Repercussions

[Tyro]

Akio was known as a man of action. A soldier of action. Decisions, as for all Samurai, were always strained in the making. Politics were involved in every spectrum, the slightest of taps may reproduce actions against all of the Samurai order. Should any one unit step just a little bit out of line, they could set forth a chain of disarray in the entire world.

That is why Akio's steps were so laboriously made back to the Land of Iron. He had nearly flown from the reestablished Amegakure to this familiar land, knowing that he had gone against orders. Amegakure, he was sure, would revel in it's newfound freedom. He was happy to liberate them. The problem with the situation was that he had gone against orders. Knowingly gone against orders, as he was sent there only to aid in Amegakure's defense. To help AU-2 decimate the insurgents, and had done the complete opposite. Anyone paying attention could see what was developing. Between his recent capture of the Sanbi, and this disregard for orders, Akio was forming a pattern of disrespect. In such an order as stringent as the Samurai, patterns of disrespect were not well tolerated.

Which was why his steps were painstakingly dragged through the almost perpetual snow of Tetsu. He was in no hurry to report the misconduct, and in all likeliness, his superiors already knew of the situation before he returned.

The Three Wolves Mountains that held Tetsu's most recognizable landmark was passed, and soon Akio also entered into the Kage Summit room. When not used for the ninja's purposes, it made a multipurpose briefing room for the Samurai. Facing the door to the large room, he opened them slowly, unaware of how it would be arranged, if seats were filled, or anything else of detail.

[NARRATOR]

The Imperial Guard

Only five of the many seats were filled, each with a samurai Akio may or may not have recognized. None seemed too interested to be there, though from the expression on their face, it was mandatory. The swordsman closest to the door, a tall and slender man with dark hair pulled into a pony-tail, shot the newcomer an interested gaze.

"So, this is the Jinchuuriki samurai?" he said coolly. "I figured he'd be taller."

"Shut up, Hattori," another swordsman, a woman on the other side of the room, shot quickly. "We don't need any of your shit today."

Hattori sucked his teeth. "You in a bad mood, Suzumi? PMS'ing?"

"That's enough!" a seasoned, raspy voice bellowed from the head of the room. Emerging from the thick shade of darkness was an older man, possessing no distinctive features. He was of moderate height and size, completely bald, with flowing eyebrows and a long white beard that hung down well pass his waist.

His cane, a notched and chipped length of bamboo, was held just before his person; both hands rested on its twisted crown. "Master Akio, I presume?" Though his eyes appeared closed, the Shogunate could see well beyond the flesh and armor -- he could see the beast dwelling within his soul, swimming violently.

"Welcome home." A faint smile spread beneath the veil of snowy hair. "Do you have anything of value to report, pertaining to the shinobi lands? It's my understanding that you've spent quite some time wandering within their borders."

[Tyro]

The Jinchuuriki Samurai?


Word had definitely spread. Not that Akio had not expected it to, but the knowing that it did put much more weight on his shoulders. He instinctively stood at his straightest, trying to help his height, and puffed out his chest trying to look more masculine. His eyes swiveled to each of his commentators. Though not in armor Akio was able to readily accept their power, Samurai guards were some of the most powerful enlists.

The banter was cut short by an authoritative voice that Akio did recognize. The Shogunate had paid him a special visit, never had Akio encountered him in such a private fashion. Walking just a little further into the room the Samurai made a stiff bow to such an esteemed elder, making sure that his eyes were still trained on him. That was a lesson drilled hard into him that when even as you showed respect, acknowledge the other as a possible threat.

Then he spoke.

"The shinobi lands..."

Akio had to speak slowly and deliberately. Public speaking was not his forte, neither was it his weakness, but given the circumstance and possible outcome of this report, he chose his words incredibly carefully.


"They remain much the same as we have known them to be. A volatile world, each attack more spectacular than the last. Most recently it was reported that the ninja of Iwagakure raided Sunagakure. Besides this...of my assignment to the recently established Amegakure to counter an insurgency, I feared our council may have made a grave mistake."


