The Abomination of the Frozen Mist appears [Req. Entry]

[Rakujo Yumeko]

Koji arrived near where he presumed the entrance to be to Sunagakure, but he didn't know exactly if he should just approach said gates or not. As he continued to stand where he stopped initially, and sighed as he could smell blood even though he was sure that he had no blood on him for the time being, though he didn't know when the next time he'd black out. But for the time being, he knew he was fine, so there's that. He wasn't entirely sure how long Kirigakure had been frozen, and he didn't know how Sunagakure would react and such.

 

[Kazu]

A hooded figure, hidden from wandering eyes by a large cloak, stepped out of the shadows before the mercenary. Not much information could be gathered by this man, whose entire body was concealed by the cloak. Not one scrap of intel could be gathered about the figure's physique. Furthermore, their face seemed to be hidden from view by a wrapping of cloth and bandages. Only the eyes, murky brown and mistrusting, could be seen. The man held out a hand, also covered in wrappings, as if to stop the visitor in their tracks. The figure spoke in a deep voice, indicating quite instantly that the patron beneath the disguise was male. "Halt. I need to ask you some questions." This seemed like standard procedure. The man appeared to be an ANBU, as indicated by the wardrobe choice. He had no mask, but the cloth wrappings could just be a stylized version of a mask. An outsider would never know whether this was a standard practice in Sunagakure or not. "Firstly, I'll need to see your passport." The man held out one tightly wrapped hand towards the visitor. He was waiting for documentation before proceeding — it was entirely necessary for the mercenary to provide legal identification, or else the conversation would have to end there.

If that was resolved properly, then the figure would proceed. "Secondly, I need to know why you've come to our city. Please, do be specific in your explanation." The words were a little cold, and a tad bit prying. The visitor would get the sense that this man was speaking outside of his prerogative, but it wasn't really cause to get defensive. Rude gatekeepers weren't exactly a rare occurrence. Still, something might seem off to the visitor, as if this person wasn't really supposed to be here. They might only get a feeling to indicate such, almost like a sixth sense, but in general there wasn't anything that should draw that much suspicion. For the most part, this seemed like typical procedure for entering the village.

[ooc: Topic Entered.]

 

[Rakujo Yumeko]

The white haired man blinked for a second as he was told to halt when he was just standing still. He'd stand there as the person who told him that they needed to ask him some questions, in which the first one was a statement saying that they needed to see his passport. Koji would take a moment to search his pockets to see which pocket he had put it in this day as the passport wasn't something he really needed quick access to as Kirigakure was frozen over leaving him without a home.

After a few moments of searching, he'd find the ragged passport and hand it to the man. "My apologies for it being in such bad shape." He'd say before hearing the person state that he needed to know why he had arrived in their city and for him to be specific. "This was my first choice to go after finding out that Kirigakure had frozen over..." He'd say, stopping and hoping that would be enough of an explanation for the man. "Now, is that all or would you like for me to answer more questions? And I don't mean to come of as rude with that." He'd say, looking at the man and soon around the surrounding area for a moment before looking back at the man with his red eyes.

 

[Kazu]

The bandaged man gingerly took the passport from the visitor, extra care being put into making sure the fragile bindings didn't break as he tried to turn the pages. He read for a few moments before looking back up at the visitor. His eyes were cold, and he looked as if he were carefully scrutinizing what the traveler said. "Daiki Koji, huh? You said coming here was your first choice, eh? Is that why you've waited almost a decade since the freeze to make your way over here?" As the man continued to look further into this, the traveler asked whether they were all good here. The unnamed guard closed the passport, but did not move to hand it back yet. "Your story sounds pretty fishy, stranger. A couple of things don't quite add up." Tapping on the old passport, the guard began to elaborate. "It's been 10 years since the freeze happened. You can't be coming here for asylum — if you needed it, you wouldn't have waited for so long. So, tell me what business you really have in our city."

The guard was beginning to tense up a little. Almost as if they were preparing for a fight. The young man behind the wrappings was inexperienced and unfamiliar with these sorts of proceedings — it was very possible for him to mishandle a situation like this. Hopefully someone more experienced would be able to ensure that this interaction didn't devolve into something petty.

