the beacon

[BLKND]

標識

"The contents of this package are highly confidential. Any compromise of your identity, purpose, or origin will result in a failure of this mission, and your branding as a missing-nin of Kumogakure no Sato. You will find the package in the location depicted on your map. Burn after reading. Burn map after location is memorized. Good Luck."

The note would catch flame at its tips, and the parchment would slowly corrode into a deep black, the flame reaching out to consume each edge piece by piece. The stove top burned a bright blue, although the flames were a peaceful white hue. Gloved fingertips would slowly release the parchment as the flame would take its course. The ash would slowly collect on the top of his all white stove. He would clean it later. As his attention would lose its focus on the ash, it would turn instead to the rest of the room. A circle of five people- their genders or attributes undisclosed- would stand within the middle of his living room. Black coats would drape their bodies, and large white masks would cover their faces and hair. There was no real way to identify them other than t heir height, which all seemed rather universal.

"We have the directive. Let's proceed. The mission begins now."

Within seconds the gang of masked men and women would begin to file out of the window. As if birds preparing for their migration, they would each leap with no limitation, or inhibition. The apartment in which they once stood just happened to be one of the most unique in the village. In a building that lay the most east of the village, they would find themselves hovering over the slums of Kumogakure. As they would leap from the window to a subsequent rooftop, it would take seconds for them to leap from that rooftop to a descending location. Their destination was to the village's lowest point, and eventually underground... to the caverns.

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anbu armor equipped
all weapons equipped

[BLKND]

標識

It didn't take long for five powerful legs to smash against the final tier of the descending cascade of rooftops. Various sandals of various size, and various style would stabilize themselves easily. Almost as if in tandem, the crew would arrive within a tightly knit circle in quick succession. They were all fairly lanky- though built in their own regard. Their masks were obviously ANBU- the shapes of animals contoured their faces. There was little indication as to the identities of these men and women- not that it mattered. This was the final rooftop before they team would descend onto the ground floor of the village, which was a rarity to begin with. The soil of Kumogakure was something that no one ever really thought of. The mountains in which the village sat upon were fine, and had enough foliage to really make life there less bleak. It was difficult to achieve considering the dark skies and constant rain. However, the power of the elements really made the mountains empower the villagers. It was an aesthetic that couldn't really be explained. However, when it came to the actual earth, the dirt- the actual ground- it was difficult to really classify. As the mountains would elevate each building higher and higher until the very Kage Tower in which the kage's office would rest, it was rarely ever a desire to descend into the depths of the slums. On their journey down they passed the shanty towns and slums that would grow darker and darker as the mountains would block off any sign of the sun- even bleeding through the clouds. It was needless to say, this was the entrance to the gates of hell.

As they would land, a figure in a tall black coat would lean forward, their hand touching the tip of the tiled roof in which they all found themselves. Their face would remain unmoved. It was almost as if the figure was straining their eyes in order to find something that may have been hidden ahead of them. It would only be after a simple observation in which was that thirty meters in front of them would appear a massive, faced gate. It was of an incredible proportion. A dark gunmetal hue, with an unintelligible script would cover the edges of the gate as it would appear to lead into one of the many mountains that would stabilize the village. A few of the ninja would look up to see how high the mountain lead, only to be cutoff by one of the lower buildings.

This depth would force the village to use artificial lighting in order to see just about anything. It would result in a significant difference in the skin color of these people as well. While they would obviously traverse the village's upper regions via various lifts, or climbs, they were far from 'home' up there, like all of these people. That wouldn't deter them. Nor would the ominous glow that would light up the horrifying, monstrous face that would cover the entire gate. It appeared to be similar to a tiger of sorts, but with eyes that seemed to span from cheek to snarling cheek. It was horrifying to say the least. However, while the gate would only protrude slightly, it was still evident that it was made of stone- a beacon to its age. Whomever had created this gate had done so very long ago, almost before the idea of an 'iron' gate had been created. This was at least how it would appear from afar, as the ninja had yet to really make a move past this rooftop.

"This is where the map dictates that we arrive in order to receive the 'package.' I suggest that we proceed with caution from here on out. If at any point we get separated, remember to use the provided materials to handle the package." One of the masked people would say. It was the voice of a woman, who upon finishing her sentence would leap from the short rooftop and onto the soil that lay before the gate.

