Trial, Tribulation, and Training(Kuro)

[Toraono Suzuhime]

She was here with a mission in mind. Something she must do in order further her training, both physically and mentally. She didn't know where to begin...so a thought had occurred to her. What of the Toraono Dojo? The Throne of Bone it was called...Where she had her fateful encounter with Kuro, looking down at her hands somewhat longingly. She respected Kuro to much to bother him over her petty, poor temper control. So perhaps she would just ask him if she could simply meditate? Yes, that should suffice.

Walking at a somewhat slow pace, still feeling the lightest hint of her wound. Having almost healed with all the care she gave it. And her body at felt much stranger after receiving her seals. She wasn't quite sure what to do with her newfound power, all she knew was that it made her technique even stronger at penetrating ones psyche.

Standing in the room she had her duel with Kuro, she looked around to see any damages that might have been done. Also looking for the demon beast man in the process.

"Hello? Lord Toraono? May I ask a favor?"​

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[Toraono Kuro]

Kuro sat in the midst of the chamber where their impromptu spar had occurred his eyes were closed tight but there was a crimson glow in the center of his forehead the shape of a starburst. The entire area was repairing itself at a reasonably fast pace that dramatically slowed when Suzuhime spoke to him.

"Hello? Lord Toraono? May I ask a favor?"

Kuro rolled his shoulders and deepened his breathing as he levitated Suzuhime in front of him so she would not get swept up in his repairs of the chamber.

”You may ask me for anything you like, just try not to be surprised in the manner with which I grant you favors.”

Walls slowly reshaped, cracks sealed, crimson sand swirled into intricate formations. A picture righted itself along with a set of wall scrolls and then Kuro released a deep resounding breath and for a brief moment Suzuhime could see the chakra wards and runes that funneled natural energy throughout the structure.

 

[Toraono Suzuhime]

Somewhat happy that he would acknowledge her request, her stiffness slackened somewhat. Taking a breath. Her face somewhat flustered because of why she was adressing this situation.

"Well...Lord Toraono, I have recently come to accept the fact that my short temperament has begun to affect others and my clan to the extremity of harming innocents and crippling the advancement of my family. So...I would like to meditate and hopefully, 'lengthen my fuse' I believe the saying is. Or maybe even take lessens from you in order to accomplish this feat."

Twiddling her thumbs oddly for the proud fighter she claimed herself to be. Her temper was always a touchy subject for her, so it wasn't something she felt comfortable discussing with a stranger, she knew he was a trustworthy person and very kind however...which was why she was able to ask of such from him.

"But I have no such clue as to where to start in my 'reformation' because there are many things I want happen, but my temperament prevents it..."

Suzuhime would not delve into just what exactly those things were at the moment. Perhaps she would later, it would depend on how this meeting would go. She was entrusting herself to Kuro, and she hoped not to be disappointed by the results she would receive. Though she wasn't allowed to have such standards when she was the one asking for help.​

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[Toraono Kuro]

Kuro listened intently before going over solutions to her self-proclaimed problems. ”There are many ways to control rage. The simplest way to handle rage is to channel it into something else or even better store the memory that triggers the rage and the negative energy can be stored with it to be unleashed upon the unsuspecting but necessary. The ways to do this vary, but if you want we can find your triggers and responses and direct them into your seals. Seals are a very easy way to store dark chakra, negative energy, and negative emotions. The best way to control a temper is to simply have an outlet, when the urge hits you can store it or use your outlet. When you decide on a path we can work on your meditation. The bath house built into this facility has medicinal steam and can help you ease into deep meditation. Your wounds are healed so you should be able to move normally.”<i></i>

Kuro smiled as he completed his chamber repairing task and checked over her seals before standing from his seat. After a deep stretch Kuro walked over to the entrance to the hallway and waited for Suzuhime to adjust her clothing and then decide upon her path to harnessing her temper.

 

[Toraono Suzuhime]

"Well...I have sort of a mechanism that can help with it...but using it comes with a risk..."

Suzuhime would begin. While all of those were good ways of containing herself. But her rage was the best catalyst for use of her shadow boxing technique. But if she overused it, then she might remain that way forever...this scared Suzu greatly. She was scared she would lose what made her Suzu. What made her a person. She would become a lifeless doll, much like some of Iori's experiments.

"Well Toraono-Dono. I somewhat use my rage as a fuel for my fighting technique, as you experienced in our duel. It affects the senses until they are very much crippled. I have never tried to use it without having some sort of pent up aggression...and i'm somewhat frightened of what the consequence would be if I did..."

