Open Sanctuary, From a Demon? Req Kagami Miro

[Miroku Akkuma]

A group of individuals sat around a table enjoying a surprisingly exquisitely prepared assortment of cuisine. Between bites of their meals & downing their beverages they negotiated prices all while discussing logistics. The only individual who was not consuming anything as a tall, slender framed individual with emerald eyes. Akkuma, the Immortal Trickster as the locals of this land had titled him. He'd gathered them here today to help him organize the acquisition of the materials & permits needed to begin the construction he desired. Utilizing them would give him the contacts & infrastructure needed to cover not just the logistical side of the issue but the bureaucracy. By the time anyone had clued on to what he was doing he'd hoped it would be too late for them to interfere. They droned on about the various complications the endeavor posed, the discussion beginning to become heated as they failed to agree on the best method to overcome one of the complications. Sighing the Sage would lift a hand from the table to his robe withdrawing a wooden pipe. "Perhaps I failed to communicate the importance of this matter." His guests would fall silent as spoke, intently watching as he packed the pipe full of an odd mixture of herbs.

"Sir you se.." the representative for a local goods transportation company fell silent as those emerald eyes moved to hold him in their gaze. "All that matters to me is that things are done properly. I could care less about the cost of this matter. Do you all understand me?" he would ask with a snap of his fingers igniting the pipes contents. "...so it's agreed, we'll get the permits & the licenses. But how frequently should we do the runs?" One of the other men would say, before two of the others began deliberating how frequently they could safely transport the desired goods. "Do the trip fortnightly, when we do the worker rotations." Words accompanied by grey streams of smoke dancing in the breath of each word. A moment of pause before the last of the individuals nodded & wrote down the decision. "Now if you'll excuse me, we're done for today. We can pick this up at our next meeting." his words were calm but the moment the words left his lips the group instantly stood. Uttering their farewells, each of the men would then depart the establishment. Leaving only Akkuma & the woman he'd given it to after the previous owner had passed. Acquisition of it had come easy, the former owners children had no desire to run the Inn that was so far out in the Diamond Ocean. When the opportunity to part with it for more then a generous amount made its way to them they eagerly accepted.

Everyone had their price, no matter who or what they were. It was a lesson he had learnt long ago back as a child participating in Anbu led Ops. While he had no doubt that those departing had little respect for him they had each desired something he could provide. In turn they had made themselves useful to him, despite any grievances they might have given the rumors circulating him. Given he was not welcome on these lands by those in power he hoped to avoid any inconveniences by limiting knowledge of his role in the project to come. While not hiding his intentions he had no wish to broadcast his goals until construction had begun. "Would you like me to fetch you something to eat after I've tidied up?" the question brought the Sage out of his head & back to the Inn. A warm smile was given as he answered. "I'm alright, but thank you." One of his special bottles of sake were placed on the table by her as she began removing what remained of the previous patrons orders. "Okay, but you let me know if you need anythin else hun." She said with a smile before departing from the table.

Closing his eyes the Sage leaned back in the booth, enjoying the warmth the nearby fire provided. While the days were hot the nights were cold in the desert, those ill prepared had met their Fates lost in the beauty of the Luminous Mountains. Only the well informed or lucky made their way to the Sanctuary Inn, tucked away in the base of the mountain. A respite for for those who needed it & sometimes more...for a price. Taking a deep breath of his pipe he listened to the crackle of the wood as the fire consumed it slowly. The singing of the sands as it whistled from the winds billowing over it's surface. For so many years he had wanted to call this land home, but he'd come to realize his felt kinship for the people of this land was not enough to overcome their differences. Who he was & what he was willing to do was alien to them. But of course it was, he barely recognized himself anymore. Since Mist had fallen he had seen World Powers rise & fall. Even he had nearly been lost in time to the progress of the World. A smoke infused chuckle escaped his lips at the thought, even to this day he knew not who had saved him.

Perhaps his mysterious saviour would be one of those who would come for him. Seek to undo that which they had unwittingly allowed by intervening & saving the Sage. By the time he was done with the great nations of the world they would all know his name. It would serve as a warning to all who would threaten his future endeavors, while hopefully achieving some goals he'd been working to for quite sometime in the process. Albeit not in the manner he had initially desired, but if the same results were achieved he was concerned not with how he would be perceived after the events. What mattered to him was the continuance of the shinobi way. Correcting their current path was one that he considered a necessity for their survival. Their world was out of balance, it had been for too long. Akkuma intended to see the balance of the World restored before his time here ran out. There was much to do before then & so many people he had to ensure remained on the right path. Little did he know one of those individuals would soon be arriving here. His business here today was far from over, even if he didn't know it.

MFT

 

[Kagami Miro]

The desert was a place for many walks of life. Spiders, lizards, jack rabbits, hybrid humans, demons and the occasional rain cloud but it was not for one person. A person born in the pit of the mountains ranges of lightning country. Cliffsides, hard rocks, thick brush and wild storms swayed her heart in happiness. The unbearable heat of the sand and the gleaming sun made Mirō wish she had taken the train back to her village. However, the risk she posed not only to herself but to others stopped any thoughts of true luxury. One foot after the other the young woman traversed over sandy dunes and eventually made her way back toward something recognizable. At least she thought.

As the sands waned the environment slowly shifted. With each step the masked woman found herself closer to signs of her country rather than Sand. Mirō had only been lost a few times. Once at the academy, only to be found by that damn fox and another within the Sileo. ‘The place is massive and all the rooms shift every few hours…’ She grumbled in her inner monologue. It crossed her mind to ‘simply’ portal away and find herself in a different coordinate that was closer to Kumogakure. The heat of the desert sapped most of her physical energy, and to tear a hole through time and space wasn’t an easy feat. Even though she played it off in front of her Raikage. The journey back home would be a three day adventure, and with the day she had a moment of respite was nearly mandated by her contract. With a roll of her eyes and a mumble of her stomach Mirō found herself searching for lodges to accommodate her needs. Unfortunately for her it took a few more hours of walking before she’d spot any other human.

After a momentous amount of walking (two paragraphs worth) a certain ick wafted into Mirō’s nose. Her taste buds activated and her face turned sour at the thick ichor of charka that lingered ever so faintly. Stopped in her tracks on a mountainous ridge the young woman looked up to the skies. Then gaze shifted slowly as if her eyes followed an invisible aura. Red hues managed to fixate themselves on a small ‘hole-in-the-wall’ inn. The place itself felt warm and comfortable to the average eyes yet her gut knew of what dangers could lurk inside. ‘That aura felt awfully familiar…’ A silvery voice chimed. ‘Could it be…?’ Mirō wondered, contemplating if it was worth it to investigate given who the aura could possibly belong too. However, there was much left unsaid in the desert sands. This time she would get the full investigative story.

The woman carefully approached the Inn, shrouding herself in an active camouflage.. Her golden ANBU mask remained fixated to her face and her white robes kept her fully anonymous. At any moment she could be ambushed and attacked, yet when a patron opened the doors to the luxurious pad she noticed a woman at the front desk working diligently. The tone set had flipped drastically as the Inn itself had no signs of hostile intentions. Mirō knew that the settings could change at any second and acted quickly. Red hues moved to notice a group of men on their way down a flight of stairs. Their scent had been stained with the aura on the ridge. ‘There. Up the stairs.’ Quietly Mirō moved with speed and agility up the stairs to follow the weighted aura. At the top of the stairs she noticed an open door at the end of the hall. With haste she pressed herself up against the wall adjacent to the doorway.

Her ears picked up the sound of another woman "Okay, but you let me know if you need anythin else hun." After she had gathered a plethora of dishes and trinkets she began to cart them out of the door. Without being seen the Sennin snuck through the closing doorway, shutting behind her. She stood at the door, eyes fixated on the demon that plotted it all. If she weren’t honoring the Kazekage’s wishes the man's head could be seen rolling down these mountains. Without speaking her red hues turned into that notorious design, allowing herself to be noticed by the spike in her chakra aura. After a moment's pause she spoke up, bracing herself for any sudden retaliation. “Brainwashed. All of them.” Red hues continued to glower at the demon. If this encounter went well, it could just save more of her people from bloodshed and if anything, flip the script onto those she deemed useless.​

[Topic Entered]
[ANBU Mask: On]
[Identity Concealed]
[Activated 'Active Camo', deactivated it upon speaking, Activated Sharingan]
[Apologies for the delay. Thanks for understanding.]

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

A smile of surprise would appear on the Sages face as he felt the purposeful spike of chakra from his unexpected guest. It lingered only momentarily before becoming one of amusement at the words spoken by the kunoichi. "It would be so much simpler for you if everyone was merely a puppet having their strings pulled by me, wouldn't it?" he paused letting the question hang in the air before continuing. "Maybe you think if you kill me they'll all be free from my demonic enchantments." his words were coated in a mocking tone. After all he had experienced firsthand the prejudices the Kumogakurians had for his kind. "Wouldn't that be nice? You could all go back to your facade of peace." these words were accompanied with a bitter laugh that showed his disdain for the idea. Though that was if one truly doubted what he had to say about threats greater than himself.