It was as if this was the place of offering, and the gate was some sort of deity that fed upon the presents of the mortals that lived at these depths. There were few houses in this specific crevice. If there were, then they remained very small, with little activity coming from within them. As she would begin to walk leisurely, yet cautiously, the rest of the team would follow- save two who would wait for a clear coast. This was a typical response when in an squadron of ANBU. It was customary for a ninja to watch the backs of his team. So it would only make sense, that as an arrow would land at the foot of the front woman, stopping her in her tracks.

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anbu armor equipped
all weapons equipped

[BLKND]

標識

It would take less than a second for the offender to be spotted by the back up cell. The two figures atop the roof seeing a sharp flash in movement would find him instantly. It wasn't as if he was attempting to hide either- quickly reloading his bow with another arrow from the quiver to his front. He was a sniper- who had set up camp instantly in an attempt to deter anyone from reaching the foot of the gate. It was evident that he was a ninja. As he would stand against the side of the mountain, there was no way for someone without mastered chakra control to stay in his position. With a quilted leather sleeve covering both of his arms, a sleek body suit covering the rest of his body, it would be obvious that his cargo pants were all part of some form of BDU. This was a scheduled attempt from an organized unit. This was an attempted deterrent. This was serious.

It would take no time for the man to reload his bow and have shot another arrow through the air at a decent pace. His speed would distract him from actual aim, though it could only be assumed that his goal was to react more quickly than the squadron could to get a simple wound out of the lot. His attempts would be in vain. As his arrow would make its way through the air, it would hardly pierce anything other than that. A powerful kunai throw would distract the arrow from its destination. The steel kunai would smash against the iron tip of the arrow, instantly killing its strength, and sending it somewhere to the left of the three coated figures that remained in the open portion of the battlefield. It was unclear where the kunai had originated from, but within an instant another flurry of them would come soaring through the air back at the man. The distance was something that left quite a lot to be desired. Dropping his bow within an instant, the man's hands would smash into each other at the level of his chest. Molding the chakra necessary, his body would slowly sink backwards- into the rough exterior of the mountain. Almost as if sinking into the water, the man's face finally became something worth noting. While wearing a half mask to cover his mouth and nose, his hair and eyes would remain visible- staring down at them in complete defiance.

By then the three ANBU had already begun to sprint towards the gate to much avail. They would reach it within a matter of moments, the other two who had stayed behind quickly following suit. Heihachi would be the first to land, followed closely by a woman of equal stature. They would sprint across the open area, cradled by the dark, gray stone of the mountains towering over them like the colossus that they were. Their arms waving in the wind beneath them, their bodies would push forward in order to keep up with the pace of their legs. Their mission had begun literally minutes ago, and already they were in a position in which they were running for their lives.

"Move right!" Heihachi would instantly shout to his counterpart who would then immediately follow his orders.

Heihachi himself would do the opposite, his legs exploding in muscle as he would dive to his left- his body flipping through the air as if some form of acrobat. A front, spinning flip would launch him out of danger as an explosion would instantly go off where the two would have stepped. The debris would without a doubt fly in every direction as the two would shield their eyes from being corroded by the impending dust that would brush over their entire bodies. Stumbling backwards upon her landing, Heihachi's counterpart would quickly leap to her feet, pulling a kunai from her sleeve as she would instantly clash blades with a completely different man dressed exactly like the armed man above the gate. Heihachi's condition was no different. Within an instant, the tip of a katana would pierce the exterior of his coat, aimed at his liver.

"Proceed with the objective!" He would shout at the two of three ANBU who stood at the gate- the third already attempting to open the gate.

Inaudible shouts would be directed back towards him before the group would appear to be working together to surpass the massive door. It was better that way. He could only partially focus on what they were doing- the rest of his attention focused on routing the constant attacks from what appeared to be two different shinobi trading turns at attempting to kill him. His team mate was a bit less lucky. In a constant back and forth with a single, well skilled opponent, she had landed no blows, where as her enemy had now landed two solid hits against her. While non-fatal, it was an added anxiety upon the blonde haired ANBU. He had to ensure that she survived- while also ensuring that he could complete this mission. This was the worst time for his hands to be tied.

