kumogakure noire.

[Estilo]

The Tiger [7]

---

He could never imagine himself killing such a thing, such a beauty of nature. Or at least, he did not want to imagine himself doing such a thing. He wondered, almost immediately, whether there were others. A female, perhaps, or cubs! This little corner of the world he had been exploring the last few days, he would have never had thought that it held such a precious treasure such as this! He almost wanted to bolt back to Kumogakure no Sato, and tell everyone this astounding news. But then, they came.

They had entered this sacred place, this prehistoric forest, in search of him, surely. But then he realized that, since his very first beginnings on this assignment, they must have known what they were looking for. They just did not want anyone else finding it, the wondrous sabre-toothed tiger they believed was theirs to capture. As it heard the humans approaching from afar, and shooting it in the shoulder with an arrow, it dropped its kill.

Unleashing another one of those ferocious roars, it ran towards them with its gigantic clawed paws and attacked. Now that he could see them from his vantage point up on the tree, he could see that there were four huntsmen. The one with the bow, which he had "met" before, two riflemen, and a man with a spear. They took formation as the sabre-toothed tiger attacked.

Unwilling to just stand around and watch them kill this near-extinct creature, the red-maned ANBU agent would issue a set of hand seals and charge his chakra. Their actions, as they hurt the sabre-toothed tiger with stabs and arrows and bullets, were truly pissing him off now. They had no sense of morality, of mercy. They just wanted to kill or capture it, selling whatever was left to the highest bidder. He would unleash his technique in anger.

[Estilo]

The Tiger [8]

---

His laser circus light up the drab atmosphere surrounding him, making him a beacon of red light for a moment, as the tendrils of storm chakra darted towards his intended targets. Two of the hunters were struck immediately, and two of them managed to evade the lasers with swift leaps.

The sabre-toothed tiger did not seem to care for mercy before one of them got up, pouncing quickly on its fallen prey and ripping the hunter's throat out with gigantic teeth. The last hunter that survived the ordeal, the bow man, fired arrows as he backtracked, hoping to deter the prehistoric beast. But it shrugged them off like nothing. It glared at him, and pursued.

The bowman didn't stand a chance. He tried to run, dropping his bow, and booking it as fast as his feet would let him. But once the sabre-toothed tiger gained momentum, powering its speed with muscular legs and thighs, it was over. The large cat pounced on the man's back, and ate his scalp.

The half-masked shinobi of Kumogakure no Sato watched in slight horror as the big cat did its thing. The hunters had been taken care of, and this prehistoric relic had been saved. Though, the shinobi wasn't quite sure that it had a long lifespan left to enjoy. Regardless, all was good. His map was filled with locales, and he could go home now, to civilization.

G A M E O V E R

[Estilo]

Chapter Sixteen

One Hit Wonder

name; Break Yo Self
rank; b
description; I kinda wish we had kept the swindlers, looks like some Mercenaries decided to take their place. While not incredibly formidable, the ten highwayman that are shaking down travelers are more then enough to hinder our trade and reputation. I’m dispatching you to the surrounding area to rid us of these bandits, while they may not be incredibly strong, don’t let your guard down.
reward; 300 experience, 5,000 ryo
minimum shinobi; one
mission status; interminable

With his return to Kumogakure no Sato, it was about time that the Jounin took a mission to get back to the normal swing of things. So, days after his previous assignment, he would go to the mission compound and grab the first mission slip he saw, which just happened to be the apprehension of highwaymen. He smirked, knowing it was going to be loads of fun.

From what was detailed in the mission report, there seemed to be a disturbance terrorizing innocent folk who traveled along the main highway that cut a swathe through Kaminari no Kuni. These "highwaymen", otherwise known as bandits, were looting them without mercy and leaving them for dead in the wilderness. The red-maned Jounin couldn't allow that.

So he packed up all the necessary items that he would need, before exiting through Kumogakure no Sato's gates and hunting them down. He had been told that these "highwaymen" weren't exactly professionals, and their combat skills were nothing to worry about. But they were no-good thieves and, as such, could not be trusted or overlooked even just once.

