Silent Blades Ⲁ [Class]

Okada Kaji · Nov 30, 2017

Hopefully, today’s pupils were not afraid of heights.

In the illustrious borough of the Hidden Cloud, much of the territory consisted of high-rising, mountainside architecture. From the slums of the Cronopolis to the Torre Celeste, the Cloud included many layers of a society built skywards. The clouds were indeed the city’s namesake, as the altitude of the mountain city often presented vast clouds crossing its horizon in hazy plumes.

The setting began on a central beam of a slanted rooftop with red tiles which resembled countless rows of dragon scales. The central beam protruded from the roof’s edge to form a large wooden dragon’s head, overlooking a vast cityscape. Seated on the dragon’s head and facing the roof itself was a wiry man appearing almost spectral in the thick fog. His name was Kaji Okada, a Jounin of the Hidden Cloud gaining near-legendary renown for his deeds since coming to the land. Kaji had made a modest living for himself hunting fiends, denizens and rogues, from the lands of Earth to Lightning, or so it was rumored. Few people knew Kaji personally, yet he always seemed to know of others. Cool and cryptic, cunning and clever, yet completely authentic, the hunter had a way of making people— even ones oblivious of his station as Vice Commander, recognize him as a veteran shinobi with rare skill.

Three students were set to meet Kaji on that rooftop. Typical of the sensei, Kaji left a note on the door where his students were set to meet him for a lecture and some sparring that morning: the note provided a location and time, and that was about it.

“Obedience and trust are key” was a valued principle of Kaji Okada. And so he tested the innate values of these pupils by demanding they follow orders and arrive on that rooftop in time. A pair of emeraldine eyes pierced into the students as they arrived, seeming to shine through the haze with soft glow, and a mischievousness behind them. Everything was up for observation, from how they scaled the several storeys of the shrine, to their attitudes as they fulfilled his obligations.

Once he had company, Kaji said “One of the first tenants of being a shinobi is the pledge of loyalty and service to your village. This often means abiding by the decrees of your seniors and masters, all with the belief that their orders are meant to better the Hidden Cloud in the end.” He appeared to be about thirty, with an olive complexion and long, raven hair that ran wild, over his ears and neckline. Kaji wore his hidden cloud uniform with a loose-fitting wool coat in haze grey, weathered by time and battle, and damp from the humidity. “You’re probably wondering what ethics has to do with rooftop field trips— well, I generally see real-world experience as having a greater value than anything that can be taught in a classroom.” On that note Kaji arose from his perch and stood, tall and muscular. “My name is Kaji Okada, and today’s lesson is an introduction to your village’s ANBU Branch.” Kaji then swept one arm to his side, calling attention to the Hidden Cloud Skyline. “All shinobi are doomed to eventually face a clash between their ideals and reality if they don’t understand what it means to swear an oath to protect their village— and just what they are protecting. I’ll show you how and why the ANBU exist, but not without seeing the product of the branch’s work firsthand.”

So Kaji turned, appearing as if he was about to leap off the dragon’s head blindly, but stopped last minute. He awkwardly paused the dramatics to reveal a clipboard and pen. They couldn’t just skip proper introductions. “Let’s take roll before we get started. Introduce yourself to the class… Short and sweet or life story; I don’t care. Spill it.”

- Kaji Okada has entered the thread.
- Requesting Jyuusan, Ryong Kyo, and Tatsuzo.
- wc647

Koga Tatsuzo · Nov 30, 2017

He knew this day was going to come eventually. His first big step on fulfilling his requirement to becoming a full-fledged genin was at hand, all set in motion by volunteering to take part in an ANBU training class. It almost surprised him enough by itself that an actual ANBU would be willing to dedicate their time to such a thing! Didn't they have way more important things to do? He admittedly knew very little about their branch, but it seemed like more often than not that the classes were being held by the main branch instead. Tatsuzo had awoken early that morning already dreading the day. He had himself a light breakfast for a nice early morning energy boost, and left early to make sure he wouldn't get lost along the way. He wasn't all too familiar with the Cronopolis as an area. Instead he mostly confined himself the Academy, and didn't take a lot of steps toward changing that fact. Today would be the first time in a very long while he reached out for training instead of trying to handle things on his own, but deep down he knew he couldn't stay a Student and shirk away from being a Genin forever.

Having followed his teacher's note that had been left behind, he was at least relieved to know he had a decent window of time to find the spot they'd spoken of. Passing by the various lots under construction while dipping and dodging his way through busy workers starting their day, it was right then and there that he remembered he wasn't looking for a typical meeting place. His instructor had noted the location but as of yet remained hidden, which probably only meant one thing. Heights. It was a fear that Tatsuzo had but only just recently come to grips with and began to put a handle on. Months prior, he'd have been scared pale to go bouncing across rooftops. Retracing his steps back to the mentioned location, he would clamor his way up to the rooftops as quickly as he could manage. This was probably the right place, but...maybe a tad higher? He would blink as he gazed upwards, gulping hard as he got right back at it. Luckily, Taijutsu happened to be his current forte so he was in fairly decent shape.

