kumogakure noire.

[Estilo]

Masked Vigilante [6]

---

I heard a soft gust of wind, followed by the chaotic crackle of my lightning blue electricity, but heard no scream or sign of displeasure thereafter. The "Hood" had managed to evade the attack, but how he had done it-- when I had clearly seen his kick coming in for the knockout-- was completely oblivious to me. Regardless, I would need to continue my assault fast.

Finding him, I reasoned, would not be so difficult-- if I acted fast within the time-frame provided. So I issued a simple hand seal sequence to issue yet another ninjutsu, figuring that the distance my latest technique had put between me and him was sufficient to garner enough time for another. And the prospect of the "Hood" running away right now was... less than likely.

If there was anything I could count on, it was Amon Eskrima's apparent arrogance, and the frustration that came with being forced to go on the run-- just because I had discovered his secret lair. Considering the clandestine nature of our location, and the fact that I had absolutely no reinforcements to help me in the current battle, was probably tempting enough to keep him around longer. He wasn't going to pass up beating me to a bloody pulp.

So I finished the hand seals, and landed on the final one, holding it as my eyes shifted to and fro for the moment. I pondered where he would be attacking from next. I made sure to keep myself alert. Then, at the first hint of human sound, I reacted. Lightning chakra had already been charged within the energy that ran throughout the tenketsu of my electrified body.

[Estilo]

Masked Vigilante [7]

---

It was, however, only a split-second too late. Or so the "Hood" thought. I felt his powerful jab strike the center of my torso, his entire frame coming from seemingly nowhere, when he had really just emerged from the shadows nearby. By the time he followed up with his quick continuation of the assault, he could not stop the momentum. Which boded well for my lightning armor, as it spawned all around me in a blue glow.

Every hit he landed thereafter-- which could be summed up as a grand total of three, at the moment-- issued a burst of sparks upon impact, as tendrils of electricity crawled from my form and onto his own. He was being numbed, I could tell simply by the feeling. And within a fraction of seconds, perhaps in no time at all, he would begin to feel the numbing effects crawl in.

When he stopped his assault-- when no longer could move his arms, and a single leg, due to the numbing side-effects of my chakra-induced armor--I recoiled backwards, clutching at the injury he had given to the right half of my chest. I gritted my teeth painfully, realizing that the "Hood" was leagues better than I would have ever imagined. His hits landed like hot meteors.

I looked up from my brief moment of perceived recovery, staring at him with slightly frustrated eyes as he struggled to even make his fingers move. He sluggishly collapsed on one knee, the leg that had been numbed causing him to stagger. His arms remained lifeless and numb to his sides, the gaze behind the neatly painted ox-mask glaring at me with discontent. He had not expected for things to go this way. And I had not expected it either.

[Estilo]

Masked Vigilante [8]

---

Though he had pretty much lost the ability to use his arms and hands as he had done so just before, he still managed to bring his fingered appendage upwards, shakily removing his ox-mask with a clumsy nudge. It fell to the asphalt below, the horns framed on its forehead clicking upon impact. He had revealed his identity, though I had already known of it. Amon Eskrima.

"Not much of a show for our guests... huh?" I spoke, uttering a smile, as I glanced at the fireflies just above us. As I glanced at you, reading this post, behind your computer screen. I've just broken the fourth wall, bitch. Deal with it. Our fight had only lasted what I was sure was only a matter of seconds, and the explosion that had ignited the boat behind the "Hood" was still alive, within the fire that ravaged it. I stood, still recovering from my injuries. He packed one hell of a punch, the vigilante. I held respect for him.

He seemed to chuckle, though I could hardly see the expression on his face, considering that he was looking down at the asphalt before him. He dropped to both knees abruptly. "Not much." He answered, seemingly nonchalant now. "And I guess this is the part where you turn me in... eh, shinobi?" He lifted his head barely enough to look at me with his dark pair of eyes.

