

In a rare moment of lucidity, the creature stopped its thrashing. The anger was still simmering, but the interaction felt like... a connection.

The creature approached the puppets cautiously. It looked back at Yuuto, hesitating.

"Go on. I'm not going to trick you." Yuuto folded his arms and waited.

"Kento" ran its gnarled fingers over the puppets, intrigued by the intricate patterns and polished wood. Its attention finally snagged on Kusanagi.

It reached out, attempting to hoist the puppet up crudely by the arm.

Yuuto flicked a chakra thread, and the puppet's arm slapped the beast's hand away.

"Kento" bristled, roaring in anger, only to find Yuuto laughing.

"Pfft, look at this guy!" Yuuto called out to Kureji. "You don't hold it like that, amateur."

He then formed thick, shimmering chakra threads.

At his level, his threads were usually invisible, but he wanted the beast to see these.

"Go like this," he demonstrated, slowly connecting the glowing lines to Kagami's joints to mimic a fluid motion.

"Kento" watched, transfixed. It tried to mimic him.

Though it lacked traditional shinobi chakra, it harnessed its cursed energy as if it were a physical limb. It began to mimic puppeteering, extending jagged, black lines of energy onto the red puppet.

They were rough and chaotic, but they held.

Kusanagi moved clunkily, a ghastly imitation of Yuuto’s grace.

Yuuto laughed again, prompting "Kento" to grumble, a sound that almost mimicked a swear.

Giving up on the fine details, the simian chimera simply forced Kusanagi to follow. It dragged the puppet through the air with sheer will.

Yuuto dropped into a low stance.

He squared his feet, raising one hand to his face and another above his head. Kagami floated above him, poised to intercept.

He extended another fist low to the ground. Though it was closed, the threads were taut, connecting to Tenrai.

The artifact hummed in response to his defensive posture.

His fourth hand was outstretched toward the beast, his palm turning upward in a taunting motion.

"Let's go, you brat. I'll give you the spanking you need."

Kento roared and vanished, reappearing with blinding speed. It slammed its forearms into the dirt as it lunged.

Yuuto deflected the primate's fist with two of his arms.

Kusanagi came flying in sloppily, but Kagami caught the blow, redirecting the red puppet into the ground.

In perfect synchronization, Yuuto and Kagami both struck "Kento" with a reinforced punch that sent the beast skidding back.

Yuuto snapped back into his stance, exhaling a sharp breath.

"Osu! ... Get up. We're just getting started."

"Kento" roared in defiance.

The beast jumped up, its massive muscles recoiling and loading like heavy-duty springs.

It kicked off the ground, rushing Yuuto with a explosive burst of speed. It lashed out with claws and feet in a primal frenzy, while the puppet Kusanagi followed behind, striking with sloppy, uncoordinated swings.

Yuuto repelled Kusanagi with ease.

He used Kagami to intercept every strike, the puppet’s design clearly favoring iron-clad defense over raw offense. It was a tactical wall that "Kento" was slowly beginning to realize he couldn't crack.

At the same time, Yuuto put his multiple limbs to work.

He moved with terrifying efficiency, using his extra arms to parry and deliver punishing counters. He caught a heavy blow, glancing it off his side to rob it of momentum, then immediately snapped forward.

A knife-edge chop slammed into the creature's snout.

He followed instantly with a rising elbow aimed directly at the chin. As he struck, his puppet artifact, Tenrai, surged behind him. It pushed against the back of his arm, providing a mechanical boost of propulsion that doubled the impact.

While the beast was still reeling from the shock, Yuuto launched into the air.

He gripped Tenrai as the floating artifact surged upward, pulling him into a high-elevation flying knee.

"Kento" possessed raw instinct and monstrous power, but it was clear he was outmatched. He simply could not compute the sheer level of martial prowess Yuuto displayed.

Yet, despite being overwhelmed, the beast didn't shrink away.

It was excited. Thrilled.

It was as if combat was the only language the creature truly understood, and for the first time, it was having a real conversation.