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anbu armor equipped
all weapons equipped

[BLKND]

標識

The battle was far from linear. These men knew what they were doing, and were proficient in their taijutsu and kenjutsu. There was no telling where they had come from, but it was evident that as Heihachi swung and parried attacks to and from them, their movements would rival those of his own. If they weren't Missing-nin from Kumogakure, they had to have been from one of the other big five. They were too well trained otherwise. As his ninja-to would rock against the powerful steel composing the couple's kunai, there would be a constant back and forth of metals stopping each from meeting their demise. It would only be after one of the men would perform a rather unique move- that the tables would turn. Knocking the masked man backwards a few feet, he would quickly recover with a black hand spring, his long, lanky body gliding through the air as he landed at a skidding stop a meter or two away from his now encroaching opponents. They would waste no time in pursuing him. Their arms would fly to the side as they would rush towards him in an almost blinding light. It would remain inevitable, however. As the two ninja would come in to finish the job that they had started, it would be revealed to them that their weapons would not be defended against this time. A kunai would shove itself into the coat of the tall ANBU, only for the metal to shatter at its end, breaking off into the air as the reality of the situation would reveal itself.

At some point during that 'flip' Heihachi had performed the three seals needed to instate his jutsu. As the steel would cut through fabric like butter, it would be painfully obvious that it would not be the same in regards to the man's skin. Moving back in horror, the shinobi would attempt to move his hands together in order to use a jutsu of his own. This would end awfully as Heihachi's grasp would quickly reach out to take hold of his enemy's wrist. The sound of a crack could be heard by his team mate. His shout would be deafened as Heihachi's pointed fingers would instantly pierce through the man's heart. Blood would shatter backwards through his armor and into the face of his team member who would hesitate at the sight of death. The sleeves of the ANBU would instantly heavy as he would rip his arm from the dead man's cadaver- tossing him to the side. Sinking into the ground, the second ninja would attempt an escape similar to his previous ally- only to end up being stopped by a kunai to his forehead. His body would slump over, limply as only his torso would remain above ground.

Heihachi would look up to see that his ally had taken care of her opposition as well by then. As she saw his body limp against the ground, he knew that she had probably simply landed a clean blow to him- her weapon already concealed by the time she would reach him. He would deactivate his ninjutsu, and turn to face the gate- she would follow suit and the two of them would begin to run as fast as they could to catch up with their cell.

Heihachi would turn to his female counterpart, his face still hidden by the large ivory mask depicting him as a bird- and she as a rabbit. She would return the glance, ensuring that he was just as well as she was. He couldn't tell now, but there was something bothering him about her. It was the first time he had ever worked with a cell that he was unfamiliar with- and it happened to be working fairly well so far. Having met them a few moments before the mission was officially dictated, he got a chance to communicate with each of them about their skills and abilities. They were all fairly secretive, as black ops typically are, but she- she was different. Her voice was savory, and she had no hesitation in putting everything in the hands of her team mates. He envied that- and the team that she was leaving behind for this mission. This wasn't the typical eighth division that Heihachi was used to either- but changes had to be made due to the casualties that occurred during the attack.

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anbu armor equipped
all weapons equipped

[BLKND]

標識

They had been told very little about this mission. The only thing that they knew was that they were in pursuit of a package that was dire to the reconstruction efforts of the village. Whether it was some form of rare mineral that the village could sell, or some sort of bartering tool to receive assistance from an outside source- it didn't matter. As an ANBU, their job was to do what their Taicho commanded, and as the Kage... well as the Taicho was now the one in charge of their missions, they would perform whatever duties were necessary. It pained Heihachi to think of Eiichiro. His eyes fell to the vision of the floor as he would finally reach the gate that had been somehow opened by the other three ANBU that had made it before them. Pressing her body against the door of the gate, and pushing her body through, Heihachi would loose sight of her- quickly doing the same in order to stay with her. The gate was thick, at least three meters thick, which wasn't unheard of for a gate, and miniscule compared to its height and width. Regardless, it wasn't so much the gate that would disturb these ninja... it was what stood behind it.

As their sandals would pass through the rocky soil of the village's floor- they would find themselves troubled by the smooth feeling of hard wood. As their four eyes would look onward, they would find themselves in a small room, roughly the size of Heihachi's bedroom with two sliding doors nearly three meters in front of them. The light of the outside was more of a shadow, as a dim, hanging light would more than illuminate the room. Shocked, temporarily, Heihachi would quickly take control of the situation. Stepping in front of his mysterious team mate, he would notice that the sliding door would prove slightly open. There was no sound in this room. Silence had taken control- which was to be expected, but what was his place? Cautiously, he would pull open the door, going as slowly as possible before peeking in to the next room to ensure that he wasn't walking in to a trap. A sudden spark would leave him shocked as he would find himself looking at the backs of his three other team mates- communicating with each other quite casually. The door would finish opening, and the wood would make a 'clack' noise against the frame- alerting the three. They would all turn their necks to lay their eyes upon the other two, only one of them doing much after that.

