It felt like he had only just managed to catch his breath before everything exploded into chaos again. Before he could even begin to offer up a plan for safely retrieving the fallen shinobi, the new arrival bolted, throwing smoke all over the place to cover himself. Unfortunately, his suspicions had been proven correct. He hadn't really focused too much on the question of the other new arrival because he had been a little too focused on trying to stop the one who had left. Unfortunately, he had gone on the move before Ryota had even been able to say anything.
Next thing he knew, they were being told by the one new arrival remaining that a retreat was needed. Of course, they needed everyone. But that was a death sentence without some kind of cover. Thankfully, Tenchi had already proven that he was more than capable of taking the lead , giving them the cover they desperately needed for the retrieval by creating a series of earthen walls before sounding off the call to retreat. It also seemed that Korogaru was quick to recover.
Before he had even started to move, she was gone, bounding from cover to cover. It was settled. Ryota began to do much of the same, stowing his sword so as to free up his hands as he moved from wall to wall. The unfortunate part about the smoke was that it made it harder to see. Still, he had an idea of where things had been. Unfortunately, he had little to no way of reaching them with any real damage or distraction. He could pull water from the air..but those globs were only ever the size of coins. Think, Ryota. THINK.
And in that moment, as he moved up another wall, it hit him. Suiton was best with a water source, sure. But there was something else he knew how to do that didn't. He'd just not had a chance to really refine it further.
"Well..now or never.."
He muttered as he started making hand signs behind one of the walls. By the fourth one, he was ready, and leaned out. The resulting jutsu was a series of compressed bullets of wind, aimed not directly at where the people would have been walking--so as to keep Korogaru and her companion, as well as the one they were aiming to save out of the line of fire--but at the ground near the treeline. The intent was to cause the archers to stumble and lose their footing as the bullets churned up the earth with concussive force where they struck.
There were only about four bullets fired before Ryota dipped back behind the wall, hand on his sword again. He could feel just how much that had taken out of him..but it had worked. Part of him was incredibly excited. He had indeed had a breakthrough, and was that much closer to getting a handle on the things he had been gifted with at birth. But there was no time to think about that. Between the walls, the smoke, and now Korogaru acting as distraction, Ryota dashed forward, past the last wall and into the smoke. The plan was simple. Grab the genin that had charged in, and get the hell out of there.
Alright. Due to the change in Proficiencies, adjustments are needed. Because of the path that I took with Ryota at start, this is easy enough. I'll be using my Rank Increase to bump up Wind from Rookie to Apprentice, if that's alright!
Wind Release (Apprentice)}Futon: Wind Release [Apprentice] The second side of the coin of Ryota's natural affinities. His time in the Land of Earth showed Ryota that he needed to expand his repertoire further if he wished to be capable of helping others. As such, he began an almost obsessive regime of training in the use of Wind Release when he returned to Otogakure. Due to his deep drive to help others after witnessing his partner take so much damage, he has managed to push his limits, bringing his capabilities with the Wind element close to on par with his use of Water. As a result, he is capable of generating winds of enough force to actually be capable of being dangerous, as well as gaining the ability to use Wind as true projectiles, such as Air Bullets or small slashes of wind. However, there is still a long way to go before he can consider this element to be reliably helpful.
Last Edit: Nov 14, 2021 6:16:10 GMT by Ryota Sadao
It wasn't surprising that he had been ignored. It wasn't like he wore his headband where it was supposed to be, nor was he dressed up in uniform. It would have been easy to mistake him as someone normal. But of course, he wasn't one to shy away just because a 'student' was being difficult. He nodded a bit as he listened to her tell him to stay back, as well as state that brute force was all she knew.
"Just because it's all you know now doesn't mean that it's got to be the only thing you ever rely on."
He said as he took a step closer, each footfall being all but silent as they caused the water he was standing atop to ripple outward. Water Walking wasn't the most obvious thing in the world when used in the shallows like this, but it was certainly good practice in control.
"After all, Suiton is something that requires you to take a different route."
He said as he stood between Makoto and her Ninken, making a point of forming two hand seals in quick succession, causing some of the water in front of him to rise up in two threads of water that twisted around each other while he held the second seal.
"All that brute force accomplishes with water is throwing it around all over the place, without focus. If you want to make active use of it, you have to approach it from a different angle."