Kureji would blink and then would feel the heat first before the fire erupted. This must be his way to contain the fight. He was about to do some attacks on the monkey thing, however, it looks like it is more of a one v one situation. Using his chakra threads, his guitar would keep playing rock music as he would use his chaos witch powers to will a comfy recliner into existence. Kureji would plop down and then use his powers again to summon a bag of freshly popped popcorn as he would eat and watch the fight.

And just as he was about to get comfy, someone burst through the fire and was demanding what was happening. "Just an honorable one v one fight. Though. If you do wanna help get this closer to be done and over with, we're rooting for Bro over there." He would point to Yuuto. "If you got stuff to power him up or heal him from a distance, then do it. Which reminds me..."

He would look over at Yuuto and yell out, "Hey Bro! Buddy over here says he's gonna help you out. He's probably gonna power you up or something!" Yeah, Kureji just volunteered this kid to help them out by buffing Yuuto. "Also, hope ya don't mind, but I'm gonna switch out the Genjutsu effecting you for one that'll help you withstand attacks more. Should make ya stronger."

He would wait to get permission from Yuuto before shredding his guitar's chords. If he doesn't, Kureji will still shred his guitar's chords but without splicing his music with genjutsu.

The Genjutsu in question would be able to, once its powers are reversed, be able to force the mind to ignore the pain to the body in a ways to ignore some amount of pain all the while healing Yuuto's body. Kureji won't just stop there, Using his chakra threads that are connected to his teddy bear, a music, soft and steady, that blends in perfectly with his own music, not conflicting in any way, begins to sound. Once it reaches Yuuto's ears, the melodies that are cloaked in chakra, would wash over the man and be able to heal some of his more minor injuries.

A claw came down with lethal intent.

The puppeteer used both arms on his right side to deflect the blow, releasing a slight emission of chakra from his skin to throw the strike off balance. A true puppeteer could control chakra from any point on their body; the application was simple, but in the hands of a master, it was a flawless defense.

Yuuto gave no quarter. He gave the creature no room to breathe.

He pressured the beast, knocking its attacks aside while it struggled to land a solid hit. It was as if Yuuto's agility was so high that the monster’s strikes could barely find purchase.

He heard Kureji yell out, asking if he needed anything else. "Kento" snarled, seemingly offended by the idea of being ganged up on. His master could only laugh.

"Nah, I'm good! If anything, help this guy!"



He pointed a finger at the monkey, enraging it further.

The creature roared in frustration. The few blows it managed to land barely scratched its multi-armed foe. It was growing annoyed with this dance, but it was also adapting.

As the seconds ticked by, it began to absorb Yuuto's stance, mimicking his movements. Although it couldn't replicate the multiple limbs, it was far more limber than its summoner.

The beast launched a fresh barrage of claw slashes, but this time it used the black threads to pull Kusanagi down from a blind angle. Simultaneously, it sprung into a handstand, lashing out at Yuuto with its claws and tail at once.

Yuuto took the hit from Kusanagi on his own flesh. He let his bone bear the brunt of the puppet's horn, the wood slicing through his skin. The wound wasn't deep, but it drew blood.

He blocked the incoming claws and talons with Kagami, but Yasakani had been ignored this entire time.

That was a fatal mistake. People often forgot that you can never take your eyes off a puppeteer’s arsenal, and Yuuto was special. Unlike most, he could wield three puppets without any strain on his chakra.

Yasakani was built for support, but it wasn't meant to be taken lightly.

The sun-bit puppet rushed forward, kicking the simian squarely in the jaw before wrapping its legs around the beast's neck. Its wooden hands dove deep into the target's mouth.

Yuuto activated Gas Warfare once more, releasing another dose of Lullaby Powder at point-blank range. This time, the beast couldn't just ignore the toxins or vent them out. He’d make sure of that. All they needed was twenty seconds for the powder to take hold.

The monster saw red. Anger seeped into its very marrow.