After all what had their era of peace accomplished for them all? The Nations were none the closer to one another & their enemies had been free to strike knowing they stood isolated. "The Golden Masked Uchiha of Kumogakure, still yet to learn any manners. Sneaking in here unannounced...as if such actions didn't negate the protections my extended hospitality would have granted you." She had come so willingly into his territory forgoing the etiquette that would have kept her safe from any sleights he felt during this encounter. Even without opening his eyes he had recognized her from those few words. Then again he had spent a great deal of time studying her encounter with Kiko. The snapshots she had provided for him had been most informative. Perhaps she would think she had missed some internal surveillance within the building or had been seen on her approach.

"Fortunately you've found me in a reasonable mood & I find myself curious about your journey. So long as you tread carefully you may just yet make it out of here with your life." he would say with a devilish chuckle. "Why don't you start by telling me what supposed answers you found in your journey...." his tone would shift to one might use during a business meeting. Moving through a series of one-handed seals he performed the Pristine Aura jutsu, a barrier renowned for its ability to block Genjutsu. With that measure in place he would open his eyes. Those emerald orbs of his meeting the crimson tomoe of her gaze. Yet another demonstration that he knew all too well how to protect himself from those like her. While she had entered with what had seemed a distinct advantage, with each passing moment she would come to realize it was he who had the advantage. He already had her in his grasp & she didn't even realize it.

The only reason her weapon wasn't sticking out of his heart was because she knew that whatever the Sunans had told her was not the whole truth. He was the threat to her village after all. So it was a reasonable conclusion that she wanted or needed something from him. Then again perhaps he was wrong & she merely wanted him to know it would be her who ended his life. That any moment now she might plunge her weapon into him or set him alight with the cursed flames of her kin. Bringing the hand that held his wooden pipe down to the table he emptied its ashen contents casually into a ashtray. Each movement was purposeful & held an unnatural grace. Sitting there draped in extravagant midnight black robes, that gave his lithe frame an ethereal look. Unlike those who did not possess the gift of Doujutsu Miro would be able to see the depth of the details his features told. Revealing the imprints of the numerous weapons & instruments that were concealed beneath his attire.

From the raised flesh of the scar that clearly encircled his neck, to the numerous ones that littered his body. She would see the traces of the various curse seals & runes that had once littered his form. While gone they're marks had remained upon his flesh unseen to those incapable of perceiving chakra. That red winged wyrm chakra mark that remained from his days in Kirigakure still branded upon his face. Despite the obvious traces of combat & experimentation he still looked youthful. An ominous smokey aura exuded from him normally imperceptible to normal eyes would be visible to her gaze. It snaked through the air around them, encircling all in his presence. For now that was all it would do, but it would be known by her unseen companion that the aura was capable of sapping away a persons very life force. Like an unseen war of attrition so subtle one barely notices until its too late. How could one man be tied to so many impossible things?

MFT

[Apologies on the delay has been a rough week.]
Jutsu Used: Pristine Aura Mastered, Edited to fix a couple errors.

 

[Kagami Miro]

It came to no surprise that her sudden voice had not shaken the demon. She had deliberately spiked her chakra to get him to notice her even if she was hidden with the shadows. Surprises must’ve been a tall tale for Akkuma. He was the one who handed out sudden gifts, if you can call them that, after all. As he began to speak, Mirō stepped out from the shadows to show herself. Draped in a white cloak to avoid the desert sun her head revealed a golden mask that covered her face. The metallic gleam of the mask twinkled as the demon spoke. The idea that everything would return to ‘normal’ if his head were on a pike in the desert tickled her insides. A small giggle cooed from behind her mask. She’d have to be a fool to believe such pleasantries. Her experience in battle, war, the ANBU had molded her mind after eighteen years in this world. Just because one demon dies, another will always rise out from the depths.

She had learned that true peace was unobtainable without stepping on the toes of others who seek the same outcome. Which is why her dealings with the Kazekage went so smoothly. The fingers of guilt have turned to point towards another country. One that she had failed to see anything positive derive from. Sure a few subordinates have a woven tale of history within those walls but each kingdom needed a sacrifice. He spoke up once again, with a command he asked what she had learned on her journey to Suna.

Her fierce glare never wavered from those ever-foolish yet overwhelming confident emerald hues he possessed. The Kazekage unleashed a plethora of knowledge onto the duo. From the sand's long history to the present situation and the future to come. Mirō had to choose her words carefully, “The meetings could not have gone any better. Above expectations, if you’ll accept my honesty.” A soft smile appeared on her pink lips. “Your words hold truth. The Ancients of Sand have long been extinct leaving only hybrids to roam these dunes.” Her breathing was steady, keeping her demeanor in check. “Even if they were alive they would never seek to deal with a sub-human demon. I commend them for that at least.” Her smile continued to creep wider exposing her pearly whites. “However, the ancients may not work alongside you but you know the saying. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Just because the two parties hate each other doesn’t mean they cannot work together to achieve the same goal.”

She remained still, her arms remained at her side. If Akkuma moved a muscle she would see it and execute her plans, but he knew the prowess the Uchiha had. “What really leaves me up in the air is the pairing of missing ninja from Leaf, the Hokage being wed to such a traitor and why the missing leaf nin came to Suna. Just what are you hiding up those sleeves around disfigured arms?” Remaining vigilant she awaited a response but cut it short. “Before you jump at my throat I’d love to know why Leaf was with you. Perhaps… I can turn a red eye away from the massacre at my gates that you ordered if you turn a hand to point guilt at that country.”​

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

The Golden Masked Uchiha's response to his words brought a thin smile to his face. Perhaps she could have cared less if the bloodshed continued? Or maybe the thought of his head upon a spike had brought her genuine joy. Having limited interactions with the kunoichi made it hard to complete an accurate analysis of her reactions, he needed more data. Fortunately it seemed he would have all he needed by the end of this encounter. She spoke of the meeting going well, much to her surprise. Although not to the demons, Raizo was a capable & worthy leader. Perhaps a bit naive about some things but if his suspicions were true that might be due to the truth being concealed from him. A chuckle would escape his lips when she said they were extinct, from what he could determine she believed he was telling the truth. "Is that a matter of fact?" Had he only given her part of the truth hoping to satiate any curiosity they had in hopes it would prevent any further delving into the matter? Or did he truly not know that they still lived to this day? Akkuma did not think Raizo had the capability to believably be dishonest about such an important matter. Already he was running through scenarios of the damage they could cause. After all even with all Sousuke had down to keep them in line he had seen first hand that they were not unlike himself when it came to having no regard for humanities laws. Taking another deep breath of his pipe the Sage listened to her next words as his mind continued to attempt to discern the Kazekage's position on the matter.

Her next assessment was not inaccurate. In all his time within these lands he had only ever met one Ancient who did not seem displeased by his presence. In fact they had even worked together on experiments. Aside from Tama he had met both Mikaboshi & Mother Suna herself. In fact they'd become quite acquainted with one another in their many encounters. He had seen her as Sousuke's secretary, as an Anbu in Training & in her True Form. It seemed between the Ancients efforts & Sousuke's very few people new the truth about their continued existence. No matter how diminished their numbers were he knew the truth. Her temerity knew no bounds as she made no effort to hide the scorn she felt for his kind. Still she was so close & yet far from the truth. Although despite being given incomplete & misguided information her deductions remained impeccable. Akkuma could see why she was a member of the Anbu Corps. However her next words made him raise an eyebrow in disbelief, the next expression would be disconcerting no doubt. Giving the sharingan wielding kunoichi a sinister smirk that was accompanied by a chuckle admittedly amused by her seeming lack of self preservation. "I should re..." before he could finish voicing the threat forming in his mind she interrupted him. Much to his surprise it was not to further insult him but to make an offer. Well that was not entirely true she had implied that she would. But Akkuma had been making contracts with beings well before those crimson eyes had even seen the light of this world.

First a chuckle would escape his lips, one that mirrored the disbelief that had been upon his face moments earlier. Those eyes of his would flash with a delighted malice as the chuckle built into a devilish laugh that echoed around the structure. It was coated in the madness & chaos that he so reveled in. In that moment his control would waver & that shinigami visage of his would become visible to the Doujutsu user before him. It's ethereal form mirroring his same expression of madness. "All beings whether they be mortal or not come to me for one reason." A wide grin full of maniacal delight was plastered upon his face. "Because there are desires in this world only a monster like me can make reality." With those words the monstrous visage would disappear from view as the Sage shifted into a more business-like posture. "Before we begin it seems you're in need of a reminder." Suddenly his chakra would spike & the memories of Kiko would be played before them. From her massacre at the Kumogakure Gate to the brutal battle that ensued between her, the Golden Masked Uchiha & her compatriots. Only the images of the bodies & clips of the battle between them would be shown. "Do you really think I could care whether the villages come after me?" he would ask as he gestured to the images floating before them.

"One Agent did this & she wanted to be caught." Allowing only enough time for the words to sink in before he continued. "Maybe I should send a squad next time? Better yet I could send two squads I'm sure that would be enough to bring ruin to your insolent village." There was no trace of malice in his words. That piercing gaze of his warning her to tread carefully for he had tolerated all he would. "I'll have your broken body dragged through the village so you can witness its fall firsthand. Finally I'll have your eyes removed, so the last image ever etched into your mind is the debris filled ruins of Kumogakure." Crossing his hands together on the table before him he took a deep breath of the pipe that hung from his lips. "Be grateful all we took from you were some subordinates." Appearing in the Sages hand from his archive dimension would be a small wooden box, inscribed in various regenerative & protective seals. "The heart of Lady Soku, Sennin of Konohagakure lies within this container. Suspended & preserved by my seals. Even if they managed to save her, there is no where on this world that she would be able to hide from me. Fail to heed my warning & I'll make a pendant not unlike this with your eyes in it." Each word was spoken in a matter of fact manner. In doing so he hoped to emphasize that he had no doubt such deeds would be easy to accomplish. Placing the box back into his Archive Dimension once he felt his point had been made.

