of the hour.

[BLKND]

Two black sandals planted themselves firmly against the massive, aged limestone which would construct the powerful structure. It stood alone, surrounded by emptiness. Even more, it was sprayed with a constant aridity that this desert would companion. The cool shadows of the sunset would dance within every crevice in the area. It almost appeared gold, this structure; as well as the many structures which surrounded it. What now looked like ruined pieces of rubble- nonsensical compilations of stone and effort was once an image of power. A mystery to this desert, only history was aware of what once stood here, and whom might have inhabited this area. However, now what stood here was a massive stone cylinder, likely hollow, surrounded by large, lesser structures that mirrored its image. It was the last one standing, and beneath it lay the intricate stone floor that would span for nearly seventy meters, slightly polluted by the sand that would have shifted during the middle of the day. However, at the moment there was a silence that the wind could not fade. It seemed like the perfect location- shrouded in absolute serenity as the orange and gold hue would cover the landscape, and the endless dunes in the horizon.

Now however, the gold would surround this man's neck. Thick rope chains and a black hooded jacket would cover a thin white vest, while scrunched up sleeves would expose his dark bronze skin as they covered the lower portion of his thorax. Sagged pants and a slightly exposed midriff would further define his muscle, however, it wasn't until one laid eyes on his face that things became clear. A bright red mask, with dark, hollow eyes would rest upon this mans face, just above the bridge of an exceedingly long red nose. The face of a monster, really, but who was to say that the face beneath it was any different?

// THREAD -- OF THE HOUR.
// OOC -- Chillin in the desert in some ruins.
//JUTSU -- n/a.

[Messatsu!]

Finally, after so many years Masuyo finally found himself a place to call home. Situated inside an abandoned mansion within Sunagakure's thriving city, Masuyo finally had the luxury of sleeping in a warm bed with a soft pillow, waking up without an aching back caused by hard floors and jagged rocks. As picture-perfect as his house may have seemed, he needed to leave it momentarily in order to seek out guidance from his elder, Namyeol. Nevertheless, Masuyo made his way to what he thought had been a discreet location. After sometime, the sand itself seemed to momentarily end, replaced by a hard, stone floor with a long, hollow cylinder 15 meters north-east of his position that reached heavenwards. Suddenly, small winds began to pick up, blowing and shoving minuscule grains of sand in the Sennin's face, annoyingly so.

Reflexively, his right hand raised up and shielded his eyes while leaving enough room to see anything in frontal field of vision. For a moment he believed that his eyes were mistaken, believing to have seen a lone man standing out there, alone. Curious, yet cautious, a few controlled steps eased him just within 10 meters of the man's righter most flank. Speaking loudly so that his voice would have pierced the sound of passing winds, he addressed the man, hoping to gain his attention.

"Hey! Heeey! what are you doing all alone out here?Lost maybe?"

SPOILER: Click to show

In term of positions, you and I (plus the cyliner act at three points to a triangle with you and I parallel.

[Shinryu]

'Tch... Fucking perfect...'

His solitude was disturbed. Not that many would understand per-se why exactly Ryuuji preferred to be alone, but simply put, he enjoyed keeping to himself. It gave him time to think without all those other fleshbags around, butting into his business and bothering him with their pathetic problems. He heaved an inward sigh as he heard the voice approaching. No one would have noticed him, immaterial as he was, laying amongst the dunes of sand. It was far more likely that there were two somebodies nearby, and that irked him, because if someone else HAD shown up, he should've known about it. Then again, at least the other one was quiet, or had been so far. The sunagami made note that his first visitor must have been skilled to sneak up like that.

Letting himself take form, he slowly started to emerge from the sand within the ruin, or so it would appear. In fact, he WAS the sand within the ruin, or at least a good part of it. Making sure a fascimilie Sunagakure headband was visible around his rapidly forming arm, he stood, and curtly addressed the two who had decided to invade his privacy.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a regular crowd here... Don't mean to surprise you folks, but uh, I kinda appreciate the quiet, so if you could keep it down maybe there, buddy?"

It was said with a slight sneer, and a grimace. He did hold distaste for the meatbaloons. However, he wasn't stupid. He could tell that the one nearest him wasn't anyone he recognized. That red painted mask, however he did recognize. It signified ANBU, and that meant he could be in significant trouble if things got out of hand.

