Ninpocho Chronicles is a fantasy-ish setting storyline, set in an alternate universe World of Ninjas, where the Naruto and Boruto series take place. This means that none of the canon characters exists, or existed here.
Each ninja starts from the bottom and start their training as an Academy Student. From there they develop abilities akin to that of demigods as they grow in age and experience.
Along the way they gain new friends (or enemies), take on jobs and complete contracts and missions for their respective villages where their training and skill will be tested to their limits.
The sky is the limit as the blank page you see before you can be filled with countless of adventures with your character in the game.
’Oh… dear… Jesus… Saito…’ Jo thought as Tama-sama seemingly dropped over 9000 I.Q. points in the cutest way he’d ever seem. All she was missing was golden blond hair and giant, baby blue eyes, open in wide-eyed innocence, and she’d be the ditsiest girl ever! As it was, her antics were able to distract the Tenouza Academy student long enough to subdue him. Jo was slightly confused as to why she’d chosen this boy as her target; his uniform was much too small to fit the shinobi. Did she plan on altering it, or-
Jo about jumped out of his boots! That is, if they weren’t currently transforming into dress shoes to match the uniform the rest of his clothing was transforming into. ”Holy sh-!” Jo fought for control of his surprise. ”You want to give a guy a little warning before you go an do something like that?”
”You’re lucky that she was cross-dressing,” she said with a feral smile, “or you would be, Exchange Student-kun.”
”Well, be that as it may; my clothes had better return to normal eventually. Do you know how hard it is to break in a good pair of leather boots?”
The pair returned to the others, and Jo completed his disguise with a few cosmetic touches. Some cover-up on his facial scars (carefully blended and shaded (thanks to the sensei who taught him how to disguise himself in the Academy)), and some semi-temporary black hair dye (on his hair and his eyebrows). A quick check in the mirror and he looked every bit the Tenouza Academy student (a senior student, but close enough to the right age). The finishing touch, the medallion Natsu gave them. Jo quickly memorized his back story and prepared himself mentally for the challenge that lays ahead.
’Lets see; infiltrate a militant order of fanatical religious zelots in the hopes of finding a device that could wipe out the entire city in the blink of an eye… sounds like fun!’
…
…
…
It's not a matter of mercy
It's not a matter of laws
Plenty of people will kill you for some fanatical cause… Lock and Key, Hold Your Fire, Rush</I><i></i>
The team approached the tavern, and Jo was characteristically calm in the face of danger. The genin did his best to keep his head down and his mouth shut, like a good protégé; though honestly, there was no time for him to do much of anything but follow everyone else as they were nearly had, then deftly saved by a hidden ally. Jo sat and listened… and listened… and listened. ’Do people actually believe this shit?’ Jo was raised under the tenouzan faith, and everything the Cardinal said made him disgusted to be counted among them. Swallowing bile, Jo shouted with all the rest: Deus Vult… God Wills It… The God Jo was brought up to believe in was merciful and loving, he would never will the death of his children. No, that was the will of man… Man wanted death and destruction, Man wanted to force his will on others simply for the sake of doing so. Jo’s memory flashed back to the Author and By-Tor… he didn’t know what to believe in any more.
In the rush of bodies as the crowd dissipated to do “Gods” bidding, the man who had saved their necks earlier introduced himself as BSA agent Kaguya. Jo was thankful to have the support, and was glad for the sane company. The four brothers of the cloth who had accompanied them to the cemetery spent the whole trip praying loudly and singing hymns. Jo knew most of them from mass, though he hadn’t been since the mission in Marsh; something about having a demon inside you made one start worrying about combusting after crossing the threshold onto hallowed ground (though he’d been able to enter the Basilica easily enough). The almost familiar feeling of the Beast within him rearing his head into Jo’s consciousness washed over the genin as they entered the cemetery. A growl of hunger rolled through Jo’s mind as Kaguya flashed steel and gave the order to deal with the witnesses. Jo glanced over to Do Natsu for confirmation, which the man grimly gave. Hey, chain of command was important; especially since they were an independent branch of the military that didn’t fall under the jurisdiction of the Shogun, let alone the BSA.
’Hmm… four fat priests with no combat experience… and we’ll be taking them by surprise as well… Not much of a challenge, hmm?” Jo bit back even more bile as his heart started racing and adrenaline started flowing through his veins. He didn’t want to kill them… they were defenseless, and innocent. Stupid and misguided, but innocent. Regardless, he couldn’t help but feel excited. The adrenaline rush he felt when he killed was invigorating! There was no better rush than blood and gore and death and-!
The feeling of Saeko’s warmth as she lay next to him… The taste of her lips… The smell of her skin… Just like that, his heart rate slowed. His mind was his own again, and By-Tor was pushed to the background. She had always been able to keep the darkness at bay…
’BUT NOT THIS TIME!!! By-Tor’s voice roared through his head. ’What the hell do you think you’re doing? Distractions like that can get you and your team killed! So what, you enjoy the kill? Who cares! You have to kill. It’s part of your job. If you can enjoy what you do, then why fight it? Now, do your job. Eliminate these four worthless meatbags before your cover is blown!’
A new light of determination filled Jo’s eyes. If he wanted to live, if he wanted to go home to her, if he wanted to save the lives of countless civilians, he was going to have to kill those four priests. So what if he enjoyed the kill? The ends justified the means… didn’t they? Jo stumbled forward from “exhaustion”, and threw his arms around the necks of the two rearmost friars. ”Oh, brothers! God be praised! The sun’s beginning to rise. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! I know! Let us sing one of the Psalms to bless the day. Psalm 150 would be perfect, no? What better way to praise the Lord than with the trumpet and the harp and the lyre? Though we’ll have to substitute our voices for the instruments, I’m afraid!” To the four friars, Jo would appear to be an exhausted, slap-happy boy filled with the ecstasy of the Lord and the mission they were sent to complete. Unbeknownst to them, his mission was sinisterly opposing to theirs. In a cool clear tenor, Jo began singing: ”Lau-da-te e-um in cym-ba-lis ju-bi-la-ti-on-is!”<i></i>
Then, like the wind-up monkey toy, Jo grabbed the two friars heads and smashed them together with the macabre wet crunching sound of breaking skulls and smashed grey matter. Blood and worse spattered and stained the stolen white robe he was wearing. Before the bodies hit the ground, Jo was rushing past them towards the remaining two priests. They had begun turning to investigate the sounds behind them, but all they saw was Jo flying past their fallen brothers, sprinting at them! In a flash of crimson, Jo’s hidden combat knife was unsheathed and punched up under one’s chin, the blade decimating the mans brainstem. Jo didn’t bother to remove the knife, instead opting to keep his momentum moving and tackle the other priest to the ground, effectively knocking the wind out of him and silencing his feeble attempt at a scream. Jo was on him then, his hand grasping the mans head, pulling it up, and smashing it into the cobblestones. One blow was enough to crack his head open like an egg, the blood pooling and running in rivulets in the cervices between the cobblestones.
Jo stood, and turned, staring at the wreckage that had been four men of the cloth. His heart was pumping, his pulse pounding in his temples. A red glint was burning in his eyes, a shadow of a grin on his face. <I>’Yes… good! Feel the power within you! These mere mortals are NOTHING to you! They are as of dust beneath your feet! They do not deserve to live! Let them BURN! Let the WORLD BURN! LETS BE MONSTERS!’
Then, as if from a distant memory…
“Don’t make a mistake with a monster like me. This is your last chance! Please, leave me. Please, for you own good and for mine as well, because if we continue I won't be able to bear to let you go,” Her tears… he could feel her tears…
Then his words…
”I don’t care… I couldn’t care less if you killed the entire world and didn’t feel a thing. I don’t care about the darkness in your heart. I love you, Saeko. I love you unconditionally. All I ask, is that you do the same. Love me like I’m not the monster I am. Love me, regardless of the evil in my soul. Love me, that’s all I ask of you.”
’No, not the whole world…’ Jo thought, push the Demon from his mind once again. In the blink of an eye, the gleam in his was gone. Without a word, Jo started cleaning up the bodies, dragging them from the roadway and tucking them behind a couple of the larger headstones. He then proceeded to set up a perimeter, while someone cut open the effigy. Funny, they were defacing the image of a saint, and it wasn’t the reason Jo was praying for forgiveness…
"Fer bour toi!" Natsu hissed as the company made their way past the friar. Natsu had picked Takayama and Asuka because of the supposedly small chance anyone would know of its priest. Clearly that had not worked out and they had stumbled onto a guard who had visited Asuka, against all odds. Thankfully Raiden was the more generous of the Gods, and provided with Kaguya. Another name that had floated up several times into Natsu's reports, and the Spymaster had always wondered what the man would be like. This first impression certainly helped his opinion on the BSA Major.
"That's the one, eh?" Natsu responded, eyeing the effigy. Certainly not the most attractive of Saints, but such was life. As the officer hinted at the unavoidable spilling of blood, Natsu simply grunted. He was a Shinobi, not a hero. A few non-Kumo corpses more or less mattered little to the man. Something he had come to learn early in his career. So when Jo looked up at him, the Spymaster nodded before turning to the others. "Tama, Kazuhiko. You take care of the lead. I'll help J-.." He started, when the Genin began to sing. Moments later the friars lay dead. "Go, now. We can't waste time." He hissed, motioning at Kaguya to join them, provide cover for any unexpected arrivals.
Leaning down, the Jonin helped hide the bodies. No need to provoke any by-passers with the gruesome sight. As the duo finished, he turned towards Jo. "You okay?" Natsu asked, patting the boy on the shoulder. He knew the younger Shinobi had taken lives before, and he also knew how conflicted the kid had felt about it. The blonde had required some time to adjust to the feeling as well, though everyone dealt differently with it. Regardless of the answer, Natsu would return the knife to his companion. "We're not done yet though.. Tama, how is progress?"
Moving on - if I had to skip anyone who had things already written but not posted, you can definitely include what you've written as a foreward to your next post. If you want me to integrate any dialogue you thought important into this post, I'll be happy to work with you. Some light actions/dialogue have been modded for participants as needed.
“But wait, didn’t you say it cut us off from the outside world? Are there backups? Short range communicators? Something that, maybe, you used before the tower was constructed?” asked Hikari as Masao shook his head.
“Our headsets’ signals are only good for maybe a hundred yards from each other. To go cross-city or cross-country, they require a local booster tower like this one,” he said, gesturing at the flaming wreckage. “What I’m worried about is that I have no idea where the Spymaster and his crew are. And they might not even realize that their communications have been compromised,” he intoned darkly. “Keep close to each other for now. It’s the only chance we have.”
Later, after orders were issued, Hikari found herself returning to the grand audience hall of the Paulus VI. Immediately, the Chancellor of Lightning approached her, followed by Shin. As Hikari noticed, she had twined her arm around the Raikage’s, and otherwise they would have appeared to be a close-knit couple, save for the fact that Shin looked absolutely…uninterested.
“Ambassador, what has happened here? Are we in danger?” she asked.
“The added danger we all suspected… Has reared its head, and disappeared. I understand how these events must seem to change things, but believe me when I say they do not. We are all still here. We each seek to end conflict through compromise. The only thing that has changed, is that we are each to be vigilant,” replied Hikari, addressing the room. Things sounded grim, but perhaps in this moment, she thought, there was a chance for progress. “…For the sakes of our Queens, our Dear Leaders, our Pontiff, and our Shogun, can we agree to this temporary alliance?” she finished asking them, proposing a temporary truce and more than that, cooperation.
“Tanaka-dono, how do we know that this is not a plot by the People’s Republic to attempt to undermine us on the eve of their defeat?” asked Kuro, flashing a suspicious gaze at Hotaka, who cringed behind Kaede.
“A plot?! Don’t make me laugh, palmoonryong,” snorted Kaede derisively. “We can easily defeat you on any battlefield. We need no intrigue to defeat Capitalist Roaders like you.”
“I am reluctant to make any promises I cannot keep,” said Shiranai now, crossing his arms. In seconds, the room erupted into bickering, and the Pontiff, who attempted to add some levity, was all but ignored. Still, Hikari fought against the tide.
“The danger is very real. Sennin Kaibutsu…” she began, addressing each of them in turn now. The room fell silent again as she spoke from her heart with passion she would normally have reserved for slaughtering enemies with her hammer. “…We will not allow them to tear our peace apart, will we? That which each of us have worked so damned hard to bring about?”
If she was expecting a resounding “NO!” she was in for disappointment. The room was silent. The redhead could feel the stares boring into her, and she knew not what to do.
“Oh come ON!” groaned the Pontiff now, rolling his eyes. “Don’t be so damned tsun to Hikari-dono! You know she’s right and just don’t want to admit it because you think it’ll make you seem weak in front of the others! Well, that might work for a silly harem anime, but as Saint Isamu once said: ‘This is the real life, not just fantasy, and we’re caught in a landslide, with no escape from reality! Open your eyes, look up to the sky and see! I’m just a poor boy, and I need no sympathy, because I’m easy come, easy go, little high, little low. Anyway the wind blows, doesn’t really matter to me. To me.’ But it had better matter to you, and to the future of your nations and your people,” he said, huffing now, his face red from exertion.
“…I agree with Tanaka-dono, General Sumihara,” said Hotaka softly. “No more death. No more fighting. One day I want Denisu Roduman to come and play basketball in my country. I want to be able to watch 80’s music videos with Shiranai-shogun and talk about anime with Haninozuka-junha. That will never happen unless we work together from tonight onward. Can we please do this, everyone?” he asked. Kaede’s face grew pale, but she bit her tongue, nodding. Slowly, everyone else started to murmur their assent. Hikari drew in a breath of relief. She had triumphed again, if only with the help of some very questionably-quoted scripture.
“Now, as for how we can fight back… Be ready to defend each other. You were enemies yesterday, but henceforth, and until the threat is dealt with, you are no longer. It is too dangerous to go alone. Each and every one of you pair up. Have protection details around your leaders. Takaki sama has made plans for the protection of our Kage, I suggest, though I do not doubt your ability, Hoshikage shi, that you make similar plans, Kaibutsu nim, and you as well, General Sumihara, and you, Camarlengo…”
Later…
Effigy Storage Grounds
Our Lady of The Sorrows Cemetery, Holy See of Tenouza
…0545 hours
After what seemed like an eternity, the molten ends of plasma-cut lead met with each other to complete an ellipse on the emaciated chest and abdomen of Saint Himura. The spike he had been sentenced to die on jutted from just above the cut-line, and presented a constant danger of whacking one’s head as the shinobi team struggled to pry the cut section away from the statue. The position of the sun now predicted that they had a few minutes left before others from the Congregation arrived and made things difficult. However, the oval eventually shifted outwards, and fell to the soft ground with a dull clanging noise.
Kaguya inhaled in visible shock as he beheld the inside of the Saint. There, strapped inside his torso where his viscera should have been, was a roughly cylindrical object, orange in color, with the hangul characters for “Danger: Radiation” emblazoned on it with bright yellow lettering, and a spray-painted-on Marsh Country flag. A glowing control panel faced the team, and on its center, a timer.
00:04:16:40
<i></i>
It was ticking down.
00:04:15:59
<i></i>
“Jesus Saito, it’s real…” gasped the BSA Major as he broke out into a cold sweat. “They actually fucking did it… Those Commie bastards,” he swore, his throat dry. The timer now read four hours, fifteen minutes, and twenty seconds, and continued to count down.
“Guys…there’s something else,” pointed out Jo, repressing the urge to vomit at what he had seen. The statue itself was hollow, which meant that there was space above and below the warhead they had just discovered. And propped up below the warhead, the group could see it now. It was a human body.
In the relatively airtight confines of the statue and the cold climate of Lightning Country, it had resisted putrefaction, instead simply drying in a sort of impromptu mummification. As the group peeled back the bottom lip of the lead cut-out, they could now see more detail. Whoever it had been was once a man, and furthermore, wore the robes of a Tenouzan Bishop. His hands were bound with a pair of manacles, and his body was in a fetal position with the head facing down about the knees. Still, though, there was something very familiar about his hair. The brown, close-cropped hair with a large shock of white that covered the right side of his face…
“Definitely not a fresh kill. This one’s been dead about a month or two, I’d say,” muttered Kaguya.
His anxiety outweighing his disgust, Do Natsu reached down past the bomb and grasped the corpse’s hair in his hand, yanking the head back so that the face was visible. There was no question as to this one’s identity. It was Miyatogi Junichi, Camarlengo of the Holy See.
* * *
Saint Isamu’s Basilica
Saint Isamu’s Square, Holy See of Tenouza
…0600 Hours
Groggily, the delegations of The Serene Kingdom of Bear, the People’s Republic of Marsh, and the Shogunate of Lightning Country made their way into the massive cathedral. The events of last night had ruined the chance for a good night’s sleep for most of those present, as a disturbed head of state could not sleep easily, and neither could the bodyguards.
Masao and Ayumu had taken first and second watch for Shin, who had spent most of the night pacing anyway and muttering about tea and how Deta was faring. Unfortunately for the two Sennin, both had spent the night terrified that at any moment, Shin would begin to “take a man’s respite” as it were, and as a result, both were bleary-eyed and tired now. Kitsune had taken watch over Shiranai, while Shashu had stood guard for Ami; Shiranai had spent most of the night trying to hide his embarrassment over Kitsune attempting to hop in bed with him (just to cuddle) and unfortunately for Shashu, the Chancellor of Lightning Country had proven to be just as fascinated with dressing her in cute outfits as every other older woman she’d been left alone with before (the molestation train has no brakes). Fortunately for Hikari, she had ended up staying in her room quite comfortably, and the Camarlengo had even brought her a half-gallon of chocolate ice cream to eat while they commiserated over their incompetent bosses.
As far as the Bear Delegation, Ai and Kuro had taken turns guarding over the Queen, who had spent the early part of the night looking at her newfound collection of semi-risque Shiri-tan pictures and rolling around in delight before eventually conking out. Meanwhile, Sumihara Kaede had spent most of the night jealously holding her younger brother in her lap and spinning a Tokari TT-33 pistol bolter around her finger while looking grumpily around the room for any traces of Kitsune.
