Progressive Encounter (Private/PM)

[Kiri]

One can only know their growth when they can measure it. While there are tests for these kind of things, there should be other ways to measure it. Specifically on how to improve. But you won’t really know until you’ve tested it right, and after much talking with that crazy dark sage, Rega, he managed to convince her that one good way to measure one’s growth was to seek for actual combat, especially since he was keen to enter their group. Thus, with the woman telling him to proceed to a certain location for the said combat assessment, he eagerly made his way there.

Another thing to note as to why he was very much excited for this encounter was that he could finally move past the village. You see, while there were places for training within Kumogakure, there was just the atmosphere of being under watch. Not that it was a good thing, but Nanashi had long been feeling trapped and lost that the one good suggestion was to explore the rest of Lightning Country. Somewhere not too far from the village itself, yet not too near that it felt so cooped up. And thus, they would soon find themselves along the outskirts of one of the towns in De Levitate Attonbitus,the abundant lowlands of Lightning Country.

“If only a few more kilometers, we could probably reach home,” he uttered as he walked along the green patch that led away from the rickety fence of the small village there. They wouldn’t want to cause trouble within the village itself, but perhaps along the vast ranges, where streams flowed, and the area uninhibited. And where the sky would look down on them, rather then them looking about had they been in Kumogakure per se.

And so, satisfied that he had gone a few ways away from the small village, he set down his backpack of rations. He took off his usual green jacket and began stretching his limbs. Wearing just his white shirt and combat pants and boots, seemed quite ready for anything.

 

[Kasamatsu Yukari]

"Time for a day of training outside of the village, I think.." Amaya walked through the gates, toward the lowlands. She knew there were a few areas around there that were empty enough to have a great day of training, as well as peace and comfort. She'd been planning this for months, but the Ancient Forest gave her everything she'd needed while she trained. Security, combat, and peace when she needed it. It's like that old forest knew what she needed and allowed her to take it through illusion. However, every so often you just have to leave. Expand your horizons, and see if what you've learned can be transferred in a different setting. It's the only way to properly train, especially when missions don't seem to be as prevalent for her as they are with other Shinobi.

She'd been walking a while, taking note of the small villages she had been passing by, but always brought her own rations and water when she went on excursions like this to train. The quaint villages ran without shinobi intervention, yet they seemed to be doing exceptionally well for themselves. They lead simple lives, without the need for combat or jutsu, or even practical uses for their chakra. Mostly farmers with agriculture backgrounds and children, a few shops here and there for the small towns and sometimes you'd see the odd trader's cart come riding by going into the small towns with various wares for sale.

Amaya smiled as one such cart rode by. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" Without even missing a beat, the cart driver replied. "It absolutely is young lady. Where might you be off to?" "I'm a kunoichi, I'm just off to train in the area away from civilization. Have a wonderful day, kind sir." With that she bowed to the cart driver and continued on her way, taking a drink from her water. She was getting close and wanted to take a load off. Not too much further and she stumbled upon a young man in a white shirt, combat pants and boots. "Definitely not the dress of a farmboy. I wonder who this is in Lightning Country." She wandered up to the boy, careful not to startle him.

"Excuse me. Beautiful day, isn't it?" Amaya set down her bag before scanning the area not far from the boy, awaiting his response.

[MFT - 394 Words]

 

[Kiri]

He let his green eyes watch the endless horizon over the sky as he went stretching along his arms before he felt a presence. Turning, Nanashi would see that he was joined in this place by a woman. He first thought it she was merely one of the villagers from nearby but the more he looked at how she was dressed he had a feeling she was pretty much like him. And of course, the general greeting that she gave didn’t so far as sound as what one would give had they lived in this sort of village.

“I’ve seen better, but the clouds are really nice,” he replied, “If you continue down the road, you’ll reach the port town and there a vast wider horizon with varying weather conditions will greet you.” He spoke much like a know-it-all, just because he was very much proud of his own hometown. Then he quickly got back to topic as he observed her. A part of him was cautious because of what Rega had set him up for the day, but it was surprising that he would actually ask about it.

“So, I hope you don’t mind me asking but did a certain dark sage crazy woman meet with you and told you about coming here because a certain redhead brat was eagerly waiting?”