"Anyways, I dunno what business you two have, but I ain't lookin' for no fights. You, with the mask, you're quiet. I like that. I'm just here to chill out, so if everything's cool with you, I'd like to continue doing so."

Ryuuji backed against the pillar and propped up a leg, leaning against it and reaching for his pocket, pulling out the only material item he kept on him. It wasn't much to speak of, and he really didn't get the same kick out of them as the blooded folk, but it still looked cool, and as he brought the cigarette to his lips and lit it, he thought that honestly, the less threatening he looked right now, the better.

SPOILER: Click to show

Yeah, I'm essentially the third part of the triangle now. Facing you, Obs.

[BLKND]

It was hard to make out, but it didn't take very long at all to notice it. An image would approach him steadily, perhaps a mirage constructed by this awful desert. The hood which covered his head, and the mask which covered his face didn't really hinder his vision; instead perhaps it was the sun, or even still the power of the sun in the form of its heat. There was no clear answer, and he didn't really care to attempt to find one. Instead, he would quickly partake in the conversation that was presented to him. As a ninja of Kumogakure, there were a number of people that would easily take their time in an attempt to defeat Ibaru, however with this disguise, it would be a bit more difficult to take heed to his identity. Then again, one could never be too careful. A chuckle would escape the boisterous gullet of the young masked man. Unmoved, he would think about the best way to really answer the question proposed to him. What would result, was a sultry, less than complimentary response, riddle with an undertone of malice and thuggishness.

"Was' gud Joe." He would respond loudly enough to be heard in this vacant circumstance that they both stood in. His arms remained crossed, and his chains glimmered as the sun beamed intently against them. However, as he spoke his second sentence, he would turn to the left, as if checking for the possibility of an ambush. "Fa real, I could ask you the same thang tho'. You know dis' a desert right?" He would say with a grin, turning back to look at the man.

His voice was hollow, the result of his oddly shaped mask. The volume however was unhindered. It really was an interesting encounter. The chances of meeting a stranger in the desert were slim to none, and yet as this red headed mystery happened upon him, Ibaru had the opportunity to meet someone different... more intriguing than the lot of lizards and beetles he might have stumbled upon during his voyage out here. Having ignored the plea of the third party whom had recently revealed himself, it was no use paying attention to some one like that.

Having come from the dark dredges of the ruins, he had literally materialized to ask for quiet. It was a silly request given that as a ninja, he had the freedom to either leave, or engage in combat. Raising his hand to his mask's forehead, he would shake his head slightly while exhaling a frustrated sigh. The ninja of his generation had waned so off course that there might be no way to get them back. Having been bred within the womb of the battlefield, Ibaru knew no such thing as deserving pleas. Especially not from strangers. He didn't know either one of these men- making them potential enemies. However, with the off chance that they were docile, that didn't mean that they would remain in this state for the duration of each others company.

// THREAD -- OF THE HOUR.
// OOC -- chillin...
//JUTSU -- n/a.

[Messatsu!]

His voice seemed to have been carried across the general much louder and farther than he initially anticipated. Having alarmed not one, but two men located along the stone platform, namely the mysterious man that accumulated into a column of sand which twisted and morphed into a human being. Having never laid eyes upon such a feat, Masuyo's eyebrows raised in bewilderment. Quite impressed, a friendly chuckle escaped his mouth as his friendly and inviting eyes slide from the sand-man to the masked man that seemed to have spoken some kind of gibberish. Keenly watching the man as he turned in a leftward direction, presumably to secure his remaining flanks. Apparently satisfied with the positioning, the masked man turned back around and faced Masuyo while concurrently speaking in an unintelligible dialect. Despite that, he managed to make out the bulk of what the man attempted to ask, something about knowing the desert perhaps? Going off that alone, the Sennin spoke nervously.

"Uhm. . .knowing the desert. Hm, well, yeah somewhat, if that's what you were asking."

Feeling the heat as he spoke, Masuyo's right hand raised up towards his forehead where his fingers ran through his hair from the hairline down to the back of his neck. Looking back towards the sand-man he gave a quick response to the comments he made moments ago.

"A fight? No no, i'm not here for any of that, I'm just a simple traveler."