Suzuhime trailed off. Unknowingly grasping her shoulders during her monologue. Losing her identity was big thing to her. Perhaps their was more to her problem then simply trying to control her anger? Maybe she was defined by this trait? Was her will to fight back what helped make Suzu herself? She didn't want to be a passive wallflower for sure.

"Another thing about this technique, is that it uses all of my emotions to convert it into a potent corruption that I can implant into my adversary through touch. So I very much become a mere husk of a human body...and...the possible drawbacks of using this...admittedly, it frightens me greatly."

Why did she feel so meek and hapless? She actually felt like a girl for once. Growing up as a tomboy. She never really got to pour her heart out. So this was unusual for her. Yes...this was certainly more to this problem then Suzu wanting to rid herself of her anger issues.​

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[Toraono Kuro]

Kuro listened intently as she described the process of fueling her wrath through her pent up emotions. Kuro remembered when he fought with rage and how easy it was and how it always left him hollow in the end. That was until he found true balance with his chakras and the path of serenity, confidence, along with the path of wrath. They were a two way road that went in the same direction but split to show you different sides of the road here and there as trees and mountains settled across the median. "I see your dilemma quite easily and I already know the solution because once upon a time I took rage as the answer to my battles because simply put it is the easiest and most constant fuel your body can find. It is also amazingly exhausting and provides and in-equivalent exchange forcing out a few moments of pure power to leave you hollow, empty, and terrifyingly weak. Anger is only an additive to the true fuel for martial arts which is life, experience, confidence, and above all else honed technique. With rage I can destroy a wall, while also injuring myself, but with skill and confidence I can take a wall apart piece by piece without injuring myself, wasting energy and be completely precise. Your technique however, isn't flawed... you are the reverse, you simply have yet to find the proper fuel to add your rage to. If you like I will teach you one or two of my methods for drawing upon my inner self without rage."<i></i>


For emphasis to Kuro's explanation Kuro channeled dark chakra and rage into his right fist and lashed out with a vicious right hook that unleashed a dark and massive miasma that literally traumatized the air it split. Kuro then channeled a precision amount of pure natural chakra through the same hand and unleashed a palm strike that fluttered Suzuhime's hair and placed a free hanging curl behind her left ear with ease.

 

[Toraono Suzuhime]

She silently listened to Kuro's own explanations. Still somewhat shaken from her own insecurities. So...using just rage was a bad thing...? So...if she didn't use it...what would she use? She would contemplate as Kuro demonstrated differences. A light gust from his palm causing her silky hair to brush softly by her cheek, the hair now held back by her ear. It was a soft gesture...such gentleness...but...There was no way she could be like that. She was too violent, her fire was to strong to be like that...yeah...she could never be like Kuro. So did that mean she could never be the best? Then...what could she do? She couldn't imagine ever being like that. It was a pipe dream, a hope she had given up on. She came to just find ways of concealing her rage and not acting on it...this made her think. What if she had children of her own? What in the world would she do to them if she got upset? This thought made her start breathing heavily. Lost in her thoughts as her body began to break down. Another 'episode' that Yamazaki were prone too. This was because of her inherited insanity, combined with her habit of over-analyzing things. And she still couldn't quite grasp what Kuro was trying to tell her. Was she to try and find an alternative to her usual 'fuel' for the shadow boxing technique?

Meanwhile on the outside of Suzuhime's broken psyche. Her body had begun making spastic movements. Her eyes wide open and seemingly glazed over in some form of ecstasy. As if her body didn't want her to know this was happening. She would crack a wicked smile, and chuckle malevolently to herself. Her hands were strained as she looked down at them like a madman. Her eye lids twitching and the quakes of her body acting as if she were having a form of seizure.

Suzu's mind begins to collapse upon itself. Beginning to drift to a more primal side. Perhaps a darker thought process. Her anger is what made her Suzuhime...so essentially, Kuro was telling her to not be her? That was it right? Right?! Yes! That's what he was telling her to do! Forget about being Suzu and become someone your not! She was convincing herself that he was telling her this. Though she was probably misinterpreting his point. But there was nothing she could do now. These episodes were rare, but last time it took her quite some time to cool down, through means of her parents and brother keeping her company. And now that her parents were gone...yes! That was it! Iori was the only person that could love someone like her! She was just a violent woman that only looked out for herself! She ruined the dinner meeting! She hurt Itami! Yes! It all made sense! She was just born to be violent!