 

[Senju Kazuki]

[col]

If the situation was getting tense, just by the inexperience of this ANBU pretender, then crap was about to hit the fan. Kazuki's presence was always felt before being seen. Unnatural coldness foretold his approach since his Deep Court Lineage made his body to exude a deathly aura around him. But a sharp decrease in warmth was not all that his body provoked in the ambient. Regardless of the existence of wind, the howling of it would reach their ears before coming to a sudden halt. Last but not least, every shadow in the area would become livelier as if they were greeting their master. Because that was what the White Wolf was. A being made of shadows, born to command them. Darkness had no secrets for him and he was a god in there. He had been casually inspecting the constructions efforts for the new wall and gates for Sunagakure when he noticed a visitor. He was about to approach said foreigner when someone else took his place. This Suna shinobi's identity was concealed by bandages and a cloak. The Senju Overlord knew he was not an ANBU since he knew them all, but apparently he was trying to pose as one to the visitor. He could have stop that right there, but he patiently waited for the right moment. If there was someone foolish enough to pretend to be an ANBU, then he wanted to know how much audacious he, or she, really was.

Coldness would began to spread through the area, as per the norm, and soon would reach the duo. "What my companion wants to know is what happened to you between the freezing of Kirigakure and your arrival here." a calm voice, the Silvery Haired Man's voice, would reach the duo. Assuming they would both look upon him, they would see an extremely pale individual, wearing a black and gray robe with silvery trimmings and an open colar, along with a large, red, flowing toga drapped around his body and across his chest. Black pants and black combat boots finished his attire. His hair was short and like silver. He had a stern expression on his face and his eyes, those two pitch black orbs always giving the appearance of being able to pierce one's soul, were fixed upon the duo. He gave a meaningful look upon the ANBU pretender before fully focusing his attention on Daiki Koji. "So do explain."​

|[legend="[[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qMBans8jyM]Death Approaches[/url]]"]

Senju Kazuki - Occult Sennin

[/legend][/col]

 

[Rakujo Yumeko]

The whited haired man listened to the man, before sighing and soon noticing that the area become colder and looked around as a the new arrival, hearing him state that his companion wanted to know what happened between the freezing of Kirigakure and his arrival there as it had been apparently a decade since it had frozen. While he was confused as he knew it hadn't been a decade since he had last been to the village or so he felt. "It hasn't felt like a decade to me, or so you've claimed to to be since. I know there are holes in my memory, but I know it most certainly can't be that long. I've only taken small detours to towns for some research, but that's it." He'd say, looking between the two with his red eyes. He had a bit of a confused look on his face for the time being.

He continued to wait for his tattered passport to be returned to him as well, though he was hoping he wouldn't be entirely caught up with being asked the same question over and over again. Inhaling and exhaling deeply to himself before speaking up. "That's all I know between leaving there after finding out and my reaching here." He said. "Are we good at this point?"

 

[Kazu]

Takeyashi was conflicted. He'd initially decided to assume this persona because he figured that nothing major would happen. He'd be able to squeak a few interactions in before the other guard got back from his break, and then he'd hand control back over to the people who actually needed to be in charge. But this? Takeyashi had stumbled face first into a legitimate interaction, with tangible consequences for the village. What if this guy was a terrorist of sorts? What if he was an assassin? Takeyashi didn't expect to actually impede an important investigation. Maybe he should just come clean right now...

That's when the cold hit him. The unnaturally frigid air that he felt wasn't normal. It didn't get below 20°C above ground in Wind Country. He turned his bandaged head around, trying to spot the source of this morbid coldness. A pale man, taller than Takeyashi by about 5 centimeters, had appeared from what felt like the shadows themselves. Indeed, the aura about the room had become quite deathly, almost as if a rotting carcass had been left in the corner for too long. The stench of death hovered over this man, who's sole existence seemed like it was meant to instill fear and discomfort. Takeyashi knew, just from seeing him, that he was a man in charge. Which meant, almost assuredly, that this man knew Takeyashi was a fake. And yet he was acting as if this was all standard procedure to the visitor, not giving any hint towards the fact that Takeyashi didn't belong here. The young man realized that it was too late now to fess up — if a visitor was to learn that the security of Sunagakure could be sidestepped by a mere teenager, then what was to stop others from infiltrating their gates? Thinking the gates were secure was half of what made them so. Taking great care in the steps he took now, Takeyashi would continue the act after their guest had finished explaining himself.

