We Need Him Alive (Private - S rank Mission)

[Kairyuu]

Crickets were a cliché sound for one to hear in the deep night, but being so overused didn't stop Hoshikata from hearing them as they went off. Thick vegetation covered this area, the sky over blocked out by a ceiling of foliage from the great, ancient trees that grew so robust here; with trunks so wide three people couldn't hold hands around them and covered with enough moss to make a quilt, he was sure this place saw few people. The air smelled of those earthy scents that came with untamed wilderness, but there was an acrid stench over it as they neared their goal.

Somewhere ahead of them lay a temple buried under the fauna of the land, a large structure of archaic design with large, rough cut stones making up the walls and broad pillars with symbols of the old gods of the world carved into them, it would shine like gold if the light of the sun ever hit it but in this moonless night the only chance of finding it would be the fact that an immense bonfire burned brightly at the entrance to it. Twelve steps, each one nearly a hundred feet in length and ten in width, would rise from the floor of the forest to the entablature that ringed the building. A pediment rose above that with a massive window, no glass but only a crossbar to hold a holy symbol of some sort or the other.

The building was solid, no doubt. There were no other windows, no other doors. Inside it was one large room, with rows of beds to replace the old seats and more fires burning to keep the cold at bay. Smoke would rise to the ceiling and begin to pour out of that sole opening, giving the appearance of a giant, smoking hole to hell. As his staff parted the brush and his golden eyes alighted on the structure, Hoshikata would chuckle softly.

Wearing his jet black robes with gold trim, the patriarch of the Isaki clan was a shadow unto himself. His hood was pulled up, his boots matching in color to the cloth to blend him into the darkness more easily. The crystal cap on his staff stabs into the loose soil at his feet as he surveys the building, noting the people around the building. Several were in the middle of fanatical devotions while others were being led into hastily pitched tents. The grunts and moans coming from those gave him enough clue what was going on there, and the smoke rising from that gathering smelled off, making him decide he didn't want to know what they were burning.

The brush is settled back into place as Hoshikata turns to his companions and lets the smile fade from his face, a serious look once more on it. ”We're to capture, not kill, the leader of this temple. His followers are of no matter to those orders, so if their deaths will have no effect on our goal. The man we seek is inside the temple, he is going to be wearing two daggers and likely be close to fire. He has a healthier ego than anyone you've likely met, except perhaps a Minamoto. He also likely knows some blood jutsu.”

“Now for the bad news. He's possessed by the spirit of a fire demon. So be careful in apprehending him. I think our first course of action should be clearing those people out of the way. We don't want them interfering when we attack. Two helpings of skeletal warriors followed with an intense feeling of dread from our void expert should help, and then I'll ignite some tents to further scatter them. Questions?”

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

This was, on the surface, a similar mission to their previous one.

Of course, the difference between 'release' and 'capture' was the willingness of the target--which could be tricky.

Tatsuya had opted to use his powers to shield him rather than dressing in deep forest colours. There was nothingness wrapped around his boots which made his footsteps utterly silent, and the void hung around him, making the first instinct of almost any human to not look at him--even indirectly. It might be annoying for his companions, but any noise he deliberately made could still be heard, so he could still speak with them. And as a concession to normal visual stealth, he'd left his usual yellow cape back in his hotel room, meaning he was clad in brown and grey anyway.

It was still a little irritating to be running stealth ops, though.

"Cultists," he said with obvious disdain. He wouldn't have an issue killing any of this lot if he had to, particularly given what his imagination was conjuring from the sounds. "If we can't kill the leader, can we at least break some of his toys? I don't see any point in avoiding killing the rest of them. It would honestly be easier."

A switch from his previous attitude. Not from any change within him in regards to morality, but more to do with his general opinion on religions that exploited people--which a cult definitely counted as. No, there would be collateral damage on this one, and he certainly wouldn't go out of his way to avoid it.

"Question," he said in a sing-song voice as a void tendril reached up to lazily coil along his arm. "Why can't we just wreck the whole place, kill a bunch of them, and draw him out that way? Is there a reason we want stealth?"

If there were things inside of value, maybe. But. Well. Most of these people probably would scatter anyway, might as well blow the place to bits and possibly throw their target off balance whilst doing so.

