the leaf that no longer rustled in the wind

[Mamushi]

    Rudolph stooped to pick up his knife. And then the damned fool tried to use a ninjutsu.

   Right in front of the samurai.

   No, she wanted to shout, backing away with a frown, you fool! She had thought he would pick the knife up and fight - they could drag it out long enough for Tanaka to come and send the men away. He made this desperate attempt instead. Kenta and Oda were seasoned warriors, jounin-level by her reckoning, to compare them to shinobi. The moment he started his handseals, they drew their swords with such speed that the shimmering steel blades seemed to split the air; she was buffeted by an invisible gust of pressure.

    Ass and Hat rushed Rudolph just as he was finishing his seals, only a few steps away, drawing swords that were sheathed in pale energy that pulsed down the length of the blades; one was shaped like a machete, the other an axe. One on one, she suspected, Rudolph could defeat either of them, but together, sooner or later, they would overwhelm him, and that was only if Kenta and Oda didn't join in. She felt Kenta's eyes on her, daring her, and then she closed her own and turned her face away.

    There was a brilliant flash of light, visible even through her eyelids. She heard Kenta grunt, but figured that he would not be undone by a flash of light. Oda loosed an almost feral growl. When she opened her eyes, Hat was dead, blood spewing from his neck, and Ass was trying to blink away his blindness; but Kenta and Oda were tracking Rudolph through sound; they put on their helmets and took off after him, no doubt radioing for reinforcements. Just a hunting squad, probably.

    They left her there at the grave; when she lost sight of them over the rise, she picked up the knife and buried it in Ass's throat.Whatever his name had been, he was dead now. Just worm food. She kicked him and his comrade over into the grave and vanished in a swirl of leaves.

    Stupid boy. If he escaped, they would send men to hunt him. If he didn't escape, he would surely die. And she wouldn't be able to do anything to help him.

[hass]

That absolute flash of light had been the concluding one. Among the blackness, the dual, senior Samurai gave pursuit to an escaping Rudolph. Nevertheless, he had to watch his step for the immediate space was full of unfilled holes; what would the blinded warriors do if they fell in one? He hoped they had, part of him disbelieved that the Ninjutsu he cast was true. It was an idiotic thing to do, but he planned to prolong his life for as long as he possibly could, staying back there and fighting the Viper was a risk he was not keen to take.


Rudolph now remained on the fence as to where he should flee to. The streets at nighttime were easy to navigate, though difficult to keep track of where one was going. Since he donned midnight apparel, he should be problematic to spot. Utilizing the rundown buildings’ alleyways was a clever idea, due to the minimal patrol of Samurai around those parts. After rushing out of a slim backstreet, he was confronted by the massive wall that wrapped around Konohagakure.


Spiritual energy collected itself with moderation and traveled down to the soles of his feet, where they made his footwear able to cling to solid surfaces. He quickly scaled the construct until he met its topmost position. Below were several trees belonging to a lush forest, ideal for hiding within!

But, where would he run toward?


Rudolph recalled the sight of a map he had once laid his eyes upon, it was of the Shinobi world. To the northwest was the Land of Earth, where Iwagakure was hidden in a thick rock. To his immediate west was the Land of Wind, which was closest to Konohagakure, and was home to Sungakure no Sato. A village shrouded in mist belonged to the Land of Country, but he forgot its name. Then, at last, in the Land of Lightning in the northeast was Kumogakure no Sato; which sounded the most appealing.


How far these lands were was unknown to Rudolph, though it was a better bet than sitting idle in Konohagakure with a blade to his neck.

[exit]

[Mamushi]

    The samurai knew that the only way for their prey to escape the city was over the wall, so while they chased after him, vision clearing by the step, they also radioed there comrades throughout the city to converge on his only escape route. The wall was truly vast, patrolled by only a few, but that changed with a word from Kenta. He and Oda both had to travel slowly, and cautiously, lest they injure themselves in their blindness, but their fellows were not so handicapped.

