A Measurement of Morality and Martial Skill [Anarchy!]

[Sand Council]

Saiga​

The old soldier had paid little attention to any who had followed him and instead focused on wrapping his hands for the upcoming skirmish. Not only would they not be limited by the enclosed spaces of the dojo, the forest provided a much more dynamic environment to fight in making it much more interesting a scene. There was a calm that overtook him before entering into combat, a serenity only found in the purity of unadulterated back and forth between two born of battle. His challenger intrigued him due to being a complete unknown, but too because he was much like Saiga. By comparison Kuro was a boring profile he could read up out of a file. The thought of encountering something new, something unexpected made the Cabal's blood boil with excitement.

So he waited in livid anticipation of his adversaries.

Would they take advantage of his being alone if both men followed and attempt to take his life?

Saiga couldn't know.

But he hoped they would try. It would make for a grand event.

[This will be a collaborative RP battle! This should be quite fun! Time to kick Reiko's butt back into Activity!]

 

[Toraono Kuro]

Sanryoukyogan Kuro approached Saiga from the Throne of Bone, it seemed the man was at least excited by the prospect of pure combat. Content that the Masashi clan member had not arrived before him Kuro decided now was the time to get down to business. Saiga at the very least had honor which meant on some level he could be reasoned with, perhaps combat would help bridge the gap between them. Walking behind an especially tall and thick group of trees Sanryokyougan Kuro smiled evilly as he summoned the war aspect of Kuro. Kyojin Kuro materialized with a clap of air making it sound as if seven people had clapped at exactly the same time. Nodding to himself both Kuro's checked eachother's gear before Kyojin Kuro fresh from clearing debris made his way to face Saiga as Sanryoukyogan Kuro made his way towards the remnants of the Towers where Kyojin Kuro had just been summoned from to talk with Kendori Shuu and assist in the healing efforts.

Kyojin Kuro stood at seven feet and weighed in at four hundred and fifty pounds. He wore a sand camouflage pattern heavy armor made of Takahashi fire-forged steel with matte-black transformation seals allowing it to switch from desert colors to pitch black dependent on Kuro’s vocal command or four tap sonic patterned code along his right thigh plate. Kyojin Kuro wore a matching belt and sheath around his waist where he had sheathed a pair of blade attachments for his battle gauntlets. Kyojin Kuro wore his battle pouch atop the belt it was a simple lizard leather pouch but easily camouflaged by rubbing it with sand or crushed stone if ever necessary just above his right hip. Kyojin Kuro wore his leg sheath on the interior of his left armored thigh just atop his silk gi shorts. A convenient slot in the multi-folded steel of his left thigh armor allowed Kyojin Kuro full access to his items without showing exactly where it was till he motioned to grab it. Securing his Takahashi forged battle guards and lower leggings were Kyojin Kuro’s enhanced runic terran sealed leather wraps for his hands, forearms, shins and feet. Kyojin Kuro had wrapped his armored tail around his belt making it appear that Kuro wore a belt of armor resembling hand-sized reinforced double blades. Kyojin Kuro wore his mane of silver hair in tight war braids in ancient ceremonial fashion making his oxen horns much more pronounced but also making him look like a serious battle veteran, massive chakra gems implanted into his flesh and endoskeletal structure stood out on the back of his hands as well as one in the center of his forehead at the crest of his skull. The chakra gem in his left hand was emerald green with a spiral of a star in its center, if you looked at it closely and long enough one could see where it interfaced with the flesh and bone with tiny bio crystal circuits. The chakra gem in his right hand was ruby red with a six point star in its center, this one also interfaced with his flesh and bone with tiny bio crystal circuits. In the center of his forehead was a massive sunstone. This was an extremely rare chakra gem that is occasionally found in the deep deserts after being unearthed by the giant sandwyrms. Only the strongest of people could lift them due to their density and this body had one implanted in its skull directly interfacing with his brain. It was a unique feeling to say the least but the interface with the sunstone allowed Kuro to dramatically pulse chakra throughout this body which was one of the keys to his transformational capabilities. It also allowed him to control his metabolic rate at a degree he had never believed was possible. His dark flesh was runed with runic terran seals and tattoos. His horns looked as if they were part of his armor along with his gems but the discerning eye would know that they were part of this giant's body. He smiled and greeted Saiga as he removed his battle armor from his upper torso and arms. Checking his wraps he made sure his strikes would not cause too much damage. When he spoke he knew despite what he looked like that Saiga would at the very least recognize his voice.

"So Saiga, no holds barred, no ninjutsu, or genjutsu will be used. Natural abilities are allowed so long as they do not cause truly grievous injuries. This sparring match will go on till one of us yields or is deemed beyond capability to fight without using lethal techniques. As such no eye gouging or strikes to the groin area will be permitted but broken limbs that are easily healed are acceptable. Do you have any rules you would like to add?"

 

[Mikaboshi]

"Yeah, I got one."

Katsuo was excited and he made no attempt to hide it. This was the first opportunity since this whole thing started for him to vent any of the frustration he felt towards the Cabal. In this fight he could go all out without remorse; hold nothing back and explore the depths of his own strength even while he demanded an explanation for the senseless violence that was being visited upon the innocents of Sunagakure. Katsuo understood that Sand was-- in many ways --a military organization and that this sort of thing would have been inevitable but this wasn't a military strike. They weren't gunning for Sand shinobi. They were gunning for the people. With the explosives and release of the prisoners in the Palace the Cabal were sewing terror and pain in the civilian populace of Sunagakure. No... it wasn't accurate to say that it wasn't about Sand's shinobi. They were simply using the people of Sand as a weapon against the shinobi that they'd come to attack.

And that was something Katsuo could not abide.

"Promise that nothing that happens here gets taken out on the people. Nobody else gets hurt because of our fight." Katsuo's demand was sincere as it could be. Every piece of him yearned to start the fight and get things under way but he couldn't do that if he knew that the Cabal would only make the people of Sand suffer should Saiga lose.