"Holes? In your memory? How interesting..." Takeyashi thought over the situation a little bit. He didn't trust this man, but he also didn't have the authority to actually arrest him. Furthermore, he doubted that a solo fight would work out that well. He needed numbers, without tipping the visitor off to that fact. An idea formed in his mind, but he knew he was about to pay dearly for it. The man in charge was surely going to punish the young man after this was all said and done. Regardless, he decided to go ahead with his plan. "Well then, Daiki was it? I suppose there's not much more to ask about. Thank you for your cooperation." The bandaged man handed back the passport as gingerly as he'd taken it, and stepped aside for the man to enter the village. He gave the man in charge a look that said 'wait, just trust me for a second', and waited for the visitor to enter into the village.

Takeyashi waited until the man was out of earshot before continuing. He brought a hand up to the microphone of his headset, and began to transmit a message. "Shinobi of Sunagakure, I just witnessed an outsider breach into the village. Potentially very strong to have entered the village unaided, extreme caution should be taken around this individual. He was last seen heading towards the Sietch Zensunna. He has white hair, red eyes, and appears to be a former member of The Village Hidden in the Mist." The fake ANBU lowered his hand from the microphone, and turned sheepishly towards the ANBU commander. Takeyashi looked really nervous about something. "I know you're probably furious with me, and I'm totally out of line to ask this, but would you be able to transmit that same message over an ANBU frequency? I don't exactly have access..."

[Daiki Koji granted entrance to the village.]
[Frequency sent out to all shinobi in the village.]

 

[Rakujo Yumeko]

The man had repeated two things he had said before saying that there wasn't much more to ask about and handed him back his passport after thanking him for his cooperation. "Thank you." The white haired man would say, with a small smile as he would take his time heading toward the village. He was glad nothing more had turned out from that, as he didn't want any trouble from anyone as no one in sand had really done anything to him or anyone he really knew.

[Topic left, Village Entered]

 

[Senju Kazuki]

[col]

It did not matter who Daiki Koji had been before the freezing of Kirigakure or what he had done throughout that time and now. He still had the capability of following instructions and that was quite commendable. Especially if they were to take into consideration he was requesting entrance into a foreign Hidden Village, one that was facing great times of inner turmoil. "It hasn't felt like a decade to me, or so you've claimed to to be since. I know there are holes in my memory, but I know it most certainly can't be that long. I've only taken small detours to towns for some research, but that's it." the former Mist Shinobi would explain. He showed a supposedly honest, puzzled look on his face. "Holes? In your memory? How interesting..." the fake ANBU would remark, basically taking into verbal form what Kazuki was also thinking. Holes in one's memory was a very convenient justification. Unfortunately for the Daiki clan member, there were ways to stimulate one's memory and verify the truth. Still, the Senju Overlord remained silent and allowed the scene to be played. He was not going to interfere any further. "That's all I know between leaving there after finding out and my reaching here. Are we good at this point?" the foreigner would inquire. Takeyashi would reply immediately as it seemed the boy was considering his options there. Eventually a decision would be reached. "Well then, Daiki was it? I suppose there's not much more to ask about. Thank you for your cooperation." the Genin would declared as he returned the foreigner's passport to its rightful owner. "Thank you." Koji would say as he entered the village.