 

[Akako]

The two had been quiet all the while travelling towards their destination in the Ancient Forest of Kumogakure. One could perhaps assume because of past behaviour that it was because of a small disagreement they had about Akane getting too close to the Isaki too fast. But the truth was that their small disagreement had happened when Akihiko had asked his sister if she had lost control of her Empathy. He spoke of when he felt her presence when they left her with Hoshikata at the inn and had been worried when he returned, dreading the idea he would be returning to either a hysterical or unresponsive twin sister.

If they were asked though, it was merely them being extra professional for a stealth mission as they were, after all, inside the boundaries of a foreign country. They would have to be a lot more careful in this mission, unlike when they released that prisoner from the small out of the way village. It didn’t help that their target probably wouldn’t be happy to see them and won’t be cooperative for a kidnapping.

The scene they arrived to was a very unwelcome one when, even from here, they could smell the incense and hear the sounds of their… activities. Both twins had to pause and take a step back, similarly disgruntled looks on both their faces as lust was thick and heavy in the air. Akane even had to go so far as pinch the bridge of her nose and sigh. Perhaps killing them wouldn’t be that big of a deal; people like these shouldn’t be allowed to breed anyway. Or perhaps it was staying around the Isakis for too long that she did not pitch in her babble about no collateral and civilian damage like she did during their prison break? Either or was possible and logical and acceptable.

“So, capture the fire demon at all costs,” Akihiko summed it up lazily, crossing his arms and eying the encampment in the distance with a contemplative look. “I don’t think we can avoid casualties if we’re going to have an inevitable fight with the cult leader, I suppose. Unless we can take his members hostage and he gives himself up willingly but that’s a long shot with guys like these. He probably won’t care if he fries his followers to a crisp if it means saving his own hide,” he continued, scratching the back of his head and ruffling his combed back hair in the process.

Akane nodded in agreement with his twin and crossed her arms as well. “Another question: what’s the possibility of some of his followers being battle able as well?” she hummed nonchalantly. If there were any, especially really strong and notable ones, a few Genjutsu sent their way to make them think their own leader was the enemy wouldn’t be such a waste…

 

[Kairyuu]

If one followed the line of time into infinity then anything could become possible, and so today Hoshikata was surprised by someone he thought he knew. He looks sharply to Tatsuya as the other brings up killing the followers of the cult. Hoshikata himself had no love for the people, no care for their lives. He expected something more moral from the other, and at those words and idea would blossom into his mind of what he could do with this one. Hoshikata has never really figured out where his friend fell on the spectrum of morality, Tatsuya came from a clan that was just as deep as his own in immoral acts and indeed sold weapons to the very people who threatened others. But he also seemed to be against needless life taking, but not in this case, odd. Perhaps he could bring his friend into a more suitable line of thinking. He says nothing to it yet, merely releasing a chuckle and looking to the twins.

They came to a very realistic conclusion that there would not be sparing lives here, not all of them. Someone would have to die, and their target was as likely as they to kill the people. And then Akane asked about other ninja in the followers. Hoshikata moves back to the brush blocking his view and sticks his head through it, his golden eyes scanning the crowd. Shinobi had rather special souls, they glowed with the power of raw chakra. Those timepiece pupils move through the crowd infront of him, only a hundred people at most, but those people were moving about so much it was hard to keep an accurate count. None of them glowed with power, but he did catch glimpses of some who might be capable fighters in their own. Compared to the training of a shinobi, however, they would not be much to worry over.

”No one else is shinobi. These are weak minded fools who fall to words and a show of power is all.” He steps back and looks to the three before him, then finally settles his gaze on his best friend. ”Very well. We go in with a show of power. Take out as many as we can. But the reason for stealth here is we are in Cloud, and we don't need anyone going back and telling them that four foreigners just killed a cult. So attack from the darkness. These people are nothing to worry about, but if the target shows up I'll mark him for us. For those out now, just go wild, friend. I'll make sure none you miss survive.”