He explained as he released the hand seal, causing the water to suddenly splash back down into the pond. Did he think she was more likely to listen after that little display? Not really. But at the very least, he hoped it would make her stop and think for a moment. After all, there was a definite difference in being stubborn versus being arrogant. It was all in how one spoke about themselves. And judging by the way she had been grumbling, it was clear enough to Ryota that she fell under the former, rather than the latter.
LAIKA OF GS!
Last Edit: Nov 10, 2021 19:37:04 GMT by Ryota Sadao
It always struck him as incredibly odd how quickly battles could fall upon someone and end. This time would be no different. However, Ryota wouldn't be allowed to ruminate on things very long. He had watched another person fall. Their job was yet to be finished.
"Looks like someone else needs some help!"
He called out to the group, pointing towards the clearing with the sword that remained in his hand. Unfortunately, due to the chaos of the area, Ryota couldn't help but feel like they might be walking into a trap.
"We'll have to be careful. Looks like he took an arrow. And with those trees nearby, there could easily be an archer hiding."
He said, having waited for the group to gather back up before saying anything else. No point in yelling across the still rather loud battlefield their plans. Always act as if you are being watched. That was a thought that one of his instructors in the academy had made sure to all but beat into his classes head. It was taking hold now, for certain.
Still, the urgency in his voice was palpable. It was clear that if anyone was taking this assignment seriously, it was Ryota. Still, he turned to face the two new arrivals. "I know it's not the best time to be chatting, but I wanted to thank you two for the assistance. They might not have been as disciplined or equipped as they could have been, but the numbers advantage is always rough to overcome. If you two wouldn't mind, could you stick around? Looks like some of our own have been caught up in the chaos."
He said, rubbing the back of his neck. Where before, he had been trading occasional glances towards the Inuzuka woman who had lent her companion to the task of pulling the cart, Ryota seemed to be making a point of not looking her way after their fighting. He had seen his share of brutality, for sure. But tearing out a man's throat with your teeth? That was certainly a new one for him. Besides. They needed to be focused. If any of these conscripts had a head for tactics, they would inevitably end up in the most danger. Taking out the medics mean that your enemy can't send people back into the fight, after all. Really, being given this placement felt like an eternity of waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. Hopefully they would be able to do things without getting into too much trouble.
He could hear how bad it was starting to get in other places, especially after having caught what happened to the bat while making his way back towards the cart. It was hard to miss, really. That thing was like a spotlight. So when it started to streak downwards, it was all too obvious. They had certainly been given the less difficult job. But that meant that they could only do this for so long. Eventually, one group or another was going to need some fresh faces to assist them.
He could only hope that they would be of any real assistance once that happened, though.
It wasn't often that there was a gap in Ryota's teaching schedule. But it turned out that Oda was a rather hands on individual when it came to training. He had made a point of taking all four of the platoon's genin today in order to test them. He had been told that he had today off, but his test would come eventually.
That was why Ryota had been making his way back towards the residential area of the village. He could take the time to relax, maybe read..at least, that was what he told himself. Truth be told, he had been looking forward to taking back up a bit of normalcy in the routine he had given himself, and it had just been taken from him.
So when he heard an all too familiar kind of angry shouting, Ryota felt the corner of his lips tug upwards. Ah, that brought back memories. As he closed in, the sounds he heard were all the confirmation he needed. After a year of peace and quiet, someone had taken to using the one naturally occurring pond within the village proper as a practice ground.
The splashes and shouts were like a nostalgia trip for Ryota. He had been the last one to pull this. It wasn't anywhere near as chaotic sounding. Of course, as he closed in on the area, a few of the villagers seemed to recognize him, and made angry gestures towards the woman at the edge of the pond. He watched as she tried to weave together a familiar series of seals. She was clearly trying for a move that would push the charging dogs back, and failing.
"You know, there's a lot of ways to pick up on a skill this particular."
He called out as he walked closer to the pond, seeming to assuage the attitudes of some of the villagers who had been passing by and gotten soaked in the process.
"Some of them are more forgiving than others. Unfortunately, I've got an idea of what you're going for..and it's a lot more finicky. You could stand here trying to brute force it all week and still not get anywhere."
He said, looking the hounds over, as well as the very clearly older woman who was standing in the pond with them. As he spoke, he made his way towards the pond..and instead of having his foot sink through the water, it rested atop it, like it was solid. He didn't quite get between this woman and her hounds. Rather, he aimed to put himself in their peripheral view, hands still in the pockets of his jacket. "Of course, I'm not trying to say that your effort's wasted. It just needs to be pointed the right way, you know?"
He asked, giving them a smile. He would certainly be an odd looking one to the inuzuka. His jacket was subtle enough, being a plain black in color..until it got down to the 'tails'. At that point, there were two different patterns on each side. On the left was..was that leopard print? Who in the hell thought that was a good idea? And to make it white? That took either a wildly poor sense of fashion, or a great deal of confidence to pull off.
The right side was a bit more subtle. Plain white, with black stripes. But it was what was underneath the jacket that was the oddity. It looked to be what most people would consider to be a second jacket. In truth, it was a short sleeved shirt with a hood. Would be rather useful in stealth..if it wasn't bright orange. Between all of that, it was enough of a distraction that it might not be initially noticeable that his headband was tied around the left cuff of his jacket.
Thankfully, the cuffs didn't go as crazy as part of his jacket did. The one that was visible was a checkerboard pattern made out of black lines on white cloth. Ryota clearly dressed in a very unorthodox manner for someone who was very clearly a shinobi. Between that and his age, would it really be possible for her to take him seriously?
Probably not. But it wouldn't be the first time he'd had to prove himself. And until his actions were able to speak for him, it wouldn't be the last. But that was OK. For now, he had something to spend the day on, and had slipped right back into the comfortable role of teaching, his tone of voice having been level, understanding, and even a bit encouraging right at the end there.
Tension. That was the only way to describe what was in the air in Otogakure. There were mere days left before those who had been willing to step up would be sent to Onomichi. The village had already become host to a relatively large number of Shinobi from the other villages. They were just waiting on a few more teams, from what he had heard.
It felt almost unreal to Ryota. Just a few short weeks ago, he had been on a trip to The Land of Earth with a friend. Now that friend was out of commission, and he had very recently been given an award for managing to bring him back safely. On top of all of that, he had stepped up to head out to Onomichi. Any other person would have spread out that number of big events, and he knew it. That was partially why he had taken a break from his seemingly endless days of training. He needed to take these last few days to rest. Besides, he was stressing himself out with how much he raised his own expectations. Regardless of how much his mind wanted him to go right back to training, to 'earn' that award he had been given, he wasn't going to.
Instead, Ryota had found himself wandering the village proper. With as many teams of Shinobi as had been sent, it was quite probable that there would be new faces. New faces meant new distractions. New distractions meant that he wouldn't be so focused on other things. That he could be himself again. The thought brought a small smile to his face as he shoved his hands into the pockets of that bright jacket of his.
Perhaps he could make friends outside of the village. That might be nice. After all, they had all been willing to send people, and it wasn't quite time to march on the village of Onomichi yet. Why not take some time to meet new people, make new friends? Friendship was always good for the soul, after all. With that in mind, he began his trek towards the center of the village, where most of the new arrivals had been given living arrangements for the week. It was time to socialize.
Ah, yes. Death. It was not the first time Ryota had seen or even been the cause of it, nor would it be the last. But his heart was not cold enough to be completely remorseless. It was why he had no qualms with letting the other foot soldier run.
Of course, he had seen the glint of steel fly towards the second man from over his shoulder. Between Ryota's efficient dismantling of one ally, and the hidden assault the other man's armor had only barely managed to fully stop, it was obvious he was very much out of his depth.
So as his sword hit the ground, and Ryota heard the splintering of wood from the second new arrival's blade shearing through the last man's axes, Ryota's attention was drawn to the woman from the Quarry. He didn't worry too much about the medic.
After all, he had gotten a few glimpses at what the bear she was walking with was capable of. It seemed she had managed to hold her own as well, and had even managed to disarm the most poorly equipped one. Judging from her movements alone compared to theirs, it was obvious to Ryota that even the man with the sickle was out of his depth here.
His movements were certainly fluid and efficient, but that wouldn't be able to make up for how poorly equipped he was. As his eyes scanned the rest of the battlefield, he was able to quickly take notice of the new arrival. He jerked his head towards Korogaru.
"That other guy won't be disoriented for long! Make sure he's not able to jump back into a fight with her!"
He called out as he broke away from the fighting. Older or not, an armed ninja against an unarmed conscript was an even enough matchup. The woman from the quarry was holding her own easily, and he could hear the second new arrival clash with his opponent, as well as the screams. With no extra soldiers arriving, and the one who ran almost guaranteed to be taken out by one of the many rank and file that were scrambling through the area, that meant that there was only one thing left to do.
Fall back into line.
Thankfully, they hadn't gotten too far away. As such, Ryota made his way over to the cart, eyes shifting around to try and make out if there were any more soldiers coming their way. It wouldn't take long to get to the cart, for sure. But that didn't mean he could let his guard down. That was why he would be standing in his assigned position, sword at the ready as he followed The Bear and The Medic. If anyone was going to launch an attack on the cart, he would be ready.
Alright. Plenty of time has passed, and I've even managed to properly complete a topic. Let's try this again. I'm aiming to add proficiency with Wind Release to Ryota's skillset. As before, I've slotted in two proficiency levels, simply because the of the shifting of the weight of a character's first first upgrade. For this upgrade, I am submitting Summon Event: Stampede!, the completed topic The Ebbing Dance of Autumn Leaves, and the unfortunately incomplete topic First Platoon, Sound Off! as I am unsure that it will ever be able to be properly completed.
{Wind Release (Rookie)}Futon: Wind Release [Rookie] The second side of the coin of Ryota's natural affinities. His time in the Land of Earth showed Ryota that he needed to expand his repertoire further if he wished to be capable of helping others. As such, he began to train again when he returned to Otogakure. Unlike the use of Suiton, Futon has proven to be a bit slipperier to get a handle on, due to its invisible nature. As such, he can only generate minor winds with his usage of the Wind Release. Further training is most certainly needed.
{Wind Release (Apprentice)}Futon: Wind Release [Apprentice] The second side of the coin of Ryota's natural affinities. His time in the Land of Earth showed Ryota that he needed to expand his repertoire further if he wished to be capable of helping others. As such, he began an almost obsessive regime of training in the use of Wind Release when he returned to Otogakure. Due to his deep drive to help others after witnessing his partner take so much damage, he has managed to push his limits, bringing his capabilities with the Wind element close to on par with his use of Water. As a result, he is capable of generating winds of enough force to actually be capable of being dangerous, as well as gaining the ability to use Wind as true projectiles, such as Air Bullets or small slashes of wind. However, there is still a long way to go before he can consider this element to be reliably helpful.
The way that Yousei acted so dismissive about what she had just done was a little annoying. But what was perhaps more annoying to Ryota was that he hadn't noticed what she was doing until it was too late. Of course, that didn't mean he wasn't paying attention. The technique she was trying to master seemed simple. But with how much he had been trying to learn to use his secondary Chakra Nature to a degree that wasn't just parlor tricks, he knew that it wasn't as easy as it looked. Of course, looking at that rotating whorl of white did hurt his eyes a bit, mostly from strain, so he was thankful when it dissipated. When his sword was offered back to him, Ryota nodded, taking the blade. He didn't move to sheathe it right away.
Not because he wanted to continue fighting, but because he wasn't at the right angle to do so. Unfortunately, trying to rise to his feet made his head swim a second time. Obviously, Yousei would need to wait another moment before he was able to get up and get moving. Fortunately, it didn't take much longer for Ryota to get up on his feet.
"Yeah..yeah, we probably should head back. It's a little surprising that nobody's stumbled past, really."
He said as he moved to start gathering what he could. It would only take ten or fifteen minutes to gather up the scraps of burlap, ropes, and scatter the sand that had piled up. The wooden dummies were dismantled in just as quick of a time. And just like that, the pair were on their way back to Otogakure, progress having been made for the both of them.
Today had already been an odd situation. So watching the crowd erupt in applause seemingly randomly after they already started to disperse? That was just an extra shot of bizarre to add to the day. He didn't really know what to do. He hadn't become a shinobi for fame and fortune. He had become one because he just wanted to help people. Up until very recently, that had meant teaching others. Were his methods perfect? No. But he was trying. Thankfully, nobody seemed to want a speech. People were still dispersing, and the crowd itself was too focused on their own celebrations.
He was able to begin slipping away while the crowd was focused on the woman who had raised a cup. He had been given precious few moments to gather his own thoughts as of late. So with the offered distraction, Ryota slipped his way around the perimeter of the crowd, and slipped into the hidden tunnel that had brought everyone here. The Hokage had already been quick to remove herself from the event. Normally, this was the kind of scenario that Ryota would have been more than happy to attend. But there was too much on his mind for him to be as much of a pleasant people person as he usually was.
That being said, he could very much have been stealthier. If he wasn't so distracted by trying to parse out his own emotions, he might have been able to slip away in a way that wasn't so easily followed by the shinobi that had been in the crowd. There had been a few old guard, mostly retired at this point due to the effects of old age finally catching up with them. Even those people had been able to follow him. So the odds were good that if anyone wanted something from Ryota, it would be simple enough to follow them. All the while, he ran a hand over the ribbon that was now pinned to his chest, a small frown gracing his lips. He really wasn't sure if he deserved this or not.
Sure, he had saved someone. But if they had lived anywhere else, they would have been forced to live their life missing an entire limb. Was that really something to celebrate? Perhaps not. But then, he had always been most critical about if he deserved rewards or not.
"Maybe I should just stop worrying about it..." He muttered to himself as he walked down the dimly lit tunnel. Perhaps he was being too harsh to himself. The Hokage knew what she was doing, right?
The reflexive switch that Ryota made when he felt his blade stop would have been impressive--if it had been just a bit quicker. As it was, it took a moment after the blade stopped for Ryota to realize that she had gripped the blade in his hand. The chakra that protected her hand was shaped well, it kept him from even moving the blade. Unfortunately, she had caught his blade in such a manner that he couldn't let go and get her in the head. The guard protected her face. The blade kept him from coming in on the right. The handle itself prevented a strike from the left So, he cocked back with his free hand, aiming to throw a swift punch to her sternum. That was when he felt the twisting sensation against his stomach.
He only had long enough to release his blade before the burst of chakra went off. It didn't knock him that far away. Maybe two feet or so. But that was likely because there was a tree in the way. The sound that was made when the back of his head collided with the bark of the tree was an ugly THUNK, but it was clear that no blood had been drawn. His head was fine. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for his vision and sense of balance. It felt like the entire world was swirling and spinning around him. His eyes struggled to focus as he groaned, hands slowly feeling around for something to grab as he pushed himself up off of his feet. Unfortunately, he stumbled and fell. It took a few long moments, as well as a deep groan as he curled up for a moment, gripping the back of his head. He wouldn't be down for long, however. After a few more seconds, he managed to push himself up into a sitting position.
"Maybe DON'T do that when there's so many things around that could cave my head in."
He said, rubbing his face as his vision refocused. He had been lucky. The hit had only disoriented him. The symptoms he had experienced could easily have been that of a concussion. But with how swiftly he recovered, there was no way that was the case. Of course, Ryota looked very clearly defeated. After all, he no longer had a weapon in hand, and the person he was dueling had sent him flying two feet back, and had even managed to properly disorient him. If this had been true combat, he knew he would be dead by now. That was why he remained where he was, sitting on the ground. The practical training was over.
The explosion had been unexpected, certainly. But it was good to know that Oda was taking charge with such ease. Unfortunately, the ashigaru held fast, and took advantage of Oda outright stating the battle plan. However, the five that had come to clash with them wouldn't be facing a small group for long. Ryota was able to pick up on the sound of feet hitting the ground from behind him. Good, they had bought their medic enough time to bring that girl that had been picked up back into fighting shape.
That helped to encourage Ryota. So he followed orders with the same zeal he usually approached training, deftly slipping into his position on the left. Unfortunately, that wasn't the ideal position. He had caught a glimpse of the woman from the Quarry, and her opponents as he took up his position. She was stuck with men who had obviously lost their swords, and had to fight with whatever they could find. A lucky break, for her. One of them seemed to be a little shaken, and was swinging wildly. Unfortunately, his two opponents still had their swords, and were all too clearly in possession of their wits.
"Hm, seems like we've found ourselves in a pickle, huh?"
He asked as he slowly began to strafe to the left of both of his opponents. However, he wouldn't be giving either of them enough time to change positions. Once he had strafed to an angle that mostly put one of the two opponents between himself and the other, Ryota burst forward with a great deal of speed, drawing his blade as he did so. It was more heavily curved than a Katana, so he couldn't rely on a draw cut. Instead, he made a single swing upwards from below, aiming to catch the opponent he had in front of him off guard.
But it wasn't a swing from the blade. No. This was more akin to an uppercut. His hand was guarded by a line of steel covering his fingers. An attempt to swipe at them with a blade wouldn't get anywhere. However, this unorthodox move was a feint, aimed to direct attention away from his true goal. His weapon wasn't as long, so he had to take the larger risk of getting in closer. All he could do was rely on his speed and whatever tricks he could manage. So as his fist travelled, he twisted his waist, having already planted his feet to make the swing in the first place. This suddenly yanked the blade diagonally downwards, turning a move which had the potential to be incredibly devastating--and as such, requiring his opponent to knowingly shift their guard--into a viciously fast attack at his opponent's midsection.
If there was anything he had gained in his training with one of the village's other Jounin, it was certainly a greater degree of control over how his blade moved. That would definitely come in handy in a battle of two against one. Placing his guard and avoiding hits were paramount. He didn't plan to join the growing number of corpses and wounded shinobi cluttering the battlefield.
While Yousei was indeed speaking, it was beginning to seem like her words were falling on deaf ears. The full speed of combat was something that made it hard to divide his focus properly between learning and trying to find purchase with an attack.
Still, he aimed to keep things moving along. His next strike was rather deceptive. As he recovered from the blocked horizontal slash, he allowed the spine of Nightfall's blade to rest against his shoulder for a moment as he circled towards her left. Eventually, he stepped into his next attack: a slash that moved his blade back off of his shoulder, then upwards from below.
However, the slash itself wasn't what he was aiming for. Right as the tip of his blade was level with Yousei's hip, Ryota lunged forward. It was difficult, but he had managed to use the large wind up as an attempt at subterfuge. The light weight of his weapon certainly helped in his feint.
If that move was deflected or dodged, he wouldn't let up. Instead, it would be followed by something rather unorthodox. A left hook, with the sword still held in hand. The guard of Nightfall featured not just a cup style guard that protected the upper portion of his hand, but a bar sweeping down from the cup that offered protection to his fingers.
Of course, that very protection also gave a great improvised weapon. While her shaped chakra would most certainly defend from any of these attacks, it was very likely that they would still carry enough force to be notable. His movements were still all too easy to read. But the moves themselves were becoming more and more unorthodox for the weapon he was carrying.
Of course, none of this was actively running through his mind. Instead, his mental processes were focused on reading her movements, almost like he was trying to lead his strikes as if he were using a bow. No words were exchanged. Instead, it seemed he was putting his all into trying to push his opponent. Unfortunately, it was unlikely he would succeed in this goal. The gap in skill and experience was simply too vast. He wouldn't be able to keep up his attempted push forever. He would have to settle for doing his best, instead.
It was almost uncanny. The uniforms, the chaos. Ryota couldn't help but be reminded about the Land of Earth and the quarry. That memory haunted him, perhaps too much. He hadn't been able to do much, and had only barely managed to get out.
That was why he was thankful that he hadn't been placed directly on the front lines. He wasn't sure just how ready he was to be directly in the chaos again. The fact that he was so shaken up by what had happened did admittedly worry him, deep down. But he had gone through all of the training, put in all of this effort. This was a life he was going to have to get used to.
He shouldn't even be thinking about his last big mission anyway. Normally, he wouldn't be. But when he had been assigned his team, he had recognized a certain pair of individuals. A woman and a bear. They were pulling the cart now..but that wasn't what he remembered them for. What he remembered was their seemingly impossible speed and strength. She had been in that quarry, and had been incredibly effective. Of course, he hadn't spoken to her.
He was walking with the cart, keeping an eye out for anyone that might be charging them. The fact that he had been assigned with members of his platoon to this posting certainly helped make matters feel far less awkward, for certain. But he still found himself glancing at the pair pulling the cart every now and then, along with the rather...intimidating looking medic that they were guarding. They certainly seemed to be a ragtag bunch. Still, they were doing something important.
Perhaps that was part of why he felt so on edge. He knew what they were here to do. They had already pulled one individual off of the battlefield. Their training had proved to be a boon here. Between the clashing sounds of metal, the pounding of hooves, and the explosions back towards the village, there was no way they could rely on their hearing. However, as they continued to walk the battlefield, Ryota caught movement out of the corner of his eye. A handful of Samurai, bearing down on them fast.
"Incoming!"
Ryota called out as the hand on the sheath of his sword slid upwards, pressing against the guard with his thumb as he drew Nightfall with his other hand. He had managed to sneak in some practice with his sword before being dispatched. It seemed that it would be time to put it to the test.