Unknowingly, her eyes would begin to well up. She was not aware of it. But sometime between Suzuhime losing her shit, and her false revelation, a small sliver of her sanity told her it wasn't true. She was someone else, but she didn't know what...​

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[Toraono Kuro]

Kuro had been explaining ways to use her rage as an accent to her power without burning herself out when she began to have some kind of seizure or mental breakdown. Afraid she would injure herself Kuro was forced to use his own power to immobilize her. As his telekinesis placed her body in stasis his left hand pulsed with psychic energy as he laid is hand upon her head and entered her mind as gently as possible although the original purpose of his mind ripper technique was to destroy. Kuro had refined the technique with his third eye for limited telepathic intrusion.

As he entered her mind he saw a series of scene repeating itself over and over as she sat alone analyzing herself. He saw her parents and brother keeping her company. Then he saw her parents fade away into so much dust. He then saw her cling to a male version of herself which she called Iori (obviously her twin brother it seemed). He then saw her lash out at her training dummies then she lashed out at a woman in bandaged that Kuro recognized as Itami. Then she sat in a corner and hugged herself all alone. Kuro could feel the perpetual loneliness of Suzuhime as she seemed to over-analyze herself.

Kuro projected his psychic self over to her and spoke very directly... "You have amazing focus, so much so that it is altering not only your mind but your physical self as well. If you could do this then you could master any technique I know. Perhaps you could turn to me and tell me why you are forcing the pain of loss upon yourself."<i></i>

 

[Toraono Suzuhime]

OOC: Iori and Suzu are not twins, while they do look somewhat similar. Iori is 7 years older then her.

Suzu's conscious had left her in the dark corners of her own thoughts. Her insanity corrupting her thoughts. It felt like she couldn't move herself anymore...so she was trapped within her mind. Left to her own destructive devices when she felt another presence within her thoughts. As if watching her. It felt unusual, like someone was invading the only privacy she had. But she couldn't control what that person did now, he was already here, and was now seeing the unstable mess all Yamazaki COULD become. As she sat feebly in the dark, a voice reached out to her. It sounded like Lord Toraono...why was she thinking of him? Where was he? She couldn't see any apparition. So how could she talk to him...?

An even smaller hand then Suzu's lightly tugged on Kuro's index finger. When Kuro would look down to see what it was, he would see a smaller Suzuhime, arguably 7 years old. A representation of her more innocent thoughts. Her hair was separated into two different tails, reaching down her back. This Suzuhime, was tinier then the older one, only at a meager 3'11. She hadn't grown much through puberty to her dismay. She war a small nightgown for young girls, and cradled a frankenstein like doll in her left arm. Her lavender eyes, depending on how you looked at it, was the centerpiece of the adorable vision, or was what ruined the facade. She spoke in a third person.

"What is a mister demon doing here? Demon's scare Suzu..."

The little Suzu would look over at where the older one, but not directly at her, as if she were looking past her older self.

"But Suzu doesn't think your like the demon's Suzu has dealt with. Suzu thinks you must be a nice guy then! So why is Mister Demon here?"

The little Suzu would ask. Looking up at the hulking figure that was Toraono Kuro.

"Is it because Suzu is upset? Suzu thinks that because she get's angry easy, Suzu thinks that's what makes her human. It's Suzu's biggest fear, to not be human."

The little Suzu spoke as if her words were not confusing. One might not be able to tell if she was addressing herself or the older Suzu.​

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[Toraono Kuro]

Kuro felt the tug of his pinkie finger and took a knee to talk to young Suzuhime
"Why is Mister Demon here?"The little Suzu would ask. Looking up at the hulking figure that was Toraono Kuro.
"Is it because Suzu is upset? Suzu thinks that because she get's angry easy, Suzu thinks that's what makes her human. It's Suzu's biggest fear, to not be human."

Kuro smiled without showing his teeth as he explained... "I am here because Suzu was crying and hurting herself, so yes I am here because she is upset. She is human, but I am happy to say that she is so much more. Did you know regular people can't use their minds in this way or control their martial arts to affect minds? Suzuhime is very strong and very beautiful she just needs a little help to find out just how strong she really is. You too are adorable and very strong, your hair smells wonderful."<i></i> Then it struck Kuro he should not be able to use all of his senses in her mind. Suzuhime was stronger than he imagined, only his father Kaibudo, Taizen, Azame, and Shiro had mastered the dreamscape to include all five of their senses but in someone else's mind that feat was only possible if the mind could mentally project. Audio, visual, tactile, taste, and smell. That was the only way he could sense his own senses and that was if she thought and acted in all five senses. Kuro's sixth and seventh sense began to alert him to a vast amount of divine energy pulsating within her mental plane. Divine energy was different from celestial energy as it was personal, pure, and in-corruptible. Celestial energy was near divine natural energy, energy from beings, items, and places touched by divinity. It could still change and alter itself and lend itself to meld with other energies but divine energy was pure and blessed. Suzuhime was human and more just as he had told her younger self.