The multiple levels of the shrine proved to be a worthy challenge; it would be a lie to say he brisked right through the challenge with no issues whatsoever. The higher he was able to crawl up the structure, the slower, more careful, and more methodical his climbing became. When he finally reached the top, he'd throw a leg up over the ledge and hoist half his body up, rolling the other half onto the goal level of the structure with some stressed panting. Sitting up to regain his legs before standing at a tiny wobble at first, he would peer around curiously before he spotted a figure shrouded in fog. Upon hearing their voice, Tatsuzo became tense and a bit professional. Facing toward the figure and standing up straight. Listening intently, the young Koga was relieved to hear about his instructor's preference over practical training rather than classroom instruction. It was the best way Tatsuzo learned, after all. Blinking in slight concern as his instructor appeared to be close to leaping from the structure, he would settle back down when they seemed to change their mind. Just like that, they were right on back to business, with the ANBU withdrawing a pen and clipboard. Tatsuzo would speak up firmly.

''Koga Tatsuzo, present.'' He smiled quietly. ''I'm only an Academy Student, but i'm looking forward to learning as much as I can. I'm still attempting to find what i'm proficient at. Nice to meet you!''

He wasn't entirely sure what to make of the guy yet, but he seemed so...stern?

(WC: 649)

Kanagawa Nozomi · Dec 2, 2017

[col]The morning's first light could be seen as Kyo sat upon the wooden deck facing the courtyard of the massive estate that he commandeered from his birth parents. He had encountered an assassin once on this very spot, seeing remnants of blood stains lifted with hard work and elbow grease. It was a shame, the assassin was very much his type. Sexy with long flowing white hair like an avalanche and a fierce gaze that could freeze a normal man down to the bone. What made Kyo curious though, was the fact that his estranged twin brother was the one that sent that assassin. Was the reason because he killed his parents due to their terrible acts of human trafficking and human slave-trading? Or was the reason something different; the fact that he was seen to be an abomination to humanity for being born different.

He was used to the haughty gazes from the people within the village; their judgmental eyes that already came to a conclusion about him before even speaking to him. That's one of the reasons he refused to consider himself a human and continued to live his life very similarly to a wolf. If he didn't have an appointment with the humans, he would be sleeping out in the wilderness right now with his companion dire-wolf named Dakota. He lived on the Spine of the World for the grand majority of his life until he was brought back to this place by some of the wandering shinobi; most probably on patrol. Having gone from a life of privilege, thanks to that demonic statue in the atrium of the house, to a life of nature and then back to a life of 'privilege' was jarring for Kyo and re-integration took a long time. It was an order of the village to give him re-integration studies; reading not having been part of his curriculum yet. When the note arrived, he had to have the midget butler of his translate it for him.

Putting the jug of soju down and corking it, he reached into his pouch and lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag from it. After releasing the smoke, he grumbled. "Guess we gotta get ready to go, Dakota," he said to the large dire-wolf that was seated next to him. He saw this wolf as his sister, having grown up along-side her. The two had another sibling and a mother, but they were dispatched due to the greed of humanity wanting the pelts of something exotic. Holding the cigarette between his lips, he went inside to get dressed into something a bit more appropriate.

Moments later, with a little bit of time to spare, Kyo and Dakota made their way up to the wooden dragon's head and the two of them started to make their way up to the statue where a man was standing upon it. Something you'd see on a piece of artwork, drawn by either ink or paint, was what Kyo saw. A wirey man with raven black hair started to speak about loyalty and the ANBU's duty. Tilting his head, Kyo rolled his shoulders having his cloud headband wrapped around his arm, he just listened to the man's introduction to the lecture. His eyes turned towards the other child, who's breath could be seen cutting through the cold air. Exhaustion and lack of conditioning was apparent with the child. He sized up the student for a moment before looking back towards the instructor who called himself Okada Kaji. At this time, Dakota sat upon her haunches, staring with cold eyes at Kaji as the blazing disk upon it's back spun slowly.

The child was the first to introduce themselves as Koga Tatsuzo. The Koga family, was it? He had heard that name somewhere before. No, it must have been a pure coincidence. His enthusiasm was adorable to witness. Certainly, if Kyo was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he would have this same kind of enthusiasm. However, having been left-for-dead at the hands of his mother, his enthusiasm was instantly curbed the moment she plunged a knife into his gut.