He turns next to Akane and reaches out to put a hand on her shoulder. ”What you showed me the other night. Could it be used to help us coordinate our attacks in a fight? If so, I'd like you and Akihiko to do so, so that we may work as a team.” The fight against the cultists wouldn't require such teamwork, but their target certainly would. He wanted every advantage he could get here. He hadn't thought of the uses of her gift when showed what it was, and indeed it had only just now occurred to him what that use could be. He was normally on the ball about how to use people, but found himself shying away from it with her. He'd had ot deal with these pesky feelings later, but for right now death awaited.

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

"Why avoid casualties?" A smile played at Tatsuya's lips. "No, I think we should maximize them. The people here aren't of any use to us alive, and in this case it will actually draw out our target, no? There's not really a need for stealth this time around, save covering our tracks afterward--right?"

A waste of human life and free thought, that's what these cults were. There was no point sparing the worthless dregs of humanity. They knelt to someone for power to enrich their own meaningless lives, because they needed a guiding star, their own minds not being able to provide one for them. So they listened to the nearest charismatic power.

"As for the leader, we'll beat him over the head until he either stops twitching temporarily or agrees to come with us," he shrugged, unconcerned. Four on one tilted the scales so sharply in their favour the outcome was practically predetermined. "I can make him weigh nothing at all when we carry him out."

Who cares if they can fight? Probably not well if they're here. Besides, we'll be killing them anyway. He snorted, but didn't give Akane an answer. He couldn't detect it himself.

As the heir to a somewhat shady clan that had originally fled their homeland for the sake of religious freedom, it shouldn't have been surprising he thought that way. Of course, it wasn't as if anyone outside the clan would know that was the reason his family had left Moon originally.

Of course he caught the look. He offered only a dangerous smile in return. Let anyone think what they wanted in this case; the longer they stayed in Cloud the more irritable he got and while he normally would have agreed to killing these people without hesitation, there was a certain amount more...glee...than he'd usually have in his demeanour in this situation. He was probably going to use Taijutsu to do it, too, for a more hands-on feel.

To him, cultists were no more innocent than thugs to shake down in back alleys, and the innocence made all the difference.

"The simple answer to that is to kill them all," he said coolly, drawing his polearm out of his jacket. With a touch of chakra and a soft click, it extended to full length. The void effect around him almost immediately spread to the weapon, even coating the blade. "But fine. I assure you the only reason you can even look directly at me right now is because you have chakra control. They won't even want to look at me, and by the time they get past that, it'll be too late."

He didn't even bother entering a phase for this. No, this would be straight up slaughter. If he decided to use Ninjutsu, they'd be the more rapid base elements.

And he was off, into the crowd. He channeled fire and flung it at the tents, then immediately cut off the channeling. He was going to handle this more personally.

Tatsuya had been called an artist with a weapon before, by his academy teachers and by his clan trainers both. He was a fair blacksmith, and decent enough at other shinobi arts, but his true calling had always been wielding weapons. Everything and anything could be a weapon in the hands of a trained ninja, but the best weapons were ones made specifically for that purpose, and by your own hand at that. He had crafted every single one he used personally, and knew every curve, every line, every smoothed edge and sharpest spot. On top of that, he'd trained his own body in the art of combat, primarily Taijutsu.

It showed.

His first strike wasn't even with the curved crescent blade of the polearm, but with the blunt end, as he gripped it round the center of the shaft and rammed the pole into someone's chest, caving in the unfortunate man's sternum with enough force to collapse his lungs. At the same instant he whirled at a woman who was already reacting to his presence and punched her in the throat. Immediately after he brought the blade around to slice her chest open, right through her heart. Blood sprayed out at him, but vanished into the void tendrils encircling him.

The ways he was twisting his body and arms to strike wouldn't even have been possible without the chakra thrumming through his body. Collapsed ribs, sliced arteries, crushed skulls, and at least once he picked up someone with his off hand and simply crushed their throat. Several times he rammed the blunted side of his polearm into someone with enough force to actually impale them through a lung or heart. More times than he could count, he simply sliced their leg ligaments or Achilles heel so they fell to the ground and then stomped their head or chest in.

...It was likely not a show that any of his companions would have expected to see from him, all told, but it was certainly efficient. The speed he was moving at meant a maximum of two hits for a kill, and certainly they were making futile attempts to get at him. There were some fleeing, of course, but he'd already been told those would be handled, so he paid them no mind.