The silver fur across its body started to shimmer with black dust. It screeched into the air, a final, desperate cry. "Kento" drove a knee into Yuuto's jaw, shattering his guard.

Before the puppeteer could recover, the beast lunged for his throat, its teeth sinking deep into his shoulder. Blood poured from the wound instantly.

The creature seized the advantage. Before Yuuto could counter, it gripped him tight and spun with monstrous force, hurlng him into a nearby building. His body crashed through the front shutters with a deafening spray of splinters.

"Kento" beat its chest and roared, basking in the glory of finally gaining the upper hand.

Then, its six eyes turned toward the onlookers—the ugly, noisy man and the small, dirty lump of a boy. It would have its fill. This was payback in full.

The beast dashed toward them, leaping high into the air.

With a violent jerk of its black threads, it threw Kusanagi at them, performing a [Flurry Shot] aimed directly at both targets.

He'd been in the village proper for only minutes and already there seemed to be a disruption.

Screams accompanied by fleeing civilians alerted Sekuro to the direction of the disturbance. Someone, somewhere was causing a ruckus and Pandora would not cease urging him to see what it was, and Sekuro would acquiesce to her curiosity.

The forthcoming sight did not disappoint Pandora's curiosity nor did it fail to mystify Sekuro as the cyborg knew not what he was looking at.

"Is that man fighting a... is that monkey?"

Chaos in the streets, and as he was at present being 'watched', Sekuro would stand by and view the scene as well.

Kureji was enjoying the fight as it unfolded until Brother got a little too cocky and the monkey knocked him out. With a groan, Kureji got out of his comfy couch and tossed the popcorn off to the side. Just before the popcorn would hit the ground, the air around it would shimmer before making the popcorn and couch disappear into thin air.

The monkey would charge at him and the kid that was beside him. The kid may have the battle jitters or something as Kureji threw himself in front of the attack aimed at the kid. He took all the hits but instead of a reaction like a normal person would have, like grunting in pain or the like, Kureji would laugh hysterically. Adrenaline ran through his body as chaotic energies surrounded him.

"Quit monkey-ing around." He would flash a smile at the monster monkey. "Don't you know it's rude to attack innocent bystanders?" His hands were now on his guitar as his fingers would first press a button on the side of the guitar. Tendrils that would usually be found in a puppet flew out to strike at the Monkey. Whether or not it hits, Kureji would then focus his chakra into the music.

The first genjutsu he would target himself. Phoenix Embrace. If used on an enemy, the genjutsu would flare up a person's pain receptors to make fighting all the more difficult for them. But in Kureji's case, the genjutsu would have its own powers reversed to actually feel like the warmth of a soft campfire all the while numbing his own pain receptors to pain to some extent. At first, he was giggling. And then he burst out in hysterical laughter, a crazed look in his eyes "Brother showed restraint. Maybe he has a soft spot for you but I'll do what's needed to keep you from hurting the civs." His whole body would shake. Not from fear or even adrenaline. But from pure excitement as he let out another fit of laughter and struck the chords of his guitar, letting out two genjutsu's one after another.

Ryuni could feel the heat rising from him as he'd smirk. The boy was bright, shining bright like the Sunan Sun on this day. 'I wont need Kobi for this... Right? Maybe if I get hurt. We'll see.' Thoughts raced as the field seemed to swell. All of these beings and people in his village and there wasn't a Sunan headband in sight. Clicking his teeth, the boy found his eyes tracking the movements of the Monkey and the multiarmed man fighting. Honest to God scraping and as the kids these days said, Throwing Hands and Running the fade. It honestly made Ryuni chuckle because the guitarist seemed to be having the time of his life, and the new being that appeared...

From seemingly out of nowhere mind you...

"Why yes it would seem so..." Ryuni responded to the... Android? What even was he looking at? The man looked metallic and- His thoughts were instantly cut as the Monkey would seem to turn his ire unto him and the Guitarist, he'd not gotten his name yet, but with battle reflexes Ryuni would be able to-. Nope!