The Silvery Haired Man was astonished to the boy's stupidity. He was certainly deserving a severe punishment by now, but it seemed he did not want to stop acting. "Shinobi of Sunagakure, I just witnessed an outsider breach into the village. Potentially very strong to have entered the village unaided, extreme caution should be taken around this individual. He was last seen heading towards the Sietch Zensunna. He has white hair, red eyes, and appears to be a former member of The Village Hidden in the Mist." the fake ANBU would broadcast into Sand's general radio frequency. Was he expecting to wash away his due punishment with one single act of redemption? The best solution would have been to delay entrance until a proper guard had arrived. Or, if necessary, request more evidence that Koji was who he said he was. But no, the boy allowed a shinobi from a former village free entrance into Sunagakure. As if there weren't enough threats to their safety already. "I know you're probably furious with me, and I'm totally out of line to ask this, but would you be able to transmit that same message over an ANBU frequency? I don't exactly have access..." Takeyashi would boldly request. The Genin was not correct though, Reaper was not furious. He was quite calm actually. Cool as a cucumber. In fact, the air temperature seemed to had dropped again, as if reacting to the Deep Court Hybrid's demeanor. "You are not correct, I am not furious. I am merely contemplating with which way I shall end your life and rid Sunagakure of your utter stupidity." the Occult Sennin would calmly reply as if he was just commenting the sky was blue as it was supposed to be. He allowed a, certainly, uncomfortable silence to fill in the space left by his words. But said void of words would also be broken by him. "I do hope you have a logical and very sound explanation to offer or I may be the last person you are going to see while living. Start." Kazuki would order. His pitch black irises were fully fixed on the Genin's own. In fact, they could be given the feeling the boy was totally naked and the Senju Overlord was searching for clues in his soul.​

|[legend="[[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qMBans8jyM]Death Approaches[/url]]"]

Senju Kazuki - Occult Sennin

[/legend][/col]

 

[Kazu]

Takeyashi had expected a barking order, an angry mouthing off, or even a swathe of other ANBU descending upon him like predators. Instead, the ANBU Overlord seemed to exude a terrifyingly cold aura of disgust with the young man's presence. A nervous chill went up the spiderling's spine as the room got even colder around him, a direct product of the Overlord's wrath. The simplicity in which he'd declared Takeyashi's demise was terrifying, and highly believable. This was a man who could eliminate Takeyashi on a whim, that much was certain. The young spiderling said nothing at first, listening only to the man speak so casually. He was offered a chance to explain himself, though he expected the chances of getting off scot-free were slim to none. At the very least, he might be able to make it out alive. "I-I suppose I should s-start from the beginning..." He was nervous. The young man drew in a breath to steel himself before proceeding. He undid the buttoning on the cloak, letting the fabric fall to the ground around him. Despite the bandages still covering his exact identity, the man's anatomy was clear: six arms, a Hachiashi. But how was this relevant? "Ever since I was a little child, the civilians have always looked down on me. I've been called every name imaginable, and the number of bruises I got from beating was innumerable. And yet..." This was the part that he really had to sell if he wanted to get out of this alive. He needed to make the man feel like Takeyashi was useful, as if he had something to offer. Skills, motivation, and desire were all big factors. "And yet, I always seemed to fit in with shinobi without a problem. Shinobi don't care about a weird body so long as you get your job done well. I feel useful as a shinobi, but the ANBU are something more..."

"Ever since I was a kid, the ANBU were a symbol of the village's elite. They're respected, feared, and the most useful shinobi to the village. I've always wanted that..." This was the end goal. Get him to know how badly the young spiderling wanted this. This wasn't anything malicious, but a desire of a young kid trying to make it to the position he'd always dreamed of being in. What was more sympathetic than that? "I know what I did was stupid. I shouldn't have impersonated an ANBU like that, and I didn't expect to involve myself in something dangerous or serious like that. I just wanted to pretend, even just for a moment, that I could be an ANBU too..." Was that enough? Did the Overlord buy it? Takeyashi hoped so, considering his life was hanging in the balance here. He hoped that it had at least bought him some more time to come up with more to say. If he was lucky, perhaps the Overlord would even see promise in the young man? Who knew? All the spiderling could do now is hang his head in shame, and hope the Overlord took pity on him.

 

[Senju Kazuki]

[col]