This is definitely a good way to blow off steam, he reflected. It's not often I get such a large crowd of such deserving targets.

This thought came at roughly the same time as his void-sharpened blade neatly sliced someone's head off, their lifeless body falling against a nearby burning tent. He didn't pause to admire the symbolism of their hedonism making a nice tableau for their corpse, but he did note it down.

I do hope the target feels some sort of reaction to this. It's fun, but it lacks the detestable presence of the person who drew them in for now...

 

[Akako]

None were capable shinobi, then none could be used against their own leader but that also meant there were lesser threats for them. She hummed, nodding in agreement; “Stealth would be unnecessary if none were to survive then,” she pointed out but, before she could say anything more, her elder brother had already went ahead… so much for stealth. Even if they had done the stealth part successfully like they were supposed to, she wouldn’t put it past the Kumo nin to blame this on them if they got wind of it and found that the killing pattern did not match any of their own shinobi anyway. No witnesses and no evidence could take care of that and she could think of a couple of ways to achieve both.

Akane ignored the hand on her shoulder momentarily, looking as Tatsuya started the slaughter. “Well, he seems to be enjoying himself,” she commented drily before nodding to the Isaki with a smirk. “We do that in most missions requiring it anyway, don’t worry. If you must worry, worry for our target and his silly little minions. We’ll clean them out so we can focus on the leader himself,” she offered with a light shrug, patting the hand on her shoulder before advancing as well.

She didn’t hurry as Tatsuya did, walking as if she were just taking a stroll in the park. As she did, the moisture from the air and plants around her started to be drawn out. The girl took her time, pulling everything in before, once she was on the edge of the chaos, poured everything out in all directions. A flood spread out devouring the entire area, and she trusted the others to keep themselves afloat, and people started screaming and flailing and drowning. The water extended out and formed a giant sphere with her at the centre, following her as she moved and letting no one in its grasp escape without being struck down by seemingly sentient snakes made of water. This was the Supreme Aqua Realm where none but the strongest survive; this was not life giving water but water which took it.

“Looks like a lot of fun. We should go unless we want them to get them all,” Akihiko smiled at his sibling’s antics and, with a glance back at Hoshikata, ran forward and dove into the water dome. He disappeared into the murky depths but his entrance only increased the screams as people were being pulled into the water at frightening speeds.

 

[Kairyuu]

Golden eyes watch as his companions go on a merry romp through innocent civilians whose only crime was believing in a religion they did not. Hoshikata himself saw no value to these people, but he was indeed surprised by Tatsuya's actions, watching as the man went through people like a knife through butter with that polearm of his. The Seer sighs softly as Akane and her twin envelop the area in a large globe of water, stepping free himself from the confines of the forest.

As he came free, people would begin to rise and slam into things, each other the temple or trees. One group came running in his direction as if he would save them. Should Akane or Tatsuya look over they would see a dozen people suddenly reverse direction and go airbore, the sheer force of the telekinetic blast shattering bones and turning their insides to liquid. The staff rises as Hoshikata murmurs one word, ”Ssussun”, and a bright white light breaks free, bathing the area in an unholy cleanliness of illumination. More people go flying as the staff swings this way and that, a focus for the power the man holding it was using.

Any who got too close to getting free would find themselves irrevocably drawn back in as the pull of kinetic force would yank them towards Tatsuya so he could use his weapons to deadly effect. It was not a battle, by any measure. No, this was a slaughter, and all four of them appeared to revel in it. To Akane and Akihiko, coming from the Isaki would be the emotions of satisfaction and grim determination. These people worshipped a false god and so he took pleasure in their pain. He was the only thing to worship here.

Their fun would only last until their target arrived, and Hoshikata would look up at a sudden explosion from inside the temple, a fireball incinerating everyone inside of it. Well, that would be coming soon. ”Huertar phor! Uk zhah doerin! “ This said, Hoshikata raises his own hands to form fire. A large blast of flames would race around him in a circle, flash frying everyone in the vicinity. And then he grips his staff right and waits.

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

It was true it was atypical of Tatsuya to kill so merrily, but circumstances had added up in this case to make him quite, quite happy to do so. It wasn't a shift in his morality, no--perhaps a previously unrevealed trait, but nothing all that new really.

