concealed turtle, (wolfy)

[KEITH]

Within the realm of the Mangekyo Sharingan, there was nothing—nothing but a thick mist that covered the ground and my feet, darkness of the night sky, and above a scarlet moon, with the tomoe of the Sharingan within it. Within this realm, we were cut off from the real world, and it was here that I could locate the Sanbi and the Kusa-nin who had combated him face to face. I could sense the Sanbi’s location, and that it would have been running low on chakra. 

Despite not doing much, it used up a lot of chakra trying to combat the effects that the Mangekyo Sharingan had upon it. I then ventured through the mist toward the Sanbi’s location, not too far from him would be the shinobi who had also been taken into this world along with him. I could tell that he was still alive as he had lain upon the mist, I could still feel chakra pumping through his system. My eyes shifted over toward the Sanbi, managing to open his left eye once again, despite being so physically drained. 

From within me, the Yonbi had wanted to take control to speak to the Sanbi, and being as generous as I was, I allowed it.

“ISOBU, DON’T TELL ME YOU CARE FOR THIS WEAKLING! SURELY I MUST BE MISTAKEN THAT LOOK IN YOUR EYES!”

The Yonbi’s eyes were reflected through my own, signaling that he had been in control of me at the moment. By voice was deep and powerful, but nowhere near as strong as the Yonbi’s. My eyes would move back toward the shinobi, watching as he would slowly begin to rise up to his feet. The Sanbi had decided to remain quiet, and instead watch to make sure the shinobi was okay.

[X-Ray]

Blackness was all that swirled within his mind scape as he laid within the realm of the Mangekyou Sharingan. He slowly started to gain his control hearing the rippling of water, as if waves were crashing next to him. Though they faded as Kain lifted himself onto his elbows panting low and quiet as he felt the hard black ground under him. This must be the realm he had been pulled into by that Kataki member. Though the sudden roar of a strong voice made Kain jump as he sprung to his feet activating his Byakugan, he saw everything before he had even completely faced them.

The Three-Tails laid close to him unmoving but its eye watched him and Kain thought he saw worry in it. The other being a single man though his body was filled with tentacle-like spans, the sight made Kain recoil a bit as he looked him over. The flowing dark hair and somewhat menacing expression put Kain on guard, since Kain had been wrapped up with Isobu during the battle he hadn't caught this man entering the fray and held no animosity to him. "I don't mean to be rude but who are you?"

Kain moved over to Isobu while keeping his gaze on the man, he wouldn't assume that he should fight or that this man wouldn't be familiar with his own techniques. As Kain stood before Isobu he made sure to leave enough room between him and the man that he wouldn't be within Kain's trigrams and thus wouldn't be perceived as a threat. With that he would hold out his fist for a bump in a quiet show of respect, Kain hoped that he wouldn't take it as an offensive gesture. "I am Kain of Kusagakure, nice to meet you, though I wish it'd be on different circumstances then these."

With a quiet tug to see if he still had the mental connection his gaze would focus behind him on the giant turtle. 'Isobu, are you okay?'

[KEITH]

The three-tailed turtle, Isobu, had decided to ignore the statement that the four-tailed ape, Son Gokū, had made. Of course, it had annoyed the four-tailed ape a bit, but only a little bit, he knew just what type of creature the three-tailed turtle was. He did grow up with him after all, so knowing each other’s personality was just something he had already known, and more than likely knew he wasn’t going to get a response. Once the Kusa-nin had decided to rise up, the eyes of the four-tailed ape had sat upon him as he questioned who he was. 

Before the four-tailed ape could respond, I had taken back control of my body, and my eyes would revert back to their normal appearance; with my hues being chocolate in color (pupil-less), and the sclera being the darkness shade of black. They stared deeply into the young boy, as if my eyes had been piercing through his very being. It seemed as the three-tailed turtle had taken a liking to the boy, did this mean he was meant to become the next Jinchuuriki?

It was an interesting thought; he would surely be the youngest and the weakest out of all of us. Once he introduced himself, stating that he wished we met under different circumstances, but what was wrong with the current one? These youngsters’ nowadays didn’t know what was neither good nor bad. Everything happened for a reason, but surely he would soon realize this truth.