    Within seven seconds, patrols along the wall had doubled - in twelve, they had tripled - and already the hunters were heading out with their dogs, sniffing their way through the night. Patrols swept across the buildings that bordered the wall, searching for the slave who dared to kill one of their own and attempt to flee; Kenta or Oda, she didn't know which, even called in the airships, with their roving search lights and whirring propellers, though it would be at least minute before they could take to the skies. She knew because the dim lights over the air-field suddenly brightened, which only happened when a craft was about to take off.

    Mamushi didn't need a dog or an airship to track Rudolph, though. She was quicker than most, and her sense of smell was nearly unparalleled in the village - she was able to follow his scent-trail faster than he was leaving it, gaining on and passing Kenta and Oda with ease, who were both more warriors than hunters. This was the job they had given her, why Tanaka had first begun keeping her close, why she had some measure of clout among the samurai - because, with her talents, she was particularly suited to hunting shinobi. Samurai too, for that matter, and anything else that breathed.

    She was used to slinking nearly unseen through shadows, but when she took to the rooftops, she found that she had almost forgotten how it felt to look down on Konoha. The city was so different now, lifeless, almost - there was too much steel, too much technology. And here, the buildings were all rundown, just shells of what they used to be. She tasted the air, felt scents and vibrations play over her tongue: Rudolph was close. So were a few of the hunting patrols - the smell of dog was particularly pungent.

    The clock tower that overlooked the adjacent sector struck seven and it officially became evening; the thunderous gongs were drowned by the klaxons blaring throughout the city, loud, deafening alarms that were accompanied with flashing yellow and red lights. Shit. Kenta meant to raise the whole city in arms.

    And then she saw him. Rudolph. The fool boy was scaling the wall in an attempt to escape. Probably hadn't even realized just how hard the samurai would fight to keep him here; not because he was particularly valuable, but because one slave escaping would give hope - give strength - to the rest, and that was wholly unacceptable to the samurai. They'd kill him just to send a message. Unless...

    She flickered closer, to the half crumbled roof of some dilapidated building, and called up to the fleeing Rudolph, "Once you reach the top of that wall, your death is certain." She could hear the patrols getting closer, both above and below. No doubt Kenta's and Oda's vision had returned by now; soon they'd have eyes in the sky as well.

    "No shinobi has ever escaped over the wall," she went on. "What makes you think you can?" She sighed and shook her head, sniffed deeply - samurai were nearby, close enough to hear her. "You should've just fought me. I wouldn't have killed you. Now I'll have no choice. Tanaka will want me to kill you myself, to ensure that I haven't developed any... sympathies... and my position is more important than your life, I'm afraid." She might've winked at him, but figured this would all go smoother if he thought he was about to die. Instead of winking, she said:

    "This is the part where I kill you. Sorry." She seemed to burst into a dense cloud of smoke, but when the haze cleared, nothing appeared to have changed.₁

SPOILER: Click to show

{Jutsu Used}
Shunshin x3 (last turn x1 & this turn x2) - Miniscule x3
1. --

[hass]

His hand reached out to grip the chief portion of the massive wall, nails dug into the shingle. When that familiar voice called out, Rudolph cursed himself, and the Viper, beneath the seclusion of his gasp. Gradually, he twisted his head to accompany her with an unordinary mien; eyes broadened in suspicion. Surely, he suspected that the girl would be cut down by those two devils. Her presence here was evidence enough that they had been slowed by his Ninjutsu and would not be here for at least a few minutes. The streets of Konohagakure, at night, were difficult to maneuver; and they had no eyesight to assist them.


Rudolph was not the type she presumed he was, and, feasibly, was gently learning that due to his lethal spectacle prior. They were coming from all directions and all she had been doing was distracting him. Those demons below surely did not know how to scale walls, they were doomed to reside in the hell they conquered; however, he had no doubts there were constructs that could assist their climb. The individuals already on the walls would be here soon, he did not have any qualms on that. It was either die or jump.

