[attr="class","pwfbody"] Yousei had just been enjoying her morning cinnamon roll (did that count as cannibalism?) when she'd suddenly been called in to a meeting with the Hokage. Looked like there was a mission that Mai needed taken care of urgently; apparently one of their jounin had gone rogue and started selling secrets to the Empire, and with the attack on Onomichi just around the corner, they needed that security breach dealt with ASAP. [break][break]
The perpetrator in question was Hiroshi Ichinose, an older shinobi who'd fiercely supported the village's previous regime, and like many of the last generation was vocally dissident of Mai taking over as Hokage. Yousei couldn't see it. In her eyes, Mai had been doing an amazing job. The past year had been like a breath of fresh air! Were people really that stubborn? Were they really that afraid of change? [break][break]
Regardless, the report had also detailed that this Ichinose character was no pushover; a field-tested veteran with numerous high-ranking missions under his belt, who utilizes the rare advanced nature Scorch Release to deadly effect. Furthermore, intelligence seemed to indicate that he was currently on his way to the border of the Northern Fire Country to meet with his Imperial contact, who was noted as being a particularly fearsome looking samurai lieutenant, accompanied by a full platoon of ashigaru. [break][break]
This mission was starting to sound more dangerous by the minute, and to make matters worse, Oto was currently spread so thin by preparations for the coming battle that they couldn't spare to send any more of their own shinobi to assist her. Luckily, Mai had found someone who could; a jounin from the Hidden Rain Village, who'd come to help in their efforts against the Empire: Anotsu Uchiha! Yousei didn't recognize the name, but after her chance encounter with Mai Aburame the other day, she was sure any ninja from Ame would be a great help. [break][break]
And so, with no time to lose, they prepared to set out immediately. Objective: Subdue the rogue jounin and take him back alive for interrogation if possible. The lieutenant too, if they were feeling feisty! [break][break]
[attr="class","exhausted"]A lion concerns itself not with the opinions of sheep..
[attr="class","rhythm"]
❝
So often, we run from consequences. Do as you please but do it without regret.
The daunting task hadn't deterred him in the slightest. It was quite the opposite - Uchiha Anotsu was fully prepared to assist Otogakure.
A slow and steady gait allowed the Jounin to conserve his energy. Half-lidded orbs, almond-shaped yet piercing, gazed out and into the countryside before them as the pair sought the precipice of their intended destination. Locks of obsidian swayed as he moved, the width of his coat flowing gently to his southern flank. Pouches of varying inventory rest snug against his person, veiled once his attire had come to settle about him once more. There was neutrality betwixt Amegakure and Otogakure. As such, it was a blank slate that Anotsu had been ordered to paint with a picture of trust and mutual gain. Who was he to refuse the request of a potential ally?
Full lips parted only after Anotsu had stopped meters away from Yousei's position, offering a small smile and a dip of his chin south in respect, acknowledgement. "Uchiha Anotsu. I assume you've been briefed on the details enough to take lead?" Direct and to the point, he seemed. That calm, collected air about him radiated in waves, oozed from him as if naught but the fiercest storm could move him to ministration. Whatever machinations awaited them, their objective was clear: secrets were to remain just that. If nothing else, there was a mutual understanding of how critical such a charge had been.
"I assume we've got time to discuss any specifics before we reach our destination." His voice was one of attempted neutrality. This was a fellow Jounin, worthy of respect. As he always did, the Uchiha would play his position and do his best to become a welcome wrench in an adversary's plan.