“Well, well another shinobi from Kusagakure . . . I surely have ran into a number of you recently, I wonder what this means. Regardless, I am Yokumaru, Gashira Shinobi of Kirigakure. And, trust me; there is no better way to meet a person than in a time like this. Especially when one is making a new friend.”

My eyes had cut back over to the three-tailed turtle, before shifting back to the boy. Looking back into his soul once more, I could feel that the three-tailed turtle wanted to be the boy’s friend, how cute. But, I wondered if the turtle had sensed me out on the battlefield early, and if it thought I had appeared to help him out. If so, then the three-tailed turtle was surely a foolish creature.

[X-Ray]

The resolute quiet made him a little rigid as the turtle didn't answer Kain, soon the eyes of the man shifted from a flaming orange to a deep brown set into a pool of black, the opposite of his own pale blue and white eyes. His gaze held resolute as the man's dark eyes pierced him but he'd let it go through like a stone through water, not letting the gaze effect him. The man then seemed a little amused at what he said like it was an old inside joke between friends, like a someone you knew tried to Kawarimi with a clone 12 meters away.

The man then mused about his recent introduction to many Kusagakure shinobi lately and wondered if it meant something greater. Next he introduced himself as Yokumaru, a Gashira of Kirigakure, the title caught him a little off guard, he hadn't met a Gashira even within Kusagakure. Yoku then told him that there was no better time to meet a new person especially when in need of a friend, those words may have caught him more off guard then his title. "Oh. Well I guess you're right Yoku, better than being stuck alone."

He offered a light smile dropping his fist that he had held up to Yoku, his stance relaxed a little though his Byakugan would stay active. Kain noticed the shift in the man's gaze drawn to Isobu behind him, his posture shifted a little his right side moving forward slightly noting the 8 meter distance. Though he had watched the man's outer appearance he couldn't help but inquire about his internal systems. "Not to be rude and I hope you don't mind me asking but, what's up with your chakra? I can see what looks like 5 hearts within you and slithering... cord? inside your body. I know nothing is impossible in this world but I haven't seen that before."

[KEITH]

The young Hyūga was a curious one, and an especially cautious one, keeping his Byakugan activated. Though, he did seem to ease up a bit when he had seen that I possessed no ill-will toward him, nor did I try to do anything. But, I wondered if I should be suspicious of him. He did try to get closer to me, as if the distance between us before wasn’t enough. 

As he had gotten closer, he wondered about what his Byakugan had picked up on the inside of me. Not many people had known about this legendary Kinjutsu, known as Jiongu, nor the adverse effects it had played upon my mental state. Some think that it had brought me down this dark and malicious path I am on now, heightening my greed for revenge and hatred. I myself only had seen it as something which had made me elated, and comfortable with my position in the world.

I didn’t care if it was my role to play the bad guy in the world, if it was my destiny, I would accept it with open arms. I was a head strong kind of man, and I didn’t complain about the bad things that had fell into my lap, I only adapted how I needed to. I did in order to survive, and that’s how I lived to be forty-five, not many shinobi alive or dead has ever made it  to my age.

“I have six kinds of chakra flowing through my body, though, only one of them is native to this body. The black tendrils that you see help me regulate the chakra, it is known as a Kinjutsu called Jiongu. Well, at least that helps me deal with the five chakras; the sixth chakra that flows within me belongs to Son Gokū, the four-tailed ape. I am his Jinchuuriki—like how you will soon be the Jinchuuriki of Isobu.”

With the power of the four-tailed ape, I used the speed he had granted me to move pass the young Hyūga and to the three-tailed turtle. I then raised and placed a hand upon the jaw of the turtle, the four-tailed ape had sent a telepathic message to him. My own sight would be sat back upon the boy, as I was now within a meter of the turtle.

“Well, let me know when you are ready, and we can begin the sealing, Kain-san.”

[X-Ray]

As Kain listened to Yokumaru's explanation of what he held within him he slowly grew to grasp the functionality of the kinjutsu in his mind. The threads acted as an integrated chakra and capillary system that allowed the chakra to be funneled through the body from the four sources like the flow from his own heart. However his next words caught him off guard, he was the new jinchuuriki of Son Goku, the Four-Tailed Ape, though this was surprising for he had never gotten to meet a jinchuuriki face to face before having only heard stories. What he followed that up with was even more surprising, Kain himself would be the jinchuuriki for Isobu.