 

[Sand Council]

Saiga​

The assembled amidst the petrified branches of the Elderwoods. Three figures of immense power in visage alone stood staring one another down. There was a palpable excitement in the air that could only be understood by those who had lived their lives as warriors, in the purity of battle, and the intensity of that rush when the only thing that mattered was you and the other fighter and understanding that only one of the two would walk away. This was not entirely true for this specific instance, but the prospect of something unknown held a certain exhilaration inexplicable to the lesser.

Katsuo had a request and one Saiga could understand, but it was obvious that none there grasped the soldier's truest intentions.

"I am not a monster. Outside of this field of combat no one else, nothing else matters."<i></i> There was a pause as he held out his hands. The gesture would seem odd, but any who had a trained eye and knew combat could see the numerous battles etched into skin. He would roll up his sleeves and expose more scars, markings of his past endeavors. Along his neck and face he bore permanent signs of his exploits. "I am a warrior and by the rites of blood of those who have fallen before me, I swear that none will come to harm from the outcome of this meeting."<i></i>

Honor-bound the old soldier was, and deeper seeded was his culture of combat and death. Kuro was a beast who dabbled in many things as his station required of him, and while and expert in many of them, he did not hold the capacity of someone whose life was dedicated to a singular purpose as Saiga's was. Katsuo, a man who had tossed aside his predestined life, could understand as he had lived a similar expanse; battlefield to battlefield wading through blood and gore and shattered forms to power on through to the next engagement.

"By that I agree to the conditions."<i></i> A single finger rose to halt the moment, "But by that, I too have a condition. Participants have to battle all-out. No holding back, no playing to the greater scheme of what this fight means; win or less. Fight to fight a good battle. If this is agreed upon, then we have terms and can start."<i></i>

He made a point of rolling his sleeves back down. A loud series of cracks rang out as he released the tension in either set of knuckles preparing for the upcoming battle. Saiga's appearance was relatively plain and it was obvious that he bore no weapons on him and made it obvious he would be fighting with his bare hands.

 

[Toraono Kuro]

Kyojin Kuro nodded before speaking aloud "Agreed, although I believe the Masashi warrior here has more that he wants to say to you than me, unless you absolutely prefer two on one? If not then you two should feel free to have at it. If he tires of you then he may tag me in, though if we both come at you I am certain we will be limiting ourselves."<i></i> Kuro was patient as he was certain the Masashi Clan had far more in terms of direct wrath to expend than he did. Kuro was afraid to use his full Kyojin power as he did not want to damage the elderwoods just to beat down one soldier. Still in preparation for the obvious duel to come Kyojin Kuro slowly released the chakra crystal seals and his arms and legs became visibly stronger, denser, wider. The muscles in his back expanded and his body became even heavier but somehow Saiga could sense too that he had not slowed down in speed whatsoever. If he choose to fight them both at the same time he might very well bite off far more than anyone could chew.

Spoiler

OOC: military ops are keeping my internet access limited so if Katsuo whom has yet to introduce himself to me feels like taking this battle alone. It would allow me to bow out gracefully.

 

[Mikaboshi]

It seemed Saiga had a condition of his own and Katsuo was more than willing to oblige him. Normally speaking, Katsuo fought with conditions of his strength held back to prevent fights from behind over too soon. Even against demons and monsters he found that his personal strength could topple opponents in moments if he didn't hold back. Perhaps that made him cocky or arrogant but he enjoyed the thrill of the fight too much. It was one of the few pleasures allowed to him when on the frontier. The anticipation of throwing his strength against the power and will of another... no feeling in all the world compared to it. Even victory over an opponent was worthless to him in an emotional capacity if the fight hadn't been a worthwhile challenge. Even though he fought to protect the innocent and was a tireless champion of the greater good, perhaps the most driving force in Katsuo's life was the ever present desire to test himself against stronger and stronger foes to become the best that he could become.

[Scene BGM]

"A pitched battle in a context like this doesn't suit me at all." Katsuo reflected, his hands on his hips as he laughed. "I'll fight alone if it's all the same to you, Lord Toraono."

But at this time, in this place, Katsuo would not hold back. He would hold nothing in reserve. No talents unused, no punches pulled. He owed Saiga that much as a fellow fighter. Given that they seemed of kindred spirit, to do anything less would be to disrespect the warrior's soul that Saiga possessed. Reaching to his side where Tatsumasa was belted to his side, Katsuo undid the clasp and removed the sword from his waist. He did not intend to abandon the blade but he would need to remove it temporarily to be relieved of his large coat. Tying the blade to the belt looped through his pants, Katsuo shrugged his shoulders and allowed his proud white coat to slide down from them as he removed it. With it fully removed, Katsuo's own shoulders and arms were on display with his own array of scars and old wounds. Being primarily a hand to hand fighter, Katsuo had gone fist to claw with some of the most fearsome creatures that the Wind Country had to offer and certainly possessed the scars to prove it. Long, scarred over gashes ran up and down his arms and over his shoulders where beasts and demons had slashed at him. Tossing his coat away from him, the metal in the piece of attire weighed it down causing the coat to make a large crashing noise as it landed several feet away from where Katsuo was standing making it clear that the coat was much heavier than it appeared.

With a sudden shrug of his shoulders following the removal of his coat, the air in Katsuo's personal vicinity sparked with his ignited spirit and his eyes flashed into the crystal blue color of the Masashi Zenjingan. Kuro's set terms allowed for the usage of his birthright techniques but no true Ninjutsu or Genjutsu techniques so he could not use most of it's power. There would be no azure flames, no clever illusions. There was no need between he and this warrior. Such trickery would only get in the way of the true spirit of the contest between them. For a moment, his eyes glowed and then spliced even further as the Zenjingan transformed into it's ascended state. Saiga had said he wanted Katsuo at his most powerful and he intended to give him that. He fought without his weighted coat and without the handicap of not wielding the enhanced eyesight of his doujutsu which allowed for his eyes to catch things as small as the shifting of muscles in his opponent's limbs. Had Saiga bitten off more than he could chew?

With a broad grin, Katsuo hoped not.