[Shinryu]

"Hn... Guess that's for the best. I don't really keep up on all this political claptrap, but we are still supposed to be allies and shit, aren't we? At least, that's what I last understood of it. Then again, times change..." It was stated matter-of-factly, with little tone or emotion at all. He puffed on the cigarette and twirled it nimbly between the sandy constructs that were his fingers, as he discussed the politics of the world with these two strangers. Not that he really cared much for the idle banter. Mostly he was watching the red-masked man for any sign of movement. Of course, he wouldn't trust the ginger any farther than he could throw him; which despite being a reasonable distance, still said little about how much he was willing to believe the soulless bastard was telling the truth. He paused again to take another drag, somewhat unsure as a wrinkle furrowed his brow. It was gingers who were soulless, wasn't it? He closed his eyes and shook his head, resigned that he couldn't fully recall the old wive's tale. "So I suppose this is the part where we all play nice and introduce ourselves? If so I'm fixing to say fuck this noise and bounce on out of here. Nothing personal, but I can't stand being around people. Kind of why I tend to sit around abandonded ruins all day..." He said with a hint of disdain, again bothered that he had been interrupted from his thoughts for what seemed like no good reason. He shifted one hand to the metaphysical pants pocket both to serve as a relaxed gesture, and to comfort himself out of familiar habit, as he took the last drag of his cigarette, and proceeded to flick the butt out to the dunes, before speaking once more and finishing his broken thought. "Heh... why the fuck am I even telling you this anyway? It's not like either of you care."

[BLKND]

Again, silence would be the suitable response to this newcomer's babbling. Puffing his arms out even further, a tired expression would cross his face. Despite his outward appearance, Ibaru was far from any manner of social deviance or aggression. He had grown hard and weary during his days on the battlefields. Having only been a ninja for a portion of that, he was quick to pick it up. It was, in fact, this adoption of the arts that would mold him to be such an expert at what it was that he did best: serve. The countless identities, code names, covers and allies were all compound into this tall, athletic frame. The dark brown skin of his tribe, a gathering of men and women which had gathered refuge outside of Amegakure, being a clear beacon to his ever-changing identity. He had played the pretty-boy, the quiet soldier, the spy and now the thug. It was the final in which he seemed to have found his niche.

Having taken a second to develop all which had been said to him, it had processed well into a fine beast, worthy of retaliation. He seemed to fail at communicating with the red-headed man- no doubt the fault of a sheltered life. Diversity was a waning subject in most towns and villages aside from his own. Kaze no Kuni was said to hold a few different 'types' of people; he had yet to discover them. Not being very big on repeating himself, he would move on, taking more attention to the smoking man who seemed to be carrying on a fairly interesting monologue without the input of either himself, or the sheltered red-head.

"Aye bruh, you a ninja right? I peeped dat hitai-ate on ya arm. Ya'know, you talk alot for a ninja, right? Haha." He would say in an almost mocking tone. Setting off a minor chuckle, his body would sway in his own fabricated amusement. "Nah, I'm playin'. You right do'; I don't care what'cha name is, or if you like playin' out in da desert wit'cha self." He would say with yet another chuckle, only this time without a follow up declaring that his last statement was a joke.

The sun had dropped considerably since the arrival of both of these men, which was interesting considering that nearly no time had passed. Night was on the horizon, so to speak. It wouldn't be long before the only light that would guide them would come from the heavens. Navigation would be a galactic puzzle. While none of them seemed to keen on violence, that would hopefully be the case. Then again, there was always the off chance that at least one of them would have no means of leaving his desert. There was no promise that things would remain decent. There was no way to prove it. For now, Ibaru would keep his guard up, and his hands at his chest, disguised as a simple stance.

// THREAD -- OF THE HOUR.
// OOC -- chillin...
//JUTSU -- n/a.

[Messatsu!]

After listening to every word that made its way into his eardrums, Masuyo processed his words and used those words get a feel and learn even just minuscule characteristics about the two men. Both hadn't seemed to care much for interaction, evident by the words they exchanged a second ago, however, one of the two seemed more aloof than the other, but perhaps that had been inferred from the life-less mask the former sported. Quickly, Masuyo looked towards the Sand-man and immediately formed an itch about the cylindrical structure that he leaned against.

"If you don't mind some needless prying, what exactly is in those ruins?! Don't suppose there is any forbidden treasure or heaps of gold deep down in there. "

As if he'd forgotten the masked man stood just 10 meters from his position, Masuyo drew interest in the one of the two, namely because he never did trust those who lacked enough courage to show their face, even if it'd been deformed or disfigured in someway.