Pausing long enough to let the gravity of the situation sink in. Hoping his crimson eyed guest would remember he was not some petty criminal. After all if he were she would not be here engaging in dialogue with him. He'd be dead or shackled in a cell somewhere till the end of his days. "Do we have an understanding?" he'd hate to have to find another suitable candidate from Kumogakure for what was to come. That would take more time & effort then he hoped to expend on the matter. After all she had shown such promise even Kiko had noted her potential. Such a shame it would be if he had to remove her before seeing what she could achieve.

Spoiler: Jutsu Stuff

Name: Sage Art - Corrupted Reality
Effect: Using this technique Akkuma 'wears' a Shinigami (going by the rp flavor his Dark Sage gifts come from a bound Shinigami) alters the veil between worlds. Not fully removing it but allow the other side to interact with this realm to a degree. This may manifest in the form of shadows seeming to take ghostly shape. The light cast from flames may flicker & cast fiendish shadows or the flames might glow an ominous green. Akkuma's visage will flicker between that of his own & that of the bound shinigami. In places where the veil is at it's weakest one might even find the inanimate becomes the animate if even for the briefest of moment.

Approval Link
Name of Jutsu: Miroku Clan [Archive Dimension Jutsu]
CRPJ's Effect: Allows Akkuma to store archived information, items such as tomes, scrolls, jars of organic material, tools, corpses {preservation technique}, other samples. Mainly a safe way of storing any archivable goods that only he can access.
Requirement: Dark Sage / Miroku Clan
Reason why it cannot be used in battle: Attempting to open the dimension in battle would fill one with so much senjutsu chakra they'd become a permenant statue as a warning for those who fooled around with senjutsu chakra.

Spoiler: Shinigami Visage

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MFT

 

[Kagami Miro]

Those pursed lips that curled into a smile did not waver as the demon laughed. As the boisterous guffaw continued the essence of another ghostly shinigami coalesced into a form behind Akkuma. Behind the demon lies another insidious one, truly evil to the core. Those famous red hues that held her sharingan watched in awe . ‘A hint of his true self…’ She thought to Naibu. The demon spoke out.

“Do you really think I could care whether the villages come after me?"

Those words were like music to her ears. A psychotic smile overcame her simplistic one. ‘He’s perfect. An icon to absorb all evil and to pin more onto....’ Before she could speak her mind Akkuma spoke out yet again. The intensity of the fierce glower into Akkuma’s eyes grew larger. The chakra that flowed through her hues grew brighter as she herself grew emotional. While the demon spoke she recalled the massacre at the gates. The bodies lay strewn about across the rocky terrain. Roads painted in blood all by the hand of that wretched puppet. As much as she wanted to refuse, the visions of a desecrated Kumogakure played in her brain. All the while the threat against her own dojutsu made her stomach flip. Pearly white teeth lightly chewed on her bottom lip, a heated breath escaped shortly after. The dark aura that surrounded him imprinted the severity of these threats on her brain. ‘...every foul curse can weigh on his shoulders…!’

Within that dark ominous aura Akkuma moved his arms to unveil and unseal an unusual item. Within a jar hovered the heart of a supposed Leaf Sennin. Bearing his threats and heavy dark aura in mind, it was safe to say it truly was a Sennins’. This object only elated Mirō even more. Proof of his deeds caught with her own eyes. To call him a criminal would be an understatement. The death of the Sennin must’ve been why Leaf showed her and Yuna no sympathy at the gates. They were fearful of more loss from unknown threats. ‘Now they’ll fear everyone as their only ally severed the treaty they broke.’ A silvery voice chimed in. ‘Serves them juuust right. It’s not like their previous Hokage cared.’ Mirō spoke of the betrayal of Konoha’s Hokage that eloped with a missing nin.

That gold mask played its part to keep her emotions unknown to onlookers. What he spoke of was the threat to send more squads to level Kumogakure. Yet something caught her attention, the idea that Kiko let herself be captured. From what the Sennin recalled was a complete surrender to Kumo’s power all because the lifeless puppet has separation anxiety. Whether a squad or an army knocked at her gates they, again, would be met with powerful forces dedicated to stop evil in its tracks.

Finally, Akkuma questioned her understanding of the situation. Threats to her safety and overall life, soul and precious eyes were a common occurrence. The demon had his years of experience negotiating to thank for saving him from being crushed under the weight of her gravity claw. That and the fact Suna would take his head on the pike. What Mirō craved was the safety of Kumogakure, the rubble of Konoha and that ancient blue ANBU mask Akkuma possessed. “If I expected you to care about our villages pursuing you, I’d make for a better fool than a ninja.” She paused momentarily the severity of the situation proved its weight. “We see eye to eye…” Mirō’s red hues never broke their piercing gaze into his, “With threats like that we’ll be fantastic business partners.” She didn’t hope, she knew in her gut working alongside Akkuma would be incredibly risky. Any miscalculation in her plan and she’d have a bounty so big on her head the people would invent a new number. “Let us see the curses of fate shoot from our bows and pierce the backs of Konoha.” Her arms extended outward to expose black tipped fingernails and bandaged arms. She stood with open arms as if welcoming Akkuma’s next batch of threats or more optimistically, plans to see Konoha fall.

She half expected the demon to lunge up off his throne and at her throat. That may have been one reality, whilst another seemed more plausible. The plans laid out in her mind left her exiled and Kumo prosperous and Akkuma’s dreams fulfilled yet his lifeless head would never see it. The future had many lanes for them to access but she wondered which held a better outcome. “With everything in mind,” her arms slowly fell to her sides, “...for us to work together I’ll need to hear from you as to why Suna saw you palling around with missing leaf nin. Let’s help each other shall we?” Her sinister grin never washed away from her lips. Her red hues collected chakra behind them, in case she required a hasty escape from this sickly demons' wicked claws.​

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

Kiko had not been wrong in seeing potential within the kunoichi. Her reaction had not been one that he had expected. She seemed almost exhilarated by his words, those crimson eyes burning brightly behind that Golden Mask of hers. Now it seemed he had her undivided attention, as he watched the words he'd spoken digested by the shinobi before him. Then it occurred to him that he had been goaded into revealing his true nature. Perhaps that had been her intent? To determine just what kind of individual she was dealing with. For he knew all too well that all warfare was deception. The air was almost palpable with chakra by the time he'd finished saying his piece, between them both it seemed like battle could erupt at any moment. Such tensions did not concern the Sage for he was well experienced in such environments & encounters. Each word spoken was purposeful & had intent behind it.

A devilish grin would flash upon his face at her words. After all she wasn't wrong, curious though how eager she was to work with him. That was until it dawned upon him, her only interest was with Konohagakure. They had been the ones who had sworn to be allies, in both trade & military aspects. Any warning at all could have spared bloodshed of her brethren, given them the necessary preparations. To the Uchiha this shirking of duty from their allies had cost them greatly. Perhaps it was not the Will of Fire that had kept Leaf secure all these years but the Will of the Uchiha. He'd heard rumors about them, their incomparable capacity for love & in turn hatred. Before him stood an individual of singular focus. Determined to bring suffering to those who had wronged them. To Akkuma it was just business, they'd made no such agreements with him. Therefore the weight of his transgressions were less, at least that was the conclusion he reached. No doubt she would come for his head soon enough, but her prey was vast & powerful.

There were few who would be willing to work against such a force. Yet here she stood before one such individual. A thin smile played across his face. "I think you may be right, yes lets see what can be inflicted upon this world." he'd say with a mischievous look flashing in those emerald eyes. "I think I understand your motivations sufficiently..." with those words he would motion for his new business partner to take a seat. "Nobu is the Head of the Gekido Clan, his wishes here were to establish a foothold for his clan within these lands in the form of a business. Thus allowing him a means of acquiring assets & knowledge with ease. A goal he intends to implement within each nation no doubt." he'd let the information sink in. It was a common tactic he had witnessed over the years that had proven quite effective. But it was difficult for competition to grow when it so willingly invited the devil into it's domain. "I was to act as a broker providing a means into the village & a meeting with the Kazekage. Unfortunately for him the Fates saw fit to...complicate matters. A confrontation between Raizo & myself resulted in him expelling me from Sunagakure." at these words there was an undeniable mixture of annoyance & respect that coated his words.

"Due to his youth & noble intentions he is unwilling to see the necessity of individuals like us." Pausing momentarily to light the freshly packed contents of his pipe with a snap of his fingers. "The world that they wish to live in is only reached & maintained by monsters like us. Morals & ethics don't have the power to overcome the cycle of life." Each word was accompanied with a stream of smoke that escaped his lips. "It was simple matter for me to orchestrate the attacks on Kumo & Konoha. Raizo faces many trials ahead, the least I could do for him was show him who his true allies were." Another pause as his eyes flashed with genuine surprise. "If I'm honest I doubted either of the Nations would hold true to their agreements. I've seen firsthand how little the word of humanity means." Taking another breath of his pipe the Sage would hold up a finger to ensure that his current train of thought was not interrupted.

