Inhuman Bond [Contract Search]

[Honnou]

Phew… it was getting colder and colder. Obviously. He was approaching the top of what was but one of the many mountains stretched across the Spine of the World. That was the name of this mountain chain, according to the Cloud Atlas. Why it was called that was probably due to its massive range as his eyes, the eyes of a Hyuuga, had yet to see the very end of the chain… it was several miles long. What was even more extreme was the static ecosystem; snow, snow and snow covered the surfaces of the mountains like coats and clothes, not revealing much of the granite and other stone types that they were made of. It was funny how the tips of the mountains, combined with the wide variety, made it look like the contour of a forest from up here; if your imagination allowed you to, you could fathom the tips as tree crowns whose widespread presences hid away the logs and woods. No, there were likely no trees up in this height… trees wouldn’t grow well under these conditions.

To think that life still roamed somewhere in this height was fascinating, to say the least. Back at the Bibliotheca Conscientiae, he stumbled upon a book that revealed the location of a monastery up in one of the tops of these mountains - a monastery dedicated to the hero god Raiden. The Hyuuga boy wondered why he hadn’t heard of such a place before - was it irrelevant or taboo? He could make up many excuses to never have heard of the location before, but… yeah, he convinced himself to go out and check the place out himself.

It was weird how the track just led him to a vertical wall on the mountain. Upon stumbling towards it, he noticed how the track appeared to lash up on the wall and… wait… that was obvious! He could surely assume that this was the matter of shinobis, those who were able to walk on walls. This was likely to test him or to keep younger shinobis away from what awaited further up. This place began to emit even more danger and mystique to him as he reflected upon it… he couldn’t wait.

A slight focus was enough to concentrate the chakra points around his feet, enabling his wall-walking ability. He was prompted to take a single leap, but the road that he had been taking was for goats, not for humans. It sounded dumb given that there was supposed to be a whole monument at the top, but he could risk falling to his death if anything happened. That was also why he was wielding his two Carpal Blades, just in case if his chakra managed to run out.

Once or twice, he did take the time to balance upon a boulder or on the side of the mountain, eyeing the beautiful sunrise that shone orange rays over the horizon. The air was stingy cold, but looking at such beauty as the fireball that provided light to mankind made him forget just how terribly cold it was.

A while later, the goat track literally thinned out to small platforms, each 11 cm long and wide - a size suitable for mountain goats who were experts at walking up vertical, rocky biomes such as these. However, Hon had to wall-walk through cheating… if you could say so about his chakra control. It wouldn’t take long - perhaps only a few dozen seconds - before he finally reached the top of the mountain which held the surface of the monastery of Raiden.

WC: 600

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Contract Discovery of My Choice

I choose Kami as my contract of choice!

 

[Suika]

Hon had successfully climbed the mountaintop via supernatural shinobi means, but how one took a path mattered not to the monks of the Monastery. As soon as he reached the top, he’d witness ancient man-made structures, Raiden’s illustrious temples, peaking by the edge of the jagged and snowy cliffs. The area appeared almost barren; no man or creature was there to greet the boy, at least not initially. Although he stood at the peak of one of Lightning Country’s most fearsome mountains, the winds around him were unusually calm. The climate, due to high elevation, was well below freezing levels, but even the frigidity of the air revealed some constraint. If the young Hyuuga was bundled in clothes fit for this weather, then he’d really find no trouble with it.

At a distance, Hon would notice a fur-hooded monk slowly making his way up one of the grand staircases to the temple’s entrance. The doors, from the boy’s angle, looked fortified by ebony as runic markings, perhaps written in an ancient tongue, were etched in gold. They also towered greatly over most average-sized mortals; the showy entrance was not modest as to how it boasted its size. Hon could attempt to approach the temple, but he would first feel the immediate presence of another like a tugging within his mind. “Turn left,” the mountain air almost whispered to him. If he did, he’d witness a peculiar looking specimen.

The creature simply stared at him with wide, emerald eyes. Its ivory fur was shrouded by the mountain’s snow, and its long, perked ears subtly twitched as it observed the boy. It perched itself on a three foot rock that was a foot superior to it. After a second of silence, it was quick to call out to the young Hyuuga.

“You there, kid with big hair,” announced the creature in a tone that typically belonged a confident male. His dialect was foreign, but his words would be understood as clear as day. “Have you seen my friend? Tall fella’… big head… have you seen him? He’s pretty hard to miss.” His question was simple, he seemed to be looking for his pal. However, before Hon would have a chance to respond, the small oddity would soon leap off its stone and to the boy’s feet. He began to sniff around Hon’s pants.