Breakfast had been a semi-miserable, clumsy affair with more clinking of silverware on plates and spilled condiments than actual conversation, and only through the miracle of coffee was anyone able to resist the urge to simply go right back to bed. Masao had grudgingly passed his brush through Shashu’s hair a few times at her urging, too tired to object to her perversion.
Entering the Basilica, everyone was instantly buffeted with the full force of a complete chorus, conducted by the Pontiff Himself, clad in the official regalia of his station.
And He will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His Hand.
The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
And famine will bring you no fear;
Under His Wings your refuge,
His faithfulness your shield.
The Cathedral had been constructed with acoustics in mind, and thus the intensity of the music crested to overwhelming levels, even as impressive as it was. The hymnal drew to a close, and the Pontiff’s arms stretched in the air before signaling a stop. Contrary to his earlier appearances, in this state he actually did fit the image of the spiritual leader of an entire religion, herding his flock with puissance and command. That is, until the triregnum crown he wore started to tip dangerously over to the side, requiring him to fumble to take it off.
“Er, sorry about that,” he muttered, addressing the dignitaries. “My thanks and most of all, your people’s thanks for attending this conference. Here we cast aside past hatreds to pursue a vision of peace on this earth, with dignity for all men and women, no matter nationality, religion, or creed. Some of you have done harm each other in the past, and some of you believe these talks will be futile. However the fact that you are here today and willing to discuss your differences over bread and salt rather than bolter and sword is what gives us all hope that mankind is not done for after all, and that our differences do not outweigh our commonality and our shared humanity. Saint Isamu teaches us to be realistic about our expectations; I do not expect that Supreme Leader Sumihara Hotaka and Queen Haninozuka Ekaterina will ever see eye to eye on most issues, nor that they will become anything resembling friends. But I do expect that as a reasonable man and woman with free will granted by the Creator, that they will do what is best for their people. Hence, I bid all of you welcome to our humble church, so that you may find your own light.”
Did he just make…a decent speech? thought Masao, fighting a headache.
“Thank you, Your Holiness,” said the Camarlengo, bowing deeply to the Pontiff before addressing the delegations. “Now, we will be conducting the actual talks in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, which houses the Cathedra Isamu. This is right behind the altar and the baldacchino,” he said, pointing at the enormous bronze pavilion covering the high altar. “Please, follow me.”
As the shinobi and others filed past the massive slab of stone, they made their way into the apse in the back of the cathedral, where the normal pews had been pushed aside to make room for a large oaken table with enough room to seat everyone in a circle. Overlooking the table, a massive gilt bronze casing of scrolling members flanked by depictions of cherubs and lit by a central tinted window through which the light of the dawn streamed freely into the space below. On a golden background of the frieze, was the Classical Tenouzan inscription: "O Pastor Ecclesiae, tu omnes Isamu pascis agnos et oves*" on the left, with the same writing on the right except in Classical Ancient Kumo.
At the table, each place had a small platter of bread with a small bowl of salt and a glass of water. It was a symbol of welcome and a subtle reminder to all that violence would be a breach of the ancient and immovable rules of hospitality. Masao and the others started to find their places, which were marked with small placards. There was even a place for little Shashu, although she doubtless would feel the urge to spider around the place, so inviting was the inside of a cathedral. The Pontiff also took his place, with the Camarlengo standing close by. Across the table, Kaede and Ai shot suspicious glances at each other, but did not appear to possess the same venom they had displayed the day before. Hikari’s little trick to make them cooperate last night really worked. Keep that up and you’ll be Raikage in no time, he mused.
“Tanaka-dono, as moderator of these talks, would you like to start with a few words?” asked the Pontiff mischievously. Idly, Masao’s gaze caught an image of the Camarlengo’s face on the surface of his drinking glass. The man was chatting softly with Ami, likely about some trade agreement, but strangely enough his face appeared rather…unclear. Masao rubbed the glass a bit with his thumb to wipe away any obvious smudges or grease, but the image remained fuzzy. Must be tired, he thought.
*trans: “O pastor of the Church, you feed all Isamu's lambs and sheep”
"Klootzak!" swore Natsu as he attempted once more to change frequencies on his radio headset. The first thing he had done since discovering the body was attempt to send an emergency message to his Sennin, but no matter how many times he had tried, he only received static in response. He had even tried to contact the other members of the delegation – Ayumu, Kitsune, Shashu, the Raikage, the dispatch office of the Tenouzan Pontifical Guard, and hell, even the personal frequencies of the Hoshikage and General Sumihara as last resorts (many Bothans died for those), but to no avail. There was simply nothing on the other end. It did not sound like he was being jammed, but rather than his radio waves were simply going off into nowhere. This is only possible if the local antenna tower were to go completely out of service… Aha! So that’s their game, he grimly concluded. The team’s only option now was to physically get back to the Basilica where the talks would be held, and warn someone before it was too late. In the meantime, however…
“This is Do Natsu. Anyone who can hear us! The real Camarlengo is dead! I repeat, Miyatogi Junichi-san is dead!” he announced into a small loop recording device he had altered his radio set with early on in his career. He set the sound bite to broadcast continuously on a constantly changing shuffle of public frequencies in the meantime. As long as his headset was intact, and as long as there was someone close-by with a functioning radio receiver, it would get the message out. Even if I perish, thought the blonde grimly.
“Alright, we need to do something about the bomb before we go. I don’t have the skill to attempt to defuse it, and it’s likely that whoever set this probably rigged it to blow the second it was tampered with,” he said to the others.
“The good thing is that it’s actually not as powerful as one might think,” said Kazuhiko, rubbing his chin. “Tama-chan, Narashi-san, and I were able to survive a blast when we were only a few kilometers away, although the force of it was enough to knock over trees even where we were. If it were to go off here, it would destroy the graveyard and cause a quarter of the city to burn, but…the majority of the citizens would be spared at least the immediate effects.”
“Damn monster of a thing…” Kaguya muttered. “But if it means that the Shogun lives and only a few thousand die, then we have little choice in the matter.”
“Oh! I remembered something!” suddenly interjected Tama, who chewed on a Slim-Jin meat snack as she sat astraddle the spike jutting from the Saint’s chest. “When we were all in that Shadow Moses place, I kinda peeked around a bit at some audioblogs that the engineers working on the bomb left behind. Most of it was all ‘Shit I wish Chang-ho would stop stealing my titty magazines!’ and ‘The things I would do to General Sumihara’s rear-end,’ but there was one about how if there was the slightest disruption to the explosive soccer ball surrounding the uranium core, that the bomb would just blow up like normal and wouldn’t go nuclear at all!”
At this, Donuts resisted the urge to facepalm… “Tama-chan…why didn’t you say anything earlier?”
“I was thinking about Shiri-tan, duh.”
Kazuhiko had expected things to be bad, a bomb in the middle of a city is not exactly an exciting prospect to consider, but with the knowledge that the dead body sealed in the statue along with the bomb was that of the Carmelengo. Well, that meant someone very dangerous was now in the vicinity of the most high-profile targets in all Lightning Country.
That compiled with Tama’s belated information about the bomb’s casing could only mean one thing. “We’ve been had. The bomb’s just a diversion!” Before Kazuhiko could continue, a voice interrupted them.
“Crusaders! Someone is messing with the statue! To Arms!” shouted a voice to the east. Instantly, the team turned their heads to see a group of armed Tenouzan members of the Congregation running toward them. Hands went to weapons or started to form seals, and Kaguya drew a submachine-bolter from beneath the folds of his robes, but the shinobi quickly realized that they were rapidly becoming outnumbered. For following the initial dozen, a seemingly endless wave of armed Faith Militant now crested the hill overlooking the Mausoleum, all sporting anti-materiel ballistas or pikes, and dressed in the intimidating veils that had once struck terror into the hearts of unbelievers worldwide. As if this were not enough, a trio of Cathedral-class armored war wagons also crested the hill, turning grass and gravestones to slag underneath their treads.
At the head of the small army that had gathered was a very familiar individual to Kazuhiko, Jo, and Kaguya. Kazuhiko turned and his face paled in shock, “How are you alive?! Then that means…” Kazuhiko considered the implications in a heartbeat, if Kazuhiko had survived then Senada Marie was most likely also alive, he hadn’t recovered her body after all.
“You. You! No! God DAMMIT! I refused to believe it, but it’s true!” roared Kaguya in despair and anger as he shouldered his bolter and took aim at the person leading the army. “HAIKUNO! YOU BASTARD!”
It was unclear whether Haikuno heard this or saw his former friends, but as he turned to Cardinal Hatsune Miike, his gesture was clear. It was a hand across the throat, in a slashing motion. The Cardinal smiled grimly and shouted to his followers.
In unison, the veiled legion of Faith Militant knelt, leveled their bolters at the shinobi, and started to fire.
“Get down!” shouted Kaguya as he abandoned his attempt to pick Haikuno off from a distance and dove behind a nearby sarcophagus just in time for it to nearly crumble under the onslaught of .50 caliber bolts. As he peeked his head over the top of the ruined cover, he swore as the line of enemy began to advance, pikes forward. The war-wagons also began to shift into firing position, aiming nearby to where the shinobi were pinned down. He looked over to where Kazuhiko was, and shouted for the shinobi’s attention. “Kichida! Go! You have to warn the Shogun about the impostor! I’ll distract these guys and deal with Haikuno! …This is my fight! My responsibility! I…I let him go astray! I have to set things right! …Tell Burutesu…tell him that I will always do the right thing!”
Not brooking “no” for an answer, Kaguya now pulled a smoke grenade from his belt pouch and hurled it over the edge of the ruined gravestone. It immediately burst into a thick, choking cloud of black smoke, causing the advancing line of Inquisition shock troopers to pause in confusion. Like a lightning bolt, Kaguya now emerged from his hiding place and sprinted to their flanks, letting out rattling bursts of bolter-fire at the center of the infantry line.
Kazuhiko admired the boy’s spirit and didn’t doubt his skill. But one person versus an army? “Do-san, take Tama and Jo to the Basilica, if Haikuno is here, that must mean Enishi and the other Kingslayers are there with Shin and the others. I’m still not back to top form after that trip to “Shadow Moses” so I would be useless in a fight with people of Enishi’s caliber. Take this, it’s one of Itonami Ataeru’s last inventions before he disappeared, he was able to increase the power and range of shortwave communicators, I was planning on submitting it to R&D per protocol, but…” Kazuhiko shrugged handing the device over, “It’s supposed to be able to transmit through lead and other surfaces, so we’ll be able to stay in touch. I’ll help Kaguya here, and then we’ll head over to you.”
He then vanished, reappearing at Kaguya’s side, glowing blade stabbing a crazed militant through the heart. “Redemption isn’t worth much if you’re dead, kid. You go for Haikuno. I’ll cover you, this is your fight after all.”
* * *
Some time into the negotiations, nearly everyone was starting to get a little stir-crazy. Masao was starting to nod off, while Kitsune had now undone the third button on her blouse in an attempt to troll the hell out of any males in the room. Ayumu clearly needed to urinate but could not seem to find the will to simply rise from his spot and depart, while Shashu had long since left and was probably hanging upside down inside the Great Dome of Bramante. Shin of course, had an iron stomach for these things, and probably found them interesting.
“…thus, we propose that the new borders of the People’s Republic extend to the fortieth parallel, following the natural course of the Taedong River until its entry into Lightning Country,” said Sumihara Kaede, tracing her finger along a large, canvas map of the Lightning Peninsula.
“Preposterous, General Sumihara,” said Queen Haninozuka icily. “The original terms of the Kagetsu Treaty which your father also signed, stipulated the border of Marsh to follow the thirty-eighth parallel along the Taebaek Pass...”
“…which we took in open and declared warfare that fully adhered to the established rules of war according to the Hayata Convention!” retorted Kaede.
“I believe the Kagetsu Treaty overrules the Hayata Convention when it comes to seizure of land or property, General Sumihara,” interjected the Chancellor of Lightning. “This is well-established by several international courts of jurisprudence…”
“Ambassador Tanaka, this is patently untrue. My nation’s ancestral claim to the Liancourt Rocks at the fortieth parallel invalidates the Chancellor’s assertion completely!” protested Kaede. “We have brought extensive documentation on this fact-“ she began, before suddenly being cut off by the obvious thumping of an artillery barrage to the south.
“That’s...not supposed to happen,’ said the Pontiff, scrunching his brow.
“Those are our city defenses at work,” said the Camarlengo. “But it is strange – I ordered all fortifications on lockdown after last night. No one is supposed to even uncap the arbalestillery barrels unless explicitly authorized by myself through a messenger.”
“I can only assume that the discharge of fire is related to my subordinates. It is most likely they are in battle with terrorist forces right now,” said Masao, cracking his knuckles. “Without knowing more about the situation at hand, I cannot support continuing the talks right now. I urge you all to evacuate to a safer location and barricade yourselves.”
“But Sennin Takaki, we still have much to discuss! We have not even covered plans for the withdrawal of forces from Sagishi-Souru!” protested the Queen.
“Agreed with the Queen, Sennin. And is this not why you have your shinobi present? To protect this session from being interrupted?” asked Ami, tilting her head.
“We should never have sent our army away,” grumbled Kaede.
“Ooh! I know! Yo, Brother Junichi, why don’t you take Takaki-san here to my office? My personal shortwave transmitter works on an open band, even with Saint Lucy out of commission,” offered the Pontiff. “I mean, if you want to purchase something with your credit card, I wouldn’t use it, but you might be able to at least hear your men.” To this, the Camarlengo’s eyes widened in recognition.
“Indeed, Your Holiness! I had forgotten about that!” he said, shaking his head. “His Holiness is correct, however. It is used by the Pontiff to transmit sermons and homilies to areas whose traditional radio signals are under jamming, such as the People’s Republic…” he admitted, earning a death stare from Kaede, “and the loss of signal boost from the tower is a real handicap, but it’s the only thing that might still work in this city.”
“That will suffice, Camarlengo,” said Masao, nodding in thanks to the Pontiff. “Even if I cannot broadcast directly to my subordinates, it would still be helpful to know their situation, and if it has anything to do with the disturbances going on now.”
“Very well, Sennin Takaki, I shall show you there immediately. Fortunately, His Holiness’ personal transceiver is in the Basilica in his main office a short distance away from here. Please, come with me,” said the Camarlengo. Masao turned to the others.
“Continue the talks. Same orders as before. I’ll be back soon to give a full report.” And to Hikari, he gave a gruff smile. “I trust you, my niece,” he said, before following the Camarlengo down a nearby hall.
In silence, the two men walked briskly down the halls until reaching a lift at the south end of the Basilica. The ride upwards seemed interminable, for the machinery was ancient and the ceiling of the cathedral high up off the ground. But eventually, the Camarlengo led him to a set of richly-detailed double-doors, which he unlocked with a set of keys on a ring on his belt, and pushed them open. Inside, the Pontiff’s office was as grand and gilded as one might have expected. It was a large, sweeping oval truncated by a wall with a smaller doorway that led out onto a balcony that oversaw the entirety of the Plaza below. It was from this balcony that the Pontiff usually gave his Holiday Mass to the assembled throngs below, and now Masao could count himself as one of the few non-clergy to have ever seen this sight from the inside-out. Lush oil paintings of inestimable value lined the walls, along with thousand-year-old statuary that rivaled the collection of the Lightning National University Museum of Culture. Near the far end was a large, dark-brown desk ornamented with gold filigree and accompanied by an ornate cushioned chair fashioned into a circled cross.
“Please, take a look around if you wish,” said the Camarlengo with some measure of pride. “This is definitely not offered on the public tours, but I am happy to show it to you. In the meantime, I will attempt to get the transceiver working.”
“My thanks, Camarlengo,” replied Masao, striding around the room in wonder, the sounds of bombardment outside temporarily forgotten. His eyes lingered on the head of broken, bloodstained lance in display case, before fixating on a simply-decorated wooden cup behind bolter-proof glass, that to his attuned senses obviously radiated power. If I’m not mistaken that spearhead and cup are the godrotting Lance of Longinus and the Grail. All of these priceless artifacts in the hands of a bunch of wealthy priests. I guess some things never change, he scoffed internally as the Camarlengo started to press buttons and turn dials on an ancient-looking device nearby the Pontiff’s desk that sat on a platform of its own. The machine seemed to fizz and pop with static.
“I am truly sorry, Sennin Takaki, but it would seem that His Holiness’ personal unit is out of commission as well. The battery is completely dead and must be recharged. I wish I could help you further,” said the chamberlain sadly as he sucked his teeth and placed the handset back onto its gilded cradle.
“Regrettable. I appreciate your efforts, regardless,” sighed Masao as he strode toward the Pontiff’s desk and leaned slightly over it, supported by his hands. The deep, dense mahogany felt sublime in its coolness and smoothness, and its patterns entranced the eyes. A disorganized pile of papers in one corner of the desk was the only indication that someone actually worked here. Otherwise, it was covered in what could only be described as gold and silver baubles. By chance, he caught a reflection of the Camarlengo’s face in the glass face of an ornate mechanical clock. Strangely enough, however, the features were blurry…indistinct. Like they had been this morning as well when he had caught the man’s reflection in a water glass. He stared at the bishop’s indistinct features.
”No matter how sophisticated the genjutsu, they are all dependent on individual perception. Your brain may perceive an image chosen by the caster, but that does not mean that reality has been objectively changed. An illusionist’s worst enemy is a mirror image of himself displayed for the target,” Aio had said to him once many years ago, before the Plot.
“You know, Camarlengo, I’ve been wondering about something,” said Masao, scrunching his brow.
“Yes?”
“Your family name is Miyatogi, right? We have a Miyatogi in the village. Tetsu is his name. He’s a student, you know. Are you related?” asked the Sennin pleasantly.
“Ah yes, Tetsu-kun! He’s my nephew, in fact. He heard the call a few years ago and decided to do missionary work in Kumogakure. I must write him soon,” said Junichi with a smile.