[attr="class","pwfbody"] "Yousei Shinkiro! Pleased to meet you, Anotsu." She replied energetically, as the stoic Uchiha offered his introductions. She'd never met an Uchiha before! Guess that was another box to check off on the Meet Every Ninja Clan list (which she didn't actually have, but that would be a pretty cool hobby if it weren't metaphorical). [break][break]
"Ah, sure thing! Let's move while we talk, should be plenty of time to catch you up before we get there." Yousei set out first, taking point as she darted through the trees like a red-headed squirrel. This mission was time sensitive, so they had to act swiftly. [break][break]
"As I'm sure you know, our main objective is to capture a certain jounin from Oto, and bring him back alive for questioning. Real hardass named Ichinose, who's been selling our secrets to the Empire. He's not just some ratfink informant though, this guy is a battle hardened veteran with one of the longest service records in the village. Tons of high-ranking missions under his belt. And if that weren't enough, he's also a ninjutsu expert specializing in Shakuton. That stuff is nasty, by the way; whatever you do, make sure you don't get hit by it, unless you want to end up looking like dried squid." [break][break]
They were getting closer to the border of the Northern Fire Country now, it wouldn't be much longer until they reached their destination. According to the intelligence report, the meeting was set to take place at an old temple dangerously close to Taiyou lines, that had lain abandoned ever since the Empire had first solidified its hold on the Land of Fire. Still, there were a few things left to discuss before they arrived. [break][break]
"Ichinose's contact in the Empire is a samurai lieutenant, but the report didn't have much to go off of in terms of identity or combat ability, just that he's likely to be accompanied by a full platoon of ashigaru, and that he seemed "extremely dangerous". Our secondary objective is to capture him alive too, if we can, or to eliminate him if capture becomes impractical." [break][break]
That just about did it for the briefing, and sure enough, after a short branch hopping interlude, they'd arrived! Crazy how these trips always seemed to just fly by in the span of a short conversation, huh? [break][break]
At any rate, Yousei had stopped just before they'd reached the clearing where the aforementioned temple was located, signalling Anotsu to follow her as she took cover behind the plentiful vegetation that accompanied the break in the treeline. The scene before them was as expected; a grizzled shinobi in Sound Village attire, meeting with a group of samurai led by a man of imposing stature, clad in red and purple armor, and wearing the mask of an ogre. [break][break]
His name was Kaneshige Komatsu, known infamously among the Taiyou as "Kaneshige the Butcher" due to his penchant for wanton slaughter; killing women, children, and sometimes even his own men indiscriminately. There were even rumors that he was affiliated with the Cult of Jashin, though it was hard to say whether there was any truth to those claims, or if they were merely a byproduct born from his bloody reputation. [break][break]
The report's description made perfect sense now. Yousei could tell with just a glance that this was no ordinary samurai. "That guy is going to be trouble..." She muttered under her breath, eyes narrowing as she caught sight of the swords at his hip. Rather than the typical daisho pair, he was carrying two full-sized katanas...on the same side? And while one of them seemed rather plain, the other was downright ominous; its sheath and wrappings black as midnight. [break][break]
It gave Yousei a bad feeling. This mission may have been even more dangerous than they'd expected. "Our best bet will probably be to split them up. Samurai are my specialty, so if you can deal with Ichinose, I should be able to handle the lieutenant." A risky play perhaps, but far less risky than fighting them together in her opinion, and having personally sparred with a jounin from Ame herself, she was sure that Anotsu would be able to hold his own in a fight. "Just remember, we need to take him alive." [break][break]
[attr="class","exhausted"]A lion concerns itself not with the opinions of sheep..
[attr="class","rhythm"]
❝
So often, we run from consequences. Do as you please but do it without regret.
I was able to keep up with Yousei's pace. No sooner than when the Jounin had taken to the flora, I too would render myself invisible to the naked eye and vanish into the forestry. My feet carried me effortlessly from branch to branch, nimble in my ministrations but wholly tuned in to the briefing before me. As Yousei spoke, I nodded. I was privy to the dangerous nature of our quarry. If two Jounin had been summoned, I surmised, there was an utmost importance to the outcome. Fortunately, I would play the trump card and assist in securing our victory. "Shakuton.." I muttered to myself. Yosei's explanation was all that I needed to begin adjusting my belongings. Though we moved at great speed through the foliage, I was more than capable of adjusting the inventory at my satchel, my pouches. It would be the Sharingan that would assist me best in this endeavors, though I had already been exposed to its chakra drain. In short, I would need to pick my moments with meticulous detail.