They thought that they could rob these innocent folk, and get away with it, scot-free. But there was nothing free. The half-masked ANBU agent knew this. Nothing free except the grace of God. And he was going to let them find out on their own through his actions. He was going to bring justice to all those they had wronged, and they would be forced to regret their deeds.

[Estilo]

One Hit Wonder [2]

---

The morning air was fresh, and the sky, as cloudy as it had ever been over the drab Kaminari no Kuni sky. The red-maned ANBU agent quite enjoyed these days, and reveled in the comfortable chill of it all. The entire weather situation was ideal, and as he enjoyed it, he would ponder the assignment at hand. How he would approach it, how he thought it would end.

The truth of the matter was, no matter the rank of the mission, death always overshadowed the life of a shinobi. It was part of daily life, that much was certain. And he also knew that if he let his guard down for even one second, that it might catch up to him. Death didn't give a damn if you were ready or not, and it could use nearly anyone to deliver its final will.

These "highwaymen", though untrained, were not to be underestimated. One wrong move on his part, one little fuck up, and he could end his life right there and then. The "highwaymen" were not known to play fair, and could employ any dirty trick in the book without regret or shame afterwards. As long as they were alive, and their enemies dead.

That mindset, the half-masked Jounin realized, had been prevalent during the First Great Shinobi War. He had fought with that mindset during his youth, he had employed it to keep him alive. Him, and his comrades on the battlefield. And back then, he supposed it had served him well. But if he ever used tactics like that now, he would find it shameful and wrong.

[Estilo]

One Hit Wonder [3]

---

He was known, back in the mission compound, as a man with true grit. While he did not fully understand the meaning of this phrase, nor the reason why he had been given such a description by his peers, he found it gave his actions character. If he could use this "true grit" to defeat the "highwaymen", then he would use it. There was no mercy in his profession, not when dealing with scum like this. He made a point of that.

So, now that he had begun searching for these less than reputable fellows, he would exhale with a deep sigh and imagine where he would be- if he was one of those infamous "highwaymen". Well, the most practical place- he reasoned- would be near the actual highway. Maybe in a tree of some sort, or behind some rocks, or in some bushes- always prepared to leap out.

Ugh. The mere thought of acting like on of them, without that shame, without that mercy or common sense, was sickening to him. After two Shinobi World Wars, people still acted like assholes. He would have thought that most of them would have learned their lesson by now, but he was wrong. He supposed, the world still had much to learn.

But the least he could do was teach the assholes who had not learned their lesson what it meant to live side-by-side with their neighbors and stray from the good path. These "highwaymen" were going to be his first students today, and he would make sure that they understood what they were doing was bad. So, with a game plan in mind, he followed the road.

[Estilo]

One Hit Wonder [4]

---

The road that he followed- more commonly known as the "main highway" around these parts- was paved with gray stone and bordered by bushes and trees. The mountains overhead cast a looming shadow over the side of the road he was on, and he reveled in the nice cold chill that it brought. His black boots nary made a sound as he continued his search, his eyes vigilant.

He had been walking this road for the better part of an hour now, searching and looking and waiting for those assholes to ambush him. But, it seemed, they were not active around this time. Either that, or they saw him coming, and could tell that he was a trained shinobi of Kumogakure no Sato. Whatever the case, he wanted them to reveal themselves already.

He did not like the waiting, and though he prided himself on being an extremely patient man, this particular assignment was getting to his head. These scumbags were completely wasting his time, and he wondered why he was allowing his time to be wasted like that. He could be doing something better, reading a book, training. But no, because of them.

He stopped suddenly, having heard the resounding snap of a nearby branch. It seemed to have come from one of the many bushes bordering the stone-paved road, at the forefront of a vast pine forest, overshadowed by a snow-capped mountain afar. He narrowed his eyes as he looked in that direction and, when he was sure, called out. Enough of the hide-and-seek.