The news shook Kain to his core, this is what he had wanted for the longest time, his eternal companion. That news was what caught him off his game as the Byakugan caught the man's surging movement, however fast Kain was, he couldn't get into position for the Gentle Fist before Yoku was already behind him at Isobu. Kain's Byakugan caught the trail of crimson bubbles following Yoku signalling his brief use of the 'Demon Cloak'. Moving out of stance and turning to look at Yokumaru and the massive Turtle he'd lightly smile while the veins around his eyes relaxed and his vision returned to normal.

Yoku seemed very lax about everything as he touched the spiked jaw of the beast. While they had their unspoken communication Kain glanced around at the dead landscape, the crimson moon hung in the air... with the tomoe of the Sharingan on it... 'Right, that guy got me in his jutsu...'. Yoku's words then broke Kain from his thoughts looking back at him, he told Kain that whenever he was ready to they would begin the sealing process. Feeling a tad giddy about obtaining his Tailed Beast he nodded and stepped forward to his side. "No time like the present right?"

[KEITH]

With the young Hyūga’s reply, I knew it was time to begin, and with it I delivered a smirk to the young boy. The three-tailed turtle was low on chakra, but not low enough to enter into its raw chakra form, the state in which I had found the four-tailed ape. This meant that I would have to take him to that stage, which I was more than pleased to do. Chakra erupted from my very being; a flaming crimson aura of chakra had engulfed me, with multiple symbols appearing upon my being.

“To begin this process, Isobu will have to be taken to a lesser state of being than what he is right now. It might cause him a little bit of pain, but it will end immediately once he enters the appropriate state. Then, all you have to do is come and put your hands upon him to obtain him.”

With that said, chakra had rushed from me to the hand that was placed upon the three-tailed turtle; I was channeling my corrosive chakra to him, putting him in great pain, though despite him suffering, he took it. It seemed that the three-tailed turtle was strong after all; no other Bijuu would have been able to take this sort of thing but him. It was in this moment he had received acknowledgement from both me and the Yonbi. Within moments, a teal aura erupted from the turtle, creating a deep, bubbling aura.

The turtle itself had become noticeable smaller as it was within this semi-dormant state, waiting for his new host to come in contact with him. Removing my hand from the turtle, I looked over toward the boy once more, and gestured for him to come on over.

[X-Ray]

Once he had spoken his piece, Yokumaru would erupt in a blazing red cloak of chakra coating his body while black marks ran through it along his arms and body. He told Kain that Isobu needed to be within its pure chakra state to be sealed and though it would be painful it would end once he entered his chakra state and then Kain cold claim it. The thought of the pain made Kain wince inwardly but he accepted as it would end quickly and Isobu would be in relieved.

Yoku then sent his chakra into Isobu making it cringe and Kain could swear he felt a cry within his mind from the huge turtle. Kain could sense the raw power emanating from Yoku's chakra and found a deeper respect for the beast as it took that powerful chakra with much more endurance then possibly anything else in this world. Soon an aqua blue cloak of chakra would burst from Isobu covering him before the form became a simple silhouette of the monstrous beast he previously was.

The Yonbi Jinchuuriki then stepped back and with a simple gesture motioned Kain over to the now chibi-fied Isobu drawing a small smile across his face. Now remembering what Yoku had told him, he would reach out touching the turtle's still incredibly durable carapace while pooling some of his chakra down to the Three-Tails to try and connect it with his own.

[KEITH]

Once the Hyūga would have placed his hands upon the three-tailed turtle’s raw chakra aura, the process of him becoming a Jinchūriki would begin. His process was similar to mind, meaning that he would have no real seal upon his body, like other Jinchūriki who had gotten their Bijū forcefully sealed within him. Just like me, he was chosen by the Bijū themselves, because we are the ones that they wanted—but this did not mean that one would automatically be the perfect host for the Bijū.

There was a lot of training the new Jinchūriki was going to have to go through for that, I myself took at least two years to become the perfect host for Son Gokū, the four-tailed ape. The light of the three-tailed turtle had illuminated the entire dimension, and Isobu would have slowly sealed himself away inside of the Hyūga. He would be able to feel his own stamina and chakra increase, any damage or whatever he had previously felt would feel like it never happened.