His eyes scanned the rest of the elders present, ready for his criticism to be judged before moving on.

"You see, upon entering Amegakure I discovered that the people as well as the military population were under the rule of an Akuharu Uchiha who in every regard was a tyrant. After meeting the insurgents and further learning of their cause...I changed sides, and usurped Akuharu from his bloody throne. The village is under a new, more prosperous rule. I realize I disobeyed orders, masters. But if our decisions cannot resonate with a fair ruler our standing in the world will be perceived as corrupt...I believe I did the right thing."

It seemed eerily quiet, speaking so long without interruption, and Akio was sure than a number of these masters had never been spoken to as such. A sense of dread pervaded his being as he awaited to be struck down.

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[NARRATOR]

the Shogunate

"You most certainly did," the Shogunate replied with a genuine tone of gratitude. "In fact, I cannot say that I would not have done the exact same thing, Master Akio. As samurai, our duty is to the people -- beyond our own goals, and even our students: the people." The thin lines that were his eyes opened, exposing aged, sable pupils. "Even though we, as samurai, may disagree with many of the principles that the shinobi stand for, their people are no different from ours. Protecting them is, and always will be, our top priority."

Suddenly, his expression became somewhat grim. "From my understanding, you have chosen to master the House of Blades style, yes?" The rather elaborate dossier the Shogunate had read on the Jinchuuriki encapsulated everything there was to know about him. They'd even kept fairly decent tabs on him during his time outside of Tetsu no Kuni.

Stepping forward, his eyes closed once again. "I wish to see your true Daidarabotchi." Both hands remained gently on the twisted crown of his cane, his expression devoid of all emotion. "If you can use the beast chained to your spirit to increase its power, I highly suggest you do so." Strangely, none of the Imperial Guard protested the demonstration of such an assault. And though he hadn't given Akio a target, if the Samurai was to look, he would notice that the only person in range of the assault was the Shogunate, himself.

[Tyro]

Akio's immediate reaction to the Shogun was a frown. This was mandated no matter the Shogun's reaction, as he had expected in full to be punished for insolence. He slightest of smiles, and even the small insightful lecture, were not taken with full appreciation as Akio suspected it had a sub-tone. If the mission's debrief was not as important to the congregation, something else was and that had not been revealed yet.

He was asked if he had chosen the House of Blades as his main branch of Seihei Naideshou Gonyuu. He didn't even need to answer, he knew the Shogunate asked a very rhetorical question. The purpose for that was soon seen as well. The Daidarabotchi was the penultimate attack of the Samurai, the charge time when Akio learned it seemed impractical, so he was sure it was for somewhat ceremonial use, but the power was impressive regardless. First learning of it, he had made the assumption that he would never truly use it in battle. Until the Shogun asked for a demonstration.

Two things worried Akio. One, the congregation was neither visibly worried or surprised at the Shogun's audacity. Two, the Shogun had not requested that he call upon his Beast, but instead recommended it. As though not calling on such would be hazardous to Akio's health. He understood the rhetoric.

"Sanbi...

!"

To Akio's surprise, the beast which was normally dormant or lazily observing the outside scene was in this moment fully awake. In the presence of the Shogun the Beast's demeanor was noticeably eager. That was odd. Since the assumption of Perfect Host and Amegakure, the Beast seemed to take a quieter tone to most events until talked to directly. Akio had never seen Sanbi so riled up.

"...We're being called to attention. Lend me some chakra?"

[/i]

Without the slightest haste after asking, Akio's chakra erupted, far surpassing the request of some chakra and almost taking over his system completely. Had it not been for the recent acclimation, the Samurai's existence would have been commandeered completely. The stabilization was made hastily to contain the destructive power, assuring nobody in the chamber was hurt, and slowly Akio drew his left blade.