[Estilo]

One Hit Wonder [5]

---

The single "highwayman" that hid within the perceived safety of the bush, slowly came out, his hands raised in submission. A greasy smile came across his dirtied face, a nasty look in his wolf-like eyes. He was clearly amused with the fact that the red-maned ANBU agent had discovered him and did not seem the least bit worried. The Jounin, undoubtedly, found this fairly strange. Needless to even mention, he kept his guard up.

The half-masked Jounin, curious as to what the "highwayman" was doing there alone, asked. The "highwayman", however, kept his mouth shut. His eyes were just as unrevealing, his stance completely still, that amused gaze unfaltering as it taunted the shinobi's question. And then, in the speck of a moment, he caught the man's eyes shifting slightly elsewhere.

His own emerald pools of green shifted to the side for the moment, eyeing what the "highwayman" was looking for, but only through the periphery of his vision. When he saw movement, he quickly exploded into action, releasing a fast and untamed punch towards the one he had found. The fist he had thrown cracked the man's nose, knocking him out.

He managed to swerve to the right, just as a thrown dagger shot forwards in his direction, nearly slicing a portion of his cheek off. Four "highwaymen" leaped out of the pine forests bordering the highway, They came out with swords, daggers, kunai, and neat little suits that made them out to look like pirates. But, little did they know, that they were dealing with a Jounin from Kumogakure no Sato. This wouldn't end very well for them.

[Estilo]

One Hit Wonder [6]

---

They came at him swinging- their fists, their daggers, their sword- everything that they expected to deal damage with. But he immediately reacted to their assaults, evading and dodging and swerving out of the way of those potentially life-threatening attacks. He couldn't risk being injured now, not when he had four other "highwaymen" to hunt down after.

So, without another moment of hesitation, he would begin to strike with his own assaults. His dodging turned into countering, he grabbed arms before they managed to complete their swing of the weapons they held, he released a flurry of punches and broke several noses. On one particular case, he leaped up into the air and performed a powerful roundhouse kick to the face.

Needless to say, the man he had hit was effectively knocked unconscious. So, with only three more of those assholes to deal with at the moment- and two of them knocked out- he exploded into yet another flurry of evasion and countering. He broke one man's arm, then pushed him away forcefully, causing him to knock his head roughly onto a nearby tree's surface.

The man was undoubtedly, bleeding. And the red-maned, half-masked ANBU agent couldn't have that man's death on his hands. Even if the man in question ran with a gang of scum such as this one. So, if his desire to end this fight- and assignment- was ever prevalent, it was now. He would dispatch the last two before their comrade bled to death.

[Estilo]

One Hit Wonder [7]

---

The first of the two came rushing in, swinging his katana blade ferociously, crying out with a high-pitched battle cry. This action of his, as reckless and unpredictable as it was, forced the half-masked ANBU agent to draw his own katana and start to deflect and counter and parry the other man's attacks. When the moment was ripe, he would effectively disarm his opponent and knock him out. The last one left, was next to come.

He came in with twin daggers, spinning around without pause, as his arms extended and his hands gripped the handles of those silver blades. The red-maned Jounin was forced to leap backwards more than a couple of times to avoid the sudden strikes. And, when the opportunity presented itself, he used his katana to begin his counter-attacks and disarmament methods.

Within the timeframe of just a couple of seconds, he managed to disarm his opponent- or at least, disarm one of his hands. The silver dagger spinned into the air as it was blocked, and fell into a bush somewhere in the nearby pine forest. Realizing that he only had one dagger to work with now, the "highwayman" was reluctant to continue his rampant assaults.

He pondered running away, wondering whether the half-masked Jounin could actually catch up to him. Because, as things were now, he really didn't stand a chance at the moment. But, considering that the Jounin had longer legs than he did- which played a defining factor in running away successfully- he chose to stay behind and try to fight instead.