"First thing's first." He said as he raised both of his arms into a fighting stance, his fingers curled into fists as his forearms held close to his head and his excitement bristling behind his words. The stance that he seemed to take seemed very reminiscent of one that a professional boxer might take but the way he shifted his footing betrayed that his fighting style was not going to be quite that simple. "Proper introductions. Name's Masashi Katsuo."

 

[Enatsu]

The smell of blood once hung in the air around him as his naked body floated in the body of water. Under these still currents he could hear the many movements of the sea life and what each held to offer. It was awkward but in the best way possible to say the least. Those silly children innocent and yet so naive. They lived in a fantasy world one that would not be so kind as his genjutsu was. The Grand Lion waded through the water taking in the relaxing flow of the cool sensation the pond had to offer. The small body of water was beautiful full of large lilypads that resembled crystallized rock that gleamed gently in the water. Chakra orbs lay at the bottom of this pond emanating their innate energy even in small spurts it was still live enough to feel. Koga felt slightly guilty for even washing off the blood from his body. He thought back to the bandits he just ran into a group of women who used sex as their weapon and brutally dismembered their victims. He'd been hunting them down tracking them and their deaths were very sweet. He made sure he sang soft terrors of death as their world went black and made sure to fill their heads with so much sound jutsu, it would make a delightful pop at the end of his trance.

The headless women held many goods specifically the medicine and food he had so eagerly been searching for. Whether it was loose rations or from a band of women it was all the same to him. However in order to keep his tracks clean he stripped naked and burned his clothes on the spot. Summoning Scrolls were so useful as he had already prepared another outfit, his ANBU one to be more specific fresh of scent accompanied by a neutral scented soap. He wanted to erase his presence from those around him and become faceless to the world. It was time for the revolution to begin and the day had to have been coming to a close. With his new outfit in tow, the blind shinobi would follow the sound of rushing water in his birthday suit. This is why he lays here lost in thought for the world before them. Soon he'd rise and bring himself to leave the body of water.

After leaving the pond Koga got dressed placing on the lightly designed white mask on his face. It was made of bone, hard and metallic but lightweight, a great layer of armor if you asked him. This area had served it's usefulness washing off the stench of the bloodied scene he had just left. Koga treaded throughout the forest slowly as he focused on the noises around him. He could hear the rustling of animals and the sounds of water. The air was stale garnering no sound, until something struck his ears. It was relatively close it had to be for him to be able to hear it. The words spoken were "I'll fight alone if it's all the same to you, Lord Toraono." Kuro's here huh? How interesting it's funny to think that fate would bring him here. What if the Cabal is about attack him? He'll need support.

Koga followed the sounds of the murmurs with haste, coming upon a scene of three people two of them across from eachother with the emotion of excitement in the air. He was only able to catch the ned of one of the man's words who spoke his name. "Proper introductions. Name's Masashi Katsuo.", and with that Koga knew he was in the field of warriors. However unlike them he had no bone in this battle instead he would utilize his skills in another manner. Using echolocation but quietly focusing the sound waves, Koga was able to pinpoint a few rock structures big enough and obscure enough to hide him. With a flick of his hand he'd release the Warp Seal from his bones "warping" his body behind a large boulder or tree trying to keep himself hidden. He would listen in on this fight and observe to figure out the specifics of the situation.

[MFT]

 

[Sand Council]

Saiga​

"Hitorugi Saiga,"<i></i> He replied in kind, finding the formalities trivial. One did not know the name of the man opposite of him on the battlefield and only if both survived did they ever exchange such civilities. Exceptions were to be made. Saiga smiled, an earnest white-teethed grin. He pointed a finger at Katsuo and back to himself. "Lets dance you and I."<i></i>

The changes that overcame his opponent did not slip his tactical mind and in fact he felt his blood coursing with the adrenaline of a deadly encounter. Shinobi were trained killers that had unique abilities in their blood. Kuro was a descendant to a demon, but there were other lineages that were less obvious. Katsuo wielded a powerful heritage and while Saiga had not encountered this man before, he had been at odds with one similar to him. Slaying ninja had one meeting a lot of unique individuals. This battle would not be won by the standard rules of combat a normal soldier was used to. This now became a game of chess and he had to do everything in his ability to telegraph completely wrong signals to his adversary.

A smooth twist of his body and he dropped into his own ready position. A hand held next to his head and the other arm being completely extend. His legs matched and it was clear that Saiga fought with a circle perimeter for his defense similar to how a fencer might. Depending upon the distance between him and his opponent dictated how he fought, the responses he would push outward in retaliation. This style was often ignored when battling shinobi due to their unnatural speed and reaction time, but Saiga held an advantage in that area. Despite only being a human untrained in the ways of the ninja he was faster and stronger than the average human by an inordinate amount. So much so that he often won fights against others for simply underestimating him in the first exchange.

Muscles rippled suddenly and he moved forward in a burst of speed, ducking low as he neared and bringing forth a series of rapid, but unusually powerful punches. The air visibly shifted as he moved, preparing for the double feint for his attack. The initial maneuver would look like a simple forward attack, but would be used to force Katuso into a defensive reaction only to use the momentum and back-swing his leg around to catch him off guard.

It was time to see who would draw first blood.

 

[Mikaboshi]

The menacing swirls of black in Katsuo's eyes shifted back and forth like the lens of an camera as they quickly dissected Saiga's movements and reported their findings. Katsuo was an experienced fighter and recognized on his own the most obvious movements that Saiga made. He could see the shifts in footing and distance in his defensive stance. Getting through his guard to actually strike the man would be his first hurdle. If he couldn't find some sort of weakness or hole in Saiga's guard then he wouldn't stand a chance. But in comparison to the enhanced eyesight that Katsuo's practiced doujutsu gave him even the combat insight of a seasoned veteran was only comparable to a cursory examination. Through his eyes he could see detail in a level impossible to describe to those that could not witness it for themselves. His brain received and interpreted combat data sent from the Zenjingan at an accelerated rate and his body moved almost on instinct alone.