"Do you know why Suzu gets angry easy?"<i></i>

 

[Toraono Suzuhime]

Suzu could hear the conversation going on between Kuro and...a little girl? The voice was easily readable that the speaker was very young, but she didn't know whose...because of the dark she couldn't see either. But she kept saying her name over and over...why? And she could hear Lord Toraono's words about her. She was more? Very strong...and...beautiful. She had heard the compliments a million times before, but for once they actually got a response out of her.

The young girl placed her tiny and dainty hand on Kuro's knee. Attempting to hoist herself atop it. After finding a suitable position for her perch, she looked at the older Suzuhime. Listening to Kuro's words carefully. Acting if she were deep in thought when he finished. Looking up at the beast-man and spoke in a more bubbly voice. Giggling at his compliment.

"Suzu works very hard on her hair! It's hard keeping this much looking pretty! But mommy taught me how!"

She flipped her glorious twin tails so that one hung over her shoulder. Clutching her beloved plush doll Rammstein. Or as she liked to call it. Rammystein, or Rammy for short. Whatever she chose to call it, Rammstein was obviously the little girl's most prized possession. Although macabre, she didn't really mind it's somewhat horrific appearance. Then Kuro would ask a question the little girl had to think about for a moment. Somewhat chewing on her hair as she did so.

"Suzu thinks Suzu gets mad easy is because they make fun of Suzu a lot. Always teasing Suzu about how short she is. They look down on Suzu. Suzu was never taught much about restraint. Suzu is a scientist, so she does whatever it takes to get what she wants. Suzu has only recently begun learning restraint. But this became Suzu's crutch. She feels alive when she's mad, she feels human. Not like Rammystein."

Suzuhime would cuddle with her plush doll.

"Suzu doesn't really know all the reason's Suzu gets mad easy. But Suzu knows that one."​

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[Toraono Kuro]

"Suzu works very hard on her hair! It's hard keeping this much looking pretty! But mommy taught me how!"

Kuro smiled, he knew most women worked very hard on their looks, he remembered his mother combing his hair straight five days a week every week until he was fifteen and took his first steps as a Sennin. After that his hair had simply hung wild like his father's and he had never really needed to comb it when he could telekinetically adjust it. "Yes with that much beautiful crimson hair, she must take her time to keep it manageable."<i></i>

"Suzu thinks Suzu gets mad easy is because they make fun of Suzu a lot. Always teasing Suzu about how short she is. They look down on Suzu. Suzu was never taught much about restraint. Suzu is a scientist, so she does whatever it takes to get what she wants. Suzu has only recently begun learning restraint. But this became Suzu's crutch. She feels alive when she's mad, she feels human. Not like Rammystein."

Kuro listened intently as the younger Suzu settled unto his knee, again it felt too real to be a simple trip through the plane of a human's mind. Suzuhime wasn't just learning restraint, she was just finally consciously acknowledging her natural restraints. THAT was what kept her angry, it seemed. "She shouldn't be worried about her height, if she were tall her hair wouldn't be able to cover her attacks or distract her foes. If she were taller she would seem more like a porcelain doll instead of a beautiful woman. She would be intimidating instead of cute, alluring, and voluptuous. Suzu should never be ashamed of her height, being that much closer to the ground allows you to channel more power into your movements and move faster than taller people in tight areas. She is perfect the way she is, I hate it when people over analyze their selves over self perceived imperfections when others find them positively delicious... I mean delightful."<i></i>

Something was odd Kuro was normally far more restrained than this, he needed to reach Suzu's conscious quickly before he started becoming more like her.

 

[Toraono Suzuhime]

Suzuhime continued to listen to Kuro and "Suzu's" conversation. She even mentioned Rammstein...could the other speaker really be her...? But she was right here. How could that be? She didn't understand anything that was going on. But the Suzu made sense. That was a reason she got angry easily...and she wasn't quite sure why else. It had become her crutch...that really was Suzuhime....but as a child? Was she a damn therapist when she was little? In any case, she would hear Kuro's thoughts on it as well. He was trying hard to defend her, well, that's what it felt like what he was doing. She would uncurl from her feeble position, lightly stroking her shining crimson hair, somewhat embarrassed at the compliments.