"Understood." The single word that spoke volumes as our travel grew to a gradual crawl. Beyond our cover did I spot our targets. I crouched with complete silence near the other Jounin. Surveying the battlefield, I took mental notes on every form and item equipped and carried. "I've come equipped with all of my best," I began. Precaution was a catalyst to adequacy. As I remembered the sleep agents fitted into my inventory, the gears within my mind had already begun to turn. There was no cog missing, no click that I was failing to process. It was quite the opposite - I was alert, taking mental notes as to the blades and armor that veiled the flesh of my soon-to-be opponent. Fingers pushed into my pockets, pulling forth a communications radio piece for Yousei to equip.
"We'll stay in contact with this. It has a fair range. Coordination will be key here." Of course, the fixture was temporary. Neutrality would not supersede comfort, and this was the pride of Amegakure. As I handed the small gadget to Yousei, my gaze met her own. "I'll retrieve it once our mission is successful." I'd speak no more on the subject. Out of sight, out of mind. Once taken, I'd return my sights and focus to intelligence. "Are you able to ascertain any further details on what they're discussing?" Of course, I wouldn't pry into information that didn't belong to me. The more I knew, the better.....especially if it would provide a pillar to the thought of allowing a killer of this caliber to continue breathing after the aforementioned atrocities.
[attr="class","pwfbody"] Yousei stared at the device curiously for a moment before it finally clicked in her head what the Uchiha had just given her; this was one of those fancy radio transmitter things that they used in the Rain Village! It was her first time actually seeing one in person, very cool stuff indeed. Fixing the piece to her ear, she gave Anotsu a thumbs up in the affirmative. She was glad the cool-headed jounin had come prepared, tech like this would definitely be handy for coordinating while they were split up. [break][break]
Focusing her attention back on their quarry once again in response to Anotsu's question, she strained her eyes and ears to try and make out whatever details she could on their conversation. "It's hard to make out. Something about Onomichi, I think. The bastard is probably going over the new defense plans that Mai-" [break][break]
Damn it. [break][break]
"I mean, that the Hokage issued last night. One of the main reasons we've been ordered to take him alive is because we have no idea how long he's been feeding information to the Taiyou like this. The intelligence division needs to interrogate him and find out just how much the Empire knows, otherwise we could be at a serious disadvantage in the coming battle. Being able to extract information from this lieutenant too would just be icing on the cake." [break][break]
Just then, Ichinose pulled something from the pouch he'd been carrying; a scroll bearing the seal of the Hokage. That gave her an idea. I think this is our cue. Follow my lead, Anotsu." She shot out of the bush like lightning, pushing every bit speed she could muster as she closed the gap, making it nearly half way to them before they alerted to her presence, at which point Yousei was already drawing her blade. [break][break]
A crescent arc of chakra was cast off by the slash that followed, and taken by surprise as they were, the projectile somehow managed to meet its mark, striking the back of the lieutenant's bracer. It barely left a scratch on armor that heavy, but the force managed to knock the scroll out of his hand and into the air, which was exactly what she'd been aiming for. [break][break]
Leaping into the air, she then intercepted the scroll herself, flipping over the pair before landing gracefully in front of the torii gate that led to the shrine, and spinning back to face them with a smug grin as she tucked the document away. Now the samurai would have no choice but to fight her, if he wanted to get his hands on whatever secrets lay within. That meant that Anotsu simply had to draw aggro from Ichinose, and splitting the duo up should be simple. [break][break]
"Hahaha!" The traitor's laughter echoed through the clearing. "I figured that sorry excuse for a Hokage would find me out sooner or later, but is this really all the manpower she could spare? Some kid pretending to be a jounin, who thinks she's hot shit just because she got some fluke promotion?" Yousei's expression tightened, but she kept her cool despite the emotions bubbling up in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't about to let this bastard get to her, she had other things to deal with. Namely... [break][break]
"No matter." The samurai finally spoke, drawing the lower, less impressive of his blades as the ashigaru rallied around him. "Simply more blood to spill." His voice was cold, like frosted iron; the kind of voice you'd expect from a coldblooded killer. This wasn't going to be an easy fight, that much was certain. [break][break]
But with all their attention focused on Yousei, this was the perfect chance for Anotsu to make his move! [break][break]
[attr="class","exhausted"]A lion concerns itself not with the opinions of sheep..