Saiga's body shuddered and then exploded into movement. Faster than Katsuo had expected admittedly but nothing he wasn't prepared to handle. Saiga's physical defense was impeccable but Katsuo's defense wasn't only in his stance. It was in his eyes and his reflexes. In that way, Katsuo's eyesight was a more deadly weapon than any blade he could ever wield-- even Tatsumasa which jingled at his belt. If Katsuo had been any other man, Saiga's first attack would almost certainly have overwhelmed him simply because of the suddenness of it. But Saiga wasn't up against just any other fighter. Katsuo's reputation as a skilled fighter and master of the Masashi style of combat was well earned. As Saiga rushed him, Katsuo stood completely still with his eyes focused directly on his opponent. The snap information processing that his eyes gave him allowed him to make his movements and decisions at the last second; split second shifts with little to no extraneous movement. This was the Way of the All-Seeing Eye; a combat style which focused on leveraging the edge that the Zenjingan allowed for a preternaturally strong defensive posture.

Saiga's attacks came in rapidly executed sequences and Katsuo moved his own body with targeted deflection to prevent the strikes from hitting him anywhere important. Where Saiga punched, Katsuo shifted and deflected sending the power behind those slugs off and harmlessly away from his body. His strikes were powerful but Saiga faced the same problem that Katsuo did. Without a reliable way to pierce his defense, all the power in the world was meaningless. When facing each other with blades it could become possible to simply overpower the opponent. Lock their blade and force them into a struggle to maintain their balance. Naturally quick fighters would avoid such a circumstance if they could but it was as simple a scenario as that. If the quicker fighter could be pinned down they would almost certainly lose as being knocked off balance even once during a sword fight could quickly result in a game ending wound. But in a fist fight one could afford to take hits in the way Katsuo was doing. Practiced, measurable hits which deflected the brunt of the power into another direction without causing much harm. Then it came. Saiga's first move in the game to pierce Katsuo's defense. This punch wasn't one with conviction behind it, the way his muscles moved and contracted. The momentum was wrong. As expected, the second strike came in as soon as the feinted punch was revealed and in came the true goal of Saiga's attack.

Using the momentum of his feinted strike which had never truly been intended to strike Katsuo, Saiga flipped around in mid air and brought his leg down in a kicking motion which was impossible to block. Saiga was already a stronger and faster opponent than most human beings and with the added momentum of the spin and gravity behind his kick Katsuo couldn't hope to deflect such a strike and would only end up with a broken arm if he tried to block the attack. In the blink of an eye, Katsuo's grinning form shifted to the right just barely past the place where Saiga's foot would have driven into his skull if the kick had gone unnoticed. With his ability to see and react to attacks at the last minute, feints and such types of strategy were at a drastically reduced effectiveness against him. It made Katsuo an opponent that couldn't be fought in normal ways and if Saiga had any hope of winning he would need to think around Katsuo's split-second reaction times. Reaching out immediately following his shift in position, Katsuo attempted to grab Saiga's leg as it passed him with the intent to use Saiga's momentum against him and toss him into a near-by tree.

 

[Enatsu]

Hitorugi Saiga the other man spoke. He wanted to battle this Katsuo a warrior's bout something the Ikoji knew intimately. Observing the battle was going to be tough as the "Sonar" was not fully developed although the enhanced hearing was doing it's job. However he needed a base, and in small spurts he would sound out chakra enhanced sound waves in order to read the entire area. They would continue to be sent out for the direction of this battle. Koga listened from behind the boulder training his ears on their bodily movements. The man named Saiga made his first move rushing from his position and going straight forward. It would seem his footwork was exceptionally light considering his size that or Koga's hearing was still off. He began brandishing punches packed with abnormal strength behind each one. The snap of his punches were literally causing the air to shift around him. Each blow was explosive however it seemed that Katsuo himself was no stranger to battle.

Wherever the explosive punch was placed Katsuo moved from it or naturally shrugged off the attack getting it away from him. It was a good strategy that was for sure, but how long could he hold out on defenses alone? Koga listened to their footwork and continued to emit his soundwaves to learn the body placements as they shifted. The Masashi warrior continued to impress as he simply shifted his body away from the incoming air waves. It was like he was dancing with his opponent's attacks, gracefully waltzing out of their way. However it would seem that he came to a moment of sudden realization as one of Saiga's feet left the ground. Almost immediately Koga could surmise what was coming as the air above Katsuo shifted. Katsuo's risky style might have been his downfall as he waited too long to move from the kick or so Koga thought.

Once more the risky warrior dodged the incoming attack proving his reaction speed to be that of another level. Saiga's muscled legs would be used against him, or at least attempted. As the fight went on Koga took mental notes of the two battlers trying to understand who would be his opponent and who would not should either of these men turn out to be attackers to Kuro. From the way things were presented it would seem Katsuo was an ally to the Demon Sage but in this world of shinobi anything could happen.

Hmm the battle's only begun but Saiga is punishing Katsuo or at least trying. His attacks are ferocious but that man keeps dodging them. He's doing it so last minute, he must have an amazing battle sense to be so risky. I'm positive even with this hearing I might not be able to dodge like that. Not unless I was emitting a vibration around me to help predict the attacks. Ideas of a new fighting style began to rush into Koga's mind as he observed the two fighters. Being blind was easily the fifth worst thing in his life, but like the others it would fortify him and make the warrior stronger. Katsuo's masterful dodging made Koga realize that in order to even get to that level he'd have to manipulate the battefield to his liking. Much like the area of vibration he used to control his enhanced hearing and echolocation manipulation he could utilize it as a perimeter. Something to alert him of incoming attacks when they breached it and alert his hearing to the danger. A smile would spread under the white mask as he learned from their battle. More would come to him as this Saiga would have to come up with a counter-attack or face being tossed against a tree.

 

[Sand Council]

Saiga​

The blue-eyed man was fast, as Saiga had expected him to be. This would not be a normal fight won on sheer power and common tactics. No, this required a different kind of finesse. Even the most hardened of shinobi and warriors alike had a keen battlefield awareness when in the grips of heated combat. They could analyze and adapt to make their strategy more effective and this is what the best generals in history were capable of doing. However, they always had other facets to consider, factors to take account for on a grander scale that dulled that sense. Katsuo possessed a heightened one from his lineage. Saiga had grown his, fighting all his life until he had reached a point where everyone had become predictable.