[Shinryu]

His eyes rolled at the masked man's comment. Of course, with the fleshbags, it was always something carnal. Sex, food, music, something base and pointless. The dark sarcasm in his voice betrayed wisdom well beyond the years of the visage he bore as he retorted to the laughter.

"I'm not one so well equipped, nor am I possessed of the urge to bother; but I'll forgive you your ignorance. I wouldn't expect a meatsack like you to notice me for what I am, anyway."

Words could do little to describe the expression across Ryuuji's face at the time. His glare was empty; soulless, even, and almost wholly inhuman, as his taut lips and sunken eyes spelled pure and utter loathing to what they looked upon. The very fibers that composed his body quivered with anticipation, shaking almost in unison as a human might. It was another voice that cut the tension, as the ginger decided to address him again, asking about the ruin. His response was swift, half to the punk with the pale orange hair, the other half aimed directly at the masked one who stood some few meters away, whom his eyes never left for a moment.

"Dunno. Don't really give a fuck. Dumbass here with the mask thinks he's funny; And if there's one thing I hate more than you skin covered shitstains, it's idiots who think they've got a sense of humor."

His body started to change slightly, barely, but just enough to be noticable, as sand from the nearby dunes started crawling towards him. With that, his form started to change and grow, his face losing definition, and his features shifting into a morass of pale yellow-white, as more and more of him became obscured from the amount of sand filtering into his being. His voice, now deepened; magnified from his sudden change in size, spilled out across the dunes as his new form reached ten meters in height and just kept seeming to grow.

"I'll say this once. If you're dumb enough to fight here and now, you WILL die. So chill the fuck out and beat it, or let's just hurry the fuck up and get it over with. I've got better things to do than sit around and squash ants."

He was a full thirty meters by the time he finished speaking, towering over the ruins and the two who stood there. He was no longer himself, so much as an amorphous beast of sand; a crescent-shaped mouth, and two vague, glowing slits where eyes should be. At almost 100 feet tall, he stood as a mammoth over the masked man he spoke to, whom he would be not only happy to, but also would be quite easily capable of crushing to death with but a thought.

SPOILER: Click to show

Masteries - Saton - Chakra Reduction III

Sunayama no Jutsu (Essence of Sand Technique)
Rank: D, C, B, A, S
Type: Supplementary / Special Bloodline Technique / Saton Ninjutsu
Range: Self
Handseals: No.
Chakra: Mid
Special: As Sunagami deplete in Chakra and Stamina, they lose their ability to control their sand transformations, and thus begin reverting to a immobile mound of sand. When first learned, the Sunagami are protected from physical attacks by automatically losing density in the targeted area and thus becoming nothing more than a cloud of floating sand. Floating cloud form can be sustained for up to one turn, plus one more each rank above 'D' is earned before they are forced to revert to their humanoid state. All Sungami are susceptible to Suiton, Katon, Youton and Fuuton - water of ANY rank can severely interfere with the Sunagami's transformation ability, forcing extra chakra drain due to the added weight of the water; wind can quickly break up their essence when they revert to sand, making it impossible to reform; fire techniques of equal rank or higher to the user's 'Essence of Sand' rank can turn the clan member into glass, instantly killing them; the same goes for lava, except since the release is stronger, it takes lava techs one rank less than the user's highest 'Essence of Sand' jutsu in order to produce the same glassy effect.
Description: Though Sunagami take on a humanoid appearance and are in fact born as normal humans, with time their Special DNA is awakened through the extensive use of chakra, allowing them to revert to their more natural state - Sand. Though it is incorrect to say Sunagami are made of pure Sand, they are completely human either, and this technique proves it. The center behind all of their techniques, Sunayama no Jutsu allows the Sand Men the ability to properly control their innate ability to turn into sand at will, either to defend from incoming attacks, or do create Special attacks of their own.
Domain: Sunagami.


Saton Ryuuken (Sand Dominion)
Rank: D, C, B, A, S
Type: Supplementary / Saton Kekkei Touta
Handseals: No
Range: 0 - 50 meters
Chakra: Low - High
Special: Allows the user the ability to create, control and move Saton (Sand) chakra of their own for multiple purposes. Amount of sand controlled and speed at which one can control the sand particles depends on highest rank known. Additionally, highest rank also determines the density of the sand, to the point it will be immune to certain elements of lesser form - for example, a 'D' ranked water jutsu won't ruin a 'C' ranked sand creation. This applies to liquid or viscous type creations, as well as fire-based creations. Flames stronger than the sand can potentially ruin the particles by transmuting it into other material such as glass.

