The Fukui Extraction [mission]

[Takahashi Aki]

The Fukui residence. Well, not a resident. Not even a mansion. It was almost like a city within a city. There were gates which greeted our heroes first. Gate that were sealed shut. The invitation written to the four Suna nin was written quite well in fact, it was indeed a very welcoming thing in fact. What was known about Shino was that the man while a merchant of Soon's, did not have the need for money. He would not invest in a losing venture, he did invest in middling groupings, and furthermore he would invest in underdogs. While he was accused of hiring the Cabal to attack, he had made clumsy attempts to defend his family's honour. He brought up the rivalry with the Takahashi clan, but only in the sense that rivalries between the two great houses only led him to further create greater wares.

There were guards posted at the gates, but curiously they did not carry the colours of the Fukui family which were red and silver. These guards wore blue and grey. A curious thing it was. The Fukui family always had the sigil of a silver sword, with a red circle surrounding it. These guards wore a different sigil, that was of a gold lion with two axes on its sides. Was the Fukui family being held hostage? Had they been kidnapped? Killed? No one in Soon's seemed to question the new management present. Shino had not been seen in days. To make matters worse, our team of Suna nin would be able to see the number of guards multiplying. They were coming out from the head household which towered above six others. The guards were armed with pikes, and seemed to be ... well equipped with what was probably wears of the Fukui family. The builds were draped as usual with their sigils of the family. Grey flags with the sigil present flew high above as if to suggest that the family was ever present. When the flags flew, the clan resided in inside.

Were they home? They must have been!

 

[Kioku Kasure]

The bashar walked up the road, rereading the invite for perhaps the three hundredth time. Nice handwriting, pleasant state of address. This man is either the nicest man in the world or has some horrifying problems. Kaz smiled inwardly at his joke. He had heard he'd be getting some help for the mission but he wasn't sure who yet. Man, I've been getting a lot of missions lately, this ninja thing is getting quite fun. So wrapped up was he in his thoughts, that he walked head first into the heavily fortified gate. He fell head over heels and landed in a pile facing the sky. Still need some practice though. He got up quickly and dusted himself off. He looked up to the guards and waved cheerily.

“Hi! I'm here for the thing, with that guy. Hang on I have a name here. Errrr, where did it go...”

Bouncing back up he began checking his pockets for either the invite or his headband. I had it just a second ago, man this looks so unprofessional...

[177]

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Kumomi has been in a few missions but this was her first mission where she was to work with a team. The young puppeteer was wearing her dark blue dress with black sleeves and leggings. Her hijab was navy with grey accents and she wore a necklace of silver and jade. Her lips were a matte plum and her eyes were coated in a metallic silver eyeshadow. The girl's sun kissed bronze skin has contoured and highlighted and her brows were filled with an exceptional level of skill. She looked perfect. A huge plus of being a puppeteer was that in most cases she didn't break a sweat so her makeup was alway on fleek.

With a calm demeanor the young girl made her way to the designated location where she was to meet her teammates. As she approached she pulled the invitation out of her side bag. After pulling it out she noticed a young man laying on the ground. I hope he isn't... oh... As she got closer she vaguely recognized him. He was one of the boys she sparred with at the Academy. Oh well, she needed to focus on the mission. Upon arrival she stood near but not too close to the guards holding her invitation in front of her.

 

[Raizo]

So this man is being accused of funding the Cabal invasion, I wonder if he holds any connection to Arburata, or whatever that weasels name was. That guy also came from a wealthy class, pretty sure he mentioned Soon's Haven as well in his little chat with me. He mentioned a lot about the nobility of this country, and this guy seems to fit that same bill.

Roku came walking up behind the other two that had already made their way to the gate. His eyes scanned over the two of them to get a better idea of who he was working with. Their appearances alone it was quick to tell they were younger. The male figure was taller than most, but still shorter than himself, and had a good build. The female figure was shorter and lighter but seemed to carry herself with more of a presence than the young man. One of the perks to being a high ranking member of the shinobi army was the ability to get some background information on those he would be working with.

Heh, I remember my first mission I was thrown in and didn't know jack about who was going to be with me or who was leading. This being experienced thing is definitely the route to travel.

There was still one missing from the grouping, or at least he had been briefed on having a full shinobi squad for this mission.

"Hello."

Roku's greeting was directed towards the two Sunan shinobi. He would be standing behind them dressed in loose clothing. His red sleeved shirt would be left unbuttoned, exposing his lean but muscular frame and scarred body. Over that shirt was a yellow vest that hung very loose upon his body as well. His face would seem pleasant, accompanying his greeting to the young shinobi with a kind smirk.

"I am Roku, and I will be heading this mission."

His smirk would then pass to a more serious expression as his eyes went to the guards at the gate.

"We have been sent here to meet up with Fukui Shino. Can you escort us to him?"

There was a lot going on, the size of everything, the coating of arms and the use of color. It all seemed like something from a storybook. The guards had their colors, the flags waving above had different colors. There were sigils abound, it was all just an extreme showing of familial pride, something Roku had little to no understanding of.

Welp, Sousuke, not sure why this was commissioned but let's see how this shit-show goes.

 

[Takahashi]

"Pein's Theme"
Remix
Killing Spree
Naruto OST​

Jin'ichi was no stranger to the city of Soon's Haven. It had been one of his first stops upon reaching the mainland, originally from an island off the coast of Wind Country nicknamed the Gutai Makai. Soon's Harbor had been a welcoming sight before treading the desert and finding the village of his forefathers. After joining up with Sousuke, he would eventually return on a mission to deal with extortionists. With the bravado and brutish nature that had become expected of him, Jin'ichi chose to take things head on and barely made it out alive. It seemed more often than not he was simply good at being lucky, in a very unlucky way.

That had been months ago though. After having a several altercations with other Shinobi in the village over his behavior he'd isolate himself and rebuild. If there was one thing learned, it was that he could take a beating and stare death in the eye with the cavalier attitude of an immortal, contrary to his mortal shell. He could not be bought, bullied, nor reasoned with once he chose to stand his ground. It didn't matter that he had absolutely no special powers, and as such lost every fight he had with other Shinobi in the village. It was a wonder that someone hadn't killed him, but never once did he seek mercy, assistance, or pity. He carried on his path towards becoming a Shinobi, in his own way, and in his own time.

He had a reputation, and it wasn't a good one. Though his last name was Takahashi, his father was a traitor and his skills at twenty six were lackluster. Not an ugly man, but by no means a pretty boy or one to care about his looks, Jin'ichi made no effort to visually appeal to others. While not an unintelligent man, he behaved in ways that made others unable to view him as anything more than an idiot. Only Sousuke, Shiori, and a particular Lord of the Senju had more than an inkling to what lay beneath. Still, the reputation would be further damaged upon failing a mission a couple weeks before. While hired along with two mercenaries to guard a caravan, he had failed to protect even a single life on that day. Everything that breathed within a few feet of the melee perished, with Jin'ichi surviving on luck and the fact he wasn't worth targeting. Returning almost broken and badly wounded, he'd grudgingly admit his failure and reject payment. It was after this even that he truly went into isolation.