Gauging how an opponent fought was only the first step to figuring out how to win the fight. Saiga had learned much from his opening attack, but had foreseen the glaring error in his own defense. As he came down from the missed attack, Katsuo latched onto his ankle and flung him like a small boulder. The soldier had spent some time in this area and studied the trees. They were not normal, but instead were almost stone-like. As he collided with it, it shattered and splintered into thousands of petrified shards. Standing up from the retaliation, he brushed away bits of tree and looked none worse for the wear. Although he was not bolstered by chakra or enhanced by dark powers, Saiga was the epitome of physical strength and endurance. A new plan in mind, he rolled forward, over the stump of the broken spire and came forward with a barrage of razor-sharp splinters as makeshift projectiles; just near a full dozen. Then he applied his inhuman speed once more and he had placed himself in front of his ranged attack timing it just so that the tree pieces would meet as he performed his series of strong jabs, left-right-left-right, air-rippling from the shear velocity. This was to keep Katsuo stuck in place and would force him to choose a direction where the shards would certainly meet him.

This was a stand-off at its best. Saiga was prepared for both the defensive reaction and his own movement to avoid being struck by his own attack. It came with such risks should he fail to execute properly, but extraordinary opponents needed unique methods to defeat them.

 

[Mikaboshi]

"You're one hell of a tough dude, Saiga." Commented Katsuo as Saiga stood up and brushed off being thrown through a petrified tree. There had been a pretty large amount of power behind that throw and yet the Cabal agent had shaken it off like it was nothing. It was impressive, at the very least. For some it might have even been intimidating. But for the man that was called the Iron Wolf, such an opponent only made his blood boil in excitement. It meant he could afford to take risks with his opponent's durability that he'd ever consider while fighting other humans under normal circumstances. While Katsuo certainly had taken lives in the past when it was necessary, it was not a thing that he went out of his way or even desired to do.

Seeing Saiga roll forward over the stump with the jagged shards of the petrified wood in his hands, Katsuo had a good idea of what was coming. He was not eager to try his durability against those edges but there was little way out of the trap that Saiga was setting for him as the makeshift missiles took flight and his opponent raced forward. Seeing Saiga come forward, Katsuo knew the game plan. He was going to rush him with a barrage of attacks and push him into the line of fire of his projectiles. If he stayed and fought with his fists, he'd be caught off-guard by the flying attack. If he put any energy into dodging the projectiles, Saiga would take advantage of that opening and strike him in physical range. Given Saiga's physical strength, Katsuo was even less eager to find out what catching a punch from his opponent in an exposed vital area might do to him. If there was ever going to be a time to take risks, this was a good one.

Striking up his own stance as Saiga pounced, the air around Katsuo froze and his body disappeared into a flicker of motion. There was a burst of sound as the speed of his movement blasted the air around him out of the way and he approached Saiga at an inhuman speed. The enemy warrior would almost certainly sense the incoming attacks before he even saw them; the speed that the Masashi moved at was nearly impossible for the eyes of normal humans to see. This was a technique that Katsuo had learned from the greatest of his mentors out in the winds: Shukuchi. "Disappearing" from sight, the user leverages their temporarily terrifying fast speed to approach, assault and then move away from their target allowing for minimal time for their opponent to process and defend themselves. It was something that he rarely used in battles against humans as there was no time to hold back during such a technique. He could not focus on translating himself at his highest speed and also ensure that he would not seriously maim his opponent. But this fight was something special. He'd promised he'd hold nothing back and as he passed Saiga and the seven lightning-fast punches came through he delivered on that promise. Each strike was aimed in such a way that Katsuo had never seen the attack totally broken before; spaced enough that he could target separate vulnerabilities in his opponent's defense at once or-- in the case of opponents such as Saiga which had very few, if any, gaps in their defense --hopefully get at least one or two strikes in. The moment that Katsuo had realized what Saiga's plan was he'd decided that the only way out of the trap was to surprise the Cabal agent with an offensive of his own. There was no realistic way to escape this situation with taking some collateral damage so he needed to make it count.

Stopping just a foot or two behind Saiga, Katsuo came face to face with the barrage of razor-tipped fragments of tree and did the only thing he could do: bring his arms up and hope for the best. Pain blossomed through his forearms and his right shoulder as fragments of time-frozen wood bit into his skin and tore his flesh sending blood splattering. But even as he grimaced against the pain, Katsuo turned and kicked away from where he was standing to put further distance between himself and Saiga in case the other warrior managed to recover quickly from his attack. Skidding to a stop, Katsuo swallowed hard as he quickly removed some of the more inconvenient shards but leaving the large one embedded in his shoulder in place. If he removed it he was likely to simply invite the wound to bleed even more making the fight that much more dangerous. The spike had already done the damage it was going to do and even though it hurt a great deal to leave it in place Katsuo's experience screamed the pain down knowing that he would be risking his life to remove it.

[In game terms, Katsuo is using Shadow Dance and Higuma together with his fists (as he will be taking Shinobi 101: Unarmed).]

 

[Enatsu]

Saiga had clearly a great amount of endurance as he took the blow from the tree but recovered from the shattered stone impressively. There was a thud on the ground, the man had rolled into a ball and sprung up tossing multiple things through the air. The sudden shift of the airwaives, the size and shape of what was being thrown as Koga's Sonar kicked into over-time trying to keep up with the battle. These were likely pieces of the tree since that's what he rolled over. Not only was Saiga built strong he was tenacious. Katsuo was busy complimenting him while Saiga had already pushed forward with the next attack. However the voice of Katsuo began to ring through Koga's head more and more. It was a nagging itch in the back of his mind, had he heard this voice before? Since becoming blind his other senses, namely hearing had been slightly increasing. Utilizing chakra nearly every minute, every second of the day helped amplify his sharpness. It would do well to fine tune the imperfect super-hearing, but this chime, it was too familiar. Ignoring it for now Koga re-trained his ears on the impending battle, as the harsh Saiga rushed immediately after his projectiles. He was not content and the snaps in the airwaves proved the warrior was now jabbing at Katsuo as he tried to corner the risky dodger. It was probably going to be the only way he could head off Katsuo at this point.