“Ah, I always wondered who Tetsu-kun’s relatives were in Tenouza,” said Masao. No. The student’s name is Katsu. You should know that as his uncle, and also as the man responsible for personnel assignments to the dioceses. Things were starting to fall into place far too quickly for his liking. The bombing of the tower, the fact that the terms of Hikari’s initial agreement had been ignored so readily… Slowly, he drew the cuff of his sleeve back from his right wrist, his back still turned to the Camarlengo. “How long have you served the Pontiff, by the way?” he asked, loosening his shoulders for action. Suddenly, the radio receiver near the Pontiff’s desk began to buzz and crackle.
“….anyone who can hear us! …real Camarlengo is dead! I repeat… …Junichi-san is dead!” shouted Natsu’s voice.
Masao violently whirled around with his chakra wrist-blade extended, aiming for the Camarlengo’s midsection. The energy spike sank into a metal forearm, which had been raised in defense just in time, and with his free hand, the Camarlengo plunged a stiletto blade right into Masao’s right eye.
The world exploded into pure white – into an agony so overwhelming that it was impossible to move, to think, to even breathe. He did not even register it when the bishop’s foot crashed into his midsection, sending him flying backwards across the Pontiff’s desk and into the ornate cross-chair. Instinctively, his right hand clawed its way up his own face and yanked the embedded blade free. Masao let out a roar of agony and a small geyser of crimson sprayed across the mahogany. His remaining eye caught the gaze of the Camarlengo, who squatted on the desk with a mocking expression written across his face.
Muscle memory and training directed him to go for the pistol-bolter holstered under his left shoulder, but under the man’s gaze, his muscles seemed to disobey his commands. He was trapped in that chair. A few milliseconds later, he realized that he had become ensnared in the Body Bind jutsu. That the Camarlengo was now revealed as an impostor was obvious, but for him to know techniques only ANBU Captains were supposed to know, it meant… As if reading his mind, the Camarlengo broke into a triumphant smile.
“That was for my eye,” said the man, as he brushed a hand over his face. The late Miyatogi Junichi’s form shimmered and dissipated, only to be replaced by a familiar sight.
“Enishi…” rasped Masao.
“The one and only,” replied his arch enemy, rising to his feet and bowing. Gracefully, the ex-ANBU Captain and assassin of Kagetsu Kiyo hopped off the desk and opened the door to the balcony. Into the office stepped two others, who Masao recognized immediately from their wanted posters.
“Damn, boss! It’s really him in the flesh!” gasped the scantily-clad beast-woman who leered at him. Leaning over, she licked at his face, tasting the blood running down from his ruined eye socket. “He tastes really angry. Kinda makes we wet, you know? Can I have some fun with him, Enishi-samaaa?” she asked. The other arrival, a platinum-blonde man with a perpetual smirk on his features, merely looked at Masao with a measure of restrained ennui.
“No, Risei. Secure him here with physical restraints. If you harm him further, my jutsu will be negated and it will cause trouble for all of us,” said Enishi, picking up the bloody stiletto from the Pontiff’s desk and wiping it on Masao’s coat. A few seconds later, Masao was now almost enveloped in chains wrapping him tightly to the seat.
“Alright, you bastard…” Masao growled, spitting a trail of crimson at Enishi’s feet. “You’ve won. You got me. If you’re going to blow your nuke, then I’d advise you get out of town quickly. Give yourself at least a hundred-kilometer radius. That is, unless you want to stay and be vaporized with me,” he snarled. Enishi laughed, pacing around his captive.
“You’re so admirably dense, Sennin Takaki. Do you really think I’d vaporize a hundred thousand innocents plus all of the art and literature in this city just to eliminate a few corrupt royals and some Cloud shinobi? Don’t disappoint me like that. No, I made sure that the device will never actually achieve fission. A few carefully-placed flaws in its explosive jacket means it will detonate and destroy the Basilica, but the city itself will be spared...mostly. What I really wanted was this opportunity. Some alone time with you before I said hello to the Raikage and Shogun and Queen and Dear Leader,” said Enishi.
“I’m godrotting flattered. But at the same time, I’m really tired of hearing you prattle on, so you might as well get on with my execution. Well, what are you waiting for? I don’t have all day,” snapped Masao. Suddenly, Enishi whirled around and sank the stiletto into the old Sennin’s shoulder, causing him to curse and writhe in pain.
“And that was for taking my arm,” purred Enishi, twisting the blade before yanking it free. Masao’s breaths grew ragged now, and he felt nothing on his right arm but fire intermingled with numbness. Still, he managed to scrunch his face into a condescending leer as he looked at his enemy again.
“Oh…and here I thought…you’d seriously botched your aim, like a nervous Academy Student,” chortled the Sennin, even as lines of searing pain crossed his face.
“Give me a little more credit, please?” sighed Enishi, rolling his eyes. “After all, I orchestrated the betrayal of your Captain Takayama, which led to the suicide of your wife. And in that same vein, no, I’m not going to actually kill you. On the contrary, as I have said many times before to you, I am going to take everything from you piece by piece while you still live. I will kill your Raikage, followed by your Shogun, and then the Chancellor and the members of the Marsh and Bear Delegations. I will kill your dear friend Shinrya Kitsune and your newfound niece Tanaka Hikari. I will also kill your former trainee Kogami Ayumu, your Spymaster Do Natsu, your Hand Mochizuki Tama, and even your subordinates Kichida Kazuhiko and Narashi Jo. I will allow the student, Tsuirakuya Shashu to live and tell Kumogakure what has transpired here, before she is eliminated by agents of the Titan Corporation for failing in her task to disrupt the peace talks earlier. I will also kill your children, Enjeru and Saeko, but you will live through it. And only when everything you hold dear is ashes, then you have my permission to die.”
Masao, unexpectedly, began to laugh.
“How fucking delusional can you get, Enishi?! They’re not going down so easily. Each and every one of them will fight you to the last breath and take more from you than you can give. They are going to hand your ass to you ten times over,” he cackled, coughing in pain from his shoulder wound. “You think…you think you can just walk down there and ask them to fall on your fucking sword?”
Enishi blinked.
“No. But they WILL fall on yours,” he said, drawing closer to Risei and Shourai. Forming handseals, his appearance suddenly shifted and shimmered, as did everyone else’s. Shourai’s form changed to that of the Camarlengo’s. Risei’s womanly figure now distorted and changed to that of a man’s. Into a perfect replication of the Sennin of the Main Branch. And as for Enishi…
As the new trio left the room, Masao could only scream in rage.
* * *
“…and in addition, the Bakufuu of Kaminari no Kuni will demand reparations from the Serene Kingdom of Bear for the purposes of covering the expenditure of Imperial Army resources, munitions, and troops during the suppression of the Nagamasa rebellion, which was caused by attempted bribery of Count Nagamasa by King Haninozuka Nikolai,” intoned Chancellor Tachibana Ami, adjusting a pair of reading glasses as she scanned over a scroll in front of her.
“We will offer no reparations in any form for those expenses,” interjected Queen Ekaterina, shaking her head. “I remind the assembled peerage that the illegal actions of Cloud shinobi in regards to the assassination of the late King Haninozuka were far more costly to my nation than the total budget of the battle for Nagamasa castle, and that we graciously did not send a bill to the Bakufuu for the costs related to the trial and imprisonment of Sennin Takaki and Dr. Shinrya…”
“Completely preposterous, Your Majesty. The Bakufuu does not recognize the validity of that trial…” objected Ami, waving a hand dismissively in the air.
“I apologize for the interruption, Chancellor Tachibana, Your Majesty, but there’s been a development that requires the attention of the assembled delegates,” announced Masao as he re-entered the chapel, followed by the Camarlengo and a nun with a white veil over her face. He approached the table, taking off his gloves and tossing them on the surface. “Pontiff Yamauchi, if you would please stand…”
“Oh yeah, sure thing boss! We playing musical chairs?” asked the Pontiff jokingly as he rose.
“No,” said Masao, as he suddenly drew his Gateru M1911A3 pistol bolter, leveled it at Yamauchi Kiyoshi’s forehead, and pulled the trigger.
A bloody spot of red seemed to form on the Pontiff’s forehead, and the man’s eyes crossed in confusion, before the 10mm-caliber bolt exited from the back of his head, spraying crimson shards of brain and gray fragments of skull backwards to splatter on the wall. Kitsune stood bolt-upright before anyone else, and dashed in front of the Sennin
"No!! What the hell are you doi-" she screamed at him before suddenly her words died in her throat from a sharp pain between her breasts. Her eyes widened in shock as well as anguish, and a she coughed a splatter of blood onto his clothing. One of Masao's wristblades was buried in her chest, right between her breasts, with his fingers lightly resting against the base of her neck. She met his emotionless gaze, tears running down her face, before he yanked the blade out of her body, splattering the marble floor with crimson. "...but I loved..." she whispered, before falling to the side.
At the same time, the white-veiled nun, who had sidled up to behind Hayata Shin, now plunged her bladed hand into Raikage’s back, punching it through his right flank, through the diaphragm, and out of his left chest.
“Interesting…” said Shin as he looked at the bloody fingers erupting from his torso and adjusted his glasses. Red began to bloom like an opening flower from his chest before the woman abruptly withdrew the her arm with a gush of air and blood, and the Raikage collapsed to his knees. Meanwhile, the Camarlengo smiled silently, leveled a brace of submachine-bolters at the other delegates, and opened fire at two thousand rounds per minute sweeping across the table.
Armor-piercing bolts smashed into Ayumu’s torso and shattered his armor as he threw himself across the table in front of the leaders of Lightning Country and bowled them to the ground and into some semblance of cover. Crimson erupted from Ami’s left arm and Shiranai’s shoulder, but none of the rounds managed to penetrate any vital organs. Similarly, Kuro’s back exploded into gouts of raw vermillion as he shielded the Queen with his body and forced her to the ground. Hotaka’s eyes widened as the fire swept toward him, only to be deflected by a glowing shield erected around him by Ai, who clasped a bloody wound on her abdomen. Kaede in the meantime, had managed to toss a brace of throwing knives at the Camarlengo, both of which impacted his weapons and knocked them out of his hands. The holy man-turned assassin leapt backwards, joining Masao and the "nun", who now took her veil off.
”Mama’s back! Did you miss me, maggots?” asked Santaru Rin.
And…it’s happening! Not even Ron Paul can save you guys now!
To explain: This is essentially where I would make a call to a b-mod, as you guys are essentially fighting against real opponents. I am not an official B-mod, but I have undergone training for it and have been exposed to its workings through my time on admin, so I will be modding the fight. Make sure your profiles and stats, jutsus, and abilities are up to date, because I will be rolling actual numbers and computing your hits and misses based on your stats. There is no need to send me your profiles, however, since I have access to them.
Currently, your opponents are fully statted-out Masao, Rin, and the Camarlengo (likely one of the Kingslayers in disguise) from the looks of it. That means 3 S-class, fully-capped opponents at once. This will allow everyone to see what it’s like to fight a group of powerful opponents, and what tactics work and don’t work against them.
In the first round of battle are: Ayumu, Shashu, Hikari, and Shin.
Please note that ICly, Shin and Ayumu have been injured for the purposes of game balance (both of you have been capped for a very long time and have significant prior battle experience). You will both start the fight at HALF HP/CP, but your other stats will not be affected. This is to increase the overall risk and improve the experience for your less-combat-seasoned companions, some of whom will be participating in modded battle of any sort for the first time.
One round later, they will hopefully be joined by Donuts, Jo, and Tama, provided they choose to actually proceed to the fight instead of tarrying at the cemetery.
Notes: Unfortunately, Kitsune’s writer has been banned so she will not be taking part in the fight.
Treat this like a real battle, because it basically IS. Send me your actions via PM, strictly no later than 48 hours after the posting of a mod (for this first mod, I will let you have until Friday this week, since I have to do some initial tabling and layouts myself). If I do not receive actions in this timeframe, I will mod your character in a defensive stance only. Since this is a complex fight with many characters involved I will attempt to be quick with my modding, but it will take a bit of time and some errors might occur. If you do notice any of them let me know, but realize that I will not likely be going through reams of calculations to correct them to an exact degree. I will also be minimalist about RP’ing combat here since battle-modding takes a lot more time than most people realize – you can be minimalist too, unless you have some really cool line you want your character to shout out (you shounen addicts, you). And lastly, you CAN and ARE encouraged to strategize with each other OOCly. You are, after all, on the same team and presumably know each other well enough ICly to get a sense for how everyone else will react.
The second the wave of white began cresting the hill, Jo knew they were in trouble. Worse yet, By-Tor knew Jo was in trouble. ’Finally! A challenge! Lets rip them to shreds, shall we?’ Jo was beginning to think he was going to have to do just that. Armed as they were, the Inquisition forces had enough manpower to overrun their position. Even as he was trying to think of a plan of attack, By-Tor was attempting to take over. ’Get out of the way! Let me take control! They want to fight evil? Then lets give them the Centurion of Evil!’ The beast was manipulating his emotions, trying to play on his fears.
’No!’ Jo protested, Bringing back the memory of the night he spent with Saeko. They had lain together for what Jo had hoped would be forever, both holding the other in their arms… ’Then I lay down and slept in peace and woke up safely. And now, although ten thousand enemies surround me on all sides, I am not afraid. Psalm 3: 5-6’ The Beast was gone from his head then, and Jo reacted to the revelation of Haikuno, and the bolterfire!
In a flash of steel, Jo reached under the stolen robes and drew both the bolters he brought and opened fire. The absurdly loud retort of the Desert Falcon .50cal was a strange companion for the suppressed popping of the Grock 5.7mm. Accuracy was unnecessary with this many foes clustered so closely together; Jo didn’t even bother looking downrange as he emptied both magazines into the crowd and dove behind the nearest headstone. Back to the cool, smooth granite, Jo dropped the magazines and reloaded, turning his head to Do Natsu and shouting over the din of bolterfire. ”ORDERS?!”
Kazuhiko’s words went unheard by the genin, though he could read lips just as well. The chilling thought of the Kingslayer himself in the Basilica made his blood freeze. Jo only nodded to Kazuhiko as he turned and leapt into the smoky fray with Kaguya. Chances are, they may never see each other again; and, if things didn’t go well for either side, it wouldn’t matter anyway. Looking to Do Natsu, Jo tapped his bolters together and nodded towards the enemies, signaling his intent to put down some cover fire while they withdrew to the Basilica. On Natsu’s signal, Jo stood behind the tombstone and dumped both magazines into the crowd of religious zelots before turning a dashing towards the Temple with the others, bobbing and weaving, ducking and dodging behind tombstones for cover. Jo only hoped they wouldn’t arrive too late.
{En Route to the Basilica unless otherwise ordered}
Tama had heard what Kazuhiko said, “Enishi and the other Kingslayers are there with Shin and the others.”Shiri-tan! Jo started returning fire at the approaching militants, providing cover for the team to race to the Basilica. Wind swirled around Tama as she darted forward, gale-force winds knocking enemies to the side and swatting projectiles away like small insects as she cleared a path before her.
She was desperate to get to Shiranai, the scar on chest throbbing as she remembered how Hayata Makoro had captured the Shogun, and how powerless she had been to stop him then. Things will be different this time! They have to be! She urged her legs to move faster, dashing from rooftop to rooftop. Never again would she fail Shiranai, she had vowed, but here the scene was playing itself out again, Shiranai in danger, and Tama rushing to save him. Masao was there with them, along with Kicchan (Kitsune) and Megane-kun (Ayumu). Hell, even Shin was there! With so many powerhouses in the same place, they had to be alright. But there was a sinking feeling in the pit of Tama’s stomach, and an unexplained sense of urgency.
Tama only knew one thing for sure, she needed to be at the Basilica, and fast. She called back to Do and Jo, who were no doubt quickly following her, “We need to hurry!” She then put on another burst of speed, appearing as nothing but a blue flash as she pressed onward, the Basilica was dead ahead, she was almost there. Please let me be in time, she prayed to no one in particular.
“We know this is not a plot by anyone represented here, because whomever has done this thing has not only crippled the communication long range, but short range as well.” She said, “One does not stab one’s self to harm one’s enemy.”
Even so, they did not budge. Hikari’s efforts, while not quite as successful as she had hoped, had turned out about how she had expected. The reluctance of the group to cooperate was a weakness the Kingslayers would, if they could, exploit. She could feel them stare, and although she was wracking her brain for something else she could say to assure them all, to make them believe as she did, that there could be no worse outcome than for things to stay as they were, her voice faltered. Her face became hot, and she knew she was blushing fiercely.
“Oh come ON!” groaned the Pontiff in his particularly dude-broey way. “Don’t be so damned tsun to Hikari-dono! You know she’s right and just don’t want to admit it because you think it’ll make you seem weak in front of the others! Well, that might work for a silly harem anime, but as Saint Isamu once said: ‘This is the real life, not just fantasy, and we’re caught in a landslide, with no escape from reality! Open your eyes, look up to the sky and see! I’m just a poor boy, and I need no sympathy, because I’m easy come, easy go, little high, little low. Anyway the wind blows, doesn’t really matter to me. To me.’ But it had better matter to you, and to the future of your nations and your people,” he said, his face now reddened with exertion.
After a very quiet moment, the smallest one in the room proved himself to be the bravest. “…I agree with Tanaka-dono, General Sumihara,” said Hotaka softly. Hikari’s eyes snapped to him, and she felt her breath catch. “No more death. No more fighting. One day I want Denisu Roduman to come and play basketball in my country. I want to be able to watch 80’s music videos with Shiranai-shogun and talk about anime with Haninozuka-junha. That will never happen unless we work together from tonight onward. Can we please do this, everyone?” he asked. Kaede’s face grew pale, but she bit her tongue, nodding. Slowly, everyone else started to murmur their assent. Hikari drew in a breath of relief. She had triumphed once more, with the help of some rather strange scripture, and the bravery of a small sickly boy.