Once the child was finished with his introduction, it was Kyo's turn. He pulled out a cigarette and a lighter and quickly flicked it to ignite the cancer stick, taking a quick drag out of it. With his smoking hand, he pointed his thumb to himself. "Kyo," he said and then moved his thumb over to the dire-wolf, who stood at 6'2" from paw to the top of the head, as "Dakota." He took another puff of his cigarette and turned his head, blowing the smoke elsewhere. He didn't care much about what these others thought of him, but he didn't feel the need to turn them into enemies by blowing smoke in their faces. There was a time and place for that and now wasn't the time.|

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Okada Kaji · Dec 4, 2017

When Kaji elected to take on three pupils, he wasn’t expecting a canine in place of a third human, but it didn’t matter— in fact, he welcomed the change. And so, an impressionable young lad, a surly ruffian, and a sable-furred hound of incredible size had come to absorb Kaji’s lecturing. The emeraldine orbs were dancing, vision sweeping over the two humans specifically, assessing their preparedness for the day’s work. Kaji would have judged the beast as well, but he recognized the natural prowess of Dakota at first glance. Of the two bipedal pupils, Kyo was significantly more physically honed with a hardened edge. In comparison, Tatsuzo was like fresh clay versus Kyo’s chunk of stone; both capable of refinement, but requiring different approaches. “So there we have it; introductions out the way... we’re all acquainted and friendly,” said Kaji as he inched towards the trio. “Despite the oaths of secrecy (which come in spades for Anbu), it is important to know your allies just as well as you might study your enemies when heading into the field. Learn their skills and ideas; the whole package… because over or underestimating their potential could cost you greatly.” Following that note, Kaji planted a hand on Tatsuzo’s shoulder, but asserted the following towards Kyo. “Our destination is the Cronopolis below. We’re taking it to the streets. ‘I’ve been tipped off about an investigation in progress: some seedy trade. We’re going to study the basics of infiltration and obtaining info. In the field you’ll be held accountable for each other— always have your brothers’ and sisters’ backs.”

Kaji wafted the air to dismiss the lingering smoke and turned to observe the streets below once more. He had scouted the target some time ago, the only work remaining was to move in and teach the pupils how to move in. “Come” Kaji bade the pupils, and began an agile descent down the adjacent rooftops with a few instances of wall running along the way. The way of anbu movement was one requiring the balance gymnast, the silence of an owl gliding towards a field mouse, and the power of a hunting cat on the prowl. He set an ambitious pace, challenging his pupils to follow to their best abilities.

By the end of their vertical sprinting, Kaji delivered the group to a dingy and dank alleyway rife with crates, trash cans, mountains of black bags, and impoverished villagers humbling around a fire. By no means was the Hidden Cloud a perfect society. Despite how abnormal their descent might have seemed, the bystanders didn’t bat an eye at the shinobi as they passed through. “It’s the power of the mantle— there is a weight in the title of shinobi within this city” explained their teacher, who was easily identifiable as a Jounin by anyone with common knowledge of the Cloud. “We are expected to keep law and order at all levels and ranks— the villagers trust us, and look to us for protection in turn. Never betray that trust, as it is invaluable and irreplaceable.”

Jyuusan · Dec 4, 2017

He'd not been able to understand his summons from his room. He'd been given permission to move around freely since he'd stopped trying to eat people's pets. He'd also gained some use of the language and speaking as he dressed slowly. Pulling over his ragged clothing that almost looked like a homeless person. Jyuuusan's clothing represented the past and future's he'd embodied at the time. Survival was it in terms of making it through each day, he could barely read and write at this point in time. It wasn't like the lessons and studies had been making a large sum of progress. His private training sessions to master his inner difficulties was his own problem. Purpose and reason were what he sought. Why was he born and what was the reason behind his birth among other things. But he guessed this class he'd been summoned too was some sort of lesson. He wasn't able to find his way well around this village yet. It was a confusing place that was bustling and lively, unlike the Forest. Learning to navigate the human animal was so different from what he was used too in the long run. He wished for survival yet and perhaps to find out about how he was made and where it was he came from. After all, not many had snow white hair and red eyes. Those weren't exactly normal traits for a male. He left using what speed he could to figure out the destination. The trouble was locating the place he needed to be.

Finding three people located on a roof he landed with a soft landing as his crimson eyes studied each one. He straightened up as his clothing was too large for his body and seemed like a blanket almost and baggy. The smoke was what gave him a clue where he needed to be. He struggled for a moment as his raspy voice came out. He wasn't good with words yet, he didn't speak like a caveman anymore. But he didn't quite have a mastery or really a desire for talking. "Jyuusan, here." He said pointing to himself then down where they were located at. That would do for an introduction as he tried to focus his senses. His eyes looked down at the male's gestures. He'd arrived late but had caught some of the words. He could tell from how the teacher was poising himself. They were going down into the city most likely, he didn't know much yet. But some of the words caught his attention.

Protecting those below them, that was their purpose? Was that his purpose to protect those who couldn't defend themselves? Was that the meaning of his creation as a being? He sniffed the air and used his more attuned feral instincts to guide him and help him. Following Kaji was difficult but not beyond him entirely. He didn't stay on the male's heals perfectly either. But he did remain close enough to his liking at the moment. Close enough to watch and keep him within eyesight. Following to that alley, he felt comfortable here at last. They could put trust in someone like him, they could put faith in a being like him? Were these beings different from those in the country who treated him so fouly. He could only imagine what sort of people they were here, he'd been trying to eat their dogs. perhaps something akin to guilt could be felt for the first time.