"Since we are to be business partners as you say, at least in regards to the affairs of Konoha for now. I should, for the sake of transparency. Inform you that Kumogakure has attacked Moon in your absence." he'd let the words sink in. While they were not a military nation by any means. Powerful entities resided within those lands. In particular the Myakashi called Yamigakure their home. "I have no doubts that my son was quite convincing in efforts to implicate your Nation. You may ask why Moon? There are...entities that reside there who will not appreciate such an act of warfare being perpetrated against their homeland." Akkuma would give a slight shrug to demonstrate how little he cared about the matter. "I needed to know I would have your full attention. Given the current circumstances I will admit it may have been...an unnecessary precaution. Although let it be an example of the extent I go to in order to ensure my objective is achieved. At your convenience I'd like to know more about your conversation with Raizo in regards to the Ancients & Hybrids." By now he had a reasonable cloud of smoke around him. Perhaps he hoped the cloud would shield him from her with this admission. Though if such a thing was of concern to the Sage there was no sign of it from his body language.

MFT
So sorry on the delay!
Edited to quickly fix a line.

 

[Kiko]

It did not take him long to find the small inn that Kiko had described to him, she had said, "Head to this little inn, it will be under new ownership by now... From there head up the mountain, Akkuma should meet you before you reach the summit." Well this was the starting point, hopefully it would not take too long to find this Devil of his daughter.

Migoya had asked him to be diplomatic...

Yong had his own way of diplomacy...

The heavy wooden doors swung open gently despite the recently fastened lock, the face of a startled hostess quickly turned to the intimidating armoured mask of the Shinobi now making egress into her establishment.

"Please sir! We are closed, this..."

The hostess found her words caught in her throat as the stranger raised his hand, his brown eyes clearly visible through the eye holes of the esoteric ANBU mask. She found herself unable to move, the stranger coming to a slow stop in front of her, his already raised hand cupped the side of the woman's now trembling face, his thumb gently resting against her left temple, his other four fingertips placed down the meridian of the woman's weak chakra points down the side of her skull.

"Be not afraid..."

As the cocktail of toxins laced truth serum on his fingertips began to course through the woman's bloodstream and quickly into her brain she would physically feel lighter, like the worries of the world had been lifted from her shoulders by this man with a single touch.

"I am not afraid..."

The woman's words came out involuntarily as the strong cocktail of drugs did their chemical work.

"Good. Where is your master Akkuma?"

"Upstairs..."

Again the answer was said without hesitation.

"Good. Is he alone?"

"He should be but I have heard voices..."

"Thank you."

As Yong removed his hand from the side of the woman's head her eyes turned upwards and she began to fall backwards. The Armoured Shinobi caught the falling woman and gently lowered her to the ground, when she awoke she would have a nasty headache and not remember their encounter, of this Yong was sure, though it was no jutsu, no this was the science of drugs! As he made his way to Akkuma's indicated location Yong mused for a moment, thinking the woman lucky to have met him rather than another member of his Clan... The Myakashi tended to look unkindly on informants, even unwilling ones... Every weakness was a weakness...

Now for a little showmanship...

All warfare is deception...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was not much, a small puff of smoke and where once was empty space now knelt Yong's armoured form, his masked face downcast in an overt sign of respect towards Akkuma. Without lifting his head Yong began to speak, his words heavily distorted by the modulator present withing his ANBU mask.

"Please forgive my interruption my lord but I thought the matter of importance...."

Lifting his head from its bowed position, glancing at the woman that was also present, her distinct features quickly memorised with that momentary glance, the presence of the woman's Sharingan of particular note. He quickly regained his feet, moving with slightly too much speed to withdraw a grimly stained piece of hessian cloth from a pouch on his hip. Unwrapping the red-stained cloth and laying it over the palm of his upturned unarmoured hand, the symbol of the Myakashi Clan branded clearly on the corner where the blood seemed thickest.

"The Myakashi have advised total success in Konoha once again..."

The Armoured Shinobi seemed to hesitate for a moment as if hesitating in front of the unfamiliar woman though he did not hesitate long, too quick to allow for an interjection from Akkuma.

"The head of the Gakido Clan has met his end... Konoha welcomed his executioner as a prodigal son..."

Yong moved a couple of steps away from Akkuma, analysing every response from the dark sage of Suna. In truth this was the pair's first meeting and the sage's reactions would tell Yong much that he needed to know about this new supposed ally of the Myakashi. This Devil that had bewitched his daughter to risk so much for his cause...

He would also be watching the reaction of the other Shinobi, the woman's reactions would also tell her place in all this.

Yong liked to read and his favourite thing to read was people...

Now, standing equal distance apart from the other two occupants of the room Yong reached his hand up to his mask, pushing his leather hood back and unlocking the metal mask from its place and quickly stacking it to an unseen mechanism at his hip. His armour seemed to fade like smoke as the mask clicked into place leaving the man undisguised Infront of the pair.

He would give the pair a smile, the gaze of his brown eyes moving between the pairs own ominous red eyeballs as he continued to speak, his voice now crisp and clear without the masks modulation.

"The Myakashi seem very efficient my lord, wouldn't you say?"

Spoiler: Ooc

Topic entered with permission!
unarmoured Yong

 

[Kagami Miro]

There. Her own famous hues saw it… That glimmer in his eyes that spoke volumes to the Sennin.. An acceptance to work with her on her plan to devastate Konohagakure and lay it to ruin. Her mind ran through the scenes again and again in a second. Each sorrow-filled cry, every tear of despair and anguish that screamed out from the innocent and the guilty… swooned over her like a mothers blanket covering their newborn, and just as much happiness too. From the corners of her eyes that crimson liquid began to pool at the foresight of it all.

As much as Mirō wanted to turn the imagery of the Uchiha clan and its painful past into a new path of righteousness, the roots of all Uchiha began to unfurl and grow into its true colors. Crimson drenched in pools of sin, hatred and love. To witness and cause such devastation to Konoha felt euphoric and to top it off she foresaw another beautiful sight. The head of the demon in front of her impaled on a spike and stored in a jar as a trophy. Her tongue slithered past her lips to like her canines to savor the thought. These thoughts clouded her judgment. The hatred that pooled in her heart for that demon and that pitiful village continued to manifest. She knew of the history of the Uchiha yet, the lack of guidance from her clan members allowed her Uchiha blood to begin to mix with her emotions. A spike of chakra rushed through her like a child shiver.

The demon voice rumbled again. Nobu, the head of the Gekido set in motion a business in every nation to pool money, supplies and information into their hands. Before Mirō could dwell on the demon's words he continued to speak. Raizo evicted the lousy tenant not because of late rent or harbording high value targets, but the misalignment of goals and theorems to achieve them with Akkuma. The Sennin's time spent in Sand weighed heavily on her mind. The Kazekage’s energetic spirit and absolute resolve in his goals may have inspired Mirō to mold herself into something akin to him. Again before she could speak her peace a bombshell statement had dropped on her. ‘Kumogakure… attacked Moon? Wh-.. what? Why?’ Her world came to a standstill, her mind processed the information while simultaneously attempting to find reason to even do so. The demographics of Moon, their culture and policy were all foreign to her, literally. Then the demon spoke of his god forsaken son. ‘Impersonating Kumo nin to spark war with Moon…’ Mirō grit her teeth in anger, bearing white fangs at the evil Akkuma was capable of.

Her eyes began to widen at the realization of the matters at hand. In a train of thought the news did not stop her instincts. With her arms hidden underneath her cloak her fingers twisted into hand signs at the sudden faint presence of another person. However, like Akkuma this person hid their presence well. Vibrant red hues slowly turned their gaze to the cloud of smoke and within was a ninja knelt down in obedience to Akkuma. Their eyes met, her hypnotic piercing gaze attempted to drill daggers into theirs. But without much resistance the new face continued to speak.

"The Myakashi have advised total success in Konoha once again..." …. "The head of the Gakido Clan has met his end... Konoha welcomed his executioner as a prodigal son..."

Just like that, within seconds she had learned of Nobu’s presence within the territories and next he had been taken care of by the Myakashi clan. She scoffed, Konoha’s ability to protect anyone always slipped between their fingers. Mirō’s expression never showed it but the mental seeds of worry began to engrain themselves in her brain. After another moment the man stood up and revealed his true figure to the room. A bold move for a stranger, especially one of their calibur, to willingly allow themselves to be identified by strangers.

With a moment's pause, Mirō spoke up. “That was fast.” The expression on her face turned to a neutral gaze. Her time spent out of country and in the Demon's Lair tainted her taste buds. “I’ll keep it quick since we have a new guest here.” That red gaze shifted from the new face to the Demon. “The Kazekage spoke of the history of Sand. A land that had been liberated by a god named Primus and after his death a conflict of two clans began to see which of those would be the ruling clan.” Clan warfare always escaped the Sennin. Abandoned at a young age, her history was in the cosmos of the unknown, aside from her Uchiha heritage. Regardless she continued, “The last Daimyo died which left a supposed power-gap in society, and the other clans seek revenge. Seeing that, the current Kazekage took the mantle and now runs Sunagakure.” Mirō shrugged, not seeing the significance of the regurgitation of Sand’s history. Ancients, hybrids, they were all minor details in her plans to overturn Leaf. “I don’t care about Sand, however pleasant their Kazekage is. I want Konoha to lie in ruin, without the assumption Kumogakure is involved.” The hand she dealt herself had one wildcard sitting at the head of the table already… to think another would show up stuck a knife in her plan.

