The Dreadnought [ANBU Mission]

[Okada Kaji]

It was another brisk morning, not far from the harbor of Port Cirrus. A light layer of snow was gathered on the sparse earth as unseasonably cold weather brought a winter chill in the summer season. It was often cold in the Land of Lightning, in fact, it freezing last time Kaji Okada was in Port Cirrus, but this was different. The sun was still low on the horizon and rising, and Kaji was seating on top of a barrel of rye outside of an inn where he stayed in the past. The sound of a familiar, six-armed bard playing three instruments was the perfect tune, which was a hachiashi woman who excelled at multitasking musically. In truth, she was the main reason why Kaji chose this place for the squad to assemble— well, the place also knew how to brew a mean cup of coffee.

Kaji came here from time to time with gold coins to spare and would toss them in her tipping hat from song to song while he enjoyed the tunes. This morning was a bit different though; he still put coins into the hat, but his purpose for visiting was entirely work related. He was draped in a haze-gray cloak fitting to the assignment, which covered him in warmth as he awaited his party members. This would be his first time venturing out with The Cloud’s ANBU, but he was confident that his new teammates would be ideal associates for the mission at hand. Rather than sitting suspiciously with his mask on, Kaji had his hood up, which painted a shadow over much of his face. His mask was simply stored on the back of his belt, not far from his blade, Eelspine.

Originally, it was him who brought the details of this mission to the Raikage from out in the field, so naturally, Kaji volunteered to see it personally. Considering the intel he provided to their commander, these shinobi must have been brave souls to come along on this adventure. There were rumors circling of danger off the coast of a rogue ship entrenched in a thick fog wherever it roamed. The design and name of this vessel have yet to be uncovered, as apparently, all who have attempted to visit close to the ship have not returned. There is a trail of abandoned ships and dead sea life wherever the mystery vessel has traveled— the determined cause of death has been a drastic drop in temperature with every find. Frozen corpses and a mass of sea-life floating belly up. Tracking down the mystery vessel and scouting it without falling victim to it seemed like a job for the ANBU; especially if they were to end the scourge it was being to the south-eastern coast of the Land of Lightning.

Kaji took a last long sip from his steaming mug of coffee, enjoying the warmth in his core as he prepared for what he knew would be one chilling adventure. He didn’t expect to be left waiting for very long as ANBU were often very timely. Hopefully, his comrades made sure to dress warmly in cold-weather garb, and thick boots unless they wanted to lose their exposed bits to frostbite.

- wc543
- Entering as Missiong Moderator, but using Kaji Okada just as a plot device.
- Requesting Miraku and Shu.
- Please let me know if you are comfortable with (optional) modded combat encounters during this quest.
- Combat through RP without using the battle mod system is just fine as well. Your choices, guys.

 

[Sato Daigo]

Shu has never been interested in the missions that spewed out the villages; in fact, he could care less about the duties the shinobi had with it citizens. The only reason he came out of retirement was to train the erudite in the spiritual arts. Unfortunately he was still waiting for his students to return. In the meantime, he had to keep face and continue his duties as an ANBU surreptitiously hiding his true mission and still looking out for any in-balances in the physical realm.

Shu decided to volunteer on a mission to investigate a mysterious ship that seemed to appear from the fog during the early docking hours. Shu had remembered some phenomenon of similar sorts during his youth training with Ango. A ghost ship that seemed to wander in and out of the physical realm due to a spirit that was not properly put to rest. It was possible that this could be similar but there was no telling without finding out personally.

Shu continue to drown in his thoughts as he walked through the streets of Port Cirrus. The scene was as lively as day in the market with bards blaring their music and the sounds of ships docking. The smell of rotting filled his nose despite his countenance completely covered by his mask and heavy white coat. The coat itself was more like a rug of white bear than anything else as it covered his entire body. He was instructed to meet the rest of his team at a pub in close to the north district where most of the larger docking stations were present. The walk toward the pub was mostly peaceful as most of the pedestrians seem to scurry away from him possible due to his foreboding feature. No one really messed the shinobi especially the ANBU strangely Shu had felt the corps had soften since his return. He could only hope that such behavior did not perfuse into the mission.

He walked into the pub as his footsteps made staccato sounds across the wooden floor. He observed the place seeing only the owner behind the counter buffing the countertops and the waitress berating several drunkard men out of the pub. At the corner was a single man with a coat just as heavy as Shu sitting down enjoying his hot beverage. Shu could not be sure if this was the person he would meet but at least he could take the time to calm his thoughts.

 

[Miraku]

Today was the day. It had been quite a while since Miraku had gone out on a mission with other ANBU. From what he had read and been told, this was an odd one for sure. Not something he had ever dealt with before and that had him excited to see what was in store. The cold wasn't something he was worried about as he had spent a lot of time training in Water Country, as close as he could get to Kirigakure over the years. The cold there was intense, but it lent itself to similarly intense training, but he was obviously well prepared for the cold. Looking up, he peered out the window of the train which traveled from Kumogakure all the way out to Port Cirrus where he had been told to meet up with the rest of his group at an Inn in the north of the city. Taking the train instead of traveling on foot was a tactical choice in order to be as rested as possible for the mission. Miraku definitely didn't want to fool around on an S-Rank mission that requested three ANBU to investigate. Out the window, the land flew by so quickly, at least up close, but as his gaze wandered further out into the lands, it slowed down so he could make out its beauty. This wasn't a sight one got to enjoy very often. The passing of vast amounts of land, slow enough to admire it, but quick enough to see plenty. Usually, when traveling on foot or even by horse, you had to pay more attention to where you were going than what you were passing by, so it was certainly a nice change of pace.

It wasn't much longer before the train arrived at Port Cirrus. Getting up from his seated position, Miraku lifted up his hood, putting it over his head, pulling it forward to cast a shadow down on his face, lowering his hand from the tip of the hood down over his face. As it passed over his face, he began to summon his mask, making it appear as if by magic. The white mask with the creepy smile covered his face as he walked off the train, quickly dashing off out of view of the civilians who crowded around or were leaving the train. Tossing his cloak on over top of his jacket in order to cover up his clothing, and his movements slightly, he looked around before darting into a nearby alleyway. He began heading in the direction of the Inn he was told to go to. It was still early, and the morning chill was felt through the air, but it didn't both Miraku in the least, his jacket pretty much eliminating it completely. Placing his hands in the front pockets of his plain black pants, he moved at a quick pace through the back streets and alleys as he made his way to the Inn, the bottom of his dark gray jacket fluttered in the wind as he did so, having not closed it up yet.

As he spotted the Inn through the alleyway, he stopped his running pace, returning to walking, as he left the cover of the alley, his hood pulled far enough forward to mostly cover his mask. Out front, he could see a few people gathered around, including a bar who seemed to have multiple sets of arms playing music for those around. Nearby was a cloaked and hooded man who appeared to be biding his time. Or at least it appeared to be a man; the attire concealed most features making it hard to tell either way. Most likely this was one of his teammates. As Miraku slowly made his approach, another man in a mask appeared and headed for the Inn, heading inside himself. He seemed like an even more likely candidate for one of his teammates, though he hadn't approached the first cloaked figure sitting on the barrel, so it was hard to tell. Miraku had decided if one went in, they'd probably all go in before heading anywhere, so he planned to do the same. Walking up outside the Inn, Miraku headed to the front door, turning his head slightly towards the figure seated on the barrel, taking a glance, as if to acknowledge them; if they were his teammate, they'd be sure to know. Opening the door and taking a step inside, he entered the building, moving off to the side to look around a bit and wait for them both to come together and join them to get things sorted.

[Marked for Training; 770 WC]
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[Shouyu Hoshi]

"Port Cirrus.... A lot of things have been happening in that town... I could expect so less."

Boom!

A paper note exploded. The young Shinobi was alone in the mountains of the Kaminari no Kuni. He made sure to toss the letter long before it exploded in thin air, but up here, would it make a sound down below? Hoshi was basically already adorned in the traditional anbu guard. He never felt a need for the arm or leg guards. He was only dressed in a compression outfit from shoulder to toe. On top he wore a black dry fit, and thermal leg sleeves. On top of that he then wore the usual loose fitting black pants, tied by a rubber band at the end. He completed the bottom by stepping into ninja sandals. Hoshi then on top threw on his weighted Kimono, but it was torn at the shoulders as if sleeveless. On the back of the Kimono bore a symbol in Japanese, "Protect."