Young Suzu would swing her legs from side to side playfully while Kuro talked. Giggling girlishly as he gushed about Suzuhime unknowingly. Continuing her bubbly attitude.

"Suzu things Mister Demon has a crush on Suzu~ Suzu is embarrassed! Look! Suzu's even stroking her hair because you complimented it!"

She would point at the Suzu, who had a flushed face and gently caressed her silky hair. When Kuro would look back at the younger Suzuhime, she would be significantly older. Easily 15 or 16 years old now. Still in a nightgown, albeit bigger to accommodate her new size, not much in height, but more outwards. Now sporting BB cups. Her legs were crossed while she sat lightly on Kuro's knee. Teenager Suzuhime certainly was a tease.

"I think Suzu likes Mister Demon as well~"

The teenage Suzu would somewhat lean up against Kuro. Teasing the grown man with her budding body, but making sure none was revealed. She would then get off of Kuro and point at Suzu again.

"You need her Mister Demon. And she needs you...maybe you could work on that? Here's some advice, don't try to rush it. She's not really honest with her feelings~"

She would wave lightly and began wearing away, as if wind was blowing dust away. Leaving Kuro alone with the normal Suzuhime in an endless black void with invisible floors and walls. Suzuhime could still not see Kuro. But she still held his thoughts about her close. She felt like a little girl with a crush on a boy she barely knew. Which was almost the case. Except she was 22, not 8. The adult Suzuhime would stand up, looking around as if trying to find where the voices had gone.​

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[Toraono Kuro]

Kuro stood as teenage Suzuhime whisked herself away leaving him alone with the adult manifestation. Well he had to admit she was indeed attractive but he wasn't certain he wanted her in any other fashion than a close friend but then again Kuro had knowingly been practicing restraint since he was four years old so he wouldn't hurt others. He wasn't completely true with his emotions but if he didn't live by the code of Suna and the ways his parents had taught him he could follow his darkest desires and become the most horrible monster this world had ever known. Pulling all his remaining yet dwindling power into himself so as not to further tamper with Suzuhime's mind. Kuro called out to her as he prepared to leave her mental realm. "Suzuhime I cannot stay inside your mind much longer, please wake up and we will work out whatever is happening to you."<i></i>

Kuro stood still as he began to pulse like a beacon as he awaited her response.

 

[Toraono Suzuhime]

Suzuhime could hear the voices fade away. Still searching for where they came from, when Kuro's voice pierced the darkness. Causing Suzuhime to nod at the disembodied voice.

"Y-yeah. I'll meet you there..."

She trailed off. Looking down a bit before she shut her eyes. She wasn't quite sure how she could pull it off. Was she just to calm down? Or just close her eyes and will it away? Maybe...but this wasn't just a bad dream. Throughout the times she had these episodes, she wouldn't fall asleep, but be trapped within her own thoughts. She tried pinching herself, the sharp pain still not 'waking' her up. She didn't feel as if she was still upset. She was still rather flustered about Lord Toraono's gushing over how cute and beautiful she was. Even using a raunchy word like 'delicious'. It made Suzu blush. Did he really think about her like that? Was the more grown up woman's voice right about Kuro and Suzu?

Before Kuro would leave Suzu's dreamscape. He would hear a mixed voice of both past Suzu's he had met in his time here.

"Meanie head Kasa also makes Suzu mad!"

Kuro seemed to accept her. Accept her faults, look past them, and see only the qualities. Maybe...Her thoughts wavered for a moment as she felt her abyssal prison begin shattering around her. Suddenly falling into the endless void of the dream realm...

With a sharp gasp, Suzu awoke. Her eyes wide for a moment as she awoke from the all to real experience. Her eyes darting away from where Kuro would be.

"Uhhh..."​

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[Toraono Kuro]

Kuro kneeled in a pool of sweat from both himself and Suzuhime having to control his mental projection so finitely. It was so much easier to simply rampage and tear apart another's mind than it was to heal it, especially for one whom was touched by demon blood. Regardless he had done the best he could without causing any damage. To that end Kuro could only push onward as he reached out to see just how far his powers could take him down both the path of the healer and the destroyer. Suzuhime had turned away so she would not have to look at Kuro. She seemed upset but her condition had stabilized or at least Kuro thought it had until reality seemed to warp around her, everything became terribly warm, then fiercely hot as Suzuhime's hair turned to crimson flames and her skin began to glow shimmering white like the light of the heavens. Every ward within the Tower of bone stood revealed to her in intricate function as did the seals upon her and the master seal Kuro bore. She could also see that Kuro had three eyes not just his normal two and he was possessed of great and terrible power. Then the flash of power ended and she was herself again and Kuro was breathing deeply and purposefully to control the energies that continually pulsed against the boundaries of his mind and spirit.