[attr="class","rhythm"]
❝
So often, we run from consequences. Do as you please but do it without regret.
The spectacle that Yousei had so brusquely put on display was my opportunity to execute a maneuver of my own. Thankfully, the other Jounin had executed Phase One. Phase Two? Processing.
With the speed of a gazelle, I relinquished my hidden position in favor of closing the distant betwixt myself and our intended target. How often the arrogance of the ignorant played fuel to their downfall. Men's throat had been cut for far less than what was transpiring before me. How fitting, then, that I felt little remorse for the murderous intent that had already welled up deep from within my gullet. Already, nimble digits had searched for and plucked two items from the easily accessible satchel upon my person. I hid the instruments from their view until they were ready to be thrown. Within moments, the scheme of my ministrations would be laid bare. Twin kunai with exploding tag tore out from beneath the folds of my sleeves, spiraling with an expert precision and speed. The twins tore through resistance, seemingly alive and voracious in appetite, until digging into the earth. One may have mistaken my accuracy for that of a blind man's. Such ineptitude would cost them.
A handseal. Boom.
The explosions served a twofold purpose. Their initial the blinding of any who were within range of it, debris and smoke thrusting out and into the air like violent plumes of gray. Whatever life and limb it could take with it would be a bonus. The second of my actions? To distract the traitorous shinobi as a far deadlier element sliced through the confusion and engaged him. Ichinose found himself on the receiving end of hands gripping at his form, fingers clutching inaccessible points to his limbs and twisting with the power of an olympian. Every muscle worked overtime, my might encompassing him in an instant, aimed to turn and throw his weight with force in the opposite direction. If successful, I would use the quarter gained to once more rush forward into close proximity.
A small pellet, dark in color, lay harmlessly where I had initially sought Ichinose's frame. Through the confusion, a foot was sure to step onto it and force a voluminous cloud of smoke to disperse along terra. I could only hope that Yousei was able to hold his own. We were separated, resolved to the fate of our choices. It would be a long walk back to inform Otogakure that I had failed to protect one of their ilk.
[attr="class","pwfbody"] The explosion that rang out across the battlefield would prove to be the first turning point for the engagement; dust, debris, and even several unfortunate ashigaru flying into the air as Anotsu Uchiha took the field. [break][break]
Ichinose's particularly keen hearing had alerted him to the kunai before they'd exploded and given him enough time to shield himself from the blast, but the turncoat hadn't been expecting a second shinobi to join the fray. Caught by surprise and still dazed from the explosion, Anotsu's grapple found purchase, and before the informant could properly react, he was being hurled to a more distant corner of the battlefield. [break][break]
"Tch. Got sloppy..." [break][break]
But the battle had only just begun. It wouldn't be that easy to take down a hardened veteran like Ichinose. Using his arms to rebound off the ground, the conspirator performed a perfect mid-air recovery, already in the process of rapidly weaving a number of handseals as he skidded to a halt; a testament to the skills he'd honed during his many years of service to the Sound Village's previous regime. [break][break]
Before Anotsu could close the distance again, a trio of orange spheres suddenly sprang to life around Ichinose, orbiting him like a defensive perimeter of miniature suns. This was his advanced nature: Scorch Release. With this, he planned to make sure that hand-to-hand combat was off the menu. He wasn't bad with taijutsu, but neither was his opponent it seemed, and as a ninjutsu specialist it would be better to play to his strengths. [break][break]
