Private Tempting Fate

[Kaji Hirohito]

The statue of Shinbatsu, shimmering magnificently in the morning light. Kaji knew it well. After all, for some reason he couldn't get enough of this place, the lure of strength was irresistible. Today was slightly different however, he had grown somewhat disinterested, bored even, with his usual workout routine. Ever since the accident Kaji had been working hard to overcome the mental scars it left behind. But now, he felt like he needed something more, a true test of body and mind. Something that would allow him a chance to triumph over his fears once and for all. Little did he know, today of all days that wish would be fulfilled.

Many of the regular patrons had come to recognize and befriend Kaji, and he had been accepted into their little motley family with open arms. Runners and jumpers, strong-men and wrestlers came to be the extended family Kaji never knew he even wanted. So as it was unsurprising that he would bump into a few conversationalists on his way into the coliseum. "YO! KAJI MY MAN, HOW'VE YA BEEN!" , a loud dwarf-like man shouted from across the statue's base. Despite being as tall as Kaji, the man was ripped. He boasted a hardened eight pack chiseled from stone, his arms were thick like menacing little tree trunks, and his voice was surprisingly loud. Without a shred of hesitation, Kaji charged the little man. A moment later, the two embraced in a mutual hug as they endeavored to lift one another off the ground. As usual, Kaji was overpowered, slung overhead the dwarf like a sack of potatoes, and shaken. Playfully, Kaji squirmed out from the dwarf man's grasp and wrapped himself around one arm, twisting it into a wrist lock he learned from one of the martial artists he had met previously.

With one arm held firmly behind the dwarf's back Kaji replied, "Pretty good, though my usual routine is getting a bit stale." , letting the protesting man go he continued, "Hey, the coliseum offers more intense fights right? I've really been itching to use my skills and weapons for real against something a bit more... dangerous.". Stretching his arm, the dwarf man seemed almost surprised, "You haven't heard? The gladiatorial ring has matches scheduled every day of the week. Though it seems like the one you want is more of a man v animal pit-fight. You'd be surprised how popular certain blood sports are around here.". It was Kaji's turn to be surprised, "Really?! Well I'll talk to you later then I guess.", waving goodbye to the dwarf, he set off to the bulletin board nearby, keen on scheduling his fist match as soon as possible.

WC: 451

 

[Kaji Hirohito]

The board was plastered with papers. Sponsorships, tournaments, competitions and the like. What caught Kaji's interest however, proved the dwarf man to be right. There was an man versus animal fight, and the opponent? Wolves, a whole pack of them. Such an advertisement was shocking for him, and it made him a little uneasy. Snatching the paper, he examined it closer. "RULES AND REQUIREMENTS", he read, "ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST BE ARMED, WAIVERS SIGNED BY LEGAL GUARDIANS, NEXT OF KIN, OR CONSENTING ADULTS ARE LEGALLY BINDING.". The waiver bit stuck in his craw, waivers? Permissions? What am I, a grade-schooler? So Kaji made up his mind to forge the documents. After all, his mother's signature never changed, and he knew it so well from the shop that he could copy it with his eyes closed. Besides she would never let him fight if she knew.

He read the flyer further, "DUE TO SIGNIFICANT RISK OF DEATH, IF PARTICIPANTS ARE DEEMED TO BE IN MORTAL DANGER STAFF SHALL INTERVENE TO PREVENT LOSS OF LIFE. WILDLIFE WILL BE SUBDUED IF POSSIBLE. INTERVENTION IS GROUNDS FOR IMMEDIATE FAILURE. ENTRY FEE IS NON-REFUNDABLE UPON ENTRY.". The wording seemed threatening, but where others saw death, Kaji saw opportunity. Without a second thought, he trekked the short distance to the reception and sign-up desk. Tentatively he approached the managerial staff running the booth and the reception was surprisingly professional and short. The men who took the forms simply wrote down his name and information, gave him the guardian request form and sent Kaji on his way without a second look.

Sneaking out of sight and climbing a pillar so as not to be seen, Kaji hurriedly filled out the form on his own. Home, Name, DOB, Expressed consent, and Signature. Like a wily thief fresh off their mark he sprinted back to the stand, breathing heavily. He had ensured to fill in the same day applicant block on the form. Kaji's eagerness surprised the men for a moment. Shaking away the shock, the wider of the two stood, and presented Kaji with his entry ticket. Once his in-brief was finished, he was allowed to return home to retrieve his gear and would meet back here in two hours time for his match.

... ... ... ... ... ...

Now fully kitted out and suited up, Kaji slowly walked to the coliseum. Minimizing movement to preserve energy, a technique that he had picked up on from some of the Main branchers he'd seen heading off on contracts.

... ... ... ... ...

