Act I: The Beginning
Ikoji Koga, son of Ikoji Saizan an elder council member at the roaring age of 37. His mother who passed away on his 9th birthday was Ikoji Ringo a healer and priestess in the village. Koga was born into a family that held some type of recognition within the clan. He was quite nimble but not as much as other kids who had a stronger connection to the Kaguyan gene within the clan. Like his father and mother he did not bear the gene either. Even though there weren't many Kaguyan inheritors in the clan anymore, his father had hoped for his son to be one as a way to attain more power within the Ikoji clan.
However Koga was born with other natural traits of the Ikoji including an extremely defined muscle pattern for someone his age. Ringo trained Koga in the art of unarmed combat from the age of four until her untimely passing. After that his father sought to ensure Ringo’s training did not go to waste since they shared a similar style of fighting. Koga inherited two sides of the totem pole when it came to his parent’s glaring skills. He had a monstrous strength akin to his father and the Ikoji clan. From his mother he gained the ability to access his spiritual energy to produce light energy which could be used to heal or harm.
There is a tale told to the clan that in the era of Gina, the Ikoji stole the deed to a large trading ship from a group of well known criminals. On that ship they were met by a group of disgruntled pirates who couldn't take their loss. They were dispatched of easily, but then the clan made an even more chilling discovery. These pirates were actually slavers and had enslaved a clan of healers from the further northern sands. Gina immediately gave them sanction within the walls of the Ikoji's safe haven. Eventually the clans began to intertwine together and create a unison between the two The clan of healers quickly adopted to the lifestyle of Ikoji and fit in well. However they began to bring about religious teachings with them of the spirits. At first it was seen as a joke but more and more the Ikoji began to see signs of spiritual presence. They say that the Ikoji were visited by the numerous spirits of the land including their ancestors mainly Ichikaza who claimed he was forever protecting the lands where the Ogawa laid rest.
Although some of this tale has never been confirmed many non Kaguyan Ikoji began to adapt to these teachings and found a greater power in medical jutsu. Some even found ways to control the spirit energy around them. Even to this day there are amazing healers within the ranks of the Ikoji clan and Koga inherited the connection to the spirits power around him due to his mother's connection with these ancient healers. Ringo instilled a strong belief of the spirits within Koga. He silently acknowledges their presence around him, but sees them as the life energy, not an entity to praise. However there were pivotal entities that could control these spirits or at least the energies.
Koga spent much of his training with his mother learning theories of the world and the way energy worked. She was a deep thinker, and made Koga open his mind up to the possibilities in the world. Ringo taught him that to efficiently heal someone you had to use a bit of yourself. However since Koga was loved by the spirits he could feed off their energy instead. He could transform his normal chakra into a type of light, one that had the power to destroy or the power to heal. However she focused mainly on teaching him how to heal. Whenever Koga received injuries from training she would have him channel his spiritual power into the healing techniques to amplify it's potency. As long as he practiced on his body and the others of the village his experience would come in time. Healing was just like his spiritual energy or at least gathering it.
In order to gather his spirit energy he had to imagine it already around him. The power of imagination helped tremendously on the battlefield when trying to take a new direction or accomplish a new goal. When thinking about how he could use his energy to heal, he simply imagined the wound closing up or getting rid of the foreign harm in the target's body. Poison, broken bones, cuts, and bruises they could all be fixed with his power if he just focused it and channeled the energy into them. He could exhibit a powerful aura of his energy to give his allies clarity and protection. Koga could even mix his spiritual energy with his chakra to create a new form of power. It was like light and freely moved whatever way Koga wanted it to. It was his power to control and he would use the spirits around him to support his clan and allies. These were the lessons and mindsets Ringo wanted to impart to her son.
His new training with Saizan was a bit different from what his mother taught him. This training focused mainly on channeling his spiritual energy into destructive power. Every warrior had a tool or some sort that became their main option in battle. It could be magic, or some type of weapon but whatever it was, it was pivotal in the strategy of that particular warrior. Saizan challenged Koga to find what his was, in order to complete this training and become a true warrior in his eyes.