[Estilo]

One Hit Wonder [8]

---

He tried to fend off the half-masked ANBU agent with one silver dagger alone, but that did not last very long to begin with. The katana had length, and strength, and the man behind it was particularly skilled with it. More so, than the "highwayman" was skilled with his dagger. Within the timeframe of a few moves, the man had been disarmed and he was knocked out.

He paused for a moment, thinking that all the enemies in the vicinity had been taken care of. But he was wrong. Though he had taken out five of the ten "highwaymen" rumored to stalk these roads, there were still five more. And, speak of the devil, they were headed towards the red-maned ANBU agent now. His ears caught the sound of them approaching, his eyes shifted.

Five of them, just as he had expected. Quickly, he spun around and blocked two separate attacks from two separate blades. Then, knowing that the few seconds that came after were all that mattered next, he quickly proceeded into unleashing an almost untraceably fast flurry of counter-attacks. With this quick reaction, he managed to take out two in a matter of seconds.

With the three last of the "highwaymen" closing in pretty fast, there wasn't a lot of options left for the half-masked Jounin to counter. If he tried, with his katana at least, he would almost definitely fail at the attempt. So, with nothing more he could count on, he entered a quick flurry of hand seals. Within a matter of moments, his lightning dragon technique roared to life, sweeping through the three-man crowd and taking them out.

G A M E O V E R

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[Estilo]

Chapter Seventeen

Sky High

name; build 'em up
rank; b
description; We got a building that needs building and it isn’t gonna be an easy task. It’s set for a hundred feet in the air with steel girders going all over the place. Your specific mission is to lay the bricks, weld the steel and get any menial things they tell you done, done. Be careful not to accidentally cut your rapel cord either, that happens and you fall, well we’ll have a pretty big mess to clean up.
reward; 300 experience, 5,000 ryo
minimum shinobi; one
mission status; interminable

He left his small apartment complex in what he considered to be light, and airy, and work-ready clothing. He had abandoned his long coat- for now- and decided to go out with nothing more than his long-sleeved white shirt (which he could easily roll up, should the occasion require it), his black khaki pants, and his black combat boots. Needless to say, he was ready.

Exiting his home, he walked down the boulevard that would lead him to the construction site that was beginning to form at the corner of the street. As he passed through the marketplaces, swerving through the crowds of people present, he remembered days in Kuma no Kuni- as an adolescent- and how he would sometimes help construct many homes.

The training, the experience, the stamina needed to take upon a task like this was all there. The half-masked male already had it all. So, considering these factors, he did not expect the mission to go bad for him at all. In fact, he was sort of looking forward to it. Days cooped up in the house, with nothing to do but sleep and eat, needed to be recompensed for with activity.

And if there was anything in Kumogakure no Sato that included exercise, construction was the place to go. He flexed his shoulders, rolling them with a pleased smile, as he continued through the crowds. The smell of cooked meats wafted through the cold winds, and suddenly his stomach grumbled. He was hungry, there was all there was to it. So he went to eat first.

[Estilo]

Sky High [2]

---

Having had his fill of eggs, bacon, and orange juice, the red-maned ANBU agent was ready for a day of hard work and dangerous feats. Noticing that he was expected to be on the construction site very soon, however, he hurried across the streets of Kumogakure no Sato. After a minute of maneuvering through the scenery in such a way, however, he found it rather tedious and hard and boring. So, instead, he chose the alternative.

He ran, swerving through the massive crowds before him, his eyes catching sight of launching points from which he could make his way up to the rooftops. When he found them, his face cracked with a toothy smile. He leaped over an old merchant's melon cart, jumped onto a crate of oranges, which then gained him access to a store's protruded sign, and upwards!

Leaping, with chakra-propelled force, he barely reached the edge of the rooftop he had set his sights on- landing as a nimble cat would, silently. But, without a moment to enjoy the glorious view that came with living in Kumogakure no Sato, he quickly continued on his trek. He was going to be minutes late at this rate, and he took work attendance very seriously.