Hoshi would walk to an edge from the cliff he was meditating on. True, he was high up, but anbu were always on time, and though he had jus returned it never meant that his work should stop. He thought of going to see everyone else, but after catching up and noticing how everyone at home was actively making Kumo greater, he had to do the same. So Hoshi would leap as if he could fly.

For the split moment that he floated he thought one thing, "TO BECOME A LEGEND!" and he dropped, he would flip one time and position himself head first diving down like a bullet piercing down the mountain. A smirk was upon the preteen's face, his eyes watering from the immense air pressure against his descent. He was getting closer to ground level, what were his options? Upon one thousand kilometers from the ground Hoshi would begin unscrolling a seal. It contained a large parachute which Hoshi would summon and attach himself to. His descent was slow but steady, and he landed easily discarding the parachute and beginning his warm up. He jogged the whole way to Port Cirrus, though his jog to the average civilian was more like a maintained sprint.

Upon arrival of port Cirrus Hoshi slowed and allowed himself to play as a civilian. Besides the dead give away of pale Hyuuga hues, he would show no signs of ninja capability. He played the act of blind, acting as if very kind to people and searching for vibrations around him. Once he neared the inn where the letter detailed, he would stumble in and find a small group slightly sticking out, well, only in the Shinobi perspective, maybe not the the average townspeople.

Shouyu walked up to the trio, they definitely seemed like older men, and the young 5'1 Shinobi waltzed in like he owned place. Well, complete with a transformation jutsu that made him look slightly older, only with blonde hair, a mustache and goatee.

[topic entered. And I'm down for anything.]

 

[Okada Kaji]

As expected, the members of the rag-tag squad began to trickle down to their destination. Each of them had their own way of making the journey, and it was a curious thing that set them apart by personality. Keeping the bard company outside of the inn, Kaji watched patiently as his first two companions went to check inside the establishment first. He didn’t bother to stop them if only to grant them a final moment of warmth by the fireside within the inn as they awaited their fourth and final squad member. Kaji was certain that both of the masked men noticed him— he wasn’t trying to be a total stranger, after all. There was a certain point when total anonymity only made you more suspicious. Sensing that the time to leave was near, Kaji flipped one last gold piece into the tipping hat to support fine music. He hopped to his feet, but before he could follow his comrades indoor, a peculiar looking man came forward. He was a last minute recommendation was added to the squad; someone Kaji was ready to test in the line of combat but would monitor closely when things got rough.

“You are the one they recommended,” Kaji commented as he faced the pint-sized encounter. Although Kaji’s olive orbs were hidden beneath the veil of his hood, his voice would be familiar to Hoshi and spoken with familiarity. “Call me Yoake today— or Captain,” Kaji told the clandestine lad, “whichever you prefer. ‘Either way, I look forward to the work we have set out for us.” There was nearly a head of height between the two of them, with Kaji owning his stature through his certitude. He made a very slight motion, causing his cloak to sway, part, and reveal fine leather armor styled like a bomber jacket with a furred collar. The emerald-inlaid pommel of Eelspine peeked out, at-once confirming his identity to the boy. “Come” Kaji bade Hoshi, seeing through his disguise, “our comrades await us within. ‘You should remember this place— it’s why I chose it for our meet point.”

Kaji led their way, pressing open the double doors of the inn. The light of day rushed in along with flurries of snowfall and winter’s bite. The energy of their entrance changed the vibe within the inn and magnetized both Shu and Miraku towards the coming of Kaji and Hoshi. With them came the call to action: it was time. “Gentlemen” Kaji beckoned and acknowledged them with the single word, bringing their squad together for the first time. “A finer team could not have been assembled for the task at hand this morning… thank you for coming.” Considering the vetting process for such a squad, Kaji was certain of the claim despite only a little time to learn about his squadmates’ abilities beforehand. “I imagine you have each been briefed before this morning, but we can discuss the details while we’re inbound to the target. It will be my honor to be your Captain if you’ll have me: I am Yoake.” This was their moment for introductions; after, they’d likely be all business and setting off for the impending battle. Kaji then raised a hand to his face and swept it down from his forehead to chin. The motion caused his hood to flap upwards slightly, just enough that he deliberately revealed his olive eyes to his peers before vanishing behind the porcelain screen.

The mask was a clean design with rectangular eye-slits, sharp contour lines across the brow and down the ridge of his nose. Sharp teeth interlocked from cheek to cheek with perfect alignment, all pearly white. Two thick black lines ran vertically down the temples, and bowed outwards down through the jaws. This mask had an energy of its own, and visually changed the eyes of Kaji to stare with black scalera— the final illusion to disguise him in full. He was Yoake now.

“Our first stop is the pier. The Harbormaster knows we are coming and will charter us a ship for the chase; whatever we need. We have options with consideration of speed versus durability.” As he explained this, Kaji turned his march out the door with an even gait. “We should expect the worse awaiting us if so many ships have been sunken already, but too much defense might weigh us down and make our approach slow and more noticeable. Rumors depict a fog, so I’m expecting that we can use stealth to our advantage.”

wc750

The squad reaches the pier, and have three options available. Consider them wisely, board, and consider any defensive options you have available to you. Discuss it however you please (I suggest via DM) and decide on a ship in the RP. Everyone will board and set sail. If you have ideas for defensive/stealth buffs for the ship, spoiler them as actions, or include them as conditionals. This entire mission is one big unofficial “bmod” scenario. Consider your CP and plan wisely. Everything you do will be tracked.

Option One: “Sea Sprite” Galley
HP: 3500
Dodge: 19 flat
Speed: 4mph
Feature: Can Buff Dodge & Speed with Wind Jutsu into Sails
Crew: Operated by 20 Sailors (D-rank)
Weakness: Fire Jutsu (It’s a wooden ship)

Option Two: “Big Totoro” Iron Whale Hunter
HP: 7,000
Dodge: 15
Speed: 2mph
Feature: Damage Resistance: 25%, can defend with Earth/Metal Jutsu
Crew: 10 Sailors (C-rank)
Weakness: Slow & Louder (Its a steam machine)

Option Three: “Her Lucky Bones” Schooner
HP: 2000
Dodge: 22
Speed: 8mph
Feature: Small and agile, +3 Stealth (small steamer)
Crew: 1 Sailor (B-rank, tough old bastard)
Weakness: Fast but easily sunken.

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[Sato Daigo]

The last arrival was an old blind man with the demeanor of a effervescent child. He stumbled his way through the inn as he found a seat next to Shu but not before speaking with the self-proclaimed captain of the group. As he stat down Shu could see the man's flowing blonde locks covered his rather conspicuous white eyes that was clearly the eyes of a Hyuuga. Shu did not know what was the point of using a lazy disguise among seasoned ANBU unless he was trying to pull a joke on them. What Shu was most concerned was the familiar presence that the man carried as if Shu had a personal connection with him. He only knew one Hyuuga from the ANBU, Shoyou Hoshi. Why would he be trying to hide his identity? Shu had told him to continue his meditation to aide in his spiritual training so perhaps he was avoiding embarrassing himself in front of his master. These were all conjectures that Shu would have to consider at another time. The leader of the group prostrated himself in front of his peers as he gave a brief introduction. He called himself Yoake which was obviously his code given that he spent a moment to conjure his mask for them all to see. The mask was modern in design featuring
some form of animal. The only interesting aspect of his mask was the seeping energy that was emanating from it and transforming his pupils as Yoake put it on. There must have been a point for this little show that

"I am Byakko" Shu said.

After their introductions it was time for the group to depart. Yoake deliberated on the different ships that could use and noted that they would need a ship that would give them speed and durability. There were three ships at the docking bay. The first was rather small housing a single rugged old man. The second was a bit larger carrying several men dressed in pristine navy blue uniform. Lastly, the third was the largest made up of entirely out of wood. ‘

“I suggest we go with the old man. We can save time and be more maneuverable.” Shu said examined the smaller boat.

 

[Shouyu Hoshi]

Hoshi was greeted by a familiar face. His brows arched in response, the Hyuuga spheres searched the man thoroughly. In his mind he already devised assumptions of the character and with a swift movement, a flash of color caught his eye. At sight of it, ft a second, everything paused. Hoshi was drawn back mentally, recalling a bout with Kaen and Kaji, the sword. His next words about the meeting place and familiarity sealed the deal. Hoshi finally smirked and followed after.

"Yes captain."