I laughed, finally managing to stand up straight-- albeit with a painful groan that followed thereafter. "Ugh-- yeah, I guess so. But I'll try not to have them release your identity to the public anytime soon. Just as a courtesy for you, and your company." Though I would have to knock him out now, that did not mean my respect for him had gone. I would take him into custody, and I would do my best to ensure his punishment wasn't too severe. Although, I still held a distaste for his latest murders

G A M E O V E R

[Estilo]

Chapter Thirty-Three

Treacherous Villain

Name: Treacherous Villain
Rank: B
Description: The freaks just keep coming out of the wood-work. A clownish psychopath- who operates as a Ninjutsu Primary- has recently sent us a disturbing message. He wants the same "masked vigilante" you captured for us recently to meet with him at a specific place, on a specific time, for a showdown. No doubt, he has a trap set-up. What's worse, however, is that he's threatening to detonate bombs covertly placed in public locales within Kumogakure no Sato if we don't deliver. We've sent agents to secretly scour such locales in search for these explosives, but we're entrusting you with taking down this super-villain of sorts. And, although skeptical of it, we're giving you the option of releasing- and working alongside- the same "masked vigilante" you helped us imprison. Just make sure no civilians get hurt.
Reward: 300 experience, 5,000 ryo
Minimum Shinobi: 1
Mission Status: Interminable
Requirements: 'Masked Vigilante'.

"Now listen closely-- ladies and gents! 'Cause the Tricksta' man's only gonna tell ya once! You've got something I want, kiddo's-- tied up in a neat little bow for me! I want the "Hood", and I want him-- alone-- by midnight, y'all hear? There's a neat little cabin just on the outskirts of Kumogakure no Sato, beside the Nihilim river. Bring 'em there, and I won't blow your precious little village to bits. So-- go on! No tricks!"

The lunatics recorded message to the mission compound had ended there, and the neatly crafted "present" box in which it had been delivered snapped shut automatically, the horned demon doll that had sprouted out of it recoiling back into its dark depths. I held a piece of paper withholding a message-- written with a chaotic scrawl-- and glanced over it once more:

From the Trickster, with maliciousness. I've got bombs in town, enough to cause frowns. Do what I say, and save your precious crown. For without the "Hood" at the location marked, the fate of your village is in my hands. So I don't want to hear the cannot 'do's', I want to hear the 'cans'! Don't disappoint me, shinobi, I know you won't. Listen, to this dire note!

His rhyming was completely atrocious. But the map he had included in the letter laid proof to the fact that he was serious-- having circled a specific location with a red pen, repeatedly. This was the cabin he wanted us to deliver the "Hood" to, and if he did not see the man after midnight, he claimed he was going to detonate bombs all over Kumogakure no Sato.

[Estilo]

Treacherous Villain [2]

---

The mission compound and all of its inhabitants entered a wild frenzy, rushing about to complete tasks, and file papers, and take and give orders that pertained to the assignment at hand. We had a terrorist in Kumogakure no Sato, and he was putting the lives of innocent civilians at risk. We could not let that happen. So, calmly, I headed to the commander's desk.

The Jounin-Commander, despite all of the howling, and pleading, and questions he was asked, seemed to have maintained his typical composure during tense situations such as this one. He talked on a phone that was on his desk, while simultaneously answering and taking questions from his assistants and comrades. I waited for a moment, leaning on the door hinge of the office, before he hung up the phone. He addressed his company.

"I've given you all the entirety of the information I have, and can no longer answer any questions, at the moment. So please, leave my office, and let me handle things from here personally. My men are already scouring any ideal locations for the bombs the Trickster may have planted, and we have yet to find out whether the threat is real or not."

With that, the substantial number of people who had been pestering him left the vicinity of his neat little office, walking in single file, as they passed me and moved on to pestering other people. From what I had seen, a majority of them were just reporters-- eager to know every little detail. I was glad to see them leave, so that the real protectors of the village could get to work.

[Estilo]

Treacherous Villain [3]

---

"Atlas. God damn, it's a pleasure to see you." The Jounin-Commander sighed, leaning forwards on his desk, whilst his hands kept the upper-half of his body hoisted up. He look ragged, now that I approached him and garnered a closer look, and it was clear that he had dealt with a bunch of other shit prior to my arrival. "You're the one I need to confront the Trickster. Seeing as you captured the "Hood" to begin with."

I nodded, understanding the reasoning behind his decision, and having no thought of disputing such an idea. The fact that the Trickster had threatened the lives of my people, the lives of innocent people, had caused me to despite him instantaneously. I would do anything to capture him now-- or at the very least, kill him before he managed to detonate those bombs.

"Tell me what I have to do," I answered, crossing my arms as I kept my stern gaze focused on his own. "Just make it quick. We're on a dead line, after all." I had no time for deep explanations on the matter. As far as I knew, the Trickster had only made brief-- and completely lackluster-- appearances in the village. He claimed to be the "Hood's" nemesis.