Escape was a necessity; the only other option was death. His rational choice was to drop his pride and retreat. The slaughtered Samurai had been the mark he’d leave behind, something for them to remember him upon his homecoming. That was if he amassed enough power to overtake Konohagakure and claim the land for Shinobi once more. Though, the odds were surely against him and all that concerned him was his withdrawal. The Viper was going to strike, at any moment, as he imagined a snake slithering through the tall grass while stalking a field mouse.


He was that vermin while she was the serpent. And the Viper appeared to be awfully hungry during this particular evening.


A bulge presented itself in his neck, which was quickly swallowed down. Angst began to set in, but he simply could not waste time defecating his drawers! No unnecessary movements could be spared for the sparse time he had. Without haste, Rudolph quickly strung together his final sentence. “Then you should ditch the sympathy you gained for yourself, and do what is just, or betray your false sense of hope for that position you have and join the insurgency; wholeheartedly. The door is slowly closing,” he warned, yet was nowhere to be seen in the dimness.


In a blur of movement, Rudolph vanished into the obscurities and was heading into the forestry. The Samurai could not track him but she most definitely could. He internally pleaded that she did not pursue him with intent to obliterate, but with hopes of sparking rebellion throughout the Shinobi world beside him.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}

Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique)

Rank: D

Range: Close (0m ~ 5m), Mid (5m ~ 10m)

Type: Supplementary

Handseals: -

Chakra Consumption: Miniscule



Shunshin no Jutsu is a basic Ninjutsu technique used across the shinobi world by all, ranging from the most basic shinobi to the legends of lore. Considered a high-speed movement technique - to an observer caught in the optical illusion, it appears as if the user has teleported. This allows the user to escape or attack suddenly, should they need to. However, while a high-speed movement, if used in broad daylight, one will still be quite visible and as such, easier to be defended against. In order to achieve maximum effect, the user must combine it with a distraction.



Note: Despite popular belief, this is not an ability that allows an individual to teleport, or even move incomprehensibly fast. It simply combines high mobility with some disruption of visibility to conceal those movements. That in mind, if you can conceal your movement, it is common for this technique to allow very long-distance dashes before enemies may notice you.

[Mamushi]

    Rudolph was talking to a clone. Mamushi had shunshined closer beneath the cover of bunshin smoke, creeping nearer as he spoke. When he flickered away, she was ready, following behind with a quick movement of her own, dogging his steps as if she were glued to his heels. She simply couldn't allow him to escape, not now - it would seem too suspicious, given her talents; then there was the fact that she'd been seen speaking to him just before he murdered a samurai and attempted to escape. Ichiro was already suspicious of her for Hidechi's death; he would have her killed if she failed.

    Stupid boy, she thought again. If only Rudolph had fought her, they would probably be having a late meal in the servant's quarters of Tanaka's estate while she told him about what she did for the rebellion - explained how vital intel was to the burgeoning warfront; instead, the samurai were out to kill him, and if she didn't kill him or capture him, she would lose either her position, and the power that came with it, or her head, in which case her loss of status wouldn't matter.

    She could think of only one way to salvage the situation.

    One moment, they were on the wall, the next they were in the forest. It was dark, and eerily quiet, save for the ceaseless chatter of cicadas. They wouldn't shut up till winter. An owl hooted from somewhere high in the trees, and the wind whispered through the boughs. The forest floor was blanketed in leaves and pine needles; beneath was cool dark earth.

    Mamushi struck from Rudolph's blind spot, mere feet behind him. She jabbed out with her hand; the arm split and lengthened, transforming into six striking snakes, mouths wide, fangs wicked and sharp₂. The snakes converged on him, to bind him, bite him - break him, if they could. She didn't know what kind of jutsu he knew, but figured it didn't matter; if she kept close and stayed on the offensive, he wouldn't get the chance to use any.