By the time he emerged and entered society once again, something had changed. The sickly pale complexion had left him, although not returning to as dark a shade as was natural. Both eyes were now blood red, though the unstable cells in his body made such alterations normal. He spoke less, and he seemed more professional, even if not an iota nicer. All things happened for a reason, and each cause had an effect. Sometimes it was better to keep the details about what made you tick a secret, so that others couldn't push your buttons and play you like a video game. Spectacular skill or manipulation of the elements wasn't quite his thing, but the hidden intelligence he harbored could still be put to use. He had stopped drinking as much, and stopped smoking as often but quit neither. Less time spent on either of those things however; meant more time spent 'making something of himself' even if he didn't actually believe in conventional concepts of the idiom.

Dressed in a simple black shirt with dark pinstriped pants, he was able to walk through Soon's Haven mostly unnoticed. Upon his last visit, he'd been wearing more traditional clothing and had longer hair. A lot had changed since then, and anyone in the city claiming to recognize him would have been a liar. While his bone and facial structures hadn't changed at all, the brown hair turned ebony was a change as were his eyes. In the first place, he hadn't been friendly enough with anyone in Soon's Haven to be recognized even if he hadn't changed due to the vile energy infecting his soul. His shirt hadn't been tucked in, and his sword among other tools were hidden beneath. Meanwhile rugged boots scuffed from the harsh sands covered his feet.

Once he neared the gates of the Fukui residence he noticed a trio waiting to be let in. Having already done his homework, a number of things were already not quite adding up about the situation. The abysmal pupils in his eyes would shift from one detail in the distance to another, making no haste as he approached the group. Colors and symbols decorating the avenue weren't at all like those seen in the dossier, and the pike-carrying guards seemed more menacing than they should. Shifting his focus back to the three whom fit the descriptions of his allies, he would first notice the petite female draped in obscuring robes. What he could see showed a degree of care, as well as an air of personal vanity. The two males were both larger than Jin'ichi, even the one that seemed to be slightly hunched over. Unlike them, he hadn't broken six feet and remained at a simplistic five feet and nine inches. While he was the eldest of the quartet, he didn't seem much older than the one who identified himself as Roku. If anything, his smaller stature would falsely suggest that he was younger.

He'd stop next to Kasure, on the side opposite to Kumomi. Raising his arm and scratching his head a little, he looked towards the other two Genin then to Roku himself. "I overheard you introducin' yourself earlier, but I did go through the mission briefin'. Okayama Roku, right? Takahashi Jin'ichi... These two must be Kioku Kasure and- Kugutsu Kumomi." He'd give a slight bow to the three of them in one motion, that was more like half a nod than anything else. Pleasantries weren't really his thing, but change had to start somewhere even if it only changed a little. Slipping his right hand into his pocket, while the left brought an unlit cigarette to his lips that would purse slightly to hold it there. "Nice to meet ya, let's hope this goes well." Despite his words, he looked off towards the main house and had a feeling that things would not go very well at all.

WC: 1,082
Marked for training.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

The two guards looked at each other and then. Kasure had not made a very good first impression. The first of the two guards broke out into a laughing fit. He dropped his pike as he was laughing so hard he held his stomach. "Too. Too funny. God my innards hurt. This is a joke." The guard stopped laughing as his companion gave him a venmous look. The guard quickly got back up standing straight and held his pike. The gates were opening, three more men came out. Two of them grabbed the guard who was laughing earlier and the third guard began to punch the living tar out of the man. It was a vicious beating, the sort that was if anything truly uncalled for. After a very serious pummeling, the third guard picked up the pike and then ran it through the man's shoulder. A bit excessive it was. There was a loud scream coming from the not-so-laughing man as he was impaled. The two guard holding him were throwing cheap shots now for good measure. Afterwards the two holding him dragged his unconscious body inside. The guard delivering the beating now took the place the former guard. His pike, which belonged to the previous guard, was dripping blood due to the impalement from earlier. "Get lost scrub." spoke the guard who delivered the vicious beating. He spoke in a most unpleasant voice. Clearly he was not amused and wanted nothing to do with Kasure.

Roku and Kumomi would approach the guards next. Kumoi holding out her invitation which was then poked at by the pike and taken away from her. The initiation was raked across the gates tearing it to pieces. "When the scrubs rain, they pour in. Get lost." The guard again answered just as unpleasant as before, but perhaps even more so this time. "Do the two of you want to be made an example of? Get lost." The guard spoke his impatience and unpleasant behavior was growing by the minute. Then to make matters even worse Roku then marched his excellent self up and requested them to escort him. The guard who had yet to speak anything almost chuckled, but the guard who so far had been doing all the talking glared daggers at him. There were no smiles here, perhaps there would be more in a graveyard. Jin'ichi joined them at this point. The rather vicious guard growled. "Get lost. I will poke more holes in you than that cheese from Swiss lands." He threatened. "The four of you have ten seconds to remove yourself from my presence or else I will get mad. You wouldn't like me if I was mad, and what I did to guy who was here before was me being annoyed." Clearly the invitation which was written earlier was not at all welcomed, and if anything it seemed that they had the wrong address if not for the flag that flew above the estate. The two guards who delivered the beatings and holdings from earlier emerged once more and stood behind the gates. Reinforcements seemed ... easy for this thuggish guard.

There was the option to make a scene of this and force their way in. It would be an even match of four and four. The problem was that they did not know how many guards lurked inside and how many of them would come running out if they so challenged the doorman as it were. There were other ways to get in that involved stealth and some trickery. Curiously there were some windows open, and while the gate in was heavily guarded there did not seem to be any guards patrolling the walls surrounding the estate. There was also the far more smellier option of the sewer. Like Sungakure, Soon's did have an underground sewer. Rumor had it that it was infested by giant rats, chances were the rats were nicer and certainly not so foul mouthed.

 

[Kioku Kasure]

Getting up whilst the guard was laughing, Kaz would smile along with them, it was pretty funny after all. He would nod to each of his fellows when they arrived, the final one making introductions unnecessary. He knew the fighting style of Kumomi already from the spar, upon seeing Roku he guessed maybe a nin or tai specialist, though jounins did seem to be capable of a more flexible fighting style. Judging from this Jin'ichi's knowledge he eother was a fact machine or a pretty thoughtful fighter like himself, at least most of the time.

“Let's get along”

Suddenly the guard was being beaten to a bloody pulp, happening a bit too fast for Kaz to respond too. Every time a blow hit his teeth ground and his chakra pulsed slightly, slowly building, like a nuclear reactor going into meltdown. Upon the final blow the two items he was looking for fell out of his pocket to the floor. The slip of paper drifted slowy down as the headband was caught instinctively. Cutting over the guards countdown he calmly spoke, his voice seeming almost dead and emotionless.