Through double doors they linked up with the remainder of the team. One of which, appeared oddly familiar. A person he had only seen one time before leaving Kumo. Could this second person be, "Shu?" Hoshi shook it off, and allowed Yoake to introduce himself once more and give the opportunity for the team to do the same. Yoake had summoned his mask the same time Shu gave his name, Byakko. Hoshi then followed up with his own code name he felt most suited.

"Kurama..."

Hoshi waited for the last to introduce himself, certainly, it was someone he didn't know. Kaji then began debriefing the mission, the next stop was a ship on a port. He listened thoroughly to the options already having one in mind, Byakko had already answered. Hoshi nodded in response.

"I agree. A faster ship will do us better. We are Shinobi, we could foritfy its defenses... together!"

Hoshi grew excited about his own impending doom. Something about danger, put him on edge and made his blood rush. It gave him a sense of importance and actually encouraged him to do his best.

 

[Miraku]

As Miraku stood, leaned up against the wall, only a few moments had passed before the man who had been seated outside came in as well, along with another strange looking fellow. A fourth member of the team? Miraku hadn't been told about this, but it was of no consequence. Their mission was still the same. Though it did leave a slight worry as the appearance of the fourth member seemed a tad odd. Like he was trying to hide who he was while attempting to blend in as a civilian, though that only made him stand out more, with his obvious Hyuuga eyes and general demeanor. He was small as well, which made him look quite young, even though he seemed to add to his features with facial hair that seemed slightly out of place with the rest of his look.

As they began to gather up, Miraku pushed himself off the wall using his core to move forward, as he gathered closer to listen in as the man from outside began to speak. The man's words entered Miraku's ears as he attempted to bring forth the camaraderie and set everything straight. He announced that he was the captain of this mission, which Miraku had no qualms with as he was only along to help out. He also gave what could only be his codename, 'Yoake'. It was obvious he wanted to stick to the ANBU playbook, and that was perfect for Miraku as he usually preferred to work alone, so not getting too personal would make that much easier for him in the future. He watched as much like he had done earlier, Yoake summoned his mask, appearing it onto his face, as it appeared to have some kind of effect on his eyes. The other two quickly replied in time, giving their code names as a form of short introduction. The original masked man who had entered the inn first was, of course, the first to reply. 'Byakko' was the codename he gave. It was always interesting to hear what names ANBU had, whether they came up with it, or it was given to them, it had some meaning to who they were. The short one then continued the, what now felt like a role call. 'Kurama' he told them, which felt a little odd, but who was he to judge another's call sign. With that, it was his turn. "Call me Soku." he told them from behind his mask, words slightly muffled by it, but clearly audible enough to distinguish.

After introductions were cleared up, they were off to the pier. Their first order of business was to pick out a ship for them to use in order to traverse the waters and attempt to approach this mystical ship they were looking for. Picking the right type of boat for them would be quite important for the future of their mission, as picking the wrong one could mean having a great disadvantage if this ship was truly hostile towards them. As they got to the pier, it appeared there were three choices for them. A slow, bulky type boat, good on defense, and easily fortifiable to survive out there, but it would certainly be slow on the water, and quite loud with its steam power. There was also a smaller boat, which would be quite fast, and rather stealthy, especially if they were to use the fog which followed this mystery boat to their advantage, the only downside was it wouldn't hold up well to strong attacks unless their team was able to defend it exceptionally well. And the final choice seemed nice at first, a compromise between the two -- faster than the tanky boat, stronger than the tiny boat, but its biggest problem was its body was made of wood, which would make it extremely weak to fire, or fire jutsu. It seemed both Byakko and Kurama were in favour of using the quick boat, feeling like they'd be able to lend to its defenses. The younger Kurama seemed rather excited in his statement, his words sounding similar to child-like wonder. "Well, I don't have a ton of knowledge on defensive jutsu, but if you two believe we'll be able to pull it off, it seems like the best option, if we can either use their fog against them for stealth, or wipe it away and use our speed to catch them." Miraku said to the group, trying to think strategically, as he usually did. There were quite some options for them using this ship which the others didn't quite afford them, so it most likely was their best choice.

[Marked for Training; 775 WC]
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[Okada Kaji]

And so, the four-man cell of shinobi came to a quick agreement on their determined method of travel. Yoake gave a stern nod to seal the deal, and the four set off together in solidarity. Thinking in unison was a good sign, as cohesion was often the first step towards achieving victory in any endeavor.

Their journey street side was a short affair— while the port city was always busy, ANBU had a way of moving through the masses with grace, though, that truth would be tested today. The squad arrived at the harbor’s furthest edge in short order, where a small pier was reserved for their destined ship: Her Lucky Bones. On their way, the squad crossed the options they passed-on, sighting the Sea Sprite and Big Totoro docked, manned, and ready. Both warships were massive in comparison to the little boat they had chosen, but both crafts could be spotted from a mile away on the clear blue ocean. But here before them sat a small raiding craft painted in a matte black coat. The ship sat shallowly on the water, rocking with every wave that rolled underneath. It was big enough to carry sixteen shinobi, with a single compartment which housed the captain’s wheel and other controls. The ship itself was made of light metals, carbon fibers of rare quality, and rubber which helped its buoyancy. To say the least, the ship looked experimental.

“Ahhhh yeah, here they come” went a gruff voice, spoken aloud from within the ship’s compartment. The voice was leathery as if he smoked a pack a day for longer than the lives of all four shinobi put together. “Any longer and I might have put out to sea without ye,” said an old rambling man as he hobbled out of the cabin. He was by far the saltiest sea dog you’d ever meet— he wore a wrinkled Captain’s cap, had one eye perpetually closed with the other squinty and glaring. His nose was pointed to the sea but barely reached out farther than his broad, manly chin, which was dressed with a salty and pepper, matted beard. He wore a black pea coat thick enough to keep wrath of winter at bay, with weathered gray fishing pants and grimy, eye-sore yellow rubber boots. “I knew Raiden was calling me to the task ‘em self when the word came down. They said the shinobi are gonna’ set things right, and I— my name’s Wokou— I jumped at the chance to give ye a hand.” The old man named Wokou began waving at the four shinobi to join him on the craft, hurrying them along.

Yoake was first to step onto the craft and cleared the way for the squad by following Wokou towards the cabin. Underneath his mask Kaji’ nose crinkled as the scent of fish chum and salt. There were cans of sardines and drink bottles discarded on the deck, along with a bloody tackle box and cooler. “Make yourselves at home mates,” Wokou said, welcoming the squad. “We’ll embark shortly.” As promised, Wokou unfastened Her Lucky Bones from the dock and revved the ship’s motor, which grumbled underneath her. The engine’s complaints were sent into the sea with a low growl, which stifled the sound into a mild purr to the crew.

For being so salty, Wokou seemed like an approachable fellow as he piloted the vessel. The ship was skirting across the water, traveling much faster than previously estimated, further proving to be the best option the shinobi could have made. A cold wind was sweeping over them, and only turning bleaker the further the ship got from land. Soon enough, the black raiding ship turned the coast into a thin line on the edge of their vision, and nothing but a blue scape lay ahead of the ship, with a black spot on the horizon. “It’s my honor to take ye boys on yer way out here” Wokou admitted suddenly as he sailed onward to the big black spot. “The fog has been crawling off the coast for weeks now, and a lot of my mates have been vanishing at sea since the trouble started… Word is no one makes it out of there, but I tell ya, there ain’t another ship on this coast with moves like Her Lucky Bones!”

It did not take a map to find the trail of the fog and the mysterious dreadnought: as Her Lucky Bones sped on, the shinobi would begin to notice things out of place on the water. Wokou slowed their speed by a few knots in order to traverse sea, which was now riddled with floating carcasses of whales, sharks, and other samples of sea-life. The waves were turning choppier, visibility was decreasing along the horizon, and the air was turning so cold that it began to shock their lungs with each deep breath. That black dot on the horizon soon became a haze and stormy seas the shinobi were traversing. “We’re here” Wokou signaled.

“It’s just like the reports claimed” Yoake admitted in an austere tone. The temperature had to be dropping into the negatives on the Fahrenheit scale and showed no signs of rising. It was unreal. “On your guard team” Yoake warned as he formed a single-handed, beginning a process of circulating chakra to preserve himself. “Eyes up... Our target can’t be far— let's find it before it finds us.”

wc924

Players must sacrifice 4AP each round circulating their chakra to focus heat circulation through their bodies or suffer One rank of Blue Blood (Hypothermia). Each round without spending the AP causes the Blue Blood to Increase in rank. Even if they begin circulating chakra, the effects of Blue Blood continue until complete. Note: the 4AP cost does not affect your time stack.