D: 10 meters / 2 meters per second
C: 20 meters / 4 mps
B: 30 meters / 6 mps
A: 40 meters / 8 mps
S: 50 meters / 10 mps

[/u]


Description: The basis behind the majority of Saton techniques lie in the user's ability to control the very sand around them. 'Sand Dominion' is just as its name implies, a fundamental supplementary jutsu of Saton nature that allows the user to intermingle their chakra with that of nature, harmonizing the two in order to create complete control over the sand around them. Once this link is achieved, the door is opened for greater creations to be made.
Domain: Saton.

Suna no Onimgami (Enter the Sandman)
Rank: D, C, B^using, A, S^known
Type: Supplementary / Special Bloodline Technique / Saton Ninjutsu
Range: Self
Handseals: No.
Chakra: Very High
Special: Highest known rank determines how large the Sunagami can grow, and what Saton jutsu that they know can be performed from their bodies without the need of handseals. Can be retained as long as the Sunagami has chakra to pay for it; once fatigued, all retained sand spills out from the Sunagami all at once, as if it was held within a glass case that had just been shattered.

D: 10 meter growth
C: 20 meter growth
B: 30 meter growth
A: 40 meter growth
S: 50 meter growth

Description: A transformational technique, the Sunagami utilizes their talents in Saton in order to fuse their sandy bodies with the natural sand around them. Whether it's provided from a gourd or from nature itself does not matter; as long as there is sand available and it isn't being influenced by chakra (yours or the opponent's) the Sunagami may absorb it, growing larger and providing an even bigger threat.
Domain: Sunagami. Sunayama no Jutsu. Suna Okori of equal rank.

[/spoiler][/font]

[BLKND]

It had grown evident that things had gotten out of hand. A remark which had taken mere instances to relay had quickly turned into a unarmed stand off. The desert gleamed into nothingness as it would creep behind the endless dunes which surrounded him. His voice had been hindered by his mask, to which he could not remove. The fleshy, hollow voice would mimic that of the haunted- the deceased coming from the grave to deliver a message which could only be described as ghastly. A hackle which would sate the demons that charged this place. The spirits that had once lived, fought, weeped and perished here would grow silent at the hackle which would just so happen to emit in a tone so low, that only those truly listening would be capable of hearing it. However, this hackle would quickly transform. The life of his voice rejuvenating within yet another instant. In actuality, the menacing hackle would quickly grow into what would appear to be an decomposed burst of laughter.

"BWAHAHAHA~!" He would begin, holding the mouth of his mask as though it were his own. His form had hunched over in a fit of emotion as his opposite hand would stay put on his stomach as he would quite honestly split his sides. The laughter was monstrous, needlessly echoing throughout the entire stage of ruins in which they stood. "You fa' real mad do'!" He would say, his words barely audible passed this incredible laughter. It would quickly die down however, his hands stopping their fidgeting as he would fall to the ground, his hands falling between his knees as he hunched over his bended legs. "Oh shit- Or at least- I think you are. After all: 'I wouldn't expect a meatsack like you to notice me for what I am-' HAHAHA!!" Ibaru would barely contain his laughter, though quickly stopping himself- containing his body to a light chuckle.

It wouldn't take long to see what his new found friend had become. An inchworm had blossomed into a butterfly, and as the sand which composed his figure would compile, as would his ability for danger. While his mask wouldn't show it, the smile which had crossed Ibaru's face had faded, and his true nature- only for a second- would appear. For a moment, pure silence would overcome the scenery. The sand dripping from this 'creature' was ominous of the oncoming situation. This however was quickly overcome by a sudden onset of his cover.

"Aye, bruh. You jus' said you wasn't tryin' ta' fight. Make up yo god damn mind. Sides, what kinda ninja shows his jutsu without already decidin' to kill the joes that saw him?" Turning his head clearly to the red headed man, the two bright brown eyes would continue to be amused with the sand-man's new appearance. "That means you gotta kill us both." He said, flicking his index finger towards the red-headed man- his thumb extended into the air as his head would cock once more to the side. "Fa' real my lick, you showin' yo weakness," He would start, his voice slightly changing to a much clearer tone as he would finish the sentence. "And we all know to flee an enemy that knows your weakness~"

As he almost sang the words that would translate into a prophecy as it was directed into the sand-man's ears, he would slowly drag his index finger from the red-headed man to where he would assume the suna-nin's head was.