“Sorry Roku, I might be going a little off book here. But I can't let that go.” He put on the headband, slowly, clearing his peripheral vision and suddenly his demeanor shifted completely. As he did so the others woud notice a sizable amount of chakra channelled towards his hands, more than most genins could achieve. He looked the thuggish brute of the guards infront of him. People who abuse power and trust only deserve one thing

“After what you did. No warnings. No Countdown. Just this”

He came in with a two hit combo which seemed to explode from his fists. The first blow was aimed at this guards face, to knock that smug smile off it. The second was a gut shot designed to send the man flying, not throught the gate, but at one ot the hinges. Hopefully breaking the doors permanently. I really need to find a better coping mechanism for anger. The others would notice his fists were smoking slightly and seemed slightly cut after this, although it seemed to be already healing.

[376]
Technique used: Fist of sin, Wrath Edition

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

As the mission leader showed up she was rather unimpressed. Hell, she'd fought students bigger than this guy. He must be excellent in chakra manipulation to be this strong yet so slender. Her eyes quickly picked upon something that must have been wrong. The gaze of the puppeteer quickly overlooked the situation and to her surprise she had missed somehting important. The guards were not of the same uniform as the estate. She took a step back as the last Genin arrived. He introduced himself as Jin'ichi, so along with him, Roku, and her acquaintance of Kaz everyone was here.. But something happened that she could never had expected. As the small boy arrived the guards acted up.

She originally paid them no mind as they were rude and she was better than to even speak to such vermin, hell even when the beating was happening she didn't really care. She was from around here and she didn't know how their customs were, but the last blow changed everything. Just like Kaz her chakra surged, but in a different manner. Instead of focusing her chakra into a single spot on her body it was more like she was tightly twisting her chakra all over her body creating thousands of tiny spirals. She jumped back as Kaz went in for the attack making the Tori hand seal. Art of the Micro-Puppet: Clockwork Jutsu! As Kaz would have probably already assumed, the young kunoichi summoned forth a swarm of her nano puppets. Pulling her arms apart and showing her palms to the guards her loose sleeves began to tremor and a buzzing sound could be heard. Small wooden and metallic structures in the shape of mosquitos and wasps began to swarm around the area. Thousands of them filled the air, each no larger than a small coin. Denser puppets began to crawl from under her dress and scattered across the ground. These beetles were all probably the size of a large coin and had more metal than wooden parts.

"You beat me to it Kaz. I've got you covered."<i></i>

She realized a this point that being a C-Rank Genin probably meant she was the weakest one on the team, but she wasn't built to fight. With a smirk and a twitch in her finger she hoped Kaz would remember this trick. Art of the Micro-Puppet: Puppet Armor!</I><i></i> The young Kunoichi shifted her foot and thousands of beetles crawled up and over her dark blue dress to create a black armor. Completely covering her body in a layer of armor the girl quickly shifted her chakra signal to that resembling a medic's. Grabbing her right bicep she thrusted her hand outward and shifted some of the flying mosquitos. Collecting a few puppets together three slug shaped puppets the size of an average person's thumb fell to each of her teammates.

"I'm training to be a medic, and these help me channel my chakra."<i></i>

As she spoke the green chakra signature of a healing jutsu began to be emitted from each of the slug puppets.

((OoC: Actions)

• <I>Equipped with Quick Draw - Nano-Wasp (offensive)
  Equipped with Quick Draw - Nano-Mosquito (supportive)
  Equipped with Quick Draw - Nano-Beetles (defensive)
  Used Puppet Armor (Nano-Beetles Maintaining)
  and setting up for Vital Wave with Nano-Mosquitos

 

[Raizo]

Roku's expression would not change in the beginning. The fumbling, the laughing and then the punishment. It was all a very normalized imagery for someone who fought in the Cabal and prisoner invasions. This was nothing new, nothing graphic and nothing all that amazing. It would elicit a response, and several years ago would have drawn a rather hasty response from Roku. He would have shattered the suits in front of him in a rage that would have made their own cruelty seem like a pleasantry. Instead, Roku stood and watched. He was insulted, his team was insulted and the fallen guard were insulted, all were acts that should have resulted in a beating of the trash before him.

What would Sousuke do...

He would breathe in and exhale as he started to look around. There were a couple of ways this could be handled; they could look for a weak spot in the perimeter and sneak in, like ninjas, or they could scout and see if there was a more secretive way into the compound. Then there was the last choice, the choice that was the most reckless of all; fight their way through the front.

Can't get these Genin killed.

His mind was made up. It was time to make some witty, non-aggressive comment to the guard, take the lump of being insulted, and go about their day to not draw any further ire. Well, that was what Roku had intended. The genin had other thoughts. The boy on the ground from earlier made his apology and everything escalated from there.

"How reckless..."

Would be what he would mutter as Kasure rush forward making his taijutsu assault on the rude guard. Roku would merely watch as the boy showed good form, a strong punch and a nice look in his eye upon his attack.

At least he has promise.

The female of the group would then quickly begin to make a move of her own, as insect looking creatures began to flood out from her body, coating the ground, herself and the sky. It was truly a very bizarre and unique thing to watch as he had never met someone to utilize this sort of jutsu before. He then heard her, before a slug plopped onto his shoulder, mention that she was training to be a medic.

Kind of creepy but good to know we have a medic in our midst, even if just one in training.

His eyes would then shift over to Jin'ichi before he could make a move for himself, if that was what he was planning as well.

"If worse comes to worse, you will be acting leader for the other two if I am forced to stay behind. Should that be the case we will use frequency 008 to communicate."

He would continue to wait, not wishing to get involved at this point in time. So far the young one's seemed to have some idea as to what they were doing, even if it was probably not the best choice to act on. They had no idea the number of guards, how quickly reinforcements could arrive, or even the strength of these guards. There was no way of knowing what sort of box the group just opened, but he was confident that with the current number of guards displayed, regardless of their strength, he could provide a long enough distraction to get his team out of the thick of it. It would then be a question of if he could remove himself from that mess following that, but he would cross that bridge if it came to it.

 

[Takahashi]

While he himself hadn't found the sight of the young man particularly funny, its was quite obvious one of the guards did. Redgardless of that, Kasure would stand himself up and make a simple request for their unit to get along. Seeing no problem with the suggestion, Jin'ichi would nod barely. From the corner of his eyes he'd spot the unnerving seriousness of the guard that didn't laugh. By the time the amused man finally seemed to calm down, things took a rather violent turn. A trio of other men stepped forth from the opening gates, two grabbing the once entertained guardsman while the third pummeled away. Jin'ichi would narrow his eyes, until they were mere millimeters away from transforming into a glare. In one modality of thought, he didn't like the man at all, in another he wondered if this was how the Fukui truly disciplined their employees... Having already learned quite a bit about the head of the Fukui family, Shino, it seemed very unlikely.