“Keep out of Kumogakure’s territory and I’ll devise a plan to fund your meddlings in Konoha.” Those red eyes turned cold and serious, glaring directly through Akkuma. “I’ve done some research on the minerals that lay throughout the lands like my own. With such a bounty I’ve began to develop something that would benefit a monster like yourself.” A toothy smile appeared behind her golden mask. “That is, if you stay out of Kumogakure.”
​

Ambience​

​

[Sorry for the delay! A lot to think about.]
[Edits: Colored text, ambience.]

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

The words spoken by the Sage seem to have had an impact upon his guest. What myriad of emotions ran through her mind, which of those was the strongest? From the look in her eyes he guessed hatred. But which was stronger? Was it her hatred for him or the hatred she harbored towards Konohagakure. While he possessed the means to provide the war she desired. That made him the potentially bigger threat, while he was only one individual. Who knew just how vast that influence of his spread. Suddenly something shifted in the shadows energy. Something unexpected happened not that you'd have guessed it from the lack of reaction from the Sage. The gaze of Akkuma lazily shifted to the new arrival in the room. Devoid of any signs of concern, despite finding himself wondering if Miro had given the order for an unseen collaborator to execute him. Much to his surprise though the dispersing smoke revealed a masked figure kneeling before him.

A nod would be given from the Sage as this new arrival apologized. Trained eyes watched each movement this newcomer made. Whoever they were, it was undeniable that they were a skilled shinobi. Revealing a blood stained cloth with words that confirmed his growing suspicions. This guest was a member of the Myakashi clan. Akkuma's features twisted into a devilish grin at the report. Yet another piece removed from the board that could threaten his growing influence. The guest removed his mask & made a statement before asking for confirmation. This action was not for himself but his other guest. "Naturally I agree, I don't think I've ever come across another force as effective." An honest assessment from the Sage about their capabilities. "Then again our guest knows all about that. She witnessed Myakashi effectiveness firsthand." The Sage would say before turning his gaze from the unmasked guest at his side to that of the Sharingan wielding Kumo-nin.

War. So many despised it & yet their very way of life depended upon it. His new partner in crime gave him a concise recount of what was discussed with the Kazekage. If her words were truthful & he had no reason to believe they weren't. She had been given a redacted version of Sunagakure's history. Then again perhaps that was to be expected from an individual who didn't truly believe in the beings of legend. Fortunately it seemed Sunagakure would be his to do with as he wished. For his Uchiha comrade seemed to care only for the demise of Konohagakure without the implicating Kumogakure. She spoke of the bounty found in the minerals of the earth. Yet he wondered if she new of the wonderful properties the Carmot of this land possessed. Perhaps a tool he could use in negotiating a supply of the materials should their relationship sour before the fruits of the deal ever find their way to him.

In return for this unknown material & the potentially of financial backing she wished for him to refrain from further actions against Kumogakure. Perhaps his guest had forgotten who it was she proposed such a deal with. Now he knew there was a valuable material in those lands his own teams could be sent in private to conduct surveys of the minerals. What could have been a great bargaining chip for her nation was now a target for the Sage. "Now this hardly seems like fair remuneration for the efforts required for such an activity. But I'll accept it, with the addition of some...conditional terms." After all he wouldn't be a Demon if he couldn't see the opportunity & flaws a deal before him provided. "Should I find Kumogakurian forces attempting to interfere in any of my efforts. I'm free to do with them as I see fit. Secondly, I'll be wanting a meeting with your Raikage at some point in the future." he paused letting those words sink in before he continued finishing the final amendment he wished to see in their deal.

"If necessary I'll expect your aid in achieving such a meeting. If all goes to plan, by the time that day arises you might just be introducing her to one of Sunagakure's Sennin." Each word was spoken with an unmistakable delight. Clearly the thought amused him greatly, although who knew why? It could be because his appointment to such a position would be an affront to the loyalist traditionalists. Or because he'd always craved the position of Anbu Sennin ever since he was a child. Should his plans succeed it was better that he start laying the ground work for ties a bit higher on the diplomatic scale once more. Gone were the days when he knew the various Kage of the lands personally. If he was to achieve his goals that was something he would have to begin working towards. After all when one wasn't burdened with the concern of mortality it was easier to see the big picture. To not only formulate a plan that spanned multiple generations but see it enacted firsthand was a privilege afforded to few.

"Should this be agreeable to you, we'd have an agreement. If this mineral is truly useful in my line of work you may find yourself a trade partner. There are no doubt minerals I have access to you might find of great interest. But we can discuss that at a later date." Those emerald eyes of his would hold her in his gaze. War carried a heavy price, was it one she would be willing to pay? All the while he wondered who the figure beside him was. What their connection to Kiko & Migoya were. Today was proving to be quite the eventful day, how he did like surprises.

 

[Kiko]

The Uchiha's eyes locked with his, he could feel her Sharingan trying to worm it's way into his head. A flash of memory came into his fractured mind... He had challenged one of the Sennin of Konoha in the Sennin's dojo... It had been a grand battle... He had one, though his opponent had refused to fall unconcious... and then the knock out blow, not from his opponent but from those cursed eyes from off the totami mat... Konoha... Always the coward...

As his armour faded away Yong watched Akkuma and the stranger for any response but neither seemed to show any signs of recognition of his now unobscured face, a subtle confirmation that neither of them had seen the contents of the Konoha ANBU's Bingo Book... Good...

As Akkuma agreed that the Myakashi were an effective force, he also revealed that the other party had recently encountered Myakashi forces, was she one of the shinobi Kiko had clashed with in Kumo? He had heard of his daughters clash and intelligence gathering in Cloud but none of the specifics had been shared with him. With Akkuma's statement though Yong was fairly confident in his extrapolation that this Kunoichi's presence here was as a direct result of his daughters actions. Yong looked at the bright soul before him. Kiko was always good at picking her targets.

The suspicion all but confirmed a moment later when the Uchiha Kunoichi responded to Akkuma's question as she refered to Yong as a 'new guest' which, possibly unintentionally, implied that she was also a 'guest' of the Demon of Suna... so not an agent of Akkuma... But by her response it seemed only a matter of time.

Her Sharingan turned back to Akkuma as she began speaking a brief history lesson on Suna and Wind country, obviously newly acquired information in the way it was recited, as if remembering the words of a local guide

But then she dropped the bomb, she wanted Konoha destroyed but she wanted no blame to fall on Kumo, elaborating about some payment in precious gems before adding as her only request that Akkuma stay out of Kumo, Yong knew she meant Akkuma's forces but the choice of words told him much of the Kunoichi's feelings towards Akkuma directly.

As the Uchiha continued to talk puzzle pieces began to fall into place, could she be one of the Cloud nin that Leaf had turned away before the Myakashi arrival that the leaf Sennin had mentioned? She had been a busy little bee.

Akkuma appeared to have accepted the offer with some conditions of his own, first a freedom from Kumo intervention in his actions and second a meeting with the Raikage. He also mentioned that he may be Sennin of Suna by the time the meeting was arranged, an interesting development, Akkuma's tendrils really where everywhere!

Yong waited patiently for Akkuma to finish speaking, getting the woman's attention once more Yong give a small bow to Miro, remaining bowed as he spoke.

"My apologies for my rudeness Kunoichi, my name is Wee Yong and I thought you another agent of Akkuma but can see now plainly my mistake..."

Yong gave the Uchiha woman a wolf like smile as he lifted his head from his small bow, his plain brown eyes locked with those cursed Sharingan that even now attempted to attack his senses.

"...and with this in consideration please forgive this next imputent musing."

He had now asked their forgiveness three times, a subtle symbolism that the Sage of the Wilds knew would be lost on the pair. But nothing was done without intention, no seemingly carless action without some deeper meaning.

"You have faught the Myakashi and survived so you are strong... You have traveled the wilds from Kumo to Konoha to Suna to learn for yourself so you are wise... You stand upright before the Demon of Suna so you are brave... You barter the lives of the innocent without hesitation so you are ruthless... You are a bright soul, one capable of moving heaven and earth and yet..."

His eyes narrowed as he stared into the Sharingan staring back, the grin turning more sinister as he continued to speak, though his tone changing to a happier inflection as he spoke, seemingly taking a parallel or counter course to his previous words.

"Did you know I too had the pleasure of going to Konoha recently and you know what? They told me you had been there; they told me your 'eyes of life' were 'blind as hell' missing what was plainly in front of you; they boasted that with their show of force you delivered your letter and fled silently... They turned you away from their gates... You and your companion..."

There was some embileshment but the words were true, the Uchiha Kunoichi's visit to Konoha had been divulged to Yong by the Leaf Sennin before he had even gained entrance to Konoha, the Shinobi there were not good at secrets. Yong looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing.

"Are you afraid of Konohagakure? You shouldn't be... What is to stop you destroying them yourself? You have seen the weakness festering in their hearts... The small gods would chastise you for striking out but they are swift to forgive..."

Yong reached his hand behind his back, retrieving what looked like an old village headband with the metal plate displaying it's village obscured by his rough fingers.

"If you fear that your enemies will retaliate against those you love, those you fight so hard to protect... Then... For there sake... There is another way..."

Opening his fingers Yong revealed the village symbol on the headband, the stylised leaf of Konohagakure, though a ragged scratch had been deeply gouged through the middle symbolising the bearers seperation from their former village.

He would let his statements implications go unsaid but he knew the symbolism would not be lost on the pair.