Two of the projectiles would whiff by him before he'd being up his gloved hands to swipe away the remaining projectiles. And while he'd thought they whiffed a sudden cut would appear on his cheek spilling out a small amount of blood. "Tch! Well well! You've up and done it!" the boy would smirk as flames would burst around his body and he'd bring his fists up to dropping into a Yamashiro known fighting stance. A Flaming chakra around him would emerge with every blow. Though he wouldnt make another move at this moment he hesitated.

"Uhm, Oioi! Ya want this Monkey Brained? Or alive?" He would call out to Yuuto... though he didn't know his name at this point either. Hell he didn't know anyone here!

Tsumugu felt the shift in the air the moment Ryuni’s chakra flared, as he had been searching for his teammate for some time. He could feel the heat rolled outward, sharp and alive, and instinctively Tsumugu had adjusted his movement among the rooftops. Diverging towards the source after clearing a nearby rafter and momentarily being airborne, his eyes flicked quickly to Ryuni then to the chaos ahead: the monkey, the multi-armed man, the guitarist grinning like this was a game. It felt wrong and too uncontrolled. This wasn’t a training ground within the Toraono Dojo or a mission this was a mess. When the projectiles flew, Tsumugu’s breath caught within his lungs, having landed somewhere close to Ryuni's flank. His posture wasn't normal, slightly slouched, his form learned through clan training. He watched his squad mate move, fast and reactive, but not clean and precise. The cut on Ryuni’s cheek made Tsumugu’s jaw tighten but not because of the blood, or a friend becoming hurt. Solely because Ryuni had smiled.

Idiot, he thought, not unkindly.

At Ryuni’s shout, Tsumugu didn’t answer right away. His hands were already moving, subtle seals forming beneath his sleeves, water chakra pooling low and steady. He positioned himself slightly, leaping backwards to creating space between the two boys. Tsumugu said calmly, voice cutting through the noise as he raised his tone at Ryuni in particular. “If you burn everything at once, you know you won’t be able to pay for any damages.” Completing the seals by this point, two things were in motion at the same time. One being the top of his gourd had disappeared suddenly and two from inside of it a sudden tendril of water was being flung forwards. It's surface flash freezing as it moved at an arcing path at the monkey, splitting into two...
And....a third..wait is that a clone?!?
AND ANOTHER ONE!?

[WC: 290]
[Topic Entered]

Yuuto hung pinned against the wreckage, a jagged wooden beam driven clean through his chest. He groaned at the sheer agony of the predicament. This was far beyond "discomfort." He strained against the wood, forcing his ragged body forward. He slid inch by agonizing inch off the stake that had run him through, the wood groaning as it vacated his torso. The wound was a visceral mess. It was wide open and leaking dark blood, with shredded flesh hanging in disproportionate ruins where the beam had torn through.

Yuuto hated moments like these. He offered a silent prayer to Raiden for his iron-clad constitution. He focused his mind and cast Regeneration on his battered frame. He gave his body the command to mend, and his chakra responded with a surge of heat. The skin began to crawl. It stitched itself shut with unnerving speed, the muscle fibers weaving back together like living thread.

How could he have let that beast get the upper hand?

Unbeknownst to him, the people outside were experiencing their own set of troubles, but he had to stabilize his own world first. He watched as the last of the weeping red holes closed, leaving only a fresh scar behind.

No more monkeying around.

The childish games were over. He knew this situation would spiral out of control if he held back for even a second longer. Admittedly, he had been enjoying the dance. It had been far too long since anyone had truly challenged him. Even an expert could get caught up in the thrill of the hunt, but even an expert could make a fatal mistake.

He wouldn't make a second one. Yuuto began forming hand seals with all four of his arms.

Two of his hands focused on one set of seals while the other pair moved in a perfect, mirrored rhythm. A massive surge of chakra erupted from his core, causing the very air in the room to vibrate. He forced his chakra paths open, flooding his system with raw energy until his blood began to boil.