It seemed even more unlikely as the assailant took a break, only to pick up the unequipped pike and skewer his comrade. Shino had come from from some might consider a humble beginning, and unlike the other Merchant Lords had a reputation for putting family and honor above all else. The two that held their associate now joined in on the beating as well, to which Jin'ichi would respond by averting his gaze mildly and digging into his pocket. Pulling out a lighter and igniting the cancer stick as threats came his way, he seemed to ignore the while watching the unconscious body hauled away. Exhaling a thick cloud of smoke that curled and spread through the air, he laughed quietly to himself. "I absolutely hate it when I'm right... " He complained more to himself than anyone else while Kumomi's invitation was torn to shreds. More insults followed, and more threats. You would have sworn the quartet had simply shown up... Uninvited. Plucking the cigarette from his mouth and rubbing his forehead with the same palm he listened to Kasure's apology. The young man went off, unleashing a combination of blows that would snap the ribs and skulls of most men.

Roku pointed out how reckless their comrade was being, and on the inside Jin'ichi couldn't help but agree. Their mission had been the retrieval of Shino, in order to have the master craftsman aid in the rebuilding of Sunagakure... Not to play superhero. For all they knew, Kasure's little stunt had been seen from a window high above and caused the Merchant Lord's throat to be slit in retaliation. This had become a rescue mission, even if no one else had figured that out. Taking a few steps back so as not to get in anyone's way, he'd notice Kumomi surrounded by what appeared to be countless tiny strings of energy. The flood of mechanical insects spilled out from beneath her garbs, filling the area with buzzing and clicking noises. The modestly dressed girl would announce her support of Kasure's choice of actions, or at least that she'd back up his decision. The situation might not have been particularly dangerous, considering that they were in the presence of a Jounin and Kasure himself seemed incredibly strong for an average Genin. Kumomi had her mechanical swarm that wrapped around her body and formed a suit of dark armor. Everyone would be fine... Would their mission be a failure though?

Not if Jin'ichi could help it. A small slug-shaped automaton landed on his shoulder, and he could feel the revitalizing energy seeping into his body. Removing his hand from his forehead he thought of flicking the little puppet off, and into the dirt the dirt. Stopping himself he'd mumble. "Thanks." Was his solemn response, before turning his attention to the grounds in search of any clues. While they fought and caused a distraction, perhaps he would find a way inside and could begin looking for their client. That was the plan, but Roku's voice broke through the sounds of growing battle and designated him backup leader. It was an offer he'd have liked to refuse, but it wasn't an offer. Roku was his commanding officer on this excursion. "No disrespect, but there ain't a chance they'll listen to me."</COLOR><i></i> Inhaling his cigarette deeply, he eyed his commander taking note of Roku's subtle decisions. Unlike the other two, the Jounin had shown no great reaction to the situation and hadn't lifted a finger to join in Kasure's assault. He grinned to himself a little thinking that Roku more likely than not had actually earned his place as Jounin.

Pulling the cigarette from his mouth and pointing over Kasure and the fighting group with the same hand, he made shared some thoughts. "These guys have Fukui Shino somewhere in there, and if they don't then someone inside knows where he is. Considerin' this shit's started, we shouldn't have more than a few minutes until they try to move him if he's in there... That is, if they're not stupid enough to think a few tin men can take out four Shinobi." Letting his hand fall back down limply to his side he'd add further details. "Whoever's runnin' this show didn't know we were comin' or else they'd have set a better trap... Probably lure us into a confined space first or somethin'. So they weren't expectin' our fire power. If we move as a unit we'll break through the defenses like a wreckin' ball, as well as cover all our blind spots. Gettin' to Shino or some information on him should be our priority above anythin' else really. Just a suggestion though, you're the leader after all."<i></i> There was nothing condescending about his last statement, making it clear that he didn't intend to break rank or try to run the show. However; while his three teammates had strength to offer Jin'ichi fought against impulse and exercised strategy to overcome his weaknesses. <COLOR color="red">"Don't get me wrong though, if somethin' does happen I'll cover for ya." Although trying to stay out of it, he already knew how he'd react to any harm headed his way...

Actions:
- Steps back from the brawl.
- Scans the area for further clues and entrances.
- Talks strategy with Roku.
- If assaulted in any way, pull a Reactionary Body Switch. Hit the same target with a Nut Buster + 7-Hit Combo.
Edited: Fixed HTML errors.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

(Just for a future note ... uh just provide me with a link for the jutsu used. It just makes things easier for me to mod, also that armour picture is quite awesome. I dig it. I'm also going to mod some suggestions on how to proceed coming to mind should you wish to be stealth, or you could brawl your way in)

Kasure was the first of the suna nin to throw down, literally. He had quite enough of the thuggish guardsman who was running the show. Kasure took the aggressive approach and threw a punch at the guard's face. Surprisingly the guard raised his pike and incercepted the blow. The pike did not snap in half. The guard's face curled into a smile. "Just what? Embarrassing yourself?" Unfortunately the guardsman did not have the foresight to realize this was a one two punch and took the second punch extremely well, in the gut. The guard was indeed sent towards the hinge and had hit it soundly. A loud clank could be heard, and the hinge appeared slightly weakened. It was more than likely that the hinge was made from the steel that the Fukui were known for. If they wanted to break through it would seriously need a good whack. On the contrary Kasure's fist indent appeared in the armour of the man. The pikeman did not appreciate this. The gates opened and the four guards encircled Kasure. The four of them mounted a team attack coming at all angles at Kasure with their pikes to impale him. The three guards were sluggishly slow, but the one who Kasure had punch, he seemed to be moving all the more quicker. He was not a novice at the very least. It was further evidenced as his pike began to glow red and begin expelling heat. "Try this on for size maggot!"The brutal guardsman was indeed a cut above his men. At the sounds of fighting, another four pikemen were running forward so as to reinforce the four attacking Kasure. They would arrive within thirty seconds.

Kumomi unfortunately got the attention of one of the guards. Her puppet armour seemed to ... at the very least lead to a wrong impression. "Takahashi scum!" One of the four roared at her. "Your kind always poke your nose into things that need not concern you!" The truth was that Kumomi was in fact not a Takahashi, but clearly the guard had assumed, due to the armour, and the use of puppetry she was indeed a member of the household of Stewards. There was a Takahashi present, it just wasn't her. Assumptions were dangerous things to be made.

For Roku and Jin'ichi the two were discussing a course of actions. A scream from an older man came from the estate. It would seem that Jin'ichi was partially right. Shino or maybe Shino's family was going to pay a price of sorts for their hasty introduction. It was a pained scream, the sort one would have if they were subjected to torture. The scream came from the western wing of the estate. Curiously on the way to the estate there was a man hole near the western wing, should one in fact remember that particular detail. The man hole was sealed, but given a little force, it could in fact be moved. While the estate was indeed enclosed by a wall, there were low points to the wall which could be scaled, except that was along the southern walls. Unfortunately the walls were brick, so it remained to be seen if there was a heavy guard present, or if the guards present were solo-patrolling.

