Her statement was a verification of his suspicions. For what other reason would she be here? By all accounts the Sage was a consequence free target, at least by most societal accounts. There would be few circumstances he would ever turn to the authorities to handle a matter. No, he preferred to do so in house. Kohana shifted her stance into a stance that informed Akkuma this was not going to be a fun encounter. Immediately the telltale signs of the Yamanaka's Phantosmia fighting style became apparent, almost as if a bouquet of wild flowers were held before him. Any remaining scent of smoke, alcohol, sweat & blood, was now replaced with the pleasing aroma. Unfortunately he knew all too well that the Clan was well famed for much more than their botany skills.
Unfortunately for the Chikamatsu kunoichi, not unlike herself he was not a standard shinobi. His will was corruption manifest, to be in his presence while intending to harm him. Well that invited his corruption into oneself, like the inevitable waves of the ocean crashing against a sandy dune. It would erode the defenses of ones mind & sap away their very life. Perhaps surprisingly the Sage made no effort to dodge the first blow. It would connect clearly with his jaw with a resounding thud. In the moments before impact Kohana's very form shifted into one reminiscent of times long gone. Stirring to life the shattered memories of prior life times that he had forgotten. More then a decade had passed since he last dwelt on such thoughts.
Her strike was not a normal blow, no that would have been far too simple for the pain & frustration she sought to escape. That familiar burn of Holy energy laced her attack & he reflexively let out a low snarl. Those emerald eyes of his flashed with malicious intent for the briefest of moments. These Sunan's seemed to be born to fight his kind, so many of them throughout his time here had been capable of harnessing the energy. How he missed the days when people foolishly came at him with mortal weapons. Her radiance was a vivid contrast to the barriers glow, an ominous ethereal glow that outlined their forms with an eerie luminescence. The pulsating darkness created an otherworldly spotlight, casting deep shadows. It accentuated the contours of the fighters in a surreal dance of light & shadow. "
Akkuma, don't worry, if you die I'll have Shin bring you back so I can continue letting off some steam." An attempt to goad him that only brought a devilish grin to his face. For her sake he had removed any sign of collateral damage, but more so for Shin.
He watched as she surveyed the barrier that had been erected around them, no doubt she thought it a simple obstacle. But the Black Blockade Tri-Flame Formation was not an obstruction one could simply shrug off. She would learn that as this battle proceeded, it would protect his facility from most of the damage & the Chikamatsu siblings from any further collateral damage in the forms of life lost. Without so much as a handseal Kohana was accompanied by clones of herself. Each step of the clones echoed around him & he was forced to wonder whether these were Ninjutsu or Genjutsu based. Although given the particular talents she exhibited he would decide to act as if they were Genjutsu based. They encircled him like a pack of wolves, waiting for the right opportunity to pounce.
Each step they took was accompanied by more power being channeled into their fists. Preparation for another attack, yet the Sage had barely moved since the conflict had begun. He was utilizing all of his willpower in an attempt to free himself of any illusions that had been placed upon him. But most importantly he was controlling the reflexive nature of his new form, keeping the Sands from stirring in an attempt to aid him. An act that required a significant amount of his will, but such conflicts could be won in more then one way. "
I've been thinking about what could have transpired. That you would come for me in such a manner." Each word rung with an unspoken question, yet his tone suggested he knew more. "
This village is in no greater danger then it has been in the past...from what I understand your career is on track. The same could be said of your brother..." There it was again each word oozed with the unspoken question accompanied by the goading tone of pity.
This would be when she struck, when he had been waiting for her to reply she did so with a strike to the left kidney. Energy burst into the point of impact & erupted out of the other side. Akkuma would erupt into a flock of crows that swarmed the barrier encased arena, their midnight feathers cascading in the air around them. A trade mark jutsu of the Anbu, one he had mastered long before Kohana had first tasted the delight that was combat. Various crows swarmed together reforming into various replicas of the Sage, they walked parallel to those Kohana had created. During this chaos she had slipped back to position herself as safely as she could from the Akkuma's, Ninja Wolfsbane would erupt in the space around them. A sigh would escape his lips, this was going to be painful.
Ninja Wolfsbane was a particular favorite of the Yamanaka's not just because of it's importance in their toxin, but because it's very pollen could burn the flesh of an unsuspecting individual. "
..then it dawned on me when I saw the pain & fury in your eyes." The words were echoed by his clones, finally he had reached what would now obviously be his question. "
Who did you sacrifice for this village?" Each word spoken as the Akkuma's ran through a series of handseals. Which upon completion would cause the very air around them to ripple. Then suddenly it would become apparent what he had done. This technique like the Sages aura consumed all before it, whether stone, plant, flesh or metal. Particle Destabilization was a technique that that broke things down molecular scale, breaking it down & disintegrating it to dust. While the pollen of the Ninja Wolfsbane rained down on him, searing his flesh. He sought to consume everything that Kohana was & could use.
The Sage continued on immediately following up with a Medical Ward jutsu, placing it upon himself. This was not his first time dealing with a broken shinobi, nor did he think it would be his last. Another series of handseals, this time numerous undead figures would be ripped back to temporary life. Touka, Mai, Hebi, Ori & Oda all stood before him now. Monstrous reflections of what they had been, a horrible reminder of the power he possessed. "
They are but a handful of the kin that have been taken from me..." Each stood with their gaze locked on a Kohana. Every shinobi life he had lost or been forced to take during his tenure weighed heavily on his soul. He had lost numerous kin over the decade, lost his entire village.
Chakra was carried to every sinew of muscle in his body with practiced precision. Each blood vessel strengthened by the energy in preparation for what he would do next. The Sage was making the preparations to utilize the Shadow Dance technique. A technique where the user moves with such speed they appear behind their target in the blink of an eye. While often used as a means to better position for a strike, one could instead use it to dodge. His hope was that he would get the opportunity to properly taunt the shinobi, but he wanted to be close & personal when he did that. What better way then to whisper her failings to her. Was she not meant to be her brothers protector? Their very presence here put him in danger, jeopardized how they might be seen in the village. But most importantly in the Sages eyes she was failing as a shinobi. They existed to be the blades in the darkness, the watchers of the walls & the shields that guarded the realms of men.
In order to do so they had to endure through all the loss they would face in this life. Akkuma would help her with that, but it would be a painful process for them both. First he would break her down, even if he had to do it on a molecular level. Akkuma suspected Kohana was used to being in control of a situation when it counted, at least from the few encounters he had witnessed. She was no doubt contending not only with the pain of loss but the powerlessness she felt in the face of her inability to change the situation. Death, could not be thwarted at every turn. Even by someone like the Immortal Trickster, it had been a painful fact for an individual with his talent to accept.
MFT
[Apologies on the delay, hope the wait was worth it.]