Koga Tatsuzo · Dec 6, 2017

Not very long after Tatsuzo had not-so-gracefully made it up the structure, he was followed close behind by a stranger that made the climb look like child's play. It was a little daunting, but the man did look a fair degree older than him. His jaw just about dropped when he saw the stranger's partner. That wolf was taller than he was! How in the world was that even possible!? What did he feed that thing!? Staring a bit in disbelief, he'd shake it off after a few moments and suddenly remember that he needed to focus. The other student introduced themselves simple as Kyo, while the gigantic wolf he'd brought along was named Dakota. He noted him lighting up a cigarette and being courteous enough to billow his smoke out and away from everyone's faces. He didn't seem so bad, if not a little intimidating. As soon as the lesson got underway, Tatsuzo could tell his instructor really knew his stuff. He went into detail of the importance of knowing your team, and exactly what each and every member of it was capable of. He'd have to soak up that tidbit especially; he knew his own issues when it came to selling himself short, but always refused to come to terms with it and correct it. That also led him to overestimate others around him in comparison to himself. The stern demeanor of his instructor helped him in paying particularly close attention to his words. Kaji would clap his hand down on the boy's shoulder, causing him to jump a little. He hadn't expected that, honestly.

He looked over his shoulder to Kyo, whom Kaji was now speaking directly to. Curious as ever, the boy paid full attention anyway. From the sounds of it, they were going to learn about information gathering and infiltration today. Nice! That sounded like it could be super useful! He agreed with the next notion of being held accountable for his teammates in the field; it was a hard pill to swallow and he often got uncomfortable under pressure, but maybe today's lessons would help smooth him out a bit. He hoped so, at least. Especially when Kaji disengaged from him, dispersed some hanging smoke and beckoned the students present to follow him. From the way he was looming over that ledge and staring, he must have meant...down. At first, the boy's heart leaped into his throat. He gulped hard to settle it. Down was at least usually easier than up, right? Usually. He didn't afford himself enough time to think, acting before he could hold himself back. He was relieved to see they would be using adjacent rooftops, at least, and not some sort of insane free-fall. He'd heard plenty of ninja were over the top like that. Keeping his eyes locked on Kaji's form with a little difficulty, he'd dart after him to the edge of the structure, and perform a short running leap to his first adjacent roof at a slightly lower elevation.

Nice. If he could just keep up this pace and intelligently pick his landing spots, he'd be on the ground right with them in no time! He would continue this pattern, following along with Kaji and trying his best to mimic his landing points. He didn't worry about the fancy wall-running shenanigans just yet. He'd have to practice that some other time. For now, there was more use in keeping things nice and simple. Before long, Tatsuzo would be the last one to follow down from the last rooftop, if only by a couple of seconds. He hopped down and into the alley, bracing himself well for the landing as he rose to his feet and swished his hair out of his eyes. Deciding it would be better to keep it that way, he'd hastily tie it into a sloppy tail for now. From what Kaji was saying, the villagers put a lot of trust in the shinobi title. It made Tatsuzo feel a bit more confident knowing that these people, at least most of them, might expect great things out of his unrefined potential. He'd wondered why none of them gave the group strange looks after bounding across rooftops, but Kaji quickly helped make some sense of why. Tatsuzo was a little startled when the final actual student arrived, having been so focused on keeping up with Kaji that the new member had slipped his attention. He had a strange look about him, what with those eyes in particular. That, and his clothes looked way too big. He decided not to potentially offend and kept quiet, looking back to Kaji for now for what was going to come next.

(WC: 784)

Kanagawa Nozomi · Dec 7, 2017

[col]An unfamiliar scent was carried in the wind as Kyo and Dakota turned to look towards the newcomer that decided to arrive. The large dire wolf snarled at the arrival of a young child. The boy smelled of the wild, much like Kyo did and something about that kicked on Kyo's survival instincts; as if some unknown predator had crept into his territory. Before he was able to act upon his primordial instincts of clearing out the intruder, his attention was taken away by the one in-charge for now. Kyo took another drag from his cigarette and breathed out the cancerous smoke before him, letting the whispy figure evaporate and disperse into the air.

Nothing that Kaji said made a whole lot of sense to Kyo as he was quite stubborn in his ways. He knew of living as the only human in his pack and only knew of only a few things. Eating, sleeping, eating some more, and killing things. Thus the way of the wolf had written itself and wormed it's way deep into Kyo's sub-conscious. That and his unbridled hatred for his family and humanity caused him to turn away at the idea of human civilization, only being here out of the kind graces of the ANBU. It was either join ANBU to do their bidding or rot in jail for the rest of his life. One would be psychotic to let themselves rot in a prison rather than being free. At least, with the ability to move around, he could go visit the wild even if he is stuck doing the mundane.

Kyo, Dakota, and the rest were instructed to look over the village like a king showing his child his kingdom. Kyo took a moment to take in the scenery, closing his eyes as the cool wind caressed his skin. What the instructor said did make sense. For those that hunted, like Kyo, he had to know the ins-and-outs of his 'sisters' (the wolf twins, Dakota being the last remaining of the twins) and their capabilities. He had to know what they were good at and what they were slacking at. What he said did make sense, but that required him to interact with these stinky and foul-smelling humans. The moment that Kyo was waiting for finally arrived. The objective.