 

[Kioku Kasure]

This got messy. Kaz took a deep breath, time slowed the aggression of the guards made them easy to predict, not that he could talk about acting out of anger really. One of the guards began targetting Kumomi, leaving him open. Kaz smirked, ducking under one of the pikes he formed some hand seals. From under that guards feet as well their brutish leader water burst forth like a geyser, with enough pressure to break bones. Just before this technique began Kaz's eyes would lock with the leader.

“Maybe you should stand down before things get, serious.”

One of the other pikes viciously cut along his back, Kaz cursed inwardly. Need to be quicker.

“We have these, what was the term? Ah, scrubs, under control Roku, so if you want you can go on ahead. Kumomi, that trick you used with the bugs initially in the academy might be useful, there do appear to be quite a few of them.”

Kaz rolled backwards, so he was no longer surrounded by the guards, and conveniently giving an opening for area attacks. Standing next to the puppet ninja, he would prepare himself to defend her, after all she was the medic.

[201]


Techniques used: Grand Waterfall with erupting geyser and extra target specials.

Passive Core Ability stuff in play:

Spoiler

Empathy Scan<i></i> - Passive
Emotions are the basis of these shinobi's abilities, there is little they do not understand about the causes and strengths of their feelings, as well as the outcomes they may influence on a person’s mind. Because of their extensive knowledge, these shinobi are able to read the emotions of others be it a frail child or hardened criminal. With their understanding, it is said that those with this gift are able to understand the action’s of other’s before they themselves decide.
Effect: +1.5 accuracy and dodge against those with a Genjutsu of 30 or more lower than user. Those with Genjutsu between 29 lower and equal to the user must make a Genjutsu save against this technique's success each round, using the Genjutsu DC of the user and Genjutsu Save of the target.
Sentimental<i></i> - Passive  
Much in the same way that these shinobi are able to peer into and read the emotions of others, these shinobi are constantly able to sense the feelings of those around them, and understand with an eerie perception that allows them to react and act upon the feelings of others.
Effect: The Empath has +10% Auto-dodge to all sources.

And on the big guy:

Spoiler

Pacify<i></i> - Independent Special Move
Rage and anger are powerful emotions that can be hard to resist, yet for those attuned to the emotions of themselves and others they are a product that can be countered with a simple tranquilizing aura. These shinobi are able to infuse their chakra with calm desires such as peace, and disperse the intent to cause harm to those in the area. 
Effect: At the cost of 2 AP and 5% Max HP, the user is able to nullify the effects of two target's damage buffs. Requires a Genjutsu roll to resist. Treated as a Will Genjutsu. Lasts two rounds.

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Kumomi watched as her ally was being surrounded by grunts. She surged up her chakra because as she was distracted she was being accused of being a Takahashi, she didn't even know what that meant. Before she could fight her fight Kaz sent a geyser up to take out the enemy, but doing so must have opened him up because he was injured. With a single handseal the slug that she had planted on Kaz would begin to glow green as she activated her Art of the Micro-Puppet: Slug's Vital Wave Jutsu. Once the healing Jutsu had started she nodded at Kaz and summoned forth hundreds of Nano-Spiders that darted towards the group of guards. The young girl pushed her hands out and created two clones of Kumomi with swarms as well. The area was filled with hundreds of thousands of tiny itty bitty wooden and metallic bugs. Kumomi smiled, this was her style of fighting. She crossed her arms and summoned her Nano-Mosquitos to gather into two large clumps.

Art of the Micro-Puppet: Clockwork Jutsu: Barrel Trap!"<i></i>

A large dome started to form above the guards as Nano-Mosquitos readjusted their bodies and began to fuse into the man sized spiraling shell. At the same time another unit of nano-Mosquitos developed a platform which hovered above the ground by a few centimeters. Making a fist and clapping it into her open palm the platform launched at whom Kumomi thought was their leader's feet. As this would hopefully through his balance off the shell would fall to capture him inside of the trap she had created. The combination would form a large Snail Formation that could hold most genin easily.

With her hand resting on her fist she twisted it and sent out a chakra signal to her remaining Nano-Wasp swarm. Miniature twisters would form from her and her Clones' swarms and launch at the remaining guards. The spinning blades of her puppets were sharp and most that have been struck with this attack end up having plenty of gashing wounds. Her Nano-Wasps were excellent at bringing blood into the battles they were involved in. She quickly looked over to Roku and Jin'ichi and gave them a nod. Her and Kaz could take these tools and besides they had her puppets on them, she would be able to meet back up with them if she just followed the signal. She shifted her body to get into a better tag team position with Kaz.

"Roku-Senpai, trust us... Ready Kaz-Kun? You better not hold back..."<i></i>
[spoilername="Mod Stuff"]Attacks used:

• Vital Wave [Mastered] with Nano-Mosquito Swarm 1ap
  Kikai Bug Clone [Rank 2] 1ap
  
  Scatter trap activated on Nano-Wasp Swarm .25ap
  Barrel Trap [Rank 1] With Nano-Mosquito Swarm 1.5ap
  Swift Spin [Mastered] With Nano-Wasp Swarm .5ap

Maintain:

• Puppet Armor [Rank1] With Nano-Beetle Swarm
  Barrel Trap [Rank 1] With Nano-Mosquito Swarm

Passives:

• Puppet Finesse
  Healing Factor
  Kikai Control [Rank 2]
  Adaptation [Rank 1]

[/spoilername]

 

[Raizo]

Roku's body seemed to begin to swell up as his muscles grew more defined and a slight red tent would coat his body as one of the chakra gates within him opened (First Gate - Gate of Opening). He was not the biggest fan of what all was transpiring before him, it seemed that the guards did have a little bit more fight in them then Kasure had assumed. The worst case scenario was that they had all just bit off more than they could chew. So in order to prevent any casualties, Roku was now preparing to unhinge a couple of his trump cards and beat to death the four that stood before him, but much like his original thoughts on how to handle this situation, his students would not allow him to lead. They once more took the initiative and went as far to indicate they were going to stall, or at least hold off the guards, so Roku and Jin'ichi could continue onward. This thought did not sit well with Roku, but upon hearing the older scream come from within the estate he let out an frustrated sigh. He knew what he had to do.

Damn it... last time I followed a mysterious scream I was ambushed.

And while he feared trying to do the heroic thing would only end up getting him beat up, he would have felt even worse if he did not acknowledge the bravery of the two genin. There was no need to crush that lively spirit, or so Roku led himself to believe.

"Don't die."

He could not think of anything witty, so he went with the first thing that came to his mind. He had some faith in them with what they had shown thus far.

The boy seemed equipped to dish out some blows and the female has already stated she was medic-ish. Not to mention they seem to have some working knowledge of one another and their abilities, that is far more of a leg up then I could say about myself.

His attention would turn to Jin'ichi once more before making his way forward.

"You have a last name that carries a large burden, I will trust you to make the best decision for you."