***
Hikari had been paid a rather unexpected, if pleasant visit, by the Camarlengo, they’d enjoyed a delicious snack in the form of ice cream, a delicacy she’d not expected to have in the warmer lowlands of Tenouza. They each felt they had a rather special bond due to the fact that they both had primarily diplomatic jobs, and a somewhat bumbling boss- somewhere up the chain of command- They even shared confidences which they each agreed would never leave that room. It was somewhat like a sleep-over … she’d not had one of those since her days in the academy. It was a pleasant night, and Hikari was sad to see it end.
Her rest, however was not as easy as one might assume. She had consumed sweet things before bed, and though good company had mitigated the unpleasant memories, Hikari still remembered well, the tenser moments from today, and the last several. Her body was tired, and so was her mind, and it kept replaying nervously, the moments when her words weren’t enough. The blood spilled because she’d not been quick enough… she, for the first time in a long time, had a nightmare. When she woke, she found she did not remember much, beyond the fact that many people had died because of an error she, and perhaps others, made.
Hikari got out of bed and bathed in silence. Her maid was elsewhere, and for that, she was glad. Although she would fight nude for the god of blood, she would rather not stand naked before a subordinate. She picked up the spoons and empty carton from last night and smiled at the memory, as she dried her hair, and then her body, and slipped quietly into her customary gear. This was not the sleek short dress of last night, designed to show off the curves of her well proportioned body, but the well made, practical gear she would wear to any meeting in Kumogakure. Her shoes would not slow her walking, and her pants would not restrict her movement. She did not hide her vest or her head band, but placed them where they should go. Her sheath as well, at her hip, along with her hammer. Hikari’s determination not to let things go as they had in her dream made certain that she did not forget a thing.
***
“…thus, we propose that the new borders of the People’s Republic extend to the fortieth parallel, following the natural course of the Taedong River until its entry into Lightning Country,” said Sumihara Kaede, tracing her finger along a large, canvas map of the Lightning Peninsula.
“Preposterous, General Sumihara,” said Queen Haninozuka icily. “The original terms of the Kagetsu Treaty which your father also signed, stipulated the border of Marsh to follow the thirty-eighth parallel along the Taebaek Pass...”
“…which we took in open and declared warfare that fully adhered to the established rules of war according to the Hayata Convention!” retorted Kaede.
“I believe the Kagetsu Treaty overrules the Hayata Convention when it comes to seizure of land or property, General Sumihara,” interjected the Chancellor of Lightning. “This is well-established by several international courts of jurisprudence…”
“Ambassador Tanaka, this is patently untrue. My nation’s ancestral claim to the Liancourt Rocks at the fortieth parallel invalidates the Chancellor’s assertion completely!” protested Kaede. “
Hikari cleared her throat, “General, Lady Queen, I will remind you that compromise is promised. I propose that the two of you split the difference. Also, Sumihari shi, your argument that your claim outweighs the treaties you agreed to, is ‘patently untrue’-“ Hikari froze as the sound of large guns reverberated throughout the cathedral. Shit, Donut, if that was the bomb-
“Those are our city defenses at work,” said the Camarlengo. “But it is strange – I ordered all fortifications on lockdown after last night. No one is supposed to even uncap the arbalestillery barrels unless explicitly authorized by myself through a messenger.”
“I can only assume that the discharge of fire is related to my subordinates. It is most likely they are in battle with terrorist forces right now,” said Masao, cracking his knuckles. “Without knowing more about the situation at hand, I cannot support continuing the talks right now. I urge you all to evacuate to a safer location and barricade yourselves.”
“But Sennin Takaki, we still have much to discuss! We have not even covered plans for the withdrawal of forces from Sagishi-Souru!” protested the Queen.
“Agreed with the Queen, Sennin. And is this not why you have your shinobi present? To protect this session from being interrupted?” asked Ami, tilting her head.
“Not exactly. We’re here to keep everyone safe, and to assist in the ending of this war by continuing the peace talks.” Hikari said, “But as they say, Caution is the better part of valor. Perhaps we should move to a more defensible location?” Meanwhile Kaede grumbled about her forces.
Then, the ever helpful Pontiff remembered his own communicator, and Hikari couldn’t help frowning. If only they had some reliable way to boost communications that was less than accessible to the standard assassin. Something orbiting the planet, perhaps, which kept track of signals from their devices, and… but that was an idea for another time. For now, her uncle was going to have to make do with that old unreliable device. “Continue the talks. Same orders as before. I’ll be back soon to give a full report.” And to Hikari, he gave a gruff smile. “I trust you, my niece,” he said, before following the Camarlengo down a nearby hall.
“Thank you.” She said, smiling back, before promising both of them, “I’ll make you proud.” Moments later, Hikari cleared her throat. “ We were discussing the compromise of the thirty ninth parallel.” She said firmly. “With, perhaps, pilgrimages allowed to the rocks at the fortieth? Perhaps a small fee, paid annually by the government of Marsh to the kingdom of the Bear, for the upkeep of said rocks, and whatever money spent on pilgrims would be fair compensation? You get the use of place, and they are compensated for what might be considered a trespass in any other circumstance.”
***
“…and in addition, the Bakufuu of Kaminari no Kuni will demand reparations from the Serene Kingdom of Bear for the purposes of covering the expenditure of Imperial Army resources, munitions, and troops during the suppression of the Nagamasa rebellion, which was caused by attempted bribery of Count Nagamasa by King Haninozuka Nikolai,” intoned Chancellor Tachibana Ami, adjusting a pair of reading glasses as she scanned over a scroll in front of her.
“It is unreasonable,” Hikari began, “To expect reparations from a former enemy, for the expenditure of military resources, Chancellor.” She said shaking her head.
“We will offer no reparations in any form for those expenses,” interjected Queen Ekaterina, shaking her head. “I remind the assembled peerage that the illegal actions of Cloud shinobi in regards to the assassination of the late King Haninozuka were far more costly to my nation than the total budget of the battle for Nagamasa castle, and that we graciously did not send a bill to the Bakufuu for the costs related to the trial and imprisonment of Sennin Takaki and Dr. Shinrya…”
“I must remind you, majesty, that your own Hoshikage recognized the trial as unfair and illegitimate.” She said in a cool voice. “And that Sennin Takaki and Dr. Shinrya were cleared of those charges by legitimate rulings. In short, you may as well have refrained.” She pursed her lips, then frowned, “Apologies for the cool delivery, but the truth is such.”
Suddenly. Masao reappeared. She nodded to him, but he did not respond. “I apologize for the interruption, Chancellor Tachibana, Your Majesty, but there’s been a development that requires the attention of the assembled delegates,” He was flanked by the Camarlengo and a nun with a white veil over her face. He approached the table, taking off his gloves and tossing them on the surface. “Pontiff Yamauchi, if you would please stand…”
Hikari stood, “Boss? What happened?” She asked, he looked very grim.
“Oh yeah, sure thing boss! We playing musical chairs?” asked the Pontiff jokingly as he rose.
“No,” said Masao, as he suddenly drew his Gateru M1911A3 pistol bolter, leveled it at Yamauchi Kiyoshi’s forehead, and pulled the trigger.
A bloody spot of red seemed to form on the Pontiff’s forehead, and the man’s eyes crossed in confusion, before the 10mm-caliber bolt exited from the back of his head, spraying crimson shards of brain and gray fragments of skull backwards to splatter on the wall. Kitsune stood bolt-upright before anyone else, and dashed in front of the Sennin
"No!! What the hell are you doi-" she screamed at him before suddenly her words died in her throat from a sharp pain between her breasts. Her eyes widened in shock as well as anguish, and a she coughed a splatter of blood onto his clothing. One of Masao's wristblades was buried in her chest, right between her breasts. She met his emotionless gaze, tears running down her face, before he yanked the blade out of her body, splattering the marble floor with crimson. "...but I loved..." she whispered, before falling to the side.
“Masao!” Hikari screamed, “What the fuck are you doing?” She watched in horror as the nun attacked Shin, putting a hand through his chest, as he fell to his knees. She threw a glance at the Camarlengo, “Oh shit. Everybody get down!” She said dropping to the floor. She covered her Kage’s head, and winced hard. “Shit shit shit.” She cursed, “Blood god protect me. What the fuck M-“
As she looked back up, the nun tore off her veil and crowed, ”Mama’s back! Did you miss me, maggots?” asked Santaru Rin.
Hikari’s eyes bulged, and for a moment, speechless, she gaped. Her aunt was alive? She had turned Masao against them? What the hell was happening? “I-“ She stammered, “Sound off!” She cried, ready to assist Shin if he needed help as she tried to lead him behind cover, “Anybody dead?” She looked back at their attackers. He hadn’t moved when the nun-Rin had fisted the Kage, and though that fact seemed easily explained by the fact that it was his wife doing the attacking, she remembered the moment he swore her in as Chunnin, when he said serve and protect their Kage. Though it pained her to say, she shouted, “Treat my uncle as an adversary. He has betrayed his oath as a Shinobi, and as Sennin… And that bitch cannot be my aunt.” She spat at the imposter, with all the hate she could muster, she snarled, “Santaru Rin is dead.” And then it hit her. Who would have the most to gain from open war? Who was responsible for the attack on their communicators? Santaru Rin’s death was firmly the doings of the- “Kingslayers!” Khorne give me strength.
1.Hikari has the Sixth sense ability, so she makes an awareness check. She has an automatic 25% chance to auto-detect the transformation jutsu.
2. If she realizes that they are not the real Masao (Rin is a no-brainer) and Camarlengo, Hikari does Electrocution jutsu, attacking Masao. "You're not my uncle!" She'd say, "I can see right through you King Slayer!"
3. If she succeeds the check, for Masao, Hikari, realizing that he’s actually Enishi, attacks him with a 7 hit combo.
4. If Hikari did not figure that Masao is fake, due to sixth sense, make another awareness check if possible, if she succeeds, she performs action 2. If she does not succeed, she attacks the fake Rin- cause duh, Rin’s dead., there’s no way that’s actually her- instead, with electrocution, basically just sub Rin for Masao if she doesn’t figure out it’s a fake Masao.
5. If she did not to attack fake masao, she draws her hammer, and (+5%damaga, -1 accuracy) and attacks the camarlengo- cause fuck traitors- with 7 hit combo.
6. Hikari prepares to use Electroshock: Channels lightning through a surface to deal 900 damage. This jutsu has a 12% chance to 'Stun' the target and be treated as a sneak attack.
Note***** the surface Hikari is using to channel the lightning is her hammer. Followed up immediately by action 7. I want to combine the attack.
7. If she did attack Masao, she focuses on him. With her hammer, she uses bludgeoning Taijutsu Skullbuster-
8. If she did not attack Masao, she focuses on Rin. Same action as #6 & 7.
The night passed in relative peace, though Ayumu was forced to sit around and guard the Raikage who probably didn't actually need guarding. Unfortunately, this meant staying up for half the night. Fortunately, though he was dead tired in the morning, Ayumu had a counter to this. Soldier pills were developed in a time of war to allow soldiers to stay up for days at a time without the need for rest. They had fallen a bit to the wayside since those times, but they were still available to those who knew who to ask. When Ayumu left the Raikage, his watch ended, he reached into his coat pocket and produced one such pill which he quickly and discretely popped like an addict. Within minutes he was feeling as energetic as ever.
As hours of delegations passed, the even the soldier pill could not keep Ayumu's eyelids from weighing down. He sat there with his hand barely holding up his head staring dead-eyed at a wall across from him playing out some fantasy of bad guys busting into the room and action taking place. As if on cue, explosions shook the cathedral and Ayumu snapped to attention. They were somewhat distant, but that didn't mean they were safe where they were by any means. He stood up quickly and produced his sheathed blade, ready for action. Masao suggested they halt the talks, to which Ayumu could only agree, but unfortunately the delegates were eager to continue their talks.
"This seems like a bad idea," Ayumu said, though nobody would listen. It was possible that they could temporarily halt the talks to ensure the safety of those present and resume them when safety was assured, but who could guarantee that all parties would agree to attend such a meeting again? This could potentially be the last chance, and thus they would proceed. There were shinobi out in the city, but they couldn't be reached with the communication tower out. Fortunately, there seemed to be a way which Masao was going to investigate. They were his subordinates, after all, so he was naturally the one who would try to get into contact with them.
With Masao temporarily absent, the meeting droned on, but Ayumu was no longer a dreary eyed boy trying to stay away through a church service. He actively paced the room, glancing out windows and watching the doors paranoidly. It had been a while since Masao had left, and Ayumu was growing concerned now. He stopped next to Shashu, speaking to her in a low voice. "Go and see what's taking Masao so lon-" he began to say, but before he could finish the doors opened and Ayumu turned with his hand on the hilt of his sword. It was Masao. God forgive him, Ayumu let his guard down for a moment.
As Masao drew his bolter, Ayumu's eyes widened in horror. There was killing intent in those eyes. As the Pontiff fell to the floor, Ayumu's mouth dropped and he began to draw his sword. He stopped, there was no time. Everybody in this room was a target. His mind raced to prioritize, but there were only a few he would reach in time. Kitsune fell to Masao as Ayumu started towards the Lightning Country delegates. Shin was too far away. He felt to his knees as the woman behind him stabbed him. The Camarlengo raised his bolter and Ayumu leapt forward, throwing himself in front of the delegates he was sworn to protect. His armor was little help against the powerful bolts that shot straight through and pierced his chest and side as he pulled the diplomats to the ground. He reached for the table as he fell and pulled it over on its side to shield the group from further fire thanking the church's decadence for these needlessly thick lavish tables.
Coughing up blood, Ayumu used the table to pull himself up to his knees in time to watch the nun pull off her veil revealing a face he had not seen in quite some time, that of Santaru Rin. Shock registered on his face as his mind struggled to comprehend the face he was seeing now. She was dead, there was no way she was there. But she was there beside Masao. Something was definitely amiss, even if he didn't know what yet. There was no doubt in his mind the Kingslayers were involved somehow. He couldn't be entirely certain that it wasn't truly Masao and Rin before him, but it didn't matter. If they didn't fight now, everyone in the room would die. Hikari yelled out that they needed to treat Masao as an adversary.
"Shinobi! Defend the delegates! It doesn't matter who it is, they fully intend to kill you if you don't kill them! So KILL them!" he shouted to the others, if any held on to hesitation. It was possible that those before him were transformed, hell, he prayed that they were. Masao and Rin were not people he wanted to fight, even if he cast any emotions about it aside. True or not, there was little choice for the shinobi but to fight. "Do NOT hold back! That's an order!" he shouted as he raised to his feet, fighting through the pain in his chest as he drew his sword. If Masao, leader of the mission, had truly turned traitor, that left Ayumu in charge. Not that it mattered. They all needed to do now what shinobi did best, which really required no orders.
Interesting. One of the few words that ran through Shin's mind as he felt the cold steel thrust through his back. Fortunately, he was quick enough to maneuver away from any serious injury and despite the physical injury he was more less hurting mentally. He should have been able to ascertain the situation before it could have escalated to this. The idea thsf Enishi and his companions could have easily infiltrated Tenzouza given succinct timing and planning. Now he was looking of his beloved companions as his enemies. No. This was far from the truth. Shin had harper no true resentment against the kingslayers. Their motives could be deemed noble but thier actions distasteful and inefficient. They were making too much noise.
"You could have accomplish your goals but your own personal vendetta will become your downfall, Rin" Shin said with a terse grin knowing it was not his beloved sonorous nakama.
"Deta identify our guest and get the delegates to safety. I am certain the Pontiff can still be saved if you hurry." Shin exhorted.
"Understood" A deep voice echoed through the towering ceiling. A shrouded figured covered in gray and white appeared between the two parties as he analyzed the situation. The mysterious figure commanded the chancellor and the rest of the injured members to stand near him. In a moments a shiny blaze of white light masked the area and the light subsided the delegates and the hooded figure were gone.
“RUN!” roared Do Natsu at the top of his lungs as he dashed away from the Inquisition onslaught. Trailing him, Tama and Jo pumped their legs madly for their lives, struggling to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the legion of white-veiled fanatics firing fifty-caliber anti-materiel man-portable ballistae at them.
Nearby Natsu, a smaller mausoleum exploded into a fireball of heat and marble shrapnel as a High-Explosive Squash-Head round detonated against it, obliterating the structure. As he ducked and rolled out of the way of the larger stone chunks, a searing pain lanced up from the outside of his fortified ribcage. It had been a grazing shot from a sniper’s arbalest. He briefly turned his head back, seeing the distinct shape of a pink twintails hairdo among the pointed white hats hustling his way. Senada Marie grinned and worked the bolt on her weapon, ejecting a glistening brass shell into the smoky air.
“Qui abierunt, mortui sunt!*” cursed Haikuno nearby to one of the Inquisitors, cuffing the man on the ear. The man’s response was drowned out by the roar of two of the war wagons’ main weapons going off at the same time, causing the beaten earth underneath their chassis to shudder. Further away, the white-veiled soldiers now started to deploy man-portable mortars, drawing back the cocking prods with their feet. Launched in a parabolic arc, the weapons could rain explosive destruction down on foes up to a kilometer away.
Meanwhile, a line of crimson opened right above Jo’s left ear after a piece of shrapnel slashed him on its way forward, spraying a line of dark crimson onto his face. Stone statues of angels and crucifixes exploded left and right, their fragile structures rendered to dust by either bolts or the concussive effects of falling mortar rounds. As the young man ran, he took potshots at a pursuing advance party behind him. One of them fell, a 5.7mm round entering his chest.
Two hundred meters away, at the top of a large tower capped by a red-tiled dome, a pair of iron clamshell doors started to open, and from within emerged the impossibly wide barrel of a Tenouzan Kaiser-Class city defense bombard. A superballista with a five-meter-long barrel, capable of firing an 800mm high explosive shell, it had last seen action years ago during the city’s siege. It had taken the lives of hundreds of Daimyo Ryuu’s forces when it had been manned by a miniscule cloud genin of the Nemoto family, and now bore her name. Its commander patted the iron barrel gleefully, grinning through his monocle. “Zeit zum kleinen Senna vorstellen**,” he cackled.