Kyo took another deep drag from his cigarette before flicking out the cherry and placed the remnants into his pouch, which had an awful aroma wafting from the brief opening; smelling like an ash-tray. It was at that point that Kaji beckoned Kyo, Dakota, and the rest to follow him. Kyo grabbed Dakota's scruff and used it to propel himself onto the wolf's back and rode the creature downwards following behind the man swiftly and almost step-for-step. He kept behind the man so he could know where to go and stopped just as swiftly as the duo took off. As the two stopped, Kyo thought about the words spoken by Kaji; words that he wasn't too fond of. An order is an order, however, so if he is expected to watch his 'brothers' and 'sisters' then so be it.

The smell of refuse wafted into Kyo's diminishing sense of smell. These man-made inventions called cigarettes was really doing a number to that sense. While it was far superior to normal humans, he is going to steadily stoop down to their level. Pitiful. Once the final straggler finally arrived, he turned his head to look towards the one that addressed himself as Jyuusan and then the other who called himself Tatsuzo for a moment before giving them a visual sneer, showing his teeth for a moment before looking back towards Kaji. He held his hand up to his nose, wincing in disgust. "That's about what I thought humans would smell like," he said with a voice of disgust and keeping his volume down. If they were actually here for some kind of job involving a seedy group, it was best to not draw too much attention to one's self. Besides, dealing with seedy and shady groups was part of his forte.

"Instead of protect them, we should teach them to hunt so they can eat and clothe themselves," his wilderness survival instinct chimed in. "There would be no crime if people were put on the same level and if everyone had enough food and drink," he said. His accent seemed to be foreign but one couldn't easily spot where from. Happens when you go 10 years without speaking to a soul and only communicated with growls and other non-verbals. Learning to speak again wasn't the easiest thing for the poor souls that had to turn a wild beast of a man into the perfect symbol of civilization that stood before everyone else. He had his thoughts on the reason behind the refuse and even some naive means of correcting it. At least that was what his time upon the Spine of the World had taught him. "So I guess you want us to break in and kill this group to free these people?" Kyo had experience with stealth, having learned from Miraku not long before this class. This was a very good time for Kyo to put what he learned in that tutoring into practice and to bring these 'little pups' under his wing and lead by example.|

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Okada Kaji · Dec 11, 2017

Marching through these slums exposed the pupils to the true faces of the Hidden Cloud; those people who lived under the feet of the Seki District, which began on the high-rises above. Sturdy bridges created layers across the sky, all creating the privilege which kept the effluent from wading among the riff-raff. Three of the four students kept quiet for the most part, soaking in their surroundings with hints of trepidation and mounting conjecture. Among the pack, Kyo was more vocal, a welcome change to Kaji, who could do more to help mold Kyo’s harsh views by knowing them. The young man had quite and peculiar view of the world, notably reminiscent of his reptilian allies of the Hidden Oasis Clan, who believe in one's own strength and self-preservation above all. “You can’t have a society as advanced as The Cloud without dedicated scholars, craftsman, and merchants fulfilling the city’s needs… all the same, not every citizen has the talents required to learn shinobi arts, nor does the cloud seek to initiate them futilely. ‘This is why we have the CPSS: to weed out the unfit.”

Outside of the alley proved to be merely a step above the trash-filled crevice. Unsavory merchants stood ready to rip-off whoever stopped by, loiterers were gathered and peppered about street lanes, and feral monkeys sat in rows on fence posts, throwing sticks and stones if commuters passed too close. Brimming with questions, Kyo piped up a second time to reveal a presumptuous kind of inquiry. He presumed that seeking the seedy vendor meant extinguishing them at once, which, while reasonable, presented a short-term solution in the face of a long-term problem. “Does killing one rat eradicate the nest?” Kaji asked in return, speaking in terms sure to connect with the wildling and make a point. “Like rats, criminals and vile denizens feed on the less fortunate of our city, often taking advantage of them in countless ways. The worst of them usually start as shinobi but run afoul, using their power to prey on the weak of heart. These people, villains, exist on every level of every society— no doubt— but this is where the amateurs and conmen profit most. I’d say it's a good starting line for your training.” The pack was walking and blending amongst the people, naturally becoming one of them as their humble appearances aided their travel. Despite being so far away, Kaji noticed as a fellow standing on the corner turned bug-eyed as he watched them draw near with the exotic dire wolf among them. The fellow kept the company of a broken man bent over a cane but shoved him off, and hurried into an alley behind him. “Turn the predator into your prey” Kaji suggested, though it sounded more like an ideal than a suggestion at first. “D’you see that man? ‘I want you four to make a break for that alley and cut him off using skills you've already learned… He’s running; we need him alive and conscious. ‘Move.” Aiming to see his student’s natural prowess, Kaji sought to let them go first, using simple instructions to set some much-needed limitations. If any of them hesitated, likely the younger lads, Kaji added: “if you’re not sure how to pin him just block his exit.”

- My apologies for the slow posting pace of the thread.
- Classes tend to take longer with more members, but no worries.