Slowly the light would dim and fade away (leaving the mark ‘磯撫’ anywhere you desire upon your body), revealing the young boy within the chakra cloak of the three-tailed turtle. I smirked at him as I seen the boy now taking upon his new powers, along with a new role in his life that he wasn’t entirely aware of just yet. Still within my four-tailed ape chakra mode, the difference between the both of our transformations had been apparent.

“So, how does it feel, young one?”

[X-Ray]

Once the chakra connection was made Isobu would vanish into Kain's body forming the seal within him. The surge of power was overwhelming as the teal aura grew bright enough to illuminate the black ground like cobalt while he felt his chakra system flow with Isobu's will buffering Kain's own reserves. Though the sheer amount of power overflowed from Kain's body coating him in a bubbling teal aura of chakra taking the form of the turtle.

The aquatic aura would spread along his body coating his arms and back in a thick layer of chakra while the top of his back would extend the aura up into curling horn-like protrusions. Next the aura around his face would sprout a helm of horn and to complete the form would be three broad tails uncurling from the cloak before floating freely. The new aura felt invigorating, and he felt so much stronger then he had before and any fatigue or injury he had earlier was repaired to his previous state.

Though the aura quickly dissipated into nothing but aquatic bubbles flitting into the air as he felt a faint searing on his upper left arm. As he lifted the short sleeve of his shirt and jacket he found the kanji for Isobu branded into his skin. Yoku then would ask him how he felt now, and Kain pondered before answering.

"It feels right."

[KEITH]

“Oh, is that right? Well, you should know that great power doesn’t come without responsibilities.”

I said to the new young Jinchūriki, and it was the truth. But, it didn’t mean that he had to own up to them, most people in the world didn’t. Though, the people that didn’t usually turned out to be the bad people with corrupted hearts. Does the new Jinchūriki have a corrupted heart? Only time could tell one the answer.

“One of those responsibilities is being able to properly take care of yourself. We don’t exactly know your level of skill, but we will surely find out soon. Until then, we need you to remain safe for a while, at least until you prove to us you can handle yourself—we don’t need you going out into the world and dying.”

I had spoken in a playful tone to the boy, though the matter I had been talking about was a very serious one. For this boy to be useful to me, and Kataki, he would need to become a formidable shinobi, and I was the right person to push him to become one. Under my wing, this boy could be one of the most powerful shinobi, wielding the three-tailed turtle with the strongest defense of all the Bijū. Though, before that was to happen, I needed to inform him about the rest he needed to know.

“One of your other responsibilities will be to keep everything you know and will eventually learn about me, and probably Kataki needs to stay a secret. We want you to even keep it a secret about you possessing Isobu for as long as possible. Now, I am done with your responsibilities, but as I told you, you are to remain here for a while, so I can make sure your abilities are where they need to be. Any rejections?”

I smirked at the boy with my final question.

[X-Ray]

As his new partner settled within him Yoku told Kain that 'with great power came great responsibility' and those words made Kain turn to look at him. Kain had what he had always desired, his eternal companion that could never leave him behind. Though he didn't expect there to be strings attached, it's not like he sighed a deal with the devil for Isobu. He then said his ability to take care of himself and skill level would need to be assessed before he could leave, in not so kind words.

“You make it sound like I'm little more than a glass cannon you don't want to have broken before it's tempered.” His gaze slowly narrowed as he watched Yoku now becoming a bit wary. His tone was light and floaty though his intent was clear and sharp. He then said that his next responsibility was to keep everything about Yoku and Kataki secret, including his state as a jinchuuriki. He then asked if he had any objections to what he had stated. “Keeping quiet about you and whoever this Kataki guy is fine I don't mind that, but I don't see why Isobu should be kept a secret and I also don't plan to be anyone's lap dog, I also don't see any benefit in it for me.”

[KEITH]

“Why do you need to go off telling people you are the Isobu Jinchūriki? Do you think it is just some reward you got for being able to hold your own? No. The only reason you have Isobu within is because I chose you on a whim. I can easily remove him from you.”

It must’ve looked like I had fish hooks in my mouth, peeling my mouth wide open, as I had given the young boy my famous, wicked smirk. Some say that the devil hoped into me for a brief moment in order for me to do this. I moved closer to him (with the first stepped I would enter four-tailed ape 1st cloak forme), did the boy really think he had been in any position to oppose me? Honestly, if only he had known who he was dealing with.