He mostly ignored what his companions did, trusting them to handle what they were there for. He did notice people being flung his way and figured it was probably Hoshikata, but didn't cease in his merry whirlwind of ribcage-caving and throat-cutting. This wasn't even remotely a challenge, really. The void cloak around him kept him from being engulfed by the water at all, too, so he didn't have to worry about what must have been Akane's antics.

He would have made some sort of response to Hoshikata's surprise--and would later--but for now he was content to have thrown his usually inscrutable friend for a loop.

Unfortunately a blast of flame and a call cut off his fun. He scowled, sheathing his crescent blade. After the heat vanished, he drew the void back into him as well, saving up his power for the oncoming battle.

He was next to Hoshikata in a flash, a few feet away so as not to present easy targets but near enough. He was quite glad he'd been studying enough to understand the message, too.

"Nindel zhahus natha bwael sune-phor. L'trantz xonathull nin?" He wasn't even breathing all that heavily. Well, Taijutsu experts, and all. He hadn't been exaggerating before when he said he had good stamina.

 

[Morishige]

From underneath where the fighters stood, the blood of their victims seemed to all be drawn toward a circle in front of the temple. No doubt this location was one where the cultists might have fought for their gods honor, or had done unspeakable things to each other in the name of pleasing their master. But none of that mattered now. As the bubbling river of plasma culminate, and ominous laughter resonated through the area. It was deep and apparently comical, as if someone had enjoyed the battle like it was a show on a television. "Hahaha, well done! Well done indeed!" said the haunting voice as his own body began to rise from the blood pool. The dark matter seemed to fly in all directions like a fountain, only to be sucked up once again by the mysterious power that kept it within reach.

"I must give you my thanks for doing all the hard work! They were going to die soon anyway." the twisted man announced. A confused word came from a nearby cultist who had lost two limbs and yet lived. But he was quickly silenced in a spectacular spray of blood shooting outwards from his body. "But the question is why, isn't it? Why would you go and kill them all, you aren't those serial killer types I hope, they are so boring." he scoffed looking about himself. "No you are far too skilled, and too many. It seems karma has caught up to me then..." the leader sighed, pulling the twin daggers from his coat. They were already stained red from months of sacrifices.

"Perhaps my friends lust for blood with be sated after dealing with you four." he finally cooed, watching, and waiting for one of them to make the first move.

 

[Akako]

It was a massacre but, as far as Akane was concerned, it was a mercy they were dealing on these people. It was better to be felled by the hand of the enemy, rather than the hand of your own leader, much like those poor saps being barbecued to death in the temple proper. But to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth, to know he was going to kill them anyway and they had done the dirty work for him, it annoyed both brother and sister that they had to remind themselves that they needed this guy alive. He was lucky; otherwise, there were many ways to make even the undead suffer as a necromancer.

“Of course we aren’t fucking serial killers, morroonnnn, this isn’t how they operate. If you’re going to open your mouth and spout stupidity, we’ll just haf’ta rip your tongue out, don’tcha think? Save us all the brain damage listenin’ to you will bring,” Akihiko drawled as he swam to the surface, raising a hand to his head in a gun shape and mockingly shooting himself in the head. He sauntered next to his sister, running a hand through his wet hair and uncaring for his soaked state as she cancelled the Supreme Aqua Realm, bodies floating down to the ground from the depths and littering the battlefield left and right endlessly.

Akane sighed, staring at the man through one eye as she closed the other tiredly. “Must we really keep him alive? He seems worthy of death than most of them,” she asked but knew that the objective will hold. Incapacitate him, capture him alive, take him to the clients for whatever it was they were planning. They weren’t supposed to enjoy missions anyway.

• OutofCharacter | Marked for Training at 290 Words and Calling Bmod

 

[Kouin]

You guys know the drill right?

• Stats
• Jutsu (With links please, and link in the actions)
• Custom Class
• BL/CA/Kin
• Inventory
• Round 1 Actions

 

[Kouin]

Shoukyou Tatsuya
HP: 36600
CP: 33600-390-360-560-1200-400 = 30690
AP: 10-2-2-2-.5-.5-2.5 = 10.5 AP next round
Status: Livin Large and in charge!