He hadn't led them so far, why start now? Jin'ichi could determine for himself what was the best strategy for this situation; stay here, follow Roku and look for his own path. Maybe Roku wasn't as cut out to lead a team as he had originally thought?

If they all make it back alive and we get the target, it still counts as a win.

His mind was made up. His legs would fire off, pushing up the earth behind him, as he would race forward. His trajectory would make it appear as if he were about to collide with the current combatants, which would have been very counter-intuitive. Before his racing body would collide with mass of suits of armor, Roku's body would seem to flicker out of focus, as if he had just vanished from existence (Body Flicker). Within that same moment he would appear a distance away from the guards and pressing forward deeper into the complex. He wasn't sure what direction he was head, as this was all just a half brained idea he was winging. Before he could really flesh out an idea, he would notice a manhole within his path. Shrugging, and not even trying to hold back, He would leap up and come hurling down towards the cover, slamming into it with all his might and descending down into the depth. Who knew what fun things he would be doing next.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OOC:
Hachimon
Chakra Gates (Opened #1)

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Hachimon
Effect:
First Gate - Gate of Opening: 5% auto-dodge to all sources
Second Gate - Gate of Healing: Ignores first rank of bleeding and Called Shot penalties. May heal all bleeding and called shot penalties by resting for 50% AP cost. (This does not double in Gate of Death). The healing effect can only be used once per battle. Resting while under the Gate of Healing does not stop the maintain of the Chakra Gates.
Third Gate - Gate of Life: Regains 2% max HP every round activated. This gate does not have an Hp cost.
Fourth Gate - Gate of Pain: Regains 2% max CP every round. This gate does not have a Cp cost.
Fifth Gate - Gate of Limit: +10% damage to unarmed weapons. Bolsters unarmed to 60% damage cap.
Sixth Gate - Gate of View: +2 acc/dodge, Instant clone recognition
Seventh Gate - Gate of Wonder: +1 AP This does not double in Gate of Death, +2 Gen save

Cost: 0.5 AP and 200 Cp per gate to initiate. 100 Hp/rnd per gate.

Notes:
- Any selected gate can be opened at will at any time.
- All gate effects may stack, including maintain costs.
- A user may activate up to three gates without suffering any risk.
- The user has a 20% chance to suffer Gate Backlash each round more than 3 Gates are active. This stacks for each gate active after the third, up to 100% when the Gate of Death is active.
- Gate Backlash increases the called shot level of a random limb. This applies to one limb for each gate active after the third, up to 5 limbs when Gate of Death is active.

Body Flicker

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Hachimon, Chakra Gates

Rank 1:The user avoids an attack, allowing them to instantly counter with a Basic Strike at +1 Accuracy.
Rank 2: The user avoids an attack, allowing them to instantly counter with a E-C Rank Unarmed Taijutsu at +1 Accuracy.

Rank 1 Cost: 335 Cp
Rank 2 Cost: 420 Cp + cost of Taijutsu used.

Notes:
- This jutsu is an Activated Auto-Dodge.
- This technique may be used reflexively as if it was instantaneous. The following attack costs the AP cost of the attack.
- The user's counterattack is modded directly after the body-flickered attack.
- May only use once per round.
- Must have a Gate Opened.

 

[Takahashi]

Jin'ichi would take a slow and deep drag from his cigarette, causing the ember to glow brightly as the battle raged. It seemed that Kasure would be getting more of a fight than he initially wanted, the primary intention apparently being to reprimand or punish the guard. Only time would tell whether or not Kasure and his medic would realize the gravity of the situation, and whether or not they'd be willing to end lives to succeed. Something told him that killing wouldn't be much of a problem, at least not for the girl and her little automatons. The two of them seemed to be very acquainted, the endearing honorific gave little hints of a past encounter. Kasure would let Roku know that he and Kumomi had everything under control, a statement the latter backed.

Roku, now brimming with energy as he released a few restraints on his spirit, gave two words to the others. Jin'ichi would find himself smirking at the comment, as he blew out the smoke that had settled in his lungs for a little longer than was natural. He had heard the guardsman referring to Kumomi earlier as a member of the Takahashi, to which Jin'ichi merely frowned and shrugged. Roku, one who knew better which person was which, let it be known and left the choice up to Jin'ichi as to how he'd proceed. "Got it." The next couple of moments Roku was gone in a blinding flash, leaving a small trail of dust which Jin'ichi swatted away from his face lazily. Roku flickered and although he couldn't follow as quickly with his feet, he merely watched with his eyes as the manhole in the western direction was practically caved in. There was no way he could keep up with speed like that, not at this point in his life. So for another few seconds he stood there watching and smoking as he planned his next few moves.

Exhaling another cloud of smoke with a sigh, he'd flick the less than half burned cigarette over his shoulders and somewhere unimportant. The scream that had prompted Roku into action hadn't gone unnoticed by Jin'ichi, but having already expected something of that nature to occur he was merely concerned. Concerned about whether or not their mission had already become a failure due to the reckless actions of his comrade. He wasn't upset in the least though, he'd have been hypocritical to do so. Too often had he made the very same mistake in the past, and it was only luck that saw him through. The difference between them though, was that Kasure clearly had the strength to back up such a rash decision. Jin'ichi was... Well, he was learning to avoid letting his impulses get him killed before he could achieve his goals.

He shook his head as he thought about the discarded plan he'd come up with. Leaning over to his left, his right hand dug into one of his belt pouches. Between his emerging fingers were two small marble-like objects, one being a Micro-Chakra Bomb and the other a Stun Grenade. With one horizontal swipe his fingers loosened, letting the marbles fly the Stun Grenade landed near the foes furthest from Kasure and Kumomi. The Micro-Chakra Bomb continued upwards and west, with the intention of blowing a hole into the western wing or one of its windows. If that was successful, he'd flicker with speed similar to Roku's but using a different technique. The technique was primarily used for assault, but if the same motioned were repeated it could propel him forward at incredible speeds. More than his other moves, it had been one practiced many times in the Toraono Dojo among other places.

However; if he could blow open a quick entrance he would simply hop down the manhole in slow pursuit of Roku. If anything, he would perhaps be able to spot things that the leader would not in his haste. It seemed like the mission was already screwed over, and Jin'ichi by himself couldn't really change the outcome. Ultimately it was up to his three comrades, and so he would play it a little more like Sherlock Holmes that Rambo. Some part of him expected Shino to be gone once they reached any way, but then again it wasn't as if he had a Sixth Sense. Yet, he had been correct thus far even if he didn't give all the details to his allies. They were far too busy to hear about his mechanical thoughts and deliberations. Roku's power and speed would likely leave disturbances that would make it easy for Jin'ichi to follow behind even without the man being in sight. It wasn't every day that a person went speeding through the sewers. While he seemed to be alone, Kumomi's slug still rested comfortably on his shoulder and would perhaps give an inkling of his location and plans.