The Jounin-Commander grunted, as if disturbed by my confidence, or simply amused by its intensity. "You are to do whatever it takes to ensure that this Trickster fellow is out for the count. To ensure that he does not detonate his explosives, nor that anyone gets hurt. And, if you absolutely have to, that he dies quick before killing anyone else."

[Estilo]

Treacherous Villain [4]

---

I nodded, having already expected such a task. It was not going to be easy, but if I put enough time into planning my actions from here on out, it might just end up being so-- easy. I just needed to know what kind of resources I had-- in particular, however, concerning the fate of the "Hood". "And the masked vigilante I captured?" I asked, arms crossed. "Am I to assume I have custody over him? I might require his... aid, in the assignment."

I said aid lightly. That was because I was planning on using the "Hood" as nothing more than bait, hopefully buying myself enough time to sneak up on the Trickster and knock him into unconsciousness for further investigation. I calmly awaited a response from the Jounin-Commander as he pondered the thought, his dark eyes shifting to the chaotic mess of papers on his desk.

"Yes. Go on ahead and do what you will with him. As long as it is going to help you with the assignment I've given you, I will allow it. I only ask that you use your best judgement when dealing with him, and be quick. And that you ensure those bombs don't detonate by the Trickster's hand-- no matter what the cost. Do you understand?"

I nodded once more, a tad bit surprised at seeing the Jounin-Commander this ragged, and tired, and completely serious. This was, perhaps, the most crucial event he would have gone through during his tenure as the commander, and I would make sure not to make it one that he would one day consider being the day his life was ruined. "I understand, commander." With that, he'd nod, and I would take my leave at last.

[Estilo]

Treacherous Villain [5]

---

"The Trickster, you say?"

[/b] The "Hood"-- also known as Amon Eskrima-- repeated. He wore a blue jumpsuit, calmly sitting on the bench that his jail cell offered, and looking at me from behind those metal bars. He had been in here for nearly a week now, and the mention of the Trickster and his misdeeds seemed to have sparked his interest considerably. I was hoping that his supposed indifference was just a ruse. I needed his help.

"Yes." I answered, my hands resting comfortably in the recesses of my pockets. I had all of my equipment ready, and a plan thought out within my mind-- that revolved around the scenario that the "Hood" would accompany me, and distract the Trickster with a brief battle. I only hoped he really wanted to offer his help, especially after I was the one who captured him.

"Ah, I see what is going on, now." Amon finally replied. "You and the boys back at the office know that the Trickster won't stop, and that you stand a better chance at him with me by your side. But, I'd like to know exactly what this endeavor has to offer me. Can you tell me?"

I narrowed my eyes, thinking-- what a sniveling little fuck this guy turned out to be. Then, after a brief glance elsewhere, I answered his inquiry. "Your freedom, Eskrima." I could not promise that, but did he really have to know? As long as we got this threat over with, I was open to promising anything. I stood a better chance with the "Hood" by my side.
[/justify][/blockquote][/blockquote][/font]

[Estilo]

Treacherous Villain [6]

---

We leapt over the rooftops of Kumogakure no Sato's neighborhoods, the night covering the sky above with a dark mantle of clouds. We were headed towards the gates, where we would exit into the wilderness of Kaminari no Kuni, until reaching the banks of the Nihilim river. It was at that point that we'd take a turn, into the pine forests, leaping from branch to branch to reach the cabin in time. We could not afford to be late for our host.

After accepting the terms of our agreement, and before leaving Kumogakure no Sato altogether, the "Hood"-- also known as Amon Eskrima-- had taken a brief detour into the evidence vault where the officials of Kumogakure no Sato had taken his equipment. It was there where he had spent a nice chunk of time preparing himself. Adorning himself with his tattered cloak.

Apart from his usual costume-- and the horned ox-mask that came with it-- the "Hood" was armed with a vast array of neatly concealed weaponry and gadgets. I had seen him place several pieces of light battle armor on his person, too, ensuring that he was prepared for the fight to come. He was pretty fast, too, after all. Faster than me, even. And that reassured me.

He turned to me as we moved through the trees, each leap leading us to the next branch, each powered thrust propelling us forwards and onto the next. "You know," He'd start, as if we were having a casual conversation in a mundane, and safe setting. "You and I could be partners. You're pretty handy with ninjutsu, and raiton. We can call you "Red-Mane"... I even have a neat red cloak you could wear. And a mask I never bothered to use before. Too... feline, for my tastes." I chuckled, shrugging it off.