 

[Kagami Miro]

In many ways Mirō was thankful for her descendants from the Uchiha bloodline. The history of her clan spread for a long time, as it went through time it gained fame, infamy, last but not least, a strong tell that ruined even the best gamblers. The surge in chakra not only radiated throughout her body but shone brightly through her red hues. Her jaw clenched tightly and ground her teeth in annoyance. As annoyed as she was, that psychotic smile never faded from her parted lips. ‘The audacity to assume that his wicked nature is welcome in my lands, let alone his lackeys…’ The thought of that stench of the demon made her stomach twist. ‘Akkuma… bastard…’ Her attempt to keep him from Kumogakure barely chipped away at the stone of his demands. Kumo citizens needn’t die anymore, yet perhaps a certain Branches’ ninja could fall on their blade for her sake. ‘As long as they’re not Medical or ANBU.’ Her tongues glazed over sharp canines.

Another demand was to see the Raikage. Mirō nearly let a maniacal giggle escape past her lips. ‘Now he wants to see the Raikage… absurd!’ Truly, demons could not be this comical! Perhaps that’s how they became so devious. Then he spoke of a new title, a Sennin of Sunagakure. And just like a demon he knew how to ruin a good time. “Tch, only if you become Sennin shall I make arrangements for such an infamous name like yourself. I told you, I want Kumogakure out of sight and mind from you. However, if you become Sennin the threat of assumptions dwindles to ashes.” That piercing red gaze did not cease to part ways from his emerald eyes. That demeanor of his changed ever so slightly. ‘...Thinks I’m caught in his web…’ Disgust eased onto her features but were stopped short in fear of wrinkles.

Reluctantly Mirō ran over her plan once more. No matter how she felt… Akkuma’s rise to a Sennin position felt guaranteed even though she’d known him for nearly a week. A sour taste resided on her tongue at the thought of his meeting with the Raikage. ‘Not a chance he’d get one-on-one time with her.’ ‘Wasn’t an option.’ “Then it’s settled…” In a pretentious huff she nearly turned around before her eyes caught sight of the new arrivals bow and voice to her.

Her mangekyo glowered at the man for such insolence, forgetting how she looked from another's perspective. Yet she could not help but raise a fine brow at the mans curious words. Another smooth talker. One who coated their words in a poisonous honey to influence opposition into their favor. A damn good one too, as his words rang though Mirō’s ears her ego began to rise. Then he spoke of the devil. Not the one in the chair but the one within Fire country. The memory of the Hokage’s fake smile disgusted her as much as Akkuma did. Mirō’s piercing red gaze continued to look upon Wee Yongs’ face.
​

Are you afraid of Konohagakure?​

For a moment's pause his words played like a broken record though her mind. Absorbing the words, again, nearly made her giggle. The Myakashi must be demons too. This time she turned toward Yong to face him directly. “Afraid…? No. I’ve spilled my share of blood. The murdering and killing… that’s all business and I’m just a diplomat in the scheme of it.” Her words held truth but she wasn’t beyond bathing in the blood of her enemies. ‘The good ol days.’ “The fun work is left for the hungry.” From one glance she could tell the man before her was just as lethally potent as Akkuma. Yong’s aura felt akin to that damned puppet, of course.

As her words slipped past pink lips Yong’s hand extended outward revealing a battle-scarred headband with Konoha’s insignia etched in the center. Excitedly, Mirō pointed at the headband a few times. “Yes… yes! Results as clear as day!” She dialed her excitement back, her psychotic gaze turned to look at Akkuma. “The Myakashi get results.” ‘In certain cases.’ “Let’s get him back out in the field immediately.” The headband of the Gekido Clan’s leader spoke volumes in its silence. A tool like this shinobi was enough to change the world. With the three of them, and a card up her sleeve, her dreams could be a reality.​

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

The Sage couldn't help but wonder which of his recent actions had earned the favor of the Fates to be upon his side once more. For the evening was evolving far better then he could have possibly anticipated. No doubt Miro had felt great disgust at the thought of Akkuma being within her border. Forgetting perhaps that he had walked the halls of the Raikage Tower before she'd taken her first steps as a shinobi. Between his developing arrangement with Miro & the intel he was gathering from this Wee Yong. It seemed he was not the only clan Leader that didn't force his kin to change their name officially. Despite this Yong spoke with the practiced authority & manipulative words of a practiced diplomat. How formidable these Myakashi were, it was most fortunate they had aligned themselves with him. A war with such a force would be a costly one. He'd need preparations to effectively deal with them. After all they functioned like true shinobi, such foes were dangerous indeed. Those emerald eyes of his would flash with a devilish mischief, accompanied by a grin that reflected the satisfaction at her disdain at the thought of his arrival in Cloud. Every ounce of disdain & disgust these villagers felt for him only served to fuel the Sage. They were weak, that was why they needed individuals like him.

Listening intently to the exchange between Miro & Wee Yong was interesting. His new guest it seemed had quite the affinity for chaos. But perhaps more interesting was the rusted headband that he had produced. Aged a great deal more then what could have been possible to belong to Nobu. Ah so this was how he knew there would be little repercussion. He'd already faced Konohagakure in the past. Not only that if he'd dealt with Nobu that meant he had made it inside the village. Efficient did not seem to do them justice, their tenacity it seemed knew no bounds. Excellent. That would be an invaluable trait in the days to come. Those emerald eyes of his moved from his newest guest to Miro. How excited she seemed to have witnessed first hand the Myakashi effectiveness yet again. Another almost beastial laugh would build from a chuckle until it echoed around the building. Those eyes of his full of delight at the sheer excitement Miro had displayed only moments before. This interaction with Miro had only served to fuel his desire to visit Kumogakure once more. How many other bright souls still existed within those walls? More importantly what was this Raikage like? He'd known a few of her successor's. How would she compare to those that preceded her? Questions he'd answer when the time came.

For now though there was the matter before him. "Such eagerness...I look forward to the day you'll come for my life with with those crimson eyes ablaze with hate." his words seemed sincere, almost as if he reveled in the idea of being hunted in such a manner. Then again he had accumulated quite the long list of beings that would take pleasure in seeing the world relieved of the corruption that was Akkuma. Not that many had not tried, some would have even succeeded if not for the intervention of Fate through the hands of a stranger. He often wondered who had saved him that day & how they would feel knowing that single act of mercy allowed him to continue on this path. That had been many years ago now, why were these thoughts eating their way into his mind? Perhaps he was getting sentimental in his old age. "It seems we have an accord. Konohagakure will know War." The Sage would stand & extend a hand out to grasp Miro's. Those long black claw-like nails of his eager to clasp her hand in his own. There was no need to elaborate what would happen if she betrayed him. He'd been informative enough earlier in their meeting about what would happen if he were crossed. No doubt the thought of shaking his hand disgusted Miro, maybe that was why he wanted her to shake it. One final act to get under her skin before their alliance was truly underway.

Whether she shook his hand or not the Sage would give a devilish smirk before saying. "I look forward to hearing from you...I do hope my son hasn't stirred up to much trouble for you in Moon." he let the words hang in the air as he chuckled. There was little doubt within his mind that would contact him again. After all she had stated herself she wanted him as far from her lands as possible. Without him her plans would become very complicated. Another player on the board was always fun, but the teaching of the rules. That was more often then not a messy process. One that Miro might just find herself experiencing if she kept walking on her current path. Akkuma looked forward to discovering what this mineral was that remained hidden within Cloud. How curious that even knowing what he was capable of she would had offered even the hint that something valuable was buried within her lands. That was something he'd address soon enough, now he looked forward to the report from Yong. What had occurred during their foray into Konohagakure? No doubt the events had been quite interesting for them not to be disclosed before Miro. Only when they were alone would he inquire about the events that had transpired. Did his new guest have anything else to say to the Kumogakure shinobi? The Sage would not object if he did, merely listen with interest. Knowledge was power & all warfare was deception.

MFT

 

[Kiko]

The Kunoichi spoke of murder in the name of diplomacy, her choice of words again telling Yong more than was said though it did leave the question of if she considered herself 'the hungry' or if she had tasted the meal and decided she was full. Yong was always hungry...

She then said something that made him smile, that the Myakashi results were as clear as day! Yong mused for a moment, thinking on the his daughter Kiko's thousand spiderwebs of intrigue and of Migoya's seemingly limitless capacity for manipulation and complex layers of deception... And then there was Akkuma... The Devil of Suna...

The Kunoichi's excitement at seeing the headband confused Yong for a moment until Akkuma responded. So the Kunoichi is one of the hungry after all...

Yong smiled his wolf like smile as the two came to an accord that would shake the world. In this small tavern in the middle of the desolate wind country Cloud had thrown in its lot with the Devil and it would cost Konoha everything.

Yong reached into his belt pouch once more this time retrieving a small wooden horse, crudely carved from a single piece of wood and left as raw timber with no stain or paint. He closed his fingers around the small figure for a moment before getting the Kunoichi's attention.

"Please take this token... When you wish to feed your hunger... When Konoha stands against you... Burn the token and I will be by your side... We will watch the village burn amongst the leaves..."