"I-I suppose I should s-start from the beginning..." Takeyashi would declare, stuttering a bit, after being offered a chance to explain his actions. Kazuki's threat lingered in the air as the kid undid the buttoning of his cloak and revealed something he had hidden before. He had six arms. He could be human, unlike the Senju Overlord, but the Genin was still not considered normal. And the White Wolf immediately recalled how Kumogakure labeled individuals such as him. Hachiashi. It was not easy being green and it certainly was not easy to bare six arms. The Silvery Haired Man wondered if his bloodline trait would be used as an excuse for his recent behavior. But all he had to wait and hear and the truth would be revealed. "Ever since I was a little child, the civilians have always looked down on me. I've been called every name imaginable, and the number of bruises I got from beating was innumerable. And yet... And yet, I always seemed to fit in with shinobi without a problem. Shinobi don't care about a weird body so long as you get your job done well. I feel useful as a shinobi, but the ANBU are something more...Ever since I was a kid, the ANBU were a symbol of the village's elite. They're respected, feared, and the most useful shinobi to the village. I've always wanted that..." Takeyashi explained. And bingo, Reaper knew he was going to pull off the pity card on him, but it would fail. The Deep Court Hybrid's body and mind were not governed by pity. In fact, as a Senju, he valued strength and shunned weakness. Therefore trying to appeal to his humanity would only work against the Genin's case. The Occult Sennin remained in silence, waiting to see if the boy had finished his plea. "I know what I did was stupid. I shouldn't have impersonated an ANBU like that, and I didn't expect to involve myself in something dangerous or serious like that. I just wanted to pretend, even just for a moment, that I could be an ANBU too..." the Hachiashi admitted his stupidity at least. Not only but he threw one last ridiculous reason to try and explain his actions from before.

It was now his turn to say his piece, but Kazuki would remain in silence. And he had two reasons. Firstly to allow the boy to melt into a pool of his own sweat as he waited to know if he was going to live or die. And secondly, so he could ponder his choices. He could have slain the kid, easy as eating a slice of pie, but perhaps he could turn this bad situation into a profitable one. By now, the Senju Overlord had crossed his arms and his eyes continued teir stern examination. "I am going to present you with a choice." he would begin. Just those words would surely pick up the boy's complete focus. It meant he could have a way out, but unfortunately, what the White Wolf was going to give him, was no such thing. "In one hand you have the promise of death as punishment for your deeds today. On the other this is what I will be offering you." he would declare. If the ones before fail to peek the Hachiashi's interest, then these ones would seal the deal. "From this moment henceforth you are going to work for me. I am going to groom you into one of Sand's elite, but your journey into it will be so perilous that you may die a thousand times before you reach your destination. If I tell you to do something, you will do it. Even if that means pissing in Toraono Kuro's soup bowl. I expect detailed reports of everything I task you to do. This the choice I present you." he state. Judging from the Silvery Haired Man's words, it would seem he was giving him a choice between a red apple and a green apple, instead of life and death. "And you will have to join the Senju Clan." Reaper would add. Such a finishing touch.

[MFT - 692]​

|[legend="[[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qMBans8jyM]Death Approaches[/url]]"]

Senju Kazuki - Occult Sennin

[/legend][/col]

 

[Kazu]

The silence was dragging on. It had been a few moments since the young man had finished speaking, and he was waiting in what felt like suspended animation while the Overlord looked down on him with that stern and sober gaze. An eternity seemed to stretch out before him while they waited, though Takeyashi would show no sign of backing down. It had dawned on him halfway through their encounter that this was an opportunity to sneak his way into the ANBU ranks, proving to everyone that he wasn't as big of a screw up as he'd demonstrated today. That's why when the Overlord began to speak of a choice, illustrating the full implications of both choices, Takeyashi was thrilled as could be. To him, the answer was obvious. He'd always known that the path to becoming an ANBU would be a perilous one, and he'd also known that it would be a life of listening to someone else. These were facts that he'd come to terms with, and was prepared to face them head on. The ANBU don't exactly just take in new recruits from a sign-up sheet, you had to be chosen to study among their ranks. And that's exactly what Takeyashi had just pulled off: he'd been given an invitation to become an elite shinobi, serving the village that he loved. Takeyashi tried to keep the smile of excitement off of his face, and mostly did a good job. He was sure the Overlord had sensed some of his pleasure, though. "I'd like to take the second option, sir. I'm prepared for peril, and following orders is second nature to me." Takeyashi almost felt that all was in the clear, until the Senju added one last condition. The young man blinked in confusion, unsure of how to proceed.