"It's good to see that you made it." One of them would say, walking up to Heihachi almost immediately. "We've decided that it would make more sense to split up in to three groups- two groups of two, and one group of one. As the only Jounin, we thought maybe you should fly solo down the third door." He would finish, point over to the three doors that lay behind him, and to the the front of their team members.

Heihachi would access the situation, moving passed the ANBU as he would begin to unzip his jacket. The others would follow suit, removing their layers and following the eyes of the blonde youth. This was his first time revealing any port of his body to them. From having shown none of his body, to exposing his arms, head and figure, he was now much more distinguishable. Tossing his coat to the side, a set of blades would be revealed at his legs, a small black sack at his waist, and finally a rather large scroll strapped to his back, that each of his team members were puzzled that they did not notice from beneath his coat.

Looking from his left, to his right, and to his center, he would notice three identical doors- non-distinguishable in any way imaginable. He had no idea which way would lead to what, and there was no way of doing so. At any moment their enemy could once again appear- and they didn't have time for that. By even being there, their intents were possibly known- so they had already had an incredible risk of compromise, and thus abandonment from their village. It was clear that they had to exterminate any and every member of the opposition that presented themselves. There was no room for failure. Turning back to his team, he would notice the features that they themselves had been hiding. The one to the furthest back, whom he had been outside with, was almost sickeningly thin. Long, navy hair would drape from the even split down her head to her hips. She had nearly any curves, so her gender could have been a misconception to Heihachi.

The three who stood closer to him had more defining features. Two men stood close to each other. Short, black curly hair would cover his head, and dark skin. His face remained behind the facade of the Pig mask. The other man hid behind the fox mask. His hair was similar to a bowl cut, with a sharp yellow streak cutting through the middle, making it appear as though some odd mohawk. It wasn't Heihachi's style. The fifth and final member of his team would appear much more womanly than her female counterpart. Athletically shaped, her bronze skin would contrast her milky white hair that would gather to a short, sloppy ponytail directly behind her head- level with her eyes. They were an interesting combination of folks, who all eagerly awaited his position. He didn't want them to be disappointed. More importantly- he didn't want them to die.

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anbu armor equipped
all weapons equipped

[BLKND]

標識

"You two, that way--" He would say, almost immediately taking charge of the situation. His body would flex outward as his arm would lead the first two in front of him to his left- their right.

They would follow his hand quickly, almost immediately knowing what to do. Within an instant, one of them had slid open the door, vanished behind it- and slid it shut. Pointing to the remaining two, he would point them in the opposite direction with little to no effort. They would follow his orders unquestioningly. So with four of his team mates gone- that would leave him to face this third and final door by him self. Turning around, he would place his torso directly adjacent to it, looking over it with an almost threating amount of skepticism. He had been assigned this mission by the council, who felt that the contents of this 'package' would greatly increase the possibility for the village to gain revenue. He had already considered if it was something that they could sell, or something that they could use to rebuild the village- it didn't matter. What he knew was that he trusted the council, and that they had to have known the importance of this package to use five well trained ANBU while the village was on such high alert. Taking a sigh, he would pause before proceeding. His hair would rest on his chest, tickling his exposed skin in a way that would only surmise what his stomach was feeling. He wasn't nervous- ANBU were never nervous. He was curious. What if he opened that door, and behind it stood the man that he wanted to see the most?

The idea of Eiichiro standing on the other side of these old, paper doors was intoxicating. Looking down at his floral pants, and his silly sunglasses... it was painful to think about. Taking a gulp, he would flush out the ideas of death- he was on a mission. If he didn't stay focused he would end up just as dead. Gritting his teeth, his frustration would take control of his fingertips. Grasping the handles of both of the doors in front of him, he would slide them open simultaneously- his back rippling in his exertion of power as he would step in to the next room without even considering the consequences... and that's when he saw it. The thing that made him realize just how dangerous this mission really was-