There was a brief stillness in the air around Katsuo and then like a brief flash the warrior had moved at an exceedingly fast speed closing the gap between Saiga and himself. The burst of wind that blew through the sound waves in the air made it quite clear that he was using a move like Body Flicker. It was just high speed motion at the end of the day. However it meant he was a formidable Taijutsu expert and that alone was giving Koga an idea of what kind of warrior he was based on what he was turning out to be. In the blur of speed he could barely recognize who was throwing what punches as there were a crackles of sound waves being bursted obviously someone was delivering high speed punches, very impressive as fast as Koga's. These two were monsters, and the blood inside of Koga began to boil. The Kaguyan will still burned deeply, and the want to battle was slowly picking at him. This was exciting to say the least, the first challenging battle he'd seen but he could not include himself on it, not yet at least.

Koga's chakra began to spike slightly as he entered his bone like transmutation. It was mild to say the least, but his body needed to be prepared as he heard the soft trickles of blood slowly leaving Katsuo's body. He had taken the worst of that exchange, and for all he knew this man was either a friend or foe. Either way Kuro was here watching the battle, and whoever was the victor would have their shot at him, or had the ability to do so. If they decided to make a move on the only remaining authority figure, Koga would be there to stop them dead in their tracks. Bones would cover his forearms, shins, hands, and torso. The mask he wore began to cover itself in bone as if reacting to his transmutation as well. While these morph-like changes were under his clothes, they still held relevance to his overall protection. With the way this was going someone had already drew first blood, and usually that made things escalate past the point some wished them too.

[MFT]

 

[Sand Council]

Saiga​

There was nearly a full century worth of fighting experience between the two combatants. The average life of a warrior was considerably shorter than that of the normal civilian and it only spoke to how calculated these two were. Having seen things both supernatural, paranormal, and extraordinary, they had survived every such encounter not only with their life, but with the precious knowledge that would be used to further themselves ahead future encounters of things similar in nature. Shinobi were similar in many ways, but varied greatly in terms of their abilities which could vary depending on religion, where they lived, abnormalities in their genes, and numerous other factors that changed the playing field. Katsuo was steadily letting himself go more and more and Saiga see it, and when he could no longer is when he knew that the Masashi was true to his word.

When an opponent could not be detected via normal senses, all one had was their instinct. At the moment of rapid movement, the eyes of the solider closed shut and he prepared himself in the fleeting microseconds he had. The blows came at him and with each attack came a spike of adrenaline to warn him. Powerful arms moved to greet the attacks, but they were simply too many, too fast, and too far spread out to be able to block them all. As the punch landed he could feel the penetration and the integrity of his abdomen give way. One. Two more made it through and as Katsuo kicked away and landed in place, the brunt of the attack pushed on Saiga and he coughed suddenly, blood spurting forth from his lips. The damage had been done, but as he took sight of his challenger once more he saw that his plan had worked and they were both a bit worse off than they had started. While it hurt to inhale deeply -a broken rib or two- the pain was numbed as the battle was proving to be more than just the average scuffle.

Blood was wiped away from his chin using the back of his hand and he made a slight nod towards the demon hunter, "Shake it off. It's just a small splinter."<i></i> There was a grin that followed. A sign that he was truly enjoying himself.

There was now a hole to exploit with Katsuo's shoulder wound hindering the use of that arm. He would have to compensate and if Saiga pressed him hard enough he would eventually wear Katsuo down. Wide sweeping attacks would be the method, which would force Katsuo to either disengage or force a counter attack, and with an arm not at full strength, that wasn't likely. A visible tension rippled through the Cabal's body and like before, he rushed forward at unreal speeds. Movement from the left. The right. The center. And then he was upon Katsuo with a low spinning kick that caused any loose bits around them to become airborne. Behind the first attack was a powerful elbow looking for a vulnerability to help crush anything vital in the more lithe fighter.

 

[Mikaboshi]

Shake it off is exactly what Katsuo did.

Reaching up as Saiga recovered from the barrage of attacks that he'd weathered during Katsuo's Shukuchi, the Masashi's fingers wrapped around the rock-like wood and crushed it in his grasp. Though still embedded in his shoulder to prevent bleeding, it was a preventative measure to ensure that he wouldn't hit the spike himself. He knew that Saiga would almost certainly be targeting his now obvious weak spot and didn't need that vulnerability exacerbated by having his own movements restricted further for fear of hitting the spike. Katsuo couldn't deny that he was enjoying himself but the weight of the fact that the people of Sunagakure suffered at the hands of villains while he indulged his martial curiosity in the ancient forest weighed heavily on his shoulders.

"Are you doing the right thing, Saiga?"

Katsuo's words drifted over the air just as the Cabal warrior rushed forward and began his assault anew. Predictably, the attacks were targeted assaults to push Katsuo's disadvantaged shoulder but in this scenario being predictable wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It was likely the best play that Saiga had in front of him provided that he wasn't holding back himself. They weren't so mismatched that Katsuo held the absolute advantage but it was clear in these early scuffles that his Zenjingan made the difference between them. They were both skilled and hearty fighters but the blood-given talents of Katsuo's doujutsu put a gap between them that any experienced fighter could see. That wasn't so that Saiga had no chance of winning or even that victory was an unlikely outcome for him but it was an uphill struggle and both out of respect for Saiga's warrior spirit and the fact that he could not allow himself to lose to someone helping the Cabal, Katsuo had no intention of taking it easy on him.

Saiga zigged and zagged as he charged but Katsuo's eyes saw through the diversionary tactic with ease. Like feints, such movements were almost entirely foiled by the insight offered by the doujutsu that Saiga's opponent wielded and as Saiga dropped to the ground with his wicked kick, Katsuo's body went up into the air along with the cloud of debris in a jumping dodge that put him into position to receive Saiga's next attack. His opponent spun into him with his elbow which Katsuo received with his good shoulder in a targeted block allowing for the force of the hit to send him catapulting off to the side and away from Saiga. It was a hard hit but warriors such as they had long since learned how to receive hits in such places and take minimal injury in the process. Slowing in his fall, Katsuo flipped through the air and caught himself with his uninjured arm allowing the Masashi to retake his footing with a light push off of the ground. He didn't counter attack right away. He wanted to know if Saiga had heard his words and had an answer for him. As strong as Katsuo's desire to fight was, his sense of duty gnawed at his conscience and battled with his pride against continuing the fight under such circumstances.