Blue Blood Checks
Rank 1: Causes -2 dodge/accuracy and a 5% fail chance per each action for two rounds.
Rank 2: Causes -2 dodge/accuracy and a 7% fail chance per each action for two rounds.
Rank 3: Causes -3 dodge/accuracy and a 10% fail chance per each action for three rounds.
Rank 4: Immobility, (Player must be warmed ally.) Players who enter the water reach rank 3 immediately.
Rank 5: K.O.

Danger is imminent, and this is your chance to become the hunters or prey. The Dreadnought has natural stealth in this environment, which has Heavy Cover with Dark Visibility. The ship will not reveal itself from stealth until it is in a position to attack you. You may use any features at your disposal to attempt to locate the Dreadnought. It is suggested that you prepare defensive actions in case your team is not so lucky. Battle Mods will be posted from this round, forward. Good luck!

As always, if you have any questions, please refer to The Dreadnought group DM, or DM me personally.

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[Shouyu Hoshi]

After meeting with the team, Hoshi kept up his petty disguise. It seemed the others didn't mind wandering through the streets with masks on. Hoshi hated his mask in public, hence his transformation to fool civilians, any capable Shinobi looking hard enough would be able to see through it. He walked beside to the far right of the group. He noticed the looks of the people as they walked by, some in awe the most in fearful respect. There were many rumors and misconception of the anbu, and Hoshi never liked to be dropped in a bucket of stereotypes. And so he held his head up high stroking the fake goatee.

They had reached the pier and Hoshi looked at each ship of which they could have chose. They were mighty ships, the wood even looked like a great choice, despite its weakness to fire. I mean, they were in water, anyone adept with that element has the playing field in advantage. Hoshi smirked cause he was one of them. Once they reached the boat, entitled in writing, Her Lucky Bones, he would pause. The boat was puny in comparison to the others, he rubbed his hands together and nodded. He thought it was perfect, they could slip through easily under the mist at high speeds. Good luck hitting that ship, and that's when his thoughts was interrupted by the ship captain.

Hoshi chuckled as the man spoke, he was the spitting image of the pirates he read about as a kid with his passed family. His matted beard nothing like Hoshi's premature goatee, the kid chuckled again. The captain introduced himself as Woukou, Kaji being the first to walk on following his invitation. Kaji said no words as he boarded, Hoshi took the opportunity to board second. As he did, he figured it was useless to keep the charade up any longer. In a poof of a smoke, a few seconds later it would clear and reveal Hoshi. Another second later the boy would summon his mask which was blank, but shaped like a fox. The blank mask would give the others the notion that he was still in training and not a full fledged anbu operative. He spoke to Wokou as he passed by.

"Thank you sir, your courage is inspiring. I appreciate your faith in us..."

He took a dramatic pause, the mask moving from Wokou to sea where behind it Hoshi would activate his visual doujutsu.

"Consider it done, now that we are."

He wasn't confident in his own ability, but confident in his comrades. Along side Shu and Kaji, he was sure Soku was more than capable, Hoshi was the only lackey here so, he trusted his team. He would nod to the old man before walking in and taking position at the front of the ship.

The sound of engine starting and a breeze gave Hoshi the chills. The boat took off and he stumbled grabbing onto a railing for stability. The boat was moving faster than he anticipated, he once again smirked, his sight was clear of ocean water for some distances. After a while, things were getting blurry in the farther distances, he suspected it to be the fog of the ship. Hoshi reached up and turned on his headset, testing.

"Kurama checking in, can you guys hear me? I'm already seeing blurred vision through my Byakugan. The fog is thick, I'm not sure if I'll be too much help here."<i></i>

They slowed down a bit, Wokou swerving past incoming waves, dead bodies and other floating obstruction. Hoshi held tight as they glided through the obstacle course. The temperature dropped drastically, way below the cold of home, he shivered and almost lost his breath. Hoshi stiffened in stance and began increasing the rate of his chakra flow to a point where the friction of movement began to reheat his body to combat the chilling weather. That task alone took much of his concentration and had to be constant, or else he'd freeze over in a short time. He clicked his teeth at this conclusion.

Hoshi continued his surveillance, but all he could see was haze and a large obstruction he could not see past. He would look to his left, and see the same, gaze to his right, to find the same result, he even looked up, a big mistake cause all he could see was thickening fog. But... what was this obstruction blocking his vision, he counted the clicks and found it was within range of less than 800 meters away. Kaji's word rang clear through his ear and he nodded. The veins around his eyes, behind his mask grew a bit thicker from an extra exertion of chakra. Hoshi was trying to make out the lining of the obstruction through the haze.

Contract.... Summoning."

Hoshi weaved a series of hand seals and bit the thumb of his right hand before placing it onto the ship floor. In a flume of smoke a four foot Otter, adorned with two swords across her back and two shell shuriken attached at the hip, dressed in laser yellow armor appeared bowing to Hoshi. He then explained to the otter.

"Its cold out here, even for you. Make sure you keep chakra circulating. It's good to see you again Mizumi. My mission is to infiltrate a battle ship nearby. I need you to stay here, and help defend with the ship captain. Old man Wokou, in the captain."

Mizumi looked dead at Hoshi, blinking. Once Hoshi had finished, slowly her head turned towards the cabin he spoke of. Mizumi nodded, rotating her head back to Hoshi, and nodding once more. Her beady black eyes showed a blank, emotionless, almost innocent appeal. She was a true mute. Hoshi finally returned her bow, a smirk curled upon her lips as she took off on all fours dashing inside the cabin, she'd run by Kaji and the others inside and locate the old man. Once she did, she would just stand by him, erect and still. Her black beady eyes blinked, looking straight forward. Her stance, one hand on the reverse blade sword across her back, and the other at her hip, readying the shell shuriken. She was a promising otter who was always alert, and forever aware, Wokou was sure to have get set of extra eyes with this marine mammal Shinobi.

[wc 1065]

 

[Sato Daigo]

The four man team agreed on that the faster ship would serve their needs better. The other patrons were rather dissapointed at their decision as they left the pier empty handed. The captain of the chosen ship exclaim with a scruff glee as he introduced himself but his diction was much to be desired.

Yoake was the first to step into the boat with the remaining team following suit. Shu could see the disarray of his boat with the empty bottles and cans decorating the entire deck. Given the negative impression that Shu was getting, he only hoped that luck would follow the team through for its namesake. The blond hair man that accompanied pause before exploding in a puff of smoke revealing the small Hoshi. Shu winced underneath his mask as he was frustrated by the student's childish antics. There was no reason to make a scene as the mission was far more important and at least he did not continue this charade through the mission. Shu kept his composure as he walked closed to the end of the boat to observe his surroundings while everyone else got settled.

In a matter of minutes the boat began to depart. The blue ocean water cascaded against the boat as they began to pick up speed. The sky was clear with not a single cloud in the sky not even of speck of cirrus formations could be seen. It didn't take long for beautiful to be covered by the thick gray fog that enveloped them as if they were surrounded by an army and given the report they could very well be. As the fog thicken the temperature began thicken as if the fogs was absorbing all of the heat. Shu's bandaged masked began to slowly ice over as the soft cotton harden and constricted. It was nothing he had not experience before but he had to ensure that the weather would not inhibit his abilities. He began to control his breathing as he used the chakra circulating through his body to insulate him.

"We're here" Wokou said as the boat came to a complete stop. Shu looked toward the water and could see the carcasses from various sea creatures blanked the sea. The smell from the bodies was just as strong as the fish cum that filled the boat causing Shu to take a few steps toward the center of the boat.

Yoake reminded them about their missions exhorting that they take action first before our enemies. Shu could not agree more but only depended on how well the cooperated.

Hoshi instantly activated his Byakugan as his eyes intensified to a cooler dark gray. His eyes would be far more useful than blowing the fog away. Additionally, Hoshi took the time to summon a large otter causing the small boat to rock and shift.

It stared blankly at Hoshi communicating without words before splashing into the ocean. "So the boy has a contract with the creatures of the sea." Shu thought to himself. This could be proved to be a good or bad thing; regardless, Shu would have to consider the ramifications for another time.