// THREAD -- OF THE HOUR.
// OOC -- chillin...
//JUTSU -- n/a.

[Shinryu]

gyazo.com/782bfd01a27ff732c44e58068d764466

Gene gave me permission to skip him.

---

He could have shaken his head if he thought it would've fit, but he was a bit too annoyed to spare the fool the warning. The masked one just kept running his mouth; kept trying to talk shit, and put on a pompous demeanor. Ryuuji would silence his arrogance. Permanently.

A sandy foot, comprised of multiple metric tonnes of sand, shot forward; straight out, with no bending of the knee, nor twisting of the torso; no other visual cues to warn the man who stood almost 100 feet below him what was coming. Given his proximity of only a few meters distance away (about 6, taking growth into account) The foot would doubtless collide with the fool mid-speech, taking it's leave from the ground the moment the masked one had turned his head to look away. Given his mask no doubt cut off his perepheral vision, he probably wouldn't even see it before it collided with his body.

Of course once it hit, the sheer force behind the rapid kick would likely crush most of his bones on impact, simply from the kinetic energy behind it. Then again, regardless of the success of the first attack, the soft surface would swiftly begin to envelop his body as the kick followed through, wrapping around him and pulling him into the foot, as it worked to constrict and crush him into nothingness. Any screams would be muted by the sand pouring into his every orifice, crushing him from inside and out into less than bloody pulp. The only thing to survive the assault would be his mask and equipment.

SPOILER: Click to show

All Aforementioned Masteries and Techniques Still active

Suna'oke (Dense Sand Coffin)
Rank: A
Type: Offensive / Special Bloodline Technique / Saton Ninjutsu
Range: Self
Handseals: No.
Chakra: High + Mid
Special: Up to one victim can be 'consumed' per thread, plus one more each time retrained. Consumption lasts a single turn and is inescapable, that is, unless the opponent can somehow produce a burst of chakra greater than the one overtaking them. The Sunagami can devour anything that is proportionate to its own current size up performing the technique.
Description: Although it is unclear which clan - Hozuki or Sunagami - obtained the idea for this technique first (obviously both bloodlines claim rights!), history accepts each clan's version is a result of the other's interpretation. Who came up with the idea of a flytrap-style attack using their own essence does not matter however, for this technique is just as equally deadly if not more - as with Kan'oke, in a moment when the Sunagami spots their opponent's opening, their essence suddenly shifts forward at frightening speeds, no longer resembling a human and instead reverting into a giant sand cloud. Their aim is to envelop the victim, smothering them so that they suffocate in the layers of sand, feel their bones break due to the pressure, and eventually succumb to the pain.
Domain: Sunagami. Sunayama no Jutsu 'A'.

[/font]

[BLKND]

It would have been foolhardy to believe that anyone really held control of the situation at hand. Moreover, it would have been pure idiotic to believe that at any moment, this provoked Suna-nin would be capable of keeping his composure. As such: Ibaru was no idiot. Despite his demeanor, he had in fact ensured that this situation would not result in him being left at the mercy of a monster. As a flash of force would crush what was left of this hollow cylinder, and the tons of rubble would crumble against each other, gnawing away at their centuries of known history. It was almost sad to see the artifacts disperse, and corrode under the weight of this amalgamated sand. It was no doubt powerful, and it was no doubt fierce, but that did not make it invincible. While it was dense, and while it was marvelous- that did not make it impregnable. Dust would shroud wherever Ibaru might have been found, and with it, the screen of sand would pollute the vision of anyone whom had not yet grown adept. However, with what had been signified a 'target,' vision was barely necessary.

It was the essence of the ninja to prepare before it was too late to do so. Had he honestly been outmatched, then he would have taken control of his boisterous front from the moment both of these men entered the picture. However, this was not the case. Instead, as the rubble surrounding him would do well to hide his low crouching frame. Despite turning his head, to appear that he had been speaking to both the giant and the man, his eyes had not once left the giant. And despite being so powerful, no manner of speed would make it any more possible to avoid a kick from so far away (roughly 6 meters). His hands, which had been placed so close to each other between his knees had been capable of forming a single seal within an instant to his enemy showing signs of hostility. Replacing himself with one of the many pieces of rubble surrounding him, he would save his own life, and hide the fact that he had done so in the process.