 

[Sand Council]

Saiga​

In a fight there was no time to stop and think about a question posed by someone on the other side. A moment's hesitation could result in death and words during combat were usually no more than an attempt to distract, deter, or bargain. Saiga had already determined his actions long before Katsuo had posed his question. It was only when the Cabal's Lieutenant adversary halted the fight did he take heed. Changing the flow of a fight with a few words was a rare occurrence and usually didn't come into play, but at the beginning of this fight they had established they would fight as warriors, and with that came a mutual respect that had to be honored. Boots digging into the dark and reflective dirt of the obsidian trees long gone from the forest, Saiga spit a globule of red off to the side from whatever injury he had sustained from the Masashi's last attack.

A loud huff would sound from the man, his eyes closing for a moment before they opened back up to meet Katsuo's vibrant blue gaze, "Right or wrong depends on what side of the table you sit on. It's perspective."<i></i> The pensive expression set clear lines into his visage, a sign that he often contemplated what he did and its implications. "I am a soldier and I am a killer. A good one. My loyalties decide who I stand with and who I stand against. My orders dictate who dies and who lives."<i></i>

There was a visible shudder in Saiga's body as he clenched his fists tight, "It is never right to kill civilians, but war is an ugly and predictable monster that will devour as it finds necessity. We walk on the skeletons of our decisions and the decisions of our superiors. It is the nature of being a soldier."<i></i> It was clear that he had this conversation before. A reflective gaze of guilt and accusation that looked at him each time he saw a mirror that would scream at him the numerous crimes against humanity he had committed in the name of others. "I do what I must to complete my mission. What of you, Katsuo? Surely you have faced nightmares as well. Created monsters that lurk in your subconscious. You cannot fight as you do without having them stalking just out of sight."<i></i>

 

[Mikaboshi]

"There is no perspective in the deaths of those that cannot defend themselves." Katsuo admonished, a slight breeze blowing past him in response to the surge of emotion he felt towards those words. How many times had he heard perspective used to defend despicable acts?

"I had no choice"

"You would have done the same"

"They brought this upon themselves"

The words of evil men echoed through his thoughts in cadence with Saiga's statement. Men that justified their vile behavior with platitudes which absolved them of their guilt and made it easier for them to victimize others. Many times they reduced those that they inflicted themselves upon to less than human. It was always easier to harm someone if they some how deserved or earned it. Men like Katsuo and Saiga chose the way of the soldier. Theirs was a life of violence and they accepted that. But for every man or woman like them there were four who were not. Folk looking to live out their lives without the horrors of battle and combat.

And there were few acts more heinous than visiting that horror upon them.

"I understand that. Loyalty means you do what your master asks of you without question." The Masashi wanderer understood because in a way he served his own master: the path of bravery. Raised on stories of the rangers and warriors that had once defended humanity from the depravity of the monsters that dwelt in Wind Country, Katsuo had grown to adulthood with a strong desire to follow in those footsteps and an even stronger sense of personal justice. "Even then you have the right to choose your master. You and I are men. A sandshark may take a life without heed to that person's innocence because a shark is a shark. It cannot be any more or less than it is. We are blessed to be human with the right to choose to be better."

"But you're right. I've killed men before. With these fists I've broken bones and taken lives." Like Saiga, Katsuo too had been through this conversation many times before with men who had strayed from the path. Powerful fighters that used their overwhelming power for selfish or abusive ends. It was part of who he was to give those men a chance to come back to the path. "The monsters that I have in my heart do not stalk me in the night nor in my dreams. I walk side by side with them into the future as a constant reminder of the responsibility that powerful men like you and I have to those that cannot defend themselves."

 

[Enatsu]

Like puzzle pieces, the words they spoke fell into place. Everything became clearer, and anger began to boil deep within. It was as if there were a smokescreen obscuring his view at all times, and patience was all Koga could rely on to make the right decisions. He could not act until he knew, or if he did it could end in a mistake one he was not willing to make until Saiga spoke words that revealed his true placement. "He's one of them..." Koga hissed, chakra seeping off his voice breaching the sound waves around the blind man. Each syllable was laced in power amplified by his hollow transformation, as more metallic bone connected under his clothes to further the armor. "One of theirs is simply standing there doing battle and here I am behind a rock hiding and waiting.... I'm done." Before making his way out there to confront the obvious member, Katsuo would begin his own speech. He spoke of the ill will men caused by hurting those who could not defend themselves. The innocents could not avoid this war and they were simply products of turmoil. It made Koga revisit a time not so recently.

He began to formulate the image of silhouettes falling at his feet as he tore through them with Sound Jutsu and fists. Destruction on each one, and then a chop at their neck to sever their heads. Pikes stamped into the ground, running with liquid dripping on the cold earth. He had sentenced countless to death at the gates and all due to the ambition of leaving this place. Koga justified his actions with trying to help the village weighing the lives of a group against the lives of everyone. Maybe it would have been better to let them escape and focus on the damage control, but whose to say how well they'd survive an underground explosion being caved in under the Earth. Whatever the answer was, it could have been better than living like rats. Betraying one another to keep hope alive. I will also have to answer for my crimes one day. Killing all of those innocent workers at the gates and leaving them on display as a warning. I am truly as sick as they are, I don't belong in these shinobi ranks anymore. I've been living off of the archaic value of shinobi, not what we make of the word. When this is all over I will pay for what I've done and how I've changed. Only after I've felt the blood flow from these damned terrorists for the kin of mine they have slain.