Actions:
- Throws a Stun Grenade at the furthest concentration of guards from Kasure, that's still involved in that particular battle. Basically just stunning a couple to make them easier prey.
- Tosses a Micro-Chakra Bomb at the Western Wing, seeing if he can destroy a wall or window.
- If an entrance is made, use Vanishing Slash to cover the distance and get inside.
- If no entrance is made, follow Roku down into the sewer.
- Sixth Sense/Enhanced Smell (Mastered) keeping him alert as ever.
- With any remaining moves, if possible and when needed pull a Reactionary Body Switch.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

The lesser guards were sent upward by the geyser. They landed against the gate, and the incoming guards approached the gates one of them took out a key and unlocked the gates More of them shuffled into the fight. The gate remained intact. The lead guardsman managed to withstand the attack. It was ever becoming more so evident that he was a cut above his fellow guards as he landed on his feet, he grunted. Self realization came as his attack did graze Kasure but it wasn't enough as the suna nin was healed. The guard was trapped by the barrel trap of insect puppets. The guard growled he did not like being trapped inside. To make matters worse he could feel his will begin challenged by Kasure. The attempt to best his will was infuriating. "Ha." He laughed from inside the barrel. "Your toys won't last forever."

The other guards were starting to pile up now. There were a good few of them now. Each of them had their pikes at the ready, and most of them were weirded out now by the fact that the suna nin had seemingly reinforced their numbers now with clones. They were further stunned by Jinichi's stun grenade. The men were pushing for an attack but they were opened up due to the stun. The follow up came then Kumomi had triggered her bugs to attack and swarm the guards. Most of them were expecting to deal with this by simply swatting them, but that was not the case. Indeed just as Kumomi had planned the bugs were cutting through them. It wasn't enough to kill them, but it was enough to put them on higher guard now. "You oafs. They're only kids. If you lose to as bunch of kids Gaz will kill the lot of you, and get your sorry asses up again as undead." The lead guardsman called from his trapped position. "Get me out of here!" He roared as some of the guards turned their attention unto the trapped man. Some of them were scratched their heads, others were poking at the barrel. With a few strength pokes the leader did get out.

Roku had decided to throw himself into the fight. His rather impressive form seemed to cause some of the guards to lose their nerve. Some of them cried demon at the man and began running the other way back towards the house. The lead guardsman roared as he went to go fight Roku and attempted to run his pike into him, but only did he meet thin air as Roku dodge the attack punch him in the face and this phase out. "Get back here you fools. It was a roose. Kill these fools."

Roku would truly have ventures downward into the sewers. The path was lit. He was surrounded by stone walls. The path was split in two with a path of water going in the direction of the city behind him. He had one path forward into what would have been underneath the estate. The alternate would lead him away from the estate. The smell was awful, but it wasn't the stink one would expect. Should Roku take the path heading towards the estate Roku would see something coming his way by the way of the water flow. He would curiously see a dead body, it was badly decomposed. There was a sword sticking out of the skull. It was certainly not a pleasant sight to see as certain limbs were missing and there was a gaping hole in the chest where the heart would be. Something was truly amiss at the Fukui estate.

Jin'ichi had taken a different path than Roku had. As he left his friends with a parting gift of the stun bomb, another bomb had been used. Jin'ichi was going to infiltrate the estate from the west. The bomb detonated. Bits of earth was sent flying and allowed him to crawl under the gates, which were slightly damaged but at least now he was in the estate. The explosion was heard and five guards were heading his way. Luckily Jin'ichi was fast enough to get in on an upper floor window. The five guardsmen were panicked. "Shit. What the devil is going on. First the front gate and now this?" There were murmurs amongst them. "I've heard that Gaz likes failures, because he takes the corpses and takes out the parts he wants for his monstrosity." One of the guards didn't like the sound of that and seemed to grow weak in the stomach and coughed up some unmentionables. The conversation if anything proved grim. If Jin'ichi were to look around in the room he was in, he would find that it was an elaborate candle lit room. The door across the room should he try to open it would prove locked. The room he was in was a bedroom probably that of a female do the pink and frills decorating the large king sized bed.

 

[Kioku Kasure]

Well they made a clean get away. Now how much of a head start will they need? Kaz decided that perhaps it was time to begin acting like a shinobi rather than a street brawler, mainly due to the amount of the guards which seemed to be flooding in, but he and Kumomi couldn't just break, they had to lead as many guards away on a merry dance as possible. With this in mind Kaz let one of the weapons connect with his scalp, a light cut along the top of his head, which began to bleed quite quickly. Most ordinary people would think it was a major wound, Med-nin however Kaz hoped would be harder to fool. Kaz gave the wound a few seconds, backing off slowly while dodging blows and striking at the guards foolish enough not to use the length of their weapons to keep him away. Then he made what he hoped would seem like a scared expression and patted his head, and looking a passable version of horrified, by the blood.

“Crap, we should back up!”

He began moving backwards slightly slower than he usually would, to give the guards a chance to keep up. Man I hope those aren't poisoned. That would be awkward right now. Kaz hoped Kumomi would get the hint and back away quicker than him, to set up some more surprises. He was pretty sure he could at least keep the attention of most of the guards for now.

“Hey if we get away, maybe their boss will finish them off for us?” Hopefully that will encourage them.

[270 Words] [MFT]

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Kumomi focused on keeping the barrel trap on their leader for as long as possible, but as more guards began to show up they were able to break the snail formation with their pikes. The young girl would take a step back. She was pissed. The leader had called her magnificent micro-puppets toys, and now he escaped. The armored girl took another step back before her armor started to deconstruct and shift into Micro-Mosquitoes. The snail formation also began to disintegrate into Micro-Mosquitoes. The girl has had enough of these insolent guards. She snapped her fingers to force her mosquitos to merge with the already existing wasps to form larger puppets and now every single one of her puppets were now in an offensive design. She looked over to Kaz as if the devil was sitting on her shoulder whispering sweet nothings into her ears.

"He called them toys..."

With a quick snap she shifted her stance into a far more aggressive one. Micro-Spiders crawled from under her dress and transformed into clones that stood in front of the girl in a defensive stance. Her puppets were now all at least six inches tall with visible Kunai as stingers. These giant Vespa Mandarinia shaped Puppets took aim at the guards. Twilight Venom, a venom which makes whomever infected go temporarily blind, became visible on the edges of the sharp blades dwelling inside of the puppets.