[Estilo]

Treacherous Villain [7]

---

The cabin was three stories high, an abandoned sanctuary made of oak and timber, filled with the fauna that nature had overcome it with. The sound of the Nihilim river down the hill to its south side could be heard echoing throughout the building's interior, the fresh smell of wet rock and clear water appealing to my sense of smell. And, as I remained hidden within the shadows I could find, the "Hood" would calmly walk into the center of the building's main room. The Trickster was nowhere in sight, for now.

But, when the "Hood" finally stopped at the center of the building's large living room-- atop a mound of dirt and overgrown grass-- the super-criminal's voice abruptly came into existence. "Well, well-- it seems the shinobi are playing fair. What a marvelous surprise!" The hallways on the two floors above were drowned in shadow. The ceiling dripping wet from last night's shower. The Trickster's voice seemed to be coming from everywhere. Hiding in the shadows, it was hard to pinpoint where.

"You asked to see me?" The "Hood" replied, his gaze turning to and fro. His hands were masked by the width of his tattered black cloak, his countenance masked by the shield of his ox-faced mask. "If I didn't know any better, Trickster, I would think that you missed me while I was gone." He smiled. "So enough with the hiding, you little coward."

And it was then that the Trickster would reveal himself-- a lanky man garbed in a victorian suit, his form emerging from a camouflage he had created against the other end of the cabin's wooden wall. His face was painted black, and his lunatic white eyes contrasted heavily against the tone. He raised a hand, and pointed it at the "Hood". "You're mine, Hood. ALL MINE!" It was at that moment, I knew, that I needed to act.

[Estilo]

Treacherous Villain [8]

---

The Trickster started to issue a set of hand seals, and the Hood retaliated by quickly side-stepping into the shadows, running towards his enemy with his hands tightened into fists. I did the same, although more covertly so, as sneaking to ensure a critical surprise was my main priority at the moment. But, when the Trickster issued a dragon made of fire, I had to react.

Without my intervention, the Hood was surely going to be hit with the brunt of the attack. And I could not allow that. Not without carrying the burden of his death on my conscious. So I quickly issued my own set of hand seals, and blew my cover, by sending a lightning tiger to rapidly collide with the flaming dragon. And it did just so, giving the Hood enough time to move forwards and strike. A kick to the gut sent the Trickster flying upwards.

The strike had so much force behind it that the lanky man in the victorian suit hit the ceiling with a loud 'whack' which, in turn, sent him barreling down towards the earth instantly. His fall issued a dull 'thump', and his form was almost certainly unconscious now. The Trickster had been defeated, or so it seemed. He slowly retrieved something from his pocket, and showed it to us with a bloody smile. It was a detonator. But, when he pressed it--

-- Nothing. The Hood smiled, looking at me, then looking at the incapacitated Trickster ahead of him. He retrieved a gadget from his own pocket, showing it to us with as much arrogance as the Trickster had displayed. It was a square-shaped remote, with a beeping green light. "Sonic disruptor." He stated. "Your bomb can't be activated, Trick."

G A M E O V E R

[Estilo]

Chapter Thirty-Four

Under Recent Tidings

Name: Under Recent Tidings
Rank: B
Description: Our shinobi made a fairly... surprising find, the other day. After being called by an anonymous informant, we were forced to break into a house, only to find that the place had been ransacked and deserted. Blood stains were found on nearly every surface, but when the results came back, we discovered that it was nothing but a hoax- pig's blood. Find the man who once lived there- dead or alive- and discover what the purpose of this charade was.
Reward: 300 experience, 5,000 ryo
Minimum Shinobi: 1
Mission Status: Interminable

The assignment of the day had been entrusted to me by none other than the council of Kumogakure no Sato. Only, it came with a twist. Today's assignment would require me to cooperate with another Jounin of the village, and at the moment, I had no idea who this mysterious Jounin was-- or why, for that matter, they had to tag-along. Regardless, I waited at the entrance to the large park, only a minute away from the actual crime scene.

I was, for the most part, bored with the waiting-- standing with my arms crossed, and a sleepy mien brimming from my eyes. But, when a completely sexy hourglass figure appeared in the horizon of the street before me, I suddenly perked up. This had just gotten interesting, and I could not help but wonder (hope!) that this was the Jounin the assignment file had been talking about. As the woman approached, however, I suddenly realized--

-- I knew her! A bright smile spread across my face, a slightly bemused expression forming in my eyes. "Aveline?" I spoke, taking a few steps in her direction. I stopped when we came within a meter's distance, spreading my arms out open for a hug. "I haven't seen you since-- Oof!" She'd given me a swift jab in the gut as she passed, never skipping a beat as she continued on, towards the crime scene afar. "As feisty as ever..."