Katsuo spoke more words of wisdom towards Saiga, the fact that they were men and could choose their paths. While Koga didn't agree with all of his statement he shared the sentiment that they could choose to help rather than hurt. They do not have to follow the order of their master they have choice. It was by choice that Koga followed Sunagakure, by choice he followed Kenji to this underground mess. There were many places to point the fingers and place the blame and no amount of conversation could satiate the need to kill them and become free. As the reactionary warrior finished his speech, Koga would come from behind the rocks head lowered and ears perked. The sound waves emanating from around him causing a low screech to be heard in the air, as if there were a group of birds chirping in the distance. The killing intent at an all time high but patience maintained itself for the moment. His entrance would accompanied by a slow clap before he began speaking.

"Well said Katsuo, words spoken like a true man of fairness. What I don't understand is why these people had to include others. Why bing such terror to families who have nothing to do with this. I guess that was their best strategic play, harm the innocents and use them as hostages not that they're keeping things in control. By this time next week, the deaths could multiply leaving a state of dangerous criminals outweighing the citizens. I'm not saying they're all worth saving because some of these people are downright scum, but they all don't deserve this brand of... whatever you people call it." He would walk closer to them listening for signs of change in their footing or their movements. He was ready for an attack waiting with a counter move in mind. Sound was simply vibrations in the air and by utilizing his chakra to enhance his hearing he would listen for when one of them made their move.

After pacing for a few seconds Koga would stop and ask a question again. "I have one question, why are you two doing battle? Will this determine the death of another or is this for sport? I've never witnessed a death battle where the participants held back. Every fight I've been in for my life was rapid and always moving, there was little conversation if any at all. Enlighten me, for what purpose are you fighting for?" He didn't want to give much hint towards him being blind although if he raised his head they would see the blindfolds under his mask. It would be obvious that Koga either had no sight or simply wore them for show. For now it was time for probing before he could figure out a time to strike. "Yes I'll bide my time waiting for an opening. Depending on how things go I may just strike, but my mind tell me I'm not going to let this go so easily, I'm not sure if I can." Koga's heartbeat would begin to pick up, out of fear and excitement. Fear that he was biting off more than he could chew, but excitement for the potential battle he could be facing.

[MFT]

 

[Sand Council]

Saiga​

There was a nod.

Acceptance. Katsuo was not wrong. Saiga knew all too well the conditions of his life did not fit the morals he attempted to live by.

"My Fam---"<i></i> Words halted by a newcomer.

There was a noticeable change in Saiga's demeanor. There wasn't anger or concern. Creased lines in his forehead retold of similar emotions from earlier. Saiga was disappointed. A hand dipped into his pocket and retrieved the silver band he had been wearing earlier, before the fight, and he slipped it back onto his hand. Fist curled and tightened it onto his digit. Disrespect from not only a man who was considered to be a warrior, but from a man unwilling to speak to both of them and instead only addressing one. Even on the battlefield, when commanders would exchange words, there was respect for their opponents. Not holding that led to others underestimating their foes in the most terrible and arrogant of ways. Armed and encased in something unearthly. An abomination not different from Toraono Kuro. Those who need crutches because they had not been able to dig deep enough to find the potential in themselves to advance. Cheaters.

"You only need to ask the question once."<i></i> He replied, betraying not emotion. "Neither of us are imbeciles. Nor do we stare at the ground when speaking to one others. Have a little decorum."<i></i> Dark eyes glanced between the newly arrived and Katsuo. This man was not a warrior. Posing his question as he did gave Saiga the answer he wanted. "A warrior's challenge. One which has been sullied by reinforcements for the losing side."<i></i> The corners of his mouth turned upward. "I understand you were on a time frame, Katsuo, but to call in help is a little shameful, don't you agree?"<i></i>

Perhaps the demon hunter would soon realize that he had been robbed of a valuable truth due to their interruption and it was washed away in the steely mask of a now defensive Saiga staring down three sand shinobi. If he were to die, he would die like a warrior and fight until his last breath.

 

[Mikaboshi]

It seemed like he was getting through to him. Good, thought Katsuo. In times like these, they would need all the allies they could muster against the Cabal. If he could convince Saiga to turn from the path of carnage that the Cabal walked and join with him then they could put this whole ordeal to rest in short order. Having had a taste of Saiga's power, Katsuo was confident that the two of them could restore order reasonably quickly to Sunagakure given that the Cabal agent could have crucial information regarding the strange weaponized chakra that had been used to destroy the tower.

But as Katsuo relaxed for a moment, a shiver went down his spine alerted the demon hunter to the presence of another fighter. Before even the chirping noise which preceded his appearance, Katsuo felt the bloodlust that Koga exuded pollute the air around them subverting the purity of the spirit of competition between he and Saiga. Though they were enemies and each were prepared to face the possibility that they might die at the hands of the other there was no malice between them. In the soul of Saiga's fists Katsuo could feel that there was a good man that carried the burden of terrible bitterness in his heart. He had strayed from the path of justice but could be returned to it. True redemption was a rare thing but in many ways the pursuit of honor was the purest path of all.

Skipping backwards and falling into a defensive but ready stance, Katsuo was prepared for the fact that the battle between he and Saiga might have attracted the attention of one of Saiga's allies. While it was possible that there were others among the Cabal which could be turned from wickedness, it was almost certainly too much to hope for among a company of men and women that would collectively allow for such butchery as was happening in the streets of Sunagakure. In addition to that, Katsuo doubted that a heart which could produce such a foul feeling could be anything but black. But as Koga addressed him-- by name even. How long had he been waiting behind that rock? --it became clear that Koga wasn't a Cabal agent or was at least playing at hiding his identity. He decried the tactics of the Cabal against Sunagakure, marking him as a likely member of the Sand's scattered shinobi corps. It then occurred to him that he'd seen this man before briefly at the scene of of the Kazekage Tower's destruction and he was indeed a Sand shinobi.

"Go back to your city, Sand ninja. This isn't the place for your bloodlust." It wasn't a question. Katsuo didn't even respond to Saiga's jab about him calling in reinforcements. The Masashi was normally a cool-headed man but in this moment the explosive combination of Koga's impetuous stupidity, frustration of losing the opportunity to potentially help an honorable man come back to the light and the searing pain of his shoulder wound undermined his temper. Tatsumasa warned Katsuo against making an impetuous action of his own but it was too late for that.