A team of men began to work like ants, heaving the massive, ornately engraved and filigreed shell into the breach. Written on its nosecap in gold leaf was the phrase: Mercy Is A Sign Of Weakness. Gears whirred and churned as adjustments for elevation and windage were made, and the massive prods on either side strained visibly under their tension. Sighting the shinobi team through his spyglass, the commander screamed the order to fire…
Tama skirted easily between the gravestones and monuments, evading fire from behind her and managing to take down some of her pursuers with well-placed kunai and plasma beams. She had been loath to leave Kazuhiko behind, but it had been something he had wanted desperately. If Shiranai had been in such a situation as Kaguya, she would have stayed with him too, she figured. Sounds like a delicious yaoi manga! she chuckled to herself as a HESH round impacted to the side and obliterated a row of headstones. In the distance, a loud thumping sound and a high-pitched whine however, alerted her to the fact that something was now approaching very fast. Looking up, she saw it, and bolted to protect Jo and Natsu with all she had.
*Trans: If they escape, you are a dead man!
**Trans: Time to Introduce Little Senna
Masao draws Imperial Army Pattern 1796 Cavalry Sword
Ayumu draws Taichou-Daikatana “Ayumu Sr.”
Ayumu enters Zaraki Style
Shin activates full Sharingan
Rin casts Body Bind on Ayumu: Hit
Hikari casts Elecrocution on Masao: Miss
Shashu enters Stealth Mode
Shin casts Mystical Hand on self
Masao buffs with Unleash
Junichi casts Jutsu Creator with Psionic Rend and Gamma Ray on Shin: Hit
Hikari draws Khorne-Blessed Warhammer and attacks Masao with 7-hit combo
Masao reacts with Flash Counter and strikes at Hikari multiple times: 6x Hit, no crit
Shashu casts Hot Weapon on Masao: Miss
Shin casts Verse of Darkness on Rin: Miss
Rin scribes Physical Imprisonment Seal on Shin: Hit
Masao charges Limit Break
Junichi casts Shinra Tensei on Shin: Miss
Hikari channels Electroshock through Hammer on Masao, followed by Skullcrusher: Miss/Miss
Shin casts Verse of Darkness on Masao: Hit
Shashu casts Earth Flow River on Masao: Miss
Rin buffs with Unleash
Shin casts Verse of Darkness on Junichi: Miss
Rin draws Divine Punishment Toilet “Birdfucker”
Junichi casts Gate of Enma on Shin, Ayumu, and Hikari, trying to bind them: Misses Shin, Hits Ayumu and breaks his Body Bind and fails to bind him again, Hits Hikari and binds her
Shashu equips Matronly Decapitator “Kamisori”
As is usual B-mod practice, I am not including a detailed RP of actions taken within the battle. However, I will attempt to give feedback to the team in general as well as specific feedback when indicated. Remember, this is as much about teaching you guys how to fight effectively within your limits as it is about actually winning the mission. Note: All dice rolls were conducted with a standard Chessex-brand 20-sided polymer die. Further instructions in the spoiler
In an NC fight, remember that there are dozens of jutsu out there, especially ANBU-specific jutsu that are dedicated toward the binding of one’s opponent. If you do not account for the possibility of being bound in your conditionals, you risk getting yourself stuck in a similar situation as Ayumu. Originally, I was not going to have Rin body-bind him, but the real Rin actually pointed out to me that doing so is exactly how her character would fight, and the more experienced battlers on the site will usually take the approach of 1) Bind opponent 2) Buff/Heal 3) Follow up with a very powerful buffed attack.
A very convenient and good way to get out of a bind is to have a conditional stating that if one’s character is indeed bound, or if one’s teammates notice abnormal behavior from a comrade including staying still in the middle of what should be a raging battle, that they attempt to damage that character with the purpose of releasing him/her from the bind, or cast a jutsu that counters binds. Of note, most binds will have a way in which one can gain some measly 5% chance of escaping for every 2AP spent. This is simply not cost effective. It is far more effective to take the HP loss instead, given your time constraints within a mod. Ayumu is currently out of his bind, mainly because of a mistake on Junichi’s part. Which brings to bear the fact that if your teammates are working hard to immobilize someone or debuff them, it is important that you not undo their work by accident. This can all be prevented by communicating well with each other.
Another thing people here may have noticed is the fact that many of Hikari/Shashu’s attacks missed, whereas things were far more even for players like Shin. Part of this is simply the luck of rolling dice (we’ve all been in campaigns where not a single one of our attacks hit, every attack on us was a crit, and we were on the verge of calling the DM out for using cheat-dice) but also part of it is the sheer difference in derived secondary stats between players at lower versus higher levels. On NC, as in D&D, which the combat system here is based on, parity is really only achieved between capped players fighting capped players, or level 1s fighting level 1s. That begs the question, what the hell can a lowbie like Shashu actually do in a fight like this?
It’s my opinion that in these cases, rather than trying to treat a fight like this as an attempt to cause the most damage to a powerful enemy, that lower-level players should do everything they can to essentially rack up opportunity costs for the more powerful ones. A case in point – Hikari attacked Masao using a 7-hit combo. Unless he rolls a 1 and she rolls a 20 every time, she will likely not score more than a partial hit at best. But what she did do was force him to expend a whole QUARTER of his AP store in a counter-attack. She took a substantial amount of damage for her efforts, but in turn, he could not in the end perform his original plan which was to utilize a ridiculously powerful Limit-Break combo on Shin, which was the original move sequence. Remember that most players with some experience will utilize a conditional auto-dodge or reactionary dodge in their basic conditionals. That still costs them AP, even if it prevents damage. So even if Hikari couldn’t hit him, she forced him to spend time on her rather than Shin, and that’s what probably helped save him from KO this round. Same thing for Shashu – I can see that she’s drawn her weapon for next round. If she utilized the same strategy against any of the three opponents, it could actually turn the tide of battle. The same will apply for Jo, should he choose to adopt this type of approach.
The only caveat to this is that depending on the b-mod and the player, some may choose to say “I will only utilize this reactionary dodge jutsu IF I think the player attacking is going to do over 5000HP damage.” Note that this is actually not really allowed, and most fair b-mods will ignore such a conditional on the basis that no one can really tell the potency of an oncoming attack from an enemy they know very little about.
Note: Hikari, unless you have quickdraw as an ability, drawing that hammer costs you 0.5AP. Even if you RP'ed drawing it in your initial post, you are still required to spend AP on doing so when submitting your actions. Including this would have cost you a total of 6.5AP normally, but for the purposes of this fight I will let this one go. Consider this "extra credit" for your strong posts previously
Lastly, Shin - be extremely careful about ever letting a dNPC or iNPC make any sort of appearance in an actual modded fight. Remember, Deta has 1HP and no secondary stats. All that would be required to permanently destroy him in this situation would be for anyone to target him with a basic strike. Obviously, I didn't have any of the enemies under my control do that, but if you were to fight someone with trollish tendencies, I can guarantee you Deta would have been targeted above all others.
* * *
Pain wracked Natsu’s body as he coughed dirt and soot from his airways and sat upright. Around him, the terrain had been reduced to ashen slag, and all of the monuments and gravestones around him had been reduced to shattered nubs. Nearby, lay Jo and Tama. Quickly, the Spymaster tapped them both to wake them up. The last thing he remembered was Tama suddenly rolling into their path and enveloping them in a dome of wind spawned from her body before the world suddenly exploded and went black.
Was he dead? He wondered. But if so, the pain was too much. The sudden yelling of crazed voices and the footfalls of iron-reinforced boots snapped him out of his reverie and he slid his bone swords out just in time to prevent the buttstock of a long-bolter from smashing into his face. He twisted and drove a jagged spike into an Inquisition soldier’s chest, before nearly getting speared in the groin by a pike. Yes, he figured, this was the real life indeed.
Natsu’s companions were also locked in vicious hand-to-hand combat with a squad of enemies who had came upon them as they lay stunned from the earlier blast. Jo smashed a right hook into an enemy in front before weaving to avoid a lance in the back. Harking back to his training, he grasped the shaft of the weapon and pulled it until the head squished into the first soldier before drawing his Desert Falcon and double-tapping the second. Meanwhile, Tama parried a sword-thrust and riposted with a solid kick in the face to the gibbering grunt who had tried to kill her. The sharp crack of bolter-fire made her instinctively raise her wind barrier, and the bolts zipped by her thin frame with only millimeters to spare before crashing into two charging pikemen.
Natsu grunted as his back slammed into a nearby granite obelisk, but managed to catch the bayoneted end of a bolter under his arm. His hand shot forward, grabbed the metal bolt handle, and lifted and rocked it back, ejecting the spent brass cartridge within. With a fluid motion, he kicked the weapon’s wielder in the groin and slammed the bolt home before spinning it around into Jo’s hands right as the boy rushed up from behind. Jo took aim, held his breath for a split second, and fired, dropping the last of their assailants.
There was no time to waste. Emerging from the clearing smoke fifty meters away were Marie’s signature shocking-pink twintails, and if she found them, the consequences would be lethal. The shinobi bounded over a man-height stone wall overgrown with moss, and as they landed on the dusty road on the opposite side and looked at the urban sprawl before them, they realized that they were out of the cemetery. Waving his Grock in the air, Jo quickly held up a passing carriage, and with him and Tama at the reins and Natsu trying not to be carsick in the cabin, they sped off to the Basilica.
Next Round will open with Donuts, Tama, and Jo in the Basilica. For the purposes of submitting actions, your team will be allowed to treat Masao, Rin, and Junichi as enemies from the get-go. Good RP to ICly back up this assumption will earn you extra credit...
“They are escaping! If they are allowed to do so, our plans will fall apart!” Haikuno spat in disgust as he watched from afar.
“Patience, my son,” chuckled the Cardinal Miike, as he swung a gilded silver censer back and forth, incense fumes spilling out of the sides. “If the arbalestillery does not dispatch them, there are many agents of mine in the churches who will see to it that they are sent to Purgatory, or Hell. We must have faith in-“
The words died in the Cardinal’s mouth as the sounds of bolter-fire rang out nearby, and two of the Cardinal’s honor guard nearby dropped to the ground, bleeding out. As the rest of the guards shouted and cursed in confusion and panic, the twin forms of Kazuhiko and Kaguya leapt through the air right at the Cardinal and Haikuno. Cardinal Miike had barely gotten a dagger out from inside his sleeve before Kazuhiko’s blade entered his throat.
Kaguya’s longsword, lifted from a defeated Inquisitor, rang out as it clashed with Haikuno’s twin wakizashi in a shower of sparks. The Kingslayer pushed forward, tipping his opponent off balance, and followed with a thrust to the gut. However, Kaguya’s technique was impeccable, and he parried the blow aside with the strong of the blade.
“You take Haikuno! I’ll keep the others off us!” shouted Kazuhiko. Be careful, Kaguya. This is a man who’s already dead in his own eyes. A most dangerous opponent.
“Kazuhiko! And..Kaguya,” growled Haikuno at his friend. “It’s been a while. I see you’re a BSA Major now. Congratulations. How many innocent people have you tortured and killed in the Chancellor’s name?”
“And what have you done, Haikuno? Joined a bunch of terrorists to end a hundred thousand lives in the blink of an eye? Didn’t we swear to save our brothers and sisters in Maru Maru? How does this help our town out?” asked Kaguya, readying his sword and firming his grip.
“At least I’m not another cog in the murder machine!” roared Haikuno as he charged forward. Kaguya raised his sword in the nick of time, intercepting a veritable whirlwind of blows that forced him back. His heels dug trenches in the molested ground as he struck and parried and struck again.
“Have you even gone back to Maru Maru since you began this foolishness?!” sneered Kaguya as he slammed his shoulder into Haikuno’s side and attempted a deep horizontal slice which was evaded. “If you call yourself a ‘Slayer of Kings,’ then why the hell haven’t you assassinated Karachi, of all people?!”
“Why haven’t you!!” retorted Haikuno, sweeping a kick at Kaguya’s feet.
“Because change has to come from the INSIDE, you idiot! We are about to bring the fucking hammer down on him and his whole operation!” snarled Kaguya, evading the sweep and answering with a thrust to his former friend’s face. “I have been working from DAY ONE to save that place! What the hell have you done?! Killed a bunch of innocent people on some traitor bitch’s orders?!”
“Don’t ever call Enishi-sama that again!” screamed Haikuno, parrying the thrust and launching himself forward to grapple at Kaguya’s midsection. The Major attempted to swing his sword over to impale his opponent, but it was too late, and both men went tumbling into the mud, their weapons scattered. “He, WE… want to bring true change to this world! To make sure that the likes of fucking Karachi and Shimechi and all the rest of those parasites never have a chance to steal our lives from us again! They only exist because we common people have no rights! We have nothing! And if you believe in this bootstrap horseshit then you’re no better than those assholes!”
“And when the HELL did you become God?!” snarled Kaguya, punching Haikuno about the head and face with one arm as his other strained to prevent the Kingslayer from twisting his legs into a fatal joint lock. “Who gave you the right to choose?! Why do you get to determine who deserves to live or die?!” At the last moment, he wormed out of Haikuno’s grasp, shuffling in the mud to put some distance between him and his enemy before rising to his feet. He raised his fists.
“Please…don’t give me that Burutesu shit. The old man really brainwashed you huh?” scoffed Haikuno as he also dragged himself to his feet and assumed a boxing stance. “Let’s say you kill me and save your precious Shogun. What next? Are you going to go up to him and kindly ask him to pretty please let go of his power and allow a representative system of government where the dirty peasants aren’t considered a half-step above livestock? You really think he’ll say yes? Because if you really believe it I’ll let you strangle me to death right here and now!”
“No…I don’t think that Shiranai vi Kaminari would ever agree to that,” spat Kaguya, wiping a splatter of bloody mud from the side of his mouth. “But his children might. And the next Chancellor might. And right now, the main thing that’s preventing that…is YOU!” he said, launching himself at Haikuno.
A blur of motion… Jo’s mind running a million miles per minute.
Pain! Blood in his eyes! Explosions! Ears ringing with deafening silence!
Turn. Fire! Tango down!
”Sonofabitch! Is that a Kaiser-class?!”
A distant boom, the unmistakable high-pitched squeal of artillery. ’I’m going to die right here…’ Turn, see Natsu. See Tama. Tama tackles
Nothing
The darkness was all-enveloping, only a pair of glowing red eyes broke the darkness. AWAKEN!!!</COLOR><i></i>
Someone was tapping him. He was awake. Pain everywhere. Can’t hear. Left eye glued closed by blood.
Tango’s everywhere! Jo pushed himself to his feet just in time to smack a bayonet away from his gut and punch its wielder in the head. The idiot in the white robe fell to his knees, blood staining the front of his hood. A ululating battle cry alerted him to a pike-thrust from behind, giving him the opportunity to redirect his thrust into a fallen mans chest. The explosive retort of the Desert Falcon was only a muffled thumping in Jo’s shell-shocked ears as he dropped two rounds into the lance-wielders chest. He turned just in time to see Natsu tossing him a bolter, holstering the Falcon, he caught the long-bolter, aimed, fired!
The sight of twin pink pigtails emerging from the smoke caused Jo to react in the only way plausible; turn and run! He leapt over the cemetery wall with Natsu and Tama in tow, drawing the Grock as he did. By the weight of it, Jo knew it was empty, and he was out of extra magazines. Similarly, the Falcon fired its last two rounds moments prior. Either way, the cab driver didn’t know it was empty. A quick wave of the bolter was all it took to commandeer his carriage.
…
…
…
The next few minutes of travel through the streets of the city were a blur. Jo fought exhaustion as his body, shell-shocked and sleep deprived, fought By-Tor for control. ’Release me! You’re in no shape to fight on your own! Let me help you! Release your fury!’<i></i> Their arrival at the Basilica gave Jo the distraction of focusing on leaping from the seat of the carriage and running through the doors of the cathedral. The doors slammed open, and the scene before him stopped him in his tracks.
Blood everywhere. Battle raging. But… Masao?! And who was that other guy? The woman, Jo recognized. He only knew her from pictures, and from Saeko’s description. Santaru Rin. The bitch had told her daughter that she didn’t care if she lived or died. Hatred welled within the genin. Masao a traitor? Rin alive? Jo’s vision began fading to red. ’YES! GIVE IN TO THE DARKNESS! LET’S DESTROY THESE TRAITORS AND PROTECT THE RAIKAGE!’ Still, Jo fought the urge to let go. ’Do it for Saeko… To protect her… To avenge her… Do it for her.’<i></i>
Jo see’s RED
Meanwhile, somewhere in the cosmos…
<COLOR color="darkblue">”I’ll kill that fucking bitch!” The voice of Santaru Hayashimizu tore through the heavens as he struggled to free himself from the grasp of the Archangels Uriel and Malachi. He had been the one to take down both of them when they had been sent down to earth to cleanse the Village Hidden in the Clouds. He had had help then; but now, after reaching the pinnacle of his strength and ascending to heaven in what could only be called an eternity hack (<,<) (>,>), even they were beginning to worry about preventing one of Clouds S. Jounin from descending to the mundane world to open a can of heavenly whoopass.
”That is not the same Rin that thou rememberest!” Uriel protested, struggling to hold back Hayashimizu’s arms so he couldn’t perform handseals.
”Prithee, calm thine self! Lord Raiden expects better from his kin than raving lunacy at the slightest provocation!” Malachi panted, standing before the enraged Santaru with his arms on his shoulders. Small piles of cloud began building behind him as Hayashimizu pushed him closer and closer to the edge of heaven.
”How could she do this?! How could she betray Kumo?! How could she betray Masao?! I’ll smite her! I’ll fry her ass so hard she’s going to look like bacon!” With an almighty heave, he threw both angels from him and bolted towards the stairway to heaven.
BOOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGG!!!!!! Hayashimizu went reeling backwards, tumbling on the soft clouds that made up the ground in the heavens. He shook the ringing out of his head as he stood to find none other than Jinkotsu Reizen, aka Kaptain Konoha standing between him and the stairs, his signature shield, embossed with the Konoha Leaf, held before him.