The scarlet aura of the apes’ would slowly change as I continued to advance him until I was a meter away, and by the time I was within a meter of him, my cloak would have disappeared. Something else had released its form; it was a tail that had been protruding from my backside, the tail of the four-tailed ape. I was ready to be a little forceful if the new Jinchūriki wouldn’t comply with what I wanted.

“I see, so you want to do this the hard way . . . Fine with me.”

[X-Ray]

"NO I don't think Isobu is just a reward, he's MY PARTNER! I don't see why I should have to hide him from my teammates." Kain's eyes narrowed while the Byakugan activated, Kain quickly took his stance as Yoku stepped forward. 'Some friend, gave me a turtle and now he wants me to be his tool.' He then warned Kain that he chose him to be the Jinchuuriki out of a whim and could just as easily remove him, this brought a dual shudder of anger and fear from both Kain and Isobu. However that fear quickly was flooded away as he watched Yoku's lips split into a Glasgow sneer and then step forward as a crimson cloak burst forth enveloping him in the bubbling aura.

A sense of uncertainty fell over Kain as he saw the malevolent chakra and couldn't help but feel somewhat out-powered in comparison but a ripple came from within reminding him he too had a similar strength now to call on. Though the aura could be a challenge, Kain knew nothing of the defensive capabilities offered by the cloak or if they even differed. As Yoku came to stand within one single meter the cloak peeled back from around him form and solidifying into a single true tail that belonged to the Flaming Ape himself, Son Goku.

The darkness didn't just come from the chakra anymore he felt it coming from Yoku himself, 'So all of that friend stuff was an act'. Another ripple came from within him this time more of a reaction as he mentally clung to Isobu while the resulting waves were anger for the very reason Kain craved a Tailed Beast. As Yoku said his piece about Kain choosing the hard way, he would move and strike just as he finished. Starting with Jyuken, Kain would move forward crossing the minimal distance effortlessly while his ring and pinky fingers curled against his palms and his middle and index fingers remained outstretched. In mid-strike Kain tapped into Isobu's power creating the crimson turtle-like aura while making his Byakugan flash into crimson pools. With the added power he hoped to be able to level the playing field if only a little while his first two strikes were aimed at the shoulder joints and the Tenketsu within.

Should those land Kain would quickly follow in a blindingly fast flurry striking many more of Yoku's Tenketsu while keeping track in his head, 'TWO' the next two aimed at two of the intersecting Tenketsu connecting his foreign chakra sources to his own, 'FOUR', the following four would repeat this pattern cutting off two more of his sources, 'EIGHT', the concurrent eight strikes would serve to disconnect the remaining foreign sources and his original source, 'SIXTEEN', more strikes followed around Yoku's core, Kain no able to distinguish Son's chakra from Yoku's due to the similarity to Isobu's own chakra, 'THIRTY-TWO', countless more strikes would pinpoint and negate the chakra flow along his chest, shoulders, arms, and hands rendering seals useless, 'SIXTY-FOUR' with the final flurry of strikes he would strike along Yoku's abdomen, hips, legs, and feet disabling the last of his Tenketsu and leaving Yoku completely paralyzed for a long stretch of time, 'EIGHT TRIGRAMS: ONE-HUNDRED, TWENTY-EIGHT PALMS!'.

Once the technique was finished Kain would dig in his right heel before before pooling chakra within his right hand. The Tailed Beast chakra would be pulled towards the sphere forming a spherical outline around his hand and palm. It was now or never chances are he wouldn't get a better chance than right now he had to finish this, though... he would have no clue where to go from here...

SPOILER: Click to show

Used: Activated Isobu Stage 1 Cloak, performed 128 palms, prep

Form 1 This transformation centers around the Jinchuuriki surrounding themselves with a fiery orange coat of chakra. This occurs when the Jinchuuriki begins to tap into a direct supply of volatile chakra that the Bijuu provides its user; it is incredibly dangerous in the sense that this chakra is as alluring as it is addicting, which can lead to the Bijuu overwhelming the user. This form grants the user increased feats of endurance (this form moderately dampens techniques that would otherwise be fatal into much more sustainable damage) and strength (comparable to the 3rd gate in respect to strength only). Entering this state also gives the Jinchuuriki access to the Sanbi's free-form water control, awarding him\her mastery over water itself, as well as further enhancing his or her chakra reserves.