 

[Kasamatsu Yukari]

Amaya looks over to the boy, smiling and putting one finger over he lips as if to say "Shh". "Now, if I were to tell Rega what you'd just said about her, what would happen I wonder." She laughed slightly at her own remark, however the boy was right. Rega did indeed send her to deal with the boy. "Yes, she did. She also told me to deal with you how I seen fit. That being said, I hope you don't mind getting a little roughed up. However, I just walked a long enough way, I'm relaxing for a few before anything happens." Amaya looked back, scanning the horizon, enjoying the view. You see a lot of beauty in Kumo, but it's nice to see from another perspective from time to time. This was most definitely one of those times. As a small breeze went through the area, leaves danced in the wind, dust kicked up from the dirt roads and her hair played along behind her. "Even if I was asked to come here, it's still an absolutely beautiful day for it. As you'd said, the clouds are really nice, there's enough of a breeze that it's not too hot, yet not nearly windy enough to be an annoyance, and I guess you could say it's the perfect day."

Amaya reaches into her bag to grab one of her sandwiches, unwraps it and takes a bite before quickly finishing it off. "I do apologize, as sometimes I do get a little carried away. Just be glad we're not sitting by a riverbank. You'd never shut me up." Amaya laughs again, before asking the question obviously looming. "So, all that being said, you know what I'm here to do, yeah?" She got up, put her hands on her hips and stared at the boy, her cutesy demeanor now gone. "Rega sent you out here for some sort of training, and she told me to take care of you. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Your choice. And before I forget, my name is Amaya Izumi."

 

[Kiri]

Nanashi listened to the other’s answer. He was partially hoping it would not be the case, but only because he wanted to relax a bit more, but that Rega had forgotten to tell him the exact time and her only words were to go there as soon as possible. It was really a good thing he didn’t make his partner wait, otherwise she might end up having more reason to kill him. That said, he was very much aware that this person before him was quite powerful. Perhaps almost like Rega. He shouldn’t dillydally if that was the case.

“My name’s Yoru Nanashi,” he would respond to her introductions. “Well I hope you’ll take good care of me,” he added knowing that the irony in it was well received. And at those words, he took a few steps back and away from her, never letting his eyes stray from her figure. One could almost be mesmerised by her, but Nanashi was quick to remind himself that he had other reasons to be there.

Thinking back on his encounter with Rega, the woman promised him great strength should he proceed with it. Strength, not only to defend himself but Kumogakure. He may not have resided in Kumogakure for that long, but it was home for him. And if his previous class was any indication, he needed more training, more strength… He needed to learn the risks involved.

“Just give the word and I’m ready to start.” He said as fair warning.

 

[Kasamatsu Yukari]

She smiled, almost too much when the child said he was ready. "Alright kid, but I'm only going to take it easy on you until I bruise. Lucky for you, I don't bruise easily." She laughed, checking her bandages before tightening them. She stared the boy down before asking a few questions pertaining to his training before now. "How has your Taijutsu been coming along? Are you proficient in Ninjutsu, genjutsu, or anything else for that matter? What have you done for a weapon?" It almost felt as if she was interrogating the boy, but in order to effectively train him, she needed to know what he had done up until this very point so if she had to, she could effectively push his limits. This was something she liked doing. Most would call it bullying, but she called it training. She figured she'd see how far this kid could take things before he tapped out, and whether or not he could take a punch, or see a fake coming.

Amaya laughed as she started walking back a few yards to give the boy some space to assess the situation before things hit him. "I hope you know enough taijutsu to keep up a frontal attack." Amaya lunged at the boy, her right fist aimed high, allowing her to fake low to try to sweep out the boy's legs. In an instant, this would either be a quick bit of pain, or an interesting development.

 

[Kiri]

He kept a good eye on Amaya as she began to take this endeavour as seriously as well. Asking him, though, gave him a good idea that Rega may not have explained his situation to her entirely. That was okay. But just as he could complete his response with, “I’m more comfortable with ninjutsu-“ Amaya had moved to attack. Nanashi could only reaction to what he could perceive.

As he leaned back to try and avoid the punch, he was taken by surprise by the quick swing of the legs that brought him down in one fell swoop. It was quick and painful, but more of a surprise than anything really, so Nanashi was quick to just forget of his first flaw and already begin to plan for the next.