He had the same height; the same horned hair; the same silly fucking pants. While his mask would hide the depth of emotion that his face would show, it was still present. As this 'Eiichiro' stand before him, his back turned and walking in to the next room, Heihachi would react almost immediately. It had to have been a fake, he knew that. Having been a shinobi almost his entire life, he had come to know the sickening effects of a genjutsu... but what if it was true? In a fit of half curiosity, half desperation, as the second paper door would close, he wouldn't even bother opening it the conventional way. The chokuto that he often carried would emerge from its sheath before slicing through the paper and wood that constructed these doors. He would be greeted to the same image- a fleeing Eiichiro. Again, he would chase after him, destroying the decorated paper. Another Eiichiro, and yet another destroyed door. Over, and over they would repeat this pattern until the seventeenth door would face Heihachi with the same, snappy 'shut.'

Slowing to a creep, he would walk towards the door, halfway to tears behind his large, ivory mask. As he held his blade within his right hand, he would reach for the handle of the left door. He would pause as his tears would overcome him. What was this? What was he feeling? How could he let himself be so easily distraught by the death of a comrade? He had been to war, he had seen the death of those close to him... why was this so different? His fingers would tremble as they caressed the interior of the handle that waited- urged him to open it. Finally he would oblige. Swinging his arm and having the door slide open completely to the left, he would be greeted with an image much different than what he had seen the previous eighteen times. This time there was no Eiichiro- there was no room, and there was no paper door. This time there was a forest, and in the midst of it would be a shrine the size of a small house. Snow littered the ground, and the bamboo that littered this area would appear to be endless. The small, dark stone which seemed to keep this shrine in place was aged and withered away by the elements. He was not going to see a sight light this again, not any time soon. So as he would step out of his room, and place his feet against the snow, his heart would skip a beat. He could hear the crunch, and the breeze of the elements.

He looked into the sky, to see a dismal array of clouds. It wasn't snowing any longer... but these were definitely snow clouds. Where was he?

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anbu armor equipped
all weapons equipped

[BLKND]

標識

It would only take a few steps for him to feel the brush of the breeze touch the back of his neck. It wasn't anything colder than what Kumogakure was typically like in the fall, but it was still different than what he was expecting having come down so close to the floor of the village... if he was even still there. The endless shades of green and white would be offset by a vast, black background. Holding his chin to his chest, his mask would begin to catch the cold of his surroundings as he could feel the invasive temperature begin to corrode what feeling he had left in his toes. He had to grow more active. To remedy his cold, his trot to this massive shrine would grow into a sprint, as he would cling to what little heat his body had retained. His fingers clung to the blade at his fingertips, and he would constantly dart his eyes around in search of a potential trap. His enemies had appeared out of no where before- he wouldn't put it past them to appear in such a manner again- then again- he hadn't seen them since he had entered this place with his team mates... which seemed like such a long time ago. No- it couldn't have been more than five minutes ago. He had entered the cave alone aft- no... he was with someone.

His sprint wouldn't cease, and as he would strain his calves, pushing him onward, it would be as if the place in which he desired would slip further and further away from him. Soon enough he would stop, breathing heavily as he looked around him for any sign of progress- the trees were moving, he was sure of it. He would glance around him, ensuring that they were not the same. His sides had differed... but not very noticeably. It was only until he would turn around completely that he would understand what was truly going on. Turning on his heel to ensure that the door was still present, he would find no paper door, no evidence of his footprints. Instead, he would find the shrine, closer than ever, looming over him in a dark, wet stone- waiting for him to enter. However- it was not alone. On its doorstep would stand what appeared to be a man. His arms crossed, and his face covered, he would loom ominously over the ANBU, his lack of movement indicating just how sinister this situation had become. Leggings that would reach to his ankles, a sash that tied his short black kimono to his well framed body, and sleeves that- if to let hang- would reach to his knees. He was adorned in black. The only thing that would represent any other part of the shading spectrum, including his hair, would be the bright red mask that would cover his assumed tan face. He looked young- as young as Heihachi at least- though his mask would offset that notion.

Riddled with design, it would hold no definitive curves, only two holes for the man's bright red eyes to peer through- which would blend with the mask that covered the rest of his face. Painted in a sloppy kanji would be the symbol for man, 'jin.' Half turned to him, Heihachi would hesitate to move. The intentions of his enigma remained unclear, but one thing was for certain- he was not part of the objective, and he appeared to be blocking the only entrance into this shrine.

"What is your business here?" The deep, booming voice of the man would echo.