Without proper training, Form 1 lasts for a total of three turns and is the equivalent of using two High-cost jutsus. At the end of three turns, the Jinchuuriki has no choice but to progress into Form 2, as he or she loses control.

Hakke Hyakunijuuhachishou (Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms) 150
Rank: A
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m)
Type: Offensive
Handseals: -
Chakra Consumption: High

The final level of Hakke strikes involves doubling the previous 64, and like its younger brother, remains passed down only through the main family line. When an opponent is within the clan members divination field of attack, they can quickly begin their assault. As the amount of strikes is double from before once more, the Hyuuga ends up striking 254 accumulated times against their individual foe or opponents. First the clan member will strike 2 times, then 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and finally 128 times, leaving their victim paralyzed and without chakra.

Note: This technique effectively seals all of the user’s chakra natures, including the raw chakra necessary to utilize kekkei genkai. It should be noted that these strikes are carried out incredibly fast. Chances are, if you’re hit by the first two, the subsequent one hundred, twenty-six will also land. In most cases, this will be considered to be automatically true. However, we are aware that there are some situations where this simply may not be possible (the chances of it happening is very rare).

In that situation, a moderator will come in to judge the situation accordingly. Presuming the technique does not finish, but the target was hit enough times for the damage to be substantial, they victim will be limited to c-rank jutsu and below for the remaining duration of the thread.

[KEITH]

I didn’t care for anything the young Jinchūriki had to say to me, I wanted to do nothing more than to show him that he didn’t know who he was dealing with. Already knowing he was a Hyūga due to the Byakugan I had seen before, I knew what he might quite possibly be capable of. The Jūken techniques were very dangerous, at least for the run of the mill shinobi, I was more than exceptional and talented.

I could feel the negative emotions rising within him ready to come out, he was prepared to make the first move, and I couldn’t help but get excited. I wanted him to lose himself in his rage and anger, I wanted him to attack me with the intent of killing me, this was the only way I could truly see what he had to offer. And, so he attacked, using one of the more famous Jūken techniques, if not the most famous; his strike was incredibly fast, no normal man would have dared to get this close to a Hyūga.

Unfortunately for him, though his eyes were able to keep up with my speed, his body wouldn’t be able to do so, I was faster than his body was even able to keep up with. As he would have extended his fingers toward my shoulders, I was able rise my left foot, with a slight bend to it, and extended it outwardly toward the torso of the Hyūga, performing a side kick before he would have even reached me. I was also more powerful than him, by leaps and bounds; the kick had been so powerful that it could send him back ten meters.

Luckily for him, though, the cloak was able to protect him, so he wouldn’t receive any real damage. Slowly, my skin would begin to take on a new layer, becoming like molten rock and getting hotter by the second. If I couldn’t hurt him with normal physical attacks, then maybe it was time to put some after-effects behind it.

“Time for the fun and games to begin, Kain-kun.”

---

Form 1 This transformation centers around the Jinchuuriki surrounding themselves with a fiery orange coat of chakra. This occurs when the Jinchuuriki begins to tap into a direct supply of volatile chakra that the Bijuu provides its user; it is incredibly dangerous in the sense that this chakra is as alluring as it is addicting, which can lead to the Bijuu overwhelming the user. This form grants the user increased feats of speed on par with the 4th gate (5th gate in respect to strength only). Entering this state also gives the Jinchuuriki access to the Yonbi's molten lava, awarding him or her mastery over lava itself, as well as further enhancing his or her chakra reserves.

Perfect Host After attaining the rank of Jounin, Form 1 lasts a total of three turns and is the equivalent of using two High-cost jutsus. As a Perfect Host, the user is capable of increasing the potency of their chakra cloak, literally coating themselves in a second-skin-like layer of molten lava (also known as the "lava cloak"), which is capable of dealing severe damage to anything that it comes into contact with (this cloak can melt steel). However, at the end of three turns, the Jinchuuriki may choose to end the transformation, extend it an additional three turns, or progress into form two. Extending or transforming further equates to the usage of a Massive-cost jutsu, and after doing so, the Jinchuuriki can no longer utilize the Bijuu for the remainder of combat.