Just as he fell backwards, his hand would quickly make a seal and he brought it to his lips before blowing through it, sending a mist to spray towards the enemy and engulfing the area with an unsettling hazy chakra spread mist. And unlike in most cases he used this technique, this time, it was meant to hurt.

And he would roll back in use of the cover of the mist, ignoring the bruising pain from the leg swipe and he trained his eyes to the other. The water was his element, it was his second soul, and this mist was his air. As such, he felt a bit faster, sharper, and his gaze sought to find a crucial point to strike with as he raised his hand once more before chakra instantly syphoned to the tip of his finger and shot out into a stream of water, spiralling, forming into a sharp tendril of water like a spear towards the enemy.

 

[Kasamatsu Yukari]

OOC: Make sure you list the jutsu you use so I can look at it's description. Kind of confused as to what you just used.

Amaya noticed the handseals, trying her best to jump out of the way as mist came spewing from the boy. It was impressive how he was able to react so quickly, attempting to make the best of the situation he'd been placed in. Unable to evade the mist, she felt it burn her, jumping back to keep herself out of the mist as best as possible. "Impressive show of versatility. You have a pretty quick reaction time." She looked to the boy who was clearly on the offensive now. "If we're going to play like that, I apologize in advance." As she talked, she held a hand behind her back, signing handseals with a single hand. Rain started falling from the sky as she spoke. It was a sunny day, yet here the rain was. She smiled to the boy, bringing her hand from behind her back and stretching herself out.

"This is about to get intense, so be ready. See if you can learn a thing or two from this training." Amaya sealed for a whip of water looking to ensnare the child's leg. Showing she meant some business, she pulled on the whip as it hit to try to go for an immediate melee attack, kicking where the whip would throw the boy.

[Jutsu used:
Rain Dance
Water Whip]

 

[Kiri]

As the fight went on and he was able to cover the area in mist, it was Nanashi’s turn to be surprised. Suddenly, he felt a droplet fall on his cheek before the rest of the rain began to pour. How strange that the sunny and perfect day had suddenly become so. He suspected that the enemy had something to do with it. Perhaps a jutsu. Still, it was interesting that the enemy would use the element of water against him. Almost instantly, he felt a surge of confidence build up inside him, knowing he could use this to his advantage (CA: Fluid Motion), as previous trainings had him able to move faster and react quicker as the water would provide him with ease of mobility.

However, despite that, he was caught off-guard when something had shot towards his legs. He moved too late to avoid it as the water-whip grabbed hold of him and he was pulled and swung. But in that moment, as he was dragged rather uncomfortably to be swung, his quick thinking had him moving his hands to form a seal gesture that had chakra gathering around his palms as a gust began to blow. Water was not his only ally.

And thus, knowing he would be meeting pain soon (though not knowing how), he was resolved to just meet it head-on with a bit of feistiness. He would twist his body in the flow of the swinging motion just as his eyes would catch a glimpse of the incoming kick. Reflexively, his hands charged with chakra thrust out towards the direction the enemy was coming in for the kick and hurled a great torrential gust from where the chakra emitted around his palms. (Whirlwind Spin: Special Action – Typhoon Burst [M]) And in this attempt, he hoped to free his leg from the tangle of the water-whip and roll away.

WC: 318
[MFT]
[CA: WA - Fluid Motion activate]
[Whirlwind Spin: Special Action – Typhoon Burst [M]]

 

[Kasamatsu Yukari]

As the boy was being dragged toward her by her water whip, a gust of air smashed into her chest, feeling much akin to being kicked rather hard in the chest. She dropped back as the boy rolled away from the control of the whip and she gripped her chest. "Well played. Whomever taught you, taught you well. However, it looks like I can't simply go easy on you out of favor to Rega. A lesson learned is one learned the hard way for you, I guess." With her rain dance still falling from the sky, she smiled at the boy. It was clear he was able to gain some traction in the rain, but how much, Amaya could not tell. It was about time she started to push her advantage and see how far this boy could be pushed before he hit his limit. It wasn't like her to hold back in the first place, so having him allowed to freely land hits on her felt rather irregular. Massaging the area on her chest where the gust hit, she took a hand down and signed the handseals for Obsidian Dragon, as a dragon made of obsidian rose up behind her. She took a moment and stood up straight before laughing. "I apologize, but this is where I get serious. No more Miss Nice Girl." As her words finished sliding off her lips, she signed handseals again, this time a massive labyrinth made of crystal formed around them, and as the final wall that stood between herself and him rose, the last thing he seen of her at that moment was her smile, and a quick wink to show him she wasn't playing anymore.