As an Ikoji his muscle frame was too great a weapon not to utilize. His father didn't have to explain that it was obvious. They came from a lineage of elegant taijutsu users. The unarmed combat his clan had training sessions for was obviously going to be his direction but how could he implement his spiritual energy? Koga would remember the sessions with his mother using his spiritual energy to heal and attack with. She was the reason he fought the way he did and the woman who would mold his morals and ideals. So Koga came to the consensus to tribute his fighting to her. So when on duty and in the real battlefield Koga would wrap her old sealing signs that she would create. He would wear them as conduits and protect them with his spiritual energy. It would always be engraved into his body and soul to protect those tags and constantly infuse them with his spiritual power.
In truth he wanted to show off his son’s power and build a base to his power plays with the onlooking elders. They would observe his seed’s progress and see his influence. Koga would thank his father for his involvement and Saizan would be brilliant in their eyes. Koga never saw it that way, he saw the love of a father. Even though he may be harsh there was respect for the man who lost his world when Ringo died. Koga could never forget the days he and his mother went out on walks on the dune and observed animals. She taught him healing techniques and ensured he would be able to defend himself with the spirits of the land protecting him. She always told him that he was loved by the spirits, and when she passed on she would watch over him as well. Things of this nature bring Koga the willpower he has to continue on no matter what challenge is before him.
After the death of Gina the Lioness, Kenji the Ape her son took over the clan as the leader due to his radical idea of moving the clan into the shinobi village. By moving to Sunagakure they could gain security, wealth, and proper sustenance. They wouldn't have to struggle as much any longer and could put their skills to work. They had opportunities in the underground haven, more than this barren desert had. Kenji also made a case that Sunagakure would most likely accept them due to the obvious glaring positives. They were a group of scouts, competent healers, and sturdy guards. Not to mention that word had gotten out that a creature attacked Suna and destroyed their medical division's base. His clan’s physical capabilities too hard to miss due to the definition in their muscle tones. Even the females of Ikoji could tend to be pretty cut.
In preparation for this Saizan began having Koga study shinobi arts immediately. He would make his son an ideal shinobi while he continued his own research as well. For this reason of power and security within a foreign home Koga was sent to the Four Points of Will. Saizan had high hopes that his son would come back before the journey to Sunagakure as a new warrior with greater power than before.
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Act II: The loss of light, and gain of the Ikoji
-Current Time-
The pain shot through his body immensely paining him in a manner he never knew existed. If there was any pain he ever felt this would take the cake. Never mind the loud panting breaths that were coming from the perpetrator of this attack who was currently trying to rip his head off. No instead his only focus was on this burning grip going on within his chest. This pain that seemed to be literally blazing through him would be the death of him if not this creature.
-Before Then-
Before this messy situation which resulted in Koga’s harm he came to this cavern searching for something worth his skills. The need for battle the want to put his skills on the line was growing deeper in his body and mind. The blood lust you could say was calling out to him it was just a nagging feeling one that you couldn't get away from. So instead of trying to repress it the warrior sought to channel it. This is most likely what his clan did in the past life before they prepared for battle. Lamenting in the joy they gained from it and the ability to put it all on the line. Koga was ready for war and his shinobi armor had been refitted; now it consisted of a darkish brown almost black like tunic and pants set. He wore a tan padded vest, forearm and shin guards. His hands were wreathed in black first aid tape. Koga’s hair was short today a nice cut to accompany his will of battle. He didn't need anything grabbing his hair on this day. He was knowingly going into battle with a handicap as his injuries from using the gates against the snake man had not fully healed. The ANBU whom he had saved that day had delivered some vicious wounds and ever since then he had felt weaker than normal. It was as if he was missing some of his usual strength and his wounds weren't healing up as fast as they normally did.
Koga approached the cavern of his next designated mission or rather request. This area was an uncharted part of Sungakure’s underground haven one that was not normally explored. He could not help but feel that he would be walking into some kind of death trap but it was for this very reason that he took these kinds of jobs. He would soon stop fooling himself and leave the ranks of the healers, and scientist and move onto those of the warriors. The cavern itself only had one opening which was through the top. While it would seem uncommon for anyone to approach this place whether or not they knew of its structure would be slightly insane. However there had been reports coming in about thuggish looking chaps who had descended but never came back to tell the tale. Sunagakure sent a small search group composed of two genin and a chuunin, to enter the cavern a day ago but had not heard anything back yet, so he insisted on going down under with the intent to rescue the small beginner group of fighters. They had to have met trouble Koga knew they had to otherwise his talents would likely be a waste.