”No, Hayashimizu; we mustn’t interfere.”
”We MUST! We have to protect the Shogun and the Raikage! That duty extends beyond death!” Hayashimizu made as if to begin forming handseals, but stopped when a pair of razor-sharp katanas met his throat, one on each side.
”We can’t go down there you fool!” Nanjirou Naito said, his tone exasperated.
”One of our reincarnations is down there! If one of us physically enters the mundane world, it would cause a paradox. Our duty to protect the Raikage would be a moot point if we blow up the galaxy.” Nanjirou Saburu concurred. ”We might exist as a past persona, but our soul is in Narashi Jo’s body. If we tried to enter the world in a physical form, the result would be the soul going nova!”
Hayashimizu raked back his silver hair with his fingers and straightened his glasses, the electricity going out of his golden eyes. ”Fine; but that doesn’t mean we can’t help in a non-physical way.”
”What’re you getting at?” Reizen Said, taking his shield and strapping it across his back before crossing his arms.
”We can contact him! Help him by giving him advice, and training him.”</B><i></i>
The immediate threat of galactic annihilation having passed, both Nanjirous sheathed their swords. <B>”Yes, that’s possible. The Nanjirou clan does it all the time.”
”But we do that through our seals. If we want to contact Jo, the only way would be through dreams. The barrier between heaven and earth is thinnest while the living are in REM.”
”Even then, we have By-Tor to worry about…” The resulting moment of silence was thick with apprehension. The demonic wolf had been all of their companion at one time or another while they lived. They had sensed his darkness then, but never knew the true extent of it. ”So… unless Jo is knocked unconscious during the upcoming battle, there’s nothing we can do for him but watch and hope.”
With that, the heavenly quartet returned once more to the edge of heaven and looked down, watching over Jo as the darkness enveloped him…
"You're not my uncle!" She snarled, "I can see right through you Kingslayer!" Hikari attacked him, summoning the lightning, which stirred her blood, and hoping to catch the faux Masao, to slow him, to hurt him while the others dealt damage, but he was ready for her, and her attack missed him. She cursed, as she noted him preparing to attack her Raikage. “Not this time!” She snarled, swinging her hammer. Unfortunately for the ginger of the Blood God, her zeal outweighed her might, and speed, and the imposter was able to not only counter, but land blows. Hikari stumbled back and wiped her face, blood dribbling from a cut on her head, matting her hair. She noticed a rip in her blouse and growled, before ripping more and allowing it to fall from her body. Her chunnin vest clung close, holding tight to her curves, so that though bloody and shirtless, the ginger was not bare.
At this point, Shin called Deta, a being made of pure chakra, or something of the like, to whisk the delegates to safety. Hopefully wherever Deta brought them was safer than here, because with only him to protect them from outside threats and themselves, Hikari feared for their safety. “Hayata Sama, I hope that your servant is adequate protection.” She shouted, “Because if not…” She did not want to be known as the Ambassador who presided over the deaths of the most influential figures in Kumogakure’s political sphere.
Something occurred to her, then. The headsets still worked within a certain sphere. If she broadcasted a message on a common frequency, she could call in outside help. The Tenouzan guard maybe. They wouldn’t be able to do much besides threaten the imposters, but maybe… and there was a chance that Natsu’s team would return. She smashed the button on her headset, and spoke into it. “This message is for anyone listening.” She said clearly as she could amidst the raging battle, “Especially the bomb squad; There are three imposters in the conference. One posed as Sennin Takaki Masao, one posed as deceased ANBU Sennin Santaru Rin, and one posed as a holy man. They have attacked the delegates. The Pontiff has been murdered. The Raikage is in danger and wounded. Immediate assistance is requested. I repeat, Immediate assistance is requested. There are slayers in the Basilica. The Raikage is in danger. Donut you pervert, get your ass over here and help us save the Raikage!” She barked as she set the message to play on a loop, then threw herself back into the fray. The effort had been made. She combined an electrical attack with what she wanted to be a brutal bashing of skulls, but missed Masao’s head, and let out a frustrated scream- but as she turned to try again, she froze, in an incredibly uncomfortable position, one might add.
Her body burned to move, but could not. She could only watch… and hope the blood her god would take today would be Kingslayer blood not be their own.
[mft 500ish]
Actions (for the purpose of coordination I’ll include em for friendlies to see.)
Hikari’s build gives her +10% lightning damage/5% Melee damage
1.Hikari is bound. If no one notices that she’s immobilized, she tries to get out of it. IF she can speak, she yells out that she’s bound. If she cannot, she waits.
2. Once freed, Hikari uses electrocution, against Masao.
(Action 3 to be performer if she had to spend the AP on trying to free herself. If not skip to 5.)
3. Hikari prepares to use Electroshock: Channels lightning through a surface[the ground] to deal 900 damage. This jutsu has a 12% chance to 'Stun' the target and be treated as a sneak attack.
4. Hikari saves one AP for the next round.
5. *** If Hikari did *not* need to spend the 2AP to try breaking free, because a comrade freed her, she attacks Masao with Electrocution and skull buster
Hikari shouts, “Blood for the blood god, skulls for the throne!” if she strikes fake Masao or “Godrotting Kingslayer!” if she does not.
6. If I notice anyone acting strangely- ie body bind, I attack them with Pound Rank 2 does 250 damage
"You're not my uncle!" She snarled, "I can see right through you Kingslayer!" Hikari attacked him, summoning the lightning, which stirred her blood, and hoping to catch the faux Masao, to slow him, to hurt him while the others dealt damage, but he was ready for her, and her attack missed him. She cursed, as she noted him preparing to attack her Raikage. “Not this time!” She snarled, swinging her hammer. Unfortunately for the ginger of the Blood God, her zeal outweighed her might, and speed, and the imposter was able to not only counter, but land blows. Hikari stumbled back and wiped her face, blood dribbling from a cut on her head, matting her hair. She noticed a rip in her blouse and growled, before ripping more and allowing it to fall from her body. Her chunnin vest clung close, holding tight to her curves, so that though bloody and shirtless, the ginger was not bare.
At this point, Shin called Deta, a being made of pure chakra, or something of the like, to whisk the delegates to safety. Hopefully wherever Deta brought them was safer than here, because with only him to protect them from outside threats and themselves, Hikari feared for their safety. “Hayata Sama, I hope that your servant is adequate protection.” She shouted, “Because if not…” She did not want to be known as the Ambassador who presided over the deaths of the most influential figures in Kumogakure’s political sphere.
Something occurred to her, then. The headsets still worked within a certain sphere. If she broadcasted a message on a common frequency, she could call in outside help. The Tenouzan guard maybe. They wouldn’t be able to do much besides threaten the imposters, but maybe… and there was a chance that Natsu’s team would return. She smashed the button on her headset, and spoke into it. “This message is for anyone listening.” She said clearly as she could amidst the raging battle, “Especially the bomb squad; There are three imposters in the conference. One posed as Sennin Takaki Masao, one posed as deceased ANBU Sennin Santaru Rin, and one posed as a holy man. They have attacked the delegates. The Pontiff has been murdered. The Raikage is in danger and wounded. Immediate assistance is requested. I repeat, Immediate assistance is requested. There are slayers in the Basilica. The Raikage is in danger. Donut you pervert, get your ass over here and help us save the Raikage!” She barked as she set the message to play on a loop, then threw herself back into the fray. The effort had been made. She combined an electrical attack with what she wanted to be a brutal bashing of skulls, but missed Masao’s head, and let out a frustrated scream- but as she turned to try again, she froze, in an incredibly uncomfortable position, one might add.
Her body burned to move, but could not. She could only watch… and hope the blood her god would take today would be Kingslayer blood not be their own.
[mft 500ish]
Actions (for the purpose of coordination I’ll include em for friendlies to see.)
Hikari’s build gives her +10% lightning damage/5% Melee damage
1.Hikari is bound. If no one notices that she’s immobilized, she tries to get out of it. IF she can speak, she yells out that she’s bound. If she cannot, she waits.
2. Once freed, Hikari uses electrocution, against Masao.
(Action 3 to be performer if she had to spend the AP on trying to free herself. If not skip to 5.)
3. Hikari prepares to use Electroshock: Channels lightning through a surface[the ground] to deal 900 damage. This jutsu has a 12% chance to 'Stun' the target and be treated as a sneak attack.
4. Hikari saves one AP for the next round.
5. *** If Hikari did *not* need to spend the 2AP to try breaking free, because a comrade freed her, she attacks Masao with Electrocution and skull buster
Hikari shouts, “Blood for the blood god, skulls for the throne!” if she strikes fake Masao or “Godrotting Kingslayer!” if she does not.
6. If I notice anyone acting strangely- ie body bind, I attack them with Pound Rank 2 does 250 damage
The battle began quickly. Masao and Ayumu drew their weapons as Shin activated his. Unfortunately, for Ayumu the battle was halted as soon as it started. With his sword drawn, he suddenly found himself unable to move. "What the hell?!" he roared, struggling in vain to move. Meanwhile the battle raged on without him. Shashu acted like a good ANBU and withdrew to the shadows somehow escaping from view of her enemies. Ayumu would have applauded her prowess if he wasn't bound. Aside from that, things were not going well at all. Shin was being attacked, Hikari attempted to attack Masao but was countered for every blow she attempted to land unfortunately taking a beating. 'Son of a bitch! Binds are SO CHEAP,' Ayumu thought as his eyes wandered to Rin.
'She can use Body Bind? Could it actually be Rin?' he thought for a moment before a rift seemingly into the pits of hell was torn open by the holy man. Arms of dark energy extended from it reaching for everyone nearby. It grabbed Hikari, holding her in her place, but when it attempted to grab Ayumu it had the complete opposite of its intended effect. The feeling of the hands grasping around Ayumu, invading his personal space, perhaps getting a little too frisky for comfort, activated his basest instincts. "GET THESE FILTHY HANDS OFF OF ME," he shouted angrily, thrashing about and breaking free of the Body Bind. Damage had been done, but he was free now. "Be careful, she knows ANBU techniques it seems. If you see someone freeze up, they're probably paralyzed by her technique. The slightest infliction of damage will free them, but be gentle," he warned the others, hopefully allowing them to prevent further issues with binding.
Hikari was still bound by another means, however, and this one was much more obvious. The arms were quite clearly holding her, perhaps even trying to drag her to hell. "Someone get Hikari free!" he shouted, though he would do so himself if nobody else could. He readied his sword for the next phase of the battle.
[spoilername="Actions"]Passives & Special Stuff:
Bloodlust: Exhaustion effects only apply half the penalties. Ignores up to rank 3 bleeding. Mastered Offensive Stance:+2 Accuracy, -2 Dodge Huge Power x3: +15% Melee Damage Endurance x3: +6 HP mod Class Bonus: +2 Accuracy, +10% Melee Damage Combat Instinct [Choosing Masao]: as "Masao" gets more damaged, Ayumu gets stronger. Hidden Power: As my HP goes down, my secondaries go up. As I'm starting at under 60% HP, it puts my secondaries at +1 automatically. Acrobatic: Allows a 2nd activated auto-dodge per round. Human Anatomy:+1 Critical Range to all attacks, All critical hits deal 2.25x Damage. Additional Critical Damage does not stack with any other Critical attack damage buffs (Opportunist, Hawkeye, etc.). Bull's Strength: +5% Weapon Damage Modifier, +3% Bleeding Sixth Sense: When making an awareness check, the user has a 25% chance to auto-detect the target. This applies to targets in Stealth, hidden by clones, and under transformations. Sneak Attacks to the user have a 25% chance of being detected and losing their Sneak bonus. Teamwork:Does some cool stuff, IF I HAD ANY TEAMMATES. Healing Factor:The user gains 3% Max HP at the end of each round. All Medical Jutsu are +10% more effective on the user. Bloody Mess: Critical hits always increase bleeding rank, even if the attack does not normally inflict bleeding. - When attacking a target at their maxed Bleeding Rank, the user has a base chance of 10% to deal 1.5% Max Hp damage immediately. This chance may be increased with the user's Bleed bonuses up to a 20% chance, but may only effect a target up to three times per round. - When either of the above effects trigger, the target will take an additional +.5% Max Hp damage per round from bleeding on top of their current Bleeding damage. This does not stack.
Actions:
1. Chakra Extension (1.75 AP) 420 Cp, 210 Cp/Rnd @ Masao
2. Executioner (2.25 AP) 735 Cp + 100Cp[Precision Blow*] @ Masao
3. Critical Exposure to be used towards next attack (1 AP) 300 Cp @ Masao
4. Fatal Draw (2.75 AP) 1,900 Cp + 100Cp[Precision Blow*] @ Masao
*Precision Blow: Adds +2 accuracy and +2 critical range to the next basic unarmed, Taijutsu, or weapon attack. Costs 100 Chakra.
**Recall that my Quick Healer recovers some HP each round. Last round I believe I should have recovered some HP...
Total Costs:
7.75 AP / 11 AP, 3455 CP
Conditionals:
A. Hikari is bound. If nobody else is going to do it, throw a basic attack at her to unbind her.
B. If anybody appears to be unable to move, is frozen in place, falls asleep etc, throw a basic attack on them to smack some sense into them. BUT, only do this if someone else cannot / doesn't do it.
C. If a powerful Ninjutsu/Taijutsu comes Ayumu's way (appearing to have taken a long time to prepare and cast / just looks really painful) use Flock of Shadows<i></i> (2.5 Ap, 1420 Cp).
D. If using Critical Exposure will make it so there's not enough time to use Fatal Draw, skip it.
E. If I'm bound again, ask aloud for someone to smack me til I'm free (just giving them an excuse)- and if nobody can free me, go ahead and waste the AP to struggle against the bind until it breaks. Binds are cheap and you should feel bad for using them >:C[/spoilername]
OoC: I feel like we need to set up a Skype conversation for the battle participants on the good guy side... probably including Masao just because he knows stuff about the system and can answer questions. Anyway, if anybody has any questions about my actions for suggestions or wants to do any planning, PM me or come on IRC for now- otherwise I'll most likely be on Skype later tonight after work.
"Kazuhiko, how are you guys faring over there?" Natsu inquired, praying to Raiden the device he'd gotten from the man indeed worked as predicted. Itonami Ataeru had come up with a few brilliant inventions, that was for certain. The Spymaster felt ill for ditching the two men (and due to the duo's terrible driving skills), facing such a formidable number of hostiles. After receiving his answer, or not, Natsu looked over the device. It still was a crude design, and not very user-friendly yet. Thus, he turned to his companion. "Tama, your headset!" Natsu shouted as the trio made their way to the Palace, leaning out of the carriage window. Snapping the item from the air as she threw it backwards to him, Natsu fiddled about with it, trying not to lose his footing due to the distraction.
His own headset was still broadcasting the message and he dared not interrupt it's message. However, this close to the other Kumo party, it might just be plausible to get a connection going. "..-ou pervert, get your ass over here and help us save the Raikage!" Crackled through the little device as the Jonin switched through various channels. Color draining from his face, Natsu came to a stop as he listened to the message. No no no, this couldn't be true! Masao and Ayumu had been among the party, surely they could've prevented any danger! But there was a Masao-impersonator.. And even Rin was not spared from that debauchery. Enishi? Yes, he would take such perverse pleasure from the in-fighting. No no no, Masao would never permit such a thing from happening. Then was his Sempai wounded? Or even worse? Or was this Hikari the impersonator?
Looking up, he noticed the cart comign to a stop. Jo already sprinted towards the doords, Tama was a bit ahead of the cart, no doubt wondering what was taking him so long. "Gottverdammt!" The Spymaster cursed, taking off once more, motioning Tama to hurry up as well. Arriving at the Basilica doors, already slammed open by Jo, Natsu quickly surveyed the scene in front of him. Comparing it to the message he'd heard from the Chief Ambassador, it seemed she had spoken the truth. "They're imposters. Kingslayers. Don't hold back." He instructed his team, Raiden receiving another prayer that he'd made the right decision believing Hikari's decision. "Scrubs first, I'll take that Camerlengo." He growled, preparing for combat.
[OoC: Actions Sent to Masao. If anyone else wants to see them, feel free to ask via PM.
Basic summary: Drawing a weapon, entering a style & chakra armor, using Chakra Extension, using Feint Spike to trigger any reflexive-dodges and then go for a bind on Fake-Masao.]
[Word Count: 393]
[Marked for Training]
"He is far more capable than you realize, Hikari." Shin said as he rested his hand against the burning seal on his right shoulder. This battle was not going to be easy as Shin would have expected. It would seem that the person prototyping as Rin shared the same battle prowess as the true Rin of Shin's memories. Could this really be her? Time was moving quickly but enough for him to analyze everything around him with crimson eyes. Hikari attempted to call for backup as her transmitter in her ear crackled to life.
"My well being is the least of our worries." Shin commented at Hikari's remarks.
"Your illusions cannot fool my eyes, Enishi. This is your last chance for redemption. Stop this foolish plan or you will be put down If it not be by our hand your arrogance will be your undoing." Shin said as his red eyes changed shape against underneath his tinted blue lens.
[I hope that using my MS would gain Shin the ability to determine who Masao really is. If not I will be happy to edit my post]
[Actions Sent]
This is turning out to be pretty boring Shashu thought, trying and failing to stifle a yawn. She had spent most of the night as Chancellor Ami's plaything, subjected to the usual tortures inflicted upon her by older women, and now she had to sit here at this big ass table and listen to a bunch of bickering adults argue over moving an imaginary line a few inches to the left. At least she had managed to get a bleary-eyed Masao-sama to brush her this morning. She cracked a small smile which rapidly turned into yet another yawn, even wider this time. The lack of sleep definitely isn't helping any...I need to move around before I pass out...
Fortunately, if she was good at anything it was coming and going unseen. As soon as the attention shifted to the other side of the table she slipped away in search of snacks. She poked around in a few side rooms, going through a bathroom, janitor's closet, and somebodies office before she found a bag of confessional wafers in a supply closet. "These will have to do I guess..." She grumbled quietly before heading to the nearest open window and climbing up the roof, whereupon she climbed back into the conference room from one of the open arches on the upper level.