Shu slightly tapped the wood as he used signs to communicate with his team. He shifted his fingers toward the fog and made an X with his hand signally that they should not remove the fog. He pressed his hand against his chest showing the fog would be good cover.

His hands made more complicated signals as the water began to swirl and extruded forming two humanoid bodies. The water properties began to morph transforming into two identical caricature of Shu. He signaled them to move toward the fog to observe their surroundings.

After they embarked, Shu made a final seal causing the water surrounding the ship to began to rise covering the boat in a small veil like dome.

Blue Blood Check - 4AP
Nature's Guard (Water) - 3 AP
Elemental Clone (Water - 2 Count) - 2AP

 

[Miraku]

It didn't take long for the group to make it down to the docks where their ship awaited them, along with the other two choices which weren't quite as fortunate as 'Her Lucky Bones' on this day. While they approached the ship which would carry them on this journey, they were quickly greeted by the Captain of the ship who would be the only other person on it with them. It was much smaller than the other boats and looked completely different than any boat Miraku had seen before, at least in terms of how it was built and the materials used. The older man began to speak to them, talking about how glad he was to be able to help, along with introducing himself as 'Wokou'. As Yoake stepped on board, the others followed, Miraku included -- last on board.

Looking around as they walked on the ship, it was a little messy, but Miraku figured he probably just didn't have the time to clean it up very often, hoping it wasn't a sign of something worse for them. Out of the corner of his eye, Miraku watched as the younger teammate, Kurama changed back into his normal appearance, quickly covering his face with a mask. It was apparent he was even younger than he put on, but that was to be expected with the way he portrayed himself from the beginning. Shortly thereafter, Wokou prepped the board to head out, started her up and before they knew it, they were off. It was quite quiet for a ship with an engine, which was something Miraku hadn't expected, though was a pleasant surprise. The low volume would only aid their stealthy approach.

A little while into the trip, it began to become obvious they were getting close, as the temperature began to drop, with dead sea life coating the top of the water, and the fog rolling in quite heavily. Hearing Yoake begin speaking once again, Miraku listened up as he began to look around, speeding up the chakra circulation within his body to insulate his body against the penetrating cold which felt much like what one could feel if they got too close to Kirigakure, which made Miraku curious. Could whatever was producing this be similar? Right now that didn't matter, he needed to prepare himself. Instantly his body shifted as he entered a defensive stance, his body releasing a slight amount of wind around it as well keeping the area around his body a bit more clear.

Over his headset he could hear Kurama speaking, telling them his Byakugan was having a bit of trouble seeing through the fog. Miraku figured with his increased general awareness maybe using a few jutsu he'd be able to have better luck than the boy figuring out where their enemy was so that they'd be able to decide what to do next. Out of nowhere the boy suddenly summoned a creature. So young and already he had a contract with a group of creatures? Impressive for sure, though Miraku's attention was quickly brought back to the group as Byakko began tapping on wood, looking towards him as he began to make signs with his hands. His signals seemed to be telling them to avoid removing the fog and to use it for their advantage. The fog made it harder to see everything clearly, as he seemed to make clones for himself.

Miraku brought his attention back to his original plan. Quickly forming a few handseals, an eyeball formed in the air before him, his Crystal Eye, increasing his awareness while also making it easier to see in this fog through the eye. With this, he would send it out slightly to look through the fog. "I'll attempt to find the ship through the fog with a few reconnaissance jutsu" he told the group, through the headset for those further away that were prepared with one, but aloud for others to hear if they were listening closely. Watching as a wall of water come up to protect the boat due to Byakko, Miraku following this up with further handseals, attempted to use his Chakra Sense jutsu in combination with his Crystal Eye and his natural awareness in order to try and locate the ship for the group so that they could make their next move.

If Miraku was able to locate the ship, he would immediately inform his team and give them the location so that they would be able to decide what to do next. If not, he would probably have to keep searching because they were pretty much blind like this, and had no idea what their opponents abilities were, and whether the fog even affected them since they lived within it.

[spoilername="Actions"]Circulate Chakra - 4 AP

Enter Defensive Stance at +1 Dodge, -1 Acc using Defensive Technique with Initiative to be done at 0 seconds - 0.5 AP

Enter Wind Style - Easy Breezy with Initiative to be done at 0 seconds - 0.5 AP

Create Crystal Eye - 1.5 AP

Chakra Sense on the Ship with Quick Learner's Situational Awareness - 2 AP

Attempt to locate the Ship using Chakra Sense with Situational Awareness and the Cystal Eye[/spoilername]

[791 WC]

 

[Okada Kaji]

[col3]

Miraku - Soku
HP: 42,000
CP: 36,000 -560 -300 = 35,140

Kaji Okada - Yoake
HP: 36,000
CP: 36,000 -560 = 35,440

Mizumi
HP: 4,000
CP: 2,800​

|

Shoyu Hoshi - Kurama
HP: 19,152
CP: 13,965 -750 -900 = 12,315

Her Lucky Bones
HP: 2,000
Barrier HP: 5000

Shu Water Clone #1
HP: 3,060
CP: 3,570​

|

Shu - Byakko
HP: 36,000
CP: 42,000 -625 -2750 = 32,625

Wokou
HP: 1,500
CP: 0

Shu Water Clone #2
HP: 3,060
CP: 3,570​

[/col3]

Embarking Round Actions:</FONTFACE>

• 0.00s - Soku Entered Defensive Stance
  0.00s -Soku Entered Wind Style - Easy Breezy
  1.00s - Yoake used Chakra Sense to track the Dreadnought: Failed
  1.00s - Kurama activates his Byakugan
  1.50s - Soku Creates Crystal Eye
  2.00s - Yoake Enters a Stealthy Veil for Her Lucky Bones: Great Success
  2.50s - Kurama Summoned Mizumi
  3.00s - Byakko Creates a Defensive Sphere over Her Lucky Bones with Nature’s Guard
  3.50s - Soku use Chakra Sense to track the Dreadnought: Critical Success
  5.00s - Byakko Creates Two Elemental Clones on the Water
  5.00s- Water Clones roll Agility Save for Water Walking: Both Succeed

<i></i>

<FONTFACE fontface="georgia">And so the story goes that the shinobi made their preparations as Her Lucky Bones sailed into the mist of The Dreadnought’s wake. The scent of the sea’s demise was overpowering to the senses, even nauseating, but the men aboard the small raider ship were well acquainted with death by now. Each of the shinobi took measures best suiting their roles: Kurama put the safety of their pilot first, while Yoake began to focus the first veil of shadows over Her Lucky Bones, generating stealth for the ship’s entry. It was Soku who first caught a ping from the presence of the Dreadnought’s incredible pressure of chakra in the atmosphere; it was a vibe that would make him shake with a different chill than the debilitating cold in the air. All the meanwhile, Byakko prepared the ship’s defensive with a barrier of water elemental chakra rising from the sea. Byakko then set two clones out upon the water; they may have been like scouts but would feel more like bait running across the black waves. Every so often their steps would cross dead things gathering ice.

It wasn’t just the dead in their path, the ship was now steadily swerving around chunks of ice on the water’s surface. “This must be what caused most of the trouble for the other ships” Wokou declared as he steered around the increasing chunks. Yoake was standing to his left in the cabin and peered into the horizon alongside the ship’s captain. He said “the Land of Lightning is in your debt for guiding us through this madness, Wokou. ‘Thank you for shepherding us,” he then patted the salty old sailor on the shoulder and exited the cabin to watch the horizon from the deck.

The sight which appeared next was massive enough to make Wokou shout out from the cabin “thar she blows,” and all aboard would see the force Soku felt before, now in physical form. It was the Dreadnought, a colossal war machine, unlike anything the shinobi or even Wokou had seen before. It dwarfed the Galley and Ironsided whaler they saw back in the harbor and tore through the droves of ice below it with ease. The ship was a mountain of steel painted black, with thick plating and armor risen over the sides. Barbs penetrating the side of the ship would make boarding a challenge for the shinobi, and the sea of ice would most-likely trap Her Lucky Bones with the shifting ice, and pinch her in the water. The ship was armed with large ballistas, and some kind of crew could be seen lingering and lurching behind the armored walls. Smoke stacks along the top of the ship weren’t billowing any smoke, and the ship seemed to move without any source to push it through the ice.