"I'm sorry Kaz, but he made this personal."<i></i>

As she spoke the hornet-shaped puppets began to circle around the guards. Raising her palms towards them, countless of chakra strings could be seen as the young puppeteer put extra focus and energy into her swarm of Hornets. Pulling her arms about in what seemed to be arbitrary motions the puppeteer began to look as if she had taken the more conventional approach of puppeteering but in reality it was all just to hopefully make this next attack the last. As she did this the Hornets began to swarm the guards, darting at them to get in close, and launching their toxic blades at the enemy. The kunais were being launched at great speed with the aid of multiple different supportive puppet structure found within the offensive design of the hornet.
[spoilername="Mod Stuff"]Tool Shift [Mastered] .5AP (Defensive to 2nd Supportive)
Aburame Bug Clone [Rank 2] 1AP
Strike Aid [Master] .5AP (1st Supportive to Offensive)
Chakra Emissions [Rank 1] 1AP (Wielder to Offensive)
Projectile Launcher [Rank 1] 1 AP (Special action with 2nd Supportive to Offensive)

Passives:

• Puppet Finesse
  Healing Factor
  Class Bonus: +5% Puppet Damage, +5% Medical Healing, and High Puppet Acc
  Kikai Control [Rank 2]
  Adaptation [Rank 1]

[/spoilername]

 

[Raizo]

He would come crashing down into the sewer, hitting the ground and sending debris shooting upwards. He would look around, analyzing to see if anyone was going to follow him but it seemed that he was alone in this accord after all.

Good, hopefully Jin'ichi stayed with the other two.

Momentarily, he would try to get a deeper understanding of the situation as he looked forward and back behind.

So I can go this way or that way. That way...

His head would turn behind him.

Would take me away from the estate. So that seems like a "no" but a good idea for an escape in the future.

His head would turn back forward.

So I am going this way, but what to do. When will I know if I am under something that I need to be under? When will I know to emerge? Shit, this is frustrating.

Letting out a sigh he would push off the ground, once more continuing his sprinting with the gate still unlocked within him. Resigned to continue his reckless course forward until something would strike him, like an idea being thrown from the heavens. Hopefully divine inspiration was on his side today. As he progressed down the sewer it would become apparent that sewers were not the best smelling locations in the world. And while the smell was bad, there was something about it that caused him to wonder out loud.

"Doesn't smell like poop..."

This was almost a let down in the tone he used to exclaim this comment. Pushing forward he would take in the surroundings, minus the awful smell, and notice that the walls were stoned by the path was lit. There was some convenience to this, as if it was used for something other than circulating out dirty water from the estate. Why would this path be lit up? What was the purpose of having a sewer continually provided with lights? Maybe this was simply just a splurging of wealth, but it did seem a bit odd. Then, something a bit odder would appear. His movements forward would slow until an eventual stop as he looked down at a floating dead body. While the sword in his head would be a clear indication of a killing blow, the body seemed to be missing limbs and have a hole in the chest. Just what in the hell happened to this person. Roku would reach out, grasping the hilt of the sword and pull the body closer to him, removing it up from the water. The stink within this tunnel would start to make more sense as his eyes scoured the body for any potential clues. After taking in all the sights, which if anything of note would appear would come to him in a little bit, he would release the sword dropping the decomposed corpse to the ground. He would once more take off down the pathway towards the innards of the estate, looking for some sign on an easy way up into the surface.

MFT - 506

 

[Takahashi]

With apparent ease, he'd find his way inside. While his bomb hadn't gone where he wanted it to for some unknown reason, perhaps the winds of fate blew too hard, he still made an opening. His quick movement would allow him to duck low, almost flattening his body as he slid beneath the gates and kept the momentum going. Without stopping his movement at all, he'd roll forward into a run and flicker out of sight and through an open window. His quick movements meant that he was already quite far away from the sound of the explosion he caused, and thus not in any immediate danger of being located.

He maintained a crouch while inside, so that his back wouldn't be seen by the guards through the window he had just entered. With his back against the wall, and the gentle breeze flowing in from outdoors overhead, his eyes would dart around quickly. He noticed the way candles were placed neatly all about, flames billowing softly without outing themselves due to the wind's caress. Unlike his three comrades, Jin'ichi remained calm and in no particular rush. Analyzing the room he'd take note of the posh interior and its pink frills. Closing his eyes and inhaling through his nostrils he'd try to pick up a scent. While he wasn't familiar with the way Fukui Shino smelled, males and females of all species carried distinctively different odors. He hadn't seen any female guards, and thus whichever female remaining inside would either be victim or perhaps mastermind. Either way, they'd have information on Shino and the situation at hand.

Scent wasn't like sight, and with is primal instincts steadily spiking he'd be able to tell even the direction of his quarry. Opening his eyes slowly, he would roll forward and deeper into the room. When he stood up, he was far enough away from the window so as not to expose himself to those outside. Luckily his flickering speed earlier would have made it near impossible for anyone to tell which direction he had gone, more likely seeming to have vanished into thin air. Reaching around his back and up the back of his shirt, he would grab the hilt of his Ninjato and twist it to unfasten, drawing the upside down blade out from its hidden location. It was a shot and thing blade, with a hilt that matched its concealable nature... It was no wonder it didn't show itself earlier, probably helped that he didn't slouch.

Flipping the blade once in his hand allowed for him to clutch it in a tight reverse grip. Silently making his way over to the door, he'd very gently touch the knob and prepare to attack with his other hand at the same time. Like a surgeon, his hand was steady and refused to tremble or shake the door enough to alert anyone on the outside. Unless someone had been staring directly at the knob, they probably wouldn't have noticed the minor shift as Jin'ichi found it to be locked. Pulling his hand away just as gently, he would turn his attention back to the rest of the room. With movements that were both brisk and careful, he'd rummage through drawers, closets, and just about any other container for clues. He had a slight advantage at this point, no one really knew where he was... Save for perhaps Kumomi, but only due to the slug marionette he had allowed to stay on his shoulder. There was without a doubt a limit to the range at which Kumomi would be able to communicate or control the contraption though.

Whether he found something or not, he'd make an unexpected move with good reason. Reaching up he'd crush the slug in his left hand, letting the bits fall soundlessly onto the bed. The contraption was loaded with Kumomi's energy, and as unlikely as it was, if the enemy had anyone capable of sensing energy the link would have set off alarms. He wondered though, whether he had done it too late... In his mind, he cursed himself for not having knocked it off earlier. For now, he seemed good though. The other three would play the role of hammer, saw, and in Roku's case: Nuclear missile. Jin'ichi would try his best to fill the niche of the overlooked surgical scalpel. Someone had to try being stealthy...


Actions:
- Draws his weapon.
- Sixth Sense/Enhanced Smell (Mastered) keeping him alert as ever. Seeing if he could pick up traces of the female's scent, as well as that of nearby guards.
- Draws weapon and learns the door is locked.
- Rummages through the room for clues, while trying to pinpoint a female scent with his trusty nose. Inuzuka skills definitely won't be thrown off by Kumomi's scent.
- Crushes Kumomi's slug. Can't have chakra signatures flaring up around him at this point.
- With any remaining moves, if possible and when needed pull a Reactionary Body Switch.

Notes: Checking for scents is more of a passive action than anything else. Shouldn't take away from any of my actions. Though he'd trying to detect the direction in which the female scent would have gone (North, South etc. etc.), he isn't going after it yet. Simply acknowledging the direction while looking for clues as to who this person might be.

WC: 0,729
Marked for training.