    Her hand reformed, shedding the snakes like skin. There was another burst of smoke₃; hidden for a brief moment by the wafting cloud, Mamushi made a single handseal₄. When the smoke cleared, she leaped towards Rudolph, jumping high in the air to fall from above, as silent as death. She did not yell or shout - her eyes, narrowed, and sharp as knives, bespoke her intent.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Jutsu Used}
Shunshin - Miniscule x4 (thus far)
1. Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Technique) (Last Round)(Miniscule)
2. Senei Jashu (Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)
Rank: C
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m)
Type: Offensive
Handseals: -
Chakra Consumption: Mid
Senei Jashu is a signature Kagehebi Nintaijutsu technique which allows the clan member to manifest a bundle of quick-striking snakes that extend from the user’s sleeves. The Kage-Hebi extends their arm and shoots out snakes to attack a target, having them move at impressive speeds and strike with their fangs. Though basic, this variation has been known to subdue even the strongest of foes with a single snake bite.
Note: By default, the user can summon up to six snakes from their sleeve. Likewise, these snakes can infect a target with the Kage-Hebi’s Tier 2 poisons.
3.--
4.--

[hass]

What was with this sudden desire to maim and kill him? The Samurai must have influenced her so, that her only sense of worth was to obey their orders to the marrow of the bone; though it struck his odd, not only a half-hour ago she was babbling about revolution. This unfortunate turn of events should have been damned; he did not want to be dragged back into Konohagakure with the crimes he had performed. In a blur of movement, his attempt at withdrawing from that nightmare had initiated.

The crisp breeze of the forest enveloped his face, refreshing at that. Many leaves shook a rumbling noise audible throughout the region. It may have brought a smile to Rudolph’s face if it weren’t for the spontaneous hissing of snakes nearing his backside. He did not have to glance in order to avoid the expected strike. Yet again, his legs seemed to carry him forth and untraceable speeds; though he appeared unseen throughout this wild dash. His surge passed him far enough to withdraw from her range of attacks, for the time being. Although, no time was wasted in the stringing of hand seals, but no obvious Ninjutsu₁ was crafted from his formula.

His footwear slammed roughly into the dirt, a fist pounding into his other palm once the Shinobi had pivoted to face the engaging Viper. His eyes had come to a narrow, steel-grey orbs peered over at her. “Look how far we’ve come, already! They will eventually stop chasing us and we can escape together, you know?” just how difficult would it be to reason with her? To some this sudden ceasing would appear strange; his life had been put on the line just to deliver a few, simple questions. Yet, he lowered a hand to the hilt of his Ninjato in case she did not halt to tend to his concerns.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}
₁ -  ?


Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique)
Rank: D
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m), Mid (5m ~ 10m)
Type: Supplementary
Handseals: -
Chakra Consumption: Miniscule

Shunshin no Jutsu is a basic Ninjutsu technique used across the shinobi world by all, ranging from the most basic shinobi to the legends of lore. Considered a high-speed movement technique - to an observer caught in the optical illusion, it appears as if the user has teleported. This allows the user to escape or attack suddenly, should they need to. However, while a high-speed movement, if used in broad daylight, one will still be quite visible and as such, easier to be defended against. In order to achieve maximum effect, the user must combine it with a distraction.

Note: Despite popular belief, this is not an ability that allows an individual to teleport, or even move incomprehensibly fast. It simply combines high mobility with some disruption of visibility to conceal those movements. That in mind, if you can conceal your movement, it is common for this technique to allow very long-distance dashes before enemies may notice you.

[Mamushi]

    Escape? He wanted to escape? Escape where?! The insurgency was still weak, just a disparate bunch of twenty-somethings who had managed Ancho-9. It would take time before the rebellion became a real threat to the Samurai regime, but for now, the rebels didn't even have a permanent base; just caravans.

    Mamushi landed soundlessly in front of Rudolph, as quiet as death. He really thought they could take their freedom here in the forests just outside the village walls. The boy was too naive, too small-minded. The insurgency needed the intel she provided more than they needed her fists, needed supplies and ration more than an extra hand at katon jutsu.

    And what good would he do anyway? All he had known thus far was a life of hard labor, and he was too young to have a great recollection of what life was like before; as far as she was concerned, he was hardly a shinobi at all! She'd tried to connect with him through the strength of their shared misery and mentions of the rebellion - he had rebuffed her, seemingly afraid to voice his true opinions.