Wokou called to the shinobi from the cabin, “I can try to get us closer, but the ship will be a sitting duck if we get caught on the ice.” The ice floes surrounding the Dreadnought were berg sized, perhaps large enough to traverse without ending up submerged in the frigid waters. They could try to break or melt the ice to sail closer, but that would undoubtedly expose them from stealth, and combat would be imminent— terribly disadvantaged from afar.

“Kurama, see if you can scan the deck and get a headcount with your Byakugan” Yoake requested the Hyuuga to use his gift to their advantage, though Hoshi would have already noticed the enormous field of chakra which covered the Dreadnought. More importantly, he would see dozens of human-shaped chakra systems walking along the deck. Many of them were stationary with slouching postures, many more stared over the edges of the ship between the gaps in its armor, and some were wandering around the deck aimlessly. The squad would have to get much closer to determine these figures’ appearances with their naked eyes. “What does it look like?” Yoake asked curiously, anxious to factor the numbers into his strategy. Was it worth it for the four shinobi to engage such a monstrous vessel, or was withdrawing the smartest choice? They’d undoubtedly have to get closer to find out what the ship was capable of. With any luck, their stealth and defenses would hold long enough for them to make some moves.

wc1075

 

[Shouyu Hoshi]

Mizumi continue to stand idol beside the sailor. Hoshi from the front of the boat's deck had looked back. Miraku had summoned a crystal eye which began to travel out into the distance. This was not long before a shroud of darkness and veil of nature surrounded the boat. He nodded, the others were preparing their defenses for the boat. He looked down and thought to himself, it was so cold he couldn't even tell if he was inhaling the fog or exhaling his own warm breath. 'Its the cold... not the boat... the cold immobilizes anyone who isn't careful... We can do this... I... can do this.' Hoshi held up a tiger seal and continued the flow of chakra to warm his body from the inside out.

As they journeyed on, Byakko create two water clones who took to the water, running along its surface. Hoshi looked to them, great idea. If only those clones could reach the ship and attempt to gauge the potential of the enemy. The small boat swerved around, some things froze over completely forming large bergs. Wokou's words rang through Hoshi's ears. This was only getting more dangerous. Hoshi continued to peer out and the obstruction in his view only grew larger and darker until the man shouted their arrival. Upon sight, cannons, levels of sheeted metal, through the blue of fog he was seeing light chakra signatures. People...

Wokou explained that he could get closer, but it would at the expense of the boat, if he could see, Hoshi would wave it off without looking at Wokou but focusing all of his chakra into the frontal view of his Byakugan. His small young hands gripped the railing of the boat even harder. He was beginning to make our bodies, on top, behind the ballistas, but the boat was still obstructing his view of mostly anything. He clicked his teeth, shortly after Yoake asked about his sight.

"It's still choppy from here. We are definitely outnumbered by easily over twenty heads. They have several floors of the ship, each with a decent amount of numbers flooding the level. We must find a way to see their potential in battle. If you don't mind. I could go first along side the clones."

Hoshi blinked, as he did, from his feet tendrils of black shadows began to envelope his body in darkness and fog, Hoshi would begin to camouflage. (Activate Active Camo R 1, special action to overcharge into stealth 2 ap, 4 remaining)

Hoshi's acuity stood out for itself him being so childlike but mindful of all situations. He wanted to check for himself but, he knew he was the weakest link here and would have to wait for that opportune time to shine. Again, the youth clicked his teeth, slowly wrapping the bandages around his gauntlets, he was preparing for battle. (Hoshi quickdraws gauntlets at 0 ap.) He was steadfast in his stance, mauling over his next set of movements. The bergs were becoming a hassle for the boat, and also a big concern for a clean escape. Hoshi motioned for Mizumi.

Mizumi saw the gesture and slowly began walking over to Hoshi. She was still silent, swift with each step and graceful as a falling flower petal. When Mizumi approached close enough Hoshi spoke without looking in her general direction.

"Mizumi, if it gets crazy out here. I want you to retreat with the old man. Use your water ninjutsu to help propel the boat, especially if he finds himself stuck on ice. I'm counting on you to keep our getaway clean. It's possible..."

He looked harder at the ship, he was able to see slouching postures and idol guards, Hoshi smirked. They seemed unprepared for the attack. If this was true, the preemptive strike would be the best. Mizumi nodded at Hoshi's request and waited.

"Its possible could die up there. But don't worry, tell Misuto he won't get off that easily."

Hoshi then jumped from out of the boat, onto one of the ice bergs. His shadowed cloak began to extend in different directions as if the darkness was spreading with in his radius. Hoshi would then strike the air, as if trying to peel the fog from his eyes. (Hoshi casts shadow play mastered, and basic strikes the air to activate swift augment. 2ap, 2 remaining.) Hoshi would continue to move from the nearest iceberg to the next, running on the icy surface water if he had to as well. He'd attempt to approach the ship at close proximity, he was also headed in a direction opposite from Shu's clones. Being this close, Hoshi could begin to really make out the guards.

"They don't appear to be expecting us. It looks good so far. I'll wait here below until the next move."

He was crouched on a large iceberg, almost looking like a piece of it due to his active camo consistently changing to his environment. He was just beneath the cannons, looking at the ship and seeing that it was barbed. He clicked his teeth, nothing was easy about this mission in the slightest. He could see pacing soldiers, some idol behind the weapons and ready to attack. He looked back at the boat casually drifting along the water. He pushed his back up against the cold iceberg and almost lost his breath.

Ooc: Actions:
Hoshi maintains CC and Byakugan Rank 3.
Hoshi activated active camo, with special action to enter stealth.
Hoshi casts shadow play mastered for an additional +2 dodge for a full round.
Hoshi performs a basic strike to activate swift augment for another +2 dodge.
Hoshi sets a conditional for attack. If Hoshi is targeted, utilize the body switch mastered jutsu with K target.
Hoshi suffers round 1 weights on debuff. -1 acc/dodge but +5% melee damage. Should have 1 ap to roll over.

 

[Okada Kaji]

Mid-Round Report: Hoshi’s Sight
Stepping onto the iceberg, the first sensation Hoshi felt was the chill of the ice rushing up his legs, so cold it created an illusion of pain. Navigating the slick ice was a challenge in itself, but he was able to glide across it triumphantly for the time being. His swift speed was causing a disruption to his camouflage jutsu, but he was able to take cover behind a risen mound of the iceberg before he gained the attention of the Dreadnought’s force.

His attempt to detect the layers of chakra within the Dreadnought failed, as the ship was in fact covered with such an immense field of chakra that it would appear as one massive chakra form though Hoshi’s eyes. From close-up, the ship did not appear too troubling to climb for shinobi, however, a decrepit sight awaited his attention at the top. The scent of death was in the air and confirmed when Hoshi witnessed living corpses manning the rails of the Dreadnought. Their skin was pale and dried to the point of visible cracks, while some of the sailors lacked portions of flesh from their faces entirely. They were wearing old generation Land of Water armors (that would only be recognized if you have a means to know of Water technologies). While Hoshi was not spotted, the movement on the iceberg caught their attention and had the sailors actively peering out on the ice, fully alerted.

wc243

 

[Sato Daigo]

As Her Lucky Bones continued to venture through the desolate scene, the gray waters nearly turned pitch black from an unknown cascading shadow. Woku would shout out as he signaled Shu and his companions toward the source of the shadow. The sight was something to behold as the enamored by the Dreadnought. It was a massive warship to behold perhaps larger than any boat Shu had ever seen, at least in this era. The Dreadnought was protected by what appeared to be barbwire as shown by the metallic thorns that extruded around its base.

Woku remarked getting closer may be the best strategy given that the massive boat will be able to spot them if they remained still.

Yoake requested that the young Hoshi use his bloodline to observe their surroundings. Hoshi did what he was told but he did more than what he was asked. He wanted to make the initiate to scout the ship with the clones. This was a terrible idea given that they still did not know who their enemies nor did have an exit strategy. He was either headstrong or an idiot.

"Shit..." Shu muttered to himself. He flicked his finger as sharp needle emerged attaching itself harmlessly onto Hoshi like wrapping a woman's hair. In reality, Shu had transformed into a senbon and leaving a clone of himself so seamlessly that Yoake and Wokou may not have been aware. Fortunately, the secret did not last long as the clone of Shu signaled the two men that he will remain close to Hoshi. Meanwhile. Hoshi was able to get closer to the Dreadnought without being detected but the shuffling of his feet as he composed himself led for the sailors to be alert. Their countenance were ghastly to say the least. Underneath the moonlight, Hoshi would see their pale crackling skin and obscured white eyes as if they were the walking dead. Hoshi had recently been trained in the spiritual arts so he could sense that there was more than just chakra manipulations. Shu could sense the spiritual energies emanating from the ship far more strongly than Hoshi. Should they continue their pursuit knowing that they were fighting against the dead? Only Shu was knowledgeable about these things.