He wasn't familiar with the Senju Clan, but it was obvious that the man before him had ties to them. He wanted Takeyashi to become a member of his family? That was a lot to ask of him, and held some pretty deep emotional problems. "I...I don't know what to say. What does it mean to join the Senju Clan?" The young spiderling was conflicted. On one hand, he held the pride of his family. They'd been killed for being different than others, for having the bodies of demons. Takeyashi was the last known survivor of their village, and as such was the last representative of his people. What would they think if he were to abandon their family and join another clan? He didn't know what to think. His hesitation was probably self-evident, too. But it seemed like if he were to become an ANBU, this requirement was non-negotiable. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. "If I join your clan, does that mean I have to relinquish my ties to my old family, or can I continue to be a Mitsuyo as well?" If he could still represent his clan with pride and honor, then Takeyashi didn't care what else he was called. He was willing to lose his own name to serve as an ANBU of the village, but giving up his heritage was one step too far. He couldn't dishonor his family in such a way. His heritage is what drove him to be stronger. The man before him would have to recognize that in him — if he wanted Takeyashi, then the young spiderling would need to be able to hold onto his familial ties.

 

[Senju Kazuki]

[col]

Every part of Kazuki's offer could only be considered a blessing to Takeyashi. Instead of a severe punishment, the boy was getting a tremendous out from his mistake. An offer of training and potential recruitment into the ANBU branch, from a guy that commanded Shadows as naturally as one breathed, had been an ANBU all his life, and their leader in two different villages. Furthermore, he was the leader of one of Leaf's primordial clans and with that came the inherent prestige. In fact, one could argue the Hachiashi had won the lottery there. Of course, the Senju Overlord's last demand had been unecessary and only thrown because he was seeking to see how far the Genin was willing to to stave off imminent death. "I'd like to take the second option, sir. I'm prepared for peril, and following orders is second nature to me." would be the kid's answer. Something Reaper had really expected. Servitude versus death, there was no illusion of choice there. Ten out of ten would choose servitude, unless they were really, really adamant on not losing any kind of liberty they had gained. The Genin was no such individual, and considering the Silvery Haired Man's offer was on league with Takeyashi's wishes, he had naturally accepted. Of course, he had no expected the demand of joining the Senju Clan. Something that became quite apparent by his hesitation and questioning. "I...I don't know what to say. What does it mean to join the Senju Clan?"

"It means you will became part of Sunagakure's chapter of the Senju Clan and under my direct authority. Because I am Sand's Sennin Senju Kazuki." the White Wolf would calmly state. Did this placate the Hachiashi's preoccupations? Certainly not. The Occult Sennin had basically stated the obvious. "If I join your clan, does that mean I have to relinquish my ties to my old family, or can I continue to be a Mitsuyo as well?" the Genin would question again. Well, of course it did not. The Deep Court Hybrid, more than much, understood the value of family and heritage, after all, one of the core tenets of his own clan was protection of the clan. He would never request such from someone else, but for the sake of seeing how deep into the horizon threshold Takeyashi was willing to go to save his skin, Kazuki going to request just that. And depending on the answer he was going to learn how the boy's mind really governed itself. "Once you become a Senju you are going to sever any and all ties with your past. Who, or what you were, will no longer matter. Choose, my patience grows thin." the Silvery Haired Man would answer him. Not what the boy wanted to listen and with a further threat.​

|[legend="[[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qMBans8jyM]Death Approaches[/url]]"]

Senju Kazuki - Occult Sennin

[/legend][/col]

 

[Kazu]

Senju Kazuki? This guy, right before him, was that man? Takeyashi should have guessed as much — the rumors spoke of a dark man, able to send the strongest warriors running in fear. People usually only spoke of him in hushed whispers, leaving much of his actual appearance to the imagination. Takeyashi, for whatever reason, hadn't made the connection between the rumors and this man's actions. Now that he was aware of it, the signs should have been obvious. Dark aura, commanding presence, and an utter lack of compassion or empathy. Swallowing, the young spiderling wondered how he always managed to get tangled up with the crazies. "My apologies for not recognizing you sooner, sir. It won't ever happen again." The promise felt somewhat ominous, what with the threat of death hanging in the air.