“You hiding snacks, kid? I have been dying for some grub, and goat really isn’t in my diet.”

[OOC: Welcome to your Kami Contract search! Before we get started, here are some rules to abide by:

• For this search to be considered complete, you must make 10 IC posts that tally up to 5,000 Total Word Count minimum! Don't worry, your first post counts.
• A timer will be set to a 5-day posting rule. This means that you must post within 5 days from my post, and me to yours. This will help keep this thread going at a reasonable pace. We will also incorporate a 3 strike system, meaning that if you accumulate 3 strikes (IE: you don't post within the 5 days), this contract search is auto-failed. If I acquire 3 strikes, you may request a new mod. Sounds good?
• Please note your total word count and post number in each post! It will help me as a mod.
• Have fun! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to DM me and we'll work it out.

Happy contract hunting!]

 

[Honnou]

After finally reaching the very top of the mountain, which took approximately 5 to 6… hours? Did it take that long for Hon to get up here? He could’ve sworn that he utilized his shinobi capabilities and delicate chakra control to quicken the climbing and walking upwards the goat tracks. He took off around dawn… or was it dusk? How long did it take? No, it genuinely shocked him to think about it… his mind must’ve been so fixated on reaching the top that time stood still for him. Even more surprising was the fact that he felt little to no hunger… he hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. Luckily, he did at least prepare for that; in his pockets were packed honey nut treats. He also kept various, long-lasting food supplies in his backpack; sandwiches, bottles of water, paradise fruits and tofu. Food was covered, to a C…

He did plan to spend some time up here and explore the monastery… it was originally planned down that the young Chuunin had the opportunity to master what was revered as the strongest Lightning Style Jutsu in the ninja world - Kirin. Although, whether if he would get to that up here was up to him… it was all up to him, in the end. He also came up here to take a break and conduct in the company of the monks who lived up here, coexisting with the cool, calm air and clear skies. From what he had read in the library, these monks spent their entire lives up here… or most of it according to critical thinking.

Either way, the Hyuuga was eager to meet them. It even appeared that one of the monks had arrived at the platform too, wearing a furred hood that was probably gained via sheep shearing or from some other, furred creature. As Hon pulled down his hood, he could feel the cold air sting a little across his ears. His eyes began blinking a little, his Hakumei still playing around - ebony doors with clear, runic markings written down in a language that he didn’t understand… by Raiden, they were huge.

Surprisingly, his ears caught the sound of someone. ‘Turn left’ were the words spoken, and Hon suddenly spotted the presence of a small, monkey-looking creature left to his position. It had abnormally tall ears for a monkey, though. Its eyes were wide and apple-green, and its brown face carved a heart on its white fur, complimented by dark fur dotting out on the knees and tail. A fascinating color combination for such a strange creature… but Hon had seen many apes in Kumo before, and this one looked nothing like them. Also, wait a second; was this creature the source of the voice?

Witnessing it first-hand, Hon heard its next words. Yup, it talked to him, and with a strong, clear accent too. “M-Me? I mean, w-what?” he spoke up flustered… his hair wasn’t even that big! Was it?

The creature asked if the Hyuuga lad had seen its friend… tall fella’, big head, pretty hard to miss. Well, that felt like an insult, because Hon hadn’t seen anyone fitting that description… except Ikko. But the ape clearly didn’t mean such a ‘tall fella’, did it?

“N-N-“ Hon barely got the word ‘no’ out of his mouth before the creature began sniffing on his legs, asking if he was hiding any snacks. It was likely able to smell the honey nut treats that he had packed down. It was most likely a herbivore given its comment, too - hold up, weren’t monkeys able to eat meat?

Argh, it was probably a good idea to feed it. Reaching down his pocket, Hon grabbed a honey nut treat and packed it open in front of the ape. “… Here. Some honey-coated nuts,” he offered it, “And, uh… apologizes, but no. I haven’t seen any tall fella’ of yours… the only tall thing that I’ve seen, albeit the mountain excluded, is the door over there.” That was one huge door, too… suspicious, even.

“But who are you? Are you with the respective monks over there?”

WC: 688
TWC: 688 + 600 = 1288

 

[Suika]

To his luck, the stuttering human proved quite generous. Graciously accepting Hon’s offering of honey-coated nuts, the creature scarfed them down as if he hadn’t eaten for days. Once he was done, he wiped his mouth with his furry hand and let out a satisfied hum. “Mmm, thanks, kid, you did me a solid.” While he appreciated the shared food, he was a bit bummed that there was no news about his best friend. Where could he possibly be?