"Go ahead, find the boy, and make him hurt." She spoke to the Obsidian Dragon before she turned on her heel and walked into the Labyrinth herself. She constructed this maze, so she could easily navigate it. By now, she could only guess that the boy was not only confused, but wondering what exactly was happening around him. Amaya admitted to herself this was getting a little harsh, but no form of training has ever went without punishment to her. This was just her way of paying back a favor. The boy would just learn the hard way that she was willing to go to great lengths in order to get him up to speed. As she walked, turning every so often, left, right, right, left, right, she unwound her bandages before winding them slowly back around her hands. It was only a matter of time before she found the boy again, and she planned on making him scream at least once. "Come out, come out wherever you are." She spoke, almost singing, taunting the boy. She attuned herself to his chakra, so she was able to sense where the boy was at all times. This became almost a sick game. This was how she was going to make fun of the day.

[MFT = 497 Words]
[Jutsu's used for reference. Obsidian Dragon (M), Crystalline Passage (M)]
[Abilities used previously, ongoing. Sensor.]
[Jutsu's previously used. Rain Dance (M)]
[Weapon unequipped, then equipped]
[Obsidian Dragon moves to attack]

 

[Kiri]

Nanashi felt confidence build up when he saw his wind jutsu take effect and Amaya was blown back. This gave him a good opportunity to jump away, releasing himself from the hold of the water-whip. And with the rain still pouring, he found himself easily sliding away with ease. He was getting used to the movement of his chakra around his body, and this rain was certainly making him quite eager.

But the fight suddenly turned for the worst. Amaya made a convincing threat as she seemingly a large serpentine creature made of pitch-black crystal-like surface before the ground began to shake and massive walls erupted. Alarmed by this, Nanashi quickly stepped back, trying not to be hit by the erupting walls until his back bumped into one of the emerging walls from behind. Made of crystal yet hardened by the earth, it was definitely an articulate labyrinth. And Amaya’s taunting voice only made this fight more suspenseful.

Did she actually meant to kill him? This was bad. Nanashi almost panicked at the thought but he quickly reeled in his mind to focus on the present. He didn’t need to have any more distractions. And when he actually thought about the situation at hand, this actually felt like the first time he would be put into harm’s way knowing no one is there to help him. Perhaps the encounter with the dark sage Rega was dangerous as it is, but since there were the presence of other shinbones in the area, there had been the option of reinforcements should she had decided to go for the kill. But here, out in the middle of nowhere, there was only himself.

A roar – a mixture of creature-like vocals with a clashing screech of jewels – echoed through the air as Nanashi quickly determined that the serpentine from earlier had been released and seemingly looking for him in this labyrinth. What a sick game of hide and seek this was. No, it wasn’t even a game when the opponent had every bit of advantage in this if she conjured this battlefield. And though the rain felt like a consolation, it was now but a minor thing when he had this overwhelming situation before him.

He panted as he tried to focus around him, trying to feel the air and the movement of the water on the ground. A splashing would alert him of the creature’s presence or a the simple wheezing of the moist breeze would spell out the creature’s location. Though really, the roaring was also quite the taunting thing itself. And then, there was also her– Amaya– whom he had no clue whatsoever about her capabilities but he was certain she meant business with her earlier words.

And so the hunt begins.

Nanashi would not allow himself to be a mere target and began to run down in the labyrinth. He would prepare himself, instantly pulling out his weapon. What seemed like a small hammer, the size of a hand, suddenly grew in side into a full blown hammer a little taller than him, with a double-ended blunt face that covers about 2-feet in diameter. And yet, he was wielding it with ease as he ran, a faint aura seemingly making the weapon glow, a sign that he was channeling his chakra into the weapon itself. If this was going to be a head-on collision with a large serpent creature, then it was best to bring the hammer out and whack it. Of course, such a ludicrous thought would seem quite foolish, but he was hoping it would do.

Thus, when he would make another turn and glance about to spot the incoming creature, he was quick to manoeuvre, sliding across the moist ground as if he was gliding on the watery surface, just to avoid the first assault, and in that motion he would twist his body to swing and hammer down the weapon, releasing the channeled chakra, sending a sharp tendril of water rapidly spinning against the creature’s body.