"But to think, the new Hokage would actually trust some damn foreigner from the Rain Village to help with our internal affairs. That's a new low, even for her! This is exactly why we'd be better off with the Taiyou running things around here." [break][break]
Meanwhile... [break][break]
Yousei jumped back in time with the explosion, putting distance between herself and the samurai as Anotsu absolutely chucked that asshole Ichinose to another part of the temple grounds. Nice! Then one of the ashigaru ended up stepping on the smoke pellet he'd left behind, causing a cloud of smoke to part the battlefield, leaving each of them truly isolated. Welp, this is what she signed up for. Fortunately, it seemed that the lieutenant hadn't managed to dodge the explosion in time, so with any luck he was already injur- nevermind. [break][break]
It was at that exact moment that Komatsu began slowly advancing from the smoke, his every step confident and deliberate, as though he were already assured of his victory. There was barely a scratch on him! Just how tough was that armor of his anyway!? Then the remaining ashigaru came rushing in, and Yousei began dancing backwards, cutting the footmen down one by one as she deliberately retreated back through the torii gate, and along the stone path that led to the shrine proper. This guy was bad news, she couldn't risk letting the cannon fodder get in the way. [break][break]
Yet strangely, he seemed all too content to let her cut down his men in droves; his own blade even lashing out as one of them stumbled back after receiving a mortal wound from Yousei, bisecting him cleanly at the torso, as a shower of blood erupted from his brutally sundered body. [break][break]
"Your blade cuts too shallow." The Butcher reprimanded her, as though casually critiquing the way she killed. "They will die from these wounds, yes...but so much blood could yet be spilled. How will your blood look as it stains this sacred ground, I wonder?" [break][break]
Damn dude, this guy had some issues! [break][break]
[attr="class","exhausted"]A lion concerns itself not with the opinions of sheep..
[attr="class","rhythm"]
❝
So often, we run from consequences. Do as you please but do it without regret.
I had found purchase in my attempt to distance Ichinose from the remainder of his team.
Years of training, honing my Taijutsu's prowess, had afforded me the immediate halt upon watching handseals performed. A modicum of caution practiced, I would take the time to create further fortification against the unknown where others may have simply watched in awe. Ever moving was the lion, my hands pushed into the veil of my garb to hide my ministrations from my opponent. Carelessly, he revealed his thoughts - his motives - to my ears. Information that I would etch upon the tablet of my memory as I viewed the fruits of his handseals and their labor. From nothingness did the spheres rise, encircling my prey protectively. Heat began to creep upon me, tendrils of warmth lapping at my epidermis. Already, I was dissecting every aspect of the spectacle before me. Already, I was formulating the plot that would leave the tapestry of his assumed victory tattered and torn.
"The opinions of the dead are useless to me," I stated, my hands yet in my pouches. Nimble digits worked tirelessly, senbon fitted betwixt fingers and fitting within the confines of my skin's webbing. "The excuses of the unworthy are mother to cowardice. You'll be tossed as chaff to the wind." I would further the ambition of my actions, a single hand angularly thrusting forward as I propelled myself east. I would not reveal the full extent of my speed to Ichinose. He had been privy to my earlier projectiles, warranting distance and observation.
The senbon released from my fingers, four in number, were thrown with a wide spread between them. Perfectly they were aimed, perfectly they spun - minute in detail though they were - with lethal proficiency. Aimed at his torso, I silently watched and kept my appendage's twin yet hidden from view. Gaia beneath me vibrated heavily with my footsteps, varying in intensity. I would keep my quarry at an appropriate distance. He would find that Amegakure's best was a viper beneath emerald blades.