Unsure of whether or not his opponent was capable of it, Ibaru would take no chances with the two tracking him. With the situation having turned aggressive, each situation would have to be considered. The two were comrades, both possessing kage-level abilities and that they have the opportunity to call for back up. With the sun almost down, it would be the perfect opportunity to slip away and finish what it was that he had started by coming to this part of the desert. While his opponent wasn't aware of it, the portion of the ruin that he had recently crushed was in fact a well. One incredibly large, and tapped to an even larger source a mere ten meters below them all. This man was sand itself, so it was no wonder that he was attempting to shut down any access to water; if he were to slip in to it, he would no doubt suffer the consequences of the added weight. After having successfully survived, and hiding within what his enemies would assume to be his grave, Ibaru had immediately begun to formulate hand seals in secret. He didn't mean to kill either of them- he had no orders to do so- but at least one of them had to be incapacitated. So as he would lay low, nuzzled into the perfect cranny beneath this strategically placed rubble, it would be the five replicas of the ANBU that would soon be the ones to take action. Finishing his final seals, he would prepare for the appropriate counter-attack... assuming he could stay hidden.

// THREAD -- OF THE HOUR.
// OOC -- portion of speech was not specified, so this post is operating on the last sentence Ibaru spoke. about 17 meters from Ryuuji and 20 from Masuyo. as mentioned in first post, lesser wells surround the area. water is beneath the flooring for 70 meters in diameter.
//JUTSU -- kawarimi no jutsu (with life-sized rubble). mizu bunshin no jutsu (5 clones). one jutsu prepped per body (6 in total).

[marvolous.]

SPOILER: Click to show

That's not going to fly as a reasonable escape, BLKND.

Ryuuji chose to send his attack at the exact moment you turned your face away from me, meaning mid-speech. Now, due to the positioning between all three of you, your face is essentially at a 90 angle from what it was, forcing you to watch Ryuuji through your peripherals (Try turning your head 90 degree while keeping your eyes forward, it's not easy). The fact that you're wearing a mask while doing this makes the task even harder, if not nearly impossible.

Basically, you won't be able to react as quickly and swiftly as you said you did, as any sight towards Ryuuji would be quite shitty, at best. Furthermore, you stated you used Kawarimi with the rubble around you, right? Life-size rubble, yes? What you're trying to Kawarimi with is a piece of stone; you would have to exert an effort just to pick it up, let alone use it to switch with in less than a second.

Taking all that into account, I'm going to rule Ryuuji's kick successful; assuming, of course, that Gene doesn't interrupt Ryuuji's post. PM me if there are any questions or further problems.

[Messatsu!]

Masuyo stood in awe as he watched how smoking man's amalgamation of sand resulted in a form of extremely rapid growth. Although the Sennin laid eyes upon foes much larger, he hadn't known of a shinobi, a man that could just cause himself to grow to such extreme heights just on a whim. As he reached thirty meters, he knew that the chance encounter between the trio had taken a turn for the worst as the playfully harassing man successfully provoked the former. Now, why the masked man hadn't acted or even distanced himself away from the sand-man during his growth process flew above and beyond Masuyo's level of comprehension. Nevertheless, the time to think back and reflect ended the moment the sand-man's growth spurt completed which suggested that he was satisfied with what he turned into and deemed it enough to dispatch the masked man.

A sandy foot, comprised of multiple metric tonnes of sand, shot forward; straight out, with no bending of the knee, nor twisting of the torso; no other visual cues to warn the man who stood almost 100 feet below him what was coming.

Although the kick erupted seemingly without warning, the motion in itself was far from anything instantaneous, in fact, it moved slower in comparison to kick sent from his normal form. As far as anyone knew, it was safe to say that aside from Akimichi, most ninja who could even increase their size and mass wouldn't have retained their normal movement speed. That said, a window of opportunity opened up, but only for the briefest of moments. After visualizing and breaking down his sequence of actions in mere fractions of seconds, a simple spike of Masuyo's chakra beckoned forth a coating of red ink that outlined both eyes. Now, presuming everything proceeded according to play, the Sennin would've bolted forward towards the masked man, devouring that 10 meter distance in less than a second. Seemingly 'vanishing' or 'teleporting', the stone platform collapsed into a small crater where his feet were once planted - a testament to his hidden powers.