Maintains
Blue Blood Check - 4AP
Nature's Guard (Water) - 3 AP
Elemental Clone (Water - 2 Count) - 2AP

Current Round
Combination Transformation (Hidden Senbon) - 1.5AP
Stunt Double (Basic Clone) - 2 AP

[/size]

 

[Miraku]

Having spotted the ship early on, Miraku knew it was coming and could sense it's massive size as it came close enough in the fog to be seen by them. As he looked up at it, dwarfing them in comparison, Yoake's words rang out, bringing him back to the moment as he asked Kurama to scan the ship. Miraku's attention switched as he watched Kurama inspect the ship, reporting that he was unable to make out enough with his eyes -- probably obscured by the massive amount of Chakra emanating from the ship that Miraku could sense. It seemed like Kurama was itching to get in closer as well as he seemed to be moving forward quickly. Was he really planning to gather intel on his own in person? It seemed like a dangerous idea with how little information they had. Now that they had found the ship, Miraku also stopped using his Crystal Eye and Chakra Sense jutsu, trying to conserve chakra in case they would need it later.

Quickly, information began rushing through Miraku's mind as he began going over scenarios, and strategies for the current situation, all of which seemed slightly dangerous for them. They really needed more information on what they were up against, but that required sticking around and scouting for it longer which meant risk of being discovered or attacked. Taking off now to retreat for reinforcements would mean having suboptimal information for the reinforcements that they would require to stop this ship. The other issue was, they still weren't even sure if this ship was an enemy at all. The rumours only stated that ships that got near it disappeared. It's possible they weren't attacked and just died because they were unable to deal with the extreme cold the group was currently experiencing. Either way, the decision seemed to be being made without any discussion by Kurama who seemed intent on exploring the ship in person. Miraku could see Byakko signaling off to the side, moving his attention there as the man seemed to suggest he would be sticking close to Kurama.

There really wasn't much Miraku could do in this situation now that the others had begun acting. He could follow suit and bring out some clones to help, but that would only add to the risk. Adding clones would increase their numbers, making it easier to spot one, and may make whoever's on the ship think they're under attack by a large force and act accordingly. He wasn't sure they had been spotted yet, as he wasn't quite close enough to see those on board, and had heard nothing about it from those who were.

"We still don't know if this ship is hostile or not. We need information about whether they're enemies or not, and any kind of crew numbers would certainly be helpful, but we should definitely retreat after we get that intel to make a better plan. We're still going in blind here." Miraku told the group over comms as he began weaving a few handseals before activating his Anti-Gravity jutsu in order to make himself lighter and ready if they were to be attacked. "If they try to attack us, we'll need to retreat immediately. Any fire jutsu or water jutsu would probably be useful for melting or moving the ice on our retreat." he continued, slightly stating the obvious, but trying to use his words to make sure everyone would be listening and staying focused. Having to actively listen meant they would still be aware of their current situation. Finally, Miraku reached into his holster and pulled out his dagger, Senryaku Tekina Tanken incase he would need to act quickly. All Miraku could do now was wait for further information. Whether they stayed longer or left depended on the information that would soon be gathered.

[spoilername="Actions"]Circulate Chakra - 4 AP
Anti-Gravity (Mastered) - 2 AP
Draw "Senryaku Tekina Tanken" using Quickdraw - 0 AP

Conditionals:
If the ship is attacked, use Chakra Shield (Mastered) to protect the ship/crew. - 2.5 AP[/spoilername]

[Marked for Training; 617 WC]

 

[Okada Kaji]

[col3]

Miraku - Soku
HP: 42,000
CP: 35,140 - 560 = 34,580

Kaji Okada - Yoake
HP: 36,000
CP: 35,440 - 560 -680 = 34,200

Mizumi
HP: 4,000
CP: 2,800​

|

Shoyu Hoshi - Kurama
HP: 19,152
CP: 12,315 +419 -672 -225 = 11,837

Her Lucky Bones
HP: 2,000
Barrier HP: 5000

Shu Water Clone #1
HP: 3,060
CP: 3,570​

|

Shu - Byakko
HP: 36,000
CP: 32,625 -1200 -325 -300 -215 -301 (30,284)

Wokou
HP: 1,500
CP: 0

Shu Water Clone #2
HP: 3,060
CP: 3,570​

[/col3]

---

The Dreadnought Walkers
Current Count: 9
Collective HP: 16,219
Collective CP: ∞​

Embarking Round Actions:</FONTFACE>

• All Players: Chakra Circulation Maintain
  Hoshi Maintains Byakugan R3
  Shu Maintains Nature's Guard (Water) (1st Round)
  Shu Maintains Elemental Clone (Water - 2 Count)
  0.00 - Hoshi Equipped Gauntlets (Quickdraw)
  1.50 - Shu uses Combination Transformation (Mastered: Becomes Senbon)
  1.50 - Kaji activates Active Camo (Mastered, with Hand Seal Master)
  1.50 - Kaji equips Eelspine (initiative bonus)
  1.50 - Kaji enters Defensive Stance (initiative bonus)
  2.00 - Hoshi Activated active camo, (special action to enter stealth)
  2.00 - Miraku activates Anti-Gravity (Mastered)
  2.00 - Miraku Quickdraws Senryaku Tekina Tanken
  3.25 - Hoshi Activated Shadow play mastered (+2 dodge full round)
  3.25 - Moving dispels Hoshi’s stealth
  4.00 -Hoshi uses Basic strike (activate swift augment for another +2 dodge)
  4.00 - Hoshi encounters Crystalize Stumble 28% Chance: 91 Succeeds
  Taking Cover: Hoshi will be given his Stealth back for taking cover behind a risen iceberg
  5.00 - Shu creates a Stunt Double (Basic Clone), and attaches Senbon to Hoshi
  (Stealth: Dreadnought unaware, Hoshi unaware, Wokou unaware, Miraku aware, Kaji aware, )
  5.00 - Kaji encounters Crystalize Stumble 28% Chance: 38 Succeeds
  5.00 - Dreadnought Walker attacks Hoshi with Heavy Tow (Auto Dodged with Body Switch and Kawarimi Target)
  6.00 - Kaji used Piercing Blow (Mastered with Stalker) on Dreadnought Walker (Hits)

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<FONTFACE fontface="georgia">The emeraldine orbs behind Yoake’s mask were quaking as the squad’s most junior member dashed ahead without orders to advance. Kurama was eager— that was a quality that Kaji admired in Hoshi but not something that kept ANBU alive on such high-risk operations. Under his guise of Yoake, Kaji shared the ire of Soku and Byakko as Kurama sped ahead to take a closer look. If anything happened to the boy, his leader would have made the fault his own. However, with more squadmates under his charge, Yoake couldn’t dash after Kurama without coordinating more efforts. Fortunately, Byakko took action first and tagged Hoshi with something: himself. It was an admirable action, and the motion of a true shinobi to not abandon his ally even if he was doing the stupidest thing possible at the time.

And then Soku mentioned an analysis good enough to sound like music to the ears of his captain: methodical thinking which considered the ideal course of action. He was entirely correct in his assessment that charging in was a mistake, and that pulling back with their vital intel was the most effective route of action they could make. “Agreed” Yoake endorsed Soku’s proposal and followed up with an intended course of action for the squad. “If they are hostile, this dinghy won’t stand a chance… any hope of sending back our intel will sink along with Her Lucky Bones.” As they watched the warship on the horizon and the many troops teeming along its deck behind steel barricades, the idea of retreating was seeming better and better… But something was happening. More movement.

Large objects began to fall over the edge of The Dreadnought— shinobi were jumping overboard in droves, embarking into the water and onto the iceberg wherever it was sturdy enough to support them. Waves upon waves of gray-skinned undead hit the ice and climbed back to their feet as if the impact from sixty feet high meant nothing. Some of the falling bodies broke through the ice and clearly couldn’t swim efficiently once they fell in. Only nine of the sixteen bodies which jumped overboard survived the plummet and began to march aimlessly across the ice with dead stares.