[attr="class","pwfbody"] "Ha! You Ame shinobi are even more pretentious than I remember. Let's see if you can put your money where your mouth is, pretty boy." [break][break]
The senbon that followed weren't much of a surprise to Ichinose. This kid would have to be off his rocker to try getting anywhere close to him now; with those shakuton spheres in place, ranged combat was essentially Anotsu's only option, and that was exactly what the ninjutsu expert had been counting on. [break][break]
His hands moving on pure reflex and muscle memory, Ichinose sucked in a huge breath. Scorch Release was a combination of fire and wind, and while the advanced nature may have been his specialty, he wasn't unversed in its constituent components either. Whipping his head forward, a huge sphere of air was expelled from his treacherous maw like a cannonball, easily deflecting the incoming needles and continuing on towards a direct collision course with Anotsu, effectively combining both attack and defense in a single technique. [break][break]
Futon: Renkudan (Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet) [break][break]
The Uchiha would have to be careful; the impact from getting hit by this thing would hurt enough as it was, but the resulting explosion after it made contact would make a direct hit even more catastrophic, and if he managed to avoid it, there was still the problem of breaking through Ichinose's impressive zone control. Unless, perhaps, this was part of his plan all along? [break][break]
Meanwhile...[break][break]
Yousei had finally managed to dispatch the rest of the cannon fodder, now it was just her and Kaneshige. Her backpedaling had taken them all the way to the top of the stairs that led to the shrine, so it looked like that was going to be the backdrop for today's fateful duel with the villain of the week. [break][break]
"No one left to interfere." The armor-clad lieutenant confirmed, as he continued his menacingly slow approach. It was weird, his stance looked like it was absolutely full of holes, but Yousei had a feeling that each and every one of them was a trap, meant to lure in those who only saw what their eyes could show them. [break][break]
"Let us begin." The first attack came with more speed than Yousei had been expecting for someone wearing that much armor; a horizontal slash aimed to slice through her torso and bisect her in a single blow, just like that ashigaru from earlier. [break][break]
She narrowly blocked it, but the force of the impact was way crazier than she'd been expecting, and she ended up flying back nearly a meter before regaining her footing. What was with that ridiculous strength? If she'd been using a normal sword instead of Hatsuyuki, it probably would've snapped in half from an impact like that! [break][break]
"Good. Show me how you struggle as you dance your life away." [break][break]
Yousei had only a moment's respite before Kaneshige made his next move: a vertical slash descending from above. She couldn't keep playing defense forever. If she wanted to win, she had to go on the attack. Taking a deep breath, she gracefully turned to the side, floating like an autumn leaf as the lieutenant's sword skimmed past her, and coating her blade with an aura of condensed white chakra as she countered with a rising slash of her own. [break][break]
Unfortunately, the attack only managed to leave a shallow gash in the samurai's armor, but it did succeeded in chipping away a part of the mask he wore, revealing a glimpse of the enraged brown eye beneath. As Yousei jumped away just in time to avoid the slash that followed in retaliation, chakra began to form around Kaneshige's own blade, taking on a far more complex shape than the simple neon line that surrounded Yousei's. [break][break]
By comparison, this was beginning to look more like a...oh, that wasn't good.[break][break]
[attr="class","exhausted"]A lion concerns itself not with the opinions of sheep..
[attr="class","rhythm"]
❝
So often, we run from consequences. Do as you please but do it without regret.
As the marionette was commanded to dance, so too would my quarry.
His bravado bounced harmlessly from my chest, such predictable words earning no quarter or purchase in my thoughts as I continued to gauge the strength of his defenses. Much to my expectations, Ichinose had turned his attention toward the senbon that had been thrown in his direction. How committed he was, the pride of his Ninjutsu worn proudly upon his sleeve. Unfortunately, my prey had taken the bait - I intended to reel him in. As I watched my metal needles scatter to the wind, one may have thought me regretful of their inadequacy. But they had served their purpose well, affording me the advantage I had sought. I intended to seize opportunity with eager hands.
Without warning, I increased my speed to its greatest extent. Ichinose had called upon the Wind Release, beckoning a breath with which to thwart my offensive measures. No sooner than when my aggressor began to manifest breath, I was already in transition. It was an impressive feat to watch Fuuton tear asunder the gaia before it, whipping about with violent proportion. But it mattered little when its target had relinquished its home in harm's way. My feet were no longer bound to the earth beneath me - a powerful burst of kinetic energy saw me ascended, angular in my travel and spinning with practiced control. From my alternate extremity did the combination of kunai and exploding tag come forth, a lethal accuracy invested as they were thrown toward Ichinose's form.