But there was still no sight of her.

[Fluid Motion effect still active, and renewed upon using Aqua Fang]
[Used Quickdraw + Initiative to setup channeling on Artisan, my hammer]

 

[Kasamatsu Yukari]

Amaya smiled as she heard the roar of the dragon, and the crushing blow made to it by some kind of weapon. Apparently it had found the boy, and the boy knew well enough how to take it out without suffering damage. "That's fair, but remember, you've still got me to worry about. Oh, and don't try to break the wall. One hit, or you take some residual damage, boy." She let out a laugh before taunting the boy more by whispering, running her hand along the crystalline wall. "Come out little mouse. I see you, but do you see me?" She giggled. It was rather comical to her, considering the nickname she'd received from Rega had been Little Bunny. "I'm only going to make you suffer. Nothing major." She laughs once again, drawing herself ever closer to the boy. She wonders how much damage she'd already done to him mentally as she walked along the long corridors of the labyrinth. It was next to impossible for the boy to find her unless she decided she wanted to be found.

As she turned the corner ahead, she spotted the boy holding a rather large hammer. Clearly this one had been through some training with Rega at some point, or maybe he idolized her in a sense? That would mean that he had received some kind of seal. She became more intrigued as her mind wandered. "A hammer, hmm? Are we looking to compensate, or are we emulating?" She giggled as she spoke. She quickly rolled across the opening to the hall, all the while she was maintaining eye contact on the boy. She wondered what his thoughts were at this moment. Was his mind breaking? Was he afraid? Clearly he was on guard, but how much could he take before he starts lashing out? How much mental stability does he have left? "A trail of blood will be all that's left of you when I'm done, little mouse. Are you prepared?" As she spoke, she signed the hand seals for her favorite use of water. Needles formed of water shot towards the boy, aimed at his legs. She looked to take out at least one leg guaranteeing her a 100% advantage before coming out of cover and charging the boy. Her bandages tight, she readies her fists for a quick one-two combo before rolling into another corridor and taking off back into hiding. "My apologies, little mouse. I'd stick around, but I'd like to know how much more your mind can take." This time, her voice sounded aggressive and threatening. It reverberated in the corridors as she awaited the boys response to her sneak attack.

[JUTSU USED - Flying Water Needles (R3), One-Two (Mastered), sensor still active, Crystalline Passage still active]

 

[Kiri]

Nanashi was able to escape a direct onslaught from the serpentine creature but he was still very much on guard. He could not let go of his suspicions of the girl seeing how this was greatly turning into a rather dangerous game indeed. And what made it worse were Amaya's tauntings. Had he asked for something more than he could handle?

Keep calm - he told himself even as his heart beat faster. But he did suddenly became calm when he heard her ask him about the hammer. To which his pride was bolstered. "You're wrong! My Artisan is of my own choice!" And though it may have broken his focus for a moment, it did not make him fear the situation but more eager to prove his mettle. "If the ocean has yet to drown me, or the sharks have yet to feed on me, I don't see why I should worry about a little blood."

But perhaps he had been too eager for he was a little too late to recognize her presence and when he turned he only caught a glimpse of something darting towards him. He tried to sway his hammer to deflect it but he had missed and his leg was hit directly. The needles struck true and he landed backward, staggering with a yell. But he did not release his grip on his hammer as he quickly channeled his chairs once more before slamming the hammer's face on the ground, from whence mist began to disperse once more, hopefully to hide him.

Thus, he would move into mist to avoid an approaching silhouette but was still very much grazed by a close-range attack as he stumbled to the ground with his persisting aching leg. With the situation where he was clearly visible to the opponent and yet he was blind, it made him fear for the worse but he would not let himself be disheartened.

And it was at this very moment when he felt a surge of heat emanating from his chest. Underneath his clothes, the seal of Omega, the curse that the dark sage Rega had carved into his flesh began to heat up and he could feel a surge of need for survival. A boost of strength and a boost of courage, he glanced about as he prepared.

"Come and see me then!"