The transformation was subtle but terrifying. His fingertips elongated into sharp, obsidian claws. His teeth sharpened into serrated points. His eyes shifted, gaining a wild, bestial visage that spoke of an apex predator. In the past, his entire body would have shifted under the strain of this state. Now, he only needed these slight adjustments.

His true form was a constant phase now, a lurking power kept under a leash until he chose to unleash the genetic legacy hidden within his DNA. He stabilized his chakra, sensing his puppets outside as they stirred. Piece by piece, they were reforming in the dirt. They coalesced in the shadows, silent and deadly, rebuilding themselves for the next assault.

As his senses sharpened, he felt the presence of several others nearby.

Specifically, he felt a distinct chakra signature watching from a high vantage point. Someone was perched on a leverage spot, observing the carnage with calculated interest.

---

Meanwhile on the street......

Ape-Escape Flurry Shot unleashes!

Ryuni starts weaving: Hit, Miss, Dodge, Hit, Hit
[+] Ryuni uses Flurry Guard with a Random Taijutsu!
[+] Ryuni mitigates some of the damage
[+]Ryuni is poisoned by Plexitism!

Kureji stands in front of the projectiles: Hit Miss, Dodge, Hit, Hit
[+] Kureji is poisoned by Plexitism!

Kureji’s Guitar shoots something and smacks Ape-Escape!
[+] Serpent’s Blood resisted!
[+] Boom! Ape-Escape gets blown back by the explosive seals

Ryuni enters Agni Kai!

Kureji performs Phoenix’s Embrace... on himself?
[+] Kureji gets stronger

Kureji performs Puppet Betrayal...
[+] Resisted!

Kureki performs Advanced Clone and summons a band!
[+] Succeeded, Ape Escape sees 6 Kurejis???

Sekuro enters the BS in stealth
[+] Ape-Escape looks up at the building and smirks at Sekuro
[+] Ryuni does not sense Sekuro
[+] Kureji senses Sekuro
[+] Yuuto barely senses Sekuro

Renmei uses [Ice] Aqua Fang: Twin Fang!
Tennō starts dancing: Dodge, Hit
[+] Ape-Escape starts bleeding
[+] Renmei forms 2 Ice Clones
[+] Ape-Escape is aware of 1 Clone!

Renmei senses Sekuro

Click to expand...

The beast’s projectiles found their mark.

The dirty boy and the noisy man suffered only minimal physical damage, but Yuuto’s toxins were far more insidious. The personally laced Plexitism began to sink into their veins, a chemical predator straining their chakra systems from the inside out.

The creature watched, its eyes gleaming with the prospect of their pain. The boy managed to swat some of the needles down. He dropped into a stance, strange flames licking the air around him.

The creature began to register a genuine sense of danger. It was starting to understand the situation with far more clarity than it let on. The noisy man made his move again, flinging a strip of paper through the air. The beast leapt back, its instincts screaming, but the explosive seal detonated mid-air.

The shockwave caught the creature, knocking it backward through the smoke. However, it had already adapted. Kusanagi surged forward from behind, the puppet acting as a living cushion to catch the monkey mid-flight. The beast scampered onto the puppet’s head. It shrieked at its opponents, a gleeful, jagged smile splitting its face at the chaos it was causing.

The noisy man tried to exert his will once more.

This time, the beast would not go down so easily. Two of its six eyes strained with the effort of fighting off the mental assault. The man tried to force the creature to turn Kusanagi against itself, but the beast's mind was a fortress of raw, primal noise.

Eventually, the mental strain took its toll. The beast’s vision fractured, and suddenly it saw six identical copies of the noisy man, all playing that ugly, rhythmic instrument.

Did it hate him? Perhaps.

Suddenly, the hair along the beast’s spine stood on end. It felt the weight of a gaze from the distance. The creature looked up toward a nearby rooftop and found a man... or a thing.