Shoukyou Akane
HP: 33000-1500 = 31500
CP: 36000-3750-3000-2291 = 26959
AP: 10-3-4-3 = 10 AP next round
Status: Layin down the hurt

Hoshikata
HP: 36000
CP: 33000-3272-1920-990
AP: 10-4-3-2.5 = 10.5 AP next round
Status: Supa Star

VS.​

Zaku's NPC
HP: 39000-2750-500-2013-1150 = 32587
CP: 33000-2000-2500-1300 = 27200
AP: 10-2.5-4.2 = 11 AP next Round
Status: Beserk Sealed, Chaos Sealed, Leech Sealed​

0.0 Seconds Hoshikata is as focused as a Duelist on the Demon!
2.0 Seconds Tatsuya does a Hidden Action! (failed!)
2.5 Seconds Zaku gains a Demonic Cloak of Omeganess!
3.0 Seconds Akane shoots a wave of Spiritual Anguish at the Demon! (Partial Hit!)
4.0 Seconds Tatsuya does a Hidden Action! (Success!)
4.0 Seconds Hoshikata uses Beserk Seal upon the Demon! (Hit!)
6.0 Seconds Tatsuya throws a layer of Fluorite Spikes across the field!
6.5 Seconds Tatsuya draws his Crescent Blade!
7.0 Seconds Hoshikata does a hidden Action! (Fail!)
7.0 Seconds Akane uses Chaos Seal on Zaku! (Hit!)
7.0 Seconds Tatsuya begins to channel metal through the blade!
8.5 Seconds Zaku does a Hidden Action!
9.5 Seconds Hoshikata uses Psi-Shock on Zaku! (Miss!)
9.5 Seconds Tatsuya attempts Leech Seal on Zaku! (Hit!)
10.0 Seconds Akane uses Grand Hydra Excavation! (Hit! Miss! Partial!)

Zaku you ran out of time on your actions because they were disrupted.
I don't have much to say but 'ouch'

 

[Kairyuu]

Not everything went without a hitch, but all things considered his idea of having Akane and Akihiko relay the battle plans through their unique ability seemed to be working quite well. As he focused his attentions on the man, he saw Tatsuya form some seals and his spirit charge with power. Sadly it appeared to do nothing as the man kept his eyes open and was himself drawing in power. And then a giant chakra form surrounded him, making the Seer grin at the man's foolishness. That would do him no good when Akane unleashed a wave of pure mental anguish upon him.

As he visibly flinched from that, Tatsuya would use another jutsu and make him freeze in place. Hoshikata took his chance as black flames formed in his palm and began racing down his arm. He raced in, staff forgotten as his hand clasped against the man's face and those flames began to soak into his skin. It was one of the most excrutiating experiences he could think of someone going through, and as his hand came free a seal would rest on the man's forehead. The cursed mark of the berserker.

As Tatsuya threw spikes about he would step away and work his own mental games, but they appeared ineffective. However it served as a good distraction as Akane hit him with the twin to his own seal, the seal of chaos. He does another jutsu, which also misses, before yet a third seal hits the man.

And now here they were, their foe would likely be disabled by the seals hitting him, and Hoshikata had more fun planned for this one indeed. ”Plynn nindol fa'la zatoast harl! “

(Sending actions)

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

It was...disappointing.

Not just that they didn't get to kill this one, although that was too, but the way he fought. They were beating him to a practical standstill.

Well, not surprising, Tatsuya mused. There's four--technically three, considering how the twins fight--of us and one of him.

All in all, this supposed mighty cult leader was definitely not impressive. He had some kind of demonic aura, sure, but it didn't seem to really be helping him all that much. Perhaps killing off some of his minions had weakened him somehow?

Or maybe not. Still ought to act like this one was more powerful than he was, for safety's sake. He had his own private internal measures to track how much effort he was actually expending. The enemy didn't actually need to know that Tatsuya doubted he would need to shift out of phase 1.

Thinking of...Phase 1-Metal.

With Metal Channeling active, the silver gleam of the strange curved blade at the end of his polearm, where for most a spear tip would be, spread down the entire length and took on an otherworldly sheen. If anyone could actually see his chakra, it acquired a tint whenever he channeled. The base orange right then was touched lightly with the silver of Metal.