“Who am I? Who are you, kid?” He mirrored with a slanted expression. It quickly grew into a grin. “I joke, I joke, my name is Jojobean the Fourth, but feel free to call me Jojo. And the monks over there? Nah, I’m not with them.” In that instant, Jojo disappeared into a small burst of light. For a second, his presence was completely erased. Not giving Hon enough time to fully process what was going on, the strange monkey-looking being reappeared floating above Hon’s head; both his legs and arms were crossed.

“I’m a Kami… a heavenly spirit, as you mortals would probably call it. Yeah, I’m sort of a big deal,” he bragged with a self-impressed smirk. Descending back to the snowy, white ground, Jojo pointed toward the temple. “Speaking of those no-life desolates, do you think you can do me another solid and ask them if they’ve seen my friend? He’s also a Kami spirit, about yea high…” he attempted to express his friend’s high by stretching his arms over his head. “His name is Enu. Loveable fella, but kinda dense without his friend Jojobean with him.”

Jojo’s request was set – would Hon help the little guy out in finding his friend? If so, Hon’s next steps were simple: he’d have to venture toward the grand temple of Raiden and ask a monk for the whereabouts of this creature. By this time, the monk that Hon noticed from afar was back inside the grand monument. No person or creature was outside the mountaintop at this moment except for the shinobi and his new Kami companion.

“By the way, do you have a name? And how’d you get all the way up here? …Not that it matters, let’s go find that big luff so that I can bring him back home. He’s been gone for some time now.” Although one would assume Jojo was naïve for trusting in Hon so quickly, he was a great judge of character. He sensed warmth and kindness in the boy. After all, it was easy for Kami to identify the light in people.

The mountain suddenly emitted a very subtle rumble. Small earthquake, perhaps?

What the duo had yet to realize, unfortunately, was that a deep darkness awaited them in Raiden's Temple.

 

[Honnou]

Nice. The creature was able to devour and ingest the honey nut treat. Hon was worried that, for some biological reason, the creature wasn’t capable of digesting either honey or nuts. It looked ravenous in its food consumption… hadn’t it eaten for a while? “Heh, no problem,” Hon assured it with a soft smile. After having climbed up the hilariously tall mountain, having a laid-back conversation was refreshing… it still begged the question; how was this creature able to talk? Then again, Hon knew vey well that many creatures - specifically those that he had met until now - were able to speak… for instance, the summoning creatures.

“Jojo… nice name,” he complimented, “My name is Honnou. Hyuuga Honnou.” As names were exchanged, he was informed by Jojo that the creature had nothing to do with the monks present in the temple. No time to ask other things was left, because the creature simply decided to… blink away in a spark of light. Okay, what? What and how?

Hon was taken aback by its presence above his head as his eyes rolled up to look. The creature revealed itself to be a Kami - accordingly a heavenly spirit and quite legendary among the sources of information in the village. So it… rather, he wasn’t a monkey, after all? He looked just like one, though… with abnormally larger ears, even for a monkey. Did all Kami look like this?

Looking down at the Kami’s returned position at bird perspective (high), he was reminded about the absence of Jojo’s friend. Another Kami particularly larger than Jojo himself… how could any large creature get lost around here? It would hurt Hon’s heart to deny a new friend in need of help, so obviously, he would offer his assistance. “Oh, sure… yeah, I’ll go ask them about this Enu. As they spend all their time up here, they must know every corner of this place,” he offered. He began advancing towards the temple in normal human walking speed, not issued by any deadline or haste.

“… I crawled up here. Most tracks literally lead up across walls,” he explained to the Kami, “I’ve been wanting to perfect a new Jutsu that I’ve been practicing on for a while… but with your large friend absent, we’d better go find him first. I wouldn’t want him suddenly appearing in the bullet-point of my training.” Imagine if Hon was in the middle of spawning Kirin from up here - presumably by using the clouds that just managed to cut through the mountain’s tip - and all of a sudden, this Kami friend of Jojo’s showed up and got hit. Besides… Hon was in the company of a Kami! This was actually amazing!

Yeah, Jojo mustn’t have been joking when he described Enu’s size. Hon couldn’t help but find the rumbling sound that resonated across the area quite warning. Then again, were Kami that different from each other? Jojo looked like a bat-monkey hybrid, so what would Enu look like? A dragonfly slash bear?