Once back inside she perched silently upon a ledge that circled the base of dome, some 20 feet (6 meters) above the delegates still conversing below. She took care to make as little noise as possible, and with the loud arguing back and forth below her it was unlikely anyone would notice her unless they looked straight up. Being up here was a lot more relaxing than down below, what with fresh air blowing through and a decent view of the city, or at least part of it. It was hard to see very far with the hodgepodge of buildings breaking up the skyline. Shashu idly reached into the bag and popped a couple of the wafers into her mouth, which oddly enough didn't turn out to be the tasteless dried bread chips she had expected. Are these...Nirra wafers? Looking down she saw the smiling face of the Pontiff as he (rather uncharacteristically) mediated the conference with a calm, relaxed air alongside Hikari. She flicked a crumb into his hair, light enough that he wouldn't notice til later. Not bad Pontiff-san, you sneaky bastard. Not bad at all...
________________
About an hour later, Shashu was out of wafers and had fallen back to listening once again to the conference below her. So far the tpics had ranged from border disputes, to petty grievances, to reparations, to trade agreements, and now back around to border disputes. No one had really come to a satisfactory conclusion to any of the points of discussion, but like her mum used to say 'The only acceptable solution is one in which nobody comes out happy.' That certainly seemed to apply here, as a consensus was only reached after each side had shot enough holes in each others proposals that everyone involved had the same exact frown on their face. And that is why I'm not a-
Shashu's train of though was abruptly interupped by a dull *wumpfh* off to the south, followed by several smaller sounds of impact . Was that artillery? She wondered worriedly as she tried to look over the buildings to the south to get a clear veiw. I can't see a damned thing through this buildings...
Below she heard Masao agree to follow the Camarlengo to check out the Pontiff's personal shortwave, and she decided to stay up top and try to see if she could spot any approaching enemies from her vantage point. After a bit Masao and Junichi returned, along with a nun, but before
anyone could ask if they had heard anything the newly-entered trio had blown the Pontiff's brains out, mortally wounded Kitsune, and crippled both Ayumu and Shin. Just like that, two Sennin and our Kage taken down like it was nothing.... The nun threw off her robes to reveal....a scantily clad older women that seemed vaguely familiar to Shashu. She couldn't quite place it, but it seemed like she had seen her before somewhere...
Shin called a figure out of the shadows to take all the non-combatants out of the fight, which Shashu considered at once a smart and really stupid move. Baka...wouldn't it have been better to get us all out of here? At any rate, I need to stay out of sight. I know for a fact I wouldn't be able to beat Sennin Takaki alone in a fight, assuming that is him, which I doubt. No way am I going to be able to take on three...I hope help arrives soon. We're going to need it.
Before she could really react Ayumu was bound with a sealing jutsu, only to be immediately blown backwards by grabby hands emerging from a nasty-looking gate-type-thing of pure chakra which in turn then managed to bind Hikari, who had only moments early been severely punished for attacking the Masao-lookalike with a rapid series of blows to her kidneys. Kitsune was still down for the count, and Shin definitely looked like he had seen better days. With worried eyes Shashu looked over at Ayumu to make sure he had survived the blast. Don't worry shukun, just hold out a little while longer. Help will arrive, I'm sure of it.
For her part Shashu launched a few attacks from the safety of her perch, mostly Genjutsu and low-level Ninjutsu meant to destabilize the target. She was sure none of them knew she was there, but her illusions slid off their minds like water while they almost absentmindedly dodged her Jutsu. Sure enough, this is the difference experience makes...
Fortunately Natsu and his squad arriving on the scene seemed to put the attacks a bit on edge. Before they had had the advantage of being the only truly capable uninjured combatants, and they had used that to attempt to rush a quick victory. Now however, they would need to be a bit more cagey. Of course, there was no way for them to know Shashu had been waiting for just that moment. She hadn't spent her whole time sitting up here dozing off, after all. Strategic use of a couple Earth Jutsu would turn the ceiling supports to mush, causing the far side of the dome to fall straight on their heads. There was only one problem: Hikari was still bound by ghostly hands in the center of the room.
She remembered Ayumu's words from an impromptu training session on the way to Tenouza. 'In a one on one fight a bind can be crippling, giving you free reign to re position yourself, rest up, or land a good solid blow. In battles with multiple combatants however, binds are mostly ineffectual. Binds are powerful but fragile, and a single attack from an outside source usually take them out...'
I hear you Shukun. In her rather small arsenal Shashu had only one Jutsu that would free Hikari without revealing her position or physically harming the Ambassador. I'm sorry Hikari-dono, but it must be done. I hope you don't need to sit down for a while... And with a grim look of determination on her face, Shashu formed the seal for the Thousand Years of Pain jutsu. Of course, it was a far cry from the actual legendary technique, but as she was using Genjutsu it wouldn't matter. The pain would be just as if a true master had performed it in person.
[spoilername="GIF related"]
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Half a second later as Hikari would be breaking free from the bind, the sudden eruption of pain from her hindquarters no doubt goading her into action, Shashu immediately switched to the seal for Earth Flow River. Normally this Jutsu would turn the ground under an opponent's feet to mud, thus hindering their actions, but in this case she would use it to collapse the support structure for the dome. I hope this works...and I hope they don't make me pay for the damages...
The wind was at Tama's back. She rushed forward and summoned a miniature tornado of air that spiraled the projectile off-course. The next thing Tama knew she was on the ground being stirred by Do and watching Typical-kun (Jo) fire torrents of bolts at nearby enemies. She turned and saw a familiar figure's silhouette. Senada Marie. Note to self, don't ever use meteor strikes to do a job that a laser beam could. The next time they met, Tama would be sure to send a laser straight through her heart. She followed Jo and Do over the wall and into the carriage that made it's way towards the basilica.
Upon entering Tama scanned the scene before her, Shin half-dead, Megane-sennin (Ayumu) in a similar state, perverted hands latching onto Ms. Frizzle (Hikari), Shashu nowhere to be seen, and most importantly no Shiri-tan. The other guests were also not here, that meant, "That kitty princess is with my Shiri-tan!" She saw Masao and Rin standing with that foppish Carmel lingo or whatever. Were they actually here? Were they fakes? Tama didn't know, but Tama also didn't care. At this very moment that thieving princess could be making a move on her Shiranai. There was no time to spend on deciding who was who. She had one clue, and she lifted it to point at Masao. A tortoise-shell haribrush, the official symbol of the Main Branch. She carried one as the Hand, and Masao carried one as the Sennin. Whether or not he recognized it did not matter, Tama's will was set. She merely wanted to see if she was fighting the real deal. Either way, she intended to win. "Let's make this quick, I have a Shogun to make-out with in a private unspecified location."
“Your illusions cannot fool my eyes, Enishi. This is your last chance for redemption. Stop this foolish plan or you will be put down. If it not be by our hand, your arrogance will be your undoing!” declared Shin with a frightening, implacable resolve never before seen in the otherwise bookish Raikage. Blood continued to spurt from the mortal wounds on his chest and pooled at his feet, but the rents in his flesh might well have been pinpricks. As if they were mirrors into the absolute conviction he felt, the man’s eyes blazed with the full glory of the Mangekyo Sharingan, and for a moment, as he bled standing upright on the rubble of shattered pews and broken statuary, Hayata Shin’s image called to mind that of Shinbatsu Himself leading his soldiers to war.
“You see the real me?! As expected of the Raikage of Kumogakure!” declared the traitor who wore Santaru Rin’s face, “her” features twisting into a sadistic smile as “she” swept her arms forward and sent a hulking, hundred-kilogram mass of partially-melted cast-iron at Shin’s direction. “You may not be Kagetsu Kiyo, but at least you’re not an Eimin!” “she” cackled as the fearsome weapon, once property of Santaru Rin, crashed into a row of fiery clones left behind by the Raikage and dissipated them before turning the top half of the Pieta into marble dust.
Meanwhile, Hikari grit her teeth as the writhing, violating hands of the Gate of Enma groped at her and tried to worm their way into her soul. So far, no one had seemed to notice her plight, and there would be Hell to Pay in terms of snark when she finally got free. As she considered making a desperate break for it, all of a sudden, she felt a pair of fingers suddenly rush up from behind…
"KHORNE!" she roared as she was literally expelled from her binds by the clenching of her own muscles. She looked around furiously for the perpetrator of that act, forgetting about the fact that Yukimura Enishi himself was wearing her aunt’s face and beating the shit out of her friends. No, this was much more pressing. Was it that pervert Natsu? It had to have been! Her hammer was in her hands, hungering for blood and gore. Meanwhile, Shashu slipped back into the shadows, scurrying over the ceiling on her eight appendages and trying to position herself over her enemies.
“They’re Impostors. Kingslayers. Don’t hold back!” commanded Natsu as he pointed his bone spikes at the three attackers. The Kaguya’s cheeks ripped asunder in a Glasgow Smile as fangs of glistening calcium erupted from his face to form a terrifying warrior’s mask, and he charged forward with bloodlust.
Kill ‘em all, my love! whispered Saeko in Jo’s mind as he surveyed the scene, a growing pressure buzzing in his head and urging him to finally, gloriously submit to the thing within. And don’t forget to wash your hands afterwards, interjected Enjeru. That was all he needed. Finally, it was time for By-Tor to rear his ugly head and drive. As he took a backseat in his own consciousness, Jo could not help but feel good at the fact that he was losing his mind to wreak havoc.
Gleefully, Tama started to belt out the lyrics to a song. She had composed it for such a battle like this when everything made no sense, and when everyone was about to lose their way. It was for Shiranai, and with her voice, and her fight, her feelings would reach him for sure.
In the dusty basement where we met
May you surprised me so much
Because you’re talking now
I gotta find the truth from many fights
But I’m all alone
You’re the only one who can help me out
We’ll be as one
We’re ready to fight
Look over there
They try kill us for stars
Our bond has got much stronger than before
Meanwhile…
“We're fine, just focus on taking out Enishi. We'll delay Marie and Haikuno here," replied Kazuhiko to Natsu as he expertly parried a pike thrust and sank a throwing dagger into a hooded assailant’s forehead. So far, he had succeeded in creating a buffer between the late Cardinal Miike’s honor guard and Kaguya. Although the chuunin realized that it was his duty to probably go and help Kaguya take Haikuno into custody rather than watching the two wrestle each other in the mud, he also knew that this was a fight that needed to happen, and that his involvement would feel too alien, in a way. The future struggles of humankind would have to be decided by humans, not shinobi…
“You…” sneered Senada Marie at Kazuhiko, as she leveled a pistol-bolter at him. The chuunin cursed inside – he had been so distracted by the fight between Haikuno and Kaguya and keeping the Inquisition forces away that he had lost track of Marie. She was an incredibly dangerous foe both far away and up close, despite not being a shinobi herself. “I’m really glad you didn’t die from the nuclear blast, by the way,” she said, surprisingly cheerfully. “Because it means I get to pay you back myself for what you did to me back there!” she snarled, pulling her trigger. A patch of mud exploded near Kazuhiko’s left foot and he instinctively took a step back, only to feel the sudden, horrifying “click” underfoot that could mean only one thing. He was standing on an antipersonnel mine, and if he moved, even to try a switch, it would go off. Based on its likely size, which the chuunin guesstimated from his training, it would at least take off his leg if not more. Marie grinned. “Really, what was with you and trying to brush me? Don’t you know how creepy that is? You don’t just brush a girl’s hair without permission, you know! That’s sexual harassment, you damned pervert-sensei!” She cleared her throat.
“Now, you be a good baka-hentai and don’t move an inch - or go ahead and move and die, it’s fine with me either way – I’m going to pick off that Kagoo-yo guy and Haikuno and me are going to go help Enishi-sama take out our enemies. And then we have a date afterwards! Haikuno isn’t the most reliable guy, but he’s got some good points…gah, why am I telling you this?! Whatever, it’s time to shoot things,” she said, leveling her bolter at Kaguya’s head as he was locked in combat with Haikuno…
Back at the Basilica
All of a sudden, things fell apart just as quickly as they had started to look up. Just as a crush of missiles erupted from Shin’s hands, and slammed into the impostors to sear their bodies with white phosphor, a swirling whirlpool of pure energy suddenly erupted from the smoke and slammed into the Raikage’s midsection.
Shinsengumi Shourai, who had stolen the Tarot of Destiny from the Great Library of Kyongju, and who now wore Miyatogi Junuichi’s face, cracked a rare, madness-ridden smile as he lifted Shin off the floor with his hand and pulsed nearly a million kilojoules of pure energy into the Uchiha’s body. The force of the energy transfer, Odama Rasengan, was enough to shatter every bone in the man’s body and throw him like a limp ragdoll in an arc across the Basilica. With a silent thump, Hayata Shin crashed into the Throne of Saint Isamu, turning the millennia-old wood into splinters.
Enishi, who wore Rin’s face, grinned in triumph as he lanced at Ayumu with a bolt of hyper-concentrated electricity, tearing apart the great altar and scattering lit candles everywhere. The ANBU Sennin only managed to avoid the impact by disappearing in a flock of shadowy birds, only to materialize right in the path of a monstrous, fiery dragon that slammed into him and exploded, enveloping him in flames and sending him also crashing into the Cathedra Isamu.
Agony tore at the ANBU Sennin as his skin blistered and fused with melting clothing and armor, and the smell of his own hair burning was enough to make him retch his bowels onto the broken stone below. The fact that most of the pain was subsiding quickly was only a reminder that he was doomed to die a slow death within the next two days, with over ninety percent of his body ravaged with third-degree burns. That was, if no one simply executed him first. He craned his neck over to look at the body laying next to him, its neck and limbs twisted at grotesque angles incompatible with life. Slowly, and with his flesh tearing from his bones like slow-cooked meat, he felt Hayata Shin’s neck for a pulse, and found none.
It was over – Shin was dead, Ayumu was as good as dead, and now someone with Masao’s face was holding him up by his throat, wrist blades extended. Ayumu had to laugh, if he could laugh. The blades puncturing his body at all angles did not even hurt, for all of his nerve endings had been burned away. Kahako came to mind as the drifted out of consciousness - he had never told her how he felt about her. There were many things to regret - everyone he held important to him was dying, Enishi was winning, and he had never gotten to avenge his father's crippling. And yet why was he regretting his reticence with her most of all?
Seemingly disgusted by the lack of response from the stricken victim, “Masao” tossed the corpse of Kogami Ayumu aside to rest by that of Hayata Shin.
“Now, kill the others!” commanded “Rin.” But just then, when everything should have been a morass of despair, Tama started a new verse.
Don’t lose your way in your mind
We have to be as one
Don’t be afraid my sweetheart
This is the way to be more strong
Harbor my deep secret
It makes me so blue
Run through this game before my body is dry
Shinrya Kitsune’s eyes flickered open suddenly, and she rose to her feet, even as blood continued to spurt from the fatal wound on her chest. As she started to form seals with her crimson-stained hands, a light began to radiate from her body, quickly growing in intensity until it blinded even the Kingslayers.
“A man’s life…of fifty years…is nothing…compared to the age of this world,” she intoned, starting to move her feet and twirl in a rendition of the Atsumori. “It is but a dream, an illusion in the great order of things. There is nothing…in this world that does not perish!”
“Dammit, Risei, I thought you killed her off!” cursed “Rin,” shielding “her” eyes from the light.
“I’m on it!” cursed “Masao”, leaping at Kitsune…
“So my life has come to an end,” sang Kitsune, as a wristblade entered her throat. To her attacker’s horror, she kept speaking. “But the end of everything is only the beginning…of everything,” she said, closing her eyes. A pulse of light now shot from her body, tossing “Masao” aside and bathing the room in its essence.
Hayata Shin’s eyes flew open at that moment, and he rose to his feet on restored legs, his shattered bones knitting together with mythical speed. So too did Ayumu’s eyes, as the ANBU’s charred body became whole again, burnt flesh pulsing with new blood and becoming pink. As the two men limped forward in wonderment at the fact that their souls had been abruptly restored to their bodies, Kitsune’s body now slumped to the floor, lifeless.
”Shukun!” Shashu gasped, tears of joy running down her face to replace those of anguish. She had witnessed it all – Kitsune had given her life to save those of her Lord and her Raikage. The woman’s sacrifice would not be in vain. Re-energized, she shot strands of webbing at the ceiling she had been chipping away at the whole time. Just one pull, and it would all collapse. It was too bad in a way, since someone had painted the entire thing with heartbreakingly-beautiful scenes of the Tenouzan creation myth, in which the Creator had extended his finger to the First Man, who had extended his own in return and thus sparked life.
“Payback time!” growled Ayumu as he launched himself at “Masao.” The ANBU Sennin’s Taichou Daikatana sliced cleanly through the cavalry saber raised in defense and opened a terrible gash in the enemy’s chest, exposing bloody lung tissue that pulsed spurts of crimson to the floor. “Masao” let out a howl of agony and staggered backward, just as Shashu pulled the cords.
As the Kingslayers looked up, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel itself dislodged and fell right on their heads. Even as stricken as “Masao” was by the wound “he” had just received, he could not help but whisper one last phrase right before the Creator’s finger squashed “him” into paste: ”Oh shit…”
A dusty, bloody figure pushed his way up from a nearby pile of rubble, and angrily charged at Ayumu. Before the wounded “Junichi” could make it, however, twin spears of bone spike crashed into the back of his knees and pinned him to the debris-strewn floor. Natsu smiled grimly and nodded to Ayumu, who drew back his sword and swung it at the man’s neck. The false Camarlengo’s head flew across the room amidst a shower of arterial blood, and landed with a dull thump at the base of the ruined altar. The features blurred as the jutsu sustaining its transformation ceased, and now instead of the Camarlengo’s head, it was a young, platinum-blonde man’s. Deep blue eyes looked around haphazardly in all directions either from confusion or vestigial reflex, but soon ceased to move and then became dull.