 

[Kagami Miro]

Once more her emotions spoke volumes rather than her words. The sight of a tattered Leaf headband set her heart into a flutter. Like a cartoon her heart fluttered at the misfortune caused by Wee Yong. A twisted response from a sane perspective, had something boiled her heart into a sore of hatred? Her pale ears twitched at the boisterous guffaw let out by the demon. Why else would a demon laugh if not for chaos? With grace she dialed back her excitement on the matter. The first hurdle towards Konoha’s demise had been cleared, the next was just as high. Mirō’s gaze turned to look at Akkuma and before her was an outstretched fetid paw. In no sane world would she shake hands with evil entirely. Although her actions sought destruction, it was all for the name of Kumogakure. The village that saved her pathetic life.

The corners of her smile turned into a disgusted scowl at the motion. The Sennin refrained to shake such a hand, his final taunt striking her senses like a thunderous drum. The pile left on the door… Just another thing she’d have to clean up. ‘Perhaps your apprentice could be of use.’ That silvery voice chimed into her ears. Once more Wee Yong grabbed her attention, pulling her disgusted look off to reveal a curious one. Carefully she reached out to grab a tiny horse figurine. With it came the ability to reach out to this monster to flay the flesh of Konoha. A wicked smile overtook ehr pink lips as her red hues focused on the horse up close. “Another toy…” Referring to the strange beast the puppet summoned during their fight. “Magnificent.”

Carefully she moved the figurine into her hip pouch and with a turn she spoke out to Akkuma. “Keep a watchful eye for paper butterflies, fragile treasures that deserve our protection.” From underneath her cloak fluttered up a paper butterfly. Born from a slice of her skin, gently flapping its wings on her shoulder. “Our deal has been made. I’ll do my part.” Her chakra moved once again as she began to sink into the floor. Or as it would seem from the two monsters. The void portal to the hollow drank her in slowly into the other world. Even as she began to disappear Mirō remained on guard for any sudden movements that would stop her in her tracks. If she were to be free… her mind would continue to playback on Akkuma's words. Her mind truly was a broken record and her list of tracks continued to grow. All because of her love that she held deeply for Kumogakure. Eventually the void consumed her entirely to leave the monsters behind. A gasp of air swamped her lungs. The intensity of the ordeal weighed heavily on her chest. There could be not mistakes from now on.

[Topic left unless stopped]
[Sorry for the delay! Fantastic thread and I'm excited for the future!]
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Spoiler: Actions

Cast Mangekyou Sharingan
Cast Kamui [Special Action]

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[Kiko]

A smile crossed Yong's face briefly as he realised the offered handshake was meant as a sleight as much as a formal outward sign of agreement. The Kunoichi Miro accepted his offered token, accepting his terms perhaps without understanding the gravity of the token that had been gifted... The wolf like grin returned once more as the Kunoichi left their company in grand fashion, an Uchiha of the highest order... Truly a force to be reckoned with...

And then there were two...

Akkuma would feel the atmosphere change a moment after the Kunoichi had departed as Yong released the chakra restraints placed on himself so as to hide his nature when required but right now, right here he saw no need to hide himself. His corrupted chakra fading the immediate surroundings as if the colour had been drained from the world.

"The old gods laugh as the tide turns red..."

A new power had entered the sages voice, like an echo through the mind the timeless fury of his Goddess flowed through him freely as he released more internal chakra seals. Yong stepped towards Akkuma, his arms slightly outstretched by his sides, his palms open as he slowly walked. Light blue flames of chakra were left in his footsteps, not extinguishing but rather smouldering the hard floor of Akkuma's office. Quickly the smoulder turned to warm orange flames kindling to life...

"My pride swells for you Shinogami..."

The Sage closed his hands into fists (use black blockade master rank around the whole building), the light blue flames now moved up his arms and dripped from his closed fists onto the floor. The sages own flesh was not immune to the chakra flames as the skin beneath quickly began to blister and melt away, blackening and cracking under the influence of the unnatural flames now rapidly moving across his body.

"The world of man shall weep and nash their teeth against their gods before the tide runs clear..."

The Sage stopped moving forward, a new form revealed through the flames, released from his mortal bondage Yong now stood as a being of pure chakra, the blue flames fading away quickly replaced by the dark radiance of imposing figure now standing before Akkuma.

"You, Shinogami out of place, you can set in action a course that cannot be altered, a fate told in stone..."

The very real though unnaturally intense flames that had been spread by the blue chakra fire would quickly turn the entire building to ashes if left unchecked, the unconcious hostess completely forgotten in the moment of reckless abandon by the Sage. It had been an eternity since the Sage of the Wilds had found one akin to him, Yong would not hide with the gaze of so many gods, old and new, now turning to them. He would be the Leviathans Avatar, he would not hide!

"I am the Curse of the Myakashi... the final cost for all things... and now I have come to this world once more... to sever the hearts of men... to break their will... the new gods shall lament their rise to power before the end of the age... I will take what is owed..."

Yong paused, the raw power of the goddess rippled from his unnatural form, the luminous but eyeless gaze seemed to focus on Akkuma to the exclusion of all else. The direct focus would break a mortal in moments but he had no intention of harming Akkuma and besides, he was not a mortal after all...

"And you... Lord Akkuma... Shinogami... You will ride beside me, not as allies but as brothers... behind us many will flock and murder... together we will bring down these new gods... these gods of industry... of greed... gods of commerce... small gods..."

Yong let the words trail off, echoing in the air for a moment as if repeated by distant voices.

"You must make this choice though, for this path is one of hardships before the end... will you ride with me Lord Akkuma? Ride with me to the apocalypse of man?"

Spoiler: Ooc

chakra form Yong...

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

Those emerald eyes watched the exchange between the two shinobi before him. Her disgust at the mere thought of the physical exchange brought a chuckle to him. Their audacity knew no bounds, he made a mental note to personally remove at least one of her eyes before this War was over. Perhaps he'd use them to destroy all that was precious to her? The insolence of these villagers had eaten away at his patience over the years. Before long all these village shinobi that so eagerly pursued their own demise would get their wish. Wee Yong spoke up breaking the building tension of the intentional sleight. Tilting his head in a bird-like fashion he made mental note of the token that was handed to the Uchiha. How these Myakyashi liked their tokens, but he knew all too well the power they could contain with the right techniques. Akkuma wondered what plans this knew Myakyashi had of their own for the Kumogakurian. Given their past effectiveness he looked forward to finding out.

Once more his attention was drawn solely to the Uchiha as she demonstrated how she would next contact him. It was not often he encountered other individuals who were capable of manipulating Paper so effectively. No doubt she had found it a useful element in her duties, he knew all too well how effective it could be when utilized appropriately. The Sage gave a nod of acknowledgement, enjoying the caution demonstrated as his guest departed. A wise move for some beings were driven for the hunt & to flee on fueled their desire for pursuit. They would need to make sure they had something to provide when next they communicated. Once she had departed those emerald eyes of his turned their gaze to his remaining guest. Now they were alone his guest saw fit to remove his mask, so to speak. After all this world was full of many beings, most of those beyond the comprehension of humanity.

Akkuma found his curiosity rising as the color was drained from the world them. It had not been the first time he'd seen reality warped but he'd not witnessed it in this manner. Each word spoken by Wee Yong was almost echoed by a power greater & older then themselves. As the Myakyashi spoke he began to approach the Sage, flames licking at his heels as he did so. Instead of fading away the flames would continue to smoulder alive behind him. With a simple gesture they were closed off from the world as Yong's form began to burn away slowly revealing his true form. Each word spoken fueled increased the rate at which his heart beat. The usual abnormally slow rate grew in pace with excitement. Part of him wondered whether it was Yong or the Goddess of the Myakyashi that was currently speaking to him.

When Yong focused his gaze intently into his own he saw the vast power behind it, if he were a lesser being the knowledge of such power would no doubt break him. Fortunately he was well aware of the numerous powers that existed in these realms. Yong spoke of destroying the lesser gods & a devilish grin would flash upon his face. For a long time he'd desired such an outcome, for they had sought to destroy shinobi. An intolerable act of war that he had believed to be unperceived by many. With each encounter his fondness of these Myakyashi grew, there was hope for shinobi after all. Flames began to engulf the surrounding structure, even licking at the flesh of the Sage. Burning & blistering his flesh but this was a sensation he was not unfamiliar with. This bond of flesh was only temporary he had taken many forms throughout his time.

"Gods & mortals, they deserve only death! Let us murder their dreams & break their souls." Akkuma stood & stepped into the flames as he spoke. His flesh being eagerly devoured by the blue flames of Yong. "I shall regard the cries of our foes as braying steeds, waiting to be whipped, broken, & bridled!" Akkuma would outstretch a hand as the flames consumed his flesh, melted it away from his bones. A distant scream could be heard from below them as the Sage cackled maniacally. "I accepted long ago the cost this path required." All his life he had known the cost of his path. No matter the trials of this path he would overcome them, his will was unwavering in this way.

MFT
(OOC: Apologies on the delay, I appreciate your patience. ^-^)

 

[Kiko]

Akkuma extended his hand into the flames and the demon smiled (hard to do anything else without lips), his next movements perhaps taking the Sage of Suna slightly off guard. His large taloned hand reached past Akkuma's offered hand, clasping the Sage's wrist firmly but not tightly, the claws unintentionally slicing through the already burning flesh.

"...And the gods of man turned away from the game for the Queen had shown her hand... Fate laughed... The baying of dogs... Gorgo... Mormo... The goat with a thousand young..."

Cryptic and slightly nonsensical, Yong's words were spoken as if he was describing a pantomime that only he could see.

"Now in this, the turning of an age... to the end of all things... to the beginning of all things..."