    Worse than that, he didn't even seem to realize that he was talking to a bunshin.

    From the trees above, maybe twelve feet in the air,  the real Mamushi looked down on Rudolph and her formless clone; the world had gone infrared, the darks made darker, ever iota of heat appearing to her as great orange and yellow blobs in various shapes. The bunshin was nearly invisible, but she could see Rudolph clearly. That was good, she tought; she meant to end this quickly, before the search parties arrived. If she could put him down before they arrived, she could take him straight to Tanaka and beg for a light punishment; if that proved too difficult, all that was left was to kill him.

    She blitzed through three short seals.₅ The bunshin bull-rushed Rudolph, kicked at his face. Another three seals.₆ The bunshin dove at Rudolph only to burst into a thick plume of smoke before reaching him, blinding him. A much more solid Mamushi came barreling through the haze, fist extended in a straight left to strike his jaw.

"They'll never stop," Mamushi said as her fist sailed through the air.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Jutsu Used}Chakra Pool: 120/200
3. Bunshin - Miniscule
4. Gen’ei-Hebi (Snake Heat Tracking)
Rank: C
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m), Mid (5m ~ 10m), Far (10m+)
Type: Supplementary
Handseals: 1 to activate and deactivate
Chakra Consumption: Low to cast: Miniscule sustain
Pit vipers, pythons, and some species of Boa possess the ability to “see” the radiated heat from a warm-blooded animal through special sensors located between the nostril and eyes. Like many Kage-Hebi techniques, this ability is based off of these snakes. With this, they can see heat via activating an infrared sight. This helps in tracking targets in the dark, or when they are hidden by physical objects.
Note: This heat-vision essentially replaces the user’s standard vision. This means that the Kage-Hebi will be incapable of seeing things which lack heat.
5.--
6.--

[hass]

The desire to convince this woman to join him had long fled his being, only the need to endure had veiled his mind. There were vast lands they could flee to; if he could only prolong his life he’d be glad. Rather than sitting with a bag over his head, awaiting the executioner’s blade to separate his head from his body; Rudolph could be alive. It only took effort, in his opinion, and thus far, he had come a long ways from just a child. The possibility of fleeing the Land of Fire presented itself in that very moment; it was nothing he planned to waste.


Compared to her own, his use of chakra thus far had been miniscule; he was intelligently preserving his own energy until need be. Regardless, she was already on the prowl; he figured as much from her previous, deceptive style of attacking. No sound came from the oncoming woman, and there was a multitude of crunchy leaves and twigs waiting to be snapped beneath her feet. His forearms lifted, once that kick swung toward him; it did not harm him, much to his judgement. A spontaneous cloud of dust surrounded him, although not only fueled by her own billow.


He fled aside, leaving a log in his wake; her fist should surely penetrate it lest she was as good as he assumed she was. And he thought so. For safer measures, once he escaped behind the trees he maneuvered about without being seen; a blur of inky hue left in his wake. Given how dark it was, he continued to move through beneath the guise of Shunshin no Jutsu. He did not know which direction he was fleeing in, that was of unimportance thus far. But soon, these woods would be flooded with assailants and that Viper would not give in anytime soon.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}

Kawarimi no Jutsu (Body Replacement Technique)_{1[prepped from previous turn]}
Rank: E
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m)
Type: Supplementary
Handseals: -
Chakra Consumption: Miniscule



Kawarimi no Jutsu is an Academy Ninjutsu technique. When in danger the user will quickly substitute themselves with another nearby object - generally a block of wood, or other similar object - the moment an attack lands. This creates an optical illusion, making the enemy think the attack was successful. From this, the user can use the lapse in the enemy's attention to attack or flee from the battlefield. Explosvie tags can be attached to the placement for an added surprise!



Note: Switch is near-instantaneous. This technique can only be used once per turn. Item switched with must be somewhat mentioned prior to use, in previous turns (most likely during area descriptions). While one can switch with a variety of things it needs to be within reason, switching with a chair, log, fallen tree is acceptable, but switching with a dust particle is obviously not.



Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique)
Rank: D
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m), Mid (5m ~ 10m)
Type: Supplementary
Handseals: -
Chakra Consumption: Miniscule



Shunshin no Jutsu is a basic Ninjutsu technique used across the shinobi world by all, ranging from the most basic shinobi to the legends of lore. Considered a high-speed movement technique - to an observer caught in the optical illusion, it appears as if the user has teleported. This allows the user to escape or attack suddenly, should they need to. However, while a high-speed movement, if used in broad daylight, one will still be quite visible and as such, easier to be defended against. In order to achieve maximum effect, the user must combine it with a distraction.



Note: Despite popular belief, this is not an ability that allows an individual to teleport, or even move incomprehensibly fast. It simply combines high mobility with some disruption of visibility to conceal those movements. That in mind, if you can conceal your movement, it is common for this technique to allow very long-distance dashes before enemies may notice you.

[Mamushi]

    Rudolph couldn't hide from her, but with her chakra starting to run low - she was at less than half-capacity, way more than she'd hoped to use - it was possible that he might escape. He avoided her rock clone₅ with a kawarimi, then shunshined away to continue to flee - from her vantage point in the trees, she saw his every move, tracking him through his body heat, through smell, through vibrations in the air. It might as well have been broad daylight - the darkness meant nothing to her, and the illusion of high-speed movement created by his shunshin failed.

    Able to see him clearly, she timed her attack to perfection; using pure speed and the element of surprise, she approached him from above, flitting from branch to branch as if a bird, closing in with nary a sound. Her rock clone, to better mask her silent advance, made a bunch of noise running through the undergrowth, yelling out Rudolph's name as if searching for him. If Rudolph ever realized that she was in truth right on his heels, and that he was fleeing a clone - it would be too late.

    As she came upon him, she spat a mist of thin, razor sharp chakra nails at his legs₆ to slow him down, carefully judging both his trajectory as well as that of the nails. The wounds would be far from fatal, but they would be painful, and greatly hamper his efforts to flee. Her rock clone initiated its own jutsu_A meanwhile, and all sounds of it moving through the forest ceased, muffled by earth. He'd have to learn to fly to escape her now.
   

SPOILER: Click to show

{Jutsu Used}
Chakra Pool = 170/200
4. Gen’ei-Hebi (Snake Heat Tracking) - Miniscule Sustain
5. Iwa Bunshin no Jutsu (Rock Clone Technique)
Rank: C
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m), Mid (5m ~ 10m)
Type: Supplementary
Handseals: 3
Chakra Consumption: Mid per clone
Iwa Bunshin no Jutsu is a Ninjutsu technique which utilizes the Earth Element. After performing a set of handseals, the user creates a perfect clone of themselves made of stone. Unlike a normal Bunshin, the Iwa Bunshin has the ability to interact more with the environment due to it having physical substance. This allows the clone to carry out limited attacks on its target. The range of the clone is limited however, it cannot travel very far from the original body. If the Iwa Bunshin is injured, the clone will usually revert back into its natural rock state.
Note: Clones must be created within 5 meters of the user and cannot travel father than 50 meters from its creator. This clone has High cap of chakra. These clones are limited to Earth-based jutsu and elementary chakra channeling. This includes simple abilities like water walking and tree climbing but not more advances channeling techniques such as Hien.
6. Hitei Mushou (Flying Nail Mist Pierce)
Rank: C
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m)
Type: Offensive
Handseals: 3
Chakra Consumption: Low
Ninpou - Hitei Mushou is Ninjutsu technique universally known by shinobi across the globe. After forming the needed handseal, the user will emit a flying mist of small nails from their mouth, created entirely of the user's chakra. These small nails can travel towards their opponent at quite a distance, moving at impressive speeds and retain even more impressive accuracy!

Bunshin = ??/50
A.--

[hass]

The false coup of Rudolph’s escape from the Viper’s clutch left him overjoyed, a tingling sensation overcame his physique, although his legs had not ceased. He forced himself to continue running, regardless of the outcome. At no point did he plan on stopping, not unless he saw another Shinobi and not the one hot on his tail with intent to exterminate. Then the cries of his name met his ears, every sliver of hope that he clutched onto was gradually slipping through the crevices of his digits. It was thought of from that point, that his Shunshin no Jutsu had been nearly useless.