[Used Channeling + Pressurized Mist (M)]
[Heaven Seal activated]

 

[Kasamatsu Yukari]

"Oh shit. His Chakra changed..." She muttered to herself in hiding, trying to keep herself away from the boy to see his potential which he'd just inadvertently unleashed. Did he think he was in that much of a situation that he needed to activate whatever it was he just activated? Her grin fell to a frown as she took the time to stand up, deactivate the Crystalline Passage jutsu, and stand there in the rain. She brought her fingers to her mouth and let out a loud whistle, alerting the boy to her immediate location, though she knew she was in no real threat anymore. If she wanted to make short work of him, she could, even with her small stature. "Looks like the mouse has a new toy, hmm?" She yelled to the boy, no smirk to be seen on her, and her once playful demeanor dropping to something much more serious, daunting, threatening. "I'm sorry in advance. It looks as if I'm going to have to end this quicker than I'd have hoped..." She continued to stand there, shaking her head, taking notes on what was happening around her. It seemed as if the rain were losing effect, and the boy had his power grow with whatever it was he activated. Her eyes closed, sensing the new chakra in its entirety, hoping to get at least some tidbit of information from it, but she couldn't gain much more than the idea that it made the boy stronger somehow.

"You wanted me to see you? You wish harm to yourself then?" She began to take slow steps toward the boy, her eyes still closed, concentrating on his chakra. The wet ground splashed with each step, her irritation growing intently with each step she takes. "What do you hope to gain, using some power like that? Do you wish harm upon the one who wishes you harm?" She tipped her head back, the slowing rain splashing onto her face as she stopped walking, opening her eyes and looking up to the sky. Her voice changed with her next words, almost becoming seemingly twisted. A wicked smile spread across her face as her arms came up from her sides, almost as if welcoming a free attack. "Come, boy. What do you really think you can do to me?" She brought her head down and stared at the boy with her wicked smile and fiendish stare. Before the boy could react, she signed handseals for Blue Blood, chilling the boy's blood, slowing his allowed movements before lunging at him to get within distance to entrap him in her Demonic Ice Mirrors. Instead of attacking though, she used the mirrors to taunt the boy some more. Her chilling and twisted voice pushing to break his mind. "Only a matter of time. What are you waiting for, boy? DO SOMETHING! Show me some type of power, or this is the end of the journey for you..."

[Crystalline Passage deactivated, Rain Dance deactivated]
[Blue Blood activated, Demonic Ice Mirrors activated (Haku bloodline for both)]
[Sensor still active]

 

[Kiri]

The surging power, this change in his chakra– he had only felt it once before, right after the dark sage Rega had carved the seal onto his flesh. When he had woke then, he was trembling in confusion as he felt the pulsing charge all over his body. The strange sensation that flowed through his veins like his blood had frightened him and yet it also convinced him of the power it granted. Though he had yet to test it out, let alone even knew how to use it– now that the same sensation was filling him up, the same warm etching coursing through the mark that was radiating underneath his clothes, he was quickly overcome with confidence.

Though the words of the opponent echoed through his mind, he knew there was truth in everything, including his own conviction. Let fear ran through his being, but so long as he paid no heed to it, he could still survive. That was how he had survived, after all. As a child, the world was as strange as it was dangerous and many perilous events had happened to him before he had come to Kumogakure. Had he stayed home and afraid he would have long been swallowed by the ocean. But instead, he had accepted the water as it had devoured him and he loved it. This sensation of an unknown chakra that filled him was of similar feeling. So he let her words pass through his ears while his inner voice cheered him on.

Still, it would have to prove him right in this battle. No two circumstances could be truly the same. And while he had long trusted the sea, he had yet to make any real connection with this pulsating vigor from within.

Almost at once, the crystal-like labyrinth dispersed, collapsing to whence it came. And the rain began to pour its last few drops. The woman, whistling and catching his attention, had made her presence known and so Nanashi quickly let his eyes gaze upon her, observing and quickly looking for any openings he could get.

However, before he could move, he felt a sudden chill that coursed through his body. The sensation from earlier was battling an unknown cold that made his movement slow, almost heavy and his breathing was burdened. No doubt, fear had struck into his mind, but he was trying his best to resist it as much as he could. He could still feel the mark’s pulsating power and it was enough. So long as its presence was there, he should not look away from an opponent who had finally shown her real self.

Nevertheless, her words dripped with ill-intent and she may very well be more cunning and deadly that Rega. At least, as far as he was concerned, the latter was very clear to him that no harm would be done. In this case, however, it was the opposite, and his limbs were dying to just move amidst the chilling blood and approaching target.