“Man, these doors are even bigger from up close… obviously, but they look even bigger than before.”

WC: 523
TWC: 523 + 1288 = 1811

 

[Suika]

Humans were strange, which was a fact Jojo forgot quite often. I mean, their ears were so small and so were their eyes... anywho, he had to focus. The strange kid, named Honnou, agreed to help him find his big pal, Enu. He knew he was the right person to ask! "Perfect. Thanks, kid!" he exclaimed as he disappeared once more, then reappeared on top of Hon's head. His hair was quite pokey; it was interesting, too, how his spikes defied this earth's gravity. Perhaps Jojobean would ask him later as to his secret?

"Well, it seems I'm in capable hands, but no need to show off," the Kami winked, "and if the going gets rough, well, let's just say this old heavenly spirit can get going." Jojo was many things, but modest wasn't one of them. But could he walk the talk? Time would definitely tell. As the duo made their way the gigantic doors of Raiden's Monastery, which the boy was intrigued enough to point out, a cold wind blew around the duo. In that wind, too, was a sinister feeling. Although Hon's words were met with silence, a dark energy radiated from within the doors. The Kami's ears perked more than they normally did; chills ran down his spine.

"Hehehe, I don't remember Raiden being the malevolent type... what gives?" remarked Jojobean, who looked a bit spooked by the chilling aura that emitted from the temple.

What would Hon do?

[OOC1: Hon is free to interact with the environment as he pleases! I will mod the results of his next set of actions appropriately]

[OOC2: ANNNNND WE'RE BACK!!! As discussed with you through DMs, we are continuing this contract search. Let's keep in weekly communication about this!]

 

[Honnou]

Hmh, that wind… it got sharply colder, somehow. As if it wasn’t cold enough around here. Hon couldn’t help but stroke his left sleeve in a small, shivering move. They would likely do a little better with the temperature on the other side of the gigantic gate doors, so Hon wasted no time in placing a hand on the metallic gate and pushing it open just enough for him to enter along with Jojo on his head. This required a moment of strength as the door was heavy to push with just one arm, but Hon did the job nonetheless. Despite being able to grind his palms together to generate heat, there were reasons as to why seeking a smaller amount of heat inside the likely cold hall rooms was preferred. Grinding hands together would tire him out, and besides…

It would probably mess up his incomplete mastery over Kirin. Heat did generate more vapor in the air, and the wet particles were probably going to flicker his Lightning Jutsu - albeit just a little - enough to take an unpredictable action.

The hall room inside consisted of dark walls. They produced a silent, neutral atmosphere inside where one could gather his thoughts without being interrupted by any colorful nuance in the air. Due to the hall’s size, one’s voice echoed frequently. Hon saw his breath escape his mouth and nostrils much clearer than when he was outside due to the bright water particles contrasting the black walls. The hall was barely dusty, indicating a regular cleaning hygiene from the monks spending their time up here. And about the monks…

As far as Hon knew, they practiced no ninjutsu. Honestly, it didn’t matter to the Hyuuga whether if you practiced any jutsus or not - thankfully, Hon hadn’t been trapped in a small bubble where he could wrongly assume that everyone were shinobis and all the ugly discriminative stuff - but Raiden was like a hero god in the Hidden Cloud and all of the Land of Lightning. Maybe Hon just didn’t know a lot about the divine entity, but he could’ve guessed that monks who dedicated their lives in remembrance of him would know aspects enough from the legend to be legends themselves. Confusingly, Hon did see Raiden as more of a warrior god than an omniscient one with all the attributes and stuff.

The Hyuuga dashed around the hall, wanting to find the Sanctum - the holiest place of a temple where he guessed that Enu would be. Jojo did comment on the malevolent atmosphere, and it could likely just be the eerie nuances inside the hallway. What Hon found more malevolent was the marks on the walls - he had thoroughly inspected the wall’s structures, and across this hallway where they found themselves at the moment, marks had been grinded off that made the walls look asymmetrical in some sense.

He put a hand on the damaged wall. Maybe if he followed it, he would be lucky enough to find Enu just wandering around inside the monastery… or if he was unlucky, he would find himself where Enu started wandering. The marks didn’t indicate any direction.

“Does Enu usually walk around these halls? Maybe your friend is just wandering, perhaps got lost in the halls… these marks here could be evidence of that.”

WC: 556
TWC: 1811 + 556 = 2367