Heihachi would flinch with the volume of the man. He didn't shout- but for some reason he spoke so clearly. Turning to face him completely, the man would do the same, his arms dropping to his sides as it would become clear that the two would soon be combating each other. Heihachi's hands would both grasp the handle of his weapon. He had regained his breath, and was ready for battle. His head would lower and he would respond in a dry tone, taking in a breath as he did so.

"I'm not at liberty to say. What is in that shrine?" Heihachi would retort, gripping his handle that much tighter.

"I'm not at liberty to say." The man would comment, clearly being snide behind the bright red mask. His eyes revealed his humor.

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anbu armor equipped
all weapons equipped

[BLKND]

標識

Within an instant, the chokuto would be hurdling through the air- it didn't really matter however. The man's own weapon would reveal itself from beneath his massive black sleeve. A curved knife would reach from the shadows of his garment as the steel on steel would produce a bright flash of sparks that would scatter in an instant to his left. The man's arm would come full circle as his legs would carry him down the stairs- Heihachi's doing the opposite. From his own arm a tanto would emerge from its holster, clashing to meet the man's knife- knocking them both backwards from the sheer force of each other's advance. Only one of them would stand their ground- as Heihachi would fly backwards from the middle of the staircase. His body would flip quickly through the air as he would land roughly against the snow, a shower of condensed water flying up into a cloud as he would reach to the ground with his free hand. The masked opponent was in hot pursuit. Leaping backwards once more, the red-masked man would land exactly where Heihachi had landed, only to attempt to shoot him out of the air. Heihachi's back would hit one of the many bamboo trees littering the area before using it as a stepping stool to launch himself further into the air, his tanto soaring through the sky in an attempt to distract his enemy. There was no luck. Quickly sidestepping the attack, the man was once more on a mission to reroute the ANBU from recovering. This time, he was too slow. As Heihachi's hands would finish their final seal. His body would once more land hard against the snow, the screen uplifting as it would sprinkle against his bare arms. However, as he and the red-eyed man would meet gazes one more time, it would be completely unsettling to see the powerful cobblestone wall come erupting from the earth, thrusting the man backwards in an attempt not to be crushed by the sheer impending mass of the creation. It would blossom forward, uprooting a number of trees, and creating a solid barrier between both enemies- with Heihachi on the appropriate side. He would turn around to see the Shrine just a few meters away, and launch himself towards it in an attempt to free himself from this place.

His feet would actually carry him this time. However- he hadn't noticed it. As he would reach the foot of the stairs... the unsettling feeling- the presence of something that he had done before. It hit him like a brick wall. His head would jolt up, and his eyes would meet those of the man in the red mask. They would stare at each other for what felt like decades before Heihachi would get the notion to look behind him. Turning to face what he knew had to be his wall... he would find nothing but an endless forest, in perfect, mind condition. His footsteps? They had been covered by what he now noticed to be snow falling from these ominous clouds. Instantly enraged, he would turn to face the man again, his fist slamming against the old wooden railing that would lead up to the shrine doors.

"What is this!?" He would shout, demanding an answer from this cross-armed opponent.

"This is life- Heihachi-kun." The man would begin to say, his arms unfolding, and his feet slowly leading him down the long flight of stone stairs. "The constant ebb and flow of conditions that you have no control over, that is life as well. What you see here, in this place- that is what you know not to be true, right?"

Heihachi would not answer.

"Every time that you take a step forward, you realize that all you had to do was take a step backwards. Every time that you called for the embrace of a loved one, you realize that all you had to do was wait for them to call you, instead. There was nothing you could have done to save him- Heihachi. You understand that now- don't you?" The man would say, his voice growing louder and louder with every step he took down the staircase.

He would continue to speak- his breath emitting the heat of a human being against the cold, now breezy weather.

"Now that I've answered that question... I'm sure that you're wondering who it is that I am." He would begin, Heihachi still refusing to respond. "I am inevitability. I am the thing that reminds you that there is nothing that you can do to stop life. However, you know me to be an inadequate production of your own subconscious, right? In other words- I am a fallacy. You are here now to prove that not only to yourself, but to the four people waiting to see if you'll ever return."

The man had mentioned Heihachi's team. The very team that he had started with, and that he promised to finish with. This mission was molding him- it was controlling him in more ways than he wanted to admit. Struggling to take hold of the situation, he would look down at his fingertips, and find that his chokuto had somehow returned. He would look up at the man who was a foot from his face, now standing at the top of the stairs, his arms folded. He knew what had to be done- and that this was the only way to do it. Taking a massive breath, he would take a step backwards from the shrine, and plant his sword into the earth at his side. He only hoped he was making the right decision.