“Wokou, sail around the flank behind the Dreadnought” Kaji ordered, hoping to keep their ship out of the enemy’s path.
“You don’t have to tell me twice” Wokou agreed before whipping the boat’s wheel for a hard turn. Her Lucky Bones was suddenly rocked as it rubbed against a submerged iceberg, but held together just fine after the impact. “It’s getting’ harder to sail out here... We’d better hurry!”

Kaji placed one leather riding boot on the rail of the boat and left a final word to his remaining comrades. “I’m going after the boy— provide us with cover if things get hairier... don’t give up the boat no matter what happens. Leave us behind if it comes to it.” On that note, Yoake leaped onto the ice and began his charge towards the shadow where Kurama was hiding from the coming horde.

The nine undead men were marching every which way along the ice, getting more intuitive and fluid in their motion with each step. It was a fair assessment that they weren’t your classic horror movie type of undead: they appeared limited in function, but not entirely feral as the pack was a combined effort, searching for their prey. They knew something was crawling out among the ice, but the shroud of fog limited them from atop the deck of the dreadnought. In their hands were weapons of varied design, though all were made for melee. Many of the walking men lacked real eyes to take aim with, but their senses seemed sharp enough for their work, as about five of the bastards were headed towards Hoshi, marching with uneven gaits.

One might even confuse the pack for shinobi, as the first of the approaching five emerged from behind Hoshi’s point of cover with a cleaving sword shaped like a giant butcher knife. The fiendish man curved around the berg with the sword raised high by arm barely kept together by exposed, decaying muscle fibers and tendons, all sickly and gray like frozen beef. He slung his blade through Hoshi’s chest with a perfect aim to split him sidelong across the breast bone and front to back. With a burst of steam, the boy erupted, revealing a large chunk of ice he smashed to bits. The undead shinobi’s mouth was half there but composed enough for it to open wide and cry out with a disappointed rage at its deprived kill. The cry rang out, echoing against the wall-like side of the massive ship, but then a flash of light brought it to a sudden stop!

“Kurama we must withdraw” Kaji ordered from his post-strike pose after cutting down the first of many foes with an energized slice from Eelspine. He had appeared in a timely manner by the side of Hoshi and Shu in his hidden form. And despite the slice which split the first decrepit attack head from tail, the undead creature continued to squirm and reach for the shinobi.

wc883

 

[Shouyu Hoshi]

Hoshi had his back to a frigid cold frozen formation is crystallized water. His body temperature was fighting the rapid decrease in body heat with goosebumps and his chakra circulation. He almost lost his breath entirely as if it was vacuum siphoned directly from the center of his back. Hoshi caught his breath and looked over the frozen obstruction with curious eyes. What he saw would bring terror to the faint of heart, paralyzingly them with a stifling sense of disbelief. Before Hoshi could even report to communications he saw large objects barreling overboard. His eyes widened. ‘Have I been spotted?!’

Up close, it was everything he thought he saw. Undead Shinobi, seemingly dead for many of years. They fell and crashed, sunk and splattered, Hoshi embraced himself closer into the iceberg, holding his breath. A thunderous thump started a steady cadence from within his chest cabin. The undead were approaching, and even one from behind. Hoshi even without direct sight of the attack was able to react, and so he caught sight of a floating chunk of ice. A successful switch and crashing of ice, followed by a silenced howl in luminous light. Kaji was before Hoshi now, stating they needed to retreat. Hoshi responded with nodding and gritting his teeth.

Hoshi took off dashing, skimming through atop the water with tip toes infused with chakra that would balance against the shifty ocean surface. Hoshi would turn around quickly for a split second with two fingers beneath his mouth. Hoshi’s abdominal section expanded almost three fold as he inhaled a massive amount of air. He mixed the moisture of the fog and cold air, to condense it into water and shift it into a mist inside of his body. When Hoshi exhaled the result was his chakra transforming the air into a highly pressurized mist that would expand onto multiple walkers. He hoped the jutsu would at least obscure the vision of the incoming corpses and allow him and Kaji an extra amount breathing room. In the midst of thickening mist Hoshi would strike the clouded obstruction with a plan to clear an escape view.

Hoshi was trying to catch his breath, in heavy situations like these, it was difficult to maintain composure. Hoshi wondered if his minuscule tactic would be enough to squander whatever attempt the undead was making. He had then donned the active camo cloak once more, a veil of misty shadows enveloping the young Shinobi, he would appear to be like mist in motion. Hoshi locked onto view of another iceberg he could potentially switch with, at the same time Hoshi began to elude himself from his shadow. The dark figure which was ha symmetrical self shaded by the sun’s light would begin to grow and expand, possibly causing for a distraction against his attackers.

Hoshi was already in battle mode the minute he laid eyes on the ship. His reactions time were boosted as well as the amount of adrenaline flowing through his veins like salmon upstream in a river. The cold sweat trickled down his face like a stream of condensation on an icy cup of water. He prepared his defenses as well as planned his offensive. Hoshi would weave a few hand seals, activating a certain amount of lightning chakra. This would result in a static composition around his gauntlets, sparkling as it cackled like a destructive wiring system. Hoshi had secretly prepared a storm bolt, stored within his palm for a counter attack.

Hoshi would look to Kaji, thankful for a comrade. His nod was more than a nod, the innocent sincerity from the look of his off white orbs would vibrantly display so. Kaji’s movements were so swift it was beyond Hoshi’s advanced sight. Had it not been for that moment, he would surely be back on iceberg painting a scarlet demise of suffering and ignorance. Although, Hoshi felt he had gained some new intel that could hopefully help his teammates. Shu and Miraku, teamed with Mizumi and Wokou back at the boat would be sure not to come up empty handed. Hoshi looked back at Kaji once again, swallowing a thick mound of pride and guilt.

“My apologies sensei. I just felt we needed more information, and I grew impatient. Thanks for watching out…”

Hoshi would proceed at top speed, unrelenting until his doujutsu had caught side of the boat making moves around the dreadnought. They were some distances away and there was no telling if he and Kaji could make it out without more enemy encounters.

Wc 738

[ooc]

Maintains:
Byakugan Rank 3, Chakra Circulation.

Actions: 7 ap.
Hoshi performs E rank water ninjutsu, Pressurized Mist. 1 ap.
Hoshi recasts Shadow Play. 1.25 ap.
Hoshi performs a basic strike. .75 ap.
Hoshi activates active camo rank 1, special action to enter stealth. 2 ap.
Conditionals:
If Hoshi is hit, use body switch with k target. 1 ap.
If Hoshi dodges an attack, counter with E rank Storm Bolt Jutsu. 1 ap.

Depending on conditionals, 3/1 ap remaining.

 

[Sato Daigo]

It did not take until the figures began to coalesce like drops of water binding to each other. They dropped down in the icy waters like icebergs causing the waters to shift and twirl. One of the figures emerged out of the waters behind Hoshi and if were the curling screamed he would not have been able to defend himself. Shu had decided not to aid Hoshi as the dark figure attacked Hoshi unabated. The runic blade sliced through Hoshi's chest but only tasted wood as Hoshi and Shu had been replaced by a wooden log.

Back at the boat, Kaji's was started to feel concern and if Shu's clone was capable of emitting emotions who can see it in Kaji's conternance.

He decided to go after the boy despite Shu's protection. This was going to leave the Her Lucky Bones more exposed than they had anticipated, but likewise the Dreadnought was exposed. They could use this ensuing chaos to their advantage. At the boat, Shu's clone shifted his near translucent finger toward the Dreadnought directing Mirasku to direct his clones toward the Dreadnought. If they wanted to stop this hoard of the undead there must be a talisman that was keeping them animated or a hidden user.

Shu's water clones surreptitiously climbed aboard the metallic behemoth. They quickly scattered apart as they attempted to look for any item that could be of any consequence.

Meanwhile, the true Shu kept close to Hoshi as he waited earnestly for another attack. Since Hoshi had been attacked his spiritual energy would be most desired among the group which would mean he more likely would be sought after. If the undead did attack Shu would be prepared to capture one of them before they could harm Hoshi or himself. At least, Shu hoped that there wouldn't be any unannounced surprises.

Circulate Chakra - 4AP
Maintain Nature's Guard (Water) (1st Round)
Maintain Elemental Clone (Water - 2 Count)
Search Boat with Clones for any item

Conditionals
Use Water Prison (2AP / 625CP if is attacked or approach at a reasonable distance
If many pursuers attack (5+) at once use Flame Shield (3AP / 2750CP) to block path.