They were packed shoulder to shoulder in the passageway. At it's end, naught could be seen but the slow burn of torches. Entering the staging area, Kaji was able to escape the cramped shuffle into the comparitively fresh smell of the air which occupied the much larger open space. Here they would stay as each waited for his or her turn to enter one of the many fields above. Even below the surface, the crowd thrummed with excitement, and Kaji could hear them.

... ... ... ...

Passages opened out from the previously smooth walls. Tickets were punched. Contestants began to disperse into corridors that would take them to their selected matches. Some were team battles, others power-lifting competitions, others still were martial arts tournaments.

... ... ...

But where all had entered, few returned. Those who did wore medals of gold and silver, elated by their apparent victories. Some even bore trophies, magnificent statues that represented the time and care each had spent to master their craft. And so it was in the midst of all that commotion that Kaji willed himself to sleep.

... ...

He awoke gracefully, winking the sleep out of his eyes he stood and stretched.

...

A bell rang, his name was called over the intercom, and a passage opened. Directed by the man in charge he proceeded calmly up the ramp, stepping out into the comfortable afternoon light. The announcer boomed, the blinding light stabbed at his eyes, and the crowd, even at half-capacity roared, then fell silent. This, Kaji realized, would be the fight of his life.

WC: 668

 

[Kaji Hirohito]

The staff were still clearing the field as Kaji stepped out into the sun. Weights, bars, benches, and standards were all loaded into large containers before they disappeared into the void below. Thankfully he wouldn't have to wait long, as the staff were almost done.

Once the last of the equipment was stowed, the idle chat ceased and the stadium was silent. He stood, unmoving, for a few tense seconds when suddenly there was a colossal *CHUNK* that echoed loudly throughout the field. As a steady pressure ,not unlike sitting at the bottom of a pool, began to occupy the air around him. To his utter surprise, a forest sprung from the once empty clearing. The clearing roared and creaked, and the trees lashed about like writhing tentacles before finally taking shape.

Paying no heed to the shouts and cheers of the crowd he gawked at the brand new forest. But soon the crowd fell silent once again. Curious of what was next, Kaji craned his neck to hear, and flinched as the announcer boomed, "WELCOME LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! ON BEHALF OF OUR SPONSORS WE THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING AND HOPE YOU ENJOY THE SHOW! OUR CONTESTANT, BY THE NAME OF HIROHITO KAJI, WILL CHALLENGE A PACK OF BLOODTHIRSTY WOLVES TO THE DEATH! DO NOT WORRY THOUGH, OUR SCOUTS WILL KEEP AN "EYE" ON HIM, PUN INTENDED." Kaji cringed, "USING THE CRYSTAL EYES, WE WILL BE ABLE TO DELIVER YOU STRAIGHT INTO THE ACTION, EVEN INSIDE THE DENSER PARTS OF THE FOREST!"

"Oh, so they'll be using some kind of jutsu to keep an eye on me huh?" , he thought, "Neat, I wonder if I could borrow that technique and use it out in the field one of these days.". "But you've gotta to make it to genin first buddy.", his pessimist side echoed. That train of thought was derailed however, as horns blared signalling him to make his move. From the briefing Kaji knew that as soon as he entered the the treeline, dozens of unseen cages on the other side would open, their occupants rushing out to greet him with fangs and howls. A month ago, the fear would have frozen Kaji in his tracks. However, with the additions and modifications made to his arsenal, he was confident, and fully prepared for the battle ahead.

 

[Kaji Hirohito]

///WIP///


Looking to get a head start on his foes, Kaji planned to ambush the enemy upon their first meeting. His first order of business was to lay a trap. Whilst taking care not to burn his mouth, Kaji cast Combustive Seal using Thermal Maw, carving the deadly rune against the tree trunk. Next, he would need a distraction to divert the attention of his attackers momentarily. Thus, he jumped into the branches a few paces away, taking care to hide as best he could. Now entering stealth, he summoned a Mud Clone. And as its form bubbled out from the ground it took a position in the tree above the rune while Kaji readied himself for what lie ahead.

...

The wolves were out there, and they could smell him. Kaji knew as much, but their location continued to evade his senses. That is until a group of five wolves rushed into his trap. The first wolf in triggered his rune, cooking it to a crisp almost immediately. The others however, were significantly more lucky as his mud clone leapt from the trees and missed it's tackle, slamming into the ground between them. Now exposed the clone was hoplessly crushed between the jaws of the nearest wolf. But in yet another twist of fate the mud clone dispersed, coating it's attacker from snout to tail in sticky mud. It was here that Kaji made his first move, Thunderclap, sending a hail of lightning-bolts down upon the wolves with a thunderous *CRACK*.