“If I’m scared of getting hurt… I wouldn’t really be here, now would I?” he answered her, his eyes still fixated at her as he tried to calm his mind. At this moment, large ice mirrors surrounded him without hesitation. Immediately, it would seem as though the target had multiplied and approaching him from all sides. Thus, as he felt more and more threatened by this occurrence, the inner voice whispered to him, “Do as she wishes. Let your body move accordingly. Pierce her. Kill her.”

Then he tried his best and shoot out his free hand charged with chakra from earlier (Overcharge Affinity Move), sending a spiralling water tendril, fortified and strengthened this time around compared to his earlier (Overflowing), as it split in mid-air to create two separate tendrils to attack at least two of the reflections before him.

[Heaven Seal - Active]
[Used Initiative: Critical Exposure & Overcharge Affinity Move]
[Water Chakra Style: Overflowing
[Used Aqua Fang (M): Special Action - Aqua Twin Fang]

 

[Kasamatsu Yukari]

Amaya let out a skin-tingling laugh as she watched two of the mirrors shatter as two water tendrils drilled into them at full force. "You really believe that will do anything to my mirrors?!" She let out a yell that nearly resembled a howl as she dashed out of the mirror, striking the boy in the back as hard as she could, slipping back into a mirror. "I have the upper hand now! What do you expect to do?" She laughed once more, dancing around the mirrors with her reflections, taunting the boy more and more. "Perhaps I should end this soon? Would you like that? Or is your inner voice screaming out for blood? Must you sate that desire?" She smiled as she worked to calm herself. As she looked down, all her reflections did the same. Her voice went almost creepily soft before looking up at him, the bloodlust in her eyes played along every single reflection. "I'm going to level with you, kid. You won't make it out alive if you manage to make me bleed. No one will find your corpse. You won't make it away from this battle, but I'll be ripping that seal off to show Rega what a terrible fate you've suffered." She took a step out of the mirror as all her reflections seemed to stay in place. "Dare you test me?"

[One basic attack from the mirrors]

 

[Kiri]

The strike went through and yet at that moment, Nanashi was caught unaware as he was struck from behind. He doubled over in pain as he quickly turned back, failing to see the rushing woman. Again, the reflections were all around him in those mirrors, glaring at him, taunting him. It didn’t feel safe at all. In fact, it felt too suffocating as if they were closing in on him and at any moment he would be struck down. And listening to the woman’s voice echo around him made his inner voice laugh almost as wickedly as the woman. He didn’t need that. He didn’t to have his inner mind toyed with from within as it was from outside, and yet there he was, being pushed from all corners.

And just then, Amaya stepped out from one of the mirrors. Nanashi quickly stood up, tried to keep himself steady as he watched what he believed was the real her. Almost immediately, not even waiting for her to finish her words, he sent a condensed sphere of air shooting straight at her. Then, he would dash towards her as he gathered chakra onto his hand once more. “I dare the world.”

As he came close enough, he could feel the chakra flow within him empower his mind, his eyes setting off to mark her without fail, and he would stretch out his arm to send the concentrated chakra to turn into a thick water tendril that went sniping in charging form straight at her.

[Heaven Seal - active]
[Used Initiative: Air Bullet (m) & Focus Affinity Move]
[Used Aqua Fang: Special Action - Spiral Charge]

 

[Kasamatsu Yukari]

She laughed as the boy lunged at her, the sphere of air tearing her clothing as she jumped back into her mirror and switching places with one of the reflections. "The mirrors are here for me as protection, although, this was a little close for comfort." She toyed with the ripped fibers of her clothing as the mirror she jumped backward into shattered. She stared at the boy who was clearly now in a frenzied state of mind. She won this battle. He clearly lost his sanity, or the seal did that for her. Whatever it was, she wanted to see how long this boy's body could last while the seal took over. "You still believe you can defeat me so easily, hmm? How long will your frail body last? How long do you think I can evade your attacks with the potentially limited time you'de got left before you drop?" She kept hopping mirrors with every new statement, dropping the reflections one by one before it had only been her left. She looked down to the boys leg where she had pierced him with the water needles and noticed the blood still seeping slowly from his wound. "So, would you rather bleed out, or render yourself unconscious?" She smiled, deactivating the jutsu and weaving the handsigns for Amethyst Casing. She cased herself in amethyst armor, protecting her enough from attacks, allowing her to withstand what the boy could throw for a little longer.