If he was even a minute late, that could give his co-workers an excuse to arrive late to their jobs, too. And, if anything, he did not want to be the 'bad influence' on this mission of his. So his black combat boots carried him on further, his lungs pumping as his muscles kicked into action. At this rate, he was going to get to the site exhausted and sweaty.

[Estilo]

Sky High [3]

---

By the time he reached the corner of the street where the construction site awaited him, he had already burned all the calories that had come with his satisfying breakfast meal. But, knowing that he had much work to do, he tried to gather his breath and stamina before entering the site and meeting his temporary co-workers. First impressions were good, and he would need them for today. First impressions were often lasting impressions.

These temporary co-workers he was expecting to meet next, they would be working beside him for the next week. He was trusting them to help him out, if need be, just as they were trusting him to help out as well. They would have each other's support as they endeavored to build the tower Kumogakure no Sato wanted them to build. And that, like many things, required team effort. He wasn't going to have this mission botched.

So, after composing himself- which included calming down his pumping lungs, dispersing his rush of adrenaline, and wiping the sweat off his forehead- he would drop down from the rooftops and onto the streets. Once there, he would adopt a cool and unruffled gait before proceeding towards the work site. This was going to be it, and he was pumped for more work.

The manager of the work site- a portly man with a ronin-style black beard, caught site of him as the red-maned Jounin approached. He stood before a pile of supplies, with a pen and clipboard in hand, and wore an orange vest over a navy blue shirt, blue jeans, black boots, and a bright orange safety helmet. Knowing he would have to adopt this attire, the Jounin sighed.

[Estilo]

Sky High [4]

---

He waved light-heartedly to the boss when their eyes met, and said good morning as they shook hands. What came afterwards was a brief tour of the site, hosted by the boss himself, and the half-masked ANBU agents introduction to the rest of the crew. He made sure to be polite with each greeting, and expressed his readiness to participate in this arduous task.

With their introductions done with, the crew and the bossman went straight to it. It was time to get to work, and everyone knew it. There was, after all, a deadline to meet, and employers to please. This was all so that they all got their paychecks on time, so that they could feed their families, and supply themselves with the necessities for their lives. The Jounin was all for it.

They needed to start with the base of the building, and the concrete they had ordered had already come in. The large vehicle that carried it, spinning a large barrel so that the concrete did not harden, was already awaiting its driver. But the driver wasn't there! And none of the crew mates knew how to drive stick. So, in the end, it was up to the Jounin to perform this task.

The car was an antique, it almost seemed like a prototype, but surprisingly, the half-masked ANBU agent was quite adept at driving it. He put it into reverse as he carefully made his way to the square-shaped hole in the ground that needed to be filled with concrete. Then, almost afraid to push the buttons before him, he fortunately managed to unload the concrete!

[Estilo]

Sky High [5]

---

Whilst they let the concrete dry, the crew would put their focus onto other endeavors. They would unload the timber, and metal, and other items from the trucks that kept coming in. All in all, the more time he spent with his teammates, the more he got to know them. And that was good, creating those bonds. It fortified their ability to work in a unit, and hastened the pace of their work. If they kept it up at this rate, the rest would be easy.

One of his crew members was named Yoshi. The man was young, only about in his mid-twenties, and he had a bright optimism for life and all its pleasures. Apparently, he was only working this temporary job to fund a wedding with his academy sweetheart. She was pregnant at the age of twenty-two, and she had decided to keep their soon-to-come baby.

Another man, one that went by the name of Hoshio, was in his late sixties! It was surprising, how old he was and how much stamina he had left. If the red-maned, half-masked ANBU agent didn't know better, he would imagine this man's health to be leagues better than most of today's youth! The old man, he had confessed, was saving money for his granddaughter.

There were many different shades of people in this small team they had formed, and the Jounin was glad to have run into them on this assignment. When the concrete finally hardened, they would move in unison to begin constructing the bottom-half of the tower. It was going to get harder from here, the shinobi of Kumogakure no Sato realized that. But he was happy.