The ritual of the Daidarabotchi began as his right hand gripped the handle of the blade, and the left held the tip. The fine pressures created swirled about the room, the tinge of sea-salt in the air that noted the Sanbi's aid. Akio looked inwardly to the beast again, who decided not to speak and instead trained his eyes squarely on the Shogun just three meters away.

The swirling erupted as Akio released the tip of the blade, anda surge of the finest Samurai cutting ability forced forward to the elder. It was only in that millisecond of time to travel the three meters that Akio had second thoughts. What exactly was he doing? He expected to be reprimanded for disobeying orders, but what would the repercussions be for killing the Samurai's most esteemed warrior?

SPOILER: Click to show

Form I Jinchuuriki Activated

Daidarabotchi (God of Giants)[300]
Rank: S
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m)
Type: Offensive
Handseals: -
Chakra Consumption: Massive
The ultimate sword art of the SSNG style, this is the final technique learned by those seeking to become a master of the House of Blades. Generated by creating a tremendous amount of pressure along the length of the blade, the user can release a horizontal ‘slash’ that is said to be nearly impossible to avoid. There have even been some shinobi possessing predicting dojutsu, such as the Sharingan, that have fallen prey to this powerful technique. It cuts so fast that it is said the victims don’t even know they’re dead (this is for flare, only; a victim of this technique may post after they’ve been struck, though carry out no form or attacks or defense. They will expire in the following post).

Note: This technique can be separated into two categories, armed and unarmed:

Armed: With a weapon, the user places their blade horizontally before them and clamps the back of the blade, near the tip, between their middle and index finger. The chakra used is distributed between the arm clamping (essentially pulling it back), and the hand around the pommel (pulling forward). This spread of chakra creates an unbelievable amount of pressure build up, which can then be unleashed at the user’s will.

Due to the focus needed to maintain this “pressure,” the user can only move up to a maximum of three meters from their starting point (i.e where they began the technique).

When released, the pressure created from the conflicting forces erupts in, propelling the blade in a horizontal slash at unimaginable speeds (roughly equivalent to that of the 4th gate). It is said that only those with a fully matured Sharingan are capable of evading this lethal strike.

Unarmed: Without a weapon, the user forms a fist with one hand and places it into the palm of another, distributing the chakra evenly through their body to create the same intense pressure. When released, the user’s fist whips out at the opponent, and upon connection, deals an incredibly amount of blunt force trauma.

The speed of this technique is even greater than that of the armed version (roughly equivalent to that of the 5th gate, being as how it lacks the additional weight of the sword), though considerably less fatal.

This version of technique can easily tear a victim’s jaw completely from their face, or do irreversible damage to appendages if struck (such as permanently tearing the ligaments and dealing almost irreparable damage to the bone structure).


This technique can only be used once per thread. Furthermore, this technique can only be learned by those who have dedicated themselves fully to the House of Blades and mastered all of the techniques it offers. Moreover, this technique can only be performed with traditional katanas.

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[NARRATOR]

the Shogunate

The treacherous winds that consumed the chamber's inner sanctum pulled and tugged at the Shogunate's robs and mantle, buffeting in gusts as the Sanbi's chakra seeped from the samurai's body. It was no surprise that the beast was excited -- chances were, even though chained deep within the master's being, he could still recognize the aged face before him. It'd been nearly two decades since they'd done battle, and even though much older, the chances of the creature forgetting the Shogunate's face was unlikely.

The strike came in the blink of an eye, its speed drastically increased by the raw strength the beast offered Akio. Yet, there was no splatter of blood; there was no shredding of cloth, nor was there even a clank of steel against steel. Instead, there was simply silence - cold, eerie silence that devoured the soft whisper of the Sanbi's chakra radiating from Akio's body.