But that wasn't the only thing left up in the air. Takeyashi's required admittance into the Senju Clan — the young man had just learned that by doing so, he would have to relinquish his ties to the Mitsuyo, and by extension the Hachiashi. His clan would officially die with him, and no one would ever have fond memories of them again. It was the ultimate disgrace, and the quintessential deal breaker for the young man. While the young man thought very highly of his life, he thought even more highly of his family. That's why this choice was a simple one. The young man mustered all of his courage, forcing himself to look this bringer of darkness straight in his pitch black eyes. He looked like the embodiment of death, and seemed to possess all of the same powers. "If that is the case, I must decline your offer. My heritage is the only thing that makes me strong — I would be no use to you without it." However, death itself would not convince the young man to betray his family. He'd take that pride with him to the grave, no matter how painful the journey to that final resting point was. The young man stood up straighter: his shoulders were squared, his chin was up, and his face was calm. Right before this Ancient Overlord, a being who embodied death itself, was a man willing to receive death's curse. There was no struggling, nor any fear. Just acceptance. "Kill me now, then. Get it over with." Takeyashi waited for him, patiently accepting the inevitable.

 

[Senju Kazuki]

[col]

"My apologies for not recognizing you sooner, sir. It won't ever happen again." Takeyashi would promise. Kazuki would simply nod in response. Not that it mattered much. The Senju Overlord was not on his world to be famous. He was there to do his job, recognition was not important for him. His deeds could eventual transcend him, but unlike others, the White Wolf would never take active part in spreading them. But the best part was yet to come. The Silvery Haired Man had just made a terrific proposition for the Genin, one that involved forsaking all bonds regarding his origin. Something he would never ask of someone else if he was dead serious about it. After all, one of the core tenets of the Senju clan was the value of family and clan. "If that is the case, I must decline your offer. My heritage is the only thing that makes me strong — I would be no use to you without it." the boy would declare. His entire frame was straight as a board, his chin was held high and he was staring back at Reaper for the very first time, as an equal. He seemed to have accepted death as a punishment. Something made crystal clear as he spoke for the very last time. "Kill me now, then. Get it over with."

The Deep Court Hybrid stood there in silence. Once again he allowed a discomfortable silence to feel the area. In fact, he was intensifying his death aura so the air would become even more frigid and the shadows even more overbearing. It would seem he was preparing his axe and a head would soon be chopped. An ominous feeling of finality seemed to install itself only to be swiftly broken as the Occult Sennin began to clap. "You have made the right choice." Kazuki would declare as he stopped clapping. The air was suddenly much warmer and the some of the light had returned. "If you actually did know anything about me or my clan, you should have known I would have never asked you to forsake your ties with your clan, at least not in a serious manner. We Senju value family and clan above much of the rest of the world, among other things. I still want you to join my clan as my apprentice, but you will never have to sever your connection with your family. This was a test and you have passed it." the Senju Overlord would explain the boy.

Now while death seemed to have gone away, Takeyashi was sill obliged to accept the White Wolf's offer.​

|[legend="[[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qMBans8jyM]Death Approaches[/url]]"]

Senju Kazuki - Occult Sennin

[/legend][/col]

 

[Kazu]

The spiderling proudly waited for his demise. He'd made his choice, made peace with his demons, and had made it clear that this was the extent of his devotion to his identity. He'd closed his eyes in anticipation, waiting for the end to come. And yet, death never came. Only the sound of a single pair of hands clapping would make its way to his ears, which would prompt the young man to open his eyes in confusion. He couldn't tell from the Occult Sennin's face, but it almost felt like the man before him was happy. Pleased, at the very least. As the embodiment of death that stood before him explained the situation, Takeyashi felt a little embarrassed for how telling this test had been. It was true — while Takeyashi had heard rumors of the Senju Overlord and his terrifying methods, he'd never learned much of the clan he hailed from. If he had, he'd have known much more quickly that his superior was simply yanking his chain. A soft sigh escaped the young man's lips as he closed his eyes in relief and slight smirk made its way onto his lips. He felt relieved, knowing that he'd made it through this improvised test. "Agh, I should have known. Very well, I have no choice but to accept now."

Takeyashi squared his shoulders once again, held his arms behind his back, and stood at attention. His eyes had whipped open, alert and ready to learn. "Thank you for taking me under your wing. I'll give everything that I've got while training for the ANBU, I promise you." And with that sorted, the young man waited for a sign from his new commander. He waited to see whether he'd be dismissed for now, or whether they were to begin immediately. Either was find with the young spiderling, but it was his commander's decision to make. He'd simply have to wait and see what the man had in store for him.