Two bolts struck true against the muddy wolf as it fumbled with fear. Only half of the remainder managed to find their mark against the flank of another. The third wolf was quick, managing to evade the bolts and scramble into cover. The last wolf dashed across the clearing and into the bushes adjacent his tree. "Three down, two to go.", Kaji thought as he drew his dual trench knives. It would be pointless to remain huddled among the trees, so he might as well take the fight to them. Without another thought, he leapt feet-first into the danger below.

...

The forest crackled, smoke billowed from the boughs and the air was thick with the smell of fire and ash. Nonetheless Kaji pursued his opponents, relishing the feeling of hunting the hunters, if only for a moment. Such hubris would very nearly cost him the competition however when both of the wolves charged him at once. Were it not for the gut feeling he received to duck under the flying grey mass, he would be very dead. But before Kaji could thank his lucky stars, the second wolf bit into him with blinding speed, sinking its teeth into his fleshy arm. The wolves, now having tasted blood, began their next charge. However, a swift, spinning, Full Circle slash cleaved the two asunder with a wet *THUD*.

Thus ended the first round with a thunderous roar from the crowd. A majority were genuine claps and cheers, while a small section that lie directly to his front bellowed with rage and curses, many of which he could even hear down on the field. However, the judges, referees, and even the announcers silenced the crowd, giving Kaji time to recover before he delved deeper into the forest.

...

Skulking among the shadows came with it's own advantages. It wasn't the way he normally like to do things, but it provided him the ability to pick and choose his battles, an advantage that is almost essential to his survival. So he put up with it, for now. Thankfully, this stealth now afforded him a concealed peak at the rest of his enemy and subsequently saved his life. Another five wolves, hungry for blood, tasted the air. However, Kaji would not be so lucky this time as they picked up his scent and turned together as one. Letting loose with a Grand Fireball Kaji vaporized two wolves before they could even move donned his Melee Gauntlets, and took a defensive stance, saving his energy. The wolves, now angry and afraid, charged in and encircled him.

...

This provided him with just enough time to charge his new favorite weapon, the Boom-Boxers, with an Explosive Seal and with a free basic strike, he caught the nearest wolf in the ribcage, the explosion rippling through it's body and rupturing several organs. Yet it remained frightfully alive despite fumbling it's dodge. This time he learned however, and was not stunned by the explosion. Rather, he transitioned into a Thunderclap that smote through all three of it's targets with a loud *K-K-KRAK*. Once again backing off to save energy.
Now it was the remaining wolves' turn. The first wounded wolf missing it's bite, as the second's teeth sunk into Kaji's flesh. The pain in his left leg was almost immeasurable, but he was able to break away from it's jaws. Just then, four more wolves rushed from the far bushes and surrounded him once again.

...

Now starting to feel the loss of blood and chakra, he didn't feel sluggish. In fact, he felt liberated, weightless, and very, very angry. So Kaji transitioned to his spiked club, Skull-Piercer. And he rapidly struck outward at his enemies with a Multi-Implale, finishing off the already wounded wolf and savaging the other five. But he would not be done in now, if this was to be his last stand, then so be it. With lightning-fast movements Kaji charged, nearly juggling the Skull-Piercer back into it's sling as Kaji drew his dual knives and executed a masterful Full Circle once again. Thus ending the lives of two more wolves. He finished with a wheeling slash to the wolf behind him, and braced for what was to come. But the wolves struck back in a wave of fur and hate, and decended upon him all at once, snapping a bite, and taking a chunk of his flesh with them.

...

Now pumped full of adrenaline and fear, the pain seemed to intensify for a moment as he pushed himself beyond threshholds of pain he has ever thought possible before. Screaming and roaring with rage, Kaji let loose one last Multi-Implale into Full Circle. A series of moves that swept cross his enemies, first puncturing their vitals, before deftly decapitating two of the final three. The last wolf resisted weakly, biting Kaji as he fell to one knee. But through the pain, Kaji managed to resist the bite for but a moment, and utterly missed the slice drawing the distance between them once again.

...

Now it was personal, the wolf tackled Kaji, and with the last of his chakra Kaji reacted with insane speed, catching the wolf's jaws in his hands and spitting a flaming stream down it's maw, cooking it from within.