Kanagawa Nozomi · Dec 18, 2017

[col]Kyo listened to Kaji's explanation of those that just weren't destined for greatness. Kyo spat on the ground at his words. "Then you're better off killing the weak and meager and let the strong thrive without them draining our resources. If the pack doesn't want to work together, then you're better off casting them out of the den instead of keeping them here. This display makes the weak seem like parasites," Kyo said, changing his tone. If these people were considered 'the meager' of the village's society, then keeping them around would be a grand burden to the village over-all. There is no need to keep the meager as it has no growth benefits to the village as a whole and would only delay their progress.

Natural Selection

He didn't know what the CPSS was, but all would be made clear to him in due time, so he didn't bother thinking about it. Dakota, however, started to bark at the sight of the feral monkeys, taking a step forward and continued to bark at the wild animals. Dakota felt like their space was threatened, even if Dakota was the outsider, and started to hold her ground against the feral apes. Dakota ran off in order to either maul the creatures or scare them off. Either solution worked. Kyo's attention was turned towards Dakota before she ran off to ward off the maliciously wild monkeys.

Some of the things that Kaji said did make sense. But he was also using higher logic than Kyo was able to consider. Kyo's mind was more spontaneous and lacked forward thinking. When one had to live for the now so they could survive, ambitions and thinking of the future wasn't quite in their thought processes. "No, I guess you're right. You follow that rat back to the nest and destroy the entire nest. They'd be forced to migrate then, if there are any alive," he stated once again drawing from instinct and historical data when dealing with prey. It was then that Dakota returned to the group and continued traveling with them.

"Tch, alive and conscious? Fine. Me and Dakota are gonna cut off his rear, one of you brats get him from the front" Kyo said before patting Dakota on the back before the two of them started to climb their way up the walls of the alley and began to pursue the man. With a quick spin, Dakota released a yellow liquid, spraying the area near the man, causing a strong odor (if the liquid hit) to emanate from him. Dakota ran to try to circle around the man before Kyo jumped into the air after propelling himself off of one of the buildings with his legs and pulled out his bow. He drew an arrow and clicked a button upon it to turn it into a net launcher (wired augment) and fired a series of arrows towards the man in an attempt to entangle him and potentially drop him to the ground. After loosing the arrow, Kyo and Dakota landed on the far-side of the man now hoping that the other two, younger shinobi, would cut him off from the front. Kyo pulled out another arrow and started to aim at his legs and let a few arrows go. Whether the arrows hit him or not, it should be enough to slow him down or mess with his rhythm.

Dakota jumped straight up in the event the man had some bizarre jumping ability. While being up in the air, Dakota should be able to quickly snatch the guy without any problems. Now to wait on the whelps to do their part.|

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Okada Kaji · Dec 26, 2017

There was always a bit of guilty pleasure to be had for any sensei when they unleashed students on fleeing targets. It was like releasing vicious junkyard hounds to chase down intruders with the beasts often applying raw instinct over training. Once the students were off to the alley, Kaji’s eyes swept upwards across the horizon to choose an itinerary of his own. Posing for an action, Kaji swept one leg backward and leaned into a crouch. His chakra surged through his body and out, even pumping into the ground as pebbles were wrestled out of the loose cobblestone. And then the shinobi let fly with a burst of this pent-up energy, catapulting himself skyward in full defiance of physics. It was not the act of flight, merely a magical jump. To the untrained eye, he vanished in a sudden blur so typical of shinobi, but his jump sent him towards an adjacent ledge of a tall tower.

His renown as a hunter shinobi was as well reward as ever when Kaji landed over thirty feet high with a cat’s grace. He barely skipped a beat with the balance coming nigh automatically, and Kaji began running along the narrow strip, slimming himself against the wall, blending into the surface. His emeraldine orbs were beaming, watching as the students cornered their prey.

The narrow alley presented an obstacle course of natural obstructions easy for the likes of a shinobi to navigate, but a terrible trap which slowed down their mark. The sensei was watching closely and evaluating performances as Kyo and Dakota outperformed their junior classmates. Kaji was expecting the oldest of the pack to exceed, but the gap here was understated. “Not bad,” Kaji said as he watched the pair of man and hound mark their prey, and then pin him quite methodically. A pair of arrows presented a wire snare that caught the target’s leg and sent him tumbling. With the other pupils falling behind, Kaji elected to intervene and leaped off his ledge, descended into the fray. Air caught under his stiffening cloak and softened his drop which Kaji led with a stiff boot. His bodyweight impacted the mark at full force, driving what was left of the struggling target into the ground. Naturally, the target let out a cry of terror, portraying himself as the victim in the debacle.
“What the hell?” He was claiming innocence, of course, they always did. “I didn’t do anything, and— wha—” he began to sniff and spit wildly, “your dog pissed on me... Argh, I demand an attorney!” The demanding vagrant got nothing but a laugh from Kaji in return, who then added “phew, you stink. ‘Bet we could track you for miles, even without enhanced scent.” Then he pressed a foot on their detainee’s back to keep him pressed down, and ignored his ranting, which fell into the background, to address the students.