The blue flames would flash into existence once more bathing the pair in its unnatural heat, though this time the flames did not scorch, instead they would feel like a soothing balm to the Dark Sage of Suna as the pure chakra of the goddess flowed into his undead flesh like a wave of cool water. (Have a DS curse seal to add to the collection!)

Yong released his grip on Akkuma's forearm and floated backwards gently, his feet slightly above the floor. As his feet gently touched the smouldering floor the demon's body seemed to flicker for a moment, a ripple in reality that would hurt one's eyes if one tried to focus on it. But the moment passed, in the demon's place now stood the man of flesh once more though now wearing plain brown slacks with a simple belt, bare foot and bare chested, the souls of his unshod feet unaffected by the still burning floor. His many ritual scars and strange tattoos were now plainly visible to Akkuma for the first time.

A genuinely warm smile crossed Yong's bearded face as he quickly moved his right hand into an esoteric hand seal, index and middle fingers extended together, thumb outstretched with ring and little fingers bent at the first knuckle. Yong raised his hand for a moment before lowering it again and releasing the seal, the flames that had been consuming the building rapidly now dwindled and extinguished. The building was in ruins but it no longer burned...
He looked at Akkuma, the smile not leaving his face.

"It is good to see you brother. Let me tell you a tale of my recent adventure in Konoha, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Migoya, Mikki and I arrived at the great Phoenix Gates with a guise of diplomatic air. The Sennin that greated us was named Nao, Medical Sennin I believe... Migoya requested Lady Asuka as per the plan but when the call was answered it was by another. Takeshi. The fourth once more holds the title of Hokage and Lady Asuka has gone into shadows, perhaps a penance for her total failure at stopping Kiko, my daughter, when she took the Sennin's heart.

I was a little suprised that Migoya did not simply take his head then and there, though later I learned that Migoya had reason to play nice... But that is his tale to tell...

The Hokage foolishly welcomed us with open arms, inviting us to a... Dinner party..."

Yong said the last two words like they had been a curse to the old gods that left a bad taste in his mouth, and a mock grimace on his face before he continued.

"Migoya, the silver tongued devil, convinced him that we were trustworthy enough to be left unattended before the... event..."

Yong subtly shook his head, unable to bring himself to say the word 'dinner party' a second time.

"In the afternoon I walked to the top of the Hokage Rock and looked over the village of Konoha so as to make a mental map for future engagement. The bright soul, Yamanaka Nobu approached me there, the lamb to the wolf. With a smile he told me many things, of your past history as well as the Fourth's desire for peace to the point of denying any threat at all. This man was an avatar of these new gods... he stank with the greed of a man... and once I could stand no more I inhumed him...

It was a strange moment, his own god turned away at the last moment. I do not understand these new gods at all Akkuma, in the end they turned away like he was nothing, like he had no worth... He was a bright soul... He had worth... He had simply chosen the wrong gods... And now he is dead...

But I digress, back to the tale. Kiko had told me she had expected the Sennin Soku to live despite the grievous wound given her. She was correct, I found the Kunoichi wounded yet training with a bright intensity in her Dojo. I have left in her care one of the blades of the Myakashi to avenge herself against her attackers... Fate loves irony and I mean to keep Fate entertained... She will come for us just as Kiko knew she would.

The fourth then greeted us into his house, fed us as old friends. Migoya the diplomat plied the Hokage for information but we learnt nothing that we did not already know. Learning nothing more we quit the party and made our way out of the village unhindered... Konoha is not capable of protecting itself it seems... But we already knew that too..."

Yong would give Akkuma conspiratorial grin, he had just given a lot of information, he would give the Sage a moment to process before he continued.

"And that is the tale... Any questions?"

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

Melting flesh gave way to the unnatural claws of his ally like a hot knife through butter. That black tar-like blood of his spilling freely from his body, draining through the structure into the earth beneath it. Noting the names of the deities he had never heard before. Were the dead gods or old gods lying in wait? Answers he would acquire if necessary. Thus was the cycle, he had lived it more times then he could remember. Chaos was essential, without it the world stagnate under the rules of Order. Those blue flames would abruptly flash into existence once more. However this time the energies were soothing & carried with them a beneficial magic. One that was only consumed by the Sage's hunger before it could brand itself upon his soul. Wee Yong would release his hand before gently floating away from the Sage. Before reality was warped once more causing him to adorn the human suit that he wore. Except this time he bore the many signs of past rituals & the various seals affixed to his soul were visible.

Now that the proper introductions had been made it seemed they were to continue on with their business. The skeletal visage of Akkuma creaked as his head tilted, without flesh to create an expression one might wonder what he was thinking. Perhaps he was gauging the sincerity of the words? Unfortunately his own flesh was still mending so he was unable to voice his own reciprocation of the sentiments expressed by Yong. Beneath them that tar-like essence of his had begun to make it's arduous journey back to his vessel. All the while consuming the sand it had carried with it. For this land was rich with energy, full of sustenance to the right beings. Listening intently to the words spoken by his new brother. That tar-like essence of his slowly twisting itself up through the skeletal structure of his form. Morphing into muscle sinew, veins & other vital components. Slowly the monstrosity that was Akkuma was reforming before Yong as he spoke.

Listening intently to the details described. The Sage was surprised to learn that even after recent events the Konohagakurians had been so...accepting of potential threats through their Gates. Interesting that the previous Hokage was ruling in Asuka's stead. Given the presence he'd witnessed that day in the Inn he surmised that she had voluntarily stepped down. After all he doubted there were many individuals within their walls who could have stood against her. No it was more likely her emotions or bonds had been weaponized against her. The same way Nobu had supposedly weaponized them. A rasping laugh coupled with a cacophony of rattling from his regenerating form. No wonder they had succumbed & their gods had proven powerless. These villages had embraced the new ways, forgoing the lessons paid for by the shinobi before them.

Akkuma approved of the disdain for such ventures. The suffering such docile events induced in him was tantamount to torture. Those empty sockets stared at his fellow Sage, did he mourn the loss of such a soul? Once upon a time he had considered every shinobi death an event to mourn. But those days had passed, they had all thrown there lot in with these new Gods. Now their only purpose would be as his playthings & food. Much to his surprise the next bit of news was that Soku lived. While not surprised by the possibility of such. For he knew all too well that death could be thwarted if one had the will & was willing to do what was necessary. Another cacophony of rattling & rasped chuckling escaped the Sage. It seemed these Myakyashi liked to tempt the Fates, just as much if not more so than himself.

To think that even after these events they had still persisted in the village, unhindered by any suspicions from the Konohagakurians. Processing the information he'd just been given, the Sage would lift his hand up for further inspection. Wondering why the process had yet to complete, in doing so the room grew darker. Almost as if all light from outside the room had been cut off. A sudden "Ch..ch..ch." could be heard as sand rained down through the ruins of the building, cascading against the remains of the fire consumed structure & it's two inhabitants. Each grain of falling sand that fell into his forming flesh felt like a returning part of him that had been lost to time. Before he knew what his body was doing Akkuma had thrown himself into the surrounding sands. Simultaneously it was as if the sands moved to engulf his still forming body, encasing the Sages vessel in a massive dome of Sand.

Movement from within the dome could be heard as if some monstrous thing was gestating within it. What was happening to the Sage? Even the ill informed new rumors of trhe Sages supposed ability to change forms. For he had adorned many throughout his time, it seemed the sudden damage to his body coupled with the energies of the desert & Yong's had resulted in a transformation. A loud thud could be heard from within the dome as if some wild beast thrashed within it. Each thud causing the sand around them to ripple not from the force but something out. Almost as if it was an extension of the monster currently shielded by it. Another cacophony of noise, this time that of sand cascading over itself. Whatever the Sage had become, had stopped thrashing & was now moving within. Perhaps it was trying to find its way out? Or was he still adjusting to what was happening to him? "...brother." A singular word escaped the dome, was it a plea for help? Or did the Sage simply hope to dissuade any concerns that may have arisen due to his transformation?

MFT

 

[Kiko]

The sand settled in the night, the total destruction of the building now complete as the dunes swallowed it and lifted the Dark Sage of Suna off of his feet as the storm of sand solidified around him like a prison... No, not like a prison, more like a caccoon, the sounds coming from within telling of the great change coming over his brother within its embrace. A warm smile spread as Yong realised that the Goddess has blessed Akkuma as she had blessed Yong once before. A gift of her chakra, a change in the weave, all according to her plan and all in good time...

"...brother."

Yong floated gently up beside the sphere, his hand reaching out to gently touch the sphere with his fingertips, feeling the vibration of the turmoil within the solid mass of chakra infused sand.

"His eyes turn to the world like the Conquering Worm, and now you, brother Akkuma... The deep gods hold sway once more... The world chakra echos in our footsteps and the gods of man weep... For they too can see what is to come..."

Closing his eyes Yong let his chakra flow around the densely packed sphere, esoteric symbols blazed in to life in the air around the Sages caccoon, seeming to pulse with power in sync with Yong's slowed breathing. The world seemed to fade through shades of blue down to a deep purple as the Sage of time sliced the seconds into thinner and thinner pieces. The world within the seals would move apart from the world outside, Akkuma moving with it. [Ooc - Temporal Strider fast forward] Yong could maintain this seal almost indefinitely, his echos could repeat the flow as required so Akkuma can be in there for days if he so desired and barely any real world time will pass. His metamorphosis would be uninterrupted, Yong would make sure of it.

"Take your time my brother..."