"Are you ok Suzuhime?"<i></i>

 

[Toraono Suzuhime]

Suzu wasn't given much time to recuperate before more strange phenomenon began happening. She began to feel hot...as if she were on fire. A lo and behold she saw a visible strand of hair from her position begin to set alight. Her vision becoming blurry as Kuro's image began to distort and twist. Her own skin seemingly glowing...? What the hell was happening? She could feel a huge burden being lifted off her shoulders, but she was still on freaking fire! Though something seemed strange, she began to see glowing objects around the tower, her own seal having activated as well. And Kuro...had a third eye? What the hell? He looked like he was possessed by some sort of entity, somewhat frightening Suzuhime with the sudden display after just getting over an 'episode'. She would blink once, and suddenly, everything was gone. Well, back to normal. Suzu would gasp sharply as she rolled away from Kuro defensively. Stopping after she was a short distance away on her knees. Breathing heavily from the shock of what just happened.

"Yeah...I...I think i'm okay..."

Suzuhime would shift into a sitting position before continuing.

"What was that Kuro...? I feel...stronger..."

She spoke heavily, as if she had just got out of another duel with Kuro.

She would reach to her feet, fixing her hair. Someplace in the back of her mind, glad that she got to avoid the awkward conversation that would have happened if they discussed what went on in Suzu's dreamscape.​

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[Toraono Kuro]

Kuro shuddered as the pressure of divine wrath left the chamber, that most definitely was not his power. His power was more natural, more even handed and somewhat tainted by the darkside of nature and of himself. That was divine wrath, the kind he experienced when he sparred with his older brother Taizen and he invoked the power of Mother Suna into his limbs but what he had just felt for a brief moment was not Mother Suna's wrath. The power that had pulsed from Suzuhime was natural like his but most definitely came from a Goddess. That much Kuro was certain of, in fact she probably saw his true demon form in a sense and his heaven seal that allowed him to restrain his dark chakra and funnel it into celestial chakra in order to use natural energy instead of dark emotions and pain.

"What was that Kuro...? I feel...stronger..."

Kuro was almost afraid to answer but he spoke true as he had been taught to do. "I believe you are more like me than you realize, you manifested divine power on a scale that could actually quell my own abilities unless I use my full demon power."<i></i>

 

[Toraono Suzuhime]

Ah...That was it...? What? More like him then she realized? Divine power? She created it? To many questions continued to pop up in her head. Having a tough time wrapping her understanding around it. She had quelled his power? Just by glowing and getting set on fire? What?!

"Hold on hold on hold on. What just happened?"

She asked. Still completely unaware of the subject. She was a scientist, and engineer, and a fighter. But this was beyond her understanding. She wasn't a firm believer of supernatural occurrences, she was to technical for that. She believed many things to just be legend and myth. But...she didn't know what had just happened? What was it? Why did it happen to her?

"Kuro...just tell me...why did I just spontaneously com-bust and glow brighter then the sun? I-I-I don't understand."

She stuttered for a moment at the end. It was very clear to Kuro that she was concerned about what had just happened.​

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[Toraono Kuro]

Kuro sat down as his sweat and hers had evaporated with her brief release of divine power. ”Well there are a great many explanations that come to mind … my tampering with your mind could have caused you to absorb a great deal of my power and it manifested its release in spiritual flames. What I truly believe is that you had this potential within you all along and the seals I have placed on your soul and my tampering with what I thought was some form of seizure caused a brief release of your true potential to counter my presence.”<i></i> Kuro was a sage not a scientist, he delved in the power of the supernatural simply because he was born to it. So in essence Kuro had to understand the world beyond natural shinobi understanding simply because it was in his blood. What scared Kuro the most at this moment was that Suzuhime might be revealed as part of the sacrifice of five necessary to complete his evolution of power. He did not feel that kind of resonance from her as he had with the first sacrifice he had to face in mortal combat. The pressure he had briefly felt from her eclipsed his own so if anything were she to master herself she could possibly absorb him to balance out her spiritual light with his supernatural darkness.