A rhythmic, mechanical clank echoed in its mind. It could almost see the inner workings of the observer, a flash of gears and logic that shouldn't belong to a beast. These weren't its own memories; they were fragments of its master’s knowledge leaking through the bond.

The beast tilted its head and smirked directly at the rooftop observer. It was a silent invitation: Enjoy the show from your safety.

The moment of taunting was short-lived.

A pillar of jagged ice tore through the street, aimed directly at its heart. The beast dodged the first wave with a frantic roll, but the second caught it squarely in the side.

Dark blood began to seep from the jagged wound.

Rage finally took full command. Its silver fur began to glisten and spark with black static energy, a chaotic charge of power building for a final, desperate retaliation.

---

The beast raised its massive hands.

Tiny pores across its palms split open like miniature vents, concocting something foul and acrid within its biological furnace. Thick, gray smoke poured from its flesh, flooding the battlefield with an opaque shroud.

It worked desperately to engulf Kureji and the boy, Ryuni, seeking a physical anchor to ground itself against the man's lingering illusions. Deep within the shifting fog, the creature did something strange. It fumbled with its massive fingers, trying to weave hand seals to complete a technique that was beginning to take shape in its primitive mind.

Suddenly, a silhouette tore through the gray veil.

Masaru Yuuto erupted from the smoke. His form was far more feral now, his presence heavy with a predatory chill. He dashed toward Renmei, moving in perfect lockstep with the blue-lacquered Kagami puppet. Without warning, Yuuto’s form fractured. He multiplied into five blurred copies, every one of them moving in terrifying unison with the puppet. The air filled with the sound of rushing wind and the rattle of wooden joints.

Yuuto and Kagami descended upon Renmei in a coordinated storm.

They unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes. It was a brutal symphony of feral, clawed hands and driving knees. The heavy, wooden impact of Kagami’s limbs worked in tandem with Yuuto’s own lethal precision, every blow seeking out a vital mark.

As the final strike of the combination landed, Yuuto didn't linger. He didn't wait to see if his opponent would rise. With a sharp, practiced movement, he backstepped into the swirling gray wall.

His form dissolved instantly, leaving only the fading scent of wood and ozone as he vanished back into the shadows.

There was continued panic in the streets as a demon monkey seemed to be raging in the streets. Sekuro arrived upon the roof of a nearby building just in time to see a multi-armed figure being tossed away.

There were several other figures engaged and more arriving. The entire scene was one of disorder.

Was this place truly safe? Had he just fought the Kazekage to enter a warzone? So far, Sekuro had seen only violence since making his way into the country of wind. In Moon Country, they seemed to be plagued by monsters and the same seemed true here. There were what looked to be Saunan shinobi engaging with the war-monkey. Their attempts admirable but seemingly futile as the beast repelled their advances and continued to rage onward. Purple fires lit the streets, and the sound of monkey roars filled the air.

Moments later, the monkey would explode in a cloud of smoke and emerge in the shape of the multi-armed man Sekuro had seen be sent flying just seconds prior. The monkey beast eye Sekuro. Smirking at the cyborg, Sekuro observed in silent stoicism, not seeing any reason to engage the situation further. This was not his home territory, and there were already Saunan shinobi on the scene. His own interference could potentially upset the scene further.

After all, he wouldn't want to upset his new friend the Kazekage. Their agreement was shaky at best and Sekuro would rather not be caught up in drama that had nothing to do with him.

[System: Objective: Locate Safety for Self-Diagnostics and Repair_
...
Processing_
...
Location Compromised_
...
Changing Location_ ]

Chakra repulsors activated and Sekuro would once again take flight. Nimbus Hovering in the air, his robotic eyes would scan the area as he ascended slowly into the air. Due to their upgrades, Sekuro's eyes were now able to log and analyze the chakra of individuals he came in contact with. This entire event seemed one of note, so he had made sure to log the time so that he may review the various chakra signatures of all involved Snapshot

He would observe the scene for a few more seconds before leaving them to their own devices.