Ability Swapping: Dropping Acrobatics and Stalker for Defensive Technique and Fearless said:
Deep within the bowels of the Kumogakure network of sewers was a thick steel door leading to a deprecated arena. Up until a few months ago, this place had been abandoned by all except for the vermin that naturally resided here. However, if the flier in Otome's hand was any indication, fights were being staged here with neither the sanction nor the supervision of the Council itself.
"This must be it," she thought as she stopped to open the door to the arena, its weight barely a hindrance to her. Although it was dark inside, she could hear the cheers and jeers of a crowd as metal and flesh collided.
"Sounds like they're having one hell of a time!"
She rushed forward blindly, ready to strike down those who would stand in the way of her crusade. However, upon reaching the middle of the arena itself, she realized far too late that she had been lured into a trap.
"Shit . . . " she whispered as the makeshift lights above flickered to their full brightness, revealing a horde of murderous combatants surrounding her.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" a man's voice boomed over the intercom. "Tonight we bring you a very special, once in a lifetime event!"
The kunoichi glared at an elevated window behind which the man stood. Her hand hovered over the hilt of her bloodthirsty blade as her eyes narrowed to slits.
"Otome must die, and we're willing to pay a whopping total of one billion yen to the man or woman who lands the final blow!"
She grinned as the man inched closer to the glass.
"Are you ready to meet Lord Raiden, you bitch?" he asked, not expecting her to quickly unsheathe her katana and send a slash of energy hurtling through the window and towards him. Fortunately for him the wound didn't prove to be fatal, though it did amputate his right arm. The man collapsed backwards on the floor, out of reach.
"Kill her! Kill her now!" he shouted, unable to continue using the intercom himself. And, as if on cue, the countless hardened criminals began their assault. The task of cutting through each and every single one of them was daunting indeed, but if she had learned anything from her fight with the Konoha ninja, Tatuso, it was that she couldn't simply rely on raw aggression or trickery alone.
So she stood her ground, and waited for enemies to advance before she took them down one by one, thinning the crowd until the only ones that remained were those too intimidated to challenge her further. With her safety assured, she leapt through the shattered window with the intent of killing the man who had offered her bounty. Unfortunately for her, he had managed to limp away to safety while she had been preoccupied.
"Damn!" she cursed as she sheathed her katana and exited the arena.
[WC: 482]