Defy my expectations. Make me work for beating you down.

Unlikely, though. Especially as Hoshikata rallied them again. The instructions in his head from his siblings' relaying had ceased and he was free to attack normally.

Go.

[Actions Sent]

 

[Morishige]

It was unlike anything the man had faced before. The assault was brutal, and had left the demon filled with fire in a state of disarray and confusion as to what was happening. Seal after seal was placed on his body, and it was taking it's toll. They each seemed to drain some life force from him, and it was already draining upon him heavily. He felt as if the power of his demon too was being diminished from the chakra attacks. There was even a few moments where he forgot what he was doing, and had to improvise on the spot to try and defend himself. The man in the blood pool had never expected this kind of strength to come from strangers-- he was actually beginning to foresee his death here in his own camp. For the longest time, he felt immortal. And now it was quite the opposite...

[Actions Sent]

 

[Akako]

The three Shoukyous knew how each other fought, had an inkling at the very least, as they were all brought up together. Of course, the twins worked almost as a unit, a single being, supporting each other, taking turns and alternating each blow between each other to tire at a slower pace or to attack with double the power. Though they may not have been the strongest tag team the world has ever seen, they were definitely efficient and definitely in sync with one another.

The first course of action was a release, powerful and daunting, of the very emotional energies the two stored in them. Anger, rage, sorrow, bone deep weariness was pulled from the two, straight toward its target, searching and seeping into the possessed one’s very soul. It rages like a maelstrom that affects the very essence of what made a living thing, gnawing and hissing and spitting and biting and clawing like an angered thing.

When it hits, that is when the fight really begins. Hoshikata goes in, fingers ablaze with chakra as he scribes the seal of the Berserker. Tatsuya is content to stay back and do his own preparations for the moment but, not even a second later, the twins follow, scribing the seal of Chaos on the poor man as well. The next few seconds of battle is a blur, dodging, jumping, attacking, until their elder brother follows with a seal of his own, the seal of the Leech.

No doubt having three seals, two of them some of the foulest and deadliest and most harmful of the Seals, their enemy would be enraged. Tired, weakened but enraged. Akane doesn’t care, this man deserved worse than death, but it will do. And she strikes with the elements, in hopes of washing his filth away.

• OutofCharacter | Actions Sent

 

[Kouin]

Shoukyou Tatsuya
HP: 36600
CP: 31090+786-1795-2003-639-591+382 = Doesn't Matter!
AP: 10.5-2.75-2.75-2.25-2.25 = Doesn't Matter!
Status: Winner!

Shoukyou Akane
HP: 31500-5720
CP: 26959-4279-1100-745 = Doesn't Matter!
AP: 10 = Doesn't Matter
Status: Winner!

Hoshikata
HP: 36000-2514 = Doesn't Matter!
CP: 26818-1920-1090-1090-1090 = Doesn't Matter!
AP: 10.5-3-2.5-2.5-2.5 = Doesn't Matter
Status: Supa Star

VS.​

Zaku's NPC
HP: 32587-2040-848-4326-4851-1986-472-472-1260-2750-2750-2750-9352-2585 = KO
CP: 27200-1572-1300-3939-3575 = KO
AP: 11-3-3.6-3.6 = KO
Status: KO​

2.61 Seconds Tatsuya performs Higuma on Zaku! (Hit! Hit! Miss! Miss! Hit! Hit!) (Bleeding LV raised to 1!) (Dazed!)
2.72 Seconds Zaku placed up a ring of fire! (Failed!)
2.85 Seconds Hoshikata performs a Hidden Action! (Success!)
4.00 Seconds Akane performs a Shining Gaia Fist of the Water Dragon! (Hit!) (CASCADE!)
4.00 Seconds Akane follows-up with Torrential Vortex! (Hit!)
5.22 Seconds Tatsuya attempts to put Zaku through the Annihilation Cycle! (Hit!) (Dazed!)
5.23 Seconds Hoshikata uses Psi-Shock on Zaku! (Hit!)
5.99 Seconds Zaku attempts Sol Fire Tempest! (Misses Tatsuya! Akane Hit! Hoshikata Partial!)
6.50 Seconds Akane uses Spikes of the Earth to impale Zaku! (Miss!)
7.36 Seconds Tatsuya attempts to decapitate Zaku! (Hit! Sprained! Bleeding Lv2! Dazed!)
7.61 Seconds Hoshikata uses Psi-Shock on Zaku again! (Hit!)
9.26 Seconds Zaku lets loose an ominous Red Haze! (Failure!)
9.50 Seconds Tatsuya unleashes a flurry of Aerial Strikes! (Hit! Hit! Follow-up Hit! Bleed Lv 4! Dazed Capped!)
9.99 Seconds Hoshikata uses Psi-shock for the last time! (Hit!)