Speeding towards the masked man, nearly existing above human perception - at least without the assistance of a precognitive doujutsu- Masuyo's charging, right hand reached out and grabbed for the masked man's own right wrist, seizing it in a way where it'd interrupt his attempt at a handseal. If uninterrupted, the movement speed combined with his physical strength comparable to that of the 4th chakra gate alone should have been enough to literally 'sweep him off his feet'. Confident in his movements and decisions, he proceeded on a straightforward path before stopping after he reached a total travel distance of 24 meters.

SPOILER: Click to show

Senjutsu (The Sage Arts)
Rank: S.
Type: Supplementary.
Range: -
Chakra: -
Handseals: -
Special: This technique allows the user to draw upon the natural living energy of the world around them for a wide variety of different uses. While the user experiences no difference while sage mode is “dormant,” the perks are available to the user the moment that it goes live. Most notably, the user’s chakra pool gains and additional x3 Massive for the entire duration that sage mode is activated (a total of six posts). An extensive chakra reserve is not the only perk; however.

Those who enter sage mode gain a substantial bonus to both their natural strength and speed (comparable to the fourth gate) throughout the duration of sage mode.

Additionally, the user’s senses are pushed to the limits. With the energy of life coursing through their body, the user is capable of sensing a great deal of jutsu, chakra, and movements on the battlefield far higher than even your most skilled shinobi. It should be noted that it takes two full turns of harnessing the natural energy (in which the user must be perfectly still) to access sage mode.
Description: Senjutsu (Sage Arts) is a very unique chakra that contains the energy found in nature, itself. It’s a powerful source of energy, able to grant a ninja far greater feats of strength , as well as enhancing the power of one’s ninjutsus and genjutsus. Sage Chakra is created through the mixing and balancing of one’s physical energy, spiritual energy, as well as the natural energy of the world around them.

Only those with a large chakra capacity can gather the natural energy needed for entering a powerful state called “Sage Mode.” Also, only when a person remains “perfectly still,” no longer disrupting the flow of nature around them, can they properly feel and harness the natural energy. Remaining perfectly still for any period of time takes a great deal of concentration and patience, requiring a highly motivated state of mind. Attempting to use Sage Mode during battle, naturally, comes with some risks. Due to the requirement of needing to be perfectly still, the user is completely exposed to any form of attack.
Domain: Kinjutsu.

1_____

[Shinryu]

It was almost too funny. The kick would have no doubt caught the young punk off his guard, and as it followed through, Ryuuji almost drooled in anticipation, waiting for the familiar popping sensation as the body ruptured under pressure...

Except...

It wasn't coming... It hadn't come, and indeed it would not, for his prey had escaped. But how?! And where?! Standing so tall amongst the sand, it didn't take long for him to spot the cause of his irritation: The red-head stood almost his new body's length away, holding the masked one by the wrist. The Sandman's fury raged relentlessly. So they were allies now? What treachery was this?! The redhead had been content to simply stand and watch, and yet now he suddenly felt compelled to save the wastrel from his befitting end?! His voice boomed, demanding an answer.

"YOU. WHY SAVE THE FOOL? HE WAS WARNED TO LEAVE, BUT CONTINUED TO TRESSPASS ON THE LAND OF MY PEOPLE. HE IS NO NATIVE, BY HIS CLOTHING AND BY HIS SPEECH WE CAN BOTH TELL AS MUCH. SO ANSWER ME. WHY SAVE HIM FROM THE FATE HE DESERVES?! WHY SPARE AN INSIGNIFIGANT WORM SUCH AS HE?"

The voice rang out across the desert, rippling across the dunes. The body of sand began collapsing in a haze of dust, spreading out as the thirty meter form began to wither and spread apart, slowly wirthing back down to the earth... And from within stood Ryuuji, his normal size retained; his hands slipping together into a familiar pattern, as he stared down the ginger who held the object of his fury.

"You had best be quick about it with your response. I have no issue with you, but unless you can provide me ample justification to keep his pathetic self alive, he will die... And... if it's within my power, then you will as well for aiding him. Let's not make it come to that."

The glare in his eye was menacing, and his voice completely calm. His chakra-rich form, despite its ire, was filled with the cool sense of determination that preceeded killing, and he almost smirked at the thought of dessicating the masked man, and listening to his screams.

SPOILER: Click to show

All aforementioned Masteries still active.

Enter Sandman Technique cancelled.

One technique prepped.

SPOILER: Click to show

Went back to re-edit a couple of posts to fix my font. Realized I hadn't been using TNR for them. Those were the only changes made.

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