“Using deception and intimidation to create fear are the cornerstone methods for ANBU to control the enemies, and this applies doubly when obtaining information” Kaji lectured, squirming as his victim fought, trying to crawl out from beneath him. “I ain’t telling you shite” said the scoundrel with venom on his tongue. “I’ll never sing” he cried.
“You’ll sing like a caged bird once that hound is gnawing on your hide” replied Kaji, looking to the eager wolf who’d surely accept the task.
“My sources have already exposed you as a seller… Tell us who is supplying you with Saigenzai, and you might get out of this with four walls, a cot, and all your body parts intact.” Kaji laid out his demand simply enough, but the pinned dealer let out an audible refusal mixed with some obscenities for good measure. “Suit yourself” Kaji answered, and then he even obliged to lift his foot off of the man to give him an illusion of hope before snagging it away. Kaji gave Kyo and the hound a nod, signaling that he could proceed with the forewarned action.

Kanagawa Nozomi · Dec 28, 2017

[col]And with a quick capture, the instructor of this exercise pinned down the man with Kyo and Dakota soon landing to meet the lowlife upon the ground. Kyo just watched for a moment as both the target and Kaji commented on Dakota's 'scent' causing Kyo to pat the head of the massive wolf with a giant grin wrapped around his hardened visage. He turned to look back towards the man for a moment, wanting to say something rude towards him, but Kaji's words overpowered Kyo's wanting to make a reply. He had something good wound up too, oh well, there will be other opportunities for a witty one-liner.

It was then that Kaji mentioned to utilize fear and deception. While fear was one of his biggest allies in the past, he never really bothered with deception. Violent approaches were more his style but that was an older age of ANBU. He had to adapt to this relatively newer ANBU under Kaji's leadership; a kinder, more gentler ANBU. not the kind of ANBU he had fantasized, but they were more 'hardcore' (so to speak) than the medical branch or even the main branch. As Kaji mentioned something about Dakota gnawing on the man's hide, Kyo snapped his fingers and Dakota opened her mouth to show her fangs and wrapped the man's head with her open maw. Razor-sharp teeth barely avoiding the man's head and neck, as if to swallow the man's head with a single bite. The man didn't make it too easy for himself as he squirmed around. He sure had a good view of the inside of Dakota's throat, as well as the awful stench of death that was her breath.

As soon as Kaji released his foot, Kyo snapped his fingers with Dakota lifting her mouth away from the man and the signalling nod came from Kaji and Kyo simply stated "Left leg," before Dakota moved her head towards the man's left leg and bit into it, digging the long fangs deep into the man's tissue before swinging her head back and forth as if to tear off the limb. Before Dakota was able to tear off the limb, Kyo mentioned, "Right leg," causing Dakota to transfer from the left leg to the right leg. Her face was covered in the man's blood and a sickening grin seemed to cross the wolf's face and even Kyo's. This leg, however, Kyo wouldn't stop Dakota from ripping off if she so desired.

For being the kinder, gentler ANBU, this was certainly a vicious attack that Kaji was allowing to happen. Maybe his perceptions of the weak ANBU were shattering. Not that he was complaining as this was a bucket of fun for the two wild creatures in the ANBU Corps. Certainly, Kyo and Dakota would look like tools for the ANBU and even those willing to get their hands dirty for those who would not do it themselves. Kyo and Dakota don't care about those titles nor about the judgments brought to them. As long as the two were allowed to do this, whether it's under the guise of 'glory be to Kumogakure' or not, his loyalties to the village would improve (if even slightly). Kyo was certain no other village would allow this kind of mayhem, which made Kyo respect Kaji even more -- to do things that needed to be done and damn morality.|

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Okada Kaji · Dec 30, 2017

As expected, the vice grip of the wolf’s maw was enough to cut through the urchin’s supple flesh, shredding muscle and crunching bones. The excruciation was enough to make any common prey lose their resolve and this man would be no exception. The warmth and wetness of blood spread up his legs, feeling as if he wet himself as the wolf went to work on his lower extremities. He screamed out helplessly, displaying the kind of terror that spread for a city block or two and served as an example to those who knew his voice. Tolerate his deeds and you might share his fate. Despite all of this noise and terror, Kaji kept still with his hands crossed behind his back, merely watching on. Perhaps he wanted to see if Kyo would have some reservations about the assault first, but Kaji knew better— no, Kaji was waiting for something else. For all the dealer’s flailing, something good would come of it; identifiable proof. Pressed and floundering against the pavement, the dealer was damaging the precious cargo in his possession; a product so valuable he didn’t dare to toss it when he fled previously. Apparently, he was carrying at least one vial of something, which cracked and spilled in his breast pocket. His chest and the ground were stained a vivid shade of purple and smelled a weird, unplaceable odor.