And that's the show folks.

 

[Kairyuu]

As Tatsuya ran in with his weapon leading the way, Hoshikata began prepping the genjutsu that had failed him the last round. He watched in silence as his friend assaulted the man leaving him dazed and confused, and as the man failed a simple ring of fire. With a burning feeling in his own mind he felt his power of the man take hold, weakening him further than even the seals were doing. Then his betrothed came from the side in a flank with her twin to assault with a mix of jutsu. He rises to his full height and begins to form seals, lashing out with pure kinetic force at the man as the battle blurred around him. At one point he felt a sting but paid it no mind.

And within a breath the battle ended. As his final kinetic assault ended their foe fell to the ground. Hoshikata wasted no time in running up, his arm once more wreathed in black flame. He grips the man by the throat and sends chakra into it, the flames meshing with his skin to form a seal, one designed to keep him unconscious. He hefts the man over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and looks to his companions. ”We will meet up later. I'll go get our pay.”

With that said he turns and trudges into the forest about them. He trusted them to get on without him.

(Topic left, mission done)

 

[Shiruko Makoto]

Nothing beyond Phase 1, then.

Tatsuya landed from his last assault in disappointment as the silver sheen vanished from his weapon. He collapsed it and tucked it back into his jacket and glanced around, wishing there had been more cultists to kill.

Didn't even get scratched. Disappointing.

That fight had been over far, far too fast for him to feel any satisfaction from it. It was just the three of them moving against a single target who had no real chance, no real weapon save arrogance.

He was oddly bothered by the fact he hadn't been hit at all when the others had, too. The attack had targeted all of them so perhaps he had just been faster, but still.

"Fine by me," he said in a disaffected tone, his earlier enthusiasm now dampened.

Such a letdown.

He glanced at the twins. Akane had been hit but barely, and they could take care of themselves anyway. So he wrapped a cloak of void around himself and vanished, heading back toward the city proper. It was still a good policy to rest after a fight, even if he didn't really need to.

Just a disappointment, really...

[Topic Left]

 

[Akako]

It was their elder brother who had opened this time, starting on the offensive with an expertly done Higuma and the twins were quick to follow with a team up of their own. Akane called up a Water Dragon from the very air as Akihiko prepared his Fist of Gaia, her twin brother riding the beast in a tandem attack that was surely to break a few bones. She felt something pull though, a cascade calling from the waters that allowed her to immediately follow it up with another technique, almost as devastating as the last.

Their teamwork was commendable, not only brother and sister, but the four of them. No move was wasted, no second spared, despite the few misses and the few hits their opponent got in, they all played together perfectly. Akihiko’s aim for his next attack was disrupted though as she was hit by a fire attack and he had stumbled back to see how she was, which was really unnecessary.

In the end, it was Hoshikata who landed the final but not killing blow and the enemy was down by the count of twenty, the whole fight having gone in a blur yet was vivid as if it were still the present. But, being who they were, the adrenaline rush did not linger when they did not want it to, expelling the feelings that associated with it as excess. At least, that was what the sister did, if Akihiko’s still manic grin was anything to go by.

The other two still seemed in an adrenaline rush though, if their actions were to go by, how quickly the Isaki left to collect their pay and their elder brother to who knows where. They weren’t bothered, that is, until they realized what had just happened and the two had left them to clean up the rest of the corpses littering the area. It wasn’t really a big problem, considering their practice in necromancy but it was still annoying… Oh well, by the end of the day, they’d have more bodies for their dark practice.

• OutOfCharacter | Topic Left