Final HP Total: 56.1364%
Final CP Total: 20.875%

 

[Kaji Hirohito]

"AND FOLKS I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THIS BUT HE DID IT! YOU SAW IT, I SAW IT! MR. KAJI HIRO HITO IS THE GRAND CHAMPION AGAINST THE THE TIMBER WOLF CHAAALEEENGE! LETS ALL GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THIS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING UPSET!!!"
*RAA, RAA!* *KAJI! KAJI! KAJI!* *OLAAY, OLAAY, OLAY-OLAY-OLAY* **THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE**

He had never seen a standing ovation in his life, and never expected to see one like this ever. The stands that had once been half-empty were now almost entirely packed. Every section seemed to be clapping, all but one. The faction at the front of the stadium were dead silent, as if totally in disbelief as to what was happening. Upon getting closer, he realized why. They were all rich and pompous, bloated by the excess by which they lived their lives. And had no doubt taken a painful lesson in hubris and humility straight to their accounts. As the playing field whithered away, the stadium personnel put him up on a pedestal and presented him with the timber-wolves he had slain as his prize. He accepted humbly, but a little part of him had expected something a little more grand or rewarding. Despite not vocalizing it, this sentiment was almost immediately picked up on by the staff, who worked to congratulate and help him down onto the stretcher before assuring him that they would personally see to a proper reward. With that last comforting thought out of the way, he rested peacefully as he was transported to the resident medical ninja for total healing.

(End of story.)
(Continued in Part 2: A Hunter's Bounty)

Spoiler: Battle Stats

Spoiler: Used Stats

Stats Used:​

OOC Rank: D Level: 2 Agility: 70/100 Stamina: 60/100 Ninjutsu: 80/100 Genjutsu: 60/100 Taijutsu: 70/100 Chakra Control: 60/100 Power level: 400

Spoiler: Jutsu

Spoiler: Basic Elements

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Ninjutsu	Rank E​	Rank D​
Fire	Thermal Maw - Rank E , Mastered Infernal Ember - Rank E​	Combustive Seal - Rank D Fireball - Rank D Immolation Armor - Rank D​
Lightning	Storm Bolt - Rank E , Mastered​	Electrocution - Rank D Electroshock - Rank D Thunderclap - Rank D​
Earth	Gravel Shift - Rank E​	Earth Flow River - Rank D Mud Clone - Rank D Sinkhole Fist - Rank D​
Non-Elemental	Body Switch - Rank E Transformation - Rank E​

Spoiler: Taijutsu

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Taijutsu	Rank E​	Rank D​
Slashing	Arcing Slash - Rank E , Mastered Overhead Slash - Rank E , Mastered​	Cross Rip - Rank D Full Circle - Rank D​
Unarmed	Janken - Rank E , Mastered​	4-Hit Combo - Rank D Spinning Wind - Rank D​
Bludgeoning	Bunt - Rank E , Mastered Pound - Rank E , Mastered​
Piercing	Stab - Rank E Thrust - Rank E Multi-Impale - Rank E​	Impaling Counter - Rank D​
Buffing	Grip - Rank E Fleeted - Rank E Block - Rank E​	Eagle Vision - Rank D Brandish - Rank D Basic Safeguard - Rank D​

Spoiler: Enemies

ENEMY STATS:​

Timber Wolf: HP: Char. LvL x 115 HP: 330 AP: Char. LvL AP: 2 Stats High: Melee Accuracy Med: Dodge Low: Genjutsu Save Attacks: ((ONLY ONE SPECIAL ACTION MAY BE USED PER TURN)) Bite: Damage: Current HP AP: 1.5 AC: +0 Special Action: Maul AC: -1 Damage: Current HP + (20% * Number of nearby wolves) Effects: All Nearby Wolves use 1.5 AP until end of round Grab: Damage: 50% of Current HP AP: 2 AC: -1 Effects: 55% chance to Grapple target until end of turn If successful, Target suffers from Binding Target has 36% chance to make successful auto-escape attempt May try to escape once per turn Target may also escape upon successful Called Shot: Head Damage taken from successful Called Shot: Head increased by 14% If Unsuccessful, Wolf takes 16% current HP damage Special Action: Death-grip When below 25% Health may attack at -2 AC 35% chance to Grapple Target for next 3 turns If Successful, Target Suffers from Binding Target has 16% chance to make successful auto-escape attempt May try to escape once per turn Target may also escape upon successful Called Shot: Head Damage taken from successful Called Shot: Head increased by 64% Damage to target from allied Wolves increased by 16% If Unsuccessful, Wolf takes 32% Current HP Damage, Wolf stunned for 1 turn May only be used once per battle, per wolf Evade: AP: 0.5 Effects: 44% Chance to dodge attack 22% Chance to reduce incoming damage by 44% 7% Chance to reduce incoming damage by 88% Special Action: Can be used as a reaction to evade an attack at +1 dodge Dash: AP: 1.5 Effects: Rapidly closes distance to Target Cannot use in close range of Target Combo move: Target may make reaction attack If Target makes reaction attack, Wolf may use Bite at +2 AC for 0.5 AP this turn Wolf may use Evade at +2 Dodge No Special Actions may be used this turn or next turn