As Shashu descended from the ceiling to rush to her master’s side, however, a menacing clang rang out across the room as the hundred-kilogram mass of a cast-iron toilet slammed into her small frame, sending her flying into a stack of pews. The false Santaru Rin’s face was the very image of rage, as “she” leaped across the room with blinding speed, grasped her weapon by the edge of its bowl and struck Shashu again as the small girl lay supine on the rubble.
“You damned little bitch! Do you realize how precious that ceiling was?!” “she” roared as she raised the toilet up to land a finishing blow.
“BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!” roared Hikari as she landed the face of her hammer right between Rin’s shoulderblades, knocking the impostor off balance. Bloody froth erupted from “her” mouth” as she fell forward, only to be smacked full force in the face by a blast of gamma radiation from a very feral-appearing Narashi Jo. Angrily, the impostor rolled onto “her” back, scooting painfully away from the oncoming Angry Ginger and Monster Boy.
A clang echoed across the gutted cathedral as the head of an ornately-decorated lance slammed into the marble right next to the Impostor’s head. Looming over “Rin” was the glowering figure of Takaki Masao in the flesh. His right arm was bound in a sling, and his right eye was a bloody crater stuffed with rags, but the look on his face was nothing short of pure vengeance. Supporting him was the unmistakable figure of Deta.
“I told you, you stupid son of a bitch… Cloud’s gonna cut you down,” snarled Masao as he stomped his boot on “Rin’s” face and aimed the point of the Lance in his left hand at “her” throat. He slammed the point home, and was rewarded by the crunching of cartilage and the splash of blood…
Only to watch as a clone dissipated under his boot. Masao sighed, spitting a gob of bloody mucus to the side.
“Always some asspull, isn’t it?” he grumbled, gesturing at Jo and Hikari. “You two, snap out of whatever hormone-induced rage you’re in and give me a sitrep.”
Donuts draws Boner Killer “Taker of Lives”
Shin activates Mangekyou Sharingan
Donuts activates Dead Bone Pulse
Tama activates Dim Mak style
Shin activates Precognition: Masao
Tama activates Advanced Channeling: Photon
Ayumu uses Chakra Extension
Donuts activates Ultimate Bone Defense
Rin uses Electromagnetism on Shin
Shin reacts with Stunt Double, fails to enter stealth
Shashu uses Thousand Years of Pain on Hikari, frees her, and takes something important
Jo activates Demon Cloak Alpha
Shin uses Starlight Nova on Masao, Rin, and Junichi: All hit
Junichi uses Perfected Odama Rasengan on Shin: Crit
Ayumu uses Executioner with Precision Blow on Masao: Crit
Donuts uses Chakra Extension
Tama uses Devastating Aura: everyone else loses their way
Ayumu uses Critical Exposure on Masao: Hit
Rin uses Chidori Spear on Ayumu
Ayumu reacts with Flock of Shadows
Hikari uses Electrocution on Masao: Miss
Donuts uses Feint Spike on Junichi: Miss
Tama activates Shredding Touch
Junichi uses Dragon Flame Bomb on Ayumu: Hit and sets him on fire
Jo uses Atomic Shockwave on Rin: Miss
Masao uses Limit Break intended for Shin, but because of blindness, hits Ayumu: Chain Million Stabs, Finisher, Giga Star Breaker: Multiple hits, some misses
Shashu uses Earth Flow River on the ceiling: Collapses, hits Masao, Rin, and Junichi for crit damage
Rin uses White Lotus Strike on Shashu: 5 Hits
Hikari uses Skull Buster on Rin: Hit
Donuts uses Piercing Pinholder on Junichi: Hit, binds him
Tama uses Wind Slash on Junichi and Rin: Miss Rin, hit Junichi
Jo uses Atomic Shockwave on Rin: Hit
Ayumu uses Fatal Draw with Precision Blow on Junichi: Crit
Note that the actual sequence of events is somewhat different than what’s in the RP. This was done for dramatic purposes, and if a B-mod writes an RP for you, you should probably buy him or her a beer.
Something I’ve told a few people in Skype or IRC is that when you have a fight of this complexity, it’s going to inevitably be riddled with computational errors, missed bonuses, forgotten conditionals, and heavily smack of favoritism to whoever the B-mod is buddy-buddy with. This is the unfortunate consequence of the NC battle system being essentially complete bloatware when it comes to multi-person fights. Keep that in mind should you choose to engage a large party of shinobi with a large party of your own. For egregious discrepancies, you are free to complain to admin or the b-mod, but in all likelihood, not much will change. Just ask Isaki Kushin about his solid OOC calendar year in battle xD.
Everyone did much better this round in their actions, their plans, and their overall fight direction. People spent appropriate time buffing as well as dealing damage, and Ayumu especially took full advantage of his build, so good job everyone. The thing with Shashu pulling the ceiling down and causing 30K damage to the Kingslayers of course won’t be permitted in a “real” battle but truth is I didn’t want to mod this any further especially now that more people joined and the final outcome would have been pretty much the same overall. Numbers do win you these types of fights, don’t forget.
Kumo Victoria!
Note that this isn’t the last post of the mission. You still have to see to the safety of the VIP’s, wherever Deta took them, and Tama, you need to plot how Kazuhiko’s going to get out of a rather sticky situation. Also, you need to tell Masao what happened. Anyone who hasn’t made the wordcount requirements (I’m not actually tracking, you know who you are), this is your last opportunity to do so before you have to make your leaving post. To inspire you, here is a rough summary of what happened to everyone else:
Lighting Country:
Shiranai and Ami are wounded, but live. Both need first aid at the very least. Shiranai might need some “healing” from Tama…
Bear Country:
Queen Ekaterina is unhurt, however Sennin Kaibutsu Kuro died protecting her. Hoshikage Ai is wounded but able to walk. She is aware that Kuro was her father.
Marsh Country:
Sumihara Hotaka and Sumihara Kaede are unhurt. Both are amazed that Ai actually saved them.
Tenouza:
Pontiff Yamauchi Kiyoshi and Bishop Miyatogi Junichi are dead. The current leadership of the church now falls to a girl named Yamauchi Shuu. The Tenouzan populace does not know about what has happened, only that there has been a collapse in the Basilica. Festivalgoers are gathering outside.
Using his sharingan eyes, Shin had determined that the Rin standing before them was, in fact, a fake. However, at the moment it wasn't doing them a hell of a lot of good. Still, the knowledge that the fake was actually Enishi spurned Ayumu on with renewed vigor. Rage filled him as his mind threatened to lose itself to the anger as it often did in his teenage years. He had overcome that weakness to hopefully be the Sennin that Moro and Rin could be unashamed of, so he wasn't going to let it come back now. He fought back the blood rage and instead did a quick survey of the room. Hikari was bound, but Shashu appeared to be handling it, if not in a very strange way that Ayumu couldn't help but think was her way of payback. Hikari freed one way or another, Shashu returned to the rafters to continue striking from the shadows.
Meanwhile, Natsu, Jo, and Tama had entered the scene to aid the group. The cavalry had arrived, so to speak, but it seemed like it was too late. The impostor Junichi was suddenly right beside Shin. There was nothing Ayumu could do but watch as the powerful jutsu slammed into his Raikage whom he was sworn to protect. He was lifted from the ground and then thrown across the room into the Throne of Saint Isamu. "SHIT! RAIKAGE-SAMA!" Ayumu called out, temporarily distracted. His attention was divided long enough for Enishi to get in close with a lance of lightning. As he felt it begin to single at his chest, he barely used his Flock of Shadows jutsu to avoid it and reestablish himself a few feet away. Unfortunately, Enishi and another Kingslayer had coordinated just so that as he appeared it was only to be struck by a pillar of flame launched directly into his chest, the force of impact launching him into a wall. He barely felt the impact of landing as the pain from the flames consumed him.
The pain was fleeting, a bad sign considering just how badly he was now injured. He felt his consciousness slowly fading now, though he wasn't dead just yet. Reaching over to Shin beside him, he sought to find out of the man still lived, however impossible it seemed. His fears were confirmed with no surprise as he found no pulse. 'Fuck... you've got to be kidding me. This is really it? What a joke,' Ayumu thought as Enishi, the target of all of his hatred, picked him up by his throat. As the man began stabbing him, Ayumu laughed grimly, all he could muster, though it was choked with blood. The funny thing was that he couldn't even feel it. All he could do was think about his regrets, and in such a situation the face that was burned in his mind was that of Kahako. He'd never told her, and now he would never be able to. If somehow by some miracle he made it through the day, he swore it himself he would.
As he was tossed aside, he tried to push himself up onto his arms with what little remained of his strength. He could hear Enishi ordering his allies to kill everyone. As Ayumu struggled, only managing to prop himself up against the wall, he realized that his body was truly finished, yet still he persisted. He sword, only having left his hand upon the latest impact with the ground, was still within reach. He grasped weakly at it, barely reaching it with his fingers, and slid it towards himself... only to find himself to weak to clutch the hilt. As he nearly gave up hope, as his heart's rhythm began to slow, something strange happened. Tama's singing continued as Kitsune, who by all rights should have been dead, rose to her feet. 'How...' Ayumu thought, watching in bewilderment. Light began to radiate from her as the Kingslayers moved to stop her. As a wristblade sunk into her throat, Ayumu thought it was over, and yet she continued to speak words that Ayumu couldn't hear. A purse of light erupted from her body, cascading over the room, over Ayumu.
Instantly, his body began to heal faster than he had seen with any kind of medical jutsu. The dead skin flaked away and shed as new skin grew and took its place. His multiple stab wounds began healing and he found renewed strength in his muscles. It was a bloody miracle. His hand gripped tightly around the hilt of his blade and he rose from the ground, not wasting even a second. "Payback time!" he growled as he pushed himself off of the wall and sped towards the false Masao, raising and bringing his sword down across the chest of the Kingslayer. A rumbling sound above had Ayumu look up to find the ceiling collapsing. He easily leap back out of the way of a large piece of debris, but the wounded Kingslayer wasn't so lucky. In an instant, he was squashed on the chapel floor. Ayumu's eyes caught Shashu, working to bring down the roof on their enemies.
'Shashu! Nice!" Ayumu thought, swelling with pride at the destruction and wanton property damage his trainee was causing. When he glanced back down, the false Junichi had pulled himself from rubble and was charging Ayumu who readied his sword. He didn't make it far before spikes of bone pinned him down making him an easy target. Without hesitation, Ayumu drew back and lopped the bastard's head off. He turned to look for fake-Rin now only to find her in mid-air striking his trainee from the sky to the ground with her ridiculous weapon. "SHASHU!" Ayumu shouted out of concern for his trainee. He went to take a step, but it was unnecessary as Hikari appeared shouting something concerning about a blood god before slamming a hammer into fake-Rin just before another attack came towards her from Jo.
The true Masao now entered the scene as Ayumu grasped his sword and began walking ominously towards the false Rin, his sword gripped tightly. Sadly for him, Masao beat him to the punch or rather lance, supposedly killing Enishi. Of course, a moment later the clone puffed into smoke revealing that it was not truly Enishi. "Son of a bitch. Where'd he go?" Ayumu grunted, looking around. He had half a mind to turn the entire basilica upside down looking for Enishi, but his gaze found his trainee lying still on the ground. She had given it her all, and probably saved everyone's ass by bringing down the ceiling on the Kingslayers. No doubt soldiers and shinobi alike would be scouring the area in search of Enishi. If Ayumu couldn't spare the time for his trainee, what kind of Sennin would he be? He walked over towards Shashu and knelt down, scooping her small frame off of the ground and lifting her up. "You did good, kid," he said as he took her to where the other shinobi would be updating on Masao on what had happened during his absence. The poor guy looked worse than Ayumu did at this point. He hadn't been around for Kitsune's miracle heal. That was when he realized. He cast a forlorn look in the direction of Kitsune's body.
Shin realized, through the use of his Mangekyo Sharingan, that Rin was not Rin. Something everyone should have suspected, but was probably a confirmation for their dear soft hearted Kage. If it had truly been Rin, it probably would have hurt the man very much. “You see the real me?! As expected of the Raikage of Kumogakure!” declared the traitor who wore Santaru Rin’s face. Hikari, meanwhile, could not see what was happening. She was frozen, gritting her teeth as the jutsu that froze her writhed over her body. So far, she was still frozen, but with each passing moment, the mountain of snark she would heap upon her enemies grew ever larger. All of a sudden, however, to her horror, she felt something, a pair of fingers rush up from behind.
Hikari’s eyes bulged, her pupils contracted, and with a horrified yell, she roared “KHORNE!” As though the blood god would strike down the binds set upon her. In fact, as she roared, she expelled the binds which held her still, leaping away from whatever it was. Hikari looked around furiously, completely disregarding the raging battle, ready to strike back at whomever had… violated her. Was it Natsu? Showing his true perversion after all this time? It had to have been! She snarled at him “You ever touch me again and I’ll not only kick your ass then put your ass into a box, then mail it to myself and then, I’ll smash it with a hammah!” She turned about in a rage, “You’re lucky we have a battle to fight!” She growled.
It was then, as she looked back that she saw her Kage hit with a swirling vortex of death to the gut, “Raikage sama!” She gasped, a numb fear spreading out through her body, covering even the pain in her ass. The world seemed to slow as Shin’s body was tossed across the Basilica like a ragdoll. It landed silently, crashing through the throne of some saint or other, turning what once was a beautiful thing, into a pile of rubbish. “No! You bastard!” She heard herself say, as time returned to normal. Even in such a monumentally earth shattering death, the battle would not stop. Hikari saw Ayumu go to try and defend, but somehow he was on fire. The fake Masao advanced on him, catching him by the throat, and began to stab. Masao then tossed Ayumu aside as if disgusted, to lay beside Shin.
Hikari shook her head. The battle was being lost. She was weak. She felt her body wearying, and then, just as she thought all was going to hell in a handbasket, the tone of the room turned. She heard someone somewhere singing, and was reminded of a story in which some jackass played a harp as his city was razed to the ground. Just then, Kitsy stood, bloody and dying, yet somehow forming seals, performing jutsus as a light emanated from her body. Hikari stood staring, frozen for a moment as the woman spoke. The words were unclear, but it was obvious even as the Kingslayers moved to cut her down, that some otherworldy force kept her standing. Perhaps it was love. Perhaps it was stubbornness. Perhaps, and this was Hikari’s opinion, the Blood God had seen fit to use Kitsune’s blood to bless his servant. The ginger smiled the most unpleasant smile she’d ever donned, as her fallen Raikage reawakened, and the ceiling began to fall.
Hikari moved out of the way as it crashed on top of them. She hardly spared a thought for the pricelessness of the domed ceiling and the painting which had covered it.
The faux holy-man dug himself from beneath the rubble, trying for one last desperate attempt to avail his cause, but was pinned by spikes of bones, then decapitated by the no longer wounded Sennin. Hikari realized then that Kitsune’s dying jutsus must have saved him as well.
It seemed for a moment, to be over. Shashu, who had been the one to collapse the ceiling, came down from above, rushing, presumably, to Ayumu’s side, became the last casualty on the side of Kumo, that day, as the fake Rin chucked what seemed to be a toilet, at the small spidery girl. Hikari moved even as Rin snarled, “You damned little bitch! Do you realize how precious that ceiling was?!” “she” roared as she raised the toilet up to land a finishing blow.
Hikari was having none of it. It was time to repay Khorne for his blessings of healing and strength. She rushed the fake Rin and roared “BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!!” As she landed the face of her hammer between the shoulder blades of the imposter. Rin fell forward, a bloody froth erupting from ‘her’ mouth, then she was smacked full force by a blast of radiation to the face, by one of the Bomb Squad. The imposter rolled onto ‘her’ back as she scooted away from the monster boy and the angry ginger Ambassador.
A clang echoed across the ruins of the bascilica as a lance fell near the impostor’s head. Hikari’s eyes fell on Masao. “Uncle.” She whispered as he loomed over ‘Rin’. He glowered, his arm bound in a sling, and his eye a bloody rag stuffed hole. He stomped on ‘her’ face, and aimed the lance at ‘her throat’, then slammed it through her throat, crunching the cartilage and splashing the blood- but then, ‘she’ disappeared. It’d been a fucking clone- for how long? Probably since the collapse of the dome.
“Always some asspull, isn’t it?” he grumbled, gesturing at Jo and Hikari. “You two, snap out of whatever hormone-induced rage you’re in and give me a sitrep.”
“Yes sir.” She said shaking her head. “I assume you want the condensed version? You’ll get a full report soon as we return to Kumo.” She assured, “The fucking Kingslayers killed the Pontiff, before we ever realized they weren’t you… The Camarlengo was a traitor.” She still couldn’t believe he was the same man who had brought her ice cream. “But my speech to the diplomats worked. They all protected one another, and I don’t know for certain, but I think everyone lived because of it. Deta, commanded by Shin took them to safety… We had no time to be sure they’d stay safe otherwise. He surely saved their lives. Kitsune’s dead. Your double- the kingslayer killed her- then the Raikage fell, and so did Kogami-sama, but Kitsune healed them, but was struck down….” She gestured at the rubble, “This happened when Shashu risked her life to kill your double, and seriously injure the two others. Unfortunately, fake Rin threw a toilet at her, and nearly killed her. Jo and I prevented that by focusing our attacks on him, while Kogami sama and Donut killed the Camarlengo. That was when Deta brought you here…” She looked to Jo and coughed, “Ah, and sometime before the collapse of the dome, I used the limited range of the headset to inform Donut’s team about the doubles. Recorded a message and set it to repeat so that when they got in range they would know and be ready to fight… I dunno if they got the message, though even if they didn’t, they fought well.” She frowned. “Shashu’s pretty hurt. Kogami sama and the Raikage are well, thanks to Kitsy’s last efforts… You should ask our Kage or Deta where the delegates are. They will likely need healing and consoling. And there is the matter of finalizing the treaties. Much was worked out, but little was decided. Hopefully what has happened will make that easier.”
Then, Ayumu brought the broken body of Shashu to where they stood. He looked so broken with the young girl in his arms. Hikari didn't know what to say.
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