I could feel the outer perimeter of his Ninjutsu, the loose places of my attire dancing wildly behind me as I seemingly hovered just outside of his Drilling Air Bullet's range. Betwixt his defensive structures the kunai spun. If successful, he would find his immediate proximity invaded, compromised. A single handseal as my feet touched earth once more. In its wake, an explosion aimed to remove the traitorous shinobi's head. Should I have failed to do so, residual damage would be just as appreciated. The explosion of the Renkudan would only serve to increase my momentum, forcing me forward. The soles of my feet skid hard along the terra beneath me, my form balanced as the explosion engulfed his line of sight to my position. Back into the forestry I ran, vanishing beneath the canopy of foliage to formulate the next phase in my plans.
Dead or alive, I would continue on, the judge, jury, and executioner to his crimes.
[attr="class","pwf1body"] Ichinose hadn't expected the Uchiha to be hiding his true speed, the air bullet just narrowly missing its mark as he accelerated and leapt into the air, offering him an excellent vantage from which to launch a counterattack; and attack he did, loosing a fresh kunai down over the traitor's defenses with deadly precision. [break][break]
Ichinose had little time to react to the sudden reversal, dodging out of the projectile's way, but noticing only too late the explosive tag that had been attached to it. The blast that followed would've dealt some serious damage, if more than a simple log had been left behind where the treacherous jounin once stood. [break][break]
However, with such a hasty substitution, it seemed that some of the damage had managed to get through before the swap, with minor bleeding and gunpowder burns along Ichinose's left arm, and the left side of his uniform that much the worse for wear. Now he was getting pissed. [break][break]
His hands were a blur as he began to weave an impressive number of handseals, chakra bubbling up in his lungs as billows of steam began to pour from between his clenched teeth, before a massive, scorching gale suddenly erupted from his mouth, aimed at the section of forest where Anotsu had darted for cover just moments prior. [break][break]
The form of the technique was similar to Futon: Atsugai (Wind Release: Pressure Damage), but the air itself was incredibly hot as a result of being infused with Shakuton, causing whatever flora or fauna it came into contact with to rapidly wither away into burnt-out, lifeless husks, and even drying out the soil until it degraded into sand, effectively terraforming the landscape into a barren wasteland (hence the jutsu's name). [break][break]
If the Ame-nin wanted to play hide and seek, then Ichinose would just destroy all of his hiding places at once, even if that meant rearranging the local eco-system a little. [break][break]
Meanwhile... [break][break]
Yep, that was a chainsaw. Kaneshige had surrounded his blade with a fucking chainsaw made of chakra. That was like, the worst thing to happen so far in this fight; Yousei would even go so far as to say that it was super not good, which was definitively even worse as far as rankings went. [break][break]
But she would have little quarter to try and formulate a plan, as the lieutenant soon began swinging his blade with impunity, casting off numerous bladed rings of chakra, each edged with a row of razor sharp teeth that would constantly spin about their perimeter, with enough force to tear through the earth and stone of the shrineyard like paper whenever they touched the ground. [break][break]
Yousei managed to dodge the first few by a hair's breadth, but the last one she had to block, the projectile forcing her back several feet before she finally managed to parry it off the side with some effort, throwing it off into the nearby forest, where it cut down several trees before finally dissipating. [break][break]
Kaneshige wasn't about to give her a breather, though. Seeing his opportunity, the samurai bolted forward with impressive speed, attempting to rend her asunder with the blade itself as he carved the air with a mighty slash. Sparks of chakra scattered from the impact as Yousei managed to intercept the attack, but it was little more than a stopgap measure; even the veil around her own blade concentrated as finely as she could manage, there was no way she could actually repel this. [break][break]
And sure enough, a few moments later the force overwhelmed her and she was once again swept off her feet entirely, sending her flying back into the shrine itself, where she ended up slamming straight into the offering box. Ow! [break][break]