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anbu armor equipped
all weapons equipped

[BLKND]

標識

His hands would instantly meet at his chest to form a quick myriad of seals. It would take a literal instant. As the man stood in front of him would watch on, the constant 'puff' of his breath from behind his mask, he would make no instant action to stop him. However, as Heihachi finished his combination of seals, he would thrust his arms out in front of him, exposing his palms to the fortress of stone at his front. A massive light would overpower the forest, the man in the mask instantly vanishing from the entrance of the shrine. Leaping behind Heihachi, he would land sloppily somewhere in the forest, the snow causing him to lose proper footing. The scroll on Heihachi's back would instantly open behind him, spreading out an incredible amount behind him before instantly gathering a massive array of script. Removing his scroll from his back, he would pick up the sword at his side. Turning slowly, he would grasp the handle with both of his hands as he would stand to face the man that had caused him such anguish. Instantly the image of Eiichiro's killer would gain this man's face. He hadn't seen the killers, but he had felt him. This man, while finding no similarity to them whatsoever would be the next best thing. However, as the man would stand himself, it would become clear that he himself would find a massive amount of animosity towards this ANBU. The two masked men would stare at each other for a few moments, and then quickly they would erupt in a fit of emotion. However, instead of breaking down, or exploding, they would simply begin their battle; a battle that held everything on the line. What caused this man to hate Heihachi? There was no way for him to know- not that he cared anyway. This man embodied everything that Heihachi hated. This was the life of a soldier with no morals, no compassion. He couldn't stand to be in the same area as a man with such conviction. It was all unreal- his feelings, his location, his enemy even. He didn't care. He was going to rip this man apart, piece by piece.

The two would meet after running a good two meters each. The man would swing first, his curved knife reaching out to Heihachi's exposed neck with little more than a flinch of revelation. Heihachi had come to expect this however- death blows being the best way to end a battle before it began. Ducking beneath the man's swing, he would continue to run past him, his knees sliding against the snow as he would yank out the man's legs with the blade of his sword. The blow wasn't well placed. A slight knick would throw the man over his head, and he would tumble in a front roll before quickly jumping to his feet, facing where Heihachi would soon be. Leaping to his feet, the ANBU would quickly find himself gliding along one of the trees littering this forest. The man would take no time to relieve him of this higher ground, quickly raising one of his hands to his face before forming a few other seals. A sudden gust of wind would overtake the area, and a smokescreen of snow would erupt from nowhere. The snow stung against Heihachi's skin as it would easily thrust him off of the tree, and through the air. Having gained about five meters, he would find himself blown towards the man, who by then had already begun his second set of seals. There was barely time, but Heihachi would instantly throw his blade through the air, spinning wildly, the tip of the blade would easily pierce the man's heart if allowed to land. The red faced man would swing his blade through the air, once more tossing the sword away from his body. This time however, there was little to no time for him to react to the powerful placement of a rock hard fist against his face. His mask would instantly shatter from the force of the blow. His body would crumple against the ground, which too would shatter and explode into a powerful display of earth. He couldn't have survived.

The final flash of light would signify that the technique was complete. Heihachi would quickly raise his head, his eyes finalizing the proof that the shrine would be completely gone. In its place would reveal a small black gourd, its lid emitting a strange green light. Looking down at his enemy, he would find himself at yet another loss. There was no enemy, and there was no erupted ground. The smokescreen that had been created was instantly gone. In fact, the entire forest would soon be gone. He would find himself in a small throne room- similar to a room in his very own home. The gourd would rest on a pedestal. Glancing behind him, he would find the room that he had arrived in after passing the gate. The image of the four ANBU would appear as well, each returning from their perspective rooms.

"No luck. We faced some opposition- they were incapacitated." One of them would say to the other, loud enough for Heihachi to say.

"Let's get this back to the village..." He would say in reference to the gourd, noticing the etches in the floor for what appeared to be the remnants of a building... a shrine perhaps?

SPOILER: Click to show

anbu armor equipped
all weapons equipped
fuuka houin - high

[addy-hime ♥]

Nice job, Obsidian.

590 EXP & 20,000 Ryo awarded.

[/justify]