There was no chance of battling the adversary, only hope of redirecting their attacks. Just until she was drained, then he could turn around and do some damage. After his own name sounded out, the Genin crafted a few hand seals₁ and took a sharp left turn just about a tree; directly away from Konohagakure no Sato. The seals had no effect, possibly similar to his prior activation of Kawarimi; though she didn’t recognize it to begin with. It was his only option that he could muster up within a short period of time, anyhow, and he placed all of his chips on that slim opportunity.


The sudden spin around that tree took him before a small river, not much of a current since the water ran smooth. In that instant, he felt a sharp pain strike his legs; causing a grunt to sound from his throat. Rudolph limped forth until he fell to a knee, awaiting that stinging sensation to flee. He glanced over his shoulder, coming to a stand; there was hurt apparent in his legs but it was not anything that could overcome him entirely. “This game is tiresome for the both of us!” His hand swiped his forehead, ridding of some sweat that stained his skin. “But you don’t care, do you?”

SPOILER: Click to show

[50/200]

1 - ?

[Mamushi]

    Mamushi's vision returned to normal; from here on, she would rely on her normal senses to keep track of her foe. As Rudolph started to limp from the sudden pain of her attack, bleeding from pinpricks on the back of his legs, he would find himself suddenly buried beneath the earth up to his neck_A.

    Mamushi had followed him from the trees, true, but after a short while, her clone had taken to traveling through the ground. As she had spat the nails, so too did her clone take to the earth to catch Rudolph in this very trap. Of course, now that her clone was out of chakra, it deformed into the same dirt that entombed Rudolph. She watched him closely, wary of another switch, but there hadn't been time to make one after her attack hit.

    She dropped down from the tree, annoyed that it had taken so long to finally catch him. She still had the knife from Kenta. "You should've fought me. Coward."

SPOILER: Click to show

{Jutsu Used}
Chakra Pool = 180/200

Bunshin = 50/50
Cast Last Round:
A. Dochuu Eigyo (Underground Fish Projection)
Rank: C
Range: Close (0m ~ 5m)
Type: Supplementary
Handseals: 3
Chakra Consumption: Mid to cast, Low to sustain
Dochuu Eigyo is a Ninjutsu technique which utilizes the Earth Element. After performing a set of handseals, the user conceals themselves beneath the earth, much like in Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu. However, now they are capable of moving through the earth like a fish moves through water, allowing them to stage surprise attacks or escape from a potentially deadly onslaught.
Note: To learn this technique the user must know Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu. Concealment is near-instantaneous. The user cannot perform seals beneath the ground and thus cannot use jutsu, but can wield weapons. To remain underground without suffocating, the user will need to continually expend chakra.

[hass]

The earth’s surface was cool; below the dirt it felt pleasantly warm. “You really don’t care,” he confirmed aloud. It took him a moment to truly discover what occurred, how exactly he was burrowed in soil up to his neck. Instinct informed him that it did not matter anymore. Rudolph narrowed his eyes at the woman, refusing even the slightest hint of regret. His jaw tightened, securely clenched, and he began to squirm out of discomfort. It hurt his pride, the fact that she disabled his ability to perform a switch. The calm river ran behind them and a mania of cicada surrounded them with their habitual, irksome singing.


“I have not heard the rumors about those insurgents, not for a few years. In fact, these past few years I have spent were alone in seclusion,” he coughed out, turning his hateful expression transitioned into an apathetic one. Fingers wriggled beneath the topsoil, dirt had found its ways into the crevices made by his fingernails. “I have been trying to live in obscurity. That Samurai would have died, I think, burying him alive would have been unnecessary. And if I had not done that, I would not be in this position.” Silence ensued for a just a few moments.