 

[Senju Kazuki]

[col]

The look of confusion on Takeyashi’s face was very clear once he heard Kazuki clapping. He had been expecting swift death, not hearing the Executioner clapping. Feelings that were exchanged for relief once he realized he was not going to have to die anymore. ”Agh, I should have known. Very well, I have no choice but to accept now.” the Genin would declare after the ruse had been clarified. The young spiderling would also show a change in posture. From terrified to relief and now to complete readiness for action. ”Thank you for taking me under your wing. I’ll give everything that I’ve got while training for the ANBU, I promise you.” Takeyashi would declare. The Senju Overlord would nod in return. But unfortunately that would not suffice. And he was also incorrect. ”I don’t know exactly why, but you are under the impression I am going to train you into becoming an ANBU. You are thoroughly wrong young man.” the White Wolf would correct him.

He allowed silence to fill in, so Takeyashi would understand the error of his words completely. ”I have yet to say the word ANBU since we have met, yet you keep thinking that. I not an ANBU. I am not even related to the ANBU branch. I am one of Sunagakure’s Sennins. And as you should be aware, we are not affiliated with any branch of Sand’s military forces.” the Silvery Haired Man would clarify. Although he had purposefully omitted the part that he had a brief stint as co-leader of the ANBU branch. And that he had been ANBU Sennin in Konohagakure before the village’s fall. In fact, if there was one thing he was good at, it was being an ANBU. ”Does this mean your chances of ever getting inside that private circle are completely dead? No, not really. As a Sennin, my word carries weight. My actions, and of those under me, suffer a greater level of scrutiny. If you do well under my authority you will, undoubtedly, make yourself known to the village and with that attract the watchful eyes of the ANBU corps. If you do exceptionally well, you may also be invited to other groups. And I may be speaking about my own Intelligence organization, also known as SHIELD.” Reaper stated.

”But since you are so interested in the Corps, your first task is to find where their HQ is located, how their hierarchy is, who leads the branch, how many of them are there, and finally what is their job in the village. If you can capture pictures of their officers and codenames, you will get bonus points. You have one week to complete this one. And I have a secondary task for you as well. Find me the names of Konohakure's elder clans. 3 days is your deadline for this one. That is all. You’re dismissed.” the Deep Court Hybrid would order him. Crossing his arms, the Occult Sennin would expect Takeyashi to follow suit.
[Topic left unless stopped]​

|[legend="[[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qMBans8jyM]Death Approaches[/url]]"]

Senju Kazuki - Occult Sennin

[/legend][/col]

 

[Kazu]

"Huh?" The revelation that the man before him did not belong to the ANBU was quite a shock to the young man. All of the stories seemed to indicate that he was the public face of the ANBU, especially due to his strength and stern demeanor. It seemed as if those suspicions were all unfounded, leading the young Spiderling to completely embarrass himself in front of his new teacher. When the man said it so simply, it seemed really obvious. Closing his eyes in shame and frustration, the young man let out a deep sigh as he contemplated the moment. However, his eyes would open up again a moment later with a calm demeanor on his face. "You're right, I put too much faith in rumors. I didn't properly question or investigate the information I had gathered." A lesson learned within ten minutes of getting a new teacher, huh? Maybe there was some hope of improvement after all...

The Overlord continued, speaking highly of the influence he possessed within the village. Hope still burned in the mind of the young man, and he promised himself to train hard. He would be worthy of those recommendations when the time came for it. He knew they would come, because he had faith and confidence in his own abilities. And so, when the Overlord stated that he had a task for the young man, Takeyashi was prepared for action. As soon as the objective had been made clear, the young man stood a bit taller and held himself with military discipline. His was ready for this assignment. "Yes, sir. Understood." And so, with his orders given, the Spiderling would fade from view as he left to begin on his mission. He didn't know why, but he really didn't want to let this man down. Something about the way he did things made Takeyashi want to impress him. He wanted to do a good job on this mission, and he knew he would. A week may even have been too much time to give the young man.

[ooc: Topic Left.]