She didn't want to actually kill him, but she wasn't going to show him that. Especially not now. This rage fueled fury just left her wanting to see the power more for herself, to see what it can do, and how she could potentially use it to her advantage. It was already clear that the boy intended on harming her, but how far would he push the limits of his own body to do so? His leg was still bleeding, and he activated a seal that could potentially rip his mind apart. What exactly was he thinking? "You can't possibly be very smart, especially with the load you're placing on your chakra as well as your physical body and your mind." She shakes her head, fortifying her position, awaiting the boys next attack.

[Demonic Ice Mirrors deactivated]
[Amethyst Casing activated]

 

[Kiri]

One by one, the mirrors shattered as he tried to strike her down. Nanashi could still sense her presence and it was frustrating. It didn't help him at all as the inner voice kept on cheering him for more blood. And he was, in fact, thirsting for more, like a man possessed with an unknown urge to find this frustrating woman who toyed at him. Indeed, even the inner voice felt so insulted.

But just as the woman's words resounded in his head like they were mantras trying to keep him grounded in this world, he felt the weakening of his body. His bleeding leg was begging for him to ease some tension. His limb felt heavy after so much he had done without proper preparation, and he was quite the spender in terms of chakra usage to boot. Nevertheless, it was his spirit that did not want to lose that kept him standing upright. And it found solace in the fact that the seal was still warm against his chest.

"I still breathe... I will not lose," he said.

So he turned and faced the woman who finally showed herself after the mirrors dispersed. She was covered in some sort of armor. How quaint. He, who was on verge of fading away from consciousness, was facing off someone who was still very much ready to fight. He would lose in this battle of attrition.

But that didn't stop him.

In his last ditch effort, he made a quick seal and blew mist to cover the area, increasing his own chance of moving faster with ease while allowing the mist to tear at her. Then he would send out another powerful blast of charged water tendrils at her, no longer dividing into two, but as one massive drilling threat.

[Used Initiative: Pressurized Mist (M) & Focus Affinity Move]
[Used Aqua Fang: Special Action - Spiral Charge]

 

[Kasamatsu Yukari]

The tentacle drills into Amaya's stomach, cracking the armor and sending her catapulting backwards. As she hit the ground, the armor shattered. "Impressive." Amaya coughed, specks of blood hit the ground. "I hope you don't mind, but since you're like this, it's time for me to experiment." She smiled another wicked smile, spitting out a mixture of saliva and blood, wiping her mouth, and getting herself to her feet. "You know Rega is a Dark Sage, right? I've taken the liberty of looking into the dark arts myself, and I'm going to work to see if I've learned anything from watching her, and the forbidden scrolls I found in the Ancient Forest." She widened her stance before she brought her hands up. It was rare she had used both hands to sign any seals, but this was worth it, especially since she hadn't ever had to experiment with dark jutsu before. Her blood pumped with adrenaline. The boy drew blood from her. The boy had been warned. She was going to use him as a toy. A test subject without any regard to his well being, and if need be, a sacrifice to the cause. Her mind raced. This was the chance she was looking for and nothing was going to stand between her and working to become a Dark Sage.

"Obsession over the arts of Shinobi are a requirement of a Dark Sage. Constant training. Blood, sweat and tears have been shed in the pursuit of this path." Amaya's hands came together, and as she pressed, her palms started to bleed as she dug her nails into her own skin. "Do you understand real pain? Do you know how much time and training one has to do before they get so desperate for power they dive into the dark arts? Do you understand how much you sacrifice in this pursuit?!" At this point she was on the verge of screaming at the boy who most likely couldn't properly make out a word she said. Hand seals began weaving themselves, 2 ice clones popping up out of the ground. "It's clear you've an affinity to water, however, it's time to go to sleep, boy!" She jumped at the boy, fists ready, stopping just before the boy, transferring her momentum into a hard hitting jump kick, allowing her time to combo in 2 solid punches, one aimed at the head, and the other at the boy's gut. She meant to knock the boy unconscious, and every blow was more than enough to finish what the seal had started.

[Ice Clones summoned from Haku BL]
[Dynamic Entry and Dynamic Finish used]