“The other I stabbed in the neck, which was just a waste of time, valuable seconds that could have been spent running to safety. But that is in the past, we cannot really afford to dwell on bygones anymore,” Rudolph huffed, tilting his head back. The vitals of his neck were clear for her, if she so pleased. “Do it if you want. I had visions of my home being what it once was, even though those memories are difficult to access – I just liked to pretend,” he spoke while staring at the sky, stars dotted the dark while their glow and the moonlight shown down upon the two. “I went about it wrong, I know that now. So you carry on for me and the rest of our people. What’s left of them."

[Mamushi]

    "What a sap," she said, frowning.

    The stupid boy still thought she was going to kill him. She couldn't say she hadn't contemplated it since the start of their little scuffle. Sure as shit he'd pissed her off something fierce, and in a normal world, she'd have long since killed him for annoying her.

    But this wasn't a normal world. It was all twisted and fucked up. Wasn't his fault the samurai were dicks. Wasn't her fault either; she was just trying to survive. Trying to give some meaning to the death and destruction of all that she had ever known. And here was this little idiot, fucking it all up. He was crafty though, she had to give him that. Just not smart.

    "I'm not gonna kill you, you little shit. I could've convinced Tanaka to let me handle your punishment, you know. Gotten you off grave-duty for a while. You would've saved us both a world of trouble if you'd just fought me. You chose to kill a samurai instead." She shook her head and spat. "Idiot."

    She knelt in front of him and ran her long fingers through his hair. He reminded her of old friends, long forgotten. They'd been idiots too. It would be so easy to leave. To pull him loose and run off into the night. Link up with the resistance and raid prisons and towns. But the resistance needed information more than it needed bodies, and no other shinobi had the level of access that she did.

    She couldn't leave.

    "No, I'm not gonna kill you. The samurai have this way of sensing when your chakra is low. Kenta would have me killed and blame it on you, with none the wiser. He's always hated me." She paused, listening to the forest. The samurai were still far off. She could smell the search dogs, though she couldn't hear them barking. "I'm gonna leave you something to remember me by instead. So you'll remember how stupid you were."

    She pushed his hair aside and pressed her knife to his temple. "Try not to scream. I've been told this hurts."

    She carved her name into his flesh, hands as steady and precise as a surgeon's. The kanji were tight and precise, as small and neat as she could make them. No need to mar that pretty face of his, after all.

    "You should be able to work yourself loose by the time the samurai reach you. If you still manage to die then, you're too weak to live."

    She left him there, bleeding in the dirt. Left him for Konoha. For a life of servitude and lies. And, ultimately, for a cell at Anchor-9.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Exit!}

[Frozen]

Added exp to side bar :]

Hass: 120 xp
Mamushi: 130 xp

[hass]

He was right there and she was talking down upon him as if he wasn’t. Or like he was naught to her. The thought hurt more than the pain in his legs, the panic that spread throughout his body and so much more. At that point, being killed was what he desired; being spared like he was not a force to be reckoned with. In truth, he was not. Rudolph had been as weak as they could get; a wannabe Shinobi who had barely experienced what it was like to be a true one. And he was a murderer, too.


He kept his lips sealed; there were no words for her. The boy could not even find them himself. The soil was loosening about his physique, hope of escape struck him. Rudolph began to squirm like hell, anything to free him from this earthen tomb. “You are-“ his speech was cut off by remarkable pain, it drew a shout of agony. Though, he quickly muffled it by tightly biting down upon his bottom lip. Blood was drawn from both his mouth and temple, leaving the teen a writhing mess. The pain was great; it seared and caused his mind to refuse anything or anyone.


When he came to his senses, several moments later, the Viper was gone. Those shackles of dirt had been easier to crawl from, fortunately. Rudolph stood up, soil crumbled from his attire. He trudged over to the river and nearly collapsed, the short time spent there was to wash his wounds. And then it was back to running. His emotions were stirred about; he never imagined that making enemies with another Shinobi was possible. But, perhaps, she may have acted as a mentor more than a foe. Nonetheless, he had to flee with haste. Little did he know that his destination ahead was the Forest of Death.

[exit]