“Alright,” Kaji said a couple times, casually calling off the attack. He then grabbed the dealer and rolled him over with a little fight in resistance from him. “In truth, there’s little you can say that I don’t already know” Kaji admitted to the wretch, “this was mostly just to make a point and watch you squirm. ‘From now on, you’ll probably hop around on crutches and serve as a symbol— you are what happens when you peddle poisons in this village. ‘We’ve learned that humiliation has a more resonating effect on the masses than killing.” Kaji was in a squat and began searching the dealer’s pockets. He tried to grasp as Kaji but was too weakened by his pain and was swiped away easily. There was mostly trash and unimportant things; a few coins, a half-eaten pack of candy, a lighter… but then Kaji found that pocket with one broken vial and another, cracked but holding more of the purple liquid. With a mere flick of the fingers, Kaji sent the vial spiraling to the hands of Kyo.

“That’s Saigenzai; a hallucinogenic agent that’s become popular with the less fortunate class in our village as of late. It's a potion usually taken orally, but in extreme cases, the real junkies have started injecting it directly into their bloodstream. ‘Sickening.” Kaji’s eyes narrowed and his grimace hardened at the end of his lecturing, with his attention leveling back onto their perpetrator. He never looked so hateful. “I hope the few coins you’ve made out of this can buy you a wheelchair…” spiteful words that made the victim spout a gasp to accompany his tears. Kaji continued, “Who’s your supplier?” At the slightest hint of hesitation from his victim, Kaji stood up and placed a foot over one of those bloody legs, threatening to renew the intense agony if answers didn’t flow. “Please— there’s a shop in Susukino— no placard, just a business front. A bakery… you can smell the bread from a block away, and they vent it to attract customers. And ya gotta ask for Jakuchu, the other’s will play dumb no matter what.” Those last words drew a skeptical look from the ANBU Captain, who was sure he knew methods to make just about anyone talk. There were many more efficient ways to interrogate a subject than by using violence; he could have had the perpetrator telling his entire life story with Genjutsu, but he truly didn’t have that much to offer… violence was simple and quick; suitable to their goals.

Having what they needed, Kaji backed off of the perpetrator and almost seemed as if he’d let the man go, but he raised a hand instead. Kaji was a psionicist and used a manipulation of his chakra to bring a heap of nearby waste tumbling down the broken man, effectively pinning him. “Let’s check out this bakery in Susukino before word spreads that we’ve been snooping. ‘I want them to know we’re onto them, but not before we’re in a position to watch them run.” It appeared as if Kaji intended on seeing their adventure make some real progress that day; and with fresh pupils in tow, justice would be delivered to the slums of the Hidden Cloud. Working methodically, Kaji revealed a senbon needle with a red translucent tip and flung the sharp instrument into an obscure corner jutting out from a nearby surface. Chakra in the instrument caused it to glow ever so slightly. “Someone will be along shortly to clean up here— we’ll carry on with our course. Let’s go.” And then he sped off.

- Class Complete.
- Kaji has left the thread.
- Post Exits to complete posting requirements.
- Tatsuzo and Jyuusan will require additional training for Class Credit IC. Failed OC rewards.

Kanagawa Nozomi · Dec 30, 2017

[col]Dakota didn't have the chance to tear upon the man's limbs before Kaji called off the attack. However, the wolf didn't respond to Kaji's commands, going on for another second or two before Kyo called off the attack. The wolf released the man and stepped back, lapping up the blood before taking a seat directly behind Kyo. It was then that Kyo knelt down and held his hand out towards the man's mangled legs and let a green aura surround his fingertips, instilling warmth and healing upon the man's legs. This wasn't a hunt for him and Kyo had no intention of eating the man (not that he actually liked eating people) so healing him was possibly the best course of action he could take. The point was made and the man had no reason to bleed out needlessly; even if he was a stinking human.

Kyo turned his attentions towards Kaji while he was applying a medical jutsu upon the man's leg, raised a hand to catch the vial and looked it over. Kaji began to explain the specifics of this hallucinogenic poison and then turned to look at the man. It's a shame that he was told to 'throttle' back on the killings, otherwise he would torture the man further before ending his pointless existence. Once the wounds had closed up to where his life was no longer in danger, Kyo stood up and allowed Kaji to continue his interrogation. His healing wasn't enough to bring the man back to full-snuff, but it was just enough to stop him from dying; pity. "Jakuchu at an unmarked bakery, hm?" he asked rhetorically. That's a good enough lead.

Shortly after, a bunch of debris was thrown onto the man using some unseen force. Kyo would rather get his body torn to bits rather than being pinned down by garbage. The humiliation of that was probably more painful than the pain given to him by the massive dire wolf. Kaji gave direct orders to go to Susukino and that someone would be along shortly to clean up. Clearing his throat and standing up, he placed the vial of that vile fluid into his pocket and hopped onto Dakota and took off to follow Kaji.|

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Silent Blades Ⲁ [Class]

Okada Kaji

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Koga Tatsuzo

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Kanagawa Nozomi

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Okada Kaji

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Jyuusan

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Koga Tatsuzo

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Kanagawa Nozomi

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Okada Kaji

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Kanagawa Nozomi

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Okada Kaji

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Kanagawa Nozomi

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Okada Kaji

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Kanagawa Nozomi

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