"Impressive," the Shogunate admired after several moments. A single hand was erected before him, pinching Akio's blade between the pads of his index finger and thumb. His eyes, still seemingly closed, opened again. His expression was dull, and with a mere adjustment to his hand, a sharp crack resounded throughout the chamber. He'd quite effortlessly snapped Akio's blade clean in two, letting the fallen fragment drop to the floor. "But, it is still not enough. The friction from that strike should have been enough to at least the pads of my fingers bleed," he explained while revealing his unscathed digits. "As you can see, there is not so much as a scratch."

Placing his hand back upon the crown of his cane, he nodded. "Your time in the shinobi world has dulled you, and your blade, master Akio. Fortunately, we possess the flames to purge rust from our blades -- the water to cool our spirits, and thus we are reborn." Glancing to his right, he eyed the man from earlier. "Hattori, I would like for you to forge master Akio a new blade - one fitting of his rank." The guard nodded before taking his leave.

"As for your, master Akio-- while I am impressed with how quickly you have come to control that beast, there is still much that I must teach you." He nodded. "Yes, I believe I will take you under my wing and perfect your swordsmanship. We will need you to be at your prime for the events to come." His eyes narrowed, focusing on his torso - now, he was speaking to the beast. "Both of you."

[Tyro]

It was always a surreal feeling when entering the gale forces of Daidarabotchi. The slightest of seconds separated the attack from the target, and at three meters it required the most supernatural of speeds to even comprehend. In that millisecond of travel, the senses seemed null and void in this realm. Instinct took over to defend oneself, and carrying the blade forward seemed the only goal of life. The body was nonexistent, instead replaced with the surge winds itself.

So understandably, Akio was beyond baffled when his momentum was stopped. Of course, he hadn't intended to kill the Shogun, far from it, but to be stopped so absolutely was purely beyond his reasoning. The gale forces that would have carried Akio seemed to leap from him in one swoop, pushing forward and away and leaving a gust in the room before dissipating completely.

Sanbi was not happy...

The beast in Akio's soul roared in anger, more blood-thirsty than the Samurai had ever witnessed, likely a due reaction to being bested, but just as the force of the attack left him, so apparently did the chakra. It was comparable to a large flame being met with a harsh blowing wind. The wind, overcoming the flame, blew it down so that its large malicious form was instead replaced with a candle-like appearance. That was the Sanbi's influence now, as though the Shogun's presence weakened him. Moreover, and admittedly embarrassing for the Samurai, this metaphor took a physical form as the cloak that had first erupted from him seemed to recede into his body, nullified as well.

He stood -mid-strike aghast. Behind his helm his eyes wide and brow furrowed. He was not holding his position, the Shogun was simply holding him. Then, without further ado, his weapon snapped, the shriek echoing menacingly through the chamber.

Akio knew that technique. That technique was advanced, but simple in concept to study the make of the blade, and apply pressure to break it. In this instance however, it seemed unnecessary. The Samurai were known to take their weapons very personally, and Akio did as well. Two things withheld his fury in this case, the first that Samurai of the new age could craft and hone their weapons via their own chakra, negating the need of such personal touch. The second, being the Shogun's vastly impressive performance, any further demonstration he was sure would lead to his swift massacre.

The words stung, but they could have stung more had he not already been numb from he exertions. His sword would be replaced. He would be under the Shogun's direct teachings. And he would need to meditate long and hard on what had just transpired.

"...the events to come."


He had no idea what was to come. But combined with the circumstance, it felt ominous as well. Akio Akira knew to ask questions later, if that later ever came. Lastly, the Shogun seemed to address the fist-sized hole in the Samurai's armor, his only casualty from his decisiveness in Amegakure, which also happened to house the Sanbi's exclusive seal under the fabric of civilian wear. Upon being addressed, the cloak of chakra flared once more before being subdued. As if in response....



A curt bow followed the end of the Shogun's speech, making even more sure to keep his eyes on the man, before he slowly exited the chamber.


[exit]

[addy-hime ♥]

Tyro, 40 EXP.
Narrator, 30 EXP.

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