I grumbled, clutching at the pain on the surface of my abdomen, before sharply turning around, and beginning to follow the blonde-haired maiden. I watched that sweet ass move as she paced away, astonished by how much she had grown since our days in Delta Squad. We had been only teenagers then, and she had always had a knack for rejecting my advances. Any other man would have guessed her gay by now, but I begged to differ.

[Estilo]

Under Recent Tidings [2]

---

The crime scene was centered around the restroom area of the park, a small stone building that was now cordoned off to the public with a thirty meter radius. I approached it with Aveline taking the lead, ducking beneath the yellow tape, and approaching the large splatter of blood against the gray concrete-- used as the restroom's southern wall. Forensic experts were already packing up their expensive equipment by the time we had arrived.

Aveline came to a stop a meter away from the blood-splattered wall, and I came to a stop beside her, casting an interested glance and a sterling smile at her. Her own green eyes-- which had a particularly lighter hue than my own-- shot me a stare. "What are you looking at?" She asked, narrowing her eyes with perceived annoyance. She placed a single hand on her hip.

The expression on my countenance turned into one of mild surprise. "Whoa. What's with the hostility, Ava? I haven't seen you in years! Don't tell me you've grown twice as sour since then, love." It was true. She had always withheld a certain tenacity in all that she did, but the manner in which she had snapped at me was unusual-- with no apparent reason.

I turned to distractedly evaluate the highlight of this crime scene with my own eyes, as she turned towards me to answer. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a stare of disbelief. "You seriously don't remember?" She asked, with venom in her voice. "Hmph!" She huffed, sharply turning around to go elsewhere. "You're absolutely insufferable!" And, so, she stormed off.

[Estilo]

Under Recent Tidings [3]

---

I had no idea what I had done, and I could not contain the single laugh that emerged after she was safely out of range, but I wanted to know more than anything now. The assignment at hand, however, needed to take priority. So I began to evaluate the crime scene before me closely. The forensic team that had already scoured this place had given me their details in the report--

-- But I wanted to go through the scene myself. In my experience, one could not simply leave all of this to their forensic team alone. People made mistakes, people missed things, and they searched in places that were obvious to begin searching in. It was always up to one's self to double-check, to scour those nook and crannies where no one would have thought to take a peek in, and strive to cover all the bases. It was paramount.

So I started my endeavor, taking a few steps forward towards the blood-splatter before me, and analyzing the area with the trained eyes of a veteran sleuth. The scene here had been mostly taken care of by the forensic team members that had already gone through it, so I followed the faint trail of crimson red blood drops that led to the entrance of the men's restroom.

The "victim" seemed to have been attacked outside, and the splatter suggested the he or she was struck with such a blow that it immediately created a substantial loss of blood-- enough to ensure their death. The dried drops of blood that I followed into the men's restroom, leading me like bread crumbs to Goldilocks, suggested the victim staggered in there, injured.

[Estilo]

Under Recent Tidings [4]

---

But then, the ominous trail of cardinal ended, stopping in front of a stall. An out of order sign had been placed just above the toilet within the stall, solidifying the fact that it was clogged. It seemed, to me, as though the "victim" had just sunken into the earth from here. Or taken a nasty dive into the toilet bowl, flushing his or herself into the sewers below. Then, an idea came to mind. It was crazy, but then again, what else did I have to go on?

I exited the men's restroom momentarily, just to give myself enough time to request a plunger, before heading back into the stall with the item at hand. After rolling up my sleeves, I began to unplug the toilet-- although, the task was far more taxing than I had figured it would be. There was no wonder why the janitor who had visited this stall, after the investigation was over, had given up-- opting to put an out of order sign instead. It was real clogged.

The suction of my tool, however, eventually got the job done-- and the item that had been clogging the toilet literally rose to the surface. I could not see it at first, as it emerged out of the water, but then I noticed the gleam. The gleam of plastic. And at one end of it, a white cap that had not been screwed on properly-- so that the plastic container was partially filled with toilet water. Raising a single brow, I put on plastic gloves, and removed it.

I held it tightly by its side with two fingers, the water that dripped off of its corner plopping into the toilet water below it. A plastic container which, I presumed, had held the entirety of the pig's blood we had found at the crime scene. The guy who had framed this supposed murder was an idiot, that much was clear. After spraying a nice amount of blood on the restroom wall, he had attempted to dispose of the used container in the toilet.