Still in order to save those he was tasked with was just another job in his new path as a shinobi. With a sluggish leap he hung from wall to wall scaling his way down until he felt comfortable with the footing and then would apply chakra to his feet so he could easily slide down the walls keeping a good tempo. It was easier this way than running his body felt like it was more fragile like his bones were getting brittle. Eventually he made it to the base of cave finding nothing at first glance. There were gleaming stones down here and mining equipment. It was obvious that the thuggish men were here for something valuable. However they must have met some complications and sent more goons making a bigger scene probably drawing more attention to a group of men with machinery heading to a cave. Not to mention some of those crooks probably had children who were asking for their fathers at this point, it was probably the most logical outcome. Koga proceeded down a path following his instincts which would lead him to some kind of sanctuary. However all he found was more emptiness, more forgotten equipment and signs of…
tracks. His eyes caught glimpse of a large set of tracks clearly bringing him to trail off his aimless wandering for a moment. These tracks were large, fresh and dragged as if whatever was in these tunnels were too big for them and couldn’t raise it’s feet assuming it had any. Thoughts began to wrack his brain to find any sort of hint.
Dragging like tracks? Almost as if something was crawling through here. Please don’t let this be a damn sandworm, on second thought I’ve never had sandworm meat. Yes please let this be a Sandworm I don’t mind. Clearly the thrill of the hunt was getting to his head or maybe even deeper than that his brain cells.
With the comedic side of his search done Koga began to caution himself as he paced throughout the cavern. Eventually he found himself lost within the world of rocks and not being able to find his way out. However like any good hunter he pursued and kept the search going until he came to an opening much larger than the rock caverns he had been in. The smell of blood and rotting corpses hung heavy in this particular clearing and when he began to examine it he found some corpses of men with tattoos and otherwise burly looking ones. There were about four corpses some pieces of others may have made two or three more. They were clearly ripped to shreds, crushed, and mangled. It was obvious this was no sand worm and for that Koga could let out a sigh of relief.
However this still made him wonder what could have done this and as he walked around he could hear voices. He wasn’t sure if these were his own, so he turned his head checking around the clearing. While is hearing was spot on and his focus was good he was positive he wasn’t going crazy. As he began to slightly dismiss the noise, he heard another voice this time he was sure it wasn’t his. The young warrior began to bounce around the area trying to hurry up and find the source. He went down a few paths and came to a halting stop at another clearing that smelled of blood. However the biggest difference was that he could hear the moans of someone coming from the inside. He rushed in finding two kids one a boy and one a girl with the girl who looked seriously injured. Koga immediately ran to her realizing they must have been the genin.
“I’m Ikoji Koga, Sunagakure Shinobi, who are you two?”
The injured girl spoke up slowly giving her name.
“Hamata Kani …. Chuunin rank. This is Shoji, and our other team member well she’s trying to fight that damn thing. Maya… I don’t know what got into her we were hiding. Then she said she couldn’t wait down here to die and that the mission was a failure but this thing wouldn’t stop stalking us. So she said she’d fight it and give us time to get away… She’s been gone for an hour and we’re not even sure she found the monster…” Koga’s head turned to the opening and he began to look around as he listened to Kani’s story. There weren’t signs of battle here so wherever this fight was taking place was elsewhere. Even more so this Chuunin who was with them was unable to keep them together and her Genin was offering herself up to this creature who was now mucking up this job. However in truth he was giving it the spice it needed. Koga would begin to emit a green aura around his hand in order to administer first aid to the girl. She winced at the pain but felt generally relieved after being in contact with his medical jutsu. Although she was feeling better Koga was fixated on his hand for the moment. There was something off about the way his jutsu had just worked but he couldn’t put his finger on it. For now it was trivial to ponder when he had a job to do. With a bounce of his shoulders the warrior would prepare to dart off and try to save this other kid before she got killed. Maya apparently thinking she could give her people time to get away fighting some giant creature, bold, but stupid she was.
After running around the general paths he came to yet another clearing but this one had the air of heat around it. It was marginally warmer than the rest of the cave and when he entered he figured out why. Maya the other genin had been down here trying to fight this monster wherever it was, most likely with fire jutsu. She was lying down on her side, so he rushed to her finding that she was still alive but had sporadic breathing. She was clearly put through the ringer but her body was still intact for the most part. She was going unconscious clearly she had gotten away from her pursuer. Koga picked her up and began to carefully walk towards the opening.
If I can manage to meet up with her team they can take her out of here. It was at that moment the ground began to shake and crack. Observing the floor beneath them ge jumped back to avoid the now rising hand of this cavern creature. The hand was green, scaly, and had the smell of blood on it. It was abnormally large and rooted itself into the open ground. The creature pulled itself out of its manhole as Koga observed the horrid figure.
The creature rushed him with immense speed. There was no escape from this attack it was far too quick so Koga turned his back to protect the girl and took a massive hit. The creature’s claws gashed his back and hurtled him into a cavern wall, which he quickly rotated his body so he’d crash back first. Maya was safe for now but this abomination was not going to let up. He knew it, he could feel the killing intent, and in response the Ikoji warrior would activate his greatest weapon, the power of the Eight Inner Gates. With a burst of power the Gate of Opening, Gate of Pain, and the Gate of View, healing a piece of the pain he had just endured, giving him the ability to take more damage un-phased. His legs moved before he did cutting the corner of the opening and running back towards the entrance. However this creature gave chase, following him down the cavern paths while barely fitting through the tunnel. The loud blood lusting roars of the creature rang through Koga’s ear as he focused solely on making distance between them. With another burst his skin began to redden as the blood in his body began to boil and move at a more significant rate. He had opened the Gate of Wonder hoping to boost his speed and make a way from the creature. Through consistent Body Flickering he made his way from the creature. The pain from the wound on his back had subsided for the moment giving him some time to recuperate but he would not release the gates. The fight was not going to end until that creature was put down.
Maya’s group was by the entrance to the cavern with a group of men who looked otherwise terrified. As Koga approached they met him helping Maya out of his arms and securing her on Shoji’s back. Kani briefed him quickly,
“She’s still alive!? Thank you, thank you so much. We’ll get her to the hospital immediately. We also found these guys hiding around here, apparently the creature had captured them and contained them in a room feeding on them when it felt like it. Come on we have to go.” Koga however shook his head. The Ikoji warrior began to walk down the paths that lead to the green monster.
As he walked down the path to an apparent death sentence Koga thought to himself silently about the incoming situation.
I would love to do nothing more than to go home but I’m positive at this point I’ll die from this wound on my back. I’ve probably robbed this damned devil of it’s meals and it may be infuriated enough to hunt us now if it hadn’t been already. If I’m going to die I’ll die fighting. It was dumb beyond all belief but for a man who already felt that they had a death sentence this could be his only true way of obtaining glory. Koga moved to a large clearing, one that would fit the creature in it with no issues. Instead of chasing it he would call it. Chakra began to form largely around his body and then he would clap his hands with great strength creating a large sound wave that would ring through the tunnels. It only took seconds for the beast to make its way to the source. Upon its arrival it roared but did not strike it only snarled.
”Thank you for showing yourself… I’m going to call your Greenskin. I assume you’re pissed and enraged right? Well me too, so let’s get this shit over with you ugly bastard.” Koga would activate the other three gates opening all Seven of them that he had at his disposal. With intense speed Koga burst at the creature body flickering to the side of its head delivering a powerful punch to the side of its head. Greenskin buckled for a moment but returned fire with a headbutt to try and crush Koga but it was far too slow for him now. He would flicker to the next point of striking which would be Greenskin’s belly which was now exposed. A flurry of punches and kicks would be delivered in a matter of seconds before the creature would strike again this time swiping Koga with the green left claw. He felt the impact but instead of just taking the brunt he’d flip backwards away from the attack, using it as extra momentum to get away faster. There was a large gash on his chest now blood seeped out profusely it was obvious that leaving this creature’s ability to attack would certainly cause him to lose.
A large claw came down and would be met with a powerful kick. The goal however was to make contact and use the claw to for momentum into his next attack which would be to blind the creature. Jumping into the air Koga would begin to charge his chakra and try to release his “Light” in order to hinder the creature’s sight. However it did not emanate it was as if he couldn’t condense his chakra into light. It had always been so natural before was he not sure what to make of it now. That mistake in his movement cost him as Greenskin pounced and brought down a massive claw on Koga.
-Current Time-
Death?
It didn’t mean much to Koga anymore. He had already envisioned dying; but the thrill of battle the pain of this creature all brought on this sensation that was swelling in his chest. He should have noticed it, something had been wavering since the death of Ouma. Since the fight with the snake man there seemed to be a lacking of the spirit’s favor. Did he fall out of their good graces? He couldn’t control the light; it was as if it was out of whack conflicted with something else inside of him. Koga looked down to see his chest glowing strongly clearly cementing the fact he had too much going on in him. With all of the gates open he could feel his bones literally cracking, and the added weight of Greenskin was no better.
When people were met with their imminent death their life flashed before their eyes. This was not Koga’s case; all he could think about was what he’d not done. The killer of his clansmen, the state of his clan, not having a family of his own, and these things held weight to him. He did not want to be killed off by some green behemoth and especially not down in some cave. There was one option left one resolve, the Gate of Death. He’d only briefly knew of it through Aika’s scrolls but had never looked into or attempted to use it. He only knew of its metaphorical position, within the heart. Koga would focus all of his chakra into that point and begin to maneuver it around his body. He applied a lot of chakra and with one final burst of his chakra expelling as much of it as he could into this one point. His chakra came out like a shock wave pushing the creature back and giving him a new sensation as if he had ascended. Koga rose smirking at the beast and preparing to unleash everything he had when the burning sensation kicked in again. This time it was more intense and far more potent. His body began to glow and the red from his skin began to fade.
He fell on one knee grasping his heart feeling as though his body was breaking apart. This was the end, the spirit’s favor was clearly conflicted, and the Inner Gates were most likely killing him. Greenskin didn’t even give him time to lament as he swiped him against a wall. The feral beast began to pound it’s large green hands on top of Koga crushing him. The pain was immense, so much that it actually began to stop hurting. Without hesitation the beast would lift the limp body of Koga and roar in his face. Beaten down and broken he would smirk one last time and spit blood into the face of Greenskin. In response the creature would throw Koga into his mouth and begin to chomp on him.
Koga couldn’t feel the teeth he was glad, it would probably be better if he didn’t feel this monster eating him alive. However his wish would not be adhered to as he felt
something rip through his insides. All over his body there were sharp sensations, and he felt hard structures rip through his skin. His bones were on fire and his consciousness that was once wavering was now coming into awareness. Koga screamed at the pain but his shriek was pale into comparison to the roar of Greenskin who spit him out. The creature’s mouth was bloody and large bones stuck throughout its head.
Koga bewildered and amazed stared at the beast that was writhing in pain. Clearly those large bones were not there before and Greenskin who was very intent on eating Koga was now cowering from him even more than that why was his body still intact? If anything it should have been split in half. It was then that he felt something protruding from his own body. Upon examination Koga found that he was covered in spikes, but these weren’t ordinary they were bone. His Kaguyan heritage had taken affect protecting him where the spirits could not. It was as if this battle had awakened a conflicted power within him. His bones while still aching were together and the pain he once had from the pressure of the gates was gone. Although while still not active Koga figured he had enough power left in him to finish Greenskin who had bones protruding from the inside of his mouth out through his head.
”I don’t know why fate has brought me this gift. I guess the true power of my ancestors has manifested. The strength of the Ikoji is now upon you Greenskin. You fought well, now live forever in death!” He bounced forward and as if it was almost like breathing and willed every bone he could muster in his right arm to protrude and create a casing over his arm like a great lance. Koga made a large strike at the beast’s forehead driving the bone lance through its skull. As it struck the bones broke apart clearly still not complete but the damage was done. Greenskin was dying and painfully as it deserved. The power of the Kaguya had awakened in Koga and as he sat there on his knees pondering this new development a faint smile spread across his lips. For